Have you found another game engine that could fit UO play style?

[DarkScripture]

I have been playing a game called spell force and was blown away at the prospect that UO could be played in the engine with a few movement tweaks. The weapons and armor are very artful. And the specs on system requiremenets running it are not massive. I was wondering if anyone else found a game they thought could fit the UO play style for MMO. What I loved most about the game were the graphic but still very much like UO. They even have evles and Orcs. This game is not currnetly running in MMO sandbox style as yet and thus falls very short of WHY I play Ultima for so long. I just thought this could get other games not known to share. Also to show what I personally think UO should be heading tward.

Screens
Spellforce - Google Search
Official Site
SpellForce 2 - JoWooD Productions
Wiki
SpellForce - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A few Custom Edits i found to show how much can be done using this engine.
Football = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFW-HWLHEYM&feature=related
Making Vice City with Spell Force map editor.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9G6nybWPSM

Watch some Battle footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-9L2k13QMc&feature=related

Elven Bard Peacemaking a White Wyrm. HEHE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmpV5QlbsTI&feature=related

 

[canary]

Yes, we SHOULD have something like that. Unfortunately, DarkScribe was short sighted in what the KR client needed, and we are saddled with what is (in mine and many others opinion) a sub part art team that is incapable of creating something so nice looking.

I've said it before but it needs repeating: any member of the art team associated with the KR project needed to be fired. No one should have ever created art that looked so inferior and no one should EVER have signed off approving it as something that was palatable for the paying playerbase. It was totally unacceptable. In fact, it was so unacceptable they pretty much tossed the majority of it out the window in two years.

I'm not anti EC/ KR, I'm anti the client (and art) they put in. We NEED another upgraded client. We NEED something that is visually appealing (regardless of the small minority that scream 'graphics aren't everything' as the playerbase dwindles). No, graphics aren't everything. But they ARE a way to entice new players while impressing the current players in a certain level of immersion. And the art team of UO simply cannot deliver.

 

[MalagAste]

Yes, we SHOULD have something like that. Unfortunately, DarkScribe was short sighted in what the KR client needed, and we are saddled with what is (in mine and many others opinion) a sub part art team that is incapable of creating something so nice looking.

I've said it before but it needs repeating: any member of the art team associated with the KR project needed to be fired. No one should have ever created art that looked so inferior and no one should EVER have signed off approving it as something that was palatable for the paying playerbase. It was totally unacceptable. In fact, it was so unacceptable they pretty much tossed the majority of it out the window in two years.

I'm not anti EC/ KR, I'm anti the client (and art) they put in. We NEED another upgraded client. We NEED something that is visually appealing (regardless of the small minority that scream 'graphics aren't everything' as the playerbase dwindles). No, graphics aren't everything. But they ARE a way to entice new players while impressing the current players in a certain level of immersion. And the art team of UO simply cannot deliver.

What she said.... I agree 100%... they should have been fired... to think that someone approved that disaster and actually thought it was some sort of improvement... that's the worst of it... and the garbage that I'm left with with the KR mobiles.... *sighs* and the seriously ugly paperdolls... epic fail.

 

[rareitem]

Uo with that artwork , real 3D, and free camera movement like that is the best of my dreams. About new games fitting UO play stile check this www.mortalonline.com , sandbox but in 1st person view.

 

[DarkScripture]

rare Take a look at the spell force camera spin and there is a an single avatar over the shoulder view. I think you will enjoy it.
Hell or try it out.
http://spellforce.jowood.com/?rid=1180&lang=en
I'm checking out your link now. Thanks for the share.

The shadows and lighting are very sweet too. The spell effect are awesome . Even the weapon have on screen spell effect. I have been in battle with 100's of spells and they frame rate never drops. This engine does a wonderful job of being able to handle the effects of massaive abttles. THAT is what I want in UO. All events I goto are in slow-mo due to the large amount of ppl in a small area. This engine seems to be able to handle it. I would love to stress test it.

The more we share these ideas, the more we can help shape our UO future.
We all know what we don't like about the new Client as the number of threads about that in the past.
What game out there comes close to depth of UO? I wish EA would buy this engine and try is out for a test run. Ultima Style!

 

[DarkScripture]

Holy Smokes!! I just did some digging and found out the dev team for the Spell Force "Phenomic" HAS in deed been bought by EA.
EA PHENOMIC

There COULD be a game like this for UO.. Maybe we should talk to our own dev team about this.

 

[DarkScripture]

BattleForge This is NOT where I would have taken this game. Seems the new form of online gaming is to buy credits for advanced game play options. Never the less, something else to look at and now owned by the same parent company as well.

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

Doesn't matter DarkScripture, they won't put UO in a full 3d system until they remove the 2d client (which was why KR and thus the EC are the way they are... they're limited to doing what the 2d client does in terms of perspective (not to mention the static artwork only faces one direction)).

Of course you also have the segment of the UO population that will always threaten to close their 763847638 accounts if the mere mention of closing the 2d client is made and refuse to upgrade from the 2d client EVER.

Regardless of one's feelings about the 2d client, it is the biggest holdback to UO's technological expansion. Some people are ok with that, some are not.

 

[Babble]

Diablo 3?

 

[Beer_Cayse]

The Spellforce graphics shown are easier on my eyes than EC. When EC graphics and movement are as crisp and I am able to use the client without needing Extra strength Aspirin then I will switch.

EQ2 graphics and movement are fine for me ... why can't EA also come up to speed?

 

[canary]

You know, I do find it odd that graphics have been such an amazingly sore point at what is a big failure with UO and two things strike me:

1) Somehow GrimmOmen is still associated with UO, and:

2) NOTHING is being done to address it.

I mean, if I ran the game, and saw the immense volume of people refusing to play the EC based on its art, MAYBE in my mind I would formulate an idea to get more artists involved in making the game more presentable.

But hey, we've been having the go around on the male paperdoll since KR was released and no one has touched that. It's very telling of the fact UO management doesn't 'get it'.

 

[Babble]

Really new graphics are way too costly for such an old game.

Though I still am of the opinion that artists should be chained to their drawing desks!

 

[Uvtha]

A fully 3d engine would require a whole new game. Nothing is designed to exist in a 3d world.

But ive been saying they need to move on to UO2 for like 5 years.

 

[Lorax_Pacific]

I really like those graphics. I was opposed to 3d long ago after seeing UltimaX. Following the online games with 3d I think it would have been cool to have had an upgrade plan. One of the problems they used to say back then was that it would be a new game so our UO characters wouldn't transfer, which creates more opposition.

The first picture you posted would keep the feel of UO.

-Lorax

 

[Luvmylace]

warning the urls are addicting. heres a pic of my character
View attachment 5124
There are so Many games out there with worthy parts to copy.I would pick a few from Age of Conan that UO would surely benefit from .
The first thing that would grab me is the use of animals.
Horse animations in this game are beautiful and realistic unlike a lot of games out there that don't even try to replicate anatomy.
A bit corny with some of the music but you'll get the idea


Movement is fun

YouTube - Age of Conan dancing (Cimmerian)
now the emotes are outrageously fun

YouTube - Age of Conan Female Emotes
And of course character creation has it's perks
YouTube - Age of Conan - Female creation
YouTube - Female Cimmerian Character Creation

Now everyone loves water
YouTube - Age of Conan - Swimming
Lets look at horses
YouTube - Age of Conan Horse

Now not just horses can be ridden
YouTube - Age of Conan - Riding the Mammoth and Rhino

YouTube - AoC good times with a horse


YouTube - Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer Review

didn't forget the pvpers
YouTube - Age of Conan - Siege Warfare - Elkhorns VS OSD (Melee Siege)

 

[Zosimus]

The current 3D client tis basically over layering old code. I dont the think it will ever look like the many modern games how many times they try. I agree with the other person who posted there should be a UO2. Make the current UO FTP and make the UO2 subscription base. Never will happen but it is nice to dream.


Here is my opinion of how UO2 should work.

-New enhanced smooth 3d graphics.

-Housing should be like DaoC housing by looks and paying rent.

-Designated PvP areas in virtue (Uo virtues) related areas.

-Change the viewing how you see your char and surroundings, but with the DaoC and Warhammer view. ( Not the looking above at your char the current UO has)

-Skill points like the old UO but determined on leveling. Meaning you gain .1 of point on how many kills of monsters or players the higher you go up and level of monsters and players.

-Crafting has meaning in the game. Loot is random and special crafting material can be part of it to make armor and weps.

-PvM areas for help skill leveling of chars and high end dungeons that need groups to go into not solo.

-Quests

-PvP dungeons, pvp seas,

-Reinstate Order and Chaos and players can choose sides.

-Have a limit on servers to keep population high.

-Cant talk to the enemy just the side you play on. Eliminates alot of drama and arguing in a game.

-Human, elfs, dwarfs, orcs, ogres, and gargs, are the races.

-Cities on both sides can be challenged and attacked by who has control of the virtues. Special armor and weps drops to the side who wins the city battles.

- Designated player run and built towns areas within the game ( not cities which would be larger then towns) are safe havens to order or chaos players that town is designated to worship. Player run towns are actually built and kept up to say stage 10 as long as active players who chose that area to have a town in for the safe haven. If they are not active enough the town can decay back to stage one and be taken over by another group of players.


Ok enough rambling and dreaming about things that wont happen. rolleyes:

 

[Zosimus]

OOOOOOoo Lace you play AoC!?! Wow I'm very proud of you

I prefer War but still never thought you be playing AoC. You like it?

 

[Argoas]

Uo with that artwork , real 3D, and free camera movement like that is the best of my dreams. About new games fitting UO play stile check this Age Verification | Mortal Online , sandbox but in 1st person view.

this!

[YOUTUBE]hNKlk2qlAJA[/YOUTUBE]​

 

[Tek]

Too bad Spellforce isnt a MMO

 

[Luvmylace]

OOOOOOoo Lace you play AoC!?! Wow I'm very proud of you

I prefer War but still never thought you be playing AoC. You like it?

Well thank you dear .I dabble in many games . But this one is the only other game, I tried, that I bought an account to .UO is still my first love

 

[canary]

this!

[YOUTUBE]hNKlk2qlAJA[/YOUTUBE]​

Pretty, but I've never been a fan of 1st person view. Also, MO is being touted as a pre Tram UO type game... I'm not sure how well received that will be.

 

[Luvmylace]

Pretty, but I've never been a fan of 1st person view. Also, MO is being touted as a pre Tram UO type game... I'm not sure how well received that will be.

That's what I liked about AOC .You get to turn the camera 360o (on yourself or the world)and look from all angles .I like the effect because you can scroll in to the first person look and scroll back out and see yourself riding for example.

 

[Argoas]

Yes, i'm sure not everyone would like this kind of camera. It doesnt allow you to "admire" your avatar. But instead offer other features focused on roleplay (even though at the moment, it's most pvp focused). But nowdays, each mmorpg needs time to get stable and polished.

About that is a pre-trammel type, could be another obstacle for much people here. But not for everyone (remember topics as "Classic Shard")

 

[Aran]

UO was created with the only engine it needed. It has only been dragged down since then.

 

[DarkScripture]

UO was created with the only engine it needed. It has only been dragged down since then.

Shh.... hush now. Can't ou see all these other hands in the air? Let someone else have a turn to speak. You get to speak more often than I like as is. To me your post was nothing but a troll. If you have not found any other engine you would like then you have had your say. Thank you for your completly not helpful post. We were not here to BASH UO . Only to see if there were other games that COULD fit the over head play stlye. Spell Force does fit the bill and IS also OWNED by EA. The magic is awesome. UO worst area to ME is the massive lag I get when in an area with over 20 ppl. Can't help but try to find a way to make this better for the game I have been playing for so long.

 

[Owain]

Just search for top 10 free MMORPG 2010 on youtube and you will see what kind of graphic people play today for free. But please don´t cry, if you think how a game like UO could be with a graphik like this.

Anyway, this threads come up since about 7 years. They made a few cheap tries to quiet the mass, but in the end never invested real money in UO and they never will.

 

[DarkScripture]

The main object of my thread was not the FX only but a game that could morph into UO. But does have the newer game options. The Spell force has FX that change based on your gear being worn and a quest system. Playable races that are very close to UO . Over the shoulder view but can go to a zoomed in and free cam pan/spin. So many of the things that UO is missing. BUT could still be able to fit the UO MMO and play style into the form. That is not so hard if the same company owns both engines. The biggest diffrence I see in the two are the X,Y, Axis. Spell Force has much more x,y depth. The horses have some sweet art too. I noted about 6 diffrent color pattens on them alone. And this spell force is not the newest of the art buy this dev team. The Magic Spell Effects are very nice too and you can still move when a hell of a spell battle is going on and never get one frame rate drop.

The other thing is I do think it would cost overly much to convert the map over.

Again this is not about the graphic of UO really but of finding a new body to clone our elderly game into the before it needs a cane.

 

[DarkScripture]

The one thing I love about UO that I would hate to see gone is the open backpack. I love UO packs.. Never played another game that did it the same way.

 

[WhityJinn]

hmm why no one mentions Darkfall?Last time I checked (a few months ago) it was a MMO with a pre-tram ruleset, full looting anf 1st person view.

Isn`t it great?What has become of it?

 

[Aran]

Shh.... hush now. Can't ou see all these other hands in the air? Let someone else have a turn to speak. You get to speak more often than I like as is. To me your post was nothing but a troll. If you have not found any other engine you would like then you have had your say. Thank you for your completly not helpful post. We were not here to BASH UO . Only to see if there were other games that COULD fit the over head play stlye. Spell Force does fit the bill and IS also OWNED by EA. The magic is awesome. UO worst area to ME is the massive lag I get when in an area with over 20 ppl. Can't help but try to find a way to make this better for the game I have been playing for so long.

To me, your post is nothing but whining.

 

[Coldren]

Doesn't matter DarkScripture, they won't put UO in a full 3d system until they remove the 2d client (which was why KR and thus the EC are the way they are... they're limited to doing what the 2d client does in terms of perspective (not to mention the static artwork only faces one direction)).

As has been stated already, that isn't true. I know you know better than this, Dermott, which is why it's so perplexing that you keep repeating it.

You can't just convert a game from 2D to 3D. You can give it SOME 3D behaviors and effects (model some things in 3D and render them from an isometric perspective, for example - See KR) but it will never be TRUE 3D. Just think of the issues with Line of Sight alone.

And even if they were insane enough to try it, there's too much "stuff" on existing shards to account for the proper behaviors of everything. Every mobile, animation, house, item, skill, action, and texture would have to be made 3D compliant, so the only alternative is a whole new shard, with all new architecture. I.E., a new game.

Of course you also have the segment of the UO population that will always threaten to close their 763847638 accounts if the mere mention of closing the 2d client is made and refuse to upgrade from the 2d client EVER.

I'd put money on the fact that the reason the vast majority of people who don't use EC now, and who didn't use KR before, is because the artwork was terrible, both then and now.

Don't blow up the number of fringe posters who say they wouldn't convert NO MATTER WHAT- They do not account for the totality of all users who haven't adopted the new clients. People who want UO to look like UO is almost certainly the majority.

Regardless of one's feelings about the 2d client, it is the biggest holdback to UO's technological expansion. Some people are ok with that, some are not.

No, the biggest holdback is EA. Period.

They should have made UO2 over half a century ago. You know, when broadband became more widely available.