Something Old, Something New...

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

(otherwise titled: I like to include my random thoughts in parentheses)

This fall marks the 15th Anniversary of Ultima Online.
(yesss we KNOW, gawd)

Anniversaries are marked as special occasions and sometimes the bride feels neglected after all the years of putting up with no one taking out the trash or filling the ice trays. It comes with all the little hints and reminders of, "don't forget me."
(this is not real life...really...ha!)

The UO Community waits with baited breathe. Will they forget me? Do they know how much I've supported this world through the years, so much so that I feel spurned that only umm...*looks at the calendar* 4 months stand between me and feeling the love and appreciation?

Am I taking this too far?

Doesn't it feel like a marriage, less like that hobby sort of game and alternate universe we log into, after all these years?

No?

Just me? Okay.

So I thought I'd reflect a bit as those who are committed (and should be committed) often do.

Something Old:
I've told the story before but its fun to tell so here goes....
I had no idea the world of Ultima that existed prior to Ultima Online. I was not a fanatical geek squad with the latest gaming magazine. I was just a girl standing in front of a game asking it to love her. My bright shiny box called Age of Shadows. (don't start!)

I was a big old Terry Brooks fan (don't hate or I'll invoke Allanon on you) and my brother said, "you love to write, you love fantasy RPG, you'll like this, trust me." Meh, okay. Cue 9yrs later and I've been working on a fansite mainly dedicated to UO for as long as I've been playing UO.
I love classic UO, which to others is pre-ren rockem sockem robots UO. To me, its the days just before AoS where I was on my brother's account creating recall scrolls and sitting at West Brit Bank and spamming, "Dragons getting ya down? Come talk it out for 5gp" with a table and chairs all set out.

That is my favorite. memory. ever.

I lost my UO virginity to an Efreet. He snagged it from me as heartless as any raider. I walked through a gate with Ruwendon and was laid out before the dungeon screen would load. Bastard. I love you.

Something New:
The Enhanced Client is essential to the growth of UO. Repeat after me:
The Enhanced Client is essential to the growth of UO. Now lather, rinse and repeat again.

Pinco and his team of modders have done amazing things with the EC. Grimm and his pipeline whatchamajiggitthingy have made it possible. Somehow it all comes together and then it takes away my something old! No. No. No. Right? No.

The Enhanced client is just that: a client. When I logged into UO 9yrs ago I did not ask what client I needed, I just downloaded and played. We have a legacy option right now in the EC so why do I find myself using the Classic Client more when I just said it is essential to use the EC? Because while I can choose some things legacy, there is tweaking and toggling that needs done first and then ugh, *clicks UOAssist icon to load my CC*

Do this. Log in:
For Veteran Players who prefer Classic Client please choose this option if you want nothing to feel different from how you currently play. Aesthetically and functionally nothing changes for you. Safe travels!
To play with Enhanced options geared towards more modern MMO gameplay please click me! Safe Travels with your backpack of bells and whistles!

Something Borrowed:
Instead of more lands and more dungeons, there are so many existing dungeons of old that needed some fun lovin. Shame and Wrong got it first and it is a total revamp with a different niche for each area. The Covetous revamp was just released today and after testing it on TC1 I was the most anxious for this one. Covetous was my favorite dungeon and I was more than miffed at them for changing MY dungeon. (you're going to eat MY sandwhich?? MY SANDWICH??) Playing it on Test Center was one of the most fun challenges I've experienced outside of the SA expansion. Love. Love. Love. Borrow these dungeons all you want, UO Team. Just never give it back. Keep it as the new keepsake to pass on to new generations.

Something Blue:
All this said, nostalgia and all that, I find myself blue most days. The forums here reflect that spurned wife looking for attention without fully realizing they actually are loved and yes there are plans to make you feel appreciated after 15yrs. Mesanna has stated it, Jeff has stated it. The UO Team is behind it and working hard.

Here's the thing: Most brides 'say' they want to be surprised when really they are busy checking your pockets for receipts for what you have in store. We want to know and it won't take away our excitement, it will only add to it. We want to SQUEE! at the presents and brag to everyone how long we've been in it. The long haul. The 15yr long haul.

Now is not the time to be stingy.

By the way, 15 yrs is Crystal.