What could the Devs do that would cause ZERO Pancaking?

[Kylie Kinslayer]

Someone was talking in chat about "no pancaking".. which started me thinking..

What is one thing the Devs could possibly do that would not cause any from the people in UO? And yeah, that is an honest question...


You "usual suspects" follow along and when someone comes up with an idea let us know how you would pancake about it

 

[THP]

seriously is ''pancaking'' a word...holy crap.... it means dissing or moaning yes?? a USA term methinks ??

 

[Kylie Kinslayer]

seriously is ''pancaking'' a word...holy crap.... it means dissing or moaning yes?? a USA term methinks ??

lol not that I know of..

It's just what the Stratics filters turn the B-word into.

 

[Dot_Warner]

They could do a publish cycle of nothing but bug fixes...and you know, actually fix some bugs.

 

[Laura_Gold]

o Play the game without cheats. That way they'll have some sympathy for the real player experience.
o Hire a roleplayer QA person.
o Don't let the person with the gambling problem on the Dev team set the odds for anything. That's the person giving us endless grinds because he or she is willing to grind far beyond where a normal person would say "pancake this omelet."

 

[Kylie Kinslayer]

They could do a publish cycle of nothing but bug fixes...and you know, actually fix some bugs.

Depends on which bugs they fix though.. I mean if they make it to where the "pet log out bug/exploit" is fixed (as some people call it) then the tamers will be mad and complain..

if you fix the "fel bug" where at times in Tram the leaves disappear from the trees there will be folks raising hell about that as well...

So which bugs could be fixed that nobody would pancake about?

o Play the game without cheats. That way they'll have some sympathy for the real player experience.
o Hire a roleplayer QA person.
o Don't let the person with the gambling problem on the Dev team set the odds for anything. That's the person giving us endless grinds because he or she is willing to grind far beyond where a normal person would say "pancake this omelet."

Honest questions..

1 - is there proof of the Devs playing the game with cheats?

2 - Why a roleplayer? What skill set do they have that makes them better at QA?

3 - all mmorpg's are grindy.. right?

 

[Victim of Siege]

Their job?

 

[Tina Small]

Someone was talking in chat about "no pancaking".. which started me thinking..

What is one thing the Devs could possibly do that would not cause any from the people in UO? And yeah, that is an honest question...


You "usual suspects" follow along and when someone comes up with an idea let us know how you would pancake about it

Lower the prices for everything you buy from the Origin.com store or the in-game store by 25% or more.

 

[Kylie Kinslayer]

Lower the prices for everything you buy from the Origin.com store or the in-game store by 25% or more.

Hmm... pretty sure that is a winner there

'course then EA would have a fit lol.. ya know they are only all about the profit

 

[Zalan]

Hiring additional people for the UO Development team.

Or

They could quit! And I would just WAFFLES all over the place instead of Pancakes.

 

[Tina Small]

Hmm... pretty sure that is a winner there

'course then EA would have a fit lol.. ya know they are only all about the profit

Okay, here's another thing they could fix that I doubt anyone would complain about: Allow us to use animal lore skill on a pet or a monster even though you already have open an animal lore gump. Just replace what's already showing with the information for the animal/monster you just lored instead of telling you that you have to wait a few minutes to use another skill!!! This is soooo annoying and it doesn't make any sense why this was changed from the way it used to work.

 

[Dot_Warner]

Depends on which bugs they fix though.. I mean if they make it to where the "pet log out bug/exploit" is fixed (as some people call it) then the tamers will be mad and complain..

if you fix the "fel bug" where at times in Tram the leaves disappear from the trees there will be folks raising hell about that as well...

So which bugs could be fixed that nobody would pancake about?

The game-breaking bugs in the EC for a start (supernova/big explosions, EM mob looting, spellbook close crash, writing in books, etc.)

Sure, some people might whine that their pet bug was overlooked, but I think that the devs need to slow their roll on adding new content without fixing what's broken.

3 - all mmorpg's are grindy.. right?

Not as grindy as UO is. Every other MMO I've ever played gives you something for trudging through an encounter (and no, its not always the top-end item). Not something like Shadowguard where you can spend two hours and walk away with nothing to show for it.

The current trade order part of the arc is an awesome example of too high a grind for too little reward. The drop rate on the ritual items is stupidly low, particularly when you realize they're just cutsey deco.

 

[Uriah Heep]

Yeah get rid of that wait a few minutes crap. Only time I ever see it is when I fail at either hiding or meditating or something like that. And in my mind, If the attempt failed, then it shouldnt count as a use

120 med should never fail.

Fix it where if you have a 23.2 chance to imbue something, you don't fail the attempt 27 TIMES IN A ROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Uvtha]

They could do a publish cycle of nothing but bug fixes...and you know, actually fix some bugs.

But then people would pancake about the lack of content additions. Especially those of us who pretty much never run into impactful bugs.

 

[Tina Small]

Another idea: Bring back Jeremy Dahlberg as the community manager.

 

[Dot_Warner]

Another idea: Bring back Jeremy Dahlberg as the community manager.

Or anyone who can string together a coherent sentence and knows how to use a word processor's spelling and grammar checker.

 

[MalagAste]

Just wish they would:

1. Hire a community Liason... stop being so damned tight lipped about crap... listen to the PLAYER/PAYERS
2. Stop making everything such a boring monotonous grind... if you want me to enjoy playing UO act like it..... If you want me bored to tears and looking for something else to play congratulations you got it!
3. FIX the BUGS in the EC already! Seriously some of these ARE gamebreaking. Not being able to loot a public corpse at a shard event IS game breaking... Getting loot for killing stuff is a MAJOR component of the Game! Also taking over 1min to die IS GAME BREAKING. When time is of the essence and you have only a short window to earn points spending over a min FROZEN stiff and locked up is a game breaker...
4. Take pride in your game and work and attempt to make the game look like professionals built and designed it... ie fix the holes along the shores and go look at things that are obviously awry in the shacks outside NuJelm as well noticed that the stone benches in the Hedgemaze are all manner of F'd up as well... Wtf is up with that???

Things like this event start just leave me shaking my head... I could name 100 things I could have done with my 12 hours that would have been FAR more fun and productive in at least a dozen other games... but instead I chose to spend my time in UO attempting to get items from the new content.... getting 2 items in 12 hours is down right pitiful... and honestly if this continues I won't stay much longer. Even Pokemon Go is more fun and FAR more productive in 12 hours than getting 2 items in UO... Think about this seriously @Kyronix..... there is a necessary balance between drop and boredom... You can't possibly expect players to enjoy this.

 

[Uriah Heep]

Things like this event start just leave me shaking my head... I could name 100 things I could have done with my 12 hours that would have been FAR more fun and productive in at least a dozen other games... but instead I chose to spend my time in UO attempting to get items from the new content.... getting 2 items in 12 hours is down right pitiful... and honestly if this continues I won't stay much longer. Even Pokemon Go is more fun and FAR more productive in 12 hours than getting 2 items in UO... Think about this seriously @Kyronix..... there is a necessary balance between drop and boredom... You can't possibly expect players to enjoy this.

For the casual player this drop rate does seriously need to be boosted, and boosted well. Don't know why anyone would pancake if it was boosted up. If they want to grind, well, they can just do it over and over and over...while the rest of us who are unlucky at drops and have other things in life to do as well, can get enough to feel like we accomplished something. The whole arc is just about over for me...I am already burned out.

 

[Uriah Heep]

Proof that the drop rate is way too low...on Atlantic vendor search, none of the items are showing up for sale

How often does that happen after a few days of new content LOL

 

[Dot_Warner]

Proof that the drop rate is way too low...on Atlantic vendor search, none of the items are showing up for sale

How often does that happen after a few days of new content LOL

Often, as the new items seem to need to manually be added to the vendor database (or something). It seems...inconsistent.

 

[Uriah Heep]

Shot that theory down LOL

 

[hen]

Get rid of the producer. The one who answered a legitimate query about the account management system recently with "LOL next question". Messana's dictatorship has driven this game into the ground.

 

[Tyrath]

Mesanna replaced in the role of community relations and player interactions, with a community rep. Even if it did not eliminate her favoritism to individuals and groups it would largely eliminate the perception.

Account management streamlined and the information like the support email brought up to speed.

Stop the PM and ICQ leaks between producer- staff-former staff, better yet don't say things that if they get out will piss off individuals or groups.

Finish the content before releasing it world wide from TC and the Live Test Shards. There are plenty of us that would actually spend time finding ways to break your work and find the exploits in it.......... For free, since we are already doing it and you guys seem to totally ignore us when we report it. Like all the bugged pets I have in my stables that were either illegally (But initially accidently over capped) pets that skipped from 3 slot to 5 slot and can't be finished, the whole pet poofing thing that still hits people. I did with the help of some former staff figure out .

NO ONE WOULD COMPLAIN IF THEY ADVERTISED.

UO has the potential to be a huge and consistent cash machine for EA. The marketing of UO has been a total disaster since about the 8th anni gem case CD in game stores. Now there is not even bargain bin public exposure. So again Hire Someone who understands basic marketing even if only with a low budget. Get the account management system together, making it hard for people to spend their money does you no favors. Get Mesana out of the public eye, seems about half hate her and half think she walks on water and everytime she farts she is whispering special wisdom in their ears. Personally until a month or so I could take or leave her, that changed and I won't detail why here. I will say she has no business interacting with the player base in a official capacity, that typically does not fall under the Producer Duties anyway. Let her take care of her buddies within the mechanics of the game like any other player, but not as producer and player. Very simply very few people are capable of wearing multiple hats and doing what is in the best interest of each hat. Mesanna is not one of those few. That is not intended to be insulting she is probably a fine producer, she is a terrible PR and Community rep. would rather see the turd Wilki back.

Make a hybrid F2P model like Runescape has Limit game content and force ad banners to generate revenue for the F2P and Give members/subs unlimited content and no ad banners. UO is 10x the game of RS and has 100x less players, makes zero sense to me.

Understand and accept that you are not going to make everyone happy all of the time, but you can make everyone happy half the time. SO no matter what you do have the people are going to pancake no matter what. They will keep subbing and keeping the dead presidents flowing though. When you start having everyone pissed off 75% of the time (Excluding the Fan Boys that would let the devs push peanuts in their bungs so long as they get a pat on the head and get to keep their noses brown, or are allowed to to keep their green gold businesses thriving.

 

[Captn Norrington]

Add a comma to the new trade window like a few people requested previously.

There is no way someone would be angered by a comma being placed in the correct and most useful place.

I challenge someone to find anything outrage worthy over it. Since this is Stratics, I know I will not be disappointed

 

[Tyrath]

Add a comma to the new trade window like a few people requested previously.

There is no way someone would be angered by a comma being placed in the correct and most useful place.

I challenge someone to find anything outrage worthy over it. Since this is Stratics, I know I will not be disappointed

Totally not acceptable! It has been this way forever and are you serious! Take a valuable scam tool out of the scammers tool box!!! Totally unreasonable!!!!

 

[Uriah Heep]

Totally not acceptable! It has been this way forever and are you serious! Take a valuable scam tool out of the scammers tool box!!! Totally unreasonable!!!!

I am offended!!!

 

[MalagAste]

I've nothing against Mesanna save her tight lipped attitude to things that OUGHT to be bragged about...

She's great as head of the EM Program... however she knows as well as we do that she is NOT good at communication... and she seriously needs to step it up or step down.

Advertising a game that has become so overly complex it would take a new player years to even get anywhere is NOT a good idea as of yet... without some sort of NPE this would actually do FAR more HARM than good... seriously...

Secondly until they can clean up the mess in the game and make it look halfway like someone takes care of it... again... would not advertise it... Make it look like professionals work on it... please.

And then the Account MisManagement System needs to be pried away from EA as those people haven't a CLUE how to manage a real game.... The Origin store is the biggest farce on the planet... EA knows they are a bunch of 1/2 brained apes... Why they make giving them money a worse experience than going to the dentist for a full upper and lower extraction is beyond me. IMO best we could maybe do is write a communal formal letter to EA Corporate CEO's and BEG that they release our beloved game from their stupidity or we shed some serious bad public awareness their way in some major way... perhaps we should advertise against them... who knows... If it was something properly worded to explain the problems plaguing us with their store and such and we all signed off on it... perhaps they would take notice... perhaps. When I spoke with I think his name was Kevin or something at EA about UO before he wanted specifics... Who was having troubles, what exactly was the issue, etc... I directed him to over 2 dozen posts and threads here on Stratics about the issues with EA/Origin Store and the Account MisManagement page... but since none of these issues were specifically mine I couldn't give him the details he wanted... But I think another heartfelt letter detailing our frustrations and issues wouldn't be bad. Just need someone with a lot more tact and writing skill than Me to write up such a thing.

They have already F'd up with letting go of so many old UO staff who have now gone off and made all sorts of new games taking money away from them... from RG to the group at Aria... Do they seriously think they should alienate more???


Seriously I love @Mesanna but sometimes I think she loses sight of the big picture... and I love @Kyronix too but he needs to reexamine his way of thinking if UO is going to survive another year let alone another 20... if he wants to keep a job hes going to have to pull his head out of his or Mesanna's nethers and realize that grinding for hours on end with no reward is NOT fun... Seriously I was over doing trade deals 2 years ago... now that they are the forefront of things to come and even more of a grind than ever with frustratingly low drop rates this is seriously enough to drive folk to just throw in the towel not only for the whole anniversary event but for the whole game in general as more and more things are becoming so disgustingly unrewarding it isn't even fun at all anymore...

I could list at least 20 other games where hour for hour of play is so totally more fun and rewarding it isn't even funny.... From stupid phone games to competition for UO in games like Wow, FF, EQ and so many more.... Aria even FAR more rewarding for time vs gain... skills are a grind, gathering is a grind, getting keys are a grind, how many more grinds do we need??? Wake up people! This is supposed to be a major event and it's a limited time event that's not going to be around forever so cut us some slack here or risk losing more than just a few players.

I'm not talking about just giving more drops... I'm talking about fun factor here. Fun is NOT being 1 hit killed instantly ... fun is not doing the same thing over and over and over till your eyes are blurry and your wrists are sore for ZERO gain... this is not fun it's torture...

 

[Mene (DF)]

*blushes* I had not read all was others say here - so sorry if I dobble something...I might be torture my dictionary a lot and however I would some missunderstand .....

Pancaking....... good word btw... love pancakes ... erm.. but back to the theme:
Avoid RNG where it could be possible - and if not than make a responsable number to collect things or whatever else in which players could have fun and the great success-feeling in a more reachable time...

You can not avoid - now and in every future - that people always will be a "must have this item"-feeling if there's something new in the game
Give players their own choose! And yes - listen to the few peoples here that playing the game day for day and respect their game-experience about a long time now.

 

[THP]

pancaking....lolz...make me smile every time.... is the term used much ????in the usa other than for eating said pancakes

 

[Zeke]

Fix the EC issue where your screen locks up for 30-60 seconds when you die. OMG this is my number 1 beef with EC...

 

[Uriah Heep]

pancaking....lolz...make me smile every time.... is the term used much ????in the usa other than for eating said pancakes

Never heard it used like this until Stratics

 

[Captn Norrington]

pancaking....lolz...make me smile every time.... is the term used much ????in the usa other than for eating said pancakes

As far as I know it is never used like this in the real world, or anywhere other than Stratics. A year or two ago the profanity filter was altered to change certain curse words into food items instead of asterisks to get people to stop cursing on the forums so much. Pancaking was the most common one that showed up.

It took about a month to get noticed, but once they began seeing it people started to actually write pancaking and other food items in their posts thinking it was some sort of cool new trend or code language they wanted to use too. Soon odd phrases like "I will cheeseburger for 10 million gold if everyone stops pancaking about strawberry milkshakes" began showing up in threads, and it wasn't even the profanity filter doing it anymore.

Pancakes have accidentally become an awesome part of Stratics history, and it's great.

 

[Victim of Siege]

As far as I know it is never used like this in the real world, or anywhere other than Stratics. A year or two ago the profanity filter was altered to change certain curse words into food items instead of asterisks to get people to stop cursing on the forums so much. Pancaking was the most common one that showed up.

It took about a month to get noticed, but once they began seeing it people started to actually write pancaking and other food items in their posts thinking it was some sort of cool new trend or code language they wanted to use too. Soon odd phrases like "I will cheeseburger for 10 million gold if everyone stops pancaking about strawberry milkshakes" began showing up in threads, and it wasn't even the profanity filter doing it anymore.

Pancakes have accidentally become an awesome part of Stratics history, and it's great.

Don't forget that ****ing waffles are better than pancake waffles

 

[Victim of Siege]

see, you still get asterisks, just depends on the word . . .

 

[Scribbles]

Someone was talking in chat about "no pancaking".. which started me thinking..

What is one thing the Devs could possibly do that would not cause any from the people in UO? And yeah, that is an honest question...


You "usual suspects" follow along and when someone comes up with an idea let us know how you would pancake about it

1. account managment
2. EC public corpses
3. EM event supernova lag
4. Island lag
5. Leaks with in her own staff
6. Not releasing new material that only causes more bugs for them to fix making them forget about old bugs.
7. actually doing something about the multiboxing scritpers at em events.
8. not flip flopping on judgement calls. Consistency is key.

Most of these have been complaints for years and nothing has been done to solve these issues. Mesannas response to most of these fall into a couple categories. 1. laughing at the customer, 2. dodging the customers question, 3. acting like she doesnt know what the problem is.

 

[Mervyn]

Yes Publish 99 no new content and just bug and pet log/out exploit fixes only please.

and introduce a fel only shard to double the player base.

Does Broadsword really care about the quality of the players? surely having 1000 nasty subsribers is better than 500 nice ones. Quantity over quality.
Non SJWs pay the same subsription as blues.

 

[Uriah Heep]

Yes Publish 99 no new content and just bug and pet log/out exploit fixes only please.

Scary wish.
That last big bug publish they did a few years ago almost shut the game down...

 

[railshot]

Just wish they would:

2. Stop making everything such a boring monotonous grind... if you want me to enjoy playing UO act like it..... If you want me bored to tears and looking for something else to play congratulations you got it!

I believe they intentionally do it. First there is a vocal minority screaming about not making the game too easy. But the main reason is that they don't want players to blow through content it took them months to create in a day. They don't have the resources to do what the likes of WoW do - hundreds of new quests per expansion. So they make them grindy.

A better way is to release new content in the form of new mechanics rather than quests, etc.. That way the players create their own entertainment. However this requires quite a bit of thought, and wisdom not to nerf it into oblivion or limit it through other means. An example of such type of content is a taming update. An example of how to ruin all this hard work is their decision to keep the pet slots limited, and by not increasing PS supply to correspond with demand. So your typical tamer could have been entertained by that publish for a year or two or three. But once the stables are full and no more gold to spend on PSs - they're done.

 

[THP]

ahhhhh so it juwt a made up word... no wonder ive never heard of it...muhhahaaaa