Negative, doomed community

[yadiman]

Not picking on this one, it happens in all games / real life.

It's fair to say the #1 complaint is the dwindling population / hard to find people. So why is it that we can't come up with solutions to bring people together? I see people complaining that they are only answering relatively meaningless questions in the "ask and answer". Yet if they DO tackle some tougher issues, there would be an uproar of whines. It was displayed when they wanted to change the faction system, an obviously flawed system. People b$&*$ and moaned about their precious faction gear.

Anyways... People need to come up with suggestions about fun ways to bring the community together. Even if it's drastic. who cares. As long as it brings people together and it's fun. Obviously, the 2nd one is subjective, but most people will have fun playing with others.

I'll even throw out another suggestion that I'm sure will go down in flames. But it would bring people together. -- An EA message board with a list of upcoming IDOCs. It will give a 2 hour random window, so people can socialize (or fight in fel). Not 8 hours cuz that gets boring. The house could turn public during this time.

Anyways, flame away

 

[BigEv]

Anyways, flame away

....Ur Welcome.

 

[Petra Fyde]

They are answering the questions that are submitted. They can't do more than that.
Bear in mind that.
You can please some of the people all of the time
You can please some of the people some of the time
But some people you just can't please any of the time.

No matter what they do, someone is going to come here to complain. The trick is in recognising the genuine concerns from the pancakes for pancakes's sake.

 

[Gospel]

Well first off, people have been doomsaying UO since T2A. If the game was going to die, it would already be dead.

Secondly, an EA list of IDOCS is not only one of the most bizzare suggestions I've heard, it's also not a very good one. Many people consider IDOCs a profession in the game, not a social event to mingle. Having every IDOC in the game turn into a shard-wide event would only give hard-workong IDOC hunters a reason to quit the game. Not to mention it would bring the wrong kind of attention to the game. People gathering to fight over an ex-players belongings is not the way to build community.

Also, how is making the house public helpful in any way? It ruins the surprise of what's inside, and unless you plan on making every container viewable as well, it's not likely to reveal a lot in many cases. Making everything public just means everyone in attendence will be dog piled on the big money items. Yeah....fun...

Perhaps the reason there aren't more suggestions implemented to encourage community is because the suggestions put forth are either not realistic, not easy to implement, or just plain poorly thought out (see above).

It's so very easy to blindly hate the development team for everything you don't like about the game. Stop trying to take the easy way out and try coming up with some legitimate solutions, see how much better you fare.

 

[yadiman]

I'm not hating the dev team. I'm hating the negative community who always has an excuse (see above). And yes, of course the IDOC hunters would be pissed, but there aren't very many of them. Yet you say we should not implement something that will bring people together because 4 people will be pissed?

I've came up with lots of suggestions recently. Want another suggestion? Every day, 1 dungeon or spawn will have 3x chance at arties.

pancakes about other people's suggestions ain't going to solve anything. How bout you make a suggestion that does not involve new plants, graphics, or a cleansing winds nerf...

 

[weins201]

pancakes about other peoples suggestions is more viable than pancakes about the game.

 

[yadiman]

Are you implying that I'm pancakes about the game? God you people are hopeless.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Are you implying that I'm pancakes about the game? God you people are hopeless.

Stratics posters, and yes I include myself by definition, may indeed be hopeless, but our reactions to this thread are not a good indicator of such.

-Galen's player

 

[Lady Michelle]

Not picking on this one, it happens in all games / real life.
real life?

It's fair to say the #1 complaint is the dwindling population / hard to find people.
There is tons, and tons of players there just hard to find cuz they have hiding and stealthing.

So why is it that we can't come up with solutions to bring people together?
How much togetherness do you want champs, peerless, EM events, bank sitting, etc not enough?
you did mention real life is that what ya aiming for?

I see people complaining that they are only answering relatively meaningless questions in the "ask and answer".
I don't see people complaining I see unhappy campers posting how they feel about issues.

Yet if they DO tackle some tougher issues, there would be an uproar of whines.
I know all that whines, but no cheeses go figure

It was displayed when they wanted to change the faction system, an obviously flawed system. People b$&*$ and moaned about their precious faction gear.
The pancakes and moaning was going on way before the faction arties came along

Anyways... People need to come up with suggestions about fun ways to bring the community together.Even if it's drastic. who cares.
I got it I'll be some where on great lakes this week doing things you find me. I'll give you a bandage for free. I knows peoples loves free things

As long as it brings people together and it's fun. Obviously, the 2nd one is subjective, but most people will have fun playing with others.
or killing others

I'll even throw out another suggestion that I'm sure will go down in flames. But it would bring people together. -- An EA message board with a list of upcoming IDOCs. It will give a 2 hour random window, so people can socialize (or fight in fel). Not 8 hours cuz that gets boring. The house could turn public during this time.
hands yadiman his easy button, oops it no workies sowwy
Anyways, flame away

 

[yadiman]

hands yadiman his easy button, oops it no workies sowwy

Yep, cuz my suggestion to eliminate running in pvp was real care bear easy.
BTW, do you think a new player / returning player would like my suggestions? ah prob not... prob best to lead them to the nearest gold selling site to get themselves started.

 

[Ron Silverbeard]

Now, were is this discussion heading to?
Yadiman you want more community gatherings, is that correct?
There are some as Michelle posted yet, EM Events, Arc's, Player Run Events, IDOC Bashings (on Fel at least) Trash Talk at General Chat, Duel Pits, Player Run Community Spawn Runs, etc..

So if you want and IDOC Board setup by Mythic on the home page, send it in to the dev's and let's see what they say on this, hmm?

Peace peeps! We dont want to wake the Kelmo up, or Granny P

 

[Winker]

Doomed I tell you, we're all doomed captain mainwaring, doomed I tell you.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Yep, cuz my suggestion to eliminate running in pvp was real care bear easy.
I don't PVP but I do love those fel idocs 2 words for ya stealth & grab.You just have to learn to perfect it to where you do it for months under their noses with them not knowing your there.

BTW, do you think a new player / returning player would like my suggestions? ah prob not... prob best to lead them to the nearest gold selling site to get themselves started.
Or maybe take them to places to get started some don't like the easy button mode.

 

[yadiman]

Doomed I tell you, we're all doomed captain mainwaring, doomed I tell you.

Well, we're all doomed till they figure out a way to preserve our heads in jars.

 

[Crysta]

I'll even throw out another suggestion that I'm sure will go down in flames. But it would bring people together. -- An EA message board with a list of upcoming IDOCs. It will give a 2 hour random window, so people can socialize (or fight in fel). Not 8 hours cuz that gets boring. The house could turn public during this time.

Anyways, flame away

You want to bring people in a game you say is filled with a community focused on being negative together by having an official reporting of just how many people are leaving the game. Did I get that right?

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

You want to bring people in a game you say is filled with a community focused on being negative together by having an official reporting of just how many people are leaving the game. Did I get that right?

Clearly his suggestion is awesome, all other discussions are meaningless, and you and I are just clueless and hopeless for not seeing the awesomeness of it.

-Galen's player

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

I'm not hating the dev team. I'm hating the negative community who always has an excuse (see above). And yes, of course the IDOC hunters would be pissed, but there aren't very many of them. Yet you say we should not implement something that will bring people together because 4 people will be pissed?

I've came up with lots of suggestions recently. Want another suggestion? Every day, 1 dungeon or spawn will have 3x chance at arties.

pancakes about other people's suggestions ain't going to solve anything. How bout you make a suggestion that does not involve new plants, graphics, or a cleansing winds nerf...

There are ALOT more idoccer's then 4. Even taking into account your sarcasm it says alot about how clueless you are if you dont realize that idoccing is a huge part of the game for ALOT of people.

The funny part about your clueless OP is that the people doing the idoccing are themselves a great community. I see the same groups of people at alot of idocs and there is always alot of fun & action.

How about you stop moping & whining on the boards and start actually playing the game. ON ALL FACETS.
Thats how you will help to create a better overall community. Not the niche bs we have now.
Clinging to one area or facet of the game for whatever reason is whats killing it.

 

[Lady CaT]

If ya want to enjoy UO a whole lot more, stop reading the forums and go play the game. This place is toxic!

 

[yadiman]

I love how all of the sudden, finding people is not a problem! Do I need to go find every post within the past year that talks about low population/ attacting and keeping players.... Like the guy who said i'm dumb cuz i want more bag space, "{he} has room for 3 extra stones so i should just stfu and deal with it"

and I never said my idea was perfect. But it's better than any of you have suggested. Speaking of these IDOCers that we need to protect, how bout banning those scripters that have been using the same program forever?

 

[Viper09]

I have a bad feeling this thread is taking the form of "my ideas are awesome, your ideas suck, and you're hopeless for not liking my ideas." (On part of the OP)
Having the devs post a list of IDOCs would ruin the fun in searching for them and the joy of finding them. As it stands I occasionally see people posting locations of IDOCs when it is a large house.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

We're Doomed! ... DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMED!

 

[Emil Ispep]

I love how all of the sudden, finding people is not a problem! Do I need to go find every post within the past year that talks about low population/ attacting and keeping players.... Like the guy who said i'm dumb cuz i want more bag space, "{he} has room for 3 extra stones so i should just stfu and deal with it"

and I never said my idea was perfect. But it's better than any of you have suggested. Speaking of these IDOCers that we need to protect, how bout banning those scripters that have been using the same program forever?

Heres a better idea than you have suggested... If you dont like UO, dont play UO.

If you want to play with a larger population, try Atlantic or World of Warcraft.

To your OP: Its fair to say MY number 1 complaint is people who want something for free, with minimal effort and involvement.

 

[cazador]

Just rename your house in danger of collapsing..that's always fun to watch the scripters mark runes at your house

 

[Poo]

another 'Sky is Falling thread'..... havnt we hit our quota for the week yet?

haters gonna hate.
players gonna play.

OMG did i just quote a cheesy hip hop movie..... ughhhhh!

 

[The Craftsman]

Doomed I tell you, we're all doomed captain mainwaring, doomed I tell you.

Hmm. Youre picture shows Seargant Arthur Wilson (right) with Captain Mainwaring whereas it was Private James Frazer who actually uttered the "Were all doomed" line. Just saying. For continuity.

 

[Storm]

If we had 1 player for every doom post I have seen UO would have more players then any other game ever! And as far as I can see they must have been doing something right to make it this long.

 

[Lady Michelle]

another 'Sky is Falling thread'..... havnt we hit our quota for the week yet?

haters gonna hate.
players gonna play.

OMG did i just quote a cheesy hip hop movie..... ughhhhh!

Finally cheesy to go along with this whiny

 

[kelmo]

haters gonna hate.
players gonna play.

I should just lock this nonsense thread just for that.

 

[Deaol]

 

[Madrid]

Throw this thread in the garbage where it belongs along with the other one.

 

[Gospel]

and I never said my idea was perfect. But it's better than any of you have suggested.

This statement may as well have said "don't mind me I'm an idiot."

That is not the way to encourage community kiddo.

Your suggestions are bad. Nobody else likes them. That's the risk you take when you post them without actually thinking about them.

When I have a suggestion, I write it down (privately). I think about it from as many different angles as I can think of. If I still think it works, I email it to the dev team.

Don't post your half-assed suggestions here and get offended when people don't like it.

 

[Ron Silverbeard]

Txs for waking the Kelmo up.....

 

[Uvtha]

Not picking on this one, it happens in all games / real life.

It's fair to say the #1 complaint is the dwindling population / hard to find people. So why is it that we can't come up with solutions to bring people together? I see people complaining that they are only answering relatively meaningless questions in the "ask and answer". Yet if they DO tackle some tougher issues, there would be an uproar of whines. It was displayed when they wanted to change the faction system, an obviously flawed system. People b$&*$ and moaned about their precious faction gear.

Anyways... People need to come up with suggestions about fun ways to bring the community together. Even if it's drastic. who cares. As long as it brings people together and it's fun. Obviously, the 2nd one is subjective, but most people will have fun playing with others.

I'll even throw out another suggestion that I'm sure will go down in flames. But it would bring people together. -- An EA message board with a list of upcoming IDOCs. It will give a 2 hour random window, so people can socialize (or fight in fel). Not 8 hours cuz that gets boring. The house could turn public during this time.

Anyways, flame away

Well, I really don't think lack of fun things to do in game is the reason the population is low. The population is low because we don't get many new players. We don't get many new players because its a saturated market with many free, and technologically superior competitors to UOs 15 year old product.

I would also add that's its not OUR job to improve the game. Not saying that people shouldn't come up with and share ideas on game improvements, but the notion that its somehow our responsibility as a game community to draw in more players is wrong in my opinion.

 

[GasaiYuno]

Cause EA, that's why.

 

[DankNuggets]

A large reason people I know continue to play UO vs WoW, StarWars, D3, etc is because UO has a freedom and a rawness that new games don't have. UO was the first! So everyone uses it as an example of what not to do. I personally prefer the raw, go get it style of play. We are not many.

Most people love and i mean LOVE good graphics. I prefer gameplay over graphics. But most people do not.

I've been able to "steal" people from other games and have them try UO. They do not know what to do. They have no concept of "free will". Bring someone from WoW to UO and they say "ok, what do i do?" *response* "anything you want." They say "yeah but what do i do?" They have no concept of being able to run around and do anything they want. They do not know what to do when there isn't a quest saying go to X location to collect X items. I've had at least 5 people fail to grasp the concept of a sandbox game.

Also a lot of people are against any type of risk taking in a game. Darkfall is perfect example. It failed. It was a "Fel" version of UO and WoW together. So with a "pk" facet, that turns a lot of people off. I have a friend who has been running her own free shard for the past 10 years. I got her to try "OSI" again, she has not played OSI since beta. She had no idea that Tram existed! She still has a hard time not running when people show up on screen in Tram. It's a game that changes a lot and doesn't tell anyone about it. So in her mind, the past 15 years of UO have been wild and crazy pking. Once introduced to a style of UO, it sticks in your head for awhile. Perhaps why the returning vet system doesn't seem to work very well. I've helped many many "returners" over the years and rarely do they stick around.

So suggestions on more people?

Well advertising for one. I never heard of UO until someone told me about it in a vent when I was playing another game. This has always been a problem with this game.

Go free to play. Not a popular choice but it's true that it gets people to check out the game. Many games have gone this route and it's working. Perfect World game company produces at least one new game a month that is free to play. They appear to be doing very well. It requires a system that allows people to purchase points/items for games they enjoy, but it gives you a level of exposure that pay to play games do not get. They have a style of game for everyone, FPS to heavy RPG's and everything in between. Perhaps not the best tactic for UO, but it can and does work. Perfect World doesn't have a single pay to play game, yet they produce a game every month. They have a system that is called ZEN, you pay for points that you redeem in any game they produce. Great system for a free to play. But with this style of company and these styles of games, no one wants to pay to play anymore. And if you do pay to play, you expect Blizzard style support. I will say that since Bioware took over the Gm's have been much better, but it's not Blizzard.

That's all I can come up with. People are what make and break games tho. I have met some of the coolest people in UO. Out of all the games I've played, FPS to RPG to Real-time strategy, UO has the best people. Some giant A holes too, but overall the best group of gamers on the planet. I can honestly say I have met people on UO that I talk to everyday and have talked to everyday for years and years. I can't say that about any other game, and I've tried them all.

 

[SpyderBite]

I just need a native Mac client and I'd renew my membership. Once GW2 released an OS X port, UO was the only reason I still had a Windows 7 bootcamp partition on my Mac. That wasn't enough to justify 75gb of of disk space and $13/month.

 

[Petra Fyde]

For an idea of what can be achieved on a small shard when someone actually makes an effort check out the various player event threads on Drachenfels board

The idea that only a handfull of people do IDOCs falls under the same sphere of ignorance that leads to people declaring that only 10 people play Siege. Some people need to accept that there are many different aspects to this game and not everyone plays it the same way. The 'I don't do that, therefore no one else should' attitude needs to go.
I don't do IDOCs - but I realise there are others that enjoy them
I don't collect or trade rares - but I realise that there are others that enjoy them
I don't pvp - but I realise there are others that enjoy that.
I don't do peerless and champs - though I'd like to if I could find a group that didn't consider me a liability
Accept other people's playstyles and stop trying to tailor the game to your own.


Winker - I think the picture you were looking for is this one:

 

[Eärendil]

Drachenfels rulez!

 

[Eärendil]

Ah, not to forget: We have a large guild-alliance on Drach in which we help each other: Somebody needs a new suit - here is a crafter. Somebody needs mats, come WBB. Somebody wants to join a peerless - ask in Ally-Chat. Somebody needs a pet ress - coming... The Ally is an awesome tool for bringing people together. Not to forget that you don´t have to attend GC which sometimes is a rather rude communication platform... Ally is like a guild of guilds. Great thing.

But you have to keep in mind that many things depend on individual commitment: Somebody has to plan and invite for the auction, somebody has to invite to the player-events each weekend.

Some guys created a teleporter hub that allows everybody to jump around in Sosaria for free: Shops, Runelibs, Sightseeing, Abyss-Entrance - about 20 spots... Somebody has to spend his free house-slot for the hub and to buy a large number of house teleporters. These people do these things for free, for the community, for everybody. This isn´t self-evident.

But it is one piece of the mosaic of a well-functioning community. And even if Drachenfels is a small community, it is very vivid...

 

[Petra Fyde]

As I said

when someone actually makes an effort

Too many people saying 'I want to be entertained' and not enough saying 'Let's get together and entertain each other'.

 

[Winker]

Winker - I think the picture you were looking for is this one:

lol thats the one!

 

[Warpig Inc]

Well, we're all doomed till they figure out a way to preserve our heads in jars.

To be politically correct our brains will be stored in GoGurt style squeeze tubes. Wouldn't want those twist off lids or large corks to make one armed Zombies starve to death.

 

[MalagAste]

I'll say this.... As a member of the RP community of GL's I've put on countless events. Just did one last Wednesday infact at my Theatre.

Now.... from time to time I get extremely discouraged. First off to put on an event takes 100's of hours in planning and preparation. Secondly it takes PEOPLE. I had other plans to do other events and other things for our event but you have to have CLEAR commitment from others..... not "Well..... I don't know if I'll be around that night.... but if I am yeah maybe I can help."...... Because when your planning on doing something maybe isn't in the works. I can play 2 people at a time but not for a prolonged time or I'm sure to screw something up bad. And if I really had to I could run 3 clients at once but again.... not something I want to do. And then the worst of all is there is always someone who griefs... They can't seem to just sit and listen to others they have to make horrid comments they feel compelled to constantly be casting spell after spell after spell disrupting things.... they bring their pets inside like somehow a Greater Dragon is somehow going to be needed at a Poetry contest or something.

And finally the worst reality of things is many folk don't want to attend some talky player RP event if they don't think they are going to GET something worth millions in gold. If you don't give away 10's of millions or 100's of millions in gold and prizes folk don't want to "waste" their time at your event.... most especially if it's more talk that do.... and god forbid you should ask them to be "in-character".... or to write or something... I don't know how many times I've been told "I don't RP.... I don't know how to RP, I can't RP..." Which is a lie.... I've RPed at the bank in Luna on many occasions and found folk RPing without knowing or realizing it. Just because I was RPing and they were going right along with it.


There was a great turn out for our event the other day and it really renewed some of my hopes in the community.... But you know you get kinda burnt out on things if it's always the same 4 or 5 people doing everything.... from planning to presenting time and time again. I enjoy doing it... but I can't imagine how hard it has to be for the EM's to constantly be coming up with fun things for the communities to do and having to put up with so much bickering and whining and carrying on from the players who attend. I sure couldn't do it I'll tell you that.

 

[startle]

..... I don't do peerless and champs - though I'd like to if I could find a group that didn't consider me a liability
Accept other people's playstyles and stop trying to tailor the game to your own.

Well, well - "granny in your rocker".... - What shard would you like to do peerless on? If I don't have a char there (and I may not unless it's Pac, but have a few on other shards) I'll make one just to accompany you to a peerless...

 

[Eärendil]

Sad to hear, MalagAste... I am happy that it is quite different at Drach. Mabye you should come and visit us...

 

[MalagAste]

Sad to hear, MalagAste... I am happy that it is quite different at Drach. Mabye you should come and visit us...

I could never leave my home on GL's ...... trust me. With 8 Accounts and 56 characters I'm not at all willing to move or jump ship... besides... no offense to you or any other shard but my history is on GL's..... it's as much a part of me as I am to it... I just don't feel.... how do you say it but I don't feel "at home" anywhere else. I know much of the RP history of GL's. I know where old friends have come and gone... I know where their bones rest.... and I would hate to not be there if someone came home.

This is the problem you run into when anyone talks about combining shards or something with smaller shards.... folk like me don't want to leave... nor do I want to lose what I have. I am part of a Township. Newcastle is my home now. As is Yew. I just couldn't leave it and I seriously do NOT want to rebuild.

 

[Hobo Sapien]

I think this post is Dooooooooooomed !

 

[THP]

to be fair some sjards are down to 50-100 active players...so them shard are actually down to castles going idoc and trying to sell a castle for a few million id there lucky................why arnt we trying to make a merge style work b4 the lesser shard die on there feet

 

[yadiman]

Well i wish i would have wrote a better OP, but it doesn't change my stance. This community loves to think about themselves and what they're used to, instead of the community / new players. But there's a better thread to discuss such issues now. How would you bring the community together? | Stratics: A Career Path in Gaming

 

[MalagAste]

Sadly what most folk forget is that it's not the crap that EA/DEVs/EM's do that make the game "fun" or exciting.... or it wasn't.... it was about what other players were doing as a community and as a group and with guilds. When we switched to the item based system and made items more important ... then we switched from community of players to a bunch of greedy horders and scammers.

Now it's not about how you can use something to play the game... it's about how you can fleece the rest of the players to make money... and I'm not talking about gold. Greed has driven this game into the ground in my opinion. And in my opinion the only way to pull it back again is to take the greed out and stop making more and more "rares".... Because while that's "fun" to collect ..... it's also made the game more about stuff that people. There isn't much community in stuff.