This statement was made by Richard Vogel on 4th September 1998-

"Hi there, I just wanted to tell you that we are definately going to putting shards in the UK. We are currently shipping the equipment over to the UK right now and we hope to get this installed this month. We don't have a firm date yet for when they will go live but I will let you know the date as we get closer to completing our installation of the new shards.
Richard Vogel."

That was the first indication from OSI that the European servers were indeed coming. Members of ClanUK started a petition for the new servers way back last year some time. OSI said they would need at least 1000 names before they would consider anything. ClanUK produced 6000 and so OSI had to do something.

RV then said this on the 9th of October-

"We have finished installing the European servers and are letting them burn in for a couple of weeks before we open them for testing. I will let you know before we open the servers up. We are very excited about the servers in Europe and we are now working on providing GM/Counselor/Seer support for those servers. These GMs will not be localized. English will be their native language."

Then RV made this announcement on the 15th-

Beginning today, the European Worlds, Europa and Drachenfels enter testing. We will be bringing the servers up for a limited time and we need your help! We really want to stress test these worlds, so please log on the shards with your friends and have a good time! These worlds are not permanent, and will only be live for a couple of days, then the servers will go down and will be completely wiped of all characters, etc. Anything you do during this testing mode will not be reflected when the worlds go live. If you have connection problems, please run a traceroute and send the results to us at [email protected].

UOTrace is available for download on http://www.owo.com

We will have limited game master support available. The hours will be 4:00 pm to 2:00 am (CST)

Rich Vogel
Producer
Ultima Online

After more than a year of UO being in existence, RV said this-

Okay..I have some good news for you. We have decided to open Europa on Friday at 12 noon CST. We have seen enough demand on Dragenfels to justify opening another shard. I just wanted to make it clear that we were always planning on opening Europa. We will post schedule downtimes and GM hours soon. Currently, we are planning on providing GM support from 4:00pm to 2:00am GMT (UK). The servers will go down for maintenance every morning around 11:00 am GMT (UK).

Rich Vogel
Producer
Ultima Online

According to OSI, European servers were supposed to be introduced at the start of 1998, although we all know it wasn't until the end of 1997 that they actually showed up. It meant the end of lag-deaths and horrible slow-down near banks for European players, and I for one thought it was about time too! It wasnt exactly fun waiting for the servers to get up on there feet though. Probably being a victim of bad timing, Europa got going as COLT and The London Internet Exchange decided to upgrade their systems. This basically meant no late night playing as the lag could become horrendous and many people couldn't connect at all.

I suppose I'm complaining at bit too much there. Thank god we actually got the servers as some areas still don't have any and Europa and Drachenfels are probably the two most culturally unique servers with so many languages on them, as I find it hard to beleive one would see a German-speaking (just an example, as well as French and other things) person on American servers as for them too many people spoke English. The idea of having built in translation from one languages was partly brought about as OSI realised that the likes of Europa needed it, while it wasn't really neccessary on other servers (with the exception of the Asian shards).

There is also a very strong community feel on Europa. The likes of Deepwater are brilliant places to be if you just want a chat and after playing on Atlantic for 4 months, I had never seen anything like it. When I was on any US server, I always noticed a large pile of bodies building up outside the bank, but on Europa that rarely happens. I'm not saying Americans are violent, but over crowded areas quickly turn nasty and when the European servers opened, people on both sides of the Atlantic finally got some breathing space. I remember thinking how cool this new server was, as every piece of the countryside was clear of houses and it just felt good to be running around a "fresh" server.

And then we got where we are today. I for one am proud to play a role (even if it isn't very important) in the Europa community, and I'm sure the people who run player towns or manage influential guilds, are proud also.

- Damarr

The statement above pretty much sums up ClanUK members. Although I could be called biased as I am a member, before I joined and only knew of the guild slightly, I knew it was safe to ask them to hold something for me. In a way, this is probably because of the clan's strict rules and regulations which involve not disgracing the ClanUK name, but it is just as well as the other members of ClanUK are much more friendly and pleasent than I thought they would be. If anyone feels the same way, but wants to join, just ask someone and get to know the members as the ones I know are a pleasure to talk to. I had my own ideas about the members even before I met them and long ago I saw the Clan name somewhee and thought I would never go anywhere near it as being an Irish person in the North of Ireland, I'm wasn't too fond of the British. I was indeed proven wrong by the members of the Clan, and indeed the many British players out there who I communicate with on a regular basis. If anyone else has any worries similair to my old ones about joining, you soon find out they are a very enjoyable group of people to be with.

ClanUK was formed sometime around June 1997, but only played Diablo, and since has grown to have a very large number of members. The Clan, of course, was playing other things until October when UO went live and the guild started up on Chesepeake. Due to the lag that European players had to deal with, a large protest was organised, where Chesepeake was completetly blocked by the protestors. This was run the guild itself, with the help of a few other large guilds, and some 400 people marched about the streets of Britain demanding a European server. I posted a feature on Europa's history a week ago so read it for more info. The entire UO playing portion of the guild would be 75 approx, out of the some 150 members of the entire Clan. This collection of members are a very pleasent collection of people, which isn't normally the case when guild's numbers get so high. These players all came together on Europa as soon as it went live and formed a Clan village. The village consists of the guild tower (with a tavern upstairs) and a guild shop, along with a few player owned homes. Before Europa, the guild existed on Catskills also. There was about 20-30 members on Cats and some 60 on Chese. The guild finally became one when Europa went live. The UO part of the Clan is divided into four different baronies (groups), all of whom do their on things. For anyone who is interested the four baronies are: Kindred Souls, Blades Of Fate, BlackWatch, and the Knights of Darkmoor.

Unlike most guilds, getting into the Clan is no easy task. Each member undergoes a 2 month trial period and at the end are sponsored by other members so they can finally get in. I don't want to go into guild policy to much here, so I will direct interested readers towards the Clan homepage. The webpage itself is very well organized with plenty of BBS boards for the players to communicate on, as well as a section for each game the Clan members play. Anyone can take up a position of an Op or webauthor in the Clan (after voting of course). The voting system ensures that everyone has a chance to have their voice heard and no-ones opinions are ignored or supressed. Full members of the guild receive a program called CDMS, although I'm not sure what it does as I am not a full member yet. The lnog trial period keeps troublesome players out of the Clan, so things like cheating rarely (if ever) happen in the Clan.

If there are any players out there who are looking for a guild which is against PKing and cheats, I suggest you check out www.clanuk.com for more info.

- Damarr

As with many other noble guilds on Europa, the above statement is basically what the EKC is all about. The knights protect eachother from harm and stop all forms of evil that may descend uopn Cathair Suathain (The EKC's town). I myself have been there before and it really is a nice town. While hardly as big as the likes of Deepwater, it is large enough for its members needs. The guild is mainly a ropleplaying group with many events like dungeon crawls and other "mini-quests" within the guild. As you can probably guess from the guild's name, they are an order of knights, and like all knights, they are ruled over by a monarchy. The rulers of the EKC are King Talysman ad Queen Rosamar, just incase your interested. Most organisations operate by a democratic system, so its good to see something different ever now and again. The guild's creed makes sure that all of her members act honurably and help those in need, like the anceint kinghts of Europe. People tarnishing the guilds good name are dealt with accordingly as would expect that when a guild reaches high numbers, strict discipline is required.

As with most of the good guilds, people have to undergo a trialing process, so not anyone off the street can get in. This kind of thing ensures the people in the guild are serious about joining and keeps players who enjoy ruining things for others out of the guild. A group of players set it up on one of the American servers on 12th of June 1998 and has since moved to Europa, where it is currently the shards biggest guild. Many people seek membership and first must become an aspirant and only after a trialing process, do they receive their title as an Knight. Over 100 people are in the guild, 49 of whom are veteran members. This puts the EKC at the top of the guild rankings in numbers, although not war as war with other guilds is exactly what the EKC is trying to avoid as part of being a knight is upholding justice and defending those who need help. One of the aims of the members is to show everyone that the guild is worthy of respect and honour. The members of the EKC are both friendly and polite to strangers who come their way. I received a warm welcome when I last visited and I'm sure others will too. There are many buildings in the town and most people can find something of interest to them.

If anyone has become interested in the EKC after reading this, I strongly recommend you visit the EKC homepage for more info on the guild. If you just can't wait to meet some of the guilds members, turn on IRC and connect to the server liii.fef.net and go to channel #ekoc to speak to some of the members. The website is filled with useful info on the guild and how to be a proper knight so I suggest you check it out! Also, I beleive a rune to their city, Cathair Suathain, is available at the Deepwater Embassy. Once again, I urge anyone who happens to be near the EKC town to drop in for a chat with the "locals".

- Damarr

Part 1-Deepwater founded by the sea

"Hear ye, hear ye!
A settlement shall spring forth on the fair land of Sosaria. Let all the good people of the land come together in this noble endeavor. We shall create a town where the virtues shine and freedom reigns. Where warriors hone their skills, craftsmen ply their wares, and the ale doth flow! There shall be music, companionship, and gold to be made! Let the call go forth that the people have joined together in the struggle against the darker masses of the land - and Deepwater shall be their home!"

Hail good citizens of Sosaria! Here I have put together an in-depth report on Deepwater, a town east of Yew and south of the Justice Shrine. With 193 registered citizens (of which I am proud to be one) and a fully elected government, it is one of Europa's most successful player-towns. I hope that you enjoy reading my report and I would appreciate any feedback on it.

The town of Deepwater has become more of a success than anyone ever imagined. From the day it's first building was built (a smithy on the 19th of November 1998) until now, where there are currently 39 buildings and new ones popping up all the time. The Owl's Eye, Deepwater's town hall and tavern, is far more atmospheric than any of the inns in Lord British's cities. Even the king himself once visited this fair town, showing even OSI's interest in it. From it's original form as a small hamlet, it has been transformed into a large town where players can talk in a friendly atmosphere.

The town now has many merchants, most of who probably came to Deepwater to escape from the violence and unfriendly atmosphere of the big cities. 'Tis true that I now stay in Deepwater on an almost permanent basis as the towns and cities of Lord British are nothing more than gathering points for murderers and thieves. Its people come from all walks of life and all contribute to the wonderful atmosphere the town has developed. Anyone can drop into the Owl's Eye Tavern for something to eat or drink as the kind people often give food to weary travellers or maybe you would just like someone to talk to. On the many occasions I have visited Deepwater the citizens have always been very friendly towards me and anyone else who happened to be visiting.

I remember thinking how impressed I was when I first stumbled upon it. I was fleeing from an ettin when I came across some buildings. I came to a large two-storey tavern and decided to take refuge inside from the monsters that were pursuing me across the countryside. I feared the worst when I entered and the sight of drunk pirates was there to greet me. I was afraid they might have been Pkers waiting for the lone traveller like myself to stumble upon the tavern. One of them stood up and came over to me. I was expecting to be attacked but instead I was handed a bottle of ale and invited to have a seat at the table with the rest of the locals. My first experience of a player-town was very pleasant and after watching a duel between two of the pirates I made off into the wilderness to continue my exploration of Sosaria. Unfortunately for me, I expected the same hospitality in a different settlement, but I was soon on the receiving of a war axe of a PKer.

After much searching for a place to settle down, I decided upon Deepwater as the rest of the towns I visited were plagued by murderers (although I didn't get a chance to visit Cape Silivren, I hear it's very good). After exploring Deepwater thoroughly I took up a permanent residence there (actually, living in the tavern). The monthly events held by the good people of Deepwater (the 28th of each month) are always a huge success and I love taking part in them. After parting with 1500gp of my hard-earned cash in the "Majick Raffle" I was pleased to win 3 magical items, all worth substantially more than the money I had parted with to enter.

I think the quote that I included at the top sums Deepwater up in a nutshell. It is a gathering place for good and honest people who have no need to fear people who have gone down the evil path of life. Deepwater has become a town with it's own laws and an armed force to protect it's citizens. It has spawned many quests and an intricate storyline with several characters.

Part 2- Quests and Stories

Deepwater makes use of the wide variety of structures and player-towns that are present in Sosaria. Other towns (such as Cape Silvern and the current orc storyline) take part in these stories, as well as Seer support (as you can tell from the picture of my report New Seer Quest in Deepwater. That particular incident hinted that an orc attack was going to occur at Cape Silvern soon, although I don't know what happened next. A collection of players dressed to look like Orc's took control of the orc fort near Cove and held a Deepwater citizen there who had to be rescued. There are more than enough spontaneous events to ensure there is something to do most of the time.

The people who organise the quests/events in Deepwater certainly know what they're doing. I took part in two of the more recent happenings (The hunt for Palmer Eldritch and then his trial). The former quest was particularly well organized and the clues were very tough too crack, but not hard enough to make people give up. I myself worked out the last 2 clues but my lack of mandrake root to recall with ensured that Fen the pirate beat me to the Cat's Lair which resulted in no 10k for me. The trial the following day was also a good example of organisation as there was no disorderly shouting or mucking about (something I have witnessed in other events). Congratulations to whoever won that day, the piece of evidence to prove Palmer's innocence was not easily found.

One of the things Deepwater triumphs at is event days for all. I have attended 2 large scale events (on the 28th of January and Febuary) and they were both brilliant. The citizens of Deepwater were a great help to anyone unfamiliar with the town and free food was given out to everyone present on the 1st event I attended. Fortunately for the likes of me whose wallet never weighs very much, the events were free to enter and I saw a few newbies walk away with bags full of magical armor and weapons. "Begineer's luck" it would seem. Hmph!

I couldn't describe the full of extent of the quests which occur in Deepwater. There is just too much to say about and thankfully a good few pages have been devoted to this topic on the Deepwater Homepage.

Part 3- "A People's Town"

One of the things which have made Deepwater such a success is it's use of a goverment and a fair voting system for all major decisions. The mayor, ambassador, etc, all have to win their place in an election, which makes Deepwater a real "peoples town". What I mean by that is that the people make all the decisions, so no one person can serioulsy alter whats happening in the town. As I see it, the people built Deepwater and only they can destroy it.

As far as the people go, they are well and truly the heart and soul of the town. Players set up shops with many wonderful items, the more intellectual type write books for the town hall and the warriors among them raid dungeons and give some of their winnings to the town so it can further develop. Developing is one of the things Deepwater excels at. New shops and buildings spring up all the time and it gives me great pleasure to announce (after much discussion with the Deepwater Ambassador) that soon (and with any luck) a UO Stratics centre will be setup as part of a joint counsellor hall / UO Stratics Centre as well as an embassy. I'll give you more news once it's confirmed that it will happen (as right now, there's no-where to put it :( ). Getting back to the here and now, Deepwater is a thrving community with some 190+ citizens and a fully elected goverment. I'm not sure why it happens, maybe it's because of the brilliant atmosphere the town produces, but there is very little (if any) crime. There isn't any real police force in Deepwater (with the exception of the Deepwater Guards, but they only take part in role-playing), so it is a mystery why festival days remain trouble free even though there would be no-one to stop the criminals.

The sheer lack of crime is a testament to how peaceful Deepwater is. I have been to events on other shards and they quickly turned into bloodfests where people were being attacked without any hesitation. The most horrible example of this I have ever witnessed was on Baja when the organisers themselves turned on the people by blocking exits to rooms and slaughtering them. I find it very strange that the towns of Lord British are troublesome areas where the guards respond with execution, which in my view is a bit harsh. Why can't guards just take say 500gp from your bank if you steal or attack someone? Very strange how guarded cities are the ones most plaqued with crime.

Deepwater has developed its own society, with a libary, town hall and a large population. Whenever people ask can I gate them somewhere, most of the time these adventurers want to go to Deepwater as it is located far out into the wilderness and there are normally monsters to kill near by, which makes the town ideal for those who make a living out of monsters. Deepwater indeed suits all type of players, from the lumberjack to the pirates who can be found regularly at Deepwater.

Somehow I get the feeling that when Dardan Brook started Deepwater almost 5 months ago, he probably didn't think it was going to turn into the phenomenal success that it is today. The original idea was to create a new and peaceful settlement for players away from the violence of the towns, and it certainly has succeded in doing so.

That pretty much wraps this report up. If there are any drastic changes to Deepwater it may warrant a Spotlight on: Deepwater Part 4, but until that time I think I'll leave it at this. If any readers have become even slightly intrested in this phenomenal town, I strongly suggest you go to http://here.at/deepwater for more information.

- Damarr