Status of UO assistance programs

[Phantasmagorian]

I've posted this on the official forums, but no response so far. I'm in general curious what you guys here think of this..

Could we get a fresh response on UO assistance programs? UoAssist hasn't been updated in ages and it's the only approved one. I wrote to Tugsoft about helping out to update it, but received no response. I'm considering looking into created a new one. Could this be done working closely with the devs? Would it be fair to say that replicating EC functions for a CC assistance program should automatically be approved? I mean to say, adding any sort of EC functionality to CC is fair game?

Ideally, UoAssist would be updated. If anyone has contact with the developer of it...could they contact me? Is there any chance others can help out to update it?

What I've seen in several businesses and domains is that things get so divided and splintered, that so much potential synergy is lost and productivity. There are a bunch of UOassistance programs out there, all deemed illegal except UoAssist. UoAssist hasn't been updated in years. I don't know that there is an official page anymore which lists approved programs. Tugsoft links to a dead page: http://uo.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/uo.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?&p_faqid=339

I don't know if I'll have the time and will, but I want to look into it. As I said, it would be ideal if an already approved/condoned program could be updated. If not, It'd be nice of the devs could greenlight a new effort. I understand the team is small and resources are limited, which is why it would be great if an approved assistance program could be made or updated to introduce countless desired quality if life improvements.

P.S. On the official forums the devs have said they are working on fixing numerous CC bugs and adding features. For example, though no timeframe can be given, it was said that putting in insta-dress as a feature is on the list. That's great, but realistically this will take a while and not everything may ever be developed. So I still believe there is space for updating UoAssist and/or creating a new assist program.

 

[Syncros]

Should be no need for an assist program, the client should be able to do all those things and more.

The only thing it shouldn't be doing is playing the game for you, as why the other client programs get banned.

 

[Becca]

I've posted this on the official forums, but no response so far. I'm in general curious what you guys here think of this..



Ideally, UoAssist would be updated. If anyone has contact with the developer of it...could they contact me? Is there any chance others can help out to update it?

What I've seen in several businesses and domains is that things get so divided and splintered, that so much potential synergy is lost and productivity. There are a bunch of UOassistance programs out there, all deemed illegal except UoAssist. UoAssist hasn't been updated in years. I don't know that there is an official page anymore which lists approved programs. Tugsoft links to a dead page: http://uo.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/uo.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?&p_faqid=339

I don't know if I'll have the time and will, but I want to look into it. As I said, it would be ideal if an already approved/condoned program could be updated. If not, It'd be nice of the devs could greenlight a new effort. I understand the team is small and resources are limited, which is why it would be great if an approved assistance program could be made or updated to introduce countless desired quality if life improvements.

P.S. On the official forums the devs have said they are working on fixing numerous CC bugs and adding features. For example, though no timeframe can be given, it was said that putting in insta-dress as a feature is on the list. That's great, but realistically this will take a while and not everything may ever be developed. So I still believe there is space for updating UoAssist and/or creating a new assist program.

Also tugsoft had to have everything approved and they even made him remove parts before it could be approved.

 

[Tanivar]

UO should give Tugsoft the right to add any feature that Pincos EC mod gives to the EC to the CC since clearly the features and advantages Pincos gives are legal.

 

[Finley Grant]

Waste of time. There is already Something Approved.

ITS called "Enhanced Client"

Guess what: it even allows you to fully customize the UI

Your request is like going to a Ford dealer with your old 1950 Taunus and demand that they put in an AC, high end stereo with Dolby surround and an auto pilot because instead of getting all that in a 2018 tesla just because you don t like how it looks....

 

[Phantasmagorian]

UO should give Tugsoft the right to add any feature that Pincos EC mod gives to the EC to the CC since clearly the features and advantages Pincos gives are legal.

It's not being actively developed. So apart from green light from devs, I'm interesting in contacting Tugsoft if they could allow people to help out with development. In fact I did contact them already. Awaiting an answer. All I'd want is to just make some progress.

 

[DJAd]

It's not being actively developed. So apart from green light from devs, I'm interesting in contacting Tugsoft if they could allow people to help out with development. In fact I did contact them already. Awaiting an answer. All I'd want is to just make some progress.

Calling UOASSIST Users... Information/Input needed, @Mesanna? NEW ERA OF ASSIST? UOA2?

 

[Phantasmagorian]

Calling UOASSIST Users... Information/Input needed, @Mesanna? NEW ERA OF ASSIST? UOA2?

Thanks for linking to that post, but obviously UoAssist is not being actively developed. I don't know if you meant it as a counter or what. That thread is from over two years ago. The program received a few updates in 2016.

I'd like to know if it can be actively developed today in 2018. If not, then I'd like to know if BS could approve a new program.

 

[Tanivar]

Waste of time. There is already Something Approved.

ITS called "Enhanced Client"

Guess what: it even allows you to fully customize the UI

The EC wasn't designed by a competent UI designer, in fact, from what EC users say it isn't even finished and is full of problems. Even someone of Pinco's talent can't make it good without being allowed access to rebuild it and turn it from the Exasperating Client to an Excellent Client.

 

[Phantasmagorian]

The EC wasn't designed by a competent UI designer, in fact, from what EC users say it isn't even finished and is full of problems. Even someone of Pinco's talent can't make it good without being allowed access to rebuild it and turn it from the Exasperating Client to an Excellent Client.

The EC was a mess and I bet when screen resize/zoom + vital EC features are added to CC, usage rate of EC will plummet. It's neither aesthetically pleasing nor finished. Indeed it looks and plays poorly. Even its features along with Pinco, and credit to him for his hard work, can't seduce me to use it. I just won't. And it looks that at least half of the playerbase won't either.

Anyhow, plenty of other threads to do the CC versus EC thing. I am just interesting in finding out if Tugsoft can be assisted in drastically updated UoAssist, and if not, whether BS will allow for a new UO assistance program to be evolved, specifically aimed to replicate EC functions for CC, so long they're not there.

 

[Finley Grant]

OK folks. You base your statements on what? Some people say it's buggy? and you don't like the look? That are not very good arguments ...

I will stop here from going on this ec cc discussion as it would derail your post...

However. What "tool" you think should be approved?

In my opinion there are exactly 3. At least I never heard from more.
The first reason nothing will be approved is due to legal questions as they are owned by third party.

The second reason is because all 3 offer things which let you do more than its healthy but let's break it down.

I won't use the real names as it's most likely against tos...

Tool1: basically uo assist on drugs. Can do all what assist can do and much more. Problem: you can do a good amount of scripting...

Tool2: completely scripting nothing else.

Tool3: never seen myself but sort of mixture between the other 2 plus you can use it for multiboxing.

So what do you think will happen here?

Ah and I nearly forgot... Even IF they would allow anything you would have again uneven clients as all of them (except maybe the third) is not usable for EC...
So that would be the same dilemma...

The only thing would be focusing on one client which let you do all stuff needed and remove the other...

If that's then CC or EC don't matter.

I think we all agree on one thing:
We all like CC nostalgic graphics and kinda don't like EC graphic but the features EC offer are much more powerful..

The problem is that most likely it would be very hard to get proper features in CC as it's very much old code. So going on with EC is more likely.

The only proper solution would be a new client with state of the art graphic and features but this would cost more than they can pay...

 

[petemage]

The only proper solution would be a new client with state of the art graphic and features but this would cost more than they can pay...

I sincerely disagree. The EC actually is a pretty good base, build on a half-way modern game engine (same as Fallout 3). It only got watered down to the point it's ugly af.

The most recent example would be the new containers they now introduce, like the jewelry box and the EJ bank. They base that on the technology in the CC and the result is that we can't even have drag and drop or reorder the items in it. Something the EC has had since its release. It's actually two steps back.