Enigma, you probably recall the subserver utilization rates discussed on the MyUO boards back in the day when dev was speaking more frequently to players. Rates were between 90-95% Tram, 5-10% Fel. Unless Jeremy does the research and posts information regarding current rates, those about the best "hard" numbers we can use. The quoted numbers included faction play on Japanese servers, where Fel numbers were much higher than they are here in the US. Fel numbers likely dropped a bit as die hard "reds" left the game, then even more as additional lands opened under the Tram rules set. I do suspect Fel percentile numbers have risen a bit of late, as subscriptions overall have waned. But 90/10, based on known figures and in game observations, sounds in the ball park. Posters on the stratics board do not reflect subserver untilization or the broader population of players, they never have. The bottom line, anyone making such as outlandish claim is woefully incorrect.
To be objective, we must bear in mind three things. 1) Even if the 5-10% rates are still about right, they remain 5-10% of the player base who do deserve dev efforts into the aspects of the game they most enjoy. 2) A player who chooses to focus their efforts on PvP and those who prefer the Fel rules set are not necessarily the same people. 3) Subserver utilization rates do not necessarily reflect distain of the other 90-95% toward PvP. It is fair to assume it is an accurate reflection of distain for nonconsentual PvP, but they are also not necessarily the same thing.
I had to clarify earlier that despite a "yes" vote from me, I would have voted "no" if O/C revival mirrors what it was before. If O/C revives as an individual character choice and does not include guild play, I think more folks will at least look at it as an option. Add very nice shields, more folks will take a look. Keep it simple. If more players do begin participating in PvP, it may take away some of the trepedation many feel.
Yes the 90% to 95% was the stated break downs. Yes I agree there is NOTHING that suggest those numbers have changed. Some group is wanting to say 20% to 25% and I choose to not contest that in this kind of conversation, as it simply does NOT CHANGE anything and then breaks down to a You say N I say N *Sticks Tongue out* But yes, I will MOCK the 50%+ as being .... what it obviously is.
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Absolutly there are REALLY 3 major (does not reflect numbers, rather a super group) camps of UO players, NOT TWO.
There are those that have a PvP Play Style and that is it.
There are those that have a PvM Play style and that is it.
In all honesty, if that was the end of this story there would be no arguments, there would be no fights, there would be a healthy Felucca/Sp and a Healthy Trammel.
It is this 3RD Group that stirs the pots, that initiates (either purposefully or not) all the IN GAME (to distinguish from those that frequent ALL boards to feed their addiction to Online Verbal Violance) problems.
This 3RD group Integrates, into them selves, a Subset of the Felucca Rules and a Subset of the Trammel Rules. Because the other two major groups are polar the middle group can always afford to come off sounding .... constructive. BUT the constructive is nothing more than to try to destroy (aware or not aware) the Felucca Rule Set and the Trammel Rule Set. To Replace them with their own Hybridized Rule Set.
Picture, A Torch to the Ground on the one side, A Torch to the Ground on the other side, A Barrel of Gasoline in the Middle .... draining out.
This is NOT a condemnation of any one of the 3. It is saying the MIX IS WRONG, it can only end up in FIRE. A fire that will burn all camps, but NOT EQUALLY.
So yes the 5% to 10% deserve protection. They need some one to speak for them to STOP this dilution of the PvP aspect of UO.
How is it being diluted?
RAW UO, the original version. Your gonna be killed. Get use to it. Your gonna get looted. Get use to it. Your gonna get stolen from. Get use to it.
The Waters of Dilution.
Kill Felluca were there is a Red behind ever bush.
Implement Duels. (read as a CURRENT (as in today, but not tomorrow) extreme version of dilution)
Yes the 5% to 10% NEED A VOICE.
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Yes, I was there when the MASSIVE flood of players LEFT UO for EQ where PvM and PvP were seperated by virtue of NOT BEING ON THE SAME WORLD/SHARD. This is what they VOTED FOR, to BE SEPARATED FROM the PKR's, FROM PvP. The same VOTE occurred when Trammel went LIVE. Yet tghere are those that would creatively interpret that to be 50%+ of them ARE PvPr's. Two actions, indicating the exact same numbers (90% to 95%), one is strictly separated as in NO CONTACT, the other is allowed contact, yet there are those that creativly interpret this as being PvP people.
This is the dominant perspective of the Trammel players. They simply DO NOT WANT anything to do with PvP and find it totally ..... irritating. BUT THEY HAVE NO CHOICE other than to abandon UO, which of course they have chosen NOT TO DO to date. But Every Camel has that Limit, that ONE LAST STRAW that will break its back.
DD/OSI learned this in a very very very painful way. Because some one is there, does NOT constitute they are there because they LIKE IT. When 95% of the population votes (as in were they play) for a specific Play Style, the Game Stewards WILL BE WELL ADVISED TO PAY ATTENTION and NOT repeat DD/OSI's - EQ/SOE's, mistake.
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Humor:
"The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the one"
vs
"The needs of the one out weigh the needs of the many"
A society (aka majority) should never ever allow the rights and needs of the few to be trampled on, to be destroyed, for NO GOOD REASON, that they should be protected when ever they can be, in so far as those rights and needs do NOT bring dangerous, life threatening harm to the many.
For what it is worth, the above is how I FEEL about HUMANITIES stewardship of Earth, were the MINORITY is the NON HUMANS.