In addition to the normal set of Ask and Answer questions this week, there is also an interview! UO Forums did a very informative interview with the Ultima Online producer, Bonnie (Mesanna) Armstrong. There are questions that range from a typical day in the studio to future plans for Ultima Online, so be sure to check it out.
UO Auctions
Question: The new 15yr Robes are a fantastic addition and reward for players being creative. i’d like to see this bcome more than just a 15yr event. have you ever considered holding art based competitions as well as writing? it’d be nice to see this sort of reward for submitting UO fan art too. (Treasure Seeker)
Mesanna: After speaking with our Artist Onifrk he stated jpg, png or 3d files would be acceptable to do something like this. I really like the idea of this but there will NEVER be another contest like decorating banks.
Ultima Online Bibliothek
When will I get my ridable Great Hart? Tameable, plase, and chance to find a white one, please. (Pcuvush)
Mesanna: Ridable Hart, probably not but a special spawned hued one is a possibility in the future.
Once there was the idea to add pixies as a playable race – there was a poll, if I remember correctly, dwarves and orcs as other options. Has this been shelved, or is there still a chance to add them? (Pcuvush)
Mesanna: Right now a new playable race is not on the plans. I am not saying we will never do one again but have a lot of other things in front of it right now.
UO Stratics
I roleplay as an orc on Europa (Xug’Klerg) and he wants to know if he will ever fully become an orc? We would both like this…(Velvathos)
Kyronix: Adding additional playable races is an extraordinary task that requires a lot of development time due to the far reaching impact of such an addition. Consider how different gargoyles are than humans/elves and how they have their own equipment, skills, etc. So to do it right would take a great effort that may not benefit the entire player base as effectively as focusing elsewhere. There are currently a number of ways that players can roleplay other races (Which I’m sure you are already utilizing) so enhancing that ability would be more feasible than a full blown additional playable race.
UOForums
Since the addition of the Raised Garden Beds into the game, the need for fertile dirt has increased. However as best I can tell, the spawn rate has not. I love my raised beds, especially when I can plant them all with the fertile dirt, I just don’t like buying it in Ter Mur. Is there anyway we can get some more dirt? OR reduce the number of dirt piles it takes to grow each plant? (Kahlan)
Kyronix: This is a reasonable request and will consider it when adding it future loot drops to various areas.
Can you tell me how iron beetles are supposed to work? I thought they mined ore but when I bring mine out, it does not mine or do anything really. I’ve stood alongside mountains, inside caves (Where you can mine the floor), and still, it does nothing. The owner is a GM Miner. (Thumper)
Misk: The Iron Beetles likes to dig up and eat ore so it tries to mine when it is in an appropriate area. They will attempt to mine in the immediate area at random intervals (maximum of 5 minutes). Sometimes they don’t like the taste of the ore that they dig up and simply leave it on the ground instead of consuming it. When the beetle eats ore, its body hue changes to the ore color that it has eaten. The Iron Beetle can only mine near valid mining tiles and the mining skill of the owner does not affect the types of ore that the beetle will dig up.