This...la
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While I am not thrilled with the answer I do appreciate that they at least posted something instead of ignoring us.
Not happy with the answer.
But thanks for posting something.
Not happy with the answer.
But thanks for posting something.
No one ever believes me when I say it's "nothing sinister." Is it because I tend to set everything I see on fire?
Like they said, it's just technical difficulties not related to the development team (e.g. the items work fine once created).
R
RavenWinterHawk
Guest
Do we really need more stuff?
How about random events and spawns as the Anniversary Gifts?
You can find the 11th items in battle or in chests or that random NPC.
You cant find them unless you explore.
Which isn't the truth, and it blows my mind that such incredibly wrong numbers get blown around to somehow justify perceived slights.
Is there anyway for the current players to find out what the subscription number breakdowns look like for each shard? It's information that has been asked for, for years, but we have always been turned down.
Mythic has always reported the numbers of people logged into their DAoC servers, why is it we are unable to see the numbers of accounts logged into UO at a given time?...la
See, I like that idea
Mainly because the 11th Year Collection are not the gifts you'll receive for the 11th Anniversary of UO.
They were a separate bundle of items developed for a specific release in Japan (just like the Heritage tokens, etc), with, I admit, a confusing name.
Like everything else done in that fashion, it was intended to be released shortly after the end of the run in Japan, but as mentioned, have been delayed purely for technical reasons.
D
DHMagicMan_1
Guest
Draconi,
Perhaps you'd like to explain how Asian EA ends up offering things like the 11th anniversary items (aparently 3+) months before we may get them, or why their web site offers codes for items we'll never be offered such as the Tok Dyes and such?
Maybe that's why we feel slighted... and I don't think it's "PERCEIVED" if it's "ACTUAL" slights... it may not be because of population differences... maybe because of other reasons such as development choices, or God knows what... but there are actual differences that have been documented and repeatedly implemented.
A
Aboo
Guest
Ya think? I personally like how you set things on fire!
Can you say, does it have to do with technical difficulties with the code store?
F
Flora Green
Guest
No. Jeremy was dumped on for a long time about the lack of communication. I've been griping about it (not Jeremy) for going on 2 years now. So, I'm saying all the complaints about Jeremy clearly were apparently unwarranted. She's gone and we still get little info. Which probably means it's not Chrissay or Joanne's fault, either.
See, I like that idea
Mainly because the 11th Year Collection are not the gifts you'll receive for the 11th Anniversary of UO.
They were a separate bundle of items developed for a specific release in Japan (just like the Heritage tokens, etc), with, I admit, a confusing name.
Like everything else done in that fashion, it was intended to be released shortly after the end of the run in Japan, but as mentioned, have been delayed purely for technical reasons.
Thanks for the answers it is very appreciated.
Ok now when do we get the gifts for the 11th anniversary. LOL
D
DHMagicMan_1
Guest
Nichts!Thanks for the answers it is very appreciated.
Ok now when do we get the gifts for the 11th anniversary. LOL
V
Valthonis
Guest
they should give every one a free one for V-day
C
Connor_Graham
Guest
Then does it blow your mind that it was a former Dev that gave us this information?
R
RavenWinterHawk
Guest
Ive been playing 10 years.See, I like that idea
Mainly because the 11th Year Collection are not the gifts you'll receive for the 11th Anniversary of UO.
They were a separate bundle of items developed for a specific release in Japan (just like the Heritage tokens, etc), with, I admit, a confusing name.
Like everything else done in that fashion, it was intended to be released shortly after the end of the run in Japan, but as mentioned, have been delayed purely for technical reasons.
Im telling you. Random exploration events will strengthen this game and the market. There are 100's of good ideas floating around the boards. The UO world is getting way to big. Vets can hang cause we learned in baby steps as stuff was added. If your new now, the game is overwhelming.
My point... Stop expanding after SA. Polish, polish, polish what you have and add endless exploration and randomization. A ship wreck on the shore as an example.
Anyway it would be cool to fish up an 11th year item. Or find one for sale on the provisioner in Vesper. Maybe a dragon pops up in Papua. Anyway...
Random exploration and events. falalala la.
Absolutely!
C
Connor_Graham
Guest
This was well before the Stratics crash. At least 2 yrs ago or more. I distinctly remember one of the Devs, I'm thinking Mr Tact, stated the Asian shards made up 75% of the total UO population.
MrTact was Lead Designer at the time mentioned, and my boss. I can, with great confidence, tell you he would never intentionally release information about the playerbase that would violate his NDA with EA. Nor would any other gainfully employed developer
Thus, I'm led to believe any such post or speech at a townhall has been completely misconstrued, and can reaffirm this rumor is utterly false. The UO community in the US, Europe, and Asia are incredibly strong.
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Babble
Guest
Last official number I heard (which is about 2 years old I guess) was that asian accounts made up a bit more than 50% of the player accounts.
If asian shards made up 75% it would mean about 25.000 accounts on western shards, which might translate into 13.000 players (if the assummption that on average a player has 2 accounts)...that would fill about 3-4 shards at best ...and that is a bit too pessimistic
If asian shards made up 75% it would mean about 25.000 accounts on western shards, which might translate into 13.000 players (if the assummption that on average a player has 2 accounts)...that would fill about 3-4 shards at best ...and that is a bit too pessimistic
The world's just in a grumpy, paranoid mood these days - not a lot of trust in anything spoken with the cadence of "the fundamentals of the economy are strong".
B
Babble
Guest
LOLMrTact was Lead Designer at the time mentioned, and my boss. I can, with great confidence, tell you he would never intentionally release information about the playerbase that would violate his NDA with EA. Nor would any other gainfully employed developer
Thus, I'm led to believe any such post or speech at a townhall has been completely misconstrued, and can reaffirm this rumor is utterly false. The UO community in the US, Europe, and Asia are incredibly strong.
I hope that was not a personal attack, but LOL - strong following?
Ok I am really confused now. Was this news just released today? Did it just become known to the dev team?
I am talking about what Draconi said, that the 11th anniversary items released to Asian shards are NOT the ones we will get?
Gosh why did he not say this months ago? Then if I really really, really, really wanted the filled bookcase I could have tried to get one? Did he say this long ago and somehow I missed it?
Gosh! I got along fine ingame with out any of the new junk. I still can. I am however , appalled at this news.
Was this known before today?
In any case the anniversary has come and gone, so that in itself is truly sad. Only Jeremy said anything when it actually happened. I honor her still for that.
I am talking about what Draconi said, that the 11th anniversary items released to Asian shards are NOT the ones we will get?
Gosh why did he not say this months ago? Then if I really really, really, really wanted the filled bookcase I could have tried to get one? Did he say this long ago and somehow I missed it?
Gosh! I got along fine ingame with out any of the new junk. I still can. I am however , appalled at this news.
Was this known before today?
In any case the anniversary has come and gone, so that in itself is truly sad. Only Jeremy said anything when it actually happened. I honor her still for that.
A
Aboo
Guest
What Draconi said was "Mainly because the 11th Year Collection are not the gifts you'll receive for the 11th Anniversary of UO." This is the same thing that Jeremy posted some months back. So we have known this, or should have known, all along. I have been asking about the 11th Anniversary Items NOT the 11th Anniversary gifts.
I will post a link to where Jeremy said it when I have the time to find it.
I... need a *facepalm* emoticon, all I have are:
:gun: and finally 
I'm sorry for the confusion:
The 11th Year Collection Item Package, released as a packaged product in Japan, will be available soon for purchase
Every year, we try to put together Veteran Rewards, and Anniversary gifts, which are free. These are not necessarily released on the actual September date (and truthfully rarely are). This year, for instance, most of our resources are dedicated to Stygian Abyss.
The naming choice for the package of items was... unfortunate, because its very very confusing. I mean, previously they were called things like "Spring Decor" and "Heritage Items," etc.
You will have a chance to buy *exactly* what Japan got to buy. Additionally, at some point, there will be free gifts to actually commemorate 11 wonderful years of UO.
A
Aboo
Guest
Thank you Draconi for clearing this up.
I apologize for saying in my earlier post it was Jeremy who stated they were different. When I finally found the post it was you, even back then, trying to clear up the confusion. By the time I had found the old post, you had already posted again with the relevant information.
Thanks again!
I apologize for saying in my earlier post it was Jeremy who stated they were different. When I finally found the post it was you, even back then, trying to clear up the confusion. By the time I had found the old post, you had already posted again with the relevant information.
Thanks again!
UO is amazing and UO's community is amazing. When new MMOs come out and can't even reach UO's numbers (after 11 years), it just makes you feel all warm and squishy inside.
(But not content, no one, not even the developers, will ever be content
)Thanks very much for that - that's exactly what I was asking about. I came back to UO to find reference to three seperate timed 'releases' for what might have been two sets of items but with remarkably similar names, and being a simple person got confused.
Actually there was quite a well documented release of information, intentional or otherwise, inside or outside of NDA, current or ex-developers, whatever, that suggested that Asian shards made up the majority of the playerbase.
I don't remember the specifics, but it was a hot topic on U.Hall for a long time, with people citing or linking to an exact quote from a specific developer. I think it may have been "mr marketing" around the time of the SE launch.
It wasn't saying that the average US shard has 20% of the population of the average Asian shard, but the jist of it was that it Asian (or specifically Japanese) shards make up the majority of the playerbase. Someone must have a source for it knocking around somewhere..
I don't remember the specifics, but it was a hot topic on U.Hall for a long time, with people citing or linking to an exact quote from a specific developer. I think it may have been "mr marketing" around the time of the SE launch.
It wasn't saying that the average US shard has 20% of the population of the average Asian shard, but the jist of it was that it Asian (or specifically Japanese) shards make up the majority of the playerbase. Someone must have a source for it knocking around somewhere..
F
Flora Green
Guest
Thank you for the reply regarding the anniversary collection and the anniversary gifts, Draconi.
Active accounts means nothing. Number of plp logging on does. There is a big fat line between the money to do more and number plp on enhancing the game play. More plp would hear the squeeky wheels if they weren't all on the same wagon. Want numbers on how many active accounts just run around the shards. Look at the number and type of houses there. Take the LS Dagger Isle home of the polar bears. How many accounts had to go/move to change the face of that place.
Not OT. Better be something unique or new this late out if I'm to pay cash for fluff and deco. Pirate skeleton at the end of rope haging from a yard arm(about the size of the big two story statue). Better the thief in stocks that had been left in the sun for 3 months. A log really?
For 30$ I'd expect a ship that travels on land. Replace the boat artwork with horse drawn wagon with barrels. Has no decay. Takes up 3 pet slots when out of statue form. Controller access only. 3 times the storage. When dismounted in your/friended house adds to house storage count. Cannot dismount while in a guard zone. Returns to statue form if you die while riding and the barrels drop that have to be axed open. (like the packy bag drop when it goes wild). Like any container can be locked/trapped/thieved from when parked in fel. And most of all doesn't block player movement. Like loads of things that can be abused for example at a harry just wipe any statue carried there and shut the spawn off. But thats not OT just another example how policing the game and at least observing any big gathering on a shard would be the greatest game improvement no code mage could match.
Not OT. Better be something unique or new this late out if I'm to pay cash for fluff and deco. Pirate skeleton at the end of rope haging from a yard arm(about the size of the big two story statue). Better the thief in stocks that had been left in the sun for 3 months. A log really?
For 30$ I'd expect a ship that travels on land. Replace the boat artwork with horse drawn wagon with barrels. Has no decay. Takes up 3 pet slots when out of statue form. Controller access only. 3 times the storage. When dismounted in your/friended house adds to house storage count. Cannot dismount while in a guard zone. Returns to statue form if you die while riding and the barrels drop that have to be axed open. (like the packy bag drop when it goes wild). Like any container can be locked/trapped/thieved from when parked in fel. And most of all doesn't block player movement. Like loads of things that can be abused for example at a harry just wipe any statue carried there and shut the spawn off. But thats not OT just another example how policing the game and at least observing any big gathering on a shard would be the greatest game improvement no code mage could match.
Not sure what the "quote" button will include and what it won't....So let me first outline exactly what I'm responding to.
The post that I'm responding to had a link the MMOG Chart (looks like the link, at least is making it), and had a quote from someplace given the MMOG Chart an "Accuracy Rating" of "A," and another quote saying that UO has 75,000 subscribers, 50,000 of those in Japan.
I have no idea where the MMOG Chart gets its numbers from. No one does anymore, really. Once upon a time, when the industry standard was to release subscription numbers in Press Releases, they were gleaned from the Press Releases.
Now, however, the industry standards have changed, and (unless you're WoW), subscription numbers are considered trade secrets and guarded seriously. The MMOG Chart's sources are currently unclear at best. "Accuracy Rating?" Where'd they get an Accuracy Rating from? Did they give it to themselves? The owner of the site might have friends in the industry, I suppose, who are willing to endanger their jobs to give him subscription numbers.
Think about that proposition for a moment.
I, for my part, no longer click on any link that claims to have MMO subscription numbers.
The closest thing we have to an official UO subscription number is this interview:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/warhammer-time
with some guy from Mythic named Josh Drescher, who said the following:
Sure, he could be lying. But it's a spontaneous utterance, in an interview that is not specifically about UO. He's not shilling for Ultima Online, but rather for Warhammer Online: The Age of Reckoning. I have no good reason to disbelieve this remark, and in fact I have better reasons for believing it than I do that some dude has friendships in the industry so strong that folks will endanger their jobs in order to give him confidential subscription numbers.
If it weren't for Mark Jacobs's weird remark that EA wanted to cancel UO before they basically put it under his and Mythic's wing, I would have no good reason to worry about UO's future.
UO isn't endangered by its subscription numbers or its profitability. Rather, it is endangered by its wildly irrational corporate owners (EA) and its wildly irrational player base (us).
I could easily be wrong. Drescher could have been lying. The MMOG Chart's owner might have reliable pipelines into corporate-owned entities who typically enforce non-disclosure agreements with well-paid, ruthless lawyers.
*shrugs*
-Galen's player
Rofl. Always underestimated.
I can't tell you the numbers, but I can definitely tell you that that "Accuracy A" is almost as old as UO. It may have been applicable around the time our numbers were in SEC filings, though.
The idea that some people have about Asia making up the majority of UO's playerbase is wrong. And yet, we're depending on the Japan team to help supplement our work while we're focused on Stygian Abyss.
The truth is? The *entire* community is important, and no one should feel that someone, somewhere else, is getting treated with preference because of a mistaken rumor.
You know, I ahve always liked Draconi, and the things he has done for us, sometimes even on his "off" time.
These last few months, tho, I have developed a whole new respect for him, and the rest of the crew. Hang in there Draconi
These last few months, tho, I have developed a whole new respect for him, and the rest of the crew. Hang in there Draconi
I hate to say this Draconi but I feel slighted often when I travel to the Asian shards.... nice neat banks...... added things here and there all over the map.... They always have unique content and added bonus things to do.... like the new year and the wooden cow.... there are dozens of things that make me feel slighted that they have and we do not..... sad really when you think about it since hey..... UO is a US game.... created right here in the states you would think that we here would get some special treatment but we don't....
Shoot I can't even make a UO Meet-up or Townhall because you all never come anywhere NEAR where I live... Chicago is about as close as you get and that's at least 6 to 8 hours away....
So you are right I feel slighted......
Though if you want to make me feel better you could..... One thing you could do that would make me a very happy person would be to change that horrible emote default color to something that WILL show up in the 2d Journal.... Please pretty please????? And while your fixing things for SA... make the journal save.... I always save my journals in UO and I can't see myself playing in KR/SA 3d whatever you want to call it without my journals saving.... I use a wee little program called UO Journal Converter and I love it..... I'd like something like that in KR.... if you could. Please!
Shoot I can't even make a UO Meet-up or Townhall because you all never come anywhere NEAR where I live... Chicago is about as close as you get and that's at least 6 to 8 hours away....
So you are right I feel slighted......
Though if you want to make me feel better you could..... One thing you could do that would make me a very happy person would be to change that horrible emote default color to something that WILL show up in the 2d Journal.... Please pretty please????? And while your fixing things for SA... make the journal save.... I always save my journals in UO and I can't see myself playing in KR/SA 3d whatever you want to call it without my journals saving.... I use a wee little program called UO Journal Converter and I love it..... I'd like something like that in KR.... if you could. Please!
Part of what US UO players need to remember is the culture is very different on the Asian shards. They have different holidays then us and different ways of celebrating them. I have visited and been taken on a tour during some of the celebrations that happen on some of the Asian shards even without Mythic intervention. I was simply amazed at how they conduct themselves and the cooperation that is so prevalent there. Very very different than the US shards. Not saying better just different.
F
Flora Green
Guest
I'd feel far less slighted if we could get the ToT1 dyes back somehow.
But surely you can forgive people for taking the dubious numbers in an open industry analysis more seriously than hints about the true numbers kept hidden behind an NDA curtain?
(not that it should matter - the number high or low doesn't change the experience rich or poor)
A
Aboo
Guest
Everyone keeps telling us that and I don't disagree with anyone on it. However, don't we in the US have different holidays too? Are the Asian shards excluded from participating in anything that is deemed a US holiday? No. Do we in the US get special treatment that the Asian shards are excluded from? No.
I believe therein is the rub. I have no problem with the Asian shards celebrating their specific events/holidays. But it would be considered wrong to have events/items/holidays for US players that others were excluded from.
Now if anyone finds that I have overlooked an event/item/holiday that ONLY the US was allowed to have/participate in/only on American Shards, please feel free to correct me. If I am wrong I would like to know about it.
D
DHMagicMan_1
Guest
The stupid part about the EMs stems from American lawsuits where MMO game players VOLUNTEERED to do various things within their MMOs and then filed lawsuits about not getting fair pay and overtime etc. That's strictly American society issues and not on the Asian shards or culture why we didn't have any of those programs for a long time, and why they are coming back very carefully and slowly.
The reasoning behind tons of codes being available for purchase only if you have a Japanese Zip Code as your billing address on your credit card, or why they get the 11th whatever you call them 1, 2 or 3 months before the US or other areas get them... that's a different story.
It wouldn't be "Favoritism" if this time it was Asia who got something special, and last time it was Europe and next time it's only the Siege ruleset shards and other times it's only US first or whatever... it rotated around or was random... but if it's consistantly only Asian or only Asian first, then it's clearly unbalanced.
It's not a "PERCEIVED" slight if it's got a basis in fact.
Yes they still have seers and counselors. And yes that gives them different status I guess. It sucks, but the legal system here screwed it up with a few complaining sue happy people. I can only hope that the new EM's will be doing similar stuff for their shards. I know Baja's EM's have already made a few additions to some historical areas. It's been fun to look for things that they've been doing. Give the EM's time and check out your shard for different things.
V
von Beck
Guest
Austrailia and New Zealand too !!!
Erm buy? Ahh, your negotiation skills is admirable. Ok, instead of 3 free tokens for the Japanese collection stuff, I will ask for only 2
Erm, due to the proximity, I think Oceania is often lumped into Asia, heheheAustrailia and New Zealand too !!!
Well, if you are talking about the EM events, the Japanese shards really got shafted. No cool items like, Ithilisis' Breast Plate, Lt sash etc etc, take a look at the stickies in the rares forum to see what other shards got.
However, they do have a very strong community, and supportive GMs that will setup moongates and decorate towns when they organize fairs (complete with stalls for players to sell their wares), and stages where they stage plays. And when they organize events, they tend to do it across all the Japanese shards. Their new year event falls into this category.
Note I said the Japanese shards, not the Korean shards, things were a bit dodgy in Arirang and Balhae for a while.
What I am saying is that events have always been shard based. It kinda sucks though. I understand the logistics issue and problems with people not agreeing with having certain events on their shards. Just hope the new batch of EMs will have more cohesiveness and try to organize more of their events across all shards. Esp holidays that are celebrated across the globe like New Year's day.
Sad, but true.
Sometimes corporations do not care if a certain division is consistantly turning over a profit. They look at divisions that have the potential to earn more and decide that the company will do better if they reallocate resources from the less profitable division to the more profitable one.
This is incredibly shortsighted, since they are putting all their eggs in 1 basket. In hopes of better profits, they have forgotten that diversifying the business and hedging is just as important to the survival of the business.
It's also a contributing factor to why the RL economy is in shambles. Everyone wants to change their business model to highly profitable ones. They want to get more leverage on their investments and assign ever more of their capital to their property investment basket, including property-backed investments. Thus, when the property market crashes, they get burned badly, perhaps badly enough to have to close down.