I disagree strongly with remakes, so far I have not seen any successfull one both in subscriber numbers as in quality and gameplay. On the contrary, they tend to split the remaining playerbase in 2.
An example of how it should be done is of course EVE Online. Sure they still have alot to do ( fix and improve the sound system for example ), but overall they really have EVE Online 2.0 in terms of graphics and gameplay.
LOTRO is also on the right track. And I guess WoW is not doing bad either.
Everything can be changed and improved, there are no limits, it only has to be done gradually in small steps.A complete or large gameplay revamp in 1 patch can be a disaster ( see DAoC New Frontiers ). Also completely redisigning the fundamentals of an mmo is a no-no ( see SWG CU and NGE ). But regular cosmetical upgrades, and free content additions, that is the only good way to go with mmo's imho.
To me It is obvious, the games I mentioned are one the few that stil grow, I wonder how come others do not realise this.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site : http://mmodata.blogspot.be/ Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
I have played MMO's since 1998 and more than anything, I wish there would be a new Everquest based upon the first title (style, dungeon crawling, non instancing, etc.) With a few upgrades of course, like a more interesting combat system for non casters, and a robust PvP system, not just a PvP server option that is worldwide.
EQ was hands down the best MMO in my book and there are many former (and current) players like myself that have been hoping for 5+ years that a new Everquest based on the original game and mechanis would be developed. EQ2 lacks the community that Everquest had, and it truly was a game that revolutionized the MMO market more than anything released in the past 4 years.
Great list, although I agree with almost everyone in this thread that COH does not belong. It is easily replaced with a remake of Star Wars Galaxies or Shadowbane. Surprised neither were on your list, SWG especially!
To anyone that makes the error that AC2 has already been made just shows your ignorance. AC2 failed because Turbine tried to make a EQ clone. It was nothing like AC at all. Most AC1 players did not like it at all because it was so different.
At least in my opinion, such a better job could have been done with this IP. If ever there were an IP that worked amazingly for an awesome MMO... and tyet it was poop with terrible game design and pretty much terrible everything.
A MUCH better treatment of the IP is needed.
Why do I write, create, fantasize, dream and daydream about other worlds? Because I hate what humanity does with this one.
Best thing about UO was the PvP. I played a GM Theif and for once, I had a skill where I could be a jerk to those that ganked me out in the world while fishing. *Bank! Guards!*
I played COX for 2+ years and am currently trying Champions. But I strongly agree that COX needs a remake: Champions is not any really different from COX. COX is dead as it's currently become a game where everything that concern the playes is the visual customization of your hero; no serious gameplay ideas have been implemented in the last 2 years. COX is currently only a levelling and grinding fest: you roll an alt, you grind it to 50, you grind if you want it to spec it with uber sets (read "gear") and then you start anew. No epic level content after level 50. It was so in Issue 6 when I started in 2006 it's still that way now after 3 years.
COX never addressed its lack of endgame content, epic battles between heroes and villains were never on the plans of the devs, the fastest pvp I had the chance to experience was "rebalanced" in Issue 13 but nothing has been done afterward. Base raids are still buggy and don't get any love (nor I think they will get it in the upcoming Going Rogue expansion) neither zone pvp will get any new ideas in the next future; maybe that's because COX players aren't interested in pvp, or maybe because balancing pvp in that game is really hard.
Anyway, I agree with Dana: that game does not make you feel heroic (or villainous): you can't create your evil plot, you cant' fight the evil and see its effect in the world. You cannot have your "real" nemesis, your real "hated" supergroup or villain group and invade their base, steal their things, destroy their base, foil their plans. You just level as usual gaining some powers but when you reach the top you don't have anything epic to do.
You cannot fight a global threat and see that your fight has an effect in the world, you cannot help an evil power and see the result of your actions in the world.
And then, regarding customization, Champions did not deliver on the "create your powers" side: you only have a long list of powers from which you can pick, you cannot really create your own (anybody remembers Freedom Force? that was the way!); I am even so bold to say that the current COX can deliver on that promise more than what CO will ever do.
Great list, although I agree with almost everyone in this thread that COH does not belong. It is easily replaced with a remake of Star Wars Galaxies or Shadowbane. Surprised neither were on your list, SWG especially!
To anyone that makes the error that AC2 has already been made just shows your ignorance. AC2 failed because Turbine tried to make a EQ clone. It was nothing like AC at all. Most AC1 players did not like it at all because it was so different.
I completely agree!! Star Wars Galaxies should be on the list! But I would personally love to see a new and improved Anarchy Online!
BTW, does anyone know what is going on with Star Trek Online?
Being pretty sure a City of ... 2 is in its early development stages I don't think a remake would be a wise decision, now that Champions Online is basically nothing else than CoX 2.0.
My list:
- The Dark Age of Camelot
- Planetside
And there it ends. I'm hoping for some new original IPs with virtual worlds.
Again, as stated, couldn't agree more with your #1 and #2 choices, UO and DAoC.
Everyone who ever played DAoC knows why RvR was awesome, and they keep repeating it. Then Mythic ignored it with WAR to make it a bastard child of WoW and DAoC that no one really wanted.. Where are the destructible keeps? The perssitant battlegrounds? Free-moving siege? Did you guys completely forget everything you learned from DAoC for t his crap?
As for UO, well, I like many others could spout on for hours. Come back after what is now 12 years, and see how many people still at least occasionally play their current MMO. You'll never find a higher degree of customer loyalty.
As a side note, I also noticed, what is it about Trinsic that makes people so loyal? It's the only city mentioned in message boards with any connotation of citizenship....Yeah, Trinsic is awesome. My entire guild was focused around that city.. I've been resubbed for about a year or so now to UO.. I've spent well over 90% of my time there, crafting, working up skills, getting houses closer to the city gates, demolishing, repeating.. Sadly, all by myself... But since I"m in Trinsic, it's like I don't care!
1) Asheron's Call: Pretty much new graphics, more skills that are useful and reign in the levels a bit more. That is one of the reasons I don't go back to AC, my highest (even if I could remember the password) was only in his late 30s/early 40s back when I left, high level now is like 162 (or higher). Who wants to start at the bottom when most of the people playing are well past that point?
2) Anarchy Online (The first MMO where I was the guild leader). Needs some better animations, lose the expansions and get back to the core of the game, Omni v Clan. Open up some new skill lines (like diplomacy for bureaucrats) and instead of completely dynamic missions, make the missions dynamic, but leave the buildings static. It was a real immersion kill when I walked into a building in OT to find that it was the inside of a dead snake... Or some random hole in the wilderness that is a subway station. Also, where are all the people who were supposed to be working in those facilities? Those are some areas they could really improve upon. Last thing here is levels, make leveling slower, but make fewer levels. It is really easy to lose scale (especially in a PvP world) where you have 100+ level spreads.
3) Shadowbane: Fix the hacks, fix the UI (probably the worst thing in that game), open up the ability to cross 'shards' as they had originally planned (which would allow for more... interesting expansions where new shards are found), I'd like to see some serious upgrades in city building (ability to build larger cities, multi guild cities, roads, the ability to expand 'laws' to surrounding territories, etc). And for a finally, they had the best lore I've EVER seen for a custom IP MMO, incorporate that into the system better.
At 12 years of age, the MMO genre can now safely dive into the vaults and start remaking the games that got us all hooked. This week, we count down the five games we think are sorely in need of a re-imagining. Along the way, hundreds of games have come and gone, but the sequel (as we explored last week) has always been frowned upon. No one wants to mow through their own audience like an escaped circus cannibal. But make no mistake. MMO years are not like human years. A 12 year old game is collecting social security checks. So what happens when a game that was once glorious no longer has an audience to cannibalize? Do you make a sequel? Do you update the graphics? Or, do you just let it die? Here at MMORPG.com, we vote remakes. It’s time for a modern, fully featured reimagining of the games that got us all started.
Dana, I really don't get your articles. They show a certain level of.. disconnect with the genre.
City of Heroes?
How about:
Star Wars Galaxies - Awesome game at start, bugs aside. Could use a revamp. Guess it's the old republic?
Everquest or Everquest 2 (new engine is all it needs, and maybe refined combat with chains and such). One of the more underrated games out today.
The rest of your list is ok...
I think you answered your own questions. With SWTOR on the way, SWG would be a silly suggestion. No way it's happening. And EQII is a bit too recent, plus they did Vanguard too.
CoH was admittedly the weakest one on the list, but I have my reasons
Originally posted by kishe
UO had awesome "remake". It was called Wish.
The owner of the company desided he wont get rich fast with it so he sold the games assets to highest bidder, which unfortunately led to disaster called Irth Online. I betaed Wish from the start and I'd sell my soul to devil if Wish was resurrected.
LOL - Given I (and a couple others here) worked on Wish, I can say you have a slightly distorted view of what happened at the end of Wish. Trust me, no one misses that one more than I do, but it would be a giant conflict of interest for me to toss that on there given I was the Co-Lead Game Designer for it Plus, I was only counting launched games. We already did the canned list.
Dana Massey Formerly of MMORPG.com Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
I would sub for UO AC and DAoC remakes all at the same time, would be worth $45 a month.
I still play AC but I would (and I'm sure everyone else still playing) love it to be redone with modern graphics and a more enhanced skill tree. I know there's a couple people who said the old cliche of "They already did that, AC2." But those same people obviously never played either game. Although AC2 did share the name it was only because it took place in the same world, it wasn't a sequel in the way that EQ2 is. It was an entirely different game, and I think the goal for that was to have to games out in the same world that wouldn't steal players from each other. So no AC2 wasn't really a sequel, it was a truly different game and not one that stuck.
UO I've tried to go back to a few times but I agree with your statement on it, you start playing and it just feels old. And that turns you off for whatever reason and you leave it again.
I've never tried to go back to DAoC but I doubt I could even try that one without some modernization to it.
This article should be displayed once a month on this site and sent out in email form to the respective developers. While I would only be interested in an AC or UO remake in the mold/manner discussed in this article, I'm sure their are plenty of fans of all these games who'd love to experience a new look and new adventures in these worlds (and by all means these were worlds, not the trivial "games" that are 90 day wonders that are predominantly made today).
Good write-up Dana.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Solid list, though like others...I agree CoH could easily be replaced by EQ, SWG, or Matrix Online (for varying reasons). But personally (and I am one of few), I want Tabula Rasa remade with more content...not too many sci-fi mmos, and it's content was great (till it ran out).
I would love to see some of them remade just to try them out in 'new' glory, since I missed out on a few (though EQ & AC I did have a bit of fun with). I just hope the current MMOs in the works (some spiritual successors or close to remakes) are on paar with the void in the industry (or so it seems) of reusing ideas for the good, and not for the ease of duplicating
Note...I did say Tabula Rasa, I must be insanely bored or crazy or both.
but since this has inexplicably failed to appear as #1 on your list or even top-5 for that matter i trust it will appear on your next week's "top 5 epic fail remakes" column on the #1 position as it deserves.
I don't know if it counts as an MMO but I'd like to see NWN 2 get a sequal or "Remake" I suppose. The ability to make your own world and populate it yourself with NPCs, treasure, storyline and quests can far beat out any premade set in stone MMO.
Personally I'd put LOTRO at the top simply because I've always been a huge tolkien fan. Turbine did an ok job with LOTRO until the release of Moria but from then on its all downhill imo.
I'd love to see another company give Middle Earth a shot because I know it could be done much much better. Graphics arnt everything and thats about all LOTRO has going for it. Not including character model graphics of course...lol
Whoever's in charge of making decisions regarding the development of UO must be one dumb sob. What were they thinking when they decided that slowly turning this one of a kind game into another dumbed down themepark MMO is the right way to go? Or maybe the better question to ask in this case would be: WERE they thinking at all? It's almost as if they're trying to deliberately run the game into the ground and ruin its reputation along the way.
A few people have mentioned UO2, but you have to remember that it, too, just like all of the latest expansions, was supposed to feature a themepark type experience. It's a real shame those money grubbing bastards at EA fail to realize what gem they have on their hands, and that they for some reason (probably stupidity) believe that stealing crappy ideas/features/systems from other games and incorporating them into Ultima Online is somehow going to bring them money.
I'd really like to see a remake of the original game some day, but I doubt it's ever going to happen. It just makes too much sense. Hell, an oldschool ruleset server (or a few) would bring a lot of people back, but they won't even do that. Even though it could probably be done in a few days...
Don't even get me started about MO. It should be obvious to everyone by now that the people involved in the development of that game don't know wtf they're doing and are going to fail miserably.
Comments
I disagree strongly with remakes, so far I have not seen any successfull one both in subscriber numbers as in quality and gameplay. On the contrary, they tend to split the remaining playerbase in 2.
An example of how it should be done is of course EVE Online. Sure they still have alot to do ( fix and improve the sound system for example ), but overall they really have EVE Online 2.0 in terms of graphics and gameplay.
LOTRO is also on the right track. And I guess WoW is not doing bad either.
Others realise this is the way to go, like Ankama, who are making Dofus 2.0 http://www.dofus.com/uk/mmorpg/dofus2.0
Everything can be changed and improved, there are no limits, it only has to be done gradually in small steps.A complete or large gameplay revamp in 1 patch can be a disaster ( see DAoC New Frontiers ). Also completely redisigning the fundamentals of an mmo is a no-no ( see SWG CU and NGE ). But regular cosmetical upgrades, and free content additions, that is the only good way to go with mmo's imho.
To me It is obvious, the games I mentioned are one the few that stil grow, I wonder how come others do not realise this.
If you are interested in subscription or PCU numbers for MMORPG's, check out my site :
http://mmodata.blogspot.be/
Favorite MMORPG's : DAoC pre ToA-NF, SWG Pre CU-NGE, EVE Online
DAOC and the original AC are the only 2 I would care to see remade. 2 games I spent many enjoyable hours playing.
Everquest 2 is FAR from a remake of Everquest.
I have played MMO's since 1998 and more than anything, I wish there would be a new Everquest based upon the first title (style, dungeon crawling, non instancing, etc.) With a few upgrades of course, like a more interesting combat system for non casters, and a robust PvP system, not just a PvP server option that is worldwide.
EQ was hands down the best MMO in my book and there are many former (and current) players like myself that have been hoping for 5+ years that a new Everquest based on the original game and mechanis would be developed. EQ2 lacks the community that Everquest had, and it truly was a game that revolutionized the MMO market more than anything released in the past 4 years.
Sometimes I dream that DAoC2 would come out... and then I wake up
Urme the Legend.
Great list, although I agree with almost everyone in this thread that COH does not belong. It is easily replaced with a remake of Star Wars Galaxies or Shadowbane. Surprised neither were on your list, SWG especially!
To anyone that makes the error that AC2 has already been made just shows your ignorance. AC2 failed because Turbine tried to make a EQ clone. It was nothing like AC at all. Most AC1 players did not like it at all because it was so different.
#1 - THE MATRIX ONLINE
At least in my opinion, such a better job could have been done with this IP. If ever there were an IP that worked amazingly for an awesome MMO... and tyet it was poop with terrible game design and pretty much terrible everything.
A MUCH better treatment of the IP is needed.
BOYCOTTING EA / ORIGIN going forward.
Best thing about UO was the PvP. I played a GM Theif and for once, I had a skill where I could be a jerk to those that ganked me out in the world while fishing. *Bank! Guards!*
I played COX for 2+ years and am currently trying Champions. But I strongly agree that COX needs a remake: Champions is not any really different from COX. COX is dead as it's currently become a game where everything that concern the playes is the visual customization of your hero; no serious gameplay ideas have been implemented in the last 2 years. COX is currently only a levelling and grinding fest: you roll an alt, you grind it to 50, you grind if you want it to spec it with uber sets (read "gear") and then you start anew. No epic level content after level 50. It was so in Issue 6 when I started in 2006 it's still that way now after 3 years.
COX never addressed its lack of endgame content, epic battles between heroes and villains were never on the plans of the devs, the fastest pvp I had the chance to experience was "rebalanced" in Issue 13 but nothing has been done afterward. Base raids are still buggy and don't get any love (nor I think they will get it in the upcoming Going Rogue expansion) neither zone pvp will get any new ideas in the next future; maybe that's because COX players aren't interested in pvp, or maybe because balancing pvp in that game is really hard.
Anyway, I agree with Dana: that game does not make you feel heroic (or villainous): you can't create your evil plot, you cant' fight the evil and see its effect in the world. You cannot have your "real" nemesis, your real "hated" supergroup or villain group and invade their base, steal their things, destroy their base, foil their plans. You just level as usual gaining some powers but when you reach the top you don't have anything epic to do.
You cannot fight a global threat and see that your fight has an effect in the world, you cannot help an evil power and see the result of your actions in the world.
And then, regarding customization, Champions did not deliver on the "create your powers" side: you only have a long list of powers from which you can pick, you cannot really create your own (anybody remembers Freedom Force? that was the way!); I am even so bold to say that the current COX can deliver on that promise more than what CO will ever do.
I completely agree!! Star Wars Galaxies should be on the list! But I would personally love to see a new and improved Anarchy Online!
BTW, does anyone know what is going on with Star Trek Online?
Aeryns, www.imorpg.com
While i like the idea of a DAoC 2 i really like to see a Tribes3.
1. UO
2. AO
3. DAoC
4. AC
5. SWG Pre-cu Made by anyone other than SOE
PLaying: EvE, Ryzom
Waiting For: Earthrise, Perpetuum
Being pretty sure a City of ... 2 is in its early development stages I don't think a remake would be a wise decision, now that Champions Online is basically nothing else than CoX 2.0.
My list:
- The Dark Age of Camelot
- Planetside
And there it ends. I'm hoping for some new original IPs with virtual worlds.
Good article, with a lot of great points.
Again, as stated, couldn't agree more with your #1 and #2 choices, UO and DAoC.
Everyone who ever played DAoC knows why RvR was awesome, and they keep repeating it. Then Mythic ignored it with WAR to make it a bastard child of WoW and DAoC that no one really wanted.. Where are the destructible keeps? The perssitant battlegrounds? Free-moving siege? Did you guys completely forget everything you learned from DAoC for t his crap?
As for UO, well, I like many others could spout on for hours. Come back after what is now 12 years, and see how many people still at least occasionally play their current MMO. You'll never find a higher degree of customer loyalty.
As a side note, I also noticed, what is it about Trinsic that makes people so loyal? It's the only city mentioned in message boards with any connotation of citizenship....Yeah, Trinsic is awesome. My entire guild was focused around that city.. I've been resubbed for about a year or so now to UO.. I've spent well over 90% of my time there, crafting, working up skills, getting houses closer to the city gates, demolishing, repeating.. Sadly, all by myself... But since I"m in Trinsic, it's like I don't care!
100% on in regards to daoc - and I've been there since 2002 roughly - and last night
But, what else is there to play? 
My list.
1) Asheron's Call: Pretty much new graphics, more skills that are useful and reign in the levels a bit more. That is one of the reasons I don't go back to AC, my highest (even if I could remember the password) was only in his late 30s/early 40s back when I left, high level now is like 162 (or higher). Who wants to start at the bottom when most of the people playing are well past that point?
2) Anarchy Online (The first MMO where I was the guild leader). Needs some better animations, lose the expansions and get back to the core of the game, Omni v Clan. Open up some new skill lines (like diplomacy for bureaucrats) and instead of completely dynamic missions, make the missions dynamic, but leave the buildings static. It was a real immersion kill when I walked into a building in OT to find that it was the inside of a dead snake... Or some random hole in the wilderness that is a subway station. Also, where are all the people who were supposed to be working in those facilities? Those are some areas they could really improve upon. Last thing here is levels, make leveling slower, but make fewer levels. It is really easy to lose scale (especially in a PvP world) where you have 100+ level spreads.
3) Shadowbane: Fix the hacks, fix the UI (probably the worst thing in that game), open up the ability to cross 'shards' as they had originally planned (which would allow for more... interesting expansions where new shards are found), I'd like to see some serious upgrades in city building (ability to build larger cities, multi guild cities, roads, the ability to expand 'laws' to surrounding territories, etc). And for a finally, they had the best lore I've EVER seen for a custom IP MMO, incorporate that into the system better.
Read it all here.
Dana, I really don't get your articles. They show a certain level of.. disconnect with the genre.
City of Heroes?
How about:
Star Wars Galaxies - Awesome game at start, bugs aside. Could use a revamp. Guess it's the old republic?
Everquest or Everquest 2 (new engine is all it needs, and maybe refined combat with chains and such). One of the more underrated games out today.
The rest of your list is ok...
I think you answered your own questions. With SWTOR on the way, SWG would be a silly suggestion. No way it's happening. And EQII is a bit too recent, plus they did Vanguard too.
CoH was admittedly the weakest one on the list, but I have my reasons
LOL - Given I (and a couple others here) worked on Wish, I can say you have a slightly distorted view of what happened at the end of Wish. Trust me, no one misses that one more than I do, but it would be a giant conflict of interest for me to toss that on there given I was the Co-Lead Game Designer for it
Plus, I was only counting launched games. We already did the canned list.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
Isn't Mortal Online basically a remake of UO?
Also instead of city of heroes I think Runescape should be there... nexgen runescape playstyle would be intresting to see.
I would sub for UO AC and DAoC remakes all at the same time, would be worth $45 a month.
I still play AC but I would (and I'm sure everyone else still playing) love it to be redone with modern graphics and a more enhanced skill tree. I know there's a couple people who said the old cliche of "They already did that, AC2." But those same people obviously never played either game. Although AC2 did share the name it was only because it took place in the same world, it wasn't a sequel in the way that EQ2 is. It was an entirely different game, and I think the goal for that was to have to games out in the same world that wouldn't steal players from each other. So no AC2 wasn't really a sequel, it was a truly different game and not one that stuck.
UO I've tried to go back to a few times but I agree with your statement on it, you start playing and it just feels old. And that turns you off for whatever reason and you leave it again.
I've never tried to go back to DAoC but I doubt I could even try that one without some modernization to it.
This article should be displayed once a month on this site and sent out in email form to the respective developers. While I would only be interested in an AC or UO remake in the mold/manner discussed in this article, I'm sure their are plenty of fans of all these games who'd love to experience a new look and new adventures in these worlds (and by all means these were worlds, not the trivial "games" that are 90 day wonders that are predominantly made today).
Good write-up Dana.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
id really like to see AO remade (not just a graphics update)
AO still stands out for me as one of the most indepth and fun MMO games ever
Ofcourse i still dream back to the SWG glory days too but that will never be realised
Solid list, though like others...I agree CoH could easily be replaced by EQ, SWG, or Matrix Online (for varying reasons). But personally (and I am one of few), I want Tabula Rasa remade with more content...not too many sci-fi mmos, and it's content was great (till it ran out).
I would love to see some of them remade just to try them out in 'new' glory, since I missed out on a few (though EQ & AC I did have a bit of fun with). I just hope the current MMOs in the works (some spiritual successors or close to remakes) are on paar with the void in the industry (or so it seems) of reusing ideas for the good, and not for the ease of duplicating
Note...I did say Tabula Rasa, I must be insanely bored or crazy or both.
the NGE should be "remade" back into pre-cu.
but since this has inexplicably failed to appear as #1 on your list or even top-5 for that matter i trust it will appear on your next week's "top 5 epic fail remakes" column on the #1 position as it deserves.
I don't know if it counts as an MMO but I'd like to see NWN 2 get a sequal or "Remake" I suppose. The ability to make your own world and populate it yourself with NPCs, treasure, storyline and quests can far beat out any premade set in stone MMO.
Personally I'd put LOTRO at the top simply because I've always been a huge tolkien fan. Turbine did an ok job with LOTRO until the release of Moria but from then on its all downhill imo.
I'd love to see another company give Middle Earth a shot because I know it could be done much much better. Graphics arnt everything and thats about all LOTRO has going for it. Not including character model graphics of course...lol
"I play Tera for the gameplay"
How the hell has this not been redone yet?
Seriously? I am baffled.
Whoever's in charge of making decisions regarding the development of UO must be one dumb sob. What were they thinking when they decided that slowly turning this one of a kind game into another dumbed down themepark MMO is the right way to go? Or maybe the better question to ask in this case would be: WERE they thinking at all? It's almost as if they're trying to deliberately run the game into the ground and ruin its reputation along the way.
A few people have mentioned UO2, but you have to remember that it, too, just like all of the latest expansions, was supposed to feature a themepark type experience. It's a real shame those money grubbing bastards at EA fail to realize what gem they have on their hands, and that they for some reason (probably stupidity) believe that stealing crappy ideas/features/systems from other games and incorporating them into Ultima Online is somehow going to bring them money.
I'd really like to see a remake of the original game some day, but I doubt it's ever going to happen. It just makes too much sense. Hell, an oldschool ruleset server (or a few) would bring a lot of people back, but they won't even do that. Even though it could probably be done in a few days...
Don't even get me started about MO. It should be obvious to everyone by now that the people involved in the development of that game don't know wtf they're doing and are going to fail miserably.