Should Luna be invaded?

[Vallend]

I was surfing over in UHall when I came across a thread about how Britain's Bank is now empty and everyone has moved to Luna. Then I saw this post from Draconi in response to a post by Ni-. For some reason his answer sent a shiver down my spine, and also made me smile a little bit. It makes me think that the evil mind of Draconi is up to something again. I knew I had to share it with all of you here and see how you felt on this subject.

If we were to have an invasion on Luna, I wonder if people would flock back to Britian. If a Luna invasion coincides with the Britian Bank redecoration, that might just happan.

Huh. Hadn't... thought of that.

 

[Black Sun]

I would like to see Brit used like it used to be. We need the fresh air. Luna is so crowded most days it smells like a mixture of BO and a stable. Standing outside the Brit bank again would do wonders for all of us.

 

[Flutter]

I miss Brit too....

Draconi saying he "hadn't thought of that" HAS to be a lie

 

[AnneNomilly]

I so miss the days of everyone gathering in Brit. Could spread out, chat, buy, sell, etc. Luna is too crowded and NOISY. I think Brit was a little more polite too. People didn't spam over each other as much. Would love to see Brit populated again!

 

[Vallend]

I miss Brit too....

Draconi saying he "hadn't thought of that" HAS to be a lie

Thats what scares me. I had the pleasure of meeting Draconi at the Columbus Town Hall Meeting two years ago, and another Stratics reporter and I got to sit down with him and Darkscribe and have a little chat about UO. So I can picture the evil twinkle in his excited eyes as he plots his newest ways to drive to player base nuts. I just wish he was planning a huge attack on Luna.

If he spawned monsters in the center of Luna there would be dead everywhere what with most of the people there working off murder counts or just being AFK. Not to mention all the PvPers who come through the Moongate to get a quick Ress or the Tamers who use that stable because of its closeness to the Moongate.

Stratics would also get swamped from all the vendor owners in Luna who would be losing business. They all would be threatening to pull their multi-accounts if the Luna invasion was not removed. So its a nice idea to see that city invaded, but in my opinion the chances are slim to none.

On a side note did mention about the burning houses in Luna today in the thread "Devs what are you doing to curb the rampant cheating in this game?" So those spots may open up soon.

It's not that it's the black plague, it's that we can't share details of the steps we're taking.

Nor can we ever confirm or deny individual actioned cases. So if someone tries to follow up and ask "Did you ban [X] yet?" we can't say.

All these things are extremely frustrating, and it cuts both ways. We're well aware of ongoing problems with speedhacking and client manipulation. We have plans in place to deal with them from a developer viewpoint, while supporting customer service as much as possible in the here and now to get individual cases taken care of.

Duping has been a major focus of our efforts as well so far, and before someone asks, yes, we're planning to put out the flames and start releasing the burned housing plots.

 

[Farsight]

Hope they don't put out the flames. It reminds people of the potential consequences of their actions, even if it's unlikely to happen.

I also remember the mess that they made when they released one of the six in Luna. That was more fun to watch than to participate in.

As for Britain, to me it doesn't matter. I always bank at New Haven or Skara Brae. Britain is just too far from the moongate to walk several times every time I play (I hate recalling everywhere). The only thing I use Luna for is the stables or buying repair deeds. There's something nice about having the tailor shop within two screens of where I get my deeds. If the center of traffic moved back to Britain, I'd still not use Britain for anything.

 

[hawkeye_pike]

I think that invasions have NOTHING to do with where players meet. Luna is popular for two reasons:

• All shops are available directly near the bank.
• Large number of player vendors surrounding the bank.

In the Early Days, when Recall was not too popular, Gate Travel spell was rare (could only be done by occasional skilled mages), and Sacred Journey was non-existant, people used to meet at the banks in various cities. Guilds had their home towns (mine was Trinsic, and later Buc's Den), and that's where they met. And, there were many more players (which never would fit into the Luna bank building today). People actually USED MOONGATES for travelling, and WALKED to the dungeon.

Times have changed. Every coin has two sides. Being able to meet anywhere (for example, at your guild HQ) because everybody can recall - and be it only by using scrolls and runebooks - has big advantages. However, the Britannian cities lose their residents and passers-by and get deserted.

If invasions would actually come through a city's gate, people would probably try and defend their city. But invasions today just spawn inside the city, giving you no chance to really DEFEND it.

 

[DPudding]

I think it's a great idea. Let the luna vendors complain. (I've recalled to vendors elsewhere and been immediately targeted by liches, brigands, ogres, orcs etc.) Let the unattended murderers complain. Seems to me that a critter and his pals would want to attack the areas where they can disrupt the most stuff. Luna be the spot.

 

[TimberWolf]

I remember clearly when WBB was the place to be. I remember when the Brit invasion happened. People would purposely lure generals and various baddies back to the WBB and then watch all hell break loose.

The Dev took care to keep the various spawns away from the WBB, it was us players that drove the bank sitters away.

If Luna became the site of the next invasion the exact same thing would happen and people would flea Luna in a heartbeat.

The only difference is I think when the invasion ended most would return since Luna is so damn convenient.

Even with recalls and gates two things is clear...people are lazy, and we take great joy in watching bank sitters getting eaten!!

 

[Mirage]

I don't understand this at all.

Everyone says how they miss Brit and how it used to be. Then go there !!

It's an easy solution. Don't go to Luna.!!

Mir

 

[Mirage]

I think that invasions have NOTHING to do with where players meet. Luna is popular for two reasons:

• All shops are available directly near the bank.
• Large number of player vendors surrounding the bank.

That's nonsense! I get to Luna's shops from Brit or anywhere, in two seconds!! Anyone can !

Have we all become that lazy that we cannot click a rune book anymore??

Fact is, it's just not interesting for people to stand around a place when there is no one else there.

Accept for me!! Mirage stays!! People or not!

Mir

 

[Mirage]

Sorry TD. Luna is no more convenient then anywhere else in Britannia...you can be anywhere at anytime...

But you're right....people are too lazy to click a rune anymore..

 

[TimberWolf]

Well it can be convenient for tamers....especially if they are farming pets.
It is the busiest moon gate in the game for a few reasons.

Now if you have rune books with every location in them then ya....but other than that...it is convenience.

An example...where else can you stand in a mage shop buying regs scrolls and drop them right in your bank box withing taking a step.

That is just an example, there are plenty small examples that just make Luna easier.

 

[Mirage]

Well it can be convenient for tamers....especially if they are farming pets.
It is the busiest moon gate in the game for a few reasons.

Now if you have rune books with every location in them then ya....but other than that...it is convenience.

An example...where else can you stand in a mage shop buying regs scrolls and drop them right in your bank box withing taking a step.

That is just an example, there are plenty small examples that just make Luna easier.

Yeah, it might be convenient for a handful of people getting regs and scrolls for ten minutes....but cant they just recall to Luna when they want to do that? Why stand in Luna all day on the chance that you may want to buy some regs and scrolls at some point. If they want to work a skill there, that's fine too, but what are the other 99% of people doing?

Just standing there..... like they used to do in Brit. LoL

I don't need a rune book full of places. All I need is one rune to Luna, to experience all the same conveniences of the people stuffed in there do.

Just curious, what do you mean about the tamers and farming animals and the moongate?

Like I said, most of the people are not doing that...they're just packed like sardines in a can, inside the bank.

 

[TimberWolf]

Yeah, it might be convenient for a handful of people getting regs and scrolls for ten minutes....but cant they just recall to Luna when they want to do that? Why stand in Luna all day on the chance that you may want to buy some regs and scrolls at some point. If they want to work a skill there, that's fine too, but what are the other 99% of people doing?

Just standing there..... like they used to do in Brit. LoL

I don't need a rune book full of places. All I need is one rune to Luna, to experience all the same conveniences of the people stuffed in there do.

Just curious, what do you mean about the tamers and farming animals and the moongate?

Like I said, most of the people are not doing that...they're just packed like sardines in a can, inside the bank.

Don't get me wrong Mirage....I would love to see a return to WBB...and I would doubly love to see an invasion in luna. I just think Luna is more convienent then Brit is....and obviously so do alot of others. Why do you think people never returned to WBB on mass?

Some tamers can't Gate....so they need a moongate near a stable.....there is none closer than luna.

Yes they can recall into luna to shop etc...but why recall out when everything you need is right there???

Bank sitters will sit where the people come.....and until something drastic changes...they all seem to come to luna

 

[Mirage]

That's what I have said...people want to be where everyone else is. That's all it is really.

Tamers who can't gate, and folks who want to get regs and scrolls in their bank without moving their little toonish bodies an inch make up maybe 2%.

You know yourself, nearly all the people there are NOT doing that. They're just all scrunched up inside the walls...just becuz that's where everyone else is. LoL

I just stood there thirty five minutes. Didn't see one person come thru the gate and head to the stable. It was either into the sardine can, or out to the shopping areas.

*sighs*
Mir

 

[Flutter]

Dammit Mir... step away from the bank....
!!!
I'll get you away from the bank if it's the last thing I do!
*shakes fist*

 

[Vallend]

I remember back when I first started playing UO, the two cities I hated to try and get to most were Britain and Trinsic. Britain because the gate was so far from town and the road was normally covered with PKs just laying in wait for anyone heading to town. Trinisic because you had to either cross two bridges or work your way through a series of hills and valleys to get into town. (The house blocking the end of one of the bridges use to really make me mad.) I also really hated Britain because there were so many players around the west bank, and at that time I was on dialup. Talk about super lag! I use to think to myself, "Why is the capital cities gate so far away? It should be in the center of town for convenience."

Now the two towns I did spend most of my time in was Jhelom and Skara Brae. Why? Because both gates were very close to town and that lowered your chances of being attacked when going to the bank from a successful hunt. (I will admit for a long time I did not know where the Jhelom moongate was, and was looking all over the top of the northern island because thats where it was shown on the cloth map they gave us. Little did I know it was on the East side of the main island then.) Another reason I preferred these two banks was they were less busy then many of the others. (Meaning your recall spot was not blocked most of the time, and your chances of being robbed was much less too.) I would of used Jhelom for everything but it didn't have a stable so that is how I started using Skara Brae.

How many of you remember having an macro to say "Bank and guards" at the same time because thieves were always robbing people at the bank? So you had to use that macro along with invising yourself just to bank in quiet. Also back then your house had a key and if someone stole it you could lose your home. Many players use to drop off their keys in the bank before doing any adventuring.

One of the biggest things I think that UO dropped the ball on was not making the vendors sell different items in every city. I always thought that every city should of been themed in the items you get there. Plus when was the last time any of us purchased anything off of the blacksmith, armourer or fletcher shops? This has become a huge unused part of the game.

 

[Mirage]

"Why is the capital cities gate so far away? It should be in the center of town for convenience."

-------------------------------

Most people don't need the moongates anymore..

 

[Mirage]

Dammit Mir... step away from the bank....
!!!
I'll get you away from the bank if it's the last thing I do!
*shakes fist*

Oh you could get me to leave the bank... you just don't wub me anymore...

mir

 

[Bob_the_fart_guy]

I have two replies to this...so I'll post twice. I hope that is ok.

I guess I was "ahead of the times" in this idea. Please see my post here about what I felt that Meraktus and his many minotaur minions could do. I think it would be a very cool idea to use the creatures from that dungeon to attack Luna. (Drakes, snakes, pyre, air elementals, reptalons, minotaurs {scouts, captains & tormented} ) Like the great invasion of 05' in Britannia could show how many times the "forces were repelled" and how many times Meraktus was defeated.

Would be cool to see Minotaurs somewhere besides Labyrinth.

 

[Bob_the_fart_guy]

I think that invasions have NOTHING to do with where players meet. Luna is popular for two reasons:

• All shops are available directly near the bank.
• Large number of player vendors surrounding the bank.

I have to agree with Hawkeye_Pike. Luna is far superior. For one (even as Vallend mentioned) it has a moongate RIGHT NEXT TO THE FRIGGIN bank and inside of a guard zone. So someone doesn't have to run a million friggin' miles to find the gate if they are a new toon or just don't have any charges left on a runebook. Luna is WONDERFULLY designed. Moongate INSIDE city gaurd zone: check, stables VERY nearby: check, Inn directly above the bank: check, Tailor - Smith - provisioner - carpenter - wandering healer ALWAYS at gate: check, lots of player vendors: check.

And what does Britannia have to offer over that? -silence-

I do however note that Britannia is supposed to be the capital of Sosaria. Now...imagine if a moongate were placed next to Britannia bank, just like is often found in test center from time to time. Either moved (by powerful blackrock magic) or just added. Just a thought.

 

[Mirage]

And what does Britannia have to offer over that? -silence-

------------------------------------------------------------------

Tradition.

Look, Bob, there are relatively few people bringing new toons in, and probably less that run out of charges in a rune book often.

Anyway, what I am talking about is the other 98% percent of the people. You know, the ones huddled closely together in the center of the bank!

Those NOT using the moongate. Those NOT hustling in new toons...etc.

What convenience are they experiencing, all smushed together in there not doing anything.

Mir

 

[AnneNomilly]

OK, my turn again!

I am a Luna Vendor House owner. I happen to love my little house in Luna. I like that friends have vendors and are able to make money. I like Luna's convenience for shopping, banking, stabling, etc. I like being able to dash out of the gate, into the bank, over to the stables and then recall wherever I'm headed next. I like being able to buy scrolls from the mages and drop them in my bankbox and then deed them up and take them home with the advent of the Commodity Deed box. I very actively use Luna - for banking, buying scrolls, shopping.

All of the above being said, and being true, I MISS THE DAYS OF BRIT being populated. I miss visiting with friends. I miss looking for something I'm trying to buy in particular. Luna bank spamming is just annoying. If you are looking to buy something or trying to sell something, you have to find a half inch where no one else is crammed and either read your journal or hope someone else reads theirs.

Yes, I have a Luna Vendor House, but I don't run a vendor. They all wind up quitting on me. If I have something I want to sell, I'd rather do it "face to face", with all the haggling and chatting involved in the transaction. Britain was perfect for that because people could (and did) spread out. Yes, they still spammed, but it seems to me they were a bit more polite about it and there was more room. You could actually carry on a conversation with someone without having to be in party or try to keep up with your journal.

Yes, I love Luna for it's convenience. But I miss Brit for it's tradition and community feeling. It always sort of reminded me of a old style town fair.

Anyway, just my two cents.

 

[Mirage]

And a nice two cents it was!!


Mir

 

[Shioni]

Invasions are lame and make no sense at all. If anything they need to come up with better AI for how they go about a invasion, because lowering guards and poofing monsters in is just lazy.

Im waiting for the day when battles drums toll impending invasion and the town forms up a defensive line with NPC guards.

Then if the players have donated enough goods / or give enough support fighting the town can have a fighting chance.