Thanks for the reply. I will take a look at your site and more than likely you book as well. Sure there are things in UO, SWG and all the games that I don't particulary like. If I step back and look at the entire experience there are a lot more that I do like.
I've always felt that part that drove me to play UO so much were portions that allowed you to show-off a bit. Show-off as in being proud that you were one of the few to have something. GM Skills - especially Smithy in those days. Rares, large houses, Ranger Armor, etc.
I like SWG because it has a lot of that stuff as well. Unfortunately it is time to learn a whole new world/interactions that keeps me at UO.
Back to the topic; I thank you for the response and I look forward to reading your article and the book.
I've been a UO person for 6+ years. What would you say are some of the things you are proud of from your UO days? What about some of the stuff you wish you could take back/do over?
I only ask since you mention a lot mis-quoting and I always like to hear it directly from the source.
Before the flames come let me state that this is not a PRO xxx Title comment.
I started playing Ultima Online in 1997 and have quit and returned 3 different times (currently playing). I've tried Motor City Online (defunct), Ascheron's Call (Micro Crap!), Star Wars Galaxies (pretty cool) and so on.
What needs to be understood is that when people invest a lot of time, money and energy in a game they want it to be gratifying. The problem is that when they find something like that it makes it very hard to switch to another world/game. You don't want to re-invest time and you don't want to have the NOOB feeling again.
With regular single person titles, like in a real arcade, you have the ability to divide up you time between games without losing anything. Take a couple of months off from an online world and lots of things can change.
In the end if I was heading up a team/project to create an online world I would hire some non-technical people. The interactions between people or the habbits/desires and traits of individuals is what needs to be tapped into. On my list would be sociologists, pshychiatrists and maybe even an anthropologist.
I have an extensive collection of purchased movies and such. As situations like this continue to arise I find myself ripping more often. Not because I don't have the money to purchase something but simple for the fact that it's my way of protesting.
Hopefully more and more consumers will protest via whatever means they feel necessary. My hopes is that for a day, week or even a month there could be local, state or a country rally where no DVDs are either purchased or rented. Hit them where it hurts - their bottome line!
I stand firmly on the side of FOSS and with that in mind...
If KDE or any other application can be brought to the Windows world I say good; bring it over. Like Firefox let world see what can be accomplished by the likes of FOSS.
With regards to converting Windows users to Linux - three things must happen for a user to convert to another platform:
1) The platform must be stable and easy for the user to use.
2) Applications must exist.
3) The platform must have enough differentiating factors.
Moving KDE over to Windows helps satisfy the 2nd point by showing users that a great desktop environment exists. This is what Firefox does as well.
In the grand scheme of things this will not affect movement of users in either direction. It will take a culmination of many events across all three points to do so.
Slashdot Mirror
Thanks for the reply. I will take a look at your site and more than likely you book as well. Sure there are things in UO, SWG and all the games that I don't particulary like. If I step back and look at the entire experience there are a lot more that I do like.
I've always felt that part that drove me to play UO so much were portions that allowed you to show-off a bit. Show-off as in being proud that you were one of the few to have something. GM Skills - especially Smithy in those days. Rares, large houses, Ranger Armor, etc.
I like SWG because it has a lot of that stuff as well. Unfortunately it is time to learn a whole new world/interactions that keeps me at UO.
Back to the topic; I thank you for the response and I look forward to reading your article and the book.
I've been a UO person for 6+ years. What would you say are some of the things you are proud of from your UO days? What about some of the stuff you wish you could take back/do over?
I only ask since you mention a lot mis-quoting and I always like to hear it directly from the source.
Before the flames come let me state that this is not a PRO xxx Title comment.
I started playing Ultima Online in 1997 and have quit and returned 3 different times (currently playing). I've tried Motor City Online (defunct), Ascheron's Call (Micro Crap!), Star Wars Galaxies (pretty cool) and so on.
What needs to be understood is that when people invest a lot of time, money and energy in a game they want it to be gratifying. The problem is that when they find something like that it makes it very hard to switch to another world/game. You don't want to re-invest time and you don't want to have the NOOB feeling again.
With regular single person titles, like in a real arcade, you have the ability to divide up you time between games without losing anything. Take a couple of months off from an online world and lots of things can change.
In the end if I was heading up a team/project to create an online world I would hire some non-technical people. The interactions between people or the habbits/desires and traits of individuals is what needs to be tapped into. On my list would be sociologists, pshychiatrists and maybe even an anthropologist.
I have an extensive collection of purchased movies and such. As situations like this continue to arise I find myself ripping more often. Not because I don't have the money to purchase something but simple for the fact that it's my way of protesting.
Hopefully more and more consumers will protest via whatever means they feel necessary. My hopes is that for a day, week or even a month there could be local, state or a country rally where no DVDs are either purchased or rented. Hit them where it hurts - their bottome line!
here here...
You don't here them called "locksmiths" when a thief picks a lock and loots a home!
I stand firmly on the side of FOSS and with that in mind... If KDE or any other application can be brought to the Windows world I say good; bring it over. Like Firefox let world see what can be accomplished by the likes of FOSS. With regards to converting Windows users to Linux - three things must happen for a user to convert to another platform: 1) The platform must be stable and easy for the user to use. 2) Applications must exist. 3) The platform must have enough differentiating factors. Moving KDE over to Windows helps satisfy the 2nd point by showing users that a great desktop environment exists. This is what Firefox does as well. In the grand scheme of things this will not affect movement of users in either direction. It will take a culmination of many events across all three points to do so.