Vet Age Token...

[Irulia Darkaith]

Gah, I try to get out and you keep pulling me back in.


Veteran : A person who has had long experience in a particular field

As a way to reward loyal UO subscribers, Veteran Rewards were introduced in late 2001. Each year an account is active, credits are given which can be used to select rewards. Rewards may be traded and sold, but only accounts old enough can wear and use them some of them. All Veteran Rewards are blessed and display their year of eligibility.

I don't know of any example where someone can pay money to become a veteran or "Age" their membership. A freshman doesn't get to decide they don't like the moniker and buy their way into being a senior. These were designed as veteran rewards. If you have been continuously paying for 15 years, you get 15 year vet reward picks. If you cancelled your subscription and came back later, that's not loyalty, so you don't get to buy it back. If you haven't been playing 10 years, then you're not a 10 year vet. That's the way the dev's designed it, now you want it changed cause you don't like that there is something in game that you can't have immediatley or maybe ever. You're saying attitudes like mine are childish, well like Sean posted above. It is children that see something in store and kick and scream hoping someone with the power to make it happen finally gives in. I'm childish cause I don't want you to have something? Flip the coin, cause by that logic you're just as childish for wanting something I have and making a fuss when you're told no.

As for the comment that this is a game, and not the real world - you're right, it is a game, and the rule is 15 year vets get 15 year vet rewards.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Veteran : A person who has had long experience in a particular field

Skill/Experience required to earn this reward, BILL PAYING. Yep we all be Vereran Bill Payers. New skill added to UO GM Bill Paying. At the 5 yr mark this goes to Wondrous Bill Paying, 10 yr Exalted Bill Paying, 15 yr Mythical Bill Payingand and 20 yr Legendary Bill Paying. WOW I can't wait to become a Legendary Bill Payer.

 

[Wenchkin]

I just asked my ethy bear what he thought. He says you can't ride one if it looks at you and does this...

I won't say where he said to insert the token.

Wenchy

 

[Madrid]

As for the comment that this is a game, and not the real world - you're right, it is a game, and the rule is 15 year vets get 15 year vet rewards.

Hence the entire point of this thread. The rule needs changing. This is why the concept of a "Veteran Token" has been suggested by players.

The Devs need to take a hard look at what constitutes Veteran Status.

It certainly shouldn't be set up the way it is that where it creates dissension among the playerbase.

No item in the game should take 10 to 15 years to get. Absurd and asinine doesn't even begin to describe such a system.

Older Veterans already have umpteen MORE reward then lesser Veterans which is absolutely fair... they earned them.

What's not fair is limiting the choices of younger veteran players when they only have a few picks to begin with.

And round and round we go...

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

And round and round we go...

At least this much we can agree on.

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

Skill/Experience required to earn this reward, BILL PAYING. Yep we all be Vereran Bill Payers. New skill added to UO GM Bill Paying. At the 5 yr mark this goes to Wondrous Bill Paying, 10 yr Exalted Bill Paying, 15 yr Mythical Bill Payingand and 20 yr Legendary Bill Paying. WOW I can't wait to become a Legendary Bill Payer.

I would respectfully disagree. While admitting, that yes in fact, if you had just been paying this game from the start, and not actually playing you would in fact be a veteran - but who does that? You're missing the part where we actually played through it, stuck with it when others bitched about it the rules, the content, whatever, or just quit cause there was some more eye-pleasing candy somewhere else. This game is still running, because some of us kept paying and playing. If we hadn't kept paying and playing, there wouldn't be a UO for the late-comers. There are 15 year vet rewards for a reason...cause there are 15 year vets playing. And yes I also admit, that if not for younger veterans my paltry $20-$80 a month would not be keeping this game alive, but going back to the same point....it was designed to reward long term players, the longer the term, the more exclusive/rare the reward. This was how it was designed, and not all of us think it should be changed.

I guess I'm just old fashioned and like that no matter how much easier they made the game, all the online stores, the gold duping, cheats and hacks, veteran rewards were still solely the property of the vets who "earned" them no matter how contentious you find that term. But if everyone wants them to be the item of the day, then fine, you "won" over one of the vets and I'm waving the white flag. I just want any devs out there reading to know that some of us do care about the current vet reward system and like it the way it is, for better or for worse. Enjoy, I think I'm finally done with this thread....no promises.

P.S. Oh, and as a concession I want a new reward designed and deployed to all younger vets. It will consist of a statue of an old woman in a rocking chair, telling you about how tough we had it in the old days...and no, you can't deactivate it, it just talks and talks.

 

[Lord Frodo]

I just asked my ethy bear what he thought. He says you can't ride one if it looks at you and does this...

I won't say where he said to insert the token.

Wenchy

We may disagree. We may agree. We may even to agree to disagree. But that was damn funny I have to admit.

 

[Lord Frodo]

I would respectfully disagree. While admitting, that yes in fact, if you had just been paying this game from the start, and not actually playing you would in fact be a veteran - but who does that? You're missing the part where we actually played through it, stuck with it when others bitched about it the rules, the content, whatever, or just quit cause there was some more eye-pleasing candy somewhere else. This game is still running, because some of us kept paying and playing. If we hadn't kept paying and playing, there wouldn't be a UO for the late-comers. There are 15 year vet rewards for a reason...cause there are 15 year vets playing. And yes I also admit, that if not for younger veterans my paltry $20-$80 a month would not be keeping this game alive, but going back to the same point....it was designed to reward long term players, the longer the term, the more exclusive/rare the reward. This was how it was designed, and not all of us think it should be changed.

I guess I'm just old fashioned and like that no matter how much easier they made the game, all the online stores, the gold duping, cheats and hacks, veteran rewards were still solely the property of the vets who "earned" them no matter how contentious you find that term. But if everyone wants them to be the item of the day, then fine, you "won" over one of the vets and I'm waving the white flag. I just want any devs out there reading to know that some of us do care about the current vet reward system and like it the way it is, for better or for worse. Enjoy, I think I'm finally done with this thread....no promises.

P.S. Oh, and as a concession I want a new reward designed and deployed to all younger vets. It will consist of a graphic of an old woman in a rocking chair, telling you about how tough we had it in the old days...and no, you can't deactivate it, it just talks and talks.

I understand what you are saying and I too could not see how someone could pay for 15 yrs and not play but there are some strange people out there. Yes it has been a fun 15 yrs ride and I hope it stays around another 15. Sometimes we have to look at the big picture and listen to our young. There are a lot of returning players and a lot of younger players out there and sometimes doing the hard thing is really the better thing in the long run. UO/EA based these gifts on how long we paid our subs ($$$) weather we were having fun, that helped a lot, we still got them. Do I think there are people out there that will pony up $1,800 to age thier account 15 yrs, no. But likr I said there are some strange people out there. Do I think a returning Vet might pay $120 to catch up thier account, maybe. I have a 2nd main account (5 chars were just not enough) that was started in 2001 and paid every yr, now would I consider upping it to a 15 yr account, yes I would, but I can't Yes people are buying Vet accounts and we have already heard the scams. Call UO/EA and tell them your account was hacked and give them the CC# you used, boom you get your account back and the buyer is SOL. If you sell your account the first thing you have to do is change the e-mail address to one the buyer wants b4 you get the money, no way. This would stop that dead in its tracks for one thing. We look at our Vet Rewards and say nice. Younger Vets look at them and say Damn those are NICE Rewards I would sure like those and then they think damn 10 yrs to go. Might not be the best thing for UO. But we will never know because some may want while other may not want IMHO UO wouldn't do it anyways. But it never hurts to ask. You have gone out of your way to state why and I may disagree with you I do respect the way you have said no.

 

[SixUnder]

I cant find any reasons to justify this. Ive earned my years on my accounts - and I want them to be able to ride their special pets and use their veteran rewards because I earned it, not because i paid $$$ for a shortcut.

 

[Goodmann]

Bottom line is people can still buy veteran accounts so why not make it legit. They said they are kicking around the idea and I am sure they will come out with something they seem fit.

 

[virtualhabitat]

Personally, I am not looking for a handout gift from the dev's. If vets feel I should not receive a vet reward for years not actually played, then I am ok with that.
I do think that a majority of vets think it is ok to sell their gifts to other players. I also think most vets don't have a problem placing some of their rewards out for public use -in fact they already are doing both.

I would like to be able to use them. That's all.

I fine with keeping some rewards unusable such as higher level ethies, statue makers, and shard shields. They already lowered the requirement for the ethy horse, for example. No need for a boura or a polar bear. Statue makers and shard shield should be something special. I get that.

-Would it be ok for us to use the seed box? I can use a Davy's locker and it's a 8 year, but the seed box is a 4th year and I can't.
-How about dye tubs? I promise not to show anyone that I have burnt orange runebooks in my backpack.
-cloaks and robes that no one wears? Just think, you could finally get rid of them.
-if I buy an ankh of sacrifice can I place it in my guildhouse? It would really help cut down on guild drama not to have to remind them I am such a noob that the guild leader can't even place an ankh in the guild house. Everyone should be in favor of reducing guild drama, right?

Seriously, are any of these things too much to ask?

 

[Cycloknight]

Gah, I try to get out and you keep pulling me back in.


Veteran : A person who has had long experience in a particular field

As a way to reward loyal UO subscribers, Veteran Rewards were introduced in late 2001. Each year an account is active, credits are given which can be used to select rewards. Rewards may be traded and sold, but only accounts old enough can wear and use them some of them. All Veteran Rewards are blessed and display their year of eligibility.

I don't know of any example where someone can pay money to become a veteran or "Age" their membership. A freshman doesn't get to decide they don't like the moniker and buy their way into being a senior. These were designed as veteran rewards. If you have been continuously paying for 15 years, you get 15 year vet reward picks. If you cancelled your subscription and came back later, that's not loyalty, so you don't get to buy it back. If you haven't been playing 10 years, then you're not a 10 year vet. That's the way the dev's designed it, now you want it changed cause you don't like that there is something in game that you can't have immediatley or maybe ever. You're saying attitudes like mine are childish, well like Sean posted above. It is children that see something in store and kick and scream hoping someone with the power to make it happen finally gives in. I'm childish cause I don't want you to have something? Flip the coin, cause by that logic you're just as childish for wanting something I have and making a fuss when you're told no.

As for the comment that this is a game, and not the real world - you're right, it is a game, and the rule is 15 year vets get 15 year vet rewards.

Yes, that's a rule, and it can be changed very easily. If the only thing holding us back from getting veteran rewards early is the definition of veteran then we can change the name of the system too. There is no rule written in stone that says it has to be the veteran system. How about the super awesome UO supporter where you get rewarded for either how long you have played, or how much game-time you have purchased (or both)? In fact, it could be two systems. One for veterans who get the items free, one for supporters who can pay for the benefits of veteran status.


Some of us are returning players, by the way, and have had veteran status before so if your argument is that we aren't veteran's you're technically wrong on some accounts.

No item in the game should take 10 to 15 years to get.

Words of wisdom.

I am also supportive of simply allowing anyone to use veteran rewards. I just think it's an incredibly bad game design to have time based rewards that take a year or longer to obtain. Especially when some of those rewards skew the players equality through skill point boosts. The only way to obtain equality with them is by waiting a few years lol. That's crazy talk.

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

Personally, I am not looking for a handout gift from the dev's. If vets feel I should not receive a vet reward for years not actually played, then I am ok with that.
I do think that a majority of vets think it is ok to sell their gifts to other players. I also think most vets don't have a problem placing some of their rewards out for public use -in fact they already are doing both.

I would like to be able to use them. That's all.

I fine with keeping some rewards unusable such as higher level ethies, statue makers, and shard shields. They already lowered the requirement for the ethy horse, for example. No need for a boura or a polar bear. Statue makers and shard shield should be something special. I get that.

-Would it be ok for us to use the seed box? I can use a Davy's locker and it's a 8 year, but the seed box is a 4th year and I can't.
-How about dye tubs? I promise not to show anyone that I have burnt orange runebooks in my backpack.
-cloaks and robes that no one wears? Just think, you could finally get rid of them.
-if I buy an ankh of sacrifice can I place it in my guildhouse? It would really help cut down on guild drama not to have to remind them I am such a noob that the guild leader can't even place an ankh in the guild house. Everyone should be in favor of reducing guild drama, right?

Seriously, are any of these things too much to ask?

Geez, I think I have an unhealthy addiction to this thread.

I for one must confess my ignorance of some aspects of the rewards. As all my accounts are quite old, I had no idea that dye tubs and seed boxes weren't usable by everyone until I read the posts in this thread. Robes and cloaks?! Seriously, you want to wear those?! Okay, no problem with that either. But my left eye still twitches at the mention of the higher level vet mounts. I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, the reason people want the polar bears, bouras, etc, is because they are so rarely seen and are a status symbol of a sort. If the polar bear was a first year vet ride, and the fallen charger was a 14th year vet, which one would you want? Childish or not, the real-world has tons of examples where people want the rare items, once they're not rare, they're really not valued by anyone. Exclusivity and individualism are part of our society, and we're gonna carry that into the game. Look at EM items, people collect them, and pay outrageous sums to get them. Now start a thread and suggest that all EM items and server birth rares will be available on the EA store for a few bucks and see how that thread goes.

Oh, and lest you think I've gone soft on this issue, I would still vote "no" to vet reward tokens (but would say yes to changing usability of some vet items as mentioned above). However, I will also admit that as I can't put myself in the shoes of a newer players, I am less than well-equipped to see their point of view.

 

[virtualhabitat]

Geez, I think I have an unhealthy addiction to this thread.

I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, the reason people want the polar bears, bouras, etc, is because they are so rarely seen and are a status symbol of a sort. If the polar bear was a first year vet ride, and the fallen charger was a 14th year vet, which one would you want?

Earlier in this thread I made a post about the ethy issue. In it I pointed out that third year ethys sell for around 3 million. Since my accounts are under 3 years I can't ride them so I have to buy a charger for 8 million give or take a mil. I pointed out that the reason the charger is more than twice the cost is because it is sold on the origin store. The third year ethys are cheap because, well, they don't really cost anything and they are plentiful. If the charger were a third year reward it would only cost 3 mill.

Trying very hard not to sound like me,me,me, but making a new player spend 8 mil for an ethy when vets only have to spend 3 seems a little unfair.
I understand there are those who might like the status of certain items like a polar bear or a boura, but I am (I hope) approaching this from a more practical perspective. If the third year were a polar bear and the llama was a 15 year I'd be talking polar bears and not llamas.

From what I understand someone (mesanna?) said something about letting 1st and 2nd year players being able to ride 3rd year ethys. If this is true that's cool and frankly, all that is necessary.

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

Skill/Experience required to earn this reward, BILL PAYING. Yep we all be Vereran Bill Payers. New skill added to UO GM Bill Paying. At the 5 yr mark this goes to Wondrous Bill Paying, 10 yr Exalted Bill Paying, 15 yr Mythical Bill Payingand and 20 yr Legendary Bill Paying. WOW I can't wait to become a Legendary Bill Payer.

Semantics.

So sad that you are reduced to semantics. What are you trying to pick apart now in the name of begging for someone elses pixel crack? Bill paying? Too funny. And you are most definitely either begging for other peoples items or even worse, just jealous that they get them for free even though you could probably afford a hundred of the most expensive ones.

We all know that you are quite intelligent enough to understand what vet rewards are and that they are common and valid in all walks of life. Virtual or rl.
They have nothing to do with bill paying or contests or bla bla bla. They are simply a bonus for longevity. You can love them or hate them. It makes no difference and you know that. You know they are legit yet you will not cease your ranting because you are not at the top of the vet chain
How sad it must be to feel so entitled in your virtual world. Are you even enjoying the game at all these days?

You aren't fooling anyone bud.

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

Hence the entire point of this thread. The rule needs changing. This is why the concept of a "Veteran Token" has been suggested by players.

The Devs need to take a hard look at what constitutes Veteran Status.

It certainly shouldn't be set up the way it is that where it creates dissension among the playerbase.

No item in the game should take 10 to 15 years to get. Absurd and asinine doesn't even begin to describe such a system.

Older Veterans already have umpteen MORE reward then lesser Veterans which is absolutely fair... they earned them.

What's not fair is limiting the choices of younger veteran players when they only have a few picks to begin with.

And round and round we go...

Huh?

Its not fair that younger players have fewer rewards/gifts to choose from? Do you even know what the words reward or gift mean? Who should be worried that anyone doesn't get enough gifts? When did you become the gift police anyway?

"younger veteran players" ?? Do you realize how selfishly pathetic that term is?

You must be a lot of fun at birthday parties though lol. I can just see you ranting because your friend got something nicer then you for no other reason then he was older then you. Do you yell at his parents that he doesn't deserve a nicer bicycle then you because all he did was live one more year then you so far?

*shakes head*

 

[popps]

Hence the entire point of this thread. The rule needs changing. This is why the concept of a "Veteran Token" has been suggested by players.

The Devs need to take a hard look at what constitutes Veteran Status.

It certainly shouldn't be set up the way it is that where it creates dissension among the playerbase.

No item in the game should take 10 to 15 years to get. Absurd and asinine doesn't even begin to describe such a system.

Older Veterans already have umpteen MORE reward then lesser Veterans which is absolutely fair... they earned them.

What's not fair is limiting the choices of younger veteran players when they only have a few picks to begin with.

Now, let me see.......

Should the purpose of a Veteran program have players desire the items offered as rewards over the years by the Program so as to maintain their account as active and thus provide resources for the game ?

I would say yes, that is what I imagine a succesfull program should achieve....

Moreover, should a Veteran Program be such to allow those who run the game to monitor unplayed and yet kept as active accounts so as to make a good assessment on what resources to count, monthly, so as to plan investment of such resources into the game over a time period for projects which may take a longer time ? I would imagine yes.

Should a Veteran Program offer interesting rewards moreless for all of the years (of course with some better and some less which can happen over a span of many years...) so as to accomodate all accounts as they move up from one year to another ? I would also imagine yes so as to go from one year to the other.

The way I see it, the Veteran Program in Ultima Online does have all of these features which show to me that it is a well thought out program, well assorted and most of all well maintained from one year to another with something offered every year that comes not just for the top year but also for the younger years.

Just to mention the latest example, when year 15 reward was offered also a reward for Year 8 was offered, the Davies' Locker Table, and it has been a highly desirable and wanted reward.

As I have already said, if there are players having problems with Shard Shields the solution is not, as I see it, messing up with a well thought out, assorted and maintained Veteran Program, but simply (and way more easily) addressing the price for the regular transfer tokens so as to make them significantly cheaper to what they cost now so that they can be used more. Not to mention that regular transfer tokens are way better than shard shields as the latter have a whole bunch of limitations tied to them.........

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

Earlier in this thread I made a post about the ethy issue. In it I pointed out that third year ethys sell for around 3 million. Since my accounts are under 3 years I can't ride them so I have to buy a charger for 8 million give or take a mil. I pointed out that the reason the charger is more than twice the cost is because it is sold on the origin store. The third year ethys are cheap because, well, they don't really cost anything and they are plentiful. If the charger were a third year reward it would only cost 3 mill.

Trying very hard not to sound like me,me,me, but making a new player spend 8 mil for an ethy when vets only have to spend 3 seems a little unfair.
I understand there are those who might like the status of certain items like a polar bear or a boura, but I am (I hope) approaching this from a more practical perspective. If the third year were a polar bear and the llama was a 15 year I'd be talking polar bears and not llamas.

From what I understand someone (mesanna?) said something about letting 1st and 2nd year players being able to ride 3rd year ethys. If this is true that's cool and frankly, all that is necessary.

I'm going to go a little off topic here, but I really do feel sad that the majority of the players in this game will never know what the game was like pre-ethereal mounts. Back when even a normal horse was hard to get, and even harder to keep alive (there was no pet binding, when your horse died it was actually sad and it did put you out). Back then, pretty much everyone was on foot though, so I do get that someone without an ethereal feels at a disadvantage in this day and age. I know most new players wouldn't want most aspects of the old days back, but you really missed out on truly amazing experience (both good and bad). Just had to say it, though I know most really don't care about the old days...time marches on.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Semantics.

So sad that you are reduced to semantics. What are you trying to pick apart now in the name of begging for someone elses pixel crack? Bill paying? Too funny. And you are most definitely either begging for other peoples items or even worse, just jealous that they get them for free even though you could probably afford a hundred of the most expensive ones.

We all know that you are quite intelligent enough to understand what vet rewards are and that they are common and valid in all walks of life. Virtual or rl.
They have nothing to do with bill paying or contests or bla bla bla. They are simply a bonus for longevity. You can love them or hate them. It makes no difference and you know that. You know they are legit yet you will not cease your ranting because you are not at the top of the vet chain
How sad it must be to feel so entitled in your virtual world. Are you even enjoying the game at all these days?

You aren't fooling anyone bud.

You sir are a joke. You did NOTHING, I say again NOTHING to earn a Vet Reward other than pay your subs. Do not look like a fool and try to make anyone on here think other wise. Even the people that are againts this agree that this is the only requirement to get Vet Rewards. The only and I mean only thing you have to do is log-in to claim them. There are no, I repeat NO in game requirements for them. Lets call this what it really is "Loyal Sub Paying Reward"

So I guess now when you fight for something then you also are just begging. Thank you, I will remember that the next time you ask for anything. You are right I am not at the top of the Vet Chain, but next month I will be according to UO and all you nay sayers.

 

[KLOMP]

Anyway, that's it I'm done. You've made up your mind, you want your pixels, and you're not going to stop attacking everyone until you get them.

You know how you called my analogy bad, and made one of your own, and I pointed out how mine was much more accurate? And you did nothing to rebut or correct me, instead choosing to stamp your little feet and call me mean? I know nobody ever "loses an argument" on the internet, but kitten, that was you losing an argument.

But thanks for playing.

Also, I wouldn't pay a dime for more veteran rewards. It's not like any of them really do anything. I just resent selfish people putting their pwecious feewings about their pixels over every other concern.

"He's got that new item and I want it!" "Sorry son but your not old enough to play with that, you'll have to wait a few more years"
Said that many times to my children and now my grandchildren,

"Sorry Timmy, you can't have a toy truck. Billy already has one, and he'd feel less special if you got to have one too. You can have a truck 15 years from now when you graduate high school." What an awful parent.

 

[LordDrago]

1. I would like to see a lot of the useful items made useable by younger accounts (die tubs are probably one of the bigger examples) as well as being placeable by younger accounts (ankhs, etc.) but perhaps being only claimable by older accounts.

2. Scaling might be a nice compromise as well (thinking mainly about the maps storage table (x number at x age, 2x at next year , etc.) Might be able to make it claimable at a younger age so more people can use it, but as age increases, the item becomes more and more useful as well. Garden shed might be scaleable as well, so an older account keeps gaining storage (perhaps up t a certain max)

 

[THP]

I think the key here is to call time on any advancing year rewards after 15.....give the 15 years vets an extra pick on the 16th/ 17th etc.....so they are looked after..that is they get 3 picks every year after 16/17/18.....and cap the rewards were they are....no higher than the 15 th year stuff.... because no new player will ever get beyond 15 years [fullstop]...its just crazy.....even for a 5 year vet...anothe 10 years is way toooo far.........so if we cap out rewards at 15 years ......yes yes ....keep introduce new items but ...nothing over 15 years.....this would be very very acceptable....

*claps himself*

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

And you did nothing to rebut or correct me, instead choosing to stamp your little feet and call me mean?

Did I really call you mean? I'm so very sorry. As for the lack of rebuttal....

Ordinarly, when I comment on a forum it's because I feel I have something to contribute - I don't argue for the sake of arguing. I firmly, perhaps naively, believe that intelligent, constructive discourse will eventually lead both sides to, at the very least , acknowledge the other's point of view, and optimally, achieve a solution. To argue for any other reason is at best a mental exercise, and at worst...well, whatever it is you're now doing "kitten" or is it "pumpkin"?

When I started posting in this thread I was trying to make sure that my view was heard and considered so that if and when a change took effect, it wouldn't be hastily done without considering all view points. I tried to do this in a way that reflected my opinion while still having some fun with my posts. But at some point some of the posts became less than productive and certainly not constructive. So I took a moment, reread all the posts and realized that if posts like yours and mine continued we would be taking this thread very close to being closed by a Stratics moderator. That would deny the community the ability to share their thoughts on this subject and that wouldn't be fair to anyone. So I changed my tone in hopes of getting this thread back on target. Clearly you don't want to do this and want to pull the thread down even further to puff yourself up.

So to save you the trouble of mustering up more words and attacks, from here on in, let it be known that Klomp has won the thread! And if you don't like that, don't worry, his win will be on sale for 0.99 on the EA store within a month.

 

[Blood Ghoul]

Again… We are still just talking in circles here for the most part.

The restricted use of certain items for younger players is crud! I mean seriously if you feel someone needs to wait 4 years to dye runebooks you should really take a hard look at yourself in the mirror. Any player in the game, from day 1, should be able to “use” any dye tub. It may take a certain vet year pick to get the item but brand new players should be able to buy them or use public ones.

When it comes to the mounts, again, a player from day 1 should be able to ride them but it may take a certain year pick to get them. If a 17 year vet wants to trade/sell his Mongbat mount and a 6 month player buys it that person should be able to ride it. It can still take a 17 year pick to originally obtain.

I started on day 1. I mean day 1 on Eastern. Heck 75% of the game was still “unused” tiles and we had to walk in little trail areas. My account is only 11 years old because I stopped “paying” for it (I wish I never did stop) and I moved on for awhile. But in looking at the rewards a player up to 13 years can choose I could care less if a brand new person has access to those. They only provide a bit of flavor and it does not impact me in one bit if another person is riding whatever or using a table to sort seeds!!

WHO CARES!! No one really does. You really don’t care if a brand new player uses a table to sort seeds. Be honest…

It comes down to the 14th year pick. And that is the rub and where the Devs blew it. It’s a huge advantage to allow players to work the economy and sell items for cash/whatever. During the RTB house falling phase recently I was able to place a small house in Luna (on Origin mind you so its pretty dead anyhow). During the past 11 years I somehow collected 8 commodity deed boxes. I searched on the going price and low balled it for all of them. A day or so later I was standing at the vendor house and some character I have never seen before ran up and bought all of them. They have never went back for sale on Origin and I am sure 1 player doesn’t need 8. I can promise you they are now on Atlantic (I just say Atlantic but could be GL) being sold for a profit. And there is zero chance that player used two $20 transfer token to accomplish that. He/she used the 14 year reward and at the Atlantic rate will make 10 or so million gold.

The shields broke the game in a number of ways. I have used the third party vendor search sites, and wait for UO to duplicate the function, to find items for sale on vendors. A few years back if a person wanted to buy a certain item for cash and have it transferred to their shard they would most likely be charged the extra $20 for the transfer token. That fee no longer exists because the “businesses” operating inside of UO have the 14 year pick. According to the rules it’s a violation to sell items/gold but they create the one thing which makes that task easier.

Instead of changing anything other than the restriction on use for items I think they should delete the 14th year pick and give all those players their choices back. All the players with the shard shields state a player can buy the $20 tokens and since that option allready exists for everyone there is no harm in getting rid of the shields. They can then make a selection for that year which does not give such a major advantage.

The most amusing part of this entire discussion is the players with the most to lose are the ones against any sort of balancing. If the newer players lose interest and move on one day your 16 year old account will receive the message “cannot connect to Ultima Online” because the plug will have been pulled. UO is a business and will not stay running if it starts running in the red. This game is awesome but its best days are behind it. UO needs to keep its current player population happy as that is what keeps the life support running.

(way too much coffee this morning)

BG

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

You sir are a joke. You did NOTHING, I say again NOTHING to earn a Vet Reward other than pay your subs. Do not look like a fool and try to make anyone on here think other wise. Even the people that are againts this agree that this is the only requirement to get Vet Rewards. The only and I mean only thing you have to do is log-in to claim them. There are no, I repeat NO in game requirements for them. Lets call this what it really is "Loyal Sub Paying Reward"

So I guess now when you fight for something then you also are just begging. Thank you, I will remember that the next time you ask for anything. You are right I am not at the top of the Vet Chain, but next month I will be according to UO and all you nay sayers.

I seriously feel bad for you bro

Paying for subs is exactly what was done to earn the reward. Thanks for explaining it so clearly.

That's it period. The system was put into place years ago to reward people who kept on playing the game and paying the company money.

It is an extremely well thought out and long running system that is not imbalancing to gameplay in any way, shape or form. And it is a practice that has been done in all walks of life for customers and employees for hundreds of years.
The fact that the only issue the system ever had(3 year ethys way back)has been corrected is further proof that the dev team is doing the right thing.

You should read the posts in this very thread though. Because it isn't the newer players who are whining about the reward system at all. They understand it and know that it is just another cool part of the game that gives them something to attain each year.
No sir. It is the mid-level vets that are all up in arms because they have been playing long enough to get some weird sense of extra entitlement now.
But the best part is that these entitled, jealous vets are not even owning up to their own greed. They say they are just doing it to help out the newer players lol. That is laughable.

 

[Madrid]

"Sorry Timmy, you can't have a toy truck. Billy already has one, and he'd feel less special if you got to have one too. You can have a truck 15 years from now when you graduate high school." What an awful parent.

Klomp sorry dude you got that one wrong. In reality it's more "Sorry Timmy, you can't have a toy truck. Billy already has 10 trucks , and he'd feel less special if you got to have one too. You can have a truck 15 years from now when you graduate high school."


Let's a take a look at this well thought out system, a hypothetical if you will:

Let's say we have a new player who starts in 5 years...say year 2018. That player will have to wait 20 years until the year 2038 before he can access 20th year rewards if we continue with going on the way we are. This is the well thought out system if this continue this way. Year 2038 potentially!?

THP 10-15 years is just still way too long. One veteran status. 3-5 years to attain that status.

There are soulstones on sale at the EAStore which are a Veteran Items how come people aren't up in arms about that? How dare they sell soulstones at the EA Store!

If I was in charge of UO and the EA Store I'd be selling snow to the eskimos if they wanted. Players want more veteran picks and they want a change in the way the system works. Good for players and good for UO.

Breadsticks and Salad for all loyal customers.

I understand some customers have been patrons longer than me and therefore have received more breadsticks and salad.

 

[Irulia Darkaith]

I think they should delete the 14th year pick and give all those players their choices back. All the players with the shard shields state a player can buy the $20 tokens and since that option allready exists for everyone there is no harm in getting rid of the shields. They can then make a selection for that year which does not give such a major advantage.

Just a thought, and no I haven't stopped to consider all the ramifications but, what if they kept shard shields as they are now, kept transfer tokens at the same price and simply introduced a world-wide auction house (isn't that what was proposed ages ago by other players)? This would do away with the "shopping trip" advantage, But, would this anger all the vendor shop owners who rent out spaces, not to mention killing the value of the luna houses some players spent a lot of gold to acquire on some shards? As for buying tokens from EA travel to other shards...I don't know, something about this still doesn't sit well with me. I'd rather see some sort of in-game wagon train kind of trip players can pay gold to travel to another shard. If the player is broke they have the option of "walking" meaning they can carry fewer items and the character will be timed out longer while the trip is completed. And no, not claiming these are fresh original ideas, perhaps just a time to reconsider.

AND/OR...

what if shard shield tokens could be sold and used by other players? But the shields themselves still remained a high end reward choice? Again, something doesn't sit well about this as it really would be a way for high level vets to make some serious gold, and that's not the point of the rewards.

Just some thoughts, and keep it constructive please, it's just an idea.

 

[Blood Ghoul]

Just a thought, and no I haven't stopped to consider all the ramifications but, what if they kept shard shields as they are now, kept transfer tokens at the same price and simply introduced a world-wide auction house (isn't that what was proposed ages ago by other players).

IMO I think a world-wide auction house would balance out the issue related to Shard Shields.
On a side note, The Devs have stated several times they are planning on some sort of in game vendor search. Once they do that the Luna houses will take a serious hit in value anyhow. The entire Luna house is another bust. While Luna would still be the number 1 shopping spot if those vendors did not show up on the “3rd party search sites” their value would be significantly less. The Devs do need to work on their search feature as its unfair that players who build a vendor out in the middle of nowhere do not get picked up on the search sites. Plus if the Devs were serious about scripting, I mean seriously, look at all the scripting bots walking around Luna taking record of the vendors. They all have the same name and just walk in a circle 24 hours a day but nothing is done about them.

BG

 

[Zosimus]

It be impossible to tie all servers together for a world wide auction house. Nice idea but I think it highly impossible. If they could the arguments of servers being tied together for population purposes would begin.

On the vet rewards, EA and Mythic has final say on what they feel they can max out monies for it and if they even do such a thing.


If they make rewards available to everybody by monies transaction or free, how many is going to quit or threaten to quit over it?


EA in the end looks at it this way.if we lose 10 accounts at 10 bones a month in a year over this but we gain selling vet rewards tokens at 20 bones a piece and sell an average of 30 tokens a month in a year they will go that route. That is just all guessing numbers but in the end EA is no dummy when it comes to making UO players to pay for more pixels even if they lose a few players. They do it now. Sub+ cash shop ftw in EA eyes.

 

[Wenchkin]

Maybe make locked down rewards usable by anyone as long as they were set public by the owner. I've always made stuff like that public in my shops n stuff, dyed stuff for anyone free and I've not sold an undyed runebook in a long time. If I had stuff like the shield I'd make that public too.

Thing is, the end result of dyes can be obtained and used by a new player, it's just a bit of convenience that they don't need the owner to dye for them. And convenient for the owner that they don't have to do the dying. When my shop was busy I think my tailor had rainbow fingers from all the dunking

I don't have any issue with say a replica shield or if we just had the vet ones, I wouldn't mind allowing players to use the shields while they were locked down in someone else's house. I think making the tokens trade able is just going to give some players another thing to complain about. I wouldn't mind doing some sort of quest to go shard hopping either, that's still a big improvement vs buying the tokens.

Wenchy

 

[LordDrago]

If they make rewards available to everybody by monies transaction or free, how many is going to quit or threaten to quit over it?

LOL...if you read these boards, if a dev posted that he was going to celebrate his birthday by ordering the biggest steak at the Outback Steakhouse, someone would threaten to quit over it.

 

[Gameboy]

All I'm saying is if they offer it, I'm in.

 

[Madrid]

What do you want to bet it'll be their best seller?

 

[THP]

I think the key here is to call time on any advancing year rewards after 15.....give the 15 years vets an extra pick on the 16th/ 17th etc.....so they are looked after..that is they get 3 picks every year after 16/17/18.....and cap the rewards were they are....no higher than the 15 th year stuff.... because no new player will ever get beyond 15 years [fullstop]...its just crazy.....even for a 5 year vet...anothe 10 years is way toooo far.........so if we cap out rewards at 15 years ......yes yes ....keep introduce new items but ...nothing over 15 years.....this would be very very acceptable....

*claps himself*

THP [Legendary Idocer]...just saying...just bumping...we need this to happen...

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

THP [Legendary Idocer]...just saying...just bumping...we need this to happen...

No!

Nice job making yourself the vet police though and throwing around the words "need" and "we"

Keep your needs and your clap to yourself please.

I don't even wanna know how you gave it to yourself btw

 

[the 4th man]

I don't like the idea. It's a display of what the world has become. Buy your way forward..............want to be lazy, go for it, BUT, make sure your chars are labeled as fast forwarders......this way you won''t get the respect you think you earned.

I request a Dev token next, this way we can just do what we will.

This token things pretty weak devs.........don't take that path.

 

[Eärendil]

In Germany, if you want to become head of state (Bundespräsident), you have to be 40+ years of age. No Vet-Age-Token accessible. Lucky me - I have only 2,5 years left until I can run for this office

 

[KLOMP]

Bumping this because it's going to happen. EA likes money, and anyone with so much self-esteem invested in the game that they feel bad about this is never going to quit anyway.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Nice job making yourself the vet police though and throwing around the words "need" and "we"

OMG did THP kick you out of office.
CONGRATS THP job well done, its about damn time someone did.

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

OMG did THP kick you out of office.
CONGRATS THP job well done, its about damn time someone did.

Btw, how did you attain Lord status and get the title of 'Lord' added to your Stratics name Frodo?

That's a pretty impressive & important title.

Congrats bro

 

[THP]

No!

Nice job making yourself the vet police though and throwing around the words "need" and "we"

Keep your needs and your clap to yourself please.

I don't even wanna know how you gave it to yourself btw

Well as the newly appointed Head of the Vet Police ...I DECIDE !!

 

[THP]

so lets sum up..

1. New players are quite simply put of with the whole deal of waiting 14 years for shard shields..or whatever....[a] because thats stupid and because thats crazy and [c] will UO last another 15 years???
2. older players [mid year players] would like to see there contribution of paying 7-8 years catch up.....BUT they can never catch up...EVER!!....thats a Fact!!!!!!
3. Vets dont want things to change because it only benefits them

The Head of the Vet polices says......
I think the key here is to call time on any advancing year rewards after 15.....give the 15 years vets an extra pick on the 16th/ 17th etc.....so they are looked after..that is they get 3 picks every year after 16/17/18.....and cap the rewards were they are....no higher than the 15 th year stuff.... because no new player will ever get beyond 15 years [fullstop]...its just crazy.....even for a 5 year vet...anothe 10 years is way toooo far.........so if we cap out rewards at 15 years ......yes yes ....keep introduce new items but ...nothing over 15 years.....this would be very very acceptable....

*claps himself again.....''what a wonderfull idea''

 

[Thrakkar]

How about an account bound token at the store that will allow you to buy 1 veteran reward your choice no strings attached? Cry More?

Well, one string at least: The bought reward should be account bound, just like soulstones are. Otherwise there will be a new market in-game with these items...

 

[Madrid]

Let’s sum it up…

Each year, new and younger players are getting screwed over. If this “well thought out” system continues everything will ultimately remain out of reach of a large portion of the player base in perpetuity.

All players should have equal access to items. While some players have will have MORE items because they have earned them by playing longer is certainly acceptable and reasonable.

I’m not in favor of adding “time” or “aging” your account via some token. That's just a little bizarre....

I advocate two things:
1) Total Restructuring of the Veteran Reward System granting Veteran Status and access to all qualifiers of Veteran Status (3-5 years).
2) Veteran Reward token that will allow you can choose any reward.

I honestly don’t care if such a Token were to become available whether it be account bound or non-account bound. It just needs to be made available. I like to see items freely tradable and made available amongst players, but the important thing is that Veteran Rewards are made available not just to the “Upper Upper Class” even if that means supporting UO through the gamestore.

The game has focused and catered to veteran players for far too long and serious look needs to be on new players and younger players. We’re tired of feeling like peasants and being treated as second class citizens of Britannia!

The more I think about the system the more I realize how bad and unfair it is. This thread is a good example of how it pits playerbase against each other. It’s the have vs. the have nots.

The Shard Shields is the one item that stands out that for sure should be made available at the game store just like soul stones. Shard shields are the biggest game imbalance addition in I don’t know how many years. I don’t want to hear about the drawbacks because the perks far outweigh any drawbacks. Too many times I’ve wanted to transfer with only 15-20 items but didn’t do it as I’m wasting 900+ items I could be bringing and it's costing me 50M to make the transfer. Too many times I’ve wanted to transfer to another shard to buy that item I've always wanted because on my home shard it’s priced 30M more than on another shard but the transfer costs me 50M so it's a lose lose for me.

The irony of the shard shields is that they both save and earn money. Huge Money! And the irony is this: It’s not 15 year old veterans who need money as much as it is younger players and new players. Just like in the real world the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Ultimately if a Veteran Token was made available via the game store and it brought in revenue to help keep UO solvent then everyone wins.

 

[kaio]

Like Madrid says. Make Vetran reward tokens avaiable trough the uostore.
And for heavens sake, dear devs. Stop making stupid things. I know you all wanna reward the true vetrans who has paid their uo-tax for 15 years.
This is all fine and all, but it does not justify killing the xshard trader over night.
Keep making cool and usefull vetran rewards, but do not make imbalanced vetrean rewards, like shard shields.

 

[THP]

You can see on this thread alone..most Vet players dont like change..they like being looked after...

[ONE EXAMPLE] The shard shields gave them a huge advantage...that is they got to transfer/shard hop free were others like me had to pay pay pay....[ I get mine soon so i should be in there camp..LOL]

AND u need to remember half these vets are not true vets they wil have simply purchased older accounts in there time of playing,,,spending even more real money on our game....So these players deffo want to keep there advantage and would rather put young player off with the outdated system than afford change that may see others on a level playing field!!

WE NEED CHANGE TO THIS OUTDATED SYSTEM

 

[Eärendil]

The Shard Shields is the one item that stands out that for sure should be made available at the game store just like soul stones. Shard shields are the biggest game imbalance addition in I don’t know how many years. I don’t want to hear about the drawbacks because the perks far outweigh any drawbacks. Too many times I’ve wanted to transfer with only 15-20 items but didn’t do it as I’m wasting 900+ items I could be bringing and it's costing me 50M to make the transfer. Too many times I’ve wanted to transfer to another shard to buy that item I've always wanted because on my home shard it’s priced 30M more than on another shard but the transfer costs me 50M so it's a lose lose for me.

The irony of the shard shields is that they both save and earn money. Huge Money! And the irony is this: It’s not 15 year old veterans who need money as much as it is younger players and new players. Just like in the real world the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Ultimately if a Veteran Token was made available via the game store and it brought in revenue to help keep UO solvent then everyone wins.

AMEN! I would gladly pay 25 $ or more for a Vet Reward Token, that allowes me to get a Shard-Transfer-Shield. I don´t mind if this token is tradeable or account-bound.

I see it this way: UO needs two things: More fresh players and financial support. Making certain Vet Rewards accessible via Origin-Shop would help alot!

There are many ways to keep the old discrimination between the Vet-Elite and people like me with their 4, 5 or 6 year old accounts. One example: Let them ride their silly mounts to show off - I don´t need a polar bear or boura or something like this. A horse is everythng a real man needs. Or even a lama... The look of a mount is not decisive for the options you have in gameplay. Give them robes and mounts to show off... I don´t mind.

But things which are crucial such as Shard-Shields should be obtainable for everybody (like soulstones). There are many reasons why people didn´t pay for the whole 15 years: Some have left because they lost their jobs and couldn´t pay anymore. Others became very sick. I know people who had some really problematic carrer paths, people with large families... Whatever. It is not that those who pay for a longer time are "better" people and "deserve" more...

But even if somebody feels like this, there are many ways to make the "old" Elite-Playerbase (which I really respect much) happy. Here is my proposal:

Veteran Rewards according to the old system (depending on years - not accessible to accounts that haven´t reached the respective year):

Dye Tubs, Cloaks, Statues, Mounts, Mini Houses, Flaming Heads, Banner Deeds, Potted Cactus, Deco Shields, Hanging Skeletons, Ankh, Pentagram, Statue Makers, Braziers, Cannons, Wall Banners, Chaos/Order Banners,

Veteran Rewards that can be purchased on Origin-Store

Soulstones, Shard-Shields, Seed Boxes, Tree Stumps, Commodity Boxes, Crystal Portals, Mining Carts, all Rugs, House Teleporters, Garden Sheds, Davies Lockers, Sheep Statues...

Please let me add, that I know that some of these items are already available...

Why do I favor this discrimination? Because it serves two purposes: High-End-Vets still get their Elite-Stuff that distinguishes them from others. But at the same time, they don´t get an economic advantage over the rest of the player populations. In a nutshell: All Rewards that have economic consequences or consequences for gameplay should be open for everybody. I don´t mind if 15+ years-Vets get Elite-Cloaks, Elite-Banners, Elite-Mounts etc. But why should they get free MIBs, free logs, free treasure maps, free hides, free wool and so on?

Ah, and sorry, if I forgot something... Maybe there is more to add to the list. I could even accept if I couldn´t purchase certain items of the second class (e.g. all those items which produce resources - that´s not the BIGGEST advantage ingame)...

But they really need to make Shard-Shields as accessible as Soulstones and House Teleporters are...

 

[Petra Fyde]

In essence, veteran rewards are a reward for loyalty - you can't buy 'being loyal' you either were or you weren't, whatever reasons you may have had. Therefore there should not be a 'vet age token'.
However what that reward actually consists of could, possibly, be adjusted or some items that have been given as rewards could possibly be also have a version that is sold.
As an example - a red soulstone is a veteran reward, but a green one can be bought via a legacy token. Likewise, as Eaerendil has already said, house teleporters come in two versions, one that is a reward and one that can be bought.
You could argue that there is also already a version of the shard shield, in fact the alternative version came first, the transfer token.

 

[Eärendil]

In essence, veteran rewards are a reward for loyalty - you can't buy 'being loyal' you either were or you weren't, whatever reasons you may have had. Therefore there should not be a 'vet age token'.

>Agreed!

However what that reward actually consists of could, possibly, be adjusted or some items that have been given as rewards could possibly be also have a version that is sold.

>That´s my point! Yes!

As an example - a red soulstone is a veteran reward, but a green one can be bought via a legacy token. Likewise, as Eaerendil has already said, house teleporters come in two versions, one that is a reward and one that can be bought.

>Yessss!

You could argue that there is also already a version of the shard shield, in fact the alternative version came first, the transfer token.

>That´s a little bit different - and you know that ​

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

Let’s sum it up…

Each year, new and younger players are getting screwed over. If this “well thought out” system continues everything will ultimately remain out of reach of a large portion of the player base in perpetuity.

All players should have equal access to items. While some players have will have MORE items because they have earned them by playing longer is certainly acceptable and reasonable.

I’m not in favor of adding “time” or “aging” your account via some token. That's just a little bizarre....

I advocate two things:
1) Total Restructuring of the Veteran Reward System granting Veteran Status and access to all qualifiers of Veteran Status (3-5 years).
2) Veteran Reward token that will allow you can choose any reward.

I honestly don’t care if such a Token were to become available whether it be account bound or non-account bound. It just needs to be made available. I like to see items freely tradable and made available amongst players, but the important thing is that Veteran Rewards are made available not just to the “Upper Upper Class” even if that means supporting UO through the gamestore.

The game has focused and catered to veteran players for far too long and serious look needs to be on new players and younger players. We’re tired of feeling like peasants and being treated as second class citizens of Britannia!

The more I think about the system the more I realize how bad and unfair it is. This thread is a good example of how it pits playerbase against each other. It’s the have vs. the have nots.

The Shard Shields is the one item that stands out that for sure should be made available at the game store just like soul stones. Shard shields are the biggest game imbalance addition in I don’t know how many years. I don’t want to hear about the drawbacks because the perks far outweigh any drawbacks. Too many times I’ve wanted to transfer with only 15-20 items but didn’t do it as I’m wasting 900+ items I could be bringing and it's costing me 50M to make the transfer. Too many times I’ve wanted to transfer to another shard to buy that item I've always wanted because on my home shard it’s priced 30M more than on another shard but the transfer costs me 50M so it's a lose lose for me.

The irony of the shard shields is that they both save and earn money. Huge Money! And the irony is this: It’s not 15 year old veterans who need money as much as it is younger players and new players. Just like in the real world the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Ultimately if a Veteran Token was made available via the game store and it brought in revenue to help keep UO solvent then everyone wins.

"I advocate two things:
1) Total Restructuring of the Veteran Reward System granting Veteran Status and access to all qualifiers of Veteran Status (3-5 years)"

Hrmmm. Your entire post starts out with you pretending to care about "new and younger players" by saying they are getting "screwed over" yet later in the post you personally decide that Veteran Status should officially become "3-5 years"
So how is this not screwing over the "new" players you mentioned? They don't get your new vet status for the first 3 years they play the game? Too funny.

Can't wait for the back-peddling on this one. Or please try to tell me I read it wrong

You really should count the amount of times you reference yourself & your gameplay in the post though. Its quite telling