On the rise!

[sandonato1400]

Pandorians,
I logged in yesterday and began hunting ToT's. To my surprise there was much competition and several people in both the mines and the dojo! While one might be dismayed at the sight of competition and fewer monsters to hack and slash, I was the opposite. To me it was a small sign of growth and activity within our shard. Then a new player asked for help and I assisted him for the next hour or so, and another new player right after that.  Another sign of growth.  Konstatine is right about summer down time and inactivity. But I believe that is more apparent on other shards and there is still those UO players that need there fix! And I believe they are coming to Pandora! Thank you all in joining me with this new campaign to aggresively help new players familiarize themselves with Pandora. Thank you GMNollkoll for recent event activity (not buttkissing! just showing appreciation : D  ).  Please continue to camp Insula and scout for new players.

Long live Pandora,
Mephala, HooDeHoo

[GM NollKoll]

heartwarming ^^
I will make it a tad easier on starting players, when they arrive. Currently waiting for the patch, due to remodel of imbue system (and my newplayer starting quest got a imbue part)

Hopefully these new folks will like it, and they might bring friends!

[zaxarus]

To the patch (cause u mentioned it):

Idk if there will be a way for newbies to collect the (new) imbue materials (Crystals, i explained some of it in the Q&A thread) or: Idk if they will be able to.
Current information tells me that there are 4 ways to get crystals:
1.) Killing monsters (Tram Drop: bad, very bad) & Bosses
2.) Killing monsters (Fel Drop: better, New Area: even better) & Bosses / Champs
3.) Unraveling
4.) Transmutation

->
Since the Trammel drop rate is almost zero (7 crystals in 1000 monsters on test server^^) and a [Young] may not go to Felucca and the "new area" sounds like a thing for vets, how are they supposed to get any imbues? You need 1 to 3 crystals for every property after patch.

So may i suggest some kind of newbie quest that can only be done by [Youngs] & only one time per account & IP to collect some crystals, to have some kind of start?
Idk if Vorspire is still adjusting the crystal related stuff, but from what i've learned on test server and by his documentation no new player will be able to start Imbuing w/o donations of older players.
Their only way might be crafting. So they'd need rough stones. And they get rough stones in Fel only or from mini champs. We will also get back rough stones by unraveling, but therefore u also need them.^^
Also you will be able to transmutate relics into crystals, but a newbie cannot get relics.^^
Basically a newbie will be in a dilemma:
1) He needs rough stones to unravel*
2) He needs rough stones to imbue
3) He cannot go to Fel (or shall they be forced to remove their status?)
4) He will be too weak for "new areas"
5) He is also too weak for champs / mini champs to get materials
6) He has no gold to buy anything he needs

*On test server we were able to craft and unravel the crafted item directly (w/o seeing it). What we could not test was if you have to stand close to a SF & if u got to have roughs in your backpack while doing so.

Personally, if there is no solution, i will offer my services to [Youngs] to provide them with some stuff and materials after i started my own changes on my gear. Therefore i alrdy unraveled tons of stuff.
But can this be the final solution?

So why not set up a way for newbies to get at least started somewhere somehow. Maybe a bag with freebies? Rough stones, relics, gems, residues, some crystals...
Maybe a quest?
Maybe drops in newbie dungeon?

Just thoughts. I could also say that i don't care, because i am rdy for the patch. But looking to the benefits of the whole shard there must be a way for everyone else (--> new players) to start somewhere.
Without the introduction of the crystals it would be easier, but since they will be hard to get there has to be some way to compensate this for new guys and girls.

As always this is NO negativity, i am just trying and thinking.

Tys

[Voxpire]

I've already made significant changes to the formula for the crystal loot, I'll boot up the test today so you can review it again.

Also, the first character you create on an account will have an Imbuing Kit in their bank - a bag full of goodies to get started. Limit one per account.

[Thatperson]

when I first started here a year ago the average population was around 80, I never saw triple figures but after recent lulls down to the teens, a week or so ago I saw the population spike back up to 76! this was before the half sale too so no incentive just people joining or poking their heads in the door, but promising shoots of growth non the less
heres looking forward...
*raises glass*

[GM NollKoll]

To the patch (cause u mentioned it):

Idk if there will be a way for newbies to collect the (new) imbue materials (Crystals, i explained some of it in the Q&A thread) or: Idk if they will be able to.

Tys

Allready way ahead of you, i provided the young folks with just enough to create a certain imbue rune (well the quest did, and the quest is allready set to young players aswell, none-repeatable)
So no need to worry tyst ^^

[Voxpire]

I think one of the problems was that we cut off a lot of our social services, like Ventrilo, IRC, etc. Well here's the good news - I've spent the last few days setting up a private vent for us to use, it has 500 slots and we also own and run our own private IRC network now (no more Mibbit crap)

VENT:

vent.pandorauo.com
2600


IRC:

irc.pandorauo.com
6667
#PUO

[King Kong]

I think one of the problems was that we cut off a lot of our social services, like Ventrilo, IRC, etc. Well here's the good news - I've spent the last few days setting up a private vent for us to use, it has 500 slots and we also own and run our own private IRC network now (no more Mibbit crap)

VENT:

vent.pandorauo.com
2600


IRC:

irc.pandorauo.com
6667
#PUO

[zaxarus]

You can't hear anyone in vent, all muted.

[Voxpire]

Come try now, been tweaking the settings

[Saturn]

I havent been in vent since christmas! Its always fun during events!

[Horns Nigel]

Yeah Mike H. loves to hear my dogs non stop barking in the background  lol.....Nigel

[Angel0178]

I still have nightmares about that, Nigel. I am in need of a headset and I will get back into Vent

[Dwarvey]

I be thinking this new Vent and IRC info needs a stickied post. If it's not already done when I get done runnin around today I'll make it happen.