[Stratics Central] STEPHEN EMOND’S “ULTIMA ONLINE: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S GUIDE”

[Taylor]

The BioWare title Ultima Online (UO) revolutionized the MMORPG industry when it was launched nearly fifteen years ago. However, the Ultima legacy began over a decade before UO’s release. In 1981, Richard “Lord British” Garriott launchedUltima I: The First Age of Darkness. This 30-year evolution of Ultima lore has impacted many gamers. Sadly, modern gamers are increasingly unaware of the influence that Ultima had on the broader gaming industry.

Fortunately, author Stephen Emond has made it his personal responsibility to reverse this trend. Emond has authored a 460-page monograph titled Ultima Online: The Ultimate Collector’s Guide. This tome catalogues all Ultima history, beginning with Ultima I and progressing through all ten expansions of Ultima Online. To support this project, Emond has launched a RocketHub campaign here. Although he has already achieve his initial goal of $1,000 USD, he announced on 20 August that he will continue to offer rewards in exchange for donations.

If you would like to review the potential perks, consider supporting Emond here. The work is expected to be released in October 2012.