For those who think that nobody cares about Ultima....

[Woodsman]

This isn't about the announcements or anything, this is just about the media coverage of Ultima Forever.

Ultima Forever News Coverage | The Ultima Codex

• Wired
• PC Gamer
• Gamespot
• Ars Technica
• Rock, Paper, Shotgun
• Destructoid
• Kotaku
• IGN
• Massively
• A lot of other sites that weren't mentioned like MMORPG.com and MSNBC (thank you GalenKnighthawke)

There are those who think that EA needs to advertise UO. I don't think you can really advertise UO in its current state, but this proves that EA would get plenty of media coverage for free if they did something significant with UO. A lot of videogame writers grew up with the Ultima games or heard stories about them. It's like how Massively seems to work a mention of UO into at least one story a week, even if it's talking about UO's early days.

The media wants to talk about Ultima, and I think they'd like to talk about UO, they just need something to talk about.

 

[Flutter]

The media wants to talk about Ultima, and I think they'd like to talk about UO, they just need something to talk about.

This.

 

[Spiritless]

I don't think you can really advertise UO in its current state...

Right. Articles on UO aren't well received right now.

Take a look at a featured item from when Stygian Abyss was about to be launched. Don't read the article though, scroll down and look at the comments for an insight into the wider gaming community's perspective of the current UO:

Let me toss on my powdered wig, inject myself with some yellow fever, change my ram to 8mb and load some some sweet sweet UO. Seriously, who plays this stuff?

UO is the Estelle Getty of MMO's, just because you are still alive (not the case for Estelle anymore) doesn't mean anyone cares. The amazing innovation they mentioned, btw, quality developers wouldn't wipe themselves with today. If I could play this load of junk on my iPhone (maybe I already can) then maybe I'd be interested as a goof but this joke stopped being relevant to MMO gaming circa the mid 90's (that's being quite generous to UO btw).

Someone, somewhere is playing it. Probably.

I'm constantly amazed that people still play UO. I quit, after 5+ years, back in '05, and I have friends that still play. Gotta admire the longevity of this dinosaur, if nothing else.

But UO? Really? The top news story on their website was the fact that they were being featured on your website. Truth. Why are people still playing that game? That's like people who still hold onto/currently use their 8-track and VHS tapes.

While UO was the greatest MMO of all time when it first came out, now its nothing more then 2d garbage. I played UO for 9 years from Alpha through its major release. Its just outdated and time to close it up. If your computer can only maintain to play UO and not something more modern like WOW or Star Wars KOTOR then its time to get out of your moms closest and give her back her computer. Game was tired years ago.

Let it go EA

You can get UO articles in lots of places, but if it's being laughed off the site then what purpose does that serve? UO isn't something that is marketable to today's generation of gamers as shown above. The game has a lot of ardent supporters here, which is to be expected as it is a fan board after all, but many here often overvalue UO's draw or have a misaligned view of how it's seen by the gamers of today as they have no perspective on the matter. Just because it's been running since 1997 and has a deep franchise history doesn't make it revered among MMO gamers broadly. In fact, the highest rated comment on the page sums it up for most these days unfortunately:

WTF is Ultima Online? lol

UO needs a modern, flashy MMO sequel if it wishes to draw new players from today's generation. No matter how much lipstick you plaster on the pig, we've gone past the stage where it's fooling anyone at this point. UO as it is simply isn't relevant to the MMO market any longer.

 

[Zosimus]

Nice job Woodsman and some good points you made.

 

[RaDian FlGith]

While I don't subscribe to the "No one cares about Ultima Online" newsletter that seems to be in circulation, I also do believe there's a huge difference between non-UO-Players caring about Ultima and caring about Ultima Online.

Obviously there's going to be press about Ultima Forever.

What -- if any -- bearing this has on Ultima Online remains to be seen. However, I don't foresee Ultima Forever having any impact at all on Ultima Online either by way of subscribers (positive or negative) or by way of development. They're two completely different games, and while I have not yet seen anything specific about Ultima Forever, my personal guess is that it's somewhat in the vein of a multiplayer, quest-based game more similar in nature to Ultima IV than Ultima Online. i suspect there's little coincidence between Ultima IV being the game chosen to introduce Ultima Forever as a "brand name."

 

[HD2300]

Sorry but the OP has been the biggest champion of certain persons who have kept it so that to quote the OP, "I don't think you can really advertise UO in its current state".

 

[G.v.P]

Right. Articles on UO aren't well received right now.

I don't understand the mid-90's quotation. Beta was what, 1996? lol I mean UO is a mid-90s game. I guess you could argue UO was quickly surpassed, though by Everquest, but even then it's more of a late-90s situation, as EQ established a mounts system and people began to want 3D immersion over 2D sprites.

 

[Uvtha]

This isn't about the announcements or anything, this is just about the media coverage of Ultima Forever.

Ultima Forever News Coverage | The Ultima Codex

• Wired
• PC Gamer
• Gamespot
• Ars Technica
• Rock, Paper, Shotgun
• Destructoid
• Kotaku
• IGN
• Massively
• A lot of other sites that weren't mentioned like MMORPG.com and MSNBC (thank you GalenKnighthawke)

There are those who think that EA needs to advertise UO. I don't think you can really advertise UO in its current state, but this proves that EA would get plenty of media coverage for free if they did something significant with UO. A lot of videogame writers grew up with the Ultima games or heard stories about them. It's like how Massively seems to work a mention of UO into at least one story a week, even if it's talking about UO's early days.


The media wants to talk about Ultima, and I think they'd like to talk about UO, they just need something to talk about.

And KR was also all over the gaming sites. That went well. heh.

 

[Madrid]

2D Garbage....

I got a laugh out of that. I agree completely with that sentiment.

I'm starting not to care about this game anymore myself.

If they ever get some high resolution graphics into this game then maybe I'll start caring.

If EA doesn't care and the Devs don't care why should anyone else.

UO has been sabotaged by it's own players. See post above about KR which was a step in the right direction instead were left with "2D Garbage" and we all know how well that's going.

The VHS and 8-Tracks was pretty good too!

A shame UO hasn't been updated and upgraded to contempary designs and resolutions.

 

[Xalan Dementia]

Its not about graphics its about gameplay/content. You truly think if they made new 3d versions of all the old graphics that youd suddenly be compelled to be immersed in UO again? Just because the monsters look different doesnt mean they are suddenly fun to fight again. "Oh wow Lady M is 3d! shes still a pushover to fight and boring as hell but hey at least shes updated!" You think flashy new 3d versions of the same monsters would make you want to play more? At first sure youd explore the game again, check out all the map areas, check out all the new creature art, but after that week of lookin at new art youd be right back here complaining only this time you wouldnt be mentioning high res graphics. At this point it seems a graphics overhaul would be too much work for the skeleton crew that runs UO.

A few players hope for a high res overhaul thinking it might draw new players in, but after the new players arrive and see how much work theyd have to put in to catch up to the vets or having to listen to the loudmouth gen chat idiots, I think theyd just give up on UO and go back to one of the easy cartoony mmos.

 

[Tanivar]

Its not about graphics its about gameplay/content. You truly think if they made new 3d versions of all the old graphics that youd suddenly be compelled to be immersed in UO again? Just because the monsters look different doesnt mean they are suddenly fun to fight again. "Oh wow Lady M is 3d! shes still a pushover to fight and boring as hell but hey at least shes updated!" You think flashy new 3d versions of the same monsters would make you want to play more? At first sure youd explore the game again, check out all the map areas, check out all the new creature art, but after that week of lookin at new art youd be right back here complaining only this time you wouldnt be mentioning high res graphics. At this point it seems a graphics overhaul would be too much work for the skeleton crew that runs UO.

A few players hope for a high res overhaul thinking it might draw new players in, but after the new players arrive and see how much work theyd have to put in to catch up to the vets or having to listen to the loudmouth gen chat idiots, I think theyd just give up on UO and go back to one of the easy cartoony mmos.

This

 

[Uriah Heep]

*looks at the wall of VHS and 8-track and vinyl, wondering if it *is* time for some changes*

Hmmm

 

[MalagAste]

*looks at the wall of VHS and 8-track and vinyl, wondering if it *is* time for some changes*

Hmmm

No never! Actually hehe I think BluRay has got me hooked now. I can see the difference. But I still have my happy feelings for 8 Track and my Albums!

 

[DevilsOwn]

and cause sometimes older is better (which really brightened my day, lemme tell ya!)

analog vs digital

"This means that, by definition, a digital recording is not capturing the complete sound wave. It is approximating it with a series of steps. Some sounds that have very quick transitions, such as a drum beat or a trumpet's tone, will be distorted because they change too quickly for the sample rate."

 

[Tanivar]

*looks at the wall of VHS and 8-track and vinyl, wondering if it *is* time for some changes*

Hmmm

Why the Music Industry loves changing formats. They hope to get us to buy our music collections one more time! $$ $$

 

[Sevin0oo0]

*looks at the wall of VHS and 8-track and vinyl, wondering if it *is* time for some changes*

a classic is a classic, even if only for nostalgia. Part of the problem is the sheer bulkiness of the media, the other is playability, equipment wise, and in this day and age, portability. Personally, dump the mass, you'll be glad you did (if you render then correctly the first time).
I still have plenty of old games I'd play, and while i think i have the ultimas, they would not be on my to-play list. A shotgun, zombies, I'm good to go - Jill of the jungle, commander keen. Simple and retro, "Midnight Mansion HD" by ActionSoft is my newest. I'd go find a few custom levels for the old wolf3d before i'd even consider the ultimas and was wtf when i saw them pushing them, so graphics DO make difference, just depends on the audience - 1st person shooter, dexxer, kinda the same, when they trade 'fancy' for fun, i'm out.

 

[Woodsman]

Its not about graphics its about gameplay/content. You truly think if they made new 3d versions of all the old graphics that youd suddenly be compelled to be immersed in UO again?

UO has just about as much, or more, content and gameplay than any other MMORPG, especially since Star Wars Galaxies is gone.

For somebody who has played UO a lot like you or I or anybody reading this thread, some more content won't do much, we'll blow right through in a short amount of time (see the recent live arc events). Blizzard has the same problem and they have nearly 4,000 people working on World of Warcraft, but they have the advantage of enough players that help keep things going, since it becomes less about the game and more about playing with others.

At some point, you have to realize that you're not going to be able to easily satisfy vets, and you have to decide that introducing new players to the game and getting the shard populations up is just as important.

A lot of the complaints that keep coming up inevitably lead back to a lack of players. PvP fans complaining that PvP is dead, crafters who can't find people to sell stuff to, people who can't find crafters selling stuff, guilds that have dwindled, people on shards not named Atlantic complaining about how hard it is to find consistent groups, etc. all have a lack of players as their root concern.

A few players hope for a high res overhaul thinking it might draw new players in, but after the new players arrive and see how much work theyd have to put in to catch up to the vets or having to listen to the loudmouth gen chat idiots, I think theyd just give up on UO and go back to one of the easy cartoony mmos.

If you think that UO can't attract new players over the long run if it was treated properly and given a proper upgrade, then either you've never played other MMORPGs out there, or you've lost faith in UO. UO offers things that no other MMORPG comes close to offering. The problem is that far too many people will never realize this because EA is not doing what needs to be done to bring in those new players.

Vets that are jaded with UO right now and decrying the lack of content are going to be just as jaded and whining just as much about the lack of content in two years.

UO can get the media coverage to introduce the game to new players for free if they would just do something with UO.

 

[Balinor of Pk?]

I don't believe the dev team as it sits has any business even trying to make an Ultima MMO or game of any type. Just my 2 cents. None of them have vision and it will just be a remake of some sad MMO they'd worked on in hte past. Yawnathon.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

Some sounds that have very quick transitions, such as a drum beat or a trumpet's tone, will be distorted because they change too quickly for the sample rate."

I was worried about that too so I had my audiophile friends come over after doing my first ones. I capture at 320k min, usually in Flac. Played orig vinyl, then digital versions - all liked the digital, and most liked it better, whether it was studio or live - both on studio equipment. Using a $300 stylus and $13k electrostatics, or digital processed(de-pop, etc.) capture and a $279 surround system with equalizer, in the end... is it still enjoyable for you and others?

 

[Uriah Heep]

LOL

I pulled mine off with a $50 turntable ffrom Geeks.com...onto my cheap Dell, Burned em onto memorex cd, and play em on my $65 jam box
Still sounds pretty good to me, for the price And I'm so deaf from the years of jamming with headphones (even while driving) if there is a little difference in tone sublety, I would never catch it anyway

 

[Ryna]

Not everyone always hates on UO, here's a thread that pops up about once a month that's usually half filled with people lamenting that UO was a game that none other can match. Is it still? In some ways, obviously well enough to keep it going (if barely).

 

[old gypsy]

There's nothing wrong with UO's content (which is the primary reason it has lasted this long).

Some of the critics quoted early on in this thread seem to be graphics-enamored, and their criticisms remind me of comments I've overheard some very young people use in describing the elderly. (In other words, if it isn't "pretty" as they define the term, they figure it no longer has much, if any, value remaining.)

If UO goes the way of the proverbial dinosaur, I guess I'll go with it, since I'd rather play Zoo Tycoon than a game like WOW. *shrugs*

 

[Lady Storm]

This is something you should consider in your thinking guys... that recient interview with Mesanna... the posts after it were full of people who played uo and were fondly remembering their days playing and what changes drove them off... and one thing there was not the graphics but the sudden changes in things like adding AoS and the 1 house per account... stuff that drove many off. But most were very upbeat over that fact UO was still in there fighting to live on.
We forget on some of these sites there are the people who are hard core downers on just about everything and they tend to yell it out. Gripers. If you gave them what they wanted they would play for 48 hours and then pancake it was not enough or not what they really wanted.... You cant please them no matter what you do and they cant help but pancake a storm up. It's in their nature to do so. Finding faults and being a downer to the masses.
UO is not that bad off, think for a second.....
Question:
What was the first bad move EA did to UO....
Answer:
Evict our games creator Garrott from his game and boot every member of his staff who supported him... the first Dev's
Question:
EA's multi Dev teams made many mistakes in advancement of the game not sticking to the original Box versions time line, what Addition was give to players that was not in the original lineup?
Answer:
AoS No where in the whole of the box sets do you find a samurai ...not one tokuno mention... zip nada....
Question:
Where do you think EA went wrong?
Answer:
This depends on the person you ask, Some will say the arival of trammel. Others will say AoS. But the grand picture of things was the fact they booted Garrott. I for one think if he had retained control of the franchise you and I wouldnt be asking anything about 99% of the stuff we yip about. I dont think we would still have 2d as the man was one for inovation and keeping up with the advancements of tech and what keeps players interested.
Would UO still be here................... yes but not as we know it had this been the case.

There are many things that fell at Mesanna's feet the minute she put on that title of Producer....
Limited funds, small crew of Dev, number crunchers who are loath to give a penny for a stamp.... much less a expantion.

I have hopes for UO. I am not a dreamer, I know that my hopes are not to be counted in the vast differences that make up UO's future.
Why do you think I have 47 accounts up and running? I am not on UO like I use to be.... back then I was on 12 to 14 hours a day (only 8 accounts back then) and running on 4 or 5 shards like a mad woman with multi guilds and just as many friends making and having fun. I didnt give a fig about the graphics! I had friends who were all over the world and we had a great time but life changes... Some quit due to health, others quit due to changes in the game they just couldnt support... others left due to work and family (which I supported as I always say Real life first ..game dead last).
I wish my friends could return.... I do miss them. But what we need now is to move forward with or without the graphics... as you read the die hards will only look at UO if things changed so radically you wouldnt recognize the game as UO. Your so use to having your every whim granted... you got tired of hunting so they gave you things to make the wool and leather, you bitched you were tired of hunting the same ol dragons.... so they gave you these new p.o.s's I am sick to death of needing a mob of players to kill one critter!
I swear I have had it up to my chin and am to that point of thinking of quitting ... hell if i want ot group up i'll go to WoW!! (ok I am getting huffy , sorry.... it just gauls me that all of you sit there and pancake about stuff when the truth of hte matter of why UO is so low in population is US)

WE are UO's biggest problem.....
We want not only our cake and eat it too but we want the maid to vac up the crumbs ,the buttler to serve us the icecream that we also want and wont shut up about till we get it as well.... the nanny to wipe our noses..... DO YOU GET MY DRIFT???

I'd love to stick every one of you cry babys who rant off about some such and stick you on a island with no internet, no phone, no luxurys, just the day to day living ... and see how you live without that smart phone stuck to your ear, or the keyboard to look up what ever on the comp... or better yet the limited if not non exsistance of TV... no cable no satilite nada.... As I told my son one day after he ranted about how I should shut my mouth cause I had to have done the same when I was a kid when he was stuck in the game he was playing on his nes....... Well kiddies i'm 55 and when I was a kid we didnt have color tv till i was 5... as for late night tv...12 midnight all channels went off the air. On saturdays it was up till 2 am! Weeeeeeeeeee Games .... jump rope, softball, tag , ride your bike.... oh and hulla hoop. When I got out of highschool was the start of the computer revolution... the first comp was the size of a house! So you see You got it good.

When you got more apples then you can eat before they rot you make applesauce... UO has a good thing going for it... the diverseity of its play... no other game has this wide a field to do things in. You can hunt, fish, craft, play a pirate.... a knight, a samurai, a orc... gee wiz

Yes I agree graphics is nothing like the new guys.... but do I want to play them?
No
The new graphics are known to hurt some people's heads ... this is not a joke the graphics gives real pain to people.
I my self have tried many times to play in it ... but when it gives me a migraine for 3 days after 1 hour of play, its time to go back to 2d.

I dont care about what the hard core gammers say UO has its place in the world... they dont have to come back to it... just dont beat down the kid who wants to try it.
Sorry forhte long rant I just am so sick and tired of the complaints about something we cant change...

 

[Selurnoraa]

Storm

Did you say you have 47 active accounts? And your long post really makes no sense can you summarize it for me?

 

[Madrid]

There are many things that fell at Mesanna's feet the minute she put on that title of Producer....

Limited funds, small crew of Dev, number crunchers who are loath to give a penny for a stamp.... much less a expantion.

Mesanna has been a major influence on UO the last few years and given the track record of UO that doesn’t bode well. Mesanna doesn’t instill any confidence in me whatsoever and though she may love the game I personally think Utlima Online would be much better off if she wasn’t part of the Team let alone lead producer. Messana has yet to step up and tell the people what the future plans are Ultima Online and I’m not talking about lies and lip service. The fact that all there is silence tells me there are no plans. High Resolution graphics was promised almost 2 years ago and now there is zero talk of it.

Why do you think I have 47 accounts up and running? I am not on UO like I use to be..

Good Lord…

I swear I have had it up to my chin and am to that point of thinking of quitting ... hell if i want ot group up i'll go to WoW!!

We’ll if you quit that’ll certaintly put a dent in the UO income. 47 accounts is what…almost 10k a year?

I'd love to stick every one of you cry babys who rant off about some such and stick you on a island with no internet, no phone, no luxurys, just the day to day living ... and see how you live without that smart phone stuck to your ear, or the keyboard to look up what ever on the comp... or better yet the limited if not non exsistance of TV... no cable no satilite nada....

With 47 accounts I doubt you do too well on that island yourself.

The new graphics are known to hurt some people's heads ... this is not a joke the graphics gives real pain to people.I my self have tried many times to play in it ... but when it gives me a migraine for 3 days after 1 hour of play, its time to go back to 2d.

This is a load of BS. This phenomenon exists but it certainly isn’t limited to Ultima Online. You can get a headache staring at any TV/Monitor screen for several hours regardless of what application your using. KR was the client that had people complaining made their head hurt all in attempt to sabotage the client. The 2d CC client gives me a migraine headache!

WE are UO's biggest problem.....

The 2D Jurassics are the biggest problem in UO as are the prior short sighted Devs who’ve tried to appease the past/current playerbase while neglecting what is needed (High resolution graphics –Isometric/3D client) to attract new players to keep UO moving forward into the future.

But what we need now is to move forward with or without the graphics...

With the graphics and I’m not talking about CC/EC Graphics. UO needs some high resolution graphics to attract new players as well as appease players like myself who are very disgruntled about pulling the plug on UOKR.

When you got more apples then you can eat before they rot you make applesauce... UO has a good thing going for it... the diverseity of its play... no other game has this wide a field to do things in. You can hunt, fish, craft, play a pirate.... a knight, a samurai, a orc... gee wiz

UO has the content. No one is denying that which is why it’s hard to see the game go down the tubes. If Ultima Online looked like Titan Quest the game would be off the charts in my opinion.

 

[Luvmylace]

well said

you didn't mention walk to school in 2 feet of snow

 

[Petra Fyde]

Lady Storm said: ↑

The new graphics are known to hurt some people's heads ... this is not a joke the graphics gives real pain to people.I my self have tried many times to play in it ... but when it gives me a migraine for 3 days after 1 hour of play, its time to go back to 2d. ​

​

This is a load of BS. This phenomenon exists but it certainly isn’t limited to Ultima Online. You can get a headache staring at any TV/Monitor screen for several hours regardless of what application your using. KR was the client that had people complaining made their head hurt all in attempt to sabotage the client. The 2d CC client gives me a migraine headache!

Not BS. I had this too - till I got the fps set to match the refresh rate of my monitor. If I remember right it was set at 20, it needed to be 60. Also I found that the nausea I got disappeared when I turned off 'footsteps'.
And unless you've a degree in mind reading, I'd appreciate it if you would not make derogatory assumptions about Mesanna's unrevealed plans for the future.

 

[Madrid]

Its not about graphics its about gameplay/content. You truly think if they made new 3d versions of all the old graphics that youd suddenly be compelled to be immersed in UO again?

For me yes without a doubt! If the game looked good I'd be inclined to log in and go whoop some buttox. It's not about gameplay/content..UO has that already! Why do people keep saying the issue is about content. The mere reality that UO has lasted this long proves it has content. I don't get bored with the content because I'll go try Spawns/Champions/Peerless with different templates to challenge myself. I'm not opposed to more content and more bosses/champions/peerless...I'm all for it but I'm not burnt out on the current content as I can find ways to challenge myself running different templates pushing the boundries of each to see what they can and cannot do.

In the big scheme of things the focus should be getting new players to Ultima Online with awesome graphics + the quality content Ultima Online already has.

 

[Madrid]

Not BS. I had this too - till I got the fps set to match the refresh rate of my monitor. If I remember right it was set at 20, it needed to be 60. Also I found that the nausea I got disappeared when I turned off 'footsteps'.

It's not exclusive to Ultima Online. Any game or application can cause this...it's not a phenomenon limited to just Ultima Online. Anyone who says that and I'm calling total and utter BS.

 

[Petra Fyde]

I never claimed it was exclusive to KR or EC, merely that I had the problem, but I found the cause and cured it. I play EC all the time now.

I usually have the problem trying to play first person games where the scenery swings around rather alarmingly.

 

[Tanivar]

It's not exclusive to Ultima Online. Any game or application can cause this...it's not a phenomenon limited to just Ultima Online. Anyone who says that and I'm calling total and utter BS.

Well, as you say, "...it's not a phenomenon limited to just Ultima Online.", but it does happen with some people when their exposed to certain visual effects. Apparently the lousy EC graphics has some of those visual effects and perhaps the KR one did to. Since the EC bothers some people they stay with the CC which has a different graphics system and are much cleaner to boot. If & when the Devs pour enough wasted man-hours into the EC it might lose that effect on people, or it might not.

Your unacceptable attitude isn't going to change that. pancake, rant, and rave to your hearts content. The problem exists, accept facts or drop the subject.

Your routine is getting old.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

but I found the cause and cured it. I play EC all the time now.

I'll have to try that.. So if you go half way across the bridge S of Luna, stop, go in small circle, that fixes that?

 

[Petra Fyde]

Not sure what you mean, but for me: Under 'graphics' set max framerate to 60FPS and under 'sound' uncheck 'play footsteps'.

 

[Viquire]

Hell I just asked for Crimson dyes, oh, and thongs. I guess that might give some folks a headache. Oh well.

 

[Selurnoraa]

Can we get some clarification on how many accounts Storm has active?

I just want to know how you can go from 8 when actively playing, to playing less and having 47.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

Not sure what you mean, but for me: Under 'graphics' set max framerate to 60FPS and under 'sound' uncheck 'play footsteps'.

thanks Petra, checked... my settings are already that - it's probably my pc graphics causing those 'stars' and other stuff to move around, kinda a breathing effect - making me nauseous and my head hurt

 

[Woodsman]

The gaming media cares about Ultima.

They do not care about how many accounts somebody has.

Some of those articles are incredibly in-depth about Ultima. Some of those writers really care about Ultima.

 

[Lady Storm]

Good point Lovmylace! I did grow up in new york upstate on and off till i was 15 sooo there is the Snow!!!

Petra I double checked as well and I am set as you discribed... but I and SevinOooO had a stroke... It might be us... But I have heard many complain of the same thing in game.

Now to answer Selurnoraa ..... Yes I have over 47 accounts infact i have 53, but only 47 are viable for now to keep on. I am trying to cut back, all but 1 is runnning ..... I had cut back to 43 but son wanted more space on Atlantic.... sooo i got him a keep and a extra 18 x 18 for his fishing/imbuer... As of this morning I have 15 castles, 12 keeps, more towers then I care to count, 3 Luna house's vendors, dozzens of houses of all different sizes... on over 15 shards... I even think I lost track of a house on a shard .... one day I'll find where i put it...... (son moved owner before I marked a rune to it, goood thing its on a grandfathered account).
Psst... I dont ask you how much you spend on your toys.... what I spend on mine is my business. I use to play 12 to 14 hours a day now If i have time i play 4 to 8 sooo i have slowed down..... Maybe if i get a more comfortable chair..... how i fit in my other hobbies you would have to see hehe..... needle point,embroidry,knitting , crochetting, tating, weaving, quilting, painting, lets just say I have busy hands and mind.....
happy?

Madrid as you can read your off hand remarks were not well recieved... As for the Producer stepping up and telling you all that is planned is Not her job. Sorry if you dont like it.
You can sit back and wait like the rest of us, your not a special baby who needs to know. (sorry Petra, Bonnie just got the bloody job this snot can wait and let the lady ajust to the load of pressure it gives) Pssssst Madrid, I grew up with that "island" exsistance. ITs no big deal.. beleave me you would survive.... and might keep fit tooo.

As for Mesanna: She has for all of her time in UO which has been from Beta I think. She has over the years worked for us. I know and trust her enough to know she keeps secrets well and can keep her mouth quiet for the good of us all. Surprises are just that... Surprise!

Woodman has a good point 99% of all the articles speak of Ultima Online in a personal way... UO is and has been the first stepping stone for most of the early game writers.
I have a habit of reading the posts after them and have read alot of old players who really liked UO, we might see more of them come back... UO has changed from the days when they quit...

We as a culture will always have doom sayers, be it about a game or the end of the world repent bit.... If I worried about every one of them and what was said UO would or should have closed it doors on the 2nd day..... I want the guys in game to stop telling the players they gang up on and rez kill to stop playing uo.... or get this every time they see them...
(how I want back my button to send them off to the quiet cell!!!!!) Sorry Bullieing is a pet peeve of mine.

 

[Emma Silvermane]

There's nothing wrong with UO's content (which is the primary reason it has lasted this long).

Some of the critics quoted early on in this thread seem to be graphics-enamored, and their criticisms remind me of comments I've overheard some very young people use in describing the elderly. (In other words, if it isn't "pretty" as they define the term, they figure it no longer has much, if any, value remaining.)

If UO goes the way of the proverbial dinosaur, I guess I'll go with it, since I'd rather play Zoo Tycoon than a game like WOW. *shrugs*

I LOVE ZOOO TYCOON!!!!!! and cant play wow cause it makes me sick .. I am also a follower of uo there was a time when i thought id have to hang up my playing when i thought they were gonna force kr and several other redraws down our throats .. Im soo glad they stopped tryin that cause i cant play that kinda thing and i woulda been sad not to be able to play the game i love because they wanted to compete .. uo has a following arent really any games out there that offer what they do in the way they doo it .. I am and always will be Die Hard uo till they kick me out and shut down the servers...

 

[Nyses]

Now I choose to play in 2d mostly but do have the EC installed and updated. I think I speak for a lot of people, at least people I know, when I say, I would LOVE a high resolution graphics update to UO. But I also think the graphics should remain looking like the things we have all gotten used to seeing in this game over the last 15 years. Some modifications and tweaks and color adjustment is fine, but when I walk up on a Bog thing, I should be able to recognize it as a Bog thing, is all. Why can the graphics not be made into high resolution versions of what we are all, already used to?

 

[Nexus]

There's nothing wrong with UO's content (which is the primary reason it has lasted this long).

Some of the critics quoted early on in this thread seem to be graphics-enamored, and their criticisms remind me of comments I've overheard some very young people use in describing the elderly. (In other words, if it isn't "pretty" as they define the term, they figure it no longer has much, if any, value remaining.)

If UO goes the way of the proverbial dinosaur, I guess I'll go with it, since I'd rather play Zoo Tycoon than a game like WOW. *shrugs*

The Content is fine, that's true. You just can't slap Content on a box and market it. If you put screen shots of UO on a box when describing it, or in a commercial on TV, then right next to it on the shelf or during the next commercial break you see a commercial for SW:TOR, WoW, or any other modern MMO how dated the graphics are becomes immediately apparent and that's bad. It's like setting a 2010 BMW 3 series convertible next to a 1975 Datsun B210. That Datsun is more dependable (content) yet that shiny coat of paint and modern styling (graphics) and the name behind it is what people are ultimately going to go for. Btw that BMW was voted as one of the least reliable new cars that year.

 

[Woodsman]

As for the Producer stepping up and telling you all that is planned is Not her job. Sorry if you dont like it.

Nobody is asking for her to reveal the in-game live arc, but they are asking for her larger vision. A 15 year old game is not a matter of national security.

And yes, it's the producer's job to set the tone and to determine the vision. Look at every other major MMORPG out there.

And it's the producer's job to get out there and then help sell that vision. Look at every other major MMORPG out there.

If the media wants to talk about your product or something that ties into your product, even if it's just a shared IP, you get out there and you talk about your product.

Nobody wants to know what's going to happen with the new castle or with Dupre, and neither of those things will influence whether or not UO survives until 20 and neither of those things will influence whether somebody keeps subscribing.

But people do want to know about things that are going to keep the game going to 20 years.

And yes, the media clearly wants to talk about that stuff as well. The media will help sell UO to new players, but only if the producer is willing to help them.

 

[Ginsu's]

Hall of Fame – MMO Hall of Fame

The 2012 votes have been tabulated and the results are in!
The MMO Hall of Fame Voting Committee consists of 10 people from within the gaming industry.
Read the link above for more info

Ultima Online (1997) 100%​

World of Warcraft (2004) 80%
EverQuest (1999) 70%
Lineage (1998) 60%
EVE Online (2003) 60%
Toontown (2003) 50%
Meridan 59 (1996) 50%
Runescape (2004) 40%
MapleStory (2005) 40%
Dark of Age of Camelot (2001) 40%

 

[Woodsman]

covered in other post.

 

[Vlaude]

Mike Fahey of Kotaku is very familiar with UO and has mentioned it in many of his articles.

 

[Lady Storm]

I agree if they could upgrade the quality of our graphics but keep the basic format of CC. Nyses is correct. It can be done and keep all happy. It just that I am not sure if the budget is there for what it would take to do it.
Woodman I see your point but I shall counter with this.. Bonnie just steped in the roll and has visions for UO but the powers up stairs (bio and mythic bosses who are one in the same, and the EA board) might have a sustain the status quo attitude ... It can be shall we say hard to get a vision off the ground if they are not willing to look and open pockets for the work. I have played 7 of those games Ginsu listed, and what got me off playing them was not the graphics... but the wash rince repeat. Wow is still on my comp but my account has been off for months and I have no desire to turn it on...
If I was in Bonnie's shoes I'd do as Nyses has suguested.
There are things we could use and would draw players back and more to join us of the new player variaty if we had them done. I'd like the see the Wow dev team attitude installed. Find a way to track player ownership of items in the short term, say under 12 hours time fraim and start to replace lost things.. this is a major pet peeve pf 99% of uo. It's pixels not fort knox gold! I know more players have quit UO in the years of the game due to loosing a favorite toy in the game... does it take a atomic bomb to go off to know this will drive off the players?
I'd do a bit of ajusting of things that ticked players off the game... I'd repeal alot of things and build a solid base back of players. Think of why your friends of the past quit the game..... Perhaps Mesanna needs to hear this list.... Our future is there for the making... Give the Lady time to address it... I think once she finds her footing she will tell us all her dream of UO future.

 

[cazador]

For the record...the 2D players that have stuck around since the very beginning..thru all the ******** tram,aos,ninjas, and now the terrible garg classes are the reason this game still even exists...how many new users have we gotten since the introduction of any of the "3d" ultimas not many but yet they consistently try and consistently fail at it..so I think it's time to either A remake the game "entirely" 3d as the only option..or B leave the CC and the half done EC and call it a day..because in all honesty the EC sucks something fierce and the maybe 15-20% if that of users that use aren't going to keep this game running...just my own opinion..maybe wrong maybe right..just te way I been seeing this for the last 12ish years either in game or on forums or on freeshards and read and heard how other feel as well..not ALL..but quite a few I've spoken too..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zosimus]

In other discussions threads there has been comments that UO has more subs then DaoC and War a few times. It may be true, but when it comes down to the compete truth, UO has more subs does not mean they have more players. Nobody in DaoC or War would have any reason to own 3 accounts or more by one person.

With that being said there is plenty of remarks said by the community in many gaming forums across the world wide web. Good and bad. I myself have posted articles or remarks from other forums of other MMO's about UO and was not well recieved by the current UO community here. In truth since Stratics is home to a lot of the UO community the healing needs to start here first.

Advertsing UO in todays market is tough. The Ultimate Forever marketing still brings attention to UO. How do you advertise a game 15 years old that would be appealing to most youth now days? You are going to have to advertise to the main stay of UO strengths. Graphics will have to improve no matter the arguments. One client and one client only.

GW2 has 200 devs. UO has .......... ? To advertsie UO with a small or next to no little dev team then it has to be gradual. Many sites do this but the UO community has to support all these articles. We wont be seeing UO advertised with a famous person on TV like they do WoW. You wont see UO advertised on cartoon network, nick, ect ect to kids.

I know the UO Stratics Staff puts tons of efforts on their free time to make things happen for the community here. The community is the key, but its what the community does and influence which opens the door.

I totally respect you Woodmsman. I know you would like to see UO get that attention from EA and be out there to be seen. UO needs new blood. I am with you on that 110%. UO popped my MMO cherry and I still have fond memories of the early days when the game offered so much more but had so little so to speak.


On a side note: Say no to pixels and say yes to going back to basics!!!!

Ha! I had to slip that in.

 

[Woodsman]

Bonnie just steped in the roll and has visions for UO but the powers up stairs (bio and mythic bosses who are one in the same, and the EA board) might have a sustain the status quo attitude ... It can be shall we say hard to get a vision off the ground if they are not willing to look and open pockets for the work.

Well Wilki said a lot of decisions about the direction of UO are made by the team and not by the people upstairs, and I take him at his word. Kai hinted at EA supporting UO for years to come. But look, she's been associate producer for a few years, and she's basically been the UO producer since Cal left, since it's clear that Jeff's priorities were Ultima Forever. She clearly has ideas.

The media is out there talking about Ultima right now and is not going to wait for her to officially settle in. This is the second largest chance she'll have this year to get out there and talk about UO, and we are watching it being wasted. She can at least clear up some of the uncertainty that's going on. Nobody wants her to spoil the live game arc, but people want her out there selling the game and telling potential players why they should be considering giving UO a chance.

The media wants to talk about Ultima, and unless she or somebody on the UO team does something, then UO will continue to have that image that it has.

 

[Woodsman]

Advertsing UO in todays market is tough. The Ultimate Forever marketing still brings attention to UO. How do you advertise a game 15 years old that would be appealing to most youth now days? You are going to have to advertise to the main stay of UO strengths. Graphics will have to improve no matter the arguments. One client and one client only.

If there are big long-term plans to grow UO and not just keep it going, or sustain it as Lady Storm said, then there won't be a need for much advertising, since the media will advertise UO for them.

KR got a lot of attention, and in the wake of Ultima Forever, something big for UO would also get a lot of attention.