A Note on Era Accuracy

[chumbucket]

This has, if I am correct in my understanding, almost all be said by staff before, but I thought I'd say it again.

It seems to me, based on recent discussion of LOS and housing issues, that a lot of players don't understand what era accuracy means for the purposes of this shard. This is my understanding: The shard aims to duplicate the functioning of the code from a target date range in 1999. It does not aim to target the exact gameplay experience of that date range. This means that, given changes in technology and knowledge, the experience now will not be the exact experience you had during the target date range.

Nor is mechanical accuracy the same as policy accuracy. A free shard staffed by a handful of people have different interests and capabilities than a set of shards ran by an army of programmers and GMs paid by a large gaming company. Policies, e.g., macroing policy, will differ even if the functioning of the code becomes completely era accurate.

If you want to imagine what the shard is aiming for imagine that OSI kept the code as it was in 1999, adopted whatever policies staff here has adopted, and then let it run forever. The take-home lesson then is that is no sufficient basis for complaint among the shard's players when the shard aims for exactly what staff says it aims for. Will that always make gameplay as you want it? No. Will that always make gameplay as it was during the target date range? No. Neither of those are the goal, and so you shouldn't expect them.

Another thing, the next-to-last refuge of the complainer is the claim that so-and-so mechanic, policy, etc., doesn't perfectly conform to the above so neither should this or that mechanic policy. HYPOCRISY! OMG! Now, I don't know if the shard perfectly lives up to its own guidelines or not, but there is no ground for complaint regardless. If you think there is an inconsistency, politely point it out and move on. Running a free shard takes time and doesn't necessarily come out exactly as intended. Though, for my part, it all seems OK on that front.

And, finally, complaints that the aims of the shard are foolish, etc., and should instead be the aims you personally prefer. Well, make your own shard or politely ask staff to reconsider. They aren't your computers, webpages, IRC channels, customized downloads, and server space. Let the people who put time, money, and work into these things do what they want with them.

The shard has been running strong for nearly five years. If you're here complaining, it is almost certainly because you have been around for YEARS enjoying the shard. Please be polite and say thanks. If you want to impugn someone's character, make it Lelouche. That guy is a douche.

Your pal,
chum

[HardCore]

So what you are saying is since the LoS issue with keeps/towers/castles (MS, CL, ExPot) never happened on OSI T2A years ago that it will be fixed to replicate that on our shard? Sweet! That's why I love this place!

Let's be honest, the real reason it isn't going to be fixed is because nobody knows how to do it.

[DarkWing]

So what you are saying is since the LoS issue with keeps/towers/castles (MS, CL, ExPot) never happened on OSI T2A years ago that it will be fixed to replicate that on our shard? Sweet! That's why I love this place!

Let's be honest, the real reason it isn't going to be fixed is because nobody knows how to do it.

so you make it illegal to use the exploit!

[HardCore]

I'm no rocket surgeon here, but I guarandamntee that something has changed over the years that allowed this mechanic to happen. No way we just figured it out after billions of hours of playing the same game for 10 years. Bottom line, it didn't happen in the original T2A and shouldn't happen here.

Don't get me wrong, I love that we can do this (even with the retards trying to kill me in my castle). Once I figure out how to do it flawlessly, all I'm going to do is kill people in their pretty little houses. All day, everyday.

Still paying 100k to someone who can show me how to do this! I can do it in castles, keeps are a little trickier for me.

[Faust]

Let's be honest, the real reason it isn't going to be fixed is because nobody knows how to do it.

> >

[eXcebo]

mechanical accuracy means gold duping. Instead of just banning anyone duping, the mechanic was fixed.
BECAUSE IT RUINED WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT THIS GAME TO BE.

again.

BECAUSE IT RUINED WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT THIS GAME TO BE.

when duping was fixed derrick made a decision that was not a 100% mechanical accuracy, but also about playability and community. what I don't understand is why this is any different. maybe I'm just wrong and crazy... but that's how it seems to me

[Faust]

Derrick has stated mechanical accuracy is the basis of the shard but that does not include game breaking exploits. He deems what is considered game breaking and duping fell under that category.

Please explain to us why the LOS exploit should be considered game breaking?

The LOS exploit only effects those that own a tower, keep, or castle. Duping items such as gold effects the entire community down to each and every single player. The LOS exploit can be avoided only if you are not macroing afk, and macroing afk is still viable in other homes. Gold duping can not be countered under any circumstances.

[Blaise]

Gold duping can not be countered under any circumstances.

AFK crafting and sales to NPCs.

Might as well have a gold machine that drops castle deeds on every player when they chant the mantra "CAN HAZ GLD PLZ"

[HardCore]

"The LOS exploit only effects those that own a tower, keep, or castle."

So if it were ALL house types it would be a "game breaking" issue? 1 type or all, same issue IMO.

What about the EV thing in bricks? does that work?
What about getting on boats that have planks locked and blocking the recall spot and sailing them away?

Amazing all these new and fun things JUST now came into existance. Oh wait, they were there 13 years ago everyone was just to dumb to figure it out.

[Faust]

The EV trick is an inaccurate exploit that will definitely be fixed eventually based on my understanding. Summoning Bladespirits and Energy Vortices by targeting inside a house was not possible.

I don't decide what is game breaking on this shard and that was my personal view on the subject matter. Game breaking is something that should be something that ruins the shard in general. Duping gold would absolutely ruin the shard and there is no questioning that notion. However, being able to kill a character macroing afk in a tower, keep, or castle only is definitely not even remotely close to being something that would ruin the shard in general.

[Captain Awesome]

It COULD devalue high-end real estate which could have unforeseen effects on the economy. Guess we'll find out.

[Daemonne]

Just piping in my 2c.

I feel (if it matters as I'm still pretty new here) that if a mechanic lasted for 3/4 or more of the Era's runtime back then, then no matter what it is (exception, completely game breaking, I don't agree that castle killing is gamebreaking as anyone who is not afk can easily deal with the situation) it should stay.

Any mechanic that lasted only 1/4 or less should be thouroughly vetted, reviewed and discussed as to whether or not it was a bug that resulted from end of Era patches that were left alone and fixed during the UO:R release instead, as it didn't merit time or money to fix prior.

Yes Mechanics that were usable during T2A were mechanics that were usable, but that doesn't mean it was intended and would not have been patched if UO:R wasn;t being released soon.

I think in each case, if a date of origin can be found that this should be taken in consideration as to whether or not a mechanic should be allowed to stand.
If a bug happened during the last patch prior to UO:R but was fix'd/removed upon the release of UO:R is that bug still Era Accurate considering the intent of OSI, having removed it?

This is not just for "castle killing" but an observation I made from reading all debates on it.

[Faust]

New Player,

This shard uses a static target date of November '99 for game mechanics. In other words if it existed during this date that is what will be in use on the shard. Game mechanics that were patched out/in - before/after the date will not exist.

[Daemonne]

New Player,

This shard uses a static target date of November '99 for game mechanics. In other words if it existed during this date that is what will be in use on the shard. Game mechanics that were patched out/in - before/after the date will not exist.

Ahh good to know

[Mikel123]

Oh how quickly Chum's original point has been lost in discussion!

My .02 as a guy most of you don't know, because I haven't logged into UOSA since the 80's:

Derrick has stated mechanical accuracy is the basis of the shard but that does not include game breaking exploits. He deems what is considered game breaking and duping fell under that category.

This statement is correct, and I literally cannot think of one single person/username/etc. I've ever encountered online who would be better at doing this from a neutral standpoint.

The EV trick is an inaccurate exploit that will definitely be fixed eventually based on my understanding. Summoning Bladespirits and Energy Vortices by targeting inside a house was not possible.

I don't decide what is game breaking on this shard and that was my personal view on the subject matter. Game breaking is something that should be something that ruins the shard in general. Duping gold would absolutely ruin the shard and there is no questioning that notion. However, being able to kill a character macroing afk in a tower, keep, or castle only is definitely not even remotely close to being something that would ruin the shard in general.

This is my understanding (and viewpoint) as well. And if I was a betting man, I'd bet that this is what happens: the summons-in-a-house gets fixed, and the target-under-a-house does not. Duping is completely unrelated to the kill-in-house technique being used. Duping would fundamentally change the in-game experience of every player, immediately. Anyone who farms monsters, buys or sells items, tries to train a skill, joins the shard, etc., would suffer from it. The house-killing thing impacts certain people who try to do certain things... and there are ways to still accomplish ALL of these things safely (training, macroing counts, etc) in the houses Kaivan mentioned that are not impacted by this technique.

If you're really clever, you can still be safe in your keep as well... just have a bunch of dragons in your vicinity while you're AFK. Since MS damage is spread across everyone, you should be able to figure out how many other NPC's (or PC's) it takes such that your natural regeneration rate (hint: be stuffed full of food!) and that of your pets is greater than the rate that someone can meditate and continuously Meteor Swarm you to death. I'm pretty sure it's doable to live through as many as 3 attackers at once.