• Hail Guest!
    We're looking for Community Content Contribuitors to Stratics. If you would like to write articles, fan fiction, do guild or shard event recaps, it's simple. Find out how in this thread: Community Contributions
  • Greetings Guest, Having Login Issues? Check this thread!
  • Hail Guest!,
    Please take a moment to read this post reminding you all of the importance of Account Security.
  • Hail Guest!
    Please read the new announcement concerning the upcoming addition to Stratics. You can find the announcement Here!

EM Event Drops

Should they change the way drops work?

  • Top 10 - 20 damagers should get a drop

    Votes: 8 10.4%
  • Leave it random

    Votes: 49 63.6%
  • Other (explain)

    Votes: 20 26.0%

  • Total voters
    77
  • Poll closed .

The Zog historian

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Still would go. I hardly ever sell the items.
You're a rarity. You don't think the attendees who go only to get drops to sell (I'd say they're an easy majority of Sonoma events) would stop bothering if they couldn't almost immediately off-shard?
 

Nexus

Site Support
Administrator
Moderator
Professional
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Wiki Moderator
UNLEASHED
They way events work now, if there is an event item, it will randomly drop to any player who has done enough damage for looting rights ie one word of death or an "all kill/switch to another tamer/all kill/ switch to another character/ rinse and repeat"

People are taking 3 - 5 accounts to every event which almost guarantees them of getting an item and in a lot of cases gets them 2 or 3 drops per event. I feel as if the people who get the most drops shouldn't be the people that take 3 - 5 accounts to every event.

The way events worked before was that it went to the top 10 damagers which pretty much guaranteed only 1 drop per person since it would be difficult to control multiple characters while getting redlined/dying to 1 or 2 monster hits. It might not have been the best or most fair system to casual players who didn't have time to craft suits or train characters only for events but it is a lot better than the system now in my opinion.

I think the best solution would be to make it only 1 possible drop per ip, but I'm not sure that UO would put the resources into that ( I have no idea how hard it would be, only assuming it's not easy). Which leaves the top 10 damagers as a better system than taking 3-5 accounts to events.

Any thoughts?
I'm in favor of complete removal of EM Drops. Events should be for the Event alone, it's hard to judge just how successful the EM program is and if it should be continued if an unknown quantity of people are showing up for the drops. If it comes out that not enough people were to attend that's $$$ that Broadsword could put back into the game and not hand out to a couple of dozen EM's.
 

Smoot

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Amen to that! But you can't tell the Producer her baby (EM program) is ugly. *whoops*
if it werent for the EM program we would lose a good number of players. lets face it, if you really like PVP, you play a free shard. That leaves pvm and house deco. Since people like to have nice things, and UO is mainly a deco game now EM events are providing a huge portion of why people play. Out of the 30-40 people i regular talk to in UO, over half would not still be playing if it werent for the EM program. thats not accounts, thats people. probably over 100 accounts.

Also people complain about the gold value of these items. How else are the massive gold amounts in UO to move around when all but the absolute best legendary artifacts are only fetching around 50mil tops? A drop to a new or casual player is a good in game alternative to just buying gold with rlm.
 

MalagAste

Belaern d'Zhaunil
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
if it werent for the EM program we would lose a good number of players. lets face it, if you really like PVP, you play a free shard. That leaves pvm and house deco. Since people like to have nice things, and UO is mainly a deco game now EM events are providing a huge portion of why people play. Out of the 30-40 people i regular talk to in UO, over half would not still be playing if it werent for the EM program. thats not accounts, thats people. probably over 100 accounts.

Also people complain about the gold value of these items. How else are the massive gold amounts in UO to move around when all but the absolute best legendary artifacts are only fetching around 50mil tops? A drop to a new or casual player is a good in game alternative to just buying gold with rlm.
Well now imagine how I feel now that I can go to the EM events but I can barely participate and I can't actually LOOT anything because opening a public corpse now crashes the client. Trying to hit anything lags the client so bad it's not funny... so I can't fight, can't loot, can hardly keep up with the story through all the spamming of "get on with it" and everything else... I was really enjoying them ... seriously loved when we were decoding spy texts and such trying to break the codes and things like that we could do in the "off" hours... That was a ton of fun for me... solving a puzzle and such. But anymore it's just one irritation after another. And back then I got plenty of drops too... was fun. Now it's just frustrating and irritating.
 

Dot_Warner

Grand Inquisitor
Governor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Amen to that! But you can't tell the Producer her baby (EM program) is ugly. *whoops*
The EM program isn't ugly, Mesanna's edicts about drops is what's ugly. She sets those rules, not the EMs. Not fair to slam them for her bad decisions.
 

Dot_Warner

Grand Inquisitor
Governor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I've noticed a big drop off in log-ins among people I know who play UO since the Doom event ended.
We need global events. 1 should end as the next begins. Every month should have something different turned on. Doom, ToT, an invasion somewhere *coughs* Luna *coughs*, Ilshenar sand sifting, etc.

They don't have to be epic, plot-driven events, just rotating content to keep people entertained. Most other MMOs have content like this.
 

Sunseri

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
If I were an EM I'd have drops that would be on more of the intangible(unsellable) side of things than what we see now. Basic example would be that I would reward the top damagers/healers, for some events, for bringing down a difficult boss or massive mob that sieged a city. Their reward would be a temporary title that they can display above their heads or in a prefix or suffix. This way rewards are given, you'll have to work for the reward, and the item will not instantly be sold in Atlantic for 250 million or on a 3rd party web site for $29.95.
 

THP

Always Present
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
To me that's exactly the problem, UO is imitating real life tooooo much, a handful of billionaires with more gold than the other 99.9% of the paying population that is making the billions that the billionaires have possible.

This "community", how big is it really? A handful of people that control the whole game, at least one of the most important major parts and one of the most visible parts. sad sad sad

I pay for 12 accounts, have for years, how 'bout me? I don't count anymore because I don't cheat? How' bout the bunches of folks just like me, there are a lot of us. Give everyone who comes to the event a drop, stop this foolishness.
ditto!!
 

THP

Always Present
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
If I were an EM I'd have drops that would be on more of the intangible(unsellable) side of things than what we see now. Basic example would be that I would reward the top damagers/healers, for some events, for bringing down a difficult boss or massive mob that sieged a city. Their reward would be a temporary title that they can display above their heads or in a prefix or suffix. This way rewards are given, you'll have to work for the reward, and the item will not instantly be sold in Atlantic for 250 million or on a 3rd party web site for $29.95.
Errr try 1 billion or $100 instant
 

THP

Always Present
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Rares Saved it? Give me a Break. To me the Greed that has come on since the EM programs have begun has made it nearly unbearable to play anymore.

Most average players don't play to collect rares they want to have fun... but it seems anymore that's becoming harder and harder as there are billions in gold out there now making it difficult for someone who is just starting or returned on a new account to get by... Most I know joining UO now are daunted by the prices of things. Add that up with they buy the game and already have to shell out 50 bucks to add all the stuff to play ..... SA and HS.... Then they go to an EM event and can't even stay alive for more than 5 minutes because every mob that spawns is now on such steroids the average player can't get anywhere near them... let alone try to hit one.... dragons everywhere they can't follow or see what is going on..... with the constant spell spamming 40 EV's and and another 10 RC being spammed every 2 minutes even if the event is just RP talking.... God forbid the EM should want to actually do a *gasp* story. Since that's highly frowned upon by the greedy shard hoppers who just want to grab and go with the prize to make their next billion in gold.

Can't read what is going on in the journal between the constant spellcasting and Crybaby whining because they have the attention span of a deranged fruit fly... they can't stop standing all over the EM with the Greater dragon in tow ....... or gargoyles who insist on flying the entire time and standing right over the EM. Folk who go for the event that actually want to participate and enjoy the story can barely piece it together between all the crap. Hence my use of the EC just to cut out the spellcasting so I can't see it... I don't see anyone spamming spells... What I do see is all the crying about the EM talking too much... So I agree either NO DROPS at all anymore or put it in a clicky for everyone, or everyone who is there when the boss dies gets a drop...

They need to take the value out of these things and return them to the shards they are given on. I don't attend any other events on other shards because quite frankly I don't live there... I could care less what they are doing there... I do live on my shard... I care about my shard... And I ENJOY the events on my shard and the fact that they bring life and a story to the shard I live on... They give me a reason to care and to log in... but the less and less enjoyable they are becoming the less and less I'm inclined to give a crap about the entire game. The more I have to put up with the constant BS at the events the more I want to just quit.

Back in the beginning of the return of EM's I used to get 2 and 3 drops all the time. I participated, I listened and I seriously enjoyed the events. I didn't sell the extra's for billions in gold... infact I gave many of them to my friends. Others who attended the events and didn't get a drop. Never cared about their "worth". I think of all the ones I got I sold 1 but I believe I'd gotten 3 of them that night. I miss that. Then they "changed" things to make it more "fair" to top damagers. Which meant NOT me. After that change I never saw another drop for years, unless it was an "everyone" drop or a clicky. NEVER. Then they made it "Random" damager/healer. Now I might get a drop once in a blue moon... But again very rarely. Mostly only when it's an "everyone" drop still. However rarely I get something nice. It's ok, but the crap I have to put up with to get that rare once in a blue moon drop just isn't worth it.

Then they changed the EC and borked everything. I put up with it because the EC base needed some SERIOUS improvement. But now I'm told that the high rez update I've been waiting YEARS for isn't going to happen.. which to me is one more nail in the coffin... I put up with months of not being able to function because my macro's are all screwy.... the EC is more buggy than a roach motel now and often is laggy and crashes..... I can't loot anymore so trying to take advantage of the new improved loot system is a joke. Anyone will tell you that more often than not the boss mob loot at an EM event can be totally AWESOME and you can get some seriously nice even clean legendary pieces off them.... well that's IF you can loot it. I can't even open the freaking corpse anymore because it totally crashes my client and often my computer. NOT fun.... certainly doesn't make doing the EM events enjoyable.

So I'm all for improving the game... Because at this point if it don't improve soon... I don't think I'm going to care anymore. I play UO less and less every week. At this point I'm more frustrated than at any other time... I always said and maintained that I would be here when they turned out the UO lights and shut down the servers. But I'm beginning to change my mind. The lights are going out for me and one of the biggest reasons is the BS at the EM events.

I personally wish the stuff was shard bound. I'm tried of putting up with folk who come just for the drop and leave. They don't care about the history of the game or the shard. All they care about is getting their next billion gold item to sell and move on... Sure some are nice and participate... but the number that come strictly for the drop ..... ruin the event. I feel badly for the returning players coming to the events and trying to follow them. At one point I used to single out folk who seemed interested in the event and try to get them to join or Vent just so they could at least be with those of us who were actively trying to participate and help them follow the event. But there are very few of those folk left coming.... many of them have said ..... "well I would like to... but I'm not going to the events anymore." Why? Because they are tired of going and trying to participate and NEVER getting a drop. They got fed up with trying to compete with all the greedy SoB's and quite honestly I don't blame them. I'm tired of it too.
You Nailed It !!
 

GalenKnighthawke

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
healing / damage taken was also in the equation of the previous system. a well played bard could get top healer just as easily as an archer could get top damager. just wanted to clarify.
While I can't rule out that this actually happened, I've never heard of it, and the "event template" that folks such as yourself have no problem supporting guaranteed drops for was neither an archer nor a bard. Rather it was some variant or other upon thrower.

-Galen's player
 

GalenKnighthawke

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I think that is one of the main issues here. A former EM didn't even know how the system worked for the items he dropped. There is no problem with rewarding people who can figure out which templates do the most damage to monsters and spent time and gold to make the characters for that.
The problem is in guaranteeing drops for certain templates, which the previous system more or less did. The only way they were not guaranteed drops is if they were dead when the boss spawned, or if the boss had some kind of ability that countered that template. Or, I suppose, if they were spectacularly unlucky.

-Galen's player
 

GalenKnighthawke

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Its interesting to me to what some people define fair as. Is fair working hard for no better payoff than if you did nothing? To me, Fairness is about opportunity. I think people who live in America or a democratic nation can understand that. The current system is not fair in that there is no opportunity to better ones character or gameplay in hopes of a better chance at a reward. A totally fair system in the standard American sense would be one that provides the Opportunity to advance to all, while providing charity for those who absolutely can not advance because disability or other problems. If your playing the game, its a fair assumption that the goal should be to play the game more effectively.

Its not fair that people who do not utilize their opportunities and freedom to be given the same things in life as those who excel at something by understanding and hard work.

If your from a communist country and are used to that type of life, than yes i can understand how the current system may seem fair.
The political references are cute, but quite misplaced. What you have described yourself as supporting, if you but take a few moments to actually comprehend your own argument, is not an opportunity but a guarantee, specifically aimed at certain folks. And it is not a guarantee for a basic necessity but, rather, a guarantee for a limited and extraordinary reward. The fact that you support that guarantee does not make it less of one.

The current system provides opportunities. The uber event templates now have the best chance but not the only chance. Add to this the fact that there are those who contribute by keeping everyone together and helping to advance the plot, thus making things shuffle along toward the climax that brings the reward to begin with.

Multi-boxing is a problem but it's not the actual concern of this thread. This thread, quite plainly, is using multi-boxing as a convenient excuse to support the old system, which was fatally flawed, as I and others have explained quite adequately.

-Galen's player
 

Smoot

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
While I can't rule out that this actually happened, I've never heard of it, and the "event template" that folks such as yourself have no problem supporting guaranteed drops for was neither an archer nor a bard. Rather it was some variant or other upon thrower.

-Galen's player
Well, im not going to search for the posts, but the equation was explained by the devs. same as we have now. It values damage done higher than damage taken / healed, but its also easier for a 900 hp greater dragon to take massive damage rather than a 150hp player. I got many of my drops under the old system on archers, simply because thats what i already had trained. Same damage output as thrower, but you have to switch in and out your balanced bow for potions. Under the old system id say about 1/3 of bosses favored spellweaver tamers (the second most popular template compared to archers) Bard was also pretty much a guarunteed drop if the boss did much damage and you had 5 - 10 players in your bard party.

Even as we have now, while the new looting rights system allows for templates to get rights that just wouldnt have before, it still favors the original templates. A basic mage is still a hit or miss event template. Some bosses its almost impossible for a pure mage to get rights. Melee is still terrible for events. Mystic is still ok but not great. That being said, ive gotten drops under the new system on characters that really shouldnt. 80 magery characters. Even naked characters with no skills at all. I just dont think thats right to have the same chance as a player who has devoted time / effort to say a daily character on his or her home shard.
 

Smoot

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The political references are cute, but quite misplaced. What you have described yourself as supporting, if you but take a few moments to actually comprehend your own argument, is not an opportunity but a guarantee, specifically aimed at certain folks. And it is not a guarantee for a basic necessity but, rather, a guarantee for a limited and extraordinary reward. The fact that you support that guarantee does not make it less of one.

The current system provides opportunities. The uber event templates now have the best chance but not the only chance. Add to this the fact that there are those who contribute by keeping everyone together and helping to advance the plot, thus making things shuffle along toward the climax that brings the reward to begin with.

Multi-boxing is a problem but it's not the actual concern of this thread. This thread, quite plainly, is using multi-boxing as a convenient excuse to support the old system, which was fatally flawed, as I and others have explained quite adequately.

-Galen's player
not at all. everyone plays the game and has the same oppurtunity to make a good character. The devs have provided soooo much gear at our fingertips, expescially now with global loot that. Now characters are stagnant, but it would be interesting to see what templates would be out there if drop rate were at least partial based off performance. Even before global loot, i was suspecting that once more people cuaght on to archer/thrower/bard/spellweavers that the next logical template level would be a hybrid caster / ranged, or tamer / ranged. It would have been really fun to make those interesting characters which are actually very easy now with legendary antique jewels gained from simple daily play.

I just see events as a very good reason the devs could have had for pvm character / player advancement. Currently theres no incentive to make ones character or template more advanced, except in the case of PVP. I say this for regular pvm content as well. Theres just no reason for the average player to utilize the gear / mods that the devs took so much time to provide because you can get the same effect from old outdated gear and regular 720 skill templates. No one is going to make themselves better if theres not a reason too, and events were at least one thing that could have given that reason. Im not saying it should have been, or should be the only thing, but it was all that was there.
 

azmodanb

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
i do all events i can fit into my schedule.. most fall on my commute time to work. or when im sleeping.. cuz i work grave in cali ..

but that being said.. i myself go to events for the content but really for a chance at an item.. without the item i honestly would not go.. id rather spend the time searching for idoc or just hunting..

and i do sell the item if it does not fit into what i find cool. lol

last one i got was on atl.. where i call my home now.. where i ping a good 120-200.. on average on wireless on an 11" laptop
 

TandaBSK

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I think what I'm seeing between Smoot and Galen is a slight disconnect that comes down to: Yes, people could spend the time to gather new jewels etc, build suits, build the "flavor of the month or year" template to become a much more successful if measured by drops character. So that opportunity does exist. However, the other side of that is that this forces all players to pigeon hole themselves into a few different templates, to compete. I myself play a mage/weaver somewhat effective to heal and rez folks, pretty much useless in most EM events if using drops as a yard stick, I've gotten 2 that have fallen into my pack over the whole of the EMs being back. I really don't care. I go along for my own reasons not related to whether I get any pixel art.

They shifting of skills on and off stones, working all the various skills so you can rotate into whatever template works best for a given mob, keeping assorted talisman, slayers, specialized jewels, IF your not buying them all requires play time and hunting to obtain. I think more of the point being made is that the opportunity even if small should exist for those who can NOT or do NOT wish to go to such lengths to have a chance. I am not at all saying that the hours of work put into building your template Smoot, doesn't warrant a larger chance at reward, and it quite likely still does if you had all the numbers for the templates that got drops. I think you'd find that the largest % fall to those who have mixed skill templates that blend range/caster/tamer. Those I talk to who hit EM events for the drops are mostly a 3 skill mix allowing them to tick in all the formula priorities. They're doing high damage, taking damage or their pet is, and they're healing lots spamming at or bandaging their dragons. You'd likely find a few % that were more strictly high damage, few % who were more strictly healing and a few % that basically were either just there or partied to another in the largest % group.

My argument would be that the EM event system as a whole, is targeted at pvp/pvm builds, and in part I understand having gone to the crafter based EM events, the turn out is pitifully low, like 1-3 people. I don't know that there has ever been a reward for such that is beyond your name in the EM hall and bragging rights. EM events that are predominantly RP... only start out with high numbers if the % chance of a drop that night is high. Last night for example on GL, probably 40 ish maybe a few more at the start with their drags, through the battle things were busy, drop hit... before the event even finished it's story line our numbers were under 15. I'm guessing all the shards are pretty much the same in that respect.

I don't think there is one system or formula that can fix this to the satisfaction of say even 80% of the players.
 

Smoot

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I am not at all saying that the hours of work put into building your template Smoot, doesn't warrant a larger chance at reward, and it quite likely still does if you had all the numbers for the templates that got drops. I think you'd find that the largest % fall to those who have mixed skill templates that blend range/caster/tamer.
it really doesnt. there is no advantage now to making a maxed skill character. ive had no problems getting same results with insta-make archers (advanced character token and free vvv gear) as my maxed out throwers / archers or max sdi tamer / weavers made before the change with maxed out skills and carefully planned out suits, consumables, slayer tallies, undertaker staffs, etc etc.

The old system was bad because there was absolutely no chance for someone who just wasnt good at the game or didnt have an interest in making the right character, however Personally i think there should at least be a mix. Favor well played / time invest characters slightly while still anyone has a chance. Id much rather play 1 perfect character well than play 2 or 3 bad characters badly. but right now there is no incentive to do that. And no way am i opeing more accounts just to make more bad characters and have to use cheat programs to control them all. Even tho mesanna says its ok to do, just no way im doing that.

Not saying this is right or wrong, but personally id like to play the game. The fun of searching for gear and creating characters has been lost in favor of token cookie cutter characters. Id love to have a reason to make 800 skill point maxed out pvm character, but there is absolutely no reason existing in the games PVM side (event or not) to do that. I just think its really sad that we have so much legendary gear and really no reason to use it.

I do agree that there should be more rewards for different types of play. Most are pvm, hardly any pvp, some stealing, a few fishing, i dont think ive ever seen a reward for crafting (sorry EMs name in reward hall doesnt count)

I realize people like me who play 10-15 shards, and have enough gold that time becomes a factor are not the general playerbase, but still think there should be some reason to advance ones character / gameplay. There is absolutely no reason for many people to even do pvm content now, because you can get legendaries for for so cheap. And they are so cheap because the only people who actually need them are pvprs. Theres not even a good reason to pvp anymore and that is all but dead. Id just like harder content in general, so that the new loot becomes useful. Or added loot tables like deco, dyes, even chance for a crimson off world spawn mobs. Just something to make it worthwhile to have a goal to advance one character, rather than buying off vendors and doing the bare minimum. I think that makes for any good game. A reason, whatever it is, to advance.

END RANT :)
 
Last edited:

The Zog historian

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
We need global events. 1 should end as the next begins. Every month should have something different turned on. Doom, ToT, an invasion somewhere *coughs* Luna *coughs*, Ilshenar sand sifting, etc.

They don't have to be epic, plot-driven events, just rotating content to keep people entertained. Most other MMOs have content like this.
I had said to someone privately for a couple of days that what we need are story arcs where someone can do the grind on his or her own, without having to show up at a time and compete with 50 others. Does anyone who did either Tokuno event not have fond memories?

How many go to events and are genuinely interested in the EM's roleplaying? Did anyone last night take Sonoma's ophidian villain seriously, or was it all about the drops? Story arcs would shift everything back to the Devs, who would have to create artwork anyway, and they'd have to work on certain mechanics. But I wouldn't mind clones of ToT, the Brit invasion or Doom, rotating all year.
 

whiterabbit

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Campaign Supporter
We need global events. 1 should end as the next begins. Every month should have something different turned on. Doom, ToT, an invasion somewhere *coughs* Luna *coughs*, Ilshenar sand sifting, etc.

They don't have to be epic, plot-driven events, just rotating content to keep people entertained. Most other MMOs have content like this.
LIKE THE MINAX AND JUR-NOR INVASION OF TRINNY AND AREA AROUND IT
 

MalagAste

Belaern d'Zhaunil
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
That's the kind of stuff that always kept me playing. Things that were Global events... Kept everyone busy when they had time to do it ..... not around one persons schedule. But stuff that happened for weeks at a time. ToT, Ophidian invasions, Brit invasions, the Juka in Yew, etc... With drops for EVERYONE if they were willing to work at the spawns. The more you worked it the more you got.

Those were the things I remember most. NO offense to the EM's I totally love most of the stories that the EM's on GL's do. They are awesome well thought out mostly and a lot of fun when the EC was working properly and I could actually loot mobs without crashing and all. But they are one night a week... and now more frustrating than fun... the rest of the time well... is boring.

Sure I like fishing, T-Hunting, even doing the trade deals... but those become a grind and after grinding them for awhile you realize you just don't get the rewards. Never seen a 120 fishing scroll. After trying for months finally threw in the towel and bought one. T-Hunting is ok but after awhile you have all the junk you can have so digging them up would be counter productive. What do you do with all the stuff? Trade deals I'm still slowly grinding out but again one can only grind on something so long before well... it feels more like work than fun.

I miss the invasions. The Minax one was loads of fun. I'd still be doing the ones down in Blackthorns... only I can't do them solo very well. So I run into the problem of no one around to do them with me when I'm on.

I honestly don't care about PvP. Take it or leave it... don't go to Fel much if at all... I guess certain guilds kinda ruined it for me long time ago with the blatant cheating and hacking... left a bad taste that remains to this day. I'm guessing I'm not alone on that front. Most folk were "burned" out on PvP back in the days before Trammel. I don't care what shinnies they put in Fel... simply not worth going there to get them to have to put up with the BS that goes along with it. I'm also guessing that having to be subjected to the Rooster crows and Cat calls from PvP in Gen Chat 24/7 has also only enhanced that "bad taste" left in my mouth from long ago keeping me from ever enjoying Fel.

And yes I love all of Styngian Abyss... but since those outcasts have been down there and the hell hounds all over the center section... I'm finding some of it very annoying. Since they hell hounds have stayed couldn't we have kept the one Bane Dragon?
 

Ox_AO

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I voted 'other'. I am against the view that EM events are nothing more than an inconvenient chore to get a drop. Always hearing "When's the drop? Can I get the drop now? Why hasn't the drop been given out yet?" when the EM is roleplaying out a storyline. That comes across as very brat-ish to me. I would have voted 'ramdom' but why do we need drops at all? Oh, right. So the rares guys can make their billions(and some cases real cash from the items).

I would say keep the 'rares' and put EXTREMELY rare drops on in game monster drops.

One example on how it could be done:
Every week a new item drops on some monster in the game no one knows which. This could be even shard based. Meaning some monster could drop the item but on which shard no one knows.
 

Smoot

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I would say keep the 'rares' and put EXTREMELY rare drops on in game monster drops.

One example on how it could be done:
Every week a new item drops on some monster in the game no one knows which. This could be even shard based. Meaning some monster could drop the item but on which shard no one knows.
that would work for the people who just care about an item or its looks, however for serious rares collectors with no story any item, no matter how rare is undesirable. Take mesanna items. Some people collect them, but a very large portion simply dont put value in them because they are just "pixel crack" not related to the game or story progression in even the smallest amount.
 

MalagAste

Belaern d'Zhaunil
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
that would work for the people who just care about an item or its looks, however for serious rares collectors with no story any item, no matter how rare is undesirable. Take mesanna items. Some people collect them, but a very large portion simply dont put value in them because they are just "pixel crack" not related to the game or story progression in even the smallest amount.
To me the value is in the story and that well.... I participated. But not having billions in gold I'd never ever buy the items. If I don't "earn" one I'm not gonna have one. I do treasure those that I do have though... more-so if I really enjoyed the story.
 

Sunseri

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I would say keep the 'rares' and put EXTREMELY rare drops on in game monster drops.

One example on how it could be done:
Every week a new item drops on some monster in the game no one knows which. This could be even shard based. Meaning some monster could drop the item but on which shard no one knows.
I don't see how that would help the problem but if I were an EM, I would create unannounced mobs as "Easter Eggs" in random, and remote, overland areas that would act somewhat like a champ spawn. I would try to talk Mesanna into giving drops of these mobs in the form of ToT's, random Doom arties, "marties" and maybe even Crest of Blackthorn items.
 

Warpig Inc

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I wouldn't argue with you that more have left from issues with the Dev team vs any other aspect of this game. I was just saying that if some ****** wants to pay for a bunch of accounts just to farm EM items I say have at it. Frankly if I could be bothered into seeing how these multi programs worked I'd do so on my three accounts, but I don't want to.


And how do you think they pay for those 60 accounts? By being greedy bastards that farm hack and grab stuff to sell on their site. Rather have 10 active players learning the greatness of the game and spreading the word. Then one POS with 60 accounts sucking the life from the game.
 

Tjalle

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
And how do you think they pay for those 60 accounts? By being greedy bastards that farm hack and grab stuff to sell on their site. Rather have 10 active players learning the greatness of the game and spreading the word. Then one POS with 60 accounts sucking the life from the game.
Exactly.
Instead of letting the cheaters run freely and lose accounts from honest players that quit in disgust they should act on the cheaters and hope the honest players come back.
As it is now the cheaters stay and they lose income from having the honest players quit. Instead they should ban cheaters and lose those accounts but keep the income from the honest players.

Cause let´s face it. What is better for the game in the long run? Having a reputation as a cheat infested game or a cheat free game?
 

Parnoc

Certifiable
Governor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I would say keep the 'rares' and put EXTREMELY rare drops on in game monster drops.

One example on how it could be done:
Every week a new item drops on some monster in the game no one knows which. This could be even shard based. Meaning some monster could drop the item but on which shard no one knows.
I think this with a few tweaks would be a fantastic idea!! Maybe make it a monster that is put into a place where that type isn't normal, people would be scouting all over to find him. I'd do it for each shard tho, we don't need any more shard hopping, thank you (IMHO).
 

MalagAste

Belaern d'Zhaunil
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
Exactly.
Instead of letting the cheaters run freely and lose accounts from honest players that quit in disgust they should act on the cheaters and hope the honest players come back.
As it is now the cheaters stay and they lose income from having the honest players quit. Instead they should ban cheaters and lose those accounts but keep the income from the honest players.

Cause let´s face it. What is better for the game in the long run? Having a reputation as a cheat infested game or a cheat free game?
From what I know of many who have quit for the very reasons you stated over these long years... NOTHING will bring them back. Their anger over the lack of conviction on the part of EA to enforce ToS remains strong to this day.

I play EQ Landmark in my "spare" time... And I'll say this having been in RaidCall with over 50 people many of them "remember" UO. Many of them played UO. And just as many still harbor ill memories of how it was "back in the day". Including my own brother. Who wouldn't play "That **** game ever again."... because of rampant abuses by other players that went unchecked. Scammers, Hackers, etc... have killed the love many had for UO. I can't tell you how many folk I know that used to LOVE UO until the day their account was hacked and they lost everything... Or until the day some crazy bug cost them something they held dear... After that they just don't care anymore... I know one such person right now who because of this stupid houses random drop thing falling in record time lost something dear... 12 to 14 accounts worth that aren't likely to be restarted anytime ever again. As I truly do understand the pain is just too great.

Most those in EQ that I talk to laugh about UO still running. Talking about the blatant cheats and such... dupes... it's bad. I've said it many times over that UO needs to step up enforcement and quit being the laughing stock of the gaming community. But I don't think it will ever happen. Most folk won't ever see the greatness UO has to offer because they are blinded by the shear lack of commitment and service given by those in charge. The true potential of the game will never be reached without it. Even some of the worst ones that were bleeding the community and rampantly abusing it have left the sinking ship. AND BRAGGED about it. They are off to ruin some other game... my guess is the other game will put a stop to their ways though and they will come crawling back to their "easy" mark.

I'd like to be able to tell them how wonderful UO is right now... Only I can't. That would be a lie. I do say it has the potential to still be king. But potential doesn't do a whole heck of a lot without customer service. Until that improves... I am not recommending anyone return to UO...

Oh and for the record. I got a call from my Bank yet again... Fraudulent activity they said. EA trying to charge me from China. Really? Yeah... but my CC info isn't on the Origin store. How does that happen? Oh EA was trying to charge one of my accounts through but because of all the complaints against EA about the fraud charges coming out of China through the Origin store they are just checking to be sure I did infact want to pay them my fee. Isn't it nice that even my bank in rural no-where knows about EA's Origin problem... Lovely.
 

-Hey Arnold-

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Ive done around 13 events that have had drops and gotten 1 which was an every one drop and am doing top 5% damage. The Current system is very bad and only supports multi account use. The fact that some one who does top damage to the boss and has spent millions on suit/char has the same chance as some one in gm armor doing 20 damage fireballs is so dumb. For people crying its not fair to new players..this game is 15 years with prob around 10 new players a year if that and most who are returning vets i dont think its very hard to figure out how to do good damage..at the very least make half of the drops top damage and the rest random..tho they will not change current system because they just want that subscription money from the hard core multi clienters.
 

The Slug

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Ugg now I know why I never read UHall :talktothehand:

Anyway here's my totally unsolicited and most likely unwanted opinion

Personally I have no issue with the system now or before. I sometimes got drops then (may have gotten more if I was willing to heal/rez players who weren't friends. Once got threatened with paging for refusing to rez a well-known xsharder right before boss died lol. I sometimes get drops now which I either lock down if they "look cool" or give away if they don't.

As far as paying for 20+ accounts and using 10 of them at an event, whatever its your money and time. Just don't know what you plan on doing when you are the only ones left, and that's where it seems to be headed
 

whiterabbit

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Campaign Supporter
Ugg now I know why I never read UHall :talktothehand:

Anyway here's my totally unsolicited and most likely unwanted opinion

Personally I have no issue with the system now or before. I sometimes got drops then (may have gotten more if I was willing to heal/rez players who weren't friends. Once got threatened with paging for refusing to rez a well-known xsharder right before boss died lol. I sometimes get drops now which I either lock down if they "look cool" or give away if they don't.

As far as paying for 20+ accounts and using 10 of them at an event, whatever its your money and time. Just don't know what you plan on doing when you are the only ones left, and that's where it seems to be headed
yooos back yay
 

The Slug

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
yooos back yay
heh not really Im just bored and can't sleep. I need to get off Uhall tho before I get myself in trouble (again)

I figure I got about 7 weeks before my houses fall so I'm sure I'll re-up my accts before then
 

The Slug

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
*yerg* yeah I'm hopin just another week or 2. Jo, Al and Mama all buggin me too

*signs off here and back to friendly confines of Baja forum*
 

Peekay

Slightly Crazed
Stratics Veteran
I've gone to events on noob chrs with 50 archery and 50 healing. I'll kick back and wait for monster corpses to go global and loot myself arrows and gear (hci and phys resist stuff mainly). I've made billions very easily with this method lol. Which in turn prompted me to invest very little into making throwers and dropping them off on almost every server. 2-3 hours to skill, 30 mins to make a suit. Can spend an off day and knock out a dozen or so batches of skills and suits and move them off server with shard shields and trains. ezpz

Random rewards was the funniest thing to ever happen. lol
 

Keith of Sonoma

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
In my opinion, it is very sad to go to an EM event, and be outnumbered by X-Sharders 4-5 to 1. It used to be the events were about shard fellowship and a story. Now it's ALL about the drop, and how fast it can get posted to sale. On ATL. Nothing more. Just look at the number of players who show up vs. the number of ones back at the meeting place after the fight! I feel bad for the EM's who put time and effort in trying to tell a story.

Also, I just wonder where the break point is where, after enough honest players have quit in disgust over UO's refusal/failure to take any action against cheating/hacking/multiboxing, there aren't enough cheaters left to sustain UO? I plan to be here until the end, and I am hoping the end is later than sooner. But things are looking grim, so I am not holding my breath. I sincerely hope I am wrong, but I would not be surprised if UO does not reach the 20 year mark. Man I hope I am wrong.

FYI, I am only 10+ "UO" years old, and I do not expect UO to be around for me to reach 14, and get those nifty shard shields. :(
 
Last edited:

Pandora_CoD

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Why couldn't we make drops be part of a EM-driven questing system? Where you get somewhat great drops every time you finish off say 2-3 quests in a chained series and then you get the top-end amazing drops the bosses in the chain series?
 

Keith of Sonoma

Grand Poobah
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Why couldn't we make drops be part of a EM-driven questing system? Where you get somewhat great drops every time you finish off say 2-3 quests in a chained series and then you get the top-end amazing drops the bosses in the chain series?
Because the "powers that be" are afraid to do ANYTHING to upset the current system, favoring the multibotters/rares collectors, for fear they will close their accounts. Not realizing of course, that they are probably losing more players because of their inaction.
 

Flutter

Always Present
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Awards
1
People want to be rewarded for their effort. That's why there is loot on MOBs. That is why there are artifacts, powerscrolls, replicas, and everything else.
To say that EM events shouldn't have rewards or the rewards should be scaled back is like saying we should take all the loot out of the game.
EMs create content. EMs are engaging, fun, and should be creatively finding ways to garner participation on their given shards. The more people they attract the better they are at their jobs.
If you put in the effort you will get drops with the system the way it is. It isn't as difficult as it was when it was set as top damagers, you don't need to work nearly as hard.
Does that mean that the top damagers are no longer guaranteed a drop? Yes. Can you get something with no effort at all? No.

And where does all this "EM Event Rewards are baddddddddd" mentality come from anyway? Why does it concern you so much that person X has gotten 14 rewards this year and buys sells and trades them?
And why do you think they are taking anything from "YOUR" shard? It's not "yours" it's "ours". All of us are playing this game together now. Doesn't matter if you live in California or New York. You earn the item
on Pacific shard it's yours. Same as if you earned one on the Atlantic shard. We are all one big happy family now. Like it or leave it. Cross sharding is here and it's here to stay. Stop trying to separate yourselves and
come together. There's no justifiable reason to keep the walls between us.

I don't get all this dislike for each other. Someone said "Xsharders outnumber us 5-1". If that's true, then perhaps that shard is the Xsharder's shard and not "yours". But as they say "why can't we all just get along"??
There's nothing wrong with just being UO players right?
I feel like I work in race relations here or something. Like I am trying to end some sort of bigotry. It's our game. Let's play it together.
 

Flutter

Always Present
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Awards
1
Why couldn't we make drops be part of a EM-driven questing system? Where you get somewhat great drops every time you finish off say 2-3 quests in a chained series and then you get the top-end amazing drops the bosses in the chain series?
EMs have done this. I think they try to vary the types of events they do so that everyone gets a little bit of attention. There are quest events, smash and grab events, stealing events, role playing events, fishing contests, archery contests, pet fights etc etc etc
 

Goldberg-Chessy

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
If I want to know what the drop was after a Sonoma event, I go to the Stratics Rares Collector forum the next day b/c inevitably there are 3 or 4 of the drops for sale for millions being sold by non-Sonoma players. I have also never seen a Sonoma player selling an event drop.

IMO, the drops need to be shard bound. Since the devs have stated they are not willing to make the drops shard bound, the drops need to be de-valued. This could be accomplished by giving all attendees a drop or set up a clicky or make the drop a momento that only holds its value to home shard players.

If the drops weren't so rare, the multiboxers might go elsewhere.
Ridiculous statement.
You are basically saying that nobody from Sonoma has ever gotten a drop on their own shard or has ever sold a drop that they received. That is total rubbish.
 

Riyana

Operations
Administrator
Professional
Governor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Event Coordinator
UNLEASHED
Campaign Patron
People want to be rewarded for their effort. That's why there is loot on MOBs. That is why there are artifacts, powerscrolls, replicas, and everything else.
To say that EM events shouldn't have rewards or the rewards should be scaled back is like saying we should take all the loot out of the game.
EMs create content. EMs are engaging, fun, and should be creatively finding ways to garner participation on their given shards. The more people they attract the better they are at their jobs.
If you put in the effort you will get drops with the system the way it is. It isn't as difficult as it was when it was set as top damagers, you don't need to work nearly as hard.
Does that mean that the top damagers are no longer guaranteed a drop? Yes. Can you get something with no effort at all? No.

And where does all this "EM Event Rewards are baddddddddd" mentality come from anyway? Why does it concern you so much that person X has gotten 14 rewards this year and buys sells and trades them?
And why do you think they are taking anything from "YOUR" shard? It's not "yours" it's "ours". All of us are playing this game together now. Doesn't matter if you live in California or New York. You earn the item
on Pacific shard it's yours. Same as if you earned one on the Atlantic shard. We are all one big happy family now. Like it or leave it. Cross sharding is here and it's here to stay. Stop trying to separate yourselves and
come together. There's no justifiable reason to keep the walls between us.

I don't get all this dislike for each other. Someone said "Xsharders outnumber us 5-1". If that's true, then perhaps that shard is the Xsharder's shard and not "yours". But as they say "why can't we all just get along"??
There's nothing wrong with just being UO players right?
I feel like I work in race relations here or something. Like I am trying to end some sort of bigotry. It's our game. Let's play it together.
Overzealous pursuit of EM reward items and the associated misbehavior drives home sharders away from their own shard's events. THAT is the problem.

And we are NOT one big happy family now. Players with shard shields who mostly play with other players with shard shields might be able to think that, but anyone who was to pay $25 for a one-way trip probably doesn't. That's a huge schism that will never be healed unless cross shard travel is either removed or opened up to everyone, neither of which is ever going to happen. The current implementation of cross shard travel creates a bigger gap between players, not a smaller one.
 

Peekay

Slightly Crazed
Stratics Veteran
That's a huge schism that will never be healed unless cross shard travel is either removed or opened up to everyone, neither of which is ever going to happen.
What is so difficult with spending a measly 45m on an xfer token? Shard transfers are opened to everyone. Nobody is forcing you to pay 25$ for an xfer token, you can easily buy them ingame from other players. Just because someone doesn't have shard shields yet (or may not even be remotely close to ever getting them) or that they don't have friends with shields, doesn't mean that they don't have the option to character transfer.

It's literally as easy as this:
Spend a little gold, buy one from a player.

And it's as simple as that.

If there isn't one on your server, then 100% there is one on Atl, and there are PLENTY of reputable people here on the forums who offer their shield transfers as a service to move things off of Atl to other servers for very low prices (around 5m).
 
Top