Cross-Shard PvP Server

[Cygnas]

I've been thinking about this for a while, on how to get more people together and present new content without a huge amount of developer time. And to address some of the issues with low-populated shards. This idea is mostly for PvP, which I don't do unless I have to because my pings times hover around 200ms. I still would try this server though.

Cross-Shard PvP Server
Create a server/shard that anyone could transfer to. The server ruleset would be similar to Siege in that only one character per account could transfer, and the only non-PvP area is the single safe town of Brit. All transfers would take you there. OH, and Reds could transfer also, without penalties.

Cost to transfer would be fairly high, something like 1 million gold, 5 golden skulls or 5 skulls of greed/pain (give them some value). And access to the PvP server would be time limited, say 10 hours a week. The limit would be to keep the other shards from being completely empty. When you transfer to the PvP shard, you get a token with a timer. Once that timer runs out, you transfer back to your home shard in a "safe non-gank" area... so people can't sit at the spot to gank transferees. Home shard transfers are free. You can stay in the PvP shard for 10 straight hours, or transfer back to your home shard and back to the PvP shard until the weekly timer was used up. But each transfer to the PvP shard would cost once again.... or not. Not sure about this one.

Each character would have an home shard label when moused over, and kill die ratio. You would gain and lose fame/karma/noto like home shards, and could even turn red. OH, reds could turn blue by killing enough other reds... but can't think of how to keep from exploiting this. Need more ideas here.

No stat/skill penalties for dying. Looting and stealing? Not sure if this should be allowed and how it should work if they were.

Once on the PvP shard, you would have a choice of 3 gates: NPC equipment Only PvP; Open PvP; Factions. Open PvP is easy, just like Yew Gate in Felucca. The problem Factions would be how to make sure the numbers were balanced. The NPC equipment only PvP would allow equipment only purchased from the PvP server vendors... meaning no arties, no LRC or LMC, no super-duper uber weapons, just player skill. The gates would take you to a safe area with a large guard zone that would keep you from getting insta-ganked, and the safe area would have large open exits to the PvP area.

Okay... I need some coffee. Any ideas or input? Would this work or was it bad mooshu pork I had last night?

 

[Guest]

A PvP shard is not only about PvP, it's about all aspects in UO.
You do not PvP and you don't play Siege (I guess) so you believe PvP just are mindless killing.
A PvP shard will have same problems as Siege with AoS armor and weapons and from where will you get the armor if you only transfer PvP'er to your shard?

A PvP shard should just be a shard without Trammel Ruleset on any facets. Don't make same mistake as with Siege and add one char slot only, you will end up with a desert shard. Some Siege rules are ok but most only stop PvP players from joining the shard.

All respect to Runesable, the father of Siege but he was not a PvP'er but a smith.

I loved UO back in 1997-1998 before we got stat loss and before Trammel was born. It was a wonderful world. It was wild and PK's was everywhere but I loved it and getting along with the PK's was not impossible unless players was so scared, that they never did leave town af fear for PK's.

A PvP shard is the perfect place for communities to grow up and the conflicts between them is a good basis for PvP.

If a player town is raided, some crafters and PvM'er will die but the PvP'er from the town will protect them and try to keep the town and the gathering and hunting fields safe.

All depend of each other, the PvP'ers need the crafters and PvM'ers to buy new PvP gear from. The crafters and PvM'ers need the PvP'ers to protect them and as customers.

PvP is more than just killing each others.

Should people be able to transfer from other shards to this new shard?
I would say no but if yes, they should be naked and not allowed to bring anything with them, they could get a npc suit and weapon and then they would have to work to get new stuff.

There should be no insurance and no blessing on the shard.

 

[imported_BlacK RaiN]

Finally... a post of yours I can agree with.

to the OP: If you want a mindless pvp server... log onto test

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Finally... a post of yours I can agree with.

to the OP: If you want a mindless pvp server... log onto test

[/ QUOTE ]

*Smiles*

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

A PvP shard is the perfect place for communities to grow up and the conflicts between them is a good basis for PvP.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since UO:R I have found that the PvP community is the only real community left on the shards minus siege, If you look at PvP guild forums (mostly bigger PvP guilds) you will notice that most other pvp guilds on their shard post on a regular basis if its from talkin trash to as little as a happy easter.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

A PvP shard is the perfect place for communities to grow up and the conflicts between them is a good basis for PvP.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since UO:R I have found that the PvP community is the only real community left on the shards minus siege, If you look at PvP guild forums (mostly bigger PvP guilds) you will notice that most other pvp guilds on their shard post on a regular basis if its from talkin trash to as little as a happy easter.

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember when we got stat loss and guildwars to replace the red vs blue war. EA made all chars blue.

The old PK's was first ok with it and did try out the guildwars but only guilds willing to war them was other red guilds.

The old blue PvP'ers who use to fight PK's become bored. Their guilds refused to make wars because there was non PvP'ers in the guild too.

After a while, the blue PvP'ers gave up and joined the old red guilds, their old enemies.

Still guildwars was not good enough, to hard to find enemies/victims, even the non PvP'ers told me they missed the thread from the reds.

The reds gave up the guildwars. Most did quit UO but some found ways to get around stat loss with running in groups who knew how to keep each others alive and with going after weak targets.

UO never again become the game we loved, PvP was forever ruined.

A new PvP shard could bring it all, but guess it will never happen, someone will nerf the shard before it is born. There will always be a non PvP'er who will add rules to control the PK's, someone who hidded in town in 1997-1998 and believed the stories about 100 reds waiting right outside GZ

 

[imported_Coppelia]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

A PvP shard is the perfect place for communities to grow up and the conflicts between them is a good basis for PvP.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since UO:R I have found that the PvP community is the only real community left on the shards minus siege, If you look at PvP guild forums (mostly bigger PvP guilds) you will notice that most other pvp guilds on their shard post on a regular basis if its from talkin trash to as little as a happy easter.

[/ QUOTE ]
Since UO:R I have found the RP Community grew stronger. It started decreasing with the supremacy of WoW.
But if you consider people fearing homosexuality and insulting each other to find a place in their pack are a community, yeah sure it's the louder.

 

[Rykus]

Very good post Freja.

I think it's sad that so many people still see Siege as a 'PvP' shard, instead of what it really is - the only shard left that allows the freedoms that Trammel took away.

@ OP - Nice idea, but it would be best if the devs just removed the barriers to entry for Siege so more people could enjoy it.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

I didn't say anywhere that PvP was mindless killing and didn't even mean to imply that... I used to take part in the old guild wars back in the first two years of UO, and miss the large wars, not the gank-style that happens a lot and some now call PvP.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know you did not want it to be mindless killing, my point was that it would be it because it would not have the fundament for good PvP conflicts.

<blockquote><hr>

But, I do agree with a lot of your post after reading it. What I had in mind wasn't mindless killing at all, rather ways to test your character and personal skills against others.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now I have to admit, I don't know alot about PvP on normal shards, as I play Siege.

It look to me, like Trammel is one big townzone most fear to leave and the stories about Felucca remind me about the stories about PK's waiting outside townzone in old days.

<blockquote><hr>

And you are right, you can get some of what I meant by going to TC... except it isn't a very good representation of your character and skills is it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Skills are not all that make a good PvP'er. Playstyle and personality/roleplay is a part of the Character too. A good PvP'er is alot more than PvP skills and PvP gear.

<blockquote><hr>

So, maybe it isn't such a good idea after all.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do see the idea but it would need alot more work.
Not sure about the shard tags. Because players do come from same shard, they may not like each others or want to fight side by side.
I see no reason for a paying a mill to join the shard, maybe one of the best PvP'er is poor.
I don't like the limit of one char only.

 

[imported_BlacK RaiN]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

A PvP shard is the perfect place for communities to grow up and the conflicts between them is a good basis for PvP.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since UO:R I have found that the PvP community is the only real community left on the shards minus siege, If you look at PvP guild forums (mostly bigger PvP guilds) you will notice that most other pvp guilds on their shard post on a regular basis if its from talkin trash to as little as a happy easter.

[/ QUOTE ]
Since UO:R I have found the RP Community grew stronger. It started decreasing with the supremacy of WoW.
But if you consider people fearing homosexuality and insulting each other to find a place in their pack are a community, yeah sure it's the louder.

[/ QUOTE ]


Really? Because I actually found the opposite.

Player run towns (or communities) who banded together to form a niche in a given territory were torn apart... there really was no need to band together anymore as any real threats were removed with the Trammel ruleset... Monsters dont invade our player run cities... at least not coherently.

Role-play all but died... no more dungeon crawls to protect those who were innocent... no real struggle between good and evil and no real sense of purpose in this game other than trying to conquer the "videogame" in terms of pixels and character advancement... there was no real meaning anymore.

Human interaction is what used to give this game meaning... player inter-dependency... you needed other people in order to accomplish ANY minuscule task... and lets not also mention that role-playing (actually playing that role in the world) was killed off when the majority of it became trammel.

No longer could someone play a pirate and loot and pilage the coastline... no longer could someone play an Orc and clomp oomies... or play a vampire and drain the blood of their victims... or play a chivalrous knight who fought for the innocents of this land... or even a vile brigand whos greed and lust for carnage could give you an afternoon or night of adventure.

No... trammel killed the true role-play in this world. Now all we have is a population of people who are the exact same in roles and the only goal is to out-do each other in that very very... narrow role.

Role-play is dead... sorry but, being a long time role-player the caskets been long and buried in this game. You can find it in Siege but, the suffocating way EA allows its customers access to that server keeps this staple stone of UO... all but dead anyway.

 

[Clx-]

Great post.

 

[Guest]

Just start a char on Siege. It's fun.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Very good post Freja.

I think it's sad that so many people still see Siege as a 'PvP' shard, instead of what it really is - the only shard left that allows the freedoms that Trammel took away.

@ OP - Nice idea, but it would be best if the devs just removed the barriers to entry for Siege so more people could enjoy it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe EA should take down the barriers to entry for Siege.

I know it would not be easy to agree about what Siege rules to drop.

I would drop:

Only one char slot
3 times prices. Yes regs would be cheaper but so would Pc vendor fee
10 x house, boat and deeds prices. Maybe we then would see pirates again
RoT, I'm not sure, it do have a very bad rep but I still like it except the long delay between gains and the low daily gain.

Maybe it's easier to say what I want to keep

No Trammel
No Item Insurance
No recall of any kind
No blessing
No vendor buy and vendors don't sell resources

I may have forgot something.

Edited:
Sure I would like Siege to get all the PvP players but maybe a new fresh PvP shard would be best to draw the old PvP players back. Then just changes the rules on Siege to be the same as on the new shard.

 

[Clx-]

<blockquote><hr>



Player run towns (or communities) who banded together to form a niche in a given territory were torn apart... there really was no need to band together anymore as any real threats were removed with the Trammel ruleset... Monsters dont invade our player run cities... at least not coherently.

Role-play all but died... no more dungeon crawls to protect those who were innocent... no real struggle between good and evil and no real sense of purpose in this game other than trying to conquer the "videogame" in terms of pixels and character advancement... there was no real meaning anymore.



[/ QUOTE ]

Another great post.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>



Player run towns (or communities) who banded together to form a niche in a given territory were torn apart... there really was no need to band together anymore as any real threats were removed with the Trammel ruleset... Monsters dont invade our player run cities... at least not coherently.

Role-play all but died... no more dungeon crawls to protect those who were innocent... no real struggle between good and evil and no real sense of purpose in this game other than trying to conquer the "videogame" in terms of pixels and character advancement... there was no real meaning anymore.



[/ QUOTE ]

Another great post.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree but sadly, there is not many left in UO or between the dev team, that understand this.

 

[Guest]

Two very good reasons not to have a &lt;insert type here&gt; shard:

1. Ping. Most of the world would ping badly. This makes the game poor to play, especially PvP.

2. There aren't enough people to populate the shards we have without adding more.

 

[Slymenstra]

<blockquote><hr>


So, maybe it isn't such a good idea after all.

[/ QUOTE ]

Very mature. No, it wasn't a very good idea, but coming from a non-pvper, it's not surprising. Hard to make changes to something you don't understand, eh dev team?

+1 for Cygnas.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

It was a wonderful world.

[/ QUOTE ]
To everyone I knew who tried it, those years were a hellish gang warfare sim that had nothing to do with the game of virtue, adventure and fantasy being sold on the box.

 

[Basara]

See my reply to the "Single Fel Theory" for a means of unifying PvP for the specific server regions.

To sum it up in one phrase.

An expanded, merged Fel T2A for each server farm (excluding SP) to allow cross-shard combat with similar latency times, and the ability to do same-server-farm trades of goods without transfers (thereby reducing one of the weaknesses that has been exploited for duping).

 

[imported_Coppelia]

RP towns were dying because people were getting sick of getting harrassed by the worst PKers. A lot of players weren't fond of that at all.
You may fill the boards with nostalgic craps, but players left UO because of PKs. It was acceptable a moment, then it was too much. And don't talk about good PKers, because they didn't stop idiots to harrass RPers.

The split killed Fel RP Towns because most of RPers prefered to go to safety. Some stayed on Fel, but on Trammel new RP Towns appeared. More players came after UO:R. War between guilds allowed to give some rules to fighting, and that allowed RP to survive the Age of Shadow.
Nowadays RPers go from one guild to another, to try out new RPs, they create new towns, but behind them a guild or a town dies. The more and more numerous offer in the field of MMORPGs has been reducing UO population for a long time, and RP community couldn't avoid it. Neither do PvP one.

There are still communities, RP or not, far more interresting than those you mentionned. Cheaters and non-cheaters accusing themselves of all kind of things all day long on forums is not an enviable community. And funnily, lots of players will say that if something is dead in UO, it's PvP.

And want it or not, there's no use in a "PvP only" shard if there's no actual content in PvP. Real goals, not deathmatch.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Two very good reasons not to have a &lt;insert type here&gt; shard:

1. Ping. Most of the world would ping badly. This makes the game poor to play, especially PvP.

2. There aren't enough people to populate the shards we have without adding more.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ping is not so big a problem as you think, we do have PvP'ers on Siege with a very poor ping. It do not make the game poor to play, you just have to choose your skills and playstyle a little different.

We do not know if there are enough people for a PvP shard, the shard we already have is not the shard they want.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

It was a wonderful world.

[/ QUOTE ]
To everyone I knew who tried it, those years were a hellish gang warfare sim that had nothing to do with the game of virtue, adventure and fantasy being sold on the box.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why EA should had made PvP and non PvP shards already in 1998 instead of adding stat loss and later Trammel.

To me it was a wonderful world, to you it was a hell. To me it was a game of virtue, adventure and fantasy and I was so excited and I was not alone, all my friends loved it too.

I do understand it was not for all and EA should had seen that.