Colin Mor comment to OSI

[Borg]

Do you ever go to popular monster spawns?

Of course.....to see what the GODS have created....I am like nearly 100% of the customer base......a curious george.

How do you define "spawn camping?"

Camp spawn as I see it or define it is to set up a camp or remain in an area in order to gather xyz objective....ignoring others roleplaying in game AND/OR attempting in some fashion to declare the location owned and dissallowing others access or fun.....the ball hog factor OR in the same fashion dealing with the camped area NOT as a realm entity/issue for roleplaying but more as a fish in the barrel.......or like a magical barrel of willy wonka chocolate bars that once your turn to reach in for a bar comes you pray for the golden ticket (rare award) to be part of the camped area loot.

Do you ever camp spawns yourself?

Personally, I never "camp spawn".

BEFORE (end of Power Hour) all of my trips in the past to any location are built around 2 factors.....current storyline/scenario linkage OR in the past years the few times I could train power hours was working on hitting as many locations for a skill gain.  I have thousands of times engaged in roleplay with others that were not roleplaying the area but after a few lines back and forth.....find themselves actually caught up in the roleplaying with me.......and it is amazing honestly what happens the next time I see that same player.....more times than not.......they roleplay FIRST to me.  NOW with the end of the powerhour.....I honestly enjoy the game more since that lil bug in my head telling me to maximize my powerhour is gone......the new system rewards my TIME spent in the game doing ANYTHING as a form of progression to my ultimate goal of perfecting my skills as I have chosen then.  

NOW all of my trips to ANY location are now built around 2 factors.....curiosity and roleplaying fun.  The same 2 factors that caused me to buy UO in the first place !!!

How do you feel about people who camp spawns?

That is their GOD given right to do so......whatever thier own definition of camp spawning is.

Common sense and courtesy should be followed though.....while we all pay for this game service.....so do others.....respecting THIER choice of playing is just as valid and respected as your own.

Given that.....there are areas where this common courtesy is not followed.....herein is my only problem with camp spawning overall....when one overpowers or blocks out the other.

This issue is how that affects the community......if thier flavor or style is more in the style of the Bill Cosby definition of a 3 yr old......."Mine mine mine mine mine" and they do everything possible within the system engine to cause harm or harrasment of the community.......this goes against the objective of the game itself that is to provide the mechanisms for an online community of adventurers and citizens living in an ever changing world of Ultima Online.  (I can almost hear the origional start up movie.....which should be somewhere downloadable...nudge nudge wink wink).

Online games based around community development and design must follow the good of the many principal to ensure thier longevity and prosperity.  

Even with the respect of others play styles......it has to be respected BOTH ways.

Those that cannot or those that are not interested in the overall good of the many should have an option to play the same game but in a version where they cannot flat out ruin the spirit of the online game by individual anti social behavior.

The tough part in the game engine of Ultima Online is that many of the new systems that are being implemented may be items that are actually built of many smaller systems or pieces.......I did not write the codes and base this on past conversations I have had and heard that speak of how each tile has to be tweeked in XYZ location to inusure the overal imagery and system will function as intended.  These new FUN things of the UO experience cannot easily (as they currently exist) be moved randomly or with any particular factor of surprise.  With these new systems and areas to challenge ourselves.....Sure its a wonderful thing to find a MC Hammer tile.......where you can stand and blast away at the monsters with imunity from attack......perhaps saying or singing...."you cant touch this" hehe.....but even that has its limitaitons of enjoyment.......especially if someone else finds it or gets to it before you do......."drat.......man he found my spot" or "drat...man that guy....man....he camps here all day...geesh"    

What do you go for (fame, karma, gold, other)?

Definetely not Fame, Karma or Gold......hehe I don't think I have been past Great in over 3 yrs and Gold......I reached my first EVER pile of 60,000 gold just yesterday....63 month vet I am.

I exist in UO for the community roleplaying scenario storyline experience that can be built and designed to enhance 1000s of other players FUN........when that happens......I get what I personally enjoy.  Key to all of this is the unknown or surprises.

While the game engine is intense with static backdrops of graphic locations...from buildings, ruins to enviornmental flavors that lend themselves to finding some ABC form of adversary or NPC....the one thing I find FAR FAR more enjoyable and rewarding is to DISCOVER something new......something that was not there the day before or the week before etc.  

A migration of deer once hunted in X location are now in Y location.......the orc camps once a plenty in B location have moved to C location........or even more fun was the issue where Orcs after being desimated by a massive roleplayed event were replaced by Savages the next day......adding a solid link between OSI Scenarios and Shard Storylines.....improving 100% the overall shard experience in gameplay for those invovled AND those not invovled by providing a new issue to discover and deal with.

Repetitive motions and same old same old......are the DEATH of Online gaming or any game in particular......boredum will set in........your minds eye and attention will focus to something else.

You can prove this theory most easily when you think of ANY board game or TV game system or PC Software game you have purchased and/or played in your past.......the ones that DO NOT Challenge you with changes/surprises/dynamics.........you do not play regularily or in a way.....addictively as you did the first days out of the box.

Myself, I have been very happy to see the implementations of he NON-Combat additions to UO over the last few years......and some have not enjoyed my flavors of spinning these ideas into discussions or threads.......but every single option that has been added is another area a "curious george" can now investigate and perhaps then set thier own goal within it.......achieve it and move on to a new option.  Even with the repetitive systems and this can be true of popular spawn sites......you CAN Roleplay anything for a while...then move on to something else........another possible hot spot or hot skill ability....depends on your imagination and respect for others as well....it keeps the game healthy and your minds eye as well.

This following comment sticks with me all the time....it is from another 5 year vet...but it is similar to many others comments in my guild, other guilds and even those from the roleplay threads I run here.

"You make the ordinary extraodinary, the mundane something more....what are we going to do tomorrow?  Come on......give me a hint.....see you tomorrow my friend.....thanks for opening my eyes"  name deleted Catskills

Spawn Camping in its general form is a limiting of options......right, wrong or indifferent.....one thing is for sure.....you cannot do it forever otherwise we would still see the same person standing in the Black Liche room of Coventous we saw back in the first year of Ultima Onlne.....he left long ago for bigger fish..

Creating bigger fish pools is a good thing but can be a bad thing if not built with a dynamic evolving UNKNOWN factor.

Curious george will find them wherever you hide them.....curious george will come back month after month.......as long as you keep him curious.

[Lord Ser Brightblade]

Very well put....

Arent we all George deep down

*grins*

[Borg]

Do you normally hunt primarily in the Trammel or Felucca dungeons?

Primarily in Trammel and Ilshenar.

100% of the reason is that events can be conducted and rewards for the participating members of the events will nearly every time will be secured and not looted or lost due to an antisocial crashing the event.  It is one thing to roleplay a murderous brigand......but the last roleplayed such I have seen was in 1998.....since then the kewl doodish speach or namesakes have nearly consumed the mindset of the red players.  In turn it is that same sadness that we cannot work with in Trammel........a roleplaying red.  (this was the basis of my proposal for guildstone alligence to monster factions.....to allow reds in Trammel in certain areas claimed by monster races....alligence with a monster race would flag you red in thier capital areas only)

Do you feel that the power scrolls have provided enough of an incentive to bring you to Felucca dungeons?

No.

No reward will ever overcome or be incentive enough to regularily put up with other customers running wildly throughout the dugeons like chimpanzees on a triple expresso and shot of steriod enhancing powerade......now that they gain nothing from killing another player who is for whatever reason there.....and in my case roleplaying an event perhaps for several other players or the shard......the new timer delay completely obliterates all chance and functionality of using Felucca dungeons for anything (roleplay or not) that requires a stable backdrop to build upon.

What do you think of the changes in general?

Excellent actually.

These provide the players a GROUP based challenge AND foster teamwork.  The crafting and design of the Champions around the backdrop of the Dungeons is a great touch to use for basis of storylines and events......well done......many options now also can grow from this basis into other races and new Champions.

2 Drawbacks though.......

A) Scoring hits on the Champion should not be greater chance for reward than spending the event laying waste to the Champions monster races......in actuality.....it should be the reverse.....where as the only thing hammering the Champion itself should gain is the direct loot and or bump up on special titles.......being at war with the Cold blooded race and gaining reputaion or title for such.......should be attainable ALWAYS......everywhere....not just against its Champion.  ( I have spent 20 hrs now in last 3 days helping at Lost land spawns.....nay have I even seen the Champions....since the areas were always blocked by masses of Dragon/Wyrms Pets and players.....in all of those events.......I was there from the first candle to the last.......had a ton of fun and made many a new friend.....but no hint of any of the declared rewards)

B) Champions of Evil.........are just that........Champions of Evil.......ones that come to the defense of thier kin or race........REGARDLESS of which facet they are.  I am not suggesting changing the Dungeons of Trammel to house these new alters........nay......I am suggesting that Trammel have desinated areas of control by races..........like Ilshenar is based with Lizzard Capital......Jukan......Meer.......Savages.......Lord Blackthorn.........Gargolyes........Fairies........Cidadel of Undead....etc  Take the Trammel Land and Lost Lands and utilize the Backdrops you have already magnificantly built........the map of Britannia is ACHING for this enhancement......Bucs Den in fact then could have a Pirate Champion.......or Mondains Maze.......the Minataur...for new ideas.  But back to the basics......DONT use the Trammel dungeons......but DO use the backdrop fabric of evil races territory lands......then its up to the player base to activate or not activate an area......to summon a champion.  

(throw in my guildstone race alingment and mano man.......now you have some REAL Roleplaying posibilites for Wars set in designated areas of control.)

Although there are many players who have characters that only venture forth in the overland areas, to other players it is the dungeons that make the game.

Dungeons are one of many sights to see.......and given thier darker sinister existence.....they do bring curious georges in mass.  The land itself is far less used and is littered with countless locations that are aching for enhancments.  One example to enhance game......turn on the Poisionous Swamp tile feature that is disabled currently.....heheh

If players do not enjoy that.......I am sure they will enjoy the side effect.......resistence gain

Might even see some Roleplayed Wandering Madmen sick from walking thru the swamps....note there are paths through most swamps.......they were put there on purpose.

"Oh what pleasures we can show you...."

[Lord Logan]

I absolutely LOVE the the minatuar idea, what a great concept. Having a specific champion for terrain and existing landscape, WOW, cant wait to see this became a reality.!!

[Borg]

Do you participate in factions?

No-sadly this has become over-run by the vast majority by non-roleplaying characters that exist as the general characterization of a quaker/rainbow six hunter killers....I call Quakers.

How often do you become involved in factions?

None

How often do you spend time in other non-factions pursuits?

100% of the time

What is your favorite feature of the faction system?

Though I do not participate in current faction system......there are several nice features that should be duplicated onto or within other NON-FACTION systems.

A) The mgt option on city control economics, defenses and hierarchy for governments.

B) The acumulating and displaying systems for points....this proves other ways to rank guildstone or players on guildstones can be done.

C) The controls that stop a player from aiding another who is invovled in faction mechanics....proves limits can be done to various types of declared characters.

D) Barrier power against characters NOT involved in Factions

The VALUE of Factions due to the above benefits is GREAT.....sadly they goes UNUSED as roleplaying devices which the game resides as.......a roleplaying engine. Taking those few benefits and expanding some form of them into new types of guildstone options could give more options for players to use in the roleplaying aspect away from the Quakers.

Guildstone types I have proposed in past (all stones have power to War)

Political........Order/Chaos (exists already....War by default)

Faction.........TB/SL/MX/CoM (exists already...War by default))

Glory..............War stone (exists already....War selective).....just needs enhancment of proposed Ally and Spoils of War proposal.

Race............Alligence stone to NPC Monster Evil Race (proposed part of Guilds redefined system)....holds option to change character image permanently to monster with Race Robe feature..character is perma red but can go to Trammel.....or remain ally to monster race and all humanoids turn grey when entering thier monster ally home territory zone.

[Borg]

In answering these questions I am referring to ALL the invasions and/or occupations.....not just the most recent Scenario driven.

Have you been involved in any of the large-scale city or town invasions (Yew, Cove, and Trinsic) that have occurred in UO?

Yes......all, always.

If so, what do you remember best about them?

Pre Scenario.......Unknown reality of IGM/Seer/Troubador controlled adversaries

Post Senario......Multitude and magnitude of respawn was not limited as much as prior "spawn points" and needing intervention of an IGM team member......spawn cycle crystal system was improved.

.

What was it that compelled you to participate?

Responsibility, commitment and loyalty to the shard, citizens, guild members and Scenario.

How did you find out that it was taking place, and how did you know where to go to be involved?

Storylines, Investigations, recon work and active normal circles of citizen groups.

Did you feel that you were important in determining the outcome?

Without question definetly.

What were your favorite and least favorite parts?

Favorite was being able to help lead and coordinate massive campaigns and/or retalitory strikes aimed at reversing tides and/or situations.

Least Favorite was the lack of UNKNOWN......no matter what computer you put behind the NPC system.......none.........NONE is as advanced and unpredictable as a HUMAN system that can tap into the "survival" instinct and STRIVE TO SURVIVE AND SLAY ITS OPPONENTS.

In general, how do you feel about events that permanently change a city’s structures or the landscape of a game in some way?

Honestly I believe this is very important to occur......since it solidifies the record and history of the event.....what MUST also occur though is the ability to rebuild or repair any severe damage or situation......ie Vesper Bridges are destroyed by Trolls...Island is cut off from mainland.......Players given opportunity or means to rebuild them or not.

Ultima Online is a living game......not a static one......in that definition it requires life and variations to grow, expand and change across time........this ensures that the game is fluid and living as origionally designed. Obvious limitations exist and a base backdrop remains......but the means of which it breathes, lives and travels the timeline into the future is ......as stated openly.......everchanging world of Ultima Online.

[Borg]

Is there any kind of creature that your character dies to the most?

Magical Monsters.......either the delay of the spell or the combo overcomes my bandaid work and/or connection reaction.

What is the first thing you do after you die?

Say the word "crap" or "crud" or "Bustard"....explicits are not necessary to get the point across ingame.....and players who know me enjoy the goofy "Bustard from ####" jokey....yes that is with a "u".....then take a deep breath and go to the designated ressurector in group (Roleplay event) or healer location I have previously scouted out (solo play)

What is the second?

(Roleplay event) Remain in grey robe for remainder of event or 30 min whichever is less during which time I become an event ressurector.

OR

(Solo Play) Return to my body.......regain my items......then find the beastie that did me in....payback time.

How did you get into that habit?

(Roleplay) Officially designed and followed.

(Solo Play) Common Sence added to Human nature of revenge.

If you know that your character is going to die, do you prefer that s/he go on foot, or on a bonded or unbonded pet, an ethereal mount? Why?

(Roleplay) IF I know the player is going to die PRIOR to the event.......mount or no mount is determined by the event storyline and backdrop set up definitions

(Solo Play) Ethereal Mount......I have one might as well use one.

[Borg]

What kind of experiences have you had on the high seas?

When the UO game engine first came out.......alot of fun.........Sea Serps and Water Elementals were.........like omg cool as heck.

After sailing the oceans completely........I found the ocean to be nothing but a buffer zone between landmasses.......very disappointing.

Conducting naval battles resulted in little more than a cat n mouse game with big boats.....still alot was missing in terms of Sea area utilization.

Do you have a fisher or do you use boats to train?

I only use boats for roleplaying Naval actions of deployment of landforces against enemy shorelines and or cities.

I have never used the boat training mechanism......if I spent my time trying to beat the system in terms of skill gains........I am not getting my monies worth of entertainment......I am just paying for a treadmill excersise.

What do you like and/or dislike most about ocean travel in online games in general?

I will be flat out honest here....and those that know me will understand I say this with complete respect to the current UO dev team and/or personell in control of its design/contents.....

EVERY GAME ENGINE IGNORES and OVERLOOKS the HUMAN NATURE INSTINCT that SEAS or OCEANS are UNKNOWN and SCARY.

Humans are not Sea Based life........that in itself means the whole area of Seas is NOT HOSPITABLE and IS DANGEROUS to be in or on.  

History is filled with stories, records, myths and unsolved mysteries that revolve around something either IN, ON or ABOVE the Sea........Movies and News shows have stirred up COUNTLESS number of fear reactions to a gambit of issues.......all relating to the Sea and its world being dangerous and unknown.........all of which at one point or another has controlled the actions of millions of humans across time.

Here in UO we have a mystical world.......where magic can overcome great things....and evil takes many shapes...........but...........

The Sea is calm.......predictable and safe.   A simple command to the tiller man takes one safely away from harms way without hassel.

This is .........just like it is in other game engines........the single most illogical decision made interms of providing players..........customers.........an adventuring game engine that is designed to pull the user into the realm and attempt to provide the user a form of danger........suspense.......mystery......shock .......challenge and reward.

There once was a time some players actually thought.........

"I should not go out on the sea alone, I dont know what I might run into."

That FEAR Factor is MISSING...........missing in ALL GAME ENGINES.......but it exists in dungeons and hot spots on land areas in ALL GAME ENGINES........so very odd and at the same time sad......to not utilize a natural instinct of humanity.......fear of Seas to base entertainment upon........I will say it........if you already haven't thought it........

Dev Team my brethren.....you are missing the boat.

::  *winks and points to the Seas of Sosaria proposal of 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003*

*ponders......hmmm wonder if Greywolfe had at least some curiosity or even a sliver of fear when he sailed looking for the great whales on his weekend trip.....at least curious george was in him......looking for something he never had seen before.......that is part of what is missing......unknown*

[Prometheus]

I agree wholeheartedly that the sea is a greatly overlooked part of the UO experience. Like Borg said, it bascially serves as a buffer between land, and a training ground for certain skills. I personally pushed for a guild Navy and admire groups like the United Pirates (are they still around?) and others who make good use of the sea. How many have tried exploring the seas of the Lost Lands? Theres a LOT of places there that most people have never even seen that I have.  I hope that sometime in the near future, the sea gets a makeover  

[Borg]

How important is game-related fiction in your enjoyment of a computer game?

Game related fiction is the core of which all activities within the game will be revolving....player evolved or future fiction that evolves from the owner/operations (GODS).  Given that........it is CRITICAL

My best example of how I look at pre-game, in-game or out of game GODS fiction is this......

(I will use UO Scenario system and current Lord Blackthorn storyline.)

The official  game fiction (Scenarios/storyline.....CORE) is a long ever extending and growing longer by the day thread....running along side of it are player (shard) generated fiction/storylines that intersect or interlock every so often with the Core.  In effect these parallel and interlocking/interweaving player storylines (SHARDIC) then braid themselves around and with the Core.  The number of times and number of tightly wound/braided storylines that work in concert and unison in the same direction as the Core.......will determin the strength and resilience of the shard fiction within the game itself......allowing greater numbers of players to attach and hold onto this now larger and stronger rope.

Alone a game storyline is just a single thread.....a Core.

If players (customers) do not run parallel and/or compelling Shardic fiction that attaches itself to the Core and binds around the Core......then the Core will not be able to hold the weight (attention) of the players for very long.  Players need to feel more than just participants.....in a way the feeling of ownership of history lore......is what binds them to the Core as it travels into the future.

If the Core is not sufficiently tended and consistently growing.......then the player threads(Shardic storylines) that tie into/around the Core.....will begin to knot up and bunch up causing a rope that is not easy to utilize and tends again not to be used......and will not have space for many to attach thier weight (attention) to.....in a way stunting growth into the future in all areas of interaction.

Ultima Online Core Storylines are easily tied into......bound to.........woven around and can actually offer amazing results back to the game engine operations (GODS) for use in future issues.

This is where a successful game will emerge in this highly competitive world of online entertainment, interaction and adventure in/out of roleplaying........players(customers) will  react and thier attention is kept IF and ONLY IF they feel the touch of thier online/ingame GOD or ultimate power......else they will play an offline game for the same solo environment with no interaction...or gravitate to eyecandy unknowns....letting thier curious george lead them away forever.

What role, if any, does out-of-game fiction have in your gaming enjoyment?

I will answer this with the definition of out-of-game fiction being GODLY (fiction written by game operators officially) OR Shardic (shard writers that I have accepted thier storyline as "official" player parallel supportive).

Very Important as a means to further the CORE and the SHARDIC storylines and my future actiivties.....I currently thouroughly enjoy developing Shardic storylines.

NOTE: while maybe the telletubie and Smurf Wars storyline might be popular on the same shard I am on.....if I do not see it as consistent with official GODLY Core fiction and thus I do not participate in it.....It is irrelevant to my activities and has no part of my gaming enjoyment.

If you read game-related fiction, do you read only that which comes with the game, or do you go to other sources (such as paperback books, game supplements, or fiction published on the game's web site)?

This is an ONLINE entertainment.......I only use online official sources......website, boards and the game itself.

Do you base your character's actions on the game-related fiction?

I base all of my actions of all of my characters always on GODLY and CORE fiction as it is then strengthened by my SHARDIC fiction.......the three parts are un-separateable......CORE+SHARDIC+CHARACTER LORE.....If I am good at my Shardic fiction and roleplay it well with my character all in concert with the Core fiction......the reader or watcher can not even tell the difference between what is Core and what is Shardic....I and the GODS will know....that is the trick and that is the fun.

These three....are what make up the rope I hold onto and climb along as time progresses.....these are the ties the bind us.

[Borg]

Now that online games have been around for a while, several games have a playerbase with accounts that approach or exceed a year of play time

How do you feel about rewards for players that have subscribed to a game for a long period of time?

First......two comments.

A) Online games are entertainment services providing players (customers) a continual factor of entertainment and interest (that combination IS the service)

B) Longevity of these services depends completely on custormer satisfaction....return customers month after month.......year after year.

That said......

Reward programs for PLAYERS should be designed around 2 areas of the connection between the players(customers) and the Online Game (Service)......TIME and COMMITMENT.

Time in terms of longevity and the reward for this should be in the area that time serves the greatest challenge.......either skills or general character abilities/holdings.

(A wise old man who owns nothing but has been around for thousands of years should possess a greater range of ability or wisdom than a newborn child)

Commitment in terms of CONSISTENT support of the system in terms of service agreement (ie payments to game engine costs).  As with most shopping stores, credit cards, club cards, membership organizations......the longer you are with them or the MORE you spend with them.....the greater your reward back is.  At determined levels of service (months of account for this example) the account should be eligible to a monthly or multi month option for services that would give a discount.   This would ALSO require the OWNERSHIP of the account to be CONSISTENT and not have been transferred or sold.....billing owner must be the same throughout for this reward.....common sense.

Multiple accounts owned by the same customer also should gain a reward of discount after a determined length of time.

(The more one saves the more one will spend or remain spending)

Do you feel that they are necessary, or merely desirable?

NECESSARY.......business wise........future wise.............for the Online gaming company.

Desireable...........community wise.....future wise.............for the Player/Customer.

If you had your choice of any one reward in any computer game that you play, what would it be? Why?

Your queston says IN any computer game............my comments so far have been about rewards WITH or FOR participating with a computer game..........so...

WITH any computer game.........Longevity discounts for accounts consistently paid to game company.

IN any computer game.........the privilege and HONOR to work in concert with game operators (GODS) in terms of either ongoing content and/or  with development teams (DEMONS) on enhancements to the game that will enhance or expand the oveall entertaiment factor for the player base......and in doing so in storyline/backdrop work or mechanics improvments...........both enhances my personal enjoyment.

(Good of the Many principal that provides for the good of the one)

NOTE-players/customers MUST be entertained....ALWAYS......giving them any discounts in terms of montly fees will not do the job alone for long at all.......there MUST be consistent and expanding entertainment.......depth wise and eye candy wise........ Curious George has a sweet tooth but does like a good book to read (play game)

PS.......Rewards do NOT only go to the user........they provide also a reward for the provider........FUTURE SURVIVAL in the ever expanding WAR of ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT!!!!

There is a slogan I put on shirts for a team long long long ago for football.......

"In true War.....there are no rules" (front side)

"How do you wish to play" (back side)

Business fights with dollars........getting them and spending them.

Customers fight with loyalty.........feeling rewarded and appreciated.

Online Gaming is a WAR........no doubt about it.

"Shall we play a game?" (War Games movie soundbyte)

[Borg]

What do you consider to be a rare item in UO?

An Item that is not craftable, not a currently used resource and/or not purchasable from a system NPC Vendor of a city or area.  Item can be uniquely named (event memorabilia) OR not unitquley named (a scroll).  While magica weapons do exist as loot on some adventures....they are....in a way rare...BUT are in fact a RESOURCE that has been modified (crafted) by some magical power somewhere) They can be used or turned into resouces to use........so magical weapons or clothing is NOT Rare by this definition.

Is it because of the frequency with which it appears?

It is for its UNKNOWN factor.

I was once told by a very VERY important person IN GAME during the first year of Ultima Online that...."everything has a purpose or use"; Lord British

of which I responded asking that it is our challenge to find out what or how to utilize the unknown.  This underlying principal is also at the core of all skill enhancements and current ongoing expansion and ingame growth....Calandryll, Gromm and Ignatz.

A RARE is such an item..........an Item which its use or portential is UNLOCKED and UNKNOWN

Some characteristic(s) that make it different from a similar item in the game?

(see above comments)

Vast majority are NOT named uniquely.

If you collect rares, why?

Event memoriablilia that mark my participation in events OR (see below)

For their decoration/presentation potential?

Yes in development of SHARDIC history and records........ie museums or storyline ties.

The possible prestige that comes from owning it?

If anyone says no to this question.......they are honestly not acknowleging thier human instinct and normal tendancy to cherish something that brings them personal pride or feeling of gain...........gold or money is not a rare but an outward example of something everyone seeks and is numerically measurable.........friendship is another that is not numerically measurable.....both of these satisfy a variation of  "need" that humans work or activily pursue to feel better about themselves.  A RARE is like this by its either numerical VALUE or its value in either sentimental or other method a person measures it by.

Resale value?

NO.  I have never sold an item that I considered "rare" (see next answer)

As gifts/rewards?

ALWAYS....this is the closest way for me currently in game to utilize the system mechanics to create a "REWARD" that is not either gold, a natural resource or item that can be bought on a NPC vendor.

If you don't collect or trade rares, what keeps you from doing so?

I do not consume myself in collecting rares.........TOO MUCH TO DO in game for realm/shard events setup etc.......the FUN comes when I find a rare or aqure one......then build the event  either around it OR utilize it as the reward.......that way more than just me enjoy the rare item or occurence.

Yes.......occurance is another form of RARE........not asked about in this question BUT is a RARE thing too.......desirable by many..........sometimes a bug to the DEMONS (dev team) But as long as it is harmless to game mechanics.........can be fun none the less.

(example a BLUE bubbling water tile appeard in Yew area.......Had a BLAST trying to figure it out and did a realm storylie about it........by the weeks end there were 100s of players fishing along that coast.......magical fish appeared shortly after that in droves in that area)

Players desire RARES in a game environment as the carry-over desire they have as people in real life.  Good bad or indiferent.......you can learn alot about a person based on either what, when or how they go about deciding what is a rare.......when to utilize a rare......and/or how to get it.  Some things are sad in finding this out........some things are great.

I still utilize rares in the Good of the Many principal.........utilizing them to provide MAXIMUM effect and player entertainment by appealing to thier DESIRE for them.......this then helps pull them into either a storyline or ongoing content or parrellel Shardic thread. (see my other posts for definitions of this theory)

The following quote Is a blend of my real life advice from my grandfather  throughout my life...this works perfectly with my online experiences with IGMS (Arch Angels), GMS (Emissaries), Devs (Demons), Players (Citizens) and Lord British since 1997.  I have said this to 100s of players ingame as an ingame Roleplaying character or conducting pre event setups...as a way to get FLAVOR into the moment befor the event.

"Everything you see in life comes from someone or something building it.........or someone or something discovering it..........for yourself and your minds understanding of it, the unlocking of the secret or finding its use is the challenge.....nothing in the world is here by accident....nothing happens without a reason........result or reward.........that is your desicion to make at how to see it."

Colin Mor