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Woohoo I figured it would be summer cant wait
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Tazar
Guest
Sooo.... when do we get into beta? 
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D'Amavir
Guest
Can't you read? Summer of '09.Sooo.... when do we get into beta?
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D'Amavir
Guest
I know. I was just making a joke that Beta was going to be at the same time as the release.
That's called 'standard procedure' over at EA.I know. I was just making a joke that Beta was going to be at the same time as the release.
hehe Touche!Can't you read? Summer of '09.Sooo.... when do we get into beta?
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MorganaLeFey
Guest
Via digital distribution which means no boxed set or goodies. Meh, no matter, I'm so excited now. Especially since it might mean I'll be getting it in time for my birthday! LOL
That´s what I was thinking too...
I´d like to hear from the people responsible what kind of marketing strategy they have to make sure that new players will hear about SA!
However, I´m glad to hear it´s only months away...
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Tazar
Guest
Chrissay said otherwise... at least on the SA client portion...
Lord Gareth
UO Content Editor | UO Chesapeake & Rares News
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Wiki Moderator
Woho! 
Most likely they will have a pre-order bonus item like they had for ML (Charger of the Fallen), but without a box sitting on store shelves don't expect any large numbers of new players other than people that quit the game re-activating an account to check-out the new content.
As much as I'm looking forward to this, and I really am!, I have to point out a few things.
(Apologies if someone else has already point this stuff out; I haven't read the replies yet.)
1. Proof-read your Press Releases. "Stygian Abysswill" should of course be "Stygian Abyss will" with the space.
2. "the eighth expansion to one of the longest-running MMORPGs in the genre’s history." ONE OF? Aren't we, per the Book of World Records, THE longest running one?
3. "Summer" means before the September date of end of Summer. You haven't finished the Warriors of Destiny event cycle yet, let alone begun the pre-SA event cycle. Are you positive you can finish both event cycles and not rush either of them to the point where they are disappointing? I'm especially concerned about Warriors of Destiny, which has a critical place in UO's fiction and history, and is now starting to feel neglected.
4. Nothing about the new client...Which is fine with me, but I'm kind of guessing that what's going to happen is that SA is going to be mainly aimed at existing players, and a new client aimed at newer players, maybe around the Christmas or Thanksgiving season?
Now like I said I'm looking forward to this, but had to point that stuff out.
-Galen's player
(Apologies if someone else has already point this stuff out; I haven't read the replies yet.)
1. Proof-read your Press Releases. "Stygian Abysswill" should of course be "Stygian Abyss will" with the space.
2. "the eighth expansion to one of the longest-running MMORPGs in the genre’s history." ONE OF? Aren't we, per the Book of World Records, THE longest running one?
3. "Summer" means before the September date of end of Summer. You haven't finished the Warriors of Destiny event cycle yet, let alone begun the pre-SA event cycle. Are you positive you can finish both event cycles and not rush either of them to the point where they are disappointing? I'm especially concerned about Warriors of Destiny, which has a critical place in UO's fiction and history, and is now starting to feel neglected.
4. Nothing about the new client...Which is fine with me, but I'm kind of guessing that what's going to happen is that SA is going to be mainly aimed at existing players, and a new client aimed at newer players, maybe around the Christmas or Thanksgiving season?
Now like I said I'm looking forward to this, but had to point that stuff out.
-Galen's player
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Pindershot
Guest
I share the concerns everyone else has...but I'm psyched for some official news!
I even changed My Mood to reflect this.
I even changed My Mood to reflect this.
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woody_cats
Guest
needs to find date for first day summer and first day fall hehe.
Don't take this the wrong way Tazar, I'm not saying you're wrong, but I don't have any faith in what she says. Not the best community rep in my opinion.
Bleh! Why did they bother with digital distribution!!! Goodbye 56k players
yea the non shelf life issue has me worried
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woody_cats
Guest
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer well this was funny i know the offically first day on summer is june 20 and first day autumn is 22 sept but look at this it give them a release date of may1st thur march 2010 and will still be summer .
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Chrissay_
Guest
At this time we are not in a beta but conducting a focus test. We will conduct a beta in the near future. Information regarding this will be posted on the Herald.
Chrissay
Chrissay
Why?
SA isn't for new players. It's to keep existing, and potentially former, players interested and engaged and paying.
I don't know why people keep thinking that it'll grab new players.
Would a new expansion with monsters you can't possibly fight for about a year or so bring in new players? I don't think, for example, Wrath of the Lich King brought a single player into WoW.
Maybe I'm wrong.
But personally if anything is for new players it's the new client; not the expansion per se.
-Galen's player
Any chance of a reply on the issue of timing? Specifically, will there be enough time to satisfactorily complete Warriors of Destiny (note the adjective) as well as satisfactorily complete whatever event cycle it is that introduces the Abyss?
Maybe I'm the only player who still cares about such things as scenarios and fiction, but I'd like to think I'm not.
-Galen's player
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D'Amavir
Guest
I agree that SA is not for 'new' players. But, in spite of what many may think, UO NEEDS new players. If the biggest expansion in UO history isn't partly about attracting NEW players, do any of us actually hold out any hope that EA will ever do anything to attract them?
Sure, they toss out comments saying that UO is 'very profitable' but the simple fact is that the longer it goes without new blood, the shorter its lifespan. This is true in any game, sport or company.
If the NBA didn't have a regular supply of new players, do you think it would last? Players get old, players die, players retire. If you don't get new blood sooner or later you have to close the doors.
And before the 'I get into private EA groups so I am going to support everything they say' types jump up with 'people have been saying UO is dying since it started' rants, that's not what I am saying. Its going 'strong' now. But in five years, without any new blood, will it still be? Doubtful.
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I am excited and dissapointed ... excited cause its coming and soon dissapointed because I would liked to have seen something come to the stores ....
to answer galens question on uo being the longest game in history is not true there is one other that has ran longer by about 3 months or so I cant remember the name but you can google it that said i still consider uo the mother of ALL rpg games of its type
dissapointed because I would liked to have seen something come to the stores ....to answer galens question on uo being the longest game in history is not true there is one other that has ran longer by about 3 months or so I cant remember the name but you can google it that said i still consider uo the mother of ALL rpg games of its type
I am really looking forward to it coming out. I can't wait.
http://www.uo.com/UOKRpressrelease.htmlI am excited and dissapointed ... excited cause its coming and soon
to answer galens question on uo being the longest game in history is not true there is one other that has ran longer by about 3 months or so I cant remember the name but you can google it that said i still consider uo the mother of ALL rpg games of its type
-Galen's player
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not to argue with you galen but it depends on what you consider mmorpg and thats where many people differ that said I still think uo is longest running and dont choose to count the others I just was pointing out that the source has to be taken into account even EA says its one of the longest
you can look up furcadia and tibia for 2 that claim to be longer
you can look up furcadia and tibia for 2 that claim to be longer
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D'Amavir
Guest
The thing I find interesting, and funny, about that review was this
"Ultima Online, arguably one of the most influential graphical MMOGs, has just hit its 10th birthday. That's 10 years of people interacting with the same intellectual property with no breaks, no launches, no new releases (except for the odd expansion pack)"
No new releases. That's what people see when they see UO. A game that's 10 years old with no new releases. You have to wonder how UO would have gone had they consistently had 'new releases' out there.
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I agree if EA would even put half the money into uo they put into other games uo would be arguably the most popular game still but they try to market to the younger crowd in there other games who ever there marketing people are probably have never even played a video game but in truth they do not know the gaming market the wasted potential just kills me! but atleast we still have our uo and its expansions for now
God damnit.
This better work without shelfs presence.
This better work without shelfs presence.
You would expect a preorder site to open within minutes of the press release? But not the way they run things eh. Yes we was told there was to be a box set with this release, at the town hall's guess that was a bold face lie. Well i aint holdin me breath on this one folks.
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CatLord
Guest
Walks in the room frantically...
"The Masses are getting restless! We have to do something!!!"
"They found out about the Truth behind UO!!!"
Picks Emergency Press Release...
"Thank goodness we have a Contingency Plan..."
(Any and all names, characters, places, locations, locales, business establishments, organizations, associations, groups, entities, dominions, states, nations, governments, beliefs, circumstances, conditions, and events portrayed in this story, text, writing, symbol, image, or illustration are either fictitious or fictitiously used. Any resemblance to real or actual person (living or dead) are pure coincidence. Any resemblance to real or actual persons (living or dead) are pure coincidence. Any resemblance to real or actual character, characters, place, places, location, locations, locale, locales, business establishment, business establishments, organization, organizations, association, associations, group, groups, entity, entities, dominion, dominions, state, states, nation, nations, government, governments, belief, beliefs, circumstance, circumstances, condition, conditions, event, or events that exist, exists, existed, have existed, or will exist are pure coincidence. Any resemblance to reality is pure coincidence.)
"The Masses are getting restless! We have to do something!!!"
"They found out about the Truth behind UO!!!"
Picks Emergency Press Release...
"Thank goodness we have a Contingency Plan..."
(Any and all names, characters, places, locations, locales, business establishments, organizations, associations, groups, entities, dominions, states, nations, governments, beliefs, circumstances, conditions, and events portrayed in this story, text, writing, symbol, image, or illustration are either fictitious or fictitiously used. Any resemblance to real or actual person (living or dead) are pure coincidence. Any resemblance to real or actual persons (living or dead) are pure coincidence. Any resemblance to real or actual character, characters, place, places, location, locations, locale, locales, business establishment, business establishments, organization, organizations, association, associations, group, groups, entity, entities, dominion, dominions, state, states, nation, nations, government, governments, belief, beliefs, circumstance, circumstances, condition, conditions, event, or events that exist, exists, existed, have existed, or will exist are pure coincidence. Any resemblance to reality is pure coincidence.)
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Maggie
Guest
I want a CD.
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Tazar
Guest
I want a DVD...
I doubt SA would fit on a CD anymore...EA is a publicly-traded company. I'm sure that press release was well-vetted before it was released.
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D'Amavir
Guest
your 100% absolutly right!, UO doesnt need help with any type of advertisment!, its doing perfect as it is!, i see uo advertisments all over the place, posters and things on the store shelves who peak our old players curiosity and grab the attn of some of those who have left UO lol...k sorry, ....regardless of this coming out to keep the player base it has here...without new people and old returning people..it really does get a tad boring!..thats just my 2 cents..i'll be playing regardless of the shelf life!, but it would be nice to see some type of advert in the stores
I don't understand why people are putting down digital distribution, that is where the PC market is going. A box on the shelves was rather important 4-5 years ago, but now it isn't really a factor. Within the next 2 years all PC games will likely be available through online. Gamestop has even admitted that their business is going to be dead likely within 10 years.
Game advertising is mostly done virally through word of mouth, gaming review websites and such. Advertising on television or competing for shelf space in stores is a waste of money. With a digital download, EA is also going to get a lot more money by cutting out production and splitting revenue with stores.
Also UO doesn't need new players. It needs to draw back the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people who have tried the game. Going after entirely new players is going to yield few results. There are so many former players out there who would likely return given a compelling reason.
Game advertising is mostly done virally through word of mouth, gaming review websites and such. Advertising on television or competing for shelf space in stores is a waste of money. With a digital download, EA is also going to get a lot more money by cutting out production and splitting revenue with stores.
Also UO doesn't need new players. It needs to draw back the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people who have tried the game. Going after entirely new players is going to yield few results. There are so many former players out there who would likely return given a compelling reason.
Bacon? They finally found out about scrumptious, sumptuous, delicious bacon?
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Gwendar-SP
Guest
The big question is is EA going to fix the devistating blows they have delt to Siege lately.
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D'Amavir
Guest
Are you EA? You definitely sound like it with comments like that. They obviously agree with you which is why they make zero effort attract new players. I mean, its there game and they have a right to run it how they want. And if they want no new players that is completely up to them.
And you are right, game advertising is mostly done through word of mouth. The biggest mmorpg out there uses Ozzy's mouth to give the word. They have 8.5 million and we have 150k. So, ya, advertising has no importance at all.