Game sold as Successor to UO vs Sold on its own merit

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by ShurTugal, Oct 3, 2018.

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  1. Arkah EMPstrike

    Arkah EMPstrike Avatar

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    The story might rely too heavily on having read the book, but having read the book i find the story pretty darn interesting and have been speculating wildly about some of the bigger mysteries
     
  2. CrandalltheFoole

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    Mostly I see the old UO gamers comparing the two, not the present team at Portalarium.

    Well, well, a successor to a hole.
     
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  3. Doctorface

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    I had a blast in the game 100% on it's own merits. The only experience I had with ultima online was watching a couple twitch streamers play it for a few hours. When I saw shroud I just kinda knew it would be a game I would enjoy. I had no idea who Starr Long or Richard Garriot even were beyond some jokes I heard about a lord british when I was younger. Game has a lot going for it.
     
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  4. Blightlord Knightmare

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    I don't think anyone cares, it wouldn't likely affect even one purchase.

    With all the reviews, trailers, videos, streams, blogs, tweets, posts, comments, no one is going to be unaware of exactly what this game is.

    Furthermore, what percentage of online RPG players know what UO is or was? 10%? 15%? How many of those even played UO? UO only had 250k subs at its very epic peak.. and there are tens of millions of unique MMO players.

    Considering the time sink involved in an MMO, people tend to study what they're getting into and whether or not this game is a successor to something they probably never even heard of or spiritual successor or whatever just isn't going to make a difference. The real factors are things like (in descending order), Do my guildmates play this? Do my friends play this? Does the gameplay seem to fit my style? Is the world or story an interesting one? Is it Pay to Win? ..and then you start getting to things like Whats the Price? and Is this the spiritual successor to an old IP that I've heard about or played before?
     
  5. Paladin Michael

    Paladin Michael Bug Hunter

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    I don't think it was or is a mistake.
    The leading people of Ultima and Ultima Online founded this game.

    Over years the UO part seemed to be priorized.
    I got the feeling the quest engine wasn't programmed with the love an epic (5 Episodes!) story telling game needed.
    I think it was underrated - and this will change:
    The big promise for Episode 2 (Story, Quest, Journal rework) will show how close it comes to the Origin Ultima world ... and that would give a boost for all (new and old disappointed) Fans of (every) Ultima.

    I played and liked both: Ultima and UO. I quit UO because of missing story. Never used crafting.
    I tried a little of those stuff in WoW.

    In SotA I tried harvesting and crafting and I learned:
    this has an own fun factor.
    And I am not trying to earn a lot of gold. That's another factor you can use ;)
    Also the whole housing stuff!

    The "mistake" if we should call it this way is another one:
    (mis)understanding ...
    different point of view ...
    different definition of words ...
    Or, like Rufus said very correct above:
    Yes, those typical human "mistakes" leading to misunderstanding ;)

    But all the views, all the given feedback made and makes this game something very special.
    And therefor, again: in my opinion it is a (spiritual) success(or) ...
    I don't count player numbers. I see them coming over the next years.
    I observe a lot of people are hunting from one to another game, greedy for better graphics, better sounds, more realism ...
    ... a lot of effects, and people seem very fast tired of all that stuff.

    SotA will be a long term success(or), because of it's variety ...
    It's not one of those fast-and-furious-games. It is a game leading in an interesting world, full of epic story and so many things to explore ...
    No, no mistake referring to the asked question :) Just my opinion and point of view.
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2018
  6. Synergy Blaize

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    Yes I agree with You @Nib
    UO really was a Trailblazer for every game that people have played since its release....


    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Watching this video, will make you realise that is true....
     
  7. wedrax

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    I played Ultima online for about 15 years and i Always miss it, for me was the best drug ever maked in on-line gaming and i call it the father of all the mmporg. I came here just cause i trusted to feel again what UO maked me feel; I must say a thing, the game make me feel in UO on a lot of things, but i must also calculate the time are changed, the rythm of life is changed, the players are different and the concept behind the game must be reworked taking count of all those aspects. So i will continue to support and trust the game, it has a lot of potential but on the other hand i must say it lack a lot a lot of things there was on UO. So i believe and trust portalarium but that doesn't mean i will be a blind funboy, and just cause i want all the best for that game. The problem here is most people of the community don't take count of all the things i mentioned above and of what the masses of players want but they think just to their own little garden and those people sadly are the most listened from portalarium and that maybe snare what this game can be.

    (Hoping to not offend with my humble personal point of view)
     
  8. ShurTugal

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    yup. I have started those videos that way because that is how the game was sold to me. "It's the spiritual successor, it's the spiritual successor." everyone was saying that's what it was so that's how I promoted it because I wanted to be accurate but now with all the complaints and things I have been hearing, I am starting to question that approach and will NOT be identifying the game in that manner moving forward. :)
     
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  9. Sher Shadowleaf

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    I'd like the definition of 'spiritual successor'. If, according to Webster, successor means "a person or thing that succeeds another", then how do you spiritually do that? Don't be surprised if people get confused.

    By the way, I never played UO or the Ultimas, so I don't ever compare them at all.
     
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  10. Beaumaris

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    Ultimas had Avatars. SOTA has Avatars.
    Ultimas had a virtues-driven story line. SOTA has a virtues-driven story line.
    Ultimas had a skill-based combat progression system. SOTA has a skill based combat progression system.
    Ultimas had robust player-driven crafting systems/economies. SOTA has a robust player-crafting-driven economy.
    Ultimas had a very interactive world. SOTA has an very interactive world (POTs, lots, housing, decorations) that is increasingly so.
    Ultimas had a purple Llama. SOTA has a Purple Llama lurking around somewhere too.
    And things are improving … every … month … with more to come.

    I think it passes just fine.
     
  11. Arkah EMPstrike

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    Just to throw out what ive seen from the other side, everyone who has had an issue with it not being a “successor to the ultimas” has either been because its literally not UO, literally not ultima 6, and/or doesnt give them the “oh wow”feelingfrom when they first experienced a game like ultima 6.

    The latter could only be achieved if the game was entirely new tech and mechanics never experienced before, and i nelieve some disappointed people have unfortunately set thier bar that high
     
  12. Canterbury

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    An interesting question. I think it would be more fair if the game had been sold on its own merits as, assuredly, this game feels nothing like any of the standalone Ultimas OR Ultima Online to me, in any way.

    But obviously, PR is PR and the devs thought it would be better to trade on past games they have been involved with and for Richard to sprinkle the idea of the "spiritual successor" into interviews, etc.

    And I guess when we look at the incredibly low number of people who bought the game, and the insanely low number of people who still play it, without that added PR, who knows if it would have even sailed at all?
     
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  13. Arkah EMPstrike

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    Certainly had some kinda effect to both have people play it for ages and folks who talk about how much they hate it for ages. I dont think it woulda mattered how it was worded, you can find something good constantly if you like it.

    Likewise, people who hate it are always gonna look for reasons to hate it.
     
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  14. Micmatty

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    Just this livestream that happened today Richard said "it's also the spiritual successor to Ultima online and that is where Star and I first started working together" if you can't believe the creator himself I don't know who else you can believe.

    I for myself since this game was first announced everywhere I read from articles to video reviews to even videos of Lord British UO was always mentioned and how it was the first and best mmo.

    And regardless if it was written as successor to the series, UO was always the main focus atleast from everything I've seen, even in the forums alot of people talk about UO.

    So in that sense I came in here with certain expectations and to be frank I was let down but it has potential tho episode two will definitely be the make it or break it for me.

    Also the fact that darkstarr came from UO you figured it would of taken a little more direction from that.

    And spiritual successor and successor is basically the same thing to me just one is a little less likely to get sued over

    This is not hate to those who like those types of games but I didn't come to shroud to have a sims/second life/fishing simulator 2018 I like many I know wanted UO 2.0 but what we have is a game with an identity disorder and a huge diversity problem which to me is one of the biggest reason this game isn't doing aswell as it could be, as single player with multiplayer experience sounded neat on paper I just don't think having both was wise and caused a rift between single and multiplayer everyday when someone asks for group or more end game content it is very frustrating always seeing those few people but my solo play etc.. etc..

    P. S Sorry for my horrid grammer
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2018
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  15. Rufus D`Asperdi

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    The operative word in what you quote is "also"... Ultima Online is one title in the Ultima Series and SotA is also the spiritual success to Ultima Online in addition to the other titles in the series... No one is arguing that Ultima Online is Excluded from the Spiritual Successor umbrella.

    Here is the quote from Lord British's introduction from today's livestream which starts at 2:19.
    (Emphasis mine)

    Go Listen for yourself.
     
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  16. Jezebel Caerndow

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    I never played UO, but I have heard from many people about the similarities and the differences between the 2. Thing is, many many games that even have the same name just part 2 and 3 ect, are not the same as themselves as well but are still a successor to the one previous. Like devil may cry 1 was pretty different then part 2 ( I liked part 1 combat better) I dont know what successor means to you, but the real meaning is "one that follows", this does not say anything about it having to be the same.
     
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  17. Warrior B'Patrick

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    Greetings @Synergy Blaize for the UO video. I am a Ultima Player from U2 to at least U7 but family and work caught up with me and I never played UO. It was wonderful to see what it was like.
     
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  18. Jason_M

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    I don't think that that description was misleading at all, to be honest. This game is in every way a spiritual successor ... to some people.

    As you can see in these comments, people who played the same games had very different experiences. Two UO players either played different games or the classic disclaimer your experiences may vary during online play is truer than the lawyers could have known.

    Even the Ultima players can't agree, and that was fixed gameplay - although that gameplay did vary significantly across the series.

    Consider this, though: the legacy of Ultima Online is farther reaching than its playerbase and the brand recognition is undeniable. Portalarium cannot assure that the game play will actually reflect the expectations of the incredibly diverse player base, so that shouldn't be a consideration. It's impossible.

    So, I'd say keep on calling it the spiritual successor, because that is what it is insofar as it is possible 25 years later.

    P.S., I enjoy your videos :)
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2018
  19. Mingo Ebonmark

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    Spot on Jason! I have worked many real life jobs with colleagues that have the exact same role as me - I loved doing my job yet they hated it. In other jobs I hated it and they were loving it.
     
  20. Nevyn Waldail

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    That video on the history surrounding UO is awesome, I loved that game and played it for many years from the beginning. I have never found a game that even came close to offering the reality of an interactive world, despite the graphics, that UO provided. I certainly never got as immersed in any other game and I've pretty much tried most of the main ones. DaoC was probably my next favourite.

    SotA is so far the closest and most likely to hold my attention but I do worry about population levels and I really hope they don' t make the mistake almost all these games make of making more and more playable areas watering down an already weak player base. Games like UO and SotA are about interaction with others its what separates them from the rest.
     
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