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Samool

Full Steam Ahead

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Hi everyone, as you’ve probably heard by know, I’ll be taking the role of Product Manager of Wurm in place of Budda. 

 

This should not disrupt development too much, but the direction of our work will change for the months leading to the Steam release - there’ll be more focus on some of the long requested QoL changes (good time to put some more in the suggestions forum!), new UI, combat changes and early game improvements. The majority of mentioned QoL and UI changes is aimed at improving the new player experience and retention, but it should also make for a much less frustrating experience for everyone while playing the game. There’s still some new content features going out soon for you to look ahead to, but that might slow down a bit for a short while.

 

One of the features we’re planning to introduce soon is a new premium loyalty system, which is our way of saying thank you in a better form than yellow potions :)

 

All of those changes will of course go to both current Wurm Online and the Steam version. Right now we aim to keep the differences between the two to a minimum, but that might still change. We’re open to the possibility of a server merge in the future, joining the new servers to the Freedom cluster, but only if it makes sense and doesn’t impact any of the servers negatively. Whatever happens, the original Wurm Online servers will get the same attention and features the Steam ones will.

 

As previously mentioned, the Epic overhaul update that was scheduled to launch late this year is no longer on our radar, due to the work direction shift the Steam launch requires. Instead we’ll be working on incorporating those ideas into a PvP server we intend to launch alongside the Steam PvE server.

 

I hope this clears out some of the confusion. It’s been a very busy couple of weeks here with all the announcements, but it should be smooth sailing from now on.

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This all sounds pretty cool. Thanks for clearing all that up. I(and definitely others)’m sure you are working hard on this and I can’t wait to see the end result.

Here’s to Wurm!

Edited by MinorArchitect
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14 minutes ago, Samool said:

As previously mentioned, the Epic overhaul update that was scheduled to launch late this year is no longer on our radar, due to the work direction shift the Steam launch requires. Instead we’ll be working on incorporating those ideas into a PvP server we intend to launch alongside the Steam PvE server.

Does this mean that the Epic overhaul is postponed, or that it is dropped? And will there be a lifting of the teleport and shipping curfew between Epic servers?

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26 minutes ago, Samool said:

which is our way of saying thank you in a better form than yellow potions

did rolf finally start drinking water

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35 minutes ago, Ekcin said:

Does this mean that the Epic overhaul is postponed, or that it is dropped? And will there be a lifting of the teleport and shipping curfew between Epic servers?

Epic is unlikely to get much attention soon, at least until the Steam release, but we do plan to work on it. Moving between Epic servers with items might have to wait on that.

 

22 minutes ago, Vomusu said:

skill transfer when?

Jackal skill transfer should be in this month.

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So when does the combat overhaul take place? Do the steam launch carefully, you got only one chance at this.

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Wish you all the best. Just hope the combat won't become another fishing.

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This is what I'm talking about Samool. We've been asking for some sort of plan and upcoming updates, and the timeframe on those. You seemed to have hit that on the head, nice job on that; stay persistent with that. 

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Opening a new server on Steam, just doing the same game mechanics and same subscription model as current WO will end is complete failure.  almost every sub you get there will be from existing players on WO.  Some will keep going on the old WO servers, but many will abandon them completely.  This would just be a money transfer to a new platform, where you also have to give some of it to Steam.

 

Having the possibility of a merge from WO to the Steam servers is a horrible idea, UNLESS the merge is simply moving the WO cluster to Steam, but keeping it completely isolated from any of the new servers.  Saying the merge is a possibility is sending a message to everyone that "at some point, we will destroy the market completely and make your hard earned skills pointless".

 

Launching a new server on steam will get some additional traction, but tell me, what do you think a new person will choose, when presented with WU or WO on Steam?

 

I'm all for making the move to Steam, but drop the subscription model.  Just deploy it on the WU platform and come up with an alternate form of revenue than the dead subscription model. 

 

Also, congrats on the new role!  I've always loved your work on the game.  I just feel bad that you might be in a more visible position as the execs head down this path of darkness.

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5 minutes ago, Wurmhole said:

Opening a new server on Steam, just doing the same game mechanics and same subscription model as current WO will end is complete failure.  almost every sub you get there will be from existing players on WO.  Some will keep going on the old WO servers, but many will abandon them completely.  This would just be a money transfer to a new platform, where you also have to give some of it to Steam.

 

Having the possibility of a merge from WO to the Steam servers is a horrible idea, UNLESS the merge is simply moving the WO cluster to Steam, but keeping it completely isolated from any of the new servers.  Saying the merge is a possibility is sending a message to everyone that "at some point, we will destroy the market completely and make your hard earned skills pointless".

 

Launching a new server on steam will get some additional traction, but tell me, what do you think a new person will choose, when presented with WU or WO on Steam?

 

I'm all for making the move to Steam, but drop the subscription model.  Just deploy it on the WU platform and come up with an alternate form of revenue than the dead subscription model. 

 

Also, congrats on the new role!  I've always loved your work on the game.  I just feel bad that you might be in a more visible position as the execs head down this path of darkness.

 

I will never understand people who say "I am not spending $10-15 a month" then proceed to buy $40-50 cosmetics. What those people should really say is "I want it easy"

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Do you realize that with the inclusion of the steam version of the WO you will kill the current WO?

who will play on old servers when new on Steam? maybe 50 players on 7 servers, even now because of the plans to introduce wO steam, people sell out what's possible, remove deeds and sell accounts.

 

 

Edited by Hawkinson

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11 minutes ago, Jeston said:

 

I will never understand people who say "I am not spending $10-15 a month" then proceed to buy $40-50 cosmetics. What those people should really say is "I want it easy"

Subscriptions are a scam.  Think about all the free offers you get for things.  "Try free for one month, then we will just auto bill you unless you cancel".  How many times have people tried free, decided they didn't like it and completely forgot about the service, until BAM, there it is on your credit card bill.  There are so many subscriptions for things now.  As a consumer, it is a nightmare.  Need to move to a model where people can pay one time for a thing they want.

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3 minutes ago, Hawkinson said:

Do you realize that with the inclusion of the steam version of the WO you will kill the current WO?

 

And?  I'll gladly sacrifice all my alts, deeds and hoards of shiny junk for the possibility of Wurm growth.  WO has been on life support for ages.  Little changes won't keep it alive. 

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1 minute ago, Wurmhole said:

Subscriptions are a scam.  Think about all the free offers you get for things.  "Try free for one month, then we will just auto bill you unless you cancel".  How many times have people tried free, decided they didn't like it and completely forgot about the service, until BAM, there it is on your credit card bill.  There are so many subscriptions for things now.  As a consumer, it is a nightmare.  Need to move to a model where people can pay one time for a thing they want.

 

Strawman argument right there (subscription forgetfulness). There is nothing about Wurm Onlines subscription model that is a scam, people get what they pay for.

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@Samool

 

Congratulations on the new job, i'm sure you'll do just fine, if the past is any indication.

 

Regardless of my own biases toward Epic, it's probably better to wait on the Steam launch and concentrate on getting that up and running successfully, than taking time out of that for Epic, at present Epic is relatively dead again, for various reasons, not all of which I understand to be honest, but having the Home servers as PvE hunting servers is fine with me, a PvP holiday there won't really affect either Steam or WO particularly, the content that's there is enough to keep me happy for now.

 

Probably a contentious view, but at some point those of us who played on Epic, and continue to visit, have to realise that perhaps there are bigger things in the future than one cluster with only a few players, even if one of those players is me.

Edited by Zenity
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congrats on the new position! Interested in seeing where this goes from here :) 

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Epic keepa getting back-burnered.  Each time you make changes people get excited but then it flops and very few play there.  Just say it... 

 

Epic is dead.

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Since you are changing some of the mech in the game ,how about the intro to teleportation, from each starter town , that way people can move around over large distance easy, and have deeds in other areas ,instead of many in the same area ,and with out the long ride, I know being on xanadu the rifts are so far from me, just the travel time is a turn off going to them, , I have 3 deeds and several alt accounts plus my main toon, but the idea of joining deed and premium  time might not be a bad idea either . but once a deed has been abandon all of it disappear, buildings and all , I hate waiting for stuff to decay , or just start completely over in stream with new ideas, like NPC dungeons with rewards, or quest to complete either solo or group

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This is indeed a sneaky way of eliminating open account sales, and i like it.

Old accounts will be left to die on the old WO servers, new will arise on the Steam WO servers. The majority of people will play through Steam (even if the old WO servers are merged), and i doubt the current way of selling accounts will survive the steam eula.

 

I might be wrong, but i hope im right when it comes to account sales. :)

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36 minutes ago, Nomadikhan said:

Epic keepa getting back-burnered.  Each time you make changes people get excited but then it flops and very few play there.  Just say it... 

 

Epic is dead.

this time for one.. there's something quite more important than left over cluster

idk what's wrong with pvp.. but lately I do not even consider it to exist as an option.. before I used to think that I could try it, even with the rng boring swaying of weapons etc.. metas and dramas around it.. killed every illusion tho, it's either economy.. steal and drop a deed by stealing money from somebody or it's casual drama pushing people out.. than somebody asks wtf.. why are there no people there

idk, maybe nobody thinks any of that is fun?

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  • New steam wurm goes up, new cluster, old freedom dies.

 

  • ALL players can go to both epic and jackal.

 

  • Epic becomes the new PvP center for wurm because it can be accessed by both old, and new, players.

 

  • Essentially, a new cluster is a strong argument for ditching chaos entirely and just making Epic the main PvP platform.
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2 hours ago, Nordlys said:

This is indeed a sneaky way of eliminating open account sales, and i like it.

Old accounts will be left to die on the old WO servers, new will arise on the Steam WO servers. The majority of people will play through Steam (even if the old WO servers are merged), and i doubt the current way of selling accounts will survive the steam eula.

 

I might be wrong, but i hope im right when it comes to account sales. :)

 

Well I mean they said the accounts were separated so its all good, the whole trading accounts crap was/is always bad. Nothing like running into an old friend who isn't that old friend.

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5 hours ago, Wurmhole said:

I'm all for making the move to Steam, but drop the subscription model.  Just deploy it on the WU platform and come up with an alternate form of revenue than the dead subscription model. 

Sums it up for me

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What type of PvE server is going to be released? Will it be a strict Freedom ruleset where you can not break any laws at all or will it be similar to the JK-H of the old days? Will the Steam PvP server be seperated from the PvE server? Or will it just be another Chaos-esque server where there is literally no purpose to make a fortified deed except for as a spawn point, since you can hide all your goodies in the inviolable safety of the Freedom servers.

I'd be very interested to see somewhat of a return to our roots in the Steam release, and seperate rule sets now that we have an opportunity to start somewhat fresh. Experiment a little, make something that feels fresh even to an older player and I think that might just feel fresh for newer ones too. With no new twists and turns, the road for the steam release will be similar to the road we're currently walking down here in "vanilla" Wurm Online.

Good luck.

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