Here's my take..

[Legolas]

Sounds more like SoU chapter 1 to me.

In any case, the multiplayer, assuming you've clicked the button and logged in using an account you created.

You have several options. I'll forget about the LAN games for now, they're probably not of interest.
Create new multiplayer game is useful when you want to host a game for others to join.
Load multiplayer game is useful when you want to host a game for others which doesn't start at the beginning. If you've been playing with a group, and had to stop halfway through an adventure, and saved the game, you can carry on where you left off using this.
I won't go into detail on how to host a multiplayer game and what the settings do, as you're probably more interested in the other option, Join multiplayer game.

Clicking that button takes you to a screen with a good many options.
To the left, you can pick a game category. EfU is located under Roleplay, but there are tons of other types ranging from Social to PW Story to Action and Alternative. The host of the game decides which category his server falls under, so it's not 100% correct, but gives a decent indication of the game type and what the other players in the game expect from you (trying to gather a party to clear a dungeon won't work well on a pvp server, not will constant out of character talk be welcomed in most roleplay servers).
At the top of the screen you can select a number of tabs. The Server tab shows you all the currently running servers of the game type you selected. The Chat tab puts you in a chatroom with other players currently in the same category. History, Favourites and Buddy List aren't really of interest at this point, though you can use History to revisit a server you've joined before.
Depending on what seems to be pure chance, inquiries in a chatroom are either met with kind helpful intent or completely ignored. If you can describe what you're looking for someone can usually give you some pointers though.

The main screen, still, is the Server listing. You can apply filters to help you find the kind of game you want, but if you're not too picky, just pick one with a module or server name that appeals, or where player counts are high enough. Usually 6+ people means there's some fun to be had. Playercounts of servers vary greatly during the course of the day. Some people like mods with 40+ players on, others prefer a smaller crowd, that's up to you. Servers in red are password protected, servers in gray require a newer patch or expansion pack to play.
Once chosen, you can press the Server Details button where you can view additional server information if the module builder. Sometimes it'll refer you to a website or forum dedicated to the module, or point out what hakpacks you need. More often though, you're left guessing.

The only way to find out for sure is to Connect. On a Local Vault server, you can select a character to play from characters you've created and exported before during single- or multiplayer adventures. With Server Vault, you'll be asked to create a new character if it's your first visit to the server. Later on, you can create more characters still, so the first doesn't need to be perfect.
If you lack required hakpacks, you'll be notified after selecting/creating a character. Hakpacks can be downloaded from wherever the server details send you, or sometimes from nwvault. For now, it's probably easier to try a server without hakpacks instead.

Having succesfully selected a server, created a character and entered the module, you'll be taken to its starting location. What happens from there is entirely module dependant.
Sometimes you'll find yourself in a starting area with information about the module, or you can find that information in your journal, or on an item you received. Other times you're plunged into things completely uninformed.
You may be invited to join a party, forced to join a party, or people will shun the very notion of a party. The latter makes party talk difficult and makes other players less accessible.
For information, you can use the dm channel if there's a dm online, the shout channel if shouts are enabled, the party channel if you're in a party, or else you can sentd tells to individual players in the player list. Most'll be happy to help you get your bearings. From there on, anything can happen.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

'k I'll try again.

[robertthebard]

Don't let the number of players be a determining factor. My home server rarely has more than five or six in, most often one or two. The difference being, we have so much fun there that, in my case, I have been there for over three years now. Long enough that I know the server every bit as well as the builder, and sometimes better. Trust me, it's possible. Remember, like this forum, it's an international thing, so there are likely to be people on 24 hours a day in a lot of servers, and believe me, there are a lot of them.

[Legolas]

I know exactly what you mean, and I've done much the same myself with fewer players and without regrets, but I can't agree that it's a good idea for newcomers to multiplayer to ignore playercounts.

When browsing for a server to get addicted to, you need to have other players there to show you the ropes, to interact with, and to help you see if this is a good or a poor place you've found.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Join Internet Game - I think this is the part I didn't see?

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

I wanted to do a little more griping; feel free to joint in.

The more I play this game the less I like it. Now I'm playing the first expansion, running around the foothills and it's all these levels. Why did they do such a stupid thing. It wouldn't be so bad if you could click on an area and actually go there. No, you gotta click short steps at a time.

Then you're running along and run into a pebble or a twig, or even commoner and stop, instead of just going around or through them.

You click on an object and the camera has to do a 360 first, what's with that?

I hardly play anymore 'cos I find it both stupid and boring.

Editted typing boo boo's!

[ 02-19-2006, 05:11 AM: Message edited by: Variol (Farseer) Elmwood ]

[Marathon]

It's been a long while since I played SOU, but I do remember it to be pretty boring at times. If you don't like it, skip SOU altogether and at least try Hordes before putting it aside. I found it to be the best of the three hands down.

[Sir Goulum]

I could not get into either of the expansions, they were just brutal IMO. The original campaign at least had a well put together story line to it, it kept it interesting to play. I'm still clueless as to what is supposed to go on in the expansions.
Totally agree with you on the movement though. Many times I just gave up with it and went to play Medal of Honor or something.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

I remember the same thing happening in Might & Magic 6&7. Then in 8 they made it so you'd actually walk right through people.

I also hate when you're in combat close to a wall. Next thing you know you're staring at wall and can't see the combat due to the camera always turning.

Are we just so desperate for new fantasy games that we've slowered our standards to this level.

I've given the multi-player thing a try, but without being able to pause or save I'm no good at it.

I would say my favorite combat style was in Temple of Elemental Evil and Pool of Radiance in a top down view game. Wizardry 8 would be my favorite for first person view. I recall combats which I knew were fairly easy to win so I'd just go upstairs and grab a snack and let the AI or engine do it's thing. The other nice feature was that any gold that was dropped was automatically placed into your inventory and the other items could be picked up.

[Stratos]

Well, the camera movement getting blocked by walls is quite silly, but the rest I have no real problem with.