Tips to introduce UO to a friend ?

[popps]

I was asked recently by a friend to suggest a game to spend time on.

I thought about introducing this friend to Ultima Online but the problem is, short time to play...

This friend explained to me that the time available for a game would be, after work, family, social relationships and all that, perhaps a few hours a week, like 3, maybe 4.

The question was whether I could see Ultima Online a game possible to be played competitively, with not much time at hand.

Honestly, I do not know.

I mean, once one reaches top level, has all of the right gear, a stock of weapons for all occasions and all skills on soulstones, then it is easy to get a Sampire and do a quick 10-15 minutes top spawn here and a quick 10-15 minutes top spawn there for some fun or get some quick PvP done with a stealth archer or whatever.

The problem is, even with imbuing, trying to convince this friend that it is possible to get there reasonably fast and not in a year of playing....
Unfortunately, trying to help with either items or gold is not an option, and neither wants to spend real money to buy a developed account.

The argument being that it is a game, and therefore there is no point to buy one's own way to the top or get it given on a silver platter by someone else.

Any good suggestions to what arguments I could use to convince this friend to get into UO?

I am afraid to suggest to try it out for a while and see how it goes because without good advice, if the experience is done not right, then the feeling from the game could be a bad one and it would be a wasted chance.

I would like to be able to offer good hints on how to become competitive reasonably fast on one's own, without external help, with the time at hand.

Any good advice ?

Thanks.

 

[Warpig Inc]

The way I explain UO to the Play Station gamers.

There is no end game, no win and no done in a weekend move to next game.

Make friends and take their advise, there is no cheatbook at a local game store.

Explain to them that there are players with over 10 years game time and they wont be like Mike in 6 months.

Sell UO for what it is. Besides all the insane blood rush moments. In UO only those that can gather hunt and craft the other 9/10ths of gaming will enjoy UO in the long run.

My expierence those looking for handouts and the easy path wont last more then a few months or are a bored vet playing noob.

The scale for UO is if your the type that can sit and play Freecell for hours. Then UO is golden.

Can also give them the link to here UOHall and have them start by reading the other two threads about new player expierence. Any thoughts can be posted there without starting a new related thread trying to be heard.

 

[AzSel]

If he likes to roleplay europa has the best rp community in UO, with rp pvp etc.

 

[Frarc]

UO is freedom in about almost everything you like to do. And you can do that in your own personal pace.

 

[Landicine]

My advice would be to have your friend take one of the many editions of the Bartle test and see what his or her style of play is. With that information, tailor your introduction to that:

Hearts (Socializers) - UO is a very social game, and housing is a big selling point of that. There are also tons of communities in game - crafters, fishers, roleplayers, Uhall. There are also player events, EM events, dev events, etc. where your friend could game with others if that is important to him.

Spades (Explorers) - UO has a pretty big world, though that is true of most MMOs. One advantage UO has is that there are no level requirements, so the entire world is one's oyster. Ships, maps, treasure hunting, rune libraries, etc. are all selling points for explorers.

Clubs (Killers) - PvP. PvP is a difficult area of the game to enter into right away, but there are ways to introduce someone slowly. While the best PvP gear and template powerscrolls are expensive, I don't think they are absolute requirements to taking part. There are also some roleplay communities with PvP aspect and lower equipment requirements of entry due to their ROE.

Diamonds (Achievers) - This one has similar limitations to Clubs, since keeping up with the Joneses is a big part of achievement. However, this is going to be a problem with any MMO and the time limitations you explained. Still, there are ways for a new player to make money in game, and there is always an item of the week to turn a profit on.

Other advice:

-I would agree that you shouldn't just toss money or items at a new player. They then usually don't value anything in game or have to figure things out for themselves.

-I would also explain that while there are easier ways to gain most skills, there are times when the slow grind is more productive and teaches more (the first time one trains that skill at least).

-Let your friend find his own way of playing this game. I have tried to "teach" a few friends to play this game, and I realized very quickly I have a very odd point of view. Offer advice when asked though.

-Possibly make a new character so you can view the game from a similar perspective. Also, killing lizardmen isn't terribly interesting on completed character.

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

Argh. Yes. Well what does competitively mean to you Pops?

3 hours is plenty of time to enjoy UO. Im sensing another disguised question behind your questions


Like now-a-days with all the cheats and hacks how is the honest part time player even able to compete?

Honestly, if I can't even explain to a friend how to play the game competively in 3 hours of game time, isn't there something wrong with UO.

How about this... You friend join up. You and he go and hunt for three hours and build up his skill. Chat, and have fun.

 

[Demonous]

tell them the gameplay is a million times better than the graphics

 

[Amber Moon]

I would like to be able to offer good hints on how to become competitive reasonably fast on one's own, without external help, with the time at hand.

Any good advice ?

Thanks.

Honestly, pick another game. UO was never designed for the fast advancement of a casual player on his own. If you want to hand him a bunch of stuff and he doesn't mind, then sure.

 

[Lady CaT]

The question was whether I could see Ultima Online a game possible to be played competitively, with not much time at hand.

Competitive at what? The world of UO offers an awful lot of different options for alot of different play styles. No offense but this is kind of a vague question. Maybe some more information on what your friend likes to be competitive at would help people give some better suggestions.

 

[Prime.]

Do you like the Sims? Don't you wish you could pvp in the Sims?

Bahahah! I'm just kidding, one of my friends said UO looked a lot like it, so I had to ;p

 

[Kim Li of LS]

The problem here is i see it is one word 'competitively', just play and enjoy the game at whatever development level the character is at. Yes i have complete templates and 'uber' gear now, but i played for 5 YEARS with almost no PSes and only minor artys I went and hunted and a few select event items that I got myself.

Life is about the journey not the destination.....

 

[Woodsman]

Do you like the Sims? Don't you wish you could pvp in the Sims?

Bahahah! I'm just kidding, one of my friends said UO looked a lot like it, so I had to ;p

Were you angling for a Sims Medieval joke since it launched today?

 

[Cogniac]

Don't.

 

[Vlaude]

Every time I meet a new player who is either brand new or returning after a long break I start explaining basic gameplay to them and they never stick around past the trial (with like maybe 1 exception in the past 8 months). UO's long history of catering to the cranky old vets has left an overwhelmingly large gap between new and old. Even with this supposed recent campaign to redesign the new player experience isn't really going to do much if they don't make it easier for new players to aquire power and stat scrolls and high end gear. This is the route UO has decided to go since Pub 16 continuing through to this day.

 

[Lord Frodo]

I was asked recently by a friend to suggest a game to spend time on.

I thought about introducing this friend to Ultima Online but the problem is, short time to play...

This friend explained to me that the time available for a game would be, after work, family, social relationships and all that, perhaps a few hours a week, like 3, maybe 4.

The question was whether I could see Ultima Online a game possible to be played competitively, with not much time at hand.

Honestly, I do not know.

I mean, once one reaches top level, has all of the right gear, a stock of weapons for all occasions and all skills on soulstones, then it is easy to get a Sampire and do a quick 10-15 minutes top spawn here and a quick 10-15 minutes top spawn there for some fun or get some quick PvP done with a stealth archer or whatever.

The problem is, even with imbuing, trying to convince this friend that it is possible to get there reasonably fast and not in a year of playing....
Unfortunately, trying to help with either items or gold is not an option, and neither wants to spend real money to buy a developed account.

The argument being that it is a game, and therefore there is no point to buy one's own way to the top or get it given on a silver platter by someone else.

Any good suggestions to what arguments I could use to convince this friend to get into UO?

I am afraid to suggest to try it out for a while and see how it goes because without good advice, if the experience is done not right, then the feeling from the game could be a bad one and it would be a wasted chance.

I would like to be able to offer good hints on how to become competitive reasonably fast on one's own, without external help, with the time at hand.

Any good advice ?

Thanks.

The question was whether I could see Ultima Online a game possible to be played competitively, with not much time at hand.
What is with this competitively? This is why you are so stressed out with UO. This is a game you play to relax. You can play 2-3 hours on Sat or 8 hrs a day, but if it stresses you out then it is no longer fun. This aint keeping up with the Jones.

 

[Annonymous User]

The question was whether I could see Ultima Online a game possible to be played competitively, with not much time at hand.
What is with this competitively? This is why you are so stressed out with UO. This is a game you play to relax. You can play 2-3 hours on Sat or 8 hrs a day, but if it stresses you out then it is no longer fun. This aint keeping up with the Jones.

^ This , exactly. I use to be obsessed with having the best trying to be the best etc.. etc.. etc.. What I found out is, I would end up burning out on uo once every few months for a 6 month stint. Sense I started playing again, I no longer care how much progression I make, how much of this, that.... I just do what I want to do in game, and then leave when I get tiered. I am now loving UO more then I ever have. Give it a try you might like it. Who would of known how much fun one can have with fishing , and terrorizing people with said caught fish

 

[Dakkon Blackblade]

Friends don't let friends subscribe to Ultima Online.

 

[Viper09]

Friends don't let friends subscribe to Ultima Online.

Nah, but they let them play UO while drunk

 

[Cirno]

The first thing you should consider when recommending a friend, or anyone else, to play UO has very little to do with all the positives or negatives you can think of.
The first question is "is it the sort of game they would enjoy?"
In the same way that many UO players have not enjoyed playing other styles of MMO, it stands to reason that people that play other styles of MMO might not enjoy playing UO. Even if they have not played other MMOs, there is still no guarantee that UO will be compatible with their preferences.
So, all the good recommending in the world would be wasted on someone who would never enjoy the type of game UO is.

Also, as people have said, "being competitive" is really unclear, and it depends on how they would play it.
Perhaps they would enjoy RP, or any of the less mechanic-defined pursuits, in which case you can start on that almost out of the box.

 

[Vlaude]

In popps defense (and Lord knows I owe him no such thing) when he talks about being competitive I think he just means doing well. Even if all you do is RP in a manner that utiizes UO as nothing more than a glorified chat room it can still be difficult for new players to jump right in and feel significant enough to stick around. Try looking at things from a new player's perspective (as hard as it may be for those of us who have been around for 13+ years) and it's a bit easier to understand what he's saying.

 

[Percivalgoh]

I play it non competitively with that many hours a week

 

[ChReuter]

Popps, your idea of what is required to enjoy the game seems to be a bit off. In fact I believe a good majority of us will agree that our favorite times playing UO were when we were not super rich, had maxed out skills, or sought out the top level mobs to grind.
While I agree that some people don't want to be a total newbie, but that's a point which can be passed fairly quickly. I wish I could go back to those days when everything was new to me, when anything seemed possible. Yes, I got my butt kicked by a dog outside the west gate of Trinsic, but it sure was a lot more exciting than anything I'm doing now.

Pretty much, the point of the game is not to max our your chars and get the best items than have fun, it's to have fun while getting to that point or whatever point you strive for.

Do your friend a favor. Introduce him to the game (Sadly he couldn't see it during it's prime, but better late than never I suppose), but don't tell him the fun is found doing the high end stuff, or latest crap we've had shoved down our throats. Just tell him the fun is found is finding out what you wanna do and setting out to do it. Also, don't throw a bunch of items and gold at him if he does join... I think hitting a returning player off with 10 or 20 million is just fine, but giving a new player even a million would be ruining some of the fun in being new.

edit: Hey popps, I'm curious. Do you have similar behaviors irl that we see here on the boards? I'm just wondering if we were to meet in the real world, would I be graced with the abundance of intellectually stimulating conversations that you give us here on UHall?

 

[ChReuter]

I play it non competitively with that many hours a week

Newb!

 

[popps]

Thanks to all for the interesting replies, I guess I will try with a soft approach like having the friend play out perhaps on Test server where characters can be adjusted at ease and items be readily available so to give a feeling of what UO might be like at some point, and then, if the experience will be satisfactory, perhaps time will come to develop an account also on a production shard for a more stable UO playing over time.

We'll see.

 

[Woodsman]

Thanks to all for the interesting replies, I guess I will try with a soft approach like having the friend play out perhaps on Test server where characters can be adjusted at ease and items be readily available so to give a feeling of what UO might be like at some point, and then, if the experience will be satisfactory, perhaps time will come to develop an account also on a production shard for a more stable UO playing over time.

We'll see.

If you can find some houses that were placed in the early 1990s or say 2000 and show him, it tends to impress people to see virtual houses that were placed 10 years ago that still exist within the game.

If your friend is familiar with Warcraft and other similar MMOs, that kind of things tends to impress people who are used to not being able to even put simple things on the ground like a weapon from a monster.