EA had "Classic" Code all along - Lied about it to players.

[Thayn]

http://vboards.stratics.com/uhall/229581-year-end-approaching-no-classic-shard-3.html#post1876944

If ever "Slap in the face" applied to anything.... My vote is for this.

[Azvacar]

edit: oops

[Jack Straw]

Nobody in their right mind would pay for a classic server anymore anyway.

People need to use google.

Find IPY.

[atlas]

I always found their excuse laughable. So you're telling me former players can create a great emulator, but the devs sitting on all the resources can't do anything?

[Azvacar]

It's probably just a question of whether or not it's worth the development time. Despite having access to the old code, implementation may not be as trivial as you think.

How many new players would they have to pick up for this project to be worth it? Attrition will definitely be an issue to contend with especially if the server lacks further support and development.

I understand DAoC did something like this. Anyone know how that is turning out? I haven't paid attendion to it for years.

[Az]

Hey, that "line" started back when I was crusading in 2000.

I won't say much else.

[Thayn]

It's probably just a question of whether or not it's worth the development time. Despite having access to the old code, implementation may not be as trivial as you think.

How many new players would they have to pick up for this project to be worth it? Attrition will definitely be an issue to contend with especially if the server lacks further support and development.

I understand DAoC did something like this. Anyone know how that is turning out? I haven't paid attendion to it for years.

So why lie about it? Why not state that? It was their code, all they had to say was, "Hey, we don't want to support this, it won't bring in any money, we're not going to do this.". Sure people would complain, but that's too bad. Why feign incompetence?

Worse than that, why stop lying? Could have at least given the players a reach around and given a better lie, "Hey! We found the server code! Misfiled. Ain't that a bitch? Yay us!"

*Shakes head*

[Az]

Aha.

[Woodlife]

If you thought EA was bad about that, what did you think about Orgin? I'm not complaining now because they supplied me with a great game, but let's face the reality UOs 12 years.
They were so greedy about getting Richard out of the scene that they made desperate and horrible mistakes. I give EA:UO 3 more years tops.

[Az]

UO came very close to ending in 2006. It's not racy to predict that UO will be over in 2013. I wouldn't bet against that at all.

EA stopped providing UO subscription numbers several years back. At the time, it was on a constant and steady decline year after year.

Stratics fanboys assume it's been level ever since.

This is obviously not the case.

My estimate is that UO has 50k subscribers, at least 50% in Japan.

I fail to see what the HELL they have to lose by launching a classic server at this point. Aside from the fact that they may not be able to secure overtime from EA for two guys over 3-4 months to make it.

If you need help, I'll foot that bill for you.

[Elrick]

Ultima will live on forever, but ea's version is certainly on the fritz.

Doubt they'll close all the servers down anytime soon, something drastic will happen as a last resort effort to gain players again before that happens.

[Az]

How will it live on?

In what fashion?

In the hands of who?

For what reason?

[Diz]

50,000 subscribers would surprise me.

That would honestly surprise me more than the 15 million randoms/casuals/soccer moms that play WoW.

[Elrick]

In the hearts and minds of the players Azy, and the smelly admins who gve their time and money for the love of the game.

That's all I got.

Did you see angel island released there code? Worth a peak some interesting things have been done on that server.. should do a merge with all free shards for a massive developer and player influx.

[Basia]

How will it live on?

In the hands of someone who understands the passion people feel for the game.

You.

(I'm gonna go wash my nose off now)

[Diz]

Elrick your last sentence is absolute lunacy! Lol!!!!

[BiGbRoThEr]

In the hands of someone who understands the passion people feel for the game.

You.

(I'm gonna go wash my nose off now)

Your inclination amuses me, also your mild, dry humor amuses me, I love it! You big ol' sly brown noser you! Dirty dog! Dirty dog!

[Azvacar]

So why lie about it? Why not state that? It was their code, all they had to say was, "Hey, we don't want to support this, it won't bring in any money, we're not going to do this.". Sure people would complain, but that's too bad. Why feign incompetence?

Worse than that, why stop lying? Could have at least given the players a reach around and given a better lie, "Hey! We found the server code! Misfiled. Ain't that a bitch? Yay us!"

*Shakes head*

I don't know why they said anything other than "no" at all.

As far as population goes, MMODATA says 100k or so between 2009 and 2010 with a confidence rating of C, "not too confident." I seem to remember someone on the EALouse blog saying 50k too, though I forgot how reliable the source was.

[keuse]

they have 100,000 subscribers now
and apparently developers just posted a thread on stratics asking the community how much they would be willing to 'give' in terms of the rules of the shard if they made a classic shard... so there is some interest by them
but again... this should have been done 5 years ago and nobody will pay for ultima online anymore besides the airheads that for some reason still play on EA/'Mythic' servers for 14.99 a month.

[keuse]

That Morgan LeFay girl on stratics is a ****ing idiot.
I've seen her post relentlessly on what her perception of a 'classic shard' should entail.
I knew all along EA wouldnt release a classic server and she would post bricks upon bricks of text defending and arguing about a classic shard, trying to get support for it.

Some people i guess need to learn things on their own.

[skunk]

Nobody in their right mind would pay for a classic server anymore anyway.

i would. the reliability and server capabilities of a pay-per-month server along with the ORIGINAL code for the time i loved is enough to get my money and time invested.