...
(Note: These are my personal thoughts, opinions, and reactions. While I have my own biases and opinions, I will be respectful and will NOT be posting to start a client flamewar and will be monitoring my own thread accordingly.)
Ok, that was hectic... lots of information and trying to balance getting a question asked in real time via getting attention from ingame, listening to the Town Hall, doing the bullet points, and having to take a few "breaks" (which they didn't this time... did they have bottles behind the podium?).
So putting it all together.
The "SA" Client.
I had been wondering if the lack of REAL KR updates was due to abandonment or a possible "re-release" of the client and now we have the answer. Looks like a complete revamp of the KR client using the Gamebryo engine. Personally, I look forward to seeing how this will be done and if they really do address not only the key issues of stability and performance, but a LONG checklist of wants, desires and suggestions that a bunch of us built up and posted to the KR focus Group (on top of several months' worth of threads in the same group).
Now I will be the FIRST person to say that the KR client has always had issues. It hasn't been perfect, but if you can get it running and take the time to learn the system, it's really a very nice client... not perfect, but nice... better than the 3d client, and technologically MUCH better than 2d.
HOWEVER, I can also say that I wouldn't recommend the KR client with the DEFAULT UI. The Default UI sucks plain and simple.
Because of that, what developed that I have been a part of has been a quite amazing experience and has had great feedback. I wouldn't have thought that we'd be able to actually fix bugs and add in enhancements (to the tune of 30+ specific requests and more in the process). A good core group of people have done an amazing job at creating the artwork, creating new ideas for enhancements, adding in stuff that should have been in from the start, fixing UI bugs, and packaging everything together.
To be perfectly honest from June through now, I think I've spent more time futzing around with tweaking at least three different KR User Interfaces than I have actually playing the game. That has given me a LOT more respect for the Devs (specifically the coders on the team) because working with a couple of the other mod coders, we've created some rather weird bugs ourselves, often unintentionally. I can only imagine what the devs actually go through.
Back to the new SA client... I'm interested to see what comes of it. I know a lot of people are outright skeptical if not already finding a reason to hate it, but I'm interested in seeing how it works out.
SA Client and Modding
One of the talks that Zym specifically and I have had has been basically the question of "What if it's a rerelease of KR and it breaks our mods?" Well, on one hand, it will be a little bit of a downer to see our work be negated or made to not work with the SA Client, but if the client actually fixes the current KR problems, we're willing to "start from zero". It will be a little saddening if it breaks Zym's project because we believe that his project will do a LOT to help people warm up to KR. There are early versions availible, and the feedback has been good so far.
I had initially wanted to ask if they were going to be working on KR once the event stuff was taken care of, but since that got answered so quickly, I tried to get the question of "Will the SA client be moddable" answered. While we don't have an answer yet, I know I hope it will be as I'm sure the rest of the core group of the Exchange hope so as well.
I think it's needless to say (but I will anyway) that if the SA client IS moddable, you will see the Modder's Exchange remain active and accepting tickets for bug fixes, enhancements, and new features for the UI.
SA (the expansion) and 2d access
Now, I want to start out with the following: To my knowledge, I do not recall stating that I would quit UO if SA were not KR only.
However, I do still hold the opinion that the LBR-style backpedal is still a HUGE mistake and that we DO need to get to the point of getting rid of the Legacy client because it DOES simply hold UO back on a technological level (which should have been made apparent by the comments on the way boats work and why we can't have a Pirate expansion yet, and why the 2d client has not had its resolution upgraded.
I don't hate the Legacy client, I played it when I started UO up until 3d was smooth enough for me to make the swap (and really 3d was still Legacy with a slightly better UI and better animation and resolution support). But I do think that it is past time to let it go.
Any retail box is not going to have Legacy client pictures... at least if it wants to be taken seriously. They NEED a revamped client if we want a shelf presence.
So I do think it's a mistake, I wish they had not decided to backpedal on the issue, but no I don't yet plan on quitting.
Right now I plan on seeing how the revamp of KR into the SA client will be achieved and what the new new client will make available to us. I personally hope it blows the KR client out of the water in terms of quality and I hope it can retain (or be made to retain) the feel of UO in the process.
So here's looking forward to the new client and hoping that the Modder's Exchange will be able to continue what work we've been able to do to make it even better.
(Note: These are my personal thoughts, opinions, and reactions. While I have my own biases and opinions, I will be respectful and will NOT be posting to start a client flamewar and will be monitoring my own thread accordingly.)
Ok, that was hectic... lots of information and trying to balance getting a question asked in real time via getting attention from ingame, listening to the Town Hall, doing the bullet points, and having to take a few "breaks" (which they didn't this time... did they have bottles behind the podium?).
So putting it all together.
The "SA" Client.
I had been wondering if the lack of REAL KR updates was due to abandonment or a possible "re-release" of the client and now we have the answer. Looks like a complete revamp of the KR client using the Gamebryo engine. Personally, I look forward to seeing how this will be done and if they really do address not only the key issues of stability and performance, but a LONG checklist of wants, desires and suggestions that a bunch of us built up and posted to the KR focus Group (on top of several months' worth of threads in the same group).
Now I will be the FIRST person to say that the KR client has always had issues. It hasn't been perfect, but if you can get it running and take the time to learn the system, it's really a very nice client... not perfect, but nice... better than the 3d client, and technologically MUCH better than 2d.
HOWEVER, I can also say that I wouldn't recommend the KR client with the DEFAULT UI. The Default UI sucks plain and simple.
Because of that, what developed that I have been a part of has been a quite amazing experience and has had great feedback. I wouldn't have thought that we'd be able to actually fix bugs and add in enhancements (to the tune of 30+ specific requests and more in the process). A good core group of people have done an amazing job at creating the artwork, creating new ideas for enhancements, adding in stuff that should have been in from the start, fixing UI bugs, and packaging everything together.
To be perfectly honest from June through now, I think I've spent more time futzing around with tweaking at least three different KR User Interfaces than I have actually playing the game. That has given me a LOT more respect for the Devs (specifically the coders on the team) because working with a couple of the other mod coders, we've created some rather weird bugs ourselves, often unintentionally. I can only imagine what the devs actually go through.
Back to the new SA client... I'm interested to see what comes of it. I know a lot of people are outright skeptical if not already finding a reason to hate it, but I'm interested in seeing how it works out.
SA Client and Modding
One of the talks that Zym specifically and I have had has been basically the question of "What if it's a rerelease of KR and it breaks our mods?" Well, on one hand, it will be a little bit of a downer to see our work be negated or made to not work with the SA Client, but if the client actually fixes the current KR problems, we're willing to "start from zero". It will be a little saddening if it breaks Zym's project because we believe that his project will do a LOT to help people warm up to KR. There are early versions availible, and the feedback has been good so far.
I had initially wanted to ask if they were going to be working on KR once the event stuff was taken care of, but since that got answered so quickly, I tried to get the question of "Will the SA client be moddable" answered. While we don't have an answer yet, I know I hope it will be as I'm sure the rest of the core group of the Exchange hope so as well.
I think it's needless to say (but I will anyway) that if the SA client IS moddable, you will see the Modder's Exchange remain active and accepting tickets for bug fixes, enhancements, and new features for the UI.
SA (the expansion) and 2d access
Now, I want to start out with the following: To my knowledge, I do not recall stating that I would quit UO if SA were not KR only.
However, I do still hold the opinion that the LBR-style backpedal is still a HUGE mistake and that we DO need to get to the point of getting rid of the Legacy client because it DOES simply hold UO back on a technological level (which should have been made apparent by the comments on the way boats work and why we can't have a Pirate expansion yet, and why the 2d client has not had its resolution upgraded.
I don't hate the Legacy client, I played it when I started UO up until 3d was smooth enough for me to make the swap (and really 3d was still Legacy with a slightly better UI and better animation and resolution support). But I do think that it is past time to let it go.
Any retail box is not going to have Legacy client pictures... at least if it wants to be taken seriously. They NEED a revamped client if we want a shelf presence.
So I do think it's a mistake, I wish they had not decided to backpedal on the issue, but no I don't yet plan on quitting.
Right now I plan on seeing how the revamp of KR into the SA client will be achieved and what the new new client will make available to us. I personally hope it blows the KR client out of the water in terms of quality and I hope it can retain (or be made to retain) the feel of UO in the process.
So here's looking forward to the new client and hoping that the Modder's Exchange will be able to continue what work we've been able to do to make it even better.
Drops loveable Kelmo onto the blender blade!
Hmm, pretty good!
Everyone have some!
