Why I find EM Events not as appealing as 24/7 Events...

[popps]

One of the beauties and strengths of Ultima Online, to my opinion, has been the ability of players across the world from different cultures and countries, languages, be able to meet up in a virtual world and get in touch with each other.

For many, perhaps, games like UO are the best chance to get in touch with people across the world.

Anyways, with 24/7 Events run by the game engine, players playing a shard in a different time zone than theirs have no disadvantage from their playing it.

For example, europeans playing north american shards or north americans playing european shards or asian shard.

When they can play, they attend the Event at their best convenience.

Unfortunately, with the recent focus in EM run Events, most Events are held at the shard's prime time and usually for a limited time like an hour or two.

Since north American prime time can mean like 3-4 AM for an european or Europe prime time can mean lunch time for a north american, it goes without saying that putting too much focus on EM Events can break the multi-culture mix of Ultima Online on servers because eventually players, missing the most EM Events of that server because of the timing, will just transfer to a shard in their time zone.

And personally, I think the game would loose by losing this multi cultural diversity and have shards only host players from the same time zones.

I hope that the Developers will give some thought to this concern and make plans for Ultima Online that actually help maintaining multi cultural and diverse participation on servers of players from different countries, not have the game have barriers and deterrants to it.

At least, that is my view.

 

[Crystal Canyon]

There is absolutely no way for the EMs to hold events that will accommodate everyones preferred play time.

I can understand that people from a different county might indeed miss some of the events because of the time difference, but at the same time, aren't I missing their events because of the country I live in?

Should I complain that they are holding events on the European shard that would be happening about 3 a.m. my time? Do you think they should change the European schedule of EM events to accommodate me so I wont have to get up at 3 a.m. to participate in them?

The developers of UO are trying their best to make this game something we all will all enjoy. The EMs events are certainly not meant to cause lose of multi cultural diversity, they are in fact meant to bring people together.

If the only time a person can attend an EM event, is one that is on a shard that holds them during that persons play time, well then they should attend the events on that specific shard.

I just cant see how it could be any different.

 

[Farsight]

I thought I'd never say this, but...

I agree with your opinion.

To a point.

Live events are great. I rarely go to a live event (Especially one run by Kasaven of Catskills) without having fun. I've only received the reward once (but it was a good one!), but that isn't important to me.

However, I would like to see more events, even without a reward, where we follow the clues left by NPCs to achieve a goal. I say without reward, because offering a reward can easily lead to farming for rewards. On the other hand, the current style of rewards, where it's just a normal item with an interesting name, may not be very farmable.

I do know that the design of such an event was part of the EM application, so I believe that this kind of event is possible.

But I don't want to see one style of event replacing the other style. I would like to see both live events and ongoing events happen (along with the rest of what the EMs do, because the EMs, at least on Catskills, are outstanding!).

 

[Viper09]

There is absolutely no way for the EMs to hold events that will accommodate everyones preferred play time.

Unfortunate but understandably very true.

Perhaps if there were more than just one EM per shard it could better suit more people during different times but that is not the case. I believe it would be rare if they could accommodate everyones play time in any online game. Ongoing events are the only way to get everyone included but those just aren't the same as the live events.

 

[Basara]

One thing I've suggested to EMs and Devs before, would be to have EMs be able to set up Quest NPCs that give non-repeatable quest chains, as part of multi-shard events. That way, the player could start, work and complete the reward at their convenience.

The fiction around the quest could differ somewhat from shard to shard (as long as it conformed to the cliloc files), with the NPC potentially having different names, and could be made available and unavailable, based on the plans of the shard's EM. Rewards would be random, with a mix of common, uncommon and rare rewards, that by the very nature of the way the NPC works, would be a lot more fair than most current EM quests.

It shouldn't be that hard to code.

 

[popps]

There is absolutely no way for the EMs to hold events that will accommodate everyones preferred play time.

I can understand that, which is the reason why I am saying that putting "too much" emphasys on EM Events at the expense of live 24/7 Events run by the game engine, could result in players from different time zones eventually fleeing those shards for missing most EM Events because of timing.

Missing some is OK, missing almost all of them because of bad timing for one's own time zone is not appealing to a player.

So, "if" we want shards to maintain at least some multi-cultural and across countries presence of players I think something needs be done to avoid players from different times zones feel too much and too often be left out.

Otherwise, my concern is, that eventually we will end up with having shards only or more than today anyways, of players within the same time zone which might mean losing that multi cultural diversity which made UO such a great game to play.

 

[popps]

Unfortunate but understandably very true.

Perhaps if there were more than just one EM per shard it could better suit more people during different times but that is not the case.

Actually, that could help at least a bit. For example, east coast servers are also played by several europeans just like west coast players sometimes play with asian players.

Now, what if shards in Europe had also an EM located in an east coast time zone and east coast shards had also an EM located in the european time zone and the same for west coast/Asia so as to have Events be held also at the prime time for other time zones from which most players who are out of the shard's time zone are located ?

 

[Tukaram]

I think it is cool that they have EM events but I think they need more 24/7 events as well. Having both options would cover all players schedules.

The Solen invasion was one of the most fun times I've had in-game.

 

[Beastmaster]

The biggest issue I have with EM events is the lack of communication. Events are often announced less than 24 hours before they are scheduled to begin. To me this just further demonstrates the inability to proper plan. It leads to lower participation as well.

 

[Stupid Miner]

I can understand that, which is the reason why I am saying that putting "too much" emphasis on EM Events at the expense of live 24/7 Events run by the game engine, could result in players from different time zones eventually fleeing those shards for missing most EM Events because of timing.

Hm... EM's are almost entirely independent of the actual EA staff. I've gotten the impression that they EM's aren't actually replacing anything. We'll get the live events at the same times regardless of what the EMs on the shards are doing.

To put it simply, it's EM events or nothing until the next plot cycle, as far as I can tell.

 

[Crystal Canyon]

Popps...I can see where your coming from about the 24/7 type of events. These type of events do seem to appeal to many of the players. I just think sometimes they take away from one of the reasons for holding EMs events and that is to provide "community play."

24/7 Events sometimes get to where they seem more like a quest than an event. And most of the time you end up participating in these with your guildmates or the players you usually hunt with. With Em Events you are playing with players you may not even know at the time but get to know because of it.

Im to the point though that I wish there were no special items given or dropped at any EM Event. I think any special items should be dropped only at 24/7 events and that there are plenty of them.

Popps, I think all of us ask too much from this game sometimes...LOL I know I'm guilty!

 

[Yalp]

I don't think there's "Too much" emphasis on EM run events. EM event's are there as one more option in this incredibly diverse game.

IF you have an EM that is setting events on different days & times, then it's a good bet you'll be able to attend some. If they are only holding them the same day/time then you're better off making suggestions to them and their "bosses".

If you want to set them to times/days so you can do all the shards events w/o missing any so you can grab as many event "rares" as possible, then I just don't have much sympathy for your situation.

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

Ah Popps and others.

Each shard has an EM. They are made to be shard specific. They are an addition to all Popps likes.

I dont understand why many people dont view this game from the largest focus. It has 100's of things you can do and you cant do them all at the time you want.

One month you might be an EM event hopper, next month you might be a dungeon crawler, there after a RP guild player, then an imbuer and finally a rebuild Magencia player.

You cant do it all. Stop being so self centered - not in a bad way. As in focus. Look at the bigger picture.

 

[Speedy Orkit]

Most 24/7 events suck. However, the Halloween one was great.

It gave deco.
PvP items
PvM items
and cool costumes.

However, I hate ones that are just like... "KILL THIS BAD GUY AND GET A RUG!"

I don't want a damn rug, give something for all play styles.

But on a side note, I love EM events.

 

[Restroom Cowboy]

How long are you all going to keep feeding the troll?

 

[Speedy Orkit]

How long are you all going to keep feeding the troll?

NOMNOMNOM

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Several points, in no particular order.

For a long period there were no events controlled by an EA employee or other representative, only the persistent, meta-plot events. The result? Complaints. Now we have a dormant period with no persistent, meta-plot events, and only events controlled by an EA employee or other representative. The result? Complaints.

You've already started to see complaints about persistent, meta-plot events in the middle of a thread that's primarily complained about events controlled by an EA employee or other representative. I think this is telling.

There's no evidence that EA has actually stopped holding persistent meta-plot events, just that they aren't holding any right now. Of course one is free to disbelieve them and think that persistent meta-plot events will never be held again. (For my part, I find myself with a high degree of apprehension and cynicism these days.)

But, assuming you don't flat-out disbelieve what they have said, it's clear that EA hasn't actually stopped holding meta-plot events, we're just in a dormant phase.

The real answer of course is that UO functions best when it has both kinds of events. Shard-specific events run by an EA employee or other representative (such as a Seer or an Event Moderator), together with persistent, meta-plot events. Sometimes these kinds of events can have separate plot threads entirely, sometimes they can be mutually self-supporting.

The specific complaint you have against EM events isn't really all that reasonable, honestly. (Remember everyone, this is the fellow who asked "why are some Replicas so expensive when they will wear out" and wouldn't take any answer.) Firstly, the same complaint was voiced about certain meta-plot events as well...Actually, no, it was a worse complaint, in that EA had timed certain key events in the meta-plot cycle to its own time zone rather than to shard time. Secondly, if one is playing in a time zone that isn't one's own, one should expect inconveniences. When I was on Europa for awhile some years back, I had no reasonable expectation of being able to attend their EM events. I was thrilled when I could, but I couldn't expect to. Their events were, of course, timed to the shard time, as well they should be.

Personally, I also want to see a persistent, meta-plot event, and soon. The last one was Thanksgiving, wasn't it?

-Galen's player

 

[Guido_LS]

How long are you all going to keep feeding the troll?

For as long as he has a valid idea, and isn't asking how to make relic frags.

 

[Kratos Aurion]

I've had a strong lack of interest for the new EM events since the developers began regulating handouts. You almost never see event handouts now unless it's during a holiday and of course, a lot of people plan those days ahead of time and are almost never available to attend. I'd like to see EMs given the ability to start handing out more items during events, but be regulated to keep the mods to a minimum, or none. Simple armor, weapons and clothing would suffice enough to make me want to slay 500 dragons for the opportunity to gain some cool pixel crack (again).

 

[Viquire]

http://vboards.stratics.com/showthread.php?t=187090

My thoughts already expressed this morning in the link above.

First level of contact should be guild. Em events should be seeded and support larger gamewide story arcs.

If you like story with your UO, and are not finding it regularly enough I suggest you talk to the GM of your guild. My guess is they will put you in charge of just such an effort.

 

[Kellgory]

I know on Sonoma they usually hold the weekday events at 5:00 PM west coast time, and the only explaination I've received is that the EM's are east coast players and so a primetime event is too late for them.

 

[popps]

It leads to lower participation as well.

This is, IMHO, also another problem with EM events rewards.

With lower participation, the very few rewards awarded get an even higher worth and so become an incentive for players who are participating to the Events to keep the info for themselves and not spread the word with other fellow players.

The less they are, attending a given Event, the more the rewards they get, will be worth.

But this, is not good for UO for which, the most plyers attending, the most succesfull it means the Event has been and so, the better for the game.

Events are too short spanned, as noted there are sometimes comunication problems and there is also the difficulties due to time zones.

All reasons that make me prefer way more, regular 24/7 Events to EM Events.

 

[popps]

Stop being so self centered - not in a bad way. As in focus. Look at the bigger picture.

I am looking at the bigger picture and that is why I am concerned.

Concerned that eventually, too much going of EM Events at specific time zones of prime playing time for a given shard will destroy UO's cultural diversity of players and multi-national diversity of players from across the world since players will transfer to stick with their time zone shards EM Events at a prime time more in line with the geographical area of the planet where they live.

All concerns which do not exist with ongoing, 24/7 Events.....

 

[popps]

Secondly, if one is playing in a time zone that isn't one's own, one should expect inconveniences.

Well, we are hardly talking about minor "inconveniences" here....
We are talking for players out of the shard's time zone of a flat out inhability to participate to most if not all of the EM Events run on that shard.

Now, some players may not care for EM Events and so not be bothered by this but all those players interested in whatever fun (and rewards) that EM Events may bring, will eventually make up their mind to transfer to a shard where Events are held at a prime time more in line with their time zone.

And what would this do to UO, eventually ? Destroy that multi-cultural diversity of players playing together from across the world which made UO such an interesting and nice place to be and meet people from all over the world.

This is my concern about EM Events and how they are, now.

 

[jack flash uk]

So what you are saying Popps is you want, say the EUROPEAN SHARD and EUROPEAN PEOPLE on EUOPREAN TIMELINES to be messed around so AMERICANS can have some times

pardon me but i thought there were AMERICAN SERVERS???


of course and vice versa

if you are working or in bed during EM type events, then have a look at yourself, maybe YOU are on the wrong shard

when i participate in EM events on the shard i CHOOSE to play, it is filled with peeps, laggy as hell, so THEY all made it, surely there is somewhere ELSE you can go if you missed it?

THE NEEDS OF THE MANY OUTWEIGHT THE NEEDS OF THE FEW

that means YOU Popps

lol infact why do i bother reading your dumb trolls, i think the grass needs cutting outside and its still snowing , best get on with that, its a better use of my time

*looks for the ignore feature on stratics to rid myself of Popps*

and by the way, The Scoundrel Rico plays Eve now!! thought i would add that as it is more interesting than anythign you have to say



Popps i DONT CARE IF YOU DON'T FIND EM EVENT APPEALING

stop doing them, or stop moaning about them, do EVERYONE a favour STOP TELLING US ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS

 

[Guido_LS]

Well, we are hardly talking about minor "inconveniences" here....
We are talking for players out of the shard's time zone of a flat out inhability to participate to most if not all of the EM Events run on that shard.

Now, some players may not care for EM Events and so not be bothered by this but all those players interested in whatever fun (and rewards) that EM Events may bring, will eventually make up their mind to transfer to a shard where Events are held at a prime time more in line with their time zone.

And what would this do to UO, eventually ? Destroy that multi-cultural diversity of players playing together from across the world which made UO such an interesting and nice place to be and meet people from all over the world.

This is my concern about EM Events and how they are, now.

Now, for our multi-national, multi-cultural response of the day -

愚笨的新手
Stomme newbie
Internaute novice stupide
Dummer Neuer
Ηλίθιο newbie
Newbie stupido
愚かな新参者
어리석은 뉴비
Newbie estúpido
Тупоумный новичок

---

We now return you to the Popps babble thread, v128732129870.2

 

[Lexfixr]

So what you are saying Popps is you want, say the EUROPEAN SHARD and EUROPEAN PEOPLE on EUOPREAN TIMELINES to be messad aroudn so AMERICANS can have some tiems

pardon me but i thought there were AMERICAN SERVERS???


It is very sad that you think this way

UO is about community not geographic boundaries I live on the west coast of Canada and play on Drachenfels and have so since 1998 when DF started I did it because I enjoy the people here, the differences that make us closer than we thought.

I do wish that the EM's moved some of their more involved events to the weekends. And try to make the event run longer than a few hours.

 

[popps]

if you are working or in bed during EM type events, then have a look at yourself, maybe YOU are on the wrong shard

That is the whole point of this discussion.
Eventually, players realizing that they are on the "wrong shard" as you said will make it so that shards will loose that multi-cultural diversity and players playing together from across the world.

Shards will slowly but inevitably shrink to a same time zone population and, my concern is, Ultima Online diversity of multi-cultural players which was one of its beauties and strengths, will loose out.

I think UO has to loose from shards losing their multi-cultural diversity and that is why I am concerned.

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

I am looking at the bigger picture and that is why I am concerned.

Concerned that eventually, too much going of EM Events at specific time zones of prime playing time for a given shard will destroy UO's cultural diversity of players and multi-national diversity of players from across the world since players will transfer to stick with their time zone shards EM Events at a prime time more in line with the geographical area of the planet where they live.

All concerns which do not exist with ongoing, 24/7 Events.....

Are you kidding me? Relax. Geez you have to much time.

 

[popps]

Now, for our multi-national, multi-cultural response of the day -

I must say that surprises me.

It was my understanding that you were a player located in a european time zone but playing on north american servers.

A multi-cultural and multi-national shard is not something that should be helped and protected rather than have barriers put forcing out of time zone players away ?

 

[Farsight]

I am looking at the bigger picture and that is why I am concerned.

Concerned that eventually, too much going of EM Events at specific time zones of prime playing time for a given shard will destroy UO's cultural diversity of players and multi-national diversity of players from across the world since players will transfer to stick with their time zone shards EM Events at a prime time more in line with the geographical area of the planet where they live.

All concerns which do not exist with ongoing, 24/7 Events.....

You lost your focus rather quickly.

To put it short, I'm in favor of 24/7 events because I'm... how did Raven say it? ... oh yes, "self centered." I like events and want to see more of them.

However...
There is no chance that I will move to another shard for events. There is no chance that one of my European guild-mates will do the same (we play Catskills). We discussed the possibility once upon a time and were unanimous in our opinions, which, by the way, had nothing to do with EM events.

So what I want to know is, rather than what you think I have to gain (I don't need a champion), but what do you have to gain from such a change?

Have you known people who switched shards just for EM events?
If so, how many?
Have you switched shards just for EM events?
Is there a reason why some people can't attend an event on one shard, collect their goodies then return to their own shard later on (thus not interfering with the "cultural diversity"?

Or rather than focusing on the negative (for which you have no actual proof that there's any effect at all), you could emphasize the positive?
i.e. How will having a 24/7 event positively affect the server population? Do you see that someone will come to your favored server for an event or event item and stay because they're running 24/7?

 

[Guido_LS]

I must say that surprises me.

It was my understanding that you were a player located in a european time zone but playing on north american servers.

A multi-cultural and multi-national shard is not something that should be helped and protected rather than have barriers put forcing out of time zone players away ?

Just curious - what part of Foothills of Appalachia screams Euro or various parts of the African continent?

As far as barriers go, while the measurement of time may be something of an artificial construct made by man, the difference between night and day certainly isn't. And, quite honestly, as much as I don't care for the EM events on LS, I still wouldn't want to have an EM, or anyone else, have to get out of bed at 4am to run an event for someone in Germany... and vice-versa.

The benefit and beauty of having multi-time zone servers is that they serve the local population, and allow those that have non-traditional schedules the ability to have community at all hours. But that's a benefit - not a requirement, nor an entitlement.

 

[popps]

So what I want to know is, rather than what you think I have to gain (I don't need a champion), but what do you have to gain from such a change?

Well, 24/7 Events can be played around the clock as opposed to EM Events which are much more shortly spanned.

Meaning, that players can play them at their best convenience including out of time zone players thus, not being a deterrant to the multi-cultural and multi-national diversity of a shard.

Have you known people who switched shards just for EM events?
If so, how many?
Have you switched shards just for EM events?

I hardly see it feasible, other than on rare occasions, to have players spend transfer tokens just to attend a given EM Event on a different shard.
When I talk about a multi-cultural environment of a shard I talk about actual players playing a shard out of their time zone, consistently as their home shard (even when it is not in their time zone). Not players transferring to shards out of their time zone just to attend an EM Event.
For these players, if EM Events is all there is (as far as Events go...), and are held at merely or only that shard's time zone prime time, this might mean eventually, wanting to leave the shard to go to one located in a time zone more in line with their geographical area and EM Events schedules.

That is, the players' population of the shards becomes increasingly more focused on players on that same time zone because of EM Events and their scheduling and this, it is my concern, might destroy the chances to have a players' population more wide spread across different time zones and nations which I think was one of the good aspects of Ultima Online.

Is there a reason why some people can't attend an event on one shard, collect their goodies then return to their own shard later on (thus not interfering with the "cultural diversity"?

I would guess the transfer costs ? A round trip can cost some 36+ millions. Not everyone may be willing to spend that much just for a couple of hours EM Event with no guarantee of fun or good rewards.....

Or rather than focusing on the negative (for which you have no actual proof that there's any effect at all), you could emphasize the positive?
i.e. How will having a 24/7 event positively affect the server population? Do you see that someone will come to your favored server for an event or event item and stay because they're running 24/7?

The major negative for me is that EM Events as they are organized and scheduled tend to deter players from out of the shard's time zone to participate.

This does not happen with 24/7 ongoing Events which is why I think the latter are much better.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

Well, we are hardly talking about minor "inconveniences" here....
We are talking for players out of the shard's time zone of a flat out inhability to participate to most if not all of the EM Events run on that shard.

Now, some players may not care for EM Events and so not be bothered by this but all those players interested in whatever fun (and rewards) that EM Events may bring, will eventually make up their mind to transfer to a shard where Events are held at a prime time more in line with their time zone.

And what would this do to UO, eventually ? Destroy that multi-cultural diversity of players playing together from across the world which made UO such an interesting and nice place to be and meet people from all over the world.

This is my concern about EM Events and how they are, now.

Words cannot describe how bizarrely over-inflated that "concern" is.

First of all diversity on any shard isn't going to be limited to EM events.

Secondly there's all kinds of reasons why any given person cannot attend a given EM event, of which time zone is only one.

*shrugs* You're a troll popps. I have you on ignore but I often read the forums when I'm not logged in.

I agree, plain and simple, that we need meta-plot fiction and persistent content along with shard-specific EM events.

But your blowing an issue ridiculously out of proportion shows your true intent. What's sad is that I know from experience that if trolls are never addressed, sometimes they go away (which is good), but sometimes the team pays an inappropriate amount of attention because they appear to think "ok, this is the only person saying anything, everyone must agree with him."

So sometimes addressing trolls is sadly necessary.

-Galen's player

 

[popps]

I agree, plain and simple, that we need meta-plot fiction and persistent content along with shard-specific EM events.

I did not say I do not like EM Events, period.

I said I do not like how they currently are.
As they are, meta-plot fiction (or 24/7 as I call them), are what I much more prefer for the reasons I indicated.

This said, if for example, EM Events were to be scheduled differently and organized so that as much players as possible could attend, even at different times of the day to cater players from different time zones, then they would meet my favour.

But as they are ? Short spanned, most always at a shard's prime time and with other problems sometimes lamented by other posters also, well no, then no thanks.

 

[twoburntfouryou]

24/7 Events keep people playing EM events do not. I would love to see more live 24/7 Events run by the game engine There are free games out there that offer more fun events than what we have on UO. How long has it been now???? Halloween was the last one that was 5 months ago I do think we have paid and waited long enough for a event. But I get bored very easy

 

[Gelf]

Not sure but didn't they hint at something like this, in the SA abyss housing quest thing,saying something about possible uses in the future?

 

[LordDrago]

Note to Popps. EM's are people too, and believe it or not, some of them actually have......lives. After working a 10 hour shift at the office/plant/etc., getting caught in rush hour traffic, eating a meal, tucking the kids in bed....


Then they log in to provide the UO community a service...
They are not paid......
For every kudos they get, they get bashed x30.....

Sometimes, the EM events fit into larger events, sometimes they don't. A lot probably depends on what is going on, what the EM's can actually do (game resource wise), and how much time they can give themselves to providing their service. Remember, for every minute they spend EMing, they are not playing on their normal shards.

Stop EM bashing. I dare say that most if not all EM's are doing a good job.
And I have participated in only a couple of EM events, and have recieved only a stealth cloak that everyone got.

24/7 events? Love them. Especially story arc ones like invasions, etc. Lots of fun, community, etc. But these are more in the realm of the developers and not the EM's. As it is, I suspect we will be getting something along this line for the rebuilding of magincia shortly.

 

[RavenWinterHawk]

Well, 24/7 Events can be played around the clock as opposed to EM Events which are much more shortly spanned.

Meaning, that players can play them at their best convenience including out of time zone players thus, not being a deterrant to the multi-cultural and multi-national diversity of a shard.



I hardly see it feasible, other than on rare occasions, to have players spend transfer tokens just to attend a given EM Event on a different shard.
When I talk about a multi-cultural environment of a shard I talk about actual players playing a shard out of their time zone, consistently as their home shard (even when it is not in their time zone). Not players transferring to shards out of their time zone just to attend an EM Event.
For these players, if EM Events is all there is (as far as Events go...), and are held at merely or only that shard's time zone prime time, this might mean eventually, wanting to leave the shard to go to one located in a time zone more in line with their geographical area and EM Events schedules.

That is, the players' population of the shards becomes increasingly more focused on players on that same time zone because of EM Events and their scheduling and this, it is my concern, might destroy the chances to have a players' population more wide spread across different time zones and nations which I think was one of the good aspects of Ultima Online.



I would guess the transfer costs ? A round trip can cost some 36+ millions. Not everyone may be willing to spend that much just for a couple of hours EM Event with no guarantee of fun or good rewards.....




The major negative for me is that EM Events as they are organized and scheduled tend to deter players from out of the shard's time zone to participate.

This does not happen with 24/7 ongoing Events which is why I think the latter are much better.

Popps the whole game can be 24/7. EM events and story archs are 1 part.

Why transfer? Start a chacture on each shard Call him Eventus Maximus.
Check out whats going on EM event wise when you have time and take your characture.

Why do you care about time zones and other players time. Play your game. I dont understand.

24/7 story arch events. AHHH AHHH players still miss parts of them. They ARCH ARCH ARCH. Which means during the weeks different key things happen and not everyone can be there. LIVE with it.

Popps be honest you just like the debate. Your not really this worried.

 

[MalagAste]

While I agree to a point I LOVE The EM events... and I am VERY glad to have them..... especially since the EM events can tailor themselves more to the shard and the players who participate on the shard.... whereas the 24/7 events are same ole, same ole on all shards...


That said there is one big beef I have about EM events in general... EM's should NOT EVER be used as vending machines...

If there is something to be given away to the masses then have it like the Japanese shards do where you double click some stone or something somewhere.... and it can be left up for X amount of time ie: 2 days or one week..... but do NOT have the EM's sit there and give out stuff.... because what ends up happening is what happened on GL's for St Patties.... and quite honestly I was ashamed, disgusted, and embarrassed.... by the way most of the greedy whiners were acting....

First off it was sad that some events done on some shards were more "fair" and that anyone who wanted the item only had to go click the blob or whatever.... while other shards were FAR more limited on the "rewards"... and I can understand some frustration.... but to be totally rude and vulgar at an event just because you DIDN'T get something is just plain childish...... I mean seriously you would have thought we were all in daycare or kindergarten the way many of the people were acting.... certainly not adults. I wanted to throw my hands up and say OMG it's a GAME for crying out loud.

And I also find it extremely irritating that 90% of the people who showed up... were there for the drop... they couldn't care less about the storyline... furthering the plot or any of the RP aspect of the night... so those of us who've been loyal and participating in the plots all along and truly enjoy them were basically drowned out in a sea of greedy whiners... and if there was anything going on plot wise... it was fairly well overlooked in all the chaos...

I am not saying that the EM's should never give out things... but really in events and things like St Patties where people "expect" something... can't we just go click a stone and be done with it???? or for pity sakes just have the item appear in our backpack upon log in... because honestly the chaos at that event was more damaging and damning to the community and to the EM's plot and story than is really necessary.

The itemization and all of the game is getting sickening.... what's worse is.... half the time... those getting the item couldn't care less about it.... they only want it to turn a profit... selling it to the highest bidder or worse yet transferring it off the shard.

 

[Trebr Drab]

MalagAste, I agree. I'd love to see the EMs have the time to roleplay after such events. Go to a tavern and talk about what happened. That way, the story gets laid out in total for players to be able to comprehend what has happened. And it can be told as much by the players involved as by the EM. And adding roleplay is always good for a mmoRPG.

 

[Evlar]

It was my understanding that you were a player located in a european time zone but playing on north american servers.

Just curious - what part of Foothills of Appalachia screams Euro or various parts of the African continent?

 

[wrekognize]

I totally agree with the OP. These EM events are EA’s way of letting UO go on autopilot. I have no interest in EM events whatsoever.


...

 

[twoburntfouryou]

Note to Popps. EM's are people too, and believe it or not, some of them actually have......lives. After working a 10 hour shift at the office/plant/etc., getting caught in rush hour traffic, eating a meal, tucking the kids in bed....


Then they log in to provide the UO community a service...
They are not paid......
For every kudos they get, they get bashed x30.....

Sometimes, the EM events fit into larger events, sometimes they don't. A lot probably depends on what is going on, what the EM's can actually do (game resource wise), and how much time they can give themselves to providing their service. Remember, for every minute they spend EMing, they are not playing on their normal shards.

Stop EM bashing. I dare say that most if not all EM's are doing a good job.
And I have participated in only a couple of EM events, and have recieved only a stealth cloak that everyone got.

24/7 events? Love them. Especially story arc ones like invasions, etc. Lots of fun, community, etc. But these are more in the realm of the developers and not the EM's. As it is, I suspect we will be getting something along this line for the rebuilding of magincia shortly.

Maybe if they have all the stress you listed above they should not have applied for the EM job rolleyes:

 

[Tina Small]

They are not paid......

I do not believe this is a true statement. I believe the EMs are contract employees of Electronic Arts.

http://vboards.stratics.com/showpost.php?p=967384&postcount=40

 

[popps]

Note to Popps. EM's are people too, and believe it or not, some of them actually have......lives. After working a 10 hour shift at the office/plant/etc., getting caught in rush hour traffic, eating a meal, tucking the kids in bed....

It is very understandable but nonetheless, might bring more cons than pros, IMHO.

The efforts are commendable, but I do not think that the game Events should rely on volunteers or at least, not focus so much on EMs for whatever events are going to be held on any given shard.

Sure, occasionally is fine but the back bone of the game Events should rely on an internal engine, IMHO.

It seems to me instead, at least these days, that if it was not for EMs we would get not much Events going in the game. This is not good for UO, IMHO.

Stop EM bashing. I dare say that most if not all EM's are doing a good job.

So now one should only accept whatever comes and whether one likes it or not ?
Besides, I am not bashing anyone. Merely voicing my dissent about the current way that the game sees Events being held.

 

[popps]

Popps be honest you just like the debate. Your not really this worried.

While discussing interesting issues certainly is enjoyable I always liked and enjoyed Ultima Online as a multi-cultural and multi-national virtual environment were players from across the planet could meet, talk and play together.

Yes, I am concerned that the way EM Events are currently organized could be a factor in ending this specialty of UO.

And yes, it worries me because this specialty was something I always enjoyed since I started playing the game.
Maybe to others it means nothing, but to me, being able to meet people from across the planet and be able to talk to them, play with them, share our different cultures while playing the same game is a nice experience which I would hate to loose.

 

[popps]

And I also find it extremely irritating that 90% of the people who showed up... were there for the drop... they couldn't care less about the storyline... furthering the plot or any of the RP aspect of the night... so those of us who've been loyal and participating in the plots all along and truly enjoy them were basically drowned out in a sea of greedy whiners... and if there was anything going on plot wise... it was fairly well overlooked in all the chaos...

The itemization and all of the game is getting sickening.... what's worse is.... half the time... those getting the item couldn't care less about it.... they only want it to turn a profit... selling it to the highest bidder or worse yet transferring it off the shard.

When a game puts too much emphasys on items, and therefore their worth, well, things like you mention are of no surprise to me.

Personally, I am convinced that going so much into emphasysing on items was a mistake, and actually worsened UO.

In the short term it might have brought a novelty feeling to keep players' interest in the game focused but in the longer term, I think, the drawbacks are more.

Item based brings more troubles than solutions, I think.

 

[popps]

I totally agree with the OP. These EM events are EA’s way of letting UO go on autopilot. I have no interest in EM events whatsoever.
...

Hmmmm, autopilot ?

Interesting.

 

[Viper09]

It is very understandable but nonetheless, might bring more cons than pros, IMHO.

The efforts are commendable, but I do not think that the game Events should rely on volunteers or at least, not focus so much on EMs for whatever events are going to be held on any given shard.

Sure, occasionally is fine but the back bone of the game Events should rely on an internal engine, IMHO.

It seems to me instead, at least these days, that if it was not for EMs we would get not much Events going in the game. This is not good for UO, IMHO.

Huh?

So you're saying EM's are hurting this game???

You would rather have an automated event engine? How would you think that would work exactly?

EM events are occasional, it is not the back bone of game events. They are just there for fun. If you cannot appreciate the occasional event then don't attend them.

More 24/7 events? Sure! Recommended them to the EM coordinator and perhaps your local EM!
But don't go bashing the EMs who put their time in to try and give us the occasional fun event. Pass on suggestions.