A little bit of news...(you'll want to read this)

[DylanC]

Dear Utopia players

I think it’s fair to say that there have been one or two (thousand) complaints about what we’ve been doing with Utopia over the last few months. Today, I want to tell you what we’ve *actually* been doing. If you take a quick look at www.utopiakingdoms.com, you’ll see that we’re announcing (tomorrow) a brand new Utopia game (called Utopia Kingdoms, which you could probably have guessed from the url). Now before some of you come out and claim that this is something we’re announcing as a distraction while we think of what to actually do next, let me publicly say that this game goes into testing next week and beta testers will start playing the week after that. In short, you’ll be able to play the game inside the next few weeks.

Let me say a little about Utopia Kingdoms (UK), before I talk about what’s going to happen to the current Utopia (or you can just skip this part to the next paragraph if you’re particularly concerned). UK is a much more graphical game than the current Utopia. It’s based in the same universe and is based on reasonably similar principles to the current game. Building up resources is still a major part of gameplay, as is combat.

We think you’ll like it. We certainly do. But I’m also fairly sure that some percentage of you won’t. And this is where the second part of the announcement comes in.

Firstly, we won’t be getting rid of Utopia as you currently know it. However (drum roll) Utopia Classic (as it’ll be known in the future) *is* being completely overhauled by a team of software ninjas. Let me be really clear on this. By ‘overhaul’, I mean on a technical level. It’s being migrated to a modern codebase and will be infinitely more stable than is currently. This process has already started and will be finished in approximately eight weeks. All current players will be migrated to this new version.

Yes, of course we know you don’t believe us. Yes, it will actually happen.

So, to summarise (for those of you asleep at the back), we’ve got a brand new Utopia Kingdoms game (very soon) and a fixed Utopia Classic game (not quite as soon). Let the yelling commence. I’ll reply to as many of the sensible questions on this thread as I can.

Dylan
(CEO, Jolt Online Gaming)

[Ganondorf]

GL, this will be the end of utopia. People don't want graphical improvements. Utopia has always been about not having too much fancy stuff and all, the game works perfectly fine as it is, it just needs more advertising. I think this might split the player base of utopia into 2 different games. I can tell you for sure that myself, and the old timers of this game will want it to stay like it's been, and the newer players might give "UK" a try and find out that they like it more than "Classic".

[Raywre]

can't be mroe agree whit ganondorf

[Thunder TA]

i Believe as said. most dont want a fancy graphic utopia. they just want a game that works and when a problem is found and reported to have it fixed .
nothing major.or fancy. just a game that works as its expected to.

[VladtheInhaler]

The end indeed. How sad.

[Luth]

yup. just make what we have work... what a concept

gobsmacking new artwork <---- gobsmacking???? oh please *gags*

[Kine]

Lets be fair and test it out before judging... yes?

[Dlaf]

Im not part of the bunch looking for fanciful graphics either.
But I cannot deny there is probably a bigger bunch of gamers who would prefer graphics in addition to great concept.

The players here at the moment are old-timers, who have stuck and loved this concept. Still, I believe graphics will enhance the game appeal to a different, and larger, group of gamers. If the new game is able to sell itself as intelligent and mature, with graphic aid for easier understanding to newcomers, and shore up a larger bunch of players, I can forsee even some of the old-timers here may shift to the new game.

As long as the graphics are not kiddish, as it goes against the appeal of the game.

[Thunder TA]

as Ganondorf said tho. splitting the game up into 2 servers when we cant fill 1 now seems odd.
will players be able to play both versions or must they choose 1 or the other?
if players are forced to choose only 1 then i see a end to as you say Classic utopia and could be either way anyhow.
I understand the appeal of graphics to the younger crowd and that may hopefully bring in more money also.
Most that have played this game for 10 years or so are not about any of that and play for the friendship and love of the game itself.
we will still be here .may not be half of whats here now tho when the servers splits .

whats the lowest number you will allow the game to drop to player wise before shutting classic down and merging it with the newer version ?

with the Ninjahs woring on it will problems that are already in the game be actually fixed ?


oh and with this new game will it work off the existing master account ?

[VT2]

If I wanted graphics, I'd play DS.

But then again, Utopia is one thing, and this new 'Utopia kingdoms,' while supposedly similar to Utopia, will not be the exact same thing.
I'm going to say it's like comparing Megaman X to Megaman classic - same principles, actual graphics, just as solid gameplay, and more things to do.

Will this new thing suck? It's based on a very good thing, just like classic Megaman, so I'd say 'no.' Of course, Capcom managed to screw their series up completely when they made the blue bomber 3d, added extremely weak voice-acting, and dumbed down the difficulty.

Me, I'm kinda looking forward to this.
It will be a completely new start.
I get to train a bunch of n00s from the ground up, and hopefully I get a completely new experience, that's different enough to please, yet familiar enough to lure me in.

[Palem]

R.I.P. Utopia =[

[TehDudeAbides]

Ok this is what you must do in order to not LOSE everyone.


1. Make transference easy. EASY. LIKE A CLICK OF A BUTTON DONE. NOT LIKE THE TRADING SCHEME BAD.

2. Make the transference during the EoA. NOT DURING MID ROUND AT ANYTIME FROM DAY 1 OR DAY 2.

3. It needs to keep the same layout. JUST WITH PICTURES. If you somehow make the current left hand side menu SOME FLASHY GIMMICKY THING, YOU'LL LOSE EVEN MORE PEOPLE

4. THIS IS A NEW GAME, YOU will get NEW PEOPLE, BUT YOU WILL LOSE OTHERS. It doesn't matter how you do this. You will lose people. FOLLOW 1 and 2 for the least transference loss.

[Kine]

Just dont mess up the war dynamics. Its 8 years worth of fine tuning :)

If this is another Travian or galava you can kiss UK goodbye.

[brado]

DylanC, or others who can answer - I honestly suspected the part about 'ninja coders' redoing utopia, but the new graphical idea comes as a surprise to me. Who would I talk with or how would I be a beta tester?

[Foggy]

lets wait and see this kingdoms beta its thin on details atm