So... When will the blue crystals be of use...?

[RaDian FlGith]

Way back in October 2009, blue crystals were dropped as part of the Halloween event of that year. In Five on Friday, November 6, 2009:

from UOGuide, since EA's archives don't go back far enough...

What’s the deal with all those crystals from the Halloween quest (especially the blue one)? Should we keep them or ditch them?

You should trade all your red crystals for costumes as Tomas will no longer accept crystals once the Halloween event ends on November 15th. You might want to hold on to your costumes (even duplicates) as they may be of interest to someone else in the not too distant future! You can keep your gold crystals for as long as you wish and summon the Harbinger only when you see fit. There is no deadline on using them. The blue crystals will be of use in the next story arc. They will not be essential, but will definitely benefit to those who have them.

-Sakkarah

Then, here on Stratics from Sakarrah:

from this thread here......

The blue crystals will be of use in the future but not for the costumes. It will be part of the Magincia story arc. You won't need them to take part, it will simply give a bit of an advantage.

Personally, I am fine with how plots are being handled in Magincia. What I'm not fine with is a plot that took YEARS to complete, that even post Halloween ran for another year and a half, round about, and is still ongoing, and rather than something cool, something epic, we're getting the watered down, hardly planned version of something that should feel a lot more climactic than it is.

And, of course, along the way... plans have changed, been dropped, or altogether forgotten about.

I get that dev teams change, people come and go, but aren't these ideas, concepts, design docs, and so forth filed somewhere so someone can come in and continue where the last person left off?

I'm hoping there will be a use for the blue crystals, but I admit, I also hope I win the lottery every week, and I suspect I'll be a millionaire before the blue crystals have use.

 

[olduofan]

Yes it would be nice to know what kinda reward/trade-in we are going to get. I'm sure it will be a blessed shirt thats say I save all those blue crystals and all I got was this lousy t-shirt haha from yours truly the DEVS


View attachment 6092

 

[Capt.E]

Way back in October 2009, blue crystals were dropped as part of the Halloween event of that year. In Five on Friday, November 6, 2009:



Then, here on Stratics from Sakarrah:



Personally, I am fine with how plots are being handled in Magincia. What I'm not fine with is a plot that took YEARS to complete, that even post Halloween ran for another year and a half, round about, and is still ongoing, and rather than something cool, something epic, we're getting the watered down, hardly planned version of something that should feel a lot more climactic than it is.

And, of course, along the way... plans have changed, been dropped, or altogether forgotten about.

I get that dev teams change, people come and go, but aren't these ideas, concepts, design docs, and so forth filed somewhere so someone can come in and continue where the last person left off?

I'm hoping there will be a use for the blue crystals, but I admit, I also hope I win the lottery every week, and I suspect I'll be a millionaire before the blue crystals have use.

lol...some type of plan...u must be new.

 

[Viper09]

Heard they were to be used in re-building mag. So hopefully the event that hasn't started yet will be the use for them.

 

[canary]

Heard they were to be used in re-building mag. So hopefully the event that hasn't started yet will be the use for them.

Wrong, they said as much in the video chat.

 

[Warpig Inc]

Maybe the free for all house raffle NPC will take them saving you 2k per crystal.

Can you say glass dagger.

 

[Bobar]

Well the same advice at the time said make sure you trade in all your red crystals. That turned out to be wrong way back then and there was far more to be gained by those that DIDNT change them.

So I too have still got my blue crystals but I am not holding my breath.

I suspect they are just taking up storage space for ever rather like the pieces of blackrock I have.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

so someone can come in and continue where the last person left off

I agree, OP must be new

What happened w/ the spawn that once occurred by Ilsh gate up in the rocks? Just another Fail?
Maybe the rest/end of the fight won't be all in Magincia?(Most people won't go there anyways, I think the Devs shot themselves in the foot w/ that one).

OR
My best guess - Maybe you can wear a Mask to hide your "Loyalty"(incl your pets)? until you attack something
Blue crystals having some use in that final battle

 

[Uvtha]

They forgot about it. They arent going to be used unless they invent a use for them now. They more or less said they will have no part in the rebuilding of Magincia.

I have a feeling there was a different plan for Magincia back with that statement was made... two+ years ago.

 

[Arcades]

LOL, i dont think that dev team is around anymore, and signing out the previous storyline to the incoming team doesnt seem to be a common theme among the revolving doors that is the UO dev team these days.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

My guess/inference is thus.

Short version: Has been switched to the Spring Cleaning. I base this on the fact that they know previous teams had said it would be used in Magincia and that didn't pan out, and we know there'll be a spring cleaning.

Long version, with a lot more inferring/guessing: A lot of us have speculated that the Magincia rebuilding was intended originally, by Draconi and others, to be a turn-in style event of some kind, or a community collection of some type (at least in part). At some point, though, plans changed and the cheapest way to allow us to have a meaningful impact on Magincia was merely to let us build houses there. Thus, how can we use the blue crystals? Well, let's just throw them into the Spring Cleaning.

-Galen's player

 

[olduofan]

My guess/inference is thus.

Short version: Has been switched to the Spring Cleaning. I base this on the fact that they know previous teams had said it would be used in Magincia and that didn't pan out, and we know there'll be a spring cleaning.

Long version, with a lot more inferring/guessing: A lot of us have speculated that the Magincia rebuilding was intended originally, by Draconi and others, to be a turn-in style event of some kind, or a community collection of some type (at least in part). At some point, though, plans changed and the cheapest way to allow us to have a meaningful impact on Magincia was merely to let us build houses there. Thus, how can we use the blue crystals? Well, let's just throw them into the Spring Cleaning.

-Galen's player

sounds about right for this team. except you forgot one thing their value will be worthless I'm sure they will tell us its because it would be unfair to those that didn't say any or sold theirs... we will see I'm sure and for some reason I feel once again it will be a let down, same old same old bs

 

[Adora]

sounds about right for this team. except you forgot one thing their value will be worthless I'm sure they will tell us its because it would be unfair to those that didn't say any or sold theirs... we will see I'm sure and for some reason I feel once again it will be a let down, same old same old bs

I asked Cal about this as a possibility and he said that it would not be a part of the Magincia rebuild or Spring Cleaning. He said he hoped they could "come up with something more creative" but declined to specify what that might be.

 

[olduofan]

maybe in anther 2.5 years we will find out.

"come up with something more creative" sound to me like they haven't even given any thought at this point, hell I bet they completely forgot about it or didn't even know about them which I can kinda understand to a point. Either way like I said same old bs

 

[Tinsil]

They should just make them part of a turn-in.. at least then they'd have some sort of use.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

I asked Cal about this as a possibility and he said that it would not be a part of the Magincia rebuild or Spring Cleaning. He said he hoped they could "come up with something more creative" but declined to specify what that might be.

Then we pretty much have our answer. As it isn't part of the Magincia rebuild it must be part of the spring cleaning, or they have entirely changed their minds.

-Galen's player

 

[ChReuter]

Blue crystals will be of use soon as the snowball manages to survive his holiday in hell...

 

[neptune1369]

Blue crystals will be of use soon as the snowball manages to survive his holiday in hell...

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

I asked Cal about this as a possibility and he said that it would not be a part of the Magincia rebuild or Spring Cleaning. He said he hoped they could "come up with something more creative" but declined to specify what that might be.

This implies that they believe they are 'creative.'



I think reality begs to differ.

 

[WildWobble]

Blue crystals will be of use soon as the snowball manages to survive his holiday in hell...

Jeesh Don't you know Hell freezes over every year!
Hell, Michigan -
Town of Hell

yep it could survive. But yeah i duno if the blue things will ever see a use.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

I been to the one at Grand Cayman,warm there

 

[THP]

sorry u missed the boat

old event...old item..no use....sorry

 

[Cal_Mythic]

We get this question a lot.
The item itself came from a very short term event.
It's been brought up that we should just use it in Spring Cleaning (and yes we have one planned this year) ...

But the team and I are going back and forth on the best method to implement these.

We thought about pushing them in with the Maginicia story arc, but thought that would be a stretch just for the sake of getting them out of player's backpacks.

Nothing conclusive yet, but we are trying to come up with the best way to incorporate these into the live game.

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Anyway ... just thought I'd respond.

 

[Lady Michelle]

We get this question a lot.
The item itself came from a very short term event.
It's been brought up that we should just use it in Spring Cleaning (and yes we have one planned this year) ...

But the team and I are going back and forth on the best method to implement these.

We thought about pushing them in with the Maginicia story arc, but thought that would be a stretch just for the sake of getting them out of player's backpacks.

Nothing conclusive yet, but we are trying to come up with the best way to incorporate these into the live game.

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Anyway ... just thought I'd respond.

Ive held on to mine, but I wouldn't feel cheated if you brought back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get the blue crystals. Means more for me to collect if I choose to for whatever you choose to use them for. Now I would not turn the event back on, I would just add them to elements spawns snow crystal, air, etc, as loot.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Many vet players have items that are unobtainable to current players, personal item bless deeds are a good example. Many people would probably like one now, but they are out of luck. It’s not mean or rude to say that, it’s a simple fact.

Whatever is done with the blue crystals, say a turn in like the Spring Cleaning, should allow other items as well. This way, anyone can participate. In fact, making them a spring clean turn in is probably your best alternative. You satisfy the need for people to use them somehow, but you do it in such a way as they aren't 'unbalancing,' and those who don't have them aren't left out. This also means you don't need to take dev time away from something else to deal with the issue.

 

[olduofan]

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Many vet players have items that are unobtainable to current players, personal item bless deeds are a good example. Many people would probably like one now, but they are out of luck. It’s not mean or rude to say that, it’s a simple fact.

Whatever is done with the blue crystals, say a turn in like the Spring Cleaning, should allow other items as well. This way, anyone can participate. In fact, making them a spring clean turn in is probably your best alternative. You satisfy the need for people to use them somehow, but you do it in such a way as they aren't 'unbalancing,' and those who don't have them aren't left out. This also means you don't need to take dev time away from something else to deal with the issue.

I agree with this

We get this question a lot.
The item itself came from a very short term event.
It's been brought up that we should just use it in Spring Cleaning (and yes we have one planned this year) ...

But the team and I are going back and forth on the best method to implement these.

We thought about pushing them in with the Maginicia story arc, but thought that would be a stretch just for the sake of getting them out of player's backpacks.

Nothing conclusive yet, but we are trying to come up with the best way to incorporate these into the live game.

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Anyway ... just thought I'd respond.

Thanks for responding. I feel it would be better to use them as a trade-in for spring cleaning, allow them to be something like you can chose 1 of 3 special rewards for the crystals. Also if you do a vendor search (not that I would or have) on pac alone you can find them on vendors from 200k to 1 mil so other players can still buy them and I alone have over 50 my friend has 70 and Im sure from all the Idocs there is a lot already in game so what ever gifts we would get will NOT sell for mega millions because they will not be rare.

I would much rather you guys focus on BUGS and other more important things than make a new drop or quest. Hell if you told us we can fix a bug or take time to create a gift for those I would choose fix the bugs in other wards dont waste time on it take the easiest way out and do what YOU feel is best for all of us here not just those that saved them.

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

We get this question a lot.
The item itself came from a very short term event.
It's been brought up that we should just use it in Spring Cleaning (and yes we have one planned this year) ...

But the team and I are going back and forth on the best method to implement these.

We thought about pushing them in with the Maginicia story arc, but thought that would be a stretch just for the sake of getting them out of player's backpacks.

Nothing conclusive yet, but we are trying to come up with the best way to incorporate these into the live game.

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Anyway ... just thought I'd respond.

EXACTLY! Youre damned if you do and double damned if you don't. And triple damned when to much time goes by and everyone forgets what has been said.

My suggestion... work on random exploration and adventuring. Random monsters spawns. Have us find things and use NPC to help determine their nature and rarity. Make the game of knowing be part of the game and not a product of direct communication.

Sort of like ITEM ID on steriods.

Trust me... you can't win.

 

[Adora]

We get this question a lot.
The item itself came from a very short term event.
It's been brought up that we should just use it in Spring Cleaning (and yes we have one planned this year) ...

But the team and I are going back and forth on the best method to implement these.

We thought about pushing them in with the Maginicia story arc, but thought that would be a stretch just for the sake of getting them out of player's backpacks.

Nothing conclusive yet, but we are trying to come up with the best way to incorporate these into the live game.

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Anyway ... just thought I'd respond.

We appreciate the response, and the difficult balancing decisions you have to make with these things every day, especially when it comes to annoying pests like me .

I'd like to add a thought. If you get the question so often, it is only an indication that a LOT of people have saved these crystals. Plus, the ones who saved them are the ones who pay attention to the story arcs (or planned arcs). It was promised that the crystals would be useful, but not necessary. So anyone who never had any - or didn't bother to save them - would not be left out. If they decide they are, as someone else mentioned, there are tons of these crystals available for sale.

Just my 3.14 cents

Barring that, as many others mention as well, I think we'd be happy if they were a high-value spring cleaning turn in. That's what spring cleaning is for after all - to encourage hoarders to dump junk they've been saving so carefully for years.

 

[RaDian FlGith]

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

Cal,

Thanks for the response!

Regarding your conundrum above, my personal preference would be to go ahead and let everyone get them. If there's something worthwhile in spending them on, then those of us who already have a stockpile can simply get that something without expending the work, or get more through expending additional work. Those who don't presently have aren't cheated either.

Part of the reason I feel this way is that I think many of us expected that Halloween 2010 would have brought back the costumes, the toymaker, and the chance to get these crystals. Obviously none of that was actually the case, but I think -- again, personally -- that making them available again is the best course.

Thanks again!


[Edited to add: I'd be perfectly happy if they were just part of spring cleaning too, but if they become part of their own thing, as someone else above pointed out, we always understood they'd be a slight bonus, not an exclusive, so again, make 'em available if they're their own little mini-whatever.]

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

You are all stuck in a sick cycle. Everyone cant have everything. So in order for no one to be left out you turn on blue crystals again...


So everyone can have the reward. Well what happens in three months when new players come and dont have the reward. Do you give it to them?

What about those items I didnt get 6 months ago, can you turn that back on.

Come on guys. They are stupid blue crystals. Why not do this... Just give 1 reward to everyone that the blue crystals would get you. Then its all fair. And you dont have to waste time getting blue crystals.

Now if you dont get your reward, Im sure you could get it in six months but you....

Get my point. Come on! Sometime you eat the cow and sometimes the cow eats you.

Move along.

 

[Basara]

One middle ground that could be done would be to have an event that used something else that everyone could gather to be used to a certain effect (a turn in, countering an effect like destroying the totems, etc.), but that the blue crystals could count as 3, 5 or even 10 of the new items.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

We get this question a lot.

someone tell me where they've been 'getting' this - PM, another fan site, indian smoke signals, star wars forum? just curious what method works in reaching them.

 

[Kellgory]

It seems as tho the Magincia arc is about to reach the final stages so it's probably a little late to just throw in a half baked idea on how to use the crystals and go tada, nor do I want them to say you can either use your crystals in the Magincia event or you can hold on to them and turn them in during the Spring Cleaning event. It was that sort of comment that got us into these mess in the first place. Maybe just have them for the Spring Cleaning and one of the options is a shirt that when worn it changes your tag from whatever you choose to "The Gullible" and maybe a stat increase (or it could say +5 int but you actually don't receive the increase).

 

[Doubleplay]

You could have a blue crystal lottery for one of the houses. Each crystal equivalent to one ticket. A crystal only event. Chances of winning depend of course on how many crystals submitted.

 

[AirmidCecht]

I'd let them spawn mini 'fun' monsters. Almost the exact opposite of a Harbringer from the gold crystals when used. Or let them advance your flower spot in Magincia or enhance it with a pretty and unique hue.

Just my 2 cents and a snapple

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

I'd let them spawn mini 'fun' monsters. Almost the exact opposite of a Harbringer from the gold crystals when used. Or let them advance your flower spot in Magincia or enhance it with a pretty and unique hue.

Just my 2 cents and a snapple

Actually several good ideas.

 

[Tinsil]

Cal.. This is why it makes sense to make them part of Spring Cleaning..

This way people who don't or didn't get them won't feel left out as there are other items to turn in, but people who have held onto these forever now at least get to do something with them, if they wish.

 

[BlissMarie]

*scratches & scribbles through my whole post*
Nevermind... The blue crystals will be used in Magincia. Thanks for letting us know, Cal.

We get this question a lot.
The item itself came from a very short term event.
It's been brought up that we should just use it in Spring Cleaning (and yes we have one planned this year) ...

Cal, thank you for responding to this thread.

The item might have come from a short term event, but some of us have been waiting to use the blue crystals for a long time. Why? Because we were told we would be able to use them in helping to rebuild Magincia. So, we have waited, and waited and stored them and shuffled them here and there ... for many, many months. We believed what we were told, so we held on.

I will admit to being disappointed about this. I was actually foolish enough to transfer my blue crystals when I moved to a new shard.

But the team and I are going back and forth on the best method to implement these.

I would like to request that when you and the team are going back and forth on the best method to implement the blue crystals, and you run into the problem of people feeling "left out", that you remind each other that the player$ have blue crystals because they paid for them. Those who feel left out didn't pay the price, whether it was that they didn't pay to play UO back then, or they didn't pay with their time by running around collecting crystals during the event or perhaps they just didn't hold on to the ones they had.

We thought about pushing them in with the Maginicia story arc, but thought that would be a stretch just for the sake of getting them out of player's backpacks.

Mine wouldn't fit in my backpack. From what I understand, I am not the only one with more than a handful of the blue crystals saved up.

You have an extra two weeks now. Maybe you could work something into the Magincia story arc while waiting for Japan to recover a little bit.

Doubleplay had a nice idea -

You could have a blue crystal lottery for one of the houses. Each crystal equivalent to one ticket. A crystal only event. Chances of winning depend of course on how many crystals submitted.

The problem is, when you try to bring old items into a more contemporary event someone is going to feel left out, so do you say "Oh well you missed out, maybe next time ..." Or do you bring back the opportunity for EVERYONE to get them, but then the folks that held on to them ALSO feel cheated.

*backtracking* Yes, you tell them they missed out and that there will be more events in the future.


Again, they didn't pay the price. They can participate in future events if they want to and store up heaps of pixels, too.

When Mesanna has "Mesanna Roulette" events, she locks the doors, so only so many characters can come in. She gives the players a deadline and she does not re-open the doors because people whine and complain. She has to do it that way or she would be there until the sun came up, or nearly so.

You can't give everyone everything they want, but you should be able to give the players what they have been told they would get. It has to do with more than time and indecision and forgetting ... and changes in staff. It has to do with integrity.

...
I'd like to add a thought. If you get the question so often, it is only an indication that a LOT of people have saved these crystals. Plus, the ones who saved them are the ones who pay attention to the story arcs (or planned arcs). It was promised that the crystals would be useful, but not necessary. So anyone who never had any - or didn't bother to save them - would not be left out. If they decide they are, as someone else mentioned, there are tons of these crystals available for sale.
Barring that, as many others mention as well, I think we'd be happy if they were a high-value spring cleaning turn in. That's what spring cleaning is for after all - to encourage hoarders to dump junk they've been saving so carefully for years.

Adora, you're right. I see the crystals for sale daily, so people would still have the opportunity to get them, if they really want them.

I agree, if they do end up being a spring cleaning turn in item, they need to be a high-value item.

I'd let them spawn mini 'fun' monsters. Almost the exact opposite of a Harbringer from the gold crystals when used. Or let them advance your flower spot in Magincia or enhance it with a pretty and unique hue.

Airmid, I like the idea of the blue crystals being used to spawn a monster. Maybe they could spawn jewelry elementals that scatter small, faceted gemstones, when killed. They should be pretty items though, not oddly shaped and dull. That would satisfy both my desire for 'pretty' pixels and my desire to collect things that stack.

I would like to hear other player's thoughts on possible monsters and loot from blue crystals.

Perhaps the crystals could be combined in the manner in which obsidian pieces combine to eventually make a statue of some sort. If so, please make it pretty art work and make the item sparkle.

It seems as tho the Magincia arc is about to reach the final stages so it's probably a little late to just throw in a half baked idea on how to use the crystals and go tada, nor do I want them to say you can either use your crystals in the Magincia event or you can hold on to them and turn them in during the Spring Cleaning event. It was that sort of comment that got us into these mess in the first place. Maybe just have them for the Spring Cleaning and one of the options is a shirt that when worn it changes your tag from whatever you choose to "The Gullible" and maybe a stat increase (or it could say +5 int but you actually don't receive the increase).

Kellgory, that is really funny. =) Nice job!

BlissMarie

 

[Nails]

saw a few blue crystals for a cheap price and almost bought them but since the devs involved these days are different than the ones that made the statements about their use back a couple years ago, i held off. I don't think anyone can count on them showing up.

 

[phantus]

Looks to be soon...