Stratics vs. UOGuide

[Black Sun]

What would you say is a better source of info when it comes to UO? UOGuide or Stratics (just the info pages, excluding the forums)? Until not long ago I would have said Stratics hands down. But recently it seems every time I try to find info on something, its either 1) not there at all, or 2) extremely out dated.

I'm just curious to see what everyone else things on the subject.

 

[Sarphus]

The only problem I have with UOGuide is that it loads kinda slow. I think this is because it's privately funded, so it doesn't have the bandwidth that stratics has.

My take on stratics is that they don't really update... they just collect ad revenue.

 

[Connor_Graham]

While UO Guide may be up to date on a lot of things, it's also incomplete on even more. Stratics still has the upper hand even though some of it's info may be outdated.

 

[Conrad99]

I start with stratics but if I cant find what I am looking for then I check uoguide.

Between the two I can gather most of what is needed.

 

[Black Sun]

Perhaps it's just the info I've been looking for, but I've not really had any instance where UO guide could not provide me with the answers I was looking for. At least not yet.

Now I don't argue that Stratics isn't a great resource, and had the forums been taken into consideration I would have voted for Stratics without a second thought. These boards (well, not as much since the crash, but still) are by far the best source of info out there. But IMO currently UOGuide has a little bit of an edge over stratics.

 

[Halister Marner]

Stratics has information on many older systems (like communication crystals for example) that haven't changed, however anything that has changed or has been updated in the past few years I always check UOguide. Due to that, I would have to say that I check UOguide far more often.

 

[Connor_Graham]

Perhaps it's just the info I've been looking for, but I've not really had any instance where UO guide could not provide me with the answers I was looking for. At least not yet.

Try looking up which quest and quest giver gives the runic saws. The info isn't in there, and actually has none of the Tinker/Carpenter quests listed, at least that I was able to find. This isn't the only instance either. There have been many times I've tried to find info there that just wasn't there and I ended up having to post here on the forums.

 

[Black Sun]

Try looking up which quest and quest giver gives the runic saws. The info isn't in there, and actually has none of the Tinker/Carpenter quests listed, at least that I was able to find. This isn't the only instance either. There have been many times I've tried to find info there that just wasn't there and I ended up having to post here on the forums.

You're right. No info on the saws at all.

 

[love2winalot]

Neither site is complete. If the 2 sites were to merge, then we would all better off.

 

[Hildebrand]

I look at both. Stratics for details, and uoguide for a current take on the same subject. Stratics has a horrible search engine.

 

[Lady_Mina]

i mostly use UOguide.

Since stratics is seriously out of date and it really annoys me.

 

[Flora Green]

My choice is uoguide. It doesn't have the amount of information, but it's updated regularly with new and old things alike. Including current events. It's also easier to navigate. If it wasn't for the boards (where the info comes from fellow players and certainly NOT UO personnel) I would rarely bother with stratics. Besides, I HATE the ads here.

 

[Skylark SP]

Sadly, it was the FORUM portion of Stratics that I relied on for info, beyond the more static things like maps that haven't changed (only added to).

Without the Stratics profession forums, and the large archive that went with all of the forums, and more importantly their search feature, I have had to turn to other sources, and UOGuide is one of them. In time, as it becomes a more established wiki, it will probably have the edge, since it is info specific.

I do still make use of the Stratics item database. In general the graphic samples of the items and how they are presented is better than most of the player wikis so far.

-Skylark

 

[JC the Builder]

The only problem I have with UOGuide is that it loads kinda slow. I think this is because it's privately funded, so it doesn't have the bandwidth that stratics has.

The Item Shoppe was supposed to solve that, but there hasn't been an order placed in 2 months. Funding a website without advertising is extremely difficult. Unless there are some donations, I can't purchase additional server power. I would love to have a site that is fast and responsive 99% of the time but that costs a lot of money and UOGuide currently has none.

 

[Skylark SP]

JC, does UOGuide currently have a method to accept donations, via PayPal for example, to help support the site? If not, do you have any plans to add that feature?

*edit* found it here, but it is kind of buried. You might try putting that on the home page of your site, large enough to attract attention.

Here is an example from the home page of a private guild website run by a player:

-Skylark
​

 

[von Beck]

uoguide hands down - if it's not there then you can just add it anyway since its a wiki

 

[JC the Builder]

JC, does UOGuide currently have a method to accept donations, via PayPal for example, to help support the site?​

Yes there is. You can find a donate button here.​

 

[Gwendar-SP]

uoguilde being new at least doesn't have super out of date info. Stratics is far easier to use. Each has info that the other doesn't so one needs both.
Stratics should date their web pages so one can tell that the info on them is 8 years old.

 

[Sarphus]

The Item Shoppe was supposed to solve that, but there hasn't been an order placed in 2 months. Funding a website without advertising is extremely difficult. Unless there are some donations, I can't purchase additional server power. I would love to have a site that is fast and responsive 99% of the time but that costs a lot of money and UOGuide currently has none.

I certainly don't fault you on it JC

I think you did a good job of setting up something where the community can help keep the info up to date.

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

Personally I prefered UOstuff.com, I think the merger happened the wrong way around (at least for usefulness to people going to the site). When it was UO stuff I could quickly find whatever info I needed as there was a navigation system/menus on the front page. With UOguide (as far as I can tell so far) you have to search first, which unless you happen to know the exact wording usually doesn't go to the page you meant.

I have to vote stratics for that reason. As it's navigation works.

 

[Crystilastamous]

I really don't like JC, I mean honestly he is a pretty big liar most of the time, and lame.

I hand it to him though, he did a great job with UOGuide.

 

[JC the Builder]

When it was UO stuff I could quickly find whatever info I needed as there was a navigation system/menus on the front page. With UOguide (as far as I can tell so far) you have to search first, which unless you happen to know the exact wording usually doesn't go to the page you meant.

You should check out the Directory page. This page is prominently linked at the top of the main menu and mentioned in the welcome message on the front page.

 

[Joyous2K]

I use UO Guide. It is better. Stratics was useful when it had profession forums, but I only used it to post quetions, forget searching. Some stratics charts I use/used but I feel they are/were wrong, and had data from when the game was more popular.

 

[legendsguy]

i've found it almost impossible to search for anything on stratics. personally, i think the whole site is worthless and filled with outdated and useless information. the -only- thing it has going for it is the message boards--and sadly that has nothing to do with stratics at all, but merely the people who answer questions (not the moderators, we're talking the actual players).

 

[fred252]

Well you know fanboi ConnEr is going to defend stratics. He lives in their dark, warm, smelly place.

 

[Doomsday Dragon]

I start with stratics but if I cant find what I am looking for then I check uoguide.

Between the two I can gather most of what is needed.

Same here. The forums are the best place to get info though. UOGuide can easily be wrong since most of the info is edited by users. Stratics info is more reliable even if some of the info is outdated.

 

[Sneaky Que]

Well obviously you can get/find a wealth of info on Stratics' forums from all of us, but as far as the UOS site goes it is way to outdated, good for nostalgia or for finding out what the game was like a few years ago, hard to know what is up to date and accurate sometimes.

UOG is much more up to date and so is a better source of reliable info. I would say that if UOS were to be updated significantly then it would surpass UOG however.

 

[legendsguy]

oh and by the way, considering i have uoguide.com bookmarked and only the stratics forums bookmarked, i obviously voted for uoguide.

 

[RenaLynne]

UO Guide

 

[Fortyniner]

That must make Jeremy feel pretty bad - you didn't even include the UO Playguide as an option!

 

[Nok]

The only problem I have with UOGuide is that it loads kinda slow. I think this is because it's privately funded, so it doesn't have the bandwidth that stratics has.

My take on stratics is that they don't really update... they just collect ad revenue.

Donate to UOGuide. Just like UOG's content is from volunteers, so is the content on UOS... contribute content.

Stratics has a horrible search engine.

Use the UOS specific search in UO Toolbar, it's powered by Google and searches only UOS.

Since stratics is seriously out of date and it really annoys me.

Volunteer and contribute some up to date content.

Besides, I HATE the ads here.

Those ads pay for faster hosting.

I would love to have a site that is fast and responsive 99% of the time but that costs a lot of money and UOGuide currently has none.

Monetize JC.

When it was UO stuff I could quickly find whatever info I needed as there was a navigation system/menus on the front page. With UOguide (as far as I can tell so far) you have to search first, which unless you happen to know the exact wording usually doesn't go to the page you meant.

Wasn't all the content on UOStuff merged into UOGuide? About searching... see the attached image above.

I really don't like JC, I mean honestly he is a pretty big liar most of the time, and lame.

I hand it to him though, he did a great job with UOGuide.

Backhanded compliment... cold and unnecessary. Just because there is something that you believe, doesn't obligate you to say it.

I use UO Guide. It is better. Stratics was useful when it had profession forums, but I only used it to post quetions, forget searching. Some stratics charts I use/used but I feel they are/were wrong, and had data from when the game was more popular.

i've found it almost impossible to search for anything on stratics. personally, i think the whole site is worthless and filled with outdated and useless information. the -only- thing it has going for it is the message boards--and sadly that has nothing to do with stratics at all, but merely the people who answer questions (not the moderators, we're talking the actual players).

I start with stratics but if I cant find what I am looking for then I check uoguide.

Contribute and consider using another search option for the same sites. *cough-cough*

oh and by the way, considering i have uoguide.com bookmarked and only the stratics forums bookmarked, i obviously voted for uoguide.

See siggy below for more UO bookmarks.

 

[Orvago]

Another search tip, using google is to type what you are looking for, type it wraped in quotes and tell Google to only search Stratics.

For example, say I wanted to search for Dread Horn, I would type the following into Google search bar:

"dread horn" site:uo.stratics.com

Or to search the forums, type:

"dread horn" site:vboards.stratics.com

Also, thanks Nok, some great tips there! We are a Community, Communities grow by the members of said community working together and collectively sharing their knowledge, otherwise the human race would not exist.

Look here how you can help: http://uo.stratics.com/content/site/submit.shtml

*Orvago smiles*

 

[Nok]

Another search tip, using google is to type what you are looking for, type it wraped in quotes and tell Google to only search Stratics.

This is common in most search engines. It is also how UOT gets it's site specific search results back from Google... except UOT does it for you.

Also, thanks Nok

Anytime O.

 

[Erekose]

While UO Guide may be up to date on a lot of things, it's also incomplete on even more. Stratics still has the upper hand even though some of it's info may be outdated.

I agree to an extent, but the problem is it's impossible to tell sometimes when the info on Stratics is outdated/erroneous, especially for new players.

If they aren't going to update it they should at least kill the articles that are no longer correct.

 

[Black Sun]

That must make Jeremy feel pretty bad - you didn't even include the UO Playguide as an option!

I excluded the playguide on purpose, and here's my reason for that.

Go search Miasma on the playguide, tell it to look for the exact phrase. Nothing.
Go search Miasma on either Stratics creature search, or UOGuide. Both take you directly to the correct page. (And by the look of it, UOG has a slight edge info-wise here.)

So because the playguide isn't really good for anything besides vague general info that's only really useful to new players who might get confused by the depth of info stratics and UOG provide, I excluded it from the poll.

 

[NuSair]

Sorry.... I don't buy it. I run several websites from my host and don't have any issues with speed (even with huge databases). I pay ~$15 a month and host 6 websites atm.

For what stratics is pulling in from just subscriptions, their information and the overall information should be better upto date. Though, honestly, anyone paying for a sub at this time is just silly, as their 'additional information' to subs is either out of date or useless.

Honestly, the only reason I visit stratics anymore is because of the official UO postings on the message boards. I have my own personal asp.net webpages set up that I use and I check uoguide for updates (though I find it less than user friendly).

Several times I have sent in offers to EA/Mythic to update their website/pages as an internship (ie- free, but I could put it on my resume as having worked there) and have never gotten a response.

 

[Emil Ispep]

Pre ML, use Stratics.

Anything after ML, use UOGuide.

I think that was when Stratics was last updated..

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

"Wasn't all the content on UOStuff merged into UOGuide? About searching... see the attached image above."

Yes, thats why I said I think the merger happened the wrong way around.

However since Link pointed out it's navigation page I can now find everything on it the way I used to with UOstuff. I must've either thought that was something else before or not seen it at all.

I don't know which has the most but most isn't necessarily best. Theres some things I use UOguide for, some I use stratics, some I use UOtreasurehunters. Between those and the profession forums (when they existed) there wasn't anything I can think of I wasn't able to find out.

 

[Azazel of LA]

Stratics seems to be out dated on alot of stuff.