Here a question for you

[Drakelord]

How would you feel if there were no more unique drops at EM events? Would you still attend them? I know I would, I only go to have fun, and if by the grace of the numbers of luck something pops in my pack then OK, no worries. But I would not miss it if there were no EM drops.

What about you?

 

[Pawain]

I go to the ones on LS only. There are way too many deaths to have a chance at nothing. I die almost every day. I don't call that fun. Need a chance for a deco item! I also feel there should be a clicky totem that gives one item per account at the end of the event.

 

[MalagAste]

I would.

I would prefer if they either had no drops like was first implied... Or EVERYONE drops/clickies.... once in a blue moon on a Tuesday in June or whatever...

At the VERY least I'd prefer if they made them Shard Bound.

 

[celticus]

No I would vote to keep the drops as they are : The drops are an incentive for players to attend, PLUS they provide a gold drain to the economy, that is needed, and give the little guy who does not have $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Plat in the bank a chance at some gold and gear. Also what harm are the EM drops do? Ty for info..

 

[celticus]

I really think that the drops are good as they are : They give the little guy (Archer or tamer) a chance to make some serious $ and help hi/her gear up, rather than have to resort to "on line dealers". It works ok it is except for the LAG in these events. I doubt that everyone should get these also, and as they are now, it seems the drops go to the top # damagers (Like top 10 or top 20 etc. depending on theEM's whims).

 

[SugarMMM]

I'm ok with either answer but i'm also still in the camp that thinks that they should be shard bound.

 

[celticus]

I'm ok with either answer but i'm also still in the camp that thinks that they should be shard bound.

Being shard bound would do 2 things: First the # players at these events would drop drastically, so less lag, and thats a good thing. But also it would KILL their price tag of what is being dropped as EM event items in a lot of low pop shards as no-one has the plat or be willing to buy them I guess? But I could be wrong.
Then that will be a disincentive for a lot of players to participate UNLESS : The drops are made to be actually useful in-game items, and not unique items, like some Legendary Armor pieces, or other similar extremely hard to get items or even PS 120 scrolls? (OOPS I said a dirty word) **ducks down to fend against a torrent of rotten tomatoes, utensils etc thown in this direction **

 

[Basara]

Some ideas

1. Have a few non-shardbound drops in the event itself. Have mundane drops from events in larger numbers, that are usable in a point system for desirable event rewards that are shard bound - essentially, frequent participant drops to get items from previous events. each point-based claim would be limited (say, you could only have twice as many of the point-based shard-bound items claimed as non-bound items dropped in the event).
2. Have more events drop Doom or Roof artifacts as semi-rare rewards, possibly using a point system for event regions similar to the Virtue Dungeon drops.

 

[celticus]

Some ideas

1. Have a few non-shardbound drops in the event itself. Have mundane drops from events in larger numbers, that are usable in a point system for desirable event rewards that are shard bound - essentially, frequent participant drops to get items from previous events. each point-based claim would be limited (say, you could only have twice as many of the point-based shard-bound items claimed as non-bound items dropped in the event).
2. Have more events drop Doom or Roof artifacts as semi-rare rewards, possibly using a point system for event regions similar to the Virtue Dungeon drops

I like the idea! It would work great, but again, it would take a little more coding work..sooo.. Doubt it can ever happen..

 

[Basara]

Also note that the OP seems to think that there are only events that drop - many shards have 2-3 events a month, only one of which has a drop.

 

[Naitch]

If there were no more EM drops at the events....
I would take my ball and go home

 

[celticus]

Also note that the OP seems to think that there are only events that drop - many shards have 2-3 events a month, only one of which has a drop.

I agree, in most shards there is only one out of several events that would drop, and in most shards there is only one drop per month at most..

 

[Parnoc]

I go to the ones on LS only. There are way too many deaths to have a chance at nothing. I die almost every day. I don't call that fun. Need a chance for a deco item! I also feel there should be a clicky totem that gives one item per account at the end of the event.

Agree wholeheartedly Pawain, they don't need to be super rare, average players would like to have them just to lock down and look at them and remember a good time. This used to be the way they were until someone decided the rares collectors and the cheaters with their multibots were more important than the average player.

 

[Slayvite]

It's a no brainer question.
If there were no "special drops" then the shard hoping vultures would stop going and multi-boxing the drops.
This in turn would mean most of the chancers and griefers would lose interest in said events too.
This would allow EM's to organise more RP events where people actually WANT to see what the "event bad guy" is talking about or even what it looks like without 30 big ass dragons filling the entire view screen.
If they want to give out items, then they should have a shrine back at the EM house that anyone can click and get item, thus making them worthless in price but keeps the collecters happy.

 

[Drakelord]

I would go with the shard bound. There is a lot of good ideas and points above, thanks.

 

[Promathia]

This used to be the way they were until someone decided the rares collectors and the cheaters with their multibots were more important than the average player.

Really? Because in 2018 there are more drops than ever. In the older systems you were looking at one of a kinds, or hard 10 drops. Nowadays every drop is potentially reaching into the 30s or 40s by estimation. Sure the Multiboxers are a blight on the community but they also don't prevent people from getting drops. If you attend + attack the boss like anyone else you will build up your "points" to eventually get a drop + the drops are completely random to who gets them. This of course has led to prices dropping and dropping as well making rares more reasonable for the average player to obtain.

If those changes hadn't been made, Rares Collectors would be making more money. If drops were only 10 drops in the top damager system, Multiboxers would have more of a stranglehold on them as well. New rares would still be selling at outrageous prices completely out of reach from a common player.

So really, the changes have always been for the common player, they were never for collectors. The only problem is that making the system as easy as it is (Drops being completely random + the point system so any character can build up and eventually get a drop) did in fact increase the benefits of bringing more than one character. Why earn points on one character when you can do it on multiple?Hopefully Broadsword follows through on making multiboxing illegal when EJ comes out.

 

[Tyrath]

Being shard bound would do 2 things: First the # players at these events would drop drastically, so less lag, and thats a good thing. But also it would KILL their price tag of what is being dropped as EM event items in a lot of low pop shards as no-one has the plat or be willing to buy them I guess? But I could be wrong.
Then that will be a disincentive for a lot of players to participate UNLESS : The drops are made to be actually useful in-game items, and not unique items, like some Legendary Armor pieces, or other similar extremely hard to get items or even PS 120 scrolls? (OOPS I said a dirty word) **ducks down to fend against a torrent of rotten tomatoes, utensils etc thown in this direction **

There is no shortage of plats on low pop shards, it is actually pretty easy to save up plats when everything you might buys gets transferred off shard.

 

[GarthGrey]

No I would vote to keep the drops as they are : The drops are an incentive for players to attend, PLUS they provide a gold drain to the economy, that is needed, and give the little guy who does not have $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Plat in the bank a chance at some gold and gear. Also what harm are the EM drops do? Ty for info..

What a ridiculously selfish reply. It creates a gold sink for those with too much gold (in your opinion) and gives those with little to no gold, more gold. Please don't ever get a job at BS as a developer for UO. Your balancing act would be .....sigh..nvm.

 

[Uriah Heep]

No drops would kill EM events. If you don't believe me, come go to some events where it is known ahead of time there will be no drops---5-6 show up. Then on drop night-40 lol. Don't need a degree to do the math on this one

 

[Victim of Siege]

PLUS they provide a gold drain to the economy

i'm genuinely curious how EM drops provide a gold drain on the economy. gold drains usually take gold completely out of the economy, not redistribute it.

 

[MalagAste]

Really? Because in 2018 there are more drops than ever. In the older systems you were looking at one of a kinds, or hard 10 drops. Nowadays every drop is potentially reaching into the 30s or 40s by estimation. Sure the Multiboxers are a blight on the community but they also don't prevent people from getting drops. If you attend + attack the boss like anyone else you will build up your "points" to eventually get a drop + the drops are completely random to who gets them. This of course has led to prices dropping and dropping as well making rares more reasonable for the average player to obtain.

If those changes hadn't been made, Rares Collectors would be making more money. If drops were only 10 drops in the top damager system, Multiboxers would have more of a stranglehold on them as well. New rares would still be selling at outrageous prices completely out of reach from a common player.

So really, the changes have always been for the common player, they were never for collectors. The only problem is that making the system as easy as it is (Drops being completely random + the point system so any character can build up and eventually get a drop) did in fact increase the benefits of bringing more than one character. Why earn points on one character when you can do it on multiple?Hopefully Broadsword follows through on making multiboxing illegal when EJ comes out.

They do prevent a lot of folk from enjoying the EM Event. Multiboxers cause incredible lag... Anytime you get near them you can tell. I'm hoping that they really do crack down on multiboxers.

 

[Drakelord]

They do prevent a lot of folk from enjoying the EM Event. Multiboxers cause incredible lag... Anytime you get near them you can tell. I'm hoping that they really do crack down on multiboxers.

ya you know when you near one, especially if they using chiv, "Enemy of one" scrolls across the screen etc...

 

[Old Vet Back Again]

I have been emailing messanna for 5 years now saying EM drops should either be shard bound, everyone drops/clicky or nonexistent. She really holds the EM program close for some reason failing to see what it has created

 

[MalagAste]

I have been emailing messanna for 5 years now saying EM drops should either be shard bound, everyone drops/clicky or nonexistent. She really holds the EM program close for some reason failing to see what it has created

She fails to see that it BREEDS greed, and all the BAD parts of UO... it has an awesome concept... but in truth it just is horrible... I feel bad for the EMs who try to put a lot of work into their events only to have a bunch of ungrateful bone heads spoil it by being really seriously juvenile not following directions, standing on top of the EM and casting fields and all manner of things when it's completely not necessary... bad mouthing the EM and other players etc...

If the drops were at the very least shard bound... it might help. If they just didn't have any it would put the event back in... and stop the madness, if they made them everyone clicky items that were rare but nice it would certainly cut down on the disgust a lot of folk have come to have for the Events.

Sadly many players quit going to them because the average player who plays for "fun" and plays to enjoy the game can't at the EM Events without being subjected to harassment and lag and they are bombarded with vulgar language and everything else... eventually most of them quit coming. I know so many people that really LOVED the early EM Events, remember them fondly but won't come to them anymore because the greedy SoB's have driven them away..

However from what I hear it's many of the greediest of them that actually ARE the EMs now on many shards... makes you wonder...

 

[celticus]

What a ridiculously selfish reply. It creates a gold sink for those with too much gold (in your opinion) and gives those with little to no gold, more gold. Please don't ever get a job at BS as a developer for UO. Your balancing act would be .....sigh..nvm.

You are correct..What I should have said is it causes a redistribution of gold, not gold sink. Redistribution to possibly some starting guys..?

 

[Riyana]

I think the drops and the culture of greed that has built around them has severely compromised both the integrity of the EM program and the quality of EM events.

There are two main distinct play types attending EM events: content/RP-oriented, and item/boss fight oriented. Personally I think the content needs to be divorced from the rarity/RL value of items.

EMs should be primarily for their shard communities--why else have one (or two) assigned to a shard? Let EMs do their content and story and have a related clicky that sits out all month to satisfy memento and story people. Let the EMs be for their shards rather than serving an awkward and often griefy combination of largely incompatible groups competing for very different things in a shared, limited-time setting.

Have a much smaller number of EMs go shard to shard with boss fights and rarer drops. Everyone's happy, the two groups aren't pitted against each other, you know what you're getting at a given event, shard community is valued and nurtured while cross-shard and drop people still get what they want, and less immediate oversight is necessary for shard EMs since the rarity/value factor is out of their hands. Wins all around.

I'm not pointing fingers or saying all EMs are bad or whatever--there are still good EMs who try to balance their awkwardly imbalanced audiences. However, as it stands, the EM program has progressively placed more and more emphasis on items rather than on content. It could cater to both. Right now, as a whole, it doesn't. But it could.

 

[Uriah Heep]

OR...

Have all EM events scheduled to occur at the same time, force the shard hoppers to choose one. That should spread them out a bit.

 

[Parnoc]

No drops would kill EM events. If you don't believe me, come go to some events where it is known ahead of time there will be no drops---5-6 show up. Then on drop night-40 lol. Don't need a degree to do the math on this one

That's because a lot of us are disgusted with the nonsense that goes on at events and we choose to just not go to any of the events. We are not in the "select" group that seems to know when there is a drop and when there isn't.
Do it the way it's suggested (several different ways) on here and you'd see a decent turnout, who says you gotta have multitudes of 100 to have fun and enjoy your shard?
I'll dang well betcha that if it was changed you'd see a lot of folks who now feel left out because of the nonsense that seems to be a cornerstone of these events now.

 

[Lore]

I'd like a mixture of both and if there is a drop I think everyone should get one.

 

[Basara]

Really? Because in 2018 there are more drops than ever. In the older systems you were looking at one of a kinds, or hard 10 drops. Nowadays every drop is potentially reaching into the 30s or 40s by estimation. Sure the Multiboxers are a blight on the community but they also don't prevent people from getting drops.

If you think that, you REALLY need to get out more (to paraphrase the movie "Species").

I'm one of the GMs in what used to be one of the big alliances on Lake Austin, before life intervened for most of the others. (we've lost 3 of our GMs to health or death, and our alliance leader ended up moving to where Satellite internet was the only option (and worse than dial-up for gaming from the lag to orbit and back). I'm friends with the leaders of all the other leaders of the remaining non-PvP (PvM and/or RP) guilds on the shard. That (local) people are not getting drops at more than a fraction of the old rate is the about the only thing of CERTAINTY about events.

Things that are 99% certain.

The Multi-boxers ARE preventing many of the locals from getting a chance at a drop. Not only are they outnumbering the locals, their software is lagging the events so bad that people are getting TELESTORMED for the first time in 12-15 years! Others get slammed into a freeze that acts as a slow crash of their client (as in, it can take minutes to kill the client (or it to crash on its own), by which time the event is over). The Lag's so bad that people often can't even scroll their pointer across the screen fast enough to TARGET the boss (let alone HIT it for a potential drop chance) when it goes from yellow to red, before the boss dies. Local guilds that used to get multiple event drops per event, now go months between single drops for maybe ONE alliance member, despite similar numbers of guild/alliance participants before and after the rise of the multi-boxers, and the number of drops increasing. There have been some steps taken to lessen the impact (EMs having the big bad up yellow to where a bar can be pulled for 3-5 minutes before unleashing it), but it's not solved the root problem of where the multi-boxers' software is causing severe negative impacts on the legal players' client/server connections.

In 2009-2012, I used to be able to get a drop every 2-3 events, and the 3-4 people I hung out with that attended nearly every event meant that at least one of us got a drop when one happened. After coming back full-time* in late 2014 after a series of family tragedies, I've only gotten 4 drops from about 30 drop-possible EM events attended (and 2 of those in the last 4 months, as the EM started taking steps to allow easier pre-targeting to where ordering an attack on the boss could be reduced to a macro) - and at least three times that number of events where I missed the boss fight of the event from crashes or lag (AND one Telestorm away from the event in 2016-2017 during the peak of the issue, either in one of Augustus' last events, or one of Topaz's early ones). The rest, I managed to get MAYBE 1-5 seconds of attacks in with a tamer, mage, or melee character (so, 1-2 swings). And I'm having far better luck than my current group of friends of similar size (And, as most of us are current or former governors, we have FAR more regular communication with the EM than in the past).

And this is on a TINY shard (granted, one that has had a reputation going back 13+ years, and at least 6 different EMs, of high-quality event items). I shudder to imagine how bad it would be if the issues were correspondingly larger on a more populated shard like LS or Pacific. Atlantic doesn't have the issue because that's where the problem stems from.

*(I never completely left, but went from 40-60 hours a week before to about 5-10 hours a month during the 30 months of troubles, and am back up to 20-40 hours a week now).

 

[MalagAste]

If you think that, you REALLY need to get out more (to paraphrase the movie "Species").

I'm one of the GMs in what used to be one of the big alliances on Lake Austin, before life intervened for most of the others. (we've lost 3 of our GMs to health or death, and our alliance leader ended up moving to where Satellite internet was the only option (and worse than dial-up for gaming from the lag to orbit and back). I'm friends with the leaders of all the other leaders of the remaining non-PvP (PvM and/or RP) guilds on the shard. That (local) people are not getting drops at more than a fraction of the old rate is the about the only thing of CERTAINTY about events.

Things that are 99% certain.

The Multi-boxers ARE preventing many of the locals from getting a chance at a drop. Not only are they outnumbering the locals, their software is lagging the events so bad that people are getting TELESTORMED for the first time in 12-15 years! Others get slammed into a freeze that acts as a slow crash of their client (as in, it can take minutes to kill the client (or it to crash on its own), by which time the event is over). The Lag's so bad that people often can't even scroll their pointer across the screen fast enough to TARGET the boss (let alone HIT it for a potential drop chance) when it goes from yellow to red, before the boss dies. Local guilds that used to get multiple event drops per event, now go months between single drops for maybe ONE alliance member, despite similar numbers of guild/alliance participants before and after the rise of the multi-boxers, and the number of drops increasing. There have been some steps taken to lessen the impact (EMs having the big bad up yellow to where a bar can be pulled for 3-5 minutes before unleashing it), but it's not solved the root problem of where the multi-boxers' software is causing severe negative impacts on the legal players' client/server connections.

In 2009-2012, I used to be able to get a drop every 2-3 events, and the 3-4 people I hung out with that attended nearly every event meant that at least one of us got a drop when one happened. After coming back full-time* in late 2014 after a series of family tragedies, I've only gotten 4 drops from about 30 drop-possible EM events attended (and 2 of those in the last 4 months, as the EM started taking steps to allow easier pre-targeting to where ordering an attack on the boss could be reduced to a macro) - and at least three times that number of events where I missed the boss fight of the event from crashes or lag (AND one Telestorm away from the event in 2016-2017 during the peak of the issue, either in one of Augustus' last events, or one of Topaz's early ones). The rest, I managed to get MAYBE 1-5 seconds of attacks in with a tamer, mage, or melee character (so, 1-2 swings). And I'm having far better luck than my current group of friends of similar size (And, as most of us are current or former governors, we have FAR more regular communication with the EM than in the past).

And this is on a TINY shard (granted, one that has had a reputation going back 13+ years, and at least 6 different EMs, of high-quality event items). I shudder to imagine how bad it would be if the issues were correspondingly larger on a more populated shard like LS or Pacific. Atlantic doesn't have the issue because that's where the problem stems from.

*(I never completely left, but went from 40-60 hours a week before to about 5-10 hours a month during the 30 months of troubles, and am back up to 20-40 hours a week now).

This pretty well sums it up... between most folk who used to enjoy the events for the actual RP aspect no longer showing up because they are disgusted/frustrated with the current problems of not being able to move... not being able to see what's going on, not being able to target anything... constant client crashes, lag worse than anyone recalls in ages... and the perpetual changes to Pinco's and such while Pinco tries to solve issues that honestly SHOULD be solved gameside by the DEVs not resolved second hand by Pinco... etc.. most are ready to throw in the towel, quit UO altogether because it just isn't fun to be in their opinion sidelined to one event in a week or so and not being able to enjoy that... and the rest of UO being nothing but a grind..... for NO REWARD...

I tried getting people interested in doing the roof but it took 2 or 3 hours to get everyone through the rooms then the fight itself lasted another hour or two... and NO ONE but me got a drop... then second run it took 2 or 3 hours again to get folk though the rooms we get to the boss and one got teleported to the tree in the Abyss... they missed out ..... the rest of us got NOTHING... after that no amount of begging on my part would get anyone interested in even trying... I was told it was a massive waste of time...

I never got to do Zippy .... by the time folk finished all the requirements they went while I was at work..... no one would do it again.

This is the problem I face over and over... the time invested for no reward makes people loathe it. Like doing champ spawns over and over for 110 scrolls and never getting a 120... Most of the people I hang with have very limited in-game time... and between my being a night owl and them being at work all day we have a very short time window to do things between kids, meals, and meetings.

And we go to an event where we all remember enjoying the story aspect... something we can't hardly do anymore as no one can seem to piece together what is going on between all the banter, spells, interruptions by people being rude and waiting for folk to "catch up"... no one seems to know wth is going on... it's stand about, hear 1 or 2 things, a gate opens everyone dashes through client crash, client crash, fighting, no clue what's happening, try to move client crash, get frozen for 4 min, another gate was opened somewhere to something for whatever reason no one knows... gate there crash, lock up frozen again, ctrl+R 4 min wait, frozen as 2 multiboxers pass, ctrl+R, 5 steps, frozen again, ctrl+R, client crash, 5 steps, ctrl+R again, 5 steps, frozen again.... ctrl+R still no one knows what we are doing... mobs appear, crash, frozen, Mobs, death, can't move, pull corpse with undertakers, crash, set back up, locked up again ctrl+R... gate appears we go back to the base/HQ whatever... and they want to discuss wtf just happened but most can't piece it together...

And these are the people who LIVE and breathe UO lore and are trying to follow the event. We can't even see most of it for all the people who aren't from our shard. You think it's bad on LS you ought to try being on a larger shard like GLs where we have a good size home shard group...

Early days of the events we'd have maybe 20 or 30 ..... now it's nearing 100... and the worst problem is some of those multiboxing scum are actually FROM GLs... I can pick out 2 or 3 that I know are from GLs... I guess if you can't beat them join them... I can't play my one client.. let alone bring 4 or 5... I'd like to know just how they manage that without crashing every 5 min.

I miss the stories... and I miss the interaction... Once upon a time the EMs used to actually interact with the RP community... they would attend our events... (was awesome to see the King at the Theatre or watching the races)... now they aren't allowed.... so we are told. We have a pretty good group of Governors on GLs and as Governors we do quite a number of events... But the EMs no longer are allowed to participate in them sadly.

I agree that EMs were once, so we thought, meant to promote community on the shard and such... they would actually join the community and such... not just dispense drops for the greedy to fight over and sell... Certainly we all like a drop and a memento from a great adventure... something to show the new and returning people and tell stories about at the castle... But I think those days are gone.

 

[ShriNayne]

Agree with a lot of what has already been said,my husband and I used to go to every EM event, but they were spoiled by the people who would constantly ask if there were drops and how many drops. Spoiled by people standing all over whatever character was talking and spouting nonsense over the top of them so we had no idea who they were or what was happening. Spoiled by people constantly harassing the EM, asking how long it will be until the fighting starts and demanding that she hurry up. None of these people had any interest in the actual event or the work the EM put into it, all they wanted was something to sell and they would sell it right after the event. Most of these EM event drops are not going to people who will place them in their homes and cherish them, most of them are not even staying on their home shard, which is a disgrace! So if the whole point of the EM program is to feed greedy, unpleasant people who spoil events for the community they were intended for, then just throw them a few rares once a month and let the rest of us have some fun!

 

[MalagAste]

Agree with a lot of what has already been said,my husband and I used to go to every EM event, but they were spoiled by the people who would constantly ask if there were drops and how many drops. Spoiled by people standing all over whatever character was talking and spouting nonsense over the top of them so we had no idea who they were or what was happening. Spoiled by people constantly harassing the EM, asking how long it will be until the fighting starts and demanding that she hurry up. None of these people had any interest in the actual event or the work the EM put into it, all they wanted was something to sell and they would sell it right after the event. Most of these EM event drops are not going to people who will place them in their homes and cherish them, most of them are not even staying on their home shard, which is a disgrace! So if the whole point of the EM program is to feed greedy, unpleasant people who spoil events for the community they were intended for, then just throw them a few rares once a month and let the rest of us have some fun!

This^^^... It's like trying to hold a council meeting in the center of a Kindergarten full of 100 kids high on MtDew.

 

[Lore]

This^^^... It's like trying to hold a council meeting in the center of a Kindergarten full of 100 kids high on MtDew.

CodeRed mofo.

 

[DSC Napa]

I go to events on multiple shards. There are two things I want to see happen:

1: Crack down on Multiboxers

2. Have more vending machine items for the masses.

I practically never get a drop, but the system appears to work as intended.

 

[Lore]

I'm lucky if I can live 1/10th as long as many other templates on a melee non-sampire template.

 

[Basara]

Meanwhile, I thinks someone else had had it up to here with EA (but for what game, is anyone's guess)

It’s My Cake Day. First Thing I Favorited..

 

[Lady Storm]

I have said over the years on this very question the same thing over and over.
Do one of these and get it over with.
1. Make them Shard Bound.
2. Make it a click machine for all.
3. Stop them all together.

Any one of the above is fine with me.
Reasons abound on any of the choices I have given...
Stopping the drops will not stop the events..
Making them a click machine item will still make the gift there but not the massive gold giveaway..
My choice here is the Shard bound item...
This does not stop Atlantic from getting its fair share.
Even getting one on that old home shard someone might offer you the bank ... who knows it might not stop the gold grab now that I think of it... but who knows
I for one do not like how its gotten.... Some items garner more gold then they really are worth just because they are Event items....
Change is needed.

 

[petemage]

I've never cared for the EM program because it caters to a small part of the UO population and, I think, has pretty much destroyed the game's economy. I've suggested for years that the money spent on the program would be better spent developing global events. Therefore, as far as I'm concerned, anything that is done to move us in the direction of having more global events, available to all players simultaneously and around the clock for several weeks at a time would be a very good thing.

I wish someone at Broadsword or EA would at least think about this for 5 minutes instead of just buying the crap Bonnie is telling.

They employ dozens of people to produce content that lasts a single hour out of one week. That's half a percent. Not even available 1% of the time.

I would really like to do events with other people in UO. Just like in all the other games I play. But I'm not going to plan my week around a one hour slot in a random video game. I leave that to professionals who make a living off of UO

At the same time its kindergarden in Bonnie's EM club. Some refuse to post on the calendar and she treatens to fire them in public, the other one simply betrays her and makes some cash from pixel crack, and I'm sure there are more cases that don't even surface to the public.

Bottom line is: My UO account is a hold; I'm happily throwing money at other games that let me participate in the fun whenever I want to join; Nobody at Broadsword could care less as long as they are busy doing pointless stuff.

 

[petemage]

I mean @Lady Storm is always telling us too walk a mile in their shoes..

Imagine you are a product manager at BMW. You go to your boss and tell him about this new feature every car owner is going to love. Then you tell him it will only be available at Thursdays, from 9 to 10 PM. And we need to pay a human to re-do the same feature once a week.

What will happen?

 

[Smoot]

@Basara please email mesanna with your concerns, and encourage your freinds to as well. its a situation that could have been avoided easily when the system was changed 3 years ago. As a rares collector, i would rather the current EM program be abandoned than continue with how its going. but it wont change unless Bonnie hears it from the players.

 

[DJAd]

I have said over the years on this very question the same thing over and over.
Do one of these and get it over with.
1. Make them Shard Bound.
2. Make it a click machine for all.
3. Stop them all together.

I agree with this apart from shard bound. I don't believe any items should be shard bound as this stage in the game.

 

[petemage]

the time invested for no reward makes people loathe it.

I wish they would realize how horrible that is. Like this fishing part of the 20th anniversary global event. Some tried for days and didn't get a single drop. Not fun. What's so hard to cap something at like 30 tries and make a guaranteed drop after that? Nothing, unless you are in still stuck in a 90s mindset.

I don't see any change unless they bring a new team... so we better deal with it or find something better.

 

[Spartan]

... <snip> ... I don't see any change unless they bring a new team... so we better deal with it or find something better.

Due to RL issues, EM participation for me is a no-go. However, good points have been raised here and the shardbound/non-shardbound argument has continued for ages.

I specifically bolded part of that quote. My account is on its last legs unless something gets done to answer a vast majority of issues in this game ... not just EM drops. I walked with the wallet before. I can do it again.

 

[Archnight]

Really? Because in 2018 there are more drops than ever. In the older systems you were looking at one of a kinds, or hard 10 drops. Nowadays every drop is potentially reaching into the 30s or 40s by estimation. Sure the Multiboxers are a blight on the community but they also don't prevent people from getting drops. If you attend + attack the boss like anyone else you will build up your "points" to eventually get a drop + the drops are completely random to who gets them. This of course has led to prices dropping and dropping as well making rares more reasonable for the average player to obtain.

If those changes hadn't been made, Rares Collectors would be making more money. If drops were only 10 drops in the top damager system, Multiboxers would have more of a stranglehold on them as well. New rares would still be selling at outrageous prices completely out of reach from a common player.

So really, the changes have always been for the common player, they were never for collectors. The only problem is that making the system as easy as it is (Drops being completely random + the point system so any character can build up and eventually get a drop) did in fact increase the benefits of bringing more than one character. Why earn points on one character when you can do it on multiple?Hopefully Broadsword follows through on making multiboxing illegal when EJ comes out.

People will complain regardless (higher/lower/no drops) but this post speaks the truth and I couldn't agree more . As much as I enjoy the RP of events if there was no drop there would be barely anyone attending, drop numbers are higher than ever but multiboxing is still the TRUE problem with rares in general

 

[MalagAste]

I wish they would realize how horrible that is. Like this fishing part of the 20th anniversary global event. Some tried for days and didn't get a single drop. Not fun. What's so hard to cap something at like 30 tries and make a guaranteed drop after that? Nothing, unless you are in still stuck in a 90s mindset.

I don't see any change unless they bring a new team... so we better deal with it or find something better.

I'd like to... and trust me I've looked for that "something better"... but it doesn't currently exist ... It's put up with cowboys and play cartoons, or stay and put up with the fact that everything from now on will be the most boring grind imaginable...

 

[Pawain]

I'd like to... and trust me I've looked for that "something better"... but it doesn't currently exist ... It's put up with cowboys and play cartoons, or stay and put up with the fact that everything from now on will be the most boring grind imaginable...

Your dog is waiting on LS. You can do the fountain and orchard. I hate puzzles. A roof run will be an hour of fun.

 

[Queen Arya]

My most precious EM drop isn't a drop at all... its my gold title


The next favorite of mine is my Crux sashes, some with my name ... some without
I earned these items. I missed maybe 5 events in EM Bennus 6 years on Atl
You just had to interact at events, Rez players, help gate lost players to where we where in the event, go to kings meetings
Many times players would say but I lag to much. I can remember several years in a row never getting an event item unless it was a clicky, and even then I was lost or missed a gate and missed the clicky
I explained to laggy players to stay on the outskirts, interact with the story arc, look for the Boss and do your best
I don't believe there is a good answer to this question. I also love the drops for the décor in my home and the shrine to my story arcs (Addie doll and the crux suit)
Please don't take the EM program or the drops out of the game. Just fix the cheating

 

[Lady Storm]

petemage in case you didn't catch it before... I will repeat it just for you.

EA has made a deal with Broadsword with stipulations of how if they fail, the sunset of UO based on the failure of its players not keeping up the subs and cash flow into the game.
Broadsword is not in cahoots with EA to kill off UO. The exact opposite.
Oh and for your information EA will not replace the "dev team" they will have a very good reason to close the game.
See if Mesanna leaves or is let go this whole convo is moot...
EA will reclaim UO and most likely DAoC too and put them on the fast track to sunset.
If you don't know what sunset means...

Sunset in EA terms is when a set date for the last day of play of any game.
Once EA puts us up for sunset...that's it.. game over.
As for another company buying UO, No EA will not sell the game to anyone else ether... they have a weird sense of ownership.
(yes in the past it was made an offer for us... the answer was "We do not sell any title active or inactive in our archives")

So lets recap... bug for new dev team = end of game, piss off the current LP to quit and again this = end of game.
What piddly amount of money we generate in the EA coffers is 1 drop in an ocean of cash they make off other games in their stable.
Their want to get rid of the game is we don't make enough and are taking up valuable time in management.

Yes I understand the 3 choices I gave was hard to except.. many of you who do Events do them to get the drops not the joy of the story line...
Change is needed.
Shard bound does not stop trade or sale of just the place they may reside.
Nothing is stopping you from trading them for ones on another shard. Trusted ways still exist.
or
Stopping the drops all together... yes no drop... the selling of a item from an Event has skyrocketed so much its obscene.
or the final idea...
Make it a click machine that all who go get something...
its fair
its easy
its not what the gold hawks want to happen... it hits their pocket books.
They cant charge 175mil for a click item that is given to all who go.....

It need to be changed but how is not ours to say....

 

[Lady Storm]

I knew a few of the old EM's who no longer play UO ...sadly they have other things more pressing on them then play...
The game time line and the EM thoughts and ideas for how this time line goes is almost a set in stone way of the EM Event.
Yes they can do story lines a bit different for each... and it has been good the thoughts and merger of the ideas.
Some work some don't.
Its not them we need to focus on..
You point out a big factor in the problem.... players.
Its sad that people will cheat and steal in a game to get what should be a fair chance...
They stack the deck with plat suits and scrolled up characters and with using programs most of us wouldn't think of using.....
This game still makes real life money the root of its problem..
I will not name names but most of us know at least one of these people who milk UO of its riches and makes others leave in discuss as they steal.
Tina getting rid of the EM's wouldn't solve it.... cheats and hackers have been in the games from day 1.
See they know no other way but to cheat.
Change the system they will adapt... and do it all over again in some other way.
They don't know any other way to get their way....we pay for it with every player we loose and its not just UO they are in or effecting,
Country's do it, business does it too.... So to say get rid of the EM's is but a moot point.
Change the way people do things.... a level playing field will still have this happen...
There is always going to be that set of people who need to be on top.. even if it hurts others.