Ultima Ultima IX 15th anniversary: Source code, interviews

[dumdum]

So where can I get this?

 

[Jaesun]

GOG

 

[Marquis de Lirium]

Ultima is dead and forgotten and that, my friends, is a good thing - especially for us Ultima fans.

Never understood this mentality. Fallout 3 didn't make F1 suddenly start sucking by osmosis and it led to the creation of the #8 favorite RPG of the Codex.

I agree that it sounds strange and should probably be taken with a grain of salt, but in principle I stand behind the statement. When all I can realistically expect from the revival of a beloved RPG series is a dumbed-down action game that has only superficial ties with the lore and experience of the original game world, then I prefer no new games being made.

That doesn't apply to fan projects, however. They tend to be of very high quality, especially in the Ultima community.

 

[taxalot]

You should not hope so. Although the latest attempt by Mythic has been disastrous, we have never been in an era this good for quality RPG s since 1998. Put in the hand of competent developers like Obsidian or Inxile, and an EA wisely wanting to cash in the revival of this niche, it is the best of times for a revival of this series. I am quite sure something is bound to happen sooner or later. .. and I actually hope so.

 

[Infinitron]

Kenneth has started uploading his interviews with various Ultima IX developers. First is Lead Programmer Bill Randolph: http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,18375/



Hopefully there will be a transcript later.

 

[Infinitron]

Here's the transcript: http://ultimacodex.com/interviews/an-inertia-of-legend-an-interview-with-bill-randolph/

 

[Infinitron]

Some interesting talk in the comments here about the map size of the original isometric U9: http://ultimacodex.com/2014/12/interview-with-bill-randolph/comment-page-1/

mark
December 9, 2014 at 2:58 pm
One more comment. I took a cutout of the map from the U9Editor pic and overlayed it on a scaled up map of Britannia. I matched up Paws, the rivers, and the Fens of the Dead. If 1 pixel is one U9 ’tile’, and one U9 tile is 4 feet, then the U9 map was about 8000 feet on a side (probably 8192 ). That compares to U6 which would clock in at 4000 feet per side.
I made some rough estimates and came up with between 3500 – 4500 for the final U9. This was based on LB’s castle being 110 feet across the front. I suspect this number is probably 4096 as well.
That means the ‘original’ U9 may have been at least 4 times as big as the final U9; we’re talking nearly elder scrolls level world size. Just look at the map… you can plainly see how huge it is.

DAMN IT!

 

[Akratus]

Maybe now we can finally get a clear answer about what's a Paladin.

WELL, THEY WERE SOMETIMES KNOWN AS THE TWELVE PEERS. HISTORICALLY, THEY WERE THE FOREMOST MEMBERS OF CHARLEMAGNE'S COURT, ALTHOUGH MANY OF THEIR MOST FAMOUS EXPLOITS ARE LARGELY FICTITIOUS, REPRESENTING CHRISTIAN MARTIAL SUPERIORITY OVER THE SARACEN HORDES.

 

[Slow James]

Some interesting talk in the comments here about the map size of the original isometric U9: http://ultimacodex.com/2014/12/interview-with-bill-randolph/comment-page-1/

The push to 3D in the late 90's/early 2000's was a death kneel for so many genres and franchises.

Gah. It boggles the mind that this game was originally conceived as a proper send off to Ultima and was just shat all over.