- Evilminion,
A big reason why I always preferred playing UO was because of the 2D aspect, was because of the fixed perspective.
Yet, KR is also a 2D perspective; and I was quite happy it was (it wasn't elves and it wasn't 3D.. they did not sell UO out, imho).
And I hope that UO will always retain that preferred point-of-view, as it gives so many advantages to playing an MMO over the 3D-pretty view, imho.
But, my point being, the Legacy client was beloved by all of us at one time (unless we were introduced to UO after 3rd Dawn or the KR client & never looked at the ever-lasting Legacy client). Yet, in order to be able to bring more bang-for-the-buck, at some point in time we will need to move beyond the long-crippled Legacy client's abilities.
You want pirate expansions? Not happening with Legacy; maybe with Legacy 2.0, but that would not be Legacy. You want a better back-end? Not happening if piggy-backing Legacy. You want to move out of 1995 programming? Not happening with Legacy.
While I am happy to hear that Legacy will be in-cor-por-ated in the Stygian Abyss.. at the same time I am questioning whether it will be involved in 100% of SA; and if it is, I am saddened that the future of UO will remain limited by the ability of the ancient, the Legacy, the 2D client.
The only way the Legacy client can overcome its shortcomings is by becoming something that it is currently not.. What I mean by that, is that it will all have to be made anew by way of rewriting everything to be more efficient, and then essentially emulating what it was, but within an improved user/client, front/back-end environment.
Sorry, but UO's development will continue to be crippled due to the Legacy client until it becomes a new structure all-to-itself.
If we do not wish to see UO have swifter updates/publishes and expansions, then the Legacy client can last forever, and should. Yet, if we would like to see UO keep with the times & be able to update itself more smoothly, then I strongly feel that we will inevitably be seeing some changes to the original client; if not its complete retirement.
I guess it all depends on what we want out of UO: A stronger future -or- a niche MMO that may some day bring a retro appeal to some more new players, despite the futures of other MMOs.
EDIT: Beastmaster and anyone else:
I realized I strayed off topic here, so I just made another thread about your question.
This thread here.