Forum Livelyhood

Garth_Grey · July 8

Ok first off, I"m really disappointed that the only browser I can use is still Firefox. Chrome still won't stay logged in. Brave still won't stay logged it, shameful is putting it mildly. Second, this forum seems to be going down hill when it comes to audience participation. I've been reading anonymously for a few weeks and ......it won't be long sadly, until the entire forum is full of "What's your favorite UO color" ?. What were you eating when you first logged in? etc...anyway, none of us really leave UO when we leave, do we ? Going to try and see if I still have time to check out the High Seas upgrades or not...stay Salty Me Hearties !!

AmberWitch · July 8

Here's mine:

You're the audience as well. Your turn.

sibble · July 8

I'd like to suggest a free alternative to Vanilla Forums (which is what I believe this is running on)

Discourse - https://www.discourse.org/ (support costs money)

https://github.com/discourse/discourse (free)

Then you can also setup integration between Discourse and Discord.

I would gladly skin it to match the website for free.

Alm · July 8

sibble said:

I'd like to suggest a free alternative to Vanilla Forums (which is what I believe this is running on)

Discourse - https://www.discourse.org/ (support costs money)

https://github.com/discourse/discourse (free)

Then you can also setup integration between Discourse and Discord.

I would gladly skin it to match the website for free.

Is there a Discord server by any chance?

sibble · July 9

There are many unofficial UO discord servers

Grimbeard · July 9

Most discord servers more active than here as is stratics....

sibble · July 10

Part of that problem is that people can't even sign into the forum unless they're using Firefox which is why I'm suggesting an alternative platform if they can't fix the one they're using.

- Most web traffic comes from mobile (not Firefox)

- Most PC traffic uses Chrome (not Firefox)

Arnold7 · July 10

No longer see many of the names that were quite prevalent here four, or so, years ago. Given the age of the player base, it’s not that difficult to figure out why they are no longer responding to this forum. The reason most of them are not here has nothing to do with the way the forum is run. Think that is sad. Responses to these discussions have slowed down a lot especially this year. The last returning player’s discussion about how to set up character drew only two responses from players. When I started a question like that would have drawn at least four or five really detailed answers from players with many years of experience. Makes me wonder how much audience is left to participate.

Not sure about the logon issue. I use Chrome and only have to logon to the forum if I want to post or respond to a discussion. Usually, UO logs me off after so many hours of inactivity. This time limit seems to vary but have never made any attempt to time it. I can read it anytime without having to log on first.

Grimbeard · July 10

Arnold7 said:

No longer see many of the names that were quite prevalent here four, or so, years ago. Given the age of the player base, it’s not that difficult to figure out why they are no longer responding to this forum. The reason most of them are not here has nothing to do with the way the forum is run. Think that is sad. Responses to these discussions have slowed down a lot especially this year. The last returning player’s discussion about how to set up character drew only two responses from players. When I started a question like that would have drawn at least four or five really detailed answers from players with many years of experience. Makes me wonder how much audience is left to participate.

Not sure about the logon issue. I use Chrome and only have to logon to the forum if I want to post or respond to a discussion. Usually, UO logs me off after so many hours of inactivity. This time limit seems to vary but have never made any attempt to time it. I can read it anytime without having to log on first.

Then why are there literally 1000s of members on just one discord and multiple post a day on Stratics?

Pawain · July 10

I use chrome and am able to log in every day. Just have to have a little patience. Or use Firefox and not need patience.

sibble · July 10

Pawain said:

I use chrome and am able to log in every day. Just have to have a little patience. Or use Firefox and not need patience.

Not sure what settings you're running or why you're having a difference experience.

Chrome/Edge: I login to the forum, I try to reply to post but get error "You don't have permission to do that." and when I refresh the page I'm logged out again.

Also Chrome/Edge: I login to the forum, as soon as I start browsing threads I'm logged out.

Myself and others have reported this serious issue.

There are plenty of new player posts on Reddit, I frequently respond to them and direct them to an unofficial discord. I would like to direct them here but seeing as Firefox is the only browser that works for me (and many others) I don't see the point. There is a serious issue with the site and I don't see anyone official acknowledging it.

Do I have to make a video recording of it? Do they think the issue is only with a couple people? I seriously don't get it... there are posts in discord, Reddit, stratics, everywhere with people complaining about not being able to login. It's not just a handful of people.

I have almost 30 years in web development, deploying and configuring my own VPS servers with Apache and NGINX. I'm running a default basic installation of Edge and Chrome and I have an issue with this site only.

The underlying issue needs to be fixed. It's not about me - it's about all the less IT savvy people trying to access this forum and giving up. None of them have voices here. They don't know to install Firefox. My experience and others' is, the default browser that ships with Windows will not stay logged into this forum. Don't you think that's a serious issue?

sibble · July 10

@Kyronix I don't know who to ping here but I just noticed something.

Looking at the website in Edge, Chrome and Firefox right now.

Both Chrome and Edge says my last post was at 6:15PM edited 6:26PM

Firefox says my last post was 2:15PM edited 2:26PM - this is the correct time

Timezone configuration could be causing the problem keeping people from logging in.

EDIT: So if Chrome thinks it's 4hrs ahead then the website is logging me out for timeout. Maybe just remove the setting that logs people out after X time - or change it to 24hrs

Pawain · July 10

sibble said:

Pawain said:

I use chrome and am able to log in every day. Just have to have a little patience. Or use Firefox and not need patience.

Not sure what settings you're running or why you're having a difference experience.

Chrome/Edge: I login to the forum, I try to reply to post but get error "You don't have permission to do that." and when I refresh the page I'm logged out again.

Also Chrome/Edge: I login to the forum, as soon as I start browsing threads I'm logged out.

Myself and others have reported this serious issue.

There are plenty of new player posts on Reddit, I frequently respond to them and direct them to an unofficial discord. I would like to direct them here but seeing as Firefox is the only browser that works for me (and many others) I don't see the point. There is a serious issue with the site and I don't see anyone official acknowledging it.

Do I have to make a video recording of it? Do they think the issue is only with a couple people? I seriously don't get it... there are posts in discord, Reddit, stratics, everywhere with people complaining about not being able to login. It's not just a handful of people.

I have almost 30 years in web development, deploying and configuring my own VPS servers with Apache and NGINX. I'm running a default basic installation of Edge and Chrome and I have an issue with this site only.

The underlying issue needs to be fixed. It's not about me - it's about all the less IT savvy people trying to access this forum and giving up. None of them have voices here. They don't know to install Firefox. My experience and others' is, the default browser that ships with Windows will not stay logged into this forum. Don't you think that's a serious issue?

You have to refresh the page before you post. Then you know you are logged in.

My routine is log in. Press F5. Do that over and over as needed. Also if you log in and don't do anything for a few minutes. Then refresh and the next log in usually stays.

We all log out 24 hours from logging in. That's so people who close their account can't stay logged in.

Grimbeard · July 10

Pawain said:

sibble said:

Pawain said:

I use chrome and am able to log in every day. Just have to have a little patience. Or use Firefox and not need patience.

Not sure what settings you're running or why you're having a difference experience.

Chrome/Edge: I login to the forum, I try to reply to post but get error "You don't have permission to do that." and when I refresh the page I'm logged out again.

Also Chrome/Edge: I login to the forum, as soon as I start browsing threads I'm logged out.

Myself and others have reported this serious issue.

There are plenty of new player posts on Reddit, I frequently respond to them and direct them to an unofficial discord. I would like to direct them here but seeing as Firefox is the only browser that works for me (and many others) I don't see the point. There is a serious issue with the site and I don't see anyone official acknowledging it.

Do I have to make a video recording of it? Do they think the issue is only with a couple people? I seriously don't get it... there are posts in discord, Reddit, stratics, everywhere with people complaining about not being able to login. It's not just a handful of people.

I have almost 30 years in web development, deploying and configuring my own VPS servers with Apache and NGINX. I'm running a default basic installation of Edge and Chrome and I have an issue with this site only.

The underlying issue needs to be fixed. It's not about me - it's about all the less IT savvy people trying to access this forum and giving up. None of them have voices here. They don't know to install Firefox. My experience and others' is, the default browser that ships with Windows will not stay logged into this forum. Don't you think that's a serious issue?

You have to refresh the page before you post. Then you know you are logged in.

My routine is log in. Press F5. Do that over and over as needed. Also if you log in and don't do anything for a few minutes. Then refresh and the next log in usually stays.

We all log out 24 hours from logging in. That's so people who close their account can't stay logged in.

Hope you escaped any trouble from storm!

Pawain · July 10

Spectrum had a city wide, maybe more, issue yesterday for 5 or so hours. In the middle of that our power went out for 2 hours. I took a nap.

sibble · July 10

Pawain said:

You have to refresh the page before you post. Then you know you are logged in.

My routine is log in. Press F5. Do that over and over as needed. Also if you log in and don't do anything for a few minutes. Then refresh and the next log in usually stays.

We all log out 24 hours from logging in. That's so people who close their account can't stay logged in.

My friend, whatever you are experiencing is not the exact same as what I am many others are experiencing.

Here is a video where I am following your instructions:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2194382300

Once I login, the page I'm brought to shows the website as being logged in. The second I do anything else: browse to another page, try to post on the thread I'm currently viewing, or refreshing the page - then it acts as if I was never logged in.

I took a screenshot of the time differences, I don't think this is the issue anymore. When I look at the forum in Firefox, I'm logged into the forum and it's showing your last post at 5:40PM When I log out of the forum in Firefox the time for your last post changes to 9:40PM so I assume it just shows my timezone when I'm logged in

https://imgur.com/a/dEOnIwf

EDIT: I will try and hit login, walk away from PC for 5 minutes and come back. However, even if that is still the case then that would have to be fixed anyway because that's ridiculous.

EDIT2: That did not work either. Login, walk away for 5 minutes, come back, hit refresh, logged out.

sibble · July 10

The craziest thing about it - a potential customer's first experience of not being able to login to a forum means that most likely those people have turned away and it's extremely difficult to get them back.

I truly don't understand why this isn't top priority.

Pawain · July 10

Well I'll be on my PC soon and log in.

It does look like you are logged in, but if you hit refresh you find that you were not. And after sitting a few minutes, refresh, you probably won't be logged in, but the next try you will be.

sibble · July 10

Bro what? No offense, none of that is acceptable.

This is an official game message board and people are wondering why it's not getting posts.

It's not getting posts because the site doesn't work properly.

Urge · July 10

I can usually log in using chrome from my phone but not my PC.

I think there's a lack of posting just because there's nothing to really talk about lately.

There's still people playing the game as Atl was packed the other day when I logged in.

Pawain · July 10

Logged in first try, on PC.

Have you ever worked on anything mechanical or a program with a problem? The most difficult things to fix are intermittent problems. Why did I log in and post on the first try today but tomorrow it may take 20 tries?

Reminds me of a piece of hospital equipment coming into the shop with a note that says broken. I turn it on and do every function the machine does and it works fine. Sometimes it returns the next day with a new broken note, sometimes I don't see it again for years.

sibble · July 10

Pawain said:

The most difficult things to fix are intermittent problems.

Agreed, it is most interesting in your case.

For me, it's the same every time.

I first thought it was a cookie issue, then a timezone issue, but it doesn't look like either of those are the underlying issue.

Urge said:

I think there's a lack of posting just because there's nothing to really talk about lately.

Ya I mean I'm not saying that's not an issue, but clearly having any % of people not being able to login also contributes.

Pawain · July 10

I wonder if the devs have to log in like we do. They would see it.

We need to stop bantering, this is a thread about the forum being not lively.

@Grimbeard ; Houston still has places with no power. My Sons fiance is in Medical School there and had 2 days of internship cancelled, that is very rare.

sibble · July 10

Pawain said:
We need to stop bantering, this is a thread about the forum being not lively.

It's not banter, we're both providing information to fix an issue. An issue that directly contributes to the forum not being lively. An issue that has existed for a long time and has yet to be acknowledged by anyone official.

The bottom line is there is an issue with the forum that needs to be fixed and until it is fixed it's safe to assume the forums would be livelier.

Garth_Grey · July 11

FIrefox is absolutely the only browser that works. I'm not calling you a liar @Pawain but I have my doubts that you always are able to log in and stay logged in with Chrome. I have a fairly new pc, brand new SSD, fully updated and legal copy of windows and this all started way back when the issue first popped up. I tried Chrome, tried what you said, logged in, as soon as I Hit f5 is logged me out, logged back in as soon as I click on general discussions, logged me out. It does this on Brave as well. I downloaded Firefox, and it logs in and stays logged in without any hesitation.

Grimbeard · July 11

Mesanna should be sending emails and on the phone nonstop until this is fixed ! She doesn't code how how can all her time be used on NL?

Pawain · July 11

Garth_Grey said:

FIrefox is absolutely the only browser that works. I'm not calling you a liar @ Pawain but I have my doubts that you always are able to log in and stay logged in with Chrome. I have a fairly new pc, brand new SSD, fully updated and legal copy of windows and this all started way back when the issue first popped up. I tried Chrome, tried what you said, logged in, as soon as I Hit f5 is logged me out, logged back in as soon as I click on general discussions, logged me out. It does this on Brave as well. I downloaded Firefox, and it logs in and stays logged in without any hesitation.

If it bothered me enough, I would use Firefox. Do you not see my post count? Divide that into the number of days this forum has been active.

I have 25 years worth of daily posts but you doubt I can log in every day?

Victim_Of_Siege · July 11

I have not had any issues logging in the past week and just logged in and stayed in on the first try with Edge (use Chrome usually) so it is an intermittent issue as well as a "these users are affected more than others". Before this week i had to do the "Hokey Pokey" to log in where i'd login then click profile, log back in click Discussion, log back in click comments, close the Browser and log back in, it usualy stayed logged in after that. it shouldn't be that hard to log in and i only do it when i feel like it and use my phone a lot as it never has issues. but as i said the past week i log in and stay logged in for 24 hours and then log in once and stay (no dancing needed).

Image: https://gifdb.com/images/high/dancing-happy-man-z6fufmmqao7waso6.gif

username · July 11

sibble said:

Bro what? No offense, none of that is acceptable.

This is an official game message board and people are wondering why it's not getting posts.

It's not getting posts because the site doesn't work properly.

The fact that UO.com is down very frequently, sometimes for over 24h and has to be manual reset is equally alarming. $10 a month hosting will have 100% uptime. It's 2024 after all. But the ignorant players will tell you, "Well, that doesn't really affect most players" or "I don't use UO.com so who cares".

These are the same people that will say the forums work just fine... you just need to click "log in" then refresh 5000 times before you can post. Or switch from the most popular browser worldwide to a dead/inferior browser to solve your issues. And before these people try @ me for saying it's a "dead browser", check here.

You can't win with these people, and sadly they are what you'll find here, the "board warriors"; they cope and cope and simp for mesanna. Simply put any business this wouldn't be acceptable but for some reason we accept it because of the complacent player base as a whole. Fact is the devs don't give a shit since most of the players seem to not give a shit. We are currently reaping what these idiots have sowed for us.

Here's a fun read if you wish. Ironically the forum issue is #2.

Yea, these forums would be quite a bit more busy if Chromium based browsers could log in. It will never get fixed. Nothing in this game will ever get fixed. Your best bet is to do what everyone else is: quit and play one of those free shards.

I can't wait till the day NL gets released, EA/Broadsword realize it was a waste of money and heap of crap, and Mesanna silently 'retires'. Maybe then we'll get someone new and these issues which should be priority #1 above all else will get fixed.

Norry · July 11

Pawain said:
You have to refresh the page before you post. Then you know you are logged in.

My routine is log in. Press F5. Do that over and over as needed. Also if you log in and don't do anything for a few minutes. Then refresh and the next log in usually stays.

We all log out 24 hours from logging in. That's so people who close their account can't stay logged in.

thanks, finally able to log in on my pc again instead of my phone.

Lord_Frodo · July 11

@sibble is 100% right, @Pawain I use your method everyday and it works, some days are faster than others. Is it right? Hell no! We should all be able to log in first time, every time and stay logged in for 24 hours every time. Does DAoC have this issue, if they do not then maybe @Mesanna @Kyronix @Bleak should ask them for help considering the are run by the same company.

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