(And if your response to the subject line was "who cares what Galen thinks," then why on Earth are reading my posts at all?)
1. Among the most-interested players in the booster will be RolePlayers. It will help us immeasurably if sea-based PvP combat using the guild war system is allowed in Trammel. (Orange to orange ship combat.) The Town Hall indicated that this may not happen. It will be regrettable if it doesn't.
Furthermore, does not having orange to orange ship combat in Trammel means you won't have it for Factions either? (Orange to orange combat in Felucca.)
If it isn't practical, it isn't practical. But please at least try.
2. As most know, I argue that everything (or at least nearly everything) in the game should have a fictional explanation and purpose, or at least the hint of one (or at least to every practical extent). The fictional/RP place of sea travel in UO has always been a bit ambiguous; why use ships when you can use moongates and recalls and veritable armies of pack horses?
Broadly speaking, you can find a fictional explanation for the sudden interest in sea travel or you could leave it blank and let those who care on each shard approach it how they wish.
If you have an explanation, there's two broad categories of possible explanation. One approach might consist of something like: "while sea travel has always occurred, a sudden and unexplained moongate incident suddenly made sea trade more profitable than it was. The old-timers were the only ones not surprised." Another approach might be something like: "this stuff was always there, moongates were always impractical for large-scale trade, it's just that the most characters didn't care until now. Talk to your local FCB or other sea-faring organization."
All approaches have their disadvantages and advantages. Offhand I consider the choice to be a neutral one and have no suggestion, save this: Whichever approach you take stick to it.
3. A couple of things in the booster, though, should definitely have fictional explanations, if only vague ones. The new monsters; the new ghost pirates; the new island; the new floating city thingie.
4. Don't forget about Buc's Den.
5. You have proven that you can integrate new stuff into the loyalty system. (Bane, Meer, Ophidian.) It would be a shame to not have a Queen Dawn's Navy versus Pirate loyalty rating (or something like that). Maybe PC pirates would face the possibility (not the certainty but the possibility) of attacks by, say, Navy Agents encountered in towns. Or PC pirate hunters would face the possibility (not the certainty but the possibility) of attacks by pirates in, say, Buc's Den.
I reckon that's it from me for now. It looks like fun so far; good luck with it, both for your sakes and for ours.
-Galen's player
1. Among the most-interested players in the booster will be RolePlayers. It will help us immeasurably if sea-based PvP combat using the guild war system is allowed in Trammel. (Orange to orange ship combat.) The Town Hall indicated that this may not happen. It will be regrettable if it doesn't.
Furthermore, does not having orange to orange ship combat in Trammel means you won't have it for Factions either? (Orange to orange combat in Felucca.)
If it isn't practical, it isn't practical. But please at least try.
2. As most know, I argue that everything (or at least nearly everything) in the game should have a fictional explanation and purpose, or at least the hint of one (or at least to every practical extent). The fictional/RP place of sea travel in UO has always been a bit ambiguous; why use ships when you can use moongates and recalls and veritable armies of pack horses?
Broadly speaking, you can find a fictional explanation for the sudden interest in sea travel or you could leave it blank and let those who care on each shard approach it how they wish.
If you have an explanation, there's two broad categories of possible explanation. One approach might consist of something like: "while sea travel has always occurred, a sudden and unexplained moongate incident suddenly made sea trade more profitable than it was. The old-timers were the only ones not surprised." Another approach might be something like: "this stuff was always there, moongates were always impractical for large-scale trade, it's just that the most characters didn't care until now. Talk to your local FCB or other sea-faring organization."
All approaches have their disadvantages and advantages. Offhand I consider the choice to be a neutral one and have no suggestion, save this: Whichever approach you take stick to it.
3. A couple of things in the booster, though, should definitely have fictional explanations, if only vague ones. The new monsters; the new ghost pirates; the new island; the new floating city thingie.
4. Don't forget about Buc's Den.
5. You have proven that you can integrate new stuff into the loyalty system. (Bane, Meer, Ophidian.) It would be a shame to not have a Queen Dawn's Navy versus Pirate loyalty rating (or something like that). Maybe PC pirates would face the possibility (not the certainty but the possibility) of attacks by, say, Navy Agents encountered in towns. Or PC pirate hunters would face the possibility (not the certainty but the possibility) of attacks by pirates in, say, Buc's Den.
I reckon that's it from me for now. It looks like fun so far; good luck with it, both for your sakes and for ours.
-Galen's player
