Grave concerns about current event please read all and respond :)

[Lord Bishop]

I play on catskills so maybe things are not the same on other shards so don't hesitate to let me know. The current invasion ie live event is not going well on cats. Today at 8:30 in the evening uo time all the 6 spawn sites for vanguards were untouched. On a weekend if the event attracts no players then the dev team is just wasting time working on the event. I would like to list some reason I believe the event attracts no interest for players on cats.
The vanguards in many locations a clustered making it difficult because because each can spawn a large group of followers? is that the correct term?
Most followers are difficult for any single toon to defeat let alone 10-15 at a time. Curse, poison, flamestrike, explosion this combo is the typical first strike of wisps, liches, dark guardians, vanguards not to mention nightmares making it difficult to cast any offensive spells because you are to busy trying to stay alive, So playing a mage for the event is very difficult. Most warriors would also have problems handling so many mobs but archers with resist so they are not para all the time can attempt the event. Therefore, the event is basically a tamer event because only greater drags have a chance to survive a summoning. Bards also with peace and provoke may be capable of surviving I just have not seen them so far at the event.
Also the loot on all the mobs and even the vanguards is horrible. Jewelry with 1 luck and +1 swords weapons with just ubws. Is very sad
The obsidian sword and shield have not been mentioned as turn items oor even as neccessary for the latter part of the event. Just like threads and shadow cloaks from the 1st part of the invasion we know very liitle about what the heck is going on. Can the towns be overrun if nobody bothere to show up for the invasion? Whats the motivation for players to actually become involve in the event, So I rambled just wondered what everyone else thought

 

[jelinidas]

I also play Cats. Peeps are bored with it. I have 100+ swords and shields. What is the motivation for going? There are people at Luna giving away Dread Warhorses for free. Its stale...*yawns*

 

[kinney42]

I agree. I'm the other person doing the event on cats and I have around 310 swords and shields. There are 1 or 2 other people that randomly are seen at the event. Tops.
Its a terrible event. planned out terribly.

 

[packrat]

I play Napa and its pretty much the same. I can solo the spawn with my bard, but it gets boring fast. Instead of killing 3 vanguards I have to kill 6 to finish it. The spawn is way out of wack. A lich does enormous amout of damage with one spell.. Thats crazy. Then they loot your corpse and vanish. All your hard work going up in smoke. You get the same loot over and over.. I dont even take the gold because its so pitful. I bet if they dropped a cursed arty once in a while, you would have a ton of people there.
Most people dont think its worth the time or effort to get the swords and shields.

 

[Lefty]

The main problem with large mobs is the monster AI auto targeting.
The first player in range/on screen is usually targeted and comboed. The monster AI in this regards seem more adapt to robotic terminators. This part of the AI is very unrealistic.

Something like this
Environment variables + alert% + Monster Int = chancetonotice%
if target% >= chanenotice% then attack
alert% = alert% + 20

Ok, so with this if my char Lefty went into say the orc cave. Not every orc would notice me right off, One would spot me and yell out "ah Human, kill it!" which is the alert% then of course those in the area would hear and attack also.

 

[Seth Blackmoore]

Wow!!! I thought I was the only one who was super bored of the event. Moonglow got boring after dying about 6000 times. But I did get many swords and shields. I think this is all just dragging on way to long. Moonglow should have been a week or two tops. I guess ppl just don't like things to drag out and have to do the same thing over and over again. OR....they could have made the loot much much more random and better. Make it to where ppl have to kill tons of stuff to get the top items or something. Just my opinion.

 

[Hanna]

I also play Cats. Peeps are bored with it. I have 100+ swords and shields. What is the motivation for going? There are people at Luna giving away Dread Warhorses for free. Its stale...*yawns*

Well the rest of us with normal PVM chars, not PVP super chars or tamers, dont bother because the spawn is over powered.

 

[jelinidas]

Well the rest of us with normal PVM chars, not PVP super chars or tamers, dont bother because the spawn is over powered.

I am not a tamer and am 99% tramie. I run a archer in this event. No fancy macros, just a lot of running around.

 

[Trebr Drab]

I'm not big on re-killing spawn over and over again. So I've spent some time looking for any signs of the NPCs who we are evidently supposed to find. But I've tried everything I can think of. I've searched Islands, things from Inu's messages, such as Rat enclaves, I've been through the Ophid areas, no luck.

I don't really know where to go from here. I haven't completely given up yet, but I don't spend allot of time on it now.
*shrugs*

 

[packrat]

Who are we suppose to be looking for?

 

[RedDaTeef]

Very Unhappy How Its Worked As Far As Npc Messages and Clues. Have The Devs Forgotten About That?

 

[Ericge99]

I have 50 odd swords and shields, no one visits any of the spawns on OCE, either. I've randomly visited in last 2 weeks, tend to agree, lets wind it up.
Mind you theres not many people about in game atm either, other shards having same thing?

 

[Nystul]

I went to the fel cities with my red and killed people stupid enough to attack me ;x

 

[Trebr Drab]

Who are we suppose to be looking for?

Mainly Sutek, the mage that showed up when the blackrock detector blew up while opening the rift in Moonglow.
The guard in black armor in the tent responded to some key words, and led you to a mage that stood just outside the tent, who talked about Sutek, and wouldn't say more at the end except "really, go find Sutek yourself", or something like that. He said Sutek has a "refuge".

Sutek is also famous from the story of Captain Johne, the ship captain whose ship sank into the abyss. Some of the passengers became the original 3 Shadowlords. Sutek was the only survivor. It was also said that Sutek "wasn't even human", making me wonder (with this event) if he's Ophidian, which was a human-like race in the original Ultima games. (I also wonder if Inu is an Ophidian too, maybe from another shard to account for the human appearance.)

While the story of Captain Johne's voyage and the creation of the Shadowlords was written outside of the Ultima games, "Sutek the Mad" was in the games as was Johne.

 

[Bullet]

Just my 2 cents. In my 118 monthes playing I have never been more disappointed. As a chiv only charactor, as all my other charactors that are crafters have been made usless, I fight and kill what I can But only those that can kill the greater beasts are the ones that get the only loot worth getting. Most charactor classes were left out of this scenario but the LEET! Why do they think that only the LEET play? your guess is as good as mine. After countless hours and endless insurance lost what did I get? NADA!

 

[hawkeye_pike]

I've tried the event in the beginning with several templates (all exceptionally equiped and skilled):

My main character, poison/fencer, is useless, as most monsters are resistant to poison.
My mage/spellweaver is useless, as he cannot summon anything in towns and gets fried.
My swords/bushido is probably the best (due to his defensive capabilities), but still far from being able to kill a Vanguard.

I know that tamers, bards and some extremely equipped chivalry archers are doing well. But only if their skills are maxed, if they bring a greater dragon and if they have top equipment.

This means, the event is limited to some very few templates out there. In the beginning, tamers were eager to get the dread warhorses. Now I don't even see tamers at the invasion anymore. Warhorses have become common.

To my opinion, this event is not very elaborate. It is boring (the same thing lasting 2 or 3 weeks), hardly any player is able to contribute something, the rewards are not worth the while. Back then in 2000 when hordes of undead and different types of monsters were invading cities, it was way more fun (with NO turn-ins!). Everybody could attend, and everybody did. All worked together to free the cities from the monsters. Even less skilled fighters were able to participate. The occasional GM-controlled boss monster spiced things up for the experienced fighters.

I personally have given up on the event weeks ago. I've fought a while back in Moonglow, but now it is just crazy. There are more exciting and challenging things to do in UO. I rather organize a fighting tournament than being killed by shadow creatures over and over again.

 

[Lord Drakelord]

I have like 60 shields and 45 swords, [really need to get more swords ] So far Cove, Papua are the only areas on Sonoma that are cleared away at just about every spawning, but where the VG has gone under ground on SH and NJ we have left them there since we cannot reach them and don't bother with the spawns.

Asking for GM help in getting the VG up was a laugh as they never showed and we canceled the request. So now we don't even bother checking the spawn at those two locations, we hope that pub 53 will change that and force the VG to remain above ground.

 

[Snakeman]

Have to agree with a lot of the guys & gals here. The monster AI & targeting for this event is ridiculous. My biggest complaint, is the spell combos & speed of them thrown even buy one lich, wisp or guardian is absurd, now add that numerous ones target you from all over and you end up toasted quickly. Pain spike is a way over used by them & the damage #'s are way too much, always have been in my opinion. The speed they can toss the spells uninterrupted is mind boggling. We get hit during a spell casting & we fail, they get hit & not a damn thing happens to interrupt them. Monster AI is way out of whack & has no rules that get applied to them like us, make them get interrupted as we are, it's only fair.

Another thing I have noticed over the last few days is when you kill the Vanguard, either by dismounting & killing him or just killing him on his horse, the warhorse poofs within a few sec's. The horse does not stay like it did earlier to allow you if you were on a warrior to come back & tame it on your tamer.

 

[Lord Bishop]

Thanls for all the replies it would seem the event so far iis not something the entire community can participate in which is very sad

 

[Farsight]

I've tried the event in the beginning with several templates (all exceptionally equiped and skilled):

My main character, poison/fencer, is useless, as most monsters are resistant to poison.
My mage/spellweaver is useless, as he cannot summon anything in towns and gets fried.
My swords/bushido is probably the best (due to his defensive capabilities), but still far from being able to kill a Vanguard.

I know that tamers, bards and some extremely equipped chivalry archers are doing well. But only if their skills are maxed, if they bring a greater dragon and if they have top equipment.

This means, the event is limited to some very few templates out there. In the beginning, tamers were eager to get the dread warhorses. Now I don't even see tamers at the invasion anymore. Warhorses have become common.

To my opinion, this event is not very elaborate. It is boring (the same thing lasting 2 or 3 weeks), hardly any player is able to contribute something, the rewards are not worth the while. Back then in 2000 when hordes of undead and different types of monsters were invading cities, it was way more fun (with NO turn-ins!). Everybody could attend, and everybody did. All worked together to free the cities from the monsters. Even less skilled fighters were able to participate. The occasional GM-controlled boss monster spiced things up for the experienced fighters.

I personally have given up on the event weeks ago. I've fought a while back in Moonglow, but now it is just crazy. There are more exciting and challenging things to do in UO. I rather organize a fighting tournament than being killed by shadow creatures over and over again.

I couldn't say it any better myself.

I still remember when Keeonean took the time out to attack the Red Eye Tavern on Napa because one of the tavern regulars had killed an important LT in Yew. It took 3 days of nearly constant fighting to kill the target and Keeonean had to do it himself.

And the most cruel thing that he did was leaving one survivor, the manager of the tavern. No matter what I did to him, he wouldn't kill me like he should.

Things like that happened all over back then, and the current AI driven events pale in comparison.

 

[Connor_Graham]

It's not just Tamers and Archers by a long shot. Meleers and mages are both able to solo the Vanguards, along with handling the spawn they produce. Mage Summons are not the only thing that mages are good for in PvM, and it's not only the Sampires that are able to handle it, but normal Pally templates as well.


To answer this question:

"Why do they think that only the LEET play?"

I find it rather ironic to see someone that says they've been playing for 118 months asking this question.

To answer, maybe it's because the majority of UO players have been playing for years, and have had more than enough time to become, as was said, "Leet". I mean, come on, after 8, 9 or even 10 years, there isn't at least one character on an account this old that isn't tough enough to handle buffed up spawn? If there isn't, the only person to blame is the person that has chosen NOT to spend at least some time building up at least one template with gear, scrolls, etc to be able to take on the the big baddies.

Even so, anyone could do as I did to make things even easier, and get someone to go with them to play the dedicated healer. One person take on the Vanguard while the other does nothing but heal away, with both splitting the swords and shields along with the loot.

There are ways to beat anything, it just takes a little thinking to do it. Try a different template, different tactics, team up, whatever it takes, but it can be done.

Someone who thinks something CAN'T be done is 100% correct.

Someone who thinks something CAN be done, is the one that succeeds.

 

[THP]

I agree ...the vanguards are a little on the hard side...maybe puts the casual player off, even with 2 players of normal skill its hard to take a vanguard down and the spawn too...

also why bother with the vanguard swords and shields..we only got 100 points for the glow ones- aint worth the hassle in my mind...I go and look thro the remote vendors shops and buy up all the turn-in crap for a few gold coins...lot better rewards for my UO time...

maybe if the let the vanguards drop there cloaks too it would get some interest back....IMO...

 

[Shelleybean]

I have not participated much at all. I was able to kill a vanguard once with a group of players, but the corpse was underground and no one could loot it. I play on a small shard and most of the time there's not enough players present, which means a huge number of deaths. I already died enough in the rift. I want to participate, but it's hard when there's no one else at the event or maybe only one other person. I would really like a warhorse but I think I'll just have to buy one at this point.

 

[kinney42]

I agree 100% about what a few peeps said about liches and other spell casting monsters. They are absurd.
This has happened to me on more than a few occasions at this event.
I play a tamer, I have an all 70's suit. A lich targets me. There is nothing I can do to survive. It kills me in less than 3 seconds. Even if I sick my dragon or Cu on it. Doesn't matter. The lich doesn't stop its barage of spells.
Seriously, It pretty much goes like this...........
Lich targets me.....Pain spike, poisen strike, explosion, ebolt, flame strike....ooOOoOoOOooOOoOo in 3 seconds. Every time.

The devs REALLY need to take at look at monster spell casting cause its really just absurd. A player couldn't cast any 2 of those spells in the same time the lich can cast 5. And the lich doesn't care if it dies! It keeps blowing you away no matter what dragon just bit its arm off!

 

[Trebr Drab]

This is a problem of all MMOs these days, where UO used to be different. If you're not a powergamer (and most players aren't) then you can't compete.

I, for example, don't powergame. I spend my time trying to have fun, trying to find things for these events, doing a variety of things. But I rarely spend allot of time hacking away at grinds. My characters are designed for variety of skills more than the best template, because I like to play with a variety of options. I don't have a pure anything, except one pure mage who's not fully developed after all these years. This leaves me at a big disadvantage compared to the powergamers who build the best templates, grind away at doing so and getting the best gear. And since the game has to account for these players too, they have to balance the toughest critters for them, not me. Not us.

The answer is to reduce the ability spread between the powergamers who build perfect templates with perfect gear sets, and those many more of us who don't. I'm not for making us completely equal. I just think the game would be better for all involved if the difference were reduced to a manageable level. By doing so, the rest of us would be able to get more of the best gear, and be more competitive that way too.

 

[Blade_Thugluv]

after reading all the whining on here i couldnt help but post....

First: I agree with how long this event has been going on being over kill.

second: i dont agree with it being an Elite players only event.

I have been doing this event on 3 different chars.

I have used my mage. sure i died a few times but hey its a game and its a war!! I have managed to do just fine on my mage who ISNT elite nor close to it.

I have done the event on my archer with a half way ok suit. once again did ok yea i died a few times it happens.

and now going back to the post that only tamers in elite suits with greater dragons can do the event lets see....

I have done this event on my tamer solo with just a Nightmare in a luck suit!!!!

how is that elite?

suit:

38
44
34
58
48

elite? i have seen better resist from a suit built from unenhanced loot.

Oh and im from a Low pop shard known as Lake Austin and we do fine keeping the spawn down when we do it.

So all im saying is its not an elite powergamers only spawn. yes its gone on to long. rewards? how about if they made it so if we didnt do the spawn we lose towns or something why does it always have to be about giving out items. just a thought.


~Blade

 

[packrat]

Another big problem with this event is a young (a year or less) player has no chance trying to attempt it. As it is the creatures are way over powered. I saw someone mentioned they solo the spawn with a mage. I have been to the spawns many, many times and have never seen a mage solo the spawn without any help. A few spells don't even work in town. I bet if a tamer couldnt give the command "all Kill" in town you would hear a lot of complaining going on. Not being able to cast legal spells in town was the worse decision I have seen in a long time.
Tamers could solo the spawn, bards could and maybe archers, if they can stay away from the wisp and liches.
I provo a wisp on the vanguard and it kills the vanguard pretty easy. A wisp and a lich on a vanguard and he is toast pretty fast.

 

[TheGhostRaider]

It time to change our game style, IF you need to form group to hunt those BOSS but so be it. If you can solo then even better for you. I love to be able to hunt in group and find a tactic on how to kill a boss. Most of the time the challenge is only their for a few day and it gone after that. I have my fun and not sure why I shall hunt there if the reward ( loot) is not of no interest.

 

[kinney42]

I provo a wisp on the vanguard and it kills the vanguard pretty easy. A wisp and a lich on a vanguard and he is toast pretty fast.

This is rediculous!!! That is how overpowered necro spellcasting monters are!!!

 

[Snakeman]

I provo a wisp on the vanguard and it kills the vanguard pretty easy. A wisp and a lich on a vanguard and he is toast pretty fast.

This is rediculous!!! That is how overpowered necro spellcasting monters are!!!

Bingo, Thank You
Now if the Dev's could see this too it would be a Miracle . Necro in itself is way to overpowering & this should help them see how overpowering it really is.

 

[Evilminion]

I would love to participate in the event, but none of my characters can survive very long. After burning through a whole lotta insurance and still having no sword or shield to show for it, I'm afraid I'm out. It was fun while it lasted, though, heh!

 

[Nystul]

Bingo, Thank You
Now if the Dev's could see this too it would be a Miracle . Necro in itself is way to overpowering & this should help them see how overpowering it really is.

lol....

 

[Lord Bishop]

My post originally was to see if other shards where experiencing the same low level participation as cats. Most think the spawn is difficult ofcourse several people call them/me whiners an offer Sun Zu like advice, but the problem as I see is total lack of peps at the event which begs the question what can happen in the next phase when things get tougher besides even less participation
Toadkiller Dog

 

[Plucky Duck]

I guesse this is what the uber leeters wanted
More uber loot more action more activities. Go figure they and you have short attention spans. Enjoy youre event.

HAHAhaHAHAhahHAHA

 

[jelinidas]

My post originally was to see if other shards where experiencing the same low level participation as cats. Most think the spawn is difficult ofcourse several people call them/me whiners an offer Sun Zu like advice, but the problem as I see is total lack of peps at the event which begs the question what can happen in the next phase when things get tougher besides even less participation
Toadkiller Dog

I think when the next phase starts, the folks will return. You can only kill the same things so many times. How many weeks did we collect planeswords and shields? How long have we been chasing the Vanguards for their sword, shield and pony's? As I stated before, lets speed it up and peoples interest will return. Right nowZzzZzzzzz. They are bored. BTW I do play Cats also.

 

[Hanna]

...
"Why do they think that only the LEET play?"

I find it rather ironic to see someone that says they've been playing for 118 months asking this question.

To answer, maybe it's because the majority of UO players have been playing for years, and have had more than enough time to become, as was said, "Leet". I mean, come on, after 8, 9 or even 10 years, there isn't at least one character on an account this old that isn't tough enough to handle buffed up spawn? If there isn't, the only person to blame is the person that has chosen NOT to spend at least some time building up at least one template with gear, scrolls, etc to be able to take on the the big baddies.

Connor, rather than play and post on stratics 20 hours a day, a great deal of UO player only play a few hours a week. They play to have fun, not to get the greatest equipment and scrolls and max skills, the favorite pvp template of the day, as fast as they can.

 

[Galad]

Connor, rather than play and post on stratics 20 hours a day

Haha, well said.

This sad excuse for content is why my account won't be renewing this month.

 

[the 4th man]

Glad someone is collecting shields.....I haven't seen jack. Tried with my tamer.....lol, as soon as you start in on the controller, here comes his oversized hit crew.

btw, them liches are messed up, one swiped my insured one of a kind spellbook, had 3 sweet mods and dyed luna white.

wait'll I see you devs at the windy city townhall......

 

[Loquacious Wrath]

It pretty much goes like this...........
Lich targets me.....Pain spike, poisen strike, explosion, ebolt, flame strike....ooOOoOoOOooOOoOo in 3 seconds. Every time.

When a Lich, Wisp, or Nightmare targets me during this event I either cast Great Heal, Invis, All Kill, target attacking monster, or I simply Invis, all kill, target attacking monster. This draws the attention to my pet, away from me, giving me time to heal or retreat further.

The key is to notice when you are about to be targeted. KR gives you a flashing red aura around a monster when you are about to be attacked. Plus in KR, you can zoom out and notice extactly when a monster first targets you. In 2d, the monster could be off your screen and still target you.

My tamer tactic involves killing all spawn first, then attacking the Vangaurd using Paralyze and my Greater Dragon. All the while, using bandies on my Dragon to keep him attacking quickly. Once the Vanguards hp are 1/2 gone, I start casting Essence of Wind which does approx 30 pts each hit to the Vanguard. Once the hit point reaches down to about 15% I cast a lvl 3 Word of Death and inflict up to 300 pts of damage, finishing him off.

Now this scenario only works if you are FAST. Any respawning during this assault will mean, "back to square one".

 

[Connor_Graham]

Connor, rather than play and post on stratics 20 hours a day, a great deal of UO player only play a few hours a week.

Exaggerate much? I posted on Stratics more often when I was working than I do now that I'm not.

They play to have fun, not to get the greatest equipment and scrolls and max skills, the favorite pvp template of the day, as fast as they can.

As do I. I have fun every time I log on. I wouldn't play if it stopped being fun.


None of this had anything to do with what I had to say. Guess I must have struck a nerve...

Bad attempt on derailing my point though. I give it a 2. If you try to actually debate what I have to say next time maybe you can do a little better. Veiled insults don't go over well with the judges, or the mods for that matter.

 

[Lord Bishop]

I also have trouble with the spawn targeting my tamer the gentleman gave good advice as to how to survive. My problem atleast when I die is the suck my mana right as I'm about to recall or they poison right b4 I can get a ivis cast. Every chat template has a weakness and I certainly don't like dieing but I accept that without magic resist I will die to para poison combos that happen at a bad time
My char has found if I can isolate a vanguard I can attack with greater drag disco said vanguard and chip in with mind blast because I have no eval. My buddy also has the same tamer set up but with creative jewelry and armor also hav 120 peace when working together we still run for safety but die much less often rolleyes:
Hope that helps for anyone wanting to kill vanguards
Toad

 

[Lord Bishop]

Jeremy can you let us know if obsidian swords and shields will be a turn in in the future?
Thx Toad

 

[Loqucious]

I have yet to go to them. I just doesn't intereste me as much as getting a CC.

 

[Hunters Moon]

Well the rest of us with normal PVM chars, not PVP super chars or tamers, dont bother because the spawn is over powered.

....and my mage is crippled because I can't cast my full range of spells. I am a EV summoning;fire/poison field casting mage. I will not change my tactics and become a "mana dump" mage so I compete...I just stay away.There is no other tempate that is so nerfed inside city limits. What if tamers could not give the "all kill" command inside city limits? Its the same thing.

 

[ColterDC]

UO events are in the toilet. The same thing happens every time.

An event is set up that caters to 1 or 2 templates, everyone else is SOL.

People go to the event for the first few days, no one cares about the weak storyline or if the town will be destroyed, etc. They just care about getting whatever items are being handed out. Once they get said items they lose interest and go back to farming peerless, Doom or whatever. A few die hards with nothing better to do with their lives will stick around collecting hundreds of the items and kill any uniqueness the items would have had as they sell them in luna. Why sit there for hours on end killing the same stupid AI when you can just go farm fan dancers and then buy the items from some smuck in luna.

Also, the events lately leave hardly any room for less experienced players to participate, sure they can come and stand on the outside with no hope of actually getting anything decent. So they get discouraged and leave.

Overall I'd give the UO events a D-, the only way they could get any worse is if they made them KR only.

 

[packrat]

I agree with Colter on this one.
Unless you are a skilled player, this event is not really for you. And what veteran player wants to sit at the same spawn over and over and get the same lame items. The gold is not even worth the trip. At least make it where a not so advanced character can go and gain skills and stay alive a little while... The way liches and wisp are set up, not many players have a chance at staying alive too long..

I also give them a D-

 

[Repo]

Honestly, I think this event arc has been a really good idea. The problem I'm seeing with the current stage is that it is making it painfully obvious how deserted our shards really are. Think of how busy this event would have been 5-6 years ago... I personally think you would have been hard pressed to find a monster to kill. Or maybe I'm just guilty of looking back with rose colored glasses.

The first stage with the Moonglow rift will always be a highlight of my time in Ultima though. Due to its controlled, yet challenging nature I spent quite a bit of time there... and since it was so geographically targeted with safe and dangerous spots, I had time to fight alongside and hang out with many new people... and ended up making several new folks who have become very good friends.

Now, I'm kinda bummed because aside from my new friends, the rest of my fighting acquaintances are back to their normal lives - all spread out, and I don't see them anymore. :/

I'm going to hold judgment on the entire event until it completes, but I'm sure I will be left with good and bad... but in the end, my new friends will insure that I always have good memories of this time.

 

[Repo]

UO events are in the toilet. The same thing happens every time.

An event is set up that caters to 1 or 2 templates, everyone else is SOL.

People go to the event for the first few days, no one cares about the weak storyline or if the town will be destroyed, etc. They just care about getting whatever items are being handed out. Once they get said items they lose interest and go back to farming peerless, Doom or whatever. A few die hards with nothing better to do with their lives will stick around collecting hundreds of the items and kill any uniqueness the items would have had as they sell them in luna. Why sit there for hours on end killing the same stupid AI when you can just go farm fan dancers and then buy the items from some smuck in luna.

Also, the events lately leave hardly any room for less experienced players to participate, sure they can come and stand on the outside with no hope of actually getting anything decent. So they get discouraged and leave.

Overall I'd give the UO events a D-, the only way they could get any worse is if they made them KR only.

Colter,

While I don't disagree with your sentiments, and respect your right to speak your mind... I can't help but feel that a very large majority of your posts are negative. You're generally critical of everything that EA does, and do not always offer a better alternative.

So I ask to you: If you dislike the game so much, and despise the devs why play?

I personally have found myself in a state of mind like this at various points of my time in UO; upset because the game that I love is going in a direction which I feel is not in the best interest of those I know. But at some point, I just realized that the best I could do was to offer up suggestions to make it better and if they didn't listen, I would just have to deal with it and make lemonade with the lemons, or leave the game.

So what did I do? First, I made lemonade. I helped assemble a very large player run event, put all my time and effort into it, and attempted to highlight and enjoy all the various aspects of the game that I really did still enjoy. In the end, I think a good time was had by myself and maybe a few other players...

Shortly after the festival, I found myself being negative towards the team again, and I realized it was time to move on. I left the game behind for nearly 4 years.

Now, I'm back again. And while the game still is NOTHING like it was when I first created my characters in 1998, I have a different outlook. I focus on the people in the game, and making the most of my time with them... with whatever is available to me. UO could change again 200% different with all sorts of new rules and junk, but I could still adapt and have a good time with my friends.

Community, not items.

I spend time on forums like this suggesting changes which I believe are good for the game on the whole, but if they make no impact, it doesn't hurt me.

What I do know is that simply being critical of things without offering a better suggestion will never accomplish anything.

So, at the risk of offending you (which I really have no intention of doing), what do you want to accomplish with negative posts like the above? Why not simply turn that post into a "What could have been" or "what should have been" ... or even better "what could be done in the next step" sort of post?

 

[ColterDC]

So I ask to you: If you dislike the game so much, and despise the devs why play?

I rarely do play, and there are only 2 reasons I still keep my account active;

1. The PvP as messed up as it is sometimes is still fun, and I've known my guildmates for several years and enjoy my interactions with them.

2. My wife, sister, mother-in-law and brother-in-law still play. I get on my accounts to help them when needed and also to hang out with them since I don't get to see them much in RL.

So essentially it's the people that keep me here, not the game.

Also just for clarification, I have not attended any part of this latest event. All of my post was taken from other people's posts and comments made by people in the game. So it's not just me that's down on the events.

 

[Repo]

I rarely do play, and there are only 2 reasons I still keep my account active;

1. The PvP as messed up as it is sometimes is still fun, and I've known my guildmates for several years and enjoy my interactions with them.

2. My wife, sister, mother-in-law and brother-in-law still play. I get on my accounts to help them when needed and also to hang out with them since I don't get to see them much in RL.

So essentially it's the people that keep me here, not the game.

Also just for clarification, I have not attended any part of this latest event. All of my post was taken from other people's posts and comments made by people in the game. So it's not just me that's down on the events.

I really appreciate your post. I honestly was afraid my words could have sent this thread into a spiraling flame war... but I'm relieved to see it did not.

Having said that, you may actually have highlighted a problem with using boards like this to communicate with the development team. If they are to read posts like yours, and take actions based on your comments - having not known that you haven't actually participated in the events, they might not go the best direction possible.

It really brings to mind the double edged sword that are boards like these. On the one hand its really encouraging to hear from the development team and have them interact with folks out here, but it raises the expectation that they're actually going to act on what they see here... but on the other hand, this leads to the possibility of them actually acting on things from people who aren't participating in the items they're making suggestions on / criticisms about.

The other issue of posts like these becomes the morale of the common player. If there are a bunch of posts being critical of the game all the time (as tends to be the case on this site), it can bring down the morale of those who read them or even participate in them. People begin to get bolder and bolder (strength and comfort in numbers) and really tear into the devs for every little thing. This leads to folks having less faith in the dev team, and the game... and ultimately means the population decreases. Making the game actually less interesting for people like you and I.

Now that I'm at the end of the post, it feels like I'm picking on you... but I hope again that you don't take it that way. You're simply the lightning rod for the energy I've been storing up on this topic for a while.