Posted on UO Stratics

Player: Could everyone who's stated they're leaving/quitting please post screenies of your house locations... just makes it easier on the feet if the rest of us don't have to wander aimlessly looking for the "exodus" of IDOC's and getting your stuff.

CatHat: ROFL -

I'll pipe in too and add to the chorus of " CAN I HAVE YOUR STUFF ! "

Player:If proficiencies do go in, I see a huge hit to the playerbase which equals a huge hit to UO revenues which could mean that you and the other devs/employees will have to find a job at a real company.

Sound fun ?

CatHat: "get a job at a real company" - lol - Well, i guess that means i can't have your stuff...

Proficenties is hardly an Apocalyptic change guys. Its basically a bit of caps on things with a few exceptions you get to balance for your template. I think if they axed insurance or something that would be a far bigger change to the game.

Hey - who knows - maybe with stuff like this going on they'll finally look at making a Pre-Ren shard or something for simplicity sake. *shrugs* Crazier things have happened.

Player: Do you actually speak for EA in anything other than your capacity as an artist?

Are your remarks to be taken seriously as being vetted by EA?

"Proficenties is hardly an Apocalyptic change guys. Its basically a bit of caps on things with a few exceptions you get to balance for your template. I think if they axed insurance or something that would be a far bigger change to the game."

If so, then this statement that proficiencies is "a bit of caps on things" is EA's position?

And, your remarks on removing insurance and a pre-ren shard are to be taken seriously?

As serious as your request to "have our stuff" if we quit?

CatHat: *claps paws together, "hmm hmm - Real questions - Cool.."

- Do you actually speak for EA in anything other than your capacity as an artist?

Yes of course - we wear many hats here and I'm much more than say contractors who are just pixel monkies - i'm part of the DEV team for UO - i take part in discussions, planning and take part in the creation of many things. I play UO and really care about UO - get mad if things go out wrong. Obviously i can't be in all meetings on all things - so naturally other peoples projects I won't know all. Still I try to stay on top of things - but the only people who should be on top of everything are the leads and producers who spend less time in busy in the trenches than i do.

-- Are your remarks to be taken seriously as being vetted by EA?

Now that would depend on which remarks your hitting on wouldn't it? As policy the Dev team staff does acknoledge that we represent EA in all things - here and in live events. We're not right all the time but we try to be as accurate and fair as possible. Also as a team we don't make annoucments (leaks) on SUPER huge matters deferring those releases to our producers, marketing and some leads who's baby it might be.

-- This statement that proficiencies is "a bit of caps on things" is EA's position?

Its certainly the majority of the UO Dev team's position on this topic. We don't see it as some Apocalypic Major thing - "DOOM DOOM DOOM", like some folks seem to go on about way before they've ever tired it - We're trying to make it so people can't be super crazy with too many uber items in conjunction with overpowered skills. Make folks have to specialize a bit more and allow them flexibility. Trying to take the edge off of thigs. A kick butt item will still be a highly sought after thing even after that publish.

-- And, your remarks on removing insurance and a pre-ren shard are to be taken seriously?

I didn't Say anything about us Actually Removing insurance - if you'll note I pointed out that caps with proficency flexibility is no where as Major as say - an act like pulling insurance would be. - Insurance being a whole different issue - probably a lot bigger impact wouldn't you agree? Folks cry about UBER suit being less devestating - image what would happen if someone could take it away from them. Eeek.. Something for the real gambling Man/Woman. Though now that you mention it - i will say I think insurance is a large part of many problems. Something that needs a good hard look at.

Pre- Ren - I don't think we have any plans for it or against it at the moment. Among the Dev folk there is a lot of differences of opinion on this. Could i see it happening? Not today or this year problably not. But these days i'm on the part of the team that sure would LIKE to see it happen when we finish up with all major issues with UO - after all - what's a Pre-Ren shard going to do - boost/ maintain our player count. Again, a whole debate onto itself. As Darkscribe is fond of saying - 'its all on the table.' I know there's a whole mass of folk who'd like to play there after all.

---As serious as your request to "have our stuff" if we quit?

I Maintain a small cottage with stuff i collect to frequently distribute to Noobs and "Young" Status folk when i get to talking to them. I remember older Vets would give a few decent items when i was new - and what a big boost that was. Given any opportunity, I try to keep the cycle going ya know. Thought to be honest i accumulate a lot more in my day to day adventures than i'm able to give away. Most Youngs can't hold or use that much anyway - heh.

Thanks for taking the time for a real question and not a poinless question like "are you gusy going to stop smoking so many goof balls" As much fun as the 'whine and cheese' posts are, not to mention healty for venting -heh - Its good to have solid straight forward qestions too.

Player: Heh.

The reasons I asked the questions I asked are simple. If you are posting as a developer, different rules apply to making responses to you.

If you were just posting as yourself, and trolled the thread with remarks such as "can I have your stuff," I might take umbrage and attempt to make clear to you that the proposal, as presented, causes MANY people to have LEGITIMATE concerns about the future viability of their playstyle, and, accordingly, their desire to continue paying EA for a game which no longer would be "enjoyable" to them. And, ask you to kindly keep your trolls to yourself.

But, if you are responding as a developer, then one can't say such things, can one? It might result in a warning or a ban.

I asked about your status, also, because you have been all over the board, posting MUCH more than any other developer, including Wilki, throwing out a BUNCH of notions in a whole host of threads, notions which have been discounted in the past by developers, or have not been addressed by developers, and, accordingly, I hoped for some clarification as to your ROLE in your posts....whether they are simply your opinion...or whether they have been "vetted" by the people who develop the game.

Finally, I questioned the notion of "wait until it's on test" mentality, simply because it is illogical in the extreme. On the one hand, it posits that we can't tell if something is "bad" before it gets on test, while, on the other hand, assumes that it can be "good" before it gets on test.

A MORE illogical conclusion I really can't fathom.

At this point, proficiencies is just an "idea." As such, it can be evaluated AS an "idea." Some ideas are good. Some are bad.

We KNOW that some decisions by developers are good, and we KNOW that some decisions by developers are bad. Is there some reason that THIS idea is excluded from this paradigm?

Of course not. So, please, when we're asked to evaluate an idea as an idea, don't offer, as a defense of the idea, that we can't know if it's any good until it becomes a reality? It is intellectually dishonest, isn't it?

CatHat: Eh - folks can pretty much reply to me any way they want so long as they don't go too overboard in their colorful metaphors or derail topics too much. Its important to have fun on the boards and be able to vent too - so long as they stay either productive on the topics, stay generally informative or community building. Yeah i'm a Dev member but i also speak my mind. I'm not afraid to discuss topics with folks or shoot the moon about ideas we might encorporate some day.

The only time i've see those gold key locks come down from stratics is when folks are scuttling thier own message boards with "whine whine, doom doom - Devs are idoits I hate EA" crap or "gooch" Junk that pretty much takes away from the intellectual credibiltiy of the boards. I'm here so much on the boards as a Dev because I respect the player base and communtity players have developed too much..

While a lot of Players are rightfully concerned about things. in my case, its my full time job to see that UO goes forward in the best way possible Actually time wise its about two full time jobs with most of my waking hours dedicated to it. Scarey huh?

We're community is asked to evaluate an idea as an idea, I think they need to know that the "IDEA" concept is one thing. Not to get too carried away about it. Thinking about a thing and actually living with it are two separate things. Like some folks have pointed out its often like food - saying you hate it right off is sadly common. Though - yeah - that could be correct in many cases - i wouldn't want to eat Dead raw Skunk roadkill suprise either as an example no matter how much its debated. But i hardly think this tweak falls into that category. I"m sure some folks disagree - but hey - i guess thats the beauty of the boards.

instead of folks saying "If this plan goes through i'm going to quit!", like they're holidng their subscription hostage -I know some people are convinced their outburst will change thing but it doesn't - just hampers everyone else. They'd be more effective to wait - try something for a few weeks and then say "fix it this way, and here is an alternative system - see how it would work better" Community has more collective power when they collectively discuss problems and offer solutions.

Hmm - well anycase - i'm pretty happy with the way the boards have been of late. I hope folks keep up the good work.

Player: We know what we're told, but, a relatively interesting life has informed me to NEVER trust what a corporate spokesman says about ANYTHING. Ever.

CatHat: Heh - well given that fact i won't bother trying to convince you of anything. jk - Yeah i hear what your saying - i'm alywas skeptical of what the suits tell me too. Much like the obscentity filter in UO ya gotta develop the B.S. filter for those kinda guys.

As for our track record - yeah UO's had its ups and downs for sure- but for the new Dev team i'd like the chance to actually develop a track record - look back a year from now to see how we've done. Its kinda hard to take the rap for things that weren't really under ones administration or plans that haven't had a chance to develop. A lot of this pub 40, 41 stuff is just minor given the big picture of UO and its needs.

Less discussing... more quitting... and please post screen shots of your house locations so those of us still around can come get your stuff.. *thumbs down* to "I quit" posts.. they never do. My 6 year old niece throws less tantrums.

depending on how things go i may be forced to quit if the proficiency system goes into effect, im going to see what its like but i mean it.. at the moment i can hardly survive against mosters some of the time, let alone pvp and pvp is probably my fave thing in the game *sigh*

I am asking that all people quitting please donate their rares to my museum before doing so.
Please don't let your items decay or let the greedy ebayers have them.
I will gladly put your items on display with a memorial book in your name as the donor.
I will do all the Xsharding necessary in order to get these items.

Please contact me here or via ICQ.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

I would say anyone quitting over this system is in a pretty sad state of UO as is and should quit anyways.

And for Thardia:
Can I get a nickel bag?

15 Bucks little man
Put that [censored] in my hand
If that money doesn't show
You owe me owe me O
My jungle love!

LOL God I must be bored.

UO has gone through some major changes duringit's rocky history. Proficiencies aren't really that profound. I certainly wouldn't quit over it. I do wish Resist were not included....but I wouldn't quit over it.

Actually if the proficiency system is enough to make someone quit, well, they should probably quit anyway.

I've said it once and I will say it again... I will muddle through with any changes they make and try to figure it all out.. right now it is all so confusing and until I can actually use my characters on my shard with the changes I won't know what to think.. but once someone actually has it figured out.. you may want to explain it to me in simple terms...I don't like the proficiency thing but I like UO... and for all those *quiting*... donate your stuff to the various museums and the like or hand them out to the noobs before you leave.

Bah! Less discussion! More posting of screen shots of house locations of the quitters please. Us sticking around want your stuff!!

rtlfc

Agreed, I'm not going anywhere because of proficiencies. Seems a pretty sensible system to me actually, if we can just get around the part affecting armor resists.

AoS in itself was a far more dramatic change than proficiencies can ever be and folks are still playing... anyone quitting over a single change really doesn't have that much fun in UO in the first place so uh, buh-bye.

for me it all depends on how they are, my main problem is that i play on a west coast american shard, i dont want to move shards again... and if proficiencys turn out as bad as i think they will be for the game im leaving. No i will not post where my house is etc.. all my good stuff will be only characters anyway and nything i need to leave behind will be given to friends of mine so *sticks tongue out*