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EC functionality and CC play window size discussion pulled out of publish 92 thread

DJAd

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Save yourself some stress, switch to the working client for a while until the devs fix those EC features. They may be letting the EC go the way of the Third Dawn client for all we know and not be giving a hearty heigh ho about it.
I like to move forward not backwards.
 

Tanivar

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I like to move forward not backwards.
The EC was presented as forwards and could well have been, but it is junk and those obsessed with the idea of anything new is forwards have to accept that. Compare the two for crying out loud. :rolleyes:
 

BeaIank

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Campaign Supporter
I run a 4K monitor. I enjoy being able to see the game play area.
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
I run a 4K monitor. I enjoy being able to see the game play area.
I play the CC full screen except a little edge on the side and bottom. I've explained it several time how to set up UO and windows. But I get tired of telling people. I have a large monitor and UO looks like it does below and I find it very acceptable. I'm sure you can imagine what that looks like full screen. It's a VERY large play window.

Untitled12.jpg
 

Hannes Erich

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I play the CC full screen except a little edge on the side and bottom. I've explained it several time how to set up UO and windows. But I get tired of telling people. I have a large monitor and UO looks like it does below and I find it very acceptable. I'm sure you can imagine what that looks like full screen. It's a VERY large play window.

View attachment 44190
Increasing the size of the play window like you've done is not the same as increasing the size of its resolution. Your play window (the part of the UI showing the actual game world) is still only 800x600; you've merely decreased your monitor's resolution, thus making each pixel appear larger, thereby inflating the play window.

If you had actually increased the play window's resolution, say, to 1024x768 or larger (which is impossible to do outside of the EC without unapproved third-party programs), then you would be able to see more of your castle within the play window. Understand?

I can get the CC play window to fill most of my 1920x1080 monitor too if I want, but not without making it blurry, so I'll admit I'm impressed by the sharpness of your picture (feel free to link to one of your earlier explanations). But you should know that the solution you're offering has nothing to do with the problem most people are discussing.
 

Arroth Thaiel

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Save yourself some stress, switch to the working client for a while until the devs fix those EC features. They may be letting the EC go the way of the Third Dawn client for all we know and not be giving a hearty heigh ho about it.
Hey Tanivar, here is a link for you where the people who are actually building the game talk about their plans for the clients. It is actually the opposite of what you and many others keep claiming.

Discussion of the clients starts at 29 min and 10 sec.

Spam Spam Spam Humbug 28 - Ultima Online

Repeating something that is untrue, won't make it true, no matter how many times you do it.

Good luck though!
 

Tanivar

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Hey Tanivar, here is a link for you where the people who are actually building the game talk about their plans for the clients. It is actually the opposite of what you and many others keep claiming.
And it's likely the all bark and no bite they keep handing us about it. It all sounds good, and will keep on sounding good into the next century if UO lasts that long. Don't hold your breath.


Repeating something that is untrue, won't make it true, no matter how many times you do it.

Good luck though!
Given the EC has been around in it's condition for seven or eight years while all that bull is being spouted by the devs it's a lot of proof for my viewpoint. Keep buying the bull from the devs old chap, keep buying the bull.
 

Parnoc

Certifiable
Governor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Increasing the size of the play window like you've done is not the same as increasing the size of its resolution. Your play window (the part of the UI showing the actual game world) is still only 800x600; you've merely decreased your monitor's resolution, thus making each pixel appear larger, thereby inflating the play window.

If you had actually increased the play window's resolution, say, to 1024x768 or larger (which is impossible to do outside of the EC without unapproved third-party programs), then you would be able to see more of your castle within the play window. Understand?

I can get the CC play window to fill most of my 1920x1080 monitor too if I want, but not without making it blurry, so I'll admit I'm impressed by the sharpness of your picture (feel free to link to one of your earlier explanations). But you should know that the solution you're offering has nothing to do with the problem most people are discussing.
You DO NOT have to lower your computers resolution folks if you have Win 7 or 10. Play and experiment with the "make text bigger" options, you'll find the correct size for CC for your style without sacrificing the resolution.
 

MalagAste

Belaern d'Zhaunil
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
And it's likely the all bark and no bite they keep handing us about it. It all sounds good, and will keep on sounding good into the next century if UO lasts that long. Don't hold your breath.




Given the EC has been around in it's condition for seven or eight years while all that bull is being spouted by the devs it's a lot of proof for my viewpoint. Keep buying the bull from the devs old chap, keep buying the bull.
The EC in it's present state has only been this way for a year or two... Since they updated the "base UI" after hiring Pinco for a short while. In their doing so they somehow managed to graft all Pinco's updates onto some ancient copy of the EC which brought back tons of bugs that had been squashed. Those bugs keep popping back up now.

They have stated several times that they are NOT going to update anything in the CC. Sorry Charlie. You are in the dead client.
 

DJAd

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Given the EC has been around in it's condition for seven or eight years while all that bull is being spouted by the devs it's a lot of proof for my viewpoint.
The EC had a whole new UI in 2014!!! Just remind me again when the classic client got a new "feature" let alone a whole re-build?

It quite clear from the podcast they will continue to support the CC but any new features etc. will be coming out for the enhanced.
 

Thrakkar

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I play the CC full screen except a little edge on the side and bottom. I've explained it several time how to set up UO and windows. But I get tired of telling people. I have a large monitor and UO looks like it does below and I find it very acceptable. I'm sure you can imagine what that looks like full screen. It's a VERY large play window.
Going full screen on a big screen doesn't make the image crisper. You end up with lego-sized blocks as pixels. Yeah, the pixels itself might be crisp, but the image is not, it is just, well... pixelated...

You DO NOT have to lower your computers resolution folks if you have Win 7 or 10. Play and experiment with the "make text bigger" options, you'll find the correct size for CC for your style without sacrificing the resolution.
Yeah, but it doesn't scale like with a nearest neighbour scaling algorithm. It interpolates and thus is getting blurry. If that is better than a smaller resolution, is debatable.


Nevertheless, I for myself do not really care if a pixel is a thumb-sized grease spot or a lego-sized block. Neither of it is a really satisfying solution but rather just a dirty workaround. For me the EC is the only solution for that, even when taking all those other issues into account, that client has (and most probably will have for a long time).
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Going full screen on a big screen doesn't make the image crisper. You end up with lego-sized blocks as pixels. Yeah, the pixels itself might be crisp, but the image is not, it is just, well... pixelated...


Yeah, but it doesn't scale like with a nearest neighbour scaling algorithm. It interpolates and thus is getting blurry. If that is better than a smaller resolution, is debatable.


Nevertheless, I for myself do not really care if a pixel is a thumb-sized grease spot or a lego-sized block. Neither of it is a really satisfying solution but rather just a dirty workaround. For me the EC is the only solution for that, even when taking all those other issues into account, that client has (and most probably will have for a long time).
Does my screen shot look pixelated or blurry? I assure you it is very crisp in game. That screen shot is taken from full screen. I have a large monitor. Now maybe if you blow that picture up to full screen it might not look as good. But that would be because microsoft paint lost some crispness working with the picture. My point is you don't half to play in a little window that takes up a quarter of your screen. I have a large image on a large monitor to play on that is very pleasing. Now as some say if it was done some other way I might see more of my castle. Well I really don't care. That's the way the game was made. Making the play window much larger doesn't cut into the space of the original game. EC for me is not an option, I'll never use it. If the EC would show "more of my castle" I don't really know nor will I ever know. So I do what I can do and I'm very happy with it. Just think of that screen shot being full screen on a large monitor and very crisp, not blurry at all. That's how I play the game for better or worse. Now if you have some old monitor that isn't a flat screen I don't know what it looks like, but this is the same method I've always used. If they want to add feature to the CC with resolution and such I think that's great.
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Increasing the size of the play window like you've done is not the same as increasing the size of its resolution. Your play window (the part of the UI showing the actual game world) is still only 800x600; you've merely decreased your monitor's resolution, thus making each pixel appear larger, thereby inflating the play window.

If you had actually increased the play window's resolution, say, to 1024x768 or larger (which is impossible to do outside of the EC without unapproved third-party programs), then you would be able to see more of your castle within the play window. Understand?

I can get the CC play window to fill most of my 1920x1080 monitor too if I want, but not without making it blurry, so I'll admit I'm impressed by the sharpness of your picture (feel free to link to one of your earlier explanations). But you should know that the solution you're offering has nothing to do with the problem most people are discussing.
The problem as I see it is people are playing the game in a tiny window. I'm saying you don't have to do that. Thank you for the monitor/resolution lesson 101 ;) Kids probably get that in the second grade these days. Of course it's the same resolution. I haven't hacked the client. My monitor is like a 23" and I don't experience it being blurry at all. Certainly no where near EC bad. I've even used this set up on a 55" HDTV and it didn't look bad at all. It might not be as crisp as a tiny window but I think it looks great. You could search for my larger play window instructions as easy as I, I'm not having an issue ;) Now if UO wants to give the CC client better resolutions, that's great. I work with what I have. But I think it's great. And yes I am taking the same resolution or crispness, and making that larger. By definition it would lose some crispness. But I don't notice it and it looks great to me. I just want a larger game window cause I can't play on a tiny window. I use decent equipment, like nvidia cards and such, but I doubt this makes much difference cause it's the way I've done it since like 1998.
 
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Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Okay I'll be nice. I've had my coffee now :) You can find it in this thread. Why don't they just make 2D in hi-res? 2016 Naturally better resolutions and options for the CC would be awesome. Until then though I work with what I have and I'm really happy with this. It's large and crisp and I like it very much! I'd love to see and extra 3" of the castle or whatever but this works great for me as things are now. These settings are to the best of my memory. There might be another step or 2.
 
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Tanivar

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
They have stated several times that they are NOT going to update anything in the CC. Sorry Charlie. You are in the dead client.
It quite clear from the podcast they will continue to support the CC but any new features etc. will be coming out for the enhanced.
Must be why the number of CC users is dropping, their leaving the game because only the trash EC is getting features and so the bottom line of UO's profit shrinks. Someone at EA has their head so far up their rump they can see daylight.

The EC in it's present state has only been this way for a year or two... Since they updated the "base UI" after hiring Pinco for a short while. In their doing so they somehow managed to graft all Pinco's updates onto some ancient copy of the EC which brought back tons of bugs that had been squashed. Those bugs keep popping back up now.
The EC had a whole new UI in 2014!!! Just remind me again when the classic client got a new "feature" let alone a whole re-build?
You referring to that whole new UI in 2014 you EC users are all complaining about? It certainly desperately needed the attempt to unfubar it didn't it.

The CC doesn't need a complete rebuild, they got it right the first time so why bother rebuilding it. Like the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 

Thrakkar

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Does my screen shot look pixelated or blurry? I assure you it is very crisp in game.
You absolutely didn't understand, what i was saying.
I said that, a single pixel looks crisp. A perfect square with cristpy edges. No blur.
But a resolution of 1024x768 on a 30" has pixels, which are almost 1mm by 1mm in size. That's huge. And exactly those in-your-face pixels make it pixelated...

In computer graphics, pixelation (or pixellation in British English) is caused by displaying a bitmap or a section of a bitmap at such a large size that individual pixels, small single-colored square display elements that comprise the bitmap, are visible. Such an image is said to be pixelated (pixellated in the UK).
Pixelation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
You absolutely didn't understand, what i was saying.
I said that, a single pixel looks crisp. A perfect square with cristpy edges. No blur.
But a resolution of 1024x768 on a 30" has pixels, which are almost 1mm by 1mm in size. That's huge. And exactly those in-your-face pixels make it pixelated...


Pixelation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I fully understand. Maybe you don't? It might be pixelated by definition. But if you can't see it or tell it with the human eye what does it matter? I have a large unpixelated (looking) game window on a monitor that is around 23" (and I've done it on a 55" HDTV and that looked good too), that's all I care about. I've fully understood what you said from the beginning. Better CC resolutions would be better. More pixels is better. But that's not an option now. But I'm not having any issue with what I do. If you have pixel problems with your 30" being pixelated looking I don't know what to tell ya. You can use words, definitions, and all the symmetry you want, all I care about is how it looks to my eye. If it looks crisp and clear to my eye I really don't care if there's one or a trillion pixels there. It doesn't matter. Working with what I got and I love it. Should BS work on resolutions, pixels, windowed mode or whatever? Sure that would be great. But until that happens I'm good. I suppose the screen shot I posted is too blurry for ya? I gotta think you have like Superman vision lol. Good for you! Naturally the screen shot isn't as crisp as what I actually see on my monitor, MS paint isn't exactly high tech. The pic I posted above fills my entire screen and looks awesome. It's a work around for people that don't like playing with a tiny game window. That's all it is.
 
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petemage

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
The EC in it's present state has only been this way for a year or two... Since they updated the "base UI" after hiring Pinco for a short while. In their doing so they somehow managed to graft all Pinco's updates onto some ancient copy of the EC which brought back tons of bugs that had been squashed. Those bugs keep popping back up now.
Exactly. I know not everyone is in the position to go that route, but I personally saved myself a copy of the old UI and am still running it with my personal additions.

Normal moongate gumps, normal vendor search gumps, no bloat, no crashes.

The revamp of the EC UI was as usual something the team was not really commited to. Pinco added so many UI bloat, my eyes were bleeding. Also its obvious that for example Bonnie has no interest in the EC at all. Im not sure about the actual Developer(s).
 

Hannes Erich

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The problem as I see it is people are playing the game in a tiny window. I'm saying you don't have to do that. Thank you for the monitor/resolution lesson 101 ;) Kids probably get that in the second grade these days.
You clearly understand the relationship between pixel size and resolution size (congratulations, because grown men and women in these discussions often don't). But "the problem as you see it" (your words) is still apples to oranges for any of us discussing the game's outdated play window resolution.

You just walked into a room where a bunch of players are discussing the play window's resolution, and then started explaining how to adjust your monitor resolution.

You've offered a superficial alleviation for the "postage stamp" dilemma the game faces today (thank you for that link), but that doesn't address the technical issue that Broadsword mentioned in their most recent newsletter.

You can't improve the play window's resolution by fiddling with your monitor. Many players have requested a larger play window resolution over the years. 1024x768, unsupported by the game, actually rose and fell as a native standard during the game's lifetime. That's pretty extraordinary in terms of putting off quality of life features.

By the way, I believe the game initially launched with only a 640x480 resolution play window. So there might actually be a precedent for improving the CC's UI.
I'd love to see and extra 3" of the castle or whatever but this works great for me as things are now.
3" does not even begin to describe it, but I understand that many CC users may not have enough context to appreciate.

A player recently attempted to compare pictures of the same in-game location using the EC and CC. But critics of the EC conveniently used the art and UI elements in the pictures (which are customizable and removable to begin with) to sidestep the discussion about the play window's resolution. I honestly don't think they intended to do that, but clearly, the only way to show you would be for a player to use an unapproved program with the CC, set to various sizes (1024x768, 1366x768 (tablet sized), 1680x1050, 1920x1080, etc); then go to your castle, stand on the same location as you, and have both of you take screenshots. Then post those screenshots on the forum for comparison. (Without mentioning the name of the unapproved program, obviously.)

Or to put it another way...

:postpics:
 
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Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
You clearly understand the relationship between pixel size and resolution size (congratulations, because grown men and women in these discussions often don't). But "the problem as you see it" (your words) is still apples to oranges for any of us discussing the game's outdated play window resolution.

You just walked into a room where a bunch of players are discussing the play window's resolution, and then started explaining how to adjust your monitor resolution.

You've offered a superficial alleviation for the "postage stamp" dilemma the game faces today (thank you for that link), but that doesn't address the technical issue that Broadsword mentioned in their most recent newsletter.

You can't improve the play window's resolution by fiddling with your monitor. Many players have requested a larger play window resolution over the years. 1024x768, unsupported by the game, actually rose and fell as a native standard during the game's lifetime. That's pretty extraordinary in terms of putting off quality of life features.

By the way, I believe the game initially launched with only a 640x480 resolution play window. So there might actually be a precedent for improving the CC's UI.


3" does not even begin to describe it, but I understand that many CC users may not have enough context to appreciate.

A player recently attempted to compare pictures of the same in-game location using the EC and CC. But critics of the EC conveniently used the art and UI elements in the pictures (which are customizable and removable to begin with) to sidestep the discussion about the play window's resolution. I honestly don't think they intended to do that, but clearly, the only way to show you would be for a player to use an unapproved program with the CC, set to various sizes (1024x768, 1366x768 (tablet sized), 1680x1050, 1920x1080, etc); then go to your castle, stand on the same location as you, and have both of you take screenshots. Then post those screenshots on the forum for comparison. (Without mentioning the name of the unapproved program, obviously.)

Or to put it another way...

:postpics:
I'm all for BS working on the resolution. 100 percent behind it. I'm just saying not many people seem to know about my work around, band aid approach. Which I found surprising. Just trying to be helpful in the mean time. I'm not saying this solution is the best solution, it's just dealing with what we currently have. I'm not saying my work around is better than having the issue addressed by the devs. It's not. I just wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to address it :) It's a possible alternative for now. But I've enlightened many people who thought they were forced to view UO in the CC with a tiny window that takes 1/4 of their screen with a massive black area. They found my way better than what they were doing. I'm a CC fan so I promote it in any way I can. A major flaw with my set up is UO must be played full screen. Many people won't play UO without their task bar visible. So my method certainly isn't close to perfect, just the best thing we have currently for the way I play. Sorry I discussed resolutions in a resolution thread ;) People really don't give a rats butt about "resolution". They care about the game looking the way they want and being able to do the things they want when using the client. Mine is one alternative.
 
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Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
You clearly understand the relationship between pixel size and resolution size (congratulations, because grown men and women in these discussions often don't). But "the problem as you see it" (your words) is still apples to oranges for any of us discussing the game's outdated play window resolution.

You just walked into a room where a bunch of players are discussing the play window's resolution, and then started explaining how to adjust your monitor resolution.

You've offered a superficial alleviation for the "postage stamp" dilemma the game faces today (thank you for that link), but that doesn't address the technical issue that Broadsword mentioned in their most recent newsletter.

You can't improve the play window's resolution by fiddling with your monitor. Many players have requested a larger play window resolution over the years. 1024x768, unsupported by the game, actually rose and fell as a native standard during the game's lifetime. That's pretty extraordinary in terms of putting off quality of life features.

By the way, I believe the game initially launched with only a 640x480 resolution play window. So there might actually be a precedent for improving the CC's UI.


3" does not even begin to describe it, but I understand that many CC users may not have enough context to appreciate.

A player recently attempted to compare pictures of the same in-game location using the EC and CC. But critics of the EC conveniently used the art and UI elements in the pictures (which are customizable and removable to begin with) to sidestep the discussion about the play window's resolution. I honestly don't think they intended to do that, but clearly, the only way to show you would be for a player to use an unapproved program with the CC, set to various sizes (1024x768, 1366x768 (tablet sized), 1680x1050, 1920x1080, etc); then go to your castle, stand on the same location as you, and have both of you take screenshots. Then post those screenshots on the forum for comparison. (Without mentioning the name of the unapproved program, obviously.)

Or to put it another way...

:postpics:
BTW You brought it up. I supplied my pic. I'm assuming you don't want me to go find pics for you :p
 

Hannes Erich

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
But you didn't very clearly present your monitor resolution tip as a band-aid approach, did you (maybe an apt description of it)? Bealank said, "I run a 4K monitor. I enjoy being able to see the game play area." To which you replied, "I've explained it several times how to set up UO and windows. But I get tired of telling people. I have a large monitor and UO looks like it does below and I find it very acceptable." Which either suggests that you thought your monitor adjustment was actually somehow a fix for the play window resolution, or suggests you were unsure about the technical differences between the two.

Either way--and this paragraph should be your takeaway--you sidestepped Bealank's primary concern, game play area. Your monitor resolution adjustment is incapable of providing Bealank with more game play area. Understand? In other words, no matter how much of your monitor you've managed to fill by inflating the size of the game's pixels, you've still got the same game play area.

When someone asks for more game play area, and you offer them a monitor adjustment, the danger is that many reading, less technically inclined, will think that you've solved the problem that was originally brought up.

By the way, this isn't a resolution thread. Read the title. We're actually very off-topic. That's why @Yadd of Legends posted his complaint, and why I reported our posts in the meantime to ask for a thread split. (Edit: thanks @Captn Norrington!)
 
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Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
But you didn't very clearly present your monitor resolution tip as a band-aid approach, did you (maybe an apt description of it)? Bealank said, "I run a 4K monitor. I enjoy being able to see the game play area." To which you replied, "I've explained it several times how to set up UO and windows. But I get tired of telling people. I have a large monitor and UO looks like it does below and I find it very acceptable." Which either suggests that you thought your monitor adjustment was actually somehow a fix for the play window resolution, or suggests you were unsure about the technical differences between the two.

Either way--and this paragraph should be your takeaway--you sidestepped Bealank's primary concern, game play area. Your monitor resolution adjustment is incapable of providing Bealank with more game play area. Understand? In other words, no matter how much of your monitor you've managed to fill by inflating the size of the game's pixels, you've still got the same game play area.

When someone asks for more game play area, and you offer them a monitor adjustment, the danger is that many reading, less technically inclined, will think that you've solved the problem that was originally brought up.

By the way, this isn't a resolution thread. Read the title. We're actually very off-topic. That's why @Yadd of Legends posted his complaint, and why I reported our posts in the meantime to ask for a thread split.
Okay so you feel better now? My way is a larger game play area and your pursuit is also a larger game play area depends on how you want to look at it. If something is 2 or 3 times larger, it's a larger game play area. You want an addition to what's normally seen and that can be a larger game play area also. I took it one way and you took it another. No biggie. Try to calm down :) A lot of folks don't like the small window in the CC and think it's the only option, it's not. All I'm saying or said. If that hurts the EC with people going back to the CC I'm heart broken (Not!). My general thoughts are if your waiting for BS to address this I wouldn't hold my breath. I'm just dealing with reality here. Djad's post is following the same path as mine if you care to look at it. The one with the hidden pic.

EDIT: Just actually went back and looked at it. She said "I run a 4K monitor. I enjoy being able to see the game play area." Which is dead on to what I was talking about. Think your train left the track on this. At worst it's just however one read it.
 
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Hannes Erich

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
My way is a larger game play area and your pursuit is also a larger game play area depends on how you want to look at it. If something is 2 or 3 times larger, it's a larger game play area. You want an addition to what's normally seen and that can be a larger game play area also. I took it one way and you took it another. No biggie.
It actually is kind of a biggie, because over the years, the same complaints about resolution have come up again and again, and for years I've had a nagging feeling that many players are talking past each other about two very different technical problems without realizing it:

(1) The area, or distance of game world viewable in their play window, and (2) the area, or length and width of their monitor covered up by the play window.

This is the first time I've attempted to address that predicament and suss it out for people reading. Only Bealank could answer which one of us has most directly addressed what he or she means by "game play area." You are entirely correct in how that phrase can go both ways.

While it is somewhat frustrating, it's not you whom I'm frustrated with. This conversation proves my suspicions about how extraordinarily difficult it is to make someone realize players are almost always having two different conversations whenever game resolution comes up. The terms people use to describe these issues are almost exactly the same.

:wall:
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
It actually is kind of a biggie, because over the years, the same complaints about resolution have come up again and again, and for years I've had a nagging feeling that many players are talking past each other about two very different technical problems without realizing it:

(1) The area, or distance of game world viewable in their play window, and (2) the area, or length and width of their monitor covered up by the game.

This is the first time I've attempted to address that predicament and suss it out for people reading. Only Bealank could answer which one of us has most directly addressed what he or she means by "game play area." You are entirely correct in how that phrase can go both ways.

While it is somewhat frustrating, it's not you whom I'm frustrated with. This conversation proves my suspicions about how extraordinarily difficult it is to make someone realize players are almost always having two different conversations whenever game resolution comes up. The terms people use to describe these issues are almost exactly the same.

:wall:
We're good! :thumbup: I'm done :)
 

Goodmann

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The EC had a whole new UI in 2014!!! Just remind me again when the classic client got a new "feature" let alone a whole re-build?

It quite clear from the podcast they will continue to support the CC but any new features etc. will be coming out for the enhanced.
if they come out with new features for the EC and ignore the CC then it might be time for the CC users to move on but again thats 3/4 of the people that play this game
 

CovenantX

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UNLEASHED
Dunno what you are talking about :grin::grin:

This is full scale classic at 4096 x 2160.

At least there is room for a few extra paperdolls and health bars I suppose.

Gameboy OP !
 

Dol'Gorath

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I like to move forward not backwards.
I don't see why they can't just import the 2D art assets into the EC and add a toggle to what art the player wants to see. The main sticking point between the two clients is the art, so just merge in the art and no more need for two clients.

Maybe also a toggle for classic-style macros/keybinds.
 

grimiz

Sage
Stratics Veteran
I'm a big supporter of EC, but even I would find it pretty unplayable without my own mods... I've grown to accept most of the EC graphics, but I wouldn't mind the graphics being the same as CC and I understand why other people feel that way.

Untitled-1.jpg
 

Larisa

Publishing Manager, Stratics Leadership
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UNLEASHED
You clearly understand the relationship between pixel size and resolution size (congratulations, because grown men and women in these discussions often don't). But "the problem as you see it" (your words) is still apples to oranges for any of us discussing the game's outdated play window resolution.

You just walked into a room where a bunch of players are discussing the play window's resolution, and then started explaining how to adjust your monitor resolution.

You've offered a superficial alleviation for the "postage stamp" dilemma the game faces today (thank you for that link), but that doesn't address the technical issue that Broadsword mentioned in their most recent newsletter.

You can't improve the play window's resolution by fiddling with your monitor. Many players have requested a larger play window resolution over the years. 1024x768, unsupported by the game, actually rose and fell as a native standard during the game's lifetime. That's pretty extraordinary in terms of putting off quality of life features.

By the way, I believe the game initially launched with only a 640x480 resolution play window. So there might actually be a precedent for improving the CC's UI.


3" does not even begin to describe it, but I understand that many CC users may not have enough context to appreciate.

A player recently attempted to compare pictures of the same in-game location using the EC and CC. But critics of the EC conveniently used the art and UI elements in the pictures (which are customizable and removable to begin with) to sidestep the discussion about the play window's resolution. I honestly don't think they intended to do that, but clearly, the only way to show you would be for a player to use an unapproved program with the CC, set to various sizes (1024x768, 1366x768 (tablet sized), 1680x1050, 1920x1080, etc); then go to your castle, stand on the same location as you, and have both of you take screenshots. Then post those screenshots on the forum for comparison. (Without mentioning the name of the unapproved program, obviously.)

Or to put it another way...

:postpics:
I did it a much simpler way lol

Instead of taking screenshots, I took actual pictures of my monitor with both the CC and EC running in the same location.

I haven't messed with resolution or anything in the EC as I really don't use it, this is just downloaded and logged in, I have a 18 inch monitor.

Now I am not arguing one way or the other. I am a strictly CC user, I use the EC for 2 things..Hue ID and to save my journal for reporting purposes.

First lets take a look at the log-in screens. Remember these are actual pictures, not screen grabs so no altering has been done lol.


my setup in the CC


Same thing in the EC



Just so those of you who either do not use the EC or do not use the CC can compare at least a portion of what is being discussed.

There are pro's and con's to each client and everyone has their own reasons as to why they chose to play in one or the other.
 

HoneythornGump

Lore Keeper
Stratics Veteran
The CC looks absolutely awful: Thanks CC, Mesanna, and Dev team for supporting a client that can't attract any new players, and only appeases the Jurassics, who slowly close their accounts via attrition.

Ironically, You can barely tell which client is which is which looking at the screenshots above. Yet the juruassics still won't switch.:talktothehand:

Let's incorporate the CC graphics into the EC? They already have, in an attempt to try and get the Jurassics to switch over, hence why the EC looks so bad.

It's travesty (continuing to support the Crap Client).
 

Modoc

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I like to move forward not backwards.
I never have understood the debate between CC and EC. If you like CC well Right on for you, if your into EC well go Rocket Man. Our greatest Gift was the Freedom of Choice. Take a moment to be thankful we even have the choice between CC and EC.

P.S. thanx to all that posted the Tech. Tips, Best of the whole Thread so far. :thumbup1:
 

HoneythornGump

Lore Keeper
Stratics Veteran
There's not much to debate...

Supporting an antiquated client has put Ultima Online into obscurity...

The game cannot attract new players because of it, and is therefore left to die a slow death.

The classic Client is a noose around UOs neck.

The ship has sailed...of that there is no doubt.

I'll continue to chime in these threads because it didn't have to be this way.

Had they not catered to the jurassics. They could have breathed some life into UO by supporting a client with a modern UI with high resolution despite the jurassics crying 'foul'.

Your gonna throw UO on steam with the classic client graphics!?

It's gonna be another epic fail. One that those in charge of the game can later can point to and say.."okay let's pull the plug."

I wonder if the jurassics are still running windows 95?

The jurassics who think the game looks good are living in la la land (1997).

I don't care what your window size is...

The classic client is an abomination.
 

sirion

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
This debate is much like wide-screen vs full-screen.

What people should want for CC is "longer visibility of in-game distance". Currently the toon's top side only shows 6.5 tiles, bottom (7.5 tiles), and left/right side is 9 tiles. Top/Bottom are the worst blind spots, hard to see/target mobs when your toon is at this position. Zoom-in/out or changing resolution does not solve this problem in CC.

A: What do you mean by "wide screen gives more VIEW??" when 50% of my TV is now black!
B: No, no, no....but it is the "scenery" that you'll get, not the viewing area of the "TV"...
A: But the viewing area is much smaller now...!



..
 

PwnySlaystation

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
There's not much to debate...

Supporting an antiquated client has put Ultima Online into obscurity...

The game cannot attract new players because of it, and is therefore left to die a slow death.

The classic Client is a noose around UOs neck.

The ship has sailed...of that there is no doubt.

I'll continue to chime in these threads because it didn't have to be this way.

Had they not catered to the jurassics. They could have breathed some life into UO by supporting a client with a modern UI with high resolution despite the jurassics crying 'foul'.

Your gonna throw UO on steam with the classic client graphics!?

It's gonna be another epic fail. One that those in charge of the game can later can point to and say.."okay let's pull the plug."

I wonder if the jurassics are still running windows 95?

The jurassics who think the game looks good are living in la la land (1997).

I don't care what your window size is...

The classic client is an abomination.

Cool Troll post.

Some of us only play UO because it still looks like it did when we first started playing, albeit a little more neon in places. (Don't read this as I only play UO for its graphics, thats not the case, but i only play because i have the classic client to play it in, the only REAL UO.)

I recently tried the EC and as much as i like SOME of the options and features, its just plain ugly to look at. Nothing in it is easy on the eye and it doesn't have that warm UO feeling Classic client gives.

If you want to attract new players, the game needed to Evolve into 3rd person view WOW esq style of gameplay but the same sort of game mechanics and fighting system. Which is what modern gamers want, the EC is a dead duck in the same respect that the classic is, the only difference is the classic has history. EC will never be remembered as "UO".
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
If anyone thinks the EC attracts new players, try downloading it and opening UO, watch what happens. Crap will be popping up all over the place for 10 minutes. I think once they close the 300 pop up tips they'll be closing the client next lol If I was a brand new player and tried to make sense of the EC I'd just say screw it and move along. I couldn't even figure out how to exit the game, which I desperately wanted to do! I was interested in getting it to read hues, but I decided it's not that important to me. I'll make a friend tell me what it is ;)

Even in the photos you can tell a big difference in the crispness of the CC client and that washed out look of EC. OMG that EC paper doll, lol. But I mostly really wanted to address the "new player" fantasy as I imagine most new players see what a mess the EC is and thinking it's suppose to be the superior client don't realize the CC is actually the one to play. So they just give up never realizing what they missed.

Well... that should be the last post on the CC vs EC debate. I think I nailed it. So it's nice we can call the CC the clear winner and move on.
 

Modoc

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
There's not much to debate...

Supporting an antiquated client has put Ultima Online into obscurity...

The game cannot attract new players because of it, and is therefore left to die a slow death.

The classic Client is a noose around UOs neck.

The ship has sailed...of that there is no doubt.

I'll continue to chime in these threads because it didn't have to be this way.

Had they not catered to the jurassics. They could have breathed some life into UO by supporting a client with a modern UI with high resolution despite the jurassics crying 'foul'.

Your gonna throw UO on steam with the classic client graphics!?

It's gonna be another epic fail. One that those in charge of the game can later can point to and say.."okay let's pull the plug."

I wonder if the jurassics are still running windows 95?

The jurassics who think the game looks good are living in la la land (1997).

I don't care what your window size is...

The classic client is an abomination.[/QUOT
I realize some like to use the term "Jurassic" to insight a very poorly veiled insult. I for one will embrace the Tag "Jurassic" with great pride in a history some will never be able to understand. Some very good points have been made as to the current state of UO and to the inevitable demise of such an Antiquated Game. I would say to these good folks, your right, this being said please feel free to find your new home in a new game and leave us to our sinking ship. Don't y'all worry bout UO, us "Jurassics" got this.:violin:
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
I realize some like to use the term "Jurassic" to insight a very poorly veiled insult. I for one will embrace the Tag "Jurassic" with great pride in a history some will never be able to understand. Some very good points have been made as to the current state of UO and to the inevitable demise of such an Antiquated Game. I would say to these good folks, your right, this being said please feel free to find your new home in a new game and leave us to our sinking ship. Don't y'all worry bout UO, us "Jurassics" got this.:violin:
I've been annoyed with UO of late. So I've been playing BSGO for a few weeks now. Another week or 2 I'll miss it and start playing some again. I have 3 accounts and one just holds a house I don't really care about so I might drop that. I do wonder though how long UO can last.
 

HoneythornGump

Lore Keeper
Stratics Veteran
The crispness of the CC Client? Really!?

A 20 year old low resolution client is Crisp? MUAHAHAA:lol::next:

You Jurassics are too funny. What's not funny though is that you guys actually believe the garbage you spew.

You guys (Jurassics) are livin' in a Time Warp!:lol::coco:

20 Years ago it was okay. Today it's absolute garbage.

Garbage that anyone who hasn't tried UO ever before wouldn't go anywhere near. They'd just point and laugh.

If the CC client is so great, the graphics are so great, and the UI is so great why has this game continued to bleed so many players over the past few years?

The game simply continues it's downward spiral.

What I also get a kick out of is I've seen a "I'm back" and an "I quit" post from both Tanivar and Captain Lucky within the past year.

If the classic client is so great why do you guys still leave the game?

You jurassics advocate and lobby for a client that's dead as a doornail in terms of being able to breath life into the UO Franchise, and bring in a new era of players, and then turn around yourselves, and leave the game. Seen it time and time again with the "I'm back" and "I quit" post we get periodically on stratics.

Meanwhile, the game continues to go down the tubes because it's supporting a 20 year old client that can't attract new players.

The irony is not lost on me.:popcorn:
 

Tanivar

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The game simply continues it's downward spiral.

What I also get a kick out of is I've seen a "I'm back" and an "I quit" post from both Tanivar and Captain Lucky within the past year.

If the classic client is so great why do you guys still leave the game?
What are you babbling about now oh great babbler of bs? Care to point out these posts so we all can see your not full of doggy doo?


Meanwhile, the game continues to go down the tubes because it's supporting a 20 year old client that can't attract new players.
The game is going down the tubes because new players come and see *raves & cheers!* THE Enhanced Client!!! *raves & cheers!*, download the thing, and see how bad it looks and works, and delete UO and go on to check out another game. It's really quite obvious to those with a clue.

Clearly Reality gave up on you and went on it's way.
 

HoneythornGump

Lore Keeper
Stratics Veteran
I'm not a fan of the EC...

The UI (I love the 1 click luck suit, as well as a ton of other benefits I won't mention because I don't want the CCers to cry) is awesome, but the graphics suck.

Why do the graphics suck? Because they're right out of the CC!

All you have to do is look at the screenshots a few post up, and you can see they're nearly identical. I can barely tell which is which....

EC is piggy backed on the CC client in terms of look and feel.

All the EC is the CC with a better UI.

So it all goes back to the CC.

Get it!? (That's a rhetorical question)

"The classic client is UO's mortal wound!"
 

HoneythornGump

Lore Keeper
Stratics Veteran
Reality is me walking around different shards and seeing an absolute wasteland.

Shards are empty. The game has lost tons of players.

How's that for reality!?
 

Modoc

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
I'm not a fan of the EC...

The UI (I love the 1 click luck suit, as well as a ton of other benefits I won't mention because I don't want the CCers to cry) is awesome, but the graphics suck.

Why do the graphics suck? Because they're right out of the CC!

All you have to do is look at the screenshots a few post up, and you can see they're nearly identical. I can barely tell which is which....

EC is piggy backed on the CC client in terms of look and feel.

All the EC is the CC with a better UI.

So it all goes back to the CC.

Get it!? (That's a rhetorical question)

"The classic client is UO's mortal wound!"
Eat a Snickers, Yer Not Yerself when Yer Hungry :rant2:
 
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