New Facets

[Agony]

Is this group still active? I know it was created during the hype of making new shards, but years later there is nothing and no activity in this group after a few months. I've seen this happen with shards many times before. Many, many promises on upgrades, then the people involved with the development become too busy or simply bored with the project and it is left unfinished and the whole downward spiral from there. Did this shard plateau and is now just running as afar as it can until players lose interest?
There is no development activity at all. I'm not pointing fingers but the lvl of coding the admins have for what they are promising do not match the lvl of coding for what they actually have.
Whats going on?

We are still working on the facets, they haven't been abandoned as far as V or I are concerned. We have plenty of free time we could dedicate to the shard and the facets' development, but we need +C to finish the coding list before we can do much more with them. So in the mean time we're just trying to be patient and not pressure him overmuch, and doing other fun things with our spare time. +C is the shard's only scripter and that means it's a lot on his plate.

One question.. How much time does +Coli have to script for this shard? I've seen him script in the test version of making auction stones (it's not a current item in the game yet) and he changed functions in it flawlessly like it was basic English (these changes required coding, not just clicking options in a premade UO auction stone system for free shards). On the treasure maps, what was done was simply replacing several map locations with the new lvl chests, then adding loot/spawn.
Just saying. Maybe the easy changes here are made to look big for people who do not understand how all of this works.

Also, I made a public thing in chat a few months ago about how it takes about 6 months to create a custom shard (all facets being custom) from one small (3 person) dev team. I recieved a pm from +Coli stating that he is on the verge of just shutting down the shard.

I normally would never repeat this info, but, as with a few other players, I'm speaking out because we feel like we have been holding out for in-game pipe-dreams.

[fixxer1963]

Some people..and I am not pointing fingers... will donate as a shortcut to the endgame... then think they own part of the shard. When I can afford to donate.. I donate. Not so I can get ahead in the game, or so I can own a say in how things go, but because I know the shard is not free to run. And I payed OSI for many years straight to play there, and complained everyday about broken gameplay.
Excelsior rarely crashes overall, and there is soooo much to do if you take the time to do it all. And I have had tons of fun, made some new friends, and rarely have anything to complain about. Then again.. I don't think I own anything here, nor do any of the staff work for me.
When they get around to the new facets I will be happy. In the mean time, I am already happy. If I had as much to complain about as some people seem to think they do, I would cut my losses, not waste anymore time here, and move on. Seriously.. if somebody is not happy, it is time they move on. Don't count on other people to make you happy, especially if you are not paying their wages.

[Agony]

Some people..and I am not pointing fingers... will donate as a shortcut to the endgame... then think they own part of the shard. When I can afford to donate.. I donate. Not so I can get ahead in the game, or so I can own a say in how things go, but because I know the shard is not free to run. And I payed OSI for many years straight to play there, and complained everyday about broken game play.

This is not about "owning the shard" I've donated no more than 200 bucks in the last 5 years I've been playing here.
I'm talking about what is promised, led on and not delivered. On OSI, when they publically announced something, they deliver. It may have a ton of bugs, but they deliver. There are no 100 excuses everytime someone questions the issue.

Fixxer, You are new here (on my terms, if you are younger than 3 years you are new). I'm talkiing about long term issues, not the fact that this is just a cool shard. These issues most likely go over your head.

[fixxer1963]

This is not about "owning the shard" I've donated no more than 200 bucks in the last 5 years I've been playing here.
I'm talking about what is promised, led on and not delivered. On OSI, when they publically announced something, they deliver. It may have a ton of bugs, but they deliver. There are no 100 excuses everytime someone questions the issue.

OSI.. a company that produces games for you to PAY to play.... yeah, I think anybody can see why they would want to PAY lots of developers to get the job done.

Fixxer, You are new here (on my terms, if you are younger than 3 years you are new). I'm talkiing about long term issues, not the fact that this is just a cool shard. These issues most likely go over your head.

I may be "new here"... but I am not new to online playing. As a matter of fact I played online games before UO came out. Then I played UO during beta.
And "over my head"?? I doubt anything you ever say could possibly go over my head.

Oh, and $200 dollars in five years?? I have been here 10ish months, and have already donated $70.. just because I like to pay my way. I used part of it to join my 2 houses, the rest on bless deeds.

NOBODY has PROMISED you anything. Plans were made... things happen.
You have paid (if your $200 is accurate), $1.67 a month for 5 years.

[Agony]

K. Just keep quiet though. The quotes from this thread are from the vet forums which you have no access to.

[+Nyx]

Okay, I think everyone's points would come across better if everyone would refrain from disparaging one another for no apparent reason.

I am one of the people involved in this whole matter, and it is my opinion that both of you have made valid points. This is a free shard, and the staff are unpaid volunteers. Whatever y'all donate, that's not to me or to V, so there's even less sense in using that as any argument for either side. So, yeah, one shouldn't expect the same level of service or development as one sees on a subscription game. However, part of what makes uoex so great IMO is that it tries to offer as much the same level of service as is reasonable.

I obviously have a personal stake in the matter of the facets. Elysium is a project I have always and still do hold very dear to my heart. I know Touria is the same for V. We have very distinct visions for them, and boundless creativity just waiting to be used in them.

However.

As I said before, +C is the only one one staff with the scripting knowledge necessary to finish out our coding needs list. Thus, progress on that list is subject to his schedule and motivation. I can't speak for him, so I won't, but as far as my own RL goes I know it can take up quite a bit of time I might otherwise have spent on the shard. Pesky bills to pay.

Yes, we've all been waiting a long (long long long long looooooong) time for these facets. But that doesn't mean that we have lost interest or aren't going to deliver. As soon as we can, V and I will open them. Pressuring, nagging, or otherwise pestering +C hasn't proved helpful (I admit, I did try ), so we make effort not to do so. I do feel that it would be great for him to update y'all on the matter, but again, I can't speak for him. I just know he's human, and working so much on someone else's project when you've got your own you'd like to do tends to suck.

It's perfectly okay to post or page to ask any one of us for an update on our projects, but please let's not make it into Huge Drama, ok?

[Devlin]

What's the possibility of introducing another scripter to the staff? Someone who focuses more on coding than being a GM.

[+Nyx]

That was +C's intent with his most recent round of hiring. He hasn't yet hired anyone, but last I heard he was still testing the coding skills of several applicants in order to determine if any had the skills to meet the needs for the shard.


Edit: I just had a thought, I suppose if +C would allow it, V and I could publish a list of some of the scripts we need and anyone who thinks they've 'got the stuff' could write things and send them to coli to evaluate. It would likely have a slightly larger available audience than the staff position since that requires a whole lot other than just being able to write a script or two. I'll mention it to him and see how he feels about it.

[fixxer1963]

http://www.uoex.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... &start=225

Bottom of that page.

[Agony]

Yes, we've all been waiting a long (long long long long looooooong) time for these facets. But that doesn't mean that we have lost interest or aren't going to deliver. As soon as we can, V and I will open them. Pressuring, nagging, or otherwise pestering +C hasn't proved helpful (I admit, I did try ), so we make effort not to do so. I do feel that it would be great for him to update y'all on the matter, but again, I can't speak for him. I just know he's human, and working so much on someone else's project when you've got your own you'd like to do tends to suck.

Love you +Nyx, and +Veritas.. You guys know this.

The only concern I have is, set a real deadline for the facets. Just like I learned when I was 14, it is wrong to lead a girl on knowing it will not happen. Just be straight up honest. I've seen several people leave this shard because they though you guys were lying to them. They will likely not come back. Set a realistic deadline... Say it will happen 2 years from now. You will get more player support than you may think.

[Devlin]

Yup, saw that page, was curious how the actual search was going.

One thing that really concerned me was

I recieved a pm from +Coli stating that he is on the verge of just shutting down the shard.

People have a lot invested here, aside from time and money for some. There are friends and memories and not just of this shard, but of UO in general. Many of us came here after stumbling between other free shards and ended up calling Excelsior home. It would be a shame to see this community just shut down...

From the Shard Charter:The "Coordinating Admin" is the staff member currently in charge, in case someone can no longer perform their duties as CA, they must name a new one. The CA performs the duties of a shard owner, but does not necesarily own the shard. I don't think I could take the ring into Mordor, or any single person. There would need to be some sort of... Fellowship. *looks into the camera* (BUT THE SHARD ISN'T SHUTTING DOWN SO LET'S ALL GO BACK TO OUR DESKS AND FILE THOSE TPS REPORTS.)

And as Nyx was saying, it's hard to set a deadline when they are not in control of anything at this stage. They are basically done; now stuff needs to be added to the shard without breaking it.

[Agony]

http://www.uoex.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... &start=225

Bottom of that page.

[scratch]Dude.. Just stop while you are ahead. You may wake up one morning after figuring this out in a dream and never forgive yourself for being such an idiot. Just drop it it.[scratch]

Man, my bad, I mistook your post. Yes, good idea. The more staff, the better.
I seriously apologize for this comment.

[Devlin]

that was to me, asking about adding a scripter I believe. I get where you're coming from, but lets not get angry.

[+Nyx]

Love you +Nyx, and +Veritas.. You guys know this.

The only concern I have is, set a real deadline for the facets. Just like I learned when I was 14, it is wrong to lead a girl on knowing it will not happen. Just be straight up honest. I've seen several people leave this shard because they though you guys were lying to them. They will likely not come back. Set a realistic deadline... Say it will happen 2 years from now. You will get more player support than you may think.

I would love to, but when opening these facets is dependent upon someone else, it eliminates our ability to do so. If Coli wants to set a 'coding list finished by' date, that would be -fantastic-! But for now, all V or I can relay in terms of an opening date is '2 months after the coding list is finished', which is something we've already relayed to y'all previously, and doesn't help overmuch to repeat. And if we want to motivate +C to set a completion date for that list and stick to it, being nasty toward him won't achieve that goal, yanno? Your concerns are warranted, let them stand on their own validity, without the added negativity and the whole conversation (and end result) will be a lot better

[Agony]

I don't think I could take the ring into Mordor, or any single person. There would need to be some sort of... Fellowship. *looks into the camera* (BUT THE SHARD ISN'T SHUTTING DOWN SO LET'S ALL GO BACK TO OUR DESKS AND FILE THOSE TPS REPORTS.).

I know what I posted was -EXTREMELY- Bold, and +Coli will most likely beat me with a 10k DMG INC warhammer until I cry about the mistreatment of bunny rabbits. But yeah man, I hope this shard NEVER dies...