Newb Compatibility Issues?

[Oinkness]

Yes. When you first start out, you're placed on an island where the beach crabs murder you mercilessly and I couldn't seem to get the NPCs to want to talk to me, or give me the assignments. They just sort of said "Come back when you want to do an assignment."

I'm wondering if maybe I did something wrong, or if, indeed, there is some kind of newb compatibility issue?