An interview with Cal

[Trebr Drab]

Since this has turned to a pre-Trammel post, this is a copy/paste of something I posted elsewhere, in responce to Illius, while on the topic of UO and sandbox games. It's something I strongly believe in for MMORPGs.

Originally posted by Illius

I wish sandbox meant "here's your stick and loin cloth. It's noon right now and you have 8 hours before dark sets in and the temperature drops. Find shelter and learn to survive or suffer the consequences". Then take it from there. But sadly this doesn't exist so never mind.

And the undead come out at night! Heh.

UO is old, but they've kept adding things to it. The graphics aren't good, but I think they are decent. It's stuck in a 2.5D over the head angle.

But it has so many things to do. More than anyone can remember at one time. The comments right now are that the game has gotten too complicated. But that's not really it, it's just that there is so much in it.

They've lost a lot of the "worldly" feel mainly because the players don't play a lot anymore, for the most part. But player owned houses still stand, so a lot of people are reluctant to give it up even if they don't play much. Some do, some play all the time.

One thing that hurt UO was the loss of PKing. Yep, you read me right, the loss of PKing. See, in the old days, players made a point of knowing other players, so if you ran into someone you might know if they were a PKer or a good guy. It also caused groups to form, not just guilds, but entire communities. Player councils and "cities" loosely based on houses in an area. I started out as a solo player, got tired of being PKed, and ran into a guild that owned a castle in a valley where they fiecely defended players from PKers at the local Orc spawn hunting area. I joined them, fought PKers as well as wars over dungeons for a night, as well as dungeon runs and whatever, and had the most fun of my 12 year MMOing experience.

This guild was also a loose allie with a militia that was famous for roleplay, starting the first city town council, and defended against PKers as well as was heavily involved in GM events. My guild also sometimes acted as crowd control at player run tournaments.

Also locally was the first ever player run tavern, Kazola's Tavern. Everyone went there, roleplayers, non-roleplayers, PKers would show from time to time and the anti-PKers would fight them, even the GMs went there to kick off their events. Heck, even Richard Garriott went there as Lord British to mount a special plaque on the walls...see pic

But all that is lost, and UO is more like the other current games in it's play style now. Because they removed so much player interaction. They tried several versions of a justice system, but they always had flaws that allowed PKers to "get away with it". They almost had it too. Almost. And if they had gone the last step in justice, things in MMOs these days would be a lot different.

 

[kelmo]

To be perfectly honest, I wish Cal would put in some Siege time as an EM. I know I dream... he is our sort of guy.

 

[altarego]

But all that is lost, and UO is more like the other current games in it's play style now. Because they removed so much player interaction. They tried several versions of a justice system, but they always had flaws that allowed PKers to "get away with it". They almost had it too. Almost. And if they had gone the last step in justice, things in MMOs these days would be a lot different. [/COLOR]

This echoes my sentiment above. With so much actually *in* the game, folks have spread out and become lost. They should never have expanded into so many facets and instead focused on making what actually existed better.

 

[Tina Small]

That's because we'll be too busy playing something else.

I know I won't be playing UO if they get rid of insurance. Between the vague comment supposedly included in this interview, Calvin's comment a few months ago about bringing a wild West feeling back to UO, imbuing being made even more dazzling, the Silver Sapling seed concept in the Abyss (in lieu of rez stations throughout), and this new "undertaker's staff" that lets you claim your body from a distance...I have a very bad feeling about the future of insurance in UO.

I know many people would probably be thrilled if insurance was taken out of the game or made ridiculously expensive. Well, they can have UO to themselves if that happens. I won't be sticking around. We all know that drops of new stuff such as the undertaker's staff generally end up in the hands of the people who can spend their entire day playing UO and/or have the nerve and lack of manners to push aside everyone else in their greedy quest to get it and then taunt the rest of us about buying it from them for insane prices if we think it's worth having. I'm sick of that pattern of adding new stuff to the game and have reached the point where one more implementation to the game that gives an edge to all the jerks in UO will be the end of my days of playing. There is enough crap to deal with in real life that I don't need to pay good money to unwillingly endure it in a virtual world. The jerks and the masochists can have UO to themselves if that's the kind of game they enjoy. I won't waste my time on a game where any jackass that comes along can totally wreck your time in the game by getting you killed by luring stuff on you in a bad situation or causing you to crash with their infernal hacking and then laugh themselves silly while your stuff decays or grab it off the monsters that looted your corpse. No thanks.

 

[Trebr Drab]

That's because we'll be too busy playing something else.

I know I won't be playing UO if they get rid of insurance. Between the vague comment supposedly included in this interview, Calvin's comment a few months ago about bringing a wild West feeling back to UO, imbuing being made even more dazzling, the Silver Sapling seed concept in the Abyss (in lieu of rez stations throughout), and this new "undertaker's staff" that lets you claim your body from a distance...I have a very bad feeling about the future of insurance in UO.

I know many people would probably be thrilled if insurance was taken out of the game or made ridiculously expensive. Well, they can have UO to themselves if that happens. I won't be sticking around. We all know that drops of new stuff such as the undertaker's staff generally end up in the hands of the people who can spend their entire day playing UO and/or have the nerve and lack of manners to push aside everyone else in their greedy quest to get it and then taunt the rest of us about buying it from them for insane prices if we think it's worth having. I'm sick of that pattern of adding new stuff to the game and have reached the point where one more implementation to the game that gives an edge to all the jerks in UO will be the end of my days of playing. There is enough crap to deal with in real life that I don't need to pay good money to unwillingly endure it in a virtual world. The jerks and the masochists can have UO to themselves if that's the kind of game they enjoy. I won't waste my time on a game where any jackass that comes along can totally wreck your time in the game by getting you killed by luring stuff on you in a bad situation or causing you to crash with their infernal hacking and then laugh themselves silly while your stuff decays or grab it off the monsters that looted your corpse. No thanks.

None of us want that, except for the PKer types that play games like they are a sporting event.
However, give us a real justice system that really punishes PKers who can't play within the guild wars and the like, that's what I'd like to see. That would also allow for us to go after jerks who do things without breaking the coded rules.

 

[altarego]

What if they just remove insurance in Fel...but other facets stay the same?

That'll really force people to takes sides.

 

[Tina Small]

I suspect they'll use the loyalty system. Just look at some of the stuff the EMs are doing. I mostly ignore it because it just isn't my cup of tea. However, the EMs on Baja have guilds registering their sympathy/antipathy towards gargoyles, which seems like a rather useless exercise if it isn't building up to something.

If they add to the loyalty system, maybe you'll get x number of blessed items as you gain rank and pay through the nose to insure other stuff if you aren't good enough or elite enough to squeeze into a limited number of spots in the higher ranks. Who knows. I just know that I can't stomach any more additions to the game that appear to have been added without someone thinking through how it can be abused by the jerks or, worse yet, seem to be deliberately designed to encourage griefing as a ploy to increase someone's ire enough to actually start PvPing. We all have choices on where we spend our money and if it becomes any more apparant that is the direction the game is going to go, I won't waste my time, energy or money attempting to change it. All the attempts to eliminate or reform the carebears of UO will just resurface again in another form later on because someone at EA/Mythic thinks that's what so many people want and the wusses in the game can just go find something more placid and safe to play. I'll be one of the wusses in my walking shoes looking for something else to do.

 

[Mitzlplik_SP]

Ahhh nvm.

To much to here and the tastes bad with the stench of hanging in the air. I`ll just instead of gettin into the whole :redx: thing.

I`m goin back to before some chimes in with more and further goes off the rails on assumptions. Although entertaining,it gets fast.

Have fun with the on the speculation of things that may or may not come.

 

[Kiminality]

But all that is lost, and UO is more like the other current games in it's play style now. Because they removed so much player interaction. They tried several versions of a justice system, but they always had flaws that allowed PKers to "get away with it". They almost had it too. Almost. And if they had gone the last step in justice, things in MMOs these days would be a lot different. [/color]

This echoes my sentiment above. With so much actually *in* the game, folks have spread out and become lost. They should never have expanded into so many facets and instead focused on making what actually existed better.

Funnily, the stuff you guys are complaining about being lost from UO is pretty much all I do in UO these days.
Sure, it's not as prevalent, since folk aren't effectively bullied into travelling in packs. People are actually freer to play as they like, which apparently isn't primarily that which is being mourned as lost.

But, hey!
It's easier to complain than to do something about it.

 

[Lorax_Pacific]

What if they just remove insurance in Fel...but other facets stay the same?

That'll really force people to takes sides.

Insurance is used as the reward for killing someone in Fel. You get theirs.

Removing insurance would only work if artifacts were not the required pvp suit and if imbuing resources were much easier to obtain.

-Lorax

 

[Lord Gareth]

Removing insurance would only work if artifacts were not the required pvp suit and if imbuing resources were much easier to obtain.
-Lorax

I guess they wouldn't be required on a pvp suit since everyone would run the risk of losing them. No insurance means no wearing your 500mill suit heh. Just saying. I am not for or against insurance. Just pointing that out

 

[altarego]

Removing insurance would only work if artifacts were not the required pvp suit and if imbuing resources were much easier to obtain.
-Lorax

I guess they wouldn't be required on a pvp suit since everyone would run the risk of losing them. No insurance means no wearing your 500mill suit heh. Just saying. I am not for or against insurance. Just pointing that out

This.

Plus, instead of insurance, you get their stuff. That's the whole point of insurance, just backwards. I'm not sure why this isn't blazingly obvious that this is how it used to be.

If you need more incentive to PK than their stuff, then throw in a "spoils" fee. Except, if you die in Fel and you don't get to keep your stuff and you get auto-deducted 5k from your account, who in their right mind would ever go to Fel and fight?

That's right, no one. So, ironically, you're saying that PK's depend on insurance as an incentive almost as much as as Tram folk do. Oh, that's rich

 

[Trebr Drab]

But all that is lost, and UO is more like the other current games in it's play style now. Because they removed so much player interaction. They tried several versions of a justice system, but they always had flaws that allowed PKers to "get away with it". They almost had it too. Almost. And if they had gone the last step in justice, things in MMOs these days would be a lot different. [/color]

This echoes my sentiment above. With so much actually *in* the game, folks have spread out and become lost. They should never have expanded into so many facets and instead focused on making what actually existed better.

Funnily, the stuff you guys are complaining about being lost from UO is pretty much all I do in UO these days.
Sure, it's not as prevalent, since folk aren't effectively bullied into travelling in packs. People are actually freer to play as they like, which apparently isn't primarily that which is being mourned as lost.

But, hey!
It's easier to complain than to do something about it.

And it's a stagnant game where players get more excited about holiday hand outs than what happens in Sosaria, which isn't too damn much.

 

[Der Rock]

And it's a stagnant game where players get more excited about holiday hand outs than what happens in Sosaria, which isn't too damn much.

you know, every pumpkin needs a nutcracker on side


bt.w. not 1 word in the interview when EC will be out of beta, right?

 

[athos_uo]

you know, every pumpkin needs a nutcracker on side


bt.w. not 1 word in the interview when EC will be out of beta, right?

No, but Cal is not to blame, because the interviewer didn't ask.

 

[Tomas_Bryce]

Dear god, here we go again!

 

[athos_uo]

Please keep it in your mind that mistakens might be included somewhere because this is a traslation of a translation.

--

――『UOSA』も無事発売され一段落ついた現在、次に抱えている課題は何でしょう。

Calvin：課題は山積みですよ。目下の課題はスピードハッキング対策、サードパーティツールの検出、毎年恒例のホリデーギフトの準備、さらに我々が今注力しているのはPvPの活性化です。かつてのようにフェルッカ、PvPそして派閥にプレイヤーが戻ってきてくれるよう、どうすべきか検討中です。あとは『UOSA』開発中はライブイベントがおろそかになっていたので、そちらも力を入れていく予定です。

――PvPの活性化に注力というのはかなり気になる発言です。トランメル世界ができて以来、ごく一部のコアプレイヤーを除きPKや PKKを目的にフェルッカに出かける人は、日本シャードを見る限りかなり稀有な存在です。今から一体どうやってフェルッカにプレイヤーを呼び戻すおつもりですか？　何か秘策があるのでしょうか？

Calvin：これまでの情報から日本のプレイヤーがPvPをさほど好まない。ロールプレイやハウスカスタマイズが人気だ、ということは我々もよく知っています。具体的なプランは幾つか出ていますが、今はまだお話できません。

――逆に、そのPvPを活性化させるための具体的な策は、いつ頃お話いただけそうでしょうか。

Calvin：時期についてもまだ何とも言えません。次回の“UO HoC”（定期的に行われる、開発者とファンとの公開質問会）では、何かしらお伝えできることがあればいいなあと思っています。逆に教えて欲しいことがあります。どうすれば日本のプレイヤーをフェルッカに、そしてPvPに戻せるのでしょうか？

--

Dengeki(=Interviewer): Now that it has been three months since "UO SA" was released, what problems do you have?

Cal: We have problems in a heap. Problems at the moment are taking measures against speed hacking, detection of third party tools, and preparation of holiday gifts. We are now focusng on making PvP more lively. We are looking into what to do, so as for players to get back to Felucca, PvP and Factions as ever. Besides, live events didn't get much love during developing "UO SA", we are going to pour our love to them.

Dengeki: "Focusng on making PvP more lively" draws my attention. --- How do you bring back players to Felucca from now? Do you have a secret plan for it?

Cal: From what we heard until now, we know well that Japanese players don't like PvP so much, and RP and customizing houses is popular among them. We have some concrete plans, but we can't speak of them now.

Dengeki: On the contrary, when will you be able to speak of the concrete plans to make PvP more lively?

Cal: We can't say anything about the time when we can speak, either. I think it would be good if we could have things to inform players with on the next "UO HoC". On the contrary, I have something for you to tell me. How could we bring back Japanese players to Felucca, and to PvP?

--

Calvin：難しいことを言いますね（笑）。では……1つだけ。PvPにも大きな影響を与える変更、具体的にはアイテムの保険金に関してちょっと変更がありますよ。これ以上は申し訳ありませんが何も言えません。

Cal: You say a very difficult thing(lol). Then ... only one thing. There will be a change that affects also PvP much, to say it concretely, a little change with insurance premium of items. I can't say more than that.

 

[Bruin]

Like being at the bank someone would run up yelling "REDS AT THE CROSSROAD's! Lets go get em!" and people would actually rally up and go hunt them down. Although sometimes this was a trap and you would have like 10-15 reds waiting for our little 8-10 man hunting party. Sometimes ya won and sometimes ya lost. But it was a helluva good time.

Agreed. For me it was hanging out at Skara bank and people coming in saying Reds at the docks since that was such a chokepoint in and out of Skara.

 

[Bruin]

One of the main issues with UO is it has tried to cater to many different playstyles.

There is the all risk playstyle, aka old school felucca or kind of Siege.

There is the I want to be protected from idiots while I do my thing playstyle, aka Trammel.

I believe when UO:R came out, they should have just made all felucca based and all trammel based shards, instead of different facets, but that is long gone. Over time this game has more and more moved towards the trammel playstyle. This would include stat loss, the introduction of Trammel itself, to non-lootable corpses, to insta-loot corpses, to insurance, to insta rez items (seeds, virtue, etc).

Yes there are more people in Trammel today, but this is because the felucca playstyle has long been ignored. Who's to say if improvements to the felucca playstyle would not bring back more people who enjoy that playstyle? There's a vast number of people who do participate in this playstyle, they just do it on non-EA shards. You don't think that EA wouldn't want to try and tap into this playerbase, increasing it's subscription numbers benefiting all UO players by extending the life of the game?

There are all sorts of play types in this game. From crafters, to pvp'ers to 'feluccians' to 'trammelites' to plant keepers. At times they introduce game play changes to the benefits of the plant keepers, something I don't partake in. At times they introduce play changes to the benefits of feluccians. They can't make changes that affect EVERYONE positively, they've got to take it one at a time. So why complain?

 

[IanJames]

Not having insurance isn't really as bad as you think it is.

It puts the crafters back in business and higher end items are put at risk so they are lower in cost because they change hands. Costs of everything come down. . . Now that we have imbuing, some of these arties are more easily replaced with items that are fairly close.

 

[Ken of Napa]

Not having insurance isn't really as bad as you think it is.

It puts the crafters back in business and higher end items are put at risk so they are lower in cost because they change hands. Costs of everything come down. . . Now that we have imbuing, some of these arties are more easily replaced with items that are fairly close.

Not everyone wants to play under Siege rules. It's gone to far on production shards with all of the uber suits. If they screw with insurance now (like they should have done years ago) it will finally be the death of UO.

Or do you really want each of the production shards to lose 40-70 percent of the people playing now? That is another way that the costs of everything comes down. At least that's what I predict will happen, hopefully we never find out if I'm right.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Please keep it in your mind that mistakens might be included somewhere because this is a traslation of a translation.

--

True.

The reference, for example, could easily be in fact a change to what I call the "insurance bounty" system (the way you get a percentage of a player's insurance money when you kill someone).

It could also be increasing the cost of insurance for PvP deaths. Remember how long ago they cut the rate of insurance in half for PvP deaths? They could be dumping that finally.

A questionable move, perhaps, but not the kind of major alteration of how insurance works that many of us fear.

-Galen's player

 

[Bruin]

Not everyone wants to play under Siege rules. It's gone to far on production shards with all of the uber suits. If they screw with insurance now (like they should have done years ago) it will finally be the death of UO.

Or do you really want each of the production shards to lose 40-70 percent of the people playing now? That is another way that the costs of everything comes down. At least that's what I predict will happen, hopefully we never find out if I'm right.

I don't necessarily agree. Granted if they just dropped insurance now, it would probably do more harm than good, as no one wants to lose the orny they just spent 50 mil on. However, if orny's became so prevalent (or equivalent items) that they cost 300 gold to buy, what's the difference between paying 300 gold to buy it or 300 gold to insure it? Other than you can lose it and may have to spend time retrieving another one. This is just one example of how they can alter the game so that any changes to insurance may have less of an effect.