Where is UO for sale?

[Hannes Erich]

Nowhere.

According to Markeedragon, a rogue GM banned and deleted his main account. He claims UO's producer personally apologized at first, but later took the rogue GM's side, after some old-fashioned policy-of-non-accountability corporate drama had ensued.

Long story short, the last reliable place to buy new account codes is hosed. Markeedragon finally said enough is enough to the abuse, and is no longer working as a reseller for UO products.

Mythic, I love you. But please wake up and realize that your publisher has:

1. No material point-of-purchase publishing model. As in zero. None.
2. No digital point-of-purchase publishing model. As in goose eggs. None.

Upgradable trial accounts aren't exactly point-of-purchase.

Mythic, are you folks really going to continue to keep your heads in the sand about EA's impotent support, billing and publishing infrastructures?

I am such a fanboy for you guys in my posts. But come on? Do you really want new customers to have zero point of purchase options when Stygian Abyss comes out? Do you really think that would be a totally awesome deal for you? For us?

We dump cash on EA every month. Okay... so? What the heck are they doing with our cash? Are they giving you anything? Doesn't cash usually get used to improve things? Are they pumping it into other properties that have nothing at all to do with Mythic or UO? Are they bathing in it? Where the heck is all of our cash going?

Look, I know you can't answer this post. You've got agreements and contracts to honor. More than fair. Understood. To a degree I'm venting, but I am also making a rational appeal to ya'll: Please try to find out what is going on in EA's ivory tower? Please see what you can do to shake out some of those bad apples? Please try to find out what (or who) is preventing UO's account-related problems from being handled?

Please do something?

 

[Salivern_Diago]

Same as always there mate, virtually no shelf support and little of anything else.

EA is a corporation, all it cares about is revenue and its staff wont ever say anything in support of Customer Service. Just a shame EA isnt a UK company, then it could be forced to act like a decent, honorable company that not only delivers decent customer service, but also not shove Copy Protection over copy protection on thier titles that only force the decent customer base to say stuff it and go to a company that treats thier customers like customers.

Guess I'm venting a bit now (but see thier most recent titles they've released, so much Copy Protection that was hacked within 24 hours of release.. HA!) but like most people I'm sick of getting screwed about...

And like most US companies, they couldnt give a rats arse about thier customers as theres always more in the street.

 

[Nexus]

Don't forget EA already wanted to Can UO, it was Mythic's folks that kept it afloat. I don't think you or anyone else will ever get an answer for this question to be honest as EA has a corporate wide policy of not disclosing this kinda stuff. I was reading in one of the PC Trade magazines in a section where people write in issues about Hardware and software, and someone mentioned something similar to MD's issue happening to their account for Battlefield 1942....The editor contacted EA and was spoon fed the same things we get from them. They don't disclose anything period.

Me personally though if I was EA I'd be more worried that by maintaining 1 sided control over everything they legally and effectively void their ToS. It becomes a contract of adhesion and not enforceable in court if it comes down to that for some reason or another.

Here's a short article that describes a portion of the legal case that set a basis for this.
http://virtuallyblind.com/2007/06/0...ons-to-dismiss-and-compel-arbitration-denied/

Without changing this there is almost 0 chance of stopping issues like Scripting and Emulation since the ToS isn't technically 100% legal as it violates consumer rights laws meaning it's not being violated because it has no legal grounds to be enforced on. While I'm 100% anti-script I do see the flaws that will make any type of resolution on this extremely difficult for EA to pull off.

 

[Edina Monsoon]

Maybe we should all sign a class action lawsuit against EA.

I will probably get banned for saying that...

 

[Salivern_Diago]

I think is the userbase joined together and forced EA to look at our issues, it would certainly go somewhere...

Sadly knowing EA's history that direction would be termination of the servers...

 

[Babble]

Ebay sells quite a lot, though mostly second age.

 

[Nexus]

Maybe we should all sign a class action lawsuit against EA.

I will probably get banned for saying that...

I'm not saying do that but I am saying EA should seriously look at the world around them and adapt. Times are changing but they aren't keeping pace. If they adapted to current trends and legal market customer support would increase due to the conflicts I mentioned above.

 

[Static]

Why woulden't EA Want to can uo? Look at us. We sit on the board daily bickering and slamming each other.

I'm not saying we can change the billing/POS (Point of sale)/ and customer service issues, but what the hell can "us" UO players do?

Marketing wise, UO will be closed shortly after SA's release. Sitting from a marketing background, I have a feeling that SA is EA's "last shot" before they deside to close UO, If they dont see sales/new accounts, then with EA's multibillion market, they are NOT going to keep a dying juggernaut around.

Listen, IN NO WAY am i saying i have the answers, but good god people we need to build UO back to where it was, Not a pre AOS Server, im talking about community, which we have (for the most part), but shards need to come togather, UO players are spread out over to many shards.


I think shard consolidation would help UO, and im sorry to other shard's but damn sometimes YOU have to give up on a good thing, Good things can happen on other shards aswell, I know you have to leave your communitys, BUT IF YOUR NOT WILLING TO LISTEN TO shard consolidation you are helping EA make this game close.

Shards should be limited to 3 US shard, Consolidate the people, I know some of UO's players do not like clogged banks, and we might loose a few accounts, BUT If its not working now then something has to change DRASTICLY.


Mythic you need to address this and get serious, UO players have been the red headed step child to long, TALK TO US, tell us what we have to do, We are adults (most of us) We as a COMMUNITY want this game to last.



Thank You,

Grant Barnes
Static/ A Blind Man

 

[Babble]

I'm not saying do that but I am saying EA should seriously look at the world around them and adapt. Times are changing but they aren't keeping pace. If they adapted to current trends and legal market customer support would increase due to the conflicts I mentioned above.

EA is positioning itself further in the online market and I doubt they see UO or even DAoC as important for that.
They bought a korean company and will try to get marketshare there too
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6201895.html

EA thinks it plays global and has no real use for 'old' games.

 

[Diomedes Artega]

EA is positioning itself further in the online market and I doubt they see UO or even DAoC as important for that.
They bought a korean company and will try to get marketshare there too
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6201895.html

EA thinks it plays global and has no real use for 'old' games.

Yes but even EA has cutbacks. Hard to expand in a global recession. They laid off 600 people at the end of October.

I think shard consolidation would help like someone had said. No sense having a shard if you can determine only a few people still play on it...which then again might be difficult to determine. People having multiple accounts, etc.

I think aside from that and we ourselves referring people to the game, it will be difficult without putting the game out in stores.

If new people don't SEE the game, HOW can they BUY it? I mean, that is capitalism at its finest, isn't it?

You can't sell invisible merchandise. Word of mouth won't be good enough as some of us have tried to do, if you expect to compete on the level with other online games.

Case in point though, doesn't any game get old without distinct content, dedicated developers, and a loyal customer base? Enough said.

 

[Nexus]

Why woulden't EA Want to can uo? Look at us. We sit on the board daily bickering and slamming each other.

I'm not saying we can change the billing/POS (Point of sale)/ and customer service issues, but what the hell can "us" UO players do?

Marketing wise, UO will be closed shortly after SA's release. Sitting from a marketing background, I have a feeling that SA is EA's "last shot" before they deside to close UO, If they dont see sales/new accounts, then with EA's multibillion market, they are NOT going to keep a dying juggernaut around.

Listen, IN NO WAY am i saying i have the answers, but good god people we need to build UO back to where it was, Not a pre AOS Server, im talking about community, which we have (for the most part), but shards need to come togather, UO players are spread out over to many shards.


I think shard consolidation would help UO, and im sorry to other shard's but damn sometimes YOU have to give up on a good thing, Good things can happen on other shards aswell, I know you have to leave your communitys, BUT IF YOUR NOT WILLING TO LISTEN TO shard consolidation you are helping EA make this game close.

Shards should be limited to 3 US shard, Consolidate the people, I know some of UO's players do not like clogged banks, and we might loose a few accounts, BUT If its not working now then something has to change DRASTICLY.


Mythic you need to address this and get serious, UO players have been the red headed step child to long, TALK TO US, tell us what we have to do, We are adults (most of us) We as a COMMUNITY want this game to last.



Thank You,

Grant Barnes
Static/ A Blind Man

Merging Shards won't help community....that's part of the issue with it. Many of the older shards have unique histories due to the older Seer and EM's, consolidation would destroy that history and a large part of what the tighter communities on those shards are built around. If they were to reduce the number of shards it would have to start with the newer one's like Origin and Lake Austin. But the Original 5-6 would be foolish to shut down.

 

[Sorcha of Sonoma]

Game Spot:

Game Spot in Yuba City CA had 4 copies of UO 9th Edition, 2 of 8th Edition, and 2 jewel case versions on their shelves at decent prices. Game Spot in Eureka CA had 2 copis of 9th edition. Game Spot in Eugene OR had 3 copies of 9th Edition.

Unfortunately there is no place online to buy new except the UO gamecode store (http://www.uogamecodes.com/store/prod_detail.asp?ProdID=UOMLNEWACCT&CartID={B3DF9BCB-8766-4AEF-A511-EFD00D2B54A1}&PromoID=996 = that is New Accounts, not upgrades). Unfortunately that store doesn't always work for everyone.

 

[4th3ist]

We can get Warhammer on Steam, where is Ultima? :\

 

[Static]

Merging Shards won't help community....that's part of the issue with it. Many of the older shards have unique histories due to the older Seer and EM's, consolidation would destroy that history and a large part of what the tighter communities on those shards are built around. If they were to reduce the number of shards it would have to start with the newer one's like Origin and Lake Austin. But the Original 5-6 would be foolish to shut down.

I'm sorry but you have to look at it like a failing business which it is, IF and it is, Ultima Online is failing then there has to be cutbacks.

I'm sorry we would miss some Seer spots, and some history from each shard (I am a UO Vet aswell) but damnit Uo as a community has to come to a cross roads and we have to decide on this.


We need to stop thinking that UO Isint failing. People, UO players, im not a wistle blower but we need to figure this out.

The shards populations will never come back, maybe on the select popular few, but never to the level it was.

We need to stop lying to ourselves that UO is in a GRANDURE state, we need to get real, loose the "cannon fodder" and move on for the better of UO.

Either We consoladate now and change our habbits or we will ALL be out of a game.

 

[Topsy Krett]

Nothing personal to Markee and their crew but... good riddance.

Since the beginning, sites like this have taken UO's economy in the 'wrong' way. Yes they were buying just 'player' gold and reselling it, but they were also supporting big time dupers, and if they say they weren't, it's a LIE. Something should of been done a longgg time ago when they were selling codes for gold. I understand that they were feeding EA's pockets with more cash, but look where we are now as a game.

I hate to bring this up but look at WoW which has a 'zero-tolerance' policy on things just like this.

All in all, I believe EA/Mythic is stepping their game up and FINALLY doing something about all of the mass sellers/dupers, etc. I just hope it isn't 'too little, too late'.

 

[Babble]

But then wow actually gets your account back instead saying sorry we cannot do that or cannot even be bothered to check.

People complain in wow and warhammer about customer service. I can only tell them that it is nothing until you have seen what ea does in UO.

 

[Topsy Krett]

But then wow actually gets your account back instead saying sorry we cannot do that or cannot even be bothered to check.

People complain in wow and warhammer about customer service. I can only tell them that it is nothing until you have seen what ea does in UO.

But then once you are 'banned' from WoW, you are officially banned...

I understand that with Markee's situation he has someone telling him that, oh it was on accident, etc. This could be easily fabricated as a ploy to get some sort of compensation. I just don't buy it.

Story sounds to 'mafia-like' with his so called 'connects'.

 

[Salivern_Diago]

I suppose as long as one of those shards is europa as it has more characters on that the majority of the US shards.

I still find it insulting that you believe that the US is everything, when it clearly isnt.

 

[Tina Small]

You can buy new boxes of UO through Amazon.com. They have listed nine new copies of the 9th Anniversary Collection box, seven new copies of the Eighth Age box, 16 new copies of the Samurai Empire box, and copies of older editions as well. You actually buy the box from a different vendor, but make the purchase through Amazon.

 

[Static]

I suppose as long as one of those shards is europa as it has more characters on that the majority of the US shards.

I still find it insulting that you believe that the US is everything, when it clearly isnt.

............... You have lost the point of the post

 

[Setnaffa]

2. No digital point-of-purchase publishing model. As in goose eggs. None.

1) http://www.uo.com (which re-directs you to http://www.uoherald.com/news/)
2) Click on "Ultima Online Mondain's Legacy" graphic
3) Click on "New Player"
4) Follow the instructions.

Rather straight forward as far as I can tell, but I wouldn't mind seeing a box on a store shelf.

 

[Salivern_Diago]

I understand the basis of the post, what I object to is you proclaiming it all US shards.

I agree that some form of consolidation is needed, I object however to it being all US shards.

Just sounds a bit bush like imo

 

[Babble]

Consolidating shards would not bring more players.
More profitable to keep it as it is until they decide to close it.

Putting UO in any shop without the new client (SA) is useless and I guess even with the new client. I see in no way UO being competitive with any of the newer mmorpgs, simply because there is no 'buzz' for it.

 

[Uriah Heep]

2. No digital point-of-purchase publishing model. As in goose eggs. None.

1) http://www.uo.com (which re-directs you to http://www.uoherald.com/news/)
2) Click on "Ultima Online Mondain's Legacy" graphic
3) Click on "New Player"
4) Follow the insructions.

Rather straight forward as far as I can tell, but I wouldn't mind seeing a box on a store shelf.

Fine and good. If you are one of those it works for. Heck, after several tries, I even made it so far as to actually get the code emailed to me once \, and then it wouldnt work. Called the support number, took 3 tries to get someone I could understand (sorry, but that the honest to God truth, if it offends someone, so be it) spent thirty minutes trying to explain what I wanted.

In the end, My words were to the effect "I can't believe I'm jumping thru hoops like this to try and pay you guys around $150 a year, I'm done, forget it" *(paraphrased )

So digital download isn't all its cracked up to be, or at least it wasn't from this end anyway.

 

[walter_mitty]

lets start a fund to by shares in EA and and then tell them what to do,

 

[Static]

Well walter,

thats all fine and dandy but EA Stock (Since mythic is not publicy traded)

closed at 15.32 per share

there is 320.88 Million shares in the company BUT! 94% of the company is allready opened.

So its almost impossible to controle EA as a company all by itself.

That would leave 20.8 million shares left, which is quite alot at a hefty price tag if you bought today at

$318,656,000 and thats not UO Gold my friends, Thats UNITED STATES GEO BUSH GREEN CASH

Enjoy!

 

[Ifful]

Nowhere.

Nowhere?

That's interesting, because you can buy UO through the website, and you can buy it through Amazon, and I'm sure through other sources as well.
I don't know about the US, but where I live you can buy it off the shelf at most stores where PC games are sold. If you know where to look, you can buy just about anything, and UO does get its fair share of advertizement and circulation, proportionally appropriate to the current quality of the game.

As to where our money is going, well let's see...
Events. Maintenence. Server fees. Salaries. Next expansion. And plenty of places that are entirely unrelated to the advancement of UO - which is fine because that's exactly how all corporations work.

 

[Redxpanda]

Its tough man. As much as i love this game, i have tried and tried to enjoy it for what it is (and what it has become) and i realized that i cannot. It was easier to stop playing than it was to continue and hope it would get better. I still hope that one day someone realizes that this game can be so much more than what it is and do something about it. It will be on that day that i reactive my accounts. Until then, i wait and watch every dev post with baited breath.....

 

[Hannes Erich]

Nowhere?

That's interesting, because you can buy UO through the website, and you can buy it through Amazon, and I'm sure through other sources as well.
I don't know about the US, but where I live you can buy it off the shelf at most stores where PC games are sold. If you know where to look, you can buy just about anything, and UO does get its fair share of advertizement and circulation, proportionally appropriate to the current quality of the game.

As to where our money is going, well let's see...
Events. Maintenence. Server fees. Salaries. Next expansion. And plenty of places that are entirely unrelated to the advancement of UO - which is fine because that's exactly how all corporations work.

Yes, Ifful, many of us are aware that the Asian market receives UO marketing and community support from EA. Actually, I have seen some screenshots of Asian shards and events. I'm impressed and glad to see there are UO communities on Earth that are still taken good care of.

The North American UO market encompasses around 65,000 players. While there are good arguments being made for shard consolidations, that isn't the message I was trying to get across in the original post. I don't think the devs and executives need us to tell them how to fix their problems (many of which are also our problems). However, sometimes devs and executives do need their customers to remind them that problems exist.

To the people who keep defending UO's two purchasing channels (trial upgrades and dwindling boxes in stores): I want you to think about what you're doing. What you're supporting. You're suggesting that it's okay for a large company with adequate resources to give their customers even fewer point-of-purchase options -- and even less quality support for those options -- than struggling indy developers. You need to think about whose side your behavior is putting you on, because it certainly isn't on our side (Mythic and the UO community).

Threads like this no longer quickly scroll away. People are becoming more aware of these problems. People are noticing that EA (and Mythic to a degree) seem intent on sticking to their policies of silence and inaction. If Stygian Abyss doesn't sell as expected, it will have a lot to do with the fact that it isn't for sale. I have never purchased gold or items with real cash. But the loss of Markeedragon is a loss to the community, because Markeedragon did not punish new customers for attempting to purchase and subscribe to UO.

 

[4th3ist]

To the people who keep defending UO's two purchasing channels (trial upgrades and dwindling boxes in stores): I want you to think about what you're doing. What you're supporting. You're suggesting that it's okay for a large company with adequate resources to give their customers even fewer point-of-purchase options -- and even less quality support for those options -- than struggling indy developers. You need to think about whose side your behavior is putting you on, because it certainly isn't on our side (Mythic and the UO community).

I second this. I feel like 90% of these boards are really, really good trolls. Any time someone mentions an obvious flaw with the game, or the way EA handles marketing/distribution, there is a flock of naysayers to tell us "its sufficent! we don't need to fix anything!". These are the same people that never had to sit in a line for AN HOUR just to start the download for the game client on file-planet. The people that have never payed good money for something and had to wait to get it in the mail through some un-heard-of vendor. I should be able to go to any local store and find UO on the shelves. Its absured to think that they can't even stick it in the bargain racks. I see abysmal games that never deserved to be developed in the first place that are still on store shelves and have clearly been dead for ten years already. What gives?

 

[drinkbeerallday]

2. No digital point-of-purchase publishing model. As in goose eggs. None.

http://www.uogamecodes.com

 

[Babble]

http://www.uogamecodes.com

Sorry where do I buy the newest client that has all addons there namely 9th anniversary pack?

 

[drinkbeerallday]

Its absured to think that they can't even stick it in the bargain racks.

a game company does not release a game directly to the bargain rack. bargain bins are what a store uses to get rid of old/surplus product.

if UO releases Stygian Abyss to store shelves, it will be $29.99 probably right up until just after the holiday 2009, or as long as EA keeps producing and shipping the boxes. then it will hit the bargain bins.

 

[drinkbeerallday]

Sorry where do I buy the newest client that has all addons there namely 9th anniversary pack?

http://www.uogamecodes.com/store/prod_detail.asp?ProdID=UOMLNEWACCT&CartID={29DD0A64-0C72-421A-9175-5AB28CD0B690}&PromoID=996

 

[Babble]

http://www.uogamecodes.com/store/prod_detail.asp?ProdID=UOMLNEWACCT&CartID={29DD0A64-0C72-421A-9175-5AB28CD0B690}&PromoID=996

No, that is an ML account where you cannot use the new glacial tiles.
I mean the 9th anniversary codes where you can use the newest tiles too.

A decent company would not sell an old edition when a newer one is about, or?

 

[Moreeg]

Nowhere.

According to Markeedragon, a rogue GM banned and deleted his main account.

Not to defend EA's terrible service, but isnt Markeedragon a gold seller who is pretty vocal about it? Doesnt seem like you would need a "rogue" GM to ban his account...

 

[Hannes Erich]

http://www.uogamecodes.com

As a new customer, it is impossible for you to purchase a New Account Code through the UOGamecodes.com website. As someone so vocal, and with an (ironic) habit of claiming that no one ever listens to him, you have done a fine job of covering up your ears. The issue has been reported so many times, it borders on comical. Of course you can buy a New Account Code on the official website, drinksbeerallday. You're an existing customer. Like I said, if you're going to support EA's lack of point-of-purchase options, and lack of support for existing options, then you're not interested in UO's future.

As much as you like to complain about UO, I had begun to think you were a tireless (if grumpy) advocate for improvement. But you're not. You're just tirelessly argumentative, which is a hell of a way to waste your mortal lifespan.

 

[Hannes Erich]

Not to defend EA's terrible service, but isnt Markeedragon a gold seller who is pretty vocal about it? Doesnt seem like you would need a "rogue" GM to ban his account...

If that's as much of the post as you bothered to read, then this is as much of a reply as I'll bother to give.

 

[Moreeg]

If that's as much of the post as you bothered to read, then this is as much of a reply as I'll bother to give.

Thats as much as I chose to respond to, rather than just reitterate what everyone else has already stated, restated, and then stated once again.

You said:

Long story short, the last reliable place to buy new account codes is hosed.

Again, I am not defending EA, and I understand what youre saying, but as far as I was aware, he wasnt an authorized reseller. He was tolerated for whatever reasons, but he was an "official" reseller and violated the TOS. I dont want to see him banned, but we cant pick and choose which violations are ok and which are not. We cant say illegal gold selling is bad, but illegal code selling is OK, but illegal selling of items is bad, but if something is hard to get otherwise then selling it is OK.

Mythic, are you folks really going to continue to keep your heads in the sand about EA's impotent support, billing and publishing infrastructures?

If you think they have their head in the sand, youre fooling yourself. They know very well what is going on and they know very well that they cant do anything about it. They dont have the resources, they dont have the subscribers, and no one believes in them enough to throw any money their way to try and revitalize UO.

As much as I love UO, and have for ten years, it isnt a game that is going to attract many people any more. The market has turned to flashy graphics and different point of view/perspective. (Sure the KR client looks night and day better than the 2d client, but even at that, it seems a majority of people prefer the 2d client.) We dont have anything to offer most new players, if there even WERE new players... it seems that the only young characters you ever see are rerolls or people who left and have come back. You really arent seeing anyone say "Yeah, I just left WoW (or Warhammer, Conan, whatever) and came over here instead." We cant compete, and our market share is not going to grow at any appreciable rate.

Mythic saved UO when the writing was on the wall, and they kept it going thusfar, but I dont think its realistic to think that any dramatic rebirth is coming for UO, for the reasons I said above.

As for the rest... UO is only a game to us, its a business to EA/Mythic. Businesses dont apologize or admit error, because we are in a high litigous society, and all they need is another incident like the one with the councilors and it will be the final nail in UOs coffin.

As for your "bathing in our money..." comment, lol, I dont know if that even warrants a response. I mean, if UO was profitable enough to generate that kind of money, Mythic wouldnt have had to step in to prevent UO's shut down. If UO was profitable, none of these things would be happening, just like they didnt happen back when the servers were full and UO actually WAS profitable. ES has been laying people off and has closed one (two??) branch. They arent bathing in anyones money.

Im sorry, but Markeedragon's complaint that EA "have a very corporate way of dealing with fans, players and resellers" is beyond ridiculous. They deal with things that way BECAUSE THEY ARE A CORPORATION. They are a publicly traded corporation, and they have to answer to more than gamers... something you or I may view as a simple "sorry" to someone could open them up to lawsuits, which shareholders wont like, which means that people involved are going to be losing their jobs. Where do you work?? Are you willing to throw away your job to appease someone who is butthurt over a game? Are you willing to lose your house, your car, your livelihood and everything over a guy who was (by his own admission... $250,000 - $300,000 a year) making a fortune off of EA?

I wouldnt.

 

[Hannes Erich]

Thats as much as I chose to respond to, rather than just reitterate what everyone else has already stated, restated, and then stated once again.

You said:


Again, I am not defending EA, and I understand what youre saying, but as far as I was aware, he wasnt an authorized reseller. He was tolerated for whatever reasons, but he was an "official" reseller and violated the TOS. I dont want to see him banned, but we cant pick and choose which violations are ok and which are not. We cant say illegal gold selling is bad, but illegal code selling is OK, but illegal selling of items is bad, but if something is hard to get otherwise then selling it is OK.




If you think they have their head in the sand, youre fooling yourself. They know very well what is going on and they know very well that they cant do anything about it. They dont have the resources, they dont have the subscribers, and no one believes in them enough to throw any money their way to try and revitalize UO.

As much as I love UO, and have for ten years, it isnt a game that is going to attract many people any more. The market has turned to flashy graphics and different point of view/perspective. (Sure the KR client looks night and day better than the 2d client, but even at that, it seems a majority of people prefer the 2d client.) We dont have anything to offer most new players, if there even WERE new players... it seems that the only young characters you ever see are rerolls or people who left and have come back. You really arent seeing anyone say "Yeah, I just left WoW (or Warhammer, Conan, whatever) and came over here instead." We cant compete, and our market share is not going to grow at any appreciable rate.

Mythic saved UO when the writing was on the wall, and they kept it going thusfar, but I dont think its realistic to think that any dramatic rebirth is coming for UO, for the reasons I said above.

As for the rest... UO is only a game to us, its a business to EA/Mythic. Businesses dont apologize or admit error, because we are in a high litigous society, and all they need is another incident like the one with the councilors and it will be the final nail in UOs coffin.

As for your "bathing in our money..." comment, lol, I dont know if that even warrants a response. I mean, if UO was profitable enough to generate that kind of money, Mythic wouldnt have had to step in to prevent UO's shut down. If UO was profitable, none of these things would be happening, just like they didnt happen back when the servers were full and UO actually WAS profitable. ES has been laying people off and has closed one (two??) branch. They arent bathing in anyones money.

Im sorry, but Markeedragon's complaint that EA "have a very corporate way of dealing with fans, players and resellers" is beyond ridiculous. They deal with things that way BECAUSE THEY ARE A CORPORATION. They are a publicly traded corporation, and they have to answer to more than gamers... something you or I may view as a simple "sorry" to someone could open them up to lawsuits, which shareholders wont like, which means that people involved are going to be losing their jobs. Where do you work?? Are you willing to throw away your job to appease someone who is butthurt over a game? Are you willing to lose your house, your car, your livelihood and everything over a guy who was (by his own admission... $250,000 - $300,000 a year) making a fortune off of EA?

I wouldnt.

For the love of all that is simple and good.

A "Buy Now" button. All we are asking for (those of us who want the stupidity to end) is a point-of-purchase "Buy Now" option for new customers.

I would open up Photoshop and make it for EA, if they didn't have enough resources to cover the few pixels, and if they let me know that they were interested at all in the improvement.

If you're not interested in UO's future, then you should keep coming into threads like this (every single chance you get, okay?) and sticking up for EA's right to not lift a finger. BECAUSE THEY'RE A CORPORATION MMKAY. Okay, I got it.

Edit: And yes, if Markeedragon could offer a Buy Now button, then EA can offer a Buy Now button. They even have a perfect excuse now, after banning and deleting Markeedragon's account.

 

[drinkbeerallday]

No, that is an ML account where you cannot use the new glacial tiles.
I mean the 9th anniversary codes where you can use the newest tiles too.

A decent company would not sell an old edition when a newer one is about, or?

ahh. hmm ya that is weird

 

[laurlo]

I remember the last edition out on shelves.. It was only at Walmart.. which was a trek for me.. and then they only had 4 copies.. thats all they had gotten.. It was.. pathetic.

 

[smip]

Nowhere.

According to Markeedragon, a rogue GM banned and deleted his main account. He claims UO's producer personally apologized at first, but later took the rogue GM's side, after some old-fashioned policy-of-non-accountability corporate drama had ensued.

Long story short, the last reliable place to buy new account codes is hosed. Markeedragon finally said enough is enough to the abuse, and is no longer working as a reseller for UO products.

Mythic, I love you. But please wake up and realize that your publisher has:

1. No material point-of-purchase publishing model. As in zero. None.
2. No digital point-of-purchase publishing model. As in goose eggs. None.

Upgradable trial accounts aren't exactly point-of-purchase.

Mythic, are you folks really going to continue to keep your heads in the sand about EA's impotent support, billing and publishing infrastructures?

I am such a fanboy for you guys in my posts. But come on? Do you really want new customers to have zero point of purchase options when Stygian Abyss comes out? Do you really think that would be a totally awesome deal for you? For us?

We dump cash on EA every month. Okay... so? What the heck are they doing with our cash? Are they giving you anything? Doesn't cash usually get used to improve things? Are they pumping it into other properties that have nothing at all to do with Mythic or UO? Are they bathing in it? Where the heck is all of our cash going?

Look, I know you can't answer this post. You've got agreements and contracts to honor. More than fair. Understood. To a degree I'm venting, but I am also making a rational appeal to ya'll: Please try to find out what is going on in EA's ivory tower? Please see what you can do to shake out some of those bad apples? Please try to find out what (or who) is preventing UO's account-related problems from being handled?

Please do something?

What are you talking about. Markee Dragon has been around for a while now but they are FAR from a "point of purchase" for EA and it's products. Anyone can walk into a store like WalMart and purchase UO. Or even go to the EA store and buy some items of interst for the game. What makes you think that Markee Dragon has the corner on selling EA products. And are they even licensed to sell their items in the first place?

Don't get me wrong. I've done business with Markee when he first started collecting rares way back when.. before the site changed over and went beyond rares. They are good and reliable.... without a doubt.... but they are not a retail source that you put them out to be. There are MANY retail STORES that sell EA products and games.

I'm not understanding why you are even boo hooing about this uless you are just trying to boo hoo for MD.

 

[Hannes Erich]

Anyone can walk into a store like WalMart and purchase UO. Or even go to the EA store and buy some items of interst for the game... There are MANY retail STORES that sell EA products and games.

If you're trolling, then you're a good troll, but you overdid it with the sentences quoted above. If you had read the thread before posting, you'd know that only existing customers can purchase anything at the EA store. This includes New Account Codes for new customers, something that EA Support has defended in their cut-and-paste form letters to me, which is the comical part I alluded to earlier.

Secondly, UO isn't sold everywhere in the North American market (please tell us where you live so that we'll know where all the boxes are being horded). UO is no longer published in the North American market.

You wouldn't be aware of these two problems -- even though they've been thoroughly covered here -- because you devalue the feedback of everyone else to the extent that you can just hit the reply button and skip right to your own self-important commentary. EA would probably hire you. How are your cut and paste skills?

 

[Potgut]

I saw UO mondains legacy in a few gamestops or something like it not long ago in malls and stuff. i even took cell phone pics of them in the store. and i saw KR in best buy or similar store.

the website is promoting kingdom reborn, the new people wont be aware of 2d is still an option and be introduced to KR. The problem is, that KR is not fit for play yet. I'm sure kingdom reborn will scare more people away than the 2d, uo should stop promoting KR until it's fit to play, until then 2d will scare less people away. I'm sure most people who buy or play UO now are aware of its history, more interested in it's 2d history than a broken KR that is a horrible experience to play.

 

[AesSedai]

- Surely I am missing something here...
I just went to uo.com and hit the 'new player guide' button on the right. It directed me to free trial page. That directed me to the account page and on the left I hit 'create account'. There it informs me to create an EA account and then a UO account. Then I enter my free trial code and away I go.
Alternatively I can go buy UO:ML as a new player.
(Thing is I didn't care to fill out all the forms and/or pay just to prove it works, but it directed me to the pages just fine.)
So, I'm seeing two ways that a brand new player can buy a new account via uo.com...

Are you saying this entire thing is broken and completely unusable?

I've heard of it being messed up for some but I haven't ran into any of those issues yet.
& I know either Cal or some Dev said some time ago that they knew they needed to be fixing the gamecodes site or something like that.


As far as the Anniversary Editions go: to the best of my knowledge, those have always been a limited time thing (only so many boxes & such, like soulstone code sheets, were made).

It looks like Stygian Abyss may not even be sold on store shelves (yeah I wish it were able to sit on the shelves right next to other MMOs... but I'm not involved with EA marketing).
Sorry, but it looks like UO might only be availably online these days (yeah I like browsing, comparing, and buying physical boxes from stores too, but this game is played online so I don't consider it to be too horrible that they might only sell it online as well).
& I dunno, I would've never thought to use MD to purchase accounts (and unless someone informed a new player, then I don't know why they would think to do that either. Most would probably go right to the source and see the big 'new player guide' button on uo.com and take it from there).

 

[Hannes Erich]

- Surely I am missing something here...

Yes, you are. But I have a good feeling why.

People, STOP BLINDLY HITTING THE REPLY BUTTON without even bothering to read the thread. Either read the threads you reply to, or keep your terribly misinformed opinions to yourself. You're wasting our time by reiterating or asking questions about stuff that has already been covered by myself and/or others. You're wasting your time by expecting us to spoon feed you because you're too lazy to care about other people's feedback.

Did all the mods take a holiday break?

 

[AesSedai]

- Sorry buddy, I thought I'd read it well-enough.

You started by moaning about MD and then whining about EA/Mythic's billing infrastructure.
Then others joined in the whining too: EA sucks, this. Lawsuit, that. Merge shards, the other.
Tina Small mentions you can buy some UO boxes through Amazon.
Setnaffa points out my uo.com (my first thought too).
You complain that's fine if it works for you (and it has always worked for me).
Then you say it is impossible as a new player to purchase a new account (without specifically explaining why).
More whining and bickering.

Then I step in and try to run through the processes, as best as I am aware they are, in hopes that some wise man might point out, in this very thread about this very issue, why it is impossible for a new player to purchase a new account (when it clearly looks like any new player can create a new EA account, a new UO account, and get a free trial and pay for a new UO account).
But thanks for clearing it all up since you've explained it so well (I suppose you wanted me to go search through other threads about this? Well, I was trying to get your issue clearly spelled out within this thread that you created about this issue. I thought for some reason it might help get this issue cleared up. Perhaps you should have bumped another thread about it, or even linked to it, if you already clearly explained the situation elsewhere and wanted people to join in support of getting the issue fixed...).
Until then: Where is UO for sale? On uo.com where it has always been.
(Unless I am missing something and the website is screwed up at some step... And if it is perhaps you should explain exactly where it is messed up and exactly what browser you are using; because I haven't had any problems with creating or editing accounts in the past. Thank you for your cooperation & I'm glad I tried to help with your issue.)

x: & Yes I read this before trying to help you with my first reply:

If you're trolling, then you're a good troll, but you overdid it with the sentences quoted above. If you had read the thread before posting, you'd know that only existing customers can purchase anything at the EA store. This includes New Account Codes for new customers, something that EA Support has defended in their cut-and-paste form letters to me, which is the comical part I alluded to earlier.

- I felt like the scenario was that you become an existing EA 'customer' as soon as you create an EA account, which is step one in creating a new UO account on their new player account screen, in the account management section, which new players are directed to.
But I guess I did miss the 'comical part you alluded to earlier', maybe it was after I started noticing the bitter reactions and decided to skim past many of the irrelevant points as in: MD/EA sucks/lawsuit/shard mergers.

 

[Hannes Erich]

Then you say it is impossible as a new player to purchase a new account (without specifically explaining why).
More whining and bickering.

Instead of punishing other readers, I'm going to keep this reply focused and use some paragraphs.

You are in support of Ultima Online's existing purchasing options. This includes an upgradable trial account, and some boxes that are still left over after physical-box publishes in previous years. You are not in support of improving or adding to Ultima Online's publishing options. You are not in support of an immediate point-of-purchase option. You are not in support of allowing new customers to purchase New Account Codes on EA's official websites (UO.com and UOGamecodes.com). (See this thread for a detailed explanation of the issue.)

I am in support of Ultima Online's existing purchasing options, just like you. However, let me make this clear. Here is the difference between me and you, and anyone else who is not in support of improving purchasing options for Ultima Online: I am in support of a "Buy Now" button, in addition to a "Try Now" button, both placed side-by-side near the top of the front page of UO.com. I am in support of this because it would alleviate buyer confusion and align UO's purchasing options with long-extant industry standards. I am in support of anyone being able to press and use either of those buttons, rather than providing their use to existing accounts only.

I am in support of positive change and growth. You are in support of yesterday's same ole, same old. These are pretty objective facts, if you take a look at both our positions on the matter side-by-side.

 

[AesSedai]

- Mostly wrong: We are both on the same side, on most of this.

I guess this is the main difference:
You want a Buy Now rather than a Try Now, whereas I see them as being the exact same thing.

(You (new player) essentially are buying it now as long as you already know you will keep it and be automatically billed after your 14 day free trial. Many companies use this model to entice people to try their product for a limited time without spending any money. They already say they will automatically bill you if you do not cancel, so in theory you are buying it now when you hit the new player button; you are just getting 14 days for free in the beginning instead of being charged for the first 14 days...)

Also there literally is a 'Buy Now' button when you choose to purchase the ML code from the New Player Guide ad/button or the ML ad on uo.com. But read below where I noticed the train-wreck you've mentioned that relates to the 'must be a member to buy a new account' -issue... (a vicious little circle that they do need to clean up).
Actually, 3 out of 4 of the ads on the right side of the main page are buttons for buying the game (granted 2 of the 4 links that those 3 ads provide do direct you to the vicious little circle of a train-wreck. Those are the 2 to 'buy ML now' while the 2 newer 'try KR now' point you in the best direction to buy UO now, with a 14 day bonus).

In my first reply to you, I wrote:
"I know either Cal or some Dev said some time ago that they knew they needed to be fixing the gamecodes site or something like that."

- That means I support improvement. I've always been pro-evolution of UO; especially their website & it could probably always use more improvement.


I did notice the train-wreck where you add something to your cart on uogamecodes and they want your account and password (which a new player doesn't have unless they already created the EA account / which is not clearly spelled out if you choose this option to start playing UO).
So it isn't the most intuitive thing in the world when one chooses the second option (the ML option) in the new player guide (~ the buy it now advertisement on uo.com); however the free trial option points you to account registration and ought to work just fine.
And once you create a new EA/UO account you can buy what you want on uogamecodes (unless they have some 14 or 30 day waiting period that I'm unaware of).
That train-wreck should certainly be fixed (& if it hasn't been by the time of Stygian Abyss beta, then I will be complaining about it too. Yeah, I think it would further kill more of UO's potential if it wasn't cleaned up before we started getting all of this new expansion/new client stuff).