Ultima Online will be moving away from the expansion system in favor of smaller, more frequent booster packs. The next booster pack will be a Seafaring-themed upgrade and will be available for purchase for $14.99.
High Seas Adventure
Highlights of the upcoming expansion include:
New Ships
-Three new boat types: Japanese-themed, Orc, and Gargoyle. These ships are much larger than the vessels currently available in game. A fourth boat type, still in development, will essentially serve as house boats. These boats will be much larger than the three boats above, only reachable by row boat (too large to come close to shore), and will be extremely rare.
-Ship Customization: Ship paint can be used on ships.
-New Steering System: The new ships will feature the option of mouse-based steering, as opposed to command-based steering. Movement will be much smoother, as well.
-Craftable cannons: Cannons can be attached to ship decks, swabbed, loaded with craftable cannon balls and gun powder, and fired at other ships. There will be two types of ammo: cannon balls (target ships, Scalis) and grape shot (target NPCs/players).
-Forced Bordering: As ships become damaged by cannon fire, they will become increasingly demobilized. Once entirely immobile, a damaged ship can be boarded, the occupants attacked, and the holds looted. At this time, the ships cannot be commandeered.
-Ship Repair: Damaged ships can be repaired. Tailors and carpenters will have a bonus repair chance.
-NPC Ships: NPC vessels will now be floating on the High Seas, including NPC pirates, Orcs, and others. This will allow for PvM encounters.
-PvP Ship-to-Ship Combat: In Felucca facets, ships can be attacked by other ships.
-New Boss Encounter: Scalis, a champ-like boss, can be found on a floating Island.
Other Perks
-Increased housing and bank storage by 20%
Cal says they'd like to get the booster on TC sometime in the next month.
Feel free to add corrections, amendments, addendum, etc. below.
