OSI Changing The Map?

[mehla]

Recently I had read that OSI has been known to slightly modify the map causing players to get stuck and read improper z axis in some areas.

I can site my source and paste the link where I read it, but it is a pretty known UO server and I don't want to cause any issues.... But I can say the server always has 100+ online.

The reason they said this was is because 'legally' OSI cannot do anything about freeshards, so they slightly change the map a little bit, move a tree, etc... The fix they said was to download an older version of map0.mul

Has anyone heard of this before? If so, do you have any reading material for me? I can't seem to find any information about this anywhere...

-Mehla

[Jeff]

I've noticed that if u use a install from like UOR and dont update, then connect with a modern client, you will rubberband on all the shrubs and rocks quite annoying.

[PappaSmurf]

I don't know if that is the reason they do things like that but it has been known for a long while now that you can somehow "fall" off the Z axis it used to happen from time to time when you were mounting a llama or horse and trying to run during the mounting animation. You'd wind up in a completely black area and you'd have these trailed images behind your character kinda like something off Star Trek....

It's something that I remember happening all the way back prior to UO:R so I don't know if it's an intentional thing or just a small glitch in the game itself.

[Slayer706]

So OSI screws up their own map to make freeshard players suffer? Doubt it, I think the developers just suck at map making.

[TMSTKSBK]

OSI breaks things for the fun of it...

If OSI reads this, I say:

[otimpyre]

Have experienced the falling off map. Its called a black hole. See your self drawn over and over kinda like standing in front of a mirror with a mirror behind you goes on for infinity. Cant remember the circumstances that caused it tho. Was years ago.

[TMSTKSBK]

I remember it happening a lot on RunUO 1.0 RC1...(or am I just talented like that?)

[Vhaerun]

From what I know of custom mapmaking, this isn't true. There may be "problem spots" on the map0.mul (and static mul files) that come with the game itself, but if the server and client are using identical mul files (which they should be), there shouldn't be any discrepancy.

If EA changed the UO map, they would have to create a patch for players to be able to download from that would exactly match the map/statics EA has on its servers. Otherwise, you'd get paying customers that would end up getting stuck or dropping into "black holes". Since most all freeshards are based on the UO map that is obtained by patching and both the server and the client must (or at least should) be using the same mul files, there shouldn't be any 'traps' or such that would catch those playing on freeshards.

As for custom maps, it's even simpler. Since the mul files are created totally from scratch and, unless desired, have no pieces of the original UO map there, unless the admins that created the custom map are sadistic, there shouldn't be any constructed traps.

However, every program has its loopholes. There are "black holes" in every game/program written for a computer. My thought is that it is, for lack of a better term, naturally occurring and just a happenstance of certain factors becoming aligned in a specific timeline.

In other words, you hit the wrong button at the wrong time.

[crackrat]

lol i think if EA really wanted to stop free shards from using thier client they most likely wouldnt do it by changing the map slightly, moving a tree or two. most likely they would just change the encryption scheme or protect the files that runuo uses in such a way that they would appear completly scrambled. both of these things could be done on a weekly basis with a small amount of energy out the devs.

most likely these occur due to new dev staff correcting the works of older staff.
in most continued dev situations, glitches popup due to this. a prime example is the introduction of ML. why do ML dungerons and map work seem to overlap what has been done on free shards? simple these are areas that the devs have deemed reworkable and due to this there are areas of the map that are torn up becuase EA wanted to use them for something elase without adding to the current download size.

If EA wanted to stop the free shard system they would easily be able to and wouldnt bother with moving a few trees or land. why hinder what to them is a great source of ideas for future development and possibly a source of atleast some extra adverticing and cash flow. EA benifits from this.

[Slayer706]

Yeah, about all of their new vet reward ideas are old news to us.... Ridable polar bear, cannon, and the weapon engraving tool, all of that stuff has been floating around here a long time.
Really it would be harder to shut down free shards then just a client change... After all, everyone could just not patch or download the new client with the changes. Thus they would be able to play free servers still.

[Tru]

Originally Posted by Slayer706

Yeah, about all of their new vet reward ideas are old news to us.... Ridable polar bear, cannon, and the weapon engraving tool, all of that stuff has been floating around here a long time.

I think they steal our ideas.....

[Slayer706]

I wish they would steal our idea of pre-AoS servers.... I might actually play EA/OSI UO if they did.

[crackrat]

Originally Posted by Slayer706

Really it would be harder to shut down free shards then just a client change... After all, everyone could just not patch or download the new client with the changes. Thus they would be able to play free servers still.

and where would the free shards be in a year or two of such changes done on a weekly basis we would all be using custom edited clients and server files. Most bootleg client versions would be buggy. meanwhile if they actually introduced revolutionary ideas in each client change they would outpace the freeshard community. trust me if they wanted they could do it with a suprizing lack of manpower.

they havent gone this route due to the fact that free shards are a cheap source of ideas for current and new projects and new perspective clients. figuire for every 100 people that start playing free shards first, some do take the plunge into the pay shards some do buy the most recent version off the shelf. and some will start buying other ea products.

[Slayer706]

Eventually they might outpace us, if they add-in brand spanking new graphics for the majority of items in the game. But we can add in new graphics with this client, so that wouldn't be a big stopper. Again, I don't see how just a new client that scrambles things would stop free servers. Anyone with a disk for the game before the new client would come out could get the old version back. Lots of sites still host AoS/SE/ML trial clients. Sure free servers would be stuck using an outdated client for a while (until we figured out something else), but these clients and 2.0.0 are working great right now.... So that doesn't look like much of a setback.

[Joeku]

Krrios's Client == Free From EA Forever

[TMSTKSBK]

Your mom is free forever...

[Red Squirrel]

Even if they change the map, they need to issue an update, everyone patches, including runuo run servers, and everyone is good to go. At least that's how I assume things would go since the map is stored client side.

[Anti-Basic]

Originally Posted by Joeku

Krrios's Client == Free From EA Forever

until he fixes books, not free.

[Grashopr]

The update that I got last night from OSI took the swamplands out of Yew. I was waiting for that fix. Yew should never have become a swampland in the first place.