Recent return after a few years....

I recently returned to UO after a few years break. I have been off n on the game since '98. So here is my take on it since I see ppl asking how it is after

so many years.I been on the Great Lakes servers..so these are my observations from that server...others may be different.



The games economy is obviously not newbie friendly. I bought a large house on my second day back n was looking around for furnishings for it. Many places are

way over priced. Finding basic crafted items is very difficult. I ended up giving up after a week of searching for furnishings and started my crafter with

carpentry, the only crafting skill I don't have anyway. But I noticed many ppl just out to make a quick fast buck. Selling items for 10 times what they are worth.

A new player is much better off to just hunt n use the gear n items they get from hunting...as they can't afford much of what is for sale by players. Some ppl

selling crafted swords for upwards of a million gold...pfft...no sword is worth that imo. The majority of what players are selling is either Artifacts, often

these can be found cheaper than crafted items. Also many ppl try n pawn items off as being 'Rare', or will soon be rare. So selling an item for over a mill, because

in 5 or 6 years it may be re-sellable for the same amount of money...=P So basically as I see it, the economy in this game is totally shot. In general a player is

better off making a crafter n just start making the gear for their other chars.



Also there is alot of items to increase your skills, improve your chance of hitting, deal extra damage, provide extra protection...like a diablo feel. I would

dare to say this is why crafted items are not such a big deal anymore.



Next is 2d or 3d. Kingdom Reborn is not that bad looking. It is certainly a step up from the crap 3d that was thrown at the players as a substitute for UO2

being canned. But it still misses the mark. I found in my first day, 3d is not all that playable. Animals cannot be tamed in 3d n no mention of it being

fixed anytime soon. Also mining is a chore, often clicking on the ground with a pick results in 'You cannot see that area'. The circle of transparency doesn't always

work. For one char it will work but not for your next char.  Also items going invisable in your hand and in your pack requiring a relog to find them. Plus I found

when trying to decorate a home or put items on the ground, more often than not the item ended up back in your inventory.I would say to actually experience and

enjoy the game at all...prolly better off to stick with the tried n true 2d version of the game.



The skills n classes do seem a bit weaker to me than b4. Crafter seems to have less chances of making quality items at higher skill. GMs have a rather low chance

of making some exeptional items. I guess things are set up for the 120 skills now. Even with my multiple gm warrior I found I was missing the target far more often

than hitting. Mage spells seem weaker, or the monsters have really been beefed up. Pretty much any big hunting trip definately requires a group. Not much for

solo anymore.



On Great Lakes, the server still seems pretty active. Doesn't have quite the same population as b4. I think a few old timers who are just there cause they are

afraid to give up their accnt.



The game in general is still at the top of my list as one of the best MMORPGs. The skill system has really not been done by any other game yet.Along with the

limitless things a player can do. No questing but you can always find something to do. The grind doesn't feel so much as a grind when you are just free to roam

anywere. Only time you really feel a grind is when training up a crafting skill.  Altho I am waiting for AoC so this is just my filler game. I doubt I will

cancell the account anytime soon. I know AoC won't have the same freedom of UO...nor does any other game I am aware of comming out. I think EA should get back

to making the UO world in a true 3d game n catch up with the times. They are milking what they can outta UO for now, and it prolly is costing them very little

to keep the game going. But I know they would make a killing in the MMORPG market if they made a decent UO2.