Character For New Shards...

[Zyon Rockler]

I'd like to see a new system that does not affect the old system but is only used for new shards added. This would be a character system that would allow you 10 characters. They would be the same characters used on the new shards. So, once you entered a shard you would then be able to pick from these 10 characters. So, you would not have to build your character on 1 shard but could build your 10 characters on all of the new shards.

This would allow you to keep the same macro set, same character, name and type. Once the log in proccess begins, it could automatically change skill caps, stats, and gear as well as items in the backpack. Those things could stay server specific.

Housing could be made so you would need to refresh. The shards could be set up as test shards so that if the server was reset, you would lose everything except for your character and if the shard was re-opened and you're logging back in, you would be given whatever that shard had to offer as a new player.

Then they could create a few different shards and allow you to pick 10 characters, optional, or start new characters so, that you could test the new shards and remain active on them.

 

[Babble]

New shards added?
What did they prescribe you today?

 

[ress me plz]

New shards added?
What did they prescribe you today?

rotfl

 

[Zyon Rockler]

I don't see how my taking medicine would help either of you unless we were locked in a room together but that's probably better for a different forum.

The idea is based on shards being a failure in the way they are seperate from each other. Some of these seperations are mainly because players have never been to some of them. An example would be: If you were on one shard and a friend of yours was on another and they asked you, why don't you come do a champ spawn with us? You would probably answer, I would have to create a character.

So, there is a complete break down on what the player base is able to do together and the shards begin to isolate players, rather than creating community. So, the solution would be, to allow people to go to the other shards.

One of the things that I never understood is, why they would create different shards but then make them all the same. There's no point in playing the other shards unless you're trying to get around design flaws, such as, creating powerscrolls and saying that Fel is a challenge because of the player but then you could simply tranfer a character with powerscrolls from a shard that had no challenge.

Or maybe housing is for people that have played for a long time and have waited for a long time for a space to open but again, instead of waiting, they go to an unpopulated shard. Maybe so they can create a town, which again, doesn't make any sense to me because there are no people and so on, etc...

Maybe this is what was supposed to make the shards unique and interesting but really all it makes them is empty and isolated. Each shard should of been created differently. Different landmass, possibly different spawns, in different areas but still the basic set of rules that is UO, so that updating one shard would not affect another shard. So, even though they might look different or act different, the systems would still work the same way, just some might not have the same systems. So, you would update by system not by shard.

This would of allowed for any type of shard to be created. Almost like a shard being its own game. Like, imagine changing shards from WoW to Age of Camelot, rather than changing games. Essentially, you could plug into anything if the engines were customized to update the system.

 

[Zyon Rockler]

One of the things that I think should of been taken into consideration when creating the game, was making it as real as possible, as true to the real world as it could be made. Now, I would like a Classic Shard but I think, rather than them creating new games, they should really just adapt these systems and start creating a future of gaming that would allow you to completely morph into another game or shard.

An example might be: Taking UO and creating it into a 3D world, duplicating all the items and so on but then being able to go from the 2D into the 3D because of everything being identical, except for the visual. So, if in one world you had a feathered hat, in the other world you would also have a feathered hat.

The importance of creating a real world atmosphere is the fact that you could build so easily. You can decide its' laws, forms of punishments, religion, the way people live and work and even create life styles.

Starting with a clean slate makes it very complicated because you're constantly asking yourself, will this work or what will the outcome be?

An example of a real world game that is closing the gaps to becoming as real as real can be, is Grand Theft Auto. Imagine UO in the same setting. A real place with real world objects. Imagine how much more detail these worlds will become and how much more real they will be made.

YouTube - GTA 4 Stunts 3

 

[Babble]

Maybe not the medicamentation, just boundless optimism.

This is EA we talk about, who cannot even keep Siege updated!

The idea of different shards is great and something players tried to tell EA for years, but after making yew a swamp the developers confessed it was too difficult for them and since then they shy away from it.

With EA we can hope to get some facets with hopefully not too many game breaking bugs and if it costs money they try to avoid it.

 

[Uvtha]

One of the things that I think should of been taken into consideration when creating the game, was making it as real as possible, as true to the real world as it could be made. Now, I would like a Classic Shard but I think, rather than them creating new games, they should really just adapt these systems and start creating a future of gaming that would allow you to completely morph into another game or shard.

An example might be: Taking UO and creating it into a 3D world, duplicating all the items and so on but then being able to go from the 2D into the 3D because of everything being identical, except for the visual. So, if in one world you had a feathered hat, in the other world you would also have a feathered hat.

I think you underestimate what would be required for this to work, because its pretty much beyond the realm of reasonable possibility, and generally I don't even see why you would want to bother, especially for UO.

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

I think you underestimate what would be required for this to work, because its pretty much beyond the realm of reasonable possibility, and generally I don't even see why you would want to bother, especially for UO.

I believe you have assessed it correctly.
Perhaps zr missed the "great debate" about "consolidation". wherein >my impression< was that IF they were to even try it ...
It would surely signal "the end of UO"
as would "cloning" to skip over character rolling
as would "world wide moongate systems"(free character transfer)

not to mention an even larger than fel/tram split ...
entire shards rendered "refugees" ...
nah ...
I believe you have assessed it correctly.

 

[Zyon Rockler]

I don't think it would be impossible and to prevent saturation it would be very important. The other shards, as they are, would continue to dwindle because of how much work it would take and how much would be sacrificed.

So, if we assume that the end is not near, then probably what we will see is new shards that draw people into the game. So, we'll say, 5 new shards will be created. Maybe, they will put 1 up and make it free to play and then once it becomes populated, turn it into a production server. If it doesn't become populated then mark the shard up as a failed concept.

Even housing could be moved with the character. Maybe there would be a city and basically you would buy a house in the city, let's say maybe a villa or a log cabin and when you click on the door, a key goes into your pack. When you click on the door, it loads your character into your house, kind of like a bank or maybe this type of house would be the same for everyone and anyone could enter it but the chests within it, would be like their own seperate bank.

So, if I would open the chest in the log cabin, I would see my belongings and if you would open the chest you would see your belongings. There you have it, community housing that could be transfered with the character.

Another thing that might work similar, is, skill gain. If you were working taming and you earned a point 1, then when you move that character into a different shard, they would keep that skill gain, so, we know that's possible.

So, then you could create different shards, hold an event and then people could show up with their already finished character. The stable could be moved with them. The only problem that I see, is that if you were to create a 3D engine, then the system would have to be able to recognize what the matched items were coming in.

 

[Babble]

That is not really profitable for ea.
One UO server holds about 7000 people at the moment... to devolop for such a small player base and expect a big profit is not doable.

Freeshards do what you propose with varying success and will continue to do such, but companies are in for the big cash not the gamers

Add to that that EA/Biowares expects a million + customers from SWTOR, why invest in UO and not in that game?

 

[Coppelia]

You're talking about new shards when we should be discussing server merges. Otherwise it's cool, cute suggestion.