<Devs> Why doesn't Siege Perilous have a EM?

[Chardonnay]

Is our money not as good as any other server's money?

Exhibit A:

http://vboards.stratics.com/siege-perilous-em-forum/

This is one more way of how SP has been neglected...

 

[Babble]

Simplest argument would be
Siege is a pvp shard and they don't need an EM

 

[yars]

theres a shard called siege?

 

[Tina Small]

Chardonnay, Mesanna and the EMs don't just ignore Siege Perilous:

I believe the EMs ran the "Clainin murder" event around April 2, 2009. Did you know that Arirang, Balhae, and Formosa apparently never had this event? Clainin still lays in the Haven healers' shop on these shards.

Did you know that the official EM forums for Arirang and Balhae have nothing on them but a big smiley face? The Formosa EM forum hasn't been updated since early June 2010. Mesanna is directly responsible for the EM program for these three shards.

Supposedly, the Japanese shards just got their own EMs last month. However, so far only Yamato actually seems to have an official EM forum and EM-run activities. The EM forums for the other Japanese shards (Asuka, Hokuto, Izumo, Mizuho, Mugen, Sakura, an Wakoku) have...you guessed it...just a big smiley face. I believe Mesanna showed up for at least one EM-run event on Yamato, but I don't know if she or someone in Japan is actually responsible for the Japanese EM program.

I understand that some people enjoy the EM-run activities. Clearly, a handful of people spend a lot of time and possibly a lot of "real" money collecting/trading in event items/rares. However, it seems to me that the program isn't run evenly across shards and also completely overlooks people who aren't able to play when the EMs are active on their shards. It is also ridiculous that you can't find links to the official EM forums on the official UO site. You have to go to a fansite forum like Stratics to find any such links. You also often have no where else to go but fansite forums to read about the outcome of EM-run activities or to get any kind of current or historical overview of what the heck is going on with events in UO. Not a great way to draw in and keep people who are thinking about or just started playing UO again.

I wish EA would use the money that currently goes to paying the EMs for designer/developer/community staff time to produce events that run consistently across all shards and are also consistently publicized on the three official UO sites (English, Chinese, and Japanese). That way, EVERY subscriber would feel like their subscription fees are being used fairly and not just for a portion of the subscribers.

 

[Uvtha]

Chardonnay, Mesanna and the EMs don't just ignore Siege Perilous

Actually yes, they do. We haven't had an EM for months and months, and haven't even had a substitute come and throw an event for us.

The ONLY "event" that I know of happening was the one that happened on every shard where an object appeared and you could double click it to get an anniversary item that shoots fire works.

In the last several years I can remember one period where we had some events, like 2-3 in a 3 month period, then our EM quit and was not replaced. That was like, geeze, nearly a year ago.

 

[Babble]

Chardonnay, Mesanna and the EMs don't just ignore Siege Perilous:

I believe the EMs ran the "Clainin murder" event around April 2, 2009. Did you know that Arirang, Balhae, and Formosa apparently never had this event? Clainin still lays in the Haven healers' shop on these shards.

Did you know that the official EM forums for Arirang and Balhae have nothing on them but a big smiley face? The Formosa EM forum hasn't been updated since early June 2010. Mesanna is directly responsible for the EM program for these three shards.

Supposedly, the Japanese shards just got their own EMs last month. However, so far only Yamato actually seems to have an official EM forum and EM-run activities. The EM forums for the other Japanese shards (Asuka, Hokuto, Izumo, Mizuho, Mugen, Sakura, an Wakoku) have...you guessed it...just a big smiley face. I believe Mesanna showed up for at least one EM-run event on Yamato, but I don't know if she or someone in Japan is actually responsible for the Japanese EM program.

I understand that some people enjoy the EM-run activities. Clearly, a handful of people spend a lot of time and possibly a lot of "real" money collecting/trading in event items/rares. However, it seems to me that the program isn't run evenly across shards and also completely overlooks people who aren't able to play when the EMs are active on their shards. It is also ridiculous that you can't find links to the official EM forums on the official UO site. You have to go to a fansite forum like Stratics to find any such links. You also often have no where else to go but fansite forums to read about the outcome of EM-run activities or to get any kind of current or historical overview of what the heck is going on with events in UO. Not a great way to draw in and keep people who are thinking about or just started playing UO again.

I wish EA would use the money that currently goes to paying the EMs for designer/developer/community staff time to produce events that run consistently across all shards and are also consistently publicized on the three official UO sites (English, Chinese, and Japanese). That way, EVERY subscriber would feel like their subscription fees are being used fairly and not just for a portion of the subscribers.

You mean those famous development cycles all 3 months then 5 months then 6 months then the confessions they could not keep up with it

UO's subscription fees go partly to the devs and the rest to Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic development

 

[Tina Small]

Actually yes, they do. We haven't had an EM for months and months, and haven't even had a substitute come and throw an event for us.

The ONLY "event" that I know of happening was the one that happened on every shard where an object appeared and you could double click it to get an anniversary item that shoots fire works.

In the last several years I can remember one period where we had some events, like 2-3 in a 3 month period, then our EM quit and was not replaced. That was like, geeze, nearly a year ago.

Well, then, like I said, Siege is in the same boat with Formosa, Arirang, Balhae, and all but one or two of the Japanese shards. Why EA apparently ignores at least 10 out of 27 shards for purposes of EM activities doesn't make sense, but that's the way it seems to be. I guess if you don't speak English well and/or don't have enough people around to fawn over the EMs and Mesanna, showing up on a regular basis and/or running a website isn't worth their time.

 

[Babble]

The japanese shards have their own programs, they never lost their seers.

We got the seers because the loss of seers and EA incapable of having a storyline produced in a timely fashion.
And still a game like Asherons call had storyline advances once a month for years ....

 

[Mapper]

When I sent an application for EM a while ago, I was told there were no available positions. So I wonder if Siege isn't getting one?

 

[RaDian FlGith]

I wish EA would use the money that currently goes to paying the EMs for designer/developer/community staff time to produce events that run consistently across all shards and are also consistently publicized on the three official UO sites (English, Chinese, and Japanese). That way, EVERY subscriber would feel like their subscription fees are being used fairly and not just for a portion of the subscribers.

Considering that the EM program offers each shard the ability to have plotlines and stories that help to shape their uniqueness, I couldn't disagree more with your "wish." First, the money being spent, even if they had 2 EMs for every shard in question, wouldn't go much further than paying for a single developer's salary, and the benefit of that single developer would be far less than the player benefit of the entire EM program.

Sure, you could argue that a single developer *might* be able to provide events that are wide reaching across all shards. You'd clearly also be wrong. Shard-wide events -- without the help of EMs, Seers, or whatever they're called for the given program -- are always flat and devoid of in-game fictional content. They tend to be pathetic events like say the Bane vs. the Ophidians. They also tend to go unfinished as developers are pulled to work on other things (Can you say "Magincia?" I knew you could...).

What *should* be a goal is to get every shard at least one EM.

 

[Tina Small]

The japanese shards have their own programs, they never lost their seers.

We got the seers because the loss of seers and EA incapable of having a storyline produced in a timely fashion.
And still a game like Asherons call had storyline advances once a month for years ....

A few months ago, EA announced that the Japanese shards would join the EM program; however, I think so far EMs (Asiantam and Minilion) have only been assigned to Yamato.

 

[Alvinho]

I seem to remember being told that we don't need to buy the mesenna creme pies that they would be freely given out however that has also fallen to the wayside

 

[Tina Small]

What *should* be a goal is to get every shard at least one EM.

Ah yes, let's make sure the event item collectors have more sources for collecting more "stuff."

The EM program is a joke if you're not into role playing, collecting junk items, and/or don't want to or cannot schedule your playing time around when the EMs deign to show up to do their job. The program is paid for by all but caters to just a handful of the players. Every EM-run event I've ever gone to left me feeling disgusted, after watching Mesanna or the EMs waste time chatting up players and/or reacting to jerks. When they do actually get around to doing something else it's just a monster bash for a few dropped items that a handful of players then turn around and immediately sell for gold or cash. I have no desire to listen to players I don't know and Mesanna chit chatting about trivial nonsense and/or publicly flirting with each other, and don't care about stupid competitions for stuff they created.

If after two years, EA still can't manage to run the EM program fairly and professionally so it appeals to and is accessible by a larger number of subscribers beyond those interested in collecting junk to subsidize some greedy rares collectors or those that want to role play, then they should just scale it back and have the EMs stick to performing weddings and recognizing player-run towns on EVERY shard, not just 17 out of 27 of them. Anything else should be orchestrated by the designers and developers so it runs the same on every shard and is available to all players around the clock for a specified period of days, weeks or months.

 

[Lady Storm]

Tina the shards you quote are very small population, as for mesanna running the program. Yes she does.. but the japaneese shards are not totaly under her jurisdiction. Those shards have their own GM's, EM's, their not the same as usa counterparts. The laws of those countrys have made their systems apply to those shards served.

The EM service is like many other jobs, people come and go. Mesanna is working on it.

I do agree the few items at most of the Events are gotten all the time by the same people and the hustlers who spend billions of gold on buying up the drops on every shard is getting old.

 

[Orgional Farimir]

I will be the EM for SP. We would have lots of fun

 

[Babble]

Ah yes, let's make sure the event item collectors have more sources for collecting more "stuff."

The EM program is a joke if you're not into role playing, collecting junk items, and/or don't want to or cannot schedule your playing time around when the EMs deign to show up to do their job. The program is paid for by all but caters to just a handful of the players. Every EM-run event I've ever gone to left me feeling disgusted, after watching Mesanna or the EMs waste time chatting up players and/or reacting to jerks. When they do actually get around to doing something else it's just a monster bash for a few dropped items that a handful of players then turn around and immediately sell for gold or cash. I have no desire to listen to players I don't know and Mesanna chit chatting about trivial nonsense and/or publicly flirting with each other, and don't care about stupid competitions for stuff they created.

If after two years, EA still can't manage to run the EM program fairly and professionally so it appeals to and is accessible by a larger number of subscribers beyond those interested in collecting junk to subsidize some greedy rares collectors or those that want to role play, then they should just scale it back and have the EMs stick to performing weddings and recognizing player-run towns on EVERY shard, not just 17 out of 27 of them. Anything else should be orchestrated by the designers and developers so it runs the same on every shard and is available to all players around the clock for a specified period of days, weeks or months.

*chuckels*
Considering most games half of what ea develops for Uo would be considered a joke in the mmo community.
The EM's are at least a light in the darkness of 'soon', 'maybe' and 'I don't know'

 

[Tina Small]

Tina the shards you quote are very small population, as for mesanna running the program. Yes she does.. but the japaneese shards are not totaly under her jurisdiction. Those shards have their own GM's, EM's, their not the same as usa counterparts. The laws of those countrys have made their systems apply to those shards served.

The EM service is like many other jobs, people come and go. Mesanna is working on it.

I do agree the few items at most of the Events are gotten all the time by the same people and the hustlers who spend billions of gold on buying up the drops on every shard is getting old.

You know, I didn't just make up the stuff about EMs on the Japanese shards. Cal mentioned it in his producer's update on August 13th: Producer's Update - 8/13/10 | Mythic Entertainment | Ultima Online. Athos made a post about the Yamato EMs here: http://vboards.stratics.com/uo-asia/225558-welcome-first-japanese-ems-asiantam-minilion.html. I read an article on the UO Japan web site a few weeks ago about some event on Yamato and maybe one of the other shards that made it sound like Mesanna showed up to dye pumpkins black, but it was apparently not well publicized and/or she ignored people.

Whatever.

I think the EM program needs to be scrapped and the money and Mesanna's time should be spent on preparing events and activities (not just more handouts) that appeal to more of the paying subscribers. What we are paying for now is only being utilized by a handful of people and sadly, a fair number of them probably only care about it because they're making real money from it.

 

[Babble]

When are the ems contracts up anyway?

 

[Jhym]

Interesting how nobody on those shards seems to have submitted bug reports or flooded the boards about how that event or others haven't happened on Seige et all.


So, why not?

I'm honestly curious: those that wanted events to happen seem not to be actually DEMANDING any in a visible fashion.

If events are missed on the other shards, dozens if not hundreds scream until they do. Do Seige folks just wail into their black hearts at the injustice?

 

[RaDian FlGith]

Ah yes, let's make sure the event item collectors have more sources for collecting more "stuff."

Oh, get over it, Tina, seriously. I mean, didn't you leave UO anyway? Why are you here griping about the EM program for a game you no longer even play?

Believe me, a great many players enjoy what the EMs provide, and it definitely is not all about the items. Yeah, the items are a nice bonus, but really, whatever. It's definitely not what all of the EM events are about, and while I can't speak for other shards, Great Lakes doesn't give items out often enough to consider them a reason for doing events at all.

On the other hand, the items are decorative. They provide nothing but decoration or are a weapon with a use such as double-clicking to get sextant coordinates. They don't provide advantages, and in short, aren't anything but pixels.

Your attempt to belittle the program simply because you've perceived it to be something it's not is actually quite sad.

The EM program is a joke if you're not into role playing, collecting junk items, and/or don't want to or cannot schedule your playing time around when the EMs deign to show up to do their job.

Much like posting on forums about a game you don't even play is a joke.

"Deign to show up to do their job."

I'm not sure what your anger over the EM program is, but you're coming across as whiny brat who didn't get a few items when she wanted them, and therefore the entire program is a failure.

And, great way to trivialize about the only corporate sponsored part of RP in one of the few MMORPGs out there.

If you don't like the EM program, don't attend. I don't like UO's present PvP system, so I don't spend a lot of time doing it. You don't see my sitting around telling them they shouldn't work on balancing PvP, do you?

The program is paid for by all but caters to just a handful of the players. Every EM-run event I've ever gone to left me feeling disgusted, after watching Mesanna or the EMs waste time chatting up players and/or reacting to jerks.

Then stop going to them. Oh, that's right... you did. The program does not cater to anyone. It's open and available to anyone who has the time to participate. Sure, that maybe "caters" to a "handful" of people, but since they tend to hold events during prime time or at very least higher populous hours, I'd say they're attempting to appeal to the widest possible audience. There's no way that they could hold events 24/7.

When they do actually get around to doing something else it's just a monster bash for a few dropped items that a handful of players then turn around and immediately sell for gold or cash. I have no desire to listen to players I don't know and Mesanna chit chatting about trivial nonsense and/or publicly flirting with each other, and don't care about stupid competitions for stuff they created.

Wah, wah, wah. First off, I know firsthand that not every event spans "a few dropped items." Most events do not spawn "a few dropped items." I mean, maybe I'm missing out on the shards that do drop items at every event, but I suspect that's actually none of them.

As for not caring to hear Mesanna chit chat... big deal. Go away, don't listen to her. Oh, again, that's right... you did. I mean, come on, attacking Mesanna is about the worst possible target you could find to attack. That woman puts in an inordinate amount of time into this game, and there's no damned way she's paid for all of the time and effort she puts into it. Maybe it's time for a new hobby, Tina. One that doesn't involve a game you no longer play.

If after two years, EA still can't manage to run the EM program fairly and professionally so it appeals to and is accessible by a larger number of subscribers beyond those interested in collecting junk to subsidize some greedy rares collectors or those that want to role play, then they should just scale it back and have the EMs stick to performing weddings and recognizing player-run towns on EVERY shard, not just 17 out of 27 of them. Anything else should be orchestrated by the designers and developers so it runs the same on every shard and is available to all players around the clock for a specified period of days, weeks or months.

Your opinion. And one based on hyperbole, misinformation, and your own misguided view of a game you no longer play.

The EM program is doing just fine, thank you.

 

[Mapper]

What we are paying for now is only being utilized by a handful of people and sadly.

Maybe that's just on your shard, events on Europa are very well attended. Compared to other well advertised player events, role play events etc.

 

[Chardonnay]

Interesting how nobody on those shards seems to have submitted bug reports or flooded the boards about how that event or others haven't happened on Seige et all.


So, why not?

I'm honestly curious: those that wanted events to happen seem not to be actually DEMANDING any in a visible fashion.

If events are missed on the other shards, dozens if not hundreds scream until they do. Do Seige folks just wail into their black hearts at the injustice?

You might wanna read UOHall...SP people have the biggest voices yet we never get answered...next time you wanna troll do it with intelligence...

 

[Tina Small]

Ah yes, let's make sure the event item collectors have more sources for collecting more "stuff."

Oh, get over it, Tina, seriously. I mean, didn't you leave UO anyway? Why are you here griping about the EM program for a game you no longer even play?

Believe me, a great many players enjoy what the EMs provide, and it definitely is not all about the items. Yeah, the items are a nice bonus, but really, whatever. It's definitely not what all of the EM events are about, and while I can't speak for other shards, Great Lakes doesn't give items out often enough to consider them a reason for doing events at all.

On the other hand, the items are decorative. They provide nothing but decoration or are a weapon with a use such as double-clicking to get sextant coordinates. They don't provide advantages, and in short, aren't anything but pixels.

Your attempt to belittle the program simply because you've perceived it to be something it's not is actually quite sad.

The EM program is a joke if you're not into role playing, collecting junk items, and/or don't want to or cannot schedule your playing time around when the EMs deign to show up to do their job.

Much like posting on forums about a game you don't even play is a joke.

"Deign to show up to do their job."

I'm not sure what your anger over the EM program is, but you're coming across as whiny brat who didn't get a few items when she wanted them, and therefore the entire program is a failure.

And, great way to trivialize about the only corporate sponsored part of RP in one of the few MMORPGs out there.

If you don't like the EM program, don't attend. I don't like UO's present PvP system, so I don't spend a lot of time doing it. You don't see my sitting around telling them they shouldn't work on balancing PvP, do you?

The program is paid for by all but caters to just a handful of the players. Every EM-run event I've ever gone to left me feeling disgusted, after watching Mesanna or the EMs waste time chatting up players and/or reacting to jerks.

Then stop going to them. Oh, that's right... you did. The program does not cater to anyone. It's open and available to anyone who has the time to participate. Sure, that maybe "caters" to a "handful" of people, but since they tend to hold events during prime time or at very least higher populous hours, I'd say they're attempting to appeal to the widest possible audience. There's no way that they could hold events 24/7.

When they do actually get around to doing something else it's just a monster bash for a few dropped items that a handful of players then turn around and immediately sell for gold or cash. I have no desire to listen to players I don't know and Mesanna chit chatting about trivial nonsense and/or publicly flirting with each other, and don't care about stupid competitions for stuff they created.

Wah, wah, wah. First off, I know firsthand that not every event spans "a few dropped items." Most events do not spawn "a few dropped items." I mean, maybe I'm missing out on the shards that do drop items at every event, but I suspect that's actually none of them.

As for not caring to hear Mesanna chit chat... big deal. Go away, don't listen to her. Oh, again, that's right... you did. I mean, come on, attacking Mesanna is about the worst possible target you could find to attack. That woman puts in an inordinate amount of time into this game, and there's no damned way she's paid for all of the time and effort she puts into it. Maybe it's time for a new hobby, Tina. One that doesn't involve a game you no longer play.

If after two years, EA still can't manage to run the EM program fairly and professionally so it appeals to and is accessible by a larger number of subscribers beyond those interested in collecting junk to subsidize some greedy rares collectors or those that want to role play, then they should just scale it back and have the EMs stick to performing weddings and recognizing player-run towns on EVERY shard, not just 17 out of 27 of them. Anything else should be orchestrated by the designers and developers so it runs the same on every shard and is available to all players around the clock for a specified period of days, weeks or months.

Your opinion. And one based on hyperbole, misinformation, and your own misguided view of a game you no longer play.

The EM program is doing just fine, thank you.

I guess while you were busy digging up a four month old thread, you missed my posts back in late September-early October where I stated I had started playing again.

Since I currently have several accounts that are paid up through well into 2011, I damn well will make posts here giving my opinion of services I'm paying for. If you don't like them, too bad.

 

[RaDian FlGith]

I guess while you were busy digging up a four month old thread, you missed my posts back in late September-early October where I stated I had started playing again.

Sorry, I don't go looking for posts of people who intentionally make fools of themselves by getting all worked up about a game, quitting because it's not enjoyable to them any longer, and then come back in the hopes that the game has somehow suddenly gotten better.

You might consider quitting again, Tina, because you're nothing but bitter at this point, and the game is clearly incapable of meeting any of your expectations.

Since I currently have several accounts that are paid up through well into 2011, I damn well will make posts here giving my opinion of services I'm paying for. If you don't like them, too bad.

Feel free to give your opinion. But, my suggestion: Cancel your account. It might make you seem less bitter. You're complaining about a program that provides a great deal of value to Ultima Online, and you're attacking one of the figures in the UO DevTeam who goes above and beyond the call of duty to help make the game enjoyable.

There's an X in the corner of UO... and an X in the corner of Stratics. Given your inability to keep from playing the game with anger, you might consider that your desire to quit the game was the proper intuition.

 

[Uvtha]

Interesting how nobody on those shards seems to have submitted bug reports or flooded the boards about how that event or others haven't happened on Seige et all.


So, why not?

I'm honestly curious: those that wanted events to happen seem not to be actually DEMANDING any in a visible fashion.

If events are missed on the other shards, dozens if not hundreds scream until they do. Do Seige folks just wail into their black hearts at the injustice?

How are we even supposed to know what events we are missing? WE DON'T EVER HAVE ANY EVENTS. And since most of us only play siege, how would he know that events are going on? Shard events arent really talked about that much on Uhall seeing as they are shard specific, so I dont really know how you expect to show up complaining about missing specific events.

As for being outspoken about not having an EM... you're posting in an example of it. This is not the first or last post on this topic. We have had many posts about it on the Seige board, and the issue has been brought up on Uhall before as well. We are a vocal shard. In fact THE most vocal shard specific.

Several people have applied for the position only to be turned down, because the position does not exist. I get that we have a low population, but really, cant someone pop in and give us a fun event once or twice a year? Even if its just a copy of some other event on some other shard.
rolleyes:

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

The EM program is a joke if you're not into role playing, collecting junk items, and/or don't want to or cannot schedule your playing time around when the EMs deign to show up to do their job. The program is paid for by all but caters to just a handful of the players. Every EM-run event I've ever gone to left me feeling disgusted, after watching Mesanna or the EMs waste time chatting up players and/or reacting to jerks. When they do actually get around to doing something else it's just a monster bash for a few dropped items that a handful of players then turn around and immediately sell for gold or cash. I have no desire to listen to players I don't know and Mesanna chit chatting about trivial nonsense and/or publicly flirting with each other, and don't care about stupid competitions for stuff they created.

Most EMs “deign” to do their jobs at the shard’s local prime time, roughly 8pm weeknights. If you can’t manage to be there for an event, that is a personal problem – not the EM’s fault. If you don’t care about an event, or it doesn’t interest you – DON’T GO. You shell out the same $12.99 the rest of us do and aren’t entitled to belittle a program that is Mythic’s only success at reviving UO’s past. Is the system perfect? No. But then nothing ever is.

Whining that Mesanna bothers to talk to the players is going to get you ignored by pretty much everyone. She’s the only one at Mythic with the balls to log onto a shard and TALK to the players, aside from TC that never happens.

On GL, the EMs wait till after the events to break character or switch to their robed chars to go OOC and solicit feedback about their events. Perhaps other shards are different, that kinda boils down to “everyone is an individual,” and another personal problem for you if you can’t handle it.

And seriously, don’t bother to whine about EMs “catering” to RPers. 90% of their events are in-character story-line plot progression, in other words ROLEPLAYED. They simply interact with RPers better because the RP people won’t sit there talking about Halo or the hot chick they hit on at the 7-Eleven instead of paying attention to the actual event.

If after two years, EA still can't manage to run the EM program fairly and professionally so it appeals to and is accessible by a larger number of subscribers beyond those interested in collecting junk to subsidize some greedy rares collectors or those that want to role play, then they should just scale it back and have the EMs stick to performing weddings and recognizing player-run towns on EVERY shard, not just 17 out of 27 of them. Anything else should be orchestrated by the designers and developers so it runs the same on every shard and is available to all players around the clock for a specified period of days, weeks or months.

I think the EM program needs to be scrapped and the money and Mesanna's time should be spent on preparing events and activities (not just more handouts) that appeal to more of the paying subscribers. What we are paying for now is only being utilized by a handful of people and sadly, a fair number of them probably only care about it because they're making real money from it.

Event items hoarders are a catch 22. Either you have them and people whine they didn’t get one – or that everyone got one OR you don’t have them and people whine that they got nothing. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. It’s better to be damned for doing something than for doing nothing.

“What we are paying for now is only being utilized by a handful of people and sadly, a fair number of them probably only care about it because they're making real money from it.”

Seriously, have you bothered to go to any of your shard’s holiday or metafiction events? The ones on GL regularly have 50+ people at them. 50+ people on in one place at the same time is great at this point in UO’s life and low over-all sub numbers. Some people aren’t interested in the events, don’t know (which at this point, is laziness on their part), or simply don’t care. This doesn’t mean that the EM program is a failure, it’s simply reality.

Now, more shard-wide 24/7 events are needed. Things akin to the Bane vs Ophidian, or last year’s holiday events. However, canning the EM program isn’t going to make that happen. In fact, it will only highlight the fact that we only get a trickle of new content and Mythic doesn’t have the resources to code large-scale events anymore (As evidenced by the aborted Meer storyline. One lost intern and the event is scrapped.)


You don’t like the EM program, we get it. It’s obviously not for you, but don’t try to ruin it for the rest of us who do get enjoyment out of it. Find something else to do while your shard’s EMs try to entertain the ungrateful masses. Your 0.001% of the cost to employ them doesn’t mean you get to dictate whether or not they exist.

NOW, for the original topic…
Siege should have an EM. I seem to remember being told that one was being trained, granted that was several months back… Every shard run by Mythic should have at least one EM, that’s only fair. If it’s an issue of Mesanna’s time only being able to be stretched so far, then the obvious solution is to hire her an assistant (who could also be UO’s dedicated PR/Community rep), or for one of the other Team members to step up and publicly show some dedication.

The EMs have helped revive some of the community aspects of UO. This should be applauded and encouraged. I hope any EMs reading this lumps Tina’s bile in with the drivel the typical event crybabies spew.

 

[Tina Small]

Sorry, I don't go looking for posts of people who intentionally make fools of themselves by getting all worked up about a game, quitting because it's not enjoyable to them any longer, and then come back in the hopes that the game has somehow suddenly gotten better.

You might consider quitting again, Tina, because you're nothing but bitter at this point, and the game is clearly incapable of meeting any of your expectations.

Feel free to give your opinion. But, my suggestion: Cancel your account. It might make you seem less bitter. You're complaining about a program that provides a great deal of value to Ultima Online, and you're attacking one of the figures in the UO DevTeam who goes above and beyond the call of duty to help make the game enjoyable.

There's an X in the corner of UO... and an X in the corner of Stratics. Given your inability to keep from playing the game with anger, you might consider that your desire to quit the game was the proper intuition.

I like Cal's approach when someone makes a post that ruffles the feathers of some UO cheerleader: It shows someone still cares enough about something to take the time to make a post. He knows that when the angry, irritated, or complaining posts stop, his customers have sunk into apathy and they're headed out the door.

You might want to reconsider your approach of telling people that you don't agree with to just go away. UO really doesn't have so many subscribers that they can afford to lose yet another one once again, especially when that person is paying for more than one account.

 

[Uvtha]

I like Cal's approach when someone makes a post that ruffles the feathers of some UO cheerleader: It shows someone still cares enough about something to take the time to make a post. He knows that when the angry, irritated, or complaining posts stop, his customers have sunk into apathy and they're headed out the door.

You might want to reconsider your approach of telling people that you don't agree with to just go away. UO really doesn't have so many subscribers that they can afford to lose yet another one once again, especially when that person is paying for more than one account.

Fine fine, lets cut it short here, its just derailing this thread that is actually important to some of us.

 

[Skrag]

Why doesn't Siege Perilous have a EM?

Because like 12 people play there and with all this classic shard talk they're probably mulling over unplugging it.

/thread

 

[ikaikaman]

The japanese shards have their own programs, they never lost their seers.

Nonsense.Do you know why other shards(mainly,American) have not Seers, Counselor?It is easy to answer,so You demand money."Give money! I do not want to do volunteer !!!!" Just spoiled by Japanese players's goodwill and walked out on them.

Own programs? Give me a break!!!!!

 

[RaDian FlGith]

I like Cal's approach when someone makes a post that ruffles the feathers of some UO cheerleader: It shows someone still cares enough about something to take the time to make a post. He knows that when the angry, irritated, or complaining posts stop, his customers have sunk into apathy and they're headed out the door.

Yes, well, if you're insinuating I'm some sort of UO/Mythic/EA cheerleader, you'd only have to do a rather cursory search of my post history to know how very wrong you are.

The difference is that I'm not running around, foaming at the mouth, telling EA that they need to cancel the EM program because I personally don't benefit from it.

You might want to reconsider your approach of telling people that you don't agree with to just go away. UO really doesn't have so many subscribers that they can afford to lose yet another one once again, especially when that person is paying for more than one account.

And herein lies the crux of the matter.

Tina Small = Multiple Account Holder = Her Opinion Outweighs Others.

I hold multiple accounts too, dollface. I still think you're coming across as bitter and angry, and you should have stayed gone. Whether EA can afford the loss of your subscription dollars or not. The game is clearly not fun for you anymore, so you're basically paying money to be angry.

Back to the thread...

Siege Perilous should get an EM, I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[RaDian FlGith]

Nonsense.Do you know why other shards(mainly,American) have not Seers, Counselor?It is easy to answer,so You demand money."Give money! I do not want to do volunteer !!!!" Just spoiled by Japanese players's goodwill and walked out on them.

Actually, some spoiled rotten volunteers decided to demand money.

As a former Senior Counselor, I was happy to volunteer, and enjoyed the time I spent among the players of the shard I was working with (it was less enjoyable when we went regional, but that was purely political combined with the way EA was treating the volunteer program by then because of the lawsuit).

Own programs? Give me a break!!!!!

Unless something's changed (and not saying it hasn't), the Japanese shards still had Seers that were being run out of EA Japan's end of UO.

 

[ikaikaman]

Actually, some spoiled rotten volunteers decided to demand money.

As a former Senior Counselor, I was happy to volunteer, and enjoyed the time I spent among the players of the shard I was working with (it was less enjoyable when we went regional, but that was purely political combined with the way EA was treating the volunteer program by then because of the lawsuit).

Unless something's changed (and not saying it hasn't), the Japanese shards still had Seers that were being run out of EA Japan's end of UO.

OK,I made out.including You are nice.what I wants to say,In Japanese Events are Death-Events.Monster always and only use range attack ,breath,and pulling us near,only only only.Of course Not drop rare.We are fed up with.
I heard EA Japan have no authority to drop Original-Event-Item.I can not understand.I do not know Devs have authority to give them "making original Item permission".If they have,manged to do Jp-Events decent ones.

 

[Uvtha]

OK,I made out.including You are nice.what I wants to say,In Japanese Events are Death-Events.Monster always and only use range attack ,breath,and pulling us near,only only only.Of course Not drop rare.We are fed up with.
I heard EA Japan have no authority to drop Original-Event-Item.I can not understand.I do not know Devs have authority to give them "making original Item permission".If they have,manged to do Jp-Events decent ones.

Yeah, for some reason, some EM's have the ability to make items, and others have to ask permission or something? The last time I saw and EM on siege the were trying to explain it, but I don't really remember. But it seemed like they tended to frown on making events items, especially functional ones.

 

[Babble]

My guess is some EM's work together with gms.
Last time around GM's were responsible for setting monsters up and such stuff, so if a gm says it is ok the em gets the item.

If no gm is around then no

 

[northwoodschopper]

are EMs allowed to have other characters/account on the shard that they are an EM with?

 

[Babble]

Doubt it, they weren't allowed at about 2000

 

[Uvtha]

are EMs allowed to have other characters/account on the shard that they are an EM with?

I think you can, but not on siege anyway, cause weve had people from our shard and people from other shards apply to be EM and were told there was no EM position.

 

[Gilthas]

I think you can, but not on siege anyway, cause weve had people from our shard and people from other shards apply to be EM and were told there was no EM position.

In the old days they were not allowed to play on the same shard. At least that's what I was told.

 

[Hoffs]

are EMs allowed to have other characters/account on the shard that they are an EM with?

No, EMs are not supposed to have any personal interest within the shard to which they are assigned. They may well have a character(s) there, but it should not be a shard that they "play" or have friends, etc. However, an exception was made for Siege as it was important to have somebody that understood the rules/shard; most EMs had the "Siege?? *trembles*" attitude to it that the majority of the UO population has.

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

As a former counselor, seer assistant and companion for EA I can vouch for the fact that the current program is a "joke". It is not meant for roleplay or anything, just to hand out bits of fun.

Not much differently than the reason for the departure of seers.

People do tend to confuse those events, but the reason seers were fired is because of the gold selling ring that corrupted part of the main team. I was there, I saw a big bag of money in front of me ; but I refused for the sake of my own integrity with UO.

I did not make one dime from UO, I let all my server birth items decay while I was crying because the game had been destroyed by those fraud experts which creeped up to untold heights in the recent years.

The lawsuit for voluntary time was set after the companion program, quite later.

In retrospect it happened to me three times, that EA fired me and no thank you letter, no recognition for time played ; not even a silly sash that is worth nothing.

I worked on UO from beta, found hundreds of bugs, contributed to a game that I held dear only to see it being destroyed by money.

The way the EM program is right now, IS a joke, I went to the events ; you don't really participate in anything.

We went places, killed big monsters, and to be honest, all I did was push the same buttons repeatedly there was so much of us there wasn't even a risk of dying... it was like a sad, pathetic idoc when a guild overpowers all others.

And you guys at Siege should be more angry than that... I mean common, they even created a pseudo clone of it and named it "shard of the dead" as a most likely intentional pun.

You take the insult ?

Thats what you call hard-core players ?

Thats what you call having a spine ?

heh... oh if you knew, Avatar.

 

[Babble]

The em's try their best with what they got.

 

[Skrag]

I'd rather have EMs setting up town invasions and stuff like that, and backing them up with RP.

The current crap where someone goes "Quick, everyone on the shard come fight overpowered monsters in an empty field and maybe I'll hand you a rare to sell!" is lame and I've long since quit attending.

 

[Babble]

Em's are not allowed to do that.
Not even sure if gm's are allowed to do that

EA believes in the power of programming ... lol

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

The EMS are really cool ! I agree !

I followed their story after all on atlantic.

But the status quo is not OKAY.

Not one bit.

There is serious censorship too, it's all too serious...

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

There is serious censorship too, it's all too serious...

Censorship? Of what?

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

Seriousness.

UO was never meant to be a PG-13 game and it was never meant to be "shallow" if you allow me the expression.

There is deep engrossing of standardisation that goes beyond the first layers of perception, it is an insiduous poison for the kids and the adults therefore hitherto it represents ; the acceptance of fraud because of privacy clauses.

Does privacy have a place in online gaming where kids may roam even if the game is rated 18+ ?

Now you see... all the ems that were on atlantic have had their stories censored, because if there is nothing serious about the storyline, noone gets on the boat, so it is !

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Seriousness.

UO was never meant to be a PG-13 game and it was never meant to be "shallow" if you allow me the expression.

There is deep engrossing of standardisation that goes beyond the first layers of perception, it is an insiduous poison for the kids and the adults therefore hitherto it represents ; the acceptance of fraud because of privacy clauses.

Does privacy have a place in online gaming where kids may roam even if the game is rated 18+ ?

Now you see... all the ems that were on atlantic have had their stories censored, because if there is nothing serious about the storyline, noone gets on the boat, so it is !

Interesting way of looking at it... You're right that UO was meant to be a game for adults. Things had to be toned down in order to fit decency laws in Europe. This did water down many of the cherished systeme in the game.. bounty system, chopping bodies, etc. However, it brought more people to the game.

I don't see how this relates to the EMs though, or even the Seers...

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

Because with the seers and EMS mystery was part of the game, which is what makes it a game in the first place. Mystery also involved a kind of intuition within game that makes people "dig it" ... a feeling that something important is happening and that we are not merely wasting our time.

Stuff built meant something, and people fighting evil fought true evil, politics ; philosophy.

But when the story touched "real life" in that some people started profiting BIG MONEY from a virtuality, that is when the seers had a storyline that was interesting because it was tangible.

It was also in line with the other Ultima storyline, the avatar had finally a chance to make a difference contrary to the single player games which had a "destiny".

But it also was menacing to certain industrialists, more truth meant less money, and things unveiled with the powerful emotion crowds like this can have ; well it became a true danger to capitalism.

So when this happened ppl started fraud, selling duped gold for real life money, and the indulstialists (nor EA nor anyone in particular that we know of) who pulled the strings managed a big stunt.

They manage to fire everyone who were so involved they were the true "game masters" and thus ruining the continuity of the experience ; at the same time they wrote a IN GAME privacy clause that made it so ppl could not be "scrutinised" and then this HUGE disclaimer that in fact protected the true ORGANISED fraudsters.

So thats two birds with one stone ; thats even one metaphysical bird over that.

 

[Uvtha]

And you guys at Siege should be more angry than that... I mean common, they even created a pseudo clone of it and named it "shard of the dead" as a most likely intentional pun.

You take the insult ?

Thats what you call hard-core players ?

Thats what you call having a spine ?

Just like in this topic when earlier someone accused us of not caring about EMs because we don't protest, it's not a matter of us not protesting but of people not hearing us. In fact SOME people, ever so thoughtfully and gracefully, would rather just suggest that they close down the shard (see above) when we do bring up our grievances.

We DO care, and we (myself included) DID complain about SOTD, both here on Uhall and more extensively on our shard board.

SOTD -was- an insult to siege players, I for one was extremely pissed about it, and I said as much, but what choice do we have but to "stand for it"?

We either stand for it or we quit. I don't want to quit, I like UO, I have liked it for like 13 years now.
Even though my home is forgotten, ignored, avoided, insulted (both by dev decisions and callous uhall posters), and is now slowly dying because of it all, I still enjoy the game, and still want to keep playing it. But I wont play it on another shard. I do NOT enjoy that kind of UO, I never will.

The EM (or lack there of) situation is endemic of the treatment that siege receives and has received pretty much since its inception.
Problems fester for years before fixes, we have cries for change with 80% and upwards of the shard behind them... FOR YEARS, and when we do get changes they are too little too late, cause people leave in droves due to frustration. Why should people want to play on a shard thats treated like that?

Is it any wonder the shard is dying?

/rant