Did you use the Play Now option, or select a human civilization?
I selected a human civilization (or, at least, I assume that's what it was - not the top "Play Now" option, anyway). There was no instruction in-game, so I was guessing about most of it (despite copying out the wiki info).
Chances are you spawn in a human town inhabited by elves. They don't make buildings, but if enslaved/assimilated by the humans after their forest is captured,they'll live in houses, and tend to be seperated from humans.
I didn't spawn in a town at all (certainly not in the mayor's house, like the wiki says). When I did find the nearest town, it was not just inhabited by elves, it showed as an elf town on the map (the "i" icon). If this were a human town inhabited by elves, wouldn't the map still show one of the human icons?
Shift-T travels. You get frequent ambushes and it takes less time. It also fully heals all wounds and thirst/hunger/tiredness.
Well, I did travel this way sometimes (though I had no particular place to go). No ambushes. And since I found no enemies, I certainly had no wounds. But I was afraid I'd run out of water (didn't want to use the 'stagnant' water in creeks - and why is running water stagnant, anyway?), so I've started Traveling whenever I got thirsty.
But this hasn't solved my main problem of where to find... something!
Alternately, swim down rivers, killing fish gives fairly good xp until you get encased in ice on a cold map.
When I found a river, I got constant messages about carp being encased in ice. (The water in my waterskin keeps freezing, too.) It didn't seem like a good idea to try swimming!
OK, after walking around for hours (real-time), I found one fox. And killed it. Woo, hoo!
Heh, heh. Then, after more walking, I started getting messages about carp and other fish slamming into obstacles and dying. But I never did see where it was coming from. I couldn't even find the river.
Eventually, I found another river, and the fish would attack my character as he walked along the bank. (Noting the frequent messages about fish being encased in ice, I was hesitant to actually get in the water, though.) That's really the only thing I've done except walk, walk, WALK through empty wilderness.
All I really need to know is if I'm missing something. Is this the game, then? Is it always this hard to find animals or... something to attack? The world seems to be virtually empty.
As a beginning adventurer with no helpers (haven't found anyone who'll join me yet), I really doubt if I'm ready to take on a goblin town or a named creature. And killing carp is not making my skills advance much at all. I started with an iron weapon and armor, which seems kind of odd. Why wouldn't a beginning adventurer start out with low-level equipment? I haven't seen anything in the stores much better than what I started with (not that I have anything to trade, except a fox corpse and a couple of fish - which will probably rot before I get them anywhere).
I know this part of the game is less developed than Fortress Mode, and that's no problem. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something. Am I?
Bill