New World: Aeternum is an MMORPG developed by Amazon Games that invites players to immerse themselves in a vibrant, hostile world filled with mysteries, ancient secrets, and dangerous creatures. The game’s setting takes place on the mythical island of Aeternum, a land blessed with the mysterious “Corruption” and powerful resources. The island offers a vast world to explore, a complex crafting system, and a dynamic combat style where players can interact with others in an open world full of challenges. For newcomers, jumping into the game can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, you can quickly get the hang of things and start carving your path.
Step 1: Downloading and Installing the Game
The first step in getting started is, of course, downloading New World: Aeternum. The game is available exclusively on PC through Amazon’s own gaming platform, Steam. Simply visit the Steam store, search for New World, and click “Install” to begin the process. Ensure your system meets the minimum requirements for optimal performance:
Minimum System Requirements:
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 480
Storage: 50 GB available space
Recommended System Requirements:
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i7-2600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1400
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 580
Storage: 50 GB SSD
Once you have the game installed, you’ll need to create a New World account. Logging in to this account will allow you to join the game’s servers.
Step 2: Creating Your Character
Upon logging into New World for the first time, you’ll be prompted to create your character. The game offers a range of character customization options that allow you to change your appearance, including facial features, body type, and hairstyle. You’ll also choose your starting faction and be presented with a choice of the three main factions in the game: The Marauders, The Syndicate, and The Covenant. Each faction has its own unique backstory, beliefs, and bonuses. Your choice will have a significant impact on your gameplay experience, especially when it comes to PvP (Player vs. Player) and territory control later in the New World Gold.
Faction Choices:
The Marauders: A faction of rugged individuals with a belief in freedom and power. They are known for their military prowess and their willingness to fight for control of Aeternum.
The Syndicate: A faction that values knowledge, secretive practices, and intelligence. They are well-suited for players who enjoy cunning and strategy.
The Covenant: A faction with a religious focus on the purity of Aeternum’s land. They are dedicated to maintaining the sanctity of the island and are often seen as righteous defenders.
Once your character is created, you can select your starting skills and weapon preferences. The game allows you to choose from several weapon types, each offering unique combat mechanics.
Step 3: Understanding the Core Gameplay Mechanics
New World: Aeternum is built around a few core gameplay systems that players need to grasp early on:
Combat: The combat system in New World is real-time, requiring manual aiming and dodging. You’ll need to choose your weapon loadout carefully and master the timing of attacks and defensive maneuvers. There’s no traditional tab-targeting system here, so precision and positioning are key to success.
Crafting and Gathering: Gathering resources is crucial to progressing in New World. Resources like wood, ore, and herbs can be collected by using your tools, and then crafted into weapons, armor, and consumables at crafting stations. There’s a detailed crafting system that requires you to learn recipes and gather materials across the world.
Progression: As you explore and complete quests, you’ll level up and unlock new abilities and skills. The game uses a skill-based progression system, where the more you use a weapon or perform certain activities (like mining or fishing), the more proficient you become in that area.
PvP (Player vs. Player): New World has a robust PvP system. You can engage in open-world PvP or participate in faction wars and sieges, where multiple players battle for control of key territories. Players can also join or initiate duels for one-on-one combat.
PvE (Player vs. Environment): The game is also filled with PvE content, including PvE quests, dungeons, and faction missions. These will keep you busy as you level up and improve your gear. PvE content allows you to gather valuable loot and craft better equipment.
Step 4: Exploring the World of Aeternum
The world of Aeternum is vast and diverse, with various biomes, cities, towns, and settlements to explore. At the start, you’ll be limited to a small area of the map, but as you progress, you’ll be able to venture into more dangerous territories.
Here are some key places you’ll encounter early on:
Windsward: A great place to start your journey and get a feel for the game’s mechanics. It has a variety of resources and quests.
Everfall: Another popular area where you can learn crafting and gather resources.
First Light: An area that’s rich in history and is filled with dungeons, quests, and monsters.
You’ll also encounter various NPCs throughout the world who will give you quests, offer goods, and provide lore about the island.
Step 5: Completing Quests and Progressing
As a newcomer, completing quests will be your main method of progression in New World. Early quests are relatively simple and will guide you through the basics of the game, such as combat, gathering, and crafting.
Some important types of quests include:
Main Story Quests: These will push the narrative of the game forward, unlocking new areas and giving you crucial rewards.
Faction Missions: As a member of one of the factions, you’ll be able to take on faction-specific missions, which help you gain faction points and reputation. Faction missions can be related to gathering, crafting, or combat.
Side Quests: These are optional but rewarding tasks that grant you experience points, crafting materials, and cheap New World Coins.
You can also explore dungeons known as Expeditions, which are group-based PvE activities that are significantly harder than regular quests. They offer high-level loot and are great for gaining experience with a group.
Step 6: Crafting, Gathering, and Economy
A core aspect of New World’s gameplay revolves around gathering resources and crafting. Whether you’re chopping wood, mining ore, or gathering herbs, you’ll need these materials to craft weapons, armor, potions, and more. Crafting and gathering also tie into the game’s economy. As you improve your crafting skills, you can sell your creations in the Trading Post, the in-game marketplace.
There are several crafting stations scattered across the world, and you’ll need to interact with these to craft items such as weapons, armor, and consumables. These include:
Lumber Mill (for crafting wood-based items)
Forge (for creating metal-based weapons)
Workshop (for crafting tools and furniture)
Alchemy Station (for creating potions and other consumables)
Step 7: Joining Factions and Participating in Wars
Once you’ve reached a certain level, you’ll be able to join a faction and participate in large-scale faction wars. Faction wars are a big part of the endgame in New World. These battles take place for control of key territories, and the outcome affects the economy of the region.
Being part of a faction gives you access to faction-specific missions, rewards, and influence over different areas of the map. You’ll also gain access to PvP mechanics that allow you to challenge enemy players for control over resources.
Step 8: Group Content and Social Play
One of the best aspects of New World is the ability to join forces with other players for group content. The game offers group dungeons (Expeditions), PvP faction wars, and social events like crafting contests or resource competitions. Forming a group or joining a company (guild) is a great way to enhance your experience.
Companies have their own systems of governance, where players can manage territories, participate in wars, and share resources. Joining a company gives you access to a large network of players and a variety of group-based activities.
Conclusion
New World: Aeternum is an exciting and challenging MMORPG that offers a wide range of activities for players to explore. Whether you prefer solo play, crafting, PvE, or PvP, there is something for everyone on the island of Aeternum. Getting started in the game may seem overwhelming at first, but by focusing on the basics — combat, crafting, quests, and exploration — you’ll soon find your place in this dynamic world. The key to enjoying New World is taking your time, learning the systems, and connecting with other players to uncover the secrets of Aeternum.