[NEWS] Sosaria Reels Interviews Jeff Skalski

[AirmidCecht]

Is there a reason why a new player experience/returning player experience can't be very close to one another?

It's a valid point. I usually take short breaks if I take a break, but the people I know who have taken longer breaks do have a harder time coming back, and a lot of the questions/issues they have are identical to questions/issues that new players have.

Deckard and I have been emailing about this too. Best if I just restate it here instead of trying to come up with a unique way to say it. In part:

For me, with Jeff, I'd like them to decide on a direction, lay out a plan, stick to it, endorse it properly, hire adequate staff to do so and be able to become more transparent. I don't want anymore false starts without being able to finish it correctly with bare minimum resources. THEN you focus on new players. It's only now dawning on so many that EA may just keep this ball rolling instead of allowing it to see a mile marker anniversary and slowly close up shop. Should it have come before now with a big anniversary date that could have been used to advertise to a newer player base? Yes, but not with so many things that need work first. I cringe at new players trying to decipher so much before they can even go on a simple hunt.

So I get the need to bring in and focus on new players. So they start playing and they hear cheat program terms or try out pvp in Fel and wonder why their armor just dropped to their feet while running or how someone just got all Lord Marshal on them before they got their first swing in.

Anyone remember.....JAIL? Like omgooses UO Jail You got to log in your character and fondly remember that time yesterday you were playing before you got caught cheating. I would love to see that return but the jail house would be overcrowded nowadays so then what? How about an Escape from New York type system? "Here ya go buddy, you wanted to be all bad arse didn't ya? So do allll these other fellas and gals already running rampant here."

*wakes up from dream*

Sorry, where am I? Oh right, new players. Yes we need to encourage them but I'd rather see the 15th anniversary as a re-load with revived conviction on what UO has yet to accomplish. Have THAT set up first and then start reaching out to the newer playerbase with confidence.

 

[Vlaude]

If UO is unprofitable without them, then UO is in trouble.

Agreed.

He seems open to suggestions. The exile shard idea came from a poster here on stratics. He didn't say that's what he's specifically going with though. The only option not on the table is mass banning.

 

[Woodsman]

So I get the need to bring in and focus on new players.

Sorry, where am I? Oh right, new players. Yes we need to encourage them but I'd rather see the 15th anniversary as a re-load with revived conviction on what UO has yet to accomplish. Have THAT set up first and then start reaching out to the newer playerbase with confidence.

UO is about to get the kind of attention that it hasn't gotten in years. There are going to be a lot of new players trying out UO because the major MMORPG sites seem to have a few writers on every site who fondly remember UO and they will write up plenty of articles about it.

There are probably new players trying out UO every single day because you can't go a week without seeing a mention of UO in an article on the major MMORPG websites.

All these potential new players are going to see all of the 15th anniversary stuff, and then, assuming the graphics are better, at least in parts by the 15th anniversary, they are going to step into UO, and quickly exit as they are confused as hell by the existing new player experience and the UO Herald.

UO will never get that shot at that many new players, unless it makes it to the 20th anniversary. And UO is going to probably lose most of those new players when their 14-day trial is up and a lot of the returning players, because the new player experience and the Herald is crap.

 

[Woodsman]

Agreed.

He seems open to suggestions. The exile shard idea came from a poster here on stratics. He didn't say that's what he's specifically going with though. The only option not on the table is mass banning.

What makes you think they won't quit if they are forced into only playing with other scripters? A lot of them script/exploit because they get an advantage over honest players.

Take that advantage away or push them to a shard where only scripters are, do you think they are going to be happy and excited that they lose their easy pickings?

 

[Vlaude]

What makes you think they won't quit if they are forced into only playing with other scripters? A lot of them script/exploit because they get an advantage over honest players.

Take that advantage away or push them to a shard where only scripters are, do you think they are going to be happy and excited that they lose their easy pickings?

It's not supposed to be anything besides a punishment. If they quit, it's because they don't want to play honestly. However, you are just speculating that they will quit. How do you know they won't continue playing minus the scripts? Many scripters only script on 1-2 characters, which would be the ones exiled. However, if something like this were put in, many people would stop scripting to avoid being exiled. This may go more in the way of helping new players than a revamped new player experience. None of the current subscribers needed a hand holding tutorial that made them decide to stay.

 

[Woodsman]

It's not supposed to be anything besides a punishment. If they quit, it's because they don't want to play honestly. However, you are just speculating that they will quit. How do you know they won't continue playing minus the scripts? Many scripters only script on 1-2 characters, which would be the ones exiled. However, if something like this were put in, many people would stop scripting to avoid being exiled.

Scripters by their very nature are going to try and find ways around it and keep on scripting.

Look, Jeff said they devalue the game experience.

Rather than waste time on players who "devalue the game experience", why not spend that time on doing the things that could help new and returning players?

 

[Vlaude]

Scripters by their very nature are going to try and find ways around it and keep on scripting.

Under this system, all scripters will be exiled.

Look, Jeff said they devalue the game experience.

Rather than waste time on players who "devalue the game experience", why not spend that time on doing the things that could help new and returning players?

Did you read Airmid's post? Handling the cheater problem is helping new and returning players.

 

[Woodsman]

Under this system, all scripters will be exiled.

If you can identify them to "exile" them, you can identify them and ban them or let them know they are going to be banned if they don't stop right then and there. Throw a gump up for them when they log into the game.

Vlaude, you're saying many would stop scripting to avoid being exiled. If those people would stop scripting to avoid being exiled, I'm sure those same people would stop scripting to avoid being banned.

Why go through the trouble of coding an exile system complete with a new shard if, as you say, many would stop scripting to continue playing on the regular shards?

If the UO team doesn't even have the resources to work on a new or at least heavily improved player experience in time for the anniversary, where would they get the resources this summer to make a completely new shard with the required coding to push scripters there and allow those scripters to come back if they stop scripting?

 

[Vlaude]

If you can identify them to "exile" them, you can identify them and ban them or let them know they are going to be banned if they don't stop right then and there. Throw a gump up for them when they log into the game.

Vlaude, you're saying many would stop scripting to avoid being exiled. If those people would stop scripting to avoid being exiled, I'm sure those same people would stop scripting to avoid being banned.

Why go through the trouble of coding an exile system complete with a new shard if, as you say, many would stop scripting to continue playing on the regular shards?

If you're going to threaten them with bans then you have to follow through. Mass banning is not an option.

If the UO team doesn't even have the resources to work on a new or at least heavily improved player experience in time for the anniversary, where would they get the resources this summer to make a completely new shard with the required coding to push scripters there and allow those scripters to come back if they stop scripting?

I'm just going off what the Producer said in the video at the beginning of this thread (and in Airmid's post). He doesn't want to revamp the new player experience. He does want to deal with scripters, whom he believes devalue the game and chase off potential new subscribers.

 

[Woodsman]

If you're going to threaten them with bans then you have to follow through. Mass banning is not an option.

I'm just going off what the Producer said in the video at the beginning of this thread (and in Airmid's post). He doesn't want to revamp the new player experience. He does want to deal with scripters, whom he believes devalue the game and chase off potential new subscribers.

Actually they are being threatened, according to what the producer said:

We are taking a more active approach to the hacking stuff that’s going on. Some of our players may have noticed GMs pulling them aside. I don’t want to get too much into the details of it. We don’t condone hackers. We feel that they devalue the game experience. And those players who are not, are on unfair grounds because they’re not hacking the system like the [hackers] are. So it unbalances things greatly. The bottom line is, we know when people are hacking, and we’re going to be taking a more aggressive approach against [them]: warning them and then, if need be, getting them out of the game and off those shards.

Which is why it's so confusing that they would devote precious developer resources to a special shard for the cheaters.

If a GM pulling a player aside is not enough to get them to stop scripting, then nothing will stop them.

 

[AirmidCecht]

I really like Jeff thinking outside the box a bit on this but I also don't think they are investing as much time and resources into this concept yet as much as we are in this thread responding to it

The main point for me is ongoing communication with Jeff. If you follow his tweets at all you soon find out how much he loves gaming in general. Yes everyone would love more communication on uo.com (when it actually becomes that instead of the Herald) and I would love to see regular updates on the patch screen when logging in. There you are assured that everyone has had the opportunity to see the latest information from the UO team. I really hope Jeff and Mesanna express that to whoever updates it.

 

[Vlaude]

Actually they are being threatened, according to what the producer said:
Which is why it's so confusing that they would devote precious developer resources to a special shard for the cheaters.

If a GM pulling a player aside is not enough to get them to stop scripting, then nothing will stop them.

If there is no follow through to the threats, than it's a pointless exercise. Bans do need to happen still. Mass banning however, cannot.

 

[Woodsman]

If there is no follow through to the threats, than it's a pointless exercise. Bans do need to happen still. Mass banning however, cannot.

Would they even need to have a mass banning if people thought they were serious when the GMs are pulling them aside?

And what happened to the days when they were proud of how many cheaters/exploiters/scammers they banned and all of the gold and houses and other goods they deleted?

 

[ShadowTrauma]

It is a confusing issue and I would love to have more clarification on this matter. I personally care little about scripters in general its the people running speed programs and edited files that makes me the most disappointed. In regards to what they do with said offenders banning makes the most sense, it is sort of silly to consider a shard full of this type of player. As many have said the personality types that use these programs is split between people that need to get an advantage over other players and the ones that are trying to even the playing field. I have wrestled with this same situation on and off my UO experience. As a person who values intelligence and logic it is difficult not to see the benefit to evening the playing field, my morals prevent me from wanting to take that path. I was incredibly excited to hear something is in the works on this topic, I just have a difficult time seeing what they can effectively do. Either give everyone the same advantages or take them away, don't cater to this type of person please.

 

[Woodsman]

I really like Jeff thinking outside the box a bit on this but I also don't think they are investing as much time and resources into this concept yet as much as we are in this thread responding to it

If he's willing to have the team take a look at giving the scripters their own shard this summer, then that's too many resources being devoted to people who cheat. Even if it's just them sitting around and talking about it.

And if you have a Twiter account thing, ask him about these comments:

However, his answers, while they were nice, have indeed all been heard before. (aside from the "spoilers") UO is still firmly swaddled in Area 51-esque secrecy, something no non-Mythic MMO does.

His comment about no new NPE is distressing. UO needs one. Desperately. To not see that is sheer folly. If, as producer, you acknowledge the obscene learning curve for UO and then not do something massive to ameliorate it...you have failed. Hell, he could turn on the old SE and AoS starting quests - that would be a big help.

 

[Tina Small]

What would prevent EA from having some kind of a contest for players to design quests for new/returning players to learn about various skills or various areas in the game?

 

[Sevin0oo0]

The new player experience isn't what draws me to a game, that's like an extreme GUI version of Help/instructions, a jump 5 spaces ahead card saying little about actual content experiences .Maybe what he meant was that by fixing the hacksters, it would in turn draw more players. A place of their own? First I thought he meant send them to cheapen someone else's mmo, hard to tell, a no-hold's barred shard? pre-aos shard, bring your own gear(software) I really doubt it. Would that not mean they lost the war against cheaters, what do you do to save face in light of that? a new client maybe, with certain calls striped out. doubt that too. I hope that it was indeed something they considered in-house, while they were drinking. One thing for sure is he thinks little of them and knows the unfair advantages that come with them and is at least planning things out, one way or another.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

If there is no follow through to the threats, than it's a pointless exercise. Bans do need to happen still. Mass banning however, cannot.

Three strikes and you're out. If that leads to what some might call "mass" bannings because scripters are idiots, so be it.

I don't believe that a majority of UOers are script runners.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

What would prevent EA from having some kind of a contest for players to design quests for new/returning players to learn about various skills or various areas in the game?

"Pride."

 

[Vlaude]

Would they even need to have a mass banning if people thought they were serious when the GMs are pulling them aside?

And what happened to the days when they were proud of how many cheaters/exploiters/scammers they banned and all of the gold and houses and other goods they deleted?

I think everyone discussing this, most of all Jeff, have UO's long term future in mind. Mass banning would be ideal and UO has done it before for duping, cheating, etc. But these days are different from those days. All we ever heard from Cal was that he didn't want to mass ban cheaters. Jeff heard an idea he liked from one of the stratics posters and he is running with it. I understand you don't think he has chosen wisely Woodsman, but you aren't presenting any alternative other than banning them, which means UO will lose out on their subscription money and will hurt the game. Yes, cheaters devalue the game, but if they aren't paying than they become of NO value to it.

 

[Vlaude]

Three strikes and you're out. If that leads to what some might call "mass" bannings because scripters are idiots, so be it.

I don't believe that a majority of UOers are script runners.

It's significant enough that the last producer and current producer both considered alternative options. The three strikes idea is good though.

 

[AirmidCecht]

And if you have a Twiter account thing, ask him about these comments:

....

I would but then I'd just be investing in negativity. You seem to want to continue to make this about one hanging point, "what about the haxxors!" and it's something they are handling as he said and you quoted with GMs. Any other aspect of it was something he briefly mentioned in 35 min of talking points and that some want to hang onto like a dog on a bone as usual. I'm not tossing that bone around, sorry. I would rather hold them accountable for things that are not speculation or hinted at by Jeff.

 

[SugarSmacks]

If you are new or relatively new to UO (the last 5 years youve joined) then i hope you noticed a few things here.

#1 They "know" who is cheating, he just admitted it, but lets face it they are doing nothing, they have done basically nothing forever and are more worried about these people giving them their money then fixing UOs problems. They could care less about your experience, as long as you keep paying.
#2 Read the threads, its no secret, pvp is being absolutely targeted and DESTROYED in UO, see its too much for them to try to figure pvp out, so instead they do nothing to fix it. Tell me the last MMORPG that you played that had long term survivability when all the pvprs got up and left?
#3 They really dont have a direction to go here, every idea revolves around Trammel, and if you think a game of rewards and rewards followed by more rewards with no risk really interests anyone than you are lol.

Uos time is ending, as it should, I say this because a game that has lost so much of itself has no point to be played anymore.

I was at that idoc on atlantic last night ( the castle falling). There had to be like 50 newbie accounts scripting items. Almost all 500 items disappeared in 2 secounds when the house dropped. Is that what you want to play? Really?

If you said yes then by far you are a growing minority.

 

[Woodsman]

....

I would but then I'd just be investing in negativity. You seem to want to continue to make this about one hanging point, "what about the haxxors!" and it's something they are handling as he said and you quoted with GMs. Any other aspect of it was something he briefly mentioned in 35 min of talking points and that some want to hang onto like a dog on a bone as usual. I'm not tossing that bone around, sorry. I would rather hold them accountable for things that are not speculation or hinted at by Jeff.

Actually my hanging point is about making an effort to grow the game. Catering to the cheaters and giving them a place to play doesn't really do much for UO's future. Sure, it's keeps their money flowing in the short term, but let the GMs warn them as Jeff appears to be instructing them to do, and like Martyna Zmuir said - three strikes and you're out. If you're dumb enough to keep scripting after being warned twice by a GM, you're not going to be missed.

Jeff says they are being warned right now. If they only get warnings and there are no bans planned, then they'll realize soon enough that the warnings mean nothing and Jeff might as well have the GMs respond to player issues and ignore the cheaters, because the cheaters will ignore the GMs once they realize they aren't being banned.

Any efforts at designing/planning things for the cheaters takes resources away from things that could bring in new and returning players. Jeff has the GMs dealing with the cheaters, there is no reason why developers should have to step in and devote any resources to the cheaters. And I consider time spent thinking about an exile shard to be a part of those resources.

I would like to see every member of the UO team roll a new character, and put themselves through what a new player experiences. Especially in light of Camelot developers making a new new user journey, and especially in light of how much BioWare emphasizes the importance of the first few hours in a game these days.

 

[MalagAste]

I've done the new player experience and it stinks. It's fine and dandy if every new player was a dexer. But it teaches absolutely nothing for a mage or a crafter. It should be based on the skills of the player. It should teach WAY more but it doesn't. But then if you look at the character creation of the game it stinks too. And if you want to go one step further and you look at how the EC looks and how things are for that without downloading or using a UI... then the game totally is horrible... If you look at the 2d client with no additions using the new player experience you might think it stinks too. Just saying.

 

[SugarSmacks]

To Jeff

You basically have said without saying it that you are not going to conventionally advertise this game any more. That means no advertisements no game on the shelves and solely by word of mouth.

So you want me to convince people to come back to game where cheating is rampant, your "team" doesnt have a clue what to do about felucca. Game mechanics havent been fixed in some cases....ever.

You honestly expect me to s**t on my friends to convince them to come back the same way your corporation has been s**tting on me?

Im sorry i have a conscience unlike what you have learned in the corporate world. I will not be persuaded to basically lie about a product so i can lose some friends so you can make a buck.

In all honesty when people ask me what do i think is a good online experience and welll rounded, i point to EVE, and nothing says that better than me also saying they can play with me there where i feel my time isnt wasted anymore.



Trading gold for isk straight up....BILLIONS available....selling everything if the price is right and that includes my 15 year account and castle.

Try to get that message straight.

 

[Vlaude]

The revamped new player experience has been put into the same category as the classic shard, which is the "not right now." category. Both items were put there by the current producer. Therefore further discussion of either item is superfluous at this point. So that aside, what can be done to grow the game? Fixing bugs and cleaning up the community, which is exactly what Jeff is trying to do. I think he has the right approach, and like that he is using ideas from the community.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Any efforts at designing/planning things for the cheaters takes resources away from things that could bring in new and returning players. Jeff has the GMs dealing with the cheaters, there is no reason why developers should have to step in and devote any resources to the cheaters. And I consider time spent thinking about an exile shard to be a part of those resources.

Were I a siege player, I would be taking the notion of devoting the resources to the creation of yet another special rule set shard as a slap in the face. Seriously, creating another shard while Siege continually gets the short end of the stick (unfixed bugs, no arc events, no EMs, etc.) is a seriously insulting idea.

Cheaters need to be warned twice, then shown the door. Not coddled.

Since UO is apparently swimming in state secrets and it's producer is unable to give concrete answers to... well... anything... all we can do is speculate as to exactly what he means with vague, unfinished comments. Speculation isn't a bad thing, its speculation based on the silence and secrecy that's slowly killing UO.

What do we have to look forward to?

"Big Things!" says Jeff.
"Like?" we ask platintively.
"Uhm...stuff! Wait and see!" he responds.
*UO community collectively facepalms*

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

The revamped new player experience has been put into the same category as the classic shard, which is the "not right now." category.

The classic shard idea is a horse that's been beaten to death. It's just not a good idea financially, regardless of how vocal a fractional minority of players have been about it.

An NPE is required for an MMO in 2012. Hell, it was required for an MMO in 2000. The fact that UO doesn't have one is a serious turn off to new players who attempt to enter Sosaria. If you start in the EC, you are given an all-too-brief NPE that barely tells you how to interact with objects and the bare minimum of combat (which should be greatly expanded). It doesn't explain skills, stats, safe log out areas, the bank, NPC interactions, shopkeepers, long-range travel (moongates, spells, boats, mounts...), crafting, trading with other players, etc.

I've tried bringing in people to UO who weren't able to be on while I was on and vice versa at all times. They grew frustrated at all the outdated info on the Herald and Stratics and eventually gave up.

No NPE = no new players.

Returning vets don't have nearly the learning curve as only the high-end stuff has changed that much.

Both items were put there by the current producer.

Cal said no to the classic shard and promised us a new NPE.

Jeff has backburnered the NPE and foolishly said something other than "NO" to a classic shard.

Therefore further discussion of either item is superfluous at this point.

Says you.

So that aside, what can be done to grow the game? Fixing bugs and cleaning up the community, which is exactly what Jeff is trying to do. I think he has the right approach, and like that he is using ideas from the community.

I agree that his repeatedly saying that big squishing is a big priority is welcome news. So far, he has appeared to deliver on that promise. On that front, I am cautiously optimistic. On the cheater front, I believe he's on the wrong path.

To "grow the game" we need a well-rounded NPE that explains the basics of playing UO. Give newbs something meaty to sink their teeth into and they just may get as hooked as the rest of us. Revamping the official website, sooner rather than later, should also be a major priority - relying on fansites to carry your game isn't appropriate.

 

[SugarSmacks]

He called cheating "a playstyle"

Everything you ever needed to know about UO can be summed up there.

 

[Tina Small]

Here's a question for everyone: How difficult would it be for Syrus, Petra, or Airmid to get permission from Jeff, Kai Schober, or Rowland Cox (I think he's Kai's boss, if he is still with EA) to post on the Stratics site ( uo2.stratics.com ) all the pages of the Playguide that are on the UOHerald site ( http://www.uoherald.com/guide ) and let us make comments at the bottom of each page of things to change, add, and delete? Parts of it have been updated (presumably by Kai) in the last few months, and I think Jeremy and Chrissay both made some progress in updating it too, so my guess is that it may not be quite as terribly out of date as some people suspect.

I realize this suggestion is a ton more work for Petra and Syrus and certainly isn't meant as a slight for the many useful guides and essays already on Stratics. However, if we could start on a project like this, at least it would give us something positive and meaningful to do and might actually result in a much-improved playguide on the game's official website.

Also, I'd like to bring up some other food for thought for Petra and Syrus. A few days ago, I ran into a returning player in Haven who was asking for some advice on what to do with his new gargoyle mage. He made the comment that he was waiting for Stratics to finish the migration so he could look up some more information. I'm not sure he realized what a wealth of information exists on the uo2.stratics.com website and it seemed that he had limited himself to just using the information he could dig up through the forums. I don't know how you guys can manage it, but maybe there's a way to provide a more visible pointer to the uo2.stratics.com website from the forums, so other returning players don't also fall into that trap?

 

[silent]

You get more current and qualified information from the forums plain and simple. If you read through the guides they would have you believe all professions and templates are viable in this world when we know that is not true. No knock on Stratics intended, I get nostalgic reading through some of the old professions guides, but unfortunately the game is very different today.

 

[Petra Fyde]

Not too sure about the playguide idea, but I will try to get my head around a way to better 'advertise' uo2.stratics on the message board.

 

[Woodsman]

Tina it would be very difficult because Kai Schober made it very clear that the Warhammer website redesign/upgrade has a higher priority than UO. Unfortunately Kai is in a different group and Jeff can't just change his priorities.

 

[Woodsman]

Warhammer also has an anniversary in September. Its 4th anniversary. Which must be more important than a 15th anniversary.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

I just went to the UO Herald site link Tina listed, at random, picked an item, just happened to be skills...

"We have just recently completed a major overhaul to the Herald's back end content management system. Due to this we're busily working to re-populate all of the content within the play guides, until that time we apologize for this brief interruption and check back soon - thank you!"
Last Updated: 30 Sep 2010 17:04:09 EST <--wtf? 9mths, and still not done?

As for UO2.Stratics link - 100% agree. I quit trying. If I need, I Google it, for Ex., [elemental Shame] to get to the new area, and go from there. While I know it takes a lot of work (i'd help, you have my email) and can't be done instantly, let's not become like EA taking years to get it together.

 

[NuSair]

I offered to update the play guide for them, but Cal never responded to my offer.

 

[Vlaude]

Awhile back Korik Bloodguard tried to rally a group from the community to submit a bunch of new player content to UOGuide and Stratics. I think just about everyone ignored him except Petra. It's a sad day when people are vocal about the devs doing something but won't put in any effort themselves where they can. New player content is very much doable by the community. Videos showing how to craft, fight, train, etc. can all be made by players. Why not do a whole 2012 new player experience video set and submit it to the herald, stratics, and other fansites? Why not make a website specifically for new players? Again, new player content is very doable by the community...

 

[jskalski]

I offered to update the play guide for them, but Cal never responded to my offer.

We're actually in the middle of writing a new player guide. Its rather extensive, but we are plugging away at it with the help of a few hand selected players.

 

[Storm]

We're actually in the middle of writing a new player guide. Its rather extensive, but we are plugging away at it with the help of a few hand selected players.

Excellent

 

[MalagAste]

We're actually in the middle of writing a new player guide. Its rather extensive, but we are plugging away at it with the help of a few hand selected players.

That's good to hear... I'll however remain a skeptic until I see some sort of result. I'm still waiting for the MYUO update. I very much miss it.

 

[jskalski]

That's good to hear... I'll however remain a skeptic until I see some sort of result. I'm still waiting for the MYUO update. I very much miss it.

MYUO is a much tougher beast to slay. Security issues is why we had to pull it down. Once we have the new uo.com together I'll be pushing to get some more resources to see what we can due about rolling out MYUO 2.0.

 

[Tina Small]

MYUO is a much tougher beast to slay. Security issues is why we had to pull it down. Once we have the new uo.com together I'll be pushing to get some more resources to see what we can due about rolling out MYUO 2.0.

Jeff, how difficult would it be to just bring back the character search, guild and faction listings, without all the parts of MYUO that you could only see if you were actually logged in? How much of a security issue would there be in providing just that information?

 

[AirmidCecht]

Jeff, how difficult would it be to just bring back the character search, guild and faction listings, without all the parts of MYUO that you could only see if you were actually logged in? How much of a security issue would there be in providing just that information?

That sounds like a great compromise if it can be achieved. Nice thought Tina, you are on a roll darlin!

 

[old gypsy]

Excellent interview! It's going to be great having Jeff to lead the way forward!

 

[Nimuaq]

It took only a week to update the new player guide, with the help of a single veteran player in uoguide and we are just volunteers. Stratics regularly releases guides to the new content, often the day they are active on production shards. The person responsible for the website hasn't fixed even a single item on this post http://community.stratics.com/index.php?threads/updating-the-official-website.242583/ , for more than 10 months now. My expectations for the future of the official website are very low at this moment.

 

[Nok]

We're actually in the middle of writing a new player guide. Its rather extensive, but we are plugging away at it with the help of a few hand selected players.

Can someone on the player guide team send me links as pages are completed? So I can update the play guide links in the UltimaXbar.

 

[Vyal]

Can someone on the player guide team send me links as pages are completed? So I can update the play guide links in the UltimaXbar.

UOguide is the best source of information I have found, that site is great. Stratics is ok but its kinda difficult to navigate and find what you need to find without a zillion clicks the forums here are awesome.

 

[Petra Fyde]

Vyal: We have put in the most comprehensive search function we can manage. I'm sorry you find the site difficult to navigate, I've done my best to make it easy. I'm not sure what else I could do.

Tina:
I've 'hijacked' the uo stratics forums description box. What do you think?
http://community.stratics.com/index.php?categories/uo-stratics-forums.3/
and scroll down on here http://community.stratics.com/index.php

 

[phantus]

He called cheating "a playstyle"

Everything you ever needed to know about UO can be summed up there.

One of the things that UO has always had to pull it down. This and the absurd tolerance of griefers as a playstyle as well. Most games do not tolerate this. It adds insult to injury that not only is this condoned in UO but the fact they have a policy not to return items just makes it sad in comparison to the rest of the MMO world.