*eeep* New, much improved client for Ultima Online (56k death)

Werewolf

Werewolf

Werewolf

Commissario
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
33,328
Location
Panting like a fiend
It looks like EA aren't abandoning UO, it's just been announced that they will be making/releasing a new much improved client for it next year (it's 10th).

First off, the old client for those that aren't aware of it.
It's not changed much graphically since release 9 years ago, and I beleive it was based on a 2-3 year old graphics engine they had used for one of the standalone Ultima games (6 I think)

old1.jpg


old2.jpg




Now the new one, which looks to be much much better, and apparently will have a better UI than is currently in use.

1.jpg


2.jpg


3.jpg
 
Argh everything is the wrong way round!

Actually looks quite good though, might download the new client when it comes out, never played ultima online though. Only played Legend of Mir 2 and 3.
 
oops, yup probably u7 :)

Yewen, it's still a damn good game in my opinion (slightly biased, 6 years+ paying for it).

It's got I think about 150k subscribers many of them are very long term, the biggest problems it's had/got are
1: Public conception - the client looks outdated so a lot of people won't give it a second glance :(
2: Cheaters - due in part to the very old much patched client, due to be helped by the addition of Punkbuster to the game :D, and I suspect the new client.
3: Pretty much zero advertising or shelf space :(

Hopefully the new client will get some boxes on shelves, and maybe get some of the 3d/graphics obsessed people to give it a go.

I love the fact that unlike most of the other MMORPG's out there you are not fixed to certain templates for your character, and can retrain a character without having to start practically from the beginning again (not to mention explore pretty much anywhere in the game at any level - you may not survive 5 seconds but your ghost can still look round)


My characters in game at the moment are a
Warrior mage - started as a mage, then swordsman with parry to pay for his mage training, then i dropped the parry to move him to a healer mage (he already had healing and anatomy from his warrior days), currently being moved back to parry with magery as a tertiary skill.

Macer/scribe - started off as a barkeep with the macing thrown in for fun *Nilrem looks sternly at the rowdy crowd and pulls Betty out from under the bar" :-P
The Scribing was added as something to do when it was quiet, and to make money.
He can whip you up a nice drink, whack you over the head and then send you home with all the scrolls you can carry (and a confused look on your face come the morning when you find you're out of gold, but have 500 recall scrolls - and you're a GM mage)

Crafter - started as a blacksmith/miner to help my other characters out, then added carpentry for house addons, tinkering so he didn't have to buy tools, then tailoring to make armour for mages.
I think I went slightly mad when I was training his tinkering, I've got vague memories of running a line of lanterns from moonglow inn to the moongate one night.

Tamer mage - the real time killer as taming is extremely slow to gain, but you end up with some very nice meatsheilds and pets.
It was also fun (before they limited the number of pets you could control at any one time), having a number of them spelling out a message
"Visit the Angry Mongbat Tavern" - spelled out in Mongbats (each one had one word as it's name).

Finally, my mad hidden axewomen, started as a jumberjack to provide wood for my crafter, then I added swords and healing for protection, followed by hiding for fun and as a survival tool (run round a corner and pray the Balron doesn't cast reveal before your bandage kicks in).


On other shards/servers i've also got an archer, begger and chef (all at low levels).
 
Thanks for that, when the graphical update comes along I will probably think about picking it up for a try, I am a big lover of the Infinity Engine games however so I do not know how I will take to the view.
 
What's with the turnaround from EA?

Dont tell me that they actually care about people now and are not in it just for the money. EA jumping on the wow band wagon? Looks good for a game 9 years old nonetheless.

I cant see many people picking this up sorry, other than those already playing it for x years.
 
Last edited:
looks pretty nice, might warrant me installing my copy of UO, i bought it a couple years ago but never really played it
 
Won't there be a problem for new arrivals being very, very heavily outclassed by their peers who have played the game for a decade?

I gather having played Ultima6 is hardly being familiar with Ultima games, let alone an MMO :p
 
Killerkebab said:
Won't there be a problem for new arrivals being very, very heavily outclassed by their peers who have played the game for a decade?

I gather having played Ultima6 is hardly being familiar with Ultima games, let alone an MMO :p
Click to expand...


Not really, you can get a fairly good character trained up in a couple of months of general play, as unlike most of the other MMORPG's you don't have "levelling", and things change enough that even vet players tend to have to learn something new on a regular basis (and complain bitterly that their uber armour/skills are no longer so uber against a new monster;)).

The main advantage (other than experience, which you pick up pretty quickly) the vets will have is the armour they can get, as currently there is some very good armour that can only be gained from high end creatures, however a lot of people don't bother with that and still use "crafted" armour/weapons or armour/weapons dropped from midlevel creatures :) (my characters tend to only wear common armour, or more often stuff i've made myself).



My nephew recently started playing, and despite the fact he's swapping between characters and skills on an almost daily basis he's learning how to play it pretty fast :) (I just need to convince him that magery is not good for healing as a warrior).
 
Admittedly I never played UO and my first MMORPG was EverQuest but I did like the Ultima series a hell of a lot. When that new engine comes out I'll definately consider giving it a try.
 
Looks nice, but its too little too late. EA made a colossal mistake cancelling UX:O and now they're panicking as they see a massive decline in UO subscribers.

For years myself and many others have begged for a 3D client and a proper revamp for UO. Instead we got a dumbed down '3D' client which could never be improved due to it having 2D code for compatibility.

Improving the visuals it one thing, but look at all the crap broken skills & features! Fishing, PeeVPee, Factions lol, Trammelites including yours truly being so safe, Insurance, er what else? Oh yes, duping, artifacts which is what destroyed the game for me moreso then it already was.

Argh, must not flipping rant! :mad: :o :p

Having said all that, UO still is the best freeform MMOROPROPROPOG around. I wouldn't try any other mmorpg over it, and lately I have been staring at my UO box a lot more then usual.
http://www.zen97774.zen.co.uk/uo/1/UO0012.jpg :p
 
i really have been meaning to give this game ago, as stated the only thng that is actually putting me off is the graphics =/

Do you have to buy the game?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom