+Sauron Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Not surprised to find this thread after talking to Albert about the Ultima games a couple of days ago. I'm on my iPad right now, so I'm not going to wax poetic about the games in the I usually like to, but I will say this: Ultima VII is the best RPG I've ever played. The amount of freedom that the game gives you was simply unparalleled in its time, and the game was EPIC. Almost every single NPC in the game had a specific purpose and wasn't just "filler" material. The quests were numerous, and the plot was one of the best I've ever experienced in a video game. It's the one RPG that all others since have strived to measure up to. I just ran across my Ultima Collection CD, which has Ultima I - VIII. I think I need to install it and give Ultima VII yet another go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulBlazer Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm not sure how I feel about Ultima X. It's nice that it continues the Ultima story, but it's an MMORPG and I'm not a big fan of them. I mean, MMORPGs are fun, but they are a SOUL SUCKING SUCCUBUS and it's best if I avoid them. If I had to play just one MMORPG right now, it'd probably be Eve Online. ..Al That's funny you said that Al, I just started playing EVE Online a week ago and got convienced to pay for a reduced cost month. Not sure if I'm still going to keep playing when that time runs out, but it seems pretty fun so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm not sure how I feel about Ultima X. It's nice that it continues the Ultima story, but it's an MMORPG and I'm not a big fan of them. I mean, MMORPGs are fun, but they are a SOUL SUCKING SUCCUBUS and it's best if I avoid them. If I had to play just one MMORPG right now, it'd probably be Eve Online. ..Al I agree as well. I only find it interesting because I was hopeful that it would have been redone as a single player game by someone...anyone. I played some Conan and FF11 and cant devote the time to MMO's either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochman Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Ultima IV is free on gog right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asaki Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Ultima IV is always free. I like the download here better, though: http://www.thatfleminggent.com/ultima/u4download.html It's 99% smaller and you don't have to dig it out of all of the DOSBox files just so you can paste it into the DOSBox installation you already have (or actual DOS machine, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulBlazer Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Well, give GOG some credit for offering the game for free. I'm assuming that the 'paid' version (the triliogy bundle with 4, 5, and 6) offers more options then the free one they are giving out. Consdering how high the game ranks, it's a great idea to draw people in. GOG has done that with some other famous classic games from time to time, like Fallout and Duke Nukem. I was reading up on the Ultima series on the website that Al linked to and had some questions: 1) What do people consider the BEST version of each game that is available (and fully in English) for US players? 2) What happened with the re-release of Ultima 2 on later collections to cause it to be broken? 3) Has EA done anything with Orgin's properties in the last, say, 10 years beyond Ultima Online? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asaki Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 (edited) I'm assuming that the 'paid' version (the triliogy bundle with 4, 5, and 6) offers more options then the free one they are giving out. The only extra options I am aware of is that it comes with 5 and 6 1) What do people consider the BEST version of each game that is available (and fully in English) for US players? Depends on how you define "best". I really like the simple graphics of the PC-DOS versions of 1-5 (with the EGA fan patches applied to 2 and 3), but there are some people who think the FM-Towns version has great graphics, and some people like the VGA tileset. I don't mind the C64 graphics for 1-4 too much, and even Apple ][ is alright, but those versions aren't as convenient for me to play, and I wasn't exactly blown away by the music. The GBC port of 3 is pretty nice if you have a way to play it on a real GameBoy. It's pretty playable on the GBA version of GoombaColor; the music doesn't run fullspeed, but there's an option to mute it. Edit: 5-9 and the four spinoff games (Worlds and Underworld) were all designed for IBM PC DOS (or 9 for Windows), I didn't know if those needed to be mentioned or not. The home console ports (that exist) are a bit watered down, IMO. Edited February 3, 2013 by Asaki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochman Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Im playing through the free PC version and really feel like starting up a new 8bit game instead - all the colors actually take away from the game for me having played the 3 color version originally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkhan Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I was really hoping for Ultima X. It looked great overall. I still play UO, and hope that UO2 comes out one day (Lord British is doing something right now). Anyway, my votes for the best versions of games: Ultima 1: The DOS version that came with Ultima Collection Ultima 2: They're all goofy. I use the DOS one with the EGA graphics patch. If that didn't exist, I would play the C64 one. I would vote that Ultima 1 and 2 for MSX are the best, but they're in Japanese. They have some cool music, and kind-of-nice art. But since they're not readable to most of us, I chose DOS. Ultima 3: Either the NES one or the DOS one with the VGA + MIDI patch (Before this, it was the EGA + MIDI patch). The nes one is the same game but offers some new tunes, and pretty cool graphics. Ultima 4: DOS + VGA + MIDI = Nothing tops it. The NES version is pretty fun too because of the music and the goofy little sprites. It feels like a Dragon Quest game. Ultima 5: DOS + MIDI. Anything else is just teasing yourself. For these ones, if you're talking strictly original releases with no patches/upgrades what-so-ever, I would vote C64 for all choices except for Exodus on NES and Ultima V for DOS (It's still the best version, no matter what!). The load times for the C64 aren't too awful, the graphics are a bit better in most cases (especially Ultima 2. CGA in DOS is eye damaging), and the sound effects are definitely better than say, the Apple II. Ultima VI is best played on DOS with a Roland MT-32 and the rest, is DOS! The console releases of 5, 6, and 7 are all crap. 6 has some OK music at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sauron Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I blame this thread from distracting me from shipping out stuff. I just decided to install my Ultima Collection CD, and I'm going to play through the series, starting with Ultima IV. I never cared much for the first three, so I don't mind skipping them. The series really came into its own with UIV anyway. This will be a fun diversion, just as long as I don't let it get in the way of doing what I need to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 I'm going to see Richard Garriott speak tomorrow at the Austin Forum: http://www.austinforum.org/speakers/sxswi-2013.html The focus is on space exploration, but that's another big interest of mine. Looking forward to this! ..Al 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkhan Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I officially hate Albert. Get me his autograph so I can stop hating you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sauron Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I'm going to see Richard Garriott speak tomorrow at the Austin Forum: http://www.austinfor...sxswi-2013.html The focus is on space exploration, but that's another big interest of mine. Looking forward to this! ..Al Man, wish I knew about that sooner, I would love to go to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Man, wish I knew about that sooner, I would love to go to that. I had forgotten about it until I got a reminder about it today (yay computers). Otherwise I surely would have forgotten! You could try RSVPing to see if any spots are still available. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 This thread has been the ruin of my free time. "The Official Book of Ultima" from 1992 is a good read too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slab0meat Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 I was digging around my parent's basement more, and couldn't find my ColecoVision, but did find the rest of my C64c, and with it, my original Ultima IV box with seemingly everything in it. Very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 I was digging around my parent's basement more, and couldn't find my ColecoVision, but did find the rest of my C64c, and with it, my original Ultima IV box with seemingly everything in it. Very cool. That's very cool. The Ultima games I had before I started actively collecting are the original games I purchased for play. This includes Ultima I - IX, Savage Empire, Martian Dreams, the two U7 add-ons, and Ultima Underworld 1 and 2. Ultima I is the DOS version with the four parchment maps and Ultima II with the thick cloth map. As I've stated elsewhere, I never did play all of these, but I certainly will now! Sadly I haven't had a chance to go back to Ultima IV yet, but I really need to continue. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high voltage Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 (edited) Ultima Underworld's 3D Engine, wasn't Hunter (Activision) earlier and The Eidolon and Rescue on Fractalus too. The Mercenary (Novagen) games also. Edited February 5, 2013 by high voltage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Ultima Underworld's 3D Engine, wasn't Hunter (Activision) earlier and The Eidolon and Rescue on Fractalus too. The Mercenary (Novagen) games also. Those were all pretty primitive compared to Ultima Underworld's engine. None of them use texture mapping, employed by Underworld and Wolfenstein. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 I'm going to see Richard Garriott speak tomorrow at the Austin Forum: http://www.austinfor...sxswi-2013.html The focus is on space exploration, but that's another big interest of mine. Looking forward to this! ..Al Hopefully Ultima comes up. Take a pic with him and try and get him to sign an Ultima box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkhan Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 If Ultima doesn't come up, something is very wrong. Ultima Underworld's engine is still one of the best 3D engines I have ever played a game in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 If Ultima doesn't come up, something is very wrong. I'm sure it will be mentioned. The Austin Forum will put the talk up within about a week, so you'll be able to watch it then. Ultima Underworld's engine is still one of the best 3D engines I have ever played a game in. That's quite a statement. It's been so long since I've played it, it will be interesting, to say the least!! ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkhan Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 In the middle of his talk just shout out "LORD BRITISH, GRANT ME MORE HP" and see how that goes. Ultima Underworld's engine was very fluid/responsive, and very interactive. The map doodad system with the note feature has not been done since. The stuff that started coming out once real 3D stuff really caught on started to be really watered down. The games were junky. Fancy dancy nonsense doesn't amount to anything if the game induces sleepytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 In the middle of his talk just shout out "LORD BRITISH, GRANT ME MORE HP" and see how that goes. As hilarious as that would be, I do believe that would ruin my chances of attending the Austin Forum in the future, or any events hosted by Richard Garriott! Now, maybe I could pay someone to dress up in some sort of Avatar costume and run into the room shouting that. ..Al 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkhan Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 You could definitely pay me to do that. I'd run in screaming about the guardian invading Texas and tell him that we need to summon Iolo, Shamino, and Dupre to help destroy him. and then, I can start chanting the mantra to one of the shrines, and someone can bust in dressed up like an Ettin or something. and then we all get tazed and arrested LETS GO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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