[UO Herald] Producer's Update - 9/10/2010

[UO News]

This week I’d like to follow up on some questions asked during the Town Hall as well as continue to clarify what a booster pack means, and what you are paying for and what you are NOT paying for.

What is the plan for the next Booster? When will we see it?

Booster packs are geared for semi-rapid dev cycles plus testing. The goal is to release two per year. We have several ideas right now. But in the short term we are going to focus on completing the current design, delivering arenas to test center as soon as we can, and fixing bugs in game.

The booster went into Alpha testing Wednesday (September 8th) and we have an aggressive bug schedule we are digging into, to get players hands on it and to an external test center in the not too distant future.

Most importantly, the cost of the booster pack does not include “the cost of labor.” This means that we fix bugs and core systems that EVERYONE will have access to. What you pay for is the content surrounding those updates. For example, with the current booster in production everyone will receive the benefit of smooth boat movement. It is core functionality we cannot actively separate from the game. What the customer pays for are new ships, new quests, and access to “cool stuff” like new recipes and boss battles.

As for all content, the booster is available for both clients. Smooth boat movement was initially developed and tested in the Classic Client, and later developed and tested in the Enhanced Client.

Players do not pay for the Ultima Online clients. You pay for the content.



More...

 

[Tazar]

Looks good - except for using Facebook to communicate. I know enough about Facebook to know that I'll never use it.

Hope someone copies info from there to the forums for those of us that prefer not to put personal info out there...

 

[Cal_Mythic]

Looks good - except for using Facebook to communicate. I know enough about Facebook to know that I'll never use it.

Hope someone copies info from there to the forums for those of us that prefer not to put personal info out there...

Hey, Tazar. You can just view it if you want. We are still using forums as well. Facebook is just another method for quick updates to what we're up to.

 

[Tazar]

Unless something has changed - when I tried to view - I had to log in first.

 

[Tazar]

I just checked and it is now viewable. Thanks!

 

[G.v.P]

Why did you answer this letter in the form of an FAQ?

I thought this format would be best.

LOL. Cal, you're the best.

Until tomorrow. I have to be overcritical, don't I? ;P.

But I appreciate you talking about marketing, especially. I felt like it wasn't fully addressed at the Hall, and glad you addressed it.

 

[Nok]

Mesanna bobblehead dolls

I so want one of these! Can I preorder one?!

 

[MalagAste]

Looks good - except for using Facebook to communicate. I know enough about Facebook to know that I'll never use it.

Hope someone copies info from there to the forums for those of us that prefer not to put personal info out there...

What he said... because I've made a vow long long ago that I would never ever use any of that stuff... MySpace, Facebook..... and the worst part about all that...... you have to HAVE a facebook account to even look at a facebook page.

Kinda stinks.


Though I'm glad you mentioned the thing about the KR housing menu... cause you know I would have.

I haven't one single clue or reason why there even is a restriction to how many houses you can be co-owned too or how many co-owners you have...

I suppose way back years and years ago when you had that secure lockbox and whatever for co-owners.... but that's not been a part of housing for YEARS.... and I don't care if it ever is again.... what I do care about is being relegated to friend status in my own home.

As far as 3rd party program detection the only programs I use outside of UO are my Journal program that Ra made for me.....that works with the EC,... UO Cartographer, Trillian and Ventrillo.... so I guess I'm not real worried there... I'm actually glad and can't wait to see some results from your detections.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Looks good - except for using Facebook to communicate. I know enough about Facebook to know that I'll never use it.

Hope someone copies info from there to the forums for those of us that prefer not to put personal info out there...

Hey, Tazar. You can just view it if you want. We are still using forums as well. Facebook is just another method for quick updates to what we're up to.

You cannot view facebook pages unless you also have a facebook account.

This may be the gimmicky "in" way to communicate, but it is NOT an appropriate substitute for the Herald. Anything you put on Facebook should be on the UO Herald first. No exceptions.

We told you guys this when the Facebook page debuted...

Redesign the UO Herald if you have to.. In fact. Please..bring it into the 21st Century and make it look slick like WAR's website.

 

[Tazar]

As Cal said above - and as I verified... you do not have to have an account to view the page anymore...

Facebook(The Devil)'s Ultima Online Page

I probably still won't visit it though... I know too much about facebook to ever really use it - even just viewing.

 

[Tazar]

On a side note - the facebook page still lists Draconi and Chrissay as Dev's...

 

[Viquire]

On a side note - the facebook page still lists Draconi and Chrissay as Dev's...

*psssst, He said he's learning...*

 

[AesSedai]

- Aye, a lot of this does sound good.

Now I dig into it, a bit...

What is the plan for the next Booster? When will we see it?

- Good follow-up on this. Bugs will have to be encountered and addressed during systemic upgrades. It makes me want to be happy to see bugs addressed.

When will we see actual tangible merchandise from UO, and will we see a box on store shelves?

- Not the best reply. We the words which they missing... ~ as you say:

It will not happen any time [.] soon...

- Yet it is a good way to impress upon 'the man behind the door' that there are more ways to generate UO income..

When will you fix access for individual player housing, as it was in the Kingdom Reborn (KR) client?

- Aye, choice admission; and a happy bonus bug to boot. Tie 'em all in.. that sounds enjoyable.

What’s going on with 3rd party program detection?

- Aye, thanks for the official decree that it is acceptable to cheat.. just not too much to be noticed. I'm appalled at this acceptance of breaking the rules; and lack of evolving the rules, since UO has officially chosen to allow a certain, although undefined, amount of rule breaking..

~all the rest~

- Sounds fine, aside from the desired Facebook participation.. Sure that site has a big following, but I tend to take things at face value and as such that site does not appeal to me.

- Aye that is just my take, on what I read tonight.
The code must flow. Long live UO. Keep us proud UO crowd.

{This message was brought to you by I, a member of the UO WoMB ~ Word of Mouth Band.}

 

[puni666]

Most importantly, the cost of the booster pack does not include “the cost of labor.” This means that we fix bugs and core systems that EVERYONE will have access to.

Mind elaborating on this?

 

[Mapper]

Mind elaborating on this?

Seems clear to me, They may fix a bug regarding house placement, just because you didn't buy the pirate booster doesn't mean your placement is still bugged.

 

[a slave girl]

If we get to be multiple co owners of all our accounts houses, please allow more space in the housing menu for that.

Its like maybe 20 chars max can be co owned right now.

I have 8 houses 6 chars and want them all to be co owned to all 8 houses, so I need 48 spaces for co ownership.

While I am thinking about house signs, please consider a house sign transfer tool for sale or as a vet reward because when I change houses or resize my house (erases current house sign) I have to refriend all those chars.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

While I am thinking about house signs, please consider a house sign transfer tool for sale or as a vet reward because when I change houses or resize my house (erases current house sign) I have to refriend all those chars.

This is a good idea! Should be a simple one-use tool sold by architects, decent gold sink for the convenience factor.

 

[Allicio]

so from the statement about 3rd party programmes, am i right to say that we are not allowed to use uocartographer as cal states that uoassist and uoam are the only sanctioned programmes ??

 

[Trevelyan]

In addition, you can't control all of the content on Facebook. Unless someone moderates the page, anyone can post there (and there isn't an option not to view - you can see comments to the posts whether you want to or not).

I would go with feeds/UO.com over facebook any day. I have to say also, that it looks unprofessional (using another website to deliver information - similar to when I see businesses with hotmail.com addresses) and also puts a question mark over the purpose of the UO Herald website itself.

 

[Old Man of UO]

... I would go with feeds/UO.com over facebook any day. I have to say also, that it looks unprofessional (using another website to deliver information - similar to when I see businesses with hotmail.com addresses) and also puts a question mark over the purpose of the UO Herald website itself.

I agree... I do not use, and do not want to use Facebook. Ever.

Stratics, UOHerald, now Facebook... how many others websites will we have to search for? Keep it all on Stratics - That's what the "Ask The Developer" and the "Developer's Feed" were created for!

 

[Obsidian]

Thanks for the feedback, Cal. I especially appreciate the comments on recurring communication as I asked about that at the town hall.

I'm personally not as anti-facebook as others, but I think a routine feedback method is best. I really enjoyed Five on Friday as it actually answered players questions on game systems and the code behind it. I think re-invigorating this past tradition would be well received by the community.

Enjoy the beautiful weather in the DC area this weekend!

-OBSIDIAN-

 

[spoonyd]

Throwing....plz.....guys fix? Hell I can prolly throw a boomerang faster than a Garg!

 

[Green Mouser]

Seeing how all of us agreed that we wanted to see UO product. I am pleased you heard us. I would have been embarrassed to have that meet and the only UO product was Blackthorn items from the UO fest yearssssssssssssss ago. I came to the meet to purchase new UO product because yes, I have much pride in the game and wish to display my wonderful UO. Flip the merchandising license to a third party and get this running surely you can get this done faster than a booster pack.

I cant believe EA has let another money opportunity to slip by....Limited thinkers shouldnt be in business. I guess thats why they are slowly withering away.

 

[Green Mouser]

Throwing....plz.....guys fix? Hell I can prolly throw a boomerang faster than a Garg!

They discussed throwing briefly. They told us there were Devs who liked throwing and would still make attempts to fix. Seems to me all they have to do is eliminate the range penalties and make it like Archery. Seems an easy fix to me but alas the easy doesnt make sense at times.

 

[BajaElladan]

EXCUSE ME???

Are you claiming our Subscriber fees each month don't pay for UO Clients???

Perhaps while you are explaining just what WE Payers do and don't PAY for you could elaborate on just what our subscriber fees Do and Do Not pay for!!!

I EAGERLY await your response to this request.

Lord Elladan of Trinsic/Baja

Quoting Cal: Players do not pay for the Ultima Online clients. You pay for the content.

p.s. I suppose I should be thankful you at least called US Players, and not CareBears

 

[MalagAste]

I'm hoping they are working on throwing as promised at currently 82 skill my thrower couldn't hit the broad side of a castle even if she were standing 3 tiles away...

At 3 to 5 tiles away she might hit one in 15 throws. Not really good there any more than 5 tiles away and she never hits anything no matter how many throws she does.

Using her sword with swords at 55 she hits about 75% of the time.

Does that make any sense at all???

 

[Cal_Mythic]

so from the statement about 3rd party programmes, am i right to say that we are not allowed to use uocartographer as cal states that uoassist and uoam are the only sanctioned programmes ??

You can still use Cartographer

 

[Tjalle]

EXCUSE ME???

Are you claiming our Subscriber fees each month don't pay for UO Clients???

Perhaps while you are explaining just what WE Payers do and don't PAY for you could elaborate on just what our subscriber fees Do and Do Not pay for!!!

I EAGERLY await your response to this request.

Lord Elladan of Trinsic/Baja

Quoting Cal: Players do not pay for the Ultima Online clients. You pay for the content.

p.s. I suppose I should be thankful you at least called US Players, and not CareBears

Well, if you de-activate your account you can still have the client on your computer. However, if you want to log in to access the content you need to pay the fee to re-activate the account.

Something like that...

 

[Cal_Mythic]

I'm hoping they are working on throwing as promised at currently 82 skill my thrower couldn't hit the broad side of a castle even if she were standing 3 tiles away...

At 3 to 5 tiles away she might hit one in 15 throws. Not really good there any more than 5 tiles away and she never hits anything no matter how many throws she does.

Using her sword with swords at 55 she hits about 75% of the time.

Does that make any sense at all???

Hi. We have some very driven members of the team who have a personal interest in the viability of Throwing. So no this has not been dropped ... Of course, as I stated, I only have so much space to put into an update .. and I can't cover every topic of interest.

- c

 

[Viquire]

Hi. We have some very driven members of the team who have a personal interest in the viability of Throwing. So no this has not been dropped ... Of course, as I stated, I only have so much space to put into an update .. and I can't cover every topic of interest.

- c

Thanks C, I hope you make good. I have picked up all kinds of bargains on these scrolls. I love playing the small pay out for large return game. I have soul stones and can wait.

 

[Basara]

In addition, you can't control all of the content on Facebook. Unless someone moderates the page, anyone can post there (and there isn't an option not to view - you can see comments to the posts whether you want to or not).

I would go with feeds/UO.com over facebook any day. I have to say also, that it looks unprofessional (using another website to deliver information - similar to when I see businesses with hotmail.com addresses) and also puts a question mark over the purpose of the UO Herald website itself.

I beg to differ on one point.

These days, if something DOESN'T have a Facebook page, it's typically considered to be unprofessional and lacking in support. You'd probably be shocked by the number of businesses in your home town that have Facebook pages, that you never dreamed would have such - and nearly every MMO has a Facebook page.

That said, the Facebook page needs to be kept up to date, and be moderated. Many dev posts could be done by one of the feed plug-ins that automatically post things sent in the feed to the FB page, making it easier to get said information onto FB, but the replies need to be kept track of, and if a discussion board present, it needs modrated too (and frankly, the FB system of discussion areas sucks big-time).

Also, consider the assumptions about UO that could occur if UO didn't have an official page there, and all that was found with a search of FB were references to freeshards.

 

[Tanivar]

I beg to differ on one point.

These days, if something DOESN'T have a Facebook page, it's typically considered to be unprofessional and lacking in support. You'd probably be shocked by the number of businesses in your home town that have Facebook pages, that you never dreamed would have such - and nearly every MMO has a Facebook page.

It's not professional unless it has a Facebook page? Sounds like the words of a hardcore Facebook follower. Where did you turn up this information at?

 

[Mession]

" UO Assist and UOAM are sanctioned applications. "

What the hell does this mean? Anybody who has been using UOAssist or UOAM can and will get one of those "bans" or wathever?

Or you mean UO Assist and UOAM are NOT sanctioned applications. ?

Please, someone explain.

 

[Vaelix]

" UO Assist and UOAM are sanctioned applications. "

What the hell does this mean? Anybody who has been using UOAssist or UOAM can and will get one of those "bans" or wathever?

Or you mean UO Assist and UOAM are NOT sanctioned applications. ?

Please, someone explain.

Definition of SANCTION
1
: to make valid or binding usually by a formal procedure (as ratification)
2
: to give effective or authoritative approval or consent to

 

[Zodia]

" UO Assist and UOAM are sanctioned applications. "

What the hell does this mean? Anybody who has been using UOAssist or UOAM can and will get one of those "bans" or wathever?

Or you mean UO Assist and UOAM are NOT sanctioned applications. ?

Please, someone explain.

sanctioned {sanc·tion} (Verb)
1. Give official permission or approval for (an action).

 

[G.v.P]

You can still use Cartographer

I'm going to print this out and fax it across the globe ;P.

 

[Mession]

Thanks for the clarification. This is what I had in mind with the sanction word:

8.to impose a sanction on; penalize, esp. by way of discipline

Sanctions, plural of sanction, permission depending on context; contronym; may also refer to:
Involving countries:
Economic sanctions, typically a ban on trade, possibly limited to certain sectors such as armaments, or with certain exceptions (such as food and medicine).
Trade sanctions, a type of economic sanction applied for non-political reasons, typically as part of a trade dispute, or for purely economic reasons, and typically involving tariffs or similar measures, rather than bans
International sanctions, coercive measures adopted by a country or group of countries against another state or individual(s) in order to elicit a change in their behavior.
Pragmatic sanction, historically, a sovereign's solemn decree on a matter of primary importance and has the force of fundamental law.
In other uses:
Sanctions (law), penalties imposed by courts
Sanctions, mechanisms of social control
A sanctioned name is a special name in mycology

 

[Tanivar]

Interesting word. <laugh>

Sanction - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Definition 1 is iffy, 4c is an approval, the rest isn't. Definity a word you have to take in context. I've normally taken it to be what most of the definition describes it as.

"I sanction you as punishment for using an illegal program that wasn't sanctioned by EA as an approved program." <g>

 

[LadyKeroOfAtl]

"When will we see actual tangible merchandise from UO, and will we see a box on store shelves?"


I really liked the Mcfarlane figures that came out years ago, I'd love if something like that came out again.
Still have Dasha sitting on my desk

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

What’s going on with 3rd party program detection?
This week the first series of actions took place on 3rd party program use offenders. I will not share numbers or specifics on account names, locations of offenders, or how often we will take action.

Criteria for taking action are based on frequency of the offense. For example, account X was found using program Y, Z number of times. This implies that the account/player willfully violated the terms of the game. High frequency violators will be removed from the game. Low frequency violators will be warned and in time suspended if the offense continues.

Flames, vegetable throwing, and other creative methods of termination and suspension are not currently planned.
UO Assist and UOAM are sanctioned applications.

Once again I call this smoke and mirrors, Cal.

I've been competing with a script tamer all morning in the Jhelom pen. His script finally broke and then he stood there for 2 hours.

I paged, remained 6 in the que for, uhm, 3 hours? I know the GMs are terribly busy actioning accounts for all those awfully dangerous goza creations that people lovingly built and can't be bothered to enforce other rules...

But seriously, lets end the wishy-washy crap and drop the damn gauntlet already. Give a week grace period starting next week and then perma ban anyone who continues scripting. End of story.

 

[Basara]

"When will we see actual tangible merchandise from UO, and will we see a box on store shelves?"


I really liked the Mcfarlane figures that came out years ago, I'd love if something like that came out again.
Still have Dasha sitting on my desk

My consolation prize for all the shirts that fit me, and the special bags, going before my door prize number was drawn, was a Juggernaut.

It's pretty clear from the Town Hall that there won't be any more shelf presence (in the US/Europe - on the other hand EA Japan just LOVES boxed sets - which is why KR was forced into release when it should have still been in Alpha test), as EA Japan had committed to a KR Boxed set on the shelves to retailers before 1 July 07), other than potentially game time cards (and most likely, the GTCs will be for any Mythic MMO, not just UO).

The idea of a GTC for SWTOR, UO, DAOC and WAR has potential for drawing back in older players, by letting them know we're still around.

 

[phantus]

So the developement commitment is even less now because you can claim you are putting out stuff twice per year? I don't like the fact that instead of one big addition for year we get 2 additions that more than likely make up half of what a normal major update would give for the same $$. Great plan for marketing and all but sucks for UO players. I'll give you guys credit for using a pirate theme to push this garbage through. That was genius but then again you already wasted the ninja add with that worthless piece of crap you called Samurai Empire.

Anyone want to take bets they add orcs as a player race for the next expans....oops...I mean booster pack?

You will have to excuse my negative attitude but I think this is a bad move for the players in general. The booster looks to be shiney but with little actual increase in content. I bet most of us will be bored with it after 2 weeks.

 

[Phineas le Monge]

The impression I got at the townhall is that releasing booster packs instead of expansions would;
1. Make use of existing space, facets, art, etc. instead of starting from scratch
2. Add content and bring new use/traffic to areas that are currently all but abandoned in game
3. Be faster to test and go live with new content on a REGULAR schedule - in other words, not the hurry up and wait we got with SA release
4. There would be MORE time for bug fixes with scheduled releases
5. Stick to a deadline limiting how much goes into each booster - no devs will be out "chasing rabbits" that never actually make it to a booster
6. A commitment to the incredibly huge game we already have.

Are there still questions, doubts, worries? Sure. But if you've stuck with UO all this time and gone through all the ups and downs, why leave now? Why drop something you've invested so much in? If Cal and the team don't deliver, we grab our pitchforks and torches and head back to Fairfax (LOL - just please don't burn down the building!)

 

[MalagAste]

So the developement commitment is even less now because you can claim you are putting out stuff twice per year? I don't like the fact that instead of one big addition for year we get 2 additions that more than likely make up half of what a normal major update would give for the same $$. Great plan for marketing and all but sucks for UO players. I'll give you guys credit for using a pirate theme to push this garbage through. That was genius but then again you already wasted the ninja add with that worthless piece of crap you called Samurai Empire.

Anyone want to take bets they add orcs as a player race for the next expans....oops...I mean booster pack?

You will have to excuse my negative attitude but I think this is a bad move for the players in general. The booster looks to be shiney but with little actual increase in content. I bet most of us will be bored with it after 2 weeks.

I'm sorry you have a lack of imagination.

 

[Evlar]

So the developement commitment is even less now because you can claim you are putting out stuff twice per year? I don't like the fact that instead of one big addition for year we get 2 additions that more than likely make up half of what a normal major update would give for the same $$. Great plan for marketing and all but sucks for UO players. I'll give you guys credit for using a pirate theme to push this garbage through. That was genius but then again you already wasted the ninja add with that worthless piece of crap you called Samurai Empire.

Anyone want to take bets they add orcs as a player race for the next expans....oops...I mean booster pack?

You will have to excuse my negative attitude but I think this is a bad move for the players in general. The booster looks to be shiney but with little actual increase in content. I bet most of us will be bored with it after 2 weeks.

I'm sorry you have a lack of imagination.

So does most of the player base if such regular "stuff" updates are needed to keep people playing...

...but hey, it's about chasing after and accumulating more "stuff" now anyway, right?

And no, I'm not having a go at you personally MalagAste. There's far too few RP'ers these days, who actually do have some imagination.

 

[Lord Chaos]

Looks good - except for using Facebook to communicate. I know enough about Facebook to know that I'll never use it.

Hope someone copies info from there to the forums for those of us that prefer not to put personal info out there...

You don't have to put personal info on there to have a facebook account, its not like it will swallow all your personal information right out of your computer.

 

[phantus]

So the developement commitment is even less now because you can claim you are putting out stuff twice per year? I don't like the fact that instead of one big addition for year we get 2 additions that more than likely make up half of what a normal major update would give for the same $$. Great plan for marketing and all but sucks for UO players. I'll give you guys credit for using a pirate theme to push this garbage through. That was genius but then again you already wasted the ninja add with that worthless piece of crap you called Samurai Empire.

Anyone want to take bets they add orcs as a player race for the next expans....oops...I mean booster pack?

You will have to excuse my negative attitude but I think this is a bad move for the players in general. The booster looks to be shiney but with little actual increase in content. I bet most of us will be bored with it after 2 weeks.

I'm sorry you have a lack of imagination.

Very insightful input. The evidence you bring to light in counter to my argument is astounding. You pull rabbits out of your ass too or do you just talk from it?

I have opinions. Get over them or put me on ignore.

 

[Lord Chaos]

I've been competing with a script tamer all morning in the Jhelom pen. His script finally broke and then he stood there for 2 hours.

Just to have insight into your magic knowledge. But how do you know he was scripting?

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

I've been competing with a script tamer all morning in the Jhelom pen. His script finally broke and then he stood there for 2 hours.

Just to have insight into your magic knowledge. But how do you know he was scripting?

By the sheer fact he always returned to the same point after his tame. That he would run to any bull as soon as it spawned, even if someone else had gotten there first and was already taming. The fact that he nearly instantly renamed every tamed bull and then flamestriked them. The fact that I managed to herd several bulls out of the pen and him along with them, then watched him run back and forth along the pen wall like a broken robot.

A script tamer is fairly obvious, the Jhelom pen is rather small and it didn't help his case that he didn't respond to anyone. A normal player wouldn't have stood there motionless with a tamed bull for TWO HOURS.

 

[phantus]

I've been competing with a script tamer all morning in the Jhelom pen. His script finally broke and then he stood there for 2 hours.

Just to have insight into your magic knowledge. But how do you know he was scripting?

By the sheer fact he always returned to the same point after his tame. That he would run to any bull as soon as it spawned, even if someone else had gotten there first and was already taming. The fact that he nearly instantly renamed every tamed bull and then flamestriked them. The fact that I managed to herd several bulls out of the pen and him along with them, then watched him run back and forth along the pen wall like a broken robot.

A script tamer is fairly obvious, the Jhelom pen is rather small and it didn't help his case that he didn't respond to anyone. A normal player wouldn't have stood there motionless with a tamed bull for TWO HOURS.

I dunno. Sounds kinda iffy. What if he was just roleplaying an idiot? I have read enough people's concerns, like LC's, that could be the case. Or maybe his mouse wasn't functioning properly and they had to go get new ones.

*nods*

Definately dead mouse batteries. I mean, you couldn't possibly be able to tell someone was scripting just by watching them. That's just ridiculous.

*mumbles*...now....where did I put that sarcasm tag.....*mumbles*