We need change, for the sake of the server.

Onslaught- · Post by **Onslaught-** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 6:55 pm

Just to be clear here, I want to use this time as being as productive as possible and this is in no way a flame, or attack on Derrick, or the people who help run this server. This thread is meant to be productive and I'd appreciate it if the trolling or negativity is kept a a minimum or even better, non-existent.

As someone who has been playing this server off and on since December of 2007, and being a long-time supporter of it as well, I have to say I'm actually legitimately worried about the current state of the server. In 2007/2008, even with 20 - 30 people being online during peak hours, I still saw more action than I do today and that is a problem. So how do you fix something like this? How do you keep people interested in a nearly 18-year-old game stuck in a unchanging era?

I've seen the "bring back the events!" threads but i don't think I ever saw legitimate cause for it other than "we're bored." Those events are why originally playing here was so awesome. I don't think bringing them back at this point is an admission of defeat or something. I think it could be done to revitalize a community that is clearly on life-support. If done correctly, I think the events could slowly bring this server back to a state at which it deserves to be at.

This server currently has about 100 - 150 players who are logged on during the day but a total of like 350 who log on throughout the day. The issue for PvP is also quite simple. People log on, do a run-through of the dungeons, or sit at the graveyard. When they see nothing happening, they log off. The only group PvP that happens these days is purely by coincidence. When the stars align, and people are online at the same time instead of logging on and finding nothing to do.

I have a few suggestions that I would love some feedback on from Derrick and company, or from the rest of the community. First off:

#1.) Bring back the events, for UOSA's sake. My problem with the events were we had event loggers. People who would see these scheduled event times and log in for the events, then log off promptly afterwards. If these events did NOT have scheduled times and were started at random times, and kept on random cycles, you would see more people online, doing other things while they waited for these events to take place. The events were fucking fun, that's all there is to it.

#2.) We as a community should just have set times for PvP. On Great Lakes back in 99 - 2003, people played anytime they wanted, but they knew if they wanted those large-scale PvP battles, it was happening between 7PM - 11PM EST. Why aren't we doing this? There is no reason why we can't setup something similar to keep people logging on. If it caught on, we could even advertise different "battle grounds" each time we did it.

#3.) If it really is as simple as advertising to get people coming into this server, why aren't we using reddit to spread the word? I recently had an experience with reddit and my WoW guild which led to our website receiving over 100k unique hits and over 10k views in just under 2 days. If we actually took time to write up a well thought-out post with links/screenshots/etc, it would bring alot of traffic to the website and hopefully, alot of new players.

As someone who has recently looked at other outlets for his UO addiction, I can clearly state that this server is an absolute gem. To give up on it or take no action when it clearly needs help, would be a crime.

Post by **Budner** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:38 pm

Agree with the sentiment of the post and most of the specifics. Isn't it, finally, time to change up a few things? Inaction = death, I think we all know that.

Maybe Derrick and the crew are OK with that, and if that's the case, so be it. Nobody owes anybody anything here.

But this shard is dying, and further decline is inevitable, absent changes. Let's all admit that.

If we had a sign from the admins that they'd be open to change, we could get the ball rolling on some specifics that wouldn't unduly damage era accuracy but would help re-grow population.

If the staff isn't open to change, well then, it's been a stone groove my peeps.

Bixby Legbone · Post by **Bixby Legbone** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:38 pm

I went to vote today for UOSA following the links on this website, and the first one for Ultima Online Top 200 is a dead/broken link. Another two don't even appear to be voting sites any more either.

How about a system to turn gold into silver? I'd be much more motivated if there was a way I could farm silver.

a swallow · Post by **a swallow** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:02 pm

We dont need silver to make the shard better. We need motivated GMs. We hardly have events, most of the events are player run, it seems like the only ppl that want to help the shard are the ppl that play! And i know that events arent the only thing that makes a good shard, there are many things we can/should do.

Treysta · Post by **Treysta** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:49 am

On one hand, events would bring more people, which equates to new opportunities for me.

On the other hand, more people directly hurts my current bottom line(s).

Although I originally argued for events, I've adapted; I remain impartial.

Capitalist · Post by **Capitalist** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:02 am

Only #1 is applicable. I advertised for this server on reddit and other avenues very hard for a few months. The population increased by 10 and shortly after I stopped it went right back down. Events are desperately needed on this server.

Onslaught- · Post by **Onslaught-** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:18 am

Capitalist wrote:Only #1 is applicable. I advertised for this server on reddit and other avenues very hard for a few months. The population increased by 10 and shortly after I stopped it went right back down. Events are desperately needed on this server.

We were only successful in our task because we basically had an organized up-vote bomb ready to go once it was posted. That kept the momentum going for a bit, but like I said, it would need to be the end-all sales pitch. A well thought post with pics, videos, etc.

farnk · Post by **farnk** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:55 am

Onthlot, being 30+ years of age without a job and living at home with your mom, you should be striving for success in other facets of life. But your concern is appreciated.

Bring em back!

Onslaught- · Post by **Onslaught-** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:21 am

farnk wrote:Onthlot, being 30+ years of age without a job and living at home with your mom, you should be striving for success in other facets of life.

Onslaught- wrote:This thread is meant to be productive and I'd appreciate it if the trolling or negativity is kept a a minimum or even better, non-existent.

The class that you lack on the internet is made up by your devilish "good looks", right?

It's good to see you're as clueless on the forums as you are in-game.

Capitalist · Post by **Capitalist** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:41 am

Onslaught- wrote:
farnk wrote:Onthlot, being 30+ years of age without a job and living at home with your mom, you should be striving for success in other facets of life.

Onslaught- wrote:This thread is meant to be productive and I'd appreciate it if the trolling or negativity is kept a a minimum or even better, non-existent.
The class that you lack on the internet is made up by your devilish "good looks", right?

It's good to see you're as clueless on the forums as you are in-game.

You can't be a cunt 99% of the time and not deal with the consequences when you ask that people not be negative in a suggestion thread. It's a suggestion after all. You're not Christ.

Onslaught- · Post by **Onslaught-** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:54 am

Capitalist wrote:You can't be a cunt 99% of the time and not deal with the consequences when you ask that people not be negative in a suggestion thread. It's a suggestion after all. You're not Christ.

There are forums for that kind of stuff and it's definitely not this one.

You don't have to be Christ expect people to keep a thread (located outside of the Trash Talk forums) civil when it is meant to help and encourage the growth of a dying server.

Post by **Budner** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:59 am

a swallow wrote:We need motivated GMs.

Amen. Can the GMs weigh in on the possibility that the "era accuracy or death" stance can be softened? Or are they going to let UOSA die? Simple question.

HardCore · Post by **HardCore** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 10:49 am

Can someone put up a live twitch account on the Dock!!!! or rotate it around to different areas showing activity?

Sultan of Swing · Post by **Sultan of Swing** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 4:44 pm

have actually bumped into quite a few new players at various pvm spots and just random out there locations ( possibly because there no 'bigger boys' to chase them away), anyway I have made an effort to stop chat and help where I can and they all seem pretty content - just cause brit bank roof is quiet and the usal irc loudmouths are quiet, doesnt mean the shard is dead or needs change.

get out there and play the fucking game.

this is not directed at anybody.

this is directed at everybody.

Post by **JessieKJepsen** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:00 pm

Well, I am glad this subject is back up front in another type of flavor, so to speak.

Over the past 6 months I have been thinking of things EA did to keep people playing and interested.

One thing I see on Atlantic and on UOSA that seem to bring players online are "pixels", people love collecting pixels, such as "holiday gifts" "unique rares" and other fun items. I know when the holidays come around you see quite a few people "or you did" logging in and playing those days to collect the gifts / pixels but they also tend to stay on and play for the day or the next few days, some stay much longer. I know people will cry about cheaters with lots of accounts, and the fact is that is going to happen no matter what. The staff and players will just need to deal with those people as they find them and I would think it would be easy to find with an active staff and community supporting the staff.
The USA has lots of "observances" & "holidays" that the staff could take advantage of to bring us some neat. unique, and fun pixels to collect!

and I do not feel that would take us to far off track as holidays are expanded in our great nation. http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/ from the goals of the server seeing how they do this for the major holidays right now.

I think some kind of upgraded holiday and observance day pixel program would attract players to come back, and hopefully some new players. With proper advertising on some game blogs or other sites and resources it could help. The staff could even have some fun with it and do some silly fun items, temporary items, and so on. The list of possibility's are endless with a creative mind behind it.

I would also like to say I am all in favor of bringing back an upgraded auto events system, and as noted above a random time system would be perfect for keeping things interesting and off the cuff so to speak.

I have some other ideas I would be very happy to share with everyone and the staff, but I would love to see some others put in some constructive ideas to help us help the staff bring in some new fun and things to do!

I would also like to add a little more dialog from the staff with the players would be a huge plus for us all.

<3 UOSA!

~Jessica

UO Second Age

We need change, for the sake of the server.

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