Despite the fact that I completed a fairy tale about all the main parts of the series, there is always something behind the side. And even a series that has lived for almost thirty years, there can be nothing to stay there. Some ridiculous, hastily glued shirpotreb, the creation of which was initiated by large studios interested in the success of the series. This is about games. Indeed, the franchise has written another 21 book and 4 full -fledged manga, not counting all sorts of short stories. And I ask you to forgive in advance, because I’m not going to write about the literary embodiment of Ultima. Reading 21 books, 300 unequal pages each in each, 16 of which is all the more in Japanese, will require unjustifiably a lot of time. And in principle, I can’t do this, even if I want, because I don’t know Japanese, but there is no translation into English, so it is unlikely that anyone needs half-hour reviews of these books. And to be honest, with all this story I already want to finally figure it out. So let’s start raking what came out of the attempts of some to earn on the name of the series and what came out at Origin in attempts to expand its borders.
All books on Ultima
The first, in principle, Spin -off was released, expected, Sierra, because she was the first large owner of the rights to the series. Keith of Zabalaui, familiar to Richard from the university and working with him on Ultima II as a programmer, created his Dungeon Crowler and showed her Sierra. She reacted to this skeptical. Firstly, the game itself did not look particularly attractive. Secondly, it was created for the Commodore VIC-20 computer, which was already inferior to the market by the year earlier Comodore 64. Thirdly, the game demanded Memory expander for VIC-20, which increased it from 5 kb to 13 kb, although many games on this computer went without this expansion, so few had it. But Sierra, nevertheless, did not cover the project, but offered to glue the name Ultima to it, which should spur sales. Lunch, just in case, because Sierra had the right, asked Richard permission and he gave it, contrary to the common opinion.
On the cover of boxing, they hung the series logo along with the name Drash dungeon, present in the first part and hung exactly the same art as the first part. And the main villain, who is absent in the game itself, sent his name to Garrintrots, obviously to Geriot. The plot was so simple that it fits one line “Garrintrots abducted you and dragged Drash to the lower level of the drash dungeon, from which you are now trying to escape”. This is where the story ends. All this was released in 1983.
Cover Ultima I and Drash
This game is often called raw and unfinished, with which I do not quite agree. The game is a simple arcade, the passage of which will require only half an hour, if you, of course, will be able to go through it the first time. This is a simple wandering on the labyrinth in search of a stairs to the top where you even have a radar and a compass, but with each level these functions will be taken away, thereby adding difficulties. But the location of objects on the map is always the same thing, so it is easy to develop a route when there is a “destroy the wall” spells, even if it can be used only three times per level. The battle is not designed for probability theory, as a year earlier than Ultima II, but rather, to your reaction and to picking up the moments in which you need to hit immediately to kill the enemy. At first, all this is confused, but then the binary gameplay leaves more positive impressions of him, since he completely falls on your skills, casting aside the cubes. Yes, and emotionally, the game can involve the game when you already feel at the last level in the wild, but enemies that rushing like crazy and at any moment can kill you/send you to the beginning of the game, thereby tickling you nervous, implanting you into the skin of an nameless protagonist. At this moment, Drash gives much more to RPGshnity than many other games that call themselves. Personally, I cannot call her bad for all this, especially with her short duration. But if I was longer and I pay for it, then I would probably be less condescending to it.
General Gameplay, a map from above from the right at level 5 and map at level 9, local battleship
Sierra ordered only 3,000 units, and only their small share was sold. After the failure, the game was removed from the shelves, and Sierra did not resemble it once again about its existence. Drash literally disappeared from everywhere and only the words of the whale and the advertisement in the magazine “Compute!"For July 1983, confirmed its existence. The game became a "holy grave" for collectors because of its extraordinary rarity. Even legends were composed that it was buried, like E.T., And because of this, it cannot be found, and the name of Ultima was attached behind Richard, which is definitely not true for a series of reasons. And, as they like to tell, they found a copy of the game only by 2000 at the foot of the cliff in British Colombia, which is also most likely only part of the legend.
The next point goes directly from Sierra and it is already much more interesting and larger – Japan. There, Sierra licensed and released Ultima II in the early 80s, moreover, not bothering to hire translators or ports on Japanese computers, which is why the game did not find special popularity then. But the popularity of Ultima III in 1983, which was also purely in English and was already published by Origin, was much more noticeable, including in Japan.
Exclusively on Japanese computers, the series began with 1985 by the forces of the Japanese studio Starcraft. Inc [1] [2] [3], which is considered the first in portion of Western RPG to Japan. They from afar and, more importantly, transferred to Japanese in 1985 Ultima II [1] [2] and III for PC-8801 and PC-9801.
And besides, 1985, Origin was already interested in the Japanese market, as well as the Japanese company Nihon Falcom, which developed the series DragonSlayer(1984 – … became part The Legend of Heroes), Ys(1987- …), The Legend of Heroes(1989 – …), was interested in American. The book of The Official Book of Ultima, which was participating with Richard, wrote that it was Nihon Falcom for help to Origin in promoting the Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu in America, well, in Origin, they say, they decided to ask for a feedback from Ultima IV and brothersHerriots flew to Tokyo. But it may be vice versa that this Origin turned to Nihon Falcom, because the deal fell off, because the XANADU contains designs and drawings from the Ultima III manual manual. Nihon Falcom decided not to bring the case to court and agreed to pay compensation and remove Denis Luba’s designs. So because of this precedent, you can doubt the sincerity of Richard in who was the initiator of the meeting. And later, without much details, Origin entered into a contract with Pony Canyon (part. 系列, “system”) Fujisankei Communications), which, starting with the Ultima IV [1] [2] in 1987, launched the series to the PC-8801, PC-9801 and ShaRP X68000, replacing Starcraft to the Starcraft.
And then a series of series in Japan began, especially gaining momentum in the late 80s and early 90s, when Fujitsu released the first trilogy on FM Towns, and continued with subsequent games. And FCI (part of the Carez Fujisankei Communications) has published Ultima on NESSV 1990. A bunch of everything began to go out in the series: manga, novels, songs, anime [1] [2], card games. AND Still I found information about the existence of a single -series OVA anime according to Ultima III [1] [2] [3]. And then how it is, novels, manga and a bunch of another have the Japanese, but there is no anime? Doubtful. Although this OVA was lost. The Japanese market for Ultima was very large and sweet. In "Compute!»For November 1990, it was read that the series was sold in Japan with a total circulation of 400k: 300k on Nintendo and 100k on various PCs. And it was not without reason that they spoke in Next Generation for November 1995 that in Japan Ultima became a hit. The number of different merits there was a lot of adequate, as a medallions, and not very much: a boomerang and a carbine. And a quarter of players in UO falls on Japan. Because of this, there are so many official servs there, yielding only to the native US.
Fujitsu, FM Towns, FCI, Ultima III on Nes, manga, album with a song on Ultima, a frame from the expected anime on Ultima, card game, “Compute!»For November 1990 and clipping from there, Next Generation for November 1995 and clipping from there, medallion, boomerang, carbine, UO server in America and Japan.
As for the ports, the series in general had a https://gamblingdata.net/casinos/this-is-vegas-casino/ lot. Those that were produced from the West usually did not differ radically from the original. But the Japanese made the most interesting projects. Let these ports, but they brought something new with them, being often almost remakes or rethinking, albeit always successful, nevertheless. Snes’ov Ultima VII (1994) and Savage Empire (1995) were more like action than RPG and their legs grow from our subsequent patients Runes of Virtue I and II. NES’O Ultima III (1987) and IV (1990), even more reminiscent of Dragon Quest than the originals. NES’O Ultima V (1991) tried to resemble Ultima VI (1990). Ultima Underworld for the pschita completely moved to 3D.
Ultima VII [SNES], Savage Empire [Snes], Ultima III [Nes], Ultima IV [nes], Dragon Quest [nes], Ultima v [nes], Ultima UnderWorld [PSX]
The ports on Japanese computers, even though they did not differ from the originals in terms of a mechanic, but improved details, up to Ultima V inclusive. Although on the PC-88, PC-98 and Sharp X68000, the picture is very jackal. Although not, LSU, Ultima VI (1991), exclusively for FM Towns, was voice acting on English and Japanese, as well as the choice of dialogs there looked like in the subsequent Ultima VII (1992). Although the voice acts were disgusting. All these versions richer in the design of the PC did not go to the Western market, remaining Japanese exclusives. The opposite situation with the Sega’v Ultima IV (1990) and Nes’v Ultima V, which came out only in the West.
Ultima in the yuapple, Ultima v [fm towns], Ultima VI [FM Towns], Ultima IV [SMS].
But all this, as do not look, is only ports, the basis of which are the existing parts of the series and are not full -fledged projects made from zero. But the Runes of Virtue dilogy for Gameboy Snes, published by FCI, is another matter. PR first Runes of Virtue in 1991 as best they could: praised the presence of Co-OP’A;150 levels of dungeons and 80 levels of CO-Op’y dungeons and called it the second RPG on GB [1] [2]. The first two statements are true, but Runes of Virtue is far to the title of the second RPG on GB. There were still many of them before her. And from each iron it was said that the game has a striking/exciting plot. About the second part, everything is somehow quieter. No matter how many magazines I have passed, all that is written in them for how much it can be bought. Only the Nintendo Power, which did not give anyone a verdict regarding the first part, gave its assessment to both versions of the second part: for GB (1993) and SNES (1994). She scolded both versions for the schedule, but praised, again, for plot.
Two clippings from magazines about rov1, clippings from Nintendo Power pro ROV2 SNES and GB.
But as a result of all praise, these are just two disgusting games.While Drash was a short, simple, understandable, algorithmic, but at the same time the player demanding on the attention and reaction, the dilogy of Runes of Virtue is its complete opposite: prolonged, difficult due to sorns, chaotic and, often completely preventing the player to show some skills, where he has only one, in advance, the option is addicted, the option. The first part this concerns not to such an extent, but the second crosses all the boundaries with this. I haven’t been so angry for the game for a long time.
They both do not really try to resemble RPG, nobly imitating Zelda games, while I rely no longer on the study of the world, which is completely empty here, but on wandering on dungeons and solving puzzles. The meanness of the first part was punished for haste. Because you did not have time to recognize the essence of the riddles, but have already made some decisions. And this, often well and justified, makes you think about the entrance to the next of many rooms, which are always small enough, so that all important details of the riddles can be seen.
One of the puzzles in the first part and a map of the same dungeon.
But in the second part, the peak of designer thought is to pour the entire half lava or place traps with arrows everywhere. Most often, the game is in the most straightforward way to kill you. By the end, you only do that you are running away from something. Even in the passage they simply write "Run!". And it can last for many floors of the same dungeon, when the scale of the floors here has grown a lot. And so much so that after one level you can already feel fatigue. And the game still has many ways to stretch "pleasure", for example, the expectation of ships without which you will not pass. With all this, I passed the second part in 3-4 days, when the first in 1 evening.
And such shit here in bulk. Well, the map of this shit.
And this despite the fact that in all gameplay trifles the game was twisted: the character is less likely to get stuck in the corners, things began to stall, and ANCH, who used to teleport to the British’a castle, can now restart the level, which allows you to cut the mystery to a deadline. But with all the above improvements, the second part is very inferior to the first because of its problems. The only thing that makes the first part is tangibly worse is its amusement. I constantly turned the necessary plot object into what lay in my hand before that.
Inventory ROV1 and ROV2.
And that “amazing” and “exciting” plot is simply “a black knight abducted 8 runes/lords. Return them.". In the first part, in addition, there is nothing. In the second, “videos” appeared, which they simply tell how the black knight grabbed the Lords. Moreover, each action in them will be so stretched that you will feel how you are aging. Simply put, here not what startling And Unconductive plot. He simply is not here. And this is not to mention the strange mistakes of the visual and narratives, when Iolo looks like Shamino, Mariah has grown a mustache and all the characters are not like the SNES version, Dupre turned from a Trinsic’s paladin into a JHELOM’s swordsman, and all the characters in the second part are called avatars. It can be seen that FCI somehow does not care that they port.
Rune and abduction.
The same applies to manga. I read only the first two: Terror of Exodus (1988) and Quest of the Avatar (1989), since they have a translation and scans at least even in Japanese. Both are extremely simple adventure stories with a decent share of rewriting games of games and, on the whole, not the most attractive visual.
Whereas Seiji Tanaka, the author of the Exodus manga, may in interesting color illustrations in which there are no characters of children/teenagers, then removing the color and adding children his drawings become much worse. The moments shows how he tries to draw black and white illustrations as if planning them in color, but with ink they look too blurry, without preserving the prospect, which is why the details are lost.
As for the story, it is very curly, paying more attention to the process of the campaign itself, but when specifics are required, this is not to this manga. The characters are looking for 4 seals to withstand Exodus’s and on their way the revived Mondain and Minax appear. What exactly is done printing is not explained. Just like a method with the moment of their receipt, because only at the end it turns out that the seal is some kind of spheres. After leaving the location, where it is supposed to find seals, the characters simply have them with them without a demonstration of their receipt. And there are a lot of similar. The chosenness of the protagonist, his ability to turn into a dragon, “headache” Minax at a crucial moment, the merger of all the main characters into a single pillar of light, after one of them shouted before the “corpse” of the other. The whole story plays on a high tower from the piano.
All the more fun, when in the original, Richard first tried to balance the setting, make it more sane, the Japanese spit on this and the canon. Two main characters are a robot from another planet and a space fighter pilot. Local elected dragon wars – caste, which has never been in the series. Exodus here is a cosmic sealed deity of destruction, which Mondain and Minax worship in fear and are not its creators. And the list can be continued.
Quest of the Avatar, the authorship of Yuko Tanaka, in turn, refers a little carefully to the canon, but looks characteristic of the designs of Shojo/Josei 90x-00x, and in this carriage, at least more repulsive and simply. In fact, this is a very short and alternative retelling of Ultima IV, which would have the right to life if he had given himself exactly what was not like an alternative to the original, but as an addition that was told about another contender for the role of an avatar, without another chosen, without heroes from the original and without a villain who, for some reason, is, for some reason, Hawkwind.
And albeit somewhat before reasonable, but I assume that the rest of the written Ultima in Japan is not very different from these examples. Everything about Ultima in Japan, often looks intriguing, in a sense, it is interesting to observe, but when studying-it turns out, at best, something mediocre and somewhat ridiculous. Whereas they tried to develop a series in Origin, in Japan they tried to hold it in the initial stages. That was her path in Japan.
I think you should finish with it and go to the last point for today – EA. And there is little to say here. After the closure of Origin, EA remembered the series only after 6 years, when I announced in 2010 Lord of Ultima, created by EA Phenomic, previously Phenomic Game Development (2004), SpellForce 2 (2006), Battleforge (2009),,,,Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances (2012)). She was a browser strategy, which, of course, was conditionally free and asked Donat for all sorts of nishtyaki. With the series, she had a minimum of connections, often more than those appearing in the names of updates than in the game itself. But she did not live up to the expectations of ea, with a preliminary warning, the Lord of Ultima was closed on May 12, 2014 at 7 o’clock. Everything seems to be punctual, but EA cannot but break firewood and many servers did not work long before that, which caused the mass requirements of the return of money through PayPal. What is strange here is the company on Kickstarter to recreate the fans of this game, which was completely funded. As a result, a sort of remake was created – Crown of the Gods.
A somewhat similar story happened with the next and last game released by EA in this series. But this time it was not browser Free-to-Play online RTS, but Free-to-Play online Hack & Slash for mobile phorever: Quest for the Avatar (2013). It is more interesting here Who I made this game, since the story is almost the same as with Lord of Ultima, only the dates are slightly different, it was closed on August 29, 2014, and it did not receive a remake. And no one other than Mythic Entertainment made it, which has already been mentioned in the last part, and the Escalation Studios (in the future BethesdaGameStudiosDallas). And here the next common misconception begins. Mythic, when the game was only announced, the efforts of EA, was called Bioware Mythic. Fine, few people read or mentions at conferences/interviews, which gave rise to public opinion that the last official Ultima, in principle, was made by BioWare, which is a pure misunderstanding.
In turn, the game is a crookedly look and clicked Action RPG to mobile phones, trying to claim the role of a sequel to Ultima IV. But at the same time, not capable of taking even the character British’a, because Richard took the right to this name from EA (it would be better to take the right from the series). Accordingly, the scriptwriters had to get out and instead of the king we have him here, from where he got, his daughter was Lady British. Here you have a sequel.
Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, Mythic Entertainment, Escalantion Studios, Bethesda, Gameplay Ultima Forever, Lady British
Such was the fate of the series in its other incarnations: unpretentious, largely curved fakes, which can be called good, only if you forget about their dedication to the series. Gameboyt is not applied to games. Does this say that Ultima can only do Origin? Of course not. There, I already talked about fan games made under the impression of the series. And I sincerely believe that the last parts of Divinity are the modern embodiment of Ultima, albeit in another world, and with other plots, but with the development of the gameplay and similar impressions. And the authors themselves think so. Maybe when we will get a purebred part of the series if EA thinks it about and gives to anyone dusting rights. And, in fact, it would be better not to Richard. Let’s be frank, Richard is, in addition to the fact that the designer of the old school who does not adapt to the present is still a frivolous and dreamy designer, whose ideas were captured to adversely affect the series if there were no people who filter his desires. So he also did not participate in the very creation of games from some moment. He is more inspirer than the Creator. It would be more interesting for me to see the eyes of all the same Larian’. Eh, dreams, dreams.
In the meantime, go, on this will end the history of the Ultima series. It was long, informative, vast and interesting. As for me. But I did not finish it. For a long time I had an idea to talk about another series, which, in many respects, is the opposite of Ultima, a former innovative, restrained and ordered. The same series did not change much, even on the contrary, took the mechanics of another series. She did not try to tie herself with restrictions, but on the contrary, she was rather masterful. She did not try to follow any routine, becoming a rather chaotic.