What do you think will attract new players?

[Fran Fury]

I think you forgot to add the "all of the above" choice. All of the things listed are needed in at least a small way to help the game and bring in new people..and to bring back the old players too.

I suppose if I have to pick one.. nope can't. Still a tie between advertising, less item based and cheating.

 

[timbeOFbaja]

I agree. We need more Pokemon in UO.

 

[galefan2004]

I said less item based because I hate how item based UO is because the system seems to make little sense at times (mostly because the best items have JACKED resists). I also think this game could bennefit from better marketing.

Players still play Shining Force I and II and Final Fantasy 1-3 (US). Obviously, graphics aren't as big a deal to a lot of people that they are made out to be. If I'm enjoying the game then I don't care what the game looks like. If the game looks awesome but the game play sucks then I won't play the game.

 

[galefan2004]

UO2?

But if the team could take everything they learned, and start again, it would attract a substanical number of players.. Particularly those, like me, for whom this was their first MMO.

The more I learn about WAR, it looks more and more like DAOC2. It seems to have everything the developers learned from DAOC with a little different lore and some new systems. If they did something like that for UO I would be in heaven.

 

[MalagAste]

I guess I would say none of the above.......

In my opinoin a total revamp of the game is in order.... get back to being a community game...... where there are actually Seers and in game leaders actually active and participating in "LIVE" ingame play......

Return to customer service.... I know there are several people frustrated to no end with the lack of decent customer service be it GM's in game or help on the web with an up to date website and answers.... As well as I would be happy if when I called I actually GOT help!..... 9 times out of 10 the thing eventually hangs up on me and I NEVER get to speak to an actual person.....

Finally...... get away from being item based ...... and get back to skill based.... tame the cheaters... and bring back community.... that would do it.

 

[timbeOFbaja]

You know what I really miss is variety. Seeing people in something other than freaking leather. Most of you don't remember, but everybody used to wear platemail and it looked awesome. Then they made it so the more armor you had the more of a dex hit you took, so people began using other armor types depending on their template and play style. After AoS, EVERYBODY is in leather. Afterall, it's medable, has the same maximum resists as plate, and requires a 2Mill Bkit to make 100% runic armor opposed to a valorite hammer which is 40Mill. Everybody is wearing quivers, everybody has a half apron, everybody is in either a kasa or totem, everybody is in a robe to hide their armor stats and probably the ugliness of their suit. Everybody has either arms damage removal or totem of the void. Ugh. Is this really the vision for the great UO? Cookie cutter characters?

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Personally I think the biggest turn-off for a new player would be coming to these boards and seeing all the incessant posts saying that UO is dying.

I, as a new player, upon seeing that players react to login server issues by saying that UO is in the process of being shut down, would probably take these posts far too seriously and take my money someplace else.

Honestly, why is it so hard for people to accept that our game is alive and kicking?

-Galen's player

 

[hawkeye_pike]

Well, the thing that would really attract new players, is unfortunately missing in the list: A working 3D-Client and a new game engine. Thus, I selected the second important thing, which is Marketing.

 

[Azureal]

You know what I really miss is variety. Seeing people in something other than freaking leather. Most of you don't remember, but everybody used to wear platemail and it looked awesome. Then they made it so the more armor you had the more of a dex hit you took, so people began using other armor types depending on their template and play style. After AoS, EVERYBODY is in leather. Afterall, it's medable, has the same maximum resists as plate, and requires a 2Mill Bkit to make 100% runic armor opposed to a valorite hammer which is 40Mill. Everybody is wearing quivers, everybody has a half apron, everybody is in either a kasa or totem, everybody is in a robe to hide their armor stats and probably the ugliness of their suit. Everybody has either arms damage removal or totem of the void. Ugh. Is this really the vision for the great UO? Cookie cutter characters?

Whilst I cant honestly say I agree with most of your posts, this one is platinum, and dead on the mark.

+1

 

[TheScoundrelRico]

You know what I really miss is variety. Seeing people in something other than freaking leather. Most of you don't remember, but everybody used to wear platemail and it looked awesome. Then they made it so the more armor you had the more of a dex hit you took, so people began using other armor types depending on their template and play style. After AoS, EVERYBODY is in leather. Afterall, it's medable, has the same maximum resists as plate, and requires a 2Mill Bkit to make 100% runic armor opposed to a valorite hammer which is 40Mill. Everybody is wearing quivers, everybody has a half apron, everybody is in either a kasa or totem, everybody is in a robe to hide their armor stats and probably the ugliness of their suit. Everybody has either arms damage removal or totem of the void. Ugh. Is this really the vision for the great UO? Cookie cutter characters?

If you want to see different temps...come play Siege...la

 

[Limlight]

Players still play Shining Force I and II and Final Fantasy 1-3 (US). Obviously, graphics aren't as big a deal to a lot of people that they are made out to be. If I'm enjoying the game then I don't care what the game looks like. If the game looks awesome but the game play sucks then I won't play the game.

QFT. I have every SNES and Genesis RPG's in their original form (cart).

I still love them.

RICO LIES!

Everyone on Siege is a RED or a Tamer and the majority sit around Luna all day long. lol

 

[timbeOFbaja]

QFT. I have every SNES and Genesis RPG's in their original form (cart).

I still love them.

RICO LIES!

Everyone on Siege is a RED or a Tamer and the majority sit around Luna all day long. lol

Maple Story even being free has managed to only get 3,000,000 subscriptions outside of East Asia....and who can account for their love of children bearing swords and fighting alongside furry alien chipmunks? How many of those are still active and not just curious people who downloaded it once. It's not like you're going to bother to cancel a subscription when it's free....if you even can cancel. And they're managing to squeeze an average of $2/year from their playerbase which might cover bandwidth charges and administration. UO pulls in that much revenue in two months and offers, like all the other pay MMOs, a significantly deeper experience.

Meanwhile WoW will pull in at least a BILLION dollars of revenue before it dwindles and Blizzard is pouring money into it like they realize this.

So, now that we've resolved the "Maple Story Conundrum" rolleyes: let's get back to the crux of the argument. Go on to the OT part of the WoW forums and ask why those people don't play UO. #1 answer will NOT be anything listed in this poll. It will be 90% that the game looks worse than Balder's Gate 1 and can't be taken seriously.

Bringing back former UO players is one thing. Tapping into the millions of people playing WoW and DYING for something new is another. UO has so much more to offer than WoW. So do ugly chicks, but guys are still going to line up for the air-headed supermodel. Our ugly chick needs an extreme makeover.

 

[Loquacious Wrath]

There should have been a choice for better graphics. Better graphics are the true evolution of the video games genre. KR is better than 2d but not good enough to attract new players. KR needs more work and then marketing.

Also the logic that just because SOME people play FFI, graphics aren't important, is just plain rediculous. Graphics are THE MOST IMPORTANT factor in Video games. Just because I have a personal love and attachement to the old 8-bit Ultima graphics doesn't mean that I don't simply loathe the 2d graphics today...which I do. If I am paying monthly for a video game, I except cutting edge graphics to be a priority to the Devs.

 

[AEowynSP]

How about ANY marketing?
I started playing a few months before age of yuckyness came out and have been addicted ever since. I do enjoy the new content however I am less than please with alot of the changes that have been implemented. I also love the 2d graphics. I find game content/ experience to be much more important than nausea inducing new clients.
UO is THE cult clasic MMORPG and they should capitalise on that, not try to be just like all the rest of the games out there.
Honestly if the devs would just look at how many people out there play free shards and the content of said shards they might get a clue about how to improve there player base.

 

[AEowynSP]

Everyone on Siege is a RED or a Tamer and the majority sit around Luna all day long. lol

Pffft! Not true at all. You are forgeting all the crafters out there.
My tamer is going bard (also keep in mind she is a PvM char) My other char is a stealth ninja shepard with fencing.
There are plenty of people on siege who don't PvP or stink at PvP yet have a blast none the less.

 

[ColterDC]

Looks like the lack of marketing and cheaters running wild are what is killing UO.


Big surprise there, EA doesn't care about this game.

 

[Gwendar-SP]

Lot of choices.

Less item based would be nice. I think the game was more enjoyable before AoS. Unfortunately with AoS we got put on the path of item inflation and I doubt they could turn back the clock on that.

Dealing with the exploits and cheats wouldn't necessarily attract new players but it might keep them longer.

EA is in business, they aren't going to lower fees. It would be nice if we got better service than the canned response of sending one to the web site of useless information.

I don't think they will ever make KR playable or even so one can even stand to look at it.

Advertising would probably help. Also each time they put out an expansion they push internet sales

 

[Masumatek]

Uniqueness, something the devs seem not to care for as they push UO ever closer to other games.

 

[Coldren]

The more I learn about WAR, it looks more and more like DAOC2. It seems to have everything the developers learned from DAOC with a little different lore and some new systems. If they did something like that for UO I would be in heaven.

.. And I loved DAoC... I'll be playing WAR when it comes out.

Take everything you learned.. make it better.

To those who say there is no way to bring more players into UO, they're right. The POINT of UO2, is to bring ourselves, and MORE people, to a new UO where the mistakes are corrected, and everyone benefits.

 

[Saris]

Getting rid of all the cheating would help bring back alot of people who have quit.

When you have a reputation in the gaming industry as the most cheat filled game it doesn't make people want to play.

WTH you sure you like UO? It has cheating but so does every friggin game ive played.

I saw lots of bots on WOW and I saw a sword that had this mod "kills everything in 30'"

Speedhackers and bots ran SWG too, lets see FF sucked so it dont matter um, DOAC had pvp bots.

Every game has the same problem Diablo did not get rid of dupes untill over 9 years after it was on battlel net.

Cheaters suck but they suck in every game not just UO.

Advertise it works, The Ultima name still carries power you just got lots of gamers that never heard of this game, advertising would bring back alot of vets too, also some store presents would not hurt.

Content, the subscripion goes up for a bit after ever new thing in the game, just keep it fresh.

 

[ColterDC]

It has cheating but so does every friggin game ive played.

Sure other games have cheaters.

Difference is the cheaters don't make up the majority of the playerbase.



Btw your new picture looks better, less emo redneck and more joe dirt.

 

[Barrakketh]

Just wondering what everyone thinks , vote and discuss....

ALL OF THE ABOVE !!!!!

All of the people that considered playing listed in this order why they wouldnt play.

1) Cheats and exploits
2) Monthly fees
3) Hard to learn
4) Old graphics

Content is not a problem for new players since there is some much content created already.

 

[Assia Penryn]

They might be able to get more new folks with marketing/lower monthly fees, but honestly when there are dozens of popular freeshards with more content/events than UO and that don't cost a penny.. that's where many new folks are going from what I've seen.

 

[Kellgory]

Ditto on the better marketing. Last box on the store shelves was the 9th Age box. Before that it was UO Gold, and the Sammie Empire. Nothing for the 10th Age and nothing for ML, and in 3 months we will be celebrating the 11th age. Not sure if they have anything planned in so much as a box for retail or if they are just planning on waiting for SA to be released. Either way, it is hard to get new players if they don't know the game still exists. Of course they can always go to the website and download the trial version, but then after reading some of the posts about people trying to purchase/download things from the website, it is a miracle that we ever see a new player.

 

[HeathBar]

Of course they can always go to the website and download the trial version, but then after reading some of the posts about people trying to purchase/download things from the website, it is a miracle that we ever see a new player.

I was trying to get my friend set up with a new account with ML through the website last night (because we couldn't find a box in stores). After an hour we gave up because it was getting too late.

You can create a new account and apply the 14 day code but the account remains inactive and the website just keeps pointing you to the UO store to get a new account code. When you get to the UO store you can't purchase a new account code without logging in with your UO account. We tried logging in with her newly created account name and password multiple times but it never worked.

Maybe it was just getting late but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what we were doing wrong.

 

[GAMBIT35]

I voted for lowering the price but honestly it's pretty hard to say what will actually "bring" people to a 10 year old MMO. I'd venture to say at this point not very much. Honestly the most realistic thing would probably be to significantly lower the monthly fee down to like $5 a month or heck even free! Bringing freeshard players back to production shards. Thing is that at this point we are paying $13 a month for a game that is years and years out of date. Most players use 2d and pay $13 a month and then that money is invested into a crummy KR client that hardly anyone uses instead of adding "real" dynamic content to this aging 2d game.

The only real reason i see to even still charge a fee is so that the game isn't totally over run with almost 100% cheaters & exploiters & house placers but honestly it's kinda already there at this point. I feel like i only pay my monthly fees now to ensure my homes and items don't decay and get scooped up by the scripters and UO garbage collecting squad.

I've been thinking about how i feel about UO alot lately and after over 10 years of subscribing to this game i'm starting to question the logic of continuing to pay the same price for it as other people are paying for much more advanced games if you really think about it, it just doesn't make alot of sense. Heck there are alot of free games that are even advertised on this friggin site that at a glance look far more advanced than UO and they are all FREE! EA is purely milking us for everything they can at this point and returning very little for our monthly / yearly / decade of investments in this game.

How is someone who is lets say actually "new" to this game going to survive in a world where anything worth anything costs multi-multi millions and they are killing orcs with 60 some gp on them. At that rate it will only take them 2-3 years to afford one piece of an uber suit. In a game where a vet can have 100's of millions of gold checks and can still feel poor i'm not sure there is alot of hope for bringing the "NEW" players back to this game.

I think it's about time EA just said screw it and made UO2. It would have been alot more successful than war hammer the stupid WOW clone they are currently working on....

I'm sorry but you are wrong. The only thing keeping this niche game running is the high subscription fee. EA will close down UO before they start charging 5 bucks a pop.

 

[Sneaky]

None of the above...

You left out the most obvious/important choice, an expansion, aka Stygian Abyss.

 

[Mankind]

The only thing that will attract new players, is the same "only thing" that has ever attracted new players. Word of Mouth, "Hey I'm still playing UO, you should come try it"....that's all there has ever been.

 

[Norrar]

1. i love the 2d graphics (im a hardcore gamer, sue me hehe)
2. i play guild wars and the thing i like most about it is only one thing, there are always events!!! Not player run events, but actual events (only thing i like tho) We need better, faster paced events not, OMG A VANGUARD!! KILL IT!!! whack whack...great more shields...
3.If UO was redone in Elder Scrolls Oblivion graphic engine....
(wont happen tho so...)
4. Seers we need back, waivers work wonders. Spend a week on a contract type thing and let me sign!!!