[UO Herald] Producer's Update

[Storm]

It’s been some time since we brought you and update so here’s the micro-version of our current plans.

Valentine’s Day has arrived in Sosaria and our videotape for the yearly update is at last complete. We had some interruptions with weather, vacations, and updating live production servers but the team is up to some really awesome stuff.

In the queue are:

• Valentine’s Day – Bear Delivery!
• Price Drops for the UOGamecodes store (to include 6 month game time discounts) for the end of February
• Virtue Bane Story Arc
• Finding a local host for Oceania
• Restoring Magincia

The video tape will cover:

The verdict on the classic shard, how we plan to grow the game, updates for the Enhanced Client, and finally our plan for increased pace for arcs, updates, storytelling and connecting with the community over the next 10 months.

When?

The arc for Virtue Bane should be within the next few days, with a completion at the end of March culminating in the Restoration of Magincia.

Please note that the events of the next few days are a transition period toward the Restoration of Magincia. The events have been orchestrated for the past several months, please respect the Event Moderators during what likely to be very crowded participation and most importantly, have a great time!



More...

 

[Pinco]

yes, seems they want to speak seriously about EC after years, here is what they gonna say:
"We're working on it. Always."
"Now, let's speak about the new booster: Ultima Online Space Invaders!"


joke apart, cal says they gonna do something big on EC this year, let's hope they will stabilize it for good

 

[Storm]

also This was posted by Cal
Bless you and yours.

Yeah we are gonna tackle EC bigtime this year. Derek will address that in the video.

- C

 

[Storm]

I normally Dont place the feeds here but I thought this might give some of you modders and players of EC some hope!

And before someone says it yes we have heard this before ! I tend to look at the glass half full !

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

Trust but verify.

I want to SEE something that goes beyond "cliloc updates".

 

[Storm]

...

Trust but verify.

I want to SEE something that goes beyond "cliloc updates".

True enough ! I want to see what exactly is said in the video!
Also saying in the next year gives me pause as we have heard this before !
But at least it is something and i know for sure they are aware of what you all have done with what you have to work with!
It is my belief that they are actually going to do something this time!

 

[Pinco]

For what I saw, the last patch goes far beyond the cliloc updates, but they have not announced it...
I found a new graphical objects for UI since the last patch: the cooldowntimer.
Should be something like a circle or rectagle (you can choose it), with disappearing segments around while the time pass. But I found no example for it and the docs are not enough to understand how to use it

 

[MalagAste]

Not holding my breath or anything but I really am hoping they mean what they say and say what they mean.

And we aren't just getting a lot of hot air. I mean I can't say what they mean by saying they plan on doing a lot with the EC this year..... but my idea of A LOT is quite a bit.

Well I've been noticing changes to art. Like the Thigh Boots I am absolutely sure something has changed with them as well as the robes... on humans and elves. No change to the extreme uglyness of robes on Gargoyles yet but a vast improvement on humans and elves.

I am left wondering if they hired a new artist capable of doing textures. But I'm not sure. What they need is an artist who hasn't fail perspective 101. Because of late 99.8% of their efforts at new art are off in perspective and as someone that loves art... I find it highly annoying. I'm one of those folk who can't help but straighten pictures on the wall when I see they are crooked... so having things I can't "fix" in game.... drives me NUTS.

 

[Merion]

I found a new graphical objects for UI since the last patch: the cooldowntimer.
Should be something like a circle or rectagle (you can choose it), with disappearing segments around while the time pass.

Uh! Me Likes!

I was waiting for something like that for a long time. Nearly all games with cooldowns have something like that, its really handy and I never knew why EC doesn't have it. Good to see it will be possible anytime soon.

 

[Woodsman]

Also saying in the next year gives me pause as we have heard this before!

Next year marks the 15th anniversary of UO.

In theory, this is the time to start planning any major changes for next year and the 15th Anniversary. Actually that should have been going on last fall, but they were busy with High Seas.

Looking back at development times of some of the previous clients, going back to Third Dawn, should they choose to use the 15th anniversary to make a push for new players with an upgraded client/artwork, now would be the time to start really pushing development for the EC. Actually they are further along than in the past since the EC is out there and is being actively tested and modded, but there is still plenty of work to be done and if they continue with the booster pack plan, you have to allow for that taking away development time from other things.

They still have just over 18 months until the anniversary, which is plenty of time for quite a bit of work. It just depends on what they are allowed to do and whether the booster pack thing is the way they are headed. The booster packs are not going to be effective for drawing in new customers in any large numbers, IMO, and should they try and roll out two this year and 1-2 next year, that really starts to compress development time elsewhere.

Not to say that booster packs aren't important - if they continue the trend of revitalizing or using under-utilized areas with the booster packs, then that's good for the health of UO in the long run, because there are too many areas that are empty/under-utilized. I just think the EC/artwork are more important for the health of UO and attracting new players.

Plenty of people love the CC, but if they want to attract new blood, those players are going to demand higher resolutions and an upgraded/mod-capable interface.

 

[Magnus]

Maybe they'll bring back KR/KR Artwork

For the 10th Anniversary we got KR, and it was going to revolutionize everything. Yep, that went well.

Anyway, I'll be watching for this - not that I honestly expect much or hope for anything.

*whistles innocently*

 

[Madrid]

Plenty of people love the CC, but if they want to attract new blood, those players are going to demand higher resolutions and an upgraded/mod-capable interface.

Your absolutely right about attracting new players.

What I want more than anything is Higher resolution! How I miss UOKR! I'd rather see progress made in that regard than some of the Story Arc that we see go on.

More Action commands & Icons.

Let's see how well they deliver.

 

[Pinco]

Next year marks the 15th anniversary of UO.

In theory, this is the time to start planning any major changes for next year and the 15th Anniversary. Actually that should have been going on last fall, but they were busy with High Seas.

Looking back at development times of some of the previous clients, going back to Third Dawn, should they choose to use the 15th anniversary to make a push for new players with an upgraded client/artwork, now would be the time to start really pushing development for the EC. Actually they are further along than in the past since the EC is out there and is being actively tested and modded, but there is still plenty of work to be done and if they continue with the booster pack plan, you have to allow for that taking away development time from other things.

They still have just over 18 months until the anniversary, which is plenty of time for quite a bit of work. It just depends on what they are allowed to do and whether the booster pack thing is the way they are headed. The booster packs are not going to be effective for drawing in new customers in any large numbers, IMO, and should they try and roll out two this year and 1-2 next year, that really starts to compress development time elsewhere.

Not to say that booster packs aren't important - if they continue the trend of revitalizing or using under-utilized areas with the booster packs, then that's good for the health of UO in the long run, because there are too many areas that are empty/under-utilized. I just think the EC/artwork are more important for the health of UO and attracting new players.

Plenty of people love the CC, but if they want to attract new blood, those players are going to demand higher resolutions and an upgraded/mod-capable interface.

- Speaking about monsters the artworks is good, just few creatures are ugly. It's a shame they use 2D animations instead of 3D models, but still could work...
- Speaking about the land texture, the terrain is very realistic and very good.
- Speaking about items, they need to make the item in vector graphics so if you zoom they won't lose quality
The KR item graphics was ugly, the 2d items are better but in very low resolution, so they have to find a middle way: realism and quality
- Speaking about the particles, many spells still without an effect for the rest is nice (i consider wither without effect, becuse this white ball is not a circle of ice...).

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

Right now the absolute fastest way to give a high resolution option across the whole game is to reinstate (as an option) KR graphics.

The models are fine, but need the option to be rendered in higher resolution (the way they were in KR where zooming in actually showed a character's facial feautres).

Terrain is fine, although I do miss the "wilder" look of KR's grass/brush terrain.

Plants/flora need to go back to the KR versions which were more detailed, lush, and alive. It always pains me to look at old KR pics of my upper patio and the plants I had collected and placed there when they were lush and vibrant in KR vs now that look like they are wilted unkept versions of the same plants.

Items would require a rvemp, but as above, the quickest way to allow for a higher resolution while that revamp is in process is to use the KR models (which are still around... see the War Axe for proof).

 

[Woodsman]

Maybe it's because I took a long break and have a changed perspective and have played all the other MMORPGs that are around, but I actually think if they upgraded the graphics (higher resolution, etc.) and did some serious work on the EC (or work really close with Pinco, Dermott, etc. on the mods), I think UO could actually grow in the number of players and maybe even make it to the 20th anniversary.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

The problem with where we are right now is that for the first time in Ultima/Origin history with the EC, they actually went BACKWARDS in terms of client/engine upgrades.

The claim is that people were complaining about being "forced" to upgrade their systems, but this has been true of EVERY Ultima release up to and including UO.

In fact, the Ultima Aliera site has a link to a video by The Spoony One reviewing Ultima 7, at one point in the vid, he actually goes over how Origin release dates always had him excited and scared... excited for the new game, scared at how much he would have to upgrade his system to play it.

The frustrating things about the current level of EC graphics is that there hasn't been a "high resolution" option given for people who can run it, and thanks to some playing with Pinco's UI, I've discovered that the CURRENT item graphics actually zoom/scale MUCH MORE CLEARLY in the UI (containers) than they do in the game world which tells me that the ingame graphics in the EC could be MANY TIMES better than they are now even with the original artwork.

For all of the people clamoring about "advertisement" and "promotion", neither of these are going to be a significant option unless and until the devs embrace crisp, high resolution graphics and stop pandering to systems 5 years old or older.

 

[lucitus]

I normally Dont place the feeds here but I thought this might give some of you modders and players of EC some hope!

And before someone says it yes we have heard this before ! I tend to look at the glass half full !

I trust you and hope it will going on, it doesnt need to be big, small is also okay for me.

But what we especially need is a better clear buglist with clear descriptions, that the devs can easily find and reproduce it.

 

[Merion]

I'm not holdig my breath, considering what followed the last few announcements. But yes, High Res Art would be much needed. I'm not one for bringen KR art back fully (Even thoug I liked it, the old item grafics are better), just keep the style as it is and up the resolution. The Character models are the same as in KR, just with lower resolution - just make switch somewhere. Or take a look at Battleforge: they offer a high res graphics package for optional download with a big disclaimer that it will slow the whole thing down dramatically if your PC is not top notch.

Leave it to us if we want the better graphics - please!