Vote On Selling VETERAN Rewards

[Siabra]

Sooooooooo .. IF UO DOES INDEED Sell/give away what ever items that Are Vet Rewards ( and I am NOT quibbling about HOW MANY USES the item has) .. its a VET Reward OR Its NOT. Simple.


So whats YOUR VOTE?

My Vote ?? NO .. thats WHY they are CALLED Veteran REWARDS .. Hence the ORIGINAL MEANING of the ITEMS to REWARD VETERAN PLAYERS

Siabra
Cats

 

[Viper09]

Players have been selling them since they came out a long time ago. No point in stopping it now.

 

[DreadLord Lestat]

Players have been selling them since they came out a long time ago. No point in stopping it now.

Exactly, and the whole point of the vet reward is that you don't have to pay for it. If your account isn't old enough then you cam buy it, if it is then you can choose it. Check out vendors on any shard, there is always someone selling vet rewards.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Sure why not. What does it mean to be a vet anymore. Make them all 1st year rewards and for staying with UO for 1 year you get 30 choices and for every year after that you get 5 choices per year. 12 years of UO and one of the best rewards they have come up with is now going to be sold by them. Way to go UO.

 

[UOKaiser]

Of course thats player economy. Ea economy is vastly different. 9.99 for vet reward I believe equates 20mil gold? Compare to the current price of 60-80mil which would equate to 30-40 dollars that Ea need to sell it for to match the price of the player economy.

 

[Viper09]

Sure why not. What does it mean to be a vet anymore. Make them all 1st year rewards and for staying with UO for 1 year you get 30 choices and for every year after that you get 5 choices per year. 12 years of UO and one of the best rewards they have come up with is now going to be sold by them. Way to go UO.

Who said it was going to be sold by EA? All it is is speculation because it is being tested on TC. People are going nuts over nothing but speculation? Wait...that's normal for people here, silly me.

 

[UOKaiser]

Of course thats player economy. Ea economy is vastly different. 9.99 for vet reward I believe equates 20mil gold? Compare to the current price of 60-80mil which would equate to 30-40 dollars that Ea need to sell it for to match the price of the player economy. 5mil?siege

 

[Yen Sid]

Who said it was going to be sold by EA? All it is is speculation because it is being tested on TC. People are going nuts over nothing but speculation? Wait...that's normal for people here, silly me.

http://vboards.stratics.com/showthread.php?t=187655

We are going to be doing another server publish to TC1 to fix a few of the issues found. We will also be adding the new Artifacts to the bank that I posted in a seperate thread, please check those out.

In New Haven you will find gates for the new MTX items that will go on sale later this month, please feel free to check them out. These items are:

Haochi's pigments

Ninja Black
Dark Reddish-Brown
Ghost's Grey
Emerald
Pretty Pink
Midnight Blue
Smoky Gold
Olive
Ocean Blue
Yellow

Woodworker's Bench
Owner, co- owner and friends of the house can receive bonus to carpentry skill for 30 minutes. +5.0 to Carpentry skill (not to exceed the limit), +5.0 to carpentry success bonus, +3.0 to Carpentry exceptional success bonus.

Pen of Wisdom
Allows the player to copy a full runebook.

House Teleport Tiles
Rechargeable house teleport tiles - must recharge them with Gate Scrolls

People aren't speculating, they just read more...

 

[a slave girl]

I vote yes.

A new player today has zero chance of being able to use the higher end vet rewards through his or her normal game play.

I doubt UO will be here 12 years from now so today's new player can finally ride an ethereal reptalon and if UO IS still around by then 24 year vet rewards would be available and those would still be unusuable for a player starting today.

Ok New Player Give Us Your Money Every Month For 12 Years Starting Today But KNOW THIS:

You Will NEVER Be As Important Ingame As Someone Who Has Paid Since The Beginning Of The Game.

Isn't that what vet rewards really mean?

 

[Mairut]

No, I don't see a problem with these teles being bought. Why?

I checked around a few npc mage shops, and didn't see any gate scrolls for sell... do they sell them? I don't remember, and that's why I checked.

\sarcasm
So, now on top of getting a vet reward that needs to be charged, we have to rely on other players to provide (sell) these scrolls!
I think they should add gate scrolls to npc mage shops before they make these changes live.....! /sarcam.

At least they might improve the UO economy a little bit. If you don't already have a scribe, maybe you should jump on that bandwagon and make gate scrolls... and while you're at it, make recalls too.

Because gate scrolls don't seem to be readily available at npc shops, the teles are at a couple of disadvantages... 1. you have to charge them 2. you have to find someone making the scrolls you need to charge them. k?

If I'm wrong and someone does find them for sale from an NPC, my apologies.

The teles are also useful... etheral mounts aren't. They're just deco for your character. Same as the statues... just deco for your house. The teles actually provide a real use for most players. Same thing for the crystal teleporters, which are available to 1 year vets. Maybe they should sell those too, and make those use gate scrolls. First year vets get the non-chargeable version.

 

[a slave girl]

http://vboards.stratics.com/showthread.php?t=187655



People aren't speculating, they just read more...

"Pretty Pink" !!!!


Yes!

 

[popps]

I do not think such an argument is a pollable one......

I mean, like taxes in real life.

Who likes paying taxes ? Yet, it ain't thinkable a referendum about banning taxes in any country....

If Veteran Rewards are to be a prize to reward customer Loyalty, then they simply cannot be sellable, period. Otherwise, if they can be bought then the whole rewarding loyalty concept becomes meaningless, IMHO.

Of course newer players are going to vote towards the purchase, it is understandable since it is normal that players might want to expedite their getting a given item.

Yet, "if" the specialty of that item is THE reward for customers' loyalty to the brand/product well, letting a brand new customer get it through a purchase makes the whole loyalty argument moot.

So, the bottom line question becomes : is loyalty to a brand/product something still cared for in business ?

Is loyalty to Ultima Online still worth anything or also this one is gone for good ?

 

[wanderer1origin]

actually i agree with this let loose vet rewards keep ethys and blessed cloths to age but teleporters and others should be available to all players!

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

I voted no because in all reality they aren't going to sell a vet reward. Whether you agree or not, there is a difference between an unlimited use item which requires no upkeep and an item which has to be bought with rl cash and is either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

So, no to selling veteran's rewards but I have no problem with selling similar items which must be recharged to use them.

 

[Bullseye_of_Atl]

To thee I say naye.

Just my opinion. A player who has played nonstop deserves a unique showing for it. Items are items, but a very worthy title above and beyond the meaningless Lord & Lady would cut it.

That you can't sell. I know they have these things on test, which I have yet to see....but selling away years of existence? Highly apathetic.

 

[gunneroforgin]

I voted yes on selling Vet rewards. however, some vet rewards can not be used by individuals who are not of age to get the reward, Perhaps some code should be impelmented to at least warn the purchaser/seller that that transaction can not occur.

 

[DreadLord Lestat]

Vet rewards have been used by anyone and everyone since they were originally released with the only exception being the few rewards that are account age based. The real question should be "should vet rewards be account age based for all rewards?" Can you tell how old a persons account is because the have monster statuettes inside or because they are wearing reward cloaks? Can you tell how long they have been playing by the Ankh or the teleport tiles? No, so how are they truly rewards for loyalty in the first place? The reward for loyalty is not the item itself but the ability to choose it without having to pay for it while newer players have to buy them on vendors. People get so caught up with the term "vet". I have been playing since 2000 which means I have been playing less time than some and more time that others but what difference does it really make? If EA wants to sell them so they can continue to make money and keep the game going then I say let them do it. More money earned from the game means more content, bug fixes, programmers and the continuation of a great game.

 

[BeefSupreme]

^This.

I've been playing since the beginning. Who cares.

 

[Warsong of LS]

I voted no because in all reality they aren't going to sell a vet reward. Whether you agree or not, there is a difference between an unlimited use item which requires no upkeep and an item which has to be bought with rl cash and is either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

So, no to selling veteran's rewards but I have no problem with selling similar items which must be recharged to use them.

This

 

[popps]

I voted no because in all reality they aren't going to sell a vet reward. Whether you agree or not, there is a difference between an unlimited use item which requires no upkeep and an item which has to be bought with rl cash and is either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

So, no to selling veteran's rewards but I have no problem with selling similar items which must be recharged to use them.

The difference is so minimal that it makes the 2 items almost the same thing.
And that, IMHO, devaluate immensely the Veteran Rewards' equivalent thus making the all Vet Reward program moot......

I mean, how annoying can it be to drop 200 Gate Scrolls for 1,000 charges ?

"If" Veteran Rewards are meant to reward old time loyalty to the brand/product then the rewards got to be really unique, not "similar" or very close to anything which might be gotten otherwise....

That's at least how I see it.

 

[Mapper]

The difference is so minimal that it makes the 2 items almost the same thing.
And that, IMHO, devaluate immensely the Veteran Rewards' equivalent thus making the all Vet Reward program moot......

I mean, how annoying can it be to drop 200 Gate Scrolls for 1,000 charges ?

"If" Veteran Rewards are meant to reward old time loyalty to the brand/product then the rewards got to be really unique, not "similar" or very close to anything which might be gotten otherwise....

That's at least how I see it.

I was beginning to accept the charge thing, But 1 scroll equalling 5 charges is far too easy. Make the spring item only be usable by friends of the house, Make the vet reward version have more benefits.

Or have the spring item have a delay, limited charges, etc, Something that makes it a benefit to have the vet version!

 

[popps]

People get so caught up with the term "vet". I have been playing since 2000 which means I have been playing less time than some and more time that others but what difference does it really make?

It is not unusual in business, to find marketing strategies prizing "loyalty" of customers to one's own brand or product.

There is tons of studies all over about it and, I would imagine, if businesses do it left and right it is because it has some usefullness, perhaps ?

Since the product is an "online service" for gaming where customers pay a monthly subscription, rearding accounts age makes sense to me on a business point of view because it helps keep customers maintain their accounts as active and so, increase the product's revenues.

Monthly subscriptions, that is, provide the steady long term income to support the game.

Selling codes, instead, is only a temporary solution which can bring temporarily revenues but is nothing long term as monthly subscriptions.

So, if the idea is to have Veteran Rewards help maintain active accounts up for a steadier monthly income, allowing their sale to anyone means devaluating the Veteran Reward Program and thus, making it moot for players to keep their subscriptions as active even for limited periods of breaks from the game.

That is, the choice to increase a temporary income from selling codes might then hurt whatever help to subscriptions may come from a good and well assorted Veteran Reward plan and list of unique and special rewards.

That's at least how I see it.

 

[HongKongCavalier]

I voted no because in all reality they aren't going to sell a vet reward. Whether you agree or not, there is a difference between an unlimited use item which requires no upkeep and an item which has to be bought with rl cash and is either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

So, no to selling veteran's rewards but I have no problem with selling similar items which must be recharged to use them.

I voted yes before I got this post, but would have voted for Ezekial's answer if that was an option (I like when other people do the deep thinking for me!). I would still consider free items as true vet rewards, and would consider the others as income for EA to keep the game going.

Besides, they could always come up with new vet rewards to replace the ones "lost" to the UO game code store. Sell the ethereal Cu Sidhe, and give me a rideable ethereal cat!

 

[popps]

Besides, they could always come up with new vet rewards to replace the ones "lost" to the UO game code store. Sell the ethereal Cu Sidhe, and give me a rideable ethereal cat!

The problem, as I see it, is that if the Company sends a (wrong, IMHO) message to customers that, eventually, the Veteran Rewards (or items very close and similar to them...) are going to be sold for money, then this will always build up an expectation in customers to see Veteran Rewards be purchaseable, eventually.

And this, will make them less appealing to customers thus making the whole concept of having Veteran Rewards as a marketing strategy to appeal customers to maintain their accounts as active as much as possible, moot.

I do not think it is possible to mix purchaseable items as codes with Veteran Rewards.

The 2 lists of items should be well separate and not even close to each other.

"If" the purpose of Veteran Rewards is that of prizing loyalty of customers to the brand/product well, then the list of rewards must be special, unique and meaningfull if customers are wanted to have good reasons to maintain their accounts as active even when taking short breaks away from the game.

If customers get the perception that they eventually will be allowed to buy the same items with money, or items similar and close enough to those from the Veteran Rewards program, then it is possible that customers will loose the appeal from Vet Rewards making their marketing effectivity moot and no longer usefull.

Should that happen, the Veteran Rewards program could be well terminated for good, IMHO, and just sell items for money and be done with it.

But of course, this would mean not having any longer a valid program (the Vet Reward program) to make it appealing to customers to maintain their accounts as active even when having short breaks away from the game.

That's how I see it.

 

[It Lives]

I voted yes.

However, long term users should beaten back to reality and asked to leave to make room for new users.

wait! I mean rewarded with unique non-useful items.

 

[SchezwanBeefy]

I think far more people sell the ones they find at IDOCs than the people who sell them for their own. I voted no because it's a veteran reward. For veterans. Why would we ever think of chaning a system that has been in place for over 12 years?

 

[DreadLord Lestat]

"If" the purpose of Veteran Rewards is that of prizing loyalty of customers to the brand/product well, then the list of rewards must be special, unique and meaningfull if customers are wanted to have good reasons to maintain their accounts as active even when taking short breaks away from the game.

While I can appreciate what you are saying, since when have vet rewards only been available to vets? While they can only be claimed by vets, just about all can be used by any account regardless of account age.

 

[Lord Frodo]

I voted no because in all reality they aren't going to sell a vet reward. Whether you agree or not, there is a difference between an unlimited use item which requires no upkeep and an item which has to be bought with rl cash and is either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

So, no to selling veteran's rewards but I have no problem with selling similar items which must be recharged to use them.

So every year you drop 200 scrolls on it and it gives you another 1000 uses. That's a whole lot of up-keep there. I use mine to go from my keep in Tram to my keep in Fel and because I am redoing both keeps I use it 3-4 times a day. Even at that rate I would use a fully charged house teleporter in what 250 days, give me a break. Most people will use it 1-2 times a day, 500-1000 days of use, whole lot of up-keep there.

 

[HongKongCavalier]

The problem, as I see it, is that if the Company sends a (wrong, IMHO) message to customers that, eventually, the Veteran Rewards (or items very close and similar to them...) are going to be sold for money, then this will always build up an expectation in customers to see Veteran Rewards be purchaseable, eventually.

And this, will make them less appealing to customers thus making the whole concept of having Veteran Rewards as a marketing strategy to appeal customers to maintain their accounts as active as much as possible, moot.

I do not think it is possible to mix purchaseable items as codes with Veteran Rewards.

The 2 lists of items should be well separate and not even close to each other.

"If" the purpose of Veteran Rewards is that of prizing loyalty of customers to the brand/product well, then the list of rewards must be special, unique and meaningfull if customers are wanted to have good reasons to maintain their accounts as active even when taking short breaks away from the game.

If customers get the perception that they eventually will be allowed to buy the same items with money, or items similar and close enough to those from the Veteran Rewards program, then it is possible that customers will loose the appeal from Vet Rewards making their marketing effectivity moot and no longer usefull.

Should that happen, the Veteran Rewards program could be well terminated for good, IMHO, and just sell items for money and be done with it.

But of course, this would mean not having any longer a valid program (the Vet Reward program) to make it appealing to customers to maintain their accounts as active even when having short breaks away from the game.

That's how I see it.

Damn, now you're making me think!

Those are all good points, and I agree in principal. But I would agree even more with you, say, back in 2000 or so when there were more new players coming all the time and the vet rewards truly meant more. There is much more of a distinction between a 3rd year player, for example, vs. a true new player, and vet rewards were nice recognition of that. But today, I think it's more like 12 year accounts vs. 9 year accounts.

But until you said it, I wasn't really thinking of vet rewards as an "incentive" to maintain an account, but in truth, I am keeping my 2nd (rarely used) account going partially for that reason.

As for real incentive and reward, I think it would be great for special housing areas and stat and skill cap increases be given to the long time vets. I'm almost at 9 years, and wouldn't begrudge anyone if that was given to the 12 year players; they deserve it. And those types of rewards would not be sold, hopefully.

The ultimate vet reward for me would be the option to have KR graphics. But that's just me (and I think I mean that literally).

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

I voted no because in all reality they aren't going to sell a vet reward. Whether you agree or not, there is a difference between an unlimited use item which requires no upkeep and an item which has to be bought with rl cash and is either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

So, no to selling veteran's rewards but I have no problem with selling similar items which must be recharged to use them.

So every year you drop 200 scrolls on it and it gives you another 1000 uses. That's a whole lot of up-keep there. I use mine to go from my keep in Tram to my keep in Fel and because I am redoing both keeps I use it 3-4 times a day. Even at that rate I would use a fully charged house teleporter in what 250 days, give me a break. Most people will use it 1-2 times a day, 500-1000 days of use, whole lot of up-keep there.

Well, I didn't make any comment regarding the method nor the number of scrolls needed to charge or to replenish the charges. Just my opinion but I see no reason why one scroll should give 5 charges. It's not like gate scrolls are difficult to get. It should not require anything rare like that stupid bridle required to recharge the hitching post though.

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

The problem, as I see it, is that if the Company sends a (wrong, IMHO) message to customers that, eventually, the Veteran Rewards (or items very close and similar to them...) are going to be sold for money, then this will always build up an expectation in customers to see Veteran Rewards be purchaseable, eventually.

And this, will make them less appealing to customers thus making the whole concept of having Veteran Rewards as a marketing strategy to appeal customers to maintain their accounts as active as much as possible, moot.

I do not think it is possible to mix purchaseable items as codes with Veteran Rewards.

The 2 lists of items should be well separate and not even close to each other.

"If" the purpose of Veteran Rewards is that of prizing loyalty of customers to the brand/product well, then the list of rewards must be special, unique and meaningfull if customers are wanted to have good reasons to maintain their accounts as active even when taking short breaks away from the game.

If customers get the perception that they eventually will be allowed to buy the same items with money, or items similar and close enough to those from the Veteran Rewards program, then it is possible that customers will loose the appeal from Vet Rewards making their marketing effectivity moot and no longer usefull.

Should that happen, the Veteran Rewards program could be well terminated for good, IMHO, and just sell items for money and be done with it.

But of course, this would mean not having any longer a valid program (the Vet Reward program) to make it appealing to customers to maintain their accounts as active even when having short breaks away from the game.

That's how I see it.

Damn, now you're making me think!

Those are all good points, and I agree in principal. But I would agree even more with you, say, back in 2000 or so when there were more new players coming all the time and the vet rewards truly meant more. There is much more of a distinction between a 3rd year player, for example, vs. a true new player, and vet rewards were nice recognition of that. But today, I think it's more like 12 year accounts vs. 9 year accounts.

But until you said it, I wasn't really thinking of vet rewards as an "incentive" to maintain an account, but in truth, I am keeping my 2nd (rarely used) account going partially for that reason.

As for real incentive and reward, I think it would be great for special housing areas and stat and skill cap increases be given to the long time vets. I'm almost at 9 years, and wouldn't begrudge anyone if that was given to the 12 year players; they deserve it. And those types of rewards would not be sold, hopefully.

The ultimate vet reward for me would be the option to have KR graphics. But that's just me (and I think I mean that literally).

Damn it man, you made me read one of Popp's posts. Anyway, How many veteran rewards are up for sale or have been suggested seriously by the devs for sale? AFAIK none until this one. The teleporters should never have been a veteran reward in the first place and it seems to me that the devs know that too now. They hugely miscalculated the immense popularity and desire for the teleporters, not just as a vet reward but also as a potential marketable item for EA.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Well, I didn't make any comment regarding the method nor the number of scrolls needed to charge or to replenish the charges. Just my opinion but I see no reason why one scroll should give 5 charges. It's not like gate scrolls are difficult to get. It should not require anything rare like that stupid bridle required to recharge the hitching post though.

This is from your post that I responded to.

either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

They did niether. It has unlimted recharge and requires very little up-keep. 1000 uses will last you forever.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Damn it man, you made me read one of Popp's posts. Anyway, How many veteran rewards are up for sale or have been suggested seriously by the devs for sale? AFAIK none until this one. The teleporters should never have been a veteran reward in the first place and it seems to me that the devs know that too now. They hugely miscalculated the immense popularity and desire for the teleporters, not just as a vet reward but also as a potential marketable item for EA.

That is why they made the Red Soulstone, Commodity Deed Box and the Crystal Portal all 1st year vet rewards. All of those rewards are very usefull and if UO would have come out and said that they were changing the 12th yr teleporters to a 1st yr I could have understood that. Yes they are very usefull, but to sell them has gone to far. EA/UO is just to money hungry IMHO.

 

[Viper09]

That is why they made the Red Soulstone, Commodity Deed Box and the Crystal Portal all 1st year vet rewards. All of those rewards are very usefull and if UO would have come out and said that they were changing the 12th yr teleporters to a 1st yr I could have understood that. Yes they are very usefull, but to sell them has gone to far. EA/UO is just to money hungry IMHO.

I believe the soulstones were first sold by EA before they added them as vet rewards though.

But anyways, to the main topic. Ezekiel Zane is correct. This is the first vet reward that may be sold (assuming they decide to keep going with it to sell). No other vet reward has any plan whatsoever of being sold. People seem to be blowing one little potential plan out of proportion.

 

[FrejaSP]

UO need new players.
Vet rewards are nice and free for the veterans, that's fine but new players should be able to buy them from EA.

I'm a 12 years veteran, I'm happy for all my rewards but I'n sure a young player do have same need for this teleporters as I have.

The way it works, with charges for non vet teleporters are a nice way to solve the problem.

 

[popps]

I believe the soulstones were first sold by EA before they added them as vet rewards though.

But anyways, to the main topic. Ezekiel Zane is correct. This is the first vet reward that may be sold (assuming they decide to keep going with it to sell). No other vet reward has any plan whatsoever of being sold. People seem to be blowing one little potential plan out of proportion.

I think the issue at stake here is the customers' perception of the whole thing.

Selling a veteran Rewards Program item like the house Teleporter or, something that is very much close to it, will set a precedent and, possibly, create from then onward an expectation of customers (players) that this will happen again for other Veteran Reward items.

All this, as I see it, might make the Veteran Reward Program loose its appeal because, reward items will have lost their attractiveness and meaningfullness to have players keep their accounts as active even when taking short breaks from the game.

Why bother with account age when, eventually, the same items or similar will be purchaseable as codes for money ?

But then, what would be the point of having a Veteran Rewards Program any longer ?

Allowing the purchase of Veteran Reward Program items or of items that are very close to them in their functionality and usability might make it moot the very attractiveness of Veteran Rewards' items to players who might then think "why bother" with keeping their account as active when they, eventually, will get to buy those items or items close to them with money ?

 

[Lord Gareth]

*Cough*

For those who need a Vet reward for being loyal..... you GET THEM FOR FREE!!! That is your gift!!!!

 

[Restroom Cowboy]

ugh...is a replica the same as the real deal?

 

[popps]

UO need new players.
Vet rewards are nice and free for the veterans, that's fine but new players should be able to buy them from EA.

I'm a 12 years veteran, I'm happy for all my rewards but I'n sure a young player do have same need for this teleporters as I have.

The way it works, with charges for non vet teleporters are a nice way to solve the problem.

I am sorry but I need to disagree with , here.

I do not think for a split second that new players might be willing to play Ultima Online their first time because they are given the ability to buy this or that vet reward item (or similar to it) for money.

New players who come to UO do it for friends playing it, or because the game in its entireness as appeal to them.

Yes, its graphics and the look may initially be a strong component of the decision to "try the game out" though it is the actual content of the game which keeps a player playing it....

On the other end, while new players come to UO regardless from Vet Reward items but for other reasons like graphics, overall content, friends, having a cool and well thought out listing of Veteran rewards from 1st year onward all the way up to 12th and now soon 13th year, "can" work as an attractiveness to players to maintain their accounts active even when taking short breaks from the game, to eventually qualify for a given year's Vet reward item.
And this, can help the game as a whole (more active subscriptions is better for the game, ain't it ?).

The Key, though, is to have a well assorted listing of items that can be well appealing to players as they "move up" their account age.
That is, 1st year players should have 2nd years items that look good to them, just like 2nd year players can look at 3rd year Veteran Rewards items the same way and so on, all the way to the oldest years.

That is, one needs not to look at a 1st year player looking at 12th year rewards, but looking at the next tier up moving one year at a time.

Of course, the top account age items should be those that really mean making it meaningfull to have been a loyal customer to the game since Spetember 1997.......

I am afraid that selling very much similar items as the House teleporter for money, might not really send the best message to customers who were loyal to the game for such an incredibly long time........

 

[Warpig Inc]

As long as they don't mess with age based visual items. The polar bear eath was and is one those account age stand outs. To bad the later eaths just don't stand out as well.

When it comes to the money as long as it goes to supporting UO. Problem is EA gets their dirty mits on it and they'll think management needs a raise.

 

[Connor_Graham]

I am afraid that selling very much similar items as the House teleporter for money, might not really send the best message to customers who were loyal to the game for such an incredibly long time........

Says the guy that put an ad here on Stratics to sell said teleporters on Pacific for 80m when they were first introduced. Hypocrite much?

You're just ticked off that you won't make 80m for them anymore. Know what I've got to say to that?

This:

 

[popps]

*Cough*

For those who need a Vet reward for being loyal..... you GET THEM FOR FREE!!! That is your gift!!!!

Well, of course this might differ from player to player but when talking about longest veteran players, usually and talking in general, this can possibly mean people with a few years on past their teens which might mean players with an income of their own. Especially in UO when top Veteran Age account means some 12 and soon to be 13 years.....

What I am trying to say, is that to Veteran players the issue of money when talking about 10 or 20 dollars, may not be as meaningfull of, say, having a game Veteran Reward to prize their loyalty to the game that is really unique in its usefullness and practicality while not being ground breaking and unbalancing for the game.

Teleporter tiles were pretty much this, usefull but not inbalancing nor ground breaking for the game. Anyone can still recall or gate and get the same task done.
Sure, teleporter tiles are more usefull but that is precisely what the "spirit" of Veteran Rewards should be to make Vet Rewards have an appeal to customers to keep their account as active even during short breaks away from the game.

I think that allowing their sale is not a good decision and it may hurt the Veteran Rewards Program attractiveness. It sets a dangerous precedent and, I think, a wrong expectation in players also for the rewards to come.

 

[Lord Gareth]

but when talking about longest veteran players, usually and talking in general, this can possibly mean people with a few years on past their teens which might mean players with an income of their own. Especially in UO when top Veteran Age account means some 12 and soon to be 13 years.....

Well lets put it this way. I speak for 8 accounts which I guess you could call 8 players who have paid for their accounts with their own money. Thank you very much. And since I am a 10year+ (My accounts go between 10 and 12) player x 8 I say its a GREAT IDEA!

 

[Restroom Cowboy]

Well lets put it this way. I speak for 8 accounts which I guess you could call 8 players who have paid for their accounts with their own money. Thank you very much. And since I am a 10year+ (My accounts go between 10 and 12) player x 8 I say its a GREAT IDEA!

Are you seriously interested in pulling the "I have a larger account base than you" routine again? rolleyes:

 

[QueenZen]

I voted NO that they should NOT sell vet rewards. These are supposed to be FREE for being a loyal customer be the items 1 yr. vet rewards or 12 yr. vet rewards.

I would no more like to see them sell ethereals, nor dye tubs, crystal portals, mining carts etc. nor the real 12 yr. vet house teleporter tiles for 10 bucks or any amt. of money.

Selling some things that are precariously similar well, that remains to be seen and it all may not be their best move, but they have done it before with other spring collections etc. to the *rares* community too.

I do not see these new house telporter tiles, as the same as my or other customers, 12 yr. vet house teleporter tiles. *similar but not the same.*

Part of the *fun* of vet rewards is getting it as a free gift for paying them for 1 yr. or 12 yrs. of being their customers.

Part of the *fun* of the older vet rewards are in that some can not even be used till ya come of age, or being the first ones to GET these cuz you just happen to have been a loyal customer longer and so ya claim x vet reward, being like the first kid on the block to have it and others go 'oooh ahh wish I could have one' !

Then the vets sell em all off to the others anyhow flooding the markets with em and they are everywhere in due time, especially if said vet reward requires no *age* to use em by others.

These new spring collection type house teleporter tiles require *charges,* they are not the same as the 12 yr. vet tiles, close, but not the same, so in reality, in theory, on a technicality, in my opinion, they are NOT selling the 12 yr. vet reward house teleporter tiles, to customers.

IF they were selling the identical tiles ie the 12 yr. vet ones, I might be ticked off !

We all like our vet rewards, hopefully EA will never actually sell these in their identical original forms, in promos be they crystal portals, dye tubs, ethereals or any identical vet rewards for cash cuz they are meant to be *gifts* for our paying monthly loyal customer fees and our time with them. In the end though players all buy em off other players anyhow and each of the vet rewards uniqueness gets blurred over time anyhow.

*rides off from her Ankh Of Sacrafice at house a, on her once brand new first one on her block to ever ride one in UO, vet reward ethereal horse 9 yrs ago, and changes to riding her her ethereal... polar bear to step on her 12 vet house tile, to house b, to collect ore from her ore cart.* lol

 

[Crysta]

You can't thinka bout these things in terms of how much you like or want the idea, you have top think in terms of game balance. Permanent links between houses, especially across facets, are very powerful things in the system. The only balance they were given (and its a good one) is that only very old players could bring more of them into the system. Making them buyable removes that entirely.

People already complain about how much of the game is empty because people don't really need to walk around between places anymore... this kind of idea will only make that much worse.

 

[Tukaram]

I know some other games that give vet rewards for free to the vets. Then a while later release package deals of the items for purchase on their store. This gives the vets some time as the only ones with it and they get them free. Then everyone has a chance to share in the fun, if they pay for them. I think it is a great idea.

But I still have 14 rewards unchosen. I don't see the big deal in most of them. Ethy's and a few house decors, no biggie. Let everyone enjoy them.

 

[Lord Chaos]

People already complain about how much of the game is empty because people don't really need to walk around between places anymore... this kind of idea will only make that much worse.

The game is empty because there are very few players. Gotta remember that a lot of players have multiple accounts, so if there's 60.000 accounts, there may be 12.000 players, out of those not all play and not all play at the same time...then scatter that across so many shards that UO have and then you know why UO is empty.

 

[Vercingitorix]

I voted yes.

They aren't taking anything away from us vets, we still get our rewards for free.

On top of that, this is the only vet reward I could find that would be for sale... so what is the big stink about?

And if they do end up selling the rest of the rewards on the site, I'd be happy. You only have so many rewards to claim and there are a few I chose over others I kinda wanted, and if the opportunity arose so that I could buy the ones I didn't pick more the better.

I think people are getting in a huff over nothing to be honest, you are still being rewarded for being a vet by being able to select and receive these rewards for free and so far, before non-vets.

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

Well, I didn't make any comment regarding the method nor the number of scrolls needed to charge or to replenish the charges. Just my opinion but I see no reason why one scroll should give 5 charges. It's not like gate scrolls are difficult to get. It should not require anything rare like that stupid bridle required to recharge the hitching post though.

This is from your post that I responded to.

either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

They did niether. It has unlimted recharge and requires very little up-keep. 1000 uses will last you forever.

Let's get the entire statement in there then, not just the little snippet that is out of context.

Whether you agree or not, there is a difference between an unlimited use item which requires no upkeep and an item which has to be bought with rl cash and is either limited in use and/or requires constant recharging in order to use.

I was very clearly elaborating specifically upon the difference between the vet reward and what may or may not be sold by EA. In no way was I discussing the method nor manner or difficulty or cost in which the new ones would or could be charged.