Free shard no matter what is NEVER going to have true 3d. It can't. Free Shards are ALL based on the tile system of the 2d client.... NONE of them can change that...
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What will you all do?
- Thread starter The Craftsman
- Start date
- Watchers 13
...But No, This isnt a Troll
it will never end.. one of us will buy the rights from whatever EA subsidiary has it when they finally pile her into the ground... and it will be glorious!
but yes I agree.. this topic has been preached since the week after the public launch.
but yes I agree.. this topic has been preached since the week after the public launch.
First of all, a free shard could absolutely have a true 3d client, in fact there is already an independently made true 3d client (Isis)that can be used on free shards. Second of all, if you really want a full 3d game that doesn't look like garbage then you might as well just make a whole new game, because the game world was simply not designed for 3d, and as such looks flat and absurd (see Isis again) when you try to shoehorn it into that presentation.
Trying to make UO live forever is probably just going to end up making it a monstrosity. It's pretty obtuse as it is, I shudder to see what another 1o years will pile on.
I actually look forward to another 10 years. I don't know .... Been here a pretty long time... and I still don't see anything that compares. People talk of this game and that .... but bottom line is they just don't have it all like UO. I love taming, I love design, Deco, RP, I like to collect things, I like to build a dozen or more characters... I HATE being limited to one character... I like to build something new now and again... I enjoy the customization of UO. I like how I can still enjoy the game even if I don't have any skills on a character... I like visiting another shard and just doing something silly and fun...First of all, a free shard could absolutely have a true 3d client, in fact there is already an independently made true 3d client (Isis)that can be used on free shards. Second of all, if you really want a full 3d game that doesn't look like garbage then you might as well just make a whole new game, because the game world was simply not designed for 3d, and as such looks flat and absurd (see Isis again) when you try to shoehorn it into that presentation.
Trying to make UO live forever is probably just going to end up making it a monstrosity. It's pretty obtuse as it is, I shudder to see what another 1o years will pile on.
I like to challenge myself with a little bit of Siege... see if I can do this or that without anyone killing me or finding me. I like to just sit in on an Auction even if I don't buy anything at all... I like that we can have a real auction not just put something on some vendor thing in some townsquare...
I like how we can hold a poetry contest... A gameshow... whatever we imagine. I enjoy the interaction with the EM's.
Tell me... What other game offers all of this and more? NONE.
Many games you are stuck being ONE person... Many games you can't even have a home at all.... and in some you get a home... but no one can see it... Others you can't do things with people your not on the same level as... all too many you can tell everything about their character just by looking at them.... you know what class they are, what level they are and everything.... because everyone at that level is exactly the same. BORING.
Many games you reach the high level and there isn't really much to do but the same old grinds over and over and over again until they come out with yet another expansion for you to buy...
Others may have all the pretty pictures... but they fall flat on content. They have no story... there is no creativity and there certainly isn't any customization or any way to use your imagination and they certainly aren't as immersive as UO...
But the main thing most of them are missing... community. My friends aren't there.
Well I doubt anything will ever replace UO for some people, simply because I think thats just how it works. Like how you had a first love, the experience was novel and important. I think its just the impact that the experience had on a person, and the treasured position it holds, more than the experience itself. For example Baulders Gate 2 is my all time favorite game, but It's got a LOT of problems and many modern games are empirically superior in nearly ever aspect. Still nothing is going to replace it. Join it, maybe, but I'll still be playing it every few years till I die, I wager. UO is similar for me. It's just a small part of my character, and I expect it always will be.
All that said, mmo's are trending back around to the sandbox experience and while nothing is going to give you that first tim buzz that UO did, I think there are going to be games worth moving on to. Shards for one looks like a very promising new home for UO players since it is so UO inspired in play and appearance. Time will tell what its like in the end, but more promising to me than any other non UO mmo I've seen.
When this game ends so does my MMORPG, I've never managed to get into another though I tried a few. I still like this game, play it as much as I can but when they shut the "EA" servers down I won't be searching for it elsewhere. A part of me wants it to shut down yesterday and the other never wants to see the lights go out.
Might it be the best that the game lives but in private hands, I don't know.
Might it be the best that the game lives but in private hands, I don't know.
UO has died for me many times.
First time UO died for me was UO:R. I quit EA's servers until 2003. I played a number of free shards in that time though.
Second time UO died for me was when pay-to-win items where added to the origin store. UO being a sub based game, Forged Metal Tools enraged me to the point of closing down all of my accounts except one. It took me a while to consolidate all of my accounts to one account. Once down to one account I switched from the 6 month payment plan to a single month plan and my final account was in house maintenance mode. During this time I was playing full time on the free shards again.
Currently I'm playing both EA's UO and the free shards. I've taken my one castle holding account out of house maintenance mode and I've been toying with the idea of reactivating another account. This is mainly due to the new loot changes and doom content. The RTB also was a big factor in me taking my account out of house maintenance mode. Playing on populated servers does make a difference and makes me want to keep playing. However with RTB over and the holidays in full swing, there are fewer and fewer people on legends again... Devs you need to make a new expansion to get people back into the game. (New player races: Orc, drawf, half ogre?.... something please!)
Now I still hate the idea of pay-to-win items in a sub based game. Lately I've been seeing these items on player vendors now for 20 million gold. I can continue to play the game and get these items through normal game play - which makes me happier about the pay-to-win items. I know the dupes are still working in the game, but at this point I don't care. Dupers might be selling these items for all I know, but I don't care they should be in-game content for sub based game to begin with.
First time UO died for me was UO:R. I quit EA's servers until 2003. I played a number of free shards in that time though.
Second time UO died for me was when pay-to-win items where added to the origin store. UO being a sub based game, Forged Metal Tools enraged me to the point of closing down all of my accounts except one. It took me a while to consolidate all of my accounts to one account. Once down to one account I switched from the 6 month payment plan to a single month plan and my final account was in house maintenance mode. During this time I was playing full time on the free shards again.
Currently I'm playing both EA's UO and the free shards. I've taken my one castle holding account out of house maintenance mode and I've been toying with the idea of reactivating another account. This is mainly due to the new loot changes and doom content. The RTB also was a big factor in me taking my account out of house maintenance mode. Playing on populated servers does make a difference and makes me want to keep playing. However with RTB over and the holidays in full swing, there are fewer and fewer people on legends again... Devs you need to make a new expansion to get people back into the game. (New player races: Orc, drawf, half ogre?.... something please!)
Now I still hate the idea of pay-to-win items in a sub based game. Lately I've been seeing these items on player vendors now for 20 million gold. I can continue to play the game and get these items through normal game play - which makes me happier about the pay-to-win items. I know the dupes are still working in the game, but at this point I don't care. Dupers might be selling these items for all I know, but I don't care they should be in-game content for sub based game to begin with.
i think u can dismiss / forget any clingy hope that someone will actually buy the rights for ultima online...thats just not gonna happen...[sorry]
Reality is our game will die... it will close it doors.. the lights will go out...dont try kid youself it wont happen.....its happened with so many others already.....we can only hope for as long as we get.....fingers crossed its few years yet
Reality is our game will die... it will close it doors.. the lights will go out...dont try kid youself it wont happen.....its happened with so many others already.....we can only hope for as long as we get.....fingers crossed its few years yet
I looked at Shards..... I might try it. But it seriously looked cartoony...... I don't know if I can play in a cartoon.... And if it's going to be "Wild West" style everywhere thing... I don't want anything to do with it. Cute experience in the UO early days.... but IMO without some way to curb zerg, blitz and kill of newbs ..... no.... don't care for it. I don't care to work hard for someone to come and take all my hard earned work away. Besides which .... I've gotten a lot older since then and my eyes aren't what they used to be, my reflexes aren't what they used to be.... I have arthritis in my hands so they don't move how I'd like them too anymore... and my computer is aging as well... so playing in "panic" mode just isn't that appealing anymore. Not to mention what all that stress does for the ole bod.
But again... don't now what it's going to be like. We'll see. I enjoy RP. That's mostly what I play for. I like collecting things in UO and I enjoy being "self-sufficient"... And what mostly keeps me playing UO... Old dogs don't like to learn new tricks. Sure I could... but I like it here. It's good, familiar and comforting. Again... community.
Sometimes I get irritated with things, but that's usually because I care and I don't like to see the community pulled apart and driven away. Especially not by things that can be prevented, or should be fixed or improved.
But again... don't now what it's going to be like. We'll see. I enjoy RP. That's mostly what I play for. I like collecting things in UO and I enjoy being "self-sufficient"... And what mostly keeps me playing UO... Old dogs don't like to learn new tricks. Sure I could... but I like it here. It's good, familiar and comforting. Again... community.
Sometimes I get irritated with things, but that's usually because I care and I don't like to see the community pulled apart and driven away. Especially not by things that can be prevented, or should be fixed or improved.
I'd be sad for a few days. Hopefully, I'd keep in touch with some special people. Other than that, I'd spend more time gardening, possibly return to an old hobby... and probably get a bit more housework done.
Added note: I would not look for another game.
Added note: I would not look for another game.
Actually UO is" Immortal" so to speak.
The reason is that many of todays MMO's was influenced by UO so UO is there mother and they are her children. Even though most of todays hardcore UOer's call her children ( Other MMO's) many names that I dare not type in this post because they are not like their mother (UO), they were born from her gaming influence.
Even though many (billions of gamers around the world) of us that do enjoy these other MMO's, many do not know of UO and how the developers of these games were influenced by UO itself.
So to end in a short note, there is many forms of immortality, like them or hate them, these other MMO's will carry UO influence into future gaming generations.
The reason is that many of todays MMO's was influenced by UO so UO is there mother and they are her children. Even though most of todays hardcore UOer's call her children ( Other MMO's) many names that I dare not type in this post because they are not like their mother (UO), they were born from her gaming influence.
Even though many (billions of gamers around the world) of us that do enjoy these other MMO's, many do not know of UO and how the developers of these games were influenced by UO itself.
So to end in a short note, there is many forms of immortality, like them or hate them, these other MMO's will carry UO influence into future gaming generations.
It's not going to be wild west style everywhere, it's whatever ruleset (and even genre) you want, that's really the core of the experience. Some shards will be open pvp, some will be no pvp, some will be hardcore (die = character is gone) its up to you to play where you want.
I think collecting, decorating your house (or your whole shard if you wanna) crafting, taking care of yourself (choppin, fishin, minin, etc) all will be part of shards. I am positive there will be RP centric shards as well.
I think even if UO is still around and people don't want to leave UO Shards could be a very comfortable vacation spot.
Perhaps. EQ Landmark was somewhat based on the same principle.. only they had the thought that "like minds" would group together on "islands".... didn't see this happening at all there. Was more of a rash of insanity that made little to no sense. Have a house here that looks like a Castle..... house there that looks like something out of the Jetsons or something.... and over there you have wild wild west all on the same island within sight of one another. Good theory bad execution... They relied on people to "pool" together.... well honestly your not going to do that if you didn't already know one another.... kinda in my opinion defeating the whole idea of an MMO experience..... then there wasn't any regulation of what an island needed to be so didn't matter what you built... so really didn't make any sort of "community" sense. A few folk did get together and do themed builds and I did participate in a few of them... but yeah wasn't really what I was looking for. Least wise not yet.
Well in shards anyway you can set your own rules, and you can avoid any areas you don't like. I really don't know anything about EQL though, so I don't know how they do it. You can't have a private server can you?
Another plus for Shards imo is that the presentation is similar to UO. I know you said you found it cartoony, but I personally don't. Just sometimes brightly colored. Everything has accurate realistic proportions. I though it was VERY similar to UO in look in terms of approach if not exactly style, the short while I played. I wouldn't mind if it were gritty looking like diablo, but I like how it is as well.
That would definitely kill UO.
…as someone said before, UO will be eternal. Plugged or unplugged.
I hope that EA and BS are clever enough to monitor the current developments in the (online-) gaming industry regarding veteran games. There has been a dungeon crawler revival (ala Dungeon Master etc.), there is a Point&Click Adventure revival going on ratm (even when Lucas Arts is owned by Disney today), and there will be a Sandbox-MMORPG revival on mobile devices soon.
Albion Online seems to be the first candidate going into that direction. (Too much PvP for me, btw).
Future games will be cross-platform and available anywhere, anytime. I´d love to see our good old UO going into that direction. Maybe an overhaul of graphics would be nice. (I still play CClient, so no discussions, please.)
I am absolutely convinced that UO has all the ingredients to stay alive for another 100 years. If they adopt to today´s demands and gaming habits, this would be feasible.
And btw, Shroud of the Avatar is NOT an UO successor. I am pre-alpha testing it.
Shards Online seems to be a bit more promising, if you are looking for UO feeling. (I joined the first rudimentary pre-alpha test couple of weeks ago.)
UOs greatest asset is its in-depth game mechanics and REAL sandbox and skill based system.
So EA/BS:
No need to pull the plug, just use the right adapter.
^^
/Claire
I hope that EA and BS are clever enough to monitor the current developments in the (online-) gaming industry regarding veteran games. There has been a dungeon crawler revival (ala Dungeon Master etc.), there is a Point&Click Adventure revival going on ratm (even when Lucas Arts is owned by Disney today), and there will be a Sandbox-MMORPG revival on mobile devices soon.
Albion Online seems to be the first candidate going into that direction. (Too much PvP for me, btw).
Future games will be cross-platform and available anywhere, anytime. I´d love to see our good old UO going into that direction. Maybe an overhaul of graphics would be nice.
(I still play CClient, so no discussions, please.)I am absolutely convinced that UO has all the ingredients to stay alive for another 100 years. If they adopt to today´s demands and gaming habits, this would be feasible.
And btw, Shroud of the Avatar is NOT an UO successor. I am pre-alpha testing it.
Shards Online seems to be a bit more promising, if you are looking for UO feeling. (I joined the first rudimentary pre-alpha test couple of weeks ago.)
UOs greatest asset is its in-depth game mechanics and REAL sandbox and skill based system.
So EA/BS:
No need to pull the plug, just use the right adapter.
^^
/Claire
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Any slob with a PC and a little time to kill can toss up their own shard and let people log in. This game will be around for eternity, whether or not EA ever gets around to ditching the neglected official version.