NEWS [UO.Com] Turning off Housing Decay for the Month of September

[James Krieg]

oh Luc, it was a example, had it been a economics lesson i would have brought facts and figures. but if you want a short term economics class.... the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

 

[Lady Storm]

I have been in a cata 1 ....we didn't have time or way to get out...
*hubby and dad were out in the gulf working and the cars were at the parking garage at work for them when they got back*
Lets just say... I am very glad the eye didn't go over us!
The damage is unreal to clean up.
Irma is a wrecking machine on a grand scale.
If you can get the hadies out do it!
Don't say I can ride it out... no you cant this will kill you if it gets a chance.
Pack up your things you absolutely need and go.
Ziploc is your best friend to keep things dry.
Pack your suitcases, don't forget meds, personal care items like tooth brushes and hair brushes, pics, all the important papers like insurance docs, birth certs, passports, pink slips on your property....
Grab the kids, and pets...
DONT FORGET THE PETS!!!
if you got time and room pack up food stuff for you and your pet ... you might be gone a while and eating out is not cheap!

 

[outcry]

I see 4 pages of greed and pettiness of this entire conversation, Its all about helping those that have just lost everything in Texas, Mexico, and now Florida , its about them and nothing else.

What started out as a awesome thing you all have turned into your own personal frustrations with the game...


Prayers for all those affected

 

[Riyana]

No one who was actually paying their account at the time of the flooding is in imminent danger of losing their UO housing. There is already a safeguard in place that allows three months of leeway in case of emergency/disaster/personal crisis. That people have used that safeguard in other ways is immaterial. Even if suspending decay for a month adds an extra month to that time, there was already an ample cushion there.

However, regardless of whether or not suspending house decay actually makes a significant difference, there was no need to cut off the entire housing system. The way it was implemented potentially impacts the gameplay of everyone playing the game, and housing is too important an aspect of UO to simply toggle on and off at will, especially when there is already an automatic three month grace period in place.

They deactivated one of the most valuable functions of everyone's current active subscriptions in a way that is very likely to benefit only or primarily those with delinquent subscriptions. Players who pay every month just lost a month worth of a core game functionality to maybe preserve a few houses that hadn't been paid for since July. That is not logical, and it is not good business. I'm not interested in arguing the merits of the "90 day game", but I don't think that 25% paid accounts should ever be prioritized over 100% paid ones, and freezing all housing options the way they did does just that. It does it at a time when people might be checking UO out for the new content and 20th anniversary, denying them access to the part of the game that is most likely to keep people in the game.

That's bad customer service trying to get good PR. You can spin the emotional "if it helps just one person" angle until the end of time, but it doesn't make this a good or logical decision. There is ALWAYS going to be "just one person" out there... and there is already a generous safeguard in place.

I'm not knocking the sentiment. I'm criticizing the implementation. If they had only turned off decay, I wouldn't have had a problem. I share sympathy for the hurricane victims, but turning off all UO housing options doesn't accomplish much beyond a knee-jerk sense of having done something regardless of actual utility or logic. It wasn't necessary, wasn't well thought out, wasn't implemented well, and sets an awkward precedent for the next disaster.

 

[Lady Storm]

Riyana your making the assumption that what your saying is all it would have taken.... simple right?
What you say may be or it might have been a bit more intricate and time consuming... not so simple.
We have no idea if the 1 Dev guy was in the office... he might have been off saving family... we will never know...
All I know is it was done for a very good reason .... so it stops a few of you from doing things with a house ... suck it up people... your not gunna die because of it.
It amazes me on how petty people can get who complain they have lost their time and money.... ask yourself this ...
Am I going to be homeless for what could be months?
Will I have to live on what I can find to eat?
How will I take care of my children?
NO WHERE IN THIS LIST WILL YOU FIND ....is my UO house ok...
NOW let me put this in prospective...
AtlanticR lives in Florida...
He and his family were set to go but the elderly in his neighborhood needed help.
He spent days helping them put up storm shutters and get the elderly out with family members.
I know this because I talked to him before IRMA was set to hit...
He was in his house finishing packing up his family important things he had long sent his family off to safety.
He is still to the best of my information still in his house or a local safety center... I hope...
I am watching 5 of my friends and family's areas in Florida get wacked.... I am so afraid for them.
I do not want to find any of them on a list of the dead after this is over...so forgive the next bit
AND YOU SIT HERE AND HAVE THE NERVE TO BLUBBER ABOUT A DAMN GAME TIME/ HOUSEING DOWN TIME....
I AM SO ASHAMED OF YOU.
THIS IS HEARTLESS.
Captn. N if this is too harsh I am sorry and no I will not remove it so don't ask... if it cost me my time here so be it... I am so tried of the bickering over pixels.
This is about giving some of our fellow gamers a piece of mind. Something they are in very short supply of right now.

Be thankfull your not in my LZ right now .... id make Irma look like a lite breeze

 

[Lythos-]

Everything I 100% agree with.

I used to dislike you until you said that.

You are correct. Housing will have to go down for the Mexico quake. Housing will have to go down for Florida. Housing will have to go down for the evacuations in the NW for wildfires. After that, it's a guessing game on what natural disaster will shut down housing. If 1 person is neglected they risk ill will and another player lost. If they continue shutting down housing they risk idocers and players that only log in for housing quitting as well. That's not mentioning those players that feel they're not getting their money worth.

Call it rude, but life goes on no matter how you feel. The rest of the world still has to get up for work. We still have to pay our bills on time. Our enjoyment shouldn't be crippled.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Ever think of the players whos time is up for Sept who pay monthly who dont auto pay but manualy pay. or their cc expired and no way to get on to renew it. Im sure those are most likely who Mesanna and devs were thinking about

 

[Fingers]

It would have been logical to provide a FREE MONTH for all. That way, no one is affected in a negative way. However, It may have been discussed and rejected, rather quickly, IMO, due to the revenue loss. When you think about it, thats what this gesture is......financially motivated. Lets cut off decay and give those folks an opportunity to pay next month rather than lose the revenue to house decay. Call it what you will, but those folks who got hammered by Harvey, and I suspect Irma, will NOT be worried over UO. They have MONTHS of suffering to go thru at a minimum to get back to ANY form of normality. While this "gesture" may be appreciated by some, I dunno anyone who would be in their right mind to think things will be fine and dandy in Houston come 1 october. That said, Im appreciative of the gesture towards my fellow UO'rs, Americans, and ya'll Texans! But decay is not placing, resizing, trading or customizing. Google it.....websters will explain it. All ya'll did was give those who play the account dance a free month. And the shaft on the rest of us who paid. Thanks.

 

[Riyana]

Riyana your making the assumption that what your saying is all it would have taken.... simple right?
What you say may be or it might have been a bit more intricate and time consuming... not so simple.
We have no idea if the 1 Dev guy was in the office... he might have been off saving family... we will never know...
All I know is it was done for a very good reason .... so it stops a few of you from doing things with a house ... suck it up people... your not gunna die because of it.
It amazes me on how petty people can get who complain they have lost their time and money.... ask yourself this ...
Am I going to be homeless for what could be months?
Will I have to live on what I can find to eat?
How will I take care of my children?
NO WHERE IN THIS LIST WILL YOU FIND ....is my UO house ok...
NOW let me put this in prospective...
AtlanticR lives in Florida...
He and his family were set to go but the elderly in his neighborhood needed help.
He spent days helping them put up storm shutters and get the elderly out with family members.
I know this because I talked to him before IRMA was set to hit...
He was in his house finishing packing up his family important things he had long sent his family off to safety.
He is still to the best of my information still in his house or a local safety center... I hope...
I am watching 5 of my friends and family's areas in Florida get wacked.... I am so afraid for them.
I do not want to find any of them on a list of the dead after this is over...so forgive the next bit
AND YOU SIT HERE AND HAVE THE NERVE TO BLUBBER ABOUT A DAMN GAME TIME/ HOUSEING DOWN TIME....
I AM SO ASHAMED OF YOU.
THIS IS HEARTLESS.
Captn. N if this is too harsh I am sorry and no I will not remove it so don't ask... if it cost me my time here so be it... I am so tried of the bickering over pixels.
This is about giving some of our fellow gamers a piece of mind. Something they are in very short supply of right now.

Be thankfull your not in my LZ right now .... id make Irma look like a lite breeze

They've turned off just decay before. That's not an assumption. That's a fact.

I am basing my opinion on how I know the game to function. When your account lapses, you can't play that account but your house remains safe for 90 days. The practical result of what they did cuts off access to a core functionality for all players to MAYBE save some houses for players who had already allowed their accounts to lapse at least two months ago.

Every example you gave is indeed troubling and I hope for the best for everyone. I have a lot of sympathy for the hurricane victims, and victims of every other disaster or misfortune that befall people daily. However, if you actually read my post and think about how the game works, what I said stands. If you choose to throw ranty emotional examples, veiled insults, and scolds at me without even thinking logically about anything I said, that is your prerogative. But it doesn't make you right.

And it doesn't make this a wise decision for the game.

There was already a 90 day safeguard in place. If after that long, someone still hasn't checked their account, then they probably have much more important things to worry about--but they DID have a chance and enough leeway to make the effort if it was a priority at all for them. Meanwhile, people paid for a service that they didn't get to fully use because a core part of it was cut off in a way that mostly benefited people who haven't recently paid. That doesn't make sense.

A couple months from now we are going to start seeing posts and reports about hurricane-affected players losing their UO houses. Their accounts were fine at the time but they have been sitting in FEMA trailers or living out of a motel with little computer access or living in their car or crashing with relatives or whatnot, and didn't realize their accounts had lapsed. They are going to be there for another couple of months at least, won't the devs please hold up housing a little longer? By your own words, people are going to be out of commission for months. Are they going to suspend all housing then too? For how long?

What about the next hurricane that hits? Or wildfires? Or earthquakes? Or individual emergencies--someone's relative died, there was a huge housefire, they lost their job, their ISP is totally incompetent, they've been in the hospital sick, any other of a million scenarios?

Where do you draw the line? UO isn't a charity. It's a service. By all means, donate to the Red Cross or United Way or whatever charity you see fit. Volunteer for cleanup efforts. Foster some displaced pets. Do whatever you are able and willing to do. But don't make like having part of your UO service arbitrarily cut off for September without notice and without recompense is "helping" anyone. Anyone it is actually helping had already chosen not to pay their account.

I share your sympathy for all those affected by or still in danger from the hurricanes. I just don't think what Broadsword did with UO is meaningfully helpful, constructive, or well-thought. Hearts are in the right place, but heads are reeling.

 

[Riyana]

Ever think of the players whos time is up for Sept who pay monthly who dont auto pay but manualy pay. or their cc expired and no way to get on to renew it. Im sure those are most likely who Mesanna and devs were thinking about

Those houses will not begin falling until late November. That is my point. Shutting off September housing doesn't help them.

 

[Faeryl]

Ever think of the players whos time is up for Sept who pay monthly who dont auto pay but manualy pay. or their cc expired and no way to get on to renew it. Im sure those are most likely who Mesanna and devs were thinking about

Doesn't change the fact that there is still a three month grace period before even those houses begin the decay cycle.

 

[MalagAste]

I wish you all would quit belly aching over it and just get busy playing the game and not worry about it... we now have another state that has been hit and 100's of people without power and without homes... and you all are whining about not being able to put a house down in a game...

Next time some disaster hits you remember that. Maybe we'll show you the same compassion your showing right now.

Seriously it's a month... not a year or whatever... I remember when they shut down decay and such when I started.... with the first desert storm I believe... I didn't think I'd ever own a home... back then there wasn't anywhere to place... nothing fell and none dropped... or anything... and back then buying one just a 7x7 was 5 mill and 1 million gold was 20-25 dollars... not 0.12cents or less for a mill...

 

[AtlanticRealtor]

Florida was Hit Hard... I live near Naples and they Evacuated us, since my house is located near the River and the prediction was 6 to 9ft flood...so I stayed with family at the local shelter for 2 days while the "eye" of Irma pass by... They let us come back home today and the damage around is amazing for a Cat 3 storm...luck my house still stand and the water dmg was little to none...No power since there is sooo many trees and powerlines down...
ALL I have to say is a Big Thank You for rhe National Guard, Fema and the Local Police...they worked so hard to insure everybody safety from the beggining of fhe storm to the end...
And related to the post, We had a week notice b4 the storm hit us and We already knew for sure that power and Net would be gone...so nothing like a whole bunch of prepaid GTC apllied to the accounts to make sure

 

[Lady Michelle]

Doesn't change the fact that there is still a three month grace period before even those houses begin the decay cycle.

I sure messed that up I meant the 90 days was up Sept could be why.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Those houses will not begin falling until late November. That is my point. Shutting off September housing doesn't help them.

I sure messed that up I meant the 90 days was up Sept could be why.

 

[Faeryl]

I sure messed that up I meant the 90 days was up Sept could be why.

Per your original post that I responded to, if they're paying monthly as you suggest, they'd still have plenty of time left to figure something out if this game that important to them.

If the 90 days were up in September... then so far as I'm concerned, that's on them for playing the system in a way it wasn't originally intended for.

I do feel bad for those that lost so much, but no matter what scenario people come up with, this remains a poorly planned choice of action by the devs that could have and should been handled far better than it was.

Edit to add:

There is no fathomable reason that the devs should be prioritizing currently inactive accounts over paying customers. Even if the accounts belong to an active player, they are choosing to let it lapse and not pay for the service, as opposed to those of us who keep our accounts open consistently to the benefit of the devs and the life of the game itself.

Clearly they have pissed off a number of paying customers with their actions, which could be detrimental to them, and the game, in the long run.

 

[Finley Grant]

I wanted to stay out of this discussion completely but I can't.

First of all. Those storms are terrible and dangerous for the people living in affected areas. No one question that.

Second. The idea of (I think AR) was fine to stop houses decaying. Just the way it was done is not ideal.

UO offeres a service which we pay for. This in include housing. Which is if we are honest the last real benefit of the game. Everything else is done as good or even better by other games.

So shutting down the only REAL goodie without it being bugged or damaged is a no go and a slap in the face for paying customers.

What makes it even more worse is the fact that there are several point to actively stop the decay of a house which can be done by each customer. And then a grace period of 90 days + 3ish while the decay take place.

So we have.

1. Buy enough GTC and load the account in advance. There is no need to wait till 2 days before the account run out.
2 add a CC as fallback.
3. A storm is like this is not happening within an hour. You have time in advance to deal with your ****.
4. Ask friends to help
5. 90 days till decay
6. Another 3 ish till it's down.

If you are not capable to keep your house up with those 6 points it's no one's but your own fault.

I pay for my accounts. All of them. All the time. With at least 1month extra GTC plus CC backup.

And I feel offended by my provider that I pay full and they turn off features.

Ask yourself. Would you accept that your cell carrier turn off mobile data for a month? I'd would say no.

And if you now say yes but CC may ran out. Well again if you don't deal with your bank go get a CC replacement in time it's none but your own fault.

So stop bitchin.

If you really want to make something useful do what AR did and help neighbours and old people


Now hate me if you want and think about me what you want.
I would be the last person who would not help in those areas if would not live thousands of miles away.

 

[Lythos-]

If you really want to make something useful do what AR did and help neighbours and old people


Now hate me if you want and think about me what you want.
I would be the last person who would not help in those areas if would not live thousands of miles away.

What a lack of compassion! Jk. That's what I keep reading anyway. Know what compassion is? Compassion is driving to the store and buying whatever the amount you can spare for goods that will be directly delivered to those that need it. It's going to hit areas in person to help. It's writing a check that will go towards whatever cause you feel is most important. It's getting up for work doing whatever it is you do to keep the world moving so goods can be manufactured to rebuild, replace and turn a disaster into nothing more than a bad memory.

In no way shape or form does this compassion include downgrading the service of a video game with a paying subscription that has had multiple safeguards in place for ages. Housing decay is not a service, it's a penalty. Placing, trading and customizing IS part of what we pay for.

To further a point I was trying to make earlier to those that say "this is only for a month". THIS housing downtime was specific toward victims of Harvey.
Mexican quake victims will only get around 3 weeks.
Northwest wildfire migration victims only around 3 weeks.
Irma less than 3 weeks under this current downtime.
We have players worldwide. Are they going to get the same level of "online compassion" after every global disaster? It's either going to equal a lot of housing downtime or make Harvey victims seem more important than every other player.

If Broadsword wanted to help hurricane victims housing decay should have been turned off and a Broadsword gofundme created that would give us non effected players unique items for donations. Blocking paying players from placing a house in the name of helping hurricane victims is laughable.

 

[Lady Storm]

Well I know players who are at the wim of a parent and their cc to pay for the game and have helped them figure how to manage their accounts and houses when their parent tells them they cant afford to turn on their account(s) right this minute...
We tend to forget some out there are still in a financial strait and still need the peace of mind the game will still be there. The storms have wiped a lot of banking for the areas out and people have lost their computers.
Homes in both Texas and Florida are in a state of what only can be nightmare to them...
Stop for 5 minutes and look at whats on your tv of the devastation...
The islands in the Caribbean's some are in total loss for living on..
its almost 1 3rd over and your still whining.... on this house bit...

 

[Lady CaT]

Honestly, if my house had been destroyed and life turned upside down by a storm, flood, earthquake, or whatever. Playing an online game and the status of an online account wouldn't even be close to anything I care about.

Rather than debating suspended housing for 30 days in a fantasy world. Why not consider donating or helping with actual disaster relief in the real world if you want to make a gesture.

 

[Fridgster]

Honestly, if my house had been destroyed and life turned upside down by a storm, flood, earthquake, or whatever. Playing an online game and the status of an online account wouldn't even be close to anything I care about.

Rather than debating suspended housing for 30 days in a fantasy world. Why not consider donating or helping with actual disaster relief in the real world if you want to make a gesture.

Or you could do both. Thats what I did anyway. Honestly all this complaining reminds me of a story I once heard...
Millions of planets revolving around millions of suns revolving around millions of galaxies all revolving around one point in the center of the universe.

And that point is not you.

 

[MalagAste]

Or you could all quit whining pull up your big boy/girl panties and learn to deal. Just get over it... soon they will turn them back on near mid month now think you can handle it for a few more days/weeks and move on to something real to complain about again your argument it is just a game...

But it's a very kind and nice gesture for those who just lost more than I ever wish to think about... so quit your crying and sit tight. The sky is not falling, thankfully Virginia was not destroyed and we still have a game to play... a few weeks of not being able to use the housing server isn't going to kill you or ruin anything those house spots will still be there in a few weeks... that design you want to try isn't going to vanish... whatever...

Not like you've lost anything at all. You can sleep well in your own homes... etc... and still log in. You still know where your next meal is, you still have another pair of undies to put on... etc...

 

[The Craftsman]

Or you could all quit whining pull up your big boy/girl panties and learn to deal.

Now wheres the fun it that!

 

[MalagAste]

Now wheres the fun it that!

Whoever said life was to be fair or fun???

 

[Finley Grant]

Or you could all quit whining pull up your big boy/girl panties and learn to deal. Just get over it... soon they will turn them back on near mid month now think you can handle it for a few more days/weeks and move on to something real to complain about again your argument it is just a game...

But it's a very kind and nice gesture for those who just lost more than I ever wish to think about... so quit your crying and sit tight. The sky is not falling, thankfully Virginia was not destroyed and we still have a game to play... a few weeks of not being able to use the housing server isn't going to kill you or ruin anything those house spots will still be there in a few weeks... that design you want to try isn't going to vanish... whatever...

Not like you've lost anything at all. You can sleep well in your own homes... etc... and still log in. You still know where your next meal is, you still have another pair of undies to put on... etc...

the problem here is that you pay for something which dont get delivered, would you be quiet and shut up if your boss spontaniousely decide to not pay you for september by just not transferring the payment on 1st of october? I DONT THINK SO.

i pay for playing this stupid game for several accounts -> i want my service to be delivered!

 

[Faeryl]

Or you could all quit whining pull up your big boy/girl panties and learn to deal. Just get over it... soon they will turn them back on near mid month now think you can handle it for a few more days/weeks and move on to something real to complain about again your argument it is just a game...

But it's a very kind and nice gesture for those who just lost more than I ever wish to think about... so quit your crying and sit tight. The sky is not falling, thankfully Virginia was not destroyed and we still have a game to play... a few weeks of not being able to use the housing server isn't going to kill you or ruin anything those house spots will still be there in a few weeks... that design you want to try isn't going to vanish... whatever...

Not like you've lost anything at all. You can sleep well in your own homes... etc... and still log in. You still know where your next meal is, you still have another pair of undies to put on... etc...

Guess what. If they keep making knee jerk decisions and pissing of their paying customers, THERE WON'T BE ANYONE LEFT.

We're paying them for a service we aren't getting. We have every right to complain as it has been proven in several arguments on this thread that shutting off the housing completely benefits NO ONE.

If they wanted to make a kind gesture, there are several better options they could have gone with.

 

[OREOGL]

Lol why isn't this thread locked?

We all know why they did it. Why discuss this further?

The entitlement here is astounding.

 

[OREOGL]

the problem here is that you pay for something which dont get delivered, would you be quiet and shut up if your boss spontaniousely decide to not pay you for september by just not transferring the payment on 1st of october? I DONT THINK SO.

i pay for playing this stupid game for several accounts -> i want my service to be delivered!

I would refer you to the terms of service.

You arent guaranteed anything.

Don't like it? Quit.

 

[Finley Grant]

I would refer you to the terms of service.

You arent guaranteed anything.

Don't like it? Quit.

i could start arguing with you now about the tos but honestly i dont give a ****.

i took already actions on the day they made this change.

 

[Fingers]

Lol why isn't this thread locked?

We all know why they did it. Why discuss this further?

The entitlement here is astounding.

I would say.....1.....if youre really wondering why this thread isnt locked, why post? And 2....Why discuss it further? Cause thats what forums are for.

 

[Fingers]

I wish you all would quit belly aching over it and just get busy playing the game.........

You do realize these are the forums, right? Folks come here to post, discuss, rant, etc, within the confines of whatever is deemed within the confines of the rules. Posting on a forum wishing no one would post seems kinda.....I dunno.....illogical?

 

[OREOGL]

I would say.....1.....if youre really wondering why this thread isnt locked, why post? And 2....Why discuss it further? Cause thats what forums are for.

I thought it was clear to ask why the thread wasn't locked...

This has deteriorated way beyond the point of having a healthy discussion.

The forums aren't for that.

 

[OREOGL]

i could start arguing with you now about the tos but honestly i dont give a ****.

i took already actions on the day they made this change.

There's nothing to argue.

The TOS are clear. You aren't guaranteed anything..

Go read them once, you'll see.

 

[Lady Storm]

Any of you ever been in a disaster?
I have a few times...
The Northridge EQ.. I lived about a mile from dead center.... my house was a very old building which this might sound odd but it was the best house to be in!
The houses and business's around me were in a shambles... life took weeks to get even close to feeling safe.
I have been in a hurricane in NOLA,, actually 60 miles south of NOLA in the gulf.... not a fun party.
I have been in Blizzards... as a kid... you grow up fast..
You might say I know what I am talking of...
Those of you who sit behind that screen and have never had to wonder how your going to find dinner or even cook it...
Try no water for a week ... no shower.. not even enough for a sponge bath..
Yea ..
You have it soo hard cause you cant do a house in UO... boo hooo.
Suck it up jr's
Life is not fair and mother nature has your number... just wait... your turn is coming... I can guarantee it.
If you didn't notice it she nearly wiped a whole state off the map and damn near a good portion of another before it. Islands are now uninhabitable...
Just you wait... then we will talk your due... till then sit down and shut up.

 

[Finley Grant]

Honestly. If you give a **** about an online game in a time / place of a actual disaster you never were in a real disaster...

Furthermore. They don't give a **** if there is something happening outside of US.

Real helping would be donating money/food/supplies not ****ing up an online game

 

[The Craftsman]

We all know why they did it.

Yeah we do... they did it because they decided to bow to political correctness and pull a PR stunt. And without giving the slightest thought as to if it would be effective or what the wider impact would be.

 

[The Craftsman]

Any of you ever been in a disaster?
I have a few times...
The Northridge EQ.. I lived about a mile from dead center.... my house was a very old building which this might sound odd but it was the best house to be in!
The houses and business's around me were in a shambles... life took weeks to get even close to feeling safe.
I have been in a hurricane in NOLA,, actually 60 miles south of NOLA in the gulf.... not a fun party.
I have been in Blizzards... as a kid... you grow up fast..
You might say I know what I am talking of...
Those of you who sit behind that screen and have never had to wonder how your going to find dinner or even cook it...
Try no water for a week ... no shower.. not even enough for a sponge bath..
Yea ..
You have it soo hard cause you cant do a house in UO... boo hooo.
Suck it up jr's
Life is not fair and mother nature has your number... just wait... your turn is coming... I can guarantee it.
If you didn't notice it she nearly wiped a whole state off the map and damn near a good portion of another before it. Islands are now uninhabitable...
Just you wait... then we will talk your due... till then sit down and shut up.

No one is disputing that this is a horrendous disaster for those affected so pipe down and stop preaching. The discussion is about whether denying paying customers of part of the service they pay for is a suitable course of action. I think BS/EA contributing a cheque for aid might have better served the needs of those impacted by the disaster.

 

[OREOGL]

Yeah we do... they did it because they decided to bow to political correctness and pull a PR stunt. And without giving the slightest thought as to if it would be effective or what the wider impact would be.

Or, stay with me here, they did it as a kind gesture to those impacted by the hurricane.

It is certainly fun to watch the aftermath of tears from you people because your video game was slightly affected.

Grow up.

 

[MissEcho]

Or, stay with me here, they did it as a kind gesture to those impacted by the hurricane.

It is certainly fun to watch the aftermath of tears from you people because your video game was slightly affected.

Grow up.

Problem here is the response is unwarranted and is going to do little for anyone affected by the hurricanes. Sadly when Cyclone Debbie hit here in March 2017, we didn't get a 'kind gesture', in fact I doubt anyone here would of thought it was even APPROPRIATE to take a paid service "off" the rest of the world as a token gesture for something that happened in our area. If we have flooding in NYC next month are they intending to do the same? What about earthquakes or tsnamis in Japan or Korea? The way climate change is affecting the planet in reality they would in all likelihood have to shut the housing system down permanently if they wish to be 'fair' and make these 'kind gestures' every time we have a weather event.

As it has been pointed out, the only people who will benefit from stopping the whole of the housing infrastructure of UO will be those people who haven't paid for their accounts for the past 2-3 months who were due to resub. Anyone paying monthy who lives in the affected area wont be affected until November, so who exactly is this 'kind gesture' benefiting? Certainly not those paying customers.

Instead it stops a huge part of the game for the rest of the USA and every single paying customer outside of the USA. As for 'aftermath of tears' as you put it, I hardly think we are 'crying' about it, just pointing out the pointlessness of the whole exercise. It has many more drawbacks than positive outcomes.

In the past they have JUST turned off house decay. That could of be the 'kind gesture' and this would not have affected every other paying customers service to the extent that it has. Seriously it should not of affected customising, trading and placing houses. You can't even 'test' place. Totally ridiculous.

Those telling everyone who posts how illogical this response has been to 'suck it up' and how heartless we are etc etc, I would be interested to know if you think the 'same' response by BS is warranted when something else happens next month in another area, and if not why not?

If so, and you think this is the appropriate response, are you prepared to never have the housing system back up? If you're not happy to have it down permanently then how do you justify it being turned off for Texas/Florida, but not for say Seattle if in a months time if they experience a huge weather event. Someone who 'loses' a house due to a future weather event where the housing system was left 'on' would have every reason to pissed off if the same 'kind gesture' is not put in place for them.

House customising is a HUGE part of UO, the fact they just turned it off with no warning for absolutley nothing but a token gesture is a big deal and a knee jerk reaction in an effort to 'look good'.

I think pointing out to the Devs that this is not the most appropriate response is a good thing. Perhaps next time they actually 'think' about the implications of just stopping a huge part of a game we all PAY for before they do it.

 

[Lythos-]

You have it soo hard cause you cant do a house in UO... boo hooo.
Suck it up jr's
Life is not fair and mother nature has your number... just wait... your turn is coming... I can guarantee it.
Just you wait... then we will talk your due... till then sit down and shut up.

I've donated substantially for victims of both hurricanes. Have you or are you just getting that warm fuzzy feeling of helping by justifying this BS and annoying those of us that think this should have went differently?

Your posts have really been irritating me lately. To make this crystal clear, I only have work minutes to pay my accounts but it's still MY money that is expected to be spent with MY limited time to enjoy how it's been spent. I don't have joint bank accounts with Lady Storm of UHall. Anyone that spends coin on this game has every right to have opposing views or justify how their money is being spent. Got that, Jr?

There is an appropriate time and place for a bleeding heart. Altering the paid subscription service of a global video game isn't one of those times.

BTW: I just don't seem to see you protesting the fact that Irma victims get 11 days less of this Broadsword disaster relief. Absolutely not one single mention of it from you. I mentioned it earlier though. If you're going to equip those Wonder Woman bracelets and save the world, one Ultima Online house at a time, you should do it fairly and equally. Right?

Surely Broadsword wouldn't neglect Irma victims this close to the 20th aniv and all that free PR in gaming blogs. Suddenly this 1 petty month just became 2. Then there's the next disaster.

Grow up.

We've seen eye to eye on numerous issues but it's uncalled for to look down on us that value our time, enjoyment and money differently. If this didn't effect you so be it. No sense to judge those that it did.

 

[Lady Storm]

As a matter of fact I have sent in to the charity's both money and New blankets and quilts. I quilt as a hobby so I had a good stack all done.
I also called on a few CEO's I know and chewed a few ears, they sent them by private plane with their company's donation's.
It pays to know good people with big hearts and call them friends.

 

[OREOGL]

Problem here is the response is unwarranted and is going to do little for anyone affected by the hurricanes. Sadly when Cyclone Debbie hit here in March 2017, we didn't get a 'kind gesture', in fact I doubt anyone here would of thought it was even APPROPRIATE to take a paid service "off" the rest of the world as a token gesture for something that happened in our area. If we have flooding in NYC next month are they intending to do the same? What about earthquakes or tsnamis in Japan or Korea? The way climate change is affecting the planet in reality they would in all likelihood have to shut the housing system down permanently if they wish to be 'fair' and make these 'kind gestures' every time we have a weather event.

As it has been pointed out, the only people who will benefit from stopping the whole of the housing infrastructure of UO will be those people who haven't paid for their accounts for the past 2-3 months who were due to resub. Anyone paying monthy who lives in the affected area wont be affected until November, so who exactly is this 'kind gesture' benefiting? Certainly not those paying customers.

Instead it stops a huge part of the game for the rest of the USA and every single paying customer outside of the USA. As for 'aftermath of tears' as you put it, I hardly think we are 'crying' about it, just pointing out the pointlessness of the whole exercise. It has many more drawbacks than positive outcomes.

In the past they have JUST turned off house decay. That could of be the 'kind gesture' and this would not have affected every other paying customers service to the extent that it has. Seriously it should not of affected customising, trading and placing houses. You can't even 'test' place. Totally ridiculous.

Those telling everyone who posts how illogical this response has been to 'suck it up' and how heartless we are etc etc, I would be interested to know if you think the 'same' response by BS is warranted when something else happens next month in another area, and if not why not?

If so, and you think this is the appropriate response, are you prepared to never have the housing system back up? If you're not happy to have it down permanently then how do you justify it being turned off for Texas/Florida, but not for say Seattle if in a months time if they experience a huge weather event. Someone who 'loses' a house due to a future weather event where the housing system was left 'on' would have every reason to pissed off if the same 'kind gesture' is not put in place for them.

House customising is a HUGE part of UO, the fact they just turned it off with no warning for absolutley nothing but a token gesture is a big deal and a knee jerk reaction in an effort to 'look good'.

I think pointing out to the Devs that this is not the most appropriate response is a good thing. Perhaps next time they actually 'think' about the implications of just stopping a huge part of a game we all PAY for before they do it.

This response was fairly predictable. You're arguing precedence. You find it irrational they're doing it for Texas and not for you. Yep I get it.

I don't pretend to care why they did it. I care regardless of their reasons (although they are based in the US so it's not hard to really make the leap here, despite how hard it is for you.), " grown" adults are crying over it because their video game was slightly affected for a month because of the gesture. (Two weeks left by the way, congrats you're doing it!)

Regardless, I would have been fine with them doing it for any such event. You're paying what, $13 a month? And now youre angry you can't customize on a video game your house because you paid $13. Yep got it all the first time.

Now step back and see how petty it is.

I feel sorry for all of you that are this attached to a video game. Do yourself a favor, click the power button, and take a step outside. It is really refreshing!

 

[OREOGL]

I've donated substantially for victims of both hurricanes. Have you or are you just getting that warm fuzzy feeling of helping by justifying this BS and annoying those of us that think this should have went differently?

Your posts have really been irritating me lately. To make this crystal clear, I only have work minutes to pay my accounts but it's still MY money that is expected to be spent with MY limited time to enjoy how it's been spent. I don't have joint bank accounts with Lady Storm of UHall. Anyone that spends coin on this game has every right to have opposing views or justify how their money is being spent. Got that, Jr?

There is an appropriate time and place for a bleeding heart. Altering the paid subscription service of a global video game isn't one of those times.

BTW: I just don't seem to see you protesting the fact that Irma victims get 11 days less of this Broadsword disaster relief. Absolutely not one single mention of it from you. I mentioned it earlier though. If you're going to equip those Wonder Woman bracelets and save the world, one Ultima Online house at a time, you should do it fairly and equally. Right?

Surely Broadsword wouldn't neglect Irma victims this close to the 20th aniv and all that free PR in gaming blogs. Suddenly this 1 petty month just became 2. Then there's the next disaster.




We've seen eye to eye on numerous issues but it's uncalled for to look down on us that value our time, enjoyment and money differently. If this didn't effect you so be it. No sense to judge those that it did.

Easy man, take a deep breath. I get being frustrated but questioning charitable giving? Come on now.

And it's okay we don't see eye to eye on this. It is a small issue among many we may not agree on.

My opinion is my own, no one has to agree with it.

 

[Merlin]

While this was put into place after Hurricane Harvey, it has acted as a blessing in disguise for those affected by Hurricane Irma. I know of folks who have a combined 200+ accounts that are still without power in Florida. This has been one less thing for those folks to worry about.

I understand some of the complaints here... a small notice period before going into affect would have been nice... but I'm sure everyone can survive another 16 days here without house placement, trading and re-sizing.

It's disappointing, but unsurprising, to see the level of rage and complaints that some folks seem to post, no matter what the topic. Good grief.

 

[skett]

I can't believe this thread is going on 5 pages lol

Get over it !

Move on go play and have fun, in less than 2 weeks it will be back on !

Yes it should have been handled better it wasn't, is anyone really surprised for real wtf

 

[Tyrath]

Still comes down to it benefited only a small group of people, that by their own actions put their accounts at risk by playing the 90 day game and they got a bail out. People paying legit accounts were already protected with the 90 day buffer. Everyone else is NOT getting what they are paying for, which if you are ok with that fine, but don't expect everyone to support a empty gesture that is NOT Charitable giving in any sense. It is hardly crying when you fork out your hard earned money for a service and then that service or parts of it to be interrupted when there was ZERO reason for it to be, other than a attempt to say "See we care, we did something" even if that something means so much as fart gas.

 

[OREOGL]

Still comes down to it benefited only a small group of people, that by their own actions put their accounts at risk by playing the 90 day game and they got a bail out. People paying legit accounts were already protected with the 90 day buffer. Everyone else is NOT getting what they are paying for, which if you are ok with that fine, but don't expect everyone to support a empty gesture that is NOT Charitable giving in any sense. It is hardly crying when you fork out your hard earned money for a service and then that service or parts of it to be interrupted when there was ZERO reason for it to be, other than a attempt to say "See we care, we did something" even if that something means so much as fart gas.

Wasnt the goal to benefit them?

Even if they were playing the 90 day game, so do many people that regularly play, so it's not like only those in Texas benefited from this.

What it comes down to is your mad they inconvenienced your video game slightly for a month and abruptly. Hell I spent more on soft pretzels and lemonade the other day for the family than I did in 3 months of game time for UO.

You paid $13, you get what you get, which is what you agreed to in the TOS when you started playing. I don't know how long you've played but we've gone longer stretches than this with housing being down.

If you're still angry with how the TEAM managed this, then I encourage you to email [email protected].

 

[Flagg]

Some MMos throw in fund raisers to aid those in need. I guess they think it is bit more helpful than disabling core features of your game at it's 20th anniversary. I recognize and respect the kind thought behind this but it still makes a really, really WEIRD decision.


Throw some new dye hue or a black horse or whatever to UO's cash shop, direct 100% of it's profits to an aid fund. Booya, you are actually helping Texans and your game both. Headlines of that read a bit better than " Wishing to maximise misery among Texans, Ultima Online restricts it's gameplay by disabling one the game's core features!"

 

[ShriNayne]

Why didn't they just run 'Return to Britannia' through September, they used to often have it in Anniversary month! Give everyone a free month so it didn't matter if they couldn't pay due to unfortunate circumstances. Also the decay alone should be turned off for 2-3 months, to be really helpful.

 

[OREOGL]

Why didn't they just run 'Return to Britannia' through September, they used to often have it in Anniversary month! Give everyone a free month so it didn't matter if they couldn't pay due to unfortunate circumstances. Also the decay alone should be turned off for 2-3 months, to be really helpful.

I wondered this myself which is actually why I started lurking before i came across this thread.

But that's not how it played out, sadly.