Been gone a LONG time, what do I need to know

[ssyrax82]

So I'm currently in the process of downloading the Mondains Legacy client, its taking a long time because I am currently overseas on a deployment and figured I would take the opportunity to ask a question.

I played UO when it originally came out and played into the first expansion, shortly thereafter I left and started playing EQ. Since then I have gone through a lot of various online games and I'm looking to come back to UO.

My question is, how is the community in UO? Is it still going strong? What would be a good server for someone just getting back into the game? Are there any really big changes I should be aware of in the gameplay?

I know they have added a few new skills, do you need to use these skills in order to be successful in a PVM kind of gameplay? Also, how feasible is it to play in Fellucca and play PvM? I miss the old days of running around and always having to look over your shoulder for someone coming after ya.

Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated, and I look forward to coming back.

 

[Mythic]

I would strongly recommend Lake Superior, and thats an unbiased opinion.....
Honestly.....
LOL
Reasons being that on LS there is a good population,( LS is nowhere near as full as Atlantic though) You may or may not be suprised by the fact that UOs population has only declined in your abscence, the peak of UOs overall population came around the begining of the Age of Shadows release.

Also there is a great communtiy here. Folk are very helpful. There are also a lot of events; auctions, tournaments, spawn hunts and just some off the wall stuff to do. There might even be some RP, who knows.

And from a UO economic kind of standpoint the market is pretty active and not nearly as inflated as some of the other shards. Basically what I mean is its cheaper to outfit yourself around here and find everything you need.

But If LS is not your choice of shard, I would Have to go with Siege Perilous.
Its probobly the closest thing to UO that you remember. No Insurance, slow skill gaines, lots of folk still make a good living providing services and goods.
Really active in PVP as well as RP.

Anyway thats what I would suggest as far as shard choice goes. I cant really answer any of the other questions in detail because If its been around 8 or 9 years since youve played, WOW(no pun intended) a lot has changed.

I will say this, aside from the factions on LS and most any shard except Siege and Atlantic, your not going to have to look over your shoulder in Felucia. Its not very exciting being an advanturer on the Fel side anymore.

Lastly, If no one in game has told ya yet. Let me be the first to say:

WELCOME BACK OLD FRIEND, stay awhile!

 

[Duskofdead]

So I'm currently in the process of downloading the Mondains Legacy client, its taking a long time because I am currently overseas on a deployment and figured I would take the opportunity to ask a question.

I played UO when it originally came out and played into the first expansion, shortly thereafter I left and started playing EQ. Since then I have gone through a lot of various online games and I'm looking to come back to UO.

My question is, how is the community in UO? Is it still going strong? What would be a good server for someone just getting back into the game? Are there any really big changes I should be aware of in the gameplay?

I know they have added a few new skills, do you need to use these skills in order to be successful in a PVM kind of gameplay? Also, how feasible is it to play in Fellucca and play PvM? I miss the old days of running around and always having to look over your shoulder for someone coming after ya.

Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated, and I look forward to coming back.

You left in exactly that same time period as virtually all of my friends did.
I for one never left for EQ though... just nothing about it ever grabbed me, in story/fantasy terms. A lot of people just leave for a newer MMO just because it's newer, rather than because they believe it will be more fun. It was really suck to hear people leaving in droves just because 'everyone is.'

Yes, there are new skills. Compared to the time you left, things are very different. Much more like Diablo 2 or World of Warcraft in terms of building a character now, because certain builds do better with certain gear, and vice-versa. Gear now has stats and modifiers on it just like Diablo 2 if you've ever played. (It's virtually the same gear system as WOW's.) Power scrolls now allow you to raise the skill cap of any individual skill from 100.0 to 105, 110, 115 or 120 maximum. (But your total skill cap still remains 700). This means instead of 7xGM now you might be 5xLegendary--- five skills for 120 points each totalling 700. Or a combination in between.

Warriors pretty much are "expected" to be hybrid casters of some sort now--- the biggest one seems to be chivalry, which gives you an equivalent of recall and all of the rest of the abilities basically revolve around extra damage, hit chance, etc. etc.

Casters still pretty much work the way they always used to from what you'd remember after limits on wearing platemail & meditation were added. Their skillset hasn't changed very much. The big difference is that there are, at least in most PvM, very very few pure casters anymore. Most of them are now Tamer-mages because Greater Dragons are the overpowered flavor of the week for PvM and allow people to efficiently farm (or even solo farm) rare drops from champ spawns and hard mob areas.

 

[ssyrax82]

Well thanks for the help guys. I just finally finished downloading the client, I have to go to a wifi hot spot every day to get my internet for a few hours so took a while. I will look into LS and see how the lag is when I am so incredibly far away at the moment. That's a shame about the caster issue, I miss the days of my old GM Mage, too bad I have absolutely no idea what my old account information ever was.

Looking forward to see how things have changed though.

 

[Silverbird]

...means instead of 7xGM now you might be 5xLegendary--- five skills for 120 points each totalling 700.

Not really ... 5 times 120 still gives 600 used skillpoints. But theres a newer vet-bonus. For each year you get +5 additional skillpoints up to a maximum of 720 (700 regular + 20 from vet bonus for 4+ year old accs). That way you can have up to 6*120 on a single char.

 

[Duskofdead]

Not really ... 5 times 120 still gives 600 used skillpoints. But theres a newer vet-bonus. For each year you get +5 additional skillpoints up to a maximum of 720 (700 regular + 20 from vet bonus for 4+ year old accs). That way you can have up to 6*120 on a single char.

LOL you're right.