Impact of vet reward changes

[The Zog historian]

Players are asking for equality and fairness. Any item that provides an advantage over other players creates “unfairness”.

So do you say it's "unfair" when I spend the time to harvest ingredients and reforge/imbue nice items? How about when I spend another $10 for a reforging tool? On Sonoma general chat this morning, someone complained that the reforging tool should be obtainable in the game. He doesn't understand that it's a revenue generator, and he doesn't understand that he's perfectly free to get it himself.

Similarly, you are perfectly free to buy someone's old account where you can use vet shields, or to keep paying up for yours. I doubt you've paid anywhere near what I have on several accounts started in 1997 through 2000, let alone what Storm has on her own (not including what she's inherited from friends).

So as I said before, this is why shard shields are the true veteran reward. Don't be do disgruntled because someone who's paid thousands of dollars into the game has more than you when you've only paid hundreds. Do you have the same jealousy over a neighbor's new TV or car that cost more than yours

 

[manufacturedsoul]

Players are asking for equality and fairness. Any item that provides an advantage over other players creates “unfairness”.

I can just envision if there was a Soul Stone Token Shield that produced a soulstone every month Veterans would be claiming how “they earned them” and that the rest of the playerbase should “stuff it”.
The entire Veteran reward needs a revamp to create a fair and balanced system i.e. as you intelligently pointed out earlier that is was a mistake breaking Veteran Rewards into 15 levels/Tiers.


The only thing 15 Year Veterans should have earned with their loyalty is their 27 Veteran Choices and 131,487 hours of Ultima Online gameplay. Being a 15 Year Veteran should not bestow an unreasonable advantage over other players and create a sense of unfairness within the game.

Other players who have earned their Veteran rewards should be allowed to choose whatever it is they want without any restrictions.

The bottom line in this Veteran Reward debate is that the reward choices one players picks doesn’t affect another player one iota.

Spoken like a TRUE "HAVE NOT". Let me explain something to you. If I've played for 15 years chosen my rewards each year. I now have 0 reward choices. Now there is a newbie account maybe 4 years that hasn't chosen any because all low year rewards are easily bought for less than the reward choice is actually worth. Now since when rewards came out as my account aged when I reached a year that I could choose Shard Shields I had 2 choices. So I got 2 shields that year. Now your telling me that some newbie account that hasn't chosen anything yet could then choose 8 Shard Shields at 4 years and essentially have more shard shield access than me at 15 years because I didn't have the option to choose Vet Shields from 1 year on.

This actually goes to show that one players pick actually does effect another player because I didn't have the option for Shard Shields till I was 14 years and only had 2 choices. This is actually even more unbalancing then a 14+ year vet having access to a "few" Shard Shields. What your asking for is actually the MOST unbalanced thing I've ever read!!!! Lastly there has yet to be one poster who is FOR Shard Shields being handed out to every lowly vet that can explain in detail what is SO UNBALANCING about a 14 year old vet having access to a few free Shard Transfers. NO ONE needs to transfer shards FOR ANY REASON to play this game! The only people who really do this a lot would be people who try to go to all EM events to get items and take to Atlantic to sell them, How many of them are there really? Most people have better things to do then waste their life away following every EM event of every Shard.
Realistically if your not trying to do this your not going to raise a stink about it cause you could care less about Shard Transferring.

You state at the beginning your asking for equality and fairness yet giving access to Shard Shields to some lowly vet who never used their rewards is SOOOOOOOO unequal as I didn't have those options all the years I claimed my rewards and SOOOOO unfair as then some lowly vet could actually end up with more Vet Shields than a TRUE VETERAN Player! It is absurd! Why not just saying like it is. Your not looking for Equality or Fairness your just looking to crap all over REAL VETS who have them because your jealous and could care less about what is equal or fair for an old vet but really only care about what you want... Don't come here with your BS righteousness about equality when it's more than obvious your not interested in any type of equality you just want what you want and you want it NOW! To that I say PAY YOUR DUES and one day you'll have a few Shard Shields of your OWN!

 

[Warpig Inc]

So do you say it's "unfair" when I spend the time to harvest ingredients and reforge/imbue nice items? How about when I spend another $10 for a reforging tool? On Sonoma general chat this morning, someone complained that the reforging tool should be obtainable in the game. He doesn't understand that it's a revenue generator, and he doesn't understand that he's perfectly free to get it himself.

Similarly, you are perfectly free to buy someone's old account where you can use vet shields, or to keep paying up for yours. I doubt you've paid anywhere near what I have on several accounts started in 1997 through 2000, let alone what Storm has on her own (not including what she's inherited from friends).

So as I said before, this is why shard shields are the true veteran reward. Don't be do disgruntled because someone who's paid thousands of dollars into the game has more than you when you've only paid hundreds. Do you have the same jealousy over a neighbor's new TV or car that cost more than yours

The reforge tool should be in game. In some rare BOD reward chance. True it is making money in the worse example of how F2P would work. It is an item that effects game play in a toe to toe fight. No matter how small a player shouldn't get an advantage from spending RL cash.

The biggest problem with the rewards is their age to use and age to pick. They should of simply all been account locked except for the rides. Have Nots wouldn't have a leg to stand on if they weren't dependent on older accounts picking rewards to sell them at a price. If they make the shield tokens able to be used by others no age limit, then I really will know they have no clue. In short, rewards should be in no way a gold generator just because of an accounts age.

 

[The Zog historian]

The reforge tool should be in game. In some rare BOD reward chance. True it is making money in the worse example of how F2P would work. It is an item that effects game play in a toe to toe fight. No matter how small a player shouldn't get an advantage from spending RL cash.

It's a revenue generator. Why do you not understand that? As more players close accounts, the more EA needs some way to get in a few extra bucks.

Of course it's an advantage over other players, just like my accounts over 14 years old can use shard transfer shields. But are you really complaining over spending $5 or $6 per suit, when another person can easily do the same?

 

[Lady Storm]

I understand being fair and all that jazz...
But this is not one of those times its right to do.
Many of us used a lot of our choices back in the early days of UO.. its why you see so many dye tubs, statues, and such on vendors.
We used a lot of them long before the Shard Shields were a thought in a Dev's mind.
Remember they are only a few years here... same as the Shed.
Your asking for something you know full well you didn't earn and could corrupt the game for dead sure.
If the Dev's allowed them for anyone an made them transferable it would totally disrupt the UO economy over night.
I can assure you that within hours the people who make real cash off the game would covet the ones offered and you wouldn't see any on a vendor for ages.. and if you could find one to buy it would cost you cash and I am not talking for a few dollars. Once they become scarce and all choices gone in game they will run the shards ragged.
You doubt me?
Think of EVERY EM EVENT item... how fast after an event happens is there one of the prizes on a vendor on Atlantic? you think they wasted a full transfer token? Not unless they know that item will fetch hundreds of mills.. and then I doubt it.
There not in this game for the fun of it.. they want your money.

I was talking to a person I wont say the name of but know as a rep of a game item sales company.
They have been buying up old accounts that no one wants.
They are picky of the accounts age or holdings.. they buy it up, strip it of all things of worth outside the characters.
I asked if any were of Shield age.. was told those over 12 were being kept as they have a use and were being allowed to build back up on reward choices.
Let's just say I was in fear this was the case.. they approached me to ask if I was willing to sell some of my accounts... They read here on Stratics of how many I had..
I would never sell an account period so any of you vulture's like this person who are thinking of bugging me DONT BOTHER. (unless you want to loose your UO privilege's perma I will be so happy to turn you in to the Dev)

I will say this one last time.........
If you didn't pay and play the game for the same time as I or any of us who are true Vets of UO have.
I would like to see a few extra choices for those of us who have owned our accounts for a long time... perhaps that might be a way to solve this. By age of ownership. Then the only way the vulture's could get anything is truly by the age of the account they own.

 

[Warpig Inc]

It's a revenue generator. Why do you not understand that? As more players close accounts, the more EA needs some way to get in a few extra bucks.

Of course it's an advantage over other players, just like my accounts over 14 years old can use shard transfer shields. But are you really complaining over spending $5 or $6 per suit, when another person can easily do the same?

A generator driven by players wanting to be one up over others. And the others spending cash to keep up. It is a fine example on how F2P works to earn revenue. It is the one thing they sell in the store that does give a game advantage in the game. Those that spend the most are better for it is a gross way F2P works and should not be part of a monthly dues game. A shard shield gives no advantage in a dispute over a champ spawn unlike the artyforge tool.

There is no advantage with the shard shields in game. The only adavatage is what a vet has over younger players is in the wallet. A fair reward for a vet player in time well $pent.

 

[The Zog historian]

A generator driven by players wanting to be one up over others. And the others spending cash to keep up. It is a fine example on how F2P works to earn revenue. It is the one thing they sell in the store that does give a game advantage in the game. Those that spend the most are better for it is a gross way F2P works and should not be part of a monthly dues game. A shard shield gives no advantage in a dispute over a champ spawn unlike the artyforge tool.

There is no advantage with the shard shields in game. The only adavatage is what a vet has over younger players is in the wallet. A fair reward for a vet player in time well $pent.

Then it sounds like you need to design your own game since you're unhappy with UO's operations, but I wouldn't bank on its success. What do you think is the incentive behind any game's revenue generator, but to let a player buy something that others do not have?

When we could start buying codes for items, not just expansions, why do you think it coincided with the decline in the player population? UO's business model had to change a bit from subscription-only so that the game could survive. Then a while ago, The Powers That Be decided to give a freebie to long-time players. Some of us have been around a long time, putting up with the early years of constant crashes and timewarps, broken still/stat gain, exploit programs, and even corrupt GMs. Yet at the same time, there's nothing preventing you or anyone else from buying an old-timer's account, or from from spending a few bucks on a shard shield. Did you not understand the math that the latter is cheaper than keeping a 14-year account alive just for the sake of shields? In the end, it's cheaper to have paid for 60 months and 48 shard shields codes.

So some of us were early to the bake sale and now get preference on ONE good thing, because the sellers wanted to give a bonus to the oldest continuous customers. But you should be taking the position that it took a lot of money just to get to that point. Rolex dealers reserve the Daytona, which is very limited in supply, only for their good customers. It can take buying a couple of other timepieces just to get on the waiting list for a Daytona, which only reinforces my belief that Omega's a better value.

 

[Warpig Inc]

My accounts are all old. Even my Luna house is historic. There is buying content that is an expansion and then there is buying a tool. I have a box someplace filled with the transfer tokens when they gave them out free. Being an ancient DM "the first geeks" I know exactly what drives players and a world to succeed. I like poking at facts more then using the classic "I told you so." I told you so about mechanics future effects. The oldest being 3rd party programs enforce the TOS or make them legit. That was UOs biggest decline and not Tram. Those in charge basket in the light while new games drew players to greener pastures while they polished the pet rock UO and said "Look Shinny"

UO has a monthly fee. To sell something in the store that cannot be earned in game, is well some F2P greed crap. That works if I wasn't already shelling out money to play. The greedy bastards want to make money they can pull UO off the hind teat. Stop using F2P pay to win crap in the stores.

I could have a full set of shields with my accounts. Looking forward to the 16th year rewards river of tears. I have no desire to go to another shard to make gold or be fresh meat for the buttmunch crooks. If a shard is lacking in players or fun there is the other three figures pointing back that finds the one player truely at fault. Players have always been the driving force in what makes UO, UO. There is plenty of old content that could be updated without all the extra energy it takes to make shinny new crap. Fishing, how long did that last? Updated BoD reward list would of lasted long even with the bribery easy button. Even a Papua Dragon boat that has modern boat perks that is immune to age decay as a 16th year vet choice would find whiners as much as a doorbell deco for a house.

 

[The Zog historian]

I told you so about mechanics future effects. The oldest being 3rd party programs enforce the TOS or make them legit. That was UOs biggest decline and not Tram. Those in charge basket in the light while new games drew players to greener pastures while they polished the pet rock UO and said "Look Shinny"

I'm not exactly sure how this is germane to shard transfers, unless you're saying they were to distract players from a lack of content. As I've said, they were a bone thrown to old-timers. Though I'd prefer content that brings a shard together, at least shard shields enabled old-timers to expand their communities and trading opportunities.

OK, so you can have your own shields. Instead of denying them to others, please continue not claiming yours, and the rest of us will be happy to bring items from other shards and to expand our player communities. And are you really blaming players for a shard being quiet? Those of us remaining are hardly to blame. We're the ones who haven't given up.

 

[Viquire]

Just Sayin.

 

[Lady Storm]

Shard shields should remain as they are.
If any old player/vet has no use for them that is his or her prerogative.
Of all things this issue is moot, Dev are awaire that this would open a bigger kettle of fish then even they can handle.
I am ok as are many to the basic ethereal rides for any, but keep the special ones for their age reward to have.
Its as we call in California a Vanity ride.
Tubs and other deco I am fine for all to use... 99% of it is anyhow to the population at large as it is.
The rare exception is the new players/new accounts. Ok for their use but as for getting rewards...no.
Earn them.
Yes the Seed Box and Davies' Locker would be usefull by all but to be honest how many new players do you know who have that big a need for ether item.
Unless that account is a new one started by an old vet to run their gardening...but to be honest that's stupid.
Or that a young account should have need of the map table.. Again to need one smells of an old player who has started a new account. Again stupid idea.
Unless you can prove to many of us where and when a "new" account needs to use these items, leave them be.
Vet Rewards is fine as is for doling out to worthy players, adding a few extra choices for the older accounts is liked but not demanded.
I don't want to see our game become a F2P.
How many of you got $$ to spend over the subscription cost?
Every day a new trinket to buy and spend your hard earned cash on?
You know if EA did this UO wouldn't be our game anymore.
I see the downfall the minute it does.
UO will close it's doors as many of us leave faster then the game can foster new players.
EA will not except loss that quickly and in the end will add the final nail in UO's coffin.

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

Spoken like a TRUE "HAVE NOT". Let me explain something to you. If I've played for 15 years chosen my rewards each year. I now have 0 reward choices. Now there is a newbie account maybe 4 years that hasn't chosen any because all low year rewards are easily bought for less than the reward choice is actually worth. Now since when rewards came out as my account aged when I reached a year that I could choose Shard Shields I had 2 choices. So I got 2 shields that year. Now your telling me that some newbie account that hasn't chosen anything yet could then choose 8 Shard Shields at 4 years and essentially have more shard shield access than me at 15 years because I didn't have the option to choose Vet Shields from 1 year on.

This actually goes to show that one players pick actually does effect another player because I didn't have the option for Shard Shields till I was 14 years and only had 2 choices. This is actually even more unbalancing then a 14+ year vet having access to a "few" Shard Shields. What your asking for is actually the MOST unbalanced thing I've ever read!!!! Lastly there has yet to be one poster who is FOR Shard Shields being handed out to every lowly vet that can explain in detail what is SO UNBALANCING about a 14 year old vet having access to a few free Shard Transfers. NO ONE needs to transfer shards FOR ANY REASON to play this game! The only people who really do this a lot would be people who try to go to all EM events to get items and take to Atlantic to sell them, How many of them are there really? Most people have better things to do then waste their life away following every EM event of every Shard.
Realistically if your not trying to do this your not going to raise a stink about it cause you could care less about Shard Transferring.

You state at the beginning your asking for equality and fairness yet giving access to Shard Shields to some lowly vet who never used their rewards is SOOOOOOOO unequal as I didn't have those options all the years I claimed my rewards and SOOOOO unfair as then some lowly vet could actually end up with more Vet Shields than a TRUE VETERAN Player! It is absurd! Why not just saying like it is. Your not looking for Equality or Fairness your just looking to crap all over REAL VETS who have them because your jealous and could care less about what is equal or fair for an old vet but really only care about what you want... Don't come here with your BS righteousness about equality when it's more than obvious your not interested in any type of equality you just want what you want and you want it NOW! To that I say PAY YOUR DUES and one day you'll have a few Shard Shields of your OWN!

Very good point about the limited availability of rewards after so many years.
And don't sweat posters like Veritas who are quite obviously just clueless about early UO and will never be satisfied unless they have everything handed to them.

Most 14 and 15 year vets have no rewards stored up because when we received our early rewards we tended to take them because they were very useful at the time (especially ethy mounts and resist robes) and gold was scarce. Plus housing was so scarce back then it didn't make sense to run multiple accounts.

If they were to open up the entire reward system now to everyone it would be undeniably unfair that a 5 year vet who hasn't taken anything yet(as the items are now quite easily bought or just not as useful as they once were)could claim and own more shard shields or sheds or bouras then a 14 year vet.

And anyone that thinks the economy is being affected one tiny bit by shard shields is completely clueless and will obviously say anything just to get something they obviously covet.

 

[Lady Storm]

Goldberg ! We got to stop this agreeing with each other..... its getting weird...
This is the main reason I asked in one thread for an additional 1 or 2 extra starting with year 16 to the reward system.
Too many of the elder statesmen of UO used up a great deal of their rewards..
I mean add it up..

Original set of dye tubs = black, furniture, special, leather... 4
For the first few years was a big deal Every one wanted a set.

Then you figure in all the statues... where did you think all those Dragon statues came from not to mention lich and demon..... original set was something like 12 statues..

Add in the Ethereal Mounts..
Horse, Llama, and the Ostard.
Everyone and their brother had one... that used up a lot.
Why we don't see a glut of them out there is simple..
They are under most tushes of characters long gone. (I even found some on characters I forgot I gave some to!)

By my count 4 tubs + a few statues+ give or take 5 ethys = 12 or more choices used... and that's just for the first few years before the FANCY Stuff started to be offered.

And you wonder why an old account don't have many choices????
This was long before any of this nonsense of Vets not deserving more choices bit.
Where the hell do you come off saying the Elder UO Veterans don't deserve a few more?
Shame on you.
If not for them many of you wouldn't own some of the Rewards you have today...

 

[Acid Rain]

I made a comment earlier abt not increasing the # of vet rewards. I hadn't considered the point ManufacturedSoul brought up. It's a valid point but certainly one bound to stir up more discontent .

I always figured if I could buy the reward in game then there was no need to use a pick. If I couldn't afford to buy it, I'd save money until I could afford. If I couldn't afford it after saving best I could.... then I really didn't need it. When shard shields came out I had 18 picks. After talking with several vet friends, Ive realized that I was the only one to employ this strategy .

While I understand ManufacturedSouls's situation, I cant help but think... "Do I want to agree & say give old vets more picks b/c of this valid point OR because it means I get more picks?" Either way it means I'd be guilty of what Ive accused the 'have-nots' of crying abt in this & many other threads. On the topic of more vet rewards issued, I will rescind my original comments yet will abstain from offering opinion .

 

[Warpig Inc]

Revenue, grease the money grubber backs. This ones has been chewed on before. A token that allows one pick of any vet reward that is not age bound and is tagged replica. Maybe leave off a few rewards that might take from the store ore honest vendor types. Like the shields and the gathering mats picks. Will allow a one year old to ride a polar bear or buy a shed. Your up to some hinkey biz if your younger then three and need to bip in another shards market. Start a charcater on the desired shard and fill its bankbox with event fodder.

 

[Lady Storm]

I have offered a solution to the Dev on this board many times.. in the form of a turn in for old Rewards that would greatly clean up gluts of tubs and robes and such that would allow new and old players to trade in to the newer rewards.... so far not a peep from the Dev if it could be done.
Elder Vets didn't have these new gift choices way back and like Acid Rain I had refrained from using 3 of my major account rewards picks unless absolutely needed.
But to make that the prime example of others? NO
Many used up their choices as they came for things they wanted or needed for game play...
Dye Tubs for use.. many a player made gold off the dyeing of cloths for others way before Bod cloth.
Guilds made it part of the guild dress code to have a particular vet robe and cape.
Do you know how many Dragon Statues I have picked up at IDOC's?
Not to mention what sits on vendors.

I asked for a increase of 1 or 2 more per year starting with year 16. Those still active I think should be awarded for that long paying for this game to be still here.

 

[Arrgh]

When is this supposed to go into effect? I need to know so I can either,

1: Save all my coin to buy a reward or 4.

2: Buy one with cash from the EA store if they make them available.

3: Blow all my coin on my ingame strip club habit.



Ooiggity, bogitty, boo



It's da end ada world as we know it, yeah it's da end o da world as we knows it and I feel fine...

 

[startle]

I confess that I haven't read all 167 posts in this thread, but I've read enough of them to give an opinion or two:

Unless you can prove to many of us where and when a "new" account needs to use these items, leave them be.

Agree completely with Lady Storm... Tell us how a "new" account needs these items or hands off...

Veteran (from Latin vetus, meaning "old") a person or thing that has given long service


Tell you what... you "pay to play" for 5 or 10 more years, till you get to be 14 or 15 and then let's come back to this question...if you are 14 or 15 and can honestly say that it doesn't matter - then you're a seriously rightous dewd...

It's not like we vets are asking for any advantage in the game... just in-game recognition (especially from EA and the Devs) for the time and money we've invested here... it shows that we've recognised this amazing game as one worth sticking with, that's all....

The things you seek - like Shard Shields - are special... we have earned them, you have not... But it does give you something to look forward to, when you've committed to the $time$ that we have...

 

[Arrgh]

My main acct is old enough, I just need some picks. I still don't see why people are getting their panties in a wad about a game that may or may NOT make it another "5 or 10 more years". I really hope it does make it but what if it doesn't? Why not let the people that "would have" stayed indefinitely either purchase years to their other accounts, adjust the reward age versus the reward as has been suggested or some other solution? The selfishness and childishness of some people here makes me sick to my stomach.

A few of the people on here I know have been given accounts. I have given away several accounts (and gotten others hooked!) and some of the other accounts I have owned can no longer be rescued due to one reason or another. My favorite account can not be recovered, it was made the day after UO was released and available for purchase here but whatever no big deal I have 2 more accts I made about 1-2 months afterwards plus a few that are varying ages of 9 years and up. I wonder how many people have been here a decade though? That is a significant time to play any game especially an outdated one. That in itself is pretty hardcore. Just because I can get a shield or whatever doesn't mean that I feel I should be one of the chosen few to get a set of them or buy them from the store or another player if I want more shields. Readjusting the reward ages to reflect some type of realistic time frame considering the shard populations are dwindling the way they are and have been for some time doesn't make sense how?

 

[Lady Storm]

Arrgh Sweety you have a point but you also answered your question of why not to allow this in your statement.
What if's.....
What if... say a asteroid was due to hit the earth.. say in a weeks time.... it will destroy 1/3 of the earths population where it hits and cause the rest of the people a hard time for estimated 10 years or less. Do you plot the hit zone and help the people in that area move the hell out making life after the disaster hell on earth or do you keep it quiet and move only the family and friends you like if its in your zone?
If's are a pancake... cause this is what your doing.
What if... well I for one hope we do last as long as we can.
But I wont bend on rules just because of a what if.
I paid for every year... in fact I paid for friends accounts when money got tight for them...
Sadly I now own those accounts... what rewards they have I am happy for but don't feel that it gives me any more rights over other Vets who paid like I did.
I don't expect to get a free ride on the backs of others just because of a what if.

To be Realistic is what I am being when I say no.
I ask only for an upgrade in number given for 16th year and up of 1 or 2 more choices then the 2 we are given.
That the previous posts I made be adhered to.

I am sorry this point of contention is between the haves and have not's.

P.S. I tell all and move them and what we can hold of things we would need as fast as we could and let it be hell. I would feel good that I saved them no matter the cost. Life is not a game.

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

My main acct is old enough, I just need some picks. I still don't see why people are getting their panties in a wad about a game that may or may NOT make it another "5 or 10 more years". I really hope it does make it but what if it doesn't? Why not let the people that "would have" stayed indefinitely either purchase years to their other accounts, adjust the reward age versus the reward as has been suggested or some other solution? The selfishness and childishness of some people here makes me sick to my stomach.

A few of the people on here I know have been given accounts. I have given away several accounts (and gotten others hooked!) and some of the other accounts I have owned can no longer be rescued due to one reason or another. My favorite account can not be recovered, it was made the day after UO was released and available for purchase here but whatever no big deal I have 2 more accts I made about 1-2 months afterwards plus a few that are varying ages of 9 years and up. I wonder how many people have been here a decade though? That is a significant time to play any game especially an outdated one. That in itself is pretty hardcore. Just because I can get a shield or whatever doesn't mean that I feel I should be one of the chosen few to get a set of them or buy them from the store or another player if I want more shields. Readjusting the reward ages to reflect some type of realistic time frame considering the shard populations are dwindling the way they are and have been for some time doesn't make sense how?

Makes no sense at all. Accounts given away or received has no bearing on the topic at all.

I have stated all throughout this thread that if someone younger then 14 years is so crazily consumed by the rewards that they cant stand playing anymore they most certainly can purchase a 14+ year account from any number of trusted sellers. People have been safely buying items for cash since day one of UO. UO is and has always been a cash game. You pay cash to maintain your accounts. No reason at all not to pay cash for an aged account if that is what you must have to be happy.
Or are you so bitter about rewards that you begrudge them to a player that was gifted them by another player giving them their aged account? Lol at that. Life is so unfair to you I guess.

Define realistic btw. What makes a decade more 'realistic' to you then me?
I personally think realistic means the actual number of years played. Not some random number created for arguments sake by you well after the fact. Do you even know what the word realistic means?
And either way its a moot point because at 10 years you get more rewards so nobody is denying your supposed "hardcore" 10 year vets.

Bottom line is that you want everyone in game to be given everything asap just because the game has been around a long time and doesn't have its peak population. That is naïve and laughable.
Spoken like a true HAVE NOT who has no picks and foolishly lost some old accounts.

 

[popps]

I'm not sure what the dev team was hoping to accomplish with the changes to vet rewards, but at least in my case the changes have had a negative effect (for their bottom line).

I don't play very often, but I have kept my accounts open with the intent of returning (or being able to return) at some point in the future. Part of the reason that I keep my accounts open during times when I am not playing has been to continue to accumulate my veteran status. I have always viewed it as every month that I don't subscribe is a month that I can never recover in veteran status. I knew that if I stopped my subscription, that would put me behind the oldest accounts and I might not be able to get a very cool high-end vet reward.

With the recent changes, I no longer have any motivation to keep my accounts open. If a new vet reward comes out and my account is not old enough, I can just buy the reward from someone else. Problem solved and I didn't waste my real money on unplayed months. While this might be a good thing for me, I can't imagine that it is the effect they were looking for.

At least in my case, I think the previous vet reward system was doing exactly what it was intended to do. Now that it has been nerfed, I will only pay for my secondary accounts frequently enough to keep my houses standing and the rest of the months will be less money in EA's pocket and more in mine.

I am curious if anyone else feels the same way and is now less likely to keep accounts open. I think changes to the stat and skill cap were overdue, but some of the reward items should have remained exclusive to older accounts. Maybe it is just me, but I feel like they caved in to the vocal message board crowd wanting access to all the rewards, but didn't fully consider the detrimental effect it could have to the financial health of the game.

I think it was very unjust and unfair towards oldest active age Veteran accounts to stop giving Vet Rewards at 15 Years.

Wrong, wrong and again wrong as I see it.

I mean, now Ultima Online is 18 Years old so, there's only (sic ! some games do not even last 3 years !!) 3 years in between 15 and 18 active account Veteran age but how about when Ultima Online will reach 20, or perhaps, hopefully 25 Years and who knows, even 30 Years of age ?

Shouldn't players who kept their accounts as active for 20, 25, 30 years (!!!) be recognized that incredible and outstanding loyalty to this game ?

I think yes. And stopping the Vet Rewards at 15 Years I personally see it as a slap into the face of all those players who, year after year after year after year NO MATTER WHAT, have always maintained their accounts as active.......

Of course, oldest age active accounts players are a minority, and they simply can't be as vocal as those players with accounts with a lower active age but nonetheless, those who have them as their loyal customers to their game, Ultima Online, should protect and cherish them because it is those players who demonstrated their continued support of the game, in good and bad times, always, no matter what, throughout its entire life.

Younger actve age accounts eventually will get there too, sure, it will take them time, but didn't it take also those many years to the current oldest active age accounts Veterans to get to that point ?
If at all, the Veteran Rewards could be made claimable by 18,19,20,25 years active age but usable by any and all active age accounts just the same. This way, oldest active age accounts would still be recognized their outstanding loyalty and support for Ultima Online no matter what, in good and bad times, and still not have the Vet Rewards granted to them be totally exclusive but also usable by other, younger accounts.

The more years go by that Ultima Online keeps going, the more the gap will widen in between oldest active account age and the CAP set at 15 years. Now it is 3 years, next year it will be 4 and then 5 years and will keep increasing.

I do NOT think it is fair towards oldest active age Veteran accounts and I think that this Policy should be reverted and the 15 Years CAP lifted.

And no, the mere awarding of 2 extra "picks" for each additional active account age I think is NOT a good recognition of the outstanding loyalty towards Ultima Online demonstrated by these players throughout so many years.that they maintained their accounts as active, no matter what.

Would it be a privilege recognizing them of their outstanding very, very old active account age ?

Sure, but what would be wrong about it since they did earn that privilege by maintaining their account as active, no matter what, throughout the entire life of Ultima Online ?

And, as I said, if the Reward for that given "oldest" active account age Veteran Year was to be made claimable only by that oldest account active age but usable also by lower active age accounts, this privilege recognition in award of their outstanding loyalty would still be made visible but at the same time toned down a bit by allowing younger active age account not to claim those same oldest active age Year Veteran Rewards but to use them anyways so consenting the enjoyment of those Veteran Rewards to all Years, regardless of that Year active age could only claim them......

 

[Kei]

where can I find the list of changes to vet rewards?

 

[kelmo]

I want to thank you Popps, for keeping the game afloat for those three years that I did not play.

 

[OREOGL]

Why do we resurrect these dead threads?

There's no new changes Kei, this thread is two years old.

You can find the new rewards at UO.com.

 

[Kei]

Alright. Lol bummer.


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[kelmo]

Veteran Rewards | Ultima Online

 

[sirion]

The player base/consumers really like to talk about loyalty and get all sentimental. But this is all JUST BUSINESS: You pay sub fee that goes to the Company salary and operations...etc. Your entertainment means WORK for them.You and Company owe nothing to each other. And after 18 years with OSI, EA, Mythic and Broadsword, you'd think they really care? Anything they choose to give you will be considered as "extras". That's the reality. Talk of betrayals or ethics is not necessary here really. If Company wants to boost their revenue/bonus by selling more stuff for cash, they can do just that. Just look at the store: Pen of Wisdom for copying runebooks and Undertaker's Staff? Heh....

Broadsword should really have some kind of top level business strategy to boost the player population. So many shards are so dead and quiet.

 

[Uvtha]

I see how wrong I was back them. Now every time you walk out of doors you see 50 people on bouras. How could I have been so blind?

p.s. Nice necro pops! I don't think the other derailed post covered it well enough. :/

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

Oh what have I done? When I provided a link to the old thread the idea was to show that everything had already been argued - not to resurrect the thread.

 

[Uvtha]

Oh what have I done? When I provided a link to the old thread the idea was to show that everything had already been argued - not to resurrect the thread.

lol. I was like, "no way I don't see that post on the front page tomorrow."

 

[Conleth]

Personally I would like to see a trade in system put into place... lets face it we all have seen stacks of tubs, statues, and unwanted robes and such on vendors for years they are glutting up the storage on many homeowners.

Disclaimer: I have a dog in this fight!

After reading some very vested opinions, thought it might be helpful to throw another couple of cents in. I like the idea of tradable vet rewards. I myself have vet robes/tubs that have gone from very viable to possibly worthless, as wearable items (and even weapon/shield properties) have changed. (Worthless insofar as numbers are concerned, not considering possible historical value.) At one time, statues, tubs and robes with resists were quite rare, now they can be picked up many places ingame, from the ground, to decays, to player vendors...and those at incredibly reasonable prices. I can say if there were means to trade rewards, I'd be all over that option myself. This is one of the 'it won't harm anyone' changes that I love so much. (Can be set up with the vendor in Moonglow who is already waiting to switch a vet reward clothing item for another reward clothing item.) Could the actual trading of vet rewards BE a vet reward? That might be desired/desirable.

I also tend to agree with Lady Storn regarding ethereals. For all intents and purposes, every player needs a mount ingame now; lands are so vast. We've bonded critters that work practically as well as emounts. If only from a purely functional stand point, it might be time to open emounts up to all. Save the 'fancier' ones for vets; Kirin, polar bear and higher reserved for older accounts. Or, leave the emounts as is and add another emount ridable for all of any age to enjoy, if folks find changes to current emounts unsettling?

To encourage the long term player base, continue to give them increased 'picks'. Additional picks, perhaps.

Cheers!

 

[Lord Arm]

only part that bothered me was when they make my vet reward worthless when they come out with something better. wish I could turn in 50 or so vet rewards to get something.
there are too many crappy vet rewards that are worthless now and i was one of the dumb ones that picked mine many years ago, not thinking they would be made worthless. people have made some good points here.

PS, I just copied hundreds of rune books with 6 pens recently and now I found out about the new rune books coming out lol. just say no comment.

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

only part that bothered me was when they make my vet reward worthless

Well that's part of any game - it's tricky to try and pick something that will remain valuable. Remember the uber Silver of Vanquishing prefix - oooh...now that was a weapon...and then a new expansion (Age of Shadows?) came out and all our weapons and armor became worthless over night.

I could bore everyone here with a recount of all the things that have gone down in value over the last 18 years. Don't they even have some sort of disclaimer about the game changing over time - in fact, didn't some group try and sue EA games for something along those lines? ahhh, memories...at least I think they're memories, or am I getting the past wrong again?

 

[Lorddog]

me likes the change

 

[Lord Arm]

Well that's part of any game - it's tricky to try and pick something that will remain valuable. Remember the uber Silver of Vanquishing prefix - oooh...now that was a weapon...and then a new expansion (Age of Shadows?) came out and all our weapons and armor became worthless over night.

I could bore everyone here with a recount of all the things that have gone down in value over the last 18 years. Don't they even have some sort of disclaimer about the game changing over time - in fact, didn't some group try and sue EA games for something along those lines? ahhh, memories...at least I think they're memories, or am I getting the past wrong again?

yes but these are vet rewards, not armor, weapons or deco. I could expect many things being updated etc... just saying its the one thing that bothered me with vet rewards becoming worthless due to the things that have been added to the game. I did say I was one of the dumb ones.

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

I did say I was one of the dumb ones.

You weren't dumb. There weren't many choices when they came out - and statues at that time were some of the coolest deco items in the game! That's why there are so many in the world now. Who could have guessed back then...hmm, first year reward...should I pick a dragon statue or wait 15 years to get a garden shed? 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing...but yes, it would be nice if they had a turn-in option for old vet rewards - I proposed ages ago that for every statue you turned in, you would get a larger version back - might sound silly but I would love a full sized skeleton or lich in statue form. I was really disappointed when I found out that Mannequins equipped with Halloween costumes didn't change into that costume - perfectly good waste of a costume!

 

[Giggles]

 

[Spock's Beard]

Did Poops seriously bump a thread from 2013 just to whine about a dead issue?

Look at this point it doesn't matter, the devs are never going to reverse this change and screw everyone who now owns vet rewards older than their account. It's going to be like this forever, so maybe just let it go.

 

[HoneythornGump]

Did Poops seriously bump a thread from 2013 just to whine about a dead issue?

Look at this point it doesn't matter, the devs are never going to reverse this change and screw everyone who now owns vet rewards older than their account. It's going to be like this forever, so maybe just let it go.

Popps wants them to add 16,7th, 18th, 20th year Rewards. So new players have to wait until 2035 to claim their rewards.

As far as I'm concerned the Devs haven't gone far enough. I should be able to pick anything I want with my Veteran Rewards regardless of my account age.

I have so few rewards to begin with, and such a small list to choose from it's pathetic.

Still a broken system in my opinion.

What' the advantage of being a veteran then? Simple...more picks.

 

[TimberWolf]

I think they need a new vet reward for 20th anni.....a freaking labotomy, cause you must be nuts to pay good money for this crap for 20 years......you could have bought an RV and travelled...or a freaking cottage and relaxed, gone fishing.....but no you spent the money on UO!!!

Epic fail!

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

I think they need a new vet reward for 20th anni.....a freaking labotomy, cause you must be nuts to pay good money for this crap for 20 years......you could have bought an RV and travelled...or a freaking cottage and relaxed, gone fishing.....but no you spent the money on UO!!!

Epic fail!

Umm, so everyone that's playing UO right now is stupid cause we would be better off fishing? Or we're only stupid if we're still playing in 20 years...what about 19, 18, 14, 12, 5? What's the magical amount of time that we should be playing UO before we're all failures? Some would argue that anyone who wastes their time playing a video game is a failure. As for attacking a person's choice of entertainment....okay, now you're on firm ground - way to insult everyone playing the game right now.

And if your post was supposed to be sarcasm - it didn't come across that way, try using this next time

 

[cazador]

I don't see why they couldn't add ethereal mounts for each year. They are rideable by everyone and at least could of added a little something. I think the real issue is the hoards of complainers cause they don't have shard shields. Which furthermore was a complete and utter mistake to begin with.


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[kelmo]

I do not have any shard shields...

 

[Lord Frodo]

I do not have any shard shields...

OUTSTANDING I guess if I played SP only I wouldn't have any either.

 

[kelmo]

Nothing gets by you does it.

 

[Acid Rain]

I do not have any shard shields...

Your Welcome to come gawk at mine anytime you desire
[hr][/hr]

 

[kelmo]

Seems ya have almost every shard covered...

 

[Acid Rain]

Seems ya have almost every shard covered...

1 of my main UO goals - every shield & every skill with enough stones to switch skills around as I see fit
I've got a couple more shields in another house on another shard but in 2 more years I should have them all covered .

 

[popps]

Popps wants them to add 16,7th, 18th, 20th year Rewards. So new players have to wait until 2035 to claim their rewards.

As far as I'm concerned the Devs haven't gone far enough. I should be able to pick anything I want with my Veteran Rewards regardless of my account age.

I have so few rewards to begin with, and such a small list to choose from it's pathetic.

Still a broken system in my opinion.

What' the advantage of being a veteran then? Simple...more picks.

I guess they are called "Veteran" Rewards and tied to account "active age" for a reason..... right ?

Because having an account as active for 15 years, for example, can never equal having an account as active, no matter what, for, say, 20 years........ at least as I see it.

And Ultima Online, now 18 Years of age, does is getting closer and closer to celebrate its 20th birthday....

It is a privilege, sure, but that's the goal of it, to show a recognition to players who kept their account as active for the entire life of Ultima Online. And since everyone can use Veteran Rewards but those account bound like the Shard Shields, I see no problem that, for example, a 19th or a 20th Year Veteran Reward would only be claimable by those respective active ages if those rewards then can also be used by lower active age accounts.
That is, players would not need to wait many years to "use" and enjoy those higher active age Veteran Rewards but they would only need to get them from a Veteran who can claim them.

Personally, I think that this would be a better system as that it is now.
I mean, let's imagine for a split second that today we were going to celebrate Ultima Online's 20th birthday.
And that, for such a remarkable milestone, a new Veteran Reward was to be added only, "CAPPed" at 15 years of active age as it is now. I can't see how fair would it be to celebrate the remarkability of reaching a milestone of 20 years of life of Ultima Online, have still a number of players who have an account that has 20 full years of active account age who could and should, as I see it, be as well celebrated fully, for supporting the game for its entire life, but then tell to these longest time Veterans that no, their long 20 years of support just count as those who only did it for 15 years........

Personally, I see it like a slap into the face of those who supported Ultima Online for its entire life.

Of course, these longest accounts are more and more a minority, and they cannot be as vocal as those other accounts with a lower active age account. Therefore, I would imagine, they should be protected and cherished by those who run the game, Broasword, recognizing their supporting of Ultima Online for its entire life even when they are just a handfull of accounts and not punish them by treating their endured support to Ultima Online stopped at 15 Years......