SOMETIMES, YOUR ANSWERS COME FROM UNEXPECTED QUARTERS [Author: wirehead]
You’ll notice that I haven’t said much about the Green Robed Freaks, aka the Interest Program (so named because, I suppose, it’s supposed to make the game interesting). Some of the more conspiracy-minded among you have conjectured that it’s because I’m closely linked to a few people within the program. This actually is true and I try to avoid conflicting my interests whenever possible, but that’s not why I haven’t “gone off on them with a glock” yet.
The truth is that, in my widdle heart of hearts, I believe that the only thing that can save UO is the Interest/Seer program. Here’s why.
What interests me about UO, what causes it to appear more often then any other game in the stories on this site, are the communities that have formed within them. We have, within UO, several mutually exclusive communites at war with one another. And they have nothing to do with the plotline; but instead, in a much more compelling way, these people are at war with one another because they genuinely dislike, no, make that HATE one another.
I’m speaking, of course, of Roleplayers and PvPers. They play different games. But, and here is the kicker that no one ever seems to get, they don’t need to.
Except Azile. Bless her sweet psychotic heart, she got it today. Here’s an excerpt, for those of you whose browsers her site PKs…
As I am doing a lot of reading about Shadowbane and dreaming of its release, I am finding more things to say about this game that are A+. Their guilding/housing system sounds great and will add to the whole “warfare” aspect in MMORPG. Something that AC should be paying attention to is how to incorporate guilds and housing into the game. I would much rather to see guilds getting buildings/castles/keeps and yes even small hamlets and towns placed into the landscape rather than massive urban sprawl. Of course this would require a lot of in-game participation from Turbine and the GMs. Then again, from the sounds of it, Turbine plans to be involved.
Same is seen with the attitude of Wolfpack for their game Shadowbane. Something that is really needed in MMORPGs is that “involvement”. We, as players, need to feel CHANGE. And I am not talkin about new stuff. Take a little involvement in the world you created and shape a grand scheme. Make something happen. Most players could care less if Carpenters get more craftables. But evolve a plot where Trinsic rebels from British rule, is now harboring all murderers and the guards go all evil complete with functional catapults, would be a pretty intense little plot to throw us all on our asses for a few months. Can you deliver this kind of stuff? UO can’t. EQ does not seem to want too. AC *claims* they can. And Shadowbane seems to promise that this shit will be a focal point of the game.
Now here’s where I go postal on the seer program. Strap yourself in, boys, we’re going into some chop. (I’ll do an inventory on ICQ later to see how many friends I still have.)
Why the HELL are we not seeing these kinds of things happen in UO? Why in the HELL are we not seeing armies of darkness invading Britain, or Trinsic, or even Buc’s Den? UO’s strengths lie in personal interaction – combat and noncombat. Everyone knows this. So WHY THE FUCK AREN’T WE GETTING THESE KINDS OF EVENTS?
You think maybe it’s because the Roleplayers don’t want them?
You think… and maybe I’m treading on dangerous ground here… it’s because the Seers think the Roleplayers play the game the “right” way?
You think… and these are probably dangerous thoughts, but what the hell… maybe they’ve taken sides in the Roleplayer-PvP war?
You think… and hell, you don’t have to think this one, we *know*… that PKers aren’t welcome in the “events” OSI runs?
I want to know why no one in the Seer community is reaching out to the PvPers. I want to hear, from someone who actually gives a shit, why an entire part of UO is effectively locked out of the game having any meaning.
And I want to hear from you, the PvPer. Let me know what sort of events would attract you. What would cause the game to become immersive to the point where yes, you might actually buy into the ingame fiction. What would make UO a roleplaying game for YOU.
Because right now you are getting half a game. And I don’t know about you, but that pisses the HELL out of me. And you know, maybe if we scream loudly enough about it, it might reach up to some ivory towers.