Vote On Selling VETERAN Rewards

[Assia Penryn]

I voted no. However, I would find it acceptable for them to sell items that function in a more limited capacity and are similar to them. This way the veteran rewards retain their value and EA gets income. The house teleporters needing to be recharged is just fine in my opinion. I wouldn't mind seeing soulstones, portals, etc sold by EA as long as they are functional, but not quite as good as the veteran rewards and have a different name/graphic to differentiate between them. All players can have access to these items, but they just might not be quite so carefree as the veteran reward version... dye tubs that water has to be added to it after so many uses or whatever.

Assia Penryn
Account age 151 months

 

[Prime.]

Could care less, most of those UO online stores sell them anyways, EA would just make more money if they sold them themselves. Would rather they leave the year times alone though.

 

[Prime.]

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.

I do feel pretty bad for all those people who spent 50-100+ million on a set though. Just to be sold for 20-30 bucks a few weeks later.

 

[Tina Small]

I didn't vote, but I tend to agree with Ezekiel's comments.

Here's a thought: What if the developers are planning to give all characters once again a few Heritage Tokens, but the choices have been expanded to include some other items they've previously released through the store and including this new collection that is now on Test Center? That way everyone has a shot at getting a few of these items. Might be a good way to get people to reactivate recently (and I mean very recently) closed accounts to get the tokens. After that, EA can turn around and sell the individual items for cash via the game code store.

 

[Evlar]

I'm simply against the selling of any items in a subscription based game. But then, there's third party websites selling items and it does seem to be "the future" of MMO's for generating income.

Still, I would much rather development time was more focused on gameplay improvements, rather than saleable gimmicks. But I think we all understand that ultimately the bottom line is... there's a bottom line... and the developers have to cowtow to that.

 

[canary]

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:

You are saying you want to lick popps?

Uhm, ok. Just rent a room first, ok?

 

[Evlar]

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:

You are saying you want to lick popps?

Uhm, ok. Just rent a room first, ok?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-DuC0tE7V4&feature=related

 

[Kat]

I haven't voted, dunno if I even will, but I do have an opinion on this. As long as players continue to receive their vet rewards on an annual basis, I have no problem whatsoever with EA selling them. They are a business and as such, the entire point is to make money, but at the same time, I still appreciate my yearly "thanks for supporting UO, here's a freebie for ya" vet reward.

Even while the player base is receiving annual vet rewards, there is still an opportunity for them to make money. Case in point:

I currently have 2 vet rewards available on 1 of my 4 accounts. I'd planned to either use them for soulstones or wait until I can get a couple house teleporter sets. At the moment, I also [sort of temporarily] need another ethy and since I play Siege, they aren't exactly on every corner vendor. If they were available for purchase, I'd probably drop 5 or 10 bucks for one simply for the sake of convenience. What can I say... I like having my cake and eating it too!

Besides... What would you rather have... Them selling ethies, dyetubs and crap or raising subscription fees? Just a little food for thought.

 

[Fink]

I think they should sell everything for real money.

Right or wrong (whatever those terms may mean), third party cash vendors already sell everything. EA should either ban the practice - which they either won't or can't - or get involved.

If I were inclined to buy via microtransactions, I'd rather see the game's developers getting my extra money and putting it back into making a better product than have that money disappear into some scriptor's pocket.

EA could even sell products that the cash vendors simply can't generate via bots, such as additional stable slots, house facilities and other account/character-bound benefits.

 

[ACB1961]

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 agree

 

[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 agree

Really ?

Recall and Gate spells now no longer work ?

I mean, what does the house teleporter do that recall/gate spells cannot do ?

I am sorry, but while I do agree that the House teleporter tiles are handy and very convenient, they are NOT indispensable as any other player can use recall/gate spells and move around just pretty much the same.

Players want the House teleporter ? They should build up their account age and qualify to get them.........

If they do not, recall and gate spells do wonders........

In order to have Veteran rewards maintain an appeal and thus, have players have a reason to maintain their accounts as active also during short breaks away from the game, well, the rewards should be uniquely desirable.

But if similar ones can be gotten otherwise, well, as I see it, the Veteran Reward Program would loose much of its appeal and become pretty much moot.

 

[Tina Small]

Really ?

Recall and Gate spells now no longer work ?

I mean, what does the house teleporter do that recall/gate spells cannot do ?

I am sorry, but while I do agree that the House teleporter tiles are handy and very convenient, they are NOT indispensable as any other player can use recall/gate spells and move around just pretty much the same.

Players want the House teleporter ? They should build up their account age and qualify to get them.........

If they do not, recall and gate spells do wonders........

In order to have Veteran rewards maintain an appeal and thus, have players have a reason to maintain their accounts as active also during short breaks away from the game, well, the rewards should be uniquely desirable.

But if similar ones can be gotten otherwise, well, as I see it, the Veteran Reward Program would loose much of its appeal and become pretty much moot.

Freja plays on Siege Perilous, popps. Siege and Mugen have many rules that work differently than other shards, e.g., you can't use Recall or Sacred Journey spells. If you want to get somewhere, your character must walk or be a mage able to cast Gate spell or have friends who can cast Gate spell. Or if your character is in factions, use a faction stronghold rune, however it only takes you to the stone in your faction's stronghold.

 

[hen]

I voted yes because the no option came first in the list in all caps.

 

[FrejaSP]

Freja plays on Siege Perilous, popps. Siege and Mugen have many rules that work differently than other shards, e.g., you can't use Recall or Sacred Journey spells. If you want to get somewhere, your character must walk or be a mage able to cast Gate spell or have friends who can cast Gate spell. Or if your character is in factions, use a faction stronghold rune, however it only takes you to the stone in your faction's stronghold.

Yep for Siege this teleporters are a blessing as it will allow players to make templates without magery and get home after dying. As we don't have recall, we can't recall from a runebook with no skills, we need regs, lrc armor or a gate scroll and enough magery to gate.

That stop alot from playing Siege so Devs just fixed one the problems that make players give up Siege. to the Devs

 

[Connor_Graham]

Players want the House teleporter ? They should build up their account age and qualify to get them.........

Or just buy them from you for 80 mil.

Hypocrite.

 

[Viper09]

Players want the House teleporter ? They should build up their account age and qualify to get them.........

You make that sound so easy. 12 years is a long time. So easy to get dead bored in half that time.

 

[Lord Gareth]

Or just buy them from you for 80 mil.

I was reeeeeeeeally wondering when someone would actually call popps out on that. Big grand old speech on how he deserves them as a vet for his loyalty *Earned vet rewards* Yet he sells them on different shards for 80,000,000 gold to make a profit. I am glade someone pointed that out. Don't want to be cutting into loyal players making a profit now do we?

 

[Tukaram]

Since other sites sell pretty much everything for cash I'd rather see EA get the money. The money would probably not go into the UO coffers but as long as EA sees money flowing in it could keep the lights on a little longer.

 

[popps]

You make that sound so easy. 12 years is a long time. So easy to get dead bored in half that time.

I have mentioned a well assorted Veteran Reward "list" as the key.

The point is not having 1st year player look at 12th year rewards.

The point is have 1st year look at 2nd year, then 2nd year look at 3rd year, then 3rd year players look at 4th year rewards and so on, all the way up.

Since it is feasible for a player to look at rewards obtainable in a few months, if the list is well assorted with rewards appealing for any and all years of the program then any play at any account age will still find something interesting and worth it to maintain the account as active and, most importantly, within reach of a few more months.

Sure, the top years would offer the best rewards but that kinda sounds logical, doesn't it ? I do not think that 1st year is the same as 12th year and, therefore, it sounds logical to me that the most years offer the most appealing rewards.

If there is a problem with players selling vet rewards for gold to other players there is a simple solution to that to which I am perfectly ok with : make the vet rewards, all vet rewards, only usable by the account which claims them or, at least, tie them with the age of the account for their usage (i.e. accounts with less years cannot use them).

I do not have a problem with seeing Veteran Rewards only usable by the accounts which qualify to claim them.

I would imagine that making them claimable only by veteran accounts but usable by all was a way to both prize veteran players and still allow all players to have access to the particular item.

But if this is a problem then I am all fine with the vet reward be only usable by the veteran account which can claim them.

 

[Viper09]

Players want the House teleporter ? They should build up their account age and qualify to get them.........

Or just buy them from you for 80 mil.

Hypocrite.

Huh...so now we have come to the truth here. The real reason popps is opposed is because he wants to keep selling them for a ton of gold. Which is a tad bit ironic since in other threads he was complaining about people selling items for a ton of gold. Not to mention he always tries to fight for new players and helping them get rare items more easily with less work.

So if players can actually buy these teleporters *gasps* popps can't sell them for 80 mil!

 

[popps]

Freja plays on Siege Perilous, popps. Siege and Mugen have many rules that work differently than other shards, e.g., you can't use Recall or Sacred Journey spells. If you want to get somewhere, your character must walk or be a mage able to cast Gate spell or have friends who can cast Gate spell. Or if your character is in factions, use a faction stronghold rune, however it only takes you to the stone in your faction's stronghold.

Point taken but nonetheless, I find it hard to imagine a change in the game that affects all of the production servers on the basis of specific rules that apply only for Siege Perilous and Muegen, hardly populated by the way.......

I do not think that whatever rules apply for Siege and Muegen, both shards very scarcely populated, should influence changes to the game that will then fall on all of the production shards where different playing rules apply.

 

[popps]

Huh...so now we have come to the truth here. The real reason popps is opposed is because he wants to keep selling them for a ton of gold. Which is a tad bit ironic since in other threads he was complaining about people selling items for a ton of gold. Not to mention he always tries to fight for new players and helping them get rare items more easily with less work.

So if players can actually buy these teleporters *gasps* popps can't sell them for 80 mil!

Not at all.

As I said, make Veteran Rewards only usable by the accounts that claim them or, limit their use to only the accounts that have the active age needed to claim the rewards.

Fine for me.

The benefits to helping UO accounts be kept active that the Veteran Rewards Program might bring is by far more important than anything else and, if having reward be sold player to player is a problem, then the solution to it is rather easy, lock their use with the account that claimed them or reduce their usability to only accounts with the age that can claim said rewards.

No more selling of rewards.

I am not interested in selling rewards, but I am interested in seeing a working and well assorted Veteran Rewards Program that might have rewards appealing enough to give motivations to players to keep their accounts as active even when deciding upon short breaks away from the game. The more subscriptions stay active, the better it is for the healthiness of the game.

Sometimes, it can be a good thing to have things which no money can buy, but that only time can earn.......

 

[Connor_Graham]

I am not interested in selling rewards,

Except when you can make 80 mil off of them....

 

[kelmo]

So 8 mil was a good deal? *laughs*

 

[popps]

I am not interested in selling rewards,

Except when you can make 80 mil off of them....

A problem very very easily solvable as I suggested......

Make Veteran Rewards only usable by the account that claims them or limit their use to only accounts with the same one age as what is needed to claim them.

The Veteran Rewards Program and its appealing power to maintain accounts as active as much as possible, is the thing which matters the most, IMHO.

 

[UOKaiser]

So 8 mil was a good deal? *laughs*

Nope. Remmeber you bought yours in siege. 8mil equals 80 mil in production if you used a broker to convert your siege gold to production or vice versa. Good price for them would be 50mil to 80mil so in siege that would be 5 mil to 8mil.

 

[Tina Small]

Point taken but nonetheless, I find it hard to imagine a change in the game that affects all of the production servers on the basis of specific rules that apply only for Siege Perilous and Muegen, hardly populated by the way.......

I do not think that whatever rules apply for Siege and Muegen, both shards very scarcely populated, should influence changes to the game that will then fall on all of the production shards where different playing rules apply.

popps, did you read about the upcoming contest for winning one of the houses in the Stygian Abyss? As you probably know, you can't recall or gate into the Abyss. The only way you can get in is by walking.

It makes a little bit of sense to me that perhaps the developers came up with the idea for the house teleporters when they decided to put housing spots in the Abyss. For all we know, maybe they plan to open up similar housing spots in Ilshenar and thought that the house teleporters would make such housing more appealing, at least to people who have multiple accounts with multiple houses on one shard. Or perhaps they realized that people might be reluctant to lock down a 12-year vet reward in someone else's house but might be more willing to lock down a teleporter that they could replace a more easily and less expensively than a 12-year vet reward.

It could also be that the upcoming changes to factions will affect ALL players more than we expect. For example, the changes might encourage people to put characters with little if any offensive or defensive skills into factions, especially if they can safely and easily move such characters between houses. If yes, then perhaps that also makes it easier for the developers to try opening up factions or non-consensual PvP to all facets (something I don't necessarily want to see, but that lurks in the back of my mind as a big possibility based on Mr. Crowner's "return to the wild wild West" comment made last summer).

 

[popps]

popps, did you read about the upcoming contest for winning one of the houses in the Stygian Abyss? As you probably know, you can't recall or gate into the Abyss. The only way you can get in is by walking.

It makes a little bit of sense to me that perhaps the developers came up with the idea for the house teleporters when they decided to put housing spots in the Abyss. For all we know, maybe they plan to open up similar housing spots in Ilshenar and thought that the house teleporters would make such housing more appealing, at least to people who have multiple accounts with multiple houses on one shard.

Well, with players in lower numbers nowadays does UO really need new Housing areas opened up especially in areas with recall/gate restrictions ?

Or perhaps they realized that people might be reluctant to lock down a 12-year vet reward in someone else's house but might be more willing to lock down a teleporter that they could replace a more easily and less expensively than a 12-year vet reward.

It could also be that the upcoming changes to factions will affect ALL players more than we expect. For example, the changes might encourage people to put characters with little if any offensive or defensive skills into factions, especially if they can safely and easily move such characters between houses. If yes, then perhaps that also makes it easier for the developers to try opening up factions or non-consensual PvP to all facets (something I don't necessarily want to see, but that lurks in the back of my mind as a big possibility based on Mr. Crowner's "return to the wild wild West" comment made last summer).

You mean, house teleporters up for sale could be the starting of another widespread player killing era in UO ?

Didn't the game loose enough players so far ?

 

[Tina Small]

You mean, house teleporters up for sale could be the starting of another widespread player killing era in UO ?

Didn't the game loose enough players so far ?

Why not? Don't you think another "player-killing era" would go really well with the much cheaper insurance costs and the overwhelming abundance of overpowered items that were introduced last year with the champ spawn replicas and SA artifacts and imbuing? Don't you ever get the feeling that some day we need to pay the piper for becoming fat and happy on all the goodies so many have acquired lately? If something drastic doesn't happen, I predict UO will just end up dying an ungainly death from its remaining players gorging themselves to death on luxuries.

We know from things done in the past (e.g., sending bag nerfs and slowdowns in respawn rates) that the developers had/have concerns about the game's economy. However, they made sending bags useful again and respawn rates in many places seem to be bearable again. And then they added an outrageous amount of over-the-top stuff to the game.

None of this adds up because it seems like its very unhealthy for the future of the game. Somehow it needs to be balanced out and the game needs to once again become appealing to newcomers and returnees. So yes......I think something huge is looming on the horizon that the developers think may help provide some of that balance and make the game attractive once again for newcomers and returning players.

I guess time will tell.

 

[Jove]

There are sites that sell vet rewards so why not UO? If they do need to make money I always thought why didn't they sell a few of the new vet rewards. I'd love to have a couple the Tiles for one, very nice item. I also have been thinking that when your account gets old enough do you have that many rewards to sell anyway? Would you need the money so badly and if you did you could still sell them and make your gold. I don't see any reason why UO shouldn't sell a few the rewards.

 

[Viper09]

I am not interested in selling rewards,

Except when you can make 80 mil off of them....

A problem very very easily solvable as I suggested......

Make Veteran Rewards only usable by the account that claims them or limit their use to only accounts with the same one age as what is needed to claim them.

The Veteran Rewards Program and its appealing power to maintain accounts as active as much as possible, is the thing which matters the most, IMHO.

Sooo, your argument is that you want EA to force you to stop selling vet rewards? You argue that they should only be use-able by accounts that receive them, and yet you sell them. Clearly you need EA to stop you from selling them as you cannot do it yourself.

 

[Fink]

Fine for me.

QFT.

There is nothing wrong with that attitude so long as you own it.

Some people feign altruism, concerns that "not all players" are getting a fair deal, play devil's advocate, or champion the greater good of the game.

While there are some who genuinely feel this way, there are others who just want the appearance. The latter type should just say "this affects me directly" and make their noise about it. There's no shame in asking for what they want unless they try to disguise it as selflessness.

 

[popps]

I guess time will tell.

Indeed.

I agree that some major changes are needed for the best future of UO, only, pkilling I am not sure could help reduce items as, even if players become lootable, it will only transfer items from a player to another.

We need to have consistent wear and tear in the game and items' prices drop a whole lot.

Of course wear and tear may not be acceptable when some items cost many millions if not tens of millions.

But if the economy and inflation gets under control and items are much more reasonably priced than even with them breaking and even if often, replacing them should not be such a huge cost, even with high end ones.

When I see items like tangle, for example, even when new, selling in excess of 50 millions if not even up to like 70 or 80 millions, I can see how wear and tear cannot be currently viable in the game even though very much needed, IMHO....

So, I think a new age for player killing should only come, if ever, after the economy is fixed and inflation fixed (i.e. never ever have items priced several millions any longer...) and after wear and tear has been revamped.

 

[popps]

QFT.

There is nothing wrong with that attitude so long as you own it.

Some people feign altruism, concerns that "not all players" are getting a fair deal, play devil's advocate, or champion the greater good of the game.

While there are some who genuinely feel this way, there are others who just want the appearance. The latter type should just say "this affects me directly" and make their noise about it. There's no shame in asking for what they want unless they try to disguise it as selflessness.

I am not sure I understand what the problem might be here.

I mean, if playing the game by the rules and according to, as it was designed, is not ok, then what ?

If there is a problem with anything in the game well, then perhaps that something should be changed so as not to make any unwanted action in the game possible ?

That would be, to my opinion, a logical step.

If selling anything in the game might seem as not appropriate, then it looks kinda logical to me that the game engine should not allow that.

 

[Connor_Graham]

So, I think a new age for player killing should only come, if ever, after the economy is fixed and inflation fixed (i.e. never ever have items priced several millions any longer...) and after wear and tear has been revamped.

If open PvP is ever allowed in Tram or it's related landmasses, the majority of UO players will quit and UO will shut down. I'd be one of the first to start looking for a buyer for my UO account while I'm looking for another game to play.

 

[Lord Gareth]

Not at all.

As I said, make Veteran Rewards only usable by the accounts that claim them or, limit their use to only the accounts that have the active age needed to claim the rewards.

You say this AFTER you have already sold them. Do you plan to refund the gold to the players you sold them to should this be implemented? Since you made a massive profit by selling more then (two sets) that I know...

 

[UOKaiser]

Indeed.

I agree that some major changes are needed for the best future of UO, only, pkilling I am not sure could help reduce items as, even if players become lootable, it will only transfer items from a player to another.

We need to have consistent wear and tear in the game and items' prices drop a whole lot.

Of course wear and tear may not be acceptable when some items cost many millions if not tens of millions.

But if the economy and inflation gets under control and items are much more reasonably priced than even with them breaking and even if often, replacing them should not be such a huge cost, even with high end ones.

When I see items like tangle, for example, even when new, selling in excess of 50 millions if not even up to like 70 or 80 millions, I can see how wear and tear cannot be currently viable in the game even though very much needed, IMHO....

So, I think a new age for player killing should only come, if ever, after the economy is fixed and inflation fixed (i.e. never ever have items priced several millions any longer...) and after wear and tear has been revamped.

LoL Im with Connor if open PVP came to trammel I'll be selling my accounts in the same place he will. I'll be gone before the all of UO becomes deader than siege. And you still haven't gotten relative value have you? Want to know why things are so less cheap in siege? Because gold is harder to come by there and there is less of it. Though if a person had 1 mil in siege it would be the exact same thing if he had 100mil in production. Just like if the most expensive item in all the game was 100k then expect every players bank account to have a average of 1-10k. Which means the most strongest powerful monster in the game cannot have more than 100-200 gold in it. With things like ogre lords,trogs and balrons having the most 30-50gold pieces and npc selling items for 1 gold and buying them back at that rate.

Inflation fix now that's funny. Tell that to the US when they gonna bring all prices down back to when a loaf of bread cost 10cents and rent cost 30 dollars a month.

 

[LordDrago]

Not at all.
I am not interested in selling rewards

But Popps, you already sold yours. Don't you really mean to say that now that you have reaped the profits, you don't care if noone else can sell theirs?

This is also ironic because you are in another thread ranting and raving because someone sold an EM event item for 100m gold, and according to you, this would imbalance PvP. Yet, you go ahead and sell your teleporter sets.....perhaps your argument there was that SOMEONE ELSE sold an EM event item for millions of gold, and the imbalance you see is that it wasn't you.

Popps, you are making so many conflicting statements that you cannot keep track of what you are saying, and keep contradicting yourself.

And then you keep talking about logic?

By far, most people keep multiple account open, not for the vet rewards, although those are nice, but because we have multiple houses and characters that we do not want to lose. Also, some of our accounts are not at the 12 year mark, so they would not have access to the teleporter sets except to buy them, and if I can't find any for sale in UO, I have to either wait several years on some accounts (not gonna happen), or buy them. Now, logically speaking, what is better for UO, that I buy them from a third party, or I buy them from EA?

 

[popps]

Inflation fix now that's funny. Tell that to the US when they gonna bring all prices down back to when a loaf of bread cost 10cents and rent cost 30 dollars a month.

Well, I would imagine there is a whole lot more things that could be done in a virtual, online game than in real life through the means of software coding.

Besides, I would imagine that the owners of an online computer game have quite more freedom in being able to even set price limits to in game trading of items, should they want so, than what any government might be able to do in real life....

 

[Lord Gareth]

Gareth's Anti Virtue tool

$65.00

Target the character of any player in game and instantly copy their
account age. Gain access to all veteran rewards. Be careful though...
some players may lie about their account age and you may go back a
few years.



hehehhe.....I'm just evil I know!!!!

Disclaimer
This item is not really for sale nor is it being sold by EA or stratics. Its just a joke.
​

 

[UOKaiser]

Well, I would imagine there is a whole lot more things that could be done in a virtual, online game than in real life through the means of software coding.

Besides, I would imagine that the owners of an online computer game have quite more freedom in being able to even set price limits to in game trading of items, should they want so, than what any government might be able to do in real life....

They will have to do exactly the same in the economical sense. Game-wipe all gold and all possesions from the game. Real life wipe all bank accounts-possesions of all the people. Game- change the amount of gold of everything in game. Real world- Change the price and amount of product.

Both fight of the revolution of changing from a player-people driven economy to a EA-Government control of Gold-Money.

 

[popps]

And then you keep talking about logic?

Absolutely.

My point of view is that items in the game, ESPECIALLY items needed to PvP at high, competitive levels (just saw a PvP bow on auction with a current bid of 75 millions, just to make an example of how things are....), should be way much cheaper than they are now, powerscrolls included, so that any and all players, especially new players or returning players, can reasonably easily be able to get them and so be competitive with others for a more challenging PvP.

This is my wish for the game.

Then, we have reality, unfortunately, with items needed to compete in the game priced very, VERY high. This means, that any player wanting to be competitive in the game, at least in high end PvP, they got to have quite large wealth accumulated to be able to pay for top items.

Since I have no possibility to change the game as I'd wish it was, and I got to live with whatever the game is now like, I have to reluctantly find ways to make whatever wealth is needed to be able to then buy the gear and weaponry needed to be competitive at high levels of gaming.

So, I do not like it, but I have to find ways to make gold in order to buy high end needed items because of the way the game is now.

Now, logically speaking, what is better for UO, that I buy them from a third party, or I buy them from EA?

Well, it pretty much depends on how effective the Veteran Rewards Program is in appealing players to keep their accounts as active even when they are planning for a short break away from the game.

Say that a player is planning to take a break for a couple of months but there is that next year cool Vet reward they can earn if they had 2 more months active age to climb the next step account year age.

It could be that the player, if he/she really wanted that reward and there was no other way to possibly get it , could decide to leave the account as active even while away so, when they get back, they have the required age to get that reward.

That is 2 more months' subscription earned for the game. Multiply this for all players who might find themselves in the same situation, and multiply this over the years since we have different Veteran Rewards for different year tiers of the Program and one could see the benefit to UO.

Now, let's see the other way, instant purchase of the item.
This gives fast revenue to the game but at the expense of monthly subscriptions.

Now, infact, if players can buy Vet Rewards, they no longer need to keep their accounts as active to qualify to earn them and so, they could more easily close accounts when taking temporary breaks away from the game.

 

[Konge]

Absolutely.


Now, infact, if players can buy Vet Rewards, they no longer need to keep their accounts as active to qualify to earn them and so, they could more easily close accounts when taking temporary breaks away from the game.

You already can buy vet rewards. Having them doesn't break the game. None of them are "needed." Having the option to buy them from EA and getting them free from account age would be more beneficial.

People who want to buy them will buy them, if EA offers them at a reasonable price, EA gets the profits and not a third party.

People who don't want to waist their money aren't going to buy them.

This wont change if EA does or does not sell them

People who want to buy will buy, people who want to earn will earn.

SO why shouldn't EA sell them themselves?

And, Popps, if someone wants to take a break from this game, they will. If they want the vet reward, I'm pretty sure they can find it cheaper than holding their subscription (in most cases). Buy it for around 20 or less, or hold their subscription for another 6 months... hmmm.

 

[popps]

You already can buy vet rewards. Having them doesn't break the game. None of them are "needed."

And, Popps, if someone wants to take a break from this game, they will. If they want the vet reward, I'm pretty sure they can find it cheaper than holding their subscription (in most cases). Buy it for around 20 or less, or hold their subscription for another 6 months... hmmm.

BUT, "if" The Veteran Rewards were very cool, usefull, and appealing to players and this, for each and every tier of the 12 years we have (soon to be 13...), AND, there was no other way to get them and they were not sellable among players, perhaps quite a few players would keep their account as active when planning a short break away from the game ?

I mean, if the Veteran Reward Program was the only one way to get certain cool items AND one had to earn them, year after year, in order to get them, then perhaps more players would actually keep their accounts as active even when planning temporary short breaks away from the game ?

 

[LordDrago]

BUT, "if" The Veteran Rewards were very cool, usefull, and appealing to players and this, for each and every tier of the 12 years we have (soon to be 13...), AND, there was no other way to get them and they were not sellable among players, perhaps quite a few players would keep their account as active when planning a short break away from the game ?

I mean, if the Veteran Reward Program was the only one way to get certain cool items AND one had to earn them, year after year, in order to get them, then perhaps more players would actually keep their accounts as active even when planning temporary short breaks away from the game ?

But Popps, you have already argued that people should not have useful items that everyone can't get, because that is "unbalancing" See how that whole logic thing works? You can't make an argument in one place, and then make an argument in another place that counters your first argument.

Well, I guess you can, because you do that all the time. But it makes your arguments mean nothing because you argue against yourself.

And as has been stated several times in this thread, teleporter sets are already available for sale through third party sites (not that I actually expect you to read anyone elses arguments). Therefore, your argument that people keep there accounts open because the are waiting to get teleporter sets as vet rewards, is worthless. The sets are available now from sellers, and are easy to get. People keep their extra accounts open for the houses and the characters. The free vet reward is a bonus.

Popps argument: Let me spend $120 to get a vet reward in 1 year that I could have now for less than $40. Gee Popps, that makes a lot of sense.


Now, tell me, should I now buy my teleporter set from a third party site, or should I buy it from EA?

 

[LordDrago]

BUT, "if" The Veteran Rewards were very cool, usefull, and appealing to players and this, for each and every tier of the 12 years we have (soon to be 13...), AND, there was no other way to get them and they were not sellable among players, perhaps quite a few players would keep their account as active when planning a short break away from the game ?

I mean, if the Veteran Reward Program was the only one way to get certain cool items AND one had to earn them, year after year, in order to get them, then perhaps more players would actually keep their accounts as active even when planning temporary short breaks away from the game ?

But it isn't, and it never will be because there are third party sites selling vet rewards.

Popps, this is earth.....earth, this is Popps. You two should meet sometime.

 

[Konge]

BUT, "if" The Veteran Rewards were very cool, usefull, and appealing to players and this, for each and every tier of the 12 years we have (soon to be 13...), AND, there was no other way to get them and they were not sellable among players, perhaps quite a few players would keep their account as active when planning a short break away from the game ?

I mean, if the Veteran Reward Program was the only one way to get certain cool items AND one had to earn them, year after year, in order to get them, then perhaps more players would actually keep their accounts as active even when planning temporary short breaks away from the game ?

LordDragon nailed it on the head, your argument causes people to have things that give them an advantage against others, but the items are only available to people under certain conditions (account age) This argues against all of your other points of people being equal. You're contradicting yourself, thus you lose.

The items are already for sale, there's no way to make them not transferable among the player base except by giving them uses that are account bound, which would probably make them deco items in the end as anything outside of that, contradicts yourself, and if they are that, that contradicts your point of people needing them.

Give up, your points aren't valid.

 

[popps]

But Popps, you have already argued that people should not have useful items that everyone can't get, because that is "unbalancing" See how that whole logic thing works? You can't make an argument in one place, and then make an argument in another place that counters your first argument.

Well, it all depends about what items we are talking about.
For example, House Teleporters are usefull and appealing to players without being unbalancing since players can still use recalls or Gate scrolls.

Recently there was also an idea about a new item, a search tool to find items in one's own house.

Certainly usefull, and appealing to players yet, hardly unbalancing since players would still be able to find items the old way or with better order of storing.

These are the types of items that I think would be usefull but not unbalancing and, therefore, appealing Veteran Rewards.

And as has been stated several times in this thread, teleporter sets are already available for sale through third party sites (not that I actually expect you to read anyone elses arguments). Therefore, your argument that people keep there accounts open because the are waiting to get teleporter sets as vet rewards, is worthless. The sets are available now from sellers, and are easy to get.

Well, still, if players can sell them also, like third party sites, when their account comes of age they can sell them so, if they see an advantage in keeping their accounts active to earn them this would eventually benefit the game from more subscriptions staying active, wouldn't it ?

Popps argument: Let me spend $120 to get a vet reward in 1 year that I could have now for less than $40.

What if the months to wait is not 12 but, for example, 2 or 3 ?

And, in order to make the Veteran Rewards Program be a valid one to appeal players to maintain their accounts as active as much as possible, more than 1 reward should be in the list to make it worth to players the idea of keeping the accounts active.

If for each and every year, from 2nd to 12th (soon to be 13th) there were items in the list of claimable ones with an appeal to players, then we would have accounts of all ages from 1st to 11th possibly be interested in not closing down the account for a temporary break away from the game because the next tier up would have interesting items to offer.

Of course having a 1st year player wait for a 12th yeat Vet Reward is hardly reasonable, but have a 1st year wait a few more months to hit 2nd year, or a 2nd year player wait a few more months to hit 3rd year and so forth, with each and every year tier having some cool respective items to offer, this perhaps could work as an appealing reason not to close an account for a limited time of a break away.

Now, tell me, should I now buy my teleporter set from a third party site, or should I buy it from EA?

Personally, I'd rather have the money go to those who own the game so that increased resources can help bring more content and fixes to the game.

Only, I'd rather see resources come more from steady, long term income like active subscriptions than from one time sales of items.

I mean, my opinion is that active subscriptions should be the #1 revenues source to defend, one time sales are very nice, but they should be a bonus, without any effect on active subscriptions.

At least, that's my opinion.

 

[AtlanticVlad]

If they start selling vet rewards I'm gona be an unhappy camper. I'm already not thrilled that things like the retouching tool can be used by people with out the appropriate age to claim them kinda defeats the point of it being a vet rewards if you ask me. I can deal with the house tiles everyone should be able to use them though I wish us vets had to place um for you noobs. Where did the part of uo that was about risk and trust and forming relationships go?

What happened to the OMG can I trust this guy to fix my armor and not just steal it? its the same thing but this aspect of the game is missing and is breaking our once very tight community.

Believe it or not there was a time when very few people had GM smiths or GM tailors or any of that nonsense... and you had to hand them your items to get them fixed. This forced people to form relationships with individuals and fostered all sorts of things like trustworthy smith guilds people you knew because they were in such and such could be trusted to fix your stuff.

Sure its not quite the same with vet rewards but I think it should be if you wanna own something you couldn't normally use I think you should need someone that could to come place it for you or what not.

 

[popps]

LordDragon nailed it on the head, your argument causes people to have things that give them an advantage against others, but the items are only available to people under certain conditions (account age) This argues against all of your other points of people being equal. You're contradicting yourself, thus you lose.

The items are already for sale, there's no way to make them not transferable among the player base except by giving them uses that are account bound, which would probably make them deco items in the end as anything outside of that, contradicts yourself, and if they are that, that contradicts your point of people needing them.

Give up, your points aren't valid.

Items CAN be usefull without being unbalancing.

The Teleporter does nothing more than taking a character from one house to another.

Sure, it does it from inside the 2 houses not from the outside.

Yet, one could well recall or gate from right below house steps and then walk into the house.

Wait, when accessing a Felucca House it is very convenient to be able to pop up inside (if the house is not public, of course) since this handy feature makes one less attackable in PvP ruleset.

Meaning, that the item is surely more convenient than recalling or gating but it is not unbalancing. The House Teleporter I see it as a perfect item to be a good, high end Veteran Reward because it can be usefull without being unbalancing.

Selling it as a code makes it moot to have it as a Veteran Reward, I think.

I would like to see more items like the House Teleporter within the Veteran Rewards listings and instead, as soon as one makes it into the list like the teleporter it then gets up for sale (well, an item that is quite similar) shortly after also outside of the Veteran rewards list....

Does this mean that in the future all usefull (and yet not unbalancing) items in the Veteran rewards list will eventually be also purchaseable as a code ?

If so, then my concern is that by doing this the attractiveness of maintaining accounts active to earn rewards might fade away.