[ 3 / biz / cgl / ck / diy / fa / ic / jp / lit / sci / vr / vt ] [ index / top / reports ] [ become a patron ] [ status ]
2023-11: Warosu is now out of extended maintenance.

/vr/ - Retro Games

View post   
File: 140 KB, 1280x720, maxresdefault (8).jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6234724 No.6234724 [Reply] [Original]

Going to get into Ultima since I've never played one before. The consensus seems to be skip 1-3 and start 4-7 or to start at 5 or 6. Opinions? I've read 8 & 9 are trash.

>> No.6234761

Thats pretty much accurate. 1-3 are aged pretty hard to get into, 4-7 is the golden age, 8-9 are awful, but dont forget about Underground too

>> No.6234794

>>6234724
Here's a basic guide:

1, 2, & 3: Not really necessary. The fourth game in the series is viewed as having obsoleted the first three games (excluding story related stuff). If you want to play these then get the GOG versions of 1 and 2 and for 3 you can either go with GOG or NES if you prefer things simplified at the expense of maybe less content.

4: Play the Sega Master System version.

5: Get it off GOG.

6: Get the GOG version and run it with the Nuvie source port.

7: Get the GOG version. It should be "The Complete Ultima VII" (the naming convention may vary slightly, but same difference). Then run it with the Exult source port and the music pack (google it).

Underworld 1: GOG.

Underworld 2: GOG.

8: The GOG version should be Ultima VIII Gold. If by chance you ever find the vanilla version of 8 DO NOT PLAY IT. That said, I can't really recommend playing 8 in general, but it has it's fans. The atmosphere is excellent and the story and setting are interesting. The gameplay sucks though. It especially notoriously has what is arguably the worst platforming of any video game ever made.

9: Don't waste your time. If you want to pirate it out of morbid curiosity then get the GOG version. It might even require additional patches to run even slightly stable, but I can't say for sure.

Savage Empire: Spin-off set it a "lost world" of dinosaurs. Uses the same engine as 6. Nice game, even if it's 100% unrelated to the "real" series and only was given the "Ultima" name for marketing purposes. Get the GOG version if you want to play it.

Martian Dreams: Another unrelated, only-called-Ultima-for-marketing-reasons game running in the same engine as 6 and Savage Empire. Notable for featuring possibly the most batshit plot of any RPG. Also pretty decent game. GOG version should run fine if you want to play it.

Online: This is an MMORPG, if you're into that kind of thing. There are free fan-run servers that I'm sure you can find with google.

>> No.6234806 [DELETED] 

>>6234794
As for which I'd recommend playing, 6, 7 (and 7 part 2, which is included [along with their expansions] in The Complete edition), and bother Underworld games are pretty much the best RPGs ever made. Online is arguably one of the best MMOs, but I can't say I'm into that genre, so whatever. 4 is pretty awesome and pretty much totally unique among RPGs. 5 is a really cool game and arguably the first "living world" game, but the controls are SO cumbersome that it's a bit hard to play nowadays, but it IS a great game if you can get into it. Anything else in the series is optional.

>> No.6234809

>>6234794
As for which I'd recommend playing, 6, 7 (and 7 part 2, which is included [along with their expansions] in The Complete edition), and both Underworld games are pretty much the best RPGs ever made. Online is arguably one of the best MMOs, but I don't really like the genre, so I'd say only play Online if you personally already enjoy MMORPGs. 4 is pretty awesome and pretty much totally unique among RPGs. 5 is a really cool game and arguably the first "living world" game, but the controls are SO cumbersome that it's a bit hard to play nowadays, but it IS a great game if you can get into it. Anything else in the series is optional.

>> No.6234845

>>6234794
Thanks! This is super helpful.
I have the GOG versions of 4-7 now. What's better about the Master System version of 4?

>> No.6235724

>>6234845
Controls that don't require you to use a different key on the keyboard for every single fucking action in the game. Third person dungeons that you won't get lost in without a map.

>> No.6235757

Yo is the android port (exult) worth playing control wise how does it play

>> No.6235776

>>6234845
You can also check out xu4 if you want a more conventional computer experience. It gives you a lot of options to streamline the controls.
http://xu4.sourceforge.net/
Don't listen to >>6234794. If you play 5, make sure you get the music patch for the IBM port which it otherwise lacks.
http://www.pixsoriginadventures.co.uk/category/ultima-patcher/
If you want to check out 1 and 2, get the FM Towns trilogy. Don't waste too much time on 2, the game is fundamentally flawed and barely makes sense. 1 is a simple and short game so it doesn't hurt to play it.
Play Ultima 9 with the latest fanpatch
http://forgottenworld.de/index.php/downloads/other-downloads

>> No.6235783

>>6234794
>even if it's 100% unrelated to the "real" series and only was given the "Ultima" name for marketing purposes.
>Another unrelated, only-called-Ultima-for-marketing-reasons
They are literally Ultima with a different setting. You still play the avatar and there's plenty of cameos from Britannians. They aren't like Crusader which used Pagan's engine but is otherwise unrelated.
Underworld 1 is the title that got the Ultima name attached halfway through development

>> No.6235793

Regarding playing Ultima 8, what's the least painful way to start it? Still the old "rush tomb of the ancient hero and grab instakill mace"?

>> No.6235812

>>6235793
It doesn't really matter.
Running past encounters is more efficient.

>> No.6235828

just play 6, 7 and serpent isle. martian dreams if you REALLY liked 6. everything else is either too dated or not worth it

>> No.6236014
File: 2.44 MB, 5750x4400, 1556778558920.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6236014

>> No.6236021

>>6234724

I'd certainly recommend checking Ultima 9 out if you can. It can be a bit finicky and awkward to set everything up at this point, but there is a bit of a charm to the game. They butchered a lot of the story though, and getting through certain parts is an exercise in patience.

>> No.6236025

>>6234794
Why the sega master system for 4? Is it better in some way?

>> No.6236029

>>6236025
The SMS revamped the dialog system so you can only talk about keywords you know about so you can't cheat and you don't have to try every possible word.
They also cut the 3D parts of the dungeons by making everything 2D.
And they added comfort features like mixing multiple spells at the same time.
It's a really well done conversion and puts all the crap they shat out for Nintendo to shame.

>> No.6236052

>on /vr/
>people suggesting to skip games because HURR TOO OLD
What a shitty board. Someone tell me where I can talk about retro games with people who actually like them and aren't simply manchildren clinging to their childhoods.

>> No.6236054

>>6236014
i'm really curious about how those two japanese novels with busty women tie up with ultima in any sense
unless this new avatar follow the virtues of tits, ass and vag

>> No.6236094

>>6236014
>Not the Dragon Edition of Ultima IX
nttawwt

>> No.6236219

>>6236054
>ウルティマ妖魔変
>西谷史著、角川書店刊。
>U4から数年後の物語(ただし、アバタール・コンパニオンの構成はゲームと異なる)。U1 - 3の敵が復活、原地球の4人の青年がモンデインによって四精霊を宿されブリタニアと原地球に跨った戦いに巻き込まれていく。

>> No.6236643

>>6234724
Don’t play it and watch Spoony’s Ultima series.

>> No.6236650

>>6236643
Annnnd you just killed the thread by using the 'S' word.

>> No.6238497

>>6236650
the series?

>> No.6238503

>>6236643
This. That's practically all you need to post in ultima threads. You can skip Spoony's retrospective on 1-3 as well

>> No.6238665

>>6236052
try reddit

>> No.6239123

>>6236052
>"muh lady"