Although I would suggest that Tina might be confusing real-life with game-life a little too much, whilst also heading off on a crusade against developers who I don't believe have set out intentionally to encourage what she accuses them off, I do sympathise due to what I feel is a more accurate assessment of things.
I'll also note (highlighted in red), what brought me to my final decision to stop playing UO.
· Utterly inept customer support.
When EA customer service representatives don't even know what Ultima Online is, whilst "in-game" (yeah right!) GM's are multi-tasking for a number of games, plus understand very little of the game mechanics. They also seem to care little for "problems" that arise in-game, that might not necessarily be "mechanics" related.
I think that the latter may be one of the frustrations Tina may be experiencing in some respects. Although I prefer not to give "bullies" or griefers or other idiots the satisfaction of my attention (which is what they're after, an audience...), I do believe there are more than enough genuine cases we've all seen or experienced. When these warrant urgent attention and all that happens is a canned response or no action appears to have been taken, then it's highly frustrating. That can in some respects, give the impression that those running the game don't care.
I simply think it's nothing more than CS/GM ineptitude. Nothing deliberately intended, though wouldn't it be nice to see some real improvement there. After all, customers are paying for a service, part of which they're clearly not receiving to a satisfactory standard.
On a side note, I have actually witnessed a couple of situations where a player was suffering severe abuse and harrassment from another. Neither time was anything done about the offending players, regardless of numerous GM calls for action, from several players.
As a paying customer, I would expect to recieve a basic "standard" and level of support from CS and GM's. As the years have gone by, the level of help and support I've recieved when I've encountered genuine issues, has been sub-standard, usually offering no actual help or support.
· Poorly produced design implementations, rushed patches & fixes, unfinished/incomplete content.
Although I understand the difficulties of working with a game that functions with two clients - one which by current standards should be obsolete, the other still in "beta" - too many patches or content releases, are introduced to the game, without sufficient forethought or testing.
Although I know there's always a clamour for "new" content, quests, items, etc... I also believe that the majority of paying subscribers would indeed be more patient, if they knew the time they waited, resulted in a more polished product once it's pushed out the door.
Personally, I don't believe that a game where many "features" either don't work properly, or are simply "broken", fixes and patches appear rushed and incomplete/untested, offers value for money. Certainly not when compared to other products, that seem more polished, are cheaper, or even free to play. Even more so, when considering the suggested player numbers (circa 70,000 to 100,000?) and revenue the game still generates. Not enough of that revenue is being put back into the game that generated it.
· The post-AoS/post-Trammel game.
I'm not here to preach "classic" shards, but to make an observation.
Once AoS style gameplay was introduced, it changed the dynamics of the game for ever. In fairness, I believe that "Imbuing" is an attempt at balancing the game. Putting choices back in the hands of the players themselves, but one that was working within a game, that's already been blighted by messy implementations and expansions.
I feel that the style of gameplay represented by the post-AoS content, has shaped the player base, more than the player-base has shaped the game itself. It's created a game where for many, the wholse point is to accumulate the best items. Not the journey to "greatness", nor the participation. The mindset of many players, is simply attaining those items.
Although there are still great players playing UO - and I've shared many hours of fun playing the game with them - there seems to be far too much reliance and "need" to have the latest uber-item.
When a game creates a situation where the majority of those playing, are only seemingly interested in playing the game for "items", then in itself causes friction. I don't recall seeing that much friction over "items" pre-AoS, because they simply weren't the major factor in the game. As soon as runics, artifacts and item statistics were introduced, it became a glorified case of keeping up with the Jones', or beating the Jone's to it!
Theoretically, anti-social behaviour shouldn't be a problem in a game which now separates consenting and non-consenting PvP. You can't be PK'd in Trammel (unless someone infiltrates a guild). PK's were apparently the biggest cause of grief and bullying, which caused the implementation of Trammel. All should have been fine and dandy right? Wrong, because AoS content created the "competition" for items, which now seems to cause most of the grief and bullying that plagues the game for many. Too many players seem content to step on anyone's toes, simply to obtain certain items, without a care for who they upset along the way. In their minds, they need or deserve the item more than their "competitor".
Such is why I like the idea of a "back to basics" approach, a return to some traditional principals in the game. I'm not going to preach "classic propoganda", which I've laughably seen it referred to, but I do think the game would be in much better shape, a more pleasant experience, if certain principals were applied.
All I will say, is that had AoS been implemented well, I would probably have liked it more. As it stands, the game is now a mixture of old obsolete, superseded items, combined with the "latest" desireable items. Imbuing was a good attempt at creating more balance and need for crafted items, but it still falls a long way short of clearing up the mess that came before it.
Likewise though, joining in a chase for "items", or feeling the "need" for certain items in order to compete sufficiently, isn't fun... it's a chore. I preferred the simplicity of GM made weapons and armour, with truly "rare" uber-items (Vanq/Invul), that weren't actually that "uber" compared to GM made items. Perhaps imbuing has levelled things a little better, but I really don't find reliance on a calculator to work out item properties, a "fun" element, or adds "feature" to a game.
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I do miss playing the game with many friends I've made over the years. Most of them have left for similar reasons to my own, whilst some still remain, in the gradually fading hope that things "will get better".
Perhaps sandbox games simply don't work, or are appealing to the masses in todays gaming industry. For me, it doesn't work any more when it's not truly sandbox. When things have been messed around with so much, that it looks like something covered in plasters, bandages and splints, that might hold things together for the time being, but will never actually fix parts of what wasn't essentially broken in the first place.
To all those who have played as long as, or longer, than I - then you really do deserve much, much more. It's truly a sad thing to observe the game that lifted the latch for all the other online games, limping along as it is now. Your loyalty is the reason the game is still alive today. EA and whoever the developers of the moment are, should never forget that. You are just as much a part of the games history as they are.
