New shard for New/Returning players please

HermioneHermione Posts: 51
edited May 2019 in General Discussions
They introduced Endless Journey which is nice but it's not enough.
Please make a new shard for new/returning players that you cannot transfer to/from.

It would surely not take any significant time to create. I'm not asking for any change in game or anything that will affect any existing player.


  • Currently new/returning players feel they are playing 20+ year catchup with existing players and get deflated.
  • Also the shard would be free of duped mass resources and items.
  • Also the shard would not have all the expensive items moved to Atlantic
  • Also the shard would not have cheap powerscrolls imported from dead shards.
This game has been going for 20+ years and there is no shard been created like this already? when it would not take any time to make. I think maybe they do not want this game to continue.

Comments

  • Garth_GreyGarth_Grey Posts: 1,453
    I think you just want another thread locked. +1
    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.
  • BilboBilbo Posts: 2,834
    He/she is trying to out do another well know poster here or maybe it is him in disguise.
  • KirthagKirthag Posts: 541
    Why would a player invest so much time in learning the game on a "new/returning" shard, then have to start all over on a prodo shad? Makes no sense.

    HOWEVER, what makes sense is for other players to help the new/returning players to get up to speed. It was community that made this game so great, and it will take community to keep it such.
  • HermioneHermione Posts: 51
    edited May 2019
    no, not to start again on prodo shard, you just play on the new shard and never move to prodo.

    I am very confused why you don't understand the advantage to new players/returning players. Maybe you get existing players start a char there too if they want, but they won't have advantage of having so many platinum because they will start with same as new/returning players.
  • KarynKaryn Posts: 55
    It is highly unlikely that a significant number of new / return players are being captured to warrant a fresh shard. Most games at this point in their product life cycle would be merging shards. 
  • AtomicBettyAtomicBetty Posts: 237
    only way a new shard with the current ruleset might support any tangible amount of new players would need to be a fully functional endless journey shard with no restrictions the only change would be to housing to change the way decay works on the shard so anyone can own but would need manual refreshing,

    even with full ej accessibility it would still be a longshot as the current ruleset sucks and majority of people do not enjoy it.
  • KirthagKirthag Posts: 541
    edited June 2019
    Hermione said:
    no, not to start again on prodo shard, you just play on the new shard and never move to prodo. 
    So  - a new shard for a player (new/returning/or existing) to play on, that cannot transfer from or to. Basically, you want a "scrub" of a server.

    I understand your logic, but it is from a narrow perspective. I was a returning vet (left and returned after several years) and what I came back to looked the same, but was not the same game I loved. New things, new systems - the learning curve was a bit steep, and I learned to read the sporadic newsletters and publish notes more. I have brought other vets back, and even introduced new players (my sons included). The one thing that hurt most of the people was the fact that they "felt alone". They didn't understand there is a community to engage - many people tried to play the game as a soloist. When I showed one of my sons that interacting with other players is part and parcel to playing in UO, he began the thrive. Alas, in a roving PK guild, but he loves it now...

    Now ,please understand my point...
    You are asking the devs to rob the players on this scrubbed shard from the services granted to the majority of players (exception of the Siege ruleset shards) by removing the transfer option - thus forcing the player into creating a new character (essentially starting over, as I said) if he/she wanted to play on another shard. 

    To create a scrubbed shard would mean a basic reset and duplication of a chosen shard - which again just creates more of a load for the team - or necessitates hiring more people (new EM, another GM,, more time on maintaining and debugging, etc. etc. etc.) which is really not cost effective.

    For a subscription based game in a very competitive field, the optimal thing to do is to deliver better content that enriches the gameplay and encourage group (community) activity - for nothing beats word-of-mouth. They need to have a solid avenue of bringing in new players without disenchanting existing players.

    I think BS is finally learning this...

    Now, all BS needs is a good marketing program to introduce UO to the next generation of gamers and to show the world that an older game doesn't necessarily mean a bad game. Said marketing should include some representation at conventions and industry trade shows - but then, I'm just a marketer so I'm always looking for ways to develop... wait... I promised I'd stop doing that.

    Granted, word-of-mouth is always the best marketing there is... so why are you not inviting others into the game, and sticking it out with them? Too many times I've seen people invite in new players, but that new player is basically left to roam alone. What has made UO such a long lasting and rich game are the players and the communities they've built.


  • HermioneHermione Posts: 51
    edited June 2019
    I completely disagree with @Kirthag

    I don’t think people would feel alone at all, quite the opposite. Firstly, you don’t know how many people would play the shard so you are only speculating a low population. And I think there would be a high population. Also everyone would be in the same boat, lots of people would be training skills and you wouldn’t be competing against 10+year vets, as that is what makes you feel lonely when you’re new and training and everyone else is established.

    As for needing a new EM, that would depend on the population. If it brought in lots and lots of people then it would pay for itself, if it was not very popular then no EM required. GMs cover multiple shards.

    Not sure why they would have to do additional maintenance & Debugging etc, as I have not requested any special ruleset, just a normal shard. As for how long it would take to set up, I don’t know but I’m sure the devs are more than capable of setting up a new shard please give them some credit. 

    so if they made this shard, you would feel “robbed” because you can’t transfer onto it? this is a very strange attitude to me but may be typical of uo vets. 

    So I pretty much disagree with everything you wrote. 

    Having a shard free of duped resources is unknown territory. Maybe it will not work, maybe it’s not possible to play without duped resources. There would also be no item bless deeds and no clean legendaries with crazy amount of mods that stopped dropping. A clean slate. It has been 20 plus years, it can’t hurt to at least try something different. 
  • Petra_FydePetra_Fyde Posts: 1,322
    edited June 2019
    You would segregate new players to this new shard? Denying them the help that veteran players can, and do, give?  You would cut off returners from the items they had on their original shards?
    It is perfectly possible to play without duped resources, bless deeds and 'clean legendaries with crazy mods'. I do it every day.

    UO is a game I play for fun, I don't feel the need to 'compete' with anyone. Nor should anyone else be made to feel they should. If competing is something you want to do, that's fine. But no one should feel they have to.

    This 'special' shard is not needed, and given the resources currently available, highly unlikely to happen.
  • ArronArron Posts: 485
    The OP is well meaning and I believe has the best of intentions, however I don't think the idea was well thought out, but that is why we have this Forum. This Forum gives us a chance to explore many sides of a proposed idea or opinion. Like the saying goes there are at least three sides to every story and like stories ideas also have more than one or two sides.
  • HermioneHermione Posts: 51
    edited June 2019
    Sorry @Petra_Fyde maybe I mislead you when I said a shard for new/returning players, it would be an optional shard choice. New/returning players would not be forced to play it but I’m sure many would wish to. As for being cut off from veteran players. I’m sure many veteran players would also wish to start a char on a non economically poisoned shard if they wish, it would not be exclusive to new/returning players. Just a normal option on the normal log in.

    All I am suggesting is a new shard the same as all the others but without transfers. I’m not sure why this is so outrageous to existing players, it should not affect you in any way. 

    Where you say “given the resources currently available” I’m not sure why you are thinking why it would be such a massive undertaking. When they opened the Origin shard, nobody even asked for it. You say it is not needed, but that is just your opinion, you already play the game, it is not needed for you but anything to bring in more subscriptions is surely a good thing, just because they won’t play your shard there is no need to be so salty over it.
  • RorschachRorschach Posts: 503Moderator
    There are no plans currently in place to expand the number of shards or rule sets.
This discussion has been closed.