Factions, at its heart, is an RP system. Plenty of people participated in it solely on that basis. The Faction Artifacts were an idea I'd supported long-before they were seriously considered (at least I think it was long-before they were seriously considered) because I liked the idea of Factions offering a reward external to Factions.
However, pretty early on, the Faction Artifacts converted from a reward to an entitlement, and a rather hefty one at that. The idea of making Faction Artifacts uber versions of items that were already pretty nice to begin with didn't help. Now the entitlement is harder to get and people are revolting, all the while saying that it isn't about the entitlement, and entitlements are bad (save when it's our entitlements), etc. I think what bugs me most of all is that these folks pretend their complaints are about Factions, when they're not: They're about having easier-to-obtain gear. (Interestingly enough, until they were harder to get, PvPers actually argued that the Faction Artifacts were not meaningful rewards and scoffed at me when I put them on lists of items that were only obtainable in Felucca. I guess now we're seeing just how "meaningful" they were.) It also bugs me when people pretend their complaints are about PvP, when they plainly aren't: They are about maintaining a comparatively easy advantage over others in PvP. That ain't the same thing. Nothing stops you from PvPing now, or from PvPing with no Faction Artifacts at all. Or has it gotten to the point where PvP is so unpopular that not even PvPers want to do it for its own sake?
Somewhere out there I have a post that explains my thoughts on Factions and what they should do with it. It got a lot of likes but nothing came of it; it's still findable if you're curious.
-Galen's player
First, there is always one thing that happens that cause and affect the other things altogether.
The point of faction when it's first implemented have MANY MANY different meanings to different standard of people. The DEV make factions maybe same as what you said, at it's heart is to roleplay and seperate the different believe of people, whether TB, COM, Minax or SL. But to some players, factions to them is only a platform for pvp and having fun with the system which it did, when it was first implemented. But the world is rotating and changing everyday, even in UO. Every once inawhile, there will be new patch, with new changes, somewhere got new contents, and old contents (such as old faction system) is abandoned. That's why the participation rate (before faction arties) have been significant decreased.
Please stick to this point, as soon as UO turned into a MORE item based game, if not every single players, I guarantee that 90% players or more are seeking for better equipment and playing under a more benefit level comparative to the others. This is true, because human never satisfy, they want more and more. When you have 1 million, you want 2 mil etc... well maybe there is some Saint out there or monk that wouldn't care anything at all except to pray to god or whatever which I aint gonna discuss further.
You are talking about roleplay and ONLY playing for fun? Let me ask you a simple question. Everytime EM doesnt reveal the rewards of each event, what pushes you to participate? You have a curious heart and that you might have something in the end that is worth over 10 mil 100 mil or whatever. Right? Of course, I would have to say, part of the reason you go is for the fun, but if there is no other side benefit (such as EM event items given out), your incentive for participating to EM event will decline. This is the truth and cannot be twisted.
Just like this, if EM says that, there will be NO REWARDS at all in ANY EM event. Do you think there will be newbies coming over from other shards and participate into your shard event??????? Just curious thing that I wanted you to answer.
Faction has been NEARLY dead at the period of 2007, in which they're forced to finally upgrade a NEW system to attract new players and that new system is the upgraded version of doom and other artifacts. That was a success, because you have people significant increase in numbers in factions. PVPERs join factions to get those artifacts to pvp, and PVMERs join factions to get those artifacts to coward back trammel to pvm.
But the fact is, people really join the system and the participation rate increased up to Pub 75. This is the fact.
During the course of 2008-2012 before Pub 75, I cannot guarantee to say that, majority of players still remain in factions, as you know, factions have no new updates at all and then other places contents have been updated. Such as UOSA, expansions, imbue, reforge, etc... all of these are able to put a competitive suits together without even any single piece of faction artifact. So there are some especially pvmers (sampire templates, etc.) decided to just quit faction and go on with their blues to work on Felucca spawns etc...
But then the pvpers who in these 3-4 years, they already set up their base armour including the faction artifacts in their normal daily pvp actitivies. They have already get used to their faction artifacts included in their suit and only will seek for other parts of upgrade (such as sleeves, gloves, ring, bracelet, gorget, etc...)
Anyways, the point of Pub 75 is right or not doesnt judge by how we speak, it should be judge by the overall outcome. I am not saying that, faction artifacts is a good thing or a bad thing. Also, people shouldn't be saying that people who join faction shouldn't be because of faction artifacts, because this type of arguement is bull$hit as mentioned.
Why do you play Medusa 100 times then???? You hunt Medusa 100 times because you want to Roleplay more? or Pvp more? WTF doesnt make sense.
So same thing is, you shouldnt be judging people, OH YOU JOIN FACTION because you wanted the artifacts!!!!
Yes, right, many or lets say majority of people join faction for aritfacts, but after they get the artifacts, they just sit and sleep and dont do anything? WRONG!!
After they get the artifacts, they go on and either pvp or pvm. There is a purpose in order for them to get the artifacts. They dont just get it and sit in their house showing off to air right? The point is, when everyone have the same opportunities of doing it, I really dont see any reason why it is wrong!
The main point is that, it is increase the faction activities and not declining in Pre Pub 75. But after Pub 75, it is declining. Face the fact and learn the truth.
