The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love).

[Shinobi]

The answer to how to merge multiple shards while keeping everyone's houses is:

Do not MERGE the shards.

Instead, create a new facet. Notice I said facet, not just one area. How is this a solution? Make this facet its own mini-server, connecting multiple (if not all) shards.

By this, I mean you would go into a moongate, select the new facet, and be transferred to this server. Hopefully there would be no transfer time, but if there was it'd still be worth it. Players from multiple servers end up on this mini-server facet together. They can only return to the shard they entered from, allowing transfer tokens to retain their usefulness. This facet could be used to trade items between shards with ease, helping to even-out the economy on all shards.

This facet would have a Felucca ruleset. There are already too many Trammel ruleset facets; the PvMers are safe enough as it is.

Here's where it'll really shine: housing. Allow players to be able to own a house here, without affecting their home elsewhere. Why do this? These houses will have a risk. This risk will give a tiny bit of love to thieves.

House owners in this facet will have an uninsurable key to their house. Houses in this facet will not have lock-downs nor security. This is a throw-back to classic UO (I don't think you could lock stuff down during classic rules, I could be wrong). An owner must remember to lock their door when leaving, or their house will be lootable. If a thief steals the key, he will have to know where the house is because the facet will NOT allow recalling, inspiring more adventuring.

Sure, I know what you're thinking. Who would store valuable goods in a lootable house? Who cares? It's another house, do with it what you will.

Guilds would probably have to be disabled in this area, being that it's its own server. Hopefully there's a way to keep your place in your current guild, so when you return to your shard you're still in it, rather than having to leave your guild every time you travel here.

Of course, this facet would need new items, dungeons, etc to entice players to explore it.

Please post thoughts and suggestions.

 

[Plant Elemental]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Sounds fun!

I only see one problem. Players would find a way to transfer items. Thus making transfer tokens not really worth buying.

Friends on different shards could work out a deal to swap items.
For example, player A comes to the mini server from Catskills. His buddy, player B comes to the mini server from Atlantic with millions of gold and items. Player B gives the gold to his friend, player A, who in turn takes it back to Catskills.

I must admit that when I saw this thread, I thought, oh no another shard merger request. Thanks for not suggesting that

 

[Surgeries]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

The answer to how to merge multiple shards while keeping everyone's houses is:

Do not MERGE the shards.

Instead, create a new facet. Notice I said facet, not just one area. How is this a solution? Make this facet its own mini-server, connecting multiple (if not all) shards.

By this, I mean you would go into a moongate, select the new facet, and be transferred to this server. Hopefully there would be no transfer time, but if there was it'd still be worth it. Players from multiple servers end up on this mini-server facet together. They can only return to the shard they entered from, allowing transfer tokens to retain their usefulness. This facet could be used to trade items between shards with ease, helping to even-out the economy on all shards.

This facet would have a Felucca ruleset. There are already too many Trammel ruleset facets; the PvMers are safe enough as it is.

Here's where it'll really shine: housing. Allow players to be able to own a house here, without affecting their home elsewhere. Why do this? These houses will have a risk. This risk will give a tiny bit of love to thieves.

House owners in this facet will have an uninsurable key to their house. Houses in this facet will not have lock-downs nor security. This is a throw-back to classic UO (I don't think you could lock stuff down during classic rules, I could be wrong). An owner must remember to lock their door when leaving, or their house will be lootable. If a thief steals the key, he will have to know where the house is because the facet will NOT allow recalling, inspiring more adventuring.

Sure, I know what you're thinking. Who would store valuable goods in a lootable house? Who cares? It's another house, do with it what you will.

Guilds would probably have to be disabled in this area, being that it's its own server. Hopefully there's a way to keep your place in your current guild, so when you return to your shard you're still in it, rather than having to leave your guild every time you travel here.

Of course, this facet would need new items, dungeons, etc to entice players to explore it.

Please post thoughts and suggestions.

So...no Classic Shard.

But a Classic Facet.

I am certain it will garner all of the support needed to make it a reality for you, just as the Classic Shard was a sure bet.

Maybe you could let people just "Half Insure" things?

Best of luck with your Thief love.

I am sure you will have people lining up around the block to be able to hide their house keys from the thieves!! What a superb time for all!!



Er Wall...er...um...

 

[Shinobi]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

So...no Classic Shard.

But a Classic Facet.

I am certain it will garner all of the support needed to make it a reality for you, just as the Classic Shard was a sure bet.

Maybe you could let people just "Half Insure" things?

Best of luck with your Thief love.

I am sure you will have people lining up around the block to be able to hide their house keys from the thieves!! What a superb time for all!!



Er Wall...er...um...

Sooo, the key part is your only complaint? If I suggested Trammel ruleset with regular housing, you'd be all for it?

 

[nynyve]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

The economic havoc this would wreak would be incredible. Savvy merchants could make huge amounts of gold simply by taking advantages of price differences on the different shards. The prices would eventually even out, but it could have a negative impact.

It has the advantage of allowing players to experience different shards. But has others have pointed out, it would negate transfer token revenue. It would also make it easier and cheaper for farmers and dupers to transfer resources.

 

[Shinobi]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

The economic havoc this would wreak would be incredible. Savvy merchants could make huge amounts of gold simply by taking advantages of price differences on the different shards. The prices would eventually even out, but it could have a negative impact.

It has the advantage of allowing players to experience different shards. But has others have pointed out, it would negate transfer token revenue. It would also make it easier and cheaper for farmers and dupers to transfer resources.

Charge a fee to enter...insta-goldsink. Point is, Trammel or Felucca ruleset, this is as close as you'll get to a shard merger. FYI, don't you think the same thing would happen in an ACTUAL merger? Hence the word "merger".

 

[Lord Frodo]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

The economic havoc this would wreak would be incredible. Savvy merchants could make huge amounts of gold simply by taking advantages of price differences on the different shards. The prices would eventually even out, but it could have a negative impact.

It has the advantage of allowing players to experience different shards. But has others have pointed out, it would negate transfer token revenue. It would also make it easier and cheaper for farmers and dupers to transfer resources.

EA/UO WILL NOT LOSE ANY REAL MONEY TO MAKE YOUR DREAM COME TRUE.

Get all your friends and make chars on SP. Use only GM made weps/armor, no skills over 100 and have fun. Problem solved.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

How about no housing, no trading, no buying. You pay a gold fee to buy a ticket that will take you thru a gate there, and back.
plus you can only take with you crafted regular spell books, weapons, armor,with no special mods like lrc, lmc, no hci things like that,Will only be able to use regs, aids, pots stuff like that heal. no insurance. no arties, no rares, no gold, no special moves.
You just go there to PVP, and theives can steal crafted armor and weapons.

 

[Woodsman]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Charge a fee to enter...insta-goldsink. Point is, Trammel or Felucca ruleset, this is as close as you'll get to a shard merger. FYI, don't you think the same thing would happen in an ACTUAL merger? Hence the word "merger".

The problem with that thinking is that EA makes money from shard transfer tokens and as Lord Frodo said, EA will not give up money to make your dream come true.

EA wouldn't merge the shards anyways, which seems to be the premise of your thread. For all the boneheaded moves and lack of support over the years, they aren't going to do something that would result in a lot of people quitting.

UO players put up with a lot and have put up with a lot over the years. Shard mergers where people lose their houses/locations and in some cases communities would probably be the last straw for many. You just don't screw with housing in UO like that.

 

[Squeax]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

"Guys I have this great idea for UO based on the notion that people totally want to get ganked/looted/etcetera! No I haven't stopped to wonder why Felucca is empty if this is the case!"

 

[Assia Penryn]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

I've love to see a felucca-style facet connecting the shards... but...

... I don't know how that might fit in the lore and more importantly, I don't think it is realistic with the amount of money EA makes off of transfers. I like it, but I don't think see it happening as it would be very difficult to keep the transfer of items, gold, etc from happening.

 

[phantus]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Great idea but no housing and no dungeons.

I'm all for a fel ruleset facet that links all the regional shards together for PvP(or RvR) games/content.

Adding houses will not work. Adding dungeons and such will not work. Trammies will not allow it. By allow I mean they will not purchase the booster or expansion or whatever the hell they want to call it because it won't pertain to them. History should lead by example that the too many current subscribers won't be paying to support the plan and returning PvPers are not a reliable number to go with.

I love the idea but it needs to be specifically designed to meet pvp needs. Adding in new stuff that most of the trammies will not even try to do will not work. Too much land already to spread out the PvPers. It needs to be precisely made to take this into account.

Biggest problem with this idea is items. They have to either bless/no trade everything or you enter and leave this facet naked. No other way will work as it will undermine the shard transfer system and that is a show stopper. So if the thieves can be made useful with these things in mind then it might work.

Finally, what do the trammies get? Nothing because all the last 10 years of updates have been for them? Another show stopper.

Good idea. No way it will work the way you outlined it.

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

*face palm*
There's a Surge in PvP wide spread popularity that requires a Ping Free Battle area for All shards to congregate in/at ?

I missed that trend
*face palm*
I am soooo ashamed and humiliated to be exposed as having been so self centered and tunneled vision as to be so continually focused on minor stuff like bug fixes and completing virtues and finally clearing abandoned housing and petty concerns like graphics updates and memory leaks and UOgamecodes stability ...
*sniff* o'well ...
I must Rez my spirit and tweak my attention
by committing my resolve through a Public Apolo ...

Wait a darn minute ...

Character Copy to Test Center with Separate housing Rules ... !!!!

*Dusts hands*

We already HAVE what is requested !!!

 

[Lady Storm]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

First off the Dev have said merger is out of the question for shards there is no need for it as their servers are not under any strain to compact things.

Second the Houseing is the first thing that players will yell about. Who is going to let them take their home in that perfect spot they fought hard to get and put them in some hole in the wall just because you want more players visable?

The Third thing is what to do with already made characters on the merging shard.. I for one have full lists of full gm or 120s on most major shards and quite a few lower. Thats a bigger problem... if you can have only 7 who do you loose? I for one would fight tooth and nail to keep all my characters!

The major things is... who is gunna loose thier shard to who? There is history on each shard that is not the same anywhere else on UO.

If you want to do a full shard head count try this: Go count all the customized homes you can find on all the facits of the shard you feel is so far gone.

Reason is: Those homes are after the 1 house per account rule. They stand for the single accounts still up and running on that shard. I guarantee you if they are named owners they are paid for and the owner is actively paying for them.
Now:
Well as one of them old farts from 97 this is what house's were like:

The smallest house I think had 5 lockdowns, 1 secure with 125 item/400 stone. You got 2 keys, one in your bankbox, one in your pack. We had no insurance, sooooo you tried like mad to keep your house key safe. Back then the first year if you got someones key you now could take their house. Yes I said take it. You changed the ownership that way. There was no decay in houses so you could literaly store what fit into the crates,boxes,bags,chests you stacked. Remember we didnt have any house tool ether sooo you used anything that stacked so you could see all your containers. under the 125/400stone box limit it was hard to keep massive weight items unless you used one of your precious lockdowns. On a small house 7x7 you could store alot! I use to block the front doors with the small tables and have the secure within reach of the door. You kept your door unlocked for fast entry... but there was always a chance a hidden thief was there skulking your homes goodies. Life in uo was not easy then..

I for one do not want ot go back to that nightmare... its one of the few things I dont miss about the beginning of UO. Thiefs and pk's were the dregs of UO and one of a major reason for flight to Trammel ruleset outside the lure of pretty new houses.

If not for the monthy $$ EA gets from the sale of transfer tolkens I think there would have been a bridge between shards long time ago linking the populations. The need for only 1 set of dungeon/underworlds would save only server space.

 

[Shinobi]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Dear god, did anyone actually read the OP?

NO ONES HOUSING IS AFFECTED.
NO SHARDS ARE AFFECTED.

Stop saying this is a merger and it won't work because of housing. How's this:

Forget the housing. No new housing.

Forget the PvP.

Let's say it is a TRAMMEL RULESET server (since Trammies are crybabies and will whine if they don't get 6 out of 7 facets for themselves). Players just go to it to play together.

NOW is it nice and comfy for the little babies? Oh wait! Let me make sure any bodies of water in the new area are luke-warm so the wittle babies don't get uncomfortable if they fall in. God forbid that someone propose a new idea that doesn't revolve 100% around them.

The only good argument I've heard so far is about the item trading affecting transfers.

Know what? Forget it. The core idea of this thread was entirely overlooked the second the Trammies saw it wasn't all about them.

Any mods reading this should go ahead and just lock it. Only a handful of the replies even understood the OP's main point anyway.

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Dear god, did anyone actually read the OP?

NO ONES HOUSING IS AFFECTED.
NO SHARDS ARE AFFECTED.

Stop saying this is a merger and it won't work because of housing. How's this:

Forget the housing. No new housing.

Forget the PvP.

Let's say it is a TRAMMEL RULESET server (since Trammies are crybabies and will whine if they don't get 6 out of 7 facets for themselves). Players just go to it to play together.

NOW is it nice and comfy for the little babies? Oh wait! Let me make sure any bodies of water in the new area are luke-warm so the wittle babies don't get uncomfortable if they fall in. God forbid that someone propose a new idea that doesn't revolve 100% around them.

The only good argument I've heard so far is about the item trading affecting transfers.

Know what? Forget it. The core idea of this thread was entirely overlooked the second the Trammies saw it wasn't all about them.

Any mods reading this should go ahead and just lock it. Only a handful of the replies even understood the OP's main point anyway.

Yes, read the OP, op

TEST shard satisfies your request ... EVEN with: housing not affecting "other" shards ...

EVERY BODY has access for free ...
You fill up test to overflowing with PvPers IN the fel ruleset as existing ...
MAYBE that will constitute a second look at the time and expense of creating a >more permanent< test shard clone WITH a PvP favorable rule set
(easy: Clone Siege)

 

[Woodsman]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Let's say it is a TRAMMEL RULESET server (since Trammies are crybabies and will whine if they don't get 6 out of 7 facets for themselves). Players just go to it to play together.

NOW is it nice and comfy for the little babies? Oh wait! Let me make sure any bodies of water in the new area are luke-warm so the wittle babies don't get uncomfortable if they fall in. God forbid that someone propose a new idea that doesn't revolve 100% around them.

Know what? Forget it. The core idea of this thread was entirely overlooked the second the Trammies saw it wasn't all about them.

People in Fel wonder why Fel gets neglected

 

[Shinobi]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

People in Fel wonder why Fel gets neglected

Well it's hard when the second they see it isn't all for them they freak out. I love how they don't realize there are other players to consider other than themselves. I guess after 10+ years of being spoiled you can't expect much else from them.

P.S. Fayled, I get it lol. However, players aren't going to play Test to see if they'd like to play with more players.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Well it's hard when the second they see it isn't all for them they freak out. I love how they don't realize there are other players to consider other than themselves. I guess after 10+ years of being spoiled you can't expect much else from them.

P.S. Fayled, I get it lol. However, players aren't going to play Test to see if they'd like to play with more players.

Coming out for the attack on players, and freaking out yourself cuz they are trammies or not is not going to help your idea. Someone doesn't agree with you dont be a cry baby yourself just get over it, ignore them. focus on the posts with suggestions that will make the Devs consider this.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Coming out for the attack on players, and freaking out yourself cuz they are trammies or not is not going to help your idea. Someone doesn't agree with you dont be a cry baby yourself just get over it, ignore them. focus on the posts with suggestions that will make the Devs consider this.

QFT You were a lot, and I mean a lot more tactfull then I was going to be. But it is typical that when everybody doesnt agree with a Fellies idea they stomp thier wittle feet, whine and start throwing out the trammy word.

GO PLAY SP PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

 

[Squeax]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

90% of us don't give a crap about PVP and you 5 guys at Yew gate need to just get over that fact.

 

[Shinobi]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Omg, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I thought PvP could work with it. Because I mentioned it, you people refuse to see that a mini-server facet could be an alternative to shard merging, Trammel rules or not.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Omg, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I thought PvP could work with it. Because I mentioned it, you people refuse to see that a mini-server facet could be an alternative to shard merging, Trammel rules or not.

OMG
#1 The shards will never merge because the Devs said so. Let me repeat that for you.
The shards will never merge because the Devs said so.

#2 Your idea of a place that you can go to from any shard has already been talked about and the same reason was given of why EA will not do it. EA will lose real money from the lose of Shard Transfers. Let me repeat that.
EA will lose real money from the lose of Shard Transfers.

The only thing you suggest is make it a Fel Rule Set. If Fel is so great then why is Fel dead on almost every shard. Let me answer that for you. Because people are tired of the childish PKs and all the BS talk in Gen Chat. You resort to name calling because people didnt think your idea was that great and you typically in Fellie fashion call people Trammies and Care Bears and you say it in a way that it is the worse cuss word the world has ever known. I am sorry there is not enough sheep for you to play with on your shard and now you are trying to lure them into an area that will mostly be used for shard transfering of goods/chars.

If you are so into PvP then make a char. on SP. UO can look at SP and see how well it is doing that they know for a fact that the vast majority of players do not play in Fel Rule set that much.

You started with an idea and quickly reverted to your true FELLIE ways. Name calling and stomping your wittle foot because your wittle fealings got hurt by the big bad Trammies. Poor wittle Fellie. Time to take your ball and go home.

In before the move to S&R, because you turned it that way with your Fellie ways.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Omg, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I thought PvP could work with it. Because I mentioned it, you people refuse to see that a mini-server facet could be an alternative to shard merging, Trammel rules or not.

OMG !!! chill out people don't agree with you so what. I'm a trammie I don't pvp, but I'm a defender of sigils in TB factions tho.I myself didn't agree with some of what you posted, but I did give you some suggestions that might get the Devs to maybe consider this. Plus your the one in the first place who asked for thoughts, and suggestions. Which the players, are giving you. If you didn't want them why did you ask for them? instead of attacking and putting out labels oh like cry babies, trammies etc. I would be thinking how do I get trammel players on board with this idea. Lets see if there is no insurance pvpers will need Gm crafted suits. and weapons, and where will they be getting this stuff from? The trammel vendors.

 

[5% Luck]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

On my shard gen chat is spammed with selling transfer tokens ALL DAY!

That said...

I have to admit I love the idea all around save for the housing lock down deal.

Fel rule set if im not mistaken means SAFE ZONES! in town, where you will BE for trades.

The other thing the OP did mention was ONLY being able to return to your current shard! Now transfer tokens will be a factor for TRADERS! Not for spawners or players who actually want to transfer. So yes revenue will be cut by a %age but not altogether depleted on tokens.

That leaves multi shard muti account players to trade with themselves via this facet and that is the problem. What players do now is create a character on a low pop server spawn without pvp risk or at a substantially lower risk then transfer the character to a high pop shard to sell. That is the main transfer business.

Now that may end up offsetting the the transfer revenue with account revenue and that is good for business!

Ask your self extra account or transfer token? One is instant. One, hours of downtime. Sometimes days.

 

[KoolAidAddict]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

1. Do NOT create a new facet. Wont work. Have a 3/4 dead "facet" like most of the current fel "facets" are now.

2. New Server! Add "zones", so everyone can interract, or player switches to accept pvp or not, on a timer, maybe like 10 mins.

3. UO2 !!!!!! Its time to raise that puppy from the dead!!!

 

[KoolAidAddict]

Re: The solution to a successful Shard Merger (with some thief, classic, and PvP love

Dear god, did anyone actually read the OP?

Yes they did.
You want a new fel.
Cause you said "There are already too many Trammel ruleset facets".
Shin....theres more fel ruleset facets/servers....you know that, cmon hater.

Let's say it is a TRAMMEL RULESET server (since Trammies are crybabies and will whine if they don't get 6 out of 7 facets for themselves).

Biggest "crybabies" are the ones in chat, facedown in fel. Dude, you know this, your on Atl, my god man, that chat channel is god awful!!
And just where do these people run to (trams luna) to work off the faction 20?
Ive seen you there!!!!!!!

Know what? Forget it. The core idea of this thread was entirely overlooked the second the Trammies saw it wasn't all about them.
Any mods reading this should go ahead and just lock it. Only a handful of the replies even understood the OP's main point anyway.

Good call holmes, but the blame falls squarely on your head.
It had to be your way, the fel way, or no way at all, and then the twammie cwybaby remarks when others started with their opinions.
Wow...dude...kinda sad you seem to haterz so much the player base thats keeping uo afloat!!