They heard your pleas: 

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/12/ryzom-allowing-players-to-keep-subbed-characters/

I was so looking forward for the wipe.

Now I can uninstall.

Just woke up to this news (7am here in Australia).  The Ryzom vets are collectively breathing a sigh of relief at this news.  The decision by the Dev team is being received well.

Personally I'll be keeping my main toon with his skills, and registering one of my alts on the "List of the reckless".  Luckily I have a RP toon that I've been wanting to use for quite some time, so for me it works out quite well.

Either way, no one can claim the developers of Ryzom are not listening to their community.

/Osc

Take it all other companies who don't care about its customers and you know who you are ...

Ryzom and WG just set the bar very high in regards to "cares about his customers"

-Uninstalled.

Damn.... I am glad the Vets get to keep their progress but WHY not make a new freaking server?????? Where everyone starts off at level 1???????

I was hoping for a fresh start, nopt a new server with the same old "rulers" and static World...

Oh well.

EDIT: Soooo it never WAS a Technical issue as they claimed then? They flat out lied... I certainly would not call it "concern for customers" since they clearly stated it was a TECHNICAL ISSUE preventing them from saving Toons- Sounds to me like it was a lie with a backpeddle being spun as "we care about the community"

Personally I feel this is the begining of the end. The real end-Of Ryzom. They should have just left good enough alone at this point- This will not attract new subs AT ALL and the SMALL bump they will get from F2P players "saving" their toons will be gone in a month or two- Not to mention they will inevidably lose some people over this. Overall, I feel this will decimate the game. A new server with a FRESH START (and some advertising) would possibly breathe much needed life into this game. This makes little sense at all as nothing really new is being offered and this is a standard server merge.

Again, the solution should have been (and I have said this from the start) a server merge for existing Toons and a NEW SERVER for anyone who wanted to start fresh. This game is like trying to enter the Boardgame of RISK once 95% of the World is already owned and the game is esssentially over. Let THOSE people finish THEIR game and let everyone else have a chance at a restart.

But it isnt to be...

OH and before ANYONE starts telling me how much $$$ advertising costs are (and how broke the Devs are)- Let me just say this. There is nary a FORUM POST about this game on ANY MMO SITES. Occasionally a fan will make a post- Thats IT. Advertising could be as simple as someone OFFICIAL coming to a Forum like THIS ONE and making a post every few months to drum up some support. Honestly Viral Marketing costs nothing and takes very little time. I have watched devs from indie games (like Island Forge) push their games on this Forum for FREE because they CARE. I have also seen "undercover" devs (and employess) posting in other unnamed forums - I only mention Island Forge because the Dev comes here under the DEV banner. =P

The Ryzom Devs might claim they cannot afford advertising, but where are their FREE Post(s) drumming up some support? That seems the ultamite lack of "giving a shit" when your game is tanking , no real updates are forthcoming and you do NOTHING to advertise your game for FREE.

Sadly, the Ryzom "devs" really aren't developers. They can't code anything to save their life outside of small database changes ( like removing xp catalyst, a simple number change ), as anyone who's seen the zero content added to the game since they took it back can tell you. Hell, Ryzom just got an achievements system. How? Volunteer players coded it for them.

I'm sorry, I love Ryzom to death. But when a company runs a game simply to run it and make whatever little money they can without even trying ( no REAL developers, no advertising, no nothing, just keep sending us your sub money please ), as far as I'm concerned that game is nothing but a virtual zombie. It's time to put the slug in its head and move on.

Edit:

For thoseof you who have spent years in the game and are just so attached that you'll cling to the game for as long as possible, I feel for you. I really do. And I don't want you to take this post as being in any way unsympathetic to your positions.

But the fact of the matter is, unless the "devs' suddenly learn the business rule of "it takes money to make money" and start spending some of your sub dollars on coders and ads, you're just clinging to a rapidly sinking ship. This is an obvious last ditch effort on the "devs" part. And this time, I don't forsee any other company waiting in the wings to snatch Ryzom up when the inevitable bankruptcy/shutdown happens this time.

Originally posted by OG_Zorvan

Sadly, the Ryzom "devs" really aren't developers. They can't code anything to save their life outside of small database changes ( like removing xp catalyst, a simple number change ), as anyone who's seen the zero content added to the game since they took it back can tell you. Hell, Ryzom just got an achievements system. How? Volunteer players coded it for them.

 

I'm sorry, I love Ryzom to death. But when a company runs a game simply to run it and make whatever little money they can without even trying ( no REAL developers, no advertising, no nothing, just keep sending us your sub money please ), as far as I'm concerned that game is nothing but a virtual zombie. It's time to put the slug in its head and move on.

 

Edit:

For thoseof you who have spent years in the game and are just so attached that you'll cling to the game for as long as possible, I feel for you. I really do. And I don't want you to take this post as being in any way unsympathetic to your positions.

But the fact of the matter is, unless the "devs' suddenly learn the business rule of "it takes money to make money" and start spending some of your sub dollars on coders and ads, you're just clinging to a rapidly sinking ship. This is an obvious last ditch effort on the "devs" part. And this time, I don't forsee any other company waiting in the wings to snatch Ryzom up when the inevitable bankruptcy/shutdown happens this time.

Yup- And I just do not get it...

Many people like myself spent time SUBBING to this gameuntil it was clear that we could never really achive anything since everything was "locked down"- Grind for months to make items FAR LESS POWERFUL than what is GIVEN AWAY everyday to noobs from the Vets. No economy. No Wars because its "too expensive and agreements have been reached"- Its a total lockdown and static World where you cannot really advance.

Many people who left the game WOULD HAVE returned for a chance to play on equal footing- To experience the game as a dynamixc sandbox- 

This was a Bad move- Yes, vets SHOULD have never been threatened with the loss of Toons. In fact, many vets would have rolled ALTS on A fresh server- But no fresh server means the people waiting in the wind (like me) are not coming back (even for FREE)

I never played as a F2Per- In fact I am not sure that when I played there even was F2P. I never came back even for FREE- Because its POINTLESS. And after this merge it will continue to be POINTLESS. And the cycle continues....

After the issue and the bad decision to wipe chars has been corrected and is taken from table this "New Beginning" will be fantastic.

Nothing is static. 3 communities from 3 server coming now together and clash on each other.

New politics and alliances with new allies. Not even guilds will exist at this beginning putting in with wipe of fame some will be surprised in which guild chooses which path.

Lots of Battles over every single Outpost cause every and all  of them will be free to claim. Every single piece of gear has to be made new. The value of dappers will be sized at new with further economic related changes.

In Summary, lots of PvP, lots of diplomacy , lots of  boss hunting , lots of  PR digging and lots of crafting ahead.

A fantanstic intriguing time i am personally looking forward too and also keeping in mind that my investement will continue to be in good hands knowing that this developer is in favor to protect its customer then making more money.

Originally posted by DarthRaiden

After the issue and the bad decision to wipe chars has been corrected and is taken from table this "New Beginning" will be fantastic.

Nothing is static. 3 communities from 3 server coming now together and clash on each other.

New politics and alliances with new allies. Not even guilds will exist at this beginning putting in with wipe of fame some will be surprised in which guild chooses which path.

Lots of Battles over every single Outpost cause every and all  of them will be free to claim. Every single piece of gear has to be made new. The value of dappers will be sized at new with further economic related changes.

In Summary, lots of PvP, lots of diplomacy , lots of  boss hunting , lots of  PR digging and lots of crafting ahead.

A fantanstic intriguing time i am personally looking forward too and also keeping in mind that my investement will continue to be in good hands knowing that this developer is in favor to protect its customer then making more money.

 

...Glad you are happy. Hope this brings new blood to the game- I do not think it will, but you never know...

EDIT: Your point is well noted, yes there will be a bit of a struggle for control at the start (especially, I think, among Nations) but it will not take long at all for the Vets to have full control once again and keep everything safely static and locked down. This really does little to even the playing field or give anyone a new start.

Look, I never wanted the Vets to lose their toons. I wanted a NEW SERVER where EVERYONE was level 1 with no skills. If the vets wanted to play on the new server they could Roll an Alt. There still could be a Merge for the existing servers.

This was never about wanting anyone to lose their Toons. This was about giving this game some new blood.

Anyhow, I was really happy about the fresh Start, had pre installed the game and was ready to go. Game now uninstalled- Simple as that. I have asked for a new server (Both here before this announcment was ever made and on the Ryzom Forums) for over three years now. Most of the people I know who have tried the game would like the same (and will not play as it stands). I was very excited for this, now I am not. 

I am fairly confident this was a money grab and probably the plan all along)- They evidently lied about a "technical " issue.

Anyhow, I really wish you guys luck. game is really cool and reallly does deserve success- 

    I was excited about a fresh start myself but obviously way too many vets were not.

However, for those of you that want a new server, you might be in a better position to get it now.

Seems to me that there was a lot of interest in a new server stating everyone from scratch,

hopefully WG noticed and after they get the new server solid, at least consider a 2nd server. 

At First  I was crazy excited to play in the sandbox from the start. Then...... I saw  "The Cry of the Vets"

Looks as if Ryzom gave into them. Hard thing to belive is that the vets will cause there own doom.

Reason is all the players that were going to come back....will no longer due to the "Non New Start" we were all

looking forward to.  No such thing as a new start with all the leveled Vets laying around.  Shame....

pro wipers dont be hypocrite if you would love Ryzom like myself you would have been vets like those who supports the game for years like i did. Who can believe you all about "Now i would sub" if you didnt for the last 8  years or lost intrest after a while. Why you sub should be more worth to a company then someone's who is subbed for 8 years and show his support month for month since.

Originally posted by DarthRaiden

pro wipers dont be hypocrite if you would love Ryzom like myself you would have been vets like those who supports the game for years like i did. Who can believe you all about "Now i would sub" if you didnt for the last 8  years or lost intrest after a while. Why you sub should be more worth to a company then someone's who is subbed for 8 years and show his support month for month since.

 

I DID sub- 

I wouldnt even play this game for FREE as it is. And I do not.

I subbed for 2-3 months and loved the game but saw there was no economy and the world was completly locked down and static. I quit.

I was happy to hear there was going to be a wipe and I was going to sub again. No Wipe- No sub.

I am not going to sub to a game I do not play but if CHANGES are made (which would allow me to play and enjoy it) I would sub.

Anyhow- Good luck. If you have noticed the small bump in interest for NEW PEOPLE (and returning folks) to come back is GONE. Hope you vets can keep the game alive for your own sake- Personally, I dont care because I have no intention of playing without a reset.

In another year if they decide to reset the server (or make a new one) my interest may grow again.

EDIT: Also note that most of us felt the Vets should keep their Toons but a nw server started for level 1's only. This could have placated everyone and brought many of us back to the game (along with some noobs who have never played) AND allowed veterans to roll an alt on the new server if they prefered.

This was never an either/or situation although the devs have tried to spin it as such.

First they claimed it was "technical reasons"- Then you could save your Toon if subbed. This also caused a rift between F2P and P2P players and was a blatant money grab (pay us or your toon dies...lol)-

Well at least i'll be able to get my prefered character names in this game finally.

Good for the few vets that actively play the game. Hopefully there will still be a bunch of others ready to start off fresh again.

Good news for those currently subbed. I'm glad they changed their minds on this.

Personally the reason I passed on playing Ryzom when I first learned about it was their warning that unsubbing from the game for more than three months would see your character wiped. I raised an eyebrow at the absurdity of that and kept looking for something else to play.

Years later I was speaking to someone who played Ryzom and they knew of that warning and agreed it was terrible but said no character wipes had every actually been done. So I gave the game a try and fell in love with it.

I'm not currently subbed to Ryzom - my guild moved away to play other games - but just read the email saying if you're not subbed by the 29th kiss goodbye to your characters and all the hard work you put into them.

I briefly considered resubbing to save my character and the immense amount of time and effort invested in him - I resub on occasion to see how things are - but decided to pucker up instead.

I think it's immensely rotten to do a player wipe and just the fact that it's happening is a reason for me to leave Ryzom behind me forever.

Ryzom - I enjoyed the hell out of you. Even with your dated graphics I think your artwork is still amongst the best in the market. Your mob AI is delightful and makes the world feel so alive. I love your crafting and your magic effects and your weapons. But sadly your owners are completely bonkers I ain't having any of that.

Farewell :)

People that claim a full wipe of the game just don't really want to play it.

I know a lot of people that started *years* later the release and become "well known" homins, despite there were a lot of veterans around.

This is a sandbox, starting first or later doesn't matter. Lock down or staticity depends entirely by the players.

The game itself has a lot of things to do. But if you grind just for the levels of your skill, you'll never be into it, even in a clean server. 

Ryzom is an old school RP game.

ANother thing people don't understand is that, many veterans (as me) that played and supported and loved Ryzom, simply don't have now the same time as in the past. And Ryzom requires a lot of time to reach any goal.

I can still play Ryzom with little time, because of the skills I have learnt in the past. There is no way I could restart from scratch, not because i don't want to, but because of the real life. I'm an yearly subscriber, because i want to support the game, but if I could not log in and do some of my activities that, now, doen's require grinding, i would not resub.

I think, many veterans are in the same situation: it's really hard to log in a time consuming game once you don't have the time.

But easy to do if you are a veteran and you can "live" the game, because the sandbox nature of it, it's all about living it.

In regard of people speaking of doing a new server, I have to say that this road was already taken in the past, but the results were worse than ever: most veterans that rolled a new character in the new server ("Cho"), spent very littile time to rule world, because Ryzom is not just "skills to master", Ryzom is personal knowledge of the world you are into. And you will never be able to reset the personal knowledge of the players, unless you change the entire world and rules (just do a new game then).

The past merge of Cho in Arispotle, preserving all the stuff, just unbalanced Arispotle, breaking the economy (already broken) and enpowering all the players that had rolled alts in Cho. Arispotle was never able to fix that mistake.

So, i cannot say it cannot work, but that it can work only if the company never plans a new merge, and moslty, never save the stuff.

Will you start a game in a new server, where you aren't certain to have your stuff saved in case of trouble? Do you think a new server could have precedence in regard of the one of the original servers, full of 8-years playing players, that always supported the game?

This is a scenario you have to consider.

Reality is, no one can knows in advance, and we are speaking of games. If you like it, you play it regardless of any investment you wanna plan, because i will never understand why people should "invest" in a game.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

It sounds like a blatant money grab *cough* extortion *cough* to me.  'You want to keep your character?  Pay us.'

A free to play game that threatens to wipe your character if you do not sub... yeesh.  

Oh and ... "All subscribed accounts will earn twice the XP of non-susbscribed accounts."

Ouch.