[UO Herald] Massively Evil Event

[GalenKnighthawke]

I run a guild specifically for new players. How on earth am I supposed to get them interested in storylines and background to the game when they're like to spend the majority of the event viewing the world in monochrome? How is going out and getting killed fun? How does that help to keep what UO needs - new players who'll stay, not just play out a trial account and bugger off to WOW?

Events in story arcs can generally be said to not be designed for new players. This makes sense.

Having said that, there are many times when newer players can still participate, but not every time.

I don't see this as an issue, really....You mentioned WoW, I wouldn't expect to log in for the first time and immediately fight the Lich King.

-Galen's player

 

[Cailleach]

Hmm maybe there should be a no trammy zone put in place...

I believe that's known as 'Felucca'!

 

[Tak]

Mh, now they went nuts.
Perfectly understand that Minax and Council have no problem to leave their faction for an old muffin, but the cool and shiny TB's, what shall we do that weekend?

Even if there will ever be an event for guys as clever and good looking like we TB's do, how could we survive the first ten seconds in Fel? *looks at the four TB's on Europe*

 

[Jhym]

hee hee hee hee Oh yes. I SOOOO want them to do that.

 

[Jhym]

Well, you DON'T take them into an event where they are going to HAVE to pvp until they understand what that means.

Pretty simple actually, don't throw the fishermen at the Kraken until they can actually HIT it.

 

[Jhym]

No, that's actually Seige. lol.

 

[Kiminality]

Why is the event any less inclusive to new players than... Say...
A dungeon filled with shadow fiends?
A Skeletal Lich?
Cities filled with invasions?

 

[Cailleach]

Events in story arcs can generally be said to not be designed for new players. This makes sense.

Having said that, there are many times when newer players can still participate, but not every time.

I don't see this as an issue, really....You mentioned WoW, I wouldn't expect to log in for the first time and immediately fight the Lich King.

-Galen's player

Over the last year and a bit I've been running the guild, I've discovered that the best way to keep new players (not so much in the guild, but in the game, which is what we aim to do) is to engage them in the game. Teach them the usual stuff, sure, but also engage their enthusiasm for the longest running MMORPG in the business. I've had day old mages down in Despise, learning how to kill OL's. They've been fine, because we've been able to protect them and teach them. Hell, we've even taken new ones champing in Tram before, and sure, they've died a couple of times, but they've also made a great pile of gold and learned a lot too. And to the easier invasions, like Trinsic or Skara. But events like the one last weekend and the one this weekend coming are incredibly difficult - I have troubles enough with lag and client crashes due to the sheer number of players present without having others to worry about. And the sort of mobs we ran into would have been just too much. It's hard on the new ones - they want to come along, they want to participate and they can't do it, they're just not good enough. Sure, I refuse to take them to Doom Gauntlet til they GM their skills, but DG will still be there next week - the events won't, so they miss a little piece of history and aren't as attached to the game.

I could have put my guild into factions, but I thought long and hard about it and decided it just wasn't fair. It's not fair on new players to drop them straight in at the pvp deep end - I don't pvp, we have a fel sister guild for those who want to learn, but I don't run it, I don't know enough to. So why would I want to take my openly Trammie guild into ANY faction? There will be another event next weekend - it says it's for those who 'don't want to change factions'. What about those (and there's a fair few of 'em) who don't want to be in ANY faction? Where does that leave them in terms of participating in what is a piece of game history? I have a faction char (TB), unguilded, so yeah, I could finish her wrestling and a few other bits off and toddle off to the event next weekend. But what about all the non faction players? My guild and all the others?

 

[sablestorm]

I think you a see a trend of the Dev Team trying to be inclusive towards players of all skill. As you mentioned, the invasions offered foes that new players could fight. My guild has had a slew of new players join in the last two weeks and they were very excited to battle recruits, scouts, and corporals, not to mention orcs and ophidians warriors and enforcers. They were even more excited by the rewards they got for helping save the cities. As you mentioned, it really engaged their imagination.

The previous event had weaker creatures that newer players could have fought. The issue was the cramped quarters and the number of players involved. It might not have been ideal for new players, but the Dev Team is trying and I think that is what is most important of all. Nobody succeeds all the time by they do a damn good job in my opinion.

One of my new guildmates was a returning roleplayer and we spent two hours roleplaying my character trying to explain the news that her character missed while she was away. It really hit home that there has been a lot of story content this Dev Team has brought to the table. We don't tell them enough that they are doing a good job.

One other thing I want to give them a kudos for is having these EM events. Back when the KR crunch came out, the events fell by the wayside. At the time, they had also just canceled the EM program. I raised objections to this, saying that would have been the perfect time to renew the EM program, to let the EMs entertain the players while the Devs focused on doing their other work. It was mentioned that they are testing SA on Retribution so it makes me think they are again getting to that crunch time where their efforts are going to be focused on SA. This time we have the EMs around and I for one am ecstatic.

Over the last year and a bit I've been running the guild, I've discovered that the best way to keep new players (not so much in the guild, but in the game, which is what we aim to do) is to engage them in the game. Teach them the usual stuff, sure, but also engage their enthusiasm for the longest running MMORPG in the business. I've had day old mages down in Despise, learning how to kill OL's. They've been fine, because we've been able to protect them and teach them. Hell, we've even taken new ones champing in Tram before, and sure, they've died a couple of times, but they've also made a great pile of gold and learned a lot too. And to the easier invasions, like Trinsic or Skara. But events like the one last weekend and the one this weekend coming are incredibly difficult - I have troubles enough with lag and client crashes due to the sheer number of players present without having others to worry about. And the sort of mobs we ran into would have been just too much. It's hard on the new ones - they want to come along, they want to participate and they can't do it, they're just not good enough. Sure, I refuse to take them to Doom Gauntlet til they GM their skills, but DG will still be there next week - the events won't, so they miss a little piece of history and aren't as attached to the game.

I could have put my guild into factions, but I thought long and hard about it and decided it just wasn't fair. It's not fair on new players to drop them straight in at the pvp deep end - I don't pvp, we have a fel sister guild for those who want to learn, but I don't run it, I don't know enough to. So why would I want to take my openly Trammie guild into ANY faction? There will be another event next weekend - it says it's for those who 'don't want to change factions'. What about those (and there's a fair few of 'em) who don't want to be in ANY faction? Where does that leave them in terms of participating in what is a piece of game history? I have a faction char (TB), unguilded, so yeah, I could finish her wrestling and a few other bits off and toddle off to the event next weekend. But what about all the non faction players? My guild and all the others?

 

[Pink Floyd]

Having to join a specific faction for an event is probably the worst idea I have ever heard of. This is going to cause serious problems for pvp guilds that are in any other faction than SL. You can find me camping the SL stone on Pacific, PKing anyone that comes near in protest.

 

[Lord Gareth]

Having to join a specific faction for an event is probably the worst idea I have ever heard of. This is going to cause serious problems for pvp guilds that are in any other faction than SL. You can find me camping the SL stone on Pacific, PKing anyone that comes near in protest.

That would be considered grief and interrupting a event. Is that worth your account? So be careful.

 

[RichDC]

That would be considered grief and interrupting a event. Is that worth your account? So be careful.

I have to call you a "tool" on this one!!!

Go back and read the posts by DRACONI!

This is a fel event...PvP is a part of fel, any and all intervention by other factions is considered part of fel life!!!

Therefore not griefing.

Thats the point of these bleeding events, for the masses of Sosaria to UNITE against the shadowlords!!! So unite against them FFS or dont...and dont do the event, simple.

show your tru colours fight and defend or cower and hide!

 

[Mairut]

We are Shadowlords. Join us or perish.

We have creepy cakes too!! ^.^
lawl

 

[Arabella]

This one was a close second to most uneducated comment.


All factioners want is to have the bugs fixed. Not some shoddy event or new items...

The only good thing will be camping the sign up stone and killing the carebears.

LOL you got that right Bere!

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Over the last year and a bit I've been running the guild, I've discovered that the best way to keep new players (not so much in the guild, but in the game, which is what we aim to do) is to engage them in the game. Teach them the usual stuff, sure, but also engage their enthusiasm for the longest running MMORPG in the business. I've had day old mages down in Despise, learning how to kill OL's. They've been fine, because we've been able to protect them and teach them. Hell, we've even taken new ones champing in Tram before, and sure, they've died a couple of times, but they've also made a great pile of gold and learned a lot too. And to the easier invasions, like Trinsic or Skara. But events like the one last weekend and the one this weekend coming are incredibly difficult - I have troubles enough with lag and client crashes due to the sheer number of players present without having others to worry about. And the sort of mobs we ran into would have been just too much. It's hard on the new ones - they want to come along, they want to participate and they can't do it, they're just not good enough. Sure, I refuse to take them to Doom Gauntlet til they GM their skills, but DG will still be there next week - the events won't, so they miss a little piece of history and aren't as attached to the game.

I could have put my guild into factions, but I thought long and hard about it and decided it just wasn't fair. It's not fair on new players to drop them straight in at the pvp deep end - I don't pvp, we have a fel sister guild for those who want to learn, but I don't run it, I don't know enough to. So why would I want to take my openly Trammie guild into ANY faction? There will be another event next weekend - it says it's for those who 'don't want to change factions'. What about those (and there's a fair few of 'em) who don't want to be in ANY faction? Where does that leave them in terms of participating in what is a piece of game history? I have a faction char (TB), unguilded, so yeah, I could finish her wrestling and a few other bits off and toddle off to the event next weekend. But what about all the non faction players? My guild and all the others?

You should not even consider taking newbies to an event in Felucca, be it Faction-oriented or not.

I mean, really....I have issues with this event, I've voiced them and I've been slammed for it....But come on now.

-Galen's player

 

[ACB1961]

Don't worry about those dragons you can kill them with one archer & a cu. It just takes some timing. We killed tons of them when everyone quit going to the invasions. I don't know about 2 or 3 of them at once though.

 

[Teeshy]

You should not even consider taking newbies to an event in Felucca, be it Faction-oriented or not.

Why not?

If they all went naked, *knowing* they were going to die, they could still be there to watch the even, observe pvp etc Once they're dead it doesnt matter what else goes on really, they can at least still watch the event =)

It's pretty much exactly how I intend to see the event, in shades of grey =P I just want to see what happens, if I'm naked it doesn't cost me anything

 

[Ailish]

That would be considered grief and interrupting a event. Is that worth your account? So be careful.

To put it more nicely Gareth .... killing someone in PvP is NOT considered grief, nor, as Draconi specifically said, interfering with an event (as said event is in Fel and PvPing in Fel is expected) ... so that would mean yes, it would totally be worth camping the faction stone!

 

[rsinbad]

From all that was said, I could say this event will most likely be a huge PvP Orgy

 

[CatLord]

Am I Ebil? ... Hum, Guess I am!

 

[A_Wandering_Killer]

As a red factioneer I for one, am glad to see a fel only faction event. Although im not in shadowlords I do plan on attending the event.

 

[RichDC]

To put it more nicely Gareth .... killing someone in PvP is NOT considered grief, nor, as Draconi specifically said, interfering with an event (as said event is in Fel and PvPing in Fel is expected) ... so that would mean yes, it would totally be worth camping the faction stone!

Yea sorry im not very tactful

Besides i think i had copied that post from draconi at least 10 times already!!

I just wish people would read sometimes before polluting threads with useless drivel.

 

[Tina Small]

Here's the Andrew fiction, in case anyone wants to reread it:

http://town.uo.com/bnn/article_592.html

 

[D'Amavir]

Why is the event any less inclusive to new players than... Say...
A dungeon filled with shadow fiends?
A Skeletal Lich?
Cities filled with invasions?

Not taking a side in this either way, but, do players have to quit their guilds and/or their faction in order to take part in a dungeon filled with shadow fiends crawl? Or to fight a skeletal lich? Or go to a invaded city? Does an rp paladin character have to toss aside his long held support of the TB and join up with a faction that is completely opposite of their chosen one? Does Minax supporter have to suddenly declare himself to a rival faction in order to take part in city invasions?

I get the developers wanting to tie certain events to certain factions. Totally. The problem is, as always, the people that take part in the events for the wrong reasons. I guess no one saw people hawking event items as soon as they got them in recent events. And I guess no one even imagines that, if any item happens to be given out at this next portion (and to me, events shouldn't be about items), those players that have rp reasons that prevent them from just siding with the SL will miss out.

Having SL have one specific part of the event dedicated to them would be fine IF, and only IF, that same event also had components in it that catered to TB, Minax and COM members as well as non faction members. But, that sort of thing is clearly too much to ask for. So, we will see how this event goes and judge it based on that. Maybe they won't mess it up. Again, we will see.

 

[Jove]

I'm sure UO has a reason for the ShadowLords only event, though I in my opinion an event should not be segregated as we get so few.... I understand what all the upheaval is, if you want to join just take one of your many characters and join SL's for the event. I thought about doing it but the risks to me are not worth whatever the out come. Yes I agree with those people who say that fel people tend to get more than the Trammers. No you don't hear Reds complain because they have trammies like the rest of us. Seriously sick of UO catering to the fel types. Enjoy your event and look out for those camping out to get their kicks...

 

[Omnius]

Gosh forbid farming players be considered an illegitimate profession. How is hunting a prey with a brain(usually not but sometimes theres a few smarties out there) evil?

 

[G.v.P]

Indeed, in fact, who else has a *right* to hear such a speech and rally?

Who else has a *right* to heed their command, and commit to their dark work?

Only they who have sacrificed to the shadows, and accepted their new lords.

...Where did it say there was going to be a speech? :/ lol

 

[G.v.P]

You should not even consider taking newbies to an event in Felucca, be it Faction-oriented or not.

I mean, really....I have issues with this event, I've voiced them and I've been slammed for it....But come on now.

-Galen's player

Content is generated in this game at an alarming rate. How many years was it fel-only, and enjoyable that way? More to lose now, but newbies didn't change much since then. If Draconi is going to nerf LRC, then who knows when insurance will go away either? Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to toughen the entire populace up, haha. SA could bring balance to the two playstyles :O.

Besides, people will bring newb toons to fel just for a chance, as slim as it may be, at an "event item." Can't stop the newbs! They'll flood the streets like old school mongbat flocks.

 

[RichDC]

Content is generated in this game at an alarming rate. How many years was it fel-only, and enjoyable that way? More to lose now, but newbies didn't change much since then. If Draconi is going to nerf LRC, then who knows when insurance will go away either? Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to toughen the entire populace up, haha. SA could bring balance to the two playstyles :O.

Besides, people will bring newb toons to fel just for a chance, as slim as it may be, at an "event item." Can't stop the newbs! They'll flood the streets like old school mongbat flocks.

And they will be farmed as hard as you farm mel and doom

I myself am joining SL but nearly all my chars are PvP orientated...the one who is joining is a thief. I FULLY expect people to be camping the stone making my life difficut...in fact...i HOPE they do, nay i PRAY they do.

 

[CatLord]

I FULLY expect people to be camping the stone making my life difficut...in fact...i HOPE they do, nay i PRAY they do.

Ditto...

 

[red sky]

LOL, look at all the trammies who are afraid to go to fell.

 

[red sky]

Magincia Invasion, wherein players fighting to save the city were threatened with having GMs paged on them.

Yeah, I was actually thinking about what would have happened if a guild or the players on a shard actually saved Magincia. They would of in fact changed the storyline of UO by themselves. It's a shame though because I figure someone would of managed to break in and mess it all up. Kind of like me. => I was reading that Prima's Official Strategy Guide for Ultima Ascension. It talks about how in UO lore, the city of Magincia was actually destroyed and then a new city known as New Magincia, which is in ruin, comes into play. Minoc is also its own island too, lol.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

If Draconi is going to nerf LRC, then who knows when insurance will go away either? Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to toughen the entire populace up, haha. SA could bring balance to the two playstyles :O.

Yeah, it's definitely an argument that the noobs may need to be toughened up some if the game's gonna get harder. (Which we don't know it will yet.)

Besides, people will bring newb toons to fel just for a chance, as slim as it may be, at an "event item." Can't stop the newbs! They'll flood the streets like old school mongbat flocks.

Not saying I'd mind that, really, just that I wouldn't advise it.

-Galen's player

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Yeah, I was actually thinking about what would have happened if a guild or the players on a shard actually saved Magincia. They would of in fact changed the storyline of UO by themselves. It's a shame though because I figure someone would of managed to break in and mess it all up. Kind of like me. => I was reading that Prima's Official Strategy Guide for Ultima Ascension. It talks about how in UO lore, the city of Magincia was actually destroyed and then a new city known as New Magincia, which is in ruin, comes into play. Minoc is also its own island too, lol.

Yes, it's established Ultima lore that Magincia, built upon Pride, was destroyed by demons, and that New Magincia was built in its place.

http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Magincia
http://www.uoguide.com/Magincia

http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/New_Magincia
http://www.uoguide.com/New_Magincia

Draconi's strongly hinted we're going to see New Magincia in UO. Or, at least something like it.

Some people argued that players destroying the city on purpose was basically just making Magincia face its deserved fate.

Well, I'm willing to accept that some of the players were doing it for that RP purpose.

I, however, didn't meet any of them. No one yelled "THE CITY DESERVES TO BURN!!!" when I tried to save it. I would have dealt with that, I would have yelled something back, like, "WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE" or "IF WE GIVE THE DEMONS WHAT THEY WANT THEY WON'T STOP" or "GOOD PEOPLE LIVE HERE!!!" or something.

Rather, however, people yelled "i Pa63 6M 0n u TrAmM13 n0oB" or some such.

I role-played that anyway....In RP speak, they were destroying the city for their own greed.

I think that the city was technically save-able at least to some degree. Meaning that we might have saved most, or some, of the physical city. I don't think it would have changed the city's fate, in that it wouldn't be usable anymore and there'd be generic, non-rubble degree all over the place.

But it would have stood as a monument to a shard that looked evil in the face and spat.

Now again, I'm accepting that some of the people were destroying Magincia for RP, fictional reasons. I didn't personally meet any of them, though. OK, I think I may have met one person who semi-role played destroying the city for greed. I can respect that too.

-Galen's player

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

LOL, look at all the trammies who are afraid to go to fell.

For my part, I stopped going because I just got sick of the whining.

I haven't missed it as much as I had thought I would.

-Galen's player

 

[RichDC]

LOL, look at all the trammies who are afraid to go to fell.

Who fell??

Oh wait, nm, obvious troll, whos afraid to go to fel btw?

 

[Yalp]

Well newbies and/or trammies who don't pvp and who decide to sign up SL so they can get the event item.. be ready to die! There will be 3 other factions guilds attempting to raid you. Don't forget you can also be killed by your own faction members too.. I would not at all be surprised if you were ganked by other SL's just so they can loot your event item.

 

[RichDC]

Well newbies and/or trammies who don't pvp and who decide to sign up SL so they can get the event item.. be ready to die! There will be 3 other factions guilds attempting to raid you. Don't forget you can also be killed by your own faction members too.. I would not at all be surprised if you were ganked by other SL's just so they can loot your event item.

Or SL like me stealing it from them without there knowledge!

Gna be so much fun stealing and looting people.....

BRING ON THE BLOOD FEST

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Well newbies and/or trammies who don't pvp and who decide to sign up SL so they can get the event item.. be ready to die! There will be 3 other factions guilds attempting to raid you. Don't forget you can also be killed by your own faction members too.. I would not at all be surprised if you were ganked by other SL's just so they can loot your event item.

And the funny thing is? It'd be 100% in-character, as the SLs are one of the evil Factions.

-Galen's player

 

[zared of napa]

LOL, look at all the trammies who are afraid to go to fell.

LOL Its pretty funny. I hear from Trammies all the time i dont want to go to fell and die.
I ask them why and 9/10 they say it cost insurance money ..They dont stop to think it costs half as much to die to another player then it does in PVM . and if you die to a oppsing faction member it is 1/6 of the normal costs..

So why not join up for this event I saw a earlier post dont want to take my noobs to fell. why? They might learn something and it wont cost them as much to die.

 

[Yalp]

And the funny thing is? It'd be 100% in-character, as the SLs are one of the evil Factions.

-Galen's player

haa.. can't trust your faction mates either.. haa! It's gonna be a massacre!

 

[red sky]

haa! It's gonna be a massacre!

That's why it is going to be so much fun!