Discussion - What should we ask the devs to quickly implement?

[kelmo]

I wont even ask why my post was deleted cause it doesnt really matter nor do I really care but FYI this attitude is probably the second biggest reason why this shard is a ghost town. Hope you guys that have really faught long and hard for siege get exactly what you're wanting but silencing people with different opinions is not the way to go. If you do this you're only gonna have a handful of people happy and subsequently is all you will have left on the shard. Thus giving you exactly what you have now, a ghost town. Have fun, kiddos.

Hey Cheapster... See this thread.

http://vboards.stratics.com/showthread.php?t=210814

 

[Kat]

From the understanding that I came away from the meeting with, the "low hanging fruit" were simpler to implement items that could make it into a publish before the end of July, not after. As I understood it, AFTER JULY was when they would have currently planned things out of the way and could focus more on Siege changes in phases.


So with that in mind, I'm going with things I believe are fairly quick, will give the most bang for the buck and tide us over until some of that comes to fruition!

• 
  Increased Bank Storage [Good enough until Grandfathered housing can be implemented]
• 
  Increased Arti and Cursed Arties [Should help with our current PvP situation/cost to equip for current players]
• 
  Rot Timer Changes [Awesome for new players]

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

From the understanding that I came away from the meeting with, the "low hanging fruit" were simpler to implement items that could make it into a publish before the end of July, not after. As I understood it, AFTER JULY was when they would have currently planned things out of the way and could focus more on Siege changes in phases.

Seriously, I wouldn't hold them to dates. Things like this can sometimes take longer than expected.

 

[Kat]

Well, "after July" isn't a date in my world, so yeah, I'm gonna hold them to that. If you can't hold someone to a vague timeframe, you really shouldn't bother believing anything they say. lol

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Well, "after July" isn't a date in my world, so yeah, I'm gonna hold them to that. If you can't hold someone to a vague timeframe, you really shouldn't bother believing anything they say. lol

Fair enough...I meant the before July part of it

 

[Morgana LeFay (PoV)]

Well, "after July" isn't a date in my world

Umm...August 1st...

 

[Hugibear]

passive reveal/detect the current system is setup for this to be on and it should be. Thieves shouldnt be crying there is many ways to get away, oh you might have to work alittle harder besides just poppin smoke uh oh.

Taming - pets = siege bless.
I also think animal form and flying should take up a control slot. (but i know that will never happen)

rot - divide all the times between gains by 5 and set that as your new timer and multiply the amount of gains per day by 3.

Yeah put it on the list - dont see this as a big deal, how many new players are actually signing up for a 13 year old video games

blackrock no need for it, if you fix rot. I'm not against it just dont see the need if rot is fixed.

housing or bank storage - if you dont own a house on siege let your bank hold like 400 items or so. And let prodo people place houses (while not losing their other on their home shard) only like 7x7, and they have to refresh once every 9-11 days. (yeah keep it random 9-11 days)

character slot I dont like this idea, just tonight I had some manly stud givin me the prodo rundown about how if he was on his other character I would be dead. No thanks

Cursed artis, i dont care either way. I do however think they should increase the loot tables and the frequency of drops. And not just by a little, they need to multiply the current system by 50+. 1 character =s freely attackable while farming meaning you have to be well rounded. Thats hard to do and kill high end monsters while lucked out and avoid pvpers.

 

[Førsaken]

Hugi-My main reasoning for wanting them to re-introduce cursed arties was to help all the non-factioners. So they could compete with factioners whether they're just out for open PvP, defending a spawn, or farming.

We can't keep the same mentality of "just join factions", the mediocre players don't like it and don't want to feel forced into something.

At the same time, people need to realize if they're not going to join factions, then they're not going to get the exact same items...

p.s. I'd say make cursed Inquisitor Resolutions though. That way certain templates aren't so hard to build a suit for. I.e. Any non-faction mages that would want to run a mage weapon template would have a hard time. Would even be good for the 4/6 Chiv Dexers!

 

[Lorddog]

Reintroduce T2A Blackrock
This was an event. A new, unique experience for all players to participate in. It is possible that the event gave the illusion of more players, since events run for short durations (usually). It concentrated players in a small area. I have no doubt that it was fun and that it gave alot of people things to do (which you mentioned). What was the draw that brought all of the players out? Was that event more or less fun/popular that other events (and why)? Did they show up because it was an event that they wanted to participate in? Did they see an opportunity to gain skill, without the restrictions of the current ROT system?

This change does not address the real issue, that ROT is putting people off from Siege. Alone, without other ROT changes, this change will be a "flash in the pan". There will be no lasting benefits. It will become stale and most will see the Blackrock Areas as lures for griefing newer players. It offers enhanced skill gain for some skills, but not for all of them (I'd be suprised if it was even 50%, most of the crafting skills are impractical or unable to be trained there). This change should be made ONLY IF they cannot adjust the ROT system, which they already have done (twice if I recall correctly).
BG

seriously, you have no idea what your talking about. blackrock area is absolutly what seige is all about. I was there for the full event and it is only comparable to the tonokia drops event.
we had pk's and anti-pk's running into these areas and fights galore. we had crafters, tamers, pvp ppl trying to train in those areas. it was a blood bath and a most enjoyable event!

This by far is "see-able" by the new players then a timer number of ROT. The newbies see all the killing and excitement there and want to jump in on the action.

and very easy to start again i would think.

Lorddog

 

[Kat]

Not to mention that there were some players and entire guilds out there protecting and rezzing new players almost all the time! Its the perfect risk vs. reward system for SP, but what you have to remember is that not everyone is cut out for Siege, so naturally those players would find it off-putting.

 

[T'Challa]

I have not weighed in on this topic for various reasons, but I do know you guys need to come to a consensus on what you want. Right now you all look totally disjointed, and considering the dude's attitude at the "meeting," I don't think you'll see anything happening at this rate.

Also, for anything to make it into a publish schedule for third quarter, you'd have to definitively know *right now* what it's going to be. You're better off coming to a final consensus right now, give it to him, and wait for the results in the third or fourth quarter of the year. This piddly "I want something now" attitude is for two year olds.

 

[Hugibear]

Saken- Thats the problem there is already a system in place for people to get artis. Now you are right about something this system is a little broke, if you divide all silver costs by 5. Than I could see the system being able to work on this shard. As it is now those prices are too high, and they should remove the names on these artis.

I cant see someone saying they would want blackrock and than not want to join factions. It is the same mentality risk vs reward.

 

[Førsaken]

Too many people do not wish to play in factions due to stat loss and 24/7 orange.

You are right though, the faction costs are way too high, but I don't think Kat/Bruin are pushing for that.

Either way, I'm fine with the current system, but would love to see more PvP.

 

[CroakerTnT]

return blackrock. It was fun and a good way to introduce newbies to siege while letting them train up quickly.

 

[Sweeney]

So what is the status? Who sent the list, and what was in it?

 

[Dirkdiggler]

I feel we are all united in our opinions that fixing the disguise kit bugs is priority one.

 

[Sweeney]

I feel we are all united in our opinions that fixing the disguise kit bugs is priority one.

You mean how global chat shows the same id number for disguised people as well as when undisguised?

I agree with you, after all WTF is the id number used for, and why should we see it?

 

[Sweeney]

I have to add, the preceding Disguise Kit bug has nothing to do with this thread.. and if Kat and Bruin have still not agreed on who should send the list (I know they were both watching the forums) then we have deeper issues on Siege.

If we can't agree on a rep, we can't agree for anything.

 

[Kat]

UPDATE:

Bruin is handling the communications with the Producer. As he gets information, he and I discuss and then he responds. At this time we are trying to determine what, if any, of the proposed changes qualify as "low hanging fruit" and what, if any, of our proposed changes are even doable at all. Clearly, we would not want to submit anything that falls in that category.

Bruin and I are not pushing for or against any of the agreed upon items. We are simply trying to determine, with the producer, which are easiest to implement ASAP. Keep in mind that we are communicating via PM, which probably isn't the best form of communication, but its what we have to work with. Stay tuned.

 

[Sweeney]

Nothing has been sent yet? Calvin asked for one PM, and I assume he meant ASAP.

WTF is going on? We still can't make a decision?

 

[Kat]

Read the post, Sweeney. rolleyes:

 

[Sweeney]

Read the post, Sweeney. rolleyes:

Do you really want me to? Will you still post a smiley?

Kat:
"UPDATE:
Bruin is handling the communications with the Producer. As he gets information, he and I discuss and then he responds."

This says he is in continual communication with Calvin, but nobody else knows.

Kat:
"If you can't hold someone to a vague timeframe, you really shouldn't bother believing anything they say. lol"

You or Bruin didn't update anyone, even if you say you're in secret contact.

Kat, please tell me what I must have obviously missed. Then post a smiley when you can back up what you say.


If one of you has sent a PM, that's one thing. But being in "discussion and response" means that you and Bruin and Calvin lied to us.. that the Siege list wasn't just a list, but something the three of you schmooze and politic about.

I don't know how many would want you politicking and schmoozing for us.

 

[Kat]

Nothing has been sent yet? Calvin asked for one PM, and I assume he meant ASAP.

WTF is going on? We still can't make a decision?

The list was sent. It was sent back with additional questions and comments, which requires more than one PM. No one has lied, no one is politicing. Cal is the only person in a decision-making position. Bruin and I, are not. Stay tuned for further updates.

 

[Afterglow]

Reintroduce T2A Blackrock - yes
Add Siege to Shard List - yes
either Increased Bank Storage or Grandfathered Housing
Rot Timer Changes - not needed imo when blackrock area is reintroduced

I want this to stay a shard where it takes long time to build up a char.
I try to deal with its rules restrictions, if I don't want to lose great arty gear I simply don't wear it and use my one siege bless wisely.
We got imbuing that lowers the prices for nice gear already. Who does really use artis on Siege? I'd say mostly PvP players in factions with their faction arties. I'm undecided about a higher arti drop just for imbuing...
A big NO to insurance, grandfathered houses might be spawning all over the place and check once a week taking away space for Siege only starters (dichotomous scenario). Restricting them to 7x7 like mentioned in the thread before might be working.
For the developers - why not make Siege a special event shard where events take place that don't take place like that or that long on prodo shards? Although this won come and would just fulfil mine and the interests of a group of players - make Siege closer to a classic shard. You want to go classy - sure then you have to except harder skill gain, etc.

 

[HaHa]

Since you guys are the reps for us I would like to ask you to put this question out there.

What is a good way to make old players, who still love and respect the game, and miss their friends/enemies, return and play once more especially since a large number of old players monitor the forums and still hold onto several accounts? I mean think of the statement "if you build it then they will come." Now assuming thats not talking about a hoehouse (think about that one for a sec, Lulz) I am saying if they increased the population somehow, made it to where my boys came back actively to this shard, and made it to where I could **** several people off in one night, then I would return and be on every day again. It is just not worth it to me anymore and I only hold onto the accounts, which are currently being used by another player, in the hopes I one day get the urge to play again. If someone comes up with a good idea to give me that urge, I am sure other players will feel the same urge and want to try it again. Hell, a few months ago I was in vent with Arden and he made the comment " I found myself wanting to log into UO last night."

Us ex players are still out there and lurking and hoping a change comes to make us want to play again. There is just nothing in the game for me now other than the old sakey, hugi, rob, scuzzle, papi, kage, tibs, ETC. crew.

 

[eekamouse]

I'd say they could quickly change any of the following:

Change RoT from 15 to 5.
Increase Bank storage from 125 to 400.
Increase Arty drop rate across the board.
Add Siege to shard list (lol, let me see the code. I'll get it done before dawn)

All of these combined with some "lite" marketing would bring AT LEAST a short burst of new players, some of which would stay.

It seems like these could all be changed within a month if not sooner, IF!! the will of the Siege community is behind it... which it seems like it is... /shrug

I'm new here, so take all of this with a large bucket of salt.

 

[Raptor85]

Having fairly recently created my character on siege myself (i've only been on siege for what, 2 months now?) here are some big things i noticed that were...offputting..while starting a new character. (remember, new characters don't have tens of millions here, we can't just buy up enough points in SoT's to get up higher at the start)

1. RoT starts way too early, at 70 skill you still have a hard time even hitting a creature like a lizardman or an orc. Most templates need at least 4 skills to be effective (warrior = weapon + anat + tactics + healing, tamer = taming + vet + lore + magery/healing). So in reality, even at 70 skill, you can only gain around 1.2-1.3 points to each skill a day. This more or less means, first thing players have to do when joining the server, is grind orcs for a week or two just to get to the skill level to kill monsters like solen, ogres, etc.

2. NPC's don't buy items. I know this is a long running feature of siege, but lets face it, nobody is making even a reasonable amount of money looting orcs and ogres and selling the stuff to the npc blacksmith for 50 gold a piece. Personally I think it's silly, new players need a form of income that works on any monster, not just one that drops gold, especially with the increased prices on npc's

3. Soulstones, I already had quite a few of them and would KILL to be able to have them here instead of on the shard I no longer play. I understand not being able to do a full char transfer with skills and all bank items, but it would be cool if we could use an account transfer token to move over a character with no skills and all their account bound soulstones. Hell, the only reason I re-activated this account and not my older one (though only about 6 months different), is this one had 2 unclaimed vet rewards and I had already claimed them all on my old main account.

4. Housing - not for me but i could see this being an issue, my houses had all collapsed long ago (a few keeps and 18x18s, loaded with artys and most had their roof paved with 1mil gold checks, they were a nice find for someone). A lot of things have been suggested (larger bank boxes, 5 day decay "old style" housing, etc..) but it is an issue in cross-sharding and does hold back people who otherwise might actually want to play here.

One thing i think everyone can agree on though, siege really does need to be added onto the shard list already, it annoyed me personally lately, I tried to get a few friends into the game using old cd keys I owned. (I had wayyyy too many UO accounts back in the day..) and one of them, an AOS key, was actually unused. To get onto siege, we had to create the account, pick a different shard, go through the full character creation, spawn in new haven, say "I revoke my young player status", log out in an inn, find siege on the list, and go through the character creation again :/

 

[AEowynSP]

I think that's a great simple short list and I am behind all of the changes.

I also want to take a moment to thank Kat and Bruin for doing a great job trying to improve our little pixel world.

 

[nightstalker22]

1. RoT starts way too early, at 70 skill you still have a hard time even hitting a creature like a lizardman or an orc. Most templates need at least 4 skills to be effective (warrior = weapon + anat + tactics + healing, tamer = taming + vet + lore + magery/healing). So in reality, even at 70 skill, you can only gain around 1.2-1.3 points to each skill a day. This more or less means, first thing players have to do when joining the server, is grind orcs for a week or two just to get to the skill level to kill monsters like solen, ogres, etc.

Excellent point. I would agree with delaying ROT until 80 perhaps.
ROT was started before Powerscrolls came about, and was intended to allow you to train 70% of your skill before it started, now, with the advent of powerscrolls, ROT is starting at 58.3% of your total training.

I propose starting ROT at 70% of total cap, as was intended.

Skills that cant powerscroll any higher would start ROT at 70, as that is 70% total training. All skills will start at 70 unless a powerscroll is consumed. If consumed, ROT will be delayed a bit, as follows:

105 scroll - ROT starts at 73.5
110 scroll - ROT starts at 77.0
115 scroll - ROT starts at 80.5
120 scroll - ROT starts at 84.0

All of these values are 70% of total training. It would increase the value of Powerscrolls for warrior skills, as they can gain faster before starting the ROT process. It would cause blacksmith, tailoring, and imbuing Powerscrolls to be consumed later, as they can save resources by starting ROT sooner.

 

[Arden]

Hell, a few months ago I was in vent with Arden and he made the comment " I found myself wanting to log into UO last night."

Tis true! I could care less about the gear/arties/skill gain. I just want people to pwn. HA!

-Make all flag'd players unable to enter a house.
-Make all pets do only 10% dmg to players
-Artifacts purchasable (which i think is already in place with silver?)

Welcome back from the dead siege

 

[Sparta08]

if grandfathered housing means players from other shards can now build houses on siege as well.. then id vote that for the easiest/most important fix if we had to choose just 1.

My second vote is for easier artis on siege which would help increase pvp and player base and maybe even make gauntlet a new "hot spot"

 

[Duke TNT]

-Make all flag'd players unable to enter a house.

This is already true. If you are flagged on someone, you cannot go in a house or go through a moongate.

-Artifacts purchasable (which i think is already in place with silver?).

You can buy arties with silver only if you are in factions. The ones you buy have the characters name on them and can only be worn by that character.


As I was reading through this thread, there was a couple things I thought of to say but I am far too lazy to go back and find the specific post so I will paraphrase.

Someone asked how many new players actually start to play a 13 year old game (this was asked when the importance of Siege on the shard list was being discussed). I know 4 people who have started playing UO (not just Siege) in the last 6 or so months, myself included. Since you can't see Siege in the shard list, I assume there are many more characters that start on prodo that we dont know about. That brings me to the next thing.

Putting Siege on the shard list is an absolute must IMO. If you think about being new to the entire game, you have absolutely no idea how anything works and it is very overwhelming. Not only would you not even know Siege exists, but you would not know how to 'revoke your young player status,' you would not know you have to be in an inn to log out immediately, and you would not even know where an inn is (assuming you know inns exist in game). Since you don't know any of this, you wander around New Haven looking for someone who isn't AFK and who isn't going to call you a newb for asking beginner questions. If you last this long, you start a character, get a house and establish yourself there. After all this time spent, you are not going to want to give it up to try out Siege. Which brings up housing.

I had an idea on how 'grandfathered housing' should work:
Houses on a person's 'home shard' (ie. the shard where the current house is located) will be 'grandfathered' for a certain amount of time (say 5 months) after the character places a house on a different shard (Siege or not). In that 5 months, the house on the home shard, will stay standing and will not require refreshing. The new house, will NOT be grandfathered - it will work in the current system. After that 5 months, the house that is not grandfathered (the one on the new shard) will fall and the old house (on the home shard) will no longer be 'grandfathered' - it will revert back to how it is now. If the player decides to stay on the new shard, they will have to demolish the house on the old shard before the 5 months is up. If a third house is placed on any shard, BOTH the 'grandfathered' house AND the second house will fall. To prevent people from demolishing and reconstructing a new house every 5 months (to keep the grandfathered house standing indefinitely), the account can only have one grandfathered house once every 12 months (or some other amount of time).
.....just an idea.

I agree with the people who say blackrock should be introduced only if the changed to ROT are made. Although the blackrock area would be fun and would bring a few new players, it will not bring as many as we need to get to keep the shard alive. The problem is ROT and the blackrock area is a bandaid. Once changes to ROT are made, it would be good to introduce blackrock for the existing players amusement.

An increase in arty drop I am indifferent to so I won't add to the length of this post any more. Sorry it is so long lol.

 

[Kage]

I'm pretty sure Arden meant flagged in general. Because that was one of the main things we hated about TNT/BG back in the day. They would never flag and would just fight out of their house.

I think they should be able to go in the house once but if they exit the house or attack someone while inside a house they should then become flagged, and kicked outside. That would eliminate "House Fighting".

 

[Draxous]

I would consider the increased bank storage and grandfathered housing to be and either/or option. I am probably wrong on that, but I would like some clarification on what 'grandfathered housing' would actually mean?

1. Would it mean if we had a house on prodo and a house on Siege both houses would need to be manually refreshed?
2. Would it mean if we had a house on prodo and a house on Siege one would be 'primary' and not need refreshing, but the other one did?
3. Would it mean that every house on Siege had to be manually refreshed? That would royally screw up anyone relying on the 90 days before it falls scenario.
4. Would it mean that if you had only one house on an account nothing would change and that house only falls if the account is inactive.

As someone with one of the few if even the only known grandfathered houses on Siege. I do not support grandfathered housing at all.

I have sacrificed A LOT to keep my grandfathered house status. Ive given up the idea of ever owning a castle. I would have loved to have dropped my L shape house and placed a bigger house that I could customize. I couldn't even customize my house because it's an L shape. I couldn't relocate my homes on Siege because of my grandfather status. I couldn't relocate my homes on atlantic. I haven't been allowed or able to upgrade my homes for more storage... not once in the last 8 years. I've been stuck with what I have while others placed castles in better locations. While others placed vendor houses next to moongates. While others placed and sold homes for profit while I sat with mine.

I gave up a lot to keep what I had because it is special. That was the trade off.

So we should just give everyone the ability to have what I have? They don't need to sacrifice a thing to have it, like I have for the past 8 YEARS? Yeah... no.

Unless something is presented to me that doesn't destroy the YEARS of work and sacrifices I had to go through to have what I have... no way. And this will not bring new players so no thanks time 2.

buh bye.

 

[Draxous]

The devs requested that we get back to them on of all the changes we requested, which ones were the meaningful changes that we felt could be accomplished quickly. The changes we requested were:

Reintroduce T2A Blackrock
Add Siege to Shard List
Increased Bank Storage
Increased Arti and Cursed Arties
Grandfathered Housing
Second Character SLot
Rot Timer Changes


Discuss....

No:

No to blackrock unless it's the last thing on the list.
No to grandfathered housing, period.
No to RoT timer changes, only thing I'll support is removal of daily cap.

Yes:

Passive detect.
Boosted monster loot (not just arti/cursed arties, but all named loot.)

Sure to Siege on the shard list.
Sure to 2nd character slot.

But adding siege to shard list or a 2nd character slot does not address a single game play issue. This shard isn't enough fun to play AS IT IS and those two things do NOTHING to make it more fun. So I care not if they go in or stay out.

 

[Kat]

No:

No to blackrock unless it's the last thing on the list.
No to grandfathered housing, period.
No to RoT timer changes, only thing I'll support is removal of daily cap.

Yes:

Passive detect.
Boosted monster loot (not just arti/cursed arties, but all named loot.)

Sure to Siege on the shard list.
Sure to 2nd character slot.

But adding siege to shard list or a 2nd character slot does not address a single game play issue. This shard isn't enough fun to play AS IT IS and those two things do NOTHING to make it more fun. So I care not if they go in or stay out.

Draxous - This is an old thread that was posted right after the Siege meeting with Cal at Luna bank. Since a good number of the items in the OP were shot down, we moved on to other ideas which were presented to the community in another thread.

If mods can lock this thread, I think it would be helpful in cutting down on some confusion and keep further discussion in threads that are current.

 

[Petra Fyde]

Yup, I can do that.

​

 

[HaHa]

I say fix the problem with stealthers.

 

[Petra Fyde]

Bah, what stealther picked the lock?