Good day, afternoon or evening, wherever you may be

 
Before I start, I would like to say that I'm posting this as a group of suggestions with the intent of possibly helping the server, so before you reply, fellow players, take that into consideration, and then elaborate on why you agree/disagree or would like to further develop.
On some more complicated changes, I do not mind helping the shard by either pinpointing the lines on the scripts or even editing some (mind you however, mind C# is incredibly rusty) lines to make stuff work.
(As I think of stuff, I'll add further on these sections)


Tweaks


  1. Archery leech effects increased from 50% to 66% or 75%
  2. Lightning Arrow from Magical Shortbow number of targets increased from 3 to 4 or 5
  3. Make Black Staves craftable, allowing another Whirlwind weapon into the fray
^{This should allow yet another spec into the fray when it comes to doing champions besides “double axe”, would also give archery some more use in PvE. (As leech isnt all that important on PvP)}
  4. Barding abilities are unusuable on some creatures, specifically custom monsters. It just doesnt allow their use. Although this might be intentional it also ended up meaning that leveling them up is basically useless. Barding difficulty of 160.0 should make it hard but its effects halved.

 
New Additions
(Found scripts for it on RunUO archive, I could try to adapt or something if needed be, just need to unrust my C#)


  1. Bard spells (I know, I know... more spells, but the original shards have the Book of Bard Masteries, but these are based on the system used for the Cleric and Druid spells I believe; which also had some other additional flavours so to speak)
  2. Automated Player Auction House system; I apologize if you haven't implemented it for reasons like lack of communication or the like, but it would be somewhat more practical than tons of vendors having to be browsed one by one. You just search, pay, and voila. Also doubles as a gold sink through charging a fee out of posting.
  a. Not exactly a suggestion, but found a script of a guy's taking on the Imbuing system, I heard the shard developer was working on it, and it might give him some ideas or some help at the very least (it probably has some bugs, but I dont mind helping if needed be)

 
PvP vs PvE Balance (Felucca)

 
(I know, this is somehow the hot potato on everyone's mind, keep in mind, I have a PvE character, but I plan on making a Gargoyle Mage later on with the intent of PvP/PK and Roleplay, so I'm also considering the PK part of it, not to mention, Pkers are still fellow players)
This isn't something easily approachable by topics, but let us try to see what's kinda going on.

 
PvE PoV

 
- Getting randomly whacked when doing hard creatures/bosses/champion spawns
- Completely undergeared to even face up to the PvPer to the point that most times it's incredibly hard to flee
- Is forced to resort to other means to further progress, either farming for gold or asking for help. (Mooching, pardon the expression, or grinding basically)

 
(I've talked with folks that are starting to ignore the whole faccet and, in a way, endgame just because of this fact)

 
PvP PoV

 
- Kills much weaker targets, I speak for myself, but PK/PVP akin to whack-a-mole is not remotely fun, I think the PK/PvPer would enjoy much more of a fight
- There's no specific reward (not saying loot should be encouraged, but some other of encouragement, be it a unique currency for decos or the like, something that kinda makes you at it for fun of completion, I believe I cant really explain myself well on this area but I hope you understand me)
- Ends up being seen as a somewhat “jerk” thing to do, discouraging people from also PK/PvPing
I'll be honest, I don't really have much ideas to help with this situation, the easiest way for PvErs, would be to disallow killing in the cases it bothers most, boss/hard creature/champ fights.
But it would also remove some of UO's charm, to be that… Surprise factor.

 
An idea would be to improve Malas or the like to be more of a stepping stone between Trammel/Quests and Felucca. It would improve the PvErs experience and gear, while improving PvP experience, since it would become more challenging instead of a single PvPer wiping a couple of PvErs or such on his own.

 
There could also be more kinda of PvP events and the like, for example
  1. Guild wars
  2. Organized invasions of such, for example
    a. X team/guild defends Yew while Y team/guild attacks it
    (an inspired take on the current implement PvE invasions but with a PvP twist; could even boost the team leader into a mega buffed thing like if it was a champ boss, and the other team leader like if it's a paragon of virtue)
    b. Horse/boat races (not aggressive PvP here)
    c. Theme wars (this also somewhat involves some RP I suppose) for example.
    d. Team/guild mage fight, or the like.

 
Im sure you folks could also think of other fun activities. My 2 cents is the PvE system needs some push just to get it started while the PvP system needs some tweaking. It doesnt make sense that people are that annoyed at PvE along with the existance of such a small population of PvPers.

 
I know its alot of text, but I'm just saying what's on my mind for what I've experienced, seen and read. I've not been here for lots of time, but I'm not exactly alone on what I say. But I'm trying to suggest something positive for both PvErs and PK/PVPers, as we're all fellow players and all want to enjoy the game/shard.

 
I felt like I had to say this because I quickly grew accustomed to the shard and started to think of it as kinda the place where I can consider it that little cozy corner on the internet where I can hang out with friends, which I believe I'm not alone on this.

 
Thanks for reading, and please do comment and elaborate.
(I apologize for some issues with the formatting as this post was originally written on LibreOffice)

Edit log:
22:33 31/05/2015: Fixed title typo
 

Looking pretty well thought out. I'll toss my unorganized two cents into the mix.


On Tweaks 1-4.
I'm not overly sure about having archery properties increased further, maybe to a possible 60% tops would be something though. I personally haven't played around much with the Magical Shortbow to have much of an opinion about it, same in respects for barding skills.
Love the idea about the Black Staffs being a useful and non-blacksmith crafted weapon! Whirlwind is the selling feature of them champ weps, and getting another useful weapon to add to the limited collect of champ weps is great.




PvE / PvP
Definitely an ever-hot topic. It's a bit hard for me to look at it from a new players perspective, as if I am ever romping around and a PKer pops up on me, well I got a personal teleporter *poof* "cya bye" So there is always a way to avoid being PKed. That however usually means I wont be getting the item or quest done because it is now a known marked place, and it becomes part of the hunting loop. I personally like to think of Fel hunting as a gamble each time as you try to avoid the roaming wolves while partaking in your own hunt. It can be exciting, you always have to be on your ready and have them macros on the go.


Though Fel/PK can go from exciting to overly annoying and extremely frustrating -real quick-
I personally don't bother to do Fel champs anymore cause it's a pretty high chance that one other player will show up and they call all their friends and next thing you know all the work you did to get the champ almost done... you're dead, or in my case I just say screw this and tele out.

  Bard Related:

  I am 100% for Bard anything.

  I would like to add, the need for Bard abilities/spells to be effective in PvP, also. Perhaps not  at 100% effectiveness, but viable none the less. In my opinion if something is part of UO it should be apart of all aspects of the game.

  Archery Related:

  I believe that the functionality of Hit_Life_Leech for archery based weapons is adequate.  I believe the high damage potential on some ranged weapons, as well as the ability to attack opponents or monsters from afar is why you are noticing small/inadequate returns. Thus, your reason in asking for a higher percentage range?

  ~~To understand fully, where I am coming from, check out www.uoguide.com/Hit_Life_Leech. These are the notes I used to form my 'Archery' opinion.

  Blackstaff Related:

  I once again would like to say I 100% agree with this idea.

  Not only is this weapon derived from a different trade skill-- carpentry-- but it also does well at champion spawns: paralyzing blow anyone? This addition would add depth to EVO's game play, and probably bring EVO players a revamped carpentry trade skill in the process.

  Auction House Related:

  I first want to know if the auction house allows all items-- in game-- to be bid on, or purchased? After that I like the idea of having a one stop shop built into the game. No longer will I have to deal with empty vendors, due to the obvious-- no items, not listed. +1 for this if you can help/make it happen.     (this section was modified/added after original post)

  Ending Thoughts:

  In closing I want to point out I kept my responses short. This was primarily to allow others to have an opinion to post, and also to save me from spending 6 hours posting on a topic no one else cared about.


   Be well all... see you on the road friend!


                     --Sturger--

I would like to use quote to better formulate my answers, but apparently it does not seem to work properly. (It may be my browser tho)

When it comes to Archery wise its mostly 'cos of the Hit Mana Leech factor, if it can controlled separately then a small increase to HLM like 10% would be more than welcome, but the issue here is HML to put it on par with the constant usage of abilities like on melee weaponry. Although archery has a great advantage when it comes to its range, it somehow falls short on PvE when it faces areas where it needs it's AoE (hence Hit Mana Leech + Lightning Arrow [3 targets, although more would help]) or when the enemy mob teleports/runs incredibly fast, in that case you're forced to use melee.
May not be the best way, but it's at least, a sort of solution to somehow increase the viability of non-Double Axe builds when it comes to PvEing. (Also talking mostly about the Leech as it seems to fall short on PvP, hence only making the shift in balance only on PvE)

I would like to use quote to better formulate my answers, but apparently it does not seem to work properly. (It may be my browser tho)

When it comes to Archery wise its mostly 'cos of the Hit Mana Leech factor, if it can controlled separately then a small increase to HLM like 10% would be more than welcome, but the issue here is HML to put it on par with the constant usage of abilities like on melee weaponry. Although archery has a great advantage when it comes to its range, it somehow falls short on PvE when it faces areas where it needs it's AoE (hence Hit Mana Leech + Lightning Arrow [3 targets, although more would help]) or when the enemy mob teleports/runs incredibly fast, in that case you're forced to use melee.
May not be the best way, but it's at least, a sort of solution to somehow increase the viability of non-Double Axe builds when it comes to PvEing. (Also talking mostly about the Leech as it seems to fall short on PvP, hence only making the shift in balance only on PvE)

So you want to be able to stand out of harms way and kill things more easily without risk.

   I would like to mention that standing in the middle of 30 or so mobs with an axe doing whirlwind, might suggest you are in harms way, but if you have leveled up the axe right-- and aren't a day old on the server-- you are simply cutting the grass: so to speak.

  I have talked to P, and asked him some of the same things you might be thinking. All he is looking to do is break the 'Whirlwind Axe' cycle.

  Keep your whirlwind axe but allow him, and those whom choose to do otherwise, the ability to tackle champion spawns in there own ways.  IE, through the use of other weapons- like the bow or a blackstaff- and P will be happy, basically. He is not asking for OP archery abilities. He told me that much. But I digress...


   Anyway with the ability to have all skills leveled up to legendary, and after obtaining Veteran statues, where is the risk when fighting a champion spawn? There is none and that is, IMO, a big problem. I'm sure Dante, and staff, are thinking of ways to make champion spawns balanced again. Who can tell; perhaps they feel it is balanced as is: or maybe it is on their to do list-- near the bottom-- right now. 

   For the record. Yes. P is in my guild, so what? I'm not defending him here, I'm defending his post. Mostly the part where he asked for input. Where was your input Thunder? A question, posed potentially as a sarcastic question, is not input. Once again my opinion, but a good question don't you agree?


     --Sturger--
 

No, no, no to a one stop Auction House system.

Having a one stop shopping location allows players to use it as a Wall Street investment house where they can much easier drive up the costs of items and just sit at the auction house vendor buying and selling items to artificially drive up the prices.

This has happened in just about every game I have seen where the one stop shop has been used globally.

Please do not put a one stop global auction house for items in UOE.

   I'd agree with you but, what is the difference as it is now? Some players overprice on purpose... while others have a vendor with great prices but you can't find it, cause it's out in the woods.

  There are viable Auction House options out there, were the lowest price available is what the consumer see's. Once that price point is sold out the next lowest price takes it's place, and so on.  So, in essence people can still over price, but it's 100 times easier to make a few K gold when you undercut the over priced snobs. 

  I would like to see a system put together that is much like a wall street commodities trade. This would allow everyone the chance to sell any of the many extra resources/item charges, they have lying around. Vendors can still sell all the fancy artifacts no one is using, and of course power scrolls, plants, ect.


   --Sturger--     


  P.S.  *bump*

Its a huge difference.

If you ever play an MMORPG where all player sold items go through an auction house system, youd see very quickly that there are seldom to ever any lower prices on items. Once you get the Wall Street Tycoons playing the Auction House, they artificially drive up all prices on every item buying low and selling high. Anyone puts any itms on at fair prices and they grab it immediately and put it back on the Auction House for a higher price.

They have the right to play the game however they want to, however, it ruins the player economy when low level players just starting can not afford to buy any items they need at low levels.

The current UO system isn't perfect, however, it is far better than a one auction house fits all globally system. Here, the market players have to make the rounds and check all the vendors (unless vendor search works here like it did at UO on EA/Origins website).



We prob wont ever use the global auto auction house or sell commodities through a gump.  It takes away the need for player interaction and ruins a shard's economy.  I like the fact it takes time to find the item you want, or speak with players to craft it.

Also Location, Location, Location is the old saying, pick a good vendor location, the ones located in the woods wont be found or could have to best items, you never know until you take the time to go look for the treasure!

I think the only real changes needed to PvP are:

-Mana costs/recast on magery lower tier spells. Machine gunning fireballs at almost 0 mana cost every half a second is an issue. Paired with high parry it is near impossible to break their gunning. Just have to run.
-Cap out parry at 200 or less. Dexxers/archers have almost no chance in PvP because a "full end game pvp" suited player has 250 parry, and barely gets hit.
-Lower mana costs on Wither. I played as an almost pure pvp necro. Wither would destroy my mana in a matter of 30 seconds or so. Had to run around in wraith form. Couldn't keep up with anyone, huge problem. ***Mine is a very biased opinion on that one***
-Release more items with +Spirit Speak. (yes, I am biased towards necromancy). There are a ton of items that boost eval which has a much higher damage boost to magery spells than SS does for necro.
-Make a black staff with +spirit speak. It will make me cry tears of joy.

That is all :-)