Improving our server

VOTE STRAIGHT FROM THIS THREAD!


Was browsing the UO Renaissance Site while I had some idle time and I thought to my self bit wouldn’t it be nice to have some more fresh faces in here.
Then I scrolled down the support page some and realized it doesn’t look like anyone has voted on us using these links.
I think if we all left a vote on the two that are still available we’d have a fair chance at attracting some more attention. I think when I started here I found renaissance on a list like that.

http://www.uorenaissance.com/support
Use this link scroll down and vote!

This shouldn’t need any convincing since it’s ha da down the best and most polished Server live today.

Good call!

One of my buddies and I managed to drum up 4-5 new players on the server simply by sitting on these forums at work, and chatting UO over smoke breaks, with even more showing interest toward joining in the future - 1 of which having NEVER played UO before.

Suddenly, UO:R is becoming the most popular video game around here

Don’t stop there. Now it’s vital that we show our support now more than ever
I’m setting a committment to Vote every chance I can.

Yeah it is sad that UO:R is below shards with literally 1 average player...

I remember that there were rewards for voting regularly back on UO:Hybrid. Chris might want to consider a system like that.

Disclaimer: I could be very wrong in my thinking here, but...

I think these voting/link sites are essentially dead. Putting in a good word on Reddit in a place like /r/ultimaonline is a lot more valuable to growing the shard.

That’s why those servers get votes they reward the players to vote, IMO players reward should be a great server not be paid for it

I think your mostly correct but I bet a few people still use them. As I mentioned I found UO REN off one of those sites.

I just think it’s worth it for the votes if nothing else we are stopping another player from slipping through the cracks. And heck ya I perhaps should up my game and hit reddit as well.

Getting on the 1st page of that ^ would mean objective achieved. Let's be real though, getting there costs $.

Conversely, search "Ultima Online" and other server is on the bottom of page 1. Lucky or purposeful, their naming convention paid off.


Point is, how do people find this place? Likely, not while using google to search for a free game. People that use the OP's recommended sites are shard hoppers. People that are already in the know about free UO servers. Maybe they'll land home and stay awhile but imo that too is unlikely.

I found this place when I was trying to look up what patch it was when OSI deemed precasting a "bug".... so, I consider it "by accident".



UOR's biggest opportunity is turn over. It gets players, it just doesn't keep them and I think we are to blame. Ocllo can be a lonely place. The transition from [young to full timer is a critical step and it's where most of our churn happens. I saw a guy in Ocllo early in the morning... we've all seen this guy saying "hello? Anyone? Hello?" surrounded by afk players. He was visibly aggravated.

He took the time to download the game. Finally got in and found nobody. Granted, while he thought nobody was listening he did say some negative things that pissed me off but we chatted for awhile and I explained things. After that I think he understood and he continued playing.

Sure, we know why people afk in Ocllo but damn it... the new players don't. It looks weird and gives off a sense of emptiness. It gives a negative vibe and is more the reason why us vets need to hang out there and be more active socially. I don't mean you have to glue yourself to a newbie and spend the next 16 hours ensuring every question is answered either.

I'm rambling... look, if you wanna help sure go vote. But if you really want to help visit Ocllo routinely. Find new players, be nice, let them know there's more to be done/seen off the island, and put the multiplayer in MMO.

If you like to group up and dungeon crawl, stop by Ocllo and find a new player who would like to join you. Play, guild them up, and grow.
If you like to pvp, stop by Ocllo, get guard whacked because you're red. Dumbass.

No, seriously... I think you get it. I think we all get it. If you wanna help UOR all you have to do is play it and enjoy it.

Well written @wylwrk

Actually here is another hurdle, I invited some UO virgins to the server.... they lasted 17 minutes lol
Not sure how to integrate someone that knows nothing of the server properly.

Well... This morning we had 1 vote Now we have 7. Thats the way its done!

Improve it by not stealing accounts! YAY!

Not productive dude.

One of the largest issues with UO in its entirety the past several years imo has been the amount of servers available to the mass. Too many options for an era of players that need decisions made for them. We can't reduce the amount of servers popping up left and right of course, but advertising on reddit and other networks such as: https://discord.gg/TazN8Q can help more than most think.

First Impressions: When I was first looking at servers a while back to play on, everytime UoR was mentioned "best community" and that's what attracted a lot of players including myself. Unfortunately for a while now, our precious trade forum has taken a toll of degradation towards some reputations. We should be building our community up. But I think people tend to get destructive when bored and I think that is what's happening to some.

Transparency: Amongst players and staff

Staff: Updates on certain patches and content are great. We like expecting the expected and not losing faith on the what was once introduced on a soon to be idea. Holiday content has been amazing. Even if there is a set back, people understand. Updates and discussions can help improve ideas and keep players motivated in participating discussion. Players don't like being in the dark for too long.

Players: Have a guild that's recruiting? Great, market yourselves to new players popping up and introducing themselves. Nothing keeps players playing more than having a close group to play with. Think about a dealership, someone walks onto the lot with interest in their eyes, a good salesman doesn't just let them mosey around for too long without an introduction and a how do ya do...

Action: This coming from a straight up pvmer... allow reds in town. Factions have been unappealing. Through all the efforts of the pvpers a few months ago with the push of showing interest in factions, it just wasn't enough. Players love to see action though and if anyone has seen @Pill in action or have watched his video of going grey with the intention of getting people to attack him, it's still very interesting to watch. New players that may be put off by seeing reds in town, I doubt are going to make it very far with UoR anyway. I believe the benefits will outweigh the couple of, and I rarely ever use this term, "snowflakes" we lose because they can't fathom the idea of being around a red while bank sitting. The action is going to captivate and motivate many more people to participate.

Have more that I can write, but I won't except for UoR is best. Time we all start acting like it.

i also found this shard by using one of those "uo freeshard lists"

that was almost 2 years ago and i still havent "hopped" to another shard. when you are just coming back to this game for the first time in years your old shards dont exist anymore.. how the hell are you supposed to know where to even start to find a good server?

Right.. I agree with most of what people have commented on.
@wylwrk brought up some excellent points
@Duke Cannon touched on some decent ideas with people needing to be directed to us here

I think we all need to do better on retaining players that's for sure... But it just seems like voting takes minimal effort and may or may help, on the off chance that it helps I say we go for it.

I voted - good call out Thelax.

I would say to get more veteran presence at Ocllo... Maybe Chris could utilize the Counselor program. I've never seen a single one hanging out at a bank or common gathering place.

I cannot agree enough, you've seen my post in the dev forums about this.
I don't expect to click on a thread about someone selling a house for example and see pages and pages of beef and forum pvp.
If that was one of the first things i saw here I'd be disheartened as hell.

If I saw it in trash talk I'd be excited as hell.

I know I've definitely been the provocateur in several of those threads but I've recently learned how dope the ignore button is.

I just voted on the 2 freeshard lists. Great call @Thelax

I do swing by Occlo pretty frequently just to see whats poppin, I can't remember who it is but theres someone in a faction that always seems to be running around fighting and I think thats dope. Whoever that is, you're a G.

I'd be down for a friendly turf war, no looting, no rez killing, no horse killing & no ganking turf war if anyone wanted to crew up and go up against another crew? No fighting outside of Occlo, just to show new players that there are decent and active folks here.
Just don't let it descend into petty BS, its not beneficial for anyone.

I found UOR through a ranking site like these 2 years ago so I think this is a good call @Thelax regardless of how relevant these sites may be these days. Otherwise Reddit seems to be the best way to promote the server, and UOR seems to be the first, second, or third server recommended to people asking questions on there. My decision to play here was based on pretty simple criteria:

-Ren era
-No donation shop / p2w
-no skill scrolls, glowy shit, ninjas, beetles, etc.

Any returning player regardless of time away from UO probably knows what kind of server they want to play on. In that case, I think UOR is pretty easily found. The harder part is attracting players new to UO entirely. They'll likely go official and then hit up reddit and get pointed toward one of the slightly bigger or newer servers. UOR is always in the conversation though.

I don't have much time to dedicate to playing lately and could do more to help new players, but it's always satisfying when I do help someone (getting started, house placement, hunting..) and see them still around and killing it 6 months later.

What about expanding the counselor program?

More automated events? IMO events are the best way to advertise the server and UOR is truly spoiled with all the holiday events. But it seems like the smaller-scale (and equally as good) events have quieted down since the loss of staff last year who were more or less dedicated to these types of things. Automated things like CTF being more regular or whatever else we can think of, and the execution of player events without the need for staff intervention if there is no staff available.

In 2 years, I have not been able to attend CTF or any town invasion due to time zone issues or missing an announcement. It might be easier said than done but I think it would go a long way to have regular, automated events split into US and Euro/ROW time slots. Event videos are the best way to advertise the server in my opinion, and the response always seems great when they find their way to reddit or wherever.

Someone already mentioned /r/ultimaonline on reddit -- worth checking out daily. People are always asking for shard suggestions, so having different voices on there talking about UO:R would go a long way.

Also, support your local UO:R Twitch streamers in the form of a follow and a view when you can and/or start streaming on Twitch yourself when you play UO. Twitch is probably one of the most visible "entry points" for new UO players these days. Hell, it's how I found UO:R and decided to give it a shot 10 months ago.

While streaming over the months, I've talked to a bunch of people who downloaded UO:R, no idea how many lurkers did the same. Now I have no idea how many actually stuck around, but the hope is that new person might bring a friend or two.

If you want to get started, you start off simply by creating a Twitch account, download StreamLabs OBS, and create your UO scene. If you aren't comfortable on a camera, you can still use a mic. No mic either? Just be sure you're watching your chat and talking to people.

Expect some nights of 0 to 1 viewers, but remember you're not playing UO to stream, you're streaming because you're playing UO so don't let that bug you. Having UO:Renaissance in your stream title, even if someone clicks another stream, gave the server some exposure it may not have received otherwise. If you need help let me know.