Whats with the wooden cows and choco muffins?

[RavenWinterHawk]

A wooden cow. Green spots
chocolate muffin
Tree growing project cloths
low quality finnigans bracelet

A new japanese event?

They are on atlantic now

 

[Hunters' Moon]

Post a pic?

 

[Lord Kynd]

A wooden cow. Green spots
chocolate muffin
Tree growing project cloths
low quality finnigans bracelet

A new japanese event?

They are on atlantic now

unreal, why do they get all kinda of 'goodies' and we get shafted ?
11th anny and now this, even there slimes where better colors than we have.(sorry drab dark colors are yuck)

 

[MalagAste]

Happens every year..... this is part of the Japanese New Year event..... I know cause I went to the Japanese shards to log in and get my Xmas gifts and found out..... (I was sure to go get the new newyears items too of course).....

You know I think it's a shame..... what's worse..... I'm on GL and I haven't seen hide nor hair of my new EM whoever they are..... NOT one peep...... so I'm guessing this will be a complete waste of time too..... Cause really if they wanted to "make it right" our EM's could be doing the same thing right here in the US of A...... but you know that's not gonna happen....

Kinda like when I thought about this ........ so the towns are being invaded and just as they give us our Xmas gifts they turn off the safe recall..... Does that make sense????? NO so now... In order for me to get my gifts I've had MANY a close call because most of my characters are logged out in brit, Skara, and Moonglow...... NOt only that but the thieves of falsehood have stolen god knows what from me and being a serious newb on many of these shards there isn't a darn thing I can do about it.....

 

[Hunters' Moon]

Yeah I think you're right. Just like me asking about adding brewing to the game and getting a less-than-favorable response. I guess we have to wait until the japanese shards do it and then the Devs here will copy and paste it to our servers in the future...maybe.

 

[Crysta]

SO then how do you get them on said shards?

And mind you this year it pisses me off more than any of the other years since THIS time the gifts were coded into the client with the last patch. Every time before it was random staff created stuff.. this time they get reward stuff direct from the devs we won't get unless we transfer. How the hell hard is it to make an english equivalent for the event?

 

[Phaen Grey]

aye, I have random characters on those shards, how do you collect them?

 

[Crysta]

There's a moongate at the Jhelom and Haven banks.. doubleclick the squirrel statue at the back of the pavillion past the gate.

I love how they give us a severely watered down version of the slime event to "balance the scales" as it were.. only to program in a wholy new event for them at the same time.

 

[Katlene]

 

[Crysta]

Then go get the items and make some yourself. Can't honestly be bothered to tonight.

 

[Elle]

I went to new haven and collected a robe..but where does the wooden cow & muffins come from?

 

[Phaen Grey]

Aye, I found the squirrel and got the kimono, but the event was over, only the cows with fireworks remained. Is there a trick to getting the muffins and wooden cows?

 

[Crysta]

The menu does specifically say "ONE ITEM PER CHARACTER". "CHARACTER" being the important part to your questions.

 

[Tina Small]

On Yamato, Asuka, Mizuho, Sakura and Hokuto, you can only get one of the blessed embroidered kimonos (a pink female one or a black male one). On Izumo and Wakoku, you can choose between the kimonos, a Big Chocolate Muffin, a Low Quality Finnigan's Bracelet, or a blessed Wooden Cow (white w/green patches).

Note: The Finnigan's Bracelet is cursed and weighs 100 stones. When you click on it, you get a message, "You see the heavy bracelet and feel you need a training for yourself." I have no idea what this message means, although I think Finnigan may be an EM. (He is the author of a book on Wakoku that is locked down in front of the squirrel statue.) If you select this gift and your character can't carry another 100 stones without being overweight, the selection is cancelled and you can choose a different gift (or go dump stuff off and try again).

When you click on the cow, you get one of the following messages: "The clouds reveal a philosopher, a priest and three thousand leagues of skeletons marching row by row." Or, "The halls of fate, the halls of doom, in wells of thought, one might find room." "Welcome to the guild! Stay to the shadows, friend." "On bended knee they came and slew, ten thousand souls for the freedom of Yew." "The clouds of time reveal the ghosts of the past, still priesting over their congregation." "Cast not one eye to the flames' disguise, for marching in order are invisible eyes." "Ghastly shadows on forlorn walls, echo the death of foes and falls." "Brave hearts dive in and yet not return, their fate swallowed by the fires that burn." "The cloudy mist of the all-seeing eye have revealed a path filled with still waters." "Ye shant not fail, have you the eye of an eagle, the strength of an ox, and the nimbleness of a wolverine." "A warrior in thee, I see, for the depths of this place should challenge thee." "Strength in thy arm, Thy foes ye meet, no doubt ye should harm."

The Big Chocolate Muffin looks like a pie in dark brown. I don't know if it's edible. When my character tried to eat it, she got the message about being too full to eat. It is not blessed.

It looks like you can dye the kimonos using a dye tub.

 

[christy1221]

The wooden cows say different things when you double click on them.

 

[Zuckuss]

People are selling these on Atlantic as rares.

 

[GarthGrey]

Another example of how xsharding is out of control. But it enables to the EA staff to take well deserved vacation breaks.

 

[Flora Green]

Well my 10 year old characters on Hokuto didn't receive a holiday gift ticket. Nice.

 

[MalagAste]

Hum.... that's odd... trying logging in again..... but anyway I did go collect all my gifts over there..

 

[MorganaMischef]

Draconi?
This is just wrong. I went to the Japanese shards and collected some of the goodies. Why can't we have these on non-Japanese shards? We had a new year too. I have to agree with others when they say this is just not fair. We pay our money too.

I understand everyone wanting to take off for the holidays; I certainly did. Couldn't we have these for President's day or something?

Please consider putting something like this on the other shards.

 

[Lord Drakelord]

At least the cow looks like a cow, where Sherry the mouse looks like a rat! I went over last night and did my event there and when I can, I will transfer them cows to Sonoma. Maybe EA should look into recruiting cows as news reporters? When ask for news they go Moo, Orcs in Trinsic! Moo!

 

[Kiminality]

I agree with the wanting of these events on the non-Asian shards.
Not because of some deep-seated envy of them getting things that we don't (although I would love one of those furisodes).
My problem lies with the spirit behind the events; I visited the shrine on Yamato, and I was moved. It hasn't happened in a really long time, that I've been near-speechless about content in UO.
In comparison, dropping a present in the character's backpack is quite soulless (although still appreciated). Even (dare I mention it) WoW had you collecting gifts from under a tree in Ironforge, as I recall.

 

[Draconi]

Yeah I think you're right. Just like me asking about adding brewing to the game and getting a less-than-favorable response. I guess we have to wait until the japanese shards do it and then the Devs here will copy and paste it to our servers in the future...maybe.

You know, I've always wanted brewing...

Meanwhile, the answer to the new items you're seeing from Japan is not going to be a popular answer. This was an event designed specifically for the Japanese shards, by their team, with their newly trained designers.

Whenever possible we share content, especially with publishes. However, there *are* going to be times where Japan gets specialized content, and times where the US/European shards will get specialized content. The item rewards that many seem most concerned about are decorative in nature: rewards that impact playstyle will be shared content.

This is a new process, and there are going to be bumps along the road -- we've effectively added new designers to the team working remotely, providing localized content. This is especially important now in the last part of our expansion development, when our local team is completely nose down in Stygian Abyss, with very limited time for Live (and yet we strive for improvements).

To recap, this particular event was approved specifically for the Japanese shards, and takes advantage of their existing volunteers.

Personally, the difference between communal gathering and spirit, because of how many people get involved, is amazing for an event like this. You can't duplicate it in code, nor would I want to. Instead, we're working hard with our new EMs to give you a new set of events and experiences - it may not be in time for the choco muffins, but their training is nearly complete.

 

[kaio]

Can't get myself to stop laughing. Grown up people crying over useless decos on a jap shard. pffft

 

[Bara]

Personally, the difference between communal gathering and spirit, because of how many people get involved, is amazing for an event like this. You can't duplicate it in code, nor would I want to. Instead, we're working hard with our new EMs to give you a new set of events and experiences - it may not be in time for the choco muffins, but their training is nearly complete.

This is such an encouraging response. Thanks. I can't wait to see what is in store for us.

To everyone else. I mean no offense by this, but there is a phrase in spanish 'tiques miques', which basically means "little devils' but it also means "fussy details". To fret over these little flavor things isn't helping anyone, especially yourself.

To quote the great Tyler Durden "let that which does not matter truly slide"

 

[athos_uo]

Thanks a lot for all you devs and teams have been doing for us Japanese players!

What you have stated here is a very important part of what I have been reqeusting: players of all over the world should be equally able to enjoy the game. We can see and enjoy now the fruits of efforts that you have done in the last summer in Japan, the closest season in the world. It was hot as usual in Japan at that time, wasn't it?

But there is one more thing absent in UO community in Japan --- close communicating between players and EAJ/uo dev team. This is partly because of the shyness of Japanese UO players, partly because of --- so to speak --- the officialism of EAJ. --- But this is our problem, I think.

Thanks a lot once again to Draconi and devs for your great efforts! Take care of your health and I wish you all a happy new year!

 

[Aboo]

. . .Meanwhile, the answer to the new items you're seeing from Japan is not going to be a popular answer.

Guess you hit that square on the head.

Te item rewards that many seem most concerned about are decorative in nature: rewards that impact playstyle will be shared content.

So if your playstyle is decorating houses, etc. doesn't the fact they get lots of nice deco items and we don't affect our playstyle?

I am truly not trying to be difficult here but it is VERY frustrating that I have played continuously for 11+ years. My favorite part of UO is decorating my houses. I used to do it when everyone else used their houses solely for storage.

I do not understand why some of us who have played way longer than the Japanese shards have been in existence don't get the nice deco items that they do and what little we do get seems to come MONTHS after they get it. Specifically I am still waiting on any word regarding the 11th anniversary items that we were originally told we would get 30 days after the Japanese shards received them which I believe was around November 13th. It is now 1.5 months later and still no news.

Even just some communication regarding this would go a long way towards the hard feelings some of us are experiencing because we feel like the red-headed step children.

Now that my rant is over, I do appreciate and I thank you for attempting to make us feel less inferior than the people who play on the Japanese shards.

 

[Sunrise]

Runs off screaming toward the nearest Tavern...

 

[Hunters' Moon]

You know, I've always wanted brewing...

Put your money(code) where your mouth is. Us getting the eggnog pot shows me that the coding is there. About the overall theme of this thread says that the Japanese servers get first crack at items. This grinds my last nerve because of the habit of not just UO,but other games from way back,to give the japanese/asian gaming markets 1st shot at everything(Aniv items ect ect)...and I mean everything. While here I am,waiting 6 months to a year to get the game because I live in the States? What? My dollar doesn't matter as much as the Yen?

 

[Flora Green]

You know, I've always wanted brewing...

Personally, the difference between communal gathering and spirit, because of how many people get involved, is amazing for an event like this. You can't duplicate it in code, nor would I want to. Instead, we're working hard with our new EMs to give you a new set of events and experiences - it may not be in time for the choco muffins, but their training is nearly complete.

You don't need EM's to rename a recipe do you? Would solve part of the problem. We, the OTHER players, could get chocolate muffins, too and you'd give chefs something else to make with cocoa.

 

[MorganaMischef]

You know, I've always wanted brewing...

Meanwhile, the answer to the new items you're seeing from Japan is not going to be a popular answer. This was an event designed specifically for the Japanese shards, by their team, with their newly trained designers.

Whenever possible we share content, especially with publishes. However, there *are* going to be times where Japan gets specialized content, and times where the US/European shards will get specialized content. The item rewards that many seem most concerned about are decorative in nature: rewards that impact playstyle will be shared content.

This is a new process, and there are going to be bumps along the road -- we've effectively added new designers to the team working remotely, providing localized content. This is especially important now in the last part of our expansion development, when our local team is completely nose down in Stygian Abyss, with very limited time for Live (and yet we strive for improvements).

To recap, this particular event was approved specifically for the Japanese shards, and takes advantage of their existing volunteers.

Personally, the difference between communal gathering and spirit, because of how many people get involved, is amazing for an event like this. You can't duplicate it in code, nor would I want to. Instead, we're working hard with our new EMs to give you a new set of events and experiences - it may not be in time for the choco muffins, but their training is nearly complete.

I particularly appreciate you answering this. I think you should find a better excuse though because they are also working on SA? no? And I don't begrudge the Japanese vs the US/Euro shards. I just noticed they got the 11th anniversary items which we were supposed to get, and then Christmas came and I'm sure everyone took off for the holidays...etc. But then you said it's because they have volunteers? But...but, didn't you can our volunteers???

Oh, Draconi - and fellow players - we all have our favorite parts of the game. But it's people like me and the other decorators who pay for 11 accounts per month (and not just 1) because we love our houses and our pixel crack. We keep this game going just for the love of the eye candy. I don't believe I'm being a spoiled, albeit a red-headed, stepchild. I pay good money for this product and feel a reasonable expectation for my gold.

But thank you for listening and thank you even more for responding. I'll go back to my Christmas gifts now - err...holiday gifts.

Have a nice day.

 

[Lia]

You know, I've always wanted brewing...

Meanwhile, the answer to the new items you're seeing from Japan is not going to be a popular answer. This was an event designed specifically for the Japanese shards, by their team, with their newly trained designers.

Whenever possible we share content, especially with publishes. However, there *are* going to be times where Japan gets specialized content, and times where the US/European shards will get specialized content. The item rewards that many seem most concerned about are decorative in nature: rewards that impact playstyle will be shared content.

This is a new process, and there are going to be bumps along the road -- we've effectively added new designers to the team working remotely, providing localized content. This is especially important now in the last part of our expansion development, when our local team is completely nose down in Stygian Abyss, with very limited time for Live (and yet we strive for improvements).

To recap, this particular event was approved specifically for the Japanese shards, and takes advantage of their existing volunteers.

Personally, the difference between communal gathering and spirit, because of how many people get involved, is amazing for an event like this. You can't duplicate it in code, nor would I want to. Instead, we're working hard with our new EMs to give you a new set of events and experiences - it may not be in time for the choco muffins, but their training is nearly complete.

I don't honestly mind having some shard-specific things like this (how it used to be before character transfer) if you would not allow those items to be x-sharded. If it was Japanese-only content, it should have stayed on the Japanese shards, IMO. Hard to say it was just for them if others can make tons of money by just transferring them to another shard. It also detracts from the uniqueness of that shard, and the whole point of having shard-unique items to begin with.

And, when are we (Read: Your other paying customers) getting our 11th anniversary items? I'm tired of feeling like Japan's leftovers.

 

[Phaen Grey]

Its not so much a feeling of missing out, on something they got. I would truly enjoy celebrating some of the holidays, annual festivals the Asian shards do. I also play WoW with my husband and we truly enjoy the annual Lunar Festival. Many different cultures are represented by the people playing on servers in the US and Europe, I would love to see that reflected on our shards also.

 

[Crysta]

The problem I have is that the gifts were coded into the client this time.. every other time i've had no problems with it because it had no effect on me if I didn't get them. This stuff is taking up space on my computer in the client files (probably not much, but still), and unless I shell out cash to the scalpers I won't have access to it.

 

[UO Relic]

So whats the deal is this over? I have chars on these shards but when I click on the white squirrel statue its says u cant use this. Cant read the book locked down in front of statue as its in Japanese so am I missing a step or is it over?

 

[Phaen Grey]

I got a few kimono's etc. the other day when this post first went up. I would assume if you can't click the squirrel any longer the event is over.

 

[athos_uo]

So whats the deal is this over? I have chars on these shards but when I click on the white squirrel statue its says u cant use this. Cant read the book locked down in front of statue as its in Japanese so am I missing a step or is it over?

Yes, it ws over on January the 7th.

 

[Katlene]

well i got a wooden cow on my home shard. spent a stupid amount of money, but less if i was to get transfer tokens heh

 

[soulstoner]

This is such an encouraging response. Thanks. I can't wait to see what is in store for us....

I echo Bara

Perhaps we should demand from our Town Councils (IRL) that our wages and reproduction limits also match those of Japan as all should be equal on the planet...???

 

[Thunderz]

It was a new year's event for them, DO WE celibrate that this is the year of the OX??? No its just another year to us but to them its the year of the ox so they give out cow statues to celebrate it. If american shards gave everyone a turkey for thanks givinig does the rest of the UO world moan and say io i want one aswell even though i dont even know what thanks giving is................!

Get over it and i think its good that this game has 2 different sets of devs, it would be borring as hell if every server got everythig the same all the time.

 

[Fink]

Damn it, that Finnigan gets all the low quality stuff!

:gun:

 

[Phaheela]

So if the Japanese shards get items in celebration of new year, when do the rest of us get items dedicated to days important to us ?


Its burns day soon, since we've had st pat's day items and other things, when are we going to see items relating to burns day ? Go on, gea wis a haggis and some pipes so that those of us who want to can host a burns supper event on the shards we play on.

 

[MalagAste]

. . .Meanwhile, the answer to the new items you're seeing from Japan is not going to be a popular answer.

Guess you hit that square on the head.

Te item rewards that many seem most concerned about are decorative in nature: rewards that impact playstyle will be shared content.

So if your playstyle is decorating houses, etc. doesn't the fact they get lots of nice deco items and we don't affect our playstyle?

I am truly not trying to be difficult here but it is VERY frustrating that I have played continuously for 11+ years. My favorite part of UO is decorating my houses. I used to do it when everyone else used their houses solely for storage.

I do not understand why some of us who have played way longer than the Japanese shards have been in existence don't get the nice deco items that they do and what little we do get seems to come MONTHS after they get it. Specifically I am still waiting on any word regarding the 11th anniversary items that we were originally told we would get 30 days after the Japanese shards received them which I believe was around November 13th. It is now 1.5 months later and still no news.

Even just some communication regarding this would go a long way towards the hard feelings some of us are experiencing because we feel like the red-headed step children.

Now that my rant is over, I do appreciate and I thank you for attempting to make us feel less inferior than the people who play on the Japanese shards.

So I have to agree with Aboo....... My "Playstyle" is in design and deco, followed by RP....... And I see the Japanese getting all kinds of deco and design items as well as some really nice RPish style and flare..... as well as some beautiful additions to their entire worlds from Brit bank to Luna and New Haven.......

Go look around a Japanese shard..... won't take but a few moments to see that their world goes WAY beyond anything here....

I find it frustrating and while you may not think it effects my gameplay it does..... and then you talk about wanting to curb some behaviors like duping and things well having items like that only available on other shards is like dropping candy in the dupers lap.... go there get a few things come back dupe them to no end and then sell them to the folk like me who would very much like to have such things.....

So in other words my playstyle is not only not supported, you feel it's not worth spending any effort and time on???

I'll tell you this if I personally quit UO tomorrow you'd definitely feel the loss...

Some of us who are REALLY into deco do so on a VERY large scale...

I personally don't believe that there should be any content allowed that isn't UNIVERSALLY available to ALL who play UO..... Every shard should either get everything any other shard gets...... OR it should have a team of it's own... I'll ask you this...... where is "our" uniqueness if the Japanese get all this? One would think that since UO originated in the USA not in Japan we would be "ahead" of the game so to speak ..... Feels to me like we are "behind the times"..... In more ways than one...

My playstyle may not be important to most but it certainly is to me. You've no idea my irritation that I am experiencing due to my lack of knowledge in photoshop over the opportunity to redesign Brit bank and my inability to participate due only to my lack of experience with computer programing and design... I'd rather you had built a small test shard that we could log into design away giving us crafting all the necessary crafting skills and some design elements or give us a small program to download that allows us to redesign.... Unfortunately where I'm left feels out in the cold.....

I'm just venting but be aware that for some of us.... Deco things are a PLAYSTYLE..... You may not think they are much of anything hence my serious and severe annoyance about the books and bookshelves..... THEY are QUITE A LOT TO PEOPLE LIKE ME!

MY level of irritation of late is at an all time high...... There are deco items that I can't seem to get at champ spawns despite doing them over and over and over and over and over till my fingers are in pain....... I can't get the books because they spawn sooo infrequently that I'll never see them not that I would anyway knowing the number of scripters on GL doing the dungeons and grabbing up anything of value before it even registers on my pc.... top that off with the recall bug crashing my game on a daily basis...

Now I'm told that my playstyle isn't being impacted??? Of course it is... You have NO idea to what extent my playstyle is effected..... and I'm sure a whole bunch of rares collectors would disagree with that statement as well draconi.... as of late their playstyle is also being effected.... though I must say I'm happy it is... a replica is a replica though it's not the real deal... But just so you know Draconi.... there are more playstyles out there than you realize... not everyone is into PvP, PvM and/or Crafting.... some of us are into things far deeper than that...

I like to think I build worlds ..... and a little bit of bling goes a long way..... and can be important.

 

[Maplestone]

Making the filled bookshelves a rare was a bit of a curious choice given how often they've been asked for as a staple of decorating libraries. But given that they've already been designated a token reward, having them available (well, at least in theory) at all in-game is a plus.