Stygian Abyss Update?

[Tek]

Any info on Stygian Abyss yet? its been almost a year since it was to be released and almost 3 years since the last expansion – Modain’s Legacy. And its been over a month since this news posting from Calvin, just how 'soon' is it till we hear more news...

More From Cal
Calvin Crowner
14 May 2008
12:25:25

"WHAT ABOUT Stygian Abyss?! ..." He pauses slightly, without turning, a mild chuckle pressing the corners of the room, “We announced the expansion over a year ago, and you should be hearing more news about it soon.” He continues a slow shuffle into a dark room, most likely to be eaten by a grue.

Door closes ... footsteps fade. Following you open the door to discover a beach at sunset. There is a blue page here.

 

[Kurgan]

Is that soon, as in the world will end soon?
Or dinner will be ready soon?

 

[christy1221]

It don't look so good considering it was supposed to come out last year

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

It don't look so good considering it was supposed to come out last year

What? Its not out?
I thought I was playing it all this time.

You go to that land. You see the new static spawn. You kill stuff. Get the new stuff and the new land becomes dusty.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Why would they expand a game that has only 500 subscribers, and is losing money?

In fact, don't you remember, they shut down UO awhile ago. When we had those login problems right after the move to Virginia? That was them shutting down the game.

Anything after that is just your imagination.

Within the context of that illusion, what is probably going on is that Marc Jacobs wants to make the decision of, first, whether or not to go ahead with SA, and then if it'll have 2d support. And he's waiting until WHO comes out to decide that; one project at a time.

But of course that is just an illusion. In reality, UO shut down some time ago and we're in the middle of a strange dream.

*nods, nods*

-Galen's player

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

FoF

Why don't you tell us what's on the schedule?

Simply because the schedule is subject and subjected to changes every six hours to six days, and in the case of the Epic event ... six MONTHS. We discussed the content for the Epic Event last October, and had to postpone it. We are still on target for the bulk of the content by late May, and it's going to be a prelude to something realm-changing.

Some of the team saw the new art last week, and the Art Director himself was quite impressed. Our concept guys leapt at the chance to create this new content. Look for it in June.

"Hey! Wait a minute! You said in late May!" I just proved my point.

Better data makes for better questions

Why does it take so long to provide ?

We are constantly going through levels of refactoring while we're implementing fixes and content. Often, problems we expected to take several hours can extend to a couple of days. To make something worthwhile, and to fix more than we break takes time. We've actually been getting the Evil Eye from QA a lot the last few days. So we would rather make sure it's fixed -- when at all possible -- before releasing it.

I would guess that they still haven't found ... the holy grail

besides ... relax ...look at any calendar ... EVERY day is numbered ...
And theres only (currently) ONE pending event ...that needs be gotten past

IF we are still here, past 0:00 ... no problem
IF not ... really doesn't matter ... now does it?




really really

 

[Olahorand]

Cal said only something about news "soon". Besides the fact, that we all lnow, what soon means in real life, he didn't say, if good or bad news.
And as much as I hate buying expansions for each of my active accounts, as much I wonder about the huge delay.
*Salute*
Olahorand

 

[phantus]

I get the feeling more and more that SA is not going to be an expansion. Rather, it's going to be given to us in publishes over a long period of time and not in a direct form because of the lack of development muscle UO has now. Anyone want to bet against me?

 

[Joyous2K]

Why would they expand a game that has only 500 subscribers, and is losing money?

In fact, don't you remember, they shut down UO awhile ago. When we had those login problems right after the move to Virginia? That was them shutting down the game.

Anything after that is just your imagination.

Within the context of that illusion, what is probably going on is that Marc Jacobs wants to make the decision of, first, whether or not to go ahead with SA, and then if it'll have 2d support. And he's waiting until WHO comes out to decide that; one project at a time.

But of course that is just an illusion. In reality, UO shut down some time ago and we're in the middle of a strange dream.

*nods, nods*

-Galen's player

You are giving me a flashback. I AM THE CHOSEN DISCIPLE! This is all afterthought!! THANK YOU!!!

 

[Joyous2K]

Any info on Stygian Abyss yet? its been almost a year since it was to be released and almost 3 years since the last expansion – Modain’s Legacy. And its been over a month since this news posting from Calvin, just how 'soon' is it till we hear more news...

He is still respectfully bowing his derriere in your general direction. Sign me up as director or whatever he is. What a job!

I think since the last one was sent he has been working on the present one. Look for someone from UO to write ... "He is dying to tell you about all the stuff we have, but he really struggles with the references he puts into his updates, so it may be a while."

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

I get the feeling more and more that SA is not going to be an expansion. Rather, it's going to be given to us in publishes over a long period of time and not in a direct form because of the lack of development muscle UO has now. Anyone want to bet against me?

Put a time frame on it, and yeah ... I'll consider getting that Golden Quatloo back(provided theres no tooth marks on it)

I mean ... I'll be getting a Quinella payout, SA & the GQ ... you'll get just an extra GQ ... if ya think about it ...
(depends, I guess, on satisfaction levels ... on "being right" about a "failure" ... just saying "told ya so" is kinda dry ... what with all the UO dying "bets")

So, put a time frame on it, a fair one (tommorrow too short, sucker bet... pass) .... how bout 2 Quatloo and a month of silence ... from the loser ... within end of year as "dead line / decided"?

hmmm **peeks out from fortress of Quatloo**

 

[Hildebrand]

sucks sucks sucks

**brooding***

 

[GAMBIT35]

EA is Lucy with the football and you guys are Charlie Brown.

 

[christy1221]

We will hear something some time next week.

 

[phantus]

Put a time frame on it, and yeah ... I'll consider getting that Golden Quatloo back(provided theres no tooth marks on it)

I mean ... I'll be getting a Quinella payout, SA & the GQ ... you'll get just an extra GQ ... if ya think about it ...
(depends, I guess, on satisfaction levels ... on "being right" about a "failure" ... just saying "told ya so" is kinda dry ... what with all the UO dying "bets")

So, put a time frame on it, a fair one (tommorrow too short, sucker bet... pass) .... how bout 2 Quatloo and a month of silence ... from the loser ... within end of year as "dead line / decided"?

hmmm **peeks out from fortress of Quatloo**

Let not get carried away with a whole month of silence. I think 2 weeks would be good though. Again, it's a bet we both win either way on. I've never been one to project doom or the end. I merely think there is not enough steam in the current budget for this EA Mythic division to do what needs to be done to launch SA properly any longer. I'm being optimistic in thinking that most, if not all, of SA is going to come in the form of mini publishes(possibly a downloaded mega patch) and not in the form of a proper expansion. Time will tell. I doubt we'll need the whole rest of the year to figure it out though. I'd say by October we will know one way or the other.

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

silence. 2 weeks. Gold Quatloo 2(plus side split(offer) )
launch SA properly . (Box and or DL for $'s)
most, if not all, of SA mini publishes(possibly a downloaded mega patch)
by October (date/time)

By noon(gmt) Oct 15th? ("by october" is a big window ... without a def date ... either 1st "tick (0:00:01)"oct 1, or midnight the thirty first ... is acceptable also) ... put a push pin in it ... and I'll "sweeten the pot" with a 70/30 split of ALL the quatloo of ALL the "UO dead, dying, no SA"(gambit class above) sidebetting trolls ...

put a push pin in it ...
*looks to pit boss*
*gets the nod*
Done!
Deal?

 

[Deb]

I am thinking this latest event is leading up to SA, hence the length
of it. Could be wrong, but I am still hoping

 

[christy1221]

I hope so too. What I really hope is they make it for 2d also since that is what I play.

 

[AesSedai]

- FD:
too funny.

I don't think I have enough Gold Quatloos for this high stakes gamble so I'll just observe the gentleman's bet from the sidelines.

(I'm still optimistically hopin' for an SA box to hype KR at the brick-and-mortars. But I'm not going to discount Phantus' thoughts either. Nor would a digital expansion, a la Mondain's Legacy, be much of a surprise.)

 

[Jirel of Joiry]

I swear before the whole of UHall and GOD himself I'd trade SA for REAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT! NO MORE SCRIPTERS, GOLD FARMERS, CHEATERS, HACKERS, AND AN END TO A PARTICULARLY EVIL GREIFER ON LEGENDS!!!!!!

Just think of it UO: The Real Customer Service Expansion!!! WOOOO HOOOO

 

[phantus]

By noon(gmt) Oct 15th? ("by october" is a big window ... without a def date ... either 1st "tick (0:00:01)"oct 1, or midnight the thirty first ... is acceptable also) ... put a push pin in it ... and I'll "sweeten the pot" with a 70/30 split of ALL the quatloo of ALL the "UO dead, dying, no SA"(gambit class above) sidebetting trolls ...

put a push pin in it ...
*looks to pit boss*
*gets the nod*
Done!
Deal?

I find these conditions favorable.

 

[kennykilleduo]

Sarcasm quote of the day:

SA will come out as soon as Axl Rose releases the new Guns- n- Roses CD.....

October? , that is a joke right 2+ years to make an expansion , it better be the mother of all expansions..

 

[Connor_Graham]

I find these conditions favorable.

And it's ON!

 

[Belmarduk]

I bet 1 million Goldpieces that:

UO - Stygian Abyss wont come out before Eve-Online - Ambulation (Walking in Stations)

and that

KR will be in the same state end of the year (perhaps 1-2 mini patches better...)


UO: Last Addon: Mondains Legacy - Autuum 2005 - No videos no promotion...

Eve: Last Addon: Empyrean Age Clicky 98mb video
6/2008 - FREE addons since 2005 - em not sure about 2 a year on average - plus a new video for each one...

Clients:

UO:
Legacy 2D
Legacy 3D (deactivated)
KR (not playable after 1 year..... development has been stopped infintley..)

Eve:
Classic Client (Highend - Spacegame)
Trinity Client ( Compare space battles in Starwars I.II.III with this client....)

both run very fine and fairly bugfree

1 million Gold the bet stands...
another million that one NEVER will be able to play chess in UOKR.......

 

[Hildebrand]

Oh that's right! The chess games don't work in KR. Dang, I thought it was just me.

 

[galefan2004]

1 million Gold the bet stands...
another million that one NEVER will be able to play chess in UOKR.......

If you are going to bet then at least bet on winners...

I'm willing to bet that WoW: Wrath of the Lich King comes out before UO: SA. Seeing WotLK is coming out in November (probably about the same release date as WAR) SA better hurry up.

 

[Violence]

Whatever that means, I think we'll be seeing SA at least after Pub 55.. Judging by the contents of the latest patches which didn't do much to improve KR, that is.

Maybe Pub 54 will be a major one and I'll be wrong.
Doubt it... If they plan to revive UO with SA on the grounds it's only for KR they need to do a lot better, a lot faster.

As for beating WoW's expansions and WAR? I think UO is on another level of its own and does not need to compete. It only needs to keep existing at the moment.

 

[Tazar]

I bet 1 million Goldpieces that:

UO - Stygian Abyss wont come out before Eve-Online - Ambulation (Walking in Stations)

and that

KR will be in the same state end of the year (perhaps 1-2 mini patches better...)


UO: Last Addon: Mondains Legacy - Autuum 2005 - No videos no promotion...

Eve: Last Addon: Empyrean Age Clicky 98mb video
6/2008 - FREE addons since 2005 - em not sure about 2 a year on average - plus a new video for each one...

Clients:

UO:
Legacy 2D
Legacy 3D (deactivated)
KR (not playable after 1 year..... development has been stopped infintley..)

Eve:
Classic Client (Highend - Spacegame)
Trinity Client ( Compare space battles in Starwars I.II.III with this client....)

both run very fine and fairly bugfree

1 million Gold the bet stands...
another million that one NEVER will be able to play chess in UOKR.......

KR: For a client that is "not playable after 1 year" I've certainly been playing it all of that year! Quite successfully too! Sure there are some bugs, but just like 2D, you learn to work around them. There are 11 year old bugs in 2D that have never been fixed...

 

[BartofCats]

I dont know why all the negativity against SA being KR only.

All I know is I wont find a gold scripter in the corner, or any other cheaters in the new area. That there is a plus!!

 

[Llewen]

Here's my prediction, and I'm only a poor thrall, so no quatloos from me...

1. The events of this year and last year are leading up to the release of SA.

2. There is not a hope in Hades that it will be KR only.

3. We are going to see a much improved KR client before the release of SA, but it still won't be perfect.

4. SA will be released before the end of the year.

5. There will be advertising and a boxed product for the stores, but it will only include the KR client.

6. You will see the first hard core cheat application for the KR client before the end of 2009, but it won't be widely distributed, and it won't have anywhere near the level of functionality, or be as successful as the current cheat applications for the 2D client.

7. Someone on the dev team is going to have a nervous breakdown before the end of 2009...

I will qualify the last two predictions. I hope neither of them happen, but it wouldn't surprise me. Prediction 6. will be both a good thing and a bad thing. The downside is obvious, but the good thing is that a new cheat application is a sure sign that UO isn't dead, and won't die for a long time to come...

edit: There, I've put it in my daytimer to check my predictions in this thread on Dec 31/09...

 

[Nexus]

Any info on Stygian Abyss yet? its been almost a year since it was to be released and almost 3 years since the last expansion – Modain’s Legacy. And its been over a month since this news posting from Calvin, just how 'soon' is it till we hear more news...

More From Cal
Calvin Crowner
14 May 2008
12:25:25

"WHAT ABOUT Stygian Abyss?! ..." He pauses slightly, without turning, a mild chuckle pressing the corners of the room, “We announced the expansion over a year ago, and you should be hearing more news about it soon.” He continues a slow shuffle into a dark room, most likely to be eaten by a grue.

Door closes ... footsteps fade. Following you open the door to discover a beach at sunset. There is a blue page here.

Blue Screen of Death maybe?

 

[THP]

Sings**... All i want for xmas is my UO SA my UO SA my UO SA....**

 

[kennykilleduo]

The closer we get to WAR release the better chances of a 2009 release..

 

[Doomsday Dragon]

Stygian Abyss is nothing more than vaporware...

 

[Mulch]

Is it even vapourware as they never really announced it?
They do not even claim to work on it.

 

[love2winalot]

Hmmm, Since EA does not even own the domain name, maybe there is a proabelm even using the name, Stygian Abyss?

http://www.stygianabyss.com/

 

[Ender]

Sarcasm quote of the day:

SA will come out as soon as Axl Rose releases the new Guns- n- Roses CD.....

October? , that is a joke right 2+ years to make an expansion , it better be the mother of all expansions..

That quote is win right there. But better would be "SA will come out as soon as the REAL Guns n' Roses release a new CD."

 

[Doomsday Dragon]

Yeah it is vaporware though because they said it would be out by a certain date then that got pushed back a few times then they stopped talking about it all together.

They mentioned stuff it would contain such as a playable race (gargoyles) they said it would contain the largest dungeon to ever go into the game (stygian abyss) hence the expansion name and gargoyle race but then they zipped their lips on it and refuse to acknowledge it ever existed it's like area 51 of the UO realm if you ask me.

 

[love2winalot]

Leave Nevada out of this, there is NO area 51........rolleyes: