Suggestion: New things to be discovered

[Bert]

I would like to suggest there be more new things to be discovered in the world. Maybe not new items or rares or whatever, but simply new places, secrets, spawns, treasure chests, etc.

So for example, maybe a nicely decorated island somewhere at sea that doesnt show on the mini map that has a few fun monster spawns, maybe one or two npc shops and a tiny dock. It doesnt drastically change gameplay or economy or how items work or anything, simply adds something new to be discovered.

Another example, have you ever noticed you can walk on the water at the terethan keep, and go behind that little waterfall? A T2A-style shard I played on before had a hole tile behind that waterfall, so when you walked across the (what im guessing is supposed to be, sseeing as you can walk on it) shallow water and go behind the waterfall you would drop down into a small hidden dungeon-like area called the "terethan cellar" - it had a few giant rat spawns, a locked treasure chest, and a terethan spawn or something- again its nothing huge, but its just a little something extra that is fun to find.

I would like to suggest things that aren't currently used much in gameplay given purpose. For example: Torches and Candles- this example is coming from another shard very T2A like-- Perhaps make again a 'secret' dungeon or cave decorated very nicely and put into the world someplace- that is verry verry dark and maybe nightsight has no effect in it- THUS requiring people to bring and use torches or candles. On this shard they scripted the monsters in the dungeon to have their names as a " " (space) so that when you approached them the names didn't show-- causing the darkness to truly be scary, for you can't just use "all names" macro to see if any monsters are lurking in the darkness. This shard also had a forest specified to be always dark, which made it kinda creepy to actually need to use a torch and go through this forest with random monsters popping out. In certain dungeons there were holes in corners or crevices you could fall through and end up in a different room- additional added in caves throughout the world.

New and exciting things can be added to the world without causing drastic changes in gameplay, that would increase the fun of exploring.

[corr]]

What I'm getting from your post is to have events that aren't necessarily based on pvm or pvp specifically. I think they are good ideas, and I don't personally see them negatively affecting era accuracy either.

I especially like your random island idea. It would bring more people onto the ocean, which would be interesting. It would be even better if it occasionally changed locations too.

[Atraxi]

...that is verry verry dark and maybe nightsight has no effect in it- THUS requiring people to bring and use torches or candles. On this shard they scripted the monsters in the dungeon to have their names as a " " (space) so that when you approached them the names didn't show-- causing the darkness to truly be scary, for you can't just use "all names" macro to see if any monsters are lurking in the darkness. This shard also had a forest specified to be always dark, which made it kinda creepy to actually need to use a torch and go through this forest with random monsters popping out.

Razor's light levels filter would make this pointless.

[Bert]

Good point mate, didn't think about that.


Yes several uncharted or 'unmapped' islands throughout the oceans would be nice, perhaps a rare or unique ride spawn on one in t2a- might even be neat to put a magic field over them so you cant just mark a rune there but actually have to travel by boat if you wish to get there. It would draw more people to the oceans.

[Atraxi]

Good point mate, didn't think about that.


Yes several uncharted or 'unmapped' islands throughout the oceans would be nice, perhaps a rare or unique ride spawn on one in t2a- might even be neat to put a magic field over them so you cant just mark a rune there but actually have to travel by boat if you wish to get there. It would draw more people to the oceans.

As a seagoing Britannian, myself, I would like to see something like this.

I don't know how all of this works, so my question is: Could this be implemented with the current client, or would this require everyone to download an all new client unique to UOSA?

[MatronDeWinter]

This server would be perfect if it had a custom map/monsters. But that will pretty much never happen. I agree that "new" things would bring a little bit of excitement.

[BobDobbs]

I don't think custom maps and monsters are a good idea. It isn't like there's any shortage of PVM to warrant it. Due to the restrictions of game mechanics, it isn't like new maps and monsters would really bring anything different in terms of playing experience. You'd just be casting Energy Vortexes on different monsters in different places with the same end result.

[Bert]

I agree, I don't think full custom map/monsters is a good idea. But sticking with my initial suggestion, keeping the same items, just adding-- so it were "secrets" to the map we all currently know. Maybe a different portal to T2A somewhere requiring magic words that can only be actually found in a book that spawns in a library- similar to the recsu recdu. Or stone walls that are secret doors that lead to hidden rooms with a few monsters and a locked treasure chest or two. Things that still FIT to the T2A style gameplay- one example currently on the server is the Bloodrock Orc Fort that is just past the swamp east of brit, its nicely decorated, fits to the world- doesn't drastically change anything- but was fun to find something new while passing through a familiar road.

[Mikel123]

I'm glad everyone here has done all there is to do in UO.

Personally, I played 1999 to 2001, then I played on some other T2A-type shard, and now I've spent about a year here playing an awkwardly large amount of time. And I still have a list of dozens of things I'd like to do, to see, etc.

[Bert]

I'm glad everyone here has done all there is to do in UO.

Personally, I played 1999 to 2001, then I played on some other T2A-type shard, and now I've spent about a year here playing an awkwardly large amount of time. And I still have a list of dozens of things I'd like to do, to see, etc.

I don't know if I can see anyone in this entire thread ever saying "I've done all there is to do in UO"

But thanks for assuming-putting words in our mouths, then trying to one up all of us by exclaiming how uber vet you are to UO and telling how long you have played, not trying to be rude, just honest. Post if you honestly have something to add, not just a random comment.

[Mikel123]

You said: "I'd like to see new things to be discovered."

I said: "I think there is plenty out there you haven't discovered."

trying to one up all of us by exclaiming how uber vet you

LOL at this. Playing since 1999 is not a distinguishing feature of people here. It's the common thread.

[Bert]

Again, your post adds nothing useful in any way. Congrats, you assume again that you think there is plenty out there I haven't discovered, seeing as you know nothing about me or how much time I have spent playing or developing or anything along those lines.

Another assumption, with a quote that isn't valid from either of us, and then another useless comment.

Thumbs up.

[Mikel123]

Sorry, let me be clearer.

Your first 5 posts on this forum are asking for something that is expressly against the entire goal of the shard. This is like me starting a job with the NBA and advocating for 15-foot rims and an alligator pit at center-court.

I'd advise instead that you take a look at other opportunities to discover new things in the game. And I assure you that yes, there are plenty. This is not an assumption; the game is far too complex to experience all of it in just a few years.

[SighelmofWyrmgard]

Some of these ideas could be incorporated under the auspices of "ongoing events".

I had been thinking about suggesting, as a recurring event, a series of "instanced dungeons". There are a lot of ways in which such a feature could be implemented, so we'd need some feedback from staff regarding what kinds of things would be most-painless for them to add in, in order to make requests that aren't too demanding.

Some possibilities include:

• easter-egg secret rooms (like the behind-the-waterfall Terethran Keep room idea);
  "uncharted" islands that appear/disappear;
  pirate/brigand/orc camps spawning in unusual locations (inside a mountain cave, for example);
  for that matter, a cave entrance "spawning" irregularly in any of the "normal" mountain walls, with something interesting inside;
  a crypt/minidungeon entrance that would irregularly spawn at various locations in the wilderness;
  a corpse/ruin that periodically spawns, carrying a mini-quest directive;
  similarly, a drifting derelict boat far out to sea

The main difficulty with many of these suggestions is that they would entail (extensive) modifications of the files in the UO client and/or excessive load-times from server to client; however, there might be a few of these things that would not be too onerous to introduce (caves/ruins/crypts/minidungeons could appropriate floorplans extant in the client, and then the client could load the dynamic elements in a fashion similar to that for loading player-house contents).

Once designed, the appearance of these "events" could easily be automated; after the initial investment, some might serve to reduce the event workload, or at least increase the size of the toolbox that staff can dig into when time-crunched to launch events.

SS

[Bert]

Sorry, let me be clearer.

Your first 5 posts on this forum are asking for something that is expressly against the entire goal of the shard. This is like me starting a job with the NBA and advocating for 15-foot rims and an alligator pit at center-court.

I'd advise instead that you take a look at other opportunities to discover new things in the game. And I assure you that yes, there are plenty. This is not an assumption; the game is far too complex to experience all of it in just a few years.

The fact that I've posted only 5 times on the forum doesn't have anything to do with how long I've played the shard, perhaps could have played here even longer than you, there's a great assumption again. Actually, if you had very much experience in any programming of any kind at all, and have even had any time to experiment with UO yourself, you may realize that its actually not that complex of a game at all, that is why its so easy to modify and create your own world. And UO hasn't been out for "just a few years" nor have most of us been playing "just a few years".

Oh and its not that crazy of an idea, what a horrible metaphor- seeing as things very similar if not exactly what I am suggesting there be more of currently exist on the shard now, if you had read the posts on this thread- you may have seen that I referred to the example of the orc fort placed near the swamp and desert near britain, this is EXACTLY what I am suggesting there be more of.

So a more accurate metaphor you could use, is- someone playing in the NBA for a very long time, knowing how the NBA works, having been affiliated with the NBA for a long time notices the seats that have a slight reclining is more enjoyable to others who love the NBA, thus- suggesting more of the reclinable seats be put in more NBA stadiums.

Honestly I think you just posted initially because your a forum whore and wanted a post count or something of that nature with no real intent of adding to actual discussion, and now you are throwing out random things in your defense cause you were wrong.

Thumbs up.

@ SS

Excellent ideas and exactly along the lines of what I had in mind. Thanks for the input.