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UO on Steam

Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
edited February 2020 in General Discussions
For those who were unware, or lost the links:

Ultima Online's page on Steam
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=249850626

Broadsword Games' page on Steam
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198128878674

Who knows if they will keep the same pages, or switch them around, or if UO is even going to Steam...
********

But, if UO does go to Steam, let's speculate:
1. Steam launch will probably put you through to the UO patchers, similar to Frontier or any of the other companies on Steam.
2. Will we be able to link our EA Accounts to Steam? (Can you currently link your EA Account to Steam?)
3. Will there be trading cards?
4. Will there be achievements?
5. How will the market place be set up?
Base Game = Free
High Seas = DLC
Time of Legends = DLC
7th Character = DLC
20% Storage = DLC
etc.....

Will the DLC be changed to specific price tiers? I.E. All expansions at $24, all extras at $16?  Will they continue to use the Origin prices on Steam?

Will they break Stygian Abyss back out as a paid DLC? (I would!) Will they break playable races out as paid DLC? Will they add in new playable races as DLC? (Dwarves!)

Hmm, lots of options.....
-Arroth
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Comments

  • poppspopps Posts: 4,019
    If UO goes with Steam, I am out.

    I have never made a Steam Account and never will.

    Sadly, that day will be the day I will stop playing UO for good.
  • monkgamermonkgamer Posts: 100
    edited February 2020
    I wouldn't mind uo on steam if they still allowed us to connect through the way we do now.  Otherwise, I too, will need to pass. I hate these middle men services. 


  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    edited February 2020
    I think one of the big misconceptions is that if UO goes on Steam, that Steam will be the only way to launch the game. That would probably not be the case. Unless Broadsword did something really strange....

    Frontier, Kalypso, Stardock (and numerous other developers), all have games on Steam, but you don't have to play those games through Steam. You can buy games from the Frontier Store, or the Kalypso Store, or the Stardock store, and never use Steam. I would suspect that if UO goes to Steam, you will still be able to buy and access UO in all the ways you always have been, with no effect on your game.

    Think of Steam as an optional distribution channel, not a replacement for the way the game currently is. 

    I purchased Elite Dangerous through Frontier and never played through Steam. A year or so later Frontier allowed you to link your Frontier Account to your Steam Account, which I did, and then my copy of Elite showed up as a purchased game in both the Frontier system and Steam. I have friends who purchased Elite through Frontier and have never played through Steam, and yet Elite is on Steam. I would suspect UO to follow a similar model.

    For most of the online games I've played through Steam, you just click the play button on Steam and it loads up the games patcher. I doubt the UO patcher will change much. If UO does go to Steam, clicking the Steam "Play UO" button will probably just load up the patcher for whatever client your using.

    I do hope they work on the EC a bit before taking UO to Steam. Right now I would rate the EC as Early Access, Steam language for "not yet ready to be released". I can just see the comments now: the mobiles bars don't work worth a damn...the backpack disappears when I scroll...windows don't stay where I put them!...this game should be an Early Access title...why isn't this game listed as Early Access, it's to buggy for release....etc., etc., etc. 
    -Arroth
  • Garth_GreyGarth_Grey Posts: 1,459
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)
    You and Several Others like this.


    Please make the Grizzled Mare a 5 slot mount, it's incredibly rare and deserves it. Some of us have been waiting a long time for this simple addition.
  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    edited February 2020
    I'm such a boring player I always forget about third party apps!

    If people are worried 3rd party apps won't work through Steam,
    1. UO probably isn't switching to a Steam exclusive, so people can just play as they are now, ignore Steam, and keep using their "apps". 
    2. Steam has many games where players use third party apps. So much so that developers still go on ban waves to influence behavior.
    3. If somehow third party app use is clamped down on by UO (with or without Steam), the EC moding community will get busier!

    ***
    I see from Margrette's post on Stratics that the DAOC team is talking Steam in 2020. So yeah, looks like UO is headed to Steam. Cool beans.
    -Arroth
  • monkgamermonkgamer Posts: 100
    If steam and Uo clients will run simultaneous this gives me a thought, what if the Bold part of their update is banning all 3rd party aps? They would almost have to so that steam users are not left at a disadvantage to those who go directly through origin.




  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    monkgamer said:
    If steam and Uo clients will run simultaneous this gives me a thought, what if the Bold part of their update is banning all 3rd party aps? They would almost have to so that steam users are not left at a disadvantage to those who go directly through origin.
    Well that would be more interesting, it will probably go the other way and Steam users will just load third party aps as well. I know, I'm the beacon of positivity. 
    -Arroth
  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    @Kyronix ;

    Potential Steam Achivements:

    Other White Meat = Kill 100 Cats
    Kill 10 Rats = Kill The Piper 10 Times
    DragonSlayer = Kill 10,000 Dragons
    Through the Heart = Kill a Vampire while wielding a Pitchfork
    You Little BASTA…… = Kill 1000 Imps
    Welcome to Sosaria = Die for the first time
    Eh, it's UO = Die for the 500th time
    It's not like other games = Suffer your 1000th death
    De Ja Vu = Be Resurrected for the first time
    -Arroth
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    Garth_Grey said:
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)

    THIS!!! :D
  • poppspopps Posts: 4,019
    Garth_Grey said:
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)
    That is not my concern.

    I never made a Steam Account nor played any game that needs Steam to run because I like to own the software that I spend my money on.

    For example, I also refuse to do the 365 days, Yearly subscriptions because I just do not like that idea.

    The only exception to this, is Antivirus software because I do not have an alternative. I have to pay for the Yearly subs in order to get the updates which are necessary to keep the Antivirus current.

    But for anything else, I stay out of it because it is a marketing channel that I do not want to support with my money.

    I am of the idea that the software I spend my money on, I own it, and I do not want my money to go to support other ways of marketing software.

    There have been games that I would have liked to play and, yet, I have renounced to playing them because they could solely be played through Steam.

    And, as much as I like playing UO, if Steam will become the only way to play Ultima Online, I will stick to my principles and thinking, and will give up playing UO for good, rather then make a Steam Account in order to play it.
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    edited February 2020
    popps said:
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)
    That is not my concern.

    I never made a Steam Account nor played any game that needs Steam to run because I like to own the software that I spend my money on.

    For example, I also refuse to do the 365 days, Yearly subscriptions because I just do not like that idea.

    The only exception to this, is Antivirus software because I do not have an alternative. I have to pay for the Yearly subs in order to get the updates which are necessary to keep the Antivirus current.

    But for anything else, I stay out of it because it is a marketing channel that I do not want to support with my money.

    I am of the idea that the software I spend my money on, I own it, and I do not want my money to go to support other ways of marketing software.

    There have been games that I would have liked to play and, yet, I have renounced to playing them because they could solely be played through Steam.

    And, as much as I like playing UO, if Steam will become the only way to play Ultima Online, I will stick to my principles and thinking, and will give up playing UO for good, rather then make a Steam Account in order to play it.

    Frankly I don't undestand this concerns.

    Once dowloaded on a local Win/Mac/Linux machine, one "owns" (insomuch as anybody can "own" any piece of software nowdays) the Games one buys on Steam (or, e.g., GOG), and, FWIK, it is not mandatory to use the aforementioned Platforms for any other things that (free) updates.

    And that, IMO, is not different from the mandatory Updateds one has to download any time one launchs, e.g., the official UO Clients, CC or EC.

    BTW: There are still very valid free Antivirus around, for which one (for personal use) has no need to pay ANY sub fee...
  • poppspopps Posts: 4,019
    Ivenor said:
    popps said:
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)
    That is not my concern.

    I never made a Steam Account nor played any game that needs Steam to run because I like to own the software that I spend my money on.

    For example, I also refuse to do the 365 days, Yearly subscriptions because I just do not like that idea.

    The only exception to this, is Antivirus software because I do not have an alternative. I have to pay for the Yearly subs in order to get the updates which are necessary to keep the Antivirus current.

    But for anything else, I stay out of it because it is a marketing channel that I do not want to support with my money.

    I am of the idea that the software I spend my money on, I own it, and I do not want my money to go to support other ways of marketing software.

    There have been games that I would have liked to play and, yet, I have renounced to playing them because they could solely be played through Steam.

    And, as much as I like playing UO, if Steam will become the only way to play Ultima Online, I will stick to my principles and thinking, and will give up playing UO for good, rather then make a Steam Account in order to play it.

    Frankly I don't undestand this concerns.

    Once dowloaded on a local Win/Mac/Linux machine, one "owns" (insomuch as anybody can "own" any piece of software nowdays) the Games one buys on Steam (or, e.g., GOG), and, FWIK, it is not mandatory to use the aforementioned Platforms for any other things that (free) updates.

    And that, IMO, is not different from the mandatory Updateds one has to download any time one launchs, e.g., the official UO Clients, CC or EC.

    BTW: There are still very valid free Antivirus around, for which one (for personal use) has no need to pay ANY sub fee...
    If I remember it as correctly from hearing it from the News, there has been in the recent Years a Court Decision in Australia and maybe also one from the European Union, addressing this topic about software and rights of buyers....

    Personally, I am of the opinion that a buyer spending money on an item, even though a digital item, then, because of that purchase, should get to own the software purchased. Therefore, I like to spend my money on software which I then feel that I own.

    At least, that is how I personally see it.
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    edited February 2020
    popps said:
    Ivenor said:
    popps said:
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)
    That is not my concern.

    I never made a Steam Account nor played any game that needs Steam to run because I like to own the software that I spend my money on.

    For example, I also refuse to do the 365 days, Yearly subscriptions because I just do not like that idea.

    The only exception to this, is Antivirus software because I do not have an alternative. I have to pay for the Yearly subs in order to get the updates which are necessary to keep the Antivirus current.

    But for anything else, I stay out of it because it is a marketing channel that I do not want to support with my money.

    I am of the idea that the software I spend my money on, I own it, and I do not want my money to go to support other ways of marketing software.

    There have been games that I would have liked to play and, yet, I have renounced to playing them because they could solely be played through Steam.

    And, as much as I like playing UO, if Steam will become the only way to play Ultima Online, I will stick to my principles and thinking, and will give up playing UO for good, rather then make a Steam Account in order to play it.

    Frankly I don't undestand this concerns.

    Once dowloaded on a local Win/Mac/Linux machine, one "owns" (insomuch as anybody can "own" any piece of software nowdays) the Games one buys on Steam (or, e.g., GOG), and, FWIK, it is not mandatory to use the aforementioned Platforms for any other things that (free) updates.

    And that, IMO, is not different from the mandatory Updateds one has to download any time one launchs, e.g., the official UO Clients, CC or EC.

    BTW: There are still very valid free Antivirus around, for which one (for personal use) has no need to pay ANY sub fee...
    If I remember it as correctly from hearing it from the News, there has been in the recent Years a Court Decision in Australia and maybe also one from the European Union, addressing this topic about software and rights of buyers....

    Personally, I am of the opinion that a buyer spending money on an item, even though a digital item, then, because of that purchase, should get to own the software purchased. Therefore, I like to spend my money on software which I then feel that I own.

    At least, that is how I personally see it.

    On the "I pay, I ***OWN***" (NOT "rent", "license", "borrow", whateverTF) as a principle I TOTALLY agree, being it a Software, a Movie, a Book or a Toilette Brush.

    I only wished to note that one, concretely speaking, already AS NOW don't "own" the UO game (as by the aforementioned Software TOSes RoE, that even EA/BS/UO use), and that the UO Clients (in the Patch-Checking part) are not conceptually nor concretely so different, in functions & uses, from Steam.

    This said, you clearly have the FULL RIGHT (as now still, at least... :D ) to ***OWN*** (and express) your opinions, and to make your choices based on them...
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    edited February 2020
    An idle speculation: what if, instead than on Steam, a GOG landing was in preparation???

    Keeping in mind that ALL the other games in the Ultima Family are already available on GOG and nothing is instead available on Steam, hmmm... B)
  • Maximus_NeximusMaximus_Neximus Posts: 380
    Garth_Grey said:
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)

    I'm not playing EC. I just don't like the way it looks at all. If I can't use UOAssist or Automap it may be a deal breaker for me. That or they need to update the cc to integrate more features that UOA has such as mouse macros.
  • poppspopps Posts: 4,019
    edited February 2020
    Ivenor said:
    An idle speculation: what if, instead than on Steam, a GOG landing was in preparation???

    Keeping in mind that ALL the other games in the Ultima Family are already available on GOG and nothing is instead available on Steam, hmmm... B)
    I would keep playing UO if through GOG, for example....
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    popps said:
    Ivenor said:
    An idle speculation: what if, instead than on Steam, a GOG landing was in preparation???

    Keeping in mind that ALL the other games in the Ultima Family are already available on GOG and nothing is instead available on Steam, hmmm... B)
    I would keep playing UO if through GOG, for example....

    Ehr, good! :)

    But... what are the differences, IYO, between the two services, at the "Games Library Management" level? :o
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    Maximus_Neximus said:
    Garth_Grey said:
    People aren't saying it, but they're already concerned that their 3rd party apps won't work through Steam. The EC should work perfectly though :)

    I'm not playing EC. I just don't like the way it looks at all. If I can't use UOAssist or Automap it may be a deal breaker for me. That or they need to update the cc to integrate more features that UOA has such as mouse macros.
    They have already done that! It is called EC... :) ;)

  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    edited February 2020
    Actually, it'd be nice to see UO on Steam and GoG (And Epic for that matter). Maybe they are working on a digital distribution package they can apply to any of the online services.

    Probably be better if they got it squared away on Origin first though.

    It would be kind of odd if UO was on competing digital platforms, but not on the one of the company which owns UO. 

    'Course, it is EA...…..
    -Arroth
  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    edited February 2020
    Having fun with a few more! >:)

    Potential Achievements (PvP Style)
    You Da Bomb! Kill another player with a Supernova potion
    Purple People Eater Kill another player with an Explosion potion
    It's all fun and games…. Kill another player with a bow
    My spleen, my spleen! Kill another player with a mace
    No, fork you! Kill another player with a warfork
    Mines bigger. Kill another player with a broadsword
    Pincushion Kill another player with a fukiya dart
    I got you babe Dismount another player with a bola
    Shot to the heart Kill another player with a boomerrang
    And your to blame Get your first murder count

    Potential Achievements (Theives)
    Five finger discount Steal an item from a shopkeeper strongbox
    Sticky fingers Steal an item from another player
    What's in your wallet? Snoop in another player's backpack
    Hey, what's that over there? Steal an item from a monster
    Iocane Powder Kill something with poison
    That's gonna leave a mark Set off an explosion trap

    -Arroth
  • PawainPawain Posts: 9,995
    Those Achievements make me not want to play thru Steam.  
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
  • SoldahouseSoldahouse Posts: 129
    A few folks have told me that if we go to steam we will not have classic client. UO wouldn't get rid of classic right? 

  • PawainPawain Posts: 9,995
    Would we have to Log into UO using Steam?  Or will Steam just provide a link to the Client download page.

    If we have to use Steam, can we play on more than 1 account at a time?

    Lots of unknowns.
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
  • Petra_FydePetra_Fyde Posts: 1,454
    As far as I remember from the original discussions when we voted for it, and my memory isn't terribly clear I admit, UO on steam wouldn't affect us long time players at all. We'd still log in as we do now. It would be an alternative way to access the servers.

    I hope I'm remembering right, but someone who actually knows would have to confirm that.
  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    edited February 2020
    Pawain said:
    Those Achievements make me not want to play thru Steam.  
    Honestly, the UO team would actually have to bother to build achievements at all. Many games don't bother with achievements. UO could also go the route of AoE for achievements and just do gameplay stuff, i.e. you get an achievement for every title of every skill, etc. Either way, BS would actually have to want to do cheevos. The little graphics and all the additional programing to make achievements work might not be worthwhile. Although, there is an entire subset of the modern gaming market that does achievement hunting.....

    A few folks have told me that if we go to steam we will not have classic client. UO wouldn't get rid of classic right? 

    I've seen this too. It sounds like nonsense to me. There are other games on Steam with multiple clients or versions, you just click "play" and you can choose which version to load, or you can select "always load" a specific version.

    I don't think UO being available through Steam will effect the clients in any way.

    I realize some of this fearmongering is because of the cheats used mostly with the CC and that Steam does offer developers some tools to curb cheating, so people using CC to cheat are freaking out. 

    However, you'll probably still be able to load UO as you do now, without Steam at all, so any Steam anti-cheating stuff could just be ignored anyway. Plus, lots of games on Steam have 3rd party programs. Hell, steam has a workshop page for each game where the community can upload mods for each game. UO's workshop will probably be filled with 3rd party apps. 

    So, Steam or not, CC, third party apps, and all the scripting is most likely to continue on as normal.

    Pawain said:
    Would we have to Log into UO using Steam?  Or will Steam just provide a link to the Client download page.

    If we have to use Steam, can we play on more than 1 account at a time?

    Lots of unknowns.
    I think one of the problems is the language we've all been using. As player's we've all been saying "UO is going to steam" or something like that. It's probably more correct to say "UO will also be available through Steam". As in, UO will still be available through UO.com, but it will now also be in the Steam marketplace.

    You're a smart guy Pawain, do you really think that EA is going to take UO stuff away from Origin, EA's own service, remove the game from UO.com, it's own domain, and make it only available through a direct competitor (Steam)? Seems doubtful doesn't it? (The brand new Chevy Corvette, only available through Ford dealers! Get yours now!)

    It seems more likely UO will still be available from UO.com, and you'll be able to load and play as always. For those who use Steam (which is like 15 million people daily), UO will now also be available through Steam.

    I think of it like having a small shop in a small town. You do a decent business, but your market is the local area. Then you put your wares on Amazon. Now you have two ways to sell, your shop, and Amazon. You don't tell people who come in the shop, "Sorry, we only sell on Amazon". 

    This is all assuming that UO is even going to be available on Steam. Maybe they are just re-working the Origin site and are going to put a link to UO on EA's own site? Crazy right? That'd still expose UO to it's Largest Audience evarh!

    You know, if they really are looking at Steam (or digital marketplaces in general) it'd make sense to launch with a bright shiny new thing to catch that new market's attention. Like playable Orcs. 
    -Arroth
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    edited February 2020
    Having fun with a few more! >:)

    Potential Achievements (PvP Style)
    You Da Bomb! Kill another player with a Supernova potion
    Purple People Eater Kill another player with an Explosion potion
    It's all fun and games…. Kill another player with a bow
    My spleen, my spleen! Kill another player with a mace
    No, fork you! Kill another player with a warfork
    Mines bigger. Kill another player with a broadsword
    Pincushion Kill another player with a fukiya dart
    I got you babe Dismount another player with a bola
    Shot to the heart Kill another player with a boomerrang
    And your to blame Get your first murder count

    Potential Achievements (Theives)
    Five finger discount Steal an item from a shopkeeper strongbox
    Sticky fingers Steal an item from another player
    What's in your wallet? Snoop in another player's backpack
    Hey, what's that over there? Steal an item from a monster
    Iocane Powder Kill something with poison
    That's gonna leave a mark Set off an explosion trap


    :D

    And don't forget the oldest tradition of them all of UO: "Newbie Bashing"... - http://www.imanewbie.com/
  • TimTim Posts: 824
    Just out of curiosity has anyone with any real connection with Broadsword or EA even mentioned Steam in the last year or two? If so I missed it.
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    edited February 2020
    Tim said:
    Just out of curiosity has anyone with any real connection with Broadsword or EA even mentioned Steam in the last year or two? If so I missed it.

    Not that I know. In this Thread we simply are all basking in our own wild & unfunded speculations!

    AND IT IS FUN!!! :D ;)
  • Arroth_ThaielArroth_Thaiel Posts: 1,060
    Tim said:
    Just out of curiosity has anyone with any real connection with Broadsword or EA even mentioned Steam in the last year or two? If so I missed it.
    All I am aware of is the DAOC team talking about looking at making DAOC available on Steam and having a great 2020.

    Other than that, just having fun!
    -Arroth
  • PawainPawain Posts: 9,995
     ByArroth_Thaiel said:
    Pawain said:
    Those Achievements make me not want to play thru Steam.  
    Honestly, the UO team would actually have to bother to build achievements at all. Many games don't bother with achievements. UO could also go the route of AoE for achievements and just do gameplay stuff, i.e. you get an achievement for every title of every skill, etc. Either way, BS would actually have to want to do cheevos. The little graphics and all the additional programing to make achievements work might not be worthwhile. Although, there is an entire subset of the modern gaming market that does achievement hunting.....

    A few folks have told me that if we go to steam we will not have classic client. UO wouldn't get rid of classic right? 

    I've seen this too. It sounds like nonsense to me. There are other games on Steam with multiple clients or versions, you just click "play" and you can choose which version to load, or you can select "always load" a specific version.

    I don't think UO being available through Steam will effect the clients in any way.

    I realize some of this fearmongering is because of the cheats used mostly with the CC and that Steam does offer developers some tools to curb cheating, so people using CC to cheat are freaking out. 

    However, you'll probably still be able to load UO as you do now, without Steam at all, so any Steam anti-cheating stuff could just be ignored anyway. Plus, lots of games on Steam have 3rd party programs. Hell, steam has a workshop page for each game where the community can upload mods for each game. UO's workshop will probably be filled with 3rd party apps. 

    So, Steam or not, CC, third party apps, and all the scripting is most likely to continue on as normal.

    Pawain said:
    Would we have to Log into UO using Steam?  Or will Steam just provide a link to the Client download page.

    If we have to use Steam, can we play on more than 1 account at a time?

    Lots of unknowns.
    I think one of the problems is the language we've all been using. As player's we've all been saying "UO is going to steam" or something like that. It's probably more correct to say "UO will also be available through Steam". As in, UO will still be available through UO.com, but it will now also be in the Steam marketplace.

    You're a smart guy Pawain, do you really think that EA is going to take UO stuff away from Origin, EA's own service, remove the game from UO.com, it's own domain, and make it only available through a direct competitor (Steam)? Seems doubtful doesn't it? (The brand new Chevy Corvette, only available through Ford dealers! Get yours now!)

    It seems more likely UO will still be available from UO.com, and you'll be able to load and play as always. For those who use Steam (which is like 15 million people daily), UO will now also be available through Steam.

    I think of it like having a small shop in a small town. You do a decent business, but your market is the local area. Then you put your wares on Amazon. Now you have two ways to sell, your shop, and Amazon. You don't tell people who come in the shop, "Sorry, we only sell on Amazon". 

    This is all assuming that UO is even going to be available on Steam. Maybe they are just re-working the Origin site and are going to put a link to UO on EA's own site? Crazy right? That'd still expose UO to it's Largest Audience evarh!

    You know, if they really are looking at Steam (or digital marketplaces in general) it'd make sense to launch with a bright shiny new thing to catch that new market's attention. Like playable Orcs. 
    Thanks for the info. 

    Could be a lot of population changes.

    I think they just start a new server when this goes to Steam.
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
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