[UO Herald] Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar Announced

[UO News]

Today BioWare Mythic announced Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, a new product that is going to be part of the Ultima franchise. Ultima Forever offers a completely new chance to explore the world of Brintannia with action RPG gameplay and enthralling storytelling. It will be available on both PC and iPad, to let you choose across platforms where to play, either solo or with friends. For more information and the opportunity to sign up for beta, visit www.ultimaforever.com.

The Ultima franchise is a fantastic legacy and has always been very important to us. Ultima Online celebrates the 15th anniversary this year, and will continue to evolve and be a home for many players all over the world. The Awakening story arc will unfold more in a direction that might surprise you. The same dedicated team will continue to work on Ultima Online and lead it into the years to come.

We are very excited that we are now able to present you with a two option to live and fight in Sosaria. The rich lore of Ultima will continue to captivate generations, now with Ultima Online and Ultima Forever.

Continue reading...

 

[Woodsman]

The same dedicated team will continue to work on Ultima Online and lead it into the years to come.

We are very excited that we are now able to present you with a two option to live and fight in Sosaria. The rich lore of Ultima will continue to captivate generations, now with Ultima Online and Ultima Forever.

If they plan on UO being around for years to come, where's the proof? A lot of people have left the UO team over the past year. We went from Expansions to boosters to theme packs to nothing this year.

Nobody wants to talk about things to grow UO, just things that make existing players happy.

I would like UO to be around for years to come, but it's been a long time since a producer actually came out and talked about things to make that happen.

I know that some of the team said they wanted to focus on bringing players back, rather than put a lot of effort into new players, but you can't put the future of the game in the hands of people who have already proven they can leave UO.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

several have said resources for UO were in short supply, guess so since it's the "The same dedicated team" for both these games.
personally, i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have to work on every game produced in that studio.
I'm starting to agree with the maintenance mode theory being passed around.
I doubt we'll know anything for awhile since the beta testers probably have a non-disclosure. We need a spy.

 

[Viquire]

If they plan on UO being around for years to come, where's the proof? A lot of people have left the UO team over the past year. We went from Expansions to boosters to theme packs to nothing this year.

Nobody wants to talk about things to grow UO, just things that make existing players happy.

I would like UO to be around for years to come, but it's been a long time since a producer actually came out and talked about things to make that happen.

They just did. I can't think of a better way to pull young minds in.

 

[Petra Fyde]

several have said resources for UO were in short supply, guess so since it's the "The same dedicated team" for both these games.
personally, i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have to work on every game produced in that studio.
I'm starting to agree with the maintenance mode theory being passed around.
I doubt we'll know anything for awhile since the beta testers probably have a non-disclosure. We need a spy.

Read it again. I doesn't say the same team work on both games, it says that the same dedicated team will continue to work on UO.

 

[Nimuaq]

Read it again. I doesn't say the same team work on both games, it says that the same dedicated team will continue to work on UO.

Unfortunately so, since the people working on Ultima Forever actually managed to design a good website with better artwork. Do you think some of the guys working on Ultima Forever might help Ultima Online out?

Also, the same dedicated team consists of Mesanna, Bleak, Phoenix and Kyronix. Most of the others are working on all three titles, in other words, mostly working on other titles. I hope the same dedicated team gets some additional developers.

 

[Viquire]

I am hoping for a success big enough to stimulate lots of activity and some friendly virtuous faces. Is game design a virtue?

 

[Jade of Sonoma]

um ... - - hmm

 

[Petra Fyde]

Unfortunately so, since the people working on Ultima Forever actually managed to design a good website with better artwork. Do you think some of the guys working on Ultima Forever might help Ultima Online out?

Also, the same dedicated team consists of Mesanna, Bleak, Phoenix and Kyronix. Most of the others are working on all three titles, in other words, mostly working on other titles. I hope the same dedicated team gets some additional developers.

Misk?

 

[silent]

Kind of an ironic title,

Quest for the Avatar

Since EA may be on the same quest in a few years....

 

[Pinco]

Looking good for now, maybe it's a sort of UO 2?

 

[Viquire]

Looking good for now, maybe it's a sort of UO 2?

More like a .5

 

[R Traveler]

Accept the challenge from Lady British and save the land of Britannia.

Who is she?

 

[Sir Ophid of Yew]

This new game sounds like fun, and a great way to compliment UO.

Thanks team!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Woodsman]

BioWare Mythic Announces Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar : Ultima Forever @ UltimaCodex.com

EA AND BIOWARE RETURN TO THE LEGENDARY WORLD OF BRITANNIA IN NEW FREE-TO-PLAY RPG ULTIMA FOREVER: QUEST FOR THE AVATAR

Rediscover One of Gaming’s Most Beloved Franchises with Friends, Anytime, Anywhere on iPad and PC Later this Year

FAIRFAX, Va. – July 12, 2012 – BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced Ultima™ Forever: Quest for the Avatar. Expanding the legendary Ultima™ franchise, Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar combines accessible action RPG gameplay with trademark BioWare storytelling, immersing both longtime fans and new gamers into the deep and engaging world of Britannia. Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar will be available on both the iPad and PC later this year, with fully integrated, cross-platform play so gamers can experience all of the rich and deep RPG elements with friends, wherever and whenever they choose to play.

To sign up for a chance to participate in a future closed beta and to see the game’s first gameplay trailer, please visit the official web site at http://twitter.com/UltimaForever or “Like” the game on Facebook at Ultima Forever | Facebook.

 

[Uriah Heep]

please visit the official web site at http://twitter.com/UltimaForever

I quit twitter...I felt like people were following me!

 

[claudia-fjp]

Who is she?

The daughter of a team of EA lawyers.

 

[R Traveler]

Anywhere on iPad

What!?!?

 

[Taylor]

I quit twitter...I felt like people were following me!

Ha.

 

[KaiSchober]

I have some hopes and some fears but all I will say is: The UF and UO sites should probably link to each other.

They will as soon as the new UO site and the complete U4E site are up.

 

[Samaira]

soon

Ooooh! You said a dirty word!

jks

 

[Ludes]

I can't seem to find the "official trailer" that is mentioned in Woodsmans post.

 

[CryptisRavenous]

So... Ultima Forever is going to draw people into Ultima Online?

 

[THP]

Today BioWare Mythic announced Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar, a new product that is going to be part of the Ultima franchise. Ultima Forever offers a completely new chance to explore the world of Brintannia with action RPG gameplay and enthralling storytelling. It will be available on both PC and iPad, to let you choose across platforms where to play, either solo or with friends. For more information and the opportunity to sign up for beta, visit www.ultimaforever.com.

The Ultima franchise is a fantastic legacy and has always been very important to us. Ultima Online celebrates the 15th anniversary this year, and will continue to evolve and be a home for many players all over the world. The Awakening story arc will unfold more in a direction that might surprise you. The same dedicated team will continue to work on Ultima Online and lead it into the years to come.

We are very excited that we are now able to present you with a two option to live and fight in Sosaria. The rich lore of Ultima will continue to captivate generations, now with Ultima Online and Ultima Forever.

Continue reading...

Starts to nail the coffin...............

 

[Sevin0oo0]

Read it again. I doesn't say the same team work on both games, it says that the same dedicated team will continue to work on UO.

ok, now i'm confused., unless you're saying there's (2) ultima teams of dev's?
and with what Nimuaq said, leads me to believe all the developers at that studio are "the team", just that some have been specifically allocated ("dedicated") to UO?

 

[Pinco]

ok, now i'm confused., unless you're saying there's (2) ultima teams of dev's?
and with what Nimuaq said, leads me to believe all the developers at that studio are "the team", just that some have been specifically allocated ("dedicated") to UO?

ultima forever will be a new game so it will have it's own team while UO keeps going as usual...

 

[KaiSchober]

ok, now i'm confused., unless you're saying there's (2) ultima teams of dev's?
and with what Nimuaq said, leads me to believe all the developers at that studio are "the team", just that some have been specifically allocated ("dedicated") to UO?

While some people work on several projects (e.g. part of the artist, the sound department, or the community team), developers and engineers usually work on one project only. When we speak about team, we refer to the people exclusively taking care of one game, DAoC, WAR, WoH, U4E, and UO.
So yes, there are two Ultima teams, one working on UO and the other working on U4E.

 

[Ludes]

Who is she?

Eventually somebody's gonna have to tell us who the mother was...
I mean she was of legitimate enough lineage to inherit the reins of the land, right?

 

[Crysta]

So... is it still a remake of Ultima IV?

 

[Ludes]

So... is it still a remake of Ultima IV?

They said it was 21 years after the events of Ultima IV.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

So yes, there are two Ultima teams,

Thanks Kai, nice avatar, btw

beta, free, pay, whatever, I'd have to see a screenie (not concept work), before i d/l a single byte.
a dos game converted to windows with mmo added on?

 

[R Traveler]

So, to signup for beta we should post email linked to origin account using non secured web form? No https used

 

[Woodsman]

While some people work on several projects (e.g. part of the artist, the sound department, or the community team), developers and engineers usually work on one project only. When we speak about team, we refer to the people exclusively taking care of one game, DAoC, WAR, WoH, U4E, and UO.
So yes, there are two Ultima teams, one working on UO and the other working on U4E.

Speaking of working on UO, can you tell us a little bit about UO's future, like maybe talk about the high resolution graphics update, things to interest new players.

The gaming media has taken a huge interest in Ultima Forever, and I've seen hundreds of comments posted on just a few sites. Obviously the media and people who don't play UO are very interested in Ultima, so it'd be nice if there was something to interest them in UO.

I am grateful you are talking to us, because we have had so much silence from the UO team lately, and it really feels bad.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

So... Ultima Forever is going to draw people into Ultima Online?

Not a chance.

So... is it still a remake of Ultima IV?

Yes.

 

[Nimuaq]

They will as soon as the new UO site and the complete U4E site are up.

I have criticized him for not communicating with us in the past and I still believe that we need to learn more about the future of the game, but with this post, he is starting to become my favorite person on this site. Please tell us more about the new UO site.

 

[Woodsman]

Nimuaq His avatar is probably the new logo, since it has a red dragon, the UO logo, and 15 years above it.

 

[Nimuaq]

It is actually one of the new header images on the official (what some may call a) website.

 

[Tina Small]

They will as soon as the new UO site and the complete U4E site are up.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you on the website work, Kai! Can't wait to see how both sites turn out. Thank you for dropping in and posting. It gives me hope that I haven't been keeping my accounts open lately in vain and there really might be something good to look forward to for players whose game time doesn't revolve around EM events.

 

[old gypsy]

It feels (to me) like UO is beginning to resemble a soon-to-be-leaving-the-house stepchild. Naturally, I hope that's not the case.

 

[Uriah Heep]

After years of "the sky is falling" posts everytime a game came out, wouldn't it be ironic if they shot themselves in the foot with this one? There are rumbles already because of the time and effort that went into it, that could have been used to improve UO...We know that our graphics were postponed, and now we know that the guy doing em is no longer working for EA. A familiar sounding story, sadly enough.
Watch em advertise the hell out of Ultima Forever, but just footnotes about our 15th anniversary. Sorry, but I'm just not seeing the swarm of information and applause that I thought 15 years would be getting. Sure, a paragraph here and there in a gaming magazine, but nothing to draw in or even make curious the casual gamer who doesn't constantly follow the gaming market. Oh well...

 

[old gypsy]

After years of "the sky is falling" posts everytime a game came out, wouldn't it be ironic if they shot themselves in the foot with this one? There are rumbles already because of the time and effort that went into it, that could have been used to improve UO...We know that our graphics were postponed, and now we know that the guy doing em is no longer working for EA. A familiar sounding story, sadly enough.
Watch em advertise the hell out of Ultima Forever, but just footnotes about our 15th anniversary. Sorry, but I'm just not seeing the swarm of information and applause that I thought 15 years would be getting. Sure, a paragraph here and there in a gaming magazine, but nothing to draw in or even make curious the casual gamer who doesn't constantly follow the gaming market. Oh well...

I never took those "UO is dying" threads seriously -- there have been so many over the years -- but you'd think the 15th anniversary would be higher on the radar than it appears to be right now.

 

[Xalan Dementia]

If they were wise theyd add some kind of real tie-in with UO. Like some have said, offer some bonus to people who also have an active UO account that play U4E. Maybe a new quest in UO with the Time Lord that rewards you in both games? Of course its still too early to really say what the new game will offer since its only a small website so far.

 

[Woodsman]

I never took those "UO is dying" threads seriously -- there have been so many over the years -- but you'd think the 15th anniversary would be higher on the radar than it appears to be right now.

I didn't take them serious since I saw them back in the 1990s, but then when I came back last year after my last break from UO and saw how depleted the population of UO was, I changed my attitude. The fact that I see less activity now than I did when I came back has reinforced that. Combine that with the devs apparently deciding to focus on people who have quit UO at least once already instead of people who have never played worries me. They appear to be focusing on people who have a proven track record of having left UO at least once.

 

[Woodsman]

If they were wise theyd add some kind of real tie-in with UO. Like some have said, offer some bonus to people who also have an active UO account that play U4E. Maybe a new quest in UO with the Time Lord that rewards you in both games? Of course its still too early to really say what the new game will offer since its only a small website so far.

Since there are tie-ins for Warhammer Online subscribers for Wrath of Heroes, this makes a lot of sense. But Wrath of Heroes is many times closer to Warhammer Online than Ultima Forever is to UO.

 

[Ox AO]

first there was lord of ultima
and now
Ultima forever both flash based games.

But nothing to integrate with UO why?

These flash games can be integrated into UO not made a new. THEY STILL COULD

They could be side quests with in UO enlarging what we already have. (such as chess or the mahjong games)
Lords of ultima could be like a game with in UO that could be played by anyone that payed subscription fee or not.
Accomplishments in the flash games could mean something with in UO (titles, items and such)

This would also be great advertisement for UO and very easy to do.

 

[Woodsman]

first there was lord of ultima
and now
Ultima forever both flash based games.

It's not a flash based game, it's a downloaded PC game and an iPad game. iPads don't support Flash.

 

[Sir Ophid of Yew]

first there was lord of ultima
and now
Ultima forever both flash based games.

But nothing to integrate with UO why?

These flash games can be integrated into UO not made a new. THEY STILL COULD

They could be side quests with in UO enlarging what we already have. (such as chess or the mahjong games)
Lords of ultima could be like a game with in UO that could be played by anyone that payed subscription fee or not.
Accomplishments in the flash games could mean something with in UO (titles, items and such)

This would also be great advertisement for UO and very easy to do.

Ox,

How have you been? Haven't seen you in years!

Ophid

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sevin0oo0]

It's not a flash based game, it's a downloaded PC game and an iPad game. iPads don't support Flash.

Did you see box requirements anywhere? I already have EC that won't work right, don't need another.

 

[Woodsman]

Did you see box requirements anywhere? I already have EC that won't work right, don't need another.

They claim that it will be fully integrated cross-platform play, so I would think that the requirements are fairly lightweight if you can play it on an iPad.

 

[Uvtha]

They claim that it will be fully integrated cross-platform play, so I would think that the requirements are fairly lightweight if you can play it on an iPad.

Yup. And even high level ipad games aint that great.