S
Salya Sin
Guest
Greetings fellow Britannians!
Last night in Felucca, I had an interesting experience. Being only a 6 year vet, I had no concept of what the "good ole days" of UO meant. I'd read it was PvP without the Uberness, or something more like, Uber yesterday is trash today. Now I am sure if an older veteran was doing the telling, they would have a much larger introduction but alas, Britannia, I wasn't there for the old days. In fact, at that time, a shard was a piece of glass... nothing more. Was last night a true representation of the old UO? Probably not... was the EM Event: Survivor Man- UO style a decent glimpse of it? HELL YEAH!
The EM's, Fiorella and Sangria, met all competitors at the Napa PvP house where all were ushered up to the arena to be split into naked, weaponless, armorless teams. Those teams would then decide on a color: Blue, Green, Red, or Yellow. Being solo in this bout, I chose Red and was issued a special made cloak of exceptional quality. I was informed that the makers mark was magically added to read "Crafted by EM Fiorella and EM Sangria". After debating the remaining team choices for color, the others were quickly issued their own magically crafted cloaks. One team Green, the other, Blue.
On the Green Team, we have REDNECK [DNA], Solaman Kain [)*(], Armageddon, Isildor, and Xar. On the Blue Team, we have Hawk [KRY], Bertrand, Mandorallen [BSC], Napa Man, and by proxy, myself. The rules were simple. Each team would be dropped on an island where they were to seek out an unknown number of boxes. Each box would contain various basics, ie- regeants, bandaids. That done, they would then need to gather resources and craft whatever armor and weapons they would need. No SoulForge, no enhancements. You wear and use what you can make with whatever you can scrounge from the island. Once your team is ready, you hop on your ship and find your opponent. A battle on the high seas ensues, with the purpose of boarding the other ship and stealing their flag. In this case, a bagball. Once you have annihilated the enemy and looted their bagball, your team must then sail to the Shrine of Honor where you turn in both yours, and the opposing team's flag to one of the EMs. That sounds simple enough, right?
Joining the Blue Team, we were set down on an unknown island. It was quickly discovered that all the boxes were trapped and a few were locked. Opening any box could potentially mean death and the number of traps per box made it impossible to not take a hit. Now, in today's Britannia, if we want resources, we plan for them. We bring the right character, or we ask a friend. We buy them in Luna or at another shop. There was no shop, there were few options and it took a few runs around the island to remember how to play the proverbial "Young Player".
In our first box, we found a blade. Not a particularly good one, but good enough that when we remembered, it allowed for gathering leather and anything else the islands creatures might drop. Our team's craftsman, Mandorallen, quickly found a forge placed on a players house. This allowed him to smelt down the low end loot and craft better weapons. As the leather piled up, orders for medable or nonmedable armor were issued and things were starting to look a bit more organized. Who knew starting from scratch again could be so frustrating? The true moment of realization came when one of the team, an archer, needed a bow and ammunition. Our crafter, a human with no bowcrafting skill was completely at a loss. The only option? Kill off the entire islands wild life until a bow presented itself. The Faction Wisps, a pain at any time, were particularly annoying to our Faction teammate but after about 15 minutes of looting, a repeating crossbow was found.
Now for the ammunition. After several minutes of, "Ummm...", the team quickly scrambled to remember the basics. Find birds, any bird will do. The poor Tropical Bird population was hammered down, yielding enough feathers, but what about wood? Oh, moment of clarity. Humans have the "Jack of all trades" skill embedded into their brains. Thus, for the Blue Teams first battle, all humans were set to grab an axe and slay as many trees as possible. You can not possibly appreciate the humor or the awkwardness of this situation. I don't know about the Green Team, but I was so proud of the Blue Team that I just wanted to throw confetti. Amazingly, our fabulous crafter had an incredible 70-something percent chance of creating bolts. We were now ready to find and face the Green Team.
Who... had apparently made it to the Shrine of Honor and decided it was time to find us. The Blue Team never made it off the island. The scheduled high seas battle became an island joust. Although, towards the end of the battle, there was a brief boating incident involving a ghost from the Blue Team and Xar of the Green Team, I think. As they battled back and forth with commands to the TillerMan, one attempting to dock again, the other, well, I'm not sure. Honestly, I don't even know who was trapping who on the boat, or if one of them just accidentally set sail?
I do know that the battle was exciting, with each team battling with skill instead of gear. The mages casting with no Faster Casting or Faster Cast Recovery, no Spell Damage Increase. The dexers had only what Damage Increase the crafter could give their weapons. It was simple, basic, and fun! Both teams suffered casualties, but the healers on the island kept the battle going. Each team attempted to keep the Bag Ball Flag moving, looting it off a team members corpse if necessary.
The most seen message of the night? "[Insert Blue Team Member]: I was killed by Solaman Kain!!" And it would be Solaman Kain who would find and loot the Blue Teams flag.
After the battle, all met back at the Napa PvP Arena for free wine and a bit of friendly banter. The EMs called the Green Team the winner and what did the Green Team want on their trophy? Only their names. No slang or slurs, no smack-talk. In fact, one member of the Green Team suggested the Blue Team should be listed on the trophy as well. What does that tell you? There was no after battle fighting, or arguing. It was cordial, hilarious, and everyone declared the event a success.
And what did the EM's have to say to the rest of the PvP community? Only this... "We keep trying, you have to show up to let us know what to do." You heard it Britannia! If you PvP, and there is something you would like to see happen in Felucca, you have to speak up!
As for the change in the original event announcement? There was a glitch getting the puzzles put into the game but slyly, EM Sangria hinted at that not being the case on the next run of Survivor Man- UO Style. I hope to see all of you there! Even though I was only a spectator, it truly was a blast! THANKS FIORELLA! SANGRIA!
Best gaming wishes,
Salya Sin
Last night in Felucca, I had an interesting experience. Being only a 6 year vet, I had no concept of what the "good ole days" of UO meant. I'd read it was PvP without the Uberness, or something more like, Uber yesterday is trash today. Now I am sure if an older veteran was doing the telling, they would have a much larger introduction but alas, Britannia, I wasn't there for the old days. In fact, at that time, a shard was a piece of glass... nothing more. Was last night a true representation of the old UO? Probably not... was the EM Event: Survivor Man- UO style a decent glimpse of it? HELL YEAH!
The EM's, Fiorella and Sangria, met all competitors at the Napa PvP house where all were ushered up to the arena to be split into naked, weaponless, armorless teams. Those teams would then decide on a color: Blue, Green, Red, or Yellow. Being solo in this bout, I chose Red and was issued a special made cloak of exceptional quality. I was informed that the makers mark was magically added to read "Crafted by EM Fiorella and EM Sangria". After debating the remaining team choices for color, the others were quickly issued their own magically crafted cloaks. One team Green, the other, Blue.
On the Green Team, we have REDNECK [DNA], Solaman Kain [)*(], Armageddon, Isildor, and Xar. On the Blue Team, we have Hawk [KRY], Bertrand, Mandorallen [BSC], Napa Man, and by proxy, myself. The rules were simple. Each team would be dropped on an island where they were to seek out an unknown number of boxes. Each box would contain various basics, ie- regeants, bandaids. That done, they would then need to gather resources and craft whatever armor and weapons they would need. No SoulForge, no enhancements. You wear and use what you can make with whatever you can scrounge from the island. Once your team is ready, you hop on your ship and find your opponent. A battle on the high seas ensues, with the purpose of boarding the other ship and stealing their flag. In this case, a bagball. Once you have annihilated the enemy and looted their bagball, your team must then sail to the Shrine of Honor where you turn in both yours, and the opposing team's flag to one of the EMs. That sounds simple enough, right?
Joining the Blue Team, we were set down on an unknown island. It was quickly discovered that all the boxes were trapped and a few were locked. Opening any box could potentially mean death and the number of traps per box made it impossible to not take a hit. Now, in today's Britannia, if we want resources, we plan for them. We bring the right character, or we ask a friend. We buy them in Luna or at another shop. There was no shop, there were few options and it took a few runs around the island to remember how to play the proverbial "Young Player".
In our first box, we found a blade. Not a particularly good one, but good enough that when we remembered, it allowed for gathering leather and anything else the islands creatures might drop. Our team's craftsman, Mandorallen, quickly found a forge placed on a players house. This allowed him to smelt down the low end loot and craft better weapons. As the leather piled up, orders for medable or nonmedable armor were issued and things were starting to look a bit more organized. Who knew starting from scratch again could be so frustrating? The true moment of realization came when one of the team, an archer, needed a bow and ammunition. Our crafter, a human with no bowcrafting skill was completely at a loss. The only option? Kill off the entire islands wild life until a bow presented itself. The Faction Wisps, a pain at any time, were particularly annoying to our Faction teammate but after about 15 minutes of looting, a repeating crossbow was found.
Now for the ammunition. After several minutes of, "Ummm...", the team quickly scrambled to remember the basics. Find birds, any bird will do. The poor Tropical Bird population was hammered down, yielding enough feathers, but what about wood? Oh, moment of clarity. Humans have the "Jack of all trades" skill embedded into their brains. Thus, for the Blue Teams first battle, all humans were set to grab an axe and slay as many trees as possible. You can not possibly appreciate the humor or the awkwardness of this situation. I don't know about the Green Team, but I was so proud of the Blue Team that I just wanted to throw confetti. Amazingly, our fabulous crafter had an incredible 70-something percent chance of creating bolts. We were now ready to find and face the Green Team.
Who... had apparently made it to the Shrine of Honor and decided it was time to find us. The Blue Team never made it off the island. The scheduled high seas battle became an island joust. Although, towards the end of the battle, there was a brief boating incident involving a ghost from the Blue Team and Xar of the Green Team, I think. As they battled back and forth with commands to the TillerMan, one attempting to dock again, the other, well, I'm not sure. Honestly, I don't even know who was trapping who on the boat, or if one of them just accidentally set sail?
I do know that the battle was exciting, with each team battling with skill instead of gear. The mages casting with no Faster Casting or Faster Cast Recovery, no Spell Damage Increase. The dexers had only what Damage Increase the crafter could give their weapons. It was simple, basic, and fun! Both teams suffered casualties, but the healers on the island kept the battle going. Each team attempted to keep the Bag Ball Flag moving, looting it off a team members corpse if necessary.
The most seen message of the night? "[Insert Blue Team Member]: I was killed by Solaman Kain!!" And it would be Solaman Kain who would find and loot the Blue Teams flag.
After the battle, all met back at the Napa PvP Arena for free wine and a bit of friendly banter. The EMs called the Green Team the winner and what did the Green Team want on their trophy? Only their names. No slang or slurs, no smack-talk. In fact, one member of the Green Team suggested the Blue Team should be listed on the trophy as well. What does that tell you? There was no after battle fighting, or arguing. It was cordial, hilarious, and everyone declared the event a success.
And what did the EM's have to say to the rest of the PvP community? Only this... "We keep trying, you have to show up to let us know what to do." You heard it Britannia! If you PvP, and there is something you would like to see happen in Felucca, you have to speak up!
As for the change in the original event announcement? There was a glitch getting the puzzles put into the game but slyly, EM Sangria hinted at that not being the case on the next run of Survivor Man- UO Style. I hope to see all of you there! Even though I was only a spectator, it truly was a blast! THANKS FIORELLA! SANGRIA!
Best gaming wishes,
Salya Sin
