The game is badly in need of a difficulty balance pass.

While I know for the experienced veteran player base with guild contacts and such, it's less of an issue, I've attempted several times to blind build a character based off the Haven tutorial and the island itself.

While the tutorial area itself isn't great, it does do a nice start of getting you to 50 in certain skills before sending you out in the wild.

The problem is, somewhere over the last year, most of the wild got tuned up for 90-120 skill level or 1-50 and there's not much to do in that 40 skill gap, combat wise.

The dungeon revamps -really- have hurt this, as some of the earlier floors were good spots to skill up but they've all been tweaked too low, or too high.

I would say more "training quests" that encourage a player to explore other parts of the world map, where they get an "alacrity" style bonus like the haven quests, would be a good solution, but overall, the game just seems to be built around being capped in skills, without providing the path to get there.

I would also voice the concern I feel way too much of the game is balanced around entertaining tamers at this point. The pet hp versus player hp has caused a pretty hard balance disparity that makes PVM a pain as most other types. (I realize the sampire is an exception.)

The main concern is that damage from NPC mobs seems based off being able to damage pet HP in the 300+ range, and as a result, players can take 50+ damage hits with max resists and two bad defense checks spell doom. Or something hits for 2-3 damage and is easily shaken off with no threat. There has to be a "sweet spot" DPS wise for mobs to have between the two, but it doesn't seem like most enemies in the game employ it, it's just one of the two extremes. It's extremely discouraging while trying to skill up to the cap where more content opens up.

Just a few thoughts.

Comments

  • ThalonThalon Posts: 61
    edited March 2018
    Okami said:
    While I know for the experienced veteran player base with guild contacts and such, it's less of an issue, I've attempted several times to blind build a character based off the Haven tutorial and the island itself.

    While the tutorial area itself isn't great, it does do a nice start of getting you to 50 in certain skills before sending you out in the wild.

    The problem is, somewhere over the last year, most of the wild got tuned up for 90-120 skill level or 1-50 and there's not much to do in that 40 skill gap, combat wise. 

    ...

    The dungeon revamps -really- have hurt this, as some of the earlier floors were good spots to skill up but they've all been tweaked too low, or too high. 
    I have not noticed a difficulty increase in non-dungeon monsters between Age of Shadows and the current server. There are a few exceptions, like Raiders spawning in some "Bandit"camps since High Seas and Crimson/Platinum Drakes added other places. I am currently training a character in Macing  myself, just hit 94 last weekend.

    As far as dungeon revamps, Wrong, Shame, Coveteous, Despise (Trammel) and Destard can all much more lethal than the original versions. I suggest you try Deceit, Despise (Fellucca), or the Orc Cave as they are more appropriate for characters under 100 Skill. Overland areas like the City of the Dead in the Lost Lands or the Ettins or Ratmen in Ilshenar might also work well depending on your template build. 

    You mentioned that you had tried out the various templates based on the tutorial but without more specifics advice is very difficult. Higher level contenf is also very demanding on equipment. If you are using less than Artifact class items you won't survive long even with capped Skills. What are your:
    - Skills,
    - STR/DEX/INT
    - have you hit caps for Resist, Hit/Defense Chance, Damage?
    - which spells/special moves you are using?
    Thalon, Merchant Sailor of Pacific for fine Tools, Clothing, and Potions!
    Blacksmithing, Carpentry and Inscription services offered through afilliated subcontractors.
    Exotic beasts available with proper authorization from the Crown.
  • MariahMariah Posts: 3,243Moderator
    I believe the new atlas in the coming Deluxe starter pack is meant to address this. For those who don't buy that maybe this section of the wiki? https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/beginning-the-adventure/ particularly this page https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/beginning-the-adventure/novice-adventuring/


  • OkamiOkami Posts: 84
    I should point out, I'm not discussing "higher level" content, my strict concern at this time is the fact the 50-100 skill range game for combat seems near nonexistent.
  • ThalonThalon Posts: 61
    edited March 2018
    Okami said:
    I should point out, I'm not discussing "higher level" content, my strict concern at this time is the fact the 50-100 skill range game for combat seems near nonexistent.
    So was I. You were given several suggestions in my previous post. Did you read and try out any of them?

    Ettins/Bandits/Ogres/Orcs/Ratmen/Lizardmen  spawn all over Sosoria. If you are having trouble at 50 skill we need to talk about tactics, you may need to equip and use your character differently. 
    Thalon, Merchant Sailor of Pacific for fine Tools, Clothing, and Potions!
    Blacksmithing, Carpentry and Inscription services offered through afilliated subcontractors.
    Exotic beasts available with proper authorization from the Crown.
  • OkamiOkami Posts: 84
    How does your post relate to improving the information flow in game to steer new and returning players to appropriate areas for character progression?

    You're acting as though this was a personal appeal for advice, which it is not. I know how to advance my characters, through friends advice and external site guidance.

    That is not good game flow design, and reflects on the poor difficulty balance scaling the game currently has.
  • ThalonThalon Posts: 61
    Okami said:
    How does your post relate to improving the information flow in game to steer new and returning players to appropriate areas for character progression?

    You're acting as though this was a personal appeal for advice, which it is not. I know how to advance my characters, through friends advice and external site guidance.

    That is not good game flow design, and reflects on the poor difficulty balance scaling the game currently has.
    Okay, not an "appeal for advice". That is fine. You still completely ignored the second paragraph of my first reply, which lists six different areas containing content which characters with Skills about 50 to 70 can handle. 

    You claim that the game has "not good game flow". The Devs have already put together a VERY good guide to new players in the form of the RUNIC HUNTING ATLAS. You can read about it in the Test Center Notes. https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/publish-notes/publish-99/

    Ultima Store Items

    The following items will be available in the Ultima Store and are available for testing at the Britain Commons


    Deluxe Starter Pack
    • This starter pack is a perfect way to jumpstart your journey in Britannia!
    • This starter pack includes,
    • A Runic Atlas (a high capacity runebook) that comes pre-loaded with recall runes to Britannia’s Vaults, Banks, and Points of Interest
    • A Runic Hunter’s Atlas that allows recalling to a variety of hunting grounds friendly to the training adventurer, complete with location descriptions and tips

    What else do you want? A neon sign saying "Skill level 63 hunt HERE"? 

    As a side, the whole idea behind Ultima Online was a dynamic open game world. Just because other MMORPGs decided to box characters into limited level-based content/regions doesn't mean Ultima Online has to or should go that route.  Wiki Link for this Occasion =  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbox_game



    Thalon, Merchant Sailor of Pacific for fine Tools, Clothing, and Potions!
    Blacksmithing, Carpentry and Inscription services offered through afilliated subcontractors.
    Exotic beasts available with proper authorization from the Crown.
  • FeigrFeigr Posts: 512
    Am I missing something or are you guys saying players have to buy an item with cash to know where to go to train?

    But in all seriousness, the game beats players over the head with where to go... If you play in EC, at least.  There's literally a guy spamming come to me for help when you spawn in New Haven on both clients.  The whole New Haven island is setup for easy, albeit boring, training.
  • ThalonThalon Posts: 61
    Feigr said:
    Am I missing something or are you guys saying players have to buy an item with cash to know where to go to train?
    Yes, the Runic Hunting Atlas is a Store item.

    Besides the NPCs you mentioned, new players could always ASK someone in game....but that would require interacting with another player...eeewwww! LOL
    Thalon, Merchant Sailor of Pacific for fine Tools, Clothing, and Potions!
    Blacksmithing, Carpentry and Inscription services offered through afilliated subcontractors.
    Exotic beasts available with proper authorization from the Crown.
  • OkamiOkami Posts: 84
    Depending on the shard, other players are not always available, and while I am all for things that being players together, that's a content design matter, not a difficulty balance issue.
  • InLorInLor Posts: 414
    There are plenty areas for 50-100 skill. If you're on Atlantic. Try the amazing Goodman's Rune Library. Top floor. Runebooks filled with training locations.
    A qua lemmúr wíste, an zen anku vol verde wís.
  • SkettSkett Posts: 1,477
    Doesn’t the advance training dummie work up to 60 (they should of made it 80) 
    they also need to make one for spell castors 
  • MariahMariah Posts: 3,243Moderator
    This link doesn't supply any of the information you are asking for? https://uo.com/wiki/ultima-online-wiki/beginning-the-adventure/novice-adventuring/

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