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Ultima
Oct 22, 2011 15:45:47 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Oct 22, 2011 15:45:47 GMT -5
www.hardcoregaming101.net/ultima/ultima.htmThis is only the first part of many...the table of contents is currently set at 15 pages. It covers the whole series (though not the entirety of Ultima Online) though currently only the intro and the entries for 1-3 are up. We also have an interview with Lord British, which will be put up in the next update.
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Ultima
Oct 22, 2011 19:58:40 GMT -5
Post by 9inchsamurai on Oct 22, 2011 19:58:40 GMT -5
I'm really pleased to see these articles. I tried to "explore" this series a little a couple years ago by downloading an Apple II emulator and that...didn't go so well. I'd much rather read about games this old than actually play them, it seems. Really interesting stuff about the NPCs. Can't wait to read the rest, especially concerning the console ports.
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Ultima
Oct 22, 2011 20:09:19 GMT -5
Post by roushimsx on Oct 22, 2011 20:09:19 GMT -5
Awesome! I used to love the heck out of the first Ultima but then I kind of wandered off. Dabbled in some of the later ones. I'd love to try a console version of IV sometime, I could not get used to the crummy control in VII and IX, and VIII...hmm...it just wasn't my kinda thing. Loved Crusader, couldn't get into Ultima VIII. Ultima Underworld I and II were both amazing titles and I can't wait to fire them up again sometime to see how they've aged.
I'm really excited for the Martian Dreams / Savage Empires entries.
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Ultima
Oct 22, 2011 22:05:17 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2011 22:05:17 GMT -5
It was about time this series got some coverage here. Great job so far! Ultima V is my ultimate favorite of the series.
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Ultima
Oct 23, 2011 7:26:43 GMT -5
Post by starscream on Oct 23, 2011 7:26:43 GMT -5
On the first page, the PC-98 shot is mislabled (says Apple PC98) and doesn't get to full resolution - or is this intentional? It's the same with other, usually high resolution shots. The Macintosh shot in particular becomes rather unrecognizable. Some of these shots are also taken directly from the Mobygames (not like it's hidden or something, after all Moby is linked to), but I find this odd - was this a common practice before? In the Ultima II platform listing, the PC-88VA port is included, but has Star-Craft as Publisher. This is highly unlikely (should be Pony Canyon only). See this, were also other ports not yet included are mentioned: www.pc88.gr.jp/va/va-game.html
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Ultima
Oct 23, 2011 9:16:51 GMT -5
Post by derboo on Oct 23, 2011 9:16:51 GMT -5
I've used screenshots from other sources before. I prefer taking my own, but I find it silly to insist on it when they're readily available.
I'll see what we can do about the resized shots, some really don't translate well with the browsers' automatic resize option. (In the meantime, they can all be viewed full size by opening them in their own tab)
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Ultima
Oct 23, 2011 9:26:54 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Oct 23, 2011 9:26:54 GMT -5
Screenshots/captions fixed! Most of the ones on the first page are going to be changed anyway though, with screens of the later games rather than ports.
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Ultima
Oct 23, 2011 23:16:03 GMT -5
Post by kyouki on Oct 23, 2011 23:16:03 GMT -5
Ultima! Some of the best, if not the best, RPGs of all time. Great to see this on here.
I had a lot of fun playing through the first Ultima for the first time a few years ago. Printed out the world maps, took notes, drew out maps on graph paper, and really felt immersed in the game.
Ultima II was a disaster though. It is so dependent on luck and taking advantage of a game breaking exploit that it is simply not any fun. The dungeons also seemed impossible to map, with overlapping rooms on the same floor, etc.
This is a series that started out great, took one wrong step, but then recovered spectacularly. The games just get better and better until you reach the high point in the series, Ultima 7. Serpent Isle was a little disappointing but still fun, as was 8. 9 is just awful.
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Ultima
Oct 25, 2011 1:15:12 GMT -5
Post by splatter on Oct 25, 2011 1:15:12 GMT -5
Cool article! I think Ultima I's the best out of this first set of games. Ultima III didn't do much for me, though I agree the Amiga/ST version is well-done; the PC version is pretty lame even with the fan patch. Ultima II's a big empty grind, but I kinda like the final confrontation at the Fortress of Ultimate Dark- I mean, Shadowguard. Here's an edited save file for the end of the PC version if anyone wants to DIE FOOL!I don't know if it's worth mentioning, but the PC version of the Ultima I remake is a bit tougher than the Apple/Commie version. Along the same lines, the trilogy version of the Apple Ultima II had some minor changes from the original release, and aside from the fix for the strength bug I would say they were for the worse. I'd love to try a console version of IV sometime That's a good idea. I usually recommend the Master System port of Ultima IV to people interested in the series. Should be Britain. That's the town, while Britannia's the kingdom. In the year 2011, civilization ended in a firey apocalypse It's actually 2111. Is that really what happens? I mean, it's not like there's an invincible Mondain you see in the present and a vulnerable Mondain in the past... Mondain just isn't in the present at all, only in the place/time you travel to with the time machine, and he's already invincible there with a complete Gem of Immortality. People also remember Mondain's invasion in later games, which isn't what you'd expect if a time traveler went back and killed him before he could start it.
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Ultima
Oct 25, 2011 21:18:00 GMT -5
Post by Sac (a.k.a Icaras) on Oct 25, 2011 21:18:00 GMT -5
That atcually is the direct storyline of Ultima 1 (which funnily enough leads into Ultima Online). Mondain has a gem that makes him immortal (weather or not he's in the gameworld for gameplay doens't matter, that is the offical storyline) and the Stranger goes back in time before he completes/obtains the gem and kills him.
from what I recall of later games, Mondain never did return in Ultima games. 2 and 3 deal with his apprentice and "child" resptively, IV has no baddie, V was the Shadowlords (Spawned form the destroyed remnants of the gem, so kinda mondain but not really). 6 was gargoyles and 7 and onwards were the Guardian.
Online is interesting in that it states the destoryed gems each contained a copy of Britannia with people living in them (IE: its implied that each game server is a shard of the destroyed gem in the real Britannia of the main series).
I know Blackthorn and the woman from Ultima 2 appeared in UO, but I don't THINK Mondain himself did.
It should be noted that Later games did retcon some of the events of the earlier games (For example, you can choose the race and class of the Stranger in the earlier games, whereas later games directly state the Avatar and the Stranger are the same person(However the earliers games I don't THINK tried to imply continuity of the PC), the long blond haired man you see on the cover of later games)
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Ultima
Oct 26, 2011 19:01:49 GMT -5
Post by splatter on Oct 26, 2011 19:01:49 GMT -5
However the earliers games I don't THINK tried to imply continuity of the PC Yeah, if you watch the Ultima IV intro, it's clear that's this dude or dudette's first encounter with other worlds. The Ultima V manual also kept the Age of Darkness PCs distinct, referring to different strangers who answered British's call in the summaries for the previous games. Then Ultima VI came along with a different perspective, from which the Avatar had also been the protagonist for Ultimas I through III, and the later games kept that up. I personally like the U0-5 approach better than the U6-9 version, where this fantastic land's only had like one hero ever, but it's not a big deal.
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Ultima
Oct 30, 2011 19:20:08 GMT -5
Post by Digitalnametag on Oct 30, 2011 19:20:08 GMT -5
Just wanted to mention that GoG actually has Ultima 1-6 up for sale if anyone is interested. Not sure what versions of the game they are. I find myself buying these older D&D based games all the time but I never have the will to complete them. Nice to see our roots though.
Excellent articles by the way! I might not have the patience to play through these older ones but reading about them is really interesting.
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Ultima
Oct 31, 2011 1:47:26 GMT -5
Post by bladededge on Oct 31, 2011 1:47:26 GMT -5
The versions Good Old Games is selling are the exact same versions that were on the DOS Ultima Collection in 1997. Which means the bugfixed Ultima I, and the version of Ultima II that has all mention of Sierra On-Line removed.
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Ultima
Oct 31, 2011 17:59:58 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2011 17:59:58 GMT -5
This also means that the GOG releases also don't have any music, right? Meaning that you'd need to download those unofficial MIDI patches manually.
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Ultima
Nov 1, 2011 13:04:51 GMT -5
Post by Gendo Ikari on Nov 1, 2011 13:04:51 GMT -5
Shaping up really good even if, as usual with these RPG series, I doubt I'll ever be able to play the earlier episodes.
I heard of several problems with the GOG editions of the games, someone even made patches. While GOG's service is extremely appreciated, this is a case where they could have paid more care instead of just creating an installer with just the files and a pre-configured DosBox.
So, Might & Magic, Ultima... is Wizardry one of the next steps?
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