The Sky is NOT Falling!

[Vaen Swiftar]

With the departure of Sakkarah and Draconi, many people have developed a sort of "grim" outlook. While these two people have contributed a wide variety of awesome things to the world that is UO, ranging from new plant options to crazy explosions, UO will endure.

Don't forget, fellow players, that we still have Mesanna on the team, who most likely has been putting in extra blood, sweat, tears, curse words, time, and wall-punches in order to make the wheel go 'round. Mesanna has always been an asset to the UO team for the entire duration of her career here.

No pressure, Mesanna, but the spotlight is now on you. I know that with these guild structures, you've cast aside some of your free time to get them done, and as a player and customer, to me, that shows a lot of dedication that you don't normally find in businesses today. So kudos to you. And I look forward to what you have in store for us.


Ken
- Player of Cal Hurst
- Player of Vaen Swiftar

P.S. I have on good authority that you like to be bitten, as it helps you focus. So... *bites*

 

[canary]

With the departure of Sakkarah and Draconi, many people have developed a sort of "grim" outlook. While these two people have contributed a wide variety of awesome things to the world that is UO, ranging from new plant options to crazy explosions, UO will endure.

Don't forget, fellow players, that we still have Mesanna on the team, who most likely has been putting in extra blood, sweat, tears, curse words, time, and wall-punches in order to make the wheel go 'round. Mesanna has always been an asset to the UO team for the entire duration of her career here.

No pressure, Mesanna, but the spotlight is now on you. I know that with these guild structures, you've cast aside some of your free time to get them done, and as a player and customer, to me, that shows a lot of dedication that you don't normally find in businesses today. So kudos to you. And I look forward to what you have in store for us.


Ken
- Player of Cal Hurst
- Player of Vaen Swiftar

OK, not that I want her to leave, but it would be HILARIOUS if she would post her good bye letter after reading this.

 

[Terrorknight]

With the departure of Sakkarah and Draconi, many people have developed a sort of "grim" outlook. While these two people have contributed a wide variety of awesome things to the world that is UO, ranging from new plant options to crazy explosions, UO will endure.

Don't forget, fellow players, that we still have Mesanna on the team, who most likely has been putting in extra blood, sweat, tears, curse words, time, and wall-punches in order to make the wheel go 'round. Mesanna has always been an asset to the UO team for the entire duration of her career here.

No pressure, Mesanna, but the spotlight is now on you. I know that with these guild structures, you've cast aside some of your free time to get them done, and as a player and customer, to me, that shows a lot of dedication that you don't normally find in businesses today. So kudos to you. And I look forward to what you have in store for us.


Ken
- Player of Cal Hurst
- Player of Vaen Swiftar

Just please don't leave Mesanna, that wouldn't be good. My return to UO would probably end as fast as I came back.

 

[Vaen Swiftar]

You are now held personally responsible if that happens!

 

[Eyes of Origin]

thats so uncool. if I were you, I would ran and hide before she comes for your head.

 

[Sakkarah_]

P.S. I have on good authority that you like to be bitten, as it helps you focus. So... *bites*

*confirms*

 

[Tazar]

Not only do we have Mesanna still around, but I've seen Wilki post a time or two - Grimm's still there, Supreem's still there, and Vex/Phoenix was a nice recent addition (re-addition?). I'll miss Sak's touches on events and major systems, but I think we are still in good hands.

 

[Green Mouser]

It may not be the end but it does bring changes. Each dev wills their vision into this game. The Vision we have currently lost is definitely a Loss. Will the new vision that is implemented be a good one? Time will tell but the vision that the missing Devs brought us will be missed.

 

[Mapper]

It may not be the end but it does bring changes. Each dev wills their vision into this game. The Vision we have currently lost is definitely a Loss. Will the new vision that is implemented be a good one? Time will tell but the vision that the missing Devs brought us will be missed.

The producer envisions the game, The devs are told what to do. Atleast thats how I EXPECT it to work.

 

[Tazar]

The producer envisions the game, The devs are told what to do. Atleast thats how I EXPECT it to work.

Maybe - but each one puts their own touches and feelings into it. I knew Sakkarah well before she became a Developer and I know I saw her hand in things almost immediately.

 

[Eyes of Origin]

*runs around frantically screaming* The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Ok, not really, but seriously, if Mesanna posts a goodbye anytime in the near future, I'm going to assume the worst for UO. It's hard not to think the worst as is with Draconi and the others gone and Sakkarah choosing to leave.

The letter from Cal was informative, but nothing more than a "we're working on it" letter, which isnt so reassuring. How long till we hear other Devs are gone or leaving as well?

 

[DevilsOwn]

it's not falling, no, just a bit darker today

this, too, shall pass away

 

[siyeng0]

It's a shame to lose Sakkarah. But as long as we've got Mesanna, I'm optimistic.

Yay Mesanna!

 

[Aurelius]

UO seems to lose good people in batches, but usually survives... and often gets them back later on.

Still, it's not good when we start to see so many things get better, and a pretty good expansion, immediately followed by some of the people responsible for the good stuff vanishing

 

[Lord Gareth]

The producer envisions the game, The devs are told what to do. Atleast thats how I EXPECT it to work.

I envision things like.... you want me to what? In your dreams I'm doing this! heheh

Yo face paint lady. Can you tell us what a work day is like? Do you work like 12hour days? OR like some people wish, make up your own schedule? OR is your schedule posted in the Employee bathroom like most companies? hehe


Sakkarah

Monday
Anytime
Tuesday
Anytime
Wednesday
Anytime
Thursday
Anytime
Friday
Anytime
Saturday
Anytime
Sunday
Anytime

 

[Stupid Miner]

Yea, we've only lost 2/3rds of our most vocal, visibly energetic, and game-resurrecting devs! Woohoo! we've still got 33%!

Yea, k, I'm gonna go wallow in self-pity for a while.

Hell, we don't even have Chrissay anymore. Just a matter of time before my mind snaps from all the inane babble of the Uhall. *sighs*

 

[Mapper]

But Stupid Miner we have Ziggy! *Dances*

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

There's little question that, barring some kind of irrational fit on part of EA (which is always possible as we all know), UO's quite likely to endure for some time to come.

That isn't the same, however, as the game being worth playing, as having a good, rich, in-game experience.

There needs, I would argue, to be fictional content other than Event Moderator events (which are great on Great Lakes, but I hear occasionally lacking on other shards), player-based content (mostly but not exclusively found in the RP Playstyle), and the occasional quests.

Hell, currently one of the more important fiction-based quests, to fight the Undead infestation at the Holy City in Ter Mur, can't be done on American shards because the required monster only spawns on the Asian shards for some reason.

Event Moderator events are great; they are one of the reasons I came to the Great Lakes shard. But unless you're prepared to make the EMs full-time employees and give them more money, they can't replace the "big picture" storylines.

And RP communities are great too, I'm liking my time with Great Lakes' RolePlayers, but we players can't replace big picture story arcs any more than the EMs can, and in fact we're even less equipped to do so than the EMs.

So the issue isn't whether or not the sky is falling. It's what happens next.

-Galen's player

 

[wanderer1origin]

this is like i only have 1/3 of account s paid for woo hoo am happy saving money before end

robot uo

pay till enough dont

lol

Yea, we've only lost 2/3rds of our most vocal, visibly energetic, and game-resurrecting devs! Woohoo! we've still got 33%!

Yea, k, I'm gonna go wallow in self-pity for a while.

Hell, we don't even have Chrissay anymore. Just a matter of time before my mind snaps from all the inane babble of the Uhall. *sighs*

 

[popps]

Yea, we've only lost 2/3rds of our most vocal, visibly energetic, and game-resurrecting devs! Woohoo! we've still got 33%!

Are there any new entries replacing the Developers that have left ?

Or the team just has less people now ?

 

[Petra Fyde]

Two posts of Cal's that seem to have bits that are being ignored:

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614539&postcount=11

Also, we are actually adding a couple of people to the team in the next month or so ...

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614553&postcount=14

I hear what you guys are saying ... and I understand your concern. But for now please know the team is solid, and actually growing and we're paying attention to what you guy are asking about.

Also please remember that the Devs we know about are only the ones brave enough to post here and get chewed up and spat out. There are any number who'd rather not subject themselves to the tender mercies of UHall.

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

We're not that bad...

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Two posts of Cal's that seem to have bits that are being ignored:

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614539&postcount=11

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614553&postcount=14

For my part, I wasn't ignoring those posts, I had simply missed them entirely.

Potentially good signs, though of course the specifics are highly dependent upon who's hired and what they are hired for. And who they are replacing.

I, for my part, still need to know who's in charge of fiction now.

-Galen's player

 

[Trebr Drab]

Two posts of Cal's that seem to have bits that are being ignored:

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614539&postcount=11

Also, we are actually adding a couple of people to the team in the next month or so ...

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614553&postcount=14

I hear what you guys are saying ... and I understand your concern. But for now please know the team is solid, and actually growing and we're paying attention to what you guy are asking about.

Also please remember that the Devs we know about are only the ones brave enough to post here and get chewed up and spat out. There are any number who'd rather not subject themselves to the tender mercies of UHall.

Heard it all before, so forgive me if I seem a little ho-hum about it.

Funny, they all say the team is growing. UO must have thousands of developers working on it now.

And just who are they listening to? The good folks here, the powergamer elite heavy board? Or to those like me who are saying what the good powergamer elite don't want to be said?

Yet, I've been doing a lot of shopping around over the last few months. On GL, one of the more populated shards. And I've noticed a very disturbing trend. More and more houses that used to have vendor don't have vendors anymore. Especially along the roads where they used to be.
And more disturbing, more and more open spots have popped up. Good ones. Hello, I've placed 2 18x18's in the last month. And in good locations, seems to me anyways, or else I wouldn't have moved out of my 12x16 in a very quiet, hilly and open, very nice location by the sea.

So, what I mean to say is that UO is slowly dying, whether people want to admit it or not. So if the Devs are listening to the same people who brought this on by making this a powergamer elite dominated game, then I'm not too damn well thrilled about the fing prospect.

 

[Victoria Navarre]

Two posts of Cal's that seem to have bits that are being ignored:

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614539&postcount=11


http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=1614553&postcount=14


Also please remember that the Devs we know about are only the ones brave enough to post here and get chewed up and spat out. There are any number who'd rather not subject themselves to the tender mercies of UHall.

So Cal is losing vet developers for a couple that know little to nothing about UO? Yikes!

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

So Cal is losing vet developers for a couple that know little to nothing about UO? Yikes!

As negative as I have been of late, I'd like to think it's no more negative than is called for.

And so I'd like to point some things.

1. We don't know that they know nothing about UO; they might be promoting someone we don't know but has been around awhile, and then hiring someone new to replace the promoted person in his or her old capacity.

2. Even if they hire someone entirely new, they may be a long-time UO player.

3. Long-time player or long-time team member doesn't necessarily equal into a success, sadly. Anyone remember Darkscribe? Enthusiastic advocate for UO. Clearly loved the game. Experience on the team. He clearly wanted the position of Producer, relished having his chance to take the reins. He generated excitement in the player base.

And yet, most of us would rate him negatively. We got a new, quite worthy client that ultimately failed, and was put to "gold" far before it was ready. So un-ready it was in fact that it's had to be replaced by another new client which has been described by the team as still being in beta.

As much excitement as Darkscribe generated, as gifted and smart as he obviously was, as long as he'd worked on UO, his ultimate legacy is a client that's been effectively in various stages of testing for at least 3 years, not counting behind-the-scenes time.

Don't get me wrong, there's causes for pessimism to be sure....Just we can't come to conclusions about the new hires until we first know who they are, and then see them perform....or not perform, as the case may be.

-Galen's player

 

[Cyrah]

You make sense but I will say that I feel a lot flatter than I did a month ago.

Something fell.

 

[Slayvite]

Were approaching March and still no closer to seeing a new Magencia.
I remember they said early in the new year, do we add that comment now to the 'soon' 'next update' 'were working on it' section.
It's clear by the very sparse replies (not counting on farewell threads) that they are all busy forming and sending out there own CV's.
Bug list's grow with each patch, even when said patch is ment to cure the bugs. I think its safe to assume the knowledge of the Devs on our vintage (well not vintage more 'old and batterd') client is wearing thin.

I have to agree with other posters that my shard 'Europa' is becoming very dessolate with vast open spaces to fit 18x18's and long periods of gameplay without seeing another sole.
This 'normally' would be the busy season during winter since peep's dont venture out due to the bad weather but you have to agree this year it's been quiet, very quiet. Even at EM events you can see the downfall in players attending 'item' events.

Devs, take a leaf out of Istaria's book (Horizons as some will remember it) Get the money together and buy UO before its to late. Players will put up with alot if they know the game is in good hands, but like this and owned by a rapidly failing (and thus binning games left/right and centre) company like EA peeps will cancel and leave rather than waste funds.

 

[Tina Small]

Yet, I've been doing a lot of shopping around over the last few months. On GL, one of the more populated shards. And I've noticed a very disturbing trend. More and more houses that used to have vendor don't have vendors anymore. Especially along the roads where they used to be.

And more disturbing, more and more open spots have popped up. Good ones. Hello, I've placed 2 18x18's in the last month. And in good locations, seems to me anyways, or else I wouldn't have moved out of my 12x16 in a very quiet, hilly and open, very nice location by the sea.

So, what I mean to say is that UO is slowly dying, whether people want to admit it or not. So if the Devs are listening to the same people who brought this on by making this a powergamer elite dominated game, then I'm not too damn well thrilled about the fing prospect.

In the vendor houses that are still up, even in Luna, it isn't unusual on a lot of shards to find empty vendor after empty vendor. You see many of those empty vendors advertising "SA items" but now they're completely empty. It's as if folks came back just to experience SA and then moved on. Or they just gave up on the idea of trying to keep vendors stocked and left that task to a handful of people.

 

[Llewen]

A falling sky is always so much more fashionable...