Cal's July 1st Comment About Filling The Britannian Leadership Vacuum

[Tina Small]

Cal ended his July 1st Producer Holiday Update with the following note: "We have noted that there is a leadership vacuum in Britannia … Wait until you see how we fill it."

Does anyone have any ideas yet on what he was talking about? Have there been any recent developments in EM events on various shards that give any clues about what might happen? Siege hasn't had an EM event in several months, so we're kinda in the dark on what might be happening if this is going to be an EM-led event.

Also, if you're seeing any interesting developments, do you have any thoughts on how things might play out on Siege since it has no Trammel? Last time anything happened with Britannian leadership, it played out rather strangely on Siege, i.e., Queen Dawn's casket apparently showed up in the True Britannian's stronghold and then it disappeared, never to be seen again. (And, not that it matters all that much I guess, Queen Dawn's never been buried on Arirang, Balhae, or Formosa either, even though they do have Trammel facets. And yes, poor Clainin is STILL sprawled across a bed at the Haven healer's shop on those shards. Even tiny Mugen, which has the same rule set as Siege but has a Trammel facet but falls under the UO Japan team for events, managed to have someone show up to make sure Queen Dawn was properly buried and didn't leave Clainin lingering at death's doorstep for years.)

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has been thinking about that comment Cal made and have any guesses about what else might be coming in terms of events, other than the cleanup and Halloween stuff.

 

[Viquire]

Um, I found this a funny question. But that's just me.

 

[Tina Small]

Well, the fact that there are 10 anonymous guests (and just me and one other registered person) looking at this thread makes me think there might be something afoot....

If it's the EMs looking at this, please just don't forget about Siege, Arirang, Balhae, and Formosa again, will you?

 

[Tina Small]

Um, I found this a funny question. But that's just me.

As in "odd" or as in "hilarious"?

I doubt Cal was talking about the producer's position, but what if he was?!!

 

[Neutron Bomb]

As in "odd" or as in "hilarious"?

I doubt Cal was talking about the producer's position, but what if he was?!!

That's what I was thinking, lol. Maybe he was ready to depart 2 months ago, well before account migration fiasco.

 

[Slayvite]

I mentioned this the other week in the RJ thread.

Would'nt it be funny if it was RJ taking over as producer and it was Lord British returning from the void to take back his kingdom and re-instill some sadly lacking virtues back to the lands

 

[Kayne]

The way Cal worded it would point at being a hint that Lord British was making his return to power.

However I doubt it because that requires Garriot to come back or allow the character to be used again.

Btw what happened to Dawn?

 

[Vlaude]

I mentioned this the other week in the RJ thread.

Would'nt it be funny if it was RJ taking over as producer and it was Lord British returning from the void to take back his kingdom and re-instill some sadly lacking virtues back to the lands

The new producer introduced himself in one of Woodsman's threads. It wasn't RG. I'm sure Woodsman or someone else will be here shortly to show you the link if you can't find it. (Somewhere on page 2 now I think).

 

[Vlaude]

I found it.

Here is a post from the new producer: http://vboards.stratics.com/2016848-post49.html

 

[Tina Small]

That's what I was thinking, lol. Maybe he was ready to depart 2 months ago, well before account migration fiasco.

I hate to see anyone lose their job and never thought Cal was doing an absolutely horrible job with UO. I suspect there was always a lot going on behind the scenes that we knew nothing about that factored into what ultimately ended up being published. That's why I keep checking the jobs section of EA's site to see if they've removed the page highlighting Cal in his job as the UO producer (https://jobs.ea.com/success_stories/usa/Calvin/). I keep hoping that as long as it stays there, that means he is still with EA in some capacity and sooner or later they'll update it and we'll know what he moved on to.

 

[Viquire]

don't get me wrong I liked Cal. Never had any real problems with him other than he couldn't seem to get his hands out of the EA cuffs. Had several very nice PM conversations with him and he came off very professional and, wow, and I just remember telling him earlier this year that he seemed to have "gotten" what UO was about and that I hated it when that happened cause that's usually right about when the scenery changes.

All that said, I never caught a glance at the vision he saw, you know. I never sensed anything I could get caught up in that would carry me away in what he was about. Although I do remember posting how cool it was to be fighting things from a deck of a ship during High Seas Beta, and it was. But then the thing went live and well, the romanticism was gone.

If I made folks think all the way around the corner with my first reply then I can't complain. Our last stint without leadership was forEVER. Early 98 to what 2004 or 05 maybe 06?

 

[Woodsman]

Cal ended his July 1st Producer Holiday Update with the following note: "We have noted that there is a leadership vacuum in Britannia … Wait until you see how we fill it."

Have there been any recent developments in EM events on various shards that give any clues about what might happen? Siege hasn't had an EM event in several months, so we're kinda in the dark on what might be happening if this is going to be an EM-led event.

About a week after Cal posted his July 1st update, this was put on the herald implying something big was being worked on with the Gargoyle Queen and the Gargoyles in general:

Components of Power | Mythic Entertainment | Ultima Online

and then a month later right before the account fiasco, this Demise of the Defiler | Mythic Entertainment | Ultima Online

I don't follow other shards, just Lake Superior and the Japanese shards, and LS's EMs have been out and about doing some stuff that started in July, but it doesn't appear tied to the two links above.

You could look at all of the EM websites that are conveniently linked from the UO Herald

The Japanese team has something going on with all of the Japanese shards that is kicking off this week - is that why you are bringing this up
ƒjƒ…[ƒXÚ×

Site BNN - The fourth step to the big game September 14, 2011

(Asuka, Wakoku, Hokuto, Izumo, Mizuho, ​​Mugen shards local)

Amos (Amos the fisher) was a big demand.

Not once but twice, targeting prey aligner (Alaina the fisher) 仕留Me he had been in the thought that before her big 仕留Meyou somehow new.

A "do not act like a woman that Barenai"

What's scary is that the movement to realize the aligner, Amos is out to stop the search for boats as usual, carried the foot to the library, the books began clams. And books related to the sea and fishing than many had thought that Amos, he was reading was focused on timelessness.

September 17 Earth hours (Saturday) and you measure the following time, you can find a waterfall near the Amos user.

Wakoku 20:00 Mugen 21:00
Izumo 20:20 Mizuho 21:20
Hokuto 20:40 Asuka 21:40

May be slightly delayed start time ※. Please note.

Location: Trammel, male Otaki

ƒjƒ…[ƒXÚ×

BNN - get ready for battle September 17, 2011

(Asuka, Wakoku, Hokuto, Izumo, Mizuho, ​​Mugen shards local)

The desired location, Amos (Amos the fisher) risk was far beyond expectations.

In addition, there is a special seal is applied can not use magic, aligner (Alaina the fisher) had not given up easily and to enter the destination. So I decided to proceed with Amos, but one look at him without a fight will not even force go forward, had a stand at the entrance.

It's really hard to follow though, I don't think the Japanese stuff is tied to what Cal was talking about. But the fact that their events are covering all of their shards is pretty cool.

UO's birthday is in what, a week? That would be the logical time to kick off something new if it's as big as the leadership of Britannia. Pub 72 is in theory the publish that would start some new storyline or subplot. When the champion lines popped up in one of the recent client patches, I wondered if they weren't redoing some areas.

But I'm going to support the Gargoyle Queen regardless. She is the One True Leader.

 

[Tina Small]

Nah, the stuff on some of the Japanese shards seems to have to do with fishing and my guess is it may be substitute IGM-run events for the Japanese shards that don't actually have their own assigned EMs. (Sakura and Yamato have their own EMs.)

 

[Viquire]

We used to call them event arcs, and I may have mentioned before I liked them very much.

 

[Uriah Heep]

I mentioned this the other week in the RJ thread.

Would'nt it be funny if it was RJ taking over as producer and it was Lord British returning from the void to take back his kingdom and re-instill some sadly lacking virtues back to the lands

Let's get real tho. Do you *really* think RG is at all interested in coming to work for the clowns at EA again? never say never, but I seriously doubt he is interested.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

I could see Garriott returning as an independent consultant, but not as a full time employee. Some aspect where he could be around to oversee his original world, but more on his terms and less on EA's.

 

[Zosimus]

Why would RG even think of working for another company when he runs his own. He is focusing on social games. Plus the TR failure with NcSoft and him wasnt good PR for both of them.

Anybody can dream and wish he would be back. The comment that he said about UO and EA was just a comment in general. EA does not want him back and he does not want to be tied back with EA. He is way better off doing his own thing with him having full control. He has the money plus social games dont cost like a MMO does to make.

 

[Viquire]

I see that possibility working more in instances he could be contracted as a creative consultant, as mentioned here and similarly to McFarlands debacle. Or maybe contracting technical construction and implementation of some aspect to his company. Can I see him personally behind an LB avatar wandering the streets? No, not so much.

 

[Woodsman]

RG mostly likely wanted to use things from the Ultima universe in his Lord British games that he's talked about. EA or BioWare said no. There's not much else to the story.

Chances are Garriott wasn't keeping up on all of the public hint dropping about an Ultima project, or his talks took place before that hint dropping.

 

[Lady Storm]

The problem is every time we get someone at the helm who works for the enjoyment of the players of UO they disapear shortly after. I sometimes wonder if someone in EA hates the game and wants players to be miserable.

Cal didnt give us a heads up he was going anywhere... and to many that could mean he was not allowed time to do so before he was escorted off EA property. It could also mean BioWare head might have shifted his position and again didnt give him time to post a fairwell. Mythic is under BioWare's co-founders thumb and as his boss he just might have been shifted to SW or any new project they have. There fore still an EA employee.

But what bothers me is ... Cal does know how to log into Stratics. EA/Bio/Mythic cant stop him from posting as a civilian... or can they? It just very well might be like Draconi. he is gaged till a set time and with EA contract over his head limited on talking to any over his Mythic work.

I'd love to see RG to put his touch of how UO should be but that I beleave is a pipe dream. RG wanted use of the material he made and ultimatly had to give EA and he was refused its use. So in the long run any help is not coming.. as for this new guy... Proper introductions are needed and would be apreciated to the whole of UO players. I hate that we are sitting here wondering as the game gets so out of wack it will take years to unravel the mess of billing alone.

 

[Basara]

There might be some action on this, folks - or it could be a red herring...

There was an event this weekend on Lake Austin that had a book talking about the lack of a king on the throne, and that without a monarch, could there actually even be a throne?

Since EMs have the ability to do things a bit differently on each shard, this might be a clue that something is in the works to establish a new heir (or maybe abolish the monarchy).

 

[Kayne]

But what bothers me is ... Cal does know how to log into Stratics. EA/Bio/Mythic cant stop him from posting as a civilian... or can they? It just very well might be like Draconi. he is gaged till a set time and with EA contract over his head limited on talking to any over his Mythic work.

Nothing stops any of them posting as a civilian - only recently Leurocian posted.

I agree with you(and said so in the RG topic) it would be nice to see a document of what RG would do with UO if he could take it back now

 

[WildStar]

On Baja, we have had elections for a High Council which elected four players. The High Council consists of the four elected players, The Captain of the Royal Guard (EM RPC), a Noble (EM RPC) and representatives from the Independent Kingdoms in good standing (Player-run cities or organizations that participated in the Casca Storyline). There have been meetings and we are close to finishing up a charter for the citizens of Britannia to vote on.

WildStar

 

[War Wizard]

On Baja, we have had elections for a High Council which elected four players. The High Council consists of the four elected players, The Captain of the Royal Guard (EM RPC), a Noble (EM RPC) and representatives from the Independent Kingdoms in good standing (Player-run cities or organizations that participated in the Casca Storyline). There have been meetings and we are close to finishing up a charter for the citizens of Britannia to vote on.

WildStar

to sum up WildStar....
An elected council of players has been set up to rule Baja in stay of a monarchy.... it was EM controled... council on Baja is made up of 6 individual seats; 2 EM characters and 4 player characters(chosen by general election). Also, representation from "independant kingdoms" have a minor seat on the council.
independant kingdoms will be defined differently on other shards.... some call them Cities, etc....

 

[Woodsman]

I agree with you(and said so in the RG topic) it would be nice to see a document of what RG would do with UO if he could take it back now

He'd make it browser-based and put it on Facebook, that's what he's currently obsessed with and his company has already made a browser plug-in for games and they are working on a social media hub.

If he wanted to make a traditional RPG or MMORPG, then he would have started another company that makes traditional RPGs or MMORPGs. Instead he started a company that makes browser/Facebook/social oriented games and he's been traveling around the world giving talks about how MMORPGs are yesterday's news and how the future is social and Facebook games.

 

[Zosimus]

Instead he started a company that makes browser/Facebook/social oriented games and he's been traveling around the world giving talks about how MMORPGs are yesterday's news and how the future is social and Facebook games.

Thats his opinion but many companies differ in that opinion. Social games just reached a different audience. What he did with the Ultima and UO franchise there is no doubt where credit is due. He can say that social games are this and that but they can actually create a hunger for some that want more than a social games can give. That alone can bring that audience into the MMORPG market looking for a game to satisfy their hunger.

Makes me wonder if RG even "accepts" his part of the responsabilty of the failure of TR. 7 years in developement, rebuilt 3 times in that time, at the cost of 100 million dollars, and because of his and NcSoft's fail to do it right he is saying that MMORPGs are yesterday news? lol

Just because they couldn't do it right doesn't mean there are companies out there that can and try. Their expensive failure was wake up call to the rest of the gaming companies. I wish I had that article from one of the former Dev's from TR in front of me right now lol

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

There's really two posts in one here.

The first post is about the stated topic: The leadership vacuum and Cal's remark about filling it of which we've heard nothing since.

I have no real guesses on it other than that it's extremely unlikely to be Lord British.

I attend EM events on GL quite consistently and the only thing that's been said in-character is that the bureaucracy is running things behind the scenes, while lords and nobles snipe at each other and try to grab whatever power they can.

The implication is that Britannia follows more the Eastern model of Civil Service than the model followed by the West for a long time. (Here, a professional, politically neutral Civil Service is a comparatively new idea a century or two or 4 or 5 centuries at most depending on if you count Venice and Florence or not. In the East, especially China and to a lesser degree the Mongol Empire, it goes back millennia.)

Thank God for those bureaucrats. Tough, smart, politically neutral professionals who can keep things running on a day to day basis without leadership at the top......At least for awhile.

Who knows what Cal had in mind. Who knows if the new guy is going to like whatever Cal's idea was.

Part 2 of the original post is Tina's standard griping about Siege and the fact that, in Mesanna's words, it "can't keep" an EM, and the smaller shards and their alleged issues (she sees herself as their guardian whether they need it or not).

And, to that, I really have no response, other than that she damn well better not start deliberately misquoting me again.

-Galen's player

 

[Tina Small]

WildStar and War Wizard, what is the purpose of Baja's High Council?

 

[Kayne]

Part 2 of the original post is Tina's standard griping about Siege and the fact that, in Mesanna's words, it "can't keep" an EM, and the smaller shards and their alleged issues (she sees herself as their guardian whether they need it or not).

And, to that, I really have no response, other than that she damn well better not start deliberately misquoting me again.

-Galen's player

Galen you have good comments to make on stratics generally but in this instance I really don't think this comment was a necessary one, it doesn't actually relate to the topic its more a comment on what Tina may or may not feel about Siege.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Galen you have good comments to make on stratics generally but in this instance I really don't think this comment was a necessary one, it doesn't actually relate to the topic its more a comment on what Tina may or may not feel about Siege.

I responded to the post she made as appropriate, in tone, intent, and content, and with reference to board war tactics she's used in the very recent past.

-Galen's player

 

[WildStar]

WildStar and War Wizard, what is the purpose of Baja's High Council?

The High Council will be ruling Britannia (on Baja) until Lord British returns or otherwise dissolved (or the shard shuts down).

WildStar

 

[Tina Small]

Has there been anything new in the way of EM activities or literature on shards other than Baja referring to the Britannian leadership vacuum?

 

[Kayne]

Nothing here on Europa that I've spotted/heard about.

 

[Lady Storm]

It's been over a month now and still not a peep out of any "New Head" person at Mythic...
Not one "Hi there I'm ******" from any person. So as for any changes Cal might have been working on may have been swept aside. It's happened before when leadership changed in UO's Dev line up. The only quests the EM's have done are not so much content but fillers for time.
We had a nice one on Origin the other day. Good thing I keep a stocked pantry in my kitchen!

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Actually, the new producer has posted to Stratics five times. The three most important posts can be found in these two threads:

http://vboards.stratics.com/uo-developer-feed/251115-ultima-franchise-has-its-own-producer-over-uo-well.html

http://vboards.stratics.com/uo-developer-feed/251688-direction-uo-franchise-producer.html


If you want something more official, you'll have to wait "a few weeks."