Dariuas - Good evening and welcome
to our 21st Ultima Online Celebrity Chat. UOCC is a forum wherein we bring
to you celebrity guests from the UO community, ranging from website administrators,
OSI personnel, counselors, seers, and even roleplayers and PKs from your
own shard!
Dariuas - hey drop by to answer your
questions about UO, their experiences in it, and about their own contribution
to the community. Our system is similar to the UOHOC chats. All you have
to do is /msg a designated question taker with your question or comment.
Dariuas - However, when it is your
turn, rather then a moderator pasting your question in the chat, instead
we set +voice to you and allow you to talk with the celebrity guest yourself!
Please /msg or /query Soth, Imannoying_LSR, Neo_Orion, Sabin,with your
questions.
Dariuas - Tonights guest will be Tyrant,
Vice President of Online Services.. While we are waiting for questions
lets listen as our guest introduce himself.
OSI_Tyrant - Hi folks, I'm Gordon
Walton, otherwise known as Tyrant
OSI_Tyrant - Let's get to the questions!
OSI_Tyrant - Remember most of my answers
are "NO!" though
ImaNnoying_LSR - Of course, master.
ImaNnoying_LSR - *Vsove* What do you
think of the direction UO is taking? Did anyone ever expect it to become
this popular, or to become partly 3D? (Third Dawn)
OSI_Tyrant - I'm pretty excited that
we have been able to continue to grow UO
OSI_Tyrant - What this means is it's
easier for me to get further investment in the game
OSI_Tyrant - Which makes the game
better for everyone (over the long haul).
OSI_Tyrant - I really expect it to
be even more popular before we are done. :)
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Dariuas - *mrpickle777* Hello, I want
to ask about blade spirits and energy vortex, if they will be fixed to
go after the intended target instead of the caster - or if this is by
design, why?
OSI_Tyrant - I certainly hope so,
I hate that! I don't think they discriminate
OSI_Tyrant - and just target the smartest
person nearby. :)
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Dariuas - *LordTachyon* WHen will
rewards hit
OSI_Tyrant - When they are ready.
OSI_Tyrant - Seriously, we had them
ready and pulled them back to add some new
OSI_Tyrant - rewards based on the
player feedback. They will go in after Factions
OSI_Tyrant - once we are satisfied
with the testing.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Soth - *Xuri* Will sitting down be
handled better in Third Dawn than in current UO, graphic wise? *grins*
OSI_Tyrant - I hope so. It was an
afterthought in the beginning but it's something we need to do right.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Soth - *ImaDufus_LSR_Pac* Tyrant,
it was nice meeting you at the Fair. With all the changes coming to UO.....
Do you want to visit ImaTown some time?
OSI_Tyrant - No way! I'll never be
known in game. Can't be a player if you know who I am.
OSI_Tyrant - :)
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Neo_Orion - *Xuri* How hard would
it be to make the Third Dawn let us equip musical instruments on the paperdolls?
OSI_Tyrant - I really don't know.
But I'll make sure the team knows you want it.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Neo_Orion - *Muad`Dib_* will you ever
look at fishing?
OSI_Tyrant - Sure, we got a lot of
feedback at the Faire (and before it on the boards) on fishing.
OSI_Tyrant - It's not something we
will do in the next few weeks, but it is on the radar.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Soth - *marius-wk* I have a question:
What is being done to eliminate the server-side lag experienced during
peak hours and weekends on shard servers (GL for example)?
OSI_Tyrant - As we announced at the
Faire all of the server hardware is being upgraded
OSI_Tyrant - over the next few weeks.
That along with the continual work we do on
OSI_Tyrant - optomization should make
the experience better. More important though
OSI_Tyrant - is working on the connectivity
issues which is also something the
OSI_Tyrant - EA.com Operations group
is working on.
OSI_Tyrant - We want this as badly
as you do, believe me!
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
Soth - *Warlord_* How do you feel
factions will change UO
OSI_Tyrant - Well, we hope it will
bring more people to Felucca (we currently see at 70/30 split)
OSI_Tyrant - And revitalize PvP. We
know we have other tuning work to do on PvP.
OSI_Tyrant - It should add a significant
new dimension to consensual PvP.
OSI_Tyrant - Next Question.
Neo_Orion - *Muad`Dib_* Is the game
headed more towards combat? is anything being looked at to enhance crafting
skills
OSI_Tyrant - I think we have a very
robust crafting game and it will only get better.
OSI_Tyrant - We have some player suggestions
we will implement over the next few months.
OSI_Tyrant - Stay tuned to In Concept.
OSI_Tyrant - Next Question.
Sabin - *stealth_roleplayer* Are we
to expect getting anything for Christmas?
OSI_Tyrant - Not decided yet. Stay
tuned to In Concept.
OSI_Tyrant - Next Question.
Neo_Orion - *LordTachyon* Will PKing
EVER be accepted in the UO world? Or will OSI always try to suggest against
PKing in the world. Example Stat Loss.
OSI_Tyrant - Well, it exists now.
But it does require much more effort and risk than other professions.
OSI_Tyrant - We will always look to
balance behaviors.
OSI_Tyrant - We do want murders to
have a hard life in UO. Real murders suffered perma-death in historical
times, you know.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
ImaNnoying_LSR - *lordjim-tired* I
would like to know if you have plans already for the next UO faire or
if there will be one, if so what kind of idea's are being tossed around?
OSI_Tyrant - We are still evaluating
the feedback. I think it's safe to say we will have another.
OSI_Tyrant - Don't know when or where
yet though.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
Neo_Orion - *SC_Ab* is there any plans
of taking out long term counts, as they really serve no purpose other
than to ruin the game
OSI_Tyrant - No idea, sorry.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
ImaNnoying_LSR - *C_CJ* I have a question
if there is time: I see a lot of hatred on the UO boards between Trammel
and Felucca residents. Does this bother you? If so do you have any ideas
that might help?
OSI_Tyrant - Well, we need some conflict
to make the worlds interesting. I hope though
OSI_Tyrant - it's not really at the
level of hatred. We really want the lands
OSI_Tyrant - to allow for different
playstyles, but it seems many people believe the
OSI_Tyrant - existance of any option
hurts their choice. That is too bad.
OSI_Tyrant - We see choice as a good
thing and hope to make both facets of the game
OSI_Tyrant - interesting to the players
that like them.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Soth - *Warmagerec|DoV|* Is inflation
on your chart for fixing? if so how do you intend to fix it?
OSI_Tyrant - Absolutely on the radar.
Watch the In Concept section after Rewards go into testing.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Neo_Orion - *Agony[OES]* Hello, are
we going to be getting any more seers in the near future? I'd like quests
more often. Thanks ;)
OSI_Tyrant - We are evaluating some
changes to the Seer program, and the feedback we
OSI_Tyrant - got from the World Faire
on empowering players to do their own events.
OSI_Tyrant - There is no quick fix
for this but it's something we are very interested
OSI_Tyrant - in moving forward on
soon. (think months though)
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
OSI_Tyrant - He should try that name
in game. :)
Amber - lol
ImaNnoying_LSR - Heh.
Neo_Orion - *Muad`Dib_* will OSI ever
consider a shard based in Canada for UO or UO2?
OSI_Tyrant - We consider everything.
But we have no plans for this right now, sorry.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
Soth - *marius-wk* When can we look
forward to seeing another Test Rewards shard open, and has a decision
been made at which age level leather dye will be available?
OSI_Tyrant - Shortly on the Rewards
testing. Don't know the answer on Leather dye, sorry.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
ImaNnoying_LSR - *Venus* Do you think
UWO will take any of the players away from UO?
OSI_Tyrant - Sure, some people will
migrate. We see that with every new game and Origin will be the same.
OSI_Tyrant - They are very different
games though.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
Soth - *Penguin* When the stabling
changes come into play, will we lose any over stabled animals? Or will
it take effect on any we claim from there on out.
OSI_Tyrant - When you claim them is
my understanding.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
Neo_Orion - *C_JonSnow_Pac* Follow
up on Agony[OES]'s question about seer's: What kind of things would players
be able to do? I mean there would be 100,000,000 billion quests at one
time, what would be done to solve this?
OSI_Tyrant - We don't really know
yet. We are still getting the notes from the UO Faire
OSI_Tyrant - transcribed (they will
go up on the UO boards soon). Plus all the
OSI_Tyrant - suggestions people have
made for this over the last few years.
OSI_Tyrant - My direction is that
we need to spend more time enabling players to do their
OSI_Tyrant - own events in addition
to having Seers.
OSI_Tyrant - There is more creativity
in the audience than at OSI. :)
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
ImaNnoying_LSR - *|Calvin|* What is
the advantage to having a character wait for 40 hours before being able
to join a guild such as the theives one, I can understand the young status,
but if they have renounced it, why do they have to wait?
OSI_Tyrant - I have no idea, sorry.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
Neo_Orion - *Glacias-DeForbain* will
lumber jacking be toned down and are adding bless deeds to the game be
takin out alot of players are taking advantage of the anatomy lumber blessed
vanq axe and 80 hp hits are getting to people
OSI_Tyrant - That is a design question
I can't really answer. I do know we don't want
OSI_Tyrant - any given set of skills
to be overwhelming though.
OSI_Tyrant - The blessed weapons in
PvP seems to be a big concern. So it is being discussed internally.
OSI_Tyrant - Next qustion.
Soth - *C_JonSnow_Pac* About UO2 and
other upcoming games will there be anything headed to the Playstation
2? Also will there be a way to export your characters from UO to UO2?
or is that not going to be a possiblity?
OSI_Tyrant - I think the Origin FAQ
is clear that there is no character migration from UO.
OSI_Tyrant - The games are just too
different. We are always evaluating platforms but the PS2
OSI_Tyrant - today does not have all
the features we would need to make it a good client
OSI_Tyrant - for UO or Origin.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question.
ImaNnoying_LSR - *RuneArtisem_OES*
What do you see as the expected life span of UO?
OSI_Tyrant - When I started the job,
I thought 8-10 years easy and still think that is true.
OSI_Tyrant - Third Dawn should give
us a few more good years, particularly now that we
OSI_Tyrant - will be able to extend
the art, sound and land. :)
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
Neo_Orion - *Raphael* Question for
Tyrant: Any chance that we will ever get new housing area in a not too
distant future?
Neo_Orion - Houseing
OSI_Tyrant - There is always a chance.
OSI_Tyrant - :)
Neo_Orion - ok that was vage
OSI_Tyrant - Currently there are over
8,000 houses on every shard.
OSI_Tyrant - Put a different way there
are over 175k houses in UO with 200k+ customers
Mag - eep
OSI_Tyrant - We will certainly think
about adding more house space in the future
OSI_Tyrant - but there is no near
term plan to do so.
OSI_Tyrant - Next question
OSI_Tyrant - I'd like to close by
talking about what we are up to in the near future.
OSI_Tyrant - We are getting Factions
out to all servers, then Rewards.
OSI_Tyrant - Then the work to integrate
UO:Third Dawn into the production servers.
OSI_Tyrant - Since you will be beta
testing on your home shards (those of you that get the beta client).
OSI_Tyrant - We have all the feedback
from the UO Faire to digest, decide on and prioritize.
OSI_Tyrant - While we continue to
work on fixing a lot of the problems that the game has always had.
OSI_Tyrant - Along with the balancing
of risk/reward and PvP you often ask for.
OSI_Tyrant - And the fixing of the
economy and improvements to crafting.
OSI_Tyrant - I think we have plenty
to do overall. But the good news is we have the biggest
OSI_Tyrant - (and brightest) team
in UO history working on the game.
OSI_Tyrant - Along with a great set
of support teams around them. We are no where near perfect
OSI_Tyrant - but we keep on trying
and are getting better over time.
OSI_Tyrant - I wish we could do everything
instantly but we are working as hard as we can
OSI_Tyrant - to make your playing
experience better. And we do appreciate you patience and understanding.
OSI_Tyrant - Thanks for taking the
time to join and contribute your questions. I'll take 2 more questions.
ImaNnoying_LSR - *Epoch* Has the focus
of Ultima Online shifted from being a RPG towards being geared towards
casual players...and if not, can we expect to see some improvement from
OSI in addressing the concerns, needs, wants, and desires of the RP player?
OSI_Tyrant - I don't see that one
precludes the other I guess. UO has always supported a very
OSI_Tyrant - broad array of playstyles
among players. We want that to continue.
OSI_Tyrant - I don't know how you
can play the game an not roleplay at some level btw.
OSI_Tyrant - Again, we want to really
empower players to have more ownership and control over the world
OSI_Tyrant - and their playing experience,
and I think the roleplayers should like that.
OSI_Tyrant - Next and final question
please.
Soth - *C_JonSnow_Pac* How will we
go about getting beta clients?
OSI_Tyrant - We will announce this
in December. Watch your favorite web page (Stratics) and your email box
OSI_Tyrant - as we will be announcing
this far and wide and emailing the players also.
OSI_Tyrant - You will be able to order
it on the web for shipping and handling costs only ($4.95 in the USA).
OSI_Tyrant - And it will be patchable
to the final version, so you don't need to get the final version.
OSI_Tyrant - So that is it, thanks
folks.
Dariuas - Thank you for attending
tonight's UOCC. Remember, UOCC occurs every other Monday night at 7pm
CST. The log of tonight's chat will be posted on http://uohoc.stratics.com.
Dariuas - Please feel free to join
us here in #ultima-online at any time of the week for help in game, the
latest UO news, or just to chat. Have a nice evening.
Dariuas - Please email [email protected]
with suggestions for future guests or topics
Dariuas - Thank you all and Good Night
=)