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I'ts taken me awhile to reply to this post.
First of all I want to say that I am not here to be my *usual* fangirl, pom-pom shaking Rah Rah GO UO self.
I love this game....but.....that's just what it is...a game. It's a fully immersable online world where friends can be made and lost, dragons can be tamed and slain and armor can be crafted and enhanced. A game where one can build a castle...or a small tower and decorate to their hearts content....one can grow plants, even hybrids. Cook a variety of delicious foods, even things that help warriors in battle.
A crafter....can go....just a few feet from his home, chop a tree...logs to boards....boards to.....whatever! Let your imagination flow! Furniture, statues, bows, arrows, crossbow bolts....it's endless! Luminescent fungi, an alchemists tool. Bark Fragments, a carpenters tool.....there's a place for cooks, gardeners, crafters, fletchers....warriors...tamers.....healers stealthers the world is SO diverse! You can do 20 different things in one *day* in UO. Fight fearsome Dark Fathers...shiver as you try to tame a mighty dragon..laugh as you go to the tavern and have a few drinks with friends, Slay the mighty Dreadhorn for his prize...or Lady Melisande in the hopes you can dye your hair a different color. Hunt the Earth Elementals for a varity of seeds to grow a magnificent garden.
The vision of UO has been lost...but it is NOT the fault of the Dev Team...all of the above can STILL be done! AND MORE! But UO's *society* has changed....gone are the days where Sosaria's residence are happy with their gardens, their friends, their hunting parties....enter a new age of civilization....
Leet Roxxor Itemz....*sighs*
Sure I haven't been here for 10 years, but I"ve been here for 5. I wasn't here Pre-AoS, I don't know what it was like THAT long ago...but for the 5 years I have been playing I have enjoyed EVERY aspect of this game and continue to do so.
Sure I drool over the Vine Cord Sandles and the partisian of chaos sash or whatever it's called...sure I'd LOVE to have every pixel ever invented in this game....but I don't NEED them to enjoy the game I love to play.
I am VERY happy that they didn't offer UBAR LEET items as the trade-in rewards. You destroy a beautiful city like Magincina and expect what??? Vine Cords?? You slay countless ophidians for what???? NOT for the fun and the excitement of saving your towns, but for the ubar loot.
What happened? Why must everything be GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE! I want this I want that. I want leet roxxor items so I can pwn ze noobz at yew gate???
Anyway my 2 cents *grins* I am happy with the items and will be getting at least one of each
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I have been playing a bit longer than 5 years, not that much, but a bit. And I agree with much of what you said. This GAME is what you make of it, and it still can recapture much of what it once was. But what I have to disagree with you on is that MOST of the blame with the current state of UO can be laid squarely at the feet of the DEVs.
True, there are may too many "GIMME, GIMME, GIMME, l33t roxxor" players out there, but who lead us down this item based road to begin with. Despite numerous opinion, request and idea threads, the DEVS have maintained an almost fanatical "I know better than you" attitude when it came to implementing game content and changes. Even to the point of starting a post requesting input from players, then completely ignoring everything that was said by people who, quite frankly know the game mechanics better than most of them.
This turn in illustrates the overall failings of the of the Devs, both past and present. Take the Ophid items. Many feel that there WAS to be some sort of continuation in the use of these items that would play a bigger part in the story line. Granted, this was never "officially" confirmed, but at the time, it was heavily implied. This continuation, for what ever reason, was apparently put on the back burner and over time, abandoned.
I can't say about the Coins, because I didn't participate at all in that event. But I seem to remember posts about these, suggesting that they would have a future value.
The Magencia rubble, cursed artifacts and the like. Other than mementos, who knows.
Then we are told we can turn in all the things we have collected and held on too for going on to 2 years now. And for what. Items that must have taken the DEVs 1, or perhaps even 2 coffee breaks to come up with. Apparently, just to close up a few loose ends that they no longer wish to deal with.
The BIGGEST detraction of this game, the BIGGEST cause of the degradation of the UO *society*, is that this HAS become an ITEM BASED GAME. And that we have the DEVs to thank for.
And that's my 2 gp worth.
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