Look for information on Pub 72 and Ultima’s 14 year Anniversary

[Deb]

So any word on this...I know it was posted on the 22nd, but some kind
of good news would sure go a long way right now. Especially with all
the issues with the Migration

 

[Woodsman]

Yeah, looking for this as well.

Probably be tomorrow sometime, looking at the last few major announcements.

 

[Ender]

Stay tuned for another broken promise, most like.

 

[KPac]

for all the years I have played uo I have seen alot. I just wanted to say for all the issues I have seen I have never found anything else for the price that I get more out of per dollar I pay. there are so many things to do that i would say for the 100 of 100 of hours I have played I am still getting my money out it.

 

[Akalabeth]

I cannot even think of publishes or anniversary awards or 14th year awards or Halloween or anything. My playing partner of almost 12 years is not going to be able to play anymore. You know why? Because she can't put her credit card into renew accounts. They are all out now except one and it will be gone in days.

She has talked to everyone even up to EA corporate office and they cannot fix it. They cannot even take her money. They have upped her problems to Tier 3 and still cannot get it fixed. How does this happen? How can a person want to pay to activate an account and the people at EA cannot even put in the credit card.

She called the credit card company. No problem with the card. It is just all too distressing. I hope they fix account migration before anything.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

As a general rule I am all about content.

But under present conditions? I would rather they fix the account management thing, assuming they can't do both (account issue and content) at the same time.

In case it is not obvious why the account management thing should be top priority: At this moment, UO is in the midst of a kind of existential crisis. If people cannot pay for their accounts, UO will by definition not exist.

(And before someone trots this out as a "free to play" argument, which it's not, then even if we were "free" to play we'd still be in such a crisis, because this would mean that folks couldn't bring in revenue to the game through micro transactions. Either way, existential crisis.)

-Galen's player

 

[kelmo]

Content and accounting are different departments. Likely different coasts as well...

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Content and accounting are different departments. Likely different coasts as well...

I actually don't have that impression; meaning I don't have the impression that content is handled exclusively by the UO team in Virginia and that billing is handled exclusively by EA proper on the West Coast, which is what I think you're saying?

Consider the following.

1. The billing thing messed up the additional character slots for many people.

2. The billing update required extensive game downtime.

3. Housing status is directly connected to account status.

At minimum this means that the billing systems and content systems talk to one another beyond login, which means the UO team is doing something, probably a lot of somethings, related to the account debacle.

I have no impression that the UO team is large enough to specialize in any meaningful sense, if that's what you're saying instead of what I thought you said.

And, though I am normally all about content, I think this account stuff should be their primary, dare I say exclusive?, focus until it is resolved.

-Galen's player

 

[Kojak]

my accounts work fine - I want my publish 72 information dammit

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

my accounts work fine - I want my publish 72 information dammit

Let's say UO has 50,000 accounts. (We use that number because of spontaneous utterances on blogs that claim to be from insiders. Maybe that figure is right, maybe not, but for right now we just need a number.)

Now let's say 5,000 of those accounts have problems.

That's 10% of a comparatively small player base. Now let's say only 1,000 of those 5,000 (20%) are canceled as a result of all this trouble.

1,000/50,000, over something which is totally non-game and non-content related.

-Galen's player

 

[popps]

Content and accounting are different departments. Likely different coasts as well...

Regardless, I would find it frustrating to be in a Department and work hard for the better of the game only to see some other Department, somewhere, screw up with customers and frustrate those same customers which someone else, with hard work, is trying to get pleased about the game.

Customers sure have a right to complain about issues not working as they should, but personally, I think that moreso also Departments working hard for the good of the game should have all rights to complain with other Departments frustrating those same customers.....

And probably, it is easier to complain internally than for a customers who, often, does not even know who to turn to in order to place their complaint.

What I am trying to say, is that perhaps content may have some saying with whatever other department is frustrating customers which content is trying hard to make happy about the game........

For a plane to make a good flight, all departments need to succesfully do their work, maintainance engineers like pilots, like air-traffic controller and so forth.

That's at least as I see it.

 

[Tina Small]

With Hurricane Irene headed in the general direction of the EA offices in Fairfax, Virginia where the dev team is located, I would be pretty surprised to see them release much of anything. For all we know, that office is closed today and folks are working from home between hurricane preparations and while waiting for evacuation orders.

 

[Woodsman]

At minimum this means that the billing systems and content systems talk to one another beyond login, which means the UO team is doing something, probably a lot of somethings, related to the account debacle.

I have no impression that the UO team is large enough to specialize in any meaningful sense, if that's what you're saying instead of what I thought you said.

And, though I am normally all about content, I think this account stuff should be their primary, dare I say exclusive?, focus until it is resolved.

While I'm sure several members of the UO team are still working on account-related stuff and that because the team is so small it does have an impact, the people designing in-game content such as vet rewards or anniversary gifts or doing graphics are not the people who are going to be working on the account issues.

That would be the equivalent of asking somebody who knows only about painting houses to replace your furnace or install new electrical sockets - that's not a wise move. While I'm sure some of the artists and designers have a broad knowledge of computing, I doubt they would have the experience and expertise to work on implementing the new accounting system with UO. Hell, even the people who designed and support the new Origin.com account management system seem to have problems understanding everything about it.

I think the account migration has set UO and the other games back a bit, but it should not have stopped the artists and designers from doing their jobs. It may keep anniversary gifts or vet rewards from happening right away next month, but we should at least be able to see concept art.

Plus they said on the 21st? I think that we would see details this week, which means they've probably been sitting on the announcement, most of the details, and most of the graphics/screenshots for a while.

Sitting on to the Pub 72 information for several more weeks while the final parts of the migration are finished is not going to do UO any good.

 

[johnny13]

They LIE over and over again why? Cause they can get away with it.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

With Hurricane Irene headed in the general direction of the EA offices in Fairfax, Virginia where the dev team is located, I would be pretty surprised to see them release much of anything. For all we know, that office is closed today and folks are working from home between hurricane preparations and while waiting for evacuation orders.

I thought of that too; just saying that I think anything work-related they are able to do should be more-focused on the account thing than on content.

Tropical storm conditions expected in Fairfax, VA tomorrow by the National Weather Service.

-Galen's player

 

[Lord Frodo]

Account Center Maintenance - 8/22 | Mythic Entertainment | Ultima Online

Account Center Maintenance - 8/22
Rowland Cox

Look for information on Pub 72 and Ultima’s 14 year Anniversary later next week!

What part of next week don't people understand? Aug 22 was Monday, they did not say later this week, they said NEXT WEEK. Next week will be Aug 29 - Sep 2.

Give it a rest and please learn to read and use a calendar.

 

[yars]

my accounts work fine - I want my publish 72 information dammit

^^^this

 

[Ender]

That wasn't posted on the 22nd.

And that same post says "early next week" the account center will be down for maintenance. Referring to the 22nd. This is the end of the week of the 22nd.

Learn to read buddy.

 

[johnny13]

That one of the reason why they can get away with it!! haha

Account Center Maintenance - 8/22 | Mythic Entertainment | Ultima Online

What part of next week don't people understand? Aug 22 was Monday, they did not say later this week, they said NEXT WEEK. Next week will be Aug 29 - Sep 2.

Give it a rest and please learn to read and use a calendar.

 

[HD2300]

Consider the following.

1. The billing thing messed up the additional character slots for many people.

2. The billing update required extensive game downtime.

3. Housing status is directly connected to account status.

At minimum this means that the billing systems and content systems talk to one another beyond login, which means the UO team is doing something, probably a lot of somethings, related to the account debacle.

Exactly. Also UO gametime codes werent working for 2 weeks, and we know that there were working in WAR at least 7 days ago, and most probably they have been working for WAR players all the time. Isnt it a coincidence that they are now working 2 days after I posted 'why are gametime codes working in WAR and not in UO'. This is how things get done, not kissing butt.

And all the misinformation that only EA accountants are 100% responsible is 100% BS PR. So much that has happened could just have been easily avoided if any time during the last 9 months when this project started if basic testing and planning was done. .

 

[Woodsman]

Isnt it a coincidence that they are now working 2 days after I posted 'why are gametime codes working in WAR and not in UO'. This is how things get done, not kissing butt.

We all thank you for making them fix the gametime codes

 

[Woodsman]

Account Center Maintenance - 8/22 | Mythic Entertainment | Ultima Online

What part of next week don't people understand? Aug 22 was Monday, they did not say later this week, they said NEXT WEEK. Next week will be Aug 29 - Sep 2.

Give it a rest and please learn to read and use a calendar.

They posted it on the 19th, but deleted the original post. UOJ says it was posted on the 19th.

UO Publish 72 Details Next Week | UOJournal.com
UO Account Center Maintenance – August 22 | UOJournal.com

They may have deleted that post on the 19th and added it to the post on the 22nd, to move the pub 72 stuff back to next week, but they are deleting and editing a lot of posts.

 

[Muu Bin]

Isnt it a coincidence that they are now working 2 days after I posted 'why are gametime codes working in WAR and not in UO'. This is how things get done, not kissing butt.

We all thank you for making them fix the gametime codes

Wish I had that kind of power over time and space......

*goes off to ponder my navel*

 

[Myphsar]

Sorry, Hope everything is ok! and that you all is safe, take care

 

[Woodsman]

I've been incredibly eager to see the new graphics, but Fairfax is getting pounded right now, so I'm not going to complain too much. Until last night, I didn't realize just where Fairfax was located. Would be nice if some of the Mythic people who lived outside of Virginia had updated UO Herald though with at least a message stating it would be next week.

 

[Obsidian]

Yeah, DC is getting smashed right now. I live 20 miles south of Fairfax and I'm sitting here in the dark without power. The wind and rain are raging outside. No UO, but thanks to my Blackberry at least I can read the forums. The Dev team is most certainlu doing what the rest of us are... Hunkering down until Irene passes.