This thread picked up a little. Before I catch up, I just want to say there is a difference between PKs, thieves, and sociopaths. PKs used to be an event. The EMs we have are good but there is nothing like playing during a time when there were so many people that
people were a weapon, where you could watch eight people box a guy in just to make for a swift death. Who else remembers going to Asian shards when US shards went down, and PKing people with brand new characters? Distasteful names I won't mention. Those were the days. Thieves were at their best, in my opinion, during the disarm/last target days, but anytime before was fun as well. Thieves used to have easy pickings because, again, there were so many people, but more so, they used to
matter.
Sociopaths, those are the PKs who make it a point to rez-kill anyone and everyone without a reason. We've all rez-killed, I'm sure, but when that's your default? Yeah, that's messed up. They're the ones who use any cheat they can to get an advantage, not to be clever. They're not trapping people in their house with trash can, or gating to a one tile island, they want the massive ego stroke without any of the effort. They know they can get away with cheats, too, which doesn't help (sorry Mesanna, but as long as it remains a problem I have to voice it). They're the thieves who spend a month infiltrating a guild, who spend time gaining the trust of people. They're the bluebies who spam flutes and crap at events, or hide until they can get the last hit on a monster. It's certainly not a Fel-only problem.
The top half, you deal with those by being mature, and trusting friends. The second half, that's the kind that makes "Trammies" quit (or anyone, for that matter). Any game will grow toxic without proper enforcement, and the comments found at Steam are proper, in my opinion. UO is not the game it once was, and that's just how it is. What it is, however, is a game many still enjoy. The problem, as always, is
this YouTube page should be integrated on the UO.com website, or likewise, UO should have their own YouTube account. The company has
a Facebook page, which, ironically, scares away some of its current playerbase, lol...much like Steam did...and we can see Broadsword trying, a little, to get back out there.
As a company, you have to put yourself in a position to add a voice to social media outlets. Once Broadsword has Steam, they'll have a big victory on their hands. They say no publicity is bad publicity, except, poor reviews will seldom result in success. If you see a product at Amazon.com that's 2 stars out of 5, you're probably going to move on. Honestly, if I am a current gen PVPer, why would I ever play UO? Likewise, how can UO compete in an age in which every other MMO has 3D modeled houses which add a sense of scale to the fantasy? Eh. But exposure through Steam, at the least, keeps the game in a conversation, and I guess that's the point despite all the "bad publicity."
right track and wrong train, too. hm. I know people who have been stalked by other people, I know people who have infiltrated guilds, I know people who made a habit of dropping harbingers at public events. I once guilded a guy named Robin Hood who, after a few weeks of us suiting him up, tried to PK one of our guildmates, lol.
