@ psycho EJ accounts have way more access then the old trial accounts did and we already have ghost cams back with EJ Accounts so please no to allowing EJ Accounts to get resources other then the basic or we will see resource scripters running free accounts. I have not see a resource bot in years.
"I opened a bar last year. There was always a chance that a guest would drink too much and start a fight. So instead of employing security I just left the bar closed all the time. That potential guests of mine spent their money somewhere else, but at least I didn't have to pay the security."
There were no errors on post removal. This was explained.
You've officially made my day. Thank you.
On topic, I'm going to attempt the summarize what I've read here.
(numbers not related to orginal post, just... I like to number things.)
1) The gold inflation has caused some distress to new players, however, it can be overcome, either by playing 50-100 hours (prolly a month for most people) or by getting lucky on a drop and selling it.
2) It appears as if the dev team has taken the approach of providing content (items, quests, pets, etc) to players who have been here for a long time. I believe this is basically using the player's mentality against them. ie, "Well, I've spent this much time and money, may as well stay." This appears to be in contrast to the focus on how to provide new players with a better experience.
Note the use of appears in #2. I'm NOT casting stones at the dev team. Not saying their choices are wrong, just stating it and trying to see if there's a better way.
3) It is not possible to have a thread that does not get derailed or off-topic and then moderated. I think that speaks to the level of frustration that players feel; ie, they feel as if they're not being heard, so they have to vent at every opportunity they can, rules be damned.
So how can we fix this? What are the ideas to make this game a more enjoyable experience for new players? I'm aware that if we nerfed prepatch pets, there would be hell from the players who have been here the longest, and could incite them to cancel. Maybe introduce new pets that are comparable? I'm just grasping at straws here.
Along the lines of the above, I would say that the UO population is like a barrel of beer. All that's left today is the dregs at the bottom, poisoning the container for any new batch poured in.
I've said it before and i'll say it again, the devs need to listen to the players less and think for themselves. The players are often worst people to ask about what is good for the game.
If i were in charge:
With regards to prepatch pets, yeah they should be nerfed.
With regards to the 12 mod equipment, the players complained that Brittle items were useless at 75 durability because they believed that brittle items lost durability faster than normal items. Well I guess it's not their fault, the description is "Brittle" and now all these items have 255 durability and last forever. I would say it's one extreme to another, but it was never even an extreme, the public was just ill informed. I say they should wack ALL brittle stuff down to 75, and any prepatch jewels that weren't antique should have antique added to them.
Vet rewards, the only one new players can't use is shard shields, and they should be decorative only, Make people buy shard transfer tokens if they want them.
The devs need to think about making money and bringing in fresh meat, stuff the parasitic current player base.
Just my two cents.
I tell you the truth, tis better to do 10 damage on the right target than 100 damage on the wrong target.
There were no errors on post removal. This was explained.
You've officially made my day. Thank you.
On topic, I'm going to attempt the summarize what I've read here.
(numbers not related to orginal post, just... I like to number things.)
1) The gold inflation has caused some distress to new players, however, it can be overcome, either by playing 50-100 hours (prolly a month for most people) or by getting lucky on a drop and selling it.
2) It appears as if the dev team has taken the approach of providing content (items, quests, pets, etc) to players who have been here for a long time. I believe this is basically using the player's mentality against them. ie, "Well, I've spent this much time and money, may as well stay." This appears to be in contrast to the focus on how to provide new players with a better experience.
Note the use of appears in #2. I'm NOT casting stones at the dev team. Not saying their choices are wrong, just stating it and trying to see if there's a better way.
3) It is not possible to have a thread that does not get derailed or off-topic and then moderated. I think that speaks to the level of frustration that players feel; ie, they feel as if they're not being heard, so they have to vent at every opportunity they can, rules be damned.
So how can we fix this? What are the ideas to make this game a more enjoyable experience for new players? I'm aware that if we nerfed prepatch pets, there would be hell from the players who have been here the longest, and could incite them to cancel. Maybe introduce new pets that are comparable? I'm just grasping at straws here.
What's everyone else's useful suggestions?
The thing with Ultima Online, is that it is a World with MASSIVE amount of content BUT dated graphics....
I mean, the amount of things possible to do in Ultima Online are mind boggling.....
Frankly, I cannot think of any other game out there where it is possible to enjoy the same content that Ultima Online has....
Yet, the Graphics is what it is....
Now, "usually" new players are attracted from the "looks" so, having outdated Graphics for UO is not exactly something that could attract much new players...
UO's strengths, to my viewing, is the massive amount of things which can be done in it.
Inflation is surely a problem but, luckily, MMOs are places where the fun is in the Journey, not in the Destination since there is nothing to really win, players can just play in UO and take their time with things.....
I've been spending some time lately thinking about how to best bring new players to UO, and the biggest problem (read: hurdle of insurmountable heights) that is brought up is the fact that UO is anti-new player. I'll gloss over the inability to find guides that are current, that's the community's fault for not providing them. What makes this an issue are the following items:
1) Legacy pets. Based on uo-cah, the highest intensity a training pet will get is somewhere around 8750, assuming it spawned at max intensity in everything. Pipe dream alone right there, but statistically, it can happen.
Let's look at what legacy pets can do.
Legacy Nightmare, Trained intensity rating: 9192 - 9541, 4-800 more points. For comparison, that's around 150-260 health. Or 800-1600 more mana.
Legacy White Wyrm: Trained intensity rating: 9185 - 9592. Roughly the same 4-800 points.
Let's also look at pets that can no longer be tamed:
I'm one of the Admins of uo-cah. You are misunderstanding something about Legacy pets. All legacy pets are magical pets. That means 1500 intensity is used on Magery, which isn't very good for PvM and anyone who understands taming understands you don't want to keep Magery on a PvM legacy pet. That 1500 intensity is a lot of skill points used that are not gotten back when you pick chiv or mysticism.
A lesser hiryu, hiryu or CU can be spec'd out as good or better as a legacy pet. The whole point of the desirability of the legacy animals is it puts an innate magical pet on the same ground as those that spawn with out. I look at adjusted intensity when comparing animals, if you removed the innate magical ability from an animal what is the intensity? Because that is essentially what you have to build off of.
So if you take a look at adjusted intensity at the max possible spawn:
1 slot lesser Hiryu: 8709 Hiryu: 8274 Cu Sidge: 8263 Legacy White Wyrm: 8092 Legacy Nightmare: 8041
Legacy animals are not the issue, the cost of Magery/Eval/Necro/Spirit is. But that is a different complicated issue.
You do not need a legacy wyrm, nightmare or bane dragon to compete. In fact I would suggest if you are a new player to pick a Hiyru for Chiv/AI. They are awesome pets and end up with a ton of intensity. It could be argued that they are in fact better than a legacy pet because many legacy pets have dragon breath and they can attain much higher health.
Something else to think about, you talk about this game being new player unfriendly, it's also returning player friendly. The sale of legacy animals helps fund returning players so they can get on a more equal footing when they return.
Question asked is UO anti new player... answer is no they want the new player why do you think EJ was added? To encourage new people to try the game and in hopes the time they take to get to know the world they will want to sub and stay. Waiting for old players to return is a bit long in the tooth. Oh so many I know have gone to the happy hunting ground (passed away). Some lost the battle with their mates who were not game literate, one I was told by his wife it was UO or his whole family... even his mom and dad got in with her on this. The younger of the 97 of players are drifting in and out... but to be honest its not the game who is killing off the young nor is it the rewards...
They come in and see al of us with all we have earned or made over years.. you have to admit if you came in the game now as a new player.. it would be wow how can I get that... One of you said its not fair to be in game for 20 years and have all those vet rewards, castle or keep, plat up the kazoo. Yes it looks like that to them as if we flaunt what we got at them. NOW comes the BUT: We who have been here earned them... I will not be cowed by the people who want what I have and sit here saying they deserve without putting in the time things for just paying for a few months. I was here ..Where were you? I will not hand to a new guy things they will have no reguard for in a few weeks after they get them... let me put this in perspective that 55 mil vanity mount will be down to under a mill in weeks. Months later all we sell will be cheap, plat will be worthless. Yes that Is a risk your looking at. Personally id like to see a pre full contact Trammel game noobie shard. Sorta like EJ but only allowed there is newbies. With training grounds that help them learn the game and skills. At say 6 months or 700 skill points which ever comes first they are notified by an ingame message. Bank will go with of course. Mow they can opt out and go strait to the shard of choice. To me a time in game away from us might keep them in game longer.
Personally id like to see a pre full contact Trammel game noobie shard. Sorta like EJ but only allowed there is newbies. With training grounds that help them learn the game and skills. At say 6 months or 700 skill points which ever comes first they are notified by an ingame message. Bank will go with of course. Mow they can opt out and go strait to the shard of choice. To me a time in game away from us might keep them in game longer.
Sounds like Haven area to me. All shard have Haven where new players can train their skills and run around questing, learning game, skill and hunting.
Now question is how do they get out of Haven and onto more advanced stuff?
Theres no option, Haven for newbies or High end boss encounters. I think this is where UO lacks content, the middlepart.
We who have been here earned them... I will not be cowed by the people who want what I have and sit here saying they deserve without putting in the time things for just paying for a few months. I was here ..Where were you?
You've earned stuff that you were lucky enough to have been playing when it came out and now doesn't spawn/occur/whatever anymore? Why should new players be prevented from even having the CHANCE to get the same stuff you have? I'm not saying hand it to them on a silver platter, but make it possible!
UO is anti new player. I can’t think of another MMO that limits skill and stat gain to items obtained through non-consensual PvP. The best items in game are hardly consistently farmable and unless you’re skilled not farmable at all. If you’re on ATL you can gather imbuing resources to sell on a vendor to save and buy what you need but you are likely burned out by then. EJ is massively restricted but if it wasn’t everyone but castle having hoarders would be free to play. This game is alive because a few die-hards talked EA into letting them run it. The current playerbase is mature and spends enough money on sovereigns that EA just let’s it roll. Nobody is stumbling onto UO and starting, every new player is likely returning and with that they easily get upset about the current game state or the grind that has been implemented.
UO is anti returning player. People will continue to pop in, maybe pay a month and leave. At least the die-hards have their privilege and “time invested” protected and that is important.
We who have been here earned them... I will not be cowed by the people who want what I have and sit here saying they deserve without putting in the time things for just paying for a few months. I was here ..Where were you?
You've earned stuff that you were lucky enough to have been playing when it came out and now doesn't spawn/occur/whatever anymore? Why should new players be prevented from even having the CHANCE to get the same stuff you have? I'm not saying hand it to them on a silver platter, but make it possible!
They can have everything I own alls they have to do is pay 20 years worth of dues.
I feel to save the game a basic policy of NOTHING useful in the game should have only one source. The exception being decretive items. I don't mean they should be the same item but along the line of "Bearing the Crest of Blackthorn" items. Same powers but different forms, name, and look.
Before you start screaming I'm not saying easer I'm saying different. The extreme example is power scrolls if I don't like PvP for what ever reason give me another way to get them even if it is harder. At least then it would be my choice and I wouldn't blame the game so much.
A player who feels the game is stacked against him and is being told how he must play the game is not a player for long.
Simply amazing how the socialist get on here and whine how unfair UO is and demand everything that the people that supported this game for 20 years with little or no time invested. EA/BS/DAoC/UO please do not cave into these people.
We who have been here earned them... I will not be cowed by the people who want what I have and sit here saying they deserve without putting in the time things for just paying for a few months. I was here ..Where were you?
You've earned stuff that you were lucky enough to have been playing when it came out and now doesn't spawn/occur/whatever anymore? Why should new players be prevented from even having the CHANCE to get the same stuff you have? I'm not saying hand it to them on a silver platter, but make it possible!
They can have everything I own alls they have to do is pay 20 years worth of dues.
This comment by Bilbo is the attitude and thought process that drive away returning players. Good for us casuals we have nothing to lose if the game goes under.
We who have been here earned them... I will not be cowed by the people who want what I have and sit here saying they deserve without putting in the time things for just paying for a few months. I was here ..Where were you?
You've earned stuff that you were lucky enough to have been playing when it came out and now doesn't spawn/occur/whatever anymore? Why should new players be prevented from even having the CHANCE to get the same stuff you have? I'm not saying hand it to them on a silver platter, but make it possible!
They can have everything I own alls they have to do is pay 20 years worth of dues.
This comment by Bilbo is the attitude and thought process that drive away returning players. Good for us casuals we have nothing to lose if the game goes under.
So you know every player that has quit UO and they all told you this. Just another baseless comment with no data to back it up. I could have sworn that you were a power player with your 900 PSs a month and Millions of gold every week doing BODs
I play an hour a day at most. That’s enough time to do about 5 spawns. When that gets boring I mine. When that gets boring I do BoDs. Some nights I’ll do a roof, some nights I’ll log in and walk away. It doesn’t require a power gamer to make millions. If I was retired and all crusty with nothing to do but play UO I’d maybe be a power gamer but I’d quickly remember I needed to get a life.
Personally id like to see a pre full contact Trammel game noobie shard. Sorta like EJ but only allowed there is newbies. With training grounds that help them learn the game and skills. At say 6 months or 700 skill points which ever comes first they are notified by an ingame message. Bank will go with of course. Mow they can opt out and go strait to the shard of choice.
Instead of a pre full contact Trammel game noobie shard how about letting young players into Felucca and having them play under the Trammel rule set there. They can go to the champ spawns with experienced players and not worry about getting pk'd while learning how to play the game. Because of the lack of risk they would not get the 120 scroll drops or legendary's.
And they get one "oops I did not mean to revoke my young status because I thought I was ready to fight pk'ers." chance to become young again.
Question asked is UO anti new player... answer is no they want the new player why do you think EJ was added? To encourage new people to try the game and in hopes the time they take to get to know the world they will want to sub and stay. Waiting for old players to return is a bit long in the tooth. Oh so many I know have gone to the happy hunting ground (passed away). Some lost the battle with their mates who were not game literate, one I was told by his wife it was UO or his whole family... even his mom and dad got in with her on this. The younger of the 97 of players are drifting in and out... but to be honest its not the game who is killing off the young nor is it the rewards...
They come in and see al of us with all we have earned or made over years.. you have to admit if you came in the game now as a new player.. it would be wow how can I get that... One of you said its not fair to be in game for 20 years and have all those vet rewards, castle or keep, plat up the kazoo. Yes it looks like that to them as if we flaunt what we got at them. NOW comes the BUT: We who have been here earned them... I will not be cowed by the people who want what I have and sit here saying they deserve without putting in the time things for just paying for a few months. I was here ..Where were you? I will not hand to a new guy things they will have no reguard for in a few weeks after they get them... let me put this in perspective that 55 mil vanity mount will be down to under a mill in weeks. Months later all we sell will be cheap, plat will be worthless. Yes that Is a risk your looking at. Personally id like to see a pre full contact Trammel game noobie shard. Sorta like EJ but only allowed there is newbies. With training grounds that help them learn the game and skills. At say 6 months or 700 skill points which ever comes first they are notified by an ingame message. Bank will go with of course. Mow they can opt out and go strait to the shard of choice. To me a time in game away from us might keep them in game longer.
I agree with all you have said. I do understand things can be overwhelming for now gamers but whith i have I earned. I am willing to help new people get started and have offer gold and to take new players along on my hunts so they can earn gold. Don't be jealous or angry with me because I worked hard to get what I had and it took years. I know UO is not perfect but it has many good things going for it.
maybe there could be a system message announcing the arrival of (chars name) in the city of (city of creation) for any new char created... and the people who liked to help could go assist that char.
I know that when you first create a char, that they are in the Help channel. I stay in General Chat and would never see a message in the Help channel. So if a message popped up, I could switch to there and see if I could help. And as soon as I safely could, I would go see if I could assist them.
I feel to save the game a basic policy of NOTHING useful in the game should have only one source. The exception being decretive items. I don't mean they should be the same item but along the line of "Bearing the Crest of Blackthorn" items. Same powers but different forms, name, and look.
Before you start screaming I'm not saying easer I'm saying different. ***The extreme example is power scrolls if I don't like PvP for what ever reason give me another way to get them even if it is harder. ***
At least then it would be my choice and I wouldn't blame the game so much.
A player who feels the game is stacked against him and is being told how he must play the game is not a player for long.
But you already have it: gain enough GPs in some any other way you like, and buy them form Vendors.
I don't think my point was understood. The New players need to be AWAY from us the older player base for a bit. Give them a sense of growing up in the game. Think of your early days. Fo
As for my 21 years in UO. I never walked off for more then a few days at best all the years I have played this game I paid full cost most of it. You try to maintain 54 + accounts for as many years as I have then you can talk about what the younger players deserve, I paid in my time, money, and heart and soul in keeping UO alive. I served you all as a Counselor back in the day. I have given to the new tons of gold, suits books hell you name it to help them stay. The only thing I cant give them is my years in the game. Sure you can buy a old account... but can that give you the years of experience and the knowledge of those years I learned? NO You act as if your time is short and you will never get to that age where you can have such... Question is it that you want it before you kill it off? I say put in the time then I will say you earned it. Not a minute before. Hell there is the point. Play UO years flow by. As long as you desire the things I have you need to play the game. Period. IT wont die off or disappear if you put in the time.
Sounds mean but listen. I used to suit and boot people, the guild would provide them with whole suits, all 120s and stat scrolls etc (we are a pvp guild so luckily have these in abundance). And the new people would after a very short time lose interest in the game. And yeah you feel like you wasted your time and resources on them. But if you make the new people get the items and powerscrolls themselves, they tend to appreciate them more and have a goal to achieve, and more of a reason to play.
We made the mistake of giving people everything so it felt like they had achieved everything in the game and lost interest.
I tell you the truth, tis better to do 10 damage on the right target than 100 damage on the wrong target.
I feel to save the game a basic policy of NOTHING useful in the game should have only one source. The exception being decretive items. I don't mean they should be the same item but along the line of "Bearing the Crest of Blackthorn" items. Same powers but different forms, name, and look.
Before you start screaming I'm not saying easer I'm saying different. ***The extreme example is power scrolls if I don't like PvP for what ever reason give me another way to get them even if it is harder. ***
At least then it would be my choice and I wouldn't blame the game so much.
A player who feels the game is stacked against him and is being told how he must play the game is not a player for long.
But you already have it: gain enough GPs in some any other way you like, and buy them form Vendors.
I said Power scrolls were the extreme example. I was referring to everything other the just vanity items.
Power scrolls aren't on vendors on most shards (were we need the new players)
Is a new player going to hang around long enough grinding low level spawns to earn the millions needed?
Realistically you are saying the new player should go to www.AnybodyButAvatar.com
I prefer to get things in the game my self but thats just me.
We made the mistake of giving people everything so it felt like they had achieved everything in the game and lost interest.
I want to point this out. A new player thought they had everything after some gear and PS. Doesn't that speak to the lack of engaging content more than anything else?
I don't think my point was understood. The New players need to be AWAY from us the older player base for a bit. Give them a sense of growing up in the game. Think of your early days. Fo
As for my 21 years in UO. I never walked off for more then a few days at best all the years I have played this game I paid full cost most of it. You try to maintain 54 + accounts for as many years as I have then you can talk about what the younger players deserve, I paid in my time, money, and heart and soul in keeping UO alive. I served you all as a Counselor back in the day. I have given to the new tons of gold, suits books hell you name it to help them stay. The only thing I cant give them is my years in the game. Sure you can buy a old account... but can that give you the years of experience and the knowledge of those years I learned? NO You act as if your time is short and you will never get to that age where you can have such... Question is it that you want it before you kill it off? I say put in the time then I will say you earned it. Not a minute before. Hell there is the point. Play UO years flow by. As long as you desire the things I have you need to play the game. Period. IT wont die off or disappear if you put in the time.
I don't mean to be disrespectful; you've spent a hell of a lot more money and time in this game than I have, but this entire post feels very "I invested the time and energy into this; you can't have it until you do the same." Why shouldn't some of the older items and rewards be available to newer players? So what if they haven't put in the same level of time as you; its a perk that could be enjoyable rather than something they may or may not be able to see. "Oh here's this nice pretty castle with a full collection of shard shields. No you can't use them right now, but maybe in 15 years you can!" "Oh, you like my nightmare? Shame, you'll have to heavily invest in gold to ever get one."
@Xare, there is no reasoning with this crowd. These are the people that have never left UO. No matter how bad the game got, they didn’t leave. They are not back for a trip down memory lane... it’s everyday life for them. They are the workers at a beach resort just watching people come and go. Let them have the game, just buy the items you need to solo rock roof, realize the game is still bad, and quit to play Kerbal Space Program.
Along the lines of the above, I would say that the UO population is like a barrel of beer. All that's left today is the dregs at the bottom, poisoning the container for any new batch poured in.
I've said it before and i'll say it again, the devs need to listen to the players less and think for themselves. The players are often worst people to ask about what is good for the game.
...says arguably the most contrary forum visitor known for his universally hated suggestions. Oh the irony.
We made the mistake of giving people everything so it felt like they had achieved everything in the game and lost interest.
I want to point this out. A new player thought they had everything after some gear and PS. Doesn't that speak to the lack of engaging content more than anything else?
I don't think my point was understood. The New players need to be AWAY from us the older player base for a bit. Give them a sense of growing up in the game. Think of your early days. Fo
As for my 21 years in UO. I never walked off for more then a few days at best all the years I have played this game I paid full cost most of it. You try to maintain 54 + accounts for as many years as I have then you can talk about what the younger players deserve, I paid in my time, money, and heart and soul in keeping UO alive. I served you all as a Counselor back in the day. I have given to the new tons of gold, suits books hell you name it to help them stay. The only thing I cant give them is my years in the game. Sure you can buy a old account... but can that give you the years of experience and the knowledge of those years I learned? NO You act as if your time is short and you will never get to that age where you can have such... Question is it that you want it before you kill it off? I say put in the time then I will say you earned it. Not a minute before. Hell there is the point. Play UO years flow by. As long as you desire the things I have you need to play the game. Period. IT wont die off or disappear if you put in the time.
I don't mean to be disrespectful; you've spent a hell of a lot more money and time in this game than I have, but this entire post feels very "I invested the time and energy into this; you can't have it until you do the same." Why shouldn't some of the older items and rewards be available to newer players? So what if they haven't put in the same level of time as you; its a perk that could be enjoyable rather than something they may or may not be able to see. "Oh here's this nice pretty castle with a full collection of shard shields. No you can't use them right now, but maybe in 15 years you can!" "Oh, you like my nightmare? Shame, you'll have to heavily invest in gold to ever get one."
It could also speak to the fact that a lot of people try UO without even reading up on it and have very little knowledge of what to do.
@ Xare, there is no reasoning with this crowd. These are the people that have never left UO. No matter how bad the game got, they didn’t leave. They are not back for a trip down memory lane... it’s everyday life for them. They are the workers at a beach resort just watching people come and go. Let them have the game, just buy the items you need to solo rock roof, realize the game is still bad, and quit to play Kerbal Space Program.
If this game is so damn bad what does that say about you. I enjoy the hell out of UO but alls you can say is UO is garbage/bad so why the hell are you even playing. You total negative post do more harm for this game then EA/UO has ever done.
Comments
I mean, the amount of things possible to do in Ultima Online are mind boggling.....
Frankly, I cannot think of any other game out there where it is possible to enjoy the same content that Ultima Online has....
Yet, the Graphics is what it is....
Now, "usually" new players are attracted from the "looks" so, having outdated Graphics for UO is not exactly something that could attract much new players...
UO's strengths, to my viewing, is the massive amount of things which can be done in it.
Inflation is surely a problem but, luckily, MMOs are places where the fun is in the Journey, not in the Destination since there is nothing to really win, players can just play in UO and take their time with things.....
1 creating a new server divides the population further and will be a waste
2 the items and pets OP speaks of, are luxeries and collectibles, with very little practical advantage
A lesser hiryu, hiryu or CU can be spec'd out as good or better as a legacy pet. The whole point of the desirability of the legacy animals is it puts an innate magical pet on the same ground as those that spawn with out. I look at adjusted intensity when comparing animals, if you removed the innate magical ability from an animal what is the intensity? Because that is essentially what you have to build off of.
So if you take a look at adjusted intensity at the max possible spawn:
1 slot lesser Hiryu: 8709
Hiryu: 8274
Cu Sidge: 8263
Legacy White Wyrm: 8092
Legacy Nightmare: 8041
Legacy animals are not the issue, the cost of Magery/Eval/Necro/Spirit is. But that is a different complicated issue.
You do not need a legacy wyrm, nightmare or bane dragon to compete. In fact I would suggest if you are a new player to pick a Hiyru for Chiv/AI. They are awesome pets and end up with a ton of intensity. It could be argued that they are in fact better than a legacy pet because many legacy pets have dragon breath and they can attain much higher health.
Something else to think about, you talk about this game being new player unfriendly, it's also returning player friendly. The sale of legacy animals helps fund returning players so they can get on a more equal footing when they return.
To encourage new people to try the game and in hopes the time they take to get to know the world they will want to sub and stay.
Waiting for old players to return is a bit long in the tooth.
Oh so many I know have gone to the happy hunting ground (passed away).
Some lost the battle with their mates who were not game literate, one I was told by his wife it was UO or his whole family... even his mom and dad got in with her on this.
The younger of the 97 of players are drifting in and out... but to be honest its not the game who is killing off the young nor is it the rewards...
They come in and see al of us with all we have earned or made over years.. you have to admit if you came in the game now as a new player.. it would be wow how can I get that...
One of you said its not fair to be in game for 20 years and have all those vet rewards, castle or keep, plat up the kazoo. Yes it looks like that to them as if we flaunt what we got at them.
NOW comes the BUT:
We who have been here earned them... I will not be cowed by the people who want what I have and sit here saying they deserve without putting in the time things for just paying for a few months. I was here ..Where were you?
I will not hand to a new guy things they will have no reguard for in a few weeks after they get them... let me put this in perspective that 55 mil vanity mount will be down to under a mill in weeks.
Months later all we sell will be cheap, plat will be worthless.
Yes that Is a risk your looking at.
Personally id like to see a pre full contact Trammel game noobie shard. Sorta like EJ but only allowed there is newbies. With training grounds that help them learn the game and skills. At say 6 months or 700 skill points which ever comes first they are notified by an ingame message. Bank will go with of course. Mow they can opt out and go strait to the shard of choice.
To me a time in game away from us might keep them in game longer.
UO is anti returning player. People will continue to pop in, maybe pay a month and leave. At least the die-hards have their privilege and “time invested” protected and that is important.
Before you start screaming I'm not saying easer I'm saying different. The extreme example is power scrolls if I don't like PvP for what ever reason give me another way to get them even if it is harder. At least then it would be my choice and I wouldn't blame the game so much.
A player who feels the game is stacked against him and is being told how he must play the game is not a player for long.
And they get one "oops I did not mean to revoke my young status because I thought I was ready to fight pk'ers." chance to become young again.
I know that when you first create a char, that they are in the Help channel. I stay in General Chat and would never see a message in the Help channel. So if a message popped up, I could switch to there and see if I could help. And as soon as I safely could, I would go see if I could assist them.
Think of your early days. Fo
As for my 21 years in UO. I never walked off for more then a few days at best all the years I have played this game I paid full cost most of it. You try to maintain 54 + accounts for as many years as I have then you can talk about what the younger players deserve, I paid in my time, money, and heart and soul in keeping UO alive. I served you all as a Counselor back in the day. I have given to the new tons of gold, suits books hell you name it to help them stay. The only thing I cant give them is my years in the game. Sure you can buy a old account... but can that give you the years of experience and the knowledge of those years I learned?
NO
You act as if your time is short and you will never get to that age where you can have such...
Question is it that you want it before you kill it off? I say put in the time then I will say you earned it. Not a minute before. Hell there is the point. Play UO years flow by. As long as you desire the things I have you need to play the game. Period. IT wont die off or disappear if you put in the time.
DONT GIVE THEM ANYTHING.
Sounds mean but listen. I used to suit and boot people, the guild would provide them with whole suits, all 120s and stat scrolls etc (we are a pvp guild so luckily have these in abundance). And the new people would after a very short time lose interest in the game. And yeah you feel like you wasted your time and resources on them. But if you make the new people get the items and powerscrolls themselves, they tend to appreciate them more and have a goal to achieve, and more of a reason to play.
We made the mistake of giving people everything so it felt like they had achieved everything in the game and lost interest.
I don't mean to be disrespectful; you've spent a hell of a lot more money and time in this game than I have, but this entire post feels very "I invested the time and energy into this; you can't have it until you do the same." Why shouldn't some of the older items and rewards be available to newer players? So what if they haven't put in the same level of time as you; its a perk that could be enjoyable rather than something they may or may not be able to see. "Oh here's this nice pretty castle with a full collection of shard shields. No you can't use them right now, but maybe in 15 years you can!" "Oh, you like my nightmare? Shame, you'll have to heavily invest in gold to ever get one."