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Ultima X The Faux Pas Time Slip

Lord-Xanthor

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Stratics Veteran
Figured this would be the best place to get feedback on the idea.
Long before Ultima Online, the Ultima game series existed. I been a fan for so many years, stretching back to the early 80s. I'd buy every new version from CSS, then day I knew it would be delivered, call out of school sick, and on my bike, chase the UPS truck down, as I knew his route by heart. Always in anticipation, watched the intro story play out, the music and story always got me hooked. Then to me, disaster struck. A fantastic game got one heck of an overhaul. Ultima IX Ascension. To say I was disappointed, would be an understatement. I couldn't believe what I was seeing was my favorite series Ultima. I at first got it into my head, that somehow I got some new type doom game. Boy was I wrong. Two weeks after buying this directly from EA, got replacement CDs, and was like Hell yes!!! Someone did make a mistake!!! But nope, was just a bug and graphics fix. One character, not the usual party, and a story line that left me speechless until now. I kept quiet, not wanting to ruin the fun for others who may have liked the game, and figured that one day, Richard Garriott would make a #10, and undo the what looked to be unrepairable. Didn't even have to hold my breath, as he left EA, and my dreams of ever seeing Britannia restored. After I got married and left Stratics IRC event team, I did my own thing, learned a lot, messed with game generators, ones that make multiplayer games which is when it hit me! My hard drive while doing a rebuild slid out, and hit me in the head! Ok, that didn't happen, but a few ideas came to me.
What if made an Ultima sequel, to undo the damage of 9. Would there be an interest in it? Ultima Faux Pas Time Slip (getting time warp looping on my tablet) It would have multiple characters like the past games, but a slight change. Multiplayer. Nothing like Ultima Online, no monthly pay walls, no sorry I can not help thee (does that still even happen?) A multiplayer game that has a beginning and end. My idea is to go back in time, and undo the damage done. Not only Britannia and Sosaria restored, space travel and time gates, everything from all the games brought together to restore what was lost, and friends to accompany you. Easter eggs, back doors, Iolo, Shamino, Dupre, the works! This would not be some high tech 3d game like Ultima IX. It would be similar to Ultima 6,7,8. Would EA even allow it? I sort of lost my entire ICQ database of contacts from EA due to not using ICQ a few years. I left what, in 2004? It's now 2022. One would think ICQ would at least think I might return after 18 years and not delete my database. My humor, horrible spelling and grammar hasn't improved. I really should trademark this as an LX brand.
If I posted this in wrong section, I apologize, but please, if you move it, put it where I can reply please? My last post got moved and can't access it to reply lol.
With IRC gone, do we at least have a discord server?
Until my return, be Covid safe, and fair the well my old friends!
 

skett

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great idea
hope it comes to past and loops back again (had to) my humor is worst :)
 

Stinky Pete

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Honestly, I wouldn't use the Ultima IP for anything that you plan on charging money for. I'm not sure that EA would do anything about it since they haven't really made an effort to defend the IP but it may be different if you plan on actually selling a product. Development of a new Ultima game would be quite the undertaking and I would hate to see you lose any benefit from doing it.

If a new single/multiplayer Ultima experience is what you crave, I'm just going to recommend UO Ruins & Riches. A few of my friends were playing this for a few hours a night for a while and it was a great time. Probably the best Ultima experience I have ever had. It made me question if Ultima was ever really meant to be a persistent online world. You can tell that the developer is a big fan of the Ultima games when you play it. It's also based in Sosaria which makes it even more awesome. Even if you go forward with your idea, you should still play this.


Make sure to read the manual.
 

skett

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Sounds interesting
 

Lord-Xanthor

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New perspective:
You have been torn from your summer vacation, plans to go fishing with your few 4th grade friends ruined, as your dragged to a many acre forest by your father, to pack your uncle's belongings, a man you can barely remember who has vanished many years before. Presumed long dead, your father inherited the land, and is preparing to sell it to a developer, who has offered more than it's true value, and strangely, all In gold. Your staying at a cabin, five minutes away from your uncle's home. The one rule while your father is away, stay out of your uncle's home! Not a rule Gantor had any plans of breaking, except for the fact, he was bored out of his skull. A dangerous thing for a nine year old. Maybe some fishing will quell the monotony, something he will soon never be able to do here once the land is sold. Heading over to the mudroom closet, he trips over the rug, a bump in the flooring his father said to be the hard wood floor damaged from a long ago roof leak, long ago repaired, yet the level of the bump is a perfect square, as if a panel lay beneath. Curiosity gets the better of you, and losing thought of the fishing pole and tackle box in the closet, you find yourself pushing the table with lamp off the carpeting so you may pull back the corner and see what lays beneath. Gripping the carpet, you pull, the sound of carpet tacks squealing and popping as they give way, and beneath it, a panel, as you figured it would be. Writing in runic language you have never seen before, is etched into the panel, each line depicting one of each symbol. Fishing into your pocket, you pull out a silver dollar, and placing it between the crack of the floor and board, the board comes up with little resistance. Inside, books, gold and silver coins, the like you have never seen at any coin show. Picking one up, you see more runic writing stamped into each coin, but for some reason, you can make out what it says, as some of the runes are similar to your own language. Lord British - Britannia. The two names aren't hard to forget. How many times has his father in the past, call his brother mad, every time those names were mentioned. One reason his father refused to let him stay with his uncle in the past. Could the land developer be looking for more of these coins? If so, that would explain why he's offering to pay so much. Gantor makes a mental note to remind his father when he returns. Pushing his arm into the pile of coins, his arm sinks up to his elbow, but still can't reach the bottom. Suddenly, his arm jerks back as it brushes a strangely glowing red book. Running his fingers over the binding, a strange power can be felt, which sends chills down his back and the few hairs on his neck, standing up. From what he can see of the binding, it's more runes. How is it glowing like that? It was tucked so well to the side, he would have missed it had his arm not brushed against it. Using both hands, he grips the book, which is stuck fast. Brushing coins away, he tries again, straining every muscle, as he pulls, using his legs against the opening as leverage, where finally it pulls free, but so does something else. Gears can be heard turning, that cry out with irritation that clearly show they have not been oiled in many years. The large book shelf at the other end of the family room starts to shake, dropping many heavy volumes onto the floor, one striking your father's favorite glass coffee table, shattering it to pieces. The book shelf slowly sinks back, which is when a thought at the back of your head tells yourself, that's not been there before. Before you can even give it thought of why no one's ever seen this before, it slowly pulls into the wall, only a dot of light showing something was once there.Billowing dust clouds the room, and as it slowly clears, An Iron stairwell is seen, reeking of rust, stretches downward into the darkness below.
 
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Lord-Xanthor

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Stratics Veteran
The idea is for the supposed cousin, to bring the children versions of the avatars companions together, and undo the damage done. I have a lot more of the boot and intro story, but again looking for some feedback.Thanks for the info Stinky Pete, and skett.
The difficult decision, is which engine I should continue using for multiplayer. 001 Game maker, or Unreal Engine.
 
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Stinky Pete

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As much as I love a good story, they need paragraphs so that my eyes don't bleed when I read them. From what I read, you have a good premise here.
 

Lord-Xanthor

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As much as I love a good story, they need paragraphs so that my eyes don't bleed when I read them. From what I read, you have a good premise here.
I was typing by Memory, hence the several edits, using my Android phone, fighting spell check and grammar which never fixes real issues, just causes them lol, and formatting goes out the window I will fix the above when I get onto a secure PC. Thanks.
 

Lord-Xanthor

Visitor
Stratics Veteran
Story continues:

As the air clears, the hidden stairwell beckons. Estimating the damage, Gantor thinks his next steps over. Once dad comes home, he knows once his father walks in, he won't be able to walk, let alone sit for a week, and worse, he may be made to leave to prevent further exploration, so now would be the best time, the only time, to see what is below. Dashing to the kitchen, avoiding the hole in the floor, Gantor empties his backpack or schoolbooks, and fills it with food stuffs and flash lights from the junk drawer. A stun gun and your father's old colt sounds like an even better idea to bring along. Getting these back before father returns should help his not being able to sit for a week from being extended. Pocket knife, few lighters, but sadly no rope. Few Cheerios snack boxes added to the mix, good to go! Making his way back to the stairwell, Gantor grabs the glowing book. Not knowing why, he feels it's very important. As he is about to step over the hole, a realization that someone else may find this horde before his father does, causes Gantor to stop, slide the cover back on, and put the rug back in place. The small table may be shattered, but pulling the frame over, should keep things well hidden. Besides, once dad gets in, he doubts his focus will be on the floor to much. His belt is what worries him more.Job well done, he sets off for the stairwell.
As Gantor gets closer to the stairwell, the book he holds starts getting brighter, a vibration can be felt, almost as if the book was alive and excited! Looking into the opening in the wall, where the book shelf once was, the darkness lay foreboding, only the glow of the book sheding light. An iron platform leads to the winding stairwell, several small objects lay at the foot of the stairwell leading downward into the gloom. They are small pouches. Each one holding gold coins and what looks to be very strange spices. Taking a whiff of the contents, you almost gag at the odor. Try putting this on a steak, not even a case of A1 would cover the horrible flavor. As Gantor is about to take the coins and toss the rest of the contents, the book slightly burns his arm, where he had tucked it so as to view the pouches contents. Almost like a warning, not to leave them behind. Shrugging, Gantor takes his back pack off, and throws the pouches into a side compartment, far opposite from his food supplies, zips it up, puts it on and continues.
Slowly, testing the stairs with a foot, to make sure all is stable, the light of the book shines on the rails, which totally surprise Gantor. The stairwell isn't made of Iron at all. It's an unknown metal that's blood red like iron, and quite strong. What really catches the eyes is the artwork. The long rail winding downward appears to be made of combined serpents, the heads touching the wall, and each support made of more entwined serpents, each eye filled with red, blue, and lavender jewels. More runic writing is written across the top, before the rail starts spiraling downward. Even with the light from the book, the letters can't be fully seen. Is this something important? About to ignore it, the book suddenly feels like it is moving, causing Gantor to drop it. It falls open, on a page self illuminating. More runes? Touching the book, he realizes the runes he is looking at, are ones similar to his own language. Trying to sound it out, the words In Lor cause two three things to happen. One, a strange feeling, as of power shooting through his arms, secondly, the dark foreboding stairwell turns light as day, and his back pack suddenly slightly lighter? Was this a spell, and one that worked too??!! Repeating In Lor again sent that strange feeling, more writing on the snake like rails, easily seen, and his backpack definitely did in fact get lighter! A spell for light and weight? No, that can't be it, but we'll figure it out. Picking the book up, Gantor reads the first of the runes, 'Be Prepared?" Looking around, Gantor gets the strangest of feelings, of wanting to take his father's gun out. He was half expecting a singing goat any moment. Rest of the words, "Time of the Avatar must be repaired?" What is an Avatar? How can one even repair it to fix it? The book he was holding, gave off vibes as if it was frustrated and annoyed. Looking at the book, deep in thought, "Can you talk?" Not surprised when there was no reply, Gantor reaches back, and shoves the book into his backpack, and starts descending the long stairwell. All the while, passing more runic writing, no longer even bothering to stop and read. As Gantor descends the stairwell, the wood of the foundation changes to rock and dark red pre, similar to what the stairwell is made from. Someone went to a lot of trouble to carve this all out long ago, but for what?
About 100 feet down, the stairwell ends, into a long tunnel, carved out far as the eye can see. The odor of the area is damp and musty, runic words that light up as he steps onto the red dark floor, spring to life. These he can read quite easily. "A path may be revisited, those closed may one day be reopened?" Sarcastic retorts of wipe on and wipe off come to mind.
Losing ones patients, and wanting to see what is at the end of the long carved tunnel, Gantor stands up and sprints ahead. Within minutes he comes to an intersection. Unlike the one he's in, the others appear dark. Taking out his book for light, he explores the left passage, but before he can get far, the passage starts brightening, heat can be felt, and soon enough, the source. Flames come shooting up from the floor, blocking the pathway. So hot, Gantor feels the heat, burning the peachfuz on his arms, giving the odor of burned hair, making him jump back. "Guess I need to stick to the main path.' Back tracking to the main tunnel, Gantor continues, passing three more intersections along the way, until he reaches another serpent stairwell going up. It is then he realizes, the strange metal reaches far back to where he started, as if both are of one, but blend in so well, one must strain their eyes to see the connection.
Climbing upward, and onto a platform similar to where he entered, his pathway is blocked. Another bookshelf? There must be some way to open it on this side, but will the other get as damaged as his father's cabin when it opens? Thoughts of more treasure laying beyond, cut through the fear. Holding his book, the light glances off a strange dark stone, that gleams a strange light back. As Gantor picks it up, tunes of lightning can be heard striking all around, a huge hurricane type storm hits. The bookshelf suddenly slides into the wall, revealing an opening into another building, long **** up many years ago. The tunnel goes dark, and another try at In Lor results in nothing happening, which is when Gantor realizes he is a bit tired, and takes out a flash light instead. He can hear a strange humming, but can't place the sound. He enters the building, hearing wind, rain, lightning strikes. He doubts his dad will be back at home any time soon in this mess.
Looking around, he finds a fuse box, the main breaker off. Using both hands, he pushes, and a deep click, followed by a loud hum is heard, and suddenly, the buildings inner lights turn on, allowing Gantor to turn his torch off, saving batteries.
Checking ones surroundings, covered furniture adorns the room. Items that look like they came from the 80s and 90s. An old entertainment center with a large bulky screen television sitting on top. Covered with so much dust, even a vacuum might succumb before even quarter of the room is cleaned up. Not much further on the wall, is a poster with three shadowy figures, looking to be about to shoot down a knight with a flaming arrow. The parchment it's painted on, is of a strange unknown quality. Is this my uncle's home? As if mentioning his uncle, summoned some dark spirit, all the lights go out, and silence prevails. Eye of the storm? Carefully making it to a boarded up window, Gantor peers out, and what little he can see, tells him he should try the front door. Unlocking it, he pushes, and realizes it's nailed shut, so putting his shoulder to it, turns the handle and presses hard, hearing the few nails squeak in protest, the door gives way, and flies open. Vines and weeds overgrow the home, making the cabin look as if it is made of living plants. But this isn't what catches Gantor's attention. Not far from the cabin is a partially overgrown winding path, and in the distance, a bright ever changing light. Has a fire started? Quickly he darts down the winding over grown path, tripping on vines and weeds, then stops, in both shock and disbelief! A large circle of stones untouched by growth stands at the end of the path, but even more strangely, what looks like a shimmering doorway! Red, Blue, Lavender, cycle in ribbons of light. A smell of ozone burns in the air. Then a low growl is heard.looking in the distance, eyes not human open up, what's worse, so does it's mouth with razer like sharp teeth. The gate starts to fall, when the creature leaps for his throat! Almost the size as an adult, with unearthly strength, it bowls Gantor over! Claws tearing at his arms, teeth trying to tear his throat out, the last thought, "Maybe I should have taken the Colt from my bag first!" There is suddenly a clack of a crossbow, the beast weight falls dead on top. Another child is there, about the age of 9 as well, holding a crossbow, as the remaining light from the gateway sinks into the ground. "Sorry sir, was dis kill yers? Nams Shamino, wuts yurs?" Gantor passes out.
 

Lord-Xanthor

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Stratics Veteran
I don't want to give to much of the story away, but a big problem that led to the Avatar being split into himself and the guardian aren't the only ones effected. Several other key figures are split as well, and must first be fixed in their correct time streams, in order to save the Avatar, and all worlds effected.
Also composing new music to go along with the above story. I'll put links in each part, which will give the story a bit of life.
 
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Lord-Xanthor

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Stratics Veteran
I just wrote a CEO at Redwood City. Forwarded my plans and ideas. If they decline, I'll still make a non related game Similar to the old Ultimas, but first rather try, before I spend months coding, to find out they changed their minds.
 

Lore

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Warcraft was a rejected Warhammer game IIRC. You may have the next big game that ruins a generation of men's relationships.
 
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