Ultima Online in 2025 and beyond -- Classic UO!

keven2002 · February 6

CovenantX said:

Pawain said:

@ MacroPlanet a classic server has been asked for so often that they spent 5 years making NL in attempt to bring back that feeling. When it was being made, every poster lost their memory and said, no one asked for that.

Anything the devs do, a vocal group will say, no one asked for that.

   It was asked for, but it's not really close to the classic systems.

It seems like what they did with NL is slap new tool-tips on items, and removed things like LRC, LMC, but continued to use the AoS calculations for damage & damage resistances instead of the true classic formulas.    t

most of the people that couldn't get enough UO back in those days who remembers true classic UO will almost immediately know something's off.     -but it's not just the simplification of item properties that made classic UO good.    it was a combination of a lot of things, the biggest one being the # of active players during that time... where almost every existing shard looked like it was several times more populated than Atlantic is now.

I'd also add that in the early days of UO, just about everyone was still "figuring it out" which means game mechanics / template combos / items (best in slot) / etc. There wasn't ever some massive camp happening at a lich lord (insert other mob) spawn.

As I mentioned in my first comment, since UO has been around so long at this point (and people know they have things to gain) it becomes a race to end game by any means possible (multiple accounts / scripts / 3rd party). I remember playing 25 years ago for hours on end and not really accomplishing anything at all except hanging out with friends I made (doing odds and ends) and not only was that fun, I didn't want to log! Things are a bit different now, for me included.

NL is nice but to CovenantX's point it's not the same. In the short time I played (from around the first week up until Prod got Shadow's Awakening) it went from people calling out in chat to help with all bosses like the Ice wizard or Spider etc to people camping the spawns and nobody was calling out anything except the ancient wyrm. The power gamers try to be the first to market selling whatever they get. That was in a matter of weeks. People simply look to power game now because they can profit from it, instead of enjoying the journey and people you meet along the way.

I don't want to sound like a pessimist when I say that because I do think there is probably a way to recreate that journey; I'm just not sure it's replaying a classic version of UO.

MacroPlanet · February 6

keven2002 said:

CovenantX said:

Pawain said:

@ MacroPlanet a classic server has been asked for so often that they spent 5 years making NL in attempt to bring back that feeling. When it was being made, every poster lost their memory and said, no one asked for that.

Anything the devs do, a vocal group will say, no one asked for that.

   It was asked for, but it's not really close to the classic systems.

It seems like what they did with NL is slap new tool-tips on items, and removed things like LRC, LMC, but continued to use the AoS calculations for damage & damage resistances instead of the true classic formulas.    t

most of the people that couldn't get enough UO back in those days who remembers true classic UO will almost immediately know something's off.     -but it's not just the simplification of item properties that made classic UO good.    it was a combination of a lot of things, the biggest one being the # of active players during that time... where almost every existing shard looked like it was several times more populated than Atlantic is now.

I'd also add that in the early days of UO, just about everyone was still "figuring it out" which means game mechanics / template combos / items (best in slot) / etc. There wasn't ever some massive camp happening at a lich lord (insert other mob) spawn.

As I mentioned in my first comment, since UO has been around so long at this point (and people know they have things to gain) it becomes a race to end game by any means possible (multiple accounts / scripts / 3rd party). I remember playing 25 years ago for hours on end and not really accomplishing anything at all except hanging out with friends I made (doing odds and ends) and not only was that fun, I didn't want to log! Things are a bit different now, for me included.

NL is nice but to CovenantX's point it's not the same. In the short time I played (from around the first week up until Prod got Shadow's Awakening) it went from people calling out in chat to help with all bosses like the Ice wizard or Spider etc to people camping the spawns and nobody was calling out anything except the ancient wyrm. The power gamers try to be the first to market selling whatever they get. That was in a matter of weeks. People simply look to power game now because they can profit from it, instead of enjoying the journey and people you meet along the way.

I don't want to sound like a pessimist when I say that because I do think there is probably a way to recreate that journey; I'm just not sure it's replaying a classic version of UO.

I get what you’re saying, and you’re absolutely right—the early days of UO were all about figuring things out, and the journey was way more organic. There wasn’t a “meta” for the best templates or items, and the idea of camping a spawn just to rush through the game didn’t really exist. It was about exploration, social connections, and just enjoying the ride, not hitting the “endgame” as fast as possible. And that sense of discovery and camaraderie is what made those days so special. But that kind of proves my point.

I don’t think that means we can’t bring some of that magic back with a classic UO. You’re right that UO today, especially with all the third-party tools, scripts, and power gaming, has lost a lot of that original spirit. I agree 100%. It’s become a race to the finish, and the social aspect has taken a hit. But that’s exactly why there’s such a hunger for a true classic server. It’s not about bringing the game back exactly as it was 25 years ago, and no one is claiming that nor wanting that. It’s about bringing back the core elements that made it special. The struggle, the unpredictability, the need for social interaction, and the joy of small accomplishments instead of rushing to the top. Less about the grind of gear that was introduced in Age of Shadows and more about just living in Britannia.

Look at what happened with WoW Classic, sure, it wasn’t perfect, and it didn’t recreate everything 1:1, but it captured the essence of what made those early years so impactful. A classic UO server could do the same, where people have to figure things out, where the grind means something, and where interacting with others feels like a key part of the experience. If done right, it could offer that journey again without needing to perfectly recreate every detail. And yes, WoW Classic goes through waves of popularity, but more times than not I can find a load of players online in those games. It's very successful for Blizzard.

I think we can have a classic UO experience that feels authentic, not just through mechanics, but through the right balance of difficulty, progression, and community interaction. It’s not about reliving the past; it’s about bringing that heart back into the game so new players and old alike can feel that same sense of wonder and connection. Maybe we can’t totally recreate it, but we can get pretty damn close. People can a pretty great job doing it in their spare time with some of these free shards. Surely professionals can find the resources to do the same.

That’s why I still believe there’s a huge demand for it. Because there are people, like me, who want that journey again. Maybe it’s not exactly how it was—but it can still be something really special if there's an attempt of offering a classic experience.

Grimbeard · February 6

MacroPlanet said:

keven2002 said:

CovenantX said:

Pawain said:

@ MacroPlanet a classic server has been asked for so often that they spent 5 years making NL in attempt to bring back that feeling. When it was being made, every poster lost their memory and said, no one asked for that.

Anything the devs do, a vocal group will say, no one asked for that.

   It was asked for, but it's not really close to the classic systems.

It seems like what they did with NL is slap new tool-tips on items, and removed things like LRC, LMC, but continued to use the AoS calculations for damage & damage resistances instead of the true classic formulas.    t

most of the people that couldn't get enough UO back in those days who remembers true classic UO will almost immediately know something's off.     -but it's not just the simplification of item properties that made classic UO good.    it was a combination of a lot of things, the biggest one being the # of active players during that time... where almost every existing shard looked like it was several times more populated than Atlantic is now.

I'd also add that in the early days of UO, just about everyone was still "figuring it out" which means game mechanics / template combos / items (best in slot) / etc. There wasn't ever some massive camp happening at a lich lord (insert other mob) spawn.

As I mentioned in my first comment, since UO has been around so long at this point (and people know they have things to gain) it becomes a race to end game by any means possible (multiple accounts / scripts / 3rd party). I remember playing 25 years ago for hours on end and not really accomplishing anything at all except hanging out with friends I made (doing odds and ends) and not only was that fun, I didn't want to log! Things are a bit different now, for me included.

NL is nice but to CovenantX's point it's not the same. In the short time I played (from around the first week up until Prod got Shadow's Awakening) it went from people calling out in chat to help with all bosses like the Ice wizard or Spider etc to people camping the spawns and nobody was calling out anything except the ancient wyrm. The power gamers try to be the first to market selling whatever they get. That was in a matter of weeks. People simply look to power game now because they can profit from it, instead of enjoying the journey and people you meet along the way.

I don't want to sound like a pessimist when I say that because I do think there is probably a way to recreate that journey; I'm just not sure it's replaying a classic version of UO.

I get what you’re saying, and you’re absolutely right—the early days of UO were all about figuring things out, and the journey was way more organic. There wasn’t a “meta” for the best templates or items, and the idea of camping a spawn just to rush through the game didn’t really exist. It was about exploration, social connections, and just enjoying the ride, not hitting the “endgame” as fast as possible. And that sense of discovery and camaraderie is what made those days so special. But that kind of proves my point.

I don’t think that means we can’t bring some of that magic back with a classic UO. You’re right that UO today, especially with all the third-party tools, scripts, and power gaming, has lost a lot of that original spirit. I agree 100%. It’s become a race to the finish, and the social aspect has taken a hit. But that’s exactly why there’s such a hunger for a true classic server. It’s not about bringing the game back exactly as it was 25 years ago, and no one is claiming that nor wanting that. It’s about bringing back the core elements that made it special. The struggle, the unpredictability, the need for social interaction, and the joy of small accomplishments instead of rushing to the top. Less about the grind of gear that was introduced in Age of Shadows and more about just living in Britannia.

Look at what happened with WoW Classic, sure, it wasn’t perfect, and it didn’t recreate everything 1:1, but it captured the essence of what made those early years so impactful. A classic UO server could do the same, where people have to figure things out, where the grind means something, and where interacting with others feels like a key part of the experience. If done right, it could offer that journey again without needing to perfectly recreate every detail. And yes, WoW Classic goes through waves of popularity, but more times than not I can find a load of players online in those games. It's very successful for Blizzard.

I think we can have a classic UO experience that feels authentic, not just through mechanics, but through the right balance of difficulty, progression, and community interaction. It’s not about reliving the past; it’s about bringing that heart back into the game so new players and old alike can feel that same sense of wonder and connection. Maybe we can’t totally recreate it, but we can get pretty damn close. People can a pretty great job doing it in their spare time with some of these free shards. Surely professionals can find the resources to do the same.

That’s why I still believe there’s a huge demand for it. Because there are people, like me, who want that journey again. Maybe it’s not exactly how it was—but it can still be something really special if there's an attempt of offering a classic experience.

Go play in fel don't use insurance only gm crafted items there you go nothing else is needed

MacroPlanet · February 8

Grimbeard said:

MacroPlanet said:

keven2002 said:

CovenantX said:

Pawain said:

@ MacroPlanet a classic server has been asked for so often that they spent 5 years making NL in attempt to bring back that feeling. When it was being made, every poster lost their memory and said, no one asked for that.

Anything the devs do, a vocal group will say, no one asked for that.

   It was asked for, but it's not really close to the classic systems.

It seems like what they did with NL is slap new tool-tips on items, and removed things like LRC, LMC, but continued to use the AoS calculations for damage & damage resistances instead of the true classic formulas.    t

most of the people that couldn't get enough UO back in those days who remembers true classic UO will almost immediately know something's off.     -but it's not just the simplification of item properties that made classic UO good.    it was a combination of a lot of things, the biggest one being the # of active players during that time... where almost every existing shard looked like it was several times more populated than Atlantic is now.

I'd also add that in the early days of UO, just about everyone was still "figuring it out" which means game mechanics / template combos / items (best in slot) / etc. There wasn't ever some massive camp happening at a lich lord (insert other mob) spawn.

As I mentioned in my first comment, since UO has been around so long at this point (and people know they have things to gain) it becomes a race to end game by any means possible (multiple accounts / scripts / 3rd party). I remember playing 25 years ago for hours on end and not really accomplishing anything at all except hanging out with friends I made (doing odds and ends) and not only was that fun, I didn't want to log! Things are a bit different now, for me included.

NL is nice but to CovenantX's point it's not the same. In the short time I played (from around the first week up until Prod got Shadow's Awakening) it went from people calling out in chat to help with all bosses like the Ice wizard or Spider etc to people camping the spawns and nobody was calling out anything except the ancient wyrm. The power gamers try to be the first to market selling whatever they get. That was in a matter of weeks. People simply look to power game now because they can profit from it, instead of enjoying the journey and people you meet along the way.

I don't want to sound like a pessimist when I say that because I do think there is probably a way to recreate that journey; I'm just not sure it's replaying a classic version of UO.

I get what you’re saying, and you’re absolutely right—the early days of UO were all about figuring things out, and the journey was way more organic. There wasn’t a “meta” for the best templates or items, and the idea of camping a spawn just to rush through the game didn’t really exist. It was about exploration, social connections, and just enjoying the ride, not hitting the “endgame” as fast as possible. And that sense of discovery and camaraderie is what made those days so special. But that kind of proves my point.

I don’t think that means we can’t bring some of that magic back with a classic UO. You’re right that UO today, especially with all the third-party tools, scripts, and power gaming, has lost a lot of that original spirit. I agree 100%. It’s become a race to the finish, and the social aspect has taken a hit. But that’s exactly why there’s such a hunger for a true classic server. It’s not about bringing the game back exactly as it was 25 years ago, and no one is claiming that nor wanting that. It’s about bringing back the core elements that made it special. The struggle, the unpredictability, the need for social interaction, and the joy of small accomplishments instead of rushing to the top. Less about the grind of gear that was introduced in Age of Shadows and more about just living in Britannia.

Look at what happened with WoW Classic, sure, it wasn’t perfect, and it didn’t recreate everything 1:1, but it captured the essence of what made those early years so impactful. A classic UO server could do the same, where people have to figure things out, where the grind means something, and where interacting with others feels like a key part of the experience. If done right, it could offer that journey again without needing to perfectly recreate every detail. And yes, WoW Classic goes through waves of popularity, but more times than not I can find a load of players online in those games. It's very successful for Blizzard.

I think we can have a classic UO experience that feels authentic, not just through mechanics, but through the right balance of difficulty, progression, and community interaction. It’s not about reliving the past; it’s about bringing that heart back into the game so new players and old alike can feel that same sense of wonder and connection. Maybe we can’t totally recreate it, but we can get pretty damn close. People can a pretty great job doing it in their spare time with some of these free shards. Surely professionals can find the resources to do the same.

That’s why I still believe there’s a huge demand for it. Because there are people, like me, who want that journey again. Maybe it’s not exactly how it was—but it can still be something really special if there's an attempt of offering a classic experience.

Go play in fel don't use insurance only gm crafted items there you go nothing else is needed

What a bad take. That’s like saying “just ignore the entire modern meta and pretend you’re in 1998.” A real classic UO experience isn’t just about restricting gear its about the community, the economy, the unpredictability, and the way people actually play the game.

KroDuK · February 8

Like I was trying to do ignoring SA.. now it's free.. I just ignore the Cheater Booster HS and i'm not paying for free stuff so I would ignore ToL; masteries and roof.

You can ignore the bad billboards but he's pretty much saying just go naked if u wanna play hardcore and you gave him your attention and here I am.. thinking this community can do better.

Violet · February 9

MacroPlanet said:

I think we can have a classic UO experience that feels authentic, not just through mechanics, but through the right balance of difficulty, progression, and community interaction. It’s not about reliving the past; it’s about bringing that heart back into the game so new players and old alike can feel that same sense of wonder and connection. Maybe we can’t totally recreate it, but we can get pretty damn close. People can a pretty great job doing it in their spare time with some of these free shards. Surely professionals can find the resources to do the same.

That’s why I still believe there’s a huge demand for it. Because there are people, like me, who want that journey again. Maybe it’s not exactly how it was—but it can still be something really special if there's an attempt of offering a classic experience.

So let's not romanticize the unauthorized clients and their commitments to the game. Hundreds of players over decades have worked on emulators and additional code for that emulator. It wasn't just 2 guys in their spare time that created something. A majority of those somethings were already created by others, including the Broadsword/EA staff. UO is not an emulator. It's almost 30 year old code that is strung together.

People asked for years for a WoW Vanilla, and what was Blizzard's response? "we can't do that because the early software was overwritten" There is only a WoW Classic because they found a backup of a backup hiding in some repository. Broadsword doesn't have that.

You speak about "right balance of difficulty, progression, and community interaction." That will mean something different to everyone.

"sense of wonder and connection" again, it's highly subjective. A lot of players felt that in New Legacy. There is still heart in this game. There is still community. It may not be what you are looking for, but I don't see many concrete ideas about what that looks like for you.

Mulder · February 13

We've all become old people.

We need a UI that is friendly to the elderly.

Drago · February 13

I really hope 2025 roadmap involves merging CC and EC into 1 unified client. Improve graphics in some areas (pixel density, pixel size on rings especially) and leverage EC's interface.

CC w/ improved graphics (sharpening ,higher resolution support, shading and lighting) with EC interface would be absolute win.

I think NL was not as successful as they thought it would be. The game wasn't designed to be an ARPG, which is what NL basically does. No one wants to start new chars every season.

Seth · February 13

No more new servers please!

Please focus on making the production better!
- Improve the game client further!
- Resolve all the bugs please!
- More expansions and higher level areas with even better rewards!!

No time to play on another NL server. Your production shards are already Ghost Town!

Skett · February 13

focus on the cc and bugs over the next year and new ships and ship add-ons if you have time

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Ultima Online in 2025 and beyond -- Classic UO!

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