Goodbyes...

[Helios_Dev]

Farewells are never easy, and this one is no exception. Nothing lasts forever, and so my time with one of the greatest games of all time must come to an end as well. For the past 5 years, most of my waking hours have been devoted to Ultima Online in one way or another; and I've thoroughly enjoyed nearly every minute of it. Now, for reasons that are neither here nor there, it is time for me to move on. I wanted to take a brief moment to thank you all for a great time. UO has one of the strongest communities I've seen in any game to date, and without you, we wouldn't be where we are today.

Thank you to Mandrake of Great Lakes for renting Aegis, the newbie mage, his first vendor spot on Ice Island 5 years ago. Thanks also for the discount on the SOSs and T-Maps.

Thank you to Maeve and Nameless of Great Lakes for hanging out with Aegis and putting up with his obsession to distribute "fun boxes" to the citizens of Britannia.

Thanks to all of you who would come out to play at The Crossroads between Brit and Yew!

Thank you to the players who made the graveyard shift not only bearable but downright fun for GM Aegis, two years later. Your ingenuity and passion for UO has never ceased to amaze me.

Thanks to GM Mordor for running the graveyard shift with me. I couldn't have done it without you.

Thanks to the guy who paged in and told me he could see our offices from his balcony *runs to shut the blinds*. Even though it nearly scared the pants off of me it was a good time.

Thanks to the guy who paged in and called us all a bunch of "fat nerds with sweaty mouse pads". I still laugh out loud about that one and I've called the guys here at work that more than once. Good Times.

Thanks to the guy who paged in and told me that "I better appear to him soon, as his patience and his supply of narcotics are beginning to run scarce" (I'm happy to report that he appeared quite lucid when I did speak with him and he promised me there were never actually any narcotics involved). /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

Thanks to the guy who didn't rip my face off when I accidentally deleted his fully loaded house and was unable to recreate the majority of it.

Thanks to Evocare and Stellerex for hiring me as a Designer for UO's live team those years ago.

Thanks to Hanse, Adrick and Vex for sharing an office with me for a year and making it one of the most hilarious years of my working life. Although I've called you all fat nerds with sweaty mouse pads (and worse) on many occasions, I actually did enjoy hanging out with you monkeys.

Thanks to all of my team mates and friends in the industry who have taught me so much over the years. I owe you one.

Most of all however, I thank you - the player - without whom none of this would have ever been possible. It is because of you that UO is (still) where it is today.

I feel privileged to have been a part of UO in all of these ways. I'm sure those live team members who decide to move to CA with UO will do an awesome job on making it greater than ever before. There are truly great things on the horizon for UO and I wish I could be there to help bring them to fruition along with the rest of the team. It's the best thing to happen to UO since Felucca, before it was Felucca (and no I *still* can't tell you what it is) /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif.

Personally, I'm already committed to continue making games in Austin, and hope to see many of you on other stratics boards in the near future. If you ever have the opportunity to work in the gaming industry in any capacity, I highly recommend it. It is one of the most rewarding things I can think of doing.

And on that note...

I wish you all a fond farewell. Here's to UO!

- Kai "Helios" Steinmann

 

[The_Traveler]

Thanks to you for all you have done.
Good luck with whatever the future holds.

 

[imported_Deimos]

If this is really Helios from OSI, then take care man, hope you find something equally as rewarding.

 

[Guest]

Ahh Good times man, good times :/
I loved Great Laked back in the day, sad to see you go.
Best not choose some CRAP game to be apart of, go make a good one /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

If this is not the real Helios... you should die irl

 

[Helios_Dev]

<blockquote><hr>

If this is not the real Helios... you should die irl

<hr></blockquote>

Thanks for the backup! LOL. But it *is* me. My "V" account got whiped and I created this one. I'm sure Sannio (and possibly some mods) can second that. /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Ryna]

Mmm purgetastic!

Anyhow, I hope you'll check in every now and then. I hope life goes the best it can, with little to no 'speed bumps' (or large, rocky cliffs.)

Are you still gonna play UO?

 

[_Sun_]

typical problem with the world.

they make a killing in revenue and cant pay their hired help a decent wage.

and this is the back bone of the game itself - sheesh -

maybe you can make some real money by making 3rd party programs that we can all buy seeing as how you know the ins and outs of this game.

LOL - j/k(hint)(wink-wink)

 

[imported_Deimos]

Helios, start your own private shard!!
hehe

 

[Giger]

Can I have yer stuff? /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

j/k ~

Thanks,
and good luck in the future.

 

[Guest]

These posts are sure damn sad /php-bin/shared/images/icons/frown.gif

I wish you all well and thanks for all the hard work you all have done.

Be well, and the best to you in the future.

 

[Synergy]

<blockquote><hr>

- Kai "Helios" Steinmann

--------------------------
"I created worlds."

<hr></blockquote>

You sure did!
Thanks for your work in UO.
Safe travels for your future.



To see the end of an era...
To be sad....

 

[The_Traveler]

Any chance you can let us know where you are headed in the Austin market?

 

[Peaches]

Good luck Helios, I hope you get a kick butt job soon and we get to see you in another game!

Yes, sad indeed! /php-bin/shared/images/icons/frown.gif

 

[RedCross]

helios OMG NO SAY IT AINT SO....
your where always cool with me
i am sorry to hear you will be leaving UO and moving on to new things.
Good luck in any other projects you get into. *psst* lets us know which ones and we come check them out

 

[Saharah]

I wish you well Helios! You created some great times on Test Sos...some of the best fun I've had in ages.

Good things are in store for you and may they be what you have always dreamed of.

Without times of great sadness, we would never know the true meaning of happiness and blessings when they come our way.

 

[Taltos of Chessy]

Another old friend never met moves on.

Mountains never move but their shadows do, and although I have only met the shadow of the mountain I know the mountain; for having met it makes it a part of me that I shall make a part of others.

You, and all the others DID create worlds. Never forget that, for we will not. We carry on your legacy with the love for this world that your hand took part in creating and although you move on, your spirit will live forever in Sosaria, even past the day when the last of the gem shards fades back to black and white from whence it came, for we will remember you. We will.

As it was in the beginning, as it is now, as it ever shall be.

You created worlds.

 

[Guest]

I have a bell of yours I think.
Good luck to you! /php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[EtherCat]

I too remember fondly the graveyard shift. I remember a call where some fellow wanted to know why he couldnt mark another rune in one of those legacy spots then proceeded to try to mark the spot right in front of you after you told him why he couldnt and not to try. Hahahahahahaha

You probably dont remember Cellista but as I read your post I thought about that call. And another time I was on my regular character and you showed up to answer a call at Brit bank and this guy goes "Jesus it's the cops!" then he recalls out. LOL

 

[Guest]

Question:

Is *anyone* staying with EA?

 

[Caelan]

It's the real evil Helios...

*hugs Kai*

Seeya dingbat, don't lose touch!

 

[Lady Malynn]

Darn darn... Helios.

Goodbye.

It's folks like you, with your devotion and passion and humor that help make UO special.

God's blessings and good fortune in what ever you do.

 

[T'ari]

*tear rolls down cheek*..*slips some UHall chocolate into your pocket to remember us by*...*waves farewell*

Best of Luck to you. I would not want to move to Cali either!

 

[Guest]

Best of luck to you and take care.

 

[Ellisande]

Fare thee well, Helios. Thank you for all that you've done for us.

*sniffles*

 

[BMP]

omg my fav,dev member... i only speaked too u onces (test shard, the day hanse went nuts with all hes crazy monbats)

when i saw the post with osi being shut down.. i was so deeply hoping u and Adrick would follow UO to CA...... guess it wasnt ment to be =(... anyway... my White bell of Helios.. shall allways be on my main char on europa as a memori of you....'
take care &amp; good luck

/Bmp

 

[Braelynn Aria]

Helios, not ever having met you ( or most of the other devs) your farewell brought me to tears! It's the people like you who care, that make this world of Sosaria the world that it is. I wish you well in your future endevors, and hope that you continue to "Create Worlds"!!!!!
Braelynn Aria
The Oracle of Test Sosaria

 

[Guest]

*bows*

Blue skies and gentle winds to thee Helios.




/php-bin/shared/images/icons/sad.gif

 

[imported_Kevin1959]

Farewell and good luck in your next job.

 

[MelphMinos]

So many memories.

May this crossroad give you a chance that you never had running from Mr. Red and BRUTUS...or WalmartEmpr....or..... *thinks of all the names and all the times from ages past*

Good Luck. I do hope that Austin gives you all the chances in the world that you so richly deserve. You've done a great job with UO, you've made dreams and worlds come alive for so many.

Be well, old friend.

 

[Guest]

Are there ANY devs making the move to Cali or are you all quitting???? If the best and brightest quit UO and UXO what is left or to be of this game so many of us love?

 

[Guest]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are there ANY devs making the move to Cali or are you all quitting???? If the best and brightest quit UO and UXO what is left or to be of this game so many of us love?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, since Sannio was reported here (with screenshots) of giving away his stuff at the Brit bank last week I do expect him to be staying behind as well.

Obviously Sunsword and Mr. Tact are making the move, but has anyone else found it conspicious that not very many of the goodbyes list Sunsword in their thank-you's?

It makes me wonder that even with the move and the new blood that will be brought aboard if they game will still suffer from very poor management...

I know those staying behind probably want to protect their severances and such til they get new positions elsewhere in the Austin gaming community, but hopefully eventually we'll finally get a tell-all accounting of the last days of OSI. OSI's version of "Bad News at Black Rock"

 

[Jenny]

Bye and good luck and have fun at whatever you do.

/php-bin/shared/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Zilor]

I'll miss ya Helios, your good people.

Anyhow, good luck on whatever you do next.

 

[Gargish Dragon]

Take care GM Aegis. I remember you from my time as Counselor being very helpful when someone really needed something fixed by a GM. I remember you putting my poor purple smurf character on fire. I guess it was a difficult choice to make between UO and Austin, but I hope you will stay in the games industry. Austin will always be the city where worlds are created.

Good luck and take care!
SRC Zweistein, Euroshards

 

[Guest]

Well, damn! Helios this is not right! Who else is gonna laugh at my emails? Now, I really am depressed. Good Luck Helios. *sighs*

/php-bin/shared/images/icons/sad.gif

 

[Guest]

Words of advise for all of those who are leaving...

Make a game.. and they will come. We just need a single excuse to jump on board with people who know how to make games.

Thanks for everything. Best wishes to all of you and your families.

 

[DarkChronus]

Awww ... you're going to be missed Helios.

I liked reading your post... it definately reinstates the fact that you actually care about this game and community.

*sighs*

 

[Fayetora]

Helios,

Thank you for everything!
Good luck and hope to see you again !!

 

[Guest]

Farewell and good luck in the future. I will always have fond memories of that day at the brit fel gate on test ! WAS A RIOT thanks for all the memories and the fun ! You will be missed.

 

[Guest]

Friedrich Nietzsche once said:

'In heaven, all the interesting people are missing'


It's always sad when one of the old UO players leaves, and worse in this case (for obvious reasons). In order to be irreplaceable, you must always be able to contribute something that noone else can- and you ARE irreplaceable, Helios. UO will not be the same without your work behind the scenes.

Farewell. And may the light of the Virtues always brighten your path...

Perelandra

 

[Zyle]

very sorry to see you go... Thank you for all you have done, and good luck for the future.
*big hugs*

 

[Mae1960]

hehe
hehe
hehe

That's the one thing I will remember about playing with Kai on Great Lakes. He "hehe"ed constantly. Although he later admitted that he really didn't find so many things that amusing.

Good luck to you Kai, and if luck runs true, we will play again in another world. Keep creating worlds in which us gamers can play. And give your cat a kiss for me.

Maeve

PS Good thing I had insomnia tonight and was trolling old boards or I'd have never seen this post.