Difference between revisions of "Ultima"

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'''''Ultima''''' is a video game role-playing game developed by [[Richard Garriott]] and published by [[California Pacific Computer Co.]] in 1981 for the [[Apple II]] and, in 1983, for the [[Atari 8-bit]] line. This is the first Ultima title in the [[Ultima (universe)|series]] and was highly influential game in the computer RPG genre. The game was remade as ''Ultima I'' in 1986 and released for several other platforms. In the game, you play the role of a hero tasked with defeating the evil sorcerer Mondain to save all the lands.
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[[Image:Ultima - A2 - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|Original Apple II cover.]]
  
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I've booted ''Ultima'' up a couple of times, but never played it very much. It's so out-dated now, I have little desire to try to beat it. Despite playing very little of the game, I have done quite a bit of work reverse engineering the game and placed my results on ModdingWiki.
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'''''Ultima''''' is a computer role-playing game developed by [[Richard Garriott]] and published by [[California Pacific Computer Co.]] in 1981 for the [[Apple II]]. The game was remade as ''Ultima I'' in 1986 and released for several other platforms. This is the first Ultima title in the [[Ultima (universe)|series]] and was highly influential game in the computer RPG genre. In ''Ultima'', you play the role of a hero tasked with defeating the evil sorcerer Mondain to save all the lands. To do this you must explore the lands, visit kings who charge you with quests, slay many monsters, and even travel through space and time.
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The original Ultima game was programmed in [[Applesoft BASIC]] with the tile system written in assembly. Because of this, it had to be rewritten when it was ported to the Atari 8-bit in 1983. The game was rewritten from the ground up in [[6502 assembly]] for the ''Ultima I'' Apple II remake in 1986. This version had better graphics, over world monsters, and came with paper maps and a bag of coins. This version was ported to the Commodore 64 mostly as-is since the two platforms used the same CPU. The remake was rewritten in [[Intel assembly]] and ported to MS-DOS in 1987 with CGA, EGA, and Tandy 1000 support. It was redesigned from the ground up again when it was ported to the Japanese line of computers in 1988 with higher resolution graphics. It was reprogrammed one last time in 1994 for the Apple IIgs.
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I've booted ''Ultima'' up a couple of times, but never played it very much. It's so out-dated now, I have little desire to try to beat it. Despite playing very little of the game, I have done quite a bit of work reverse engineering the DOS port and placed my results on [[ModdingWiki]].
  
 
==Status==
 
==Status==
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I own two copies of the PC remake, but only from the Complete Ultima CD-ROM compilation. I have not beaten the game or even played it much.
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I own two copies of the PC remake published in the Complete Ultima CD-ROM compilation. I have not beaten the game or even played it much.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
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==Media==
 
==Media==
 
===Box Art===
 
===Box Art===
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<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
Ultima - A2 - USA.jpg|Original Apple II card from 1981. The original Ultima came in a plastic bag with this printed card. [[Denis Loubet]] painted a Persian warrior on a horse attacking a dragon swimming in magma. This uses the very first Ultima logo which is the [[Victorian]] typeface with a modified "m."
 
Ultima - A2 - USA.jpg|Original Apple II card from 1981. The original Ultima came in a plastic bag with this printed card. [[Denis Loubet]] painted a Persian warrior on a horse attacking a dragon swimming in magma. This uses the very first Ultima logo which is the [[Victorian]] typeface with a modified "m."
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Ultima I - A8 - USA.jpg|The Atari 8-bit box of 1983 uses completely new art and logo that was modified from the one used on the Ultima II box. It features a castle with towering spires on a rocky crag with two huge moons in the distance. I prefer this art over the original.
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Ultima I - A8 - USA.jpg|The Atari 8-bit box of 1983 uses the art from ''Ultima II'' that wrapped to the back of the box, and the logo is modified from the ''Ultima II'' logo. I think this art better depicts the game's space elements even if it wasn't made with the original ''Ultima'' in mind.
 
Ultima I - C64 - USA.jpg|Remake box of 1986 used for Apple II, Apple IIgs, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS. The remake box uses the same artwork as the original, but shows more of it. It also uses the taller Ultima logo with a metallic effect and adds a Roman numeral I to it. The Origin Systems logo is added to the bottom.
 
Ultima I - C64 - USA.jpg|Remake box of 1986 used for Apple II, Apple IIgs, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS. The remake box uses the same artwork as the original, but shows more of it. It also uses the taller Ultima logo with a metallic effect and adds a Roman numeral I to it. The Origin Systems logo is added to the bottom.
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Ultima I - PC98 - Japan.jpg|Japanese release of 1988 for MSX, PC88, PC98, Sharp X1. This box zooms in on Loubet's artwork a little uses the later Ultima logo, and adds the retconned subtitle, "The First Age of Darkness."
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Ultima I - PC98 - Japan.jpg|Japanese release of 1988 for MSX2, PC88, PC98, Sharp X1. This box zooms in on Loubet's artwork a little uses the later Ultima logo, and adds the retconned subtitle, "The First Age of Darkness."
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Documentation===
 
===Documentation===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
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Ultima - A2 - Manual.pdf|Original Apple II manual.
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Ultima - A2 - Reference Card.pdf|Original Apple II reference card.
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Ultima I - A8 - Manual.pdf|Atari 8-bit manual.
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Ultima - Sierra Ad For Ultima 1 and 2 - 1986.jpg|Sierra Atari 8-bit ad.
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Ultima I - C64 - Manual.pdf|Remake manual.
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Ultima I - A2 - Map - Lands of Danger and Despair.jpg|Paper map from the remake, Lands of Danger and Despair.
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Ultima I - A2 - Map - Lands of Lord British.jpg|Paper map from the remake, Lands of Lord British.
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Ultima I - A2 - Map - Lands of the Dark Unknown.jpg|Paper map from the remake, Lands of the Dark Unknown.
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Ultima I - A2 - Map - Lands of the Feudal Lords.jpg|Paper map from the remake, Lands of the Feudal Lords.
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Ultima I - A2 - Coin Bag.jpg|Bag of coins that came with the remake.
 
Ultima I - A2 - Ad.jpg|Apple II ad for the remake.
 
Ultima I - A2 - Ad.jpg|Apple II ad for the remake.
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Ultima I - C64 - Reference Card.pdf|Commodore 64 reference card.
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Ultima I - A2GS - Manual.pdf|Apple IIgs manual.
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Ultima I - A2GS - Reference Card.pdf|Apple IIgs reference card.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
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===Videos===
 
===Videos===
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrQFzWO4pYo youtube.com/watch?v=NrQFzWO4pYo] - Longplay, Apple II remake.
 
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XUsdNh7J_A youtube.com/watch?v=7XUsdNh7J_A] - Longplay, DOS.
 
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XUsdNh7J_A youtube.com/watch?v=7XUsdNh7J_A] - Longplay, DOS.
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
 
{{Link|MobyGames|https://www.mobygames.com/game/ultima}}
 
{{Link|MobyGames|https://www.mobygames.com/game/ultima}}
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_I:_The_First_Age_of_Darkness}}
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{{Link|StrategyWiki|https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Ultima_I:_The_First_Age_of_Darkness}}
 
{{Link|ModdingWiki|http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Ultima_I}}
 
{{Link|ModdingWiki|http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Ultima_I}}
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{{Link|TVTropes|https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/UltimaI}}
  
 
* [https://www.mobygames.com/game/ultima-i mobygames.com/game/ultima-i] - MobyGames (Remake).
 
* [https://www.mobygames.com/game/ultima-i mobygames.com/game/ultima-i] - MobyGames (Remake).
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[[Category: Commodore 64 Games]]
 
[[Category: Commodore 64 Games]]
 
[[Category: DOS Games]]
 
[[Category: DOS Games]]
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[[Category: MSX Games]]
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[[Category: MSX2 Games]]
 
[[Category: PC-88 Games]]
 
[[Category: PC-88 Games]]
 
[[Category: PC-98 Games]]
 
[[Category: PC-98 Games]]

Revision as of 14:19, 23 April 2019

Original Apple II cover.

Ultima is a computer role-playing game developed by Richard Garriott and published by California Pacific Computer Co. in 1981 for the Apple II. The game was remade as Ultima I in 1986 and released for several other platforms. This is the first Ultima title in the series and was highly influential game in the computer RPG genre. In Ultima, you play the role of a hero tasked with defeating the evil sorcerer Mondain to save all the lands. To do this you must explore the lands, visit kings who charge you with quests, slay many monsters, and even travel through space and time.

The original Ultima game was programmed in Applesoft BASIC with the tile system written in assembly. Because of this, it had to be rewritten when it was ported to the Atari 8-bit in 1983. The game was rewritten from the ground up in 6502 assembly for the Ultima I Apple II remake in 1986. This version had better graphics, over world monsters, and came with paper maps and a bag of coins. This version was ported to the Commodore 64 mostly as-is since the two platforms used the same CPU. The remake was rewritten in Intel assembly and ported to MS-DOS in 1987 with CGA, EGA, and Tandy 1000 support. It was redesigned from the ground up again when it was ported to the Japanese line of computers in 1988 with higher resolution graphics. It was reprogrammed one last time in 1994 for the Apple IIgs.

I've booted Ultima up a couple of times, but never played it very much. It's so out-dated now, I have little desire to try to beat it. Despite playing very little of the game, I have done quite a bit of work reverse engineering the DOS port and placed my results on ModdingWiki.

Status

I own two copies of the PC remake published in the Complete Ultima CD-ROM compilation. I have not beaten the game or even played it much.

Review

I don't know enough about this game to review it.

Media

Box Art

  • Original Apple II card from 1981. The original Ultima came in a plastic bag with this printed card. Denis Loubet painted a Persian warrior on a horse attacking a dragon swimming in magma. This uses the very first Ultima logo which is the Victorian typeface with a modified "m."

  • The Atari 8-bit box of 1983 uses the art from Ultima II that wrapped to the back of the box, and the logo is modified from the Ultima II logo. I think this art better depicts the game's space elements even if it wasn't made with the original Ultima in mind.

  • Remake box of 1986 used for Apple II, Apple IIgs, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS. The remake box uses the same artwork as the original, but shows more of it. It also uses the taller Ultima logo with a metallic effect and adds a Roman numeral I to it. The Origin Systems logo is added to the bottom.

  • Japanese release of 1988 for MSX2, PC88, PC98, Sharp X1. This box zooms in on Loubet's artwork a little uses the later Ultima logo, and adds the retconned subtitle, "The First Age of Darkness."

Documentation

  • Original Apple II manual.

  • Original Apple II reference card.

  • Atari 8-bit manual.

  • Sierra Atari 8-bit ad.

  • Remake manual.

  • Paper map from the remake, Lands of Danger and Despair.

  • Paper map from the remake, Lands of Lord British.

  • Paper map from the remake, Lands of the Dark Unknown.

  • Paper map from the remake, Lands of the Feudal Lords.

  • Ultima I - A2 - Coin Bag.jpg

    Bag of coins that came with the remake.

  • Apple II ad for the remake.

  • Commodore 64 reference card.

  • Apple IIgs manual.

  • Apple IIgs reference card.

Maps

  • Over world, DOS.

  • Over world, DOS, with spoilers.

Videos

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  Link-ModdingWiki.png  Link-TVTropes.png 

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