Herladry and last names make more sense on the production shards

JohnKnighthawke

For those who haven't seen it yet, according to the newsletter the new "New Legacy" shard will have heraldry banners and unique last names.

If you're going to have these features at all (see below for a potential problem with the last name feature), to my mind they actually make a lot more sense on the production shards.  Remember that these shards are permanent whereas the new one will be wiped annually.  Heraldry and family legacies imply permanence. It was kinda depressing to see the dev time put into such a mechanic for a shard that's designed to be ephemeral.

OK and now for a problem with the last name feature....Some of us have roleplayed having last names or character families for years and years now. For someone who cares naught one way or the other griefing someone who does care in this way would be an easy matter.

Pawain

I have not seen this thanks. Its here

It sounds like you can choose the Last name:
Players will be able to select a unique family surname to identify their characters for generations to come!

Are we choosing from a list or can we choose our own.  This would not be an issue for players like you.  If you can choose your last name you would want to get there early so you get what you want.  It sounds like others cant choose your last name so what griefing are you referring to?
You will be able to take your NL toon back to production shards at the end.


The banners are copying Diablo III.  Which UO should do a lot more of.

Dot_Warner

*foresees an in-game store token for custom surnames, subject to approval*

JohnKnighthawke

Pawain said:

I have not seen this thanks. Its here

It sounds like you can choose the Last name:
Players will be able to select a unique family surname to identify their characters for generations to come!

Are we choosing from a list or can we choose our own.  This would not be an issue for players like you.  If you can choose your last name you would want to get there early so you get what you want.  It sounds like others cant choose your last name so what griefing are you referring to?
You will be able to take your NL toon back to production shards at the end.


The banners are copying Diablo III.  Which UO should do a lot more of.

What griefing am I referring to....In case it wasn't actually obvious: Reputation borrowing, or reputation harming, by association.

For example: Dot Warner also replied to this thread.  Let's say I didn't like Dot, and wanted to mess her up some, I could use the "unique last name" Warner.

Currently I could just make a character named Dot Warner, of course. But it wouldn't be unique. The real one would still exist. But if there were the ability to make only one last name "Warner" across an entire shard and have it be unique? This kind of griefing potentially got kicked to a whole new level.

Does this kind of stuff happen? Yes it does.

Pawain

Then you need to get on when the server begins!  And be less hated so no one takes Knighthawke? 

I need to come up with a good surname or two since unique.
Maybe the store can sell preorder surname tokens...

Victim_Of_Siege

If my choice isn't available, i'll probably go with "Pancake"

Pawain

Victim of Pancake.

JohnKnighthawke

Pawain said:

Then you need to get on when the server begins!  And be less hated so no one takes Knighthawke? 

I need to come up with a good surname or two since unique.
Maybe the store can sell preorder surname tokens...

For both better and worse I lack the necessary skills to not be hated on here.

At any rate, while one thing I said appears to have been the attention-grabber, I submit that there's a broader point here: If these features are to exist at all (and I'd totally understand if they couldn't, and if all we'd have for the rest of UO's days was more content I'd be happy with it as long as the content was good) by definition they make more sense on the production shards.