...but that's mostly due to my complete lack of playing. I've managed to log on a few times to refresh my account and collect a BoD or two, but that's about it. The usual RL issue is partially to blame, but the real problem is lacking a desktop for gaming. Laptops are all well and good for getting some stuff done, but I doubt I'll ever be sold on them as true gaming machines.
My drive to play NPF, and UO in general, is really strange; it's easily one of my favorite games ever and on my mind a lot, but I don't really have as much of an interest in logging on. With NPF, it's mostly about not having anything left to accomplish (or rather, nothing that I want to accomplish). I think I have pretty much the best gear I care to get and I've collected pretty much everything else I want. Sure, I could go for a few other 120's (Imbuing would especially be nice at this point) and there was a spellcrafting basket added recently, after the Imbuing changes (that I totally suggested more than once, and am therefore happy to see). Other than those, nothing really stands out.
My issue with NPF as far as content goes is the same as it has always been: things that, on any other server, should be party-content are entirely solo-able due to stupid Mirror Images, and even then a lot of the drops don't appeal to me. It's disappointing that the shard created so much that actually leaves people better off using MIs than asking for other players to help out. It's a strange version of difficulty that rules out other methods of play while still failing to be that difficult. After watching ArsenikDrakken's live stream (I wanted to link, but there doesn't seem to be any videos on his twitch account) playing in Lady Mel's lair and how MI's completely trivialized it, I was tempted to record my own run through the area as a mage but just the thought of it left me bored and disappointed. I've been there before and it was nowhere near as hum-drum as it was for him.
As far as content goes, I have less of a clear answer for what would draw my attention. Bard Masteries, for sure, since I love bards and tamers, and tend to think they both get the shaft on NPF. Elsewhere, too, for that matter. I think this is where I have the most trouble with games; I don't tend to care as much about added items as I do added character potential. I'm not interested in questing for the Sword of 1000 Truths, I'd rather have new spells and/or abilities. I like things that make choices matter more. Not that skill choice really matters on NPF since, you know, the whole 'no skill cap' thing, but the point stands.
The skill cap is also an issue with me, to be honest. I've had it in my head for more than a year now that maybe I should finish up my second account's skills so I can get my third account and try a 700-point challenge. Intentionally limit myself to 700 skill points and see just how far I could get and what I could get. I imagine it would get expensive since I would want to buy tons of soul stones, but it would be a great way to get some use out of otherwise useless items with +skill. That's one of the more interesting things about production UO in my eyes. When I see suggested character builds these days, I'm surprised to see so many skills in such low numbers, but then people start talking about items to aim for and it starts to make more sense; you can have this skill at X, because you'll bump it up with items Y and Z, which gives you room for a bit of another skill, and so on. That seems much more interesting to me these days than just having everything, so if I start seriously playing again I'll likely hammer out some rules for the challenge and give it a try.
So that's pretty much where my head is now, as far as UO and NPF is concerned. I have great plans to return in a serious fashion, but at this point it depends on getting the time (and probably a desktop) to really do so.
