Why I love UO and why I want it to grow - how it could be done

[Corvyn]

This conversation needs to either stay topical and refrain from personal jabs or be locked.

There is exactly 1 person in here that makes it personal and in my opinion is working intentionally for this to be locked. It's not my place to decide this, but in other forums usually the person who provokes even after a warning will get banned instead of locking a whole thread that contains an interesting discussion without this one person.

 

[Tanivar]

There is exactly 1 person in here that makes it personal and in my opinion is working intentionally for this to be locked. It's not my place to decide this, but in other forums usually the person who provokes even after a warning will get banned instead of locking a whole thread that contains an interesting discussion without this one person.

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

There is exactly 1 person in here that makes it personal and in my opinion is working intentionally for this to be locked. It's not my place to decide this, but in other forums usually the person who provokes even after a warning will get banned instead of locking a whole thread that contains an interesting discussion without this one person.

One person makes it personal?

Thats odd because before I even posted my first comment in this cesspool of a thread you said this:

"I am baffled by some of the replies here. In fact in such a way that I can't even bother to write up any counter arguments.
@Flag: If you think making a franchise like Ultima even more profitable is a daydream like the others you posted then I have to doubt your business sense.
Do you not understand that when you go @someone it is the definition of personal?

Then you go on to post this after my first reply which was not personal in any way. Read it again if you dont believe me:

"Are you that selfish that you rather have this game die than to endure different graphics with the same amazing gameplay?"
"I already regret that I wrote this, I will still press the "post reply" button to ease the ache in my belly that your post caused"

Another little nugget of yours at Tanivar:

"Do my words translate to this in your brain: "blahblahblah me want new graphics blahblahblah???". omg this is ridiculous"

Do you even understand what it means to make a discussion personal?
You quite obviously believe that its ok for you to get personal if someone disagrees with you but not the opposite?
Lol at that.

One last question though if I may get personal.
How long have you currently been playing UO?

You have been with us all this time right?
You arent just recently back from game-hopping around to give us your earth-shattering new advice are you?

 

[Corvyn]

Raph Koster is open to working on a new MMO again: http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/raph-koster-is-open-to-making-another-worldy-mmo/

For those who don't know: He was one of the msot important developers on UO and also worked on the sandbox MMO Star Wars Galaxies.

So maybe he will work on SOTA with Richard Garriott or make another MMO. Maybe (and knowing EA that is quite unlikely) EA will hire him to work on UO2. won't happen.

Anyway thought I let you know.

 

[Zosimus]

So you want UO to grow but above you mention UO2? EA has ever mentioned making a UO2.

You are killing your own topic by bringing an imaginary UO2 into the equation.

If you want UO to grow it's left in the players hands and we have discussed this many times in the past. Ideas thrown around and all but nothing comes of it.

Enjoy the game. Make events on your shard. Stay active in GC and announce dungeon runs and such. Just a few examples as ideas.

Worrying about UO and enjoying the game is 2 different things. When the games becomes more worrisome then it's not worth the headache. Gaming is suppose to be about fun and enjoyment. Enjoy what you do when you do play. People come and go. Thats UO.

 

[Corvyn]

Ah I see your banning helped a lot with your attitude.

 

[Theo_GL]

My .02 here is newer graphics is NOT the answer to attracting new players. Case in point - one of the most played games by my kids generation is Minecraft. Those are atari like graphics that completely suck. Why do they play the game? Its easy and enjoyable to build stuff and share accomplishments with others.

UO's adoption is the steep learning curve to play. I mean, seriously, the discussions around suit building, DCI/HCI caps, etc sounds alot more like a job or school than playing. UO should change armor/bods/crafting/weapons and simply the crap out of it to make it easier to understand and pick up to go off and actually adventure. Then spend time making new things to accomplish, achievements and things that draw people in. No one is drawn in by the 4 days they have to study and gather resources to build a suit of armor. These variations do give you a huge swatch of options for game play but to a new player it is way way too much. Find ways to simplify these systems to make it easier to get out and thunt, explore dungeons, finish quests, breath life into factions/large scale PvP, new dungeons etc. That is where the time should be spent.

The problem is people come to this game and most are confused to the point of boredom. What is the sense of adventure when the games message boards are filled with post after post about 95% DCI cap and crafting that includes runics, imbuing, reforging and now more complexity?

When people come on asking for a suit to be made - I don't even bother. Its an hour long conversation trying to understand their template, their playstyle, the desired mods, the weapons they use, the skills they have just to figure out what to make for them. Then when you factor in the cost of runics, PoF, materials, forged metal tool costs, ingredient costs and tell them its 20-30mil to craft a permenant suit for them - you lose them. I used to make tons of suits for people and I've now given up. I dont' even find it interesting to build my own suits anymore.

This game needs to be more game and less work - that is how you attract players.

 

[Corvyn]

So you want UO to grow but above you mention UO2? EA has ever mentioned making a UO2.

You are killing your own topic by bringing an imaginary UO2 into the equation.

If you want UO to grow it's left in the players hands and we have discussed this many times in the past. Ideas thrown around and all but nothing comes of it.

Enjoy the game. Make events on your shard. Stay active in GC and announce dungeon runs and such. Just a few examples as ideas.

Worrying about UO and enjoying the game is 2 different things. When the games becomes more worrisome then it's not worth the headache. Gaming is suppose to be about fun and enjoyment. Enjoy what you do when you do play. People come and go. Thats UO.

Ah oh well, how am I killing my own topic? I am, here comes the shocker, not stubborn and only see MY OWN way as gospel that nobody should ever dare to question.That is however unfortunately how some people here and in general on the internet behave.

Many people here mentioned that they would want UO2 and I merely pointed out that someone who is actually capable of doing it is open for something like it again. I do not agree with UO2 being the answer as long as EA is doing it because I don't think they have the right people for it. Koster is one of the few people who could change that. Still, like mentioned above, I don't think it would happen either way.

UO prides itself with it's mature community when in fact I was shocked since I haven't seen such narrow minded people in a long time. I am only talking about a few individuals here of course, but they spoil it for the bunch. Just check out the SOTA Kickstarter comments. They were KILLED early by US "fans" like that. Most trolled project ever. Compare that with comments on Divinity, also an Ultima inspired game, they might be a younger audience, they are definitely not the UO audience - it's actually fun and civilized there: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larianstudios/divinity-original-sin/comments

Don't bother replying, I am out of here, and thank you for waking me up and saving me 13 bucks a month.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

Case in point - one of the most played games by my kids generation is Minecraft. Those are atari like graphics that completely suck.

Which is one of the reasons why I never got into Minecraft and would ABSOLUTELY HATE if UO went with that style of a graphic system.

 

[Uvtha]

Many people here mentioned that they would want UO2 and I merely pointed out that someone who is actually capable of doing it is open for something like it again. I do not agree with UO2 being the answer as long as EA is doing it because I don't think they have the right people for it. Koster is one of the few people who could change that. Still, like mentioned above, I don't think it would happen either way.

EA hired Koster to work on UO... :/

 

[Theo_GL]

...



Which is one of the reasons why I never got into Minecraft and would ABSOLUTELY HATE if UO went with that style of a graphic system.

My point is not to turn UO into Minecraft - my point is that the game is one of the top 10 most popular titles EVER on iphone and sells 10,000 copies a day with really awful graphics. The solution for UO is not a graphics overhaul but a simplicty/streamlining that makes the game more playable. That would bring a wider playerbase.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

My point is not to turn UO into Minecraft - my point is that the game is one of the top 10 most popular titles EVER on iphone and sells 10,000 copies a day with really awful graphics. The solution for UO is not a graphics overhaul but a simplicty/streamlining that makes the game more playable. That would bring a wider playerbase.

I would say that the graphics of Minecraft are set as a certain STYLE (much like the graphics of UO). With that in mind, I see no reason why even within the style of UO's graphics that they should NOT be updated technologically on a fairly regular basis (meaning in years time such as every 5 - 10 years) since UO and MMOGs are persistent and ever changing.

Maybe it's a side-effect of my job as a grader/authenticator of certain collectibles that I tend to take minor details into account at a glance. I want a UO client that will fit my monitor (with a gameplay window that can be as big as 1920x1080 or bigger) without being a pixelated/distorted mess. Sure there are specifics that I want in a graphics upgrade but that's not really pertinent here.

I personally don't care if Minecraft has several million people playing it... UO does not for quite a number of reasons above and beyond graphics, however graphics and a modern client CANNOT be discounted as one of those reasons

 

[budman23]

Graphics will NOT save UO, sorry. Its honestly and lets be 100% honest here so i dont have to see this post for the 2074th time, its not worth the money to spend to risk it attracting any new people.
First off we all know if there was some massive graphics conversion items will be lost, probably everything, o yea im sure everyone wont mind starting over.
Secound Ultima Online has had MASSIVE and please stop ignoring them MASSIVE problems with scripting and duping and speedhacking, all still not adressed how many upteen years later?

EA in general is bad at managing MMO's, take a deeper look into their history. They arent just bad, they dont deserve jobs bad.
Ultima Online was not their creation hence why they have no idea why it was successful to begin with.

Ea will never produce a decent MMO or probably never create one, just buy one, like Ultima Online, then milk it for all its worth while holding the players on a string of broken promises.

How many failed MMO's does a corporation need to produce to show they are bad at it?

 

[startle]

Graphics will NOT save UO, sorry. Its honestly and lets be 100% honest here so i dont have to see this post for the 2074th time, its not worth the money to spend to risk it attracting any new people.
First off we all know if there was some massive graphics conversion items will be lost, probably everything, o yea im sure everyone wont mind starting over.
Secound Ultima Online has had MASSIVE and please stop ignoring them MASSIVE problems with scripting and duping and speedhacking, all still not adressed how many upteen years later?

EA in general is bad at managing MMO's, take a deeper look into their history. They arent just bad, they dont deserve jobs bad.
Ultima Online was not their creation hence why they have no idea why it was successful to begin with.

Ea will never produce a decent MMO or probably never create one, just buy one, like Ultima Online, then milk it for all its worth while holding the players on a string of broken promises.

How many failed MMO's does a corporation need to produce to show they are bad at it?

So tell me, budman - if you were in any way connected with EA or Mythic and you read what you just posted - how would you feel about now? Would you be excited to be working on UO? Would you be eager to hang out here to answer questions or to get a consensus on what improvements or changes are needed? Probably not...

Yea, you have had your say... What you apparently don't comprehend, is that there is more than one way to say the same thing. And your way is very rarely productive.

 

[Madrid]

Anytime I consider playing a new I head straight for the screenshots. If the screenshots are good then I'll proceed and head over to YouTube and check out the gameplay.

What am I looking for...Graphics...first and foremost. If the graphics suck there is zero chance I'm going to try the game.

If graphics didn't matter new games hitting the market would keep getting better and better graphics and all the games hitting the market today would look like our ****ty CC/EC client with low resolution.

This thread ranks up there as some of the dumbest posts I've read on UOStratics.

Graphics are vital if you want people to try your game and want to attract new players.

 

[budman23]

So tell me, budman - if you were in any way connected with EA or Mythic and you read what you just posted - how would you feel about now? Would you be excited to be working on UO? Would you be eager to hang out here to answer questions or to get a consensus on what improvements or changes are needed? Probably not...

Yea, you have had your say... What you apparently don't comprehend, is that there is more than one way to say the same thing. And your way is very rarely productive.

No the problem is all the players who have quit should have said on the questionare on the way out. Take a good look at your game and you will know why i NEVER buy another EA product.

Since they rely on YOU to SOLEY survive as 100% of their income they would listen.
But your method of kissing the *** of a megacorporation might work one day yet. It just hasnt yet. EVER.

 

[Goldberg-Chessy]

Ah oh well, how am I killing my own topic? I am, here comes the shocker, not stubborn and only see MY OWN way as gospel that nobody should ever dare to question.That is however unfortunately how some people here and in general on the internet behave.

Many people here mentioned that they would want UO2 and I merely pointed out that someone who is actually capable of doing it is open for something like it again. I do not agree with UO2 being the answer as long as EA is doing it because I don't think they have the right people for it. Koster is one of the few people who could change that. Still, like mentioned above, I don't think it would happen either way.

UO prides itself with it's mature community when in fact I was shocked since I haven't seen such narrow minded people in a long time. I am only talking about a few individuals here of course, but they spoil it for the bunch. Just check out the SOTA Kickstarter comments. They were KILLED early by US "fans" like that. Most trolled project ever. Compare that with comments on Divinity, also an Ultima inspired game, they might be a younger audience, they are definitely not the UO audience - it's actually fun and civilized there: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/larianstudios/divinity-original-sin/comments

Don't bother replying, I am out of here, and thank you for waking me up and saving me 13 bucks a month.

Cya!

In your own words you stopped playing UO in 2003 and have since been playing WOW,Rift,Conan,etc...

Now all of a sudden you are back for a couple of minutes and have amazing new advice for all of us? Lol at that.

You quite obviously crave the latest and greatest eye candy and have no clue what UO is truly about.

Peace out and please spare us your next visit here in 2023.

 

[Petra Fyde]

I think it's time to put out this flamefest