F
frawsty
Guest
In this post I will try to be as unbiased as possible. However, being a long time player of UO and true lover of the game this might not be 100% possible. My main shard is Pacific but this content can be applied to any shard.
====
On Pacific the largest and arguably the most successful guild is the Fallen Lords [FL]. What makes them successful? Their goals which are "Shard Dominance" and "Champ Spawn Ownership" have largely been attained.
Their tactics of the "zerg" or overwhelming numbers almost always provide them with wins in any PVP situation. With the large number of members available they can provide regular patrols of the champs and previously "ghost cams" and even stealth monitors. Using IM/cell phones/TS they are able to call in the troops, overwhelm and take over any champ spawn that has been worked. Aside from the champ spawns the main location for PVP is at the Yew gate which they can also quickly dominate with the zerg.
This all combined makes for what I consider a successful PVP guild whereas no other individuals or guilds can compete, the game is won.
Analysis:
FL's dominance of Felucca has become a double edged sword. Here are a few key effects whether they be positive or negative:
Guild members have free/cheap access to all levels of skill and stats Powerscrolls.
The use or sale of these can make one rich in game and max out the characters potential thus making the individual AND guild more powerful. Powerscrolls come only from the Champs thus they have a monopoly on the shard. This not only makes them richer in game but in real life too. Many of the members are the online gold, powerscrolls and artifact sellers that make thousands of US Dollars.
This is not just a localized shard effect, with the use of shard transfer tokens, the members can transfer up to 125 "cheaply earned" items to other shards and sell for higher prices. This spreads their wealth among the servers thus providing for more customers paying real cash.
Shard/PVP dominance destroys competition
When players are overwhelmed in PVP they become angry/frustrated etc at the lack of balance or fairness of the system. Immediate effects are that these players either logout or go somewhere else (trammel, craft etc) thus emptying the field of battle.
Long term effects are shard transfer or quitting PVP or UO completely, furthering the grip of FL shard dominance.
The point of this analysis is the long term effects of a successful PVP guild: Shard transfers or quitting by players. It's ironic that the success of these tactics can be their undoing as they force other players to quit or transfer. As we see on Pacific, the guild finds that they have no one to fight.
For purists this is bad but for those only in it for monetary gain whether it be in real life or in game, it is a success.
In a time when newer, visually attractive, balanced MMOs are being released, the Champ spawn and powerscroll system is a recipe for the death of a shard and eventually Ultima Online itself.
====
On Pacific the largest and arguably the most successful guild is the Fallen Lords [FL]. What makes them successful? Their goals which are "Shard Dominance" and "Champ Spawn Ownership" have largely been attained.
Their tactics of the "zerg" or overwhelming numbers almost always provide them with wins in any PVP situation. With the large number of members available they can provide regular patrols of the champs and previously "ghost cams" and even stealth monitors. Using IM/cell phones/TS they are able to call in the troops, overwhelm and take over any champ spawn that has been worked. Aside from the champ spawns the main location for PVP is at the Yew gate which they can also quickly dominate with the zerg.
This all combined makes for what I consider a successful PVP guild whereas no other individuals or guilds can compete, the game is won.
Analysis:
FL's dominance of Felucca has become a double edged sword. Here are a few key effects whether they be positive or negative:
Guild members have free/cheap access to all levels of skill and stats Powerscrolls.
The use or sale of these can make one rich in game and max out the characters potential thus making the individual AND guild more powerful. Powerscrolls come only from the Champs thus they have a monopoly on the shard. This not only makes them richer in game but in real life too. Many of the members are the online gold, powerscrolls and artifact sellers that make thousands of US Dollars.
This is not just a localized shard effect, with the use of shard transfer tokens, the members can transfer up to 125 "cheaply earned" items to other shards and sell for higher prices. This spreads their wealth among the servers thus providing for more customers paying real cash.
Shard/PVP dominance destroys competition
When players are overwhelmed in PVP they become angry/frustrated etc at the lack of balance or fairness of the system. Immediate effects are that these players either logout or go somewhere else (trammel, craft etc) thus emptying the field of battle.
Long term effects are shard transfer or quitting PVP or UO completely, furthering the grip of FL shard dominance.
The point of this analysis is the long term effects of a successful PVP guild: Shard transfers or quitting by players. It's ironic that the success of these tactics can be their undoing as they force other players to quit or transfer. As we see on Pacific, the guild finds that they have no one to fight.
For purists this is bad but for those only in it for monetary gain whether it be in real life or in game, it is a success.
In a time when newer, visually attractive, balanced MMOs are being released, the Champ spawn and powerscroll system is a recipe for the death of a shard and eventually Ultima Online itself.
"
