So I just came back myself (lovin' it btw) and I tried to bring a friend with me. Now the person I'm talking about has pen and paper experience, loves the idea of the strict RP and PK atmosphere, and generally gets the game. But his main problem is the game is too hard to learn.
When I first started, like many of us, had to learn through stumbling around, trying to remember where I was and how I got there and died to starvation exploring. That's how it is, but many cannot get into the game like that. My friend I introduced to the game said if he could just know and see the basic layout of the lands he would be far more comfortable and willing to play.
All you really need to know to get into it is a couple basic places, Rheydin and what's to the north and south, Val and north and south, and Miru and north and south. Being able to know and see that is your starting point for being able to explore further. I know we have a good map that someone (sorry for forgetting who) did that was drawn, but FL isn't drawn.
What I think would be a HUGE newbie help and boost would be to have an ascii map and key for these basic areas. I'm not really good at it and I don't really know how to ascii well but I have an idea of how it would work. Basically I think that this would be a great idea and thing to have on the website for new players and would help us all.
Thanks a lot for reading and let me know what you think. -Pieman
I'm sure great minds are working on them, I am fail at mapping or I would offer to help. 