Empty servers and what to do about them?

So for a while now I've tossed this idea around - I know it directly affects your transfer tokens and only increases the risks of duping happening but hear me out: Combing all facets without housing and dungeons servers on to one(or five for each region) giant cross server.

Trammel/Fel dungeons, both T2A servers, Illshnar, Malas dungeons, Tokuno facets without housing and dungeons, Mondains dungeons Tram/Fel, Stygian Dungeons and facets without housing (would have to move those event houses in abyss) Eodon etc.

Simply deleting houses/entire shards won't happen, but this I could see working. Sure it would require a lot of work on your part. But I truly feel that it would be really cool if explored more.




  1. Should OSI go cross server?8 votes
    1. Yes, that sounds great!
      25.00%
    2. No, I prefer empty servers!
      75.00%

Comments

  • PawainPawain Posts: 8,971
    No thanks.  You can create a new character anywhere you want to.

    You could also have someone take soulstones to any server you want to start living.

    There is no reason to fix what is not broken.

    Or do you just want a Castle on Atlantic and cant place one?
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
  • amitamit Posts: 36
    edited December 2018
    I think it would be refreshing to see people running around the game is all doing things. Not everybody has time to make characters on every server/ use their shard shield to get around. Maybe add a little risk to game with zero to none.
  • BilboBilbo Posts: 2,834
    edited December 2018
    NO  Do not force us to play UO the way you think we should play UO.  If I wanted a larger population and more LAGGGGG I would go over to Atl.  This is a sandbox do you understand what that means, it means you play UO the way you want to and everybody else gets to play UO the way they want to, not the way you want us to.

    PS Time to lock this thread as the DEVs have stated that this will never happen.
  • PawainPawain Posts: 8,971
    amit said:
    I think it would be refreshing to see people running around the game is all doing things. Not everybody has time to make characters on every server/ use their shard shield to get around. Maybe add a little risk to game with zero to none.

    Then you are clearly happy where you are.  Would take 30 min to off load skills for many toons.
    Maybe an hour to find someone to take the soulstones to another shard.  Then organize the transfer.  If this were that important to someone then they would put in the time and effort.

    I dont want to see other people sometimes!!  Get off my Mage!  
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
  • Im happy to play on a server with low population, and do play on such a server, leave it just how it is not every one wants the hustle bustle of crowded servers
  • IvenorIvenor Posts: 1,216
    edited December 2018
    Pawain said:
    (...)
    Maybe an hour to find someone to take the soulstones to another shard. 
    (...)
    Wait, what? SS are Account Locked but not Shard Locked???
    That's new to me... :o
    I.
  • InLorInLor Posts: 354
    They should have addressed dead servers ages ago, and sensible people will regularly come in and say something about it. But then the 4-people mob that is delusional about their shard comes in and insists the population is fine. Because, yeah.. a handful of people on an MMORPG is totally intended game design... and totally fun for a player to come back and invest weeks, only to find out there is not a soul there, no viable economy, etc. 
    A qua lemmúr wíste, an zen anku vol verde wís.
  • BilboBilbo Posts: 2,834
    UO stopped being a MMORPG when UO launched AoS.  If UO wanted to stay a MMO then it would not allow solo Bosses or any hard content to be able to be done with one char.  If it takes you weeks to know if a shard has a low population and no economy esp with vendor search then you are just logging on for 5 min and doing nothing but sitting in an inn.  Go play your overpriced housing shard and leave the rest of us alone.  Be thankful we are paying our subs so UO can live, because there is no way Atl alone could keep UO alive.  And you do understand unlike all you kill the dead shard whiners that UO know exactly how many people play on other shards not Atl just like the CC/EC bullcrap.
  • Garth_GreyGarth_Grey Posts: 1,453
    edited December 2018
    MMO just means lots of people online, it doesn't mean they all have to be friends and adventure together.

    MMO
    noun
    1. an online video game which can be played by a very large number of people simultaneously.
      "a well-made fantasy MMO"
    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.
  • SmootSmoot Posts: 389
    theres nothing that can be done about empty shards.  if it was a modern game there would have been shard mergers.  cant do that in UO because of housing and peoples attachment to that. 

    the only viable way to increase population on other shards that i can think of right now would be to incentivize low pop shards. 

    things like:

    3k luck bonus on dead shards
    higher drop rates
    free transfers to dead shards

    realistically, its not that bad.  Europa, Atlantic, Yamato, Izumo.  theres good population on several shards, enough housing (yes not everyone will have a castle)  if someone is happy on a low pop shards there welcome to stay but everyone has the opportunity to move to populated one.

    rather than trying to force people onto the dead shards, i think a better option for the game would be to make shard transfer easier / more affordable to all. 

    just lower the cost of transfer tokens to $1 i think that is very reasonable and broadsword would probably make more money off it in the long run.
  • TimTim Posts: 790
    I didn't vote because you question is "are you still beating you wife" type.

    That being said I don't see your problem 
    If the shard you play on at the moment isn't populated enough for you, move. 

    I'm happy with the population of my shard or I would change. I really didn't enjoy the days of waiting in line for half an hour to do swoop or not being able to find a spot for a 10X10. Even on a "dead shard" I have no problem finding someone to play with if that is my mood.

    Forcing players to move or change because you think there aren't enough people for you to play with will kill the game. 

    Also I'll bet Broadsword would rather run shard with 1 player on it then open this can of worms. For them it would really be a no win issue.
  • PawainPawain Posts: 8,971
    Ivenor said:
    Pawain said:
    (...)
    Maybe an hour to find someone to take the soulstones to another shard. 
    (...)
    Wait, what? SS are Account Locked but not Shard Locked???
    That's new to me... :o
    I.

    They are account bound when you use them.  But I buy fragments and the single use ones on Atl and bring them to LS. You can pick up other peoples SS.

    They do not say shard bound after using.  Why would they need to be?
    Focus on what you can do, not what you can't.
  • To the OP...if playing a small shard bothers you, move to Atlantic.

    Leave me and Legends alone!  We are happy with our life and our community.

  • DrakelordDrakelord Posts: 1,730
    edited December 2018
    I happen to Love my Castle and three Keeps on Sonoma and I can shop on Wally Atlantic world ever month for items I need
    Remove Trap = Bad News
    for
    Treasure Hunters
    Drakelord#5598
  • psychopsycho Posts: 284
    @ threadstarters idea: Tehnical things makes the idea impossible. UO gamecode is 20years old, copying between shards isnt instant.

    That being said, play on the shard you want, do the shopping on Atlantic.
    But I feel bad for the new players who dont have a shard transfer shield before 15yrs account.
    The shard shields are a compensation for lower pop shards, espesially for trades and shopping.

    The best is to start marketing the game, bring those numbers up, in all regions of the world, on all shards.
    People playing local shards is the best for Ping latency and peak times.

    EJ was an interesting idea, but it needs to be evolved further, and combined with marketing.


    Thank you, together we make the game better!

  • amitamit Posts: 36
    I feel like it is a win win if you combine all of those dungeon's and facets on to one big cross server.

    Sure certain things should be left server related to give players that initiative to buy transfers to play with their friends. 

    Some of you veterans have to keep in mind there are players out there that don't have access to.those shields like you guys do.
  • amitamit Posts: 36
    I play on Atlanttic and everywhere else. I'm speaking for the new players, the players without shard shields and endless Plat for transfer tokens.
  • jaytinjaytin Posts: 417
    We don't all have shard shields and some of us are perfectly happy without them. A lot of people prefer quieter shards as there is not so much competition for content. Your idea would never work because the code is too old to even attempt anything like that and the team is too small to do it even if they were interested, which they wouldn't be. Atlantic population should have been capped long ago and shard shields should never have been invented, they did this to themselves.
  • VioletViolet Posts: 368
    Amit just wants more people to kill, it's why he "plays everywhere".  He'll jump on a shard, maybe look at a couple "hot spots" in fel and then proclaim the shard's dead.  He just doesn't understand why the sheep aren't lined up in Felucca for him to pick off like he wants.  Shards that appear dead, aren't.  They just aren't playing the game the way he wants them to so he thinks it needs fixing.  Obviously the people who play that shard think otherwise.   
  • BilboBilbo Posts: 2,834
    Now the real truth comes out.  OP doesn't want shard mergers he just wants all the Fel Boss Dungeons combined so it is easier to try and control the Power Scroll market, LMAO.  Just another whiny PVP thread wanting more sheep.  Go back to Atl and leave the rest of us alone.
  • Garth_GreyGarth_Grey Posts: 1,453
    amit said:
    I play on Atlanttic and everywhere else. I'm speaking for the new players, the players without shard shields and endless Plat for transfer tokens.
    When and by whom were you elected "speaker for new players, and players without shard shields and endless Plat for transfer tokens" ?
    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.
  • RorschachRorschach Posts: 503Moderator
    This conversation really has no place to go.
This discussion has been closed.