Where are these New Items from?

[Nails Warstein]

Players keep asking me, and I have no idea.

First there are these Singing Balls

I have seen these types:

drunk woman's singing ball
drunk man's singing ball
singing ball of bedlam
singing ball of sosarian steeds
singing ball of the blue boar

Then there is this Secret Chest

I don't believe they are rare, but does anyone know?

 

[claudia-fjp]

I asked a Japanese player on my server who has the Singing Ball of Bedlam on his porch just yesterday. I gathered from his reply they were from a 5 item purchase from the UO Japan store.

 

[Promathia]

Looks to be the same with the secret chest.

 

[Cerwin Vega]

The asian players always get cool stuff to buy that we dont.

 

[Queen Mum]

Tina, the link to the UO Japan site is broken ... can you fix it, please

TY

*cookie hug*

 

[SinDee]

http://www.ultimaonline./trial/ WoW! Where can I find that outfit???

 

[SinDee]

Need to add a jp after ultimaonline.

 

[Petra Fyde]

strange. I'll try it. Japanese UO link

 

[SinDee]

Errr.....maybe you should try it.

I did and it worked for me *shrugs*

 

[Petra Fyde]

yes, so did I, when I typed the link in the body. But when I typed the text in the body and used the link button to add the url it worked.

 

[SinDee]

Did you try what petra fyde said?

 

[SinDee]

 

[SinDee]

I'm useing google chrome that might be why it works for me.

 

[NuSair]

Did you try what petra fyde said?

Someone has it set so that normal people are not allowed access to post links like that.

 

[Promathia]

I'm useing google chrome that might be why it works for me.

Try to make a post with the main URL as a link...it doesnt work

I get the same problems as Tina.

 

[Petra Fyde]

nope. There's something strange about that url. I've sent an email.

To explain more fully what I did.
First type your text 'UO Japan' Then highlight it. Only when it's highlighted will the url button become accessible. Then click on the button and enter the url in the gump that comes up.

 

[Nimuaq]

Most likely the issue arise when the websites use Shift-JIS encoding.

 

[Reth]

Wonder why JP has such a nice site...do they have more subs?

 

[Nimuaq]

The chest is a five digit combination chest having its own menu to set the lock, I've no idea about the singing ball, the other items are already available on origin store (3 garden beds etc.).

 

[Tazar]

The chest is a five digit combination chest having its own menu to set the lock, I've no idea about the singing ball, the other items are already available on origin store (3 garden beds etc.).

Uh oh... I hope they come with a "Password Reset" option... I can easily imagine someone locking away their rares and losing the code...

 

[SinDee]

Guys you will have to forgive my lack of common sense. The way I was reading the replyes I thought none of you was able to vist the JPUO site and now I see you cant make a working link on this fourm. Agin sorry I rushed through the posts and was only trying to help.

 

[Nimuaq]

I'm not sure about its use, you don't need any combination lock since you can just lock a container down and secure it. It seems those crystal balls were added on January 26, 2012:

Not so much

Spoiler

drunk woman's singing ball
drunk man's singing ball
singing ball of bedlam
singing ball of sosarian steeds
singing ball of the blue boar
Double click to purchase this
Using ~1_type~ loyalty
Cost: ~1_amt~ loyalty
You do not have enough loyalty to purchase this.
You use some of your loyalty to buy the item.

 

[Woodsman]

Wonder why JP has such a nice site...do they have more subs?

They have an actual team that works on their website and keeps it updated. They are constantly posting EM events and screenshots from those events. It actually feels like a real MMORPG website.

 

[claudia-fjp]

They have a ton of players in Japan. The link to their store doesn't work for me here in the US, it redirects to the US herald site though so I couldn't check what all they had for sale that we don't get.

 

[Nails Warstein]

Okay I looked it up, and it seems you get the following items for $31.70 USD or 2500 Japanese Yen

1 - Pet Bonding Potion
3 - Indoor Flower Beds
1 - Secret Chest
1 - Mythic Token
1 - Random Singing Crystal Ball

drunk woman's singing ball
drunk man's singing ball
singing ball of bedlam
singing ball of sosarian steeds
singing ball of the blue boar

 

[Queen Mum]

Tina, the link to the UO Japan site is broken ... can you fix it, please

TY

*cookie hug*

TY ... after I read your reply i had a google moment and i hope this is it ... UO Japan site ... then have to use translator ... again thank you

*cookie hug*

 

[Woodsman]

They have a ton of players in Japan. The link to their store doesn't work for me here in the US, it redirects to the US herald site though so I couldn't check what all they had for sale that we don't get.

Well you can see the chest in the client files. They have a lot of stuff we don't have, but if half of the UO population is Japanese, it is fitting that they get things we don't.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Well you can see the chest in the client files. They have a lot of stuff we don't have, but if half of the UO population is Japanese, it is fitting that they get things we don't.

No, really, it isn't.

 

[Woodsman]

No, really, it isn't.

I was trying to be nice (because I think all players should be treated the same) but it was poor wording, so let me put it another way.

The Japanese population is considered to be a lot more important to the health of UO than any other group, so rather than saying it's "fitting", I'll say it's "not surprising" that they get things we don't, like the chest or singing crystal balls, or a real website. I don't know why EA considers them to be that much more important than everybody else, but there you have it. Their website, the things they are offered for sale, etc. show who EA thinks is most important.

 

[Warsong of LS]

I was trying to be nice (because I think all players should be treated the same) but it was poor wording, so let me put it another way.

The Japanese population is considered to be a lot more important to the health of UO than any other group, so rather than saying it's "fitting", I'll say it's "not surprising" that they get things we don't, like the chest or singing crystal balls, or a real website. I don't know why EA considers them to be that much more important than everybody else, but there you have it. Their website, the things they are offered for sale, etc. show who EA thinks is most important.

Because I believe that the last time it slipped out (when DarkScribe was the producer iirc) at that time the japanese/asain shards were around 70% of the active accounts with the other 30% in the US, Europe and Austraila/NZ. I am sure that that percentage has grown in the years since. Still say instead of making a whole new site, just hire the japan team to run the rest of the worlds sites.

 

[SoulWeaver]

We should get cool stuff added to the american websites! Its not cool that we have to buy them for gold, and wait for them to sell to us! This is a game not real life!! Add Our Pixel Crack , Add OurPixel Crack!

 

[Woodsman]

Because I believe that the last time it slipped out (when DarkScribe was the producer iirc) at that time the japanese/asain shards were around 70% of the active accounts with the other 30% in the US, Europe and Austraila/NZ. I am sure that that percentage has grown in the years since. Still say instead of making a whole new site, just hire the japan team to run the rest of the worlds sites.

They should have had them at least design a new theme somewhere in the last 5 years. It's Drupal CMS software, there are hundreds, if not thousands of themes available. They could have taken one of the bundled themes and just swapped out the art for it.

 

[Flutter]

I was trying to be nice (because I think all players should be treated the same) but it was poor wording, so let me put it another way.

The Japanese population is considered to be a lot more important to the health of UO than any other group, so rather than saying it's "fitting", I'll say it's "not surprising" that they get things we don't, like the chest or singing crystal balls, or a real website. I don't know why EA considers them to be that much more important than everybody else, but there you have it. Their website, the things they are offered for sale, etc. show who EA thinks is most important.

If I can purchase the item in game from a player I should also be allowed to purchase it for myself. Bottom line. Why allow one demographic to purchase something in a worldwide game that another cannot. That's like putting something for sale that only women can buy.

 

[Lady Mal]

If I can purchase the item in game from a player I should also be allowed to purchase it for myself. Bottom line. Why allow one demographic to purchase something in a worldwide game that another cannot. That's like putting something for sale that only women can buy.

Totally agreed and it'd be more money for EA and not some cross-shard trader.


When I try to go to the store, even with typing the address, I get redirected to Uoherald.

 

[claudia-fjp]

When I try to go to the store, even with typing the address, I get redirected to Uoherald.

That's because we aren't allowed to shop there. Pretty dumb from a business standpoint if you ask me for them to sell certain items only in Japan.

<insert picture of Fry saying Shut up and take my money! here>

 

[Promathia]

This has happened in the past. The items will be in the Japan store first, then eventually will be released in the UO Store.

 

[Woodsman]

Totally agreed and it'd be more money for EA and not some cross-shard trader.

There are so many ways EA could make more easy money from UO, and they don't. That both worries me and makes me feel slightly better. Worries me because I wonder why they don't care about making more easy money, but at the same time if they started flooding the Origin stuff with UO stuff, it would make me wonder how much trouble UO is in.

The raised garden beds could be cheaper and they would sell like crazy. They could have hired a few contractors and cranked out new house tile sets, etc. The garden beds are not vanity items, but EA could be cranking out vanity stuff like tile sets for UO and they would be raking it in. They already do this for the Sims games.

When I try to go to the store, even with typing the address, I get redirected to Uoherald.

It's always been that way. EA redirects traffic to its international shops to the local locations (when possible).

 

[Promathia]

It's always been that way. EA redirects traffic to its international shops to the local locations (when possible).

It actually hasnt. But it was changed about a year or so ago

 

[claudia-fjp]

This has happened in the past. The items will be in the Japan store first, then eventually will be released in the UO Store.

2008 called and wants to sell you a token for your choice of mini house deeds... but only if you're in Japan. Since it's been almost half a decade I think it's pretty safe to say that's not always true.

 

[Promathia]

2008 called and wants to sell you a token for your choice of mini house deeds... but only if you're in Japan. Since it's been almost half a decade I think it's pretty safe to say that's not always true.

The only tokens that never got brought to the US were ones for items we already had or had been in game. Each one that offered something NEW was eventually brought over (Haochi Pigments, Spring Decor, 11th Anniv tokens)

 

[claudia-fjp]

The only tokens that never got brought to the US were ones for items we already had or had been in game. Each one that offered something NEW was eventually brought over (Haochi Pigments, Spring Decor, 11th Anniv tokens)

That's not the point though is it? The point is they get access to items we do not. WE can't pick the mini house of our choice. WE haven't been able to pick a Tokuno dye of our choice since they were removed from the rewards and they get it from a token. THEY already had the original items too, same time when we got them. It's not like the Japanese servers just went online last year.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

I don't think the non-Asian shards have ever been offered anything extra for ordering certain amounts from the store. Not only do they have far superior website, customer service, and item store, they get free pixel crack.

Are the subscribers around the rest of the planet unworthy of decent sales and extras?

 

[Ron Silverbeard]

We should get cool stuff added to the american websites! Its not cool that we have to buy them for gold, and wait for them to sell to us! This is a game not real life!! Add Our Pixel Crack , Add OurPixel Crack!

If you dare to read one of the SPOILERS you will see there might be a possibilty in the future you can get this items IN GAME - you will not need to spend $$ or even gp for it...

Cant say more on this

 

[MalagAste]

Does anyone else just feel ticked off whenever you hear that they got something really neat again that I'm sure someone will bring to the stateside shards and sell for INSANE amounts of gold.... gouging people like crazy once again????

Do the DEV's and EA have some secret agenda to put money into the pockets of folk or is it just me? Do you think they secretly have characters and work a money laundering scheme on the side turning gold into cash??? WTF is the deal?

Anyone else feel like you don't mean squat to EA? That they care more about their Japanese players than they do about us? I'm so fed up with it.

 

[Ron Silverbeard]

Somehow, umm, yes...but in the end its just pixles *goes and tries to figure a way out to purchase this items at the japanese site to transfer to Pac*

 

[Petra Fyde]

I don't think the non-Asian shards have ever been offered anything extra for ordering certain amounts from the store. Not only do they have far superior website, customer service, and item store, they get free pixel crack.

Are the subscribers around the rest of the planet unworthy of decent sales and extras?

But it's not free is it? You have to spend a considerable amount of cash to get them.

I put it through a currency converter
Currency Converter

You have to spend $32 or over to get the 'gift'

 

[Ron Silverbeard]

Considering the gold value (for a short time only i guess, until the x-sharding gets massive) comapred to 32$ on the "black market" you can actually double that 32$per Item easy...i know some people who would pay you 500 Mil easy for one of those chests and balls too...and theres other pieces in the package you can also sell..

 

[RaDian FlGith]

But it's not free is it? You have to spend a considerable amount of cash to get them.

I put it through a currency converter
Currency Converter

You have to spend $32 or over to get the 'gift'

Petra, to be honest, the point people are making is that there are promotions run in Japan to encourage people to spend money at the UO store. Here in the United States, we're lucky if we get 2 or 3 annual "here's a special from the EA store" promotions. At this point, we can't even buy Gothic & Rustic together for a bargain price.

And, while it's not techincally free, the promotional value of the item in question given for placing the order is, indeed, free. If you get a "free" bottle of pigment (50 uses) for making a $25 purchase, that bottle is free. Yes, you had to make a purchase, but the gift remains free.

I think that's what's burning so many people though. It's really sort of like EA just expects us to spend money on the store, so we don't need any promotions encouraging us to do so. And truthfully, with the number of players still willing to spend money related to UO, it's sort of sad. I suspect that if they ran a monthly or quarterly special that included a free item, they'd see a rise in sales.

And, let's be honest. Aside from a small amount of development or art time, none of these things has any value whatsoever. EA can make money by giving away pixels in addition to the pixels that people are already buying. Why in the name of the gods they don't actually do this here in the US (or Europe for that matter) is completely and totally beyond me. But it is, regardless, disappointing.

 

[Basara]

Tina: IIRC, wasn't one of the reasons that was given for KR being rushed live when it was should have still been in Alpha or closed beta, as someone at EA Japan had gotten into a contract for a shelf presence there by the end of June, 2007. It was either a boxed set with a KR installation CD (and the Soundtrack as a bonus), or the Soundtrack CD that was advertised as including the "finished" KR client as a bonus CD.

 

[Acid Rain]

Atleast 4 yrs ago I heard what I'd consider "reliable" statistics on subs. Japan had 50-60% of all active subs in UO at that time with U.S. being around 25-35% and the last 15-20% being Europe & other countries. The Japanese servers are what has kept this aged game afloat. Without their subs EA would have pulled the plug yrs ago, hence, they get their own seperate designers/dev team/coders/ etc,...(they actually get a budget). It only makes sound business sense to cater to your biggest spenders. We may not like it but its how business works worldwide.

On a personal note, I do play over there and alittle over a yr ago left Atl to play on Asuka. The players are generally nicer, much more polite, and you rarely see the drama queen antics in global chat which one is subjected to daily on Atl. Since the Japanese team police their shards, you never see (at least I haven't) gold selling spammers in chat channels (I have a translation program).

The one downside (which is huge imho) is that a paged GM will not respond unless you address them in an acceptable Japanese typeset. I've been trying to find a suitable program that translates English keystrokes, with no luck. I'm not really sure what type of print is acceptable to them as there are several forms of written Japanese language & I cant distinguish between them. If anyone can tell me which form of written Japanese is used on their servers I would be greatly appreciative. It would atleast give me a direction in searching for a keystroke translation program (or having one written)

LONG LIVE THE JAPANESE SERVERS !! I THANK YOU FOR KEEPING UO ALIVE !!