I do agree with 1 and 2 but not sure about 3. I've seen "self proclaimed elite players" insult Telamon, which I think is completely unfair. However you may feel about this shard, it is still the most reasonable shard existing on era accuracy while also providing a good entertainment for all player types. Yes there are class imbalances but lot of people can and does do PvM here. PvP I can not speak, because I don't do that much, and RP is quite good as well. People just don't appreciate what they have until they lose it. Trash talking is part of UO and some people do that aspect quite frequently, but I don't think this is a point to dwell. Everywhere there are human interactions, is bound to be clash of egos. It's everywhere and not just UO. You have ego clashes with even your significant other or close friends. It's just human nature. But there are places to do this, not on every era & renaissance discussion topics. Take your shit to trash talking forum. Nerf requests, I believe most of them are valid, but people need to understand the supply while they're demanding stuff. Resources to comply with the demands, however reasonable they can be, could be scarce. I believe this community mostly requests things to improve the shard. Lastly Gideon, if you think UOR community is toxic, you have no idea what "Toxic community" is. Just have a peek on few other shard forums or even communities on different countries.
This community is the best out there. Sure we have our dicks, but every shard has them. One shard that I think Nymeros was referring to but shall not be named, has a majority of those types of players who think assraping newbs upon entry into their shard is a way to "show them the ropes". No wonder people leave there for here. Squabbling isn't limited to any one shard, especially a shard with factions. Factions ALWAYS devolves into name calling and e-peen waving. It never fails. If it bothers you, it's probably safe to avoid faction conversations. I'm sure any shard admin will deal with the jerks who insult/threaten/harrass them in one way or another. In Telemon's case, I believe those people are in the minority as the majority of us here appreciate this shard and his efforts to make it the best out there, hands down. nerf requests? Which shard doesn't? There will always be someone who wants something nerfed for their own benefit, or doesn't like the way something works. Try making a legitimate suggestion on the "shard that shall not be named", you'll be spanked like a child in Walmart for making such frivolous requests. Ragequit forum posts are ridiculous anyway.
It is part of life. It shouldn't even be there, but it is. People's egos clash everywhere, not just UO.
I for one have learned that my opinion on how this server should be run or how the players should act just doesn't really matter no matter how valid It actually is. After nearly 40 posts I've finally learned to sit back and enjoy the meaningless chaos, laugh at your pathetic arguments and squabbles It's Telamons server, his game, and If he wants, he could add my little ponies tomorrow. If you don't want my little ponies then you could go make your own server.
If any new player spends time in Renaissance chat, it really is discouraging and reflects badly on the server. While there is some constructive discussion, almost EVERY thead eventually degenerates into personal insults and vendettas. I barely ever read past page 3 because at that point the constructive discussion is over and it's all personal. You guys know who you are,
This is pretty much why I don't venture outside of the trading forum often, it's just not worth it. Even in there, there are a handful of people who just can't help but derail almost every thread they post in.
We're all adults here. I am near certain that none of us playing are below 18 but I'd love to be proven wrong. I'd wager mid-30s up. I think we can see past the noise. UO has never been for the faint of heart. I'd argue that this has been the norm since UO was created and as far back as MUDs. This same kind of aggressive human interaction is what caused the formation of some of the best player towns.
This is not unique to UO, UORen or even video games. People have opinions and will argue and debate freely because that is what these forums and others are actually created for. Of course moderation will have to happen and more frequently with more people involved. I speak out openly about things that I feel are done wrong or go against what I was told was the foundations of the shard "without the influences of Trammel". I know people want to get their panties in a bunch over how I talk about the shard or staff or players. Sorry, but I speak my mind and I don't do so without warrant. When I came here, blessed runebooks, ethereals and any bonding slots at all were ALL "influences of Trammel", in my opinion. I thought, ok, it's a small concession to the people to give them some really useful things that aren't greatly imbalanced with the goal. Holiday events have progressively gone further and further away from real in-game interaction and quite literally, right into Trammel itself. While they are fun and have a great appeal, the continued focus in that direction is destroying any potential for a healthy Felucca environment. There's a reason town invasions on Halloween saw 1:100th of the participation of the instanced event. It's because it does not make any viable sense to risk your ass in the real world only to have your slayers and holiday coin stripped from your corpse by someone who lured mobs to you or outright killed you on their own. Sure, that's how it's supposed to be but it's obvious the majority take the easiest path first. Let's do some math: Join event that rewards piles of coin with safe bank access after, or go risk all your gear in a town spawn for MAYBE a few holiday coins. Some folks farmed that so hard with tamers that sub-boss spawn in town invasions don't drop holiday coin any more. So you're out there risking your ass for the potential to get a fraction of the payout that you would if you risked NOTHING. Tell me again how that is balanced and without the influences of Trammel? I could quite honestly go ahead and make a list of all the things that are clear indicators that the bus is headed in a bad direction but no one wants to hear it. I'm tired of wasting my breathe kindly sharing my input on things in private messages, only to be ignored or brushed off because there's more benefits to be coded in for treasure hunters and tamers. I'm tired of no one fucking understanding that required player interaction and cooperation is what made Ultima Online the greatest online RPG to ever hit this planet. Let's open another portal to a special place where I can run all three of my accounts without fear of loss, while I farm up untold piles of riches and never even have to see other people. Perhaps next we can open a portal to a retirement home with plenty of Rx so we can all just waste away like mindless zombies humping gold piles and ethereal mounts until our teeth fall out and we find release from the torment of knowing we're never going to have it as good (and equally bad) as we had it on OSI in the early days. People "spamming the board with nerf requests" are a good indicator of a passionate community. There's only one thing that needs to happen when you have a problem with how someone addresses their concerns: fucking ignore them. Players come here with expectations laid out by the descriptions of the shard around the net and find things contrary to that and you expect them not to ask "WTF?"? This is the greatest shard out there and will continue to be, but the softer it gets, the less interested I am in taking part. I mean come on, GM Tamers in Young status? Running champs with 6+ tames on 3 accounts knowing that it's just res/macro train to recover from the occasional dirtnap? Does no one care anymore about that feeling of intensity in just worrying about your one character's life? How fucking candy ass is this shard that players can go farm with three accounts? How fucking boring is the economy when it makes more sense to use resources for bods than for people? How broken is a system where being a warrior is better for ore production than being a fucking miner? Yeah, no thanks.
I fully realize that this is one person's server. I care enough to argue. That's all that really matters.
I admit it was you who i thought about having a go at Telamon, but i agree with your justification to the letter.
Thinking this over I thought I'd add that anyone worth their salt would notice that there are people giving monetary support not for fast skill gain or pretty pixels from a cash shop but to ensure that this version of the game will be there come tomorrow.
I don't mind the "nerf" requests so long as they're done respectfully and there is thought behind them. What bothers me are the people who can't separate the game from the people playing it, bringing drama into IRC and onto the board with insults and threats and such. That, I do think, would turn off newcomers to the shard. This shard has the best community of all the other shards I've tried, though. I really think there are a lot of good eggs here.
Gideon is about 80% correct. I wouldn't say we are at "toxic" levels but we are certainly getting close lately. I've been witnessing this recent trend of people who think that because they consider themselves "Veteran UO Players", their opinions carry more weight, they obsess over play styles contrary to their own and will also make sure they chime in on every single post. This silliness operates under the guise of "it is just because I care so much" as the reason people are plaguing the forums with their relentless assault on telling someone else how to run their server. If you really do care so much, live and let live. People here spend so much time obsessing about how other people spend their time. Don't like it? Stop crying on the forums and do something in-game about it. If you're disenchanted because the game isn't the way it was back in the 1990s, it is time to stop living in the past and accept today's version of the game.
Nymeros, I've had countless conversations with Telamon behind the scenes over the life of this shard. We've gotten pretty short with each other at times of disagreement. I'm not going to hate the guy for disagreeing though, just like I don't hate SL for doing things I think are beneath them. I won't hold my tongue for the sake of feelings though, either. I'll speak clearly and sometimes even harshly to make it strike a chord. Even when I subside and stop engaging often, I still remind Telamon that I'm here if he needs a hand or testing or creative writing or compendium article drafting, the list goes on. Sometimes I wish I were nicer in my delivery but then my NY roots slap my Cali heart, call it a pussy and I go on about it how nature dictates. Alice, if I browsed forums and lurked in IRC before starting a server and I didn't see any heated debates, insults or drama, I would assume the place was a graveyard or Care-A-Lot and I wouldn't login. While people want to talk about how it's a turn-off to see trash talking in IRC or other, all that means to me is that people are engaging each other. Nothing's stopping anyone from using /ignore in IRC or adding Foes on forums. If the salt is bitter, remove it from your diet. Merlin, veteran or not, I feel that because I am a player, my opinion is part of the shard. Just as much as yours or anyone else's. The fact of the matter is, without players communicating their concerns, relaying their actual in-game experiences and voicing their opinions, this shard would not be where it is today. Telamon is a great admin, undoubtedly, which is why he knows he needs everyone's feedback, providing it is valid and not just pure insult without information.
