Hello and welcome to Atys, for some of your Questions let me refere you to the Link in my Signature: Newbes plese read
As for the others not answered in that post.
1. Most Fun and what´s to do:
That´s pretty much up to you. I mean this game has something and nothing for everyone. It´s what you make of it. It´s a Sandbox where you can be what you want to be. No classes, no restrictions skillwise. The only limit is you imagination and what you are willing to do with it.
You may go and "grind" skills and have fun if that´s your way of gameing, or you may RP and never do an hour worth of continous "leveling".
It´s all up to you.
You may go exploring, research recipes for Gear, prospect for Material Sources, hunt, fight, talk, etc.
Ryzom´s got it´s own unique system for all of this, you´ll see in time.
2. The guild System is atm a bit weak, but we all hope that this will change with comming patches/expansions.
You may create a guild if you´re citizen of a state for 50.000 Dapper, wich does sound more than it is. No min. requirement of members needed. A Guild Hall requires a min. Amount of 10.000000 Dappers to buy. Sadly atm that means only more storage and nothing else, but we still have hope.
Guilds may controll Outposts, wich they´ll have to defend from other guilds via declared PvP Battles.
3. PvP is consensual in 3 variations
a. Duell by mutual agreement
b. Outpostbattles, declared by the attacking guild/alliance etc.
c. Open PvP Zones, wich warn you of the iminent danger on entering.
Have a look
here for a few current oppinions on PvP.
4. Ryzom Ring is brilliant but still in its baby shoes, so to say
You can do a LOT of fantastic things never before seen in any MMO with it and well, just can have a lot of Fun with it
ATM though, with the danger of Ryzoms decline it´s a bit disused...
5. I don´t quite understand what you mean by "ways to advance"?
You may of course level or grind up to maximum level in each and every skill, but as far as I know nobody has done so yet, because it´s about 64.000 Leves all in all. 250 in every main skilltree and specialisations branching of included.
Advancement in more etheral terms may include you abillity to learn to judge the games more intricate systems, like MOB behaviour, wich is very realistic, or prospecting, wich needs patience and a good eye, crafting, wich needs good memory and combination skill. All from you as a Player.
6. Items are a bit on the weak side as far as "every day stuff" is concerned.
Armor types are boundless and combinable to almost limitless combinations of style and color. (though a few new ones coudn´t hurt
)
There is no Item-Hunt as in other games, as MOBS only drop craftable materials, with wich players do craft gear that is far better then most of the stuff sold by NPCs. Only a few expetions here with NPC Bandit Bosses that drop quite good gear Items, wich are atm revamped. (And we certainly hope that they won´t become Über-Gear!!!)
Pets aren´t in Game as far as battle is concerned.
Only a ride and 3 packers are allowed to each player atm. These beasts are called Mektoubs.
The game is in its third year now. And we all hope ot will continue under the aegis of a new owner. Look at
http://www.ryzom.com for Infos on that process.
For all else look at the link in my Signature
I hope you´ll like it here and have Fun
Acridiel