Let me introduce myself first, i'm not new to the MMORPG world, i started with UO long ago, playing on Catskills then Drachenfells. Then i moved on EQ with my friends and played as an hardcore player up to Plane of Powers then i left. I played also Asheron Call (one month), Asheron Call 2 (one month), WoW (Beta + 1 month), DDO (Beta + 1 month). Actually, I'm playing City of Heores / Villains, but i need to find a fantasy game.
Back to the topic, i started few days ago with a trial that will last one more week (got it from my CoV pre-order). So far i like this game, i made a Dark Elf Fighter that i plan to become an assassin then a Phantom Ranger. I started on Franz and i'm lvl 15 by now.
I was wondering if :
1/ It was not too late to start Lineage 2 ?
2/ When should i start looking for a clan if i plan to buy the game ?
I have also another question about all the character i saw in town and when i hunt in the wilderness : why all people give some really stupid name to their characters ? They never speak, just hunt everything, so sometimes it's hard to find something i can kill without running everywhere to find one that i need for a quest :(
Personally I would say no it is not too late to join Lineage. Several of the servers are heavy and from what I can tell, although they are not exactly arriving in droves, there are new players all the time.
With regards to joining a clan, as soon as possible is the answer. Whilst you are still at a low level you are valuable (not that I'm saying you aren't at a higher level of course) to a clan for rep points. You will join an academy (which is connected to the main clan) and will stay there until you graduate at level 40 - most people then join the main clan and carry on as before.
The answer to your third question is in the General Technical Issues section, see below, and read the official Bot thread.
Feel free to ask any other questions you may have and I hope you continue to enjoy the world of L2 :D
Its not to late, Franz is actually pretty new. They just added that server when the last update went live, so you actually made a pretty good choice (If you dont know, it is a Euro server though, meaning all time related events (Sieges, Manor Resets, are adjusted for Euro time zones.)
If you find a nice clan with an Academy, they may take you as early as today, they get bonus's by having new charectors "graduate" from there academy at level 40. Take a look around and see if you can find anyone willing to help you out, most likely in Dion or Giran.
Ah, an old unknown friend! I played UO-Catskills for 4 years^^
1st, no its not to late to begain playing, if anything its a great time do to many changes to amke getting going much easier.
You can look and find clan from day 1, new recuits are welcome most places. Or if you have any trouble, come join Kain ^ . ^ we would be glad to supply and train you. always looking for some new recuits.
The people you speak of with weird names are Bots, they are run on illegal computer programs to farm adena and materials.