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Post by Grayson7 on May 5, 2014 5:42:06 GMT -8
Hi, I am returning to UO after not having played since around 2004. I have basically been free shard hopping for about three weeks or so. I only found one that was really to my taste but it pretty much died. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the shards were nice as were a lot of the people and I have the utmost respect for people who take on this endeavor and provide this service at their own expenses, I just thought a lot of the shards were very overpowered (e.g. unlimited skills, every skill at gm to start, etc.). I have a few questions about this shard. I have read several posts on the forums and the home page describing the features of the share but I still have a few questions.
First of all, do I have to be a tamer to do anything (in pvm)? Seems like in a lot of these shards if you are not a tamer, you are next to useless. I know that skill gains up to 80 are fast in Arete. How are skill gains above 80 inside of Arete and the rest of the world? I think having a skill cap is a good thing. Most of these shards don't seem to have one except for a couple and all of the pvp only shards (I don't pvp). However, I want to play the game not spend forever trying to level skills. Are skill gains at higher levels faster, slower, or the same pace as EA Ultima Online? Another question is power scrolls, how readily available are they? Don't get me wrong, I don't want them handed to me but on other shards you either have to buy them from vendors, do a champion spawn, or by them through donations. Champion spawns are nearly impossible to solo without having 100+ skills (imho) and some shards don't even have a high enough population to support vendors to put powerscrolls on them. Therefore, acquiring powerscrolls can be problematic. I saw that it is possible for crafter to acquire them. How does that work? Also, what does a new player start with in his back pack? I couldn't find anything on that. Thank you.
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Post by Amairgen on May 5, 2014 8:13:46 GMT -8
Welcome back to the game. It sounds like your experiences to a large extent mirror my own. I too had a sabbatical from playing (about two years) after leaving the OSI/EA production shard of Baja. No need to list the reasons why I and others left but it was 'Free Shards' that brought me back. From 2004 until 2010 I played several 'Free Shards' and struggled with many of the points you raise.
In 2010 I dropped away from other 'Free Shards' and began scripting my own (UO Traditions). I was and am attempting to create a Shard that offers the things that attracted me to the game while preventing the things that I grew to dislike. I quickly gained appreciation for the challenges that are involved.
Being retired (in real life) I am free to spend the time and money to support and sustain this project. After three years of scripting and testing I finally opened the UO Traditions Shard to the public in December 2012.
Okay . . on to your points and a response
Q 1) I thought a lot of the shards were very overpowered (e.g. unlimited skills, every skill at gm to start, etc.).
Response - We have tried very hard to find and maintain balance in the game play and the economy. Weapons and Armor are not Uber here and the Skill Cap makes player Templates meaningful. Our skill cap was set to allow one character to do 'all' crafting. We do not believe in the 'One Player Does It All' approach. Each account gets six character slots so players can experience the fun of the varied Templates. This also supports role play.
Q 2) Do I have to be a tamer to do anything (in pvm)? Seems like in a lot of these shards if you are not a tamer, you are next to useless.
Response - I am well aware of the old Tamer versus Melee problems. We do get new people here who run immediately to the Arete Island Zoo to become Tamers and Bards. I can tell you that the damage done by Melee fighters to Monsters has been increased and the damage done by Pets to monsters has been lowered a small amount. We only have three Evo type pets but they do not achieve the highest stages used by other shards and they are very hard to obtain. Many use pets to good result but some of our best players are melee players who have picked up a few other handy skills.
Q 3) I know that skill gains up to 80 are fast on the Isle of Arete. How are skill gains above 80 on Arete and in the rest of the world?
Response - Skill gains above 80 are the same everywhere and are set to be faster than standard but not as fast as on Arete leading up to 80. Also the old 8x8 training is not required.
Q 4) I think having a skill cap is a good thing. Most of these shards don't seem to have one except for a couple and all of the pvp only shards (I don't pvp).
Response - As indicated above we do not support the 'One Player Does It All' approach. Pure PvP shards prefer a skill cap around 750 or lower. Our skill Cap of 1200 allows one character to do all crafting and does allow some fighters to have extra skills but not enough to totally excel in several fighting styles. We have have tweaked many things here to keep skill balance reasonable.
Q 5) I want to play the game not spend forever trying to level skills. Are skill gains at higher levels faster, slower, or the same pace as EA Ultima Online?
Response - I have played several OSI EA production Shards as well as several Free Shards. Like many players I have built more characters from scratch to Legendary than I care to think about.
When you enter our shard you will have the opportunity to set 10 skills to 100 or decline that and simply go with your chosen template's defaults. Other than that, skill gain here is much faster than the OSI/EA Shards.
Q 6) Another question is power scrolls, how readily available are they? Don't get me wrong, I don't want them handed to me but on other shards you either have to buy them from vendors, do a champion spawn, or by them through donations.
Response - Power Scrolls are available by doing Quests and by doing Champions. We have created well over eighty custom quests. Many have a chance to drop Power Scrolls. Crafters can get their own without needing warriors or mages to help.
The fighting scrolls drop in the King's Hunting preserve, the dungeon Boss quest and several others.
Q 7) Champion spawns are nearly impossible to solo without having 100+ skills (imho) and some shards don't even have a high enough population to support vendors to put powerscrolls on them. Therefore, acquiring powerscrolls can be problematic.
Response - The Champions can be accessed by doing a quest for Roland the paladin in Trinsic. He will then open a Gate to the Champion of your choice. The Champions are not intended to be solo activities but we have had three players do them solo.
Powerscrolls are special and should be a challenge to get. As the population grows you will see some scrolls appear on vendors. We have also seen some placed in our auction system. By the way . . we do have one NPC who sells Powerscrolls in exchange for special items obtained doing quests and hunts.
Q 8) I saw that it is possible for crafter to acquire them. How does that work?
Response - Once a crafter becomes GM in their craft they can go to the cities in Trammel looking for their Craft Guildhall. These are special custom buildings where crafters gain +5 skill while inside. This helps craft harder items with less failures and is also good to train past sticky spots.
Just outside each of the Craft Guildhalls in Trammel cities you will find a NPC Quest Giver for that craft. They will open a gate or give instructions to the GM Crafter to start the quest.
The rewards for the Crafter quests are Power Scrolls and Custom resources to make many new custom items that players seek in the game. Many other treats also drop on these quests.
Q 9) Also, what does a new player start with in his back pack?
Response - New characters enter the game inside the Mayor's office on the Island of Arete. The Mayor will give you a Red Scroll to deliver. It is part of a very short walk around/explore the island quest that leads you from the Mayor's office to the Inn and back to the bank. The reward is very handy.
After talking to the Mayor, he will teleport you to a 'Starting' room where you can pick up some nice equipment, handy items and (if you want) set 10 skills up to GM level. Other things in the character's pack will vary depending on the skills chosen during Character Creation.
Characters are created here with a Stat Cap of 300 and with all Stats pre-set to 50 each. The first character on each account will be given a 'Starter Supply Kit' with some resources to help them begin and also one Stat Ball to let them set their Stats as they like up to the Shards true Stat Cap of 325. Other Stat Balls (for other characters) drop randomly on some quests.
I hope this information helps. If more is needed - please let me know.
*bows*
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Post by Grayson7 on May 5, 2014 8:33:06 GMT -8
Thank you very much for taking the time to reply. Everything that you said is very encouraging and it was a pleasure meeting you in the game. I look forward to diving in and seeing what this shard has to offer.
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