Ultima Online: New Legacy Feedback

Yadd_of_Legends

Pawain said:

@ Kyronix  I decided to start a mage late last night.  I got to the point where I needed to defend the crypt.  I could not do it with just me and fireballs and magic arrows.  I tried 3 times.  I noticed that if I died there, I would not be able to get out.  And no NOOBs there can res.

This and other experiences make we wonder if some quests are intentionally aimed at making the player gather helpers rather than solo - I do know that for my low-level warrior to destroy five crates in the brigand camp, it was a whole lot easier when mages were there casting those spinning blades and fire walls while I went about my business

Yadd_of_Legends

Kudos to @Kel and @LilyGrace for the excellent observations and suggestions - which leaves me nothing more to add that I can think of

Issar

Hi, I was helping with my mage casting blade spirits on Sunday, It took me that long to work out what I was meant to be doing. Does anyone know if we keep our stuff/skills when the test server comes back up or does everything get reset on Friday and we start again? Trying to work out what I need to focus on this time.  

Some_Dude

So I'm not going to rehash many of the comments left by others here about known bugs, the on-rail quest system, or the lack of play options before reaching the end of the main quest line.  That was said much better by others such as @Kel and others.  

I'll first speak on the one bug that I encountered that stopped me cold in my tracks and prevented me from completing the main Warrior quest line:

During the Serpent's Hold quest, you receive a quest to rescue soldiers that have been whisked away from the camp by spiders.  This quest involves breaking open cocoons and escorting back 1 solder from each of the buildings to the east of the camp.  If you and another person are escorting NPCs back from different buildings and you arrive at the camp at the same time, you can double click on the NPC that was just delivered by the other person and get the escort gump.  If you select Yes to the gump you'll begin escorting their soldier... which then promptly gets deleted a few seconds later.  This leaves you with an open escort quest for that building and no NPC to escort.  This doesn't appear to fix itself as I was stuck several hours later, but it was the last day of the beta weekend, so I don't know if a server reboot would fix it.  This should be fixed in the script to have a flag that's set once the NPC reaches their destination that is checked when someone attempt to start the escort quest.  Unfortunately, due to the lack of any timer for mainline quests, I ended up locked out from completing the rest of the quest line, and was forever stuck at 80 skill and homeless (even though I had enough points to GM everything...).

With that out of the way, here's some other thoughts:

I love the fact that the world has been redone so heavily.  This gives a sense of mystery as we're in a familiar, but not precisely identical world to that which we were used to in the olden days.  This creates a sense of fun for exploring areas that we've been to thousands of times to see how its changed.

While I'm aware that this is meant to reproduce a classic Ultima experience, not classic UO, I do think that the on-rails nature of this system is too on-rails, even for an old Ultima game.  If this concept is to last, this game can't be purely driven by content as other MMO games do it far better, and unlike the early 90's when the Internet was new, people will know how the questing system works within 1 month and have optimized information for how to get to the end of the process before you know it.  NL should consider a far more open questing system, allowing you to, at the very least, jump into any quest line (particularly skill quest lines) that you'd like instead of forcing you to do the mainline quest with the extremely boring job quests that are basically an exercise in efficient completion at best.  This would allow at least some choice in how players develop their characters from the onset, which is a chief complaint that a friend of mine had when he wanted to play a tamer on day 1 (that is, he couldn't).

I personally like the "new" system that generally points you in the direction of where you want to go without pointing at it with a big red arrow when you're attempting to complete a quest.  This should be expanded to all quests so you don't get too lost, while still requiring some exploration.  Otherwise, things get tedious and people will only want to know exactly how to get from point to point without any distractions in-between, curtailing exploration in the long-term.  For the exactly 0 people who are interested, this looks like they hijacked the old tracking system used prior to some time in 2001 when the skill was revamped, so kudos to the devs for bringing back such and old and underused function in a good way.

I like that the old names for magic weapons are back, but I absolutely despise the weapon damage type system and descriptions.  I'd love to see the true old school system back in place where if you picked up a magic mace, it said "a magic mace" until it was identified.  This makes it at least moderately entertaining to pick up magic items whereas now, if you remember the old power system, you can just hover over loot and leave or pick up loot on the fly without any real thought.

If I think of more things, I'll make another post.

Khyro

Pawain said:

@ Kyronix  I decided to start a mage late last night.  I got to the point where I needed to defend the crypt.  I could not do it with just me and fireballs and magic arrows.  I tried 3 times.  I noticed that if I died there, I would not be able to get out.  And no NOOBs there can res.

Don't die noob!

Also, not sure if you tried, but you should be able to res yourself at those reliquaries in there.

Pawain

Khyro said:

Pawain said:

@ Kyronix  I decided to start a mage late last night.  I got to the point where I needed to defend the crypt.  I could not do it with just me and fireballs and magic arrows.  I tried 3 times.  I noticed that if I died there, I would not be able to get out.  And no NOOBs there can res.

Don't die noob!

Also, not sure if you tried, but you should be able to res yourself at those reliquaries in there.

Ok no issue then.  I stopped trying on the third try, was afraid I'd be stuck there as a ghost.  Thanks.

Larisa

So I was just focusing on the things they wanted us to test this weekend.

Player Introduction -

  Easy to follow, nice introduction to learning how to get around town and where everything is.

Primary Narrative Lines-

  I first followed the Warrior path and became a ranger. Went all the way through up to the dailies. I logged on almost right away so there were some glitches that had to be patched, but after that it was very smooth. Love that you can't solo the dailies. I had a hard time completing mine because people at that point were just all over the place and I couldn't get help. Still a great idea, puts the M back into MMORPG. Love that you have to depend on other players to accomplish certain tasks.

Next I followed the Tailor path and went all the way up to the dailies again on her. Love the resource container, cloth was sparse at that time because so many people were out sheering sheep but when NL goes live I don't think it will be an issue. I didn't go much farther due to time restraints but the narratives that go with the quests are really neat and make it feel more immersive. The 8 seconds it takes to craft a low level item makes sense. I didn't think to look if it took longer to make higher quality items.

Lastly I followed the path of the Mage. By that time, people were more familiar with the mechanics and things were a little smoother. Ran out of regs a LOT! people were camping the mage and buying them as soon as they were able to. You get some when you complete quests but not nearly enough. I was picking them up off the ground everywhere I went, which is something I do anyway. I was able to help others do their quests which was nice.

NEXT:

Unique Surname -

  I hope we get better choices when it goes live but I like the concept. I did notice that it is account bound, when I made a second character on the same account, that character had the same surname.

Character Portrait -

  More options, some are hard to see (Eye color) due to the eyes being so small but I like that we have that choice. Wish there were more color options for the background but that's just me. (Want purple!)

I like the birthday on there also, that's really neat.

Legacy Journal -

  This is a really cool concept. I like to keep track of my accomplishments and see what I've done. How I make my impact on the shard and what will carry on through to the next season.

Pawain

Yes eye color was hard to see.  The first choice of background style; I could not tell what was changing. I was looking for the gold vine pattern to change, maybe the texture of the background was changing but I could not tell.  I am colorblind tho.

eagossett

During my time on New Legacy I enjoyed the questing very much. For a time I thought maybe the skills shouldnt raise so fast, but after learning that it resets and starts over showing accomplishments on the sash I wasnt too worried. That way we can get back up on our feet fairly quickly while enjoying a new side of the game over and over again. 

Some issues I observed were as follows:

1. Trinsic Passage spawn for daily on occasion would, for whatever reason, stop spawning creatures completely. This only happened once for me.

2. The daily for the swamps (defense) from Trinisc seemed to be significantly harder than the slay or destroy quests. It looked like people (including myself) capitalized on doing only slay or destroy daily quests. 

3. The term daily should mean once a day, however, once picked up, the quests gave you an hour to complete (even if the spawns stop spawning and start spawning creatures for the next daily). Then in 20 minutes you could complete another. Maybe change the term daily to something that sounds more recurring?

Valis

I think my biggest gripe is the clear cut terrain for housing its saddening
gives a malas vibe and thats just, gross.

Del805

Valis said:

I think my biggest gripe is the clear cut terrain for housing its saddening
gives a malas vibe and thats just, gross.

Damn, I owe some guy 35k for my house because they didn't refund me my money when I demolished mine. 

Mariah

eagossett said:

During my time on New Legacy I enjoyed the questing very much. For a time I thought maybe the skills shouldnt raise so fast, but after learning that it resets and starts over showing accomplishments on the sash I wasnt too worried. That way we can get back up on our feet fairly quickly while enjoying a new side of the game over and over again. 

Some issues I observed were as follows:

1. Trinsic Passage spawn for daily on occasion would, for whatever reason, stop spawning creatures completely. This only happened once for me.

2. The daily for the swamps (defense) from Trinisc seemed to be significantly harder than the slay or destroy quests. It looked like people (including myself) capitalized on doing only slay or destroy daily quests. 

3. The term daily should mean once a day, however, once picked up, the quests gave you an hour to complete (even if the spawns stop spawning and start spawning creatures for the next daily). Then in 20 minutes you could complete another. Maybe change the term daily to something that sounds more recurring?

You are maybe forgetting that a UO day is 2 hours real time?

Kel

Mariah said:

eagossett said:

During my time on New Legacy I enjoyed the questing very much. For a time I thought maybe the skills shouldnt raise so fast, but after learning that it resets and starts over showing accomplishments on the sash I wasnt too worried. That way we can get back up on our feet fairly quickly while enjoying a new side of the game over and over again. 

Some issues I observed were as follows:

1. Trinsic Passage spawn for daily on occasion would, for whatever reason, stop spawning creatures completely. This only happened once for me.

2. The daily for the swamps (defense) from Trinisc seemed to be significantly harder than the slay or destroy quests. It looked like people (including myself) capitalized on doing only slay or destroy daily quests. 

3. The term daily should mean once a day, however, once picked up, the quests gave you an hour to complete (even if the spawns stop spawning and start spawning creatures for the next daily). Then in 20 minutes you could complete another. Maybe change the term daily to something that sounds more recurring?

You are maybe forgetting that a UO day is 2 hours real time?

I may be in the minority on this one, but I don't feel like that's a well known, used, recognized stat.

idrot_uo

My biggest issues with New Legacy are skill gains being tied to questing and an out-dated Classic UO client. I really don't like EC and Classic hasn't changed at all since1997 - really killed a lot of the enjoyment to play EC. 

I know the devs are trying to fight macroing with the questing system but I felt like it really killed the open world aspect of UO for me. Instead of me being out there doing what I want to do, I am going back and forth between Moonglow and Dagger Isle repeating the same two or three quests. Maybe a better system would be increased skill gains and have combat skills, for example, increase by fighting progressively tougher mobs. Magery / Swords, etc could only be increased by fighting mobs - not self targeting or other players. This would limit macroing and allow people more freedom. 

I still think questing could be helpful for newer, less experienced players in a lot of ways. Questing can give them an on-rails "tutorial" teaching them to go here and kill X mobs for Y reward. That would get newer players out into the world and used to finding their way to a POI and naturally raising combat skills by fighting those mobs. It might also be a great system for rewarding gear upgrades / extra gold.

Example quest would look something like this:
*30 combat skill required* - if less, point the player to a weapon trainer.
Tasks the player to kill 10 skeletons in the local Graveyard. Accepting the quest might reward them with a basic weapon, low level potions, and bandaids / reagents. Completing the quest will reward gold and / or random gear. 

These types of quest would obviously progress to more difficult and challenging encounters as well as reward better items. That, I imagine, would allow for an on-rails experience for people who like that type of system and be completely optional for players who want more freedom. This could also be more fleshed out for town reputations, etc.

Victim_Of_Siege

idrot_uo said:

My biggest issues with New Legacy are skill gains being tied to questing and an out-dated Classic UO client. I really don't like EC and Classic hasn't changed at all since1997 - really killed a lot of the enjoyment to play EC. 

I know the devs are trying to fight macroing with the questing system but I felt like it really killed the open world aspect of UO for me. Instead of me being out there doing what I want to do, I am going back and forth between Moonglow and Dagger Isle repeating the same two or three quests. Maybe a better system would be increased skill gains and have combat skills, for example, increase by fighting progressively tougher mobs. Magery / Swords, etc could only be increased by fighting mobs - not self targeting or other players. This would limit macroing and allow people more freedom. 

I still think questing could be helpful for newer, less experienced players in a lot of ways. Questing can give them an on-rails "tutorial" teaching them to go here and kill X mobs for Y reward. That would get newer players out into the world and used to finding their way to a POI and naturally raising combat skills by fighting those mobs. It might also be a great system for rewarding gear upgrades / extra gold.

Example quest would look something like this:
*30 combat skill required* - if less, point the player to a weapon trainer.
Tasks the player to kill 10 skeletons in the local Graveyard. Accepting the quest might reward them with a basic weapon, low level potions, and bandaids / reagents. Completing the quest will reward gold and / or random gear. 

These types of quest would obviously progress to more difficult and challenging encounters as well as reward better items. That, I imagine, would allow for an on-rails experience for people who like that type of system and be completely optional for players who want more freedom. This could also be more fleshed out for town reputations, etc.

If you check the Dev Diaries
on NL. They are putting in that change where
you can gain skill the old way. 

https://uo.com/wiki/new-legacy-beta/new-legacy-beta-dev-diaries/

Onixia

Please fix the spawn rate in deceit.  It is non existent.  Plus remove the rocks in the corner as spawn is trapped there and we cannot get to them at all.

Onixia

I came back this morning to finish off the orc quest on the ship.  It said failed so I clicked it and now I have no quests at all.  I cant advance over 90 because it wont let me.  What do I do now?  Cause if I cant go forward there is no point.

Kel

I managed to brick my character this morning. Warrior midway through taming quest line from last weekend. Continued the quest line and saw my taming going up +1 as I was fighting--cool.

Not cool. My taming is now 100, vet and lore are 89 and I can't turn in taming quests, use an advanced skill trainer... nothing. Completely soft locked.

Garret

Night Site spell is not working for some reasons, im not mage but still can use  it right ?

Garret

Bought a plot for gardening, im ranger and i don't have any recall options, so i spend like 30 mins to figure out wher is my spot... can we add some sparkls or color tiles for plot i bought plz ?

Lord_Frodo

Use UOAM or one of the other map programs

Garret

Lord_Frodo said:

Use UOAM or one of the other map programs

Did u try gardening ? in massage u just have a scarecrow cordinats not ur plot ? what map shuld do for realising wher exactly my 3х3 plot ?

Lord_Frodo

Garret said:

Lord_Frodo said:

Use UOAM or one of the other map programs

Did u try gardening ? in massage u just have a scarecrow cordinats not ur plot ? what map shuld do for realising wher exactly my 3х3 plot ?

If you use a map program you can place a marker there.

Garret

Lord_Frodo said:

Garret said:

Lord_Frodo said:

Use UOAM or one of the other map programs

Did u try gardening ? in massage u just have a scarecrow cordinats not ur plot ? what map shuld do for realising wher exactly my 3х3 plot ?

If you use a map program you can place a marker there.

dude im talking about i can't find spot after i bought plot ? why u keep doing no sence comments ? go try gardening...

Lord_Frodo

Garret said:

Lord_Frodo said:

Garret said:

Lord_Frodo said:

Use UOAM or one of the other map programs

Did u try gardening ? in massage u just have a scarecrow cordinats not ur plot ? what map shuld do for realising wher exactly my 3х3 plot ?

If you use a map program you can place a marker there.

dude im talking about i can't find spot after i bought plot ? why u keep doing no sence comments ? go try gardening...

I thought you said you found the plot.

Yadd_of_Legends

@Kyronix I suggest giving some kind of voice to the Occlo Emissary standing outside the moongate. It's so easy to run right past her, thinking she is just another NPC or another character or not seeing her at all, talk to the Bard, and then get all the way into Occlo wondering why you have no quest directions - which you don't until you backtrack and notice and click her. So I suggest making her call out or having that little bell sound and twinkle to make her stand out.

Garret

@Kyronix
Water elementals from first lvl of destard drop gargish items, intendet ?

Kel

Kel said:

I managed to brick my character this morning. Warrior midway through taming quest line from last weekend. Continued the quest line and saw my taming going up +1 as I was fighting--cool.

Not cool. My taming is now 100, vet and lore are 89 and I can't turn in taming quests, use an advanced skill trainer... nothing. Completely soft locked.

I guess I'll bump this. My character is still skill bricked. I have skill quests to turn in. Can't turn in quests because Animal Taming is max. Can't use Advanced Skill Trainers because I have quests that I can't turn in.

@Kyronix y'all wouldn't happen to want to fix this so I can advance my character again, would you?

It seems like the solution would be either:

• Allow for skill quest turn ins (even if cap), but ignore capped skills.
• Allow for Advanced Skill Trainer if quests are complete (guessing this was added to fix an edge case)