Anatomy of a PK

**Silverfoot** · 15th November 2006, 04:10 PM

Very interesting article over at the Ultima on the Web blog. Below is the blog, click on the MMOWTF to read the original article.

Quote:

Anatomy of a PK

A very interesting bit of expository writing at MMOWTF this time around: Here we see the fine example of why Trammel and Felucca were created in the first place. I'll not clutter this blog with opinions of rebuttal or condemnation, especially since there are two admirable traits evident in this player's post: he is completely honest about why he prefers this style of play (a trip to the UO Stratics forums will not yield such displays), and he is completely correct in his commentary of what fosters it.
"Why else would a designer put a game mechanic that leaves items on your body when you die if they didn't expect players to camp it? Why else would they put guards you can kill in a safe zone if they weren't secretly hoping a big group would barge in and slaughter the civilians? ... Anyone who knows human nature shouldn't be surprised at anything that happens in an online battleground." Something I've said myself many times in the past.
I beg to differ on one point, however; the so-called 'Carebear' does not need the PK as much as the author thinks, else the exodus from Felucca would have witnessed a backwash by now, and the current environment of UO (large populations in Trammel rulesets, and 'casual' PvP in Felucca) bears this out. The opportunistic factor has been all but removed from UO, and with it, much of the opportunistic playstyle.
I can't help but feel the game has witnessed an improvement in that regard.

Post my thoughts later, the dinner bell just clanged!

**Vepl** · 15th November 2006, 07:06 PM

Whats for dinner????

Vepl

Terrance · 16th November 2006, 12:02 AM

Beef!

**Silverfoot** · 16th November 2006, 02:11 PM

Whatever the Mrs. puts on the table!

Nevaeh · 16th November 2006, 02:19 PM

"Why else would a designer put a game mechanic that leaves items on your body when you die if they didn't expect players to camp it? Why else would they put guards you can kill in a safe zone if they weren't secretly hoping a big group would barge in and slaughter the civilians? ... Anyone who knows human nature shouldn't be surprised at anything that happens in an online battleground."

wow, i totally agree........

**DiP** · 17th November 2006, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverfoot

...the dinner bell just clanged!

That's the Taco Bell that everyone heard.

Ziggy Stardust · 17th November 2006, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevaeh

"Why else would a designer put a game mechanic that leaves items on your body when you die if they didn't expect players to camp it? Why else would they put guards you can kill in a safe zone if they weren't secretly hoping a big group would barge in and slaughter the civilians? ... Anyone who knows human nature shouldn't be surprised at anything that happens in an online battleground."

wow, i totally agree........

Anyone from the early days would know that they (Richard nor the then design team) did not do such for the purpose of pking other players, but for the risk in having monsters loot the corpse, for friends to retrieve the fallen characters belongings while the ghost searched for a elusive wandering healer or made their way to a shrine as the instant rezz wasnt envisioned at that time.

The pk issue was in beta, Richard and the team wrongly believed that when players moved to live servers that the action would cease yet it didnt, the game went live well before the consensual only pvp systems were ready. If one were to actually pay attention to all the changes made to hinder pking one would see that it was not a desired action. Richard and several others made their dislike for such actions well known at the time. But money is money and for what ever reason EA dictated that non consensual was to stay...

Nevaeh · 17th November 2006, 06:56 AM

hogwash, if they didnt want people to pvp/pk they would have came up with tremmel style of play.... but then again, as you said, money is money.... there for tremmel was born. where people still have the risk of having monsters loot their corpse! but then they one "uped" it, and let people insure their things. do you honestly think thats the way richard wanted uo to be/become?!?!

15th November 2006, 07:06 PM	#2
Vepl Forum Legend Join Date: Oct 2006 Shard: Lake Superior Posts: 3,641 Gold: 571 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Anatomy of a PK Whats for dinner???? Vepl

16th November 2006, 12:02 AM	#3
Terrance Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Shard: Napa Valley Posts: 514 Gold: 112 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Anatomy of a PK Beef!

16th November 2006, 02:11 PM	#4
Silverfoot Mith'quessir Join Date: Mar 2005 Shard: Chesepeake Posts: 2,287 Gold: 10,915 My Mood: Blog Entries: 7 Thanks: 173 Thanked 139 Times in 81 Posts	Re: Anatomy of a PK Whatever the Mrs. puts on the table! "Careful what you wish for, You just might get it all.... And then some you don't want"

16th November 2006, 02:19 PM	#5
Nevaeh &quot;Musical Courtesan/Sea Wench&quot; Join Date: Jun 2006 Shard: Catskills Posts: 971 Gold: 712 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Anatomy of a PK "Why else would a designer put a game mechanic that leaves items on your body when you die if they didn't expect players to camp it? Why else would they put guards you can kill in a safe zone if they weren't secretly hoping a big group would barge in and slaughter the civilians? ... Anyone who knows human nature shouldn't be surprised at anything that happens in an online battleground." wow, i totally agree........ One Nation.....Under Snugs!!

17th November 2006, 06:56 AM	#8
Nevaeh &quot;Musical Courtesan/Sea Wench&quot; Join Date: Jun 2006 Shard: Catskills Posts: 971 Gold: 712 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Anatomy of a PK hogwash, if they didnt want people to pvp/pk they would have came up with tremmel style of play.... but then again, as you said, money is money.... there for tremmel was born. where people still have the risk of having monsters loot their corpse! but then they one "uped" it, and let people insure their things. do you honestly think thats the way richard wanted uo to be/become?!?! One Nation.....Under Snugs!!

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