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Stygian Abyss, last EA post was July 07. Why?

G

Guest

Guest
Hail: Go type in Stygian Abyss in the search part on UO, or in the Support part of EA, and you get the same thing, "No Results Found". Even the 3 F&Q are listed under UOKR, at the bottom of the page, and dated july 07. Last response from anyone from EA/mythic here on Stratics was also between feb-july 07.

Also, There is not ONE posted started by anyone from EA/Mythic on the SA expansion, anywhere. All we ask is WHY? Is not "9" Months enough time to give any kind of update at all?
 
I

imported_Sarphus

Guest
relax. They'll get it done. Better late than never... better late than rushed and sloppy.
 
G

Guest

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

relax. They'll get it done

[/ QUOTE ]
You 100% sure about that?
 
F

Fayled Dhreams

Guest
Well, at least you managed to wait over a week ... this time ... but, based on Walt's post:
"Status:

I’d like to inform you that, due to our continuing commitment of resources towards Kingdom Reborn, we will be delaying the launch of Stygian Abyss.

We had previously announced a release date for Stygian Abyss of Summer 2007, and, even though we still have some time left in ‘Summer’ – we will not rush Stygian Abyss out the door.

As of today, we will remove all official references to Stygian Abyss’s launch date from our sites. We’ll announce a new launch date in the future."

(#4556792 - 07/05/07 )

Your STILL asking "too soon".
 
G

Guest

Guest
Why isn't EA talking about it?

Probably the same reason why The White Star line employees stopped talking to the passengers about the next morning's breakfast buffet after the Titanic started taking water.
 
K

kennykilleduo

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

Well, at least you managed to wait over a week ... this time ... but, based on Walt's post:
"Status:

I’d like to inform you that, due to our continuing commitment of resources towards Kingdom Reborn, we will be delaying the launch of Stygian Abyss.

We had previously announced a release date for Stygian Abyss of Summer 2007, and, even though we still have some time left in ‘Summer’ – we will not rush Stygian Abyss out the door.

As of today, we will remove all official references to Stygian Abyss’s launch date from our sites. We’ll announce a new launch date in the future."

(#4556792 - 07/05/07 )

Your STILL asking "too soon".

[/ QUOTE ]

Face it it's not coming out or the original stated version, Does Walt even work on UO still???

EA Mythic prove us wrong , yesterday not tommorow....
 
F

Fayled Dhreams

Guest
Nope ... Walt be gone, however ... other than gargoyles and a large map ... there is also no "original stated version" to point at and go "Aha!"


A better more insightful question would be ... have we seen Wilki's parting surprise yet?



And ... by the way ... technically .... you'se WERE proven wrong "yesterday not tommorow" ...


you just can't remember it
 
I

imported_Sarphus

Guest
They keep telling us "yes it's still coming out' and several of you keeping saying either "the sky is falling!' or "SA is canned".

SA isn't canned...

The sky is still well intact.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not saying you can't continue to parrot a diatribe of nonsence that is in direct contrast with what the devs are telling us they are doing. I'm just saying you look like a fool when you do. I just wanted to be clear.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Because they were waiting to see what happened with KR and it looks like KR did not turn out to be what they were hoping, so they are now left with a ton of fixes to get people to use the client.
 
G

Guest

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

They keep telling us "yes it's still coming out' and several of you keeping saying either "the sky is falling!' or "SA is canned".

SA isn't canned...

The sky is still well intact.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not saying you can't continue to parrot a diatribe of nonsence that is in direct contrast with what the devs are telling us they are doing. I'm just saying you look like a fool when you do. I just wanted to be clear.

[/ QUOTE ]They have said no such thing. They made I reference almost a year ago when they removed all mention of SA from their site. They didn't even talk about it in the town hall meeting. I like UO too but there is no need to see what isn't there. When they got rid of Cohen, they got rid of SA.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Quote, "They keep telling us "yes it's still coming out' "

Ummm, when and where, if i may ask has anyone from EA/Mythic said that within the last 9 months? Also the message from FD, that is nice, but that should have been stickied into the Stygin Abyss forum.

No one is demanding to know the release date. No one wants it rushed. But the current, player base, would at least like to know the status, "That is not almost a year old". I am sorry if that is to much to ask.


ps: i am not really sorry........hehe
 
G

Guest

Guest
Well, Draconi did mention something long ago to the effect that it would be so large that some who entered might decide to just stay never return. Perhaps they sent in QA and never heard from them again


But seriously, I figure they either have to put it on hold until KR adoption gets high enough and/or keep it out of sight until it's "ready" rather than go through another crushing beta experience. I would like to think that they've taken the old saying to heart that "you never have a second chance to make a first impression", working to ready and frame a new expansion in a way that people will find it enjoyable (as opposed to feeling like testing work) on day 1.

I don't think they would string us along deliberately - many of us would not blame UO for something like that, we'd blame the whole EA brand, directly and permanently.
 
G

Guest

Guest
My theory is and yes it's just a theory, this event we are currently
involved in will lead to SA and it will be for 2D. Now I could be way
off the mark on this but it is what I am thinking.

Seeing as there has been reference made to the ending leading
to something BIG. Just like the story arc lead to Kingdom Reborn.
And enough time has passed to restructure SA to 2D.

One can only hope
 
A

AncientGeek

Guest
Given the size of the current UO team, do you honestly believe that there is actually anyone working on SA still? If they did have the staf to do it, which they don't, given that the KR reception and use has been disapointing, do you think a team with vastly constrained resources and manpower is going to develop an expansion exclusively for an unused client?

I still believe we will eventually see SA or, more likely, a scaled down derivitave of it, because an MMO without expansions is finished. But since it's highly doubtful that any progress has been made in the last nine months or so, I wouldn't look for it anytime this year.

Also I believe that people have missed the actual last reference to SA. During the move I believe the new producer was asked about it directly and called SA an "asset that had to be evaluated" or something to that effect.
 
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imported_Ozymandies

Guest
Scrapped.

The last post about the War of the Shadows and Live Events 2008 summed it up, no SA.

OZ
 
A

AdamD

Guest
Reminds me of interviews we used to do with EA reps, we send them off and get no updates for months on end.
And requests for updates on the matter (in this case, interviews) get ignored.
 
G

Guest

Guest
I agree with the person who said an mmo without expansions is doomed.
EQ is constantly releasing them so is every other MMO out but not UO.....

I just want to hear anything about an upcoming expansion, I have never seen one for UO. Played for years back when it was all fel, never got to see tram come into play.

Started playing and now there is tram and all this other stuff, I never seen it happen.
 
G

Guest

Guest
From this expansion list for UO it seems our last update was August 30, 2005.
That's a long time in MMO time for an expansion


* Ultima Online: The Second Age (October 1, 1998)

* Ultima Online: Renaissance (April 3, 2000)

* Ultima Online: Third Dawn (March 7, 2001)

* Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge (February 24, 2002)

* Ultima Online: Age of Shadows (February 28, 2003)

* Ultima Online: Samurai Empire (November 2, 2004)

* Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy (August 30, 2005)

* ** new client = KR. No expansion (June 27, 2007)

* Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss (TBA, originally planned for 2007)
 
G

Guest

Guest
...Because World of Warcraft Arena season 2 started around that time.
 
G

Guest

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

relax. They'll get it done. Better late than never... better late than rushed and sloppy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Personally, I do not believe Stygian Abyss will be released in 2008. In fact, I don't think UO will be expanding further than within the parameters of "events". Eventually, Jeremy will just have to admit this to the community (if the reality we are living doesn't "tell" us first). The current UO team cannot support the game UO used to be (or aspired to be). I would like to be surprised but, much like Shakira's hips, the UO team numbers don't lie.
 
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imported_Sarphus

Guest
I wasn't trying to claim SA was right around the corner. That's not to say it isn't...

I really think we'll get SA at some point. I think a lot of the work for it was already done before the devs made their move, but the KR client needs a little more polish before SA can work.

Maybe we'll get it in 2008... maybe we won't. I still think we will get it. SA is the next logical expansion to do and right now the story arc is around the timeframe of the ultima before the abyss as I understand it.

The devs said we had 3 big story arcs coming... I think the first event was valentines day. The second is the current one, which I think will be the introduction of an enhanced faction system and possibly some very interesting virtue/anti-virtue stuff. I think the third story arc will be the quest for the bell of courage, which will conclude with the opening of the abyss.

I could be wrong, but either way, the devs are still trucking along with their storyline stuff in a chronological order that closely follows the old Ultima games. It seems they are pacing the storyline so that the release of SA (when it's ready) will happen right when we are completing the last story arc...

Yes, I'm an optimist by nature, but I really think SA will see the light of day and UO will be around for a very long time.
 
B

Belmarduk

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

relax. They'll get it done. Better late than never... better late than rushed and sloppy.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wish I shared you optimism
There hasnt been a single answer sofar about the status of KR from Jeremy or about UOSA.
Only thing we heard is KR wont be ignored - which is as good as scrapping it.
The same counts for UOSA.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Story arcs and game updates are all fine and good but it does not:

A) Add nearly the content that an expansion does. I'm sure a lot of people would agree with me, because exploring new lands and fighting new mobs is WAY more fun then killing off the same old mobs in the same old towns

and

B) Put UO back on the shelf in software stores. The longer they wait to put it out there, the worse. Way to many big name games coming out soon, and people would not give UO a second look if they compare the current KR graphics to the game next to it.
 
A

Ah Beng

Guest
The truth of why SA is held back is simple :

SA was meant to force everyone onto KR (if you didn't use KR, you couldn't enjoy the new stuff), so they could shut down 2D asap. Now that KR backfired, or at the very least, due to disproportionally high CPU and/or graphics card technical requirements that exclude the possibility of *many* veteran 2D players from joining KR, if/when SA is released, it won't be a marketing success that EAMythic needs, to keep SA/KR/UO afloat.

So we have a stalemate. A large proportion of the playerbase will NEVER move on from 2D to KR. But because EAMythic has invested so heavily into KR/SA, EAMythic is determined to shut down 2D sooner or later (since it's not economically viable to run two clients simultaneously and still progress the game).

In conclusion, we have a doomsday scenario for UO.

Personally, I don't wish UO to end. But I (and a large porportion of the playerbase, whether minority or majority is not known to anyone) won't be using KR, ever (whether due to technical limitations or due to personal preference). So the only (and apparently unfeasible) solution is for EAMythic to get a huge and steady influx of funds, to CONTINUE BOTH CLIENTS INDEFINITELY.

Whether SA is released for KR only, for both KR &amp; 2D, or if it is even released at all, is arguably of secondary importance to the continued existence of UO.
 
I

imported_Sarphus

Guest
I don't think the storyline content is in place of expansions. I think it is laying the foundation for the back story for the expansions.
 
P

Prudentis

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

Well, Draconi did mention something long ago to the effect that it would be so large that some who entered might decide to just stay never return. Perhaps they sent in QA and never heard from them again



[/ QUOTE ]
OMG I had to quote that, because I just had to laugh out so loud that the I almost spit coffee on my monitor
 
G

Guest

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

From this expansion list for UO it seems our last update was August 30, 2005.
That's a long time in MMO time for an expansion


* Ultima Online: The Second Age (October 1, 1998)

* Ultima Online: Renaissance (April 3, 2000)

* Ultima Online: Third Dawn (March 7, 2001)

* Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge (February 24, 2002)

* Ultima Online: Age of Shadows (February 28, 2003)

* Ultima Online: Samurai Empire (November 2, 2004)

* Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy (August 30, 2005)

* ** new client = KR. No expansion (June 27, 2007)

* Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss (TBA, originally planned for 2007)

[/ QUOTE ]

I never thought about it like that. It is a long time, hehe. I guess, if no SA by Spring 2009, people will wonder if they should quit UO or not.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Look Raid there is as many players on this one raid on EQ as there is on an entire UO shard! I don't think SA is ever going to happen... If it was going to happen it would have already happened.
 
I

imported_Sarphus

Guest
well... from what we have had released, it will be worth the wait.

Starting with things we already know about it.

It's modeled after the abyss dungeon of the old ultima games.
The dungeon is about the size of the t2a map.
We'll get a new race of the gargoyles with the expansion.
We'll get 3 new skills with the expansion (weapon skill, crafting skill and magic skill)
I think there was also a plan for new housing stuff as well.
New crafting changes
Improvements to currently worthless skills to give them a purpose

I'm sure I missed tons of stuff and I'm certain that some of the stuff that was originally slated for SA has already been released as general content to tide us over.

I really like the overall idea of how they're releasing this content. I like how they are tiding us over with event content that basically retells the story (in a new way) of past ultima games as they finish development of the big expansion. In the history of UO, I don't think the devs have ever done such a good job of explaining an expansion in a way that actually makes sense for UO. Sure, I don't like some of the content the devs used to keep us busy, but it's better than nothing.
 
E

eolsunder1

Guest
Like many people said. You can't have a SA with the KR client if you don't have a KR client.

The KR client is what now a year old or more?

You can easily tell whats happening to the game by the expansion releases. Early on you had a major expansion about every year. ML was released in august almost 3 years ago in 2005, and it actually was released early with SOOO many problems and bugs, many of which havent' even been fixed yet, or until recently (3 years to fix ML bugs.. how VERY sad).

So, suddenly after ML, expansions stopped. They started working on a new client because they wanted to update the game some. 2 years later they came out with the basic KR beta. 2 YEARS. And it was just a beta. A year later its now, and KR is still basically in beta. No work being done on it, still tons of bugs, problems, and graphics that aren't even in the game yet. It doesn't take 3 years to do a beta on a new client, but it DOES if you don't have anyone working on it.

So, after 3 years from the last expansion, we have.. zilch. A half buggy new client that most people don't want to use because its still in beta. Still in testing. Still being worked on... sometimes.

And then you have a new expansion based on that new beta client, which can't come out until the new client is ready, and after 3 years, its still not ready. We already have things you can "BUY" which were suppose to be in the new expansion SA, such as 7th character and expanded housing. THey had to release that because they knew SA would never get out anytime soon, so they wanted money. They want to charge you the price of an expansion for you to get a 7th character slot and storage. HOW FRIGGIN lame. 30 bucks should be the price for a totally new expansion, not some measly 2 basic bonus. But thats EA now.

So, SA won't come out period. First, they can't even fix the client its based on, so how can you release the expansion. If the last expansion was 3 years ago, this next expansion will be at least another year or 2 because thats how long it will take to finish up with the major part of KR.
 
F

Fayled Dhreams

Guest
Well put ... and (not to build hopes and or "create promises") ...some of the other foundational aspects that "MIGHT already been released as general content to tide us over"
destructable structures (maginacia) ...
localized/joinable "instances" (current moonglow) ... get a vortex cube ... bang a bit of blackrock on it ... *bing* moderate area for capture the flag type competition ... small or large scale "combat" possibilities ... varied locational possibilities ... open field ... corner of a dungeon ...basement of a castle ...

Just saying
 
G

Guest

Guest
Quote: "well... from what we have had released, it will be worth the wait.

Starting with things we already know about it.

It's modeled after the abyss dungeon of the old ultima games.
The dungeon is about the size of the t2a map.
We'll get a new race of the gargoyles with the expansion.
We'll get 3 new skills with the expansion (weapon skill, crafting skill and magic skill)
I think there was also a plan for new housing stuff as well.
New crafting changes
Improvements to currently worthless skills to give them a purpose

I'm sure I missed tons of stuff and I'm certain that some of the stuff that was originally slated for SA has already been released as general content to tide us over.

I really like the overall idea of how they're releasing this content. I like how they are tiding us over with event content that basically retells the story (in a new way) of past ultima games as they finish development of the big expansion. In the history of UO, I don't think the devs have ever done such a good job of explaining an expansion in a way that actually makes sense for UO. Sure, I don't like some of the content the devs used to keep us busy, but it's better than nothing"-------end quote



Hail: These are great points, and everyone would agree with them except for one little thing, and one WORD. Here is that one little thing, and one word.....

Quote, almost, " The current event has been optimized for the 2D client".

So far EA has not posted anywhere that SA will be anything other than KR client. If the current events are leading up to the release of SA, using the KR client, THEN WHY WAS NOT THE CURRENT EVENT OPTIMIZED FOR, "KR"?

2D has bugs. KR has bugs. So what is the difference? That one word, "2D" being that word, has caused all the rumors. Replace that word with, "KR", and like the KR client or not, we would all be looking forward to SA.
 
F

Fayled Dhreams

Guest
maybe because
it was built on the newer engine ... then "back optimized" to work for the 2D ...



doesn't sound as pretty, "harmless" .... ah! benign for the 2d fanbois ...

but just as likely as your "deduction"



*shrugs*
 
D

Drunk'n Masta

Guest
Was there ever anything more posted then just sketches of what SA was gonna be like?

I would think it would be a lost investment if they didn't add SA into Kindom Reborn if it was nearly finished. Couldn't blame them for waiting years to put in SA until the players base prefered KR.

SA would just push those die hards 2'ders into atleast putting some hours into KR to adventure in new lands.

Playable KR = next expansion
 
E

eolsunder1

Guest
Thats not quite true. Once 3d was first introduced with illshenar i believe, not everyone switched over to 3d. introducing new lands for a different client doesn't make people switch clients, it makes people have to be FORCED to play a client they don't like, that is buggy, that is laggy, in order to access the new places.

Many people only played 3d at the time to get into the new lands. They didn't like it, but since they were forced to do it they had to. Of course until you learned the trick of not having to play 3d to get into illshenar. Once that happened everyone happily played in illshenar in 2d which they liked more.

Having the new SA as KR client will only make people be forced to play that new expansion in KR, not that they want to. They might hate it, hate the menus, hate the backpack, hate the graphics, etc but they will use it just to play there. And when they leave they will switch back to the better 2d to play everything else.

Its simple, if KR was good, everyone in 2d would switch over. All you have to do is tally up how many people play 2d, and play KR, and you will KNOW 100% which is the more popular and better client.

So offer SA for both, because forcing someone to play in the KR client doesn't make it a good client. It makes it a "needed" client to get into the new lands. You can't prove a client is good by forcing people to use it. They have to play it on their own. I would love the KR client to be good, but i test it out every so often, and the problems are still there which keep me away (lag, clumbsy menus/backpack, missing graphics).

When i cast a nightsight on myself and it takes 10-20 seconds for the graphics to finish off, THAT SUCKS! Period.
 
G

Guest

Guest
If you guys think there will be a 2d online game in, let's say, the year 2010 then you are really delusional.
 
I

imported_tek

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

From this expansion list for UO it seems our last update was August 30, 2005.
That's a long time in MMO time for an expansion


* Ultima Online: The Second Age (October 1, 1998)

* Ultima Online: Renaissance (April 3, 2000)

* Ultima Online: Third Dawn (March 7, 2001)

* Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge (February 24, 2002)

* Ultima Online: Age of Shadows (February 28, 2003)

* Ultima Online: Samurai Empire (November 2, 2004)

* Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy (August 30, 2005)

* ** new client = KR. No expansion (June 27, 2007)

* Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss (TBA, originally planned for 2007)

[/ QUOTE ]

I never thought about it like that. It is a long time, hehe. I guess, if no SA by Spring 2009, people will wonder if they should quit UO or not.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually from that chart it shows why a lot of players have quit –
New content &amp; expansion every year for 6 years in a row (2000-2005) then nothing since, its almost been 3 years since a new expansion has been released for sale.
 
R

Repowski

Guest
My personal opinion is that they scrap KR client, and focus on making UOX finally...

This time with the same storyline and basic rules as ultima.. but in a graphically rich, 3d environment.
 
I

imported_Sarphus

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

My personal opinion is that they scrap KR client, and focus on making UOX finally...

This time with the same storyline and basic rules as ultima.. but in a graphically rich, 3d environment.

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree completely. KR really isn't that far from being good. Sure, it still needs some fairly major things like mouse wheel targeting, but for the most part it works fairly well on a modern machine. It runs ok on my 2 yr old laptop. It runs great on my new computer.
 
I

imported_GalenKnighthawke

Guest
I don't think they know what's up with it yet.

I don't think the higher-ups (that Mythic dude) have decided the answers to the following questions:

1. Is SA going to proceed?

2. If it is, is it going to remain KR-only?

The answers to those questions require by definition that certain big picture questions about what UO's place in the MMO marketplace is?

I have long-stated, and nothing I've seen yet has changed my perceptions, that that Mythic dude (Jacobs? is that his name?) sees UO as his prestige/niche property. This bodes well for the game, but doesn't necessarily bode well for the KR client. (KR was Darkscribe's attempt to grab some of WoW's market share. I think the Mythic guy sees that as WHO's job.)

My feeling? SA will proceed, will have 2d support, but there'll be some advantages to using it in KR. Expect it to be download-only, like ML.

We'll see.

-Galen's player
 
T

Thaledred

Guest
hehe, i hate EA

You can wait forever, they won't reply or answer at all. That's EA.
 
H

HD2300

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
My VISION for UO is for EA/Mythic to build a <u>REAL 3D</u> version of UO.

Warhammer Online and KR both use the same Gamebryo engine. So they can reuse all of the underlying non-graphical KR code, redesign Warhammer's 3D interface with UO specific menus, and redo the artwork in 3D.

That would be a Killer MMO. Proven Depth + Playability with Stunning Graphics.
 
B

Belmarduk

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

My VISION for UO is for EA/Mythic to build a <u>REAL 3D</u> version of UO.

Warhammer Online and KR both use the same Gamebryo engine. So they can reuse all of the underlying non-graphical KR code, redesign Warhammer's 3D interface with UO specific menus, and redo the artwork in 3D.

That would be a Killer MMO. Proven Depth + Playability with Stunning Graphics.

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be too nice to be true sadly - I dont give EA the foresight or intelegence for a step like that.
Sadly this is wishful thinkíng for a game which is a 3rd rate freak sideshow for EA/Mythic
 
G

Guest

Guest
I don't like 3D. It looks like undetailed blocks. The ground and scenery is flat and boring.
 
F

Floyd the Barber

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

If you guys think there will be a 2d online game in, let's say, the year 2010 then you are really delusional.

[/ QUOTE ]

You willing to put any money on that statement?
 
B

Belmarduk

Guest
<blockquote><hr>

I don't like 3D. It looks like undetailed blocks. The ground and scenery is flat and boring.

[/ QUOTE ]
You mean <font color="red">2 </font> D or?
 
L

Lord Kotan

Slightly Crazed
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
<blockquote><hr>

relax. They'll get it done. Better late than never... better late than rushed and sloppy.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, better late than sloppy like the KR release...

Also, I think this story line will open the SA rift.
 
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