Online character slots

Maybe this is adressed somewhere but couldn't find information, atleast from FAQ, about that how many onlne character slots are available. I remember that someone once said that at the start there will be only one character slot, is this still the case? I'm okey with that, that way people are more dependent on each other and are encouraged to be more social. Because you can't do everything with your alts etc.

But if i could choose, i would make possible to create two or tree characters. That way i could try lot of different things and i don't have to delete one, "main" character.

However i decided to make a poll, i'am interested what community think about it. Start voting

E. Could somebody correct that typo in my question, "onlie" ---> online

 

Things changed not long ago to support multiple character slots.

You can start with up to three character slots presently, depending on your pledge level. First Responders start with one slot, Virtual Collectors start with two, and Ancestors start with three. Pledge upgrades are the only way to get more slots as of right now.

Down the road, Portalarium is planning to add character slots for sale through the Addon Store. They've not announced yet how much those will cost or what the maximum will be. Those slots, however, will be taxed someone in in-game gold, unlike pledge slots which will be tax-free.

 

As Trenyc said.
But I still voted for 1, because that's what Lord British intended.

 

Depending on the price would it be better to just buy another game account instead a second slot?

 

That's up to you. There are advantages and disadvantages both to upgrading for the slots and purchasing separate accounts.

If you buy three Adventurer accounts, you get three character slots for $25*3 = $75, which is a great deal. But you don't get the numerous pledge rewards that would come with an Ancestor account, such as a tax-free house. The main advantages of having three separate lower-tier accounts are price and the fact that you can play multiple characters at once.

With an Ancestor pledge, you'd get three characters on the same account, meaning you can't play more than one at a time--but you get lots of other rewards from the Ancestor tier and every tier below. This setup would run you $255.

There are some really nice rewards up through the Ancestor tier, but they're mostly fluff stuff that won't have a big impact on your gaming experience (besides the house). So if you want a tax-free house and can afford Ancestor, it might be worthwhile. But being able to play more than one character at the same time is a big advantage to having multiple accounts, too--not to mention the big price $180 price difference.

 

I would prefer the game be designed with the thinking that 1 character is all that is required to enjoy the classless skill system as you raise and lower all your skills through the lifespan of a character. The player population as a whole tends be a bit more mature when they are judged more by their single character rather than a bunch of alts, despite the ability to simply have more accounts.

 

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It's early days for this poll.

Nevertheless it looks as though, as with a similar earlier poll, most players are in favour of just one slot.

The other poll was prior to the announcement that there would be three slots.

Clearly Portalarium have proposed something that is way against the majority's desire. However that truth has strangely been met with just a steely silence from the Devs.

I would prefer just one slot, mainly because it means that players will depend more on each other for crafting, which would in-turn have a really positive effect on the social game.

With three slots, and time, you will be able to craft pretty much anything, if you so choose.

If someone really, badly wants more than one slot, they can easily buy another account, so Portalarium would get more cash, straight off, that way. That's why I'm very surprised that they introduced three slots.

And failed to justify it.

I imagine that they have crunched the numbers and counted the beans, but my guess is that they might actually get more money from people with multiple accounts, than they would get from people upgrading to get an extra slot?

A second account, at Royal Artisan, gets some nice goodies, including Episode 1-3.

Two slots is a 'reasonable' compromise. Introduced at Edelmann level.
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I voted for "More than 5" because:
- senseless skill caps for a game that originally promoted a single character per player
- enticing Richard (as much as he entices all of us) to see how far he'll bend away from his original vision

 

Some seem to think, although I don't have the experience to say, that multiple slots makes players less inclined to make community connections. Why seek out a crafter when you can be one for yourself? Seems to make sense.

But this is an area again where the original design was one thing and then the scope crept because players engaged in communications PvP to get it in.

 

As long as the AlienWare promotion is around, it doesn't matter if you get 3 with your pledge or 1 because people who want multiple character slots can get them for just $25 each even if Portalarium doesn't officially support it. If you only want to play one character, just don't use the extras.

 

I'm 100% for the original vision of one character slot. They addressed the issue of having the ability to be a crafter and a fighter with the separate skill pools dedicated to each. That is essentially two characters right there. IMO I wouldn't call the skill caps "senseless." If there wasn't a cap, eventually everyone would be a "GM - Jack of all Trades" doing whatever the flavor of the week was to kill stuff fastest. Like..oh look it's the halberd wielding mage nercomancer theif paladin animal taming bard. It would be a bunch of gods running around. But...now that I typed all those out...maybe it would be nice to have a few of those skill setups. Hmmm....I might need another character slot. I'm 93% for the original vision of one character slot.

 

I voted for one because that was the original vision, and although I tend to be an altoholic in other games (mainly due to all the different classes and races that are available) I found it refreshing that a company would stick to their guns and their own vision of 'one human character' despite some complaints. After a lot of thought, I found that I was happy to go with the 'one account, one character' idea. Apparently Portalarium decided otherwise, though.

Also, as Crikey mentioned, people who really wanted to have more than one character were buying extra accounts to do that, which means more money to fund game development. How is that a bad thing?

Some people just don't like to have to depend on others for things in a game - it doesn't necessarily mean they're anti-social. But buying a second basic pledge was a way to get them what they wanted and also help the game a little more. With all characters on one account supposedly sharing a last name and reputation - which hasn't been fully explained or justified yet - some people would probably still prefer to have separate accounts rather than extra character slots.

 

This is tough for me , If the game and its mechanics go as they seem to be intended I don't see a reason to have another persona We are who we are .. but without comprehending how the land and layout will be,its honestly impossible to say No other character will be needed . RP'ers may need to go from Male to Female for events . Personally I see a PvE/pvp character and a crafter as two different lifestyles so I could understand two different play modes ...... Its in how the player presents the Toon .....

Story wise and trying to be as realistic as possible with the game I see a Pve/Pvp'er as (expample) a Lawyer and a Crafter as a (example) Doctor two very different professions and lifestyles so it seems you would need to be different people

Hey Joe , after this next round of elementals could you make me a sword or new helm ? hehe its just odd to me .....

 

I like the idea of one character, but I know I would miss having a mule alt! I think it would benefit player interaction by having just one char to work with.

 

Nothing is stopping people from playing one character only, in fact it may actually be a benefit to only playing one character because your skill development will be higher

 

To the best of our current understanding.. developing more than 1 character will be harder, take longer and potentially pointless if your goal is just to build skills for whatever reason.

I never cared much for a lot of the pro-single character arguments since they're mostly based on the idea that it forces players to play a certain way. It just doesn't work like that. It does NOT force anyone to rely on anyone else. Anyone bent on being self sufficient will do so regardless. Those who don't want to socialize won't. Those that do, will. It's that simple and no game mechanic is going to change that.

Players rely on other players not because they're forced to, but because for most it's better than the alternative. It's easier. It's faster. It's a lot less work. In other words.. buying a well made sword from someone who actually enjoys making them is a lot more convenient than having to make it yourself. It's got nothing to do with how many characters one has.

Now I'm perfectly happy we now get up to 3 slots.. BUT.. I will very likely buy extra accounts anyway rather than use them as my character has never had family before. It feels odd to me that he suddenly has siblings, cousins or whatever relation it would end up being. If feels somewhat limiting but we'll see I suppose.

 

Ultima Online was perfect, until it changed..... As a old blacksmith that went though 5 mountains in the game to GM blacksmithing. There was a home for me at any forge in any town. Most people gave up the grind at about 75-80 blacksmthing. I could stand at brit forge near the graveyard selling wares all day long. People coming in and out of Despise with new treasures or lost treasures. Being counted on and admired for the work you put in, not to mention the respect of a honest days work of mining/smithing (and pay hehe).

Then power hour came and everybody had a GM blacksmith within weeks. Everything went downhill from there. As a crafter at heart, I would really dislike the whole 3+ characters. If it is 3 then I guess it is 3 and I can live with that. I have 2 coming to me from my pledge level (which will both be crafters probably). As an average Joe with an average Job with average Pay. I hope it stays no more then 3. Once people (average people) can have all the crafting + adventuring players they want. It kills the whole Idea Richard has tried to breath into this work of art. It kept a thriving world of crafting in Ultima when you made it the way you did. Please do not make or have that mistake happen again. 3 IMO is to much, 2 is eh... okay.. 1 is perfect. My one character in your world is my Avatar, it is who I am and what I love to do in your game.

Richard keep to your heart and guns. Your ideas are spot on. Don't cave =)