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'''Nick Tyler''' is
{{mergefrom|Hoe of Destruction}}
'''''Ultima VII''''' is the seventh part of the [[computer role-playing game]] series ''[[Ultima]]''. It was the beginning of the third ''Ultima'' trilogy, and it was released in two parts and two [[expansion pack]]s in [[1992]] and [[1993]]. The two ''Ultima VII'' games are seen by many players as the high-point of the series, with their incredibly detailed worlds, moving medieval music, and their many memorable [[non-player character|NPC]]s. In an interview with [[Gamespot]], [[Richard Garriott]] stated that ''Ultima VII'' "was the most masterfully executed of the Ultima series." He has also often stated that the game was, along with ''[[Ultima IV]]'', his own favorite part overall.
Ultima VII, product of [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], remains as one of the more memorable single-player [[RPG|role-playing games]] from the 1990s. This decade also saw the release of such classics as ''[[Final Fantasy IV]]'' (made in [[Tokyo]], released in 1991), ''[[Betrayal at Krondor]]'' (made in [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]], released in 1993), and ''[[Baldur's Gate]]'' (made in [[Edmonton, Alberta|Edmonton]], released in 1998).
==Part One: ''The Black Gate''==
{{Infobox CVG| title = Ultima VII: The Black Gate
|image = [[Image:Ultima VII Black Gate box.jpg|250px]]
|developer = [[Origin Systems]]
|publisher = [[Origin Systems]]
|designer = [[Richard Garriott]]
|engine = ''Ultima VII'' Engine
|version =
|released = [[1992]]
|genre = [[Computer role-playing game|RPG]]
|modes = [[Single Player]]
|ratings = Unrated[[#rating|*]]
|platforms = [[DOS]]
|media = 5.25" or 3.5" floppies (later releases on [[CD-ROM]])
|requirements =
|input = [[Computer keyboard|Keyboard]] and [[Mouse (computing)|Mouse]]
}}
[[Image:Ultima7-bg-exult.png|thumb|left|200px|''Ultima VII'' running on the [[Exult]] engine.]]In ''Ultima VII: The Black Gate'' ([[1992]]), two centuries have passed since the Gargoyle threat was solved and the [[Avatar (Ultima)|Avatar]] is suddenly whisked into Britannia by a red [[moongate]].
As the game starts, [[Guardian (Ultima)|The Guardian]], an evil creature, taunts the Avatar, telling him that Britannia "has entered into a new age of enlightenment", and that he will eventually rule Britannia. The Avatar arrives to Britannia via a red moongate, and as he arrives to Trinsic, he's asked to solve a ritualistic murder that occurred the night before. He also learns that "[[The Fellowship (Ultima)|The Fellowship]]", a new religious philosophy led by a man called [[Batlin (Ultima)|Batlin]], has been formed.
The Fellowship is most likely inspired by [[Scientology]] and similar personal improvement groups and faiths; the game can be said to satirize psycho babble.
This game introduced a major change; turn-based gameplay was abandoned for real-time gameplay, and the whole screen was now devoted to the map, with anything else being overlaid whenever the need arises. This way, larger, much more detailed, and no longer visibly tile-based graphics were possible. Also, the game was the first in the series that was entirely [[computer mouse|mouse]]-driven; in theory it could be played without ever touching the keyboard.
The gameworld is known for its interactivity: almost everything can be taken, moved or interacted in some ways. You can bake bread, forge weapons, take milk from cows, play musical instruments. You can even scare your companions by wearing masks (but only if they don't see you wearing it!). This game is also highly non-linear: even if the main quest is rather linear (only one ending and you're "forced" through it without branches) almost every quest can be solved in two or more ways and you can roam through the world as long as you want: from the city of Britain to the gamblier-house of Buccaneer's Den. You can even lose your virginity and take a test from a unicorn....
In ''Ultima VII'', the [[virtues of Ultima|virtue system]] was not enforced as strictly as it was in ''[[Ultima IV]]''. Instead, the game simulated a society that sticks to some of the virtues: the NPCs — either the party members or the people of Britannia — reacted to killings of innocents and stealing whenever they became aware of it. Also the combat system was changed due to the change to real-time gameplay. The new [[artificial intelligence|AI]] system allowed the player to choose general tactics for party members. The AI was not perfect, but it saved the player the need to micromanage up to eight different characters in battle.
[[Image:Electronic_Arts_logo_classic.png|thumb|left|150px|EA's logo in [[1992]].]]Parts of the ''Ultima VII'' storyline are inspired by game creator [[Origin Systems]]' conflicts with competitor (and later, their new owner) [[Electronic Arts]]. The main antagonist of the story, [[Guardian (Ultima)|The Guardian]], is presented as a 'destroyer of worlds'. Origin Systems' corporate slogan was 'We Create Worlds' and it can be implied that The Guardian represented [[Electronic Arts]]' attempts at destroying the competition. The three evil 'Generators' created by The Guardian in the game took the physical shapes of the contemporary Electronic Arts Logo: a cube, a sphere, and a tetrahedron. Elizabeth and Abraham, two apparently benevolent characters who later turn out to be murderers, have the initials "E" and "A". The EA logo is again mocked in [[Ultima VIII]] as an animated cube-sphere-tetrahedron object.
''The Black Gate'' was released in English, German, French and Spanish.
===List of notable characters===
Some of the notable non-player characters include
* [[Batlin (Ultima)|Batlin]], Elizabeth and Abraham - founders of [[The Fellowship (Ultima)|The Fellowship]].
* [[Spark (Ultima)|Spark]], made an orphan by the murderers, who joins Avatar.
* Alagner, the wisest man in Britannia
* Alchemist Caine, mayor Forsythe, healer Mordra, lady Rowena, [[blacksmith]] Trent, and [[Horance|Horance the Liche]] - ghostly inhabitants of Skara Brae.
* Hook, a [[pirate]] who works as an assassin, and Forskis, a [[gargoyle]] who works for him.
===Rating===
The game pre-dates the [[ESRB]], and as such, was not rated by them. The game credits do include the warning "Voluntarily rated MP-13 (For Mature Players)", but this is not necessarily intended to be a serious rating, as it is more likely a parody of [[MPAA film rating system|MPAA film ratings]]. The game credits have been made to look as movie-like as possible, with all of the standard disclaimers and elements found in movie end credits. (The credits, notoriously, also included the mention that a [[soundtrack]] CD is available from Origin, while it actually wasn't until many years later; ''Ultima VII Part 2: Serpent Isle'' credits actually said "Soundtrack CD NOT available from Origin, so don't ask!")
When it was later released on CD as the "Complete Ultima VII" it was rated T for Teen by the ESRB for "Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence".
[[Image:Ultima7-fov-exult.png||200px|right|Forge of Virtue expansion on Exult]]
===''Forge of Virtue'' expansion===
''Forge of Virtue'' was an [[expansion pack]] that adds a quest to ''Ultima VII'' in which the Avatar must pass a series of tests to revalidate himself in the three principles of Truth, Love, and Courage, and destroy the last remnants of Exodus.
The player is rewarded with a powerful weapon, [[The Black Sword]]. The Avatar also gains maximum strength, intelligence, and dexterity in the course of the tests, and [[Lord British]] grants the player double strength on top of that.
In later releases of ''Ultima VII'' this add-on was always included.
==Part Two: ''Serpent Isle''==
{{Infobox CVG| title = Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle
|image = [[Image:Ultima VII Serpent Isle box.jpg|250px]]
|developer = [[Origin Systems]]
|publisher = [[Origin Systems]]
|designer = [[Warren Spector]], [[Richard Garriott]]
|engine = ''Ultima VII'' Engine
|version =
|released = [[1993]]
|genre = [[computer role-playing game|RPG]]
|modes = [[Single Player]]
|ratings = Unrated
|platforms = [[DOS]]
|media = 3.5" floppies (later releases on [[CD-ROM]])
|requirements =
|input = [[Computer keyboard|Keyboard]] and [[Mouse (computing)|Mouse]]
}}
''Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle'' was released in [[1993]]. While the Avatar destroys the Black Moongate that the Guardian was coming through, Batlin flees to [[Serpent Isle]]. The Warriors of Destiny pursue the rogue fanatic and find a strange land that has many very different customs than Britannia: a large, icy island, only lately recolonized by men, with many remains of an ancient culture where [[Serpent (symbolism)|serpents]] played a central role.
It is speculated that the differences between Britannia and Serpent Isle were meant to parallel the differences between the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[United States]]. The residents of Serpent Isle who are familiar with their history harbor an intense hatred for [[Lord British]] and the Virtues, believing them to be oppressive. In addition, the ancient remnants of the [[Ophidian]] culture (largely ignored by the population) seem to echo the plight of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] in the United States.
This is the first game in the series to take place outside Britannia as it has been known since ''Ultima IV''. It is also more linear than the earlier parts — unlike the earlier games where the order in which sub-quests were completed was of little concern; the new approach makes it possible to give the game a more carefully plotted storyline, while at the same time somewhat limiting the players choice.
Since most of the game's code was recycled from ''The Black Gate'', it was decided not to call it ''Ultima VIII''; Richard Garriott had stated in interviews around 1988 that no two ''Ultimas'' shared the same [[source code]], unlike the then-competing ''[[The Bard's Tale]]'' series, and he probably felt bound by this statement.
The original plot of the game was significantly different from the released game, mostly attributed to the fact that Electronic Arts put schedule pressures on Origin and some parts had to be cut to meet the deadline. Most of the changes occur on the latter half of the game after Batlin is found again. Some major plot holes were also left due to this. The deadline also meant many bugs were left in and there even was wholly unimplemented features. Many 'dead ends' were also left in the game and due to ''Serpent Isle'''s more linear approach, this often forced the player to go back to a long-ago saved point or simply start over. To the disappointment of many fans, the game marks the beginning of larger influence of Electronic Arts on the series.
===''The Silver Seed'' expansion===
''The Silver Seed'' expansion adds the Silver Seed story arc to the game, in which the party visits a subterranean keep in the ancient civilization of Serpent Isle (probably at some time in the past, but this is not known for sure). Powerful magic items, including a keyring, a ring of unlimited reagents, and a strength increasing belt can be found in this area and in nearby dungeons. In later releases of the game, the expansion pack was always included.
==Technical issues==
Both parts of ''Ultima VII'' used a non-standard [[DOS]] memory management extension, called '''Voodoo Memory Manager'''. This was not a typical [[DOS extender]]; while DOS extenders typically provide [[protected mode]] features, Voodoo merely provided flat memory model for real mode. This setup was quite quirky; a very non-standard DOS extended memory setup was needed to play the game.
Later, when DOS started to fall into disuse, Voodoo started to become somewhat of a stress test for DOS compatibility. Notably, [[Windows 95]] and later have severe problems cooperating with the games. Modern [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] releases are completely incompatible with the game.
Some fans of the game have worked on improving the situation. Currently, there are several ways of playing the game:
* Under Windows 9x, the game can be run in DOS mode with minimal startup options, or under Windows itself with user-developed patches.
* Under Windows NT, the game can be run with user-developed patches.
* The game is playable in DOS emulators such as [[DOSBox]].
* ''[[Exult]]'' is a complete, free reimplementation of the original ''Ultima VII'' game engine under which the games can be played on modern computers and various operating systems. While the experience isn't completely authentic, it is close enough, and this combined to additional new features make Exult by far the most preferred method of playing the game today.
==Super Nintendo version==
FCI / Pony Canyon published the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]] version of ''Ultima VII'', simply titled ''Ultima: The Black Gate'', which was created by a small team inside Origin Systems.
This version was largely different from original since the
PC version of the game was a then-huge twenty megabytes, yet this translation could use only one megabyte of memory for all of the game data and program. The maps and many usable items and plotlines had to be redesigned from scratch, and the game program had to be rewritten entirely in assembly language.
The game was largely real-time action, more similar to ''The Legend of Zelda'' series. The party was missing too. Also, the story was largely changed due to Nintendo of America's censorship policies at the time: for example, instead of gory murders, the Avatar right away starts to investigate ''kidnappings''.
This version was generally not considered as good as the PC version.
==Fan projects and remakes==
''[[Exult]]'' is at the forefront of fan projects today, in that it enables ''Ultima VII'' to be played on modern machines and across different operating systems.
Exult's array of tools have enabled fans to take the game somewhat apart and modify it. This enabled [[fan translation]] projects: ''Serpent Isle'' has been completely translated to French, Spanish and Korean while translation of ''Black Gate'' and its expansion ''Forge of Virtue'' is underway. A side project of Exult contributors is to add new graphics to the game, particularly to make the ''Serpent Isle'' [[paper doll (video games)|paper doll]] graphics work better in ''Black Gate''. Another side project is to fix some of the bugs and design flaws found in ''Serpent Isle'', which were originally left in due to the rushed release.
There have been a few projects to make Ultima VII fan remakes in other game engines, but so far these projects have not been particularly fruitful.
==External links==
* [http://www.bootstrike.com/Ultima7bg/ Bootstrike's U7 pages]
* [http://www.it-he.org/ultima7.htm A Fistful of Ultima VII] and [http://www.it-he.org/serpent.htm Cosmic Balancing Act] - Doug the Eagle Dragon's anti-walkthroughs and humorous findings.
* [http://strategywiki.net/wiki/Ultima_VII:_The_Black_Gate ''The Black Gate'' wiki guide at StrategyWiki]
* [http://strategywiki.net/wiki/Ultima_VII_Part_Two:_Serpent_Isle ''Serpent Isle'' wiki guide at StrategyWiki]
* [http://www.geocities.com/hoki_dragon/u7-scientology.html The Fellowship and The Church of Scientology Compared]
* [http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~rsd/ultima7.html Running Ultima VII/Serpent Gate in Windows.]
* [http://www.dagonslair.com/sifrench/ Serpent Isle in French]
* [http://www.dantoine.com/ Spanish Ultima VII: Forge of Virtue translation] can be found from this site; so far only a weblog with progress reports and betas, no static page as such.
* [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/14/4/ The Conquest of Origin] Background information on the Origin Systems / Electronic Arts conflict and takeover.
* [http://wiz0u.free.fr/u7wizard/ U7-Wizard] Map and scenery editor for ''Ultima VII''
{{Ultima}}
[[Category:Ultima|Ultima VII]]
[[Category:1992 computer and video games|Ultima VII]]
[[Category:1993 computer and video games|Ultima VII]]
[[Category:DOS games|Ultima VII]]
[[Category:Super NES games|Ultima VII]]
[[fr:Ultima VII]]
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