What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you remember

[Lorax_Pacific]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Hail Fellow Traveler,

I started May 1998. I went to a store like Fryes and saw the Ultima Online game and thought it would be great to start doing those games again. I had stopped the ultima series for college since I wanted to finish and knew that I wouldn't if I picked up another ultima game (they took hours and hours to figure out). I stopped at Ultima IV. (wish I had all the rest to play now. Anyway, I made a linux box a few weeks ago and it had Ultima 4 that someone added to the Fedora games install. My eight year old started playing it!)

I brought it home , but didn't notice there was a monthly fee. I had never heard of a monthly fee pricing model for a computer game. I would have taken it back, but I had opened the package.

I made a character named "lorax" all lower case thinking I wouldn't keep the character, but I started out in Vesper and was trying to talk to all the npc's there. I went on the trail and ran from the graveyard. I hit the town and remember talking to people just randomly. It was amazing being in a chat program with a game as the background.

Trying to figure out how to make gold I went and chopped trees. I remember running into a lich spawn and dying. They used to spawn lich camps.

BTW. when I first started I wrote in my book thinking I would keep everything that happened to me and thought a few entries were funny to share:

1. Necromancer gave 491 gold, a book of information about spells, and many herbs. He talked of the mercenaries guild. Something to check out in Baja. hehe. (not sure what I meant by hehe)

2. Phylanx...logging friend. Knows of Tex. (Tex was my sons character when he was seven)

3. Chuckles logging friend from Conneticut. Other is Peaches and there is some personal information.

4-6. One evening under the new reputation system I looted. Learning from my mistake I stayed clear of those practices the next evening. I met GWAR and he brought me back to my toes by providing an ax, heavy bow, and sewing kit. Sure enough...His fine deed payed off for me. For after I chopped but ten logs a bystander in town asked to buy two logs and traded them for fifty gold pieces.

7. Asmodai res'ed me after needles and akira killed me.

8. Scoundrel thrawn with the green barets has asked that I join his guild. serve Emporer...

10. pk'ed by trixter, Demon, and Emperor

11. Met Bill Bower in the woods. Got his ICQ.

12. Mo Man guild. Blades of Justice. GM = Sir Troyan

13. Joined a guild with Hitch called... Brotheren of Purply Headbands

-Lorax

 

[Urk of LS]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Geeze let me think,
It was Sept 9 years ago, I started my main Character in Britian, a good sturdy warrior, after a few days of running to and from the Brit Cemetary and making a little gold, I saw a Blue Portal type thing, thinkin it would lead to adventure I stepped thru and found myself in Delucia, and was stuck there, running around the area killing Mongbats, and hitting the City of the dead (at the time it was fairly well packed with other players.). So as I said I was stuck there, After about 3 months, (real time) I met a fellow, who told me of this thing called a rune book, and told me to wait while he recalled out, and returned with one, I still have use that same rune book, He then told me he put a few rune into it for me, and instructed me on how to use it, he then told me to hit the rune for his guild house where I met the GM, after some time I was guilded, (and I am still in that guild).

The game has had ups and downs but I still find it worthwile to play.

 

[Poo]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

i havnt played with the sound or music on in UO for like 11 years now.
lags me out.
and in pvp ya need every milisecond you can get.

so when i think back to when i started playing (sept 1997) i remember the sounds.

the footsteps.
the music.

the war mode music, hahahahahhaha

that allways reminded me of that episode in Star Treck when Spock and Kirk had to fight it out in the pit match.

du du du DU DU DU DU DU DU doodoodoodoodoodoodoo

i remember wearing nothing but bone armor from the yew graveyard.
i remember going down and making cloth from sheep in yew, then making bandaids so i could go down into the orc vally below yew and kill orcs and run from orc lords.

i remember running back to my tent (hell ya, my tent!!!!) with my co worker and we would giggle like little high school girls at the 300gold we collected that night and stash it away in the tent chest...... just to have someone pick it and take it later.

hahahhaha

 

[sevan]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Not sure of the date, but I believe sometime in mid to late 99. I worked in tech support for a major computer company and of overheard some co-workers talking about UO in the break room so I had to check it out for myself so I picked up UO:R at the store that night.

I made a warrior/swordsman and started in Brit. I trained up as best I could and slowly but surely expanded my "radius of exploration" extending out in all directions from the city. I remember the first time I joined up with a group that was heading out to the crossroads. I remember how busy WBB bank was it often crash (or at least slow to a crawl) the game. I remember my first dungeon was Despise and that it was the source of those stray ettins I would come across while exploring the woods. Much later I learned that it was a bad idea to cross the bridge that goes on to "Ogre Lord Island" deep in the bottom level of Despise.

I missed the "land rush" so housing spots were almost non-existant and house prices were insane for anything bigger than a small & even those were out of reach for good locations. I worked so hard to save up GP to buy a house and that desire for a house of my own led to my first traumatic expirience in UO. I joined in the spam party at WBB that I was looking to buy a house - I was just so tired of logging in/out of the inn and living out of a bank box. A well dressed/equipped guy responded and offered to show me a small tower he had for sale. He opened a red gate and I was scared to step thru (I had been warned by others that they go to FEL and it was instant death to go there if you were a new player due to the rampant PKing). I hestitated but the guy convinced me that he could "protect me" if a PK tried to start any trouble. I followed him into the gate and of course we start to get attacked just outside the house... he proceeds to defend us and chases off the would be PK. We go inside to talk about the house deal and the PK returns outside... the guy tells me we are safe because he banned him from the house so he could not come inside to get us. We agree on the house price and he says to wait there as he needs to log off of this char and log on with the house owner. I wait for him and then as soon as the house owner alt char comes on all I see is "Mr. X is attacking you!". I ran out of the house and start to high tail it out of there only to be chased by both of them who had been working together the whole time. I make it a few screens before getting the gray screen of death for the first time in FEL and/or at the hands of another player. I was devastated as I watched them loot my corpose and taunt me for being such a newb... then I got disconnected After I calmed down I logged back in and walked for what seemed like forever to find a healer to get rezzed. I did not know where my body was so I found a gate and went home.

Welcome to UO. Enjoy your stay!

 

[Meadow2]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I had a house in the swamps. I remember getting set to recall and hoping id get into my house before the lag got me. Most times i never did. I remember having to call a gm because id have 80 or more lizardmen outside my house which made the lag crazy. 1 step every 5 minutes LOL....

 

[Borric]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I first played in April 1998. I started an archer character. I ran out of Brit, attacked a cougar, and was promptly eaten by said cougar. I didnt play UO for two weeks after that. That was my first 15 mins in UO.

 

[Kirthag]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

wow.. so many "old timers" here...

 

[Experimental]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

wow.. so many "old timers" here...

And lets hope many more become "old timers".

 

[Mcflyguy]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Two friends asked me to try out this new online game. I said I would have to see it first because I had no dialup account setup. I figured paying to play a game was crazy and paying to connect to the internet to play it was rediculous.
I went to my friends RL house while the other went home. The next few hours we couldnt connect at all. When we did connect we couldnt remember which shard to meet our other friend on(we couldnt call him on our cell because people used "beepers" then and we were already using the phone) so we picked Chessy for the "ping" time as my friend called it.
He told me to create any type of char I wanted. I said I didnt want to mess up his game progress. When he said it didnt work that way I was very confused.
So a mage was born.
The only direction my friend gave was to walk to the bank and put the gold in it. For the next hour I was snooped constantly. When I caught on to what others were doing I tried myself and somebody yelled Guards.
So a mage was killed.
My friend laughed and told me to find a healer. I couldnt and he didnt know his way around either so I rezzed myself only to discover I lost skill points. I said "this is the worst &%$# game I ever played. Ugly graphics, lag, no direction and youre paying to play it !!! buddy delete this and make room on your 500mb HD for a swap file".
A month or so later I got sick and was gunna be home for a few weeks. So I asked my buddy if I could mess around using his account while he was at work. I used an AOL free month floppy diskette to connect (making that work was a challenge). I picked up everything I saw and sold it for gold. In a few weeks I bought a house deed. When I finally placed it I was dieing to show my friends. Later that night they came over and I tried to log on. It was hours untill just before they were leaving I connected only to find my char standing at the bank because the server crashed and had to revert to point before I ever got the house placed. .
My friend gave me the account because he saw how into it I was. I stayed for 4 years and returned 3 years ago.

 

[siyeng0]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I waddled lamely into the game in mid-2004 and utterly failed to make an impression.

My first memory was emerging from the newbie tutorial, immediately seeing somebody's white wyrm standing outside the mansion and running for the hills. Just as I worked up the courage to come back into Haven, I came across two people killing wildlife on the outskirts; I didn't realise then that Felucca and Trammel were seperate, so off I went again. I then spent a few days wandering lost around Occlo, trying to tame dogs and timber wolves (and immediately losing them to giant spiders / skeletons / boglings) and occasionally attacking and being killed by such ferocious monsters as goats, horses and the dreaded hind.

Eventually I found the moongate and things opened up for me. I play Oceania, which has always been a small shard, and it was almost a real-life week of playing before I saw a single other person outside Haven. Back then, blue NPCs didn't display their titles in journal, so there was no way for a newbie to tell the difference between an NPC and a player; I spent the whole time either trying to talk to gypsies or running like hell from red healers. I was stuck in the wilderness for two days, which is about seven hours of playtime.

At the time, I had just developed simultaneous glandular fever and chicken pox (I was thirteen, so it was the bad adult chicken pox), and I was completely delirious IRL. So I was stumbling around in the woods, periodically getting lost in the Yew crypts, taming llamas in the hope they'd protect me and then despairing loudly as they got killed. My mother says I used to wake up in the middle of the night wailing "THE SKELETONS! THE SKELETONS!" (Yes, I accidentally ran into the Crypts a lot. I don't know how I missed the moongate, it was like two screens away.)

Finally I found someone, after I'd been wandering for a week and was starting to wonder if I was actually the only person playing. The first thing I asked him was "ARE YOU REAL?!" and the second thing - because I'd seen people casting Kal Ort Por back in Haven, and they'd always been riding beetles - was "CAN YOU USE YOUR BEETLE TO TELEPORT ME BACK TO TOWN"

I think I confused him a little.

Good times.

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

You know I got the biggest kick from this thread, other than the fact that 6 years past in between posts, from seeing the names of some old school Stratics posters. It's astonishing how many good people have played this game but left it for whatever reason.

My first UO memory was watching my friend play in 2000. He still had an open character slot on one account and he let me create a character. I had never ever played a game online. Head to head, one on one games sure but UO was my very first MMO. I wandered around Britain for quite a while before he left the room for a while to get something to eat. By the time he came back I was dead out at the Britain cross-roads wandering around. He was like where did you go? I said, "man, I don't know, I was following this road out of town, stopped to take a toke, and these three guys ran by and killed me so fast I never even got my hands back on the keyboard and mouse. He laughed and told me I really should stay closer to town.

 

[Llwyd]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I love reading the stories and remembering how it used to be. It's hard to believe that a computer game can make such an impact on people -- and to endure this long, well, there's something very special about Ultima Online that I seriously doubt I'll ever see in another game-world.

Long live UO!

 

[sablestorm]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I was first invited to check UO out on my friend's Beta account. He was one of the players in my D&D game based on Ultima, so off I went to Blizzard after one of our gaming sessions to see what this was all about. I don't remember much because I wasn't intending to play it. The box set was already pricey and then to pay a monthly fee on top of that? In the end, though, I saw the boxed set at the store about a week after it was released and I bought it anyway. I thought, "here's even more source material I can use for my table top game and the fiction I was writing about the game."

So I logged into UO on my tailor/warrior (I figured I'd have a way to make money to buy equipment) and promptly saw someone run by fleeing a deer. They healed up and rejoined the battle, only to be slain by it. I laughed at loud at the sight but gained a healthy respect for how weak we started off.

I remember running the length of the land, looking for landmarks I knew from Ultima 4-6. I went searching for Lake Generosity and the Shrine of Sacrifice. There was no Lake Generosity, but I did like the flower adorned shrine. I also remember a great number of players running around on foot because horses were a waste of gold on dial up. You'd still get run down by pks and they'd kill your horse after they killed you.

I picked up everything, sold it, and banked it. This was a practice which was ingrained in me so much I still do it today 12+ years later.

I remember trying to make an archer brigand I was going to roleplay but to my dismay, everyone outran my arrows despite the fact they were on foot. I remember the mages gathered at the mage shops, vying with each other to buy the 10 of each reagent when they respawned.

I remember making a provoker and thinking, "Oh, I wish I would've started with this character!" This was back when monsters had no difficulty rating. You could provoke a dragon on a dragon as easily as you could a mongbat on a mongbat. I remember tents and thief hideouts. I remember when some brigands spawned with bows and how they'd shoot players in the back as they ran off to heal.

I remember taking part in an old event. We were escorting someone along the road out of Vesper when a horde of orcs attacked. I remember when T2A was released, the spawn was much slower then. My companions and I cleaned out Terrathan Keep. There was such a great feeling of achievement, emptying a dungeon like that. I remember being chased by Silver Serpents in a dungeon, I think it was Deceit. They were speedy, we were on foot, and their poison gave us fits. A thief had blocked the doorway out so we got cornered and slain. Then the thief went and picked over our corpses.

I think that's when my friends went down the bitter-everyone's-a-jerk-so-I-will-be-too route. Fortunately, I never went that way and I'm thankful because I made a lot of great friends in-game over the years.

 

[the 4th man]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Just before Age of Shadows is when I started Ultima Online. I have 3 of the console games for NES, so hearing of Ultima was not new.
I knew of the moongates, and trammel and felucca from the NES games, though I wondered if the moons came and went.

I remember going into shame as a newbie with a group I just met and dying right away.......I remember going into felucca for the 1st time to get leather. When crossing the bridge north of trinsic moongate, some lipshizz runs off his roof just to gank my bare naked body and kill my packy.

My first taste of someone being a "richard"

 

[ohmyGED]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

My vivid first moments of UO was right after beta....this was back when N64 was popular (Starfox and Goldeneye) I remember in between playing those with some of my friends, my buddy was on his computer playing a game, which I thought was like Diablo. When I walked in I was my friend going around in a dungeon as a PK, giving hell to other people. I watched in awe, as I saw nothing like it before. My father was a nice enough guy to get it for me and have been playing since September of 1997.

My first personal UO moment was on Atlantic outside of Britain. I was a warrior in training, but learned quickly at the time that one of the most useful skills regardless of any character was hiding. I was training that quickly (based on my friend's suggestion). As I was adventuring just killing simple gain, I came across a person in full platemail (which I couldn't even bother to afford at the time) random colors bought from an NPC. He was battling an Ettin and ended up dying. Although decietful, I ended up stealing everything off his corpse, ran away and hid in the woods.

Shortly there after, I started training up, and knew that I wanted to be a PK or some sort.....back in the day you probably saw me at the Minoc mines or later in Bucanner's Den on a slew of characters. My next infamous character was the traditional Disarm Thief.....best character ever pre-insurance. Stealing those vanquishing katanas and then ebolting them to death because they were defenseless.....amazing. Man I remember when people used to fear the combination of the words 'Vas Ort Flam' ... "Corp Por" (quickly equip Halbred) Hit, Cast off "Corp Por" for a three hit combo......so amazing.

God UO has evolved over time. Wish I could have a taste of the same game when it first came out....

 

[Ancient Sosarian]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Hail Sosarians,

As Humans reckon Time, it was September, 1997 when first I unlocked the Chest, heard that Voice, "So Sar Ia," that awesome voice, warning me, beckoning me. I dearly miss that Chest.

I began my Journey upon the Shard of the shattered Gem known as Atlantic and quickly birthed citizens upon Great Lakes and Catskills, and all Shards nearest my earthly home.

Yet soon I met a Traveler. He came to Atlantic from Baja bearing Gifts. We became "friends" as I defined that word. I moved to Baja putting down roots deeper than those of the most Ancient of Yew trees.

The early years were a great struggle. Many folks made many choices. Among these choices were the ages old ones concerning "good and evil." Murderers arose among us. Thieves, blaggards and scoundrels of every stripe. Heroes also emerged. Great Lords and Ladies who lived in the service of the Virtues and Law and Order.

Sadly as time passed the allies of evil increased and the allies of Good dwindled in number until our worlds existence itself was threatened.

Trammel was created by an incredibly powerful spell and our old world passed away. Since then many changes have come. In Truth the only real constant ... was Change.

Our people are an adaptive lot. The Mystical Gate that brought all of us to Sosaria has remained open. Many have followed tho some have also departed. Some of the departed have returned. Some departed either before or when they were taken by the Grim Reaper. Those we mourn the greatest.

Yet Sosaria remains. It is still my chosen "home away from home." I look forward to seeing you all there.

An SoS

 

[Suzzy]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

September 29, 1997.

Started in Minoc to go mining and hunt in Covetous. I got ganked several times in the forests leading up to Covetous many times.

 

[Surgeries]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

August 1997 Beta Tester.

What a ride!!

 

[Helfgrim]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Spring 1998 I died to a chicken in Yew...

 

[ingsmsico]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I remember one of my first big goals in UO was to travel from Brit to Trinsic on foot.

 

[smip]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Hehe, yeah, I don't post much and I was looking at my past posts and came across this one...reading it brought up some good memories and gave me a few laughs, so I thought I'd try to revive it.

Now that is some deep digging. A thread that is over 6 years old ressurected.

Wow. I barely remember starting this thread. Was wondering where it came from. I REALLY enjoyed reading these threads again. Thank you for digging it up. Ahhh the memories.

 

[Reximus]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Not my first memory, but I remember trying to navigate from Britain to Minoc with my pack horse following, using the cloth map that came with the game to navigate, because I didn't know about the radar map.

I remember seeing a red and blue fighting on the road just before the swamps, the blue died and I ran as fast as I could, the red never came after me though, but my pulse was racing irl.

 

[Kirthag]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Hehe, yeah, I don't post much and I was looking at my past posts and came across this one...reading it brought up some good memories and gave me a few laughs, so I thought I'd try to revive it.

Now that is some deep digging. A thread that is over 6 years old ressurected.

Wow. I barely remember starting this thread. Was wondering where it came from. I REALLY enjoyed reading these threads again. Thank you for digging it up. Ahhh the memories.

Yeah, I recently GM'd Necromancy and had to test my abilities. ^.^

Pretty good, eh?

 

[Tukaram]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Oct? 97. My ex and her boyfriend moved in with us for a while (while we were finalizing the divorce - long story ) and they had this amazing game you could actually play with other people online!!! I just had to get it.

I remember my character started in Vesper. Too big a town for a newbie. I still don't like Vesper much because of how lost I used to get. I was mostly running around in my skivvies a lot. Because I could not afford to replace my armor. Pretty much a scavenger, and lived under a bridge because no one told me about logging out in an inn. I loved it!

But I got tired of all the gank squads so instead of pancakes about it I left. When LBR came out I read about it in a game mag and they talked about Trammel. So I came back and loved it more than before! Best memories are right after Pub 16. That was the most fun time for me. That and all the fishing with the Great Lakes FCB. One of my first memories of the LBR reactivation was following someone into a gate (blue gate) with my 3 day old character. I didn't know them, I just wanted to see where they were going... yeah... curiosity... cat... So after someone rezzed me this unknown dungeon I followed someone else trough a gate out. I don't learn do I? So I am in this awesome looking town with grass like roofs and thought it was very cool looking (Delucia). But I had no idea where I was, no one would talk to me when I asked for help, I did not know about the 'stuck' option, so I deleted him and made a new one!

I quit when they killed 3D, and KR was virtually unplayable on my computer. And I can't stand the look of 2D (No flame wars please. It is just an opinion) I tried a 2 week free trial and the new client is pretty good. So I reactivated one of my accounts this week.

Now it is time to make some more great memories!

 

[Kirthag]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

OHOHOH!

Memory (for Atlantic)

A gate to Fire Island was just outside of Moonglow, but we had to get past the evil "flying monkeys" (I just couldn't call them mongbats) and horrid rabid rats! So one day, I FINALLY run as fast as my con would take me, got to that gate, and *POOF* right into the maw of my first dragon!

Someone was luring dragons to the gate area.


Now on Napa, and ever since, I've made it a point to slay every type of dragon in UO. I even solo'd a paragon AW to death (took me a loooooooo--ooooooooo--ooooooooong time!) in Ilshenar. Rare beast is she!

Stygian Dragon was interesting... and definitely NOT a solo oppotunity! 5 of us took it on. I was the a lone paladin [swords] with 4 necro/mage/archer types. Need I say I died.. a lot! but we took down the massively gorgeous creature! Who needs karma?!? lol!

GDs however... hard to solo, but I intend to do it eventually.

 

[Black Sun]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I don't remember the exact date, but it was October of 2000. I was working second shift and stopped by my local walmart to pick up UO after spending the previous 8 hours listening to the tales a coworker was telling of this place called Britannia. I got home and installed the game and created my first ever character (Black Sun, still have him today). I started out and somehow ended up in Yew taming sheep, rabbits, goats, and any other small critter I came across. Once I had amassed a decent sized flock I headed to the graveyard to earn some gold I sent my horde of livestock after a skeleton just to watch them die one by one. I barely made it out with my life as well as one sheep and one cat. I wandered back to Yew where someone named Metallica taught me how to stable them so I could keep them after logging out. I wandered Yew for days afterward looking for that particular stable to get my animals back out. I didn't realize that NPC's changed occasionally, or that I could get my animals out from any stable. I eventually gave up trying to find them and found myself back at WBB. There I began training as a blacksmith. I spent the next several weeks training in the safety of the brit guard zone mining and smelting ore and crafting wares to sell to the NPC's for gold. It was at least 2 months before I attempted combat again.

 

[obeeee]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Oct 1998 was the first I saw this land. I was born in Minoc and I walked south a bit from the starting place <outside the door of the in> and saw a statue of 2 nakid people.
I thought 'Oh yeah, I can play this game'. I wandered a bit, past the bank picking things up on the way. I got all the way dowjn to the Gypsy Tents and low and behold, there's an Orc mage. <Back then, Orcs spawned regularly in those woods>
Now I figured mages were 'nice things', so I walked tward it.

OOoo OOooooo oOOOOoooo

As a ghost, I was still scared and ran, oddly enough past the BcB guild house and right to the healers hut. And back to the mage.

This went on for about an hour.
I ain't quit yet

 

[lil debi]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

1998 watched my daughter being PK'd at the West Brit mines. Lost her ingots rune books house key and packies. She was upset to say the least. She got the attention of her boyfriend who immediately found the perpetuators killed them and recovered her items.

I thought wow not sure I would like this game. When trammel was opened and new housing became available I watched my kids having problems trying to place house could not move server was at a stand still. After a few months after I created a character began to play regularly met my good friend Carin in Brit graveyard trained together played together. I mined for ingots to sell and ribs for the lazy tamers/bank sitters and picked up discarded items at Brit Bank to sell to NPC's. Bought a small tower on Fire Isle in 2001 which we both shared.

The memory of watching the Pking is what i remember the most.

The rest is history.

 

[Aran]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

February 23, 2000.

I'm pretty sure the first thing that happened was getting stolen from, walking outside town to explore and being killed by some random jerk.

 

[Fire Kitten]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I started Playing November 2000, I can't remember the exact date. Ultima Online was my very first online gaming experience. My very first character was Tawny Eyesbright, an archer. I spent the first 2 weeks totally clueless walkin through Haven not really understanding even the helps there.. Yes i was a Noob extradinaire. I was beginning to lose hope of carrying on when all of the sudden a vet with a new acct showed up in haven and gave me a helping hand. She ended up becoming a very dear freind and we went on to play for many years though she is no longer playing now. I wrote this lil story in remembrance of her..



The evening, bitter and cold, bit at Tawny Eyebright’s ears like an annoying gnat. She had traveled to this unknown land unaware of her habitant and was certainly not dressed appropriately. Scantly clad, she shivered as the icy grip encompassed her. Armed with a bow and few arrows, each corner rounded brought the promise of a new adventure. The moon hung above illuminating the outline of the town just a stone’s throw away. A few odd characters seemed busy at work preparing for some closure to their day, dousing the flames that once flickered in the fireplace and readied the closing sign.

It was obvious that Tawny was going to find her bed to be a pile of brush once more; her eyes darted towards a clearing not far from the mapmaker’s store. Her gypsy roots were exhibited through her uncanny inclination of discovering a bed from whatever available when night fell. Wearily pushing forward, her legs felt like they were dragging a weight chained at her ankles. As she turned yet another corner, a figure appears in the distance. Fearing it possibly more of a mirage than a fellow being, she felt her heart spring with hope. Maybe this was someone who would help her, someone even that might speak her language. The villagers all seemed to look at her with a blank stare when she spoke. She watched at the shape drew near; it was a pretty young female on a handsome mount.

She was dressed in blue outfit that was crafted quite expertly. Her eyes sparkled and her white braided hair hung down around her face. The mount rose on its hind legs as he approached sensing a stranger. With a touch to his mane and a soft whistle, she swiftly calmed him before speaking. “Hail!” she said, “Might you have a name, I am surprised to see anyone here about this time of night. Tis not safe for a lady to be traveling alone.”
Tawny’s first reaction was one of disbelief in her fortune, rendering her speechless, but not for long. She replied a bit shyly at first, “Hello milady. My name is Tawny. I have traveled far and have somehow lost my way. Might you direct me to a place that is both cheap and warm for a safe night sleep.” Eyeing the clearing she has spied earlier as her bed for the evening, she waited for the young woman reply.

“I am Jaden Moon of The Celtic Kindred Clan. I was just on the way to a meeting; you are welcome to join me. I am sure there is plenty of food and wine there and you do look hungry. Perhaps we can see about getting you a bunk as well for the night. Tawny hesitated only a moment before offering her hand to Jaden; it took what little strength she had left to boost her leg over the horse’s back. Grasping the sides of the saddle, Tawny began her journey not realizing that this was the beginning of a long and delightful friendship that would grow strong, weather many storms, discover various experiences and build countless memories: Kindred spirits.

 

[Merriweather]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I started in '97, played for about a year, quit for about nine months and started up again in, I think, early '99. The first memory that stands out is getting lost outside Minoc, up by the mountains and not knowing how to get back to the relative safety of town. I met some guy who didn't know how to find Minoc either, but did know where the road was. Along the way we ran from "PKs". I had no idea what he was talking about, but went along with it because he seemed to know at least a little more than I did. Oh, and I wask killed by a bunny. Those bunnies are tough.

 

[Black Sun]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I wask killed by a bunny. Those bunnies are tough.

I was once ganked by a group of rabbits. True story. Way back in my early days I attacked like 8 of them at once. Apparently I didn't realize that you couldn't fight with a shovel.

 

[Aran]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

... or equip one, either

 

[Black Sun]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Yeah that too. Ahhh, Those were the good old days...

 

[Russ1409]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Can't remember the date I FIRST started playing....sometime in 2000 or 2001...and I've quit and re-started so many times. UO is SO addicting. Thank God I have always managed to remember my account info.

First memory is logging into Brit and finding the bank and being so overwhelmed by the number of REAL players there...actual HUMANS behind the screen. Then I wandered out of town and got whacked by some of those **** humans. Then got whacked by a llama.

I also remember running around town yelling "BANK!" and "TRAIN" at other players, and getting laughed at and called "NEWB!" And I deserved it.

 

[mandosa-nice]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I started UO the first day of January 1998 with a friend in my home when in France, the adsl or cable internet doesn't exit before 1999.

My friend and me have played for 8h none stop !We have meet a witch near britain at the south and she has speaking with us for 2 hours.

 

[Sara1]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Isn't it wonderful, remembering the "good ole days" when birds and bunnies were killing us? hehe I watched my son play in Dec 1999. His char was a craftsman. He hated mining, though, so he "let" me mine for him. I'd sit on the edge of my chair watching the ore that I got to see if it changed. In Jan, he gave me a char on his account. I remember slipping up northwest of Minoc and mining in the North Mines. One day a guy meet me out there and told me he had a forge in his house and I was welcome to use it anytime. I followed him to his little bitty cottage and he let me in. All at once I saw black and white and had no idea what had happened. I didn't know I had turned gray since I wasn't a friend of his house. I saw a chest of bones and thought he had taken my corpse and put in that chest. I thought I would have to make a new char. lol I cried and cried. When my son got home, he got onto me for going up there. Then he helped me get rez'd. I can't believe how much crying I did back then.

 

[Tukaram]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I was going through some old UO files and found a pic of some of Mr Tacts brilliance in a crisis. We were logging in and drowning so he gave us a boat.

Not my first memory but a good one. (yes that is 3D, and I have been known to play Siege on occasion.)

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Oh, now that's funny.

 

[DrDolittle]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

I started playing in early 2000 right after UO:R came out. I dug up an old story about those early days that I had written from the point of view of my first friend...


A Horse's Tale.

Once upon a time I roamed free in a fair land called "Haven" with the other members of my herd. Every morning we young ones would race around the herd to see who was the fastest. The winner would get first pick from the apples which had fallen from the trees during the night. I sure loved all those apples that I won! Then we would all eat our fill of the dew covered sweet clover that grew in the meadows. There were a few monsters about, but they never bothered us. Life was good.

As I grew up strong and fast, I realized that I was not like the others in the herd. All they cared about was running, eating and the occasional daring game of "chase the mongbat". I, on the other hand, was curious about the world around me. In particular, the strange two legged creatures that sometimes came around. How they managed to keep from falling down, what with only two legs, was a wonder to me. At least the lizard monsters had a proper tail to help them stand up! When I would try to talk to the others about these things, they would just give me a puzzled look and go back to the more important task of munching clover.

One day, I saw a two-leg cautiously approaching the herd. At least it seemed to be trying to move quietly, but you could hear it coming a mile away. The others shied away, but I decided to watch and see what it did. After all, it did not seem particularly dangerous.

I waited while it slowly approached. As it got closer, it began making some curious sounds but I found that I could understand it!

"Good horse. Come here horse!" The two-leg said.

Interesting, I thought, I must be a horse!

"I have always wanted a pet like you. I promise to take good care of you!" it continued.

I then noticed that it was holding something behind it's back. I stepped to one side for a better look. It was an apple! I wondered if it had won the apple for being the fastest in its herd. Curious, I took a step closer and it held the apple out in front of it.

"Nice horse." It said as it offered the apple.

I took a cautious bite and watched out of the corner of my eye as it reached up and scratched behind my ears. That felt nice!

"Will you be my friend?" It asked hopefully.

Friend… I considered. I really liked the sound of that! I tossed my head neighing in agreement. Then I gave the two-leg a sloppy kiss. It smiled and gave me a hug around the neck.

Then it began brushing my neck, back and sides. That felt wonderful! As it brushed, it talked to me in a nice, soothing voice allowing me to get used to it's touch.

After a while, it stopped brushing and said, "It's time for a ride!"

A ride, I wondered, what is that? Then it quickly hopped up onto my back! At first I was a little startled but, as it stroked my neck and whispered calming words in my ear, I realized that it did not mean me any harm by this.

It made a clucking sound, nudged my sides with its two feet and said "Gitty-up!"

I began to walk, then trot and finally a full run. I found that I could run almost as fast as in an apple race! After a short run, it said "whoa". I slowed and then stopped. It jumped off of my back, gave me another apple and a hug around the neck.

"You are the fastest most wonderful horse in all of Haven!" it exclaimed. "Your name will be Mr. Ed and we will be great friends!" It seems that I now have a name; whatever that is.

My new friend hopped back on and we rode to a part of the island that I have never seen before. Here there was a place called a "town" with lots of "buildings". In the town there were many two-legs dashing every which way. I learned that these two legged creatures were called "people". People have lots of "stuff", besides apples and clover that is. They keep all of their stuff in the buildings, you know. Names were how people kept track of who was who. I learned that the name of my new friend was "Dr. Dolittle" or just "Doc" as most of the other people called him.

For days Doc and I explored different parts of haven working on all sorts of skills. Every day Doc would buy me apples and hay to eat. I was quite happy with that and all of the new things that I was learning.

What few monsters were about would not attack unless attacked first for the humans here were all "young". One day, a hapless soul attacked a lizard monster. The monster proved to be much tougher than he had expected and he ran into the center of town with the enraged lizard in hot pursuit. It took everyone in town to fight off the lizard but finally it was dead.

One day, Doc was no longer "young" and so we rode through the shimmering blue gate, at the center of town, out into a larger wonderful world. We came out in a "city" called "Britain". A city is like a town but with more people and bigger buildings, in case you've never seen one. Britain is the capital of all Britannia. A very important place! From there, Doc worked hard at building his skills for, although he was no longer young, Doc was still just a newbie.

Now the monsters would attack Doc on sight and some of them were very dangerous. Doc would tame wolves to help him fight. At first I was a little scared of the wolves sharp teeth but, after Doc tamed them, they were quite friendly to me. Doc always tried to take good care of all of his pets. Sometimes we would walk for hours looking for a stable spot.

One day, Doc got killed trying to save one of his wolves from a troll. I loyally followed Docs ghost as he went to get resurrected. But, buy the time we got back to where Docs body had fallen, his corps had been looted by other players and all of his stuff was gone. Another time he was killed by an orc mage while trying to help another player who had been killed and again Doc lost all of his stuff. Doc had a hard time hanging on to things!

As Doc got better at taming, fighting and healing he would try to help out any other players that were in trouble, had gotten killed and lost their stuff or were just new. Well, newer than Doc that is. We had a lot of fun together and shared many good adventures. Together we visited many exciting places and towns as we learned how to survive in Britannia.

One day, Doc stopped at the bank in Britain. As he was banking I felt a strange sensation. Suddenly it was like I was floating in the air looking down at Doc and myself. Then I saw myself just vanish. Doc looked around in surprise. He began looking all around calling my name. I tried to answer but he could not hear me. Doc desperately searched around the bank asking other people if they had seen me. I drifted along behind Doc but he didn’t know I was there.

After a long time Doc gave up looking and sent a prayer to the gods of Britannia asking for their help. While he was waiting in line for an answer, he tried to help out a new player who had been killed and lost all of her stuff. Later, a lesser god "counselor" came in answer to Doc's pleas. Doc explained what had happened and asked if counselor could reunite us. Counselor just replied, "I'm sorry I can not help thee." Doc bit back on his anger for he knew that the reply really met "will not help".

Saddened now by both his callous treatment by Britannia's gods and the loss of his best friend, Doc returned to town. Down near the docks he spotted a horse that some careless master had let go wild. I watched as he tamed the horse. As he was brushing and feeding it, I felt myself drawn towards its body.

In a flash I was looking out of horse eyes and feeling just like a horse again! Doc’s brushing felt so good! He was talking about the adventures that we would have but I could hear the sadness in his voice.

I turned my head toward him and said "Don’t worry Doc, it will be just like old times!"

Doc looked around in surprise. The only other person around was the NPC stable master. Doc stared at the tamer and asked "What did you say?!?"

The NPC replied only "I'm sorry, I do not understand thee."

I nudged Doc in the back and said "It's me, Doc! Mr. Ed!" Doc sat down heavily on a stool in the corner of the stall staring at me dumfounded.

"Ed?" he said in wonder. "I thought you were gone forever!"

"Well I'm back!" I assured him.

Then his mouth dropped open and his eyes got really big and funny looking. "You're talking!" He managed to squeak out. "Horses don't talk!"

I thought about that for a moment. "Well, maybe I just didn't have anything to say before. Some people, with nothing to say, do a great deal of talking you know!" I pointed out.

"Well, that is true." Began Doc. "There was this one guy in Haven that..." He trailed off. "Wait a minute! Where did you go? How did you get back? How can you talk?!?"

I told Doc what had happened at the bank and how I had been following him around but he couldn't see or hear me and how I had felt drawn into his new horse. I told him that I didn't know how I could talk, but that he probably shouldn't look a talking horse in the mouth!

After I had finished, Doc pinched himself a few times. "I don't think that I'm dreaming." He said. He thought a few minutes. "I don't think that I'm crazy." He decided. "I am the luckiest guy in all of Britannia!" He concluded as he gave me a big hug. "But this must be our secret Ed. Others would try to steal you away if they knew you could talk!"

Doc gave me a new name of "Mr. Ed II", in way of a small protest towards Britannia's harsh gods, and we talked for hours about many things. Since that day, we have helped many people and had many adventures. Doc has died many time and mostly I am able to follow his ghost to safety. Sometimes, when there are just too many monsters or a time elemental strikes, I have died too. It is not fun, but I always come back to Doc in his new horse, for he is my best friend.

Mr. Ed II
Horse
Atlantic

 

[Walker B]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

Started back in '98 for me. I remember trying to figure out how to move my character. I thought it was so cool that I can play a game and talk to a friend online...was completely newto play with "real people". Then I hit the woods to chop wood thump....thump....thump....thump.." you chop and chop but fail to find any useable wood". Then I got PK'ed by Eric Cartman. good times.

This is a slideshow I made about a year ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs08gj0R0DI

 

[thenow]

Re: What was the date you first played UO (online) and what was the first thing you r

May 2000. Not realising it was an online came with monthly fees, I thought I was just ripped off. I thought , ah well, I'll play for a month then find something else. Yep, still here.
My strongest first memory was looting someone's kills at brit swamp Trammel, trying to stay alive at same time. Finding a moonstone on a lizardman, not knowing what it was , double clicking it and a gate appearing. I thought "I've seen these before in town and ppl walk through them", so off I went for an adventure. I kept running out off stam and walking slowly. I saw some one that could have worked for the game, GM's ppl called them. So I asked him if he worked for the game. His name was colored red afterall, everyone else's was blue. I was very surprised when he started to attack me, making very short work of me. Hours later I found Brit and a character there walked me to brit gate warning 2 other chars(they were not GM's having names in blue ) along the way not to attck me.