Here's where we want to see Stratics go... what about YOU?

[Riyana]

Wow! As of this post being written, the IndieGoGo campaign is sitting at $4,581 dollars--44% of the way to the goal! A HUGE thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. We still have a ways to go, but we are off to a great start. Let's keep the momentum up--every bit of assistance helps, whether that be in the form of a financial contribution, spreading the word, or just voicing your support here on Stratics.

We've posted a lengthy Q/A here that we hope answers most of your general questions regarding the campaign and demonstrates how serious and dedicated we are to keeping Stratics alive and well. We'd like to share our rough goals for the site over the next twelve months--and ask you, the community, what YOUR priorities for the site are. Keep in mind that some of this may evolve depending on project size, costs, staff availability, unforeseen circumstances, and of course, your input.

Below are some of the major strategy points we envision for keeping Stratics alive, healthy, and informative. Most of these are projects that are already in progress. Please let us know what you think and what direction you'd like to see Stratics take!

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- First and foremost: acquire the site and make the ownership transition and hardware and software transfers as smoothly and with as little disruption to the community as possible. Our site support administrators are familiar with what is currently in use and have already begun making preparations for the migration.

- Continue improving our relationship with Broadsword. While we obviously can not guarantee developer participation on Stratics, we intend to continue enforcing the UO Terms of Service, maintaining civility on the forums, and promoting UO to the best of our ability. It is our hope that these actions and our communications with Broadsword will cultivate an atmosphere of trust between Stratics and the UO developers, thus benefitting the community as a whole.

- Migrate the old lore and guides into an accessible and easily referenced Wiki. This has been and will be a very time-consuming and intensive project, but we believe that this content, currently difficult to readily access, belongs out in the open for all to reference and enjoy. This project will also include updating any outdated information, calculators, and other resources.

- Tweak and promote the classifieds system until it meets the needs of the community. This will ideally include the addition of an auction feature, which has been requested many times.

- Tweak and promote the calendar until it meets the needs of the community, and maintain as up-to-date and accurate a collection of event listings--both player and EM/dev--as possible. This will involve outreach to player event organizers and game Event Moderators. Additionally, we plan to begin hosting events and contests both on Stratics and in game.

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What do you think? Let us know what YOUR thoughts for the future of Stratics are! We'd especially like to hear your most immediate goals for the site after the sale.

As always, thank you for your support and for being part of the Stratics community!

 

[Zuckuss]

Now is the time to voice ideas as to where you would like Stratics go. If you know something we don't, please let us know!

 

[old gypsy]

Now is the time to voice ideas as to where you would like Stratics go. If you know something we don't, please let us know!

Above all, I want Stratics to remain in our present Staff's dedicated (and very able) hands. The goals you all have already described are sufficient for me as a UO player and a member of this site. My sincere hope is that all who have enjoyed and benefited from this site will turn out and support the campaign!

 

[Angel of Sonoma]

rico started a similar thread. What Do You Want In A UO Forum?

 

[Capt. Lucky]

I told Stratics where to go and it got deleted.

 

[FrejaSP]

It's like building a home for your family, sometimes we have a lot of dreams, both about the building it self and the place.
We don't need everything we can dream about, we need a place to be together that will fill our basic needs.

I like what we do have here, the forums and the guild forums. I do remember when Stratics was the place to find info about the game but in many ways, UOGuide, Knucklehead, ToR and other places took over. I need links too this places and to UO.com info pages. No need to put a lot of energi in trying to have it all here.

We have valuable info in some of the many forums, I would hate to see lost but I also believe it take up a lot of space, special now where we can upload images. Would it be possible if there was a way to give a thread or a special post with good info a special categorization after it is posted, maybe something like when we mark a post we like. There could be a category for each special forum and a few other category, like history or stories from the game.
Then when you search for "PvP" and "Poison Mastery" it will show the posts with the category PvP before post without or with "PvM" category. Just some ideas for how to make some categorization in the chaos of posts we have.

The Guild forums are really something I feel we must keep, I like the way they work but I would like to see some changes. As a guildmaster, I would not mind paying a little to get more features on my guild forums. Also lets say, a guild forum cost somewhere between $1-10 a month for one guild page, depending of the features, I would like to be able to let members donate to the page to keep the features active. Like I choose a forum version, that will cost $5 and 3 members choose to donate $1 one each, I will only have to pay $2 or it could be made so it work together with being a Professionel member of the forum, you can choose to support 1-2 guild/community forums to help the community you belong to with a better forum.
I don't like the way the old member and staff wall works, I would like to add a real member forum, guildleader forum and public forum to my page. I have a lot of ideas but again, nice to have, not need to have.

I wish to keep the staff we have now, your guys do a great job.

 

[TimberWolf]

I told Stratics where to go and it got deleted.

me too...then I got a 24 hr ban...... lol who am I fooling...I am well past the 24hr ban mark!

 

[xX~Cobalt Bones~Xx]

i would like stratics to be a portal for all of UO.
A place where the goings on of freeshards would be talked about. see what users are playing where (most hard-core uoers play both)
i dont care about devs, dev updates should be on login screeen with links to UO.com to give feedback, submit bugs.
I could do without UOhall, its usually just blabbing about non-sense.
Need a pvp section. right now the pvp talk section is Trade forum.
trade forums are a must. classifieds is ok, but visibility of items for sale is too low. you would have to "get people to use them" which is especieally hard because no way to post multiple items. forum is easier right now.
place to buy / sell UO items and gold
browser vendor search (all shards) where we could efficiently search for items for sale on vendors and in auction.

I see current staff is trying to buy stratics, dont think they would be able to meet my dreams of what stratics could be. Not wanting to profit off site makes me very uneasy that improvements could be made. With no $$ no room to hire pro web designers to make some of these systems. With no drive for profit, no drive to make stratics explode into modern, efficient, and popular gaming site for this classic game. Need someone who is pro, not working out of garage on little budget.

just my personal dreams for the site, i do use it as it is now and not expecting changes but since you ask those are my ideal wants.

 

[Captn Norrington]

I see current staff is trying to buy stratics, dont think they would be able to meet my dreams of what stratics could be. Not wanting to profit off site makes me very uneasy that improvements could be made. With no $$ no room to hire pro web designers to make some of these systems. With no drive for profit, no drive to make stratics explode into modern, efficient, and popular gaming site for this classic game. Need someone who is pro, not working out of garage on little budget.

You misunderstood what we meant by "no profit". We meant no profit for us, that the staff would not be taking home paychecks from Stratics. The website itself will of course still be making money, it has to in order to make sure there is enough money available to pay for maintenance and improvements. The difference is the revenue generated by the website will be used only to improve the website instead of going into someone's personal bank account.

 

[xX~Cobalt Bones~Xx]

You misunderstood what we meant by "no profit". We meant no profit for us, that the staff would not be taking home paychecks from Stratics. The website itself will of course still be making money, it has to in order to make sure there is enough money available to pay for maintenance and improvements. The difference is the revenue generated by the website will be used only to improve the website instead of going into someone's personal bank account.

i feel people more motivated to make big ideas happen when personal gain is the reward. yes small profits might be made, but no drive to make big profits since no personal gain. again, just my view on how world works.

example: player run selling sites making lots of $$ right now. stratics could be making that big $$ but no drive to.

 

[Elenni]

rico started a similar thread. What Do You Want In A UO Forum?

He did, and in fact it's something we wish we'd thought of first! The campaign work has been a little overwhelming.

Specifically, though, we're looking at it in terms of the next year, for planning and budgeting. We're particularly wanting to focus in on what the priorities should be for the next 12 months, from the community's perspective. Things that are the most important to the community as a whole, and that are achievable and can/should be budgeted for.

edit: that said, don't leave anything off the table for now...this is a brainstorming thread too. You never know what might develop out of a good idea...

 

[Yozzik]

Why not going to Patreon.com? One of the most obvious and fair ways to maintain web services of such kind i think.

 

[kelmo]

Damn it! This guy has more likes than posts! WTH?

 

[Captn Norrington]

Damn it! This guy has more likes than posts! WTH?

Two of his 4 likes are from me lol. I just can't help myself, I am addicted to liking posts.

 

[Longtooths]

1. Donate $500 to fire one staff member permanently.

 

[Elenni]

1. Donate $500 to fire one staff member permanently.

I don't suppose you'd settle for a dunking cage instead, maybe?

 

[kelmo]

What would you donate to ban me?

 

[kelmo]

*sighs* I did not mean to be negative. The work week is taking a toll. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

 

[Goodmann]

what happens to the fund if someone else wins stratics?

 

[Captn Norrington]

what happens to the fund if someone else wins stratics?

All of it will be refunded completely. If the fundraiser never gets to $10,500 Indiegogo refunds it automatically for us when the fundraiser ends, and if it does get to $10,500 and we still lose the auction we will work with Indiegogo to refund all the money as well, including the people who donated anonymously.

Either way, if we do not end up as the winners of the auction 100% of all donations will be refunded.

 

[old gypsy]

Two of his 4 likes are from me lol. I just can't help myself, I am addicted to liking posts.

And folks keep liking you back....

Love ya!

 

[SoulWeaver]

I would love a legit auction type system implemented in the trade section, allowing to give buyers and sellers stars, and reviews etc similiar to an Ebay or Amazon system but all dealt with gold and plat etc.

 

[SoulWeaver]

What would you donate to ban me?

I'll match your donation to never see you here again! Ha Jk jk Love you ol'buddy! Happy Hollidays

 

[kelmo]

*chuckles*

 

[OREOGL]

@Riyana have you all discussed the event of not reaching the donation goal and any contingencies?

 

[Riyana]

@Riyana have you all discussed the event of not reaching the donation goal and any contingencies?

We have. Although for what I hope are obvious reasons we do not wish to publicly disclose our full options, we have some contingencies in mind. However, I will say that we believe that the success of the crowdfund is the best option for both securing the site and for ensuring that the site becomes community-owned.

 

[old gypsy]

If there was an "on bended knee" smilie, I'd use it.
Come on you guys and gals! Please, please help the staff reach that goal!

 

[FrejaSP]

on bended knee

Think I found one.

but not sure it's the best one.

Please if you can afford a little, please donate it. We almost half the way now.

 

[Nexus]

If there was an "on bended knee" smilie, I'd use it.
Come on you guys and gals! Please, please help the staff reach that goal!

How's this?

 

[Yadd of Legends]

Oh, god, looks like those sad animal faces on the SPCA commercials

 

[Nexus]

Oh, god, looks like those sad animal faces on the SPCA commercials

Well, you know how to get rid of it right?​

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[Yadd of Legends]

Well, you know how to get rid of it right?​

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Yeah, now there's four of em

 

[Kirthag]

Content where content should be... NOT in a forum software package. Put the articles, guides, stats and info into a CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

*steps off of soapbox*

next...

*added at edit*

and if you're gonna keep on adding silly "emoticons" make sure they do not belong to anyone else and are public domain and are SMALL like emoticons should be. the larger emoticons wreck havoc on mobile devices.

 

[FrejaSP]

Well, you know how to get rid of it right?​

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much better than the one I found

 

[Cymidei]

The video about saving Stratics made me snort with laughter! Do you guys realize what fossils we all are? The Interwebs, really? Who says that only crusty old Eve Online and UO players

Listen up! Times have changed and there is an entirely new generation of gamers out there. Gamers that Stratics could reach and add fresh blood to our community. I'd wager that only 2% of gamers outside of our age demographic have even heard of Ultima Online. Think about all the kids playing Minecraft these days, there are 9,844,152 registered users for MC alone. Ya think PlanetMinecraft makes $300 dollars a month? Nope! You would be lucky to get them to sell you a tiny advertisement on their page for that...for a few days.

Stratics has tried to diversity to other games but...it never succeeded in gaining a strong reader base. Why? Well simply put, go look at any other top gaming website for any other game, such as World of Warcraft, or planet minecraft and you will immediately see what the problems are. I tried explaining this to the old administrators and owners but they didn't take my criticism kindly. Do IT RIGHT and DIVERSIFY, connect our community with others! Bring in new blood and lots of money. Get money, by...yep make server lists, advertisements, resources that people want for those games and do what Stratics does best, community.

Today's gaming websites OFFER much more than just articles, they have videos, downloads, and resources that players want. A sad fact is most people hate reading and would rather look at pictures, and watch videos. The new generation of gamers doesn't like reading and has zilch attention span. This is why youtube, etc. are so successful.

 

[Kirthag]

@Cymidei
We were doing that for a while, actually we had the Stratics.tv domain (thanks to Taylor) and we did have streams set up via Twitch and I grew that to Hitbox as well. Started to get quite a following. We had some passionate people together for more dynamic stuff.

Things changed - there needs to be a plan and that plan needs to be STUCK TO without changing it every two months or so. Get a plan, stick to it.

Stratics (Strategy and Statistics) is what put this "brand" on the map. It _can_ branch out to other games if people don't get greedy for it. That is a problem today, everyone who creates good content wants to get paid for said content. Stratics had some professional streamers and writers on staff - and Taylor paid for it in spades.

It is very rare to find a passionate person with the knowledge and skills to produce good content for free. :-\

 

[Corwyn]

One of the very first things I'd like to see is either completely updating the News section of the first page of Stratics or completely removing it from the front page. When I open it up, I look at the dates shown, and when I see that the last date was February, 2015, all I can think is, "is this game really that dead?" And I'm sure any prospective players that saw that would feel the same.

Editted for punctuation. Yes... I really am that bad.

 

[Selistrana]

I am sure we all can make it and bring UO Stratics Home but to reach out more Peoples we need some Help. Everyone here plays on one or more Shards and with 1 Hour of your Time you could reach a lot Players. Just Write in the General Channel : UO Stratics needs your Help now! Please visit : https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stratics-com-because-we-ve-all-been-there#/ each Dollar helps. Thank you.