I am seeing less and less people on the game. Is the black hole getting wider and UO slipping in? Never to be heard from again?
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black hole
- Thread starter whiterabbit
- Start date
- Watchers 1
The game is being steered by the Devs into something that is really only fun for the super equipped players. Some can solo anything in the game and cry for something that's 'actually challenging!', the rest of us just get ignored.
Also the Devs have tended to add crafting items to the game but have the sources of the ingredients be those same super tough (for most players) monsters and so the ingredients sell for millions of gold for months, then start creeping down in price. Those prices have got to be a real turnoff for young players. "Wow, I wanted that neat sounding Axe but it sells for 10,499,999 gold. I'll be years gathering that much gold when I can only play 10 hours a week. Heck, I'd have to do nothing *but* gather gold, I couldn't actually just have fun playing the game hunting any ol' monster that sounds fun to hunt."
New players are left pretty much on their own to learn how to play the game and are pretty much tossed in the deep end and left to figure out how to swim on their own. I suspect many go down for the third time and come back up in a different game.
Most people who read these boards see nothing but negatives about the game, the Devs, EA, reality, fantasy, delusions and whatever someone can come up with to complain about. I suspect that if I had read these forums back in 2000 when I was beginning to play Ultima Online, I'd have stayed playing Gemstone III.
Until the devs decide to shift their focus to making the game attractive for new or 'just want to have fun' players and let the uber-geared bitchers pancake, UO will continue to fade into oblivion.
Challenging is good, but they really have to remember the fun factor. And their really isn't any, particularly for any new players who decide to try the game out.
It's to rigged up to keeping the super-geared hardcore oldtimers happy.
Also the Devs have tended to add crafting items to the game but have the sources of the ingredients be those same super tough (for most players) monsters and so the ingredients sell for millions of gold for months, then start creeping down in price. Those prices have got to be a real turnoff for young players. "Wow, I wanted that neat sounding Axe but it sells for 10,499,999 gold. I'll be years gathering that much gold when I can only play 10 hours a week. Heck, I'd have to do nothing *but* gather gold, I couldn't actually just have fun playing the game hunting any ol' monster that sounds fun to hunt."
New players are left pretty much on their own to learn how to play the game and are pretty much tossed in the deep end and left to figure out how to swim on their own. I suspect many go down for the third time and come back up in a different game.
Most people who read these boards see nothing but negatives about the game, the Devs, EA, reality, fantasy, delusions and whatever someone can come up with to complain about. I suspect that if I had read these forums back in 2000 when I was beginning to play Ultima Online, I'd have stayed playing Gemstone III.
Until the devs decide to shift their focus to making the game attractive for new or 'just want to have fun' players and let the uber-geared bitchers pancake, UO will continue to fade into oblivion.
Challenging is good, but they really have to remember the fun factor. And their really isn't any, particularly for any new players who decide to try the game out.
It's to rigged up to keeping the super-geared hardcore oldtimers happy.
I would say that a fair number of us love finding new players to help. Were I not busy this week with my lady being in town I would be helping more of these new players. Yes I do agree that something needs to be done to improve the new player experience. I am not entirely sure what that would be. Remember when many of us were starting there were plenty of people coming in and therefore a lot to do to train up. When I joined there was only exceptional gear for the most part so gearing wasn't a problem. Of course if someone takes you under their wing you can become operational pretty fast. At least for me there have been plenty of people on to do things when I want. Well except for RPing that has been a bit light lately but that could be who I am spending my time with.
I would have to disagree that the game is impossible or excessively geared away from new players; I'd still agree that new players have a daunting task ahead of them and that it's important for there to be tasks, events, quests, and activities for them to enjoy as well. The problem that we face with many of the monster based events is not that they are purposely geared towards these players who are able to practically solo everything in the game, but that regardless of who an event is aimed for that these players will appear even if its for new players, and if the monsters are not powerful the event will be over almost before it begins. It's an interesting conundrum we run into but we do our best to provide events that do not require excessive amounts of skill from time to time.
To take just three examples, the Hidden Identities event as well as our Sosarian Fair and our recent RBG healers challenge were all things that could have been competitively attended by 'undergeared' and 'underskilled' characters. While there were challenging parts, players do have to take the responsibility at being new to not decide to charge at a ridiculously powerful monster. We also often do other NPC following, investigative, and other types of events, BUT we are always looking for more ways to include those who are truly new players and to help teach our incoming players. If you have ideas to share on how to attract new players, how to cater a bit better to new players, and how to encourage new players to continue building themselves up, please let us know. And always, ALWAYS let us know if you have ideas for events that you believe would be fun and intriguing for our players on Chesapeake and throughout Ultima Online.
To take just three examples, the Hidden Identities event as well as our Sosarian Fair and our recent RBG healers challenge were all things that could have been competitively attended by 'undergeared' and 'underskilled' characters. While there were challenging parts, players do have to take the responsibility at being new to not decide to charge at a ridiculously powerful monster. We also often do other NPC following, investigative, and other types of events, BUT we are always looking for more ways to include those who are truly new players and to help teach our incoming players. If you have ideas to share on how to attract new players, how to cater a bit better to new players, and how to encourage new players to continue building themselves up, please let us know. And always, ALWAYS let us know if you have ideas for events that you believe would be fun and intriguing for our players on Chesapeake and throughout Ultima Online.
Lord Gareth
UO Content Editor | UO Chesapeake & Rares News
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Wiki Moderator
Can we travel into this Black Hole? I've always wanted to go into a black hole and I also agree with the helping of new and returning players, Angelica got me hooked and its a very rewarding experience to watch someone come in needing help and grow to being self dependent (I think thats the right word)
T
Tertius Wands
Guest
This sounds like a job for...
MORE REPORTING!!!
I think one of our problems is that we are not catching and dragging in returning players due to our lack of news being posted. I want to change that, but I need everyone's help. Lord Gareth has already stepped up inviting me to cover a mage tower opening. (Which I can't wait for [Gareth will PM back as soon as I can to get a time set up]). But everyone else here from the EM's to each and every guild leader event haver, well to do or nere-do-well can ask for one of us reporters (preferably me because I am the best looking reporter) to come and cover this. I think if we do this we will all find out what’s going on and maybe get something going and with any luck it will snowball until there are to many things going on and I lose all my hair trying to cover it all! And now just becuase it looks cool
:gun:
Thank you everyone and remember let the reporters know what your up too!
MORE REPORTING!!!
I think one of our problems is that we are not catching and dragging in returning players due to our lack of news being posted. I want to change that, but I need everyone's help. Lord Gareth has already stepped up inviting me to cover a mage tower opening. (Which I can't wait for [Gareth will PM back as soon as I can to get a time set up]). But everyone else here from the EM's to each and every guild leader event haver, well to do or nere-do-well can ask for one of us reporters (preferably me because I am the best looking reporter) to come and cover this. I think if we do this we will all find out what’s going on and maybe get something going and with any luck it will snowball until there are to many things going on and I lose all my hair trying to cover it all! And now just becuase it looks cool
:gun:
Thank you everyone and remember let the reporters know what your up too!
i remember when solus first joined deus ex machina and didnt know how to do much, but he learned little by little from dueling me and others and today i think he runs a guild on atl but hes only half decent
would be nice if who ever took over from Cal intro himself. Maybe we should have mobs bumped up,so it may take many tries and the right party to defeat it ???