The rift between attitudes surrounding Tram/ Fel arguments, and all the many offshoots (PSs, pet nerfs, item insurance, etc), never end on this board. Neither side yields, nothing gets done. The real question is, should something be done with Fel and the Fel rules set? I separate the two for a reason.
Everyone who prefers Felucca play now; says no to rule set changes, but want further enticement and advantage to play there. Most who do not like Felucca play today; say no to enticement and advantage, unless there are changes to the rules set.
When UO was at its peak, the last “firm” numbers I saw on sub-server utilization rates were somewhere between around 90%/10% to 95%/5%, the vast majority preferring the Tram rule set. And those numbers included Asian shards, where faction play causes Fel numbers to greatly exceed those in the US. New lands with the Tram set have emerged, which may have made the percentages even more one sided for a bit, but decreases in subscriptions have probably increased the percentage of Fel play. Unless someone in a position of authority will speak to the actual numbers at this point, it’s really hard to say. As far as I can tell from a very unscientific perspective on these boards, as posters we probably split more along 60/40 lines, maybe 55/45. But anything Mythic does must focus on utilization rates. If, as a “die hard” yet biased subset of subscribers, we as posters can come up with some form of compromise that might work to everyone’s best interests, then, and only then, might Mythic move on some of these ideas. Frankly, I’ve never seen one iota of compromise.
In the meantime, Mythic can:
A) Do nothing regarding Fel. People who like it will play there, those who don’t - won’t. Back to the OPs point, he gets no added victims as nothing changes. Attempts to entice individual play have
failed, regardless of what the individual may be doing, when faced with an aggressing character(s), geared for PvP combat and without any other entanglement, outcome is either recall or character death for most blues. Attempts to entice group play in champ zone zones
failed, as predicted in advance there is a single viable outcome and it does not favor the engaged force.
B) Add Fel content without rule set changes. This reinforces failure if “large” in scope/ context. PSs are the primary example. A critical part of play, they are solidly controlled by a small subset of players on populated US shards, creating imbalance between subscribers either in character capability or in-game monetary worth. I mentioned two things earlier that may serve as enticements and would require no rule set changes, a “living” history that might lure larger groups; or thief additions that would lure individuals. I think the latter certainly may help the OP in his quest, and is on small enough scale without a “downside” that it could make a nice addition to play. Contrary to many posters, I do not favor the scrolls across the world idea, as it merely will lead to more reconnaissance of spawn and “ganks,” ending in frustration for many and causing further imbalance between players on opposing sides of this “void.” I also saw quests mentioned, but like scrolls, will lead to ambush and “glory” for disrupters and agony for the vanquished. In the end, it’s just more of the same, bringing us back to the
failures referenced above.
C) Add Fel content and change the rules set. In this scenario, many things could work, depending on the significance of changes. But going back to the original premise of Fel players like Fel as is, except that the world is mostly abandoned. I’m all for empowering players to play as they desire, so my vote here is to leave it alone.
D) For PvP, i.e. within Fel, Mythic could penalize red characters and buff blue players. Note the anger this has generated in terms of responses already. Many argue that they have a red character, but as players, they are not “red.” Consequently, they should not be penalized for “red play.” Outlets exist for PvP play, factions and guild warfare. A character does not become red unless a player wants it to. Playing a red should carry no favor, and I am vehemently opposed to including “reds” in SA. But like many, I’d recommend leaving it at that. Maybe blue buffs would work, it would for me, but again outcry will be loud and continuous.
I’ve got to tell you, quite often when playing Tram; I wish I were in Fel. In Fel, often the opposite is true! It’s all based on how others behave and interact. For the life of me though, I really can’t envision a compromise that really, really works.
One key observation though:
Would you like me to point you in the direction of a "monster-hunting" script? As far as I can see, it auto targets / auto attacks / auto heals / auto loots. The simple fact that certain websites offer these scripts would suggest that scripting is just as prevalent in Trammel as in Felucca - so why do you stay in Trammel competing against the cheats?
In Tram, scripts are not focused on you, in Fel they are. Until 3d party program inputs, scripts and cheats can be detected and curtailed, the entire argument is mute.
