leaving UO, but Im not upset, mad, or angry...

[Hellstorm]

I have played since December of 1997. I loved the game, even if I took time off, I came back for every expansion. I have not logged in for close to a year. I liquidated everything into gold checks, and even demolished my house to make room for someone who wants the spot. I would really like a reason to come back, but the game just isnt the thriving, awesome game it was. My advice for the developers: have a huge turn in system. Every account can turn in skills, stats, pets, houses, gold, everything. And redeem all of those points for items in a new version of UO. EA cant continue to build on the current code, and that keeps the game stuck in the super NES 1997 graphics. I dont mind the graphics, but its not bringing in new players, and without an infusion of money, they wont be developing anything new. I have done just about all I care to do in UO, I have been a loyal customer. I just need something pretty significant for me to want to play again. I wont be interested in the classic or Enhanced client, or the current condition of the game. I really hope for a revamp sometime in the future ( give NetDragon ) a crack at it perhaps?

I hope all the new players love the game like I have. As a new player, you have years of content to keep you busy. I truly wish you all the best. UO is an amazing game, that just needs a little TLC, and a reboot in my opinion. I think EA will eventually do something with the Ultima franchise, that I wont be able to stay away from. Hope to see you all again!

And no, you cant have my stuff... i sold it all. But if your on ATL you will find a pretty nice sized house spot just about 6 screens east of the Homare-jima moongate. Its on the south side of the road 3 story house can be placed there.

Enjoy

 

[Theo_GL]

Safe travels - you are one of the smart ones.

 

[Old Man of UO]

Save travels - you are one of the smart ones.

Yes, Save Often.

 

[Hannes Erich]

EA cant continue to build on the current code, and that keeps the game stuck in the super NES 1997 graphics. I dont mind the graphics, but its not bringing in new players, and without an infusion of money, they wont be developing anything new.

Safe travels, Hellstorm. But beware, I have been of a similar mind on occasion, and yet still returned for a new expansion, or whenever the itch struck me.

There is one thing that I take exception to here, in your quote that I snipped above. I am a customer on the Steam network, where throwbacks to the Super NES (and even 8 bit) graphics eras with contemporary UIs and functionality are all the rage. Especially dungeon crawlers and other fantasy titles. If you made an open-world, sandbox-style dungeon crawler and injected it with oodles of RPG elements, gamma rays, super serums, crafting, and a big heaping spoon-full of crack, you know what you'd have? You'd have UO. We're living in an era where online sellers like Steam and GOG.com do very well with older titles, remakes, and throwbacks. The trend isn't slowing down these past few years; in fact many of these titles are receiving independent game developer awards and positive reviews from critics and players. I guarantee you that if EA/Mythic could integrate the Enhanced Client's user interface and QOL features into the Classic Client and put it up on Steam, UO would see a resurgence of players worth a nice chunk of change.

The Enhanced Client doesn't hurt. It's visually stunning, and its fan base is already sizable; but if you ask around as I have, many of its proponents will assure you that it's the CC's user interface that they couldn't go back to. It isn't an issue of graphics for many players. Love them or loathe them, the CC's graphics have a large fan base--and they're not just old timers. Many of them were babies (or non-existent) when UO was released. More people would play the CC if its interface was updated...they would prefer to, in fact.

 

[Raptor85]

it's bugs, gameplay issues, and lack of a "start game" that turns away new players, as the post above states, there's plenty of other games out there with graphics on par to or worse than UO that sell like mad due to gameplay alone. (though, frankly, I never thought UO's graphics were bad, I find them enjoyable...though they could use a resolution bump to better fit post-1997 but pre-2005 monitors, since resolutions skyrocketed then went right back down to where we were before... )

Happy trails though....I feel for ya, as a primarily pvp based player who got hooked on the game by fighting reds, defending roads and innocent travelers, and such activities I find less and less reason to hang around every year as the game has gone full 180 from that direction more towards just being WoW but in 2d, with walls of text that rival EVE.

 

[Ludes]

Hate to see anyone go.. especially oldtimers.
But hey.. this way you can do a triumphant return!

 

[Hellstorm]

The "new client" is just my opinion. I have always loved the classic client. I loved player vendors, and gold you could actually carry around, PVP and factions. I feel that right now the classic client may attract retro gamers, and old vets. But too many of the systems are broken, or in need of an overhaul. I would love a reason to play again. I have about 200 million in the bank, and a chest full of powerscrolls and goodies. But the last attempt was high seas... that did not thrill me. If they made a pirate/defender faction, and a reward for participating I would have loved it. We have been begging them to make metal armor worth crafting, yet we still have warriors wearing leather. I remember having my smith doing repairs at the brit smith shop. Brit bank was like an open area market. PVP at bucs den in a death robe, with a poisoned kryss and a bag of regs. Really having a blast right after publish 16, and again right after AOS, doing doom runs.

Again, UO was a great game, and is probably tons of fun for new players. If EA decides to put some effort and development into UO, I will be excited to come back. I remember taming wolves and bears to use as cannon fodder against Pks. Really needing to team up with other players for protection. Too many good memories to count. But everything can be soloed now, and the game has changed... it feels like they have lost focus on what made UO great. Im not bitter, im just hopefull that they build a new exciting future for UO.

 

[Haddy G]

If you want a change of pace I recommend LOTRO. It's free to play, so nothing to lose. Also it's their 5 anniversary this week, so some fun events going on.

 

[Hellstorm]

I think im gonna start playing some of the old ultima series games. I played order and chaos online for a while... a fun WOW clone, it got old fast for me. I will not join a guild and do Raids all the time. I like casual play, mostly as a stress reliever. Ive tried WOW, the old SWG ( a great game that got ruined ), and some old abandonware RPGs...

 

[Sevin0oo0]

a new version of UO.

Sorry to see anybody leave, especially a vet. I don't think they can just make a new UO, there's too much time and effort by company and players to scrap it. Many existing systems could be rebuilt, and I agree that players need Hear something about the direction UO will be going and some of the changes to take place. If it stays the current course, the only ubber secret that'll be talked about is "Where did all the players go?". I could see a one client in the future, selecting the style of graphics you prefer. they're doing something with the graphics now by making them all the same type, what step that'll take them? who knows. But good luck to ya, and don't forget about us.

 

[wanderer1origin]

biggest thing needed in uo is change, ditch the pre publish gush of what is going to happen and the test center patch, they never change it when a bug anyways,
please give us some peril,
ie changes we havnt studied to death to maximize pre publish !!!!!!!!!!!!

loging into a invasion of rabbits in luna one day, to orcs in cove we need this unknown back!!
this game is a sand box for good or bad!!
give it back to us and make us figure out what is in the new publish, this also is what drove a lot to stratics to figure out the publish or puzzle of it!!!

 

[Haddy G]

I think im gonna start playing some of the old ultima series games. I played order and chaos online for a while... a fun WOW clone, it got old fast for me. I will not join a guild and do Raids all the time. I like casual play, mostly as a stress reliever. Ive tried WOW, the old SWG ( a great game that got ruined ), and some old abandonware RPGs...

That is what I use LOTRO for casual play, half the time I don't even talk to people. In fact I really only play when they have events.

 

[Hannes Erich]

I think im gonna start playing some of the old ultima series games.

If you have trouble running any of your old copies, GOG.com has Ultima I through VII (the complete edition) for good prices. The series has been made compatible with Windows XP and Windows 7 systems, and comes with a ton of digital extras. I, II, and III are sold in a batch and so are IV, V and VI. IV can also be downloaded separately for free. The complete edition of VII is sold on its own. VIII is coming to GOG sometime in the near future. There is no DRM on any of it (GOG hates DRM).

I understand taking breaks, I relate with that. No game is so interesting that it ought to be played solely for 15 years straight, of course. Many of your stated problems with UO seem to be a reflection of that, more so than UO itself. So, while I agree with you that Mythic needs to keep bringing exciting content to the table, I've got to say, I'm mystified why anybody would choose the early months of the game's fifteen year anniversary--of all times--to liquidate, up and quit. I completely understand your feelings, but I also suspect you may soon be feeling left out of some very cool developments!

 

[G.v.P]

The Enhanced Client doesn't hurt. It's visually stunning, and its fan base is already sizable; but if you ask around as I have, many of its proponents will assure you that it's the CC's user interface that they couldn't go back to.

Stunning? What...if you feel the EC is stunning, visually, I feel as if you are setting the bar fairly low. Not only that but tons of tiles look like crap in the CC due to EC upgrades. I don't know why they thought two different clients would work but I guess here we are, in a perpetual lock. ;p

 

[Raptor85]

Stunning? What...if you feel the EC is stunning, visually, I feel as if you are setting the bar fairly low. Not only that but tons of tiles look like crap in the CC due to EC upgrades. I don't know why they thought two different clients would work but I guess here we are, in a perpetual lock. ;p

ugh....that still bugs me to no end how terrible terrain looks in the CC now ever since they broke it with KR, a lot of animations and such are pretty broken right now too...it's pretty bad when a game actually looked better 15 years ago than it does 15 years of patches/"upgrades" and such later. 2/3 of the detail in the terrain graphics is literally GONE post-kr. There also seemed to be some sort of vendetta against wooden bridges when KR came out...most of the nicer wooden bridges disappeared and were replaced by inexplicable dirt mounts in the middle of the water you can walk across. (most notably the one in despise)

 

[Hellstorm]

"I agree that players need Hear something about the direction UO will be going and some of the changes to take place. If it stays the current course, the only ubber secret that'll be talked about is "Where did all the players go?"

Sevin, I couldnt agree more! I just feel that Ultima is an amazing franchise, and its being squandered. Publish 16, now that was something else... blood sweat and tears went into that, AOS and SE for better or worse required planning and real effort. Right now, I just dont know where the game is headed... there seems to be alot of farming to get more stuff, to unravel to make better stuff to make the old awesome stuff worthless... I remember when just having a GM skill was a real triumph... we have lost something. But who knows, something awesome could be announced tomorrow... fingers crossed!