If you see new players...

[Kye Smogg]

Our culture coddles too much. If you see a newbie, tell them life's not fair and nothing comes easy, but if they're good enough and actually work a bit this game is entertaining on a level that modern games can't come close to. Because if you can make it here, you actually deserve it. There's a great social and personal benefit to earning things. Stop giving newbies gold. Stop giving kids trophies. Stop giving everyone a false sense of reality and entitlement to shit that they can't sustain.

This elitist attitude of UOSA and Felucca is laughable and also contributes to the diminished population here.

So you sit in your parent's house playing a computer game preaching on the internet about the harsh realities of a video game life, thinking that because you can "tough it" - playing a game from an ancient era (from a gaming history standpoint), you think you are part of some unique breed of gamer because you can't compete in games in the 21st century.

And I think perhaps that's why many are so passionate to hold onto this particular era of Ultima Online, it was the last thing they felt they were good at. While most of the gaming society moved on, there's this little band (76 online at the moment) of people who want to still feel they're relevant somewhere and this place provides it.

When that attitude drops and more people listen to the OP's suggestions, perhaps this place can retain new players.

[Malaikat]

Hooked one! You're lucky I'm only doing catch and release.

This elitist attitude of UOSA and Felucca is laughable and also contributes to the diminished population here.

So you sit in your parent's house

I may be this community's most vocal forum goer, and I'm extremely open about who I am desk side. Nothing could have saved you from looking like a jackass here, but thirty seconds would have prevented you opening your post like an absolute fool.

I haven't lived with my parents for likely as many years as you've been on this Earth. I've owned my own home since the age of 22, a little over a decade. I'm married, have three children, and, for sheer entertainment, read books that you would rather get the Cliff's Notes on if you're ever forced to. I have better reasoned opinions on sociology, economics, and politics than most bumbling college students who are formally studied in those fields.

I will cop to being an elitist, however. It's one of the few areas that my internet persona intersects the core of my actual personality. As far as I'm concerned, the world could use more elitists, though. Everyone's not the best at everything...take some damn pride in what you're excellent at and don't be afraid to point out when one thing is objectively better than another.

playing a computer game preaching on the internet about the harsh realities of a video game life

Funny that Vega already mentioned how my insights are interchangeable between UO and reality. It's no coincidence that our game community mimics the paradigms of its playerbase. Real life moral sensibilities and societal dispositions naturally shape our game world as they spill over through the behaviors of the players. I'm not only a unique breed of gamer...I'm a unique breed of world citizen.

When that attitude drops and more people listen to the OP's suggestions, perhaps this place can retain new players.

This isn't true unless you entirely change the spirit of the game/era. It's way less a disservice to embrace the game's harsh realities than to cover them up for the "protection" of some newbie. Lying is what it is, and being dishonest is a horrible plan for increasing population.

[Kye Smogg]

Hooked one! You're lucky I'm only doing catch and release.

You seem like the type that talks too much, probably fairly annoying too. I'm guessing your kids (assuming your story isn't completely made up) are likely equally annoying, and you have that passive wife who just tends to her wifely duties as you bless the Ultima Online community with your unwanted and irritating insight on anything you feel needs some commentary.

Looking at your response to me, it is clear what your favorite word is. I..the word leads almost every one of your sentences. Just the fact you went to such great lengths to talk about yourself likely indicates that you, and the rest of your family, are a group of failtards.

Enjoy your "success" in Ultima. I bet your family really admires you.

[Malaikat]

You seem like the type that talks too much, probably fairly annoying too. I'm guessing your kids (assuming your story isn't completely made up) are likely equally annoying, and you have that passive wife who just tends to her wifely duties as you bless the Ultima Online community with your unwanted and irritating insight on anything you feel needs some commentary.

I talk too much? Hah! Says the guy who can't keep his mouth shut even though he's being made to look like an idiot. At least I have the good sense to choose silence to sounding foolish. Anyway, you seem like the type that can't fucking read...

"It's one of the few areas that my internet persona intersects the core of my actual personality."

It's two paragraphs, man. Don't make me hold your hand the whole way. Also, nice attack on my family, with whom you've had no interaction. Am I the only one thoroughly enjoying the inconsistency and blatant hypocrisy in this guy's message? Which is it? Do you want to sound like a fucking tool by insulting ng someone's five year old, or do you want to be warm and compassionate?

What a moron.

[nubnub]

If you see new players... tell them to avoid this thread. You guys are lame.

[Malaikat]

It'll get moved soon.

[Taboo]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to ask all of you to take the time to greet someone you think may be completely new, you don't have to do anything for them if you don't want to of course, perhaps if you point them to the direction of a group of people that are able and willing to assist it will enhance their experience.

This will promote the shard in a positive way and improve all our experiences, even the grierfers/pvpers will have more players to interact with.

just helping someone get set up on forums and IRC goes a long way!

It's not that I disagree with you, it's just obvious that the way you are approaching this problem is actually askew.

It's lacking in innovation and it seems naive and misguided.

[Galendae]

I am going on out on a limb here.... One, Sir Eric has to be European. Two, somewhere there is a language barrier, if not an outright cultural barrier. He does not understand North Americans is my guess.

[bigbob]

lol "north" america. you must be european. its just america, otherwise we would be the united states of north america.
south america doesn't actually count as an america beyond geography class. its really just there for our amusement.. drugs/soccer/cheap cruises etc.

[Aeris]

lol "north" america. you must be european. its just america, otherwise we would be the united states of north america.
south america doesn't actually count as an america beyond geography class. its really just there for our amusement.. drugs/soccer/cheap cruises etc.

You sound like quite the intellectual. You must spend a lot of your time reading about the world, correct?

[ThatTelamon]

I rarely swing by these forums anymore but I felt this thread warranted some sage advice from someone that set out to do what Eric is trying to do here. I will be vauge as needed, but I assume most everyone knows who I am, and what I do these days.

Hi everyone,

I'd like to ask all of you to take the time to greet someone you think may be completely new, you don't have to do anything for them if you don't want to of course, perhaps if you point them to the direction of a group of people that are able and willing to assist it will enhance their experience.

This will promote the shard in a positive way and improve all our experiences, even the grierfers/pvpers will have more players to interact with.

just helping someone get set up on forums and IRC goes a long way!

This is one of the first things we set out to do 3 years ago. Find new ways to bring people into the Felucca world and teach them how enjoyable, rewarding, heart pounding and crazy that this game us. Something today that is more needed than ever with pay to play games, and very little risk other than the other team quitting or going to make a hot pocket when they lose their lane.

If you see new players kill them, kill their mount, dry loot them, and remind them:

1) They are nothing.

2) They will never be anything.

3) They suck and should stop playing UO forever.

If they continue playing here after all that, they're UOSAsians.

Removing this mindset from the playerbase is critical. We all know Felucca is hard, you will die, you will lose items, your house will be looted, someone will kill your mount, someone will steal your stuff. However if you help players get a foothold in the world, and don't start off with "Welcome to the server, bend over" they might actually stick around.

Derrick once had a great program for greeting new players which we copied "over there" to great effect. Every new player has someone stop in to say hello, ask if they have any questions and find out how they found the server (for future advertising use).

We have just as many Felucca aspects as UOSA, and yet our player retention is higher than ever for a 15+ year old game. You can swing by UOGateway and judge for yourself.

Or you can do a search for our population graphs (if you know where "over there" is). I learned early on that we were not retaining players because our ruleset, much like your own was very hard to get started with. Rather than stripping away felucca aspects to solve the problem we instead instituted our counselor program and new player program in April 2013.

Hopefully this information is helpful (and vauge enough for the red names). But if you can curb the negativity and welcome players to your server this place can continue to thrive.

Take Eric's advice. Don't sit back on the forums and demand that every player who downloads your client and logs in be prepared for this world. That new player you help today could be next months future Malice/Telamon/Rose/Sandro.

Edit: Removed the UO Gateway link.

[Elk Eater]

Take advice from dishonest cheaters whenever you can.

EDIT:

To address the point(s) though, removing the "mentality" from the playerbase isn't the solution, and isn't what Telamon did to improve retention, adding a counselor system did. They are two separate things. It's the duty of a good UO:SA player to murder, steal and pillage whenever possible. Leave handholding to counselors (which I agree we should have).

[sircharlestha3rd]

Lets get back on topic here.
If you see new players farming........kill them and take there gold.
If you see new players in town......give them advice no hand outs, well maybe a few bandies and such.
I don't think OP has bad intentions honestly, hes trying to get the shard going like we all are.
If a noob quits from being killed/house looted, yes, he/she don't belong here.
As far as people sitting at there parents house feeling all ultra mega, stfu, we love this game and trash talk is a part of it.
Also, Malikait owns on forums with his intellect......he's on another level that you could never understand, just wish he could log in more.
So what if we play an old game with low pop, its hobby and its a lot more fun double clicking noobs in the face than being nice.
When your new its the "initiation period" and its up to you how you take it.
I just wish all shards would agree on something and become a mega shard for us nerds to dwell in.

[WarmApplepie]

That new player you help today could be next months future Malice/Telamon/Rose/Sandro.

How dare you disrespect a UO legend, Malice, grouping him with those other names.

[SighelmofWyrmgard]

lol "north" america. you must be european. its just america, otherwise we would be the united states of north america.
south america doesn't actually count as an america beyond geography class. its really just there for our amusement.. drugs/soccer/cheap cruises etc.

wow, roflmgdao ...

Gee, bigbob, didn't you know that 'north' america is that bit that is north of the Mason-Dixon line ...?

SS