A couple of questions from a Noob-Veteran

[Corpor]

Rel Sanct You, fellow players,

I am thinking about returning to UO after nearly a decade and have a couple of questions. Hopefully, someone is able to answer them:

1. What is the quickest way to make some ingame gold with real money? As I started over several times from scratch, I can't bring myself to do this again all over (you know, slaying Ellies in shame for hours, training a provo bard etc.). Is there a way to donate and get sth in return, which I can then sell ingame?

2. What about the population of the server? Is it rising, stable or in decline?

3. Is T2A integrated? Will I be able to visit my favorite town, Delucia?

4. Are there Champ Spawns and Harrowers?

5. What is the most viable pvp template atm?

6. Is a dexxer viable in PvP or is this the usual "Mage rules"-shard?

7. Are there free spots for a tower maybe?

8. Lot of IDOC-Fighting?

9. Enough Thieves at WBB?

10. Finally, the most important question: Is there any kind of guarantee that that, what happens to Defiance a couple of years ago, does not happen here? You probably know what I mean: Dedicating a lot of time and money into the game, just to find out that the server is shut down for good.

Thank you!

 

[Dewderonomy]

1. What is the quickest way to make some ingame gold with real money? As I started over several times from scratch, I can't bring myself to do this again all over (you know, slaying Ellies in shame for hours, training a provo bard etc.). Is there a way to donate and get sth in return, which I can then sell ingame?

Yeah, you can buy donation coins with RL money and sell 'em. They're about 160-170K per 1K donos right now, I think, maybe a little more (but not by much).

2. What about the population of the server? Is it rising, stable or in decline?

I'd say it just boomed in October and then hit a slump in January. It's definitely a lot less populated and active since then. Probably holiday rush got people trying it out, return UOFers from '13-'14 (myself), and then folks getting busy with other stuff, holidays over, a helluvalot of new games coming out, etc. As a whole I'd say it's probably pretty stable since 2014ish; new players coming in but not retaining enough old players, so not growing or declining in huge numbers (outside of the boom and bust of the last few months).

Expect a good 150-250 active players (not clients), which is definitely the most you can expect from any server right now.

3. Is T2A integrated? Will I be able to visit my favorite town, Delucia?

Only for Zombieland during October, if they host it. Otherwise, no.

4. Are there Champ Spawns and Harrowers?

Champs yes. Harrowers, I think. I don't PvM if I can help it.

5. What is the most viable pvp template atm?

EB rails and alchy pot tossing. Dexxers throw bombs and carry either an axe or war hammer for decoration. Scribe, stun, heal mages and combinations thereof are popular. Wands are thing in factions.

6. Is a dexxer viable in PvP or is this the usual "Mage rules"-shard?

Depends if "alchemy" is part of your definition of a "pure dexxer". If it is, then it's viable here. But for some reason there's been a change to casting speeds (maybe spell damage, too), so casting is slightly faster than it should be pre-AoS/UOR.

7. Are there free spots for a tower maybe?

Free? No, but there are a lot of plots for sale and smaller plots to be found.

8. Lot of IDOC-Fighting?

Yep.

9. Enough Thieves at WBB?

Eh, sorta'. The inside of WBB is Trammel so a lot of folks just AFK inside.

10. Finally, the most important question: Is there any kind of guarantee that that, what happens to Defiance a couple of years ago, does not happen here? You probably know what I mean: Dedicating a lot of time and money into the game, just to find out that the server is shut down for good.

I don't think UOF is going anywhere anytime soon. It's probably got another 2 years left in it, likely more. It really depends on if there's any competition that comes out. UOF currently operates in a vacuum; there aren't many alternatives, and the ones that do pop up don't have the momentum to compete so they crash and burn in under 3 months.

Should that change (which I doubt - I think UO freeshards are finally coming to an end) then it might collapse in a year or two after such an event, but I highly doubt that will occur. Your time and effort won't be lost in less than two years from now, as far as the server's concerned.

Whether you enjoy the mechanics or not, well, that's up to the individual.