Running UO Evolution is not easy...many players have insinuated it is "easy" to create a custom UO shard.  Just having the skill sets, time and money is just the first step.

Running an Ultima Online free shard can be a complex task that requires a variety of skills. Here are some key skills that you may need to have or develop:

Game Development: You should have experience with game development, specifically in Ultima Online or a similar MMORPG. You should be familiar with game mechanics, game design, scripting, and server administration.

Programming: You should have programming skills, especially in languages like C# or Java. This is important for developing and maintaining custom scripts and tools for your server.

Server Administration: You should have experience in server administration, including setting up and maintaining server hardware, networking, and security.

Community Management: You should be able to manage and communicate with your community of players effectively. This includes moderating forums, addressing player concerns and feedback, and maintaining a positive community culture.

Marketing: You should have marketing skills to attract and retain players to your server. This includes promoting your server on social media, forums, and other channels.

Financial Management: You should have basic financial management skills to manage any income or expenses associated with running the server.

Problem Solving: You should be able to identify and solve technical problems and issues that may arise during server operation.

Creativity: You should be able to come up with new ideas and content for your server to keep players engaged and interested.

These are just a few of the skills that you may need to run an Ultima Online free shard successfully. The specific skills required may depend on the size and scope of your server, as well as your individual goals and objectives.

What is the cost of running an Ultima Online server?

The cost of operating a RunUO Ultima Online server, like UO Evolution, with over 500 players online daily can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including the server hardware, software and hosting requirements, maintenance costs, labor and the specific needs of our player base.

Here are some general cost estimates to consider:

Server hardware: The cost of purchasing or leasing a powerful server(s) with adequate storage space, RAM, and CPU can cost several thousand dollars, depending on the specific hardware requirements. A high-end server may be necessary to handle the demands of such a large player base like UO Evolution.

Software: The cost of acquiring or licensing the necessary software, including Windows Server 2023, third-party tools, plugins, wiki, wordpress, templates, .net framework, hosting software, email list management, buying custom code, etc. can vary depending on the specific software packages and licenses needed.

Hosting: The cost of hosting the server(s) can vary depending on the hosting provider and the specific hosting package selected. We use several servers, a test server and a back up to run UO Evolution.  A dedicated hosting plan is required for a large player base and can cost a few thousand dollars per month.

Advertising: You can advertise in many places for free on the internet, but in order to attract new players you need to pay fees to Google, Facebook, Instagram, and multiple toplists which can each cost several hundred per month.  You also need to run a website and wiki, which need monthly graphics, updates and info!

Maintenance: Regular maintenance and updates are necessary to ensure the server is stable, secure, and up-to-date. This may require hiring a dedicated server administrator or developer to perform these tasks, which can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per month. Hackers try and disrupt our servers daily and it requires a lot of maintainance to keep the firewall up-to-date.

Staffing/Labor Requirements: Many people volunteer time to help with many aspects of our game, but it does take a dedicated paid staff to maintain such a large shard, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 12 years!

Overall, the cost of operating a RunUO Ultima Online server is very expensive and time-consuming...although this is a FREE SHARD, it does take money and donations to keep the shard online and available to all that enjoy this project