This is the only server of this era that is somewhat active that doesn't have ridiculous eye sores some other servers has in abundance. That is the only reason I play here.
Agreed. This is why I play. It gives a new interactive approach that the M4M section of match.com simply can't compete with.
Welcome to UOR! I just started here about a week ago and I really love this place! What sets this shards apart from other free shards I know is the community! I havn't met a single unfriendly guy yet - neither ingame nor in this forum! Everyone is so helpful - it's really astonishing! Oh, and btw: I also was forced to choose between two shards: Originally, I thought about joining UO Forever because it is very much like my former freeshard (Defiance). And although I still have problems with Occlo Bank being center of the game and WBB deserted I am really glad I chose UOR. There are still some things that bother me, but all in all this seems to be the best UO shard right now! Hope to see you ingame!
This is a bit of a surprise to me as well. Despite derailing my own thread, why is Ocllo the place to be? Is it simply because that is where the young players start here or is there more to it than that?
No, as I understand it's simply because of the young player program. Before that, Yew seemed to be the hotspot. So probably WBB wasn't big on UOR at all. I am slowly getting used to it, but I have to admit, it's not easy. To me, there are several advantages for the WBB being the banking center of UO. 1. It always ALWAYS was the heart of Ultima Online. It always was THE hotspot for players to come to. Even if they only were banksitting all the day. My UO-feeling and my UO-memories are closely connected to the WBB. 2. As I am playing with "music on": I prefer the Britain theme over the Occlo theme (especially when it comes to the post Renaissance music -> I've switched several of the songs to their newer counterparts as I like theme more). Well I could rename theme, but it wouldn't be the same. 3. There is much more space around the WBB. Therefore it's less crowdy and more space for gaters (but as there is no shopgating on UOR, I think, it not's that important here). 4. You can recall to the roof and look cool. 5. You have a nice canal to the west - I like water 6. Brit graveyard and the smithery would be more populated 7. It's the capital of Sosaria. So that's the place where the action is supposed to be. 7. Most importantly: A lot of new players create their first chars in Britain - and of course, thats what I did too. They instantly run to the WBB and see it deserted. They log out and never log back in. This was the reason why I nearly started on UOF. Luckily, I created an account in this forum and asked around. Now I am very glad that I choose UOR, but a lot of other players might be scared off by a deserted Britain/WBB. I think for me, it will be less important in the future, when I get into the various aspects of the game. Actually I am afk macroing nearly 100 %. So pretty much all I see atm is Occlo (with the occasional trip to Despise).
I was quite surprised to find myself in Ocllo, having looked forward to seeing Brit and WBB again, but I quickly got used to it. I'll take a good look around once I've finished with my YOUNG status time.
Young player program should have been expanded to include the city of Britain a long time ago, to assuage such concerns. I wonder how many people we lose to those who log off just seeing it so empty where it would typically be the hub of society in most any free shard.
I'm going to explain this the best I can, because you won't find a better community anywhere... Simple
Crafting, Crafting, Crafting....with Harvesting Harvesting Harvesting. I've played lots of MMO's out there and nobody and I mean nobody has crafting like UO. Not before and not after. UO is unique. I should clarify that I'm speaking about crafting in UO's golden age, which is what this server represents. UOR is the UO that was, the one we all knew and loved before they messed it all up. Its still alive and well in this shard. Also, non instanced housing. You know when your neighbors are around and you can say "hi". I'd go on ad nauseum so I'll stop I'll just end with I'm home
<<<<It's very pleasant to read your posts, you appreciate the fact that you have the opportunity to play in a real, not spoiled Ultima! In this regard, our emotions coincide and I'm glad that you found this server!!! Good game
I heard that Starwars Galaxies (the original version) and Vanguard hat pretty good crafting. I think Eve Online as well. But I get, what you mean: There is no place like UO. Take vendors for example: All modern MMOs have auction houses. In UO you actually have to move your lazy ass and search the vendors and compare the prices. You can't find out within 30 seconds of search if the item you are buying is indeed the cheapest one (or even among the cheapest ones). For example: You own the shop in Moonglow, right? Yesterday I bought your small ship deed for 12.5k. Dunno if that was a good price. I pretty much hope so (btw: nice shop!) You also mentioned "non instanced housing". I am pretty sure, I won't be able to play another mmo with instanced housing. I really loved Lord of the Rings Online, but I couldn't bear with the instanced housing. For me that's the biggest downfall of modern mmos - completely destroying the feeling of living and playing in a consistent world.
First time i logged in i refused to get into a thing called Young Program so i chose Vesper to start, after some day a GM raccomanded me to join the young program and so i did but i was really close to quit
It is true that Vanguard had excellent crafting and harvesting but..it was more complicated. Because of that, it was not relaxing like UO crafting is. I agree with you completely about the auction houses. They do detract from the immersion. I thank you very much for your patronage. I try to follow the UOR pricing guide, http://uorforum.com/threads/uor-price-guide.6888/ , when I list or buy items, so I believe you got yourself a nice boat bargain. Played LoTRO for 5+ years and I will tell you why I left. Besides the fact that the PvP was limited, boring and ill-conceived, housing was bad, crafting was ruined by the typical dungeon and NPC rewards being better than what crafters could make. The last straw was their constant upping of the level cap with each expansion. This generated a grinding for level rush that took all the fun out of the game for me. Once I got my characters to level 75 and they upped it for the Nth time, I quit. I guess I look for relaxation and fun in a game rather than grinding and stressing over being at the level cap with the equivalent equipment. Once you start doing this with each expansion it gets very old. Anyway this theme repeats itself with most MMO's Ive played.....except here in UOR. Here we have the unique opportunity to play our own way, gain skills at our own pace, without stress, craft meaningful and useful items to our heart's content, truly trade single items or sets without those mega auction houses and finally, not having to continually grind by constantly taking NPC quests that send you to kill 20 X, Y and Z's for uber and not so uber experience points and prestige items. This is a great place to be.
You obviously played LoTRO much longer. I quitted several times when my chars got to level 40-50. I completely agree: Housing was very bad! At least as bad as currently in FF XIV. And the moment I started playing I knew I couldn't stick with it because there simply wasn't open PVP (and I suck in PvP - I really do). Crafting was typical for themepark MMOs. Gives you something to do but nobody really cares and hardly anybody needs it as everything you find during raids and in dungeons is far superior. The crafting system is horribly broken in themepark MMOs. And I really pity young players: They start playing MMOs like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV or Aion and they believe that's all there is. That's how it works. They haven't the slightest clue that there is way more out there in games likes UO. BtW: What I really loved about LotRO: The soundtrack was exceptional! I still listen to my favorites tunes from time to time! I also loved the shire! Did pretty much every quest there is with all my chars. And I truly loved the music system! I remember visiting a live concert in front of the prancing pony - I still get goosebumps even thinking about it. But I am glad to be back in UO. You havn't lived if you havn't been a crafter in UO
I agree that the LoTRO player concerts with player played music were phenomenal. So yes, I do miss that, as well as the RP community there. However, Im here making furniture and having a great time saving up for a furni dye tub OR.............. getting one through a Carpentry BOD someday. I'm in crafter's heaven.
