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{{Short description|Role-playing video game series}}
'''''Ultima''''' is a series of [[fantasy]] [[computer role-playing game]]s from [[Origin Systems|Origin Systems, Inc.]]. ''Ultima'' was created by [[Richard Garriott]], a.k.a. [[Lord British]]. It is considered a seminal game of its genre. Today, [[Electronic Arts]] holds the brand. Single player versions are no longer made.
{{Infobox video game series
| title = Ultima
| image = Ultima Logo.png
| caption = The most commonly used logo in the series
| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]
| developer = {{ubl|[[Origin Systems]]|[[Looking Glass Studios|Blue Sky Productions]]|[[Looking Glass Studios]]|[[Electronic Arts]]|[[Mythic Entertainment|Bioware Mythic]]}}
| publisher = {{ubl|[[Origin Systems]]|[[Electronic Arts]]}}
| creator = [[Richard Garriott]]
| platforms = [[Amiga]], [[Apple II]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Commodore 128]], [[FM Towns]], [[MS-DOS]], [[MSX]], [[Mac OS]], [[Master System]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[PC-98]], [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]], [[VIC-20]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[X68000]]
| first release version = ''[[Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness]]''
| first release date = 1981
| latest release version = ''[[Underworld Ascendant]]''
| latest release date = 2018
}}
 
'''''Ultima''''' is a series of [[open world]] [[fantasy]] [[role-playing video game]]s from [[Origin Systems]], created by [[Richard Garriott]]. [[Electronic Arts]] has owned the brand since 1992. The series had sold over 2 million copies by 1997.<ref>{{cite news|last=Li|first=Kenneth|date=September 28, 1997|title=To Rule Britania and the net|page=42-43|website=[[New York Daily News]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86823910/|accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref>
==Overview==
 
A significant series in computer game history, it is considered, alongside ''[[Wizardry (video game series)|Wizardry]]'' and ''[[Might and Magic]]'', to be one of the norm-establishers of the computer role-playing game genre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130124/the_history_of_computer_.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425092816/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130124/the_history_of_computer_.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 25, 2012|title=The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 2: The Golden Age (1985-1993)|last=Barton|first=Matt|date=2007-02-23|website=[[Gamasutra]]|access-date=2018-10-25}}</ref> Several games of the series are considered seminal entries in their genre, and the early installments especially introduced new innovations which then were widely copied by other games.
The ''Ultima'' series can be divided in two parts. While the first three games (the 'Age of Darkness' trilogy) are the usual "kill the evil overlord" fantasy games, the later ones added an innovative moral element, in that the character had to excel at the eight virtues of honesty, compassion, valor, justice, sacrifice, honor, spirituality and humility. Most of the virtues are loosely based on the Chivalry code of [[knight]]hood (but without any explicit [[Christianity]]), although Garriott took some ideas from the movie ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 movie)|The Wizard of Oz]]'' as well.
 
The Ultima games take place for the most part in a world called Britannia; the constantly recurring hero is the [[Avatar (Ultima)|Avatar]], first named so in ''Ultima IV''. They are primarily within the scope of fantasy fiction but contain science fiction elements as well.
The creator, Richard Garriott, no longer owns the rights to the game, nor participates in the development.
 
==Games==
''Ultima 1-5'' were originally developed on and released for the [[Apple II family]] of computers. All the games from ''Ultima 6'' on were developed on [[IBM PC compatible]] machines.
{{Timeline of release years
|subtitle = Main series in '''bold'''
|compressempty = yes
| range1 = 1979 -
| range1_color = #4B61D1 #CCCCFF
|1979 ='''''[[Akalabeth: World of Doom|Akalabeth]]'''''
|1981 ='''''[[Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness|Ultima I]]'''''
|1982 ='''''[[Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress|Ultima II]]'''''
|1983a ='''''[[Ultima III: Exodus|Ultima III]]'''''
|1983b =''[[Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash|Escape from Mt. Drash]]''
|1985 ='''''[[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar|Ultima IV]]'''''
|1988 ='''''[[Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny|Ultima V]]'''''
|1990a ='''''[[Ultima VI: The False Prophet|Ultima VI]]'''''
|1990b =''[[Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire|Worlds of Ultima]]''
|1991a =''[[Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams|Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2]]''
|1991b =''[[Ultima: Runes of Virtue]]''
|1992a =''[[Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss|Ultima Underworld]]''
|1992b ='''''[[Ultima VII: The Black Gate|Ultima VII]]'''''
|1993a =''[[Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds|Ultima Underworld II]]''
|1993b ='''''[[Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle|Ultima VII Part Two]]'''''
|1993c =''[[Ultima: Runes of Virtue II]]''
|1994 ='''''[[Ultima VIII: Pagan|Ultima VIII]]'''''
|1997 =''[[Ultima Online]]''
|1999 ='''''[[Ultima IX: Ascension|Ultima IX]]'''''
|2005 =''[[Ultima V: Lazarus]]''
|2010 =''[[Lord of Ultima]]''
|2013 =''[[Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar|Ultima Forever]]''
|2018 =''[[Underworld Ascendant]]''
}}
The main ''Ultima'' series consists of nine installments (the seventh title is divided into two parts) grouped into three trilogies, or "[[List of time periods|Age]]s": The Age of Darkness (''Ultima&nbsp;I-III''), The Age of Enlightenment (''Ultima&nbsp;IV-VI''), and The Age of Armageddon (''Ultima&nbsp;VII-IX''). The last is also sometimes referred to as "The Guardian Saga" after its chief [[antagonist]]. The first trilogy is set in a [[fantasy world]] named Sosaria, but during the cataclysmic events of The Age of Darkness, it is sundered and three quarters of it vanish. What is left becomes known as Britannia, a realm ruled by the benevolent [[Lord British]], and is where the later games mostly take place. The protagonist in all the games is a resident of [[Earth]] who is called upon by Lord British to protect Sosaria and, later, Britannia from a number of dangers. Originally, the [[player character]] was referred to as "the Stranger", but by the end of ''Ultima&nbsp;IV'' he becomes universally known as the [[Avatar (Ultima)|Avatar]].
 
===Main series===
The earlier ''Ultima'' games were ported to many computer types, including [[Atari 8-bit family|8-bit Atari]] (''Ultima 1-4''), [[Atari ST]] (''Ultima 2-6''), [[Commodore 64]] (''Ultima 1-6''), [[Commodore Amiga]] (''Ultima 3-6'') and [[IBM PC]] (''Ultima 1-5'').
====The Age of Darkness: ''Ultima&nbsp;I–III''====
 
In ''[[Ultima&nbsp;I: The First Age of Darkness]]'' ([[1981 in video gaming|1981]]),<ref>{{citation|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|date=September–October 1982|volume=2|issue=5|page=2|title=List of Top Sellers}}</ref> the Stranger is first summoned to Sosaria to defeat the evil wizard [[Mondain]] who aims to enslave it. Since Mondain possesses the Gem of [[Immortality]], which makes him invulnerable, the Stranger locates a [[Time travel|time machine]], travels back in time to kill Mondain before he creates the Gem, and shatters the incomplete [[artifact (fantasy)|artifact]].
The ''Ultima'' games were also famous for the goodies included in the game boxes. From ''Ultima II'' on, every main ''Ultima'' game came with a cloth map of the game world. Starting with ''Ultima IV'', small trinkets like pendants, coins and magic stones were found in the boxes. Made of metal or glass, they usually represented an important object also found within the game itself.
 
''[[Ultima&nbsp;II: The Revenge of the Enchantress]]'' ([[1982 in video gaming|1982]]) details Mondain's secret student and lover [[Minax (Ultima)|Minax]]'s attempt to avenge him. When Minax launches an attack on the Stranger's homeworld of Earth, her actions cause doorways to open to various times and locations throughout Earth's history, and brings forth legions of monsters to all of them. The Stranger, after obtaining the Quicksword that alone can harm her, locates the evil sorceress at Castle Shadowguard at the origin of time and defeats her.
There is also a substantial community of ''Ultima'' fans known as the [[Ultima Dragons]].
 
''[[Ultima&nbsp;III: Exodus]]'' ([[1983 in video gaming|1983]]) reveals that Mondain and Minax had an offspring, the eponymous Exodus, "neither human, nor machine", according to the later games (it is depicted as a computer at the conclusion of the game, and it appears to be a [[demon]]ic, self-aware [[artificial intelligence]]). Some time after Minax's death, Exodus starts its own attack on Sosaria and the Stranger is summoned once again to destroy it. ''Exodus'' was the first installment of the series featuring a [[role-playing game#Game systems|player party system]], which was used in many later games.
{{msg:spoiler}}
 
====The Age of Enlightenment: ''Ultima&nbsp;IV–VI''====
The main games of the series are a trilogy of trilogies. The three trilogies are the Age of Darkness, the Age of Enlightenment, and the Age of Armageddon.
''[[Ultima&nbsp;IV: Quest of the Avatar]]'' ([[1985 in video gaming|1985]]) marked a turning point in the series from the traditional "[[hero]] vs. [[villain]]" plots, instead introducing a complex [[alignment (role-playing games)|alignment system]] based upon the [[#Virtues|Eight Virtues]] derived from the combinations of the Three Principles of Love, Truth and Courage. Although Britannia now prospers under Lord British's rule, he fears for his subjects' spiritual well-being and summons the Stranger again to become a [[spiritual leader]] of Britannian people by example. Throughout the game, the Stranger's actions determine how close he comes to this [[ideal (ethics)|ideal]]. Upon achieving enlightenment in every Virtue, he can reach the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom and becomes the "Avatar", the embodiment of Britannia's virtues.
 
In ''[[Ultima&nbsp;V: Warriors of Destiny]]'' ([[1988 in video gaming|1988]]), the Avatar returns to Britannia to find that after Lord British had been lost in the [[Underworld]], [[Lord Blackthorn]], who rules in his stead, was corrupted by the Shadowlords and enforces a [[political radicalism|radically twisted]] vision of the Virtues, deviating considerably from their original meaning. The Avatar and [[The Companions of the Avatar|his companions]] proceed to rescue the true king, overthrow the tyrant, and restore the Virtues in their true form.
==The Age of Darkness==
 
''[[Ultima&nbsp;VI: The False Prophet]]'' ([[1990 in video gaming|1990]]) details the invasion of Britannia by [[Gargoyle]]s, which the Avatar and his companions have to repel. Over the course of the game, it is revealed that the Gargoyles have valid reasons to loathe the Avatar. Exploring the themes of [[racism]] and [[xenophobia]], the game tasks the Avatar with understanding and reconciling two seemingly opposing cultures.
===''Ultima'' ([[1980]])===
 
====The Age of Armageddon: ''Ultima&nbsp;VII–IX''====
The first game in the series was published by [[California Pacific Computer Co.]], and featured a storyline revolving around a quest to find and destroy a Gem of Power belonging to an evil wizard known as Mondain, who has enslaved the lands of [[Sosaria]]. Early on, the title ''Ultimatum'' was chosen, but the name was trademarked by a board game already, so the publisher suggested truncating it to ''Ultima'', and Garriott liked it much more than the original name. This game is unique among the ''Ultima'' series (and a rarity among computer RPGs in general) for containing an action element, as the player must find a spaceship and participate in first-person space combat. The first version of the game was coded in interpreted [[BASIC]] with a few auxiliary routines in [[assembly language]], and was published only for the [[Apple II]] computer; two years later [[Sierra On-Line, Inc.]] released a port for the 8-bit [[Atari]] computers.
''[[Ultima VII: The Black Gate]]'' ([[1992 in video gaming|1992]]) sees the Avatar entangled in the plan of an ostensibly virtuous and benevolent organization named the Fellowship (inspired by [[Scientology]])<ref>''Prima's official strategy guide – Ultima Ascension'', page 271</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1571/the_history_of_computer_.php?page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027093514/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1571/the_history_of_computer_.php?page=3 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 27, 2007 |title=Features – The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (1994–2004) |website=Gamasutra |access-date=2012-09-02}}</ref> to create a gateway for the evil entity known as the Guardian to enter Britannia. Though all of the main line of ''Ultima'' games are arranged into trilogies, Richard Garriott later revealed that ''Ultima&nbsp;VII'' was the first game where he did any sort of planning ahead for future games in the series. He elaborated that "the first three didn't have much to do with each other, they were 'Richard Garriott learns to program'; IV through VI were a backwards-designed trilogy, in the sense that I tied them together as I wrote them; but VII-IX, the story of the Guardian, were a preplanned trilogy, and we had a definite idea of where we wanted to go."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=NG Alphas: Ultima&nbsp;IX: Ascension |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=22 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=October 1996|pages=154–5}}</ref> An [[expansion pack]] was released named ''[[Forge of Virtue]]'' that added a newly arisen volcanic island to the map that the Avatar was invited to investigate. The tie-in storyline was limited to this island, where a piece of Exodus (his data storage unit) had resurfaced. To leave the island again, the Avatar had to destroy this remnant of Exodus. In the process of doing so, he also created The Black Sword, an immensely powerful weapon possessed by a demon.
 
''[[Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle]]'' ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) was released as the second part of ''Ultima&nbsp;VII'' because it used the same game engine as ''Ultima&nbsp;VII''. According to interviews, Richard Garriott felt it therefore did not warrant a new number. Production was rushed due to deadlines set to the developers, and the storyline was cut short; remains of the original, longer storyline can be found in the database. Following the Fellowship's defeat, its founder [[Batlin (Ultima)|Batlin]] flees to the Serpent Isle, pursued by the Avatar and companions. Serpent Isle is revealed as another fragment of former Sosaria, and its history which is revealed throughout the game provides many explanations and ties up many loose ends left over from the Age of Darkness era. Magical storms herald the unraveling of the dying world's very fabric, and the game's mood is notably melancholic, including the voluntary sacrificial death of a long-standing companion of the Avatar, Dupre. By the end of the game, the Avatar is abducted by the Guardian and thrown into another world, which becomes the setting for the next game in the series. ''[[Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle#The Silver Seed expansion|The Silver Seed]]'' was an expansion pack for ''Ultima&nbsp;VII Part 2'' where the Avatar travels back in time to plant a silver seed, thus balancing the forces that hold the Serpent Isle together. Like ''Forge of Virtue'', the expansion contained an isolated sub-quest that was irrelevant to the main game's storyline, but provided the Avatar with a plethora of useful and powerful artifacts.
The game was one of the first commercial computer RPGs and the first commercial game to feature [[tile graphics]] to represent the environment. The tile graphics system was programmed in machine language by [[Ken Arnold]], a friend of Richard Garriott.
 
In ''[[Ultima VIII: Pagan]]'' ([[1994 in video gaming|1994]]), the Avatar finds himself exiled by the Guardian to a world called "Pagan". The Britannic Principles and Virtues are unknown here. Pagan is ruled by the Elemental Titans, [[god]]-like servants of the Guardian. The Avatar defeats them with their own magic, ascending to demi-godhood himself, and finally returns to Britannia. A planned expansion pack, ''The Lost Vale'', was canceled after ''Ultima&nbsp;VIII'' failed to meet sales expectations.
This game was re-released in 1986 as ''Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness'', entirely coded in [[assembly language]], with improved graphics, much faster, and with slightly improved gameplay, by [[Origin Systems]]. This re-release was sold in much greater numbers than the original release (thanks to the much increased market for computer games in general) and was ported to numerous other systems.
 
''[[Ultima&nbsp;IX: Ascension]]'' ([[1999 in video gaming|1999]]), the final installment of the series, sees Britannia conquered and its Virtues corrupted by the Guardian. The Avatar has to cleanse and restore them. The Guardian is revealed to be the evil part of the Avatar himself, expelled from him when he became the Avatar. To stop it, he has to merge with it, destroying himself as a separate entity. The [[Ultima IX: Ascension#Original plot|unreleased version of the plot]] featured a more [[apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|apocalyptic]] ending, with the Guardian and Lord British killed, Britannia destroyed, and the Avatar ascending to a higher plane of existence.
===''Ultima II: Revenge of the Enchantress'' ([[1982]])===
 
====Collections====
This was the only other ''Ultima'' game published by [[Sierra On-Line]]. From the game's story, we learn that Mondain's lover, Minax, is threatening our [[Earth]] through disturbances in the space-time continuum, and the player must guide a hero through time to destroy her. Also, the player must travel to other planets in the solar system in order to gain a critical item. Speculation continues that Garriott was somehow disgruntled at the prospect of working with Sierra On-Line and intended this game to be partially an exercise in learning to code in assembly language and partly just a joke, inspired by the movie ''[[Time Bandits]]'': the game contains a number of bizarre and decidedly inappropriate anachronisms when examined in context with similar fantasy games, such as: the game's world map is identical to real-life Earth, and the player must visit such mundane locations as [[San Antonio]], the [[Soviet Union]] and the [[United Kingdom]], modern-day and futuristic weaponry is used, and completely incongruous pop-culture references and [[in-joke]]s abound. However, futuristic weaponry and technology featured in the first game as well.
* ''Ultima Trilogy'' (1989) – an early compilation of the first three ''Ultima'' games released for the Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS by Origin Systems.
* ''Ultima: The Second Trilogy'' (1992) – a later trilogy of the second three ''Ultima'' games released by Origin Systems for Commodore 64 and DOS.
* ''Ultima&nbsp;I–VI Series'' (1992) – a compilation of the first six ''Ultima'' games and published for DOS by [[Software Toolworks]]. Includes reprints of the instruction manuals and original maps.
* ''Ultima Collection'' (February 1998)<ref>{{cite web|first=Harley|last=Jebens|url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_01/14_larry/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001019032222/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_01/14_larry/index.html|title=Origin's Ultima Overdose|website=[[GameSpot]]|archivedate=October 19, 2000|date=January 14, 1998|accessdate=September 2, 2022}}</ref> – a [[CD-ROM]] collection of the first eight ''Ultima'' computer games published for DOS and Microsoft Windows 95/98, including their expansion packs. Includes a complete atlas of each game's map, a PC port of ''Akalabeth'', and a sneak preview of ''Ultima&nbsp;IX''.
 
===Spin-offs and other games===
In addition, this game is known to contain numerous design flaws and [[Computer bug|bugs]] and shows general signs of being hurried onto the market before being properly finished and tested, like e.g. large map areas with nothing interesting happening in them whatsoever. For these reasons, ''Revenge of the Enchantress'' is considered to be the weakest ''Ultima'' game by some fans. Regardless, ''Ultima II'' still sold very well for its time.
''[[Akalabeth: World of Doom]]'' was released in [[1979 in video gaming|1979]], and is sometimes considered a precursor to the ''Ultima'' series.
 
[[Sierra On-Line]] also produced ''[[Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash]]'' in [[1983 in video gaming|1983]]. The [[maze game]] has nothing in common with the others,<ref name="maher20130516">{{cite web | url=http://www.filfre.net/2013/05/the-legend-of-escape-from-mt-drash/ | title=The Legend of Escape from Mt. Drash | work=The Digital Antiquarian | date=2013-05-16 | access-date=10 July 2014 | author=Maher, Jimmy}}</ref> but is highly sought after by collectors due to extreme rarity.
The game was re-released with updated graphics and improved screen layout for the [[Apple II]] only in [[1989]], but this re-release version was only sold as part of the ''[[Ultima Trilogy]]'' collection of the first three games, and Origin discontinued its Apple II product line soon afterwards; thus the re-release is relatively rare.
 
The ''Worlds of Ultima'' series is a [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] of ''Ultima VI'' using the same [[game engine]], following the Avatar's adventures after the game's conclusion:
===''Ultima III: Exodus'' ([[1983]])===
* In ''[[Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire]]'' ([[1990 in video gaming|1990]]), a failed experiment transports the Avatar to the Valley of Eodon, a [[jungle]] world populated by thirteen [[primitive tribe]]s whom he must unite against a common enemy, the [[Insectoids in science fiction|insectoid]] Myrmidex.
* ''[[Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams]]'' ([[1991 in video gaming|1991]]) takes place after ''The Savage Empire'' and sees the Avatar travel back in time to the [[Victorian era]] and eventually land on [[Mars]] to rescue humans stranded on it by accident and to restore the native Martian civilization.
* The third game, ''Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 3: Arthurian Legends'', was planned to be set in the times of [[King Arthur]] but was canceled in [[1993 in video gaming|1993]].
 
The second spin-off series, ''Ultima Underworld'', consisted of three games with a [[First person (video games)|first-person]] perspective:
Considered one of the most influential [[Computer role-playing game]]s in history, the story of ''Exodus'' centered on a quest (back in [[Sosaria]]) to destroy the final remnant of the evil Mondain and Minax. It is also the first [[Origin Systems|Origin Systems, Inc.]] game. ''Exodus'' featured revolutionary graphics for its time, being the first computer RPG to feature animated characters. Also, ''Exodus'' differed from previous games in that players now directed the actions of a party of several characters rather than just one. Players now battled groups of enemies on a separate battle screen, where the player had to understand fairly complex weapons and magic systems and employ rudimentary tactics in order to overcome each opponent, as opposed to the system in the previous two games, in which the player was simply depicted as trading blows with one opponent on the main map until either was defeated.
* Set after ''Ultima VI'', ''[[Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss]]'' ([[1992 in video gaming|1992]]) sees the Avatar descending into the Great Stygian Abyss to rescue a Britannian [[baron]]'s kidnapped daughter and prevent the summoning of a powerful [[demon]].
* ''[[Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds]]'' ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) is set between the two parts of ''Ultima VII'' and starts with the Guardian trapping Lord British, the Avatar and his companions within an impenetrable barrier in their castle. To free them, the Avatar has to travel through several [[parallel universe (fiction)|parallel universe]]s looking for a way to undo the spell.
* ''[[Underworld Ascendant]]'' ([[2018 in video games|2018]]), the third in the series, licensed the lore and characters for the Underworld setting, but did not allow use of the ''Ultima'' brand. The Avatar has been transported to the Underworld and works with local factions.
 
A group of volunteer programmers created ''[[Ultima V: Lazarus]]'' in 2005, a remake of ''Ultima V'' using the ''[[Dungeon Siege]]'' engine.<!--
While previous ''Ultima'' games let the player "explore" randomly generated dungeons (in Part I) or badly-designed and plotwise completely irrelevant dungeons (in Part II) in wire-frame first-person, ''Exodus's'' [[dungeon]]s were solid-3D in appearance, were integrated into the game's plot, and would remain the same across multiple plays (therefore introducing the element of requiring a player to actually create his/her own maps for dungeons). In many other ways ''Exodus'' was more focused than the earlier parts; futuristic references were largely (though not completely) gone; also there were almost no map areas that didn't serve some particular purpose in the game. The look of the game went away from being based on certain characteristics of the Apple II hardware to a carefully designed screen layout.
 
--><!-- Red link, notability not established: Another group of volunteer programmers created ''[[Ultima VI Project]]'' in 2010, a remake of ''Ultima VI'' also using the ''[[Dungeon Siege]]'' engine. -->
''Exodus'' became a smash hit, and it is often cited as a main inspiration to later game developers.
 
===Console games===
==The Age of Enlightenment==
Console versions of ''Ultima'' have allowed further exposure to the series, especially in [[Japan]] where the games have been bestsellers and were accompanied by several [[Merchandising|tie-in products]] including ''Ultima'' [[animated cartoon|cartoons]] and [[manga]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=75 Power Players|journal=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=11|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=November 1995|pages=68–69}}</ref> In most cases, gameplay and graphics have been changed significantly.
 
===''Ultima=Console IV: Questports of the Avatar''computer ([[1985]])games====
* ''Ultima III: Exodus'' ([[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]])
* ''Ultima: Quest of the Avatar'' (NES) - Remake: includes plot and gameplay changes.
* ''Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar'' ([[Master System]]) — A faithful port of the original. Only released in Europe and South America.
* ''Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny'' (NES)
* ''Ultima VI: The False Prophet'' ([[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]]) — Gameplay adapted for the game pad.
* ''Ultima: The Black Gate'' (SNES) — Action-adventure remake.
* ''Ultima: The Savage Empire'' (SNES) — A graphical update using the ''Black Gate'' engine for the SNES. Japan only, canceled in the US.
* ''Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss'' ([[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]) — Uses 3D models rather than the 2D sprites of the original. Released only in Japan.
 
====Original console games====
''Quest of the Avatar'' is a rarity among RPGs in that the game's story does not center on asking a player to overcome a tangible ultimate evil. Rather, the object of this game is to become the "[[prophet]]" (called "The [[Avatar]]") of a new "[[religion]]" (or [[philosophy]]) for the fledgling land of [[Britannia (Ultima)|Britannia]] (founded on the remains of ruined [[Sosaria]]), by understanding and exercising the Eight Virtues of the Avatar, and finding the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. Richard Garriot has stated that he began writing this game when he realized (partly from letters of enraged parents) that in the earlier games immoral actions like stealing and murder of peaceful citizens had been necessary or at least very useful actions in order to win the game, and that that might be objectionable. Garriot himself considers this game his most outstanding work, and has released the PC version for free download on the Internet in later years.
* ''[[Ultima: Runes of Virtue]]'' (1991) ([[Game Boy]]) — Non-canonical, action-based gameplay and puzzle solving. The game's antagonist is called the "Black Knight".<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Gamespot ''The Ultima Legacy''|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/ultima/g15.html|access-date=2013-08-11|website=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive}}</ref>
* ''[[Ultima: Runes of Virtue II]]'' (1993) (Game Boy, [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]])
 
===''Ultima Online'' MMORPG===
Technically, the game was very similar to part III, although much larger. However, this was the first ''Ultima'' game to feature a "conversation system"; whereas [[NPC]]s in the earlier parts would only give one canned answer when talked to, now players could interact with them by specifying a subject of conversation, the subject determined either by a standard set of questions (name, job, health) or by information gleaned from the previous answers, or from other characters. Many subquests were arranged around this.
{{Timeline of release years
|subtitle = List of ''[[Ultima Online expansions]]''
|1998 =''[[Ultima Online: The Second Age|The Second Age]]''
|2000 =''[[Ultima_Online_expansions#Renaissance|Renaissance]]''
|2001 =''[[Ultima_Online_expansions#Third_Dawn|Third Dawn]]''
|2002 =''[[Ultima_Online_expansions#Lord_Blackthorn's_Revenge|Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]''
|2003 =''[[Ultima_Online_expansions#Age_of_Shadows|Age of Shadows]]''
|2004 =''[[Ultima_Online_expansions#Samurai_Empire|Samurai Empire]]''
|2005 =''[[Ultima_Online_expansions#Mondain's_Legacy|Mondain's Legacy]]''
|2009 =''[[Ultima_Online_expansions#Stygian_Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]''
|2010 =''[[Ultima Online expansions#High Seas|High Seas]]''
|2015 =''[[Ultima Online expansions#Time of Legends|Time of Legends]]''
}}
 
''[[Ultima Online]]'' ([[1997 in video gaming|1997]]), a [[MMORPG]] spin-off of the main series, has become an unexpected hit, making it one of the earliest and longest-running successful MMORPGs of all time. Its lore [[retcon]]ned the ending of ''Ultima&nbsp;I'', stating that when the Stranger shattered the Gem of Immortality, he discovered that it was tied to the world itself, therefore its shards each contained a miniature version of Britannia. The player characters in ''Ultima Online'' exist on these "shards". Eight expansion packs for ''UO'' have been released (''[[Ultima Online: The Second Age|The Second Age]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Renaissance|Renaissance]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Third Dawn|Third Dawn]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge|Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Age of Shadows|Age of Shadows]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire|Samurai Empire]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy|Mondain's Legacy]]'' and ''[[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]''). The aging ''UO'' graphic engine was renewed in 2007 with the official ''[[Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn|Kingdom Reborn]]'' client. ''Ultima Online 2'', later renamed to ''[[Ultima Worlds Online: Origin]]'' and canceled in [[2001 in video gaming|2001]], would have introduced [[steampunk]] elements to the game world, following Lord British's unsuccessful attempt to merge past, present, and future shards together.
Another addition were "dungeon rooms", uniquely designed combat areas in the dungeons which supplemented the "standard" combat against randomly appearing enemies. Also, beginning with this game, an overarching storyline was begun that linked the games more closely together than the thin "new bad guy is the son/daughter of old bad guy" of the earlier games. The world map created for this game remained in use (with a few minor changes) until the last part of the series.
 
''UO'' spawned two sequel efforts that were canceled before release: ''[[Ultima Worlds Online: Origin]]'' (canceled in [[2001 in video gaming|2001]], though the game's storyline was published in the Technocrat War trilogy) and ''[[Ultima&nbsp;X: Odyssey]]'' (canceled in [[2004 in video gaming|2004]]). ''Ultima&nbsp;X: Odyssey'' would have continued the story of ''Ultima&nbsp;IX''. Now merged with the Guardian, the Avatar creates a world of Alucinor inside his mind, where the players were supposed to pursue the Eight Virtues in order to strengthen him and weaken the Guardian. ''Ultima&nbsp;X'' was developed without participation of the original creator [[Richard Garriott]] and he no longer owns the rights to the series. However, he still owns the rights to several of the game characters so it is impossible for either him or [[Electronic Arts]] to produce a new ''Ultima'' title without getting permission from each other.
===''Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny'' ([[1988]])===
 
===''Lord of Ultima''===
At the start of ''Warriors of Destiny'', the player learns that Lord British has been lost on an expedition into the Underworld, and the throne of Britannia has been usurped by a tyrant known as Blackthorn, while three shadowy figures known as Shadowlords terrorize the countryside. Blackthorn enforces a hypocritically moralistic code of law ostensively based on the eight virtues, but in fact anything but virtuous. The Avatar is summoned back to Britannia by his friends; together they form the "Warriors of Destiny" in order to eliminate the Shadowlords, undermine Blackthorn's rule, and restore Lord British to his throne.
''[[Lord of Ultima]]'' is a defunct free-to-play browser-based [[MMORTS]] released in 2010 by [[EA Phenomic]]. It was the first release in the ''Ultima'' series since ''Ultima Online'', and also the first title to have no involvement from series creator Garriott or founding company Origin. It has been criticized{{By whom|date=July 2014}} for having slow-paced gameplay and very weak connections to the Ultima franchise lore.
EA announced on February 12, 2014 that ''Lord of Ultima'' would be shut down and taken offline as of May 12, 2014.{{update inline|date=July 2014}}
 
===''Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar''===
It can be said that the game deals with the issues of fundamentalism and moral absolutism.
Announced in summer 2012, ''[[Ultima Forever]]'' is a defunct free-to-play online action role-playing game. In contrast to ''Lord of Ultima'', ''Ultima Forever'' returns to the lore of the original game series.
As of August 29, 2014. Ultima Forever's servers were shut down.
 
===Other media===
''Warriors of Destiny'' featured much more polished writing (earlier games were riddled with some orthographical errors and uneven vocabulary) and considerably greater detail than previous games, and also included a time-of-day system in which the sun rises and sets, and non-player characters would appear to have set daily schedules. This game has been lauded as realistically portraying a culture living under a dictatorial regime; its tone is much darker than that of ''Ultima IV''.
Several novels were released under the ''Ultima'' name, including:
* ''The Ultima Saga'' by [[Lynn Abbey]] ([[Warner Books]])
** ''The Forge of Virtue'' (1991)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lynnabbey.com/html/forge_of_virtue.html |title=Forge of Virtue |publisher=Lynnabbey.com |access-date=2012-08-17}}</ref>
** ''The Temper of Wisdom'' (1992)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lynnabbey.com/html/temper_of_wisdom.html |title=Temper of Wisdom |publisher=Lynnabbey.com |access-date=2012-08-17}}</ref>
* ''Ultima: The Technocrat War'' by Austen Andrews ([[Pocket Books]])
** ''Machinations'' (2001)
** ''Masquerade'' (2002)
** ''Maelstrom'' (2002)
 
In Japan, various novels, multiple gamebooks, a soundtrack CD, two kinds of wrist watches, a tape dispenser, a pencil holder, a board game, a jacket, and a beach towel were released. There were rumours of an ''Ultima'' anime cartoon,<ref>''The Official Book of Ultima,'' page 78</ref> but its existence has been described as unlikely.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rumor Control: The History of Ultima Cartoons - Wing Commander CIC|url=https://www.wcnews.com/news/update/14815|access-date=2021-02-20|website=www.wcnews.com|date=13 December 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
This game was the last ''Ultima'' developed on the Apple II; the limits of that system were increasingly becoming a hindrance to further technological advance, and thus all later parts were developed on PC systems. This was also the last part in which Garriot had a major share in the actual coding, in the later parts he acted as a game designer only.
 
Four main manga comics were released in Japan:
===''Ultima VI: The False Prophet'' ([[1990]])===
* ''Ultima: EXODUS No Kyoufu'' (The Terror of EXODUS)
* ''Ultima: Quest of the Avatar''
* ''Ultima: Magincia no Metsubou'' (The Fall of Magincia)
* ''Ultima: The Maze of Schwarzschild
 
==Packaging==
Some years after Lord British has returned to power, the Avatar is captured unawares and tied on a sacrificial altar, about to be sacrificed by red demon-like creatures, the [[gargoyle]]s. The Warriors of Destiny suddenly appear and save the Avatar and collect the sacred text the gargoyle priest was holding. In Castle Britannia, the Avatar learns that the shrines of Virtue are captured by the gargoyles and he embarks on a quest to rescue Britannia from the invaders.
''Ultima'' game boxes often contained so-called "[[feelie]]s"; e.g. from ''Ultima&nbsp;II'' on, every game in the main series came with a cloth [[map]] of the game world. Starting with ''Ultima&nbsp;IV'', small trinkets like pendants, coins and magic stones were included. Made of metal or glass, they usually represented an important object found within the game itself.
 
Not liking how games were sold in zip lock bags with a few pages printed out for instructions, Richard Garriott insisted ''Ultima&nbsp;II'' be sold in a box, with a cloth map, and a manual.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.g4tv.com/icons/episodes/411/Richard_Garriott.html?detectflash=false& |title=Richard Garriott interview on G4TV |publisher=G4tv.com |access-date=2011-11-10}}</ref><ref>''The Official Book of Ultima'', page 23</ref> Sierra was the only company at that time willing to agree to this, and thus he signed with them.
The game deals with issues such as cultural differences, racism, and xenophobia, among others. It manages to suggest in-game solutions to these issues, without trying to deny any basis for them in some "politically correct" way.
 
==Copy protection measures==
Technically, this game ended the use of multiple scales; in earlier games a town, castle, or dungeon would be represented as a single symbol on the world map, which then expanded into a full sub-map when entering the structure. Now, the whole map used a single scale with the towns etc. seamlessly integrated into the main map; dungeons were now also represented in 2D instead of 3D. The game kept the basic tile system and screen layout of the three preceding parts, but altered the look into a much more colorful pseudo-isometric view, to take full advantage of the newly-released [[VGA]] graphics cards for PCs. Also, [[Non-Player Characters]] had their portraits shown when you talked to them, something that would not have been feasible on Apple IIs. It was one of the first major PC games directly targeted to PC systems equipped with VGA graphics and a mouse, when the big "gaming computer" was still the [[Commodore International|Commodore]] [[Amiga]]. The game supported sound cards for music as well, which were not yet common when it was released. Other sound effects, such as the clashing of swords, magical zaps, or explosions, were still played through the [[PC speaker]].
In the Atari 8bit version of ''Ultima&nbsp;IV'' one of the floppy disks had an unformatted track. In its absence the player would lose on every fight, which would not be obvious as a copy protection effect right away as one could assume that this was just due to either lack of experience or proper equipment. The protection mechanism was subtle enough to be overlooked by the German distributor that originally delivered Atari 8bit packages with floppies that were formatted regularly, and thus these paid copies acted like unlicensed copies, causing players to lose every battle.<ref>''The Official Book of Ultima'' by Shay Addams</ref>
 
In ''Ultima V'', there were one or two instances where ostensibly insignificant information found in the accompanying booklet were asked by person(s) encountered in the game. The game also used runic script in some places and a special language for spell names, for both of which the necessary translation tables / explanations were provided in the booklet. Similarly, a journal of Lord British's doomed expedition into the underworld was included with the box; over the course of the game it turns out that the player will have to retrace the expedition’s steps to recover a vital item. These can be seen as subtle copy-protection measures, well fitted for the context of history and fantasy so that a casual player didn't take them for copy protection.<ref>''Ultima&nbsp;V'' game and documentation</ref>
==The Age of Armageddon==
 
''Ultima VI'' introduced a more systematic use of copy protection in the form of in-game questions, preventing the player from progressing any further if the questions were answered incorrectly.<ref>''Ultima&nbsp;VI'' game and documentation</ref> In ''Ultima&nbsp;VII'', this practice was continued, although in both games the player had an unlimited number of tries to answer the questions correctly. Answers could be obtained by consulting the manual or cloth map, although the manual released with the ''Ultima Collection'' contained all copy protection answers for every game.<ref>''Ultima&nbsp;VII'' game and documentation</ref>
===''Ultima VII: The Black Gate'' ([[1992]])===
 
In ''Ultima VII Part 2: Serpent Isle'', the copy protection was changed slightly. Players were asked questions at two points in the game, and if they could not answer after two attempts, all NPCs said nothing but altered versions of famous quotes. Everything would also be labeled "Oink!", preventing the game from being played. From Ultima&nbsp;VIII onward, copy protection questions were discontinued.<ref>''Ultima&nbsp;VII Part 2 Serpent Isle'' game and documentation</ref>
200 years have passed since the Gargoyle threat was solved and the Avatar is suddenly whisked into Britannia by a red [[moongate]]. The Avatar is asked to solve a ritualistic murder that occurred last night. Along the way, he learns that "The Fellowship", a new "religious philosophy" led by a man called Batlin, is tied up with the murders and is attempting to bring an evil force that is named "The Guardian" into Britannia.
 
==Common elements==
"The Fellowship" is probably based on [[Scientology]] and similar "personal improvement" groups and faiths; the game can be said to satirize "psycho babble".
===Setting===
Originally, the world of ''Ultima'' was made up of four continents. These were Lord British's Realm, ruled by Lord British and the Lost King; The Lands of Danger and Despair, ruled by Lord Shamino and the King of the White Dragon; The Lands of the Dark Unknown, ruled by Lord Olympus and the King of the Black Dragon; and The Lands of the Feudal Lords, ruled by the lords of Castle Rondorin and Castle Barataria.
 
After the defeat of Mondain and the shattering of his Gem of Immortality in ''Ultima&nbsp;I'', there was a cataclysm that changed the structure of the world. Three of the four continents seemingly disappeared, leaving only Lord British's realm in the world. This remaining continent was referred from then on as "Sosaria". The Lands of Danger and Despair were later rediscovered as the Serpent Isle, which had been moved to a different dimension or plane, so it seems likely that the other two continents still exist. ''Ultima&nbsp;II'' shows Castle Barataria on Planet X, suggesting that the Lands of the Feudal Lords became this planet; ''Ultima Online: Samurai Empire'' posits that the Lands of the Feudal Lords was transformed into the Tokuno Islands by the cataclysm.
Technically 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 overlayed 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 that was entirely mouse-driven; in theory it could be played without ever touching the keyboard. Unfortunately this and the two following games contained an odd memory management system that severely impedes their compatibility with modern Windows-based PCs. However fans have released some patches to address this problem; others have taken the task of rewriting the engine. (See Related Projects at the bottom of this article for more information.)
 
After the defeat of Exodus in ''Ultima&nbsp;III'', Sosaria became Britannia in order to honor its ruler, Lord British. Serpent Isle remained connected with Britannia via a gate in the polar region. The Fellowship leader, Batlin, fled here after the Black Gate was destroyed in ''Ultima&nbsp;VII'', preventing the Guardian's first invasion. Ninety percent of the island's population was destroyed by evil Banes released by Batlin in a foolish attempt to capture them for his own use in ''Ultima&nbsp;VII Part 2''.
''The 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 Blackrock Sword, also known as the Black Sword or the Shade Blade. 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.
 
===Virtues===
In later releases of ''Ultima VII'' this add-on was always included.
[[Image:Virtuegump max.jpg|thumb|The Virtues [[Paper doll (gaming)|Paper doll]] interface Symbol in ''[[Ultima Online]]'']]
In Ultima, the player takes the role of [[Avatar (Ultima)|the Avatar]], who embodies eight virtues. First introduced in [[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar|Ultima&nbsp;IV]], the Three Principles and the Eight Virtues marked a reinvention of the game focus from a traditional role-playing model into an ethically framed one.<ref name = "U9PrimaGuide">{{cite book | last = McCubbin | first = Chris and [[David Ladyman]] | title = Prima's Official Guide to Ultima Ascension | publisher = [[Prima Publishing]] | ___location = Rocklin, CA | year = 1999 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/ultimaix00inci/page/254 254–264] | isbn = 0-7615-1585-2 | url = https://archive.org/details/ultimaix00inci/page/254 }}</ref> Each virtue is associated with a party member, one of Britannia's cities, and one of the eight other planets in Britannia's solar system. Each virtue also has a mantra and each principle a word of power that the player must learn. The Eight Virtues explored in ''Ultima'' are Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility. These Eight Virtues are based on the Three Principles of Truth, Love, and Courage. The Principles are derived from the One True Axiom, the combination of all Truth, all Love, and all Courage, which is Infinity.<ref name="U9PrimaGuide"/><ref name="ferrell198901">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/1989-01-compute-magazine/Compute_Issue_104_1989_Jan#page/n17/mode/2up | title=Dungeon Delving with Richard Garriott | work=Compute! | date=January 1989 | access-date=10 November 2013 | author=Ferrell, Keith | pages=16}}</ref>
 
The virtues were first introduced in ''[[Ultima&nbsp;IV: Quest of the Avatar]]'' (1985), where the goal of the game is to practice them and become a moral exemplar. Virtues and their variations are present in all later installments. Richard Garriott's motives in designing the virtue system were to build on the fact that games were provoking thought in the player, even unintentionally. As a designer, he "wasn't interested in teaching any specific lesson; instead, his next game would be about making people think about the consequences of their actions."<ref>{{cite book|author = Brad King and John Borland | title = Dungeons and Dreamers | publisher= McGraw-Hill/Osborne | year = 2003}}, cited in {{cite book |last=Howard |first= Jeff |title= Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives |url=https://archive.org/details/questsdesigntheo00howa |url-access=limited | date= 2008-09-01 |publisher=A K Peters/CRC Press |isbn=978-1-56881-347-9 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/questsdesigntheo00howa/page/n30 16], 21, 30–36, 58}}</ref> The original virtue system in Ultima was partially inspired by the 16 ways of purification ([[Sanskara (rite of passage)|sanskara]]) and character traits ([[Samskara (Indian philosophy)|samskara]]) which lead to Avatarhood in Hinduism.<ref name = "U9PrimaGuide"/><ref name = "TOBoU">{{cite book |last = Addams | first = Shay | title = The Official Book of Ultima | publisher = COMPUTE Books | ___location = Greensboro, NC | year = 1990 | page = 254 | isbn = 0-87455-228-1}}</ref> He also drew on his interpretation of characters from ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', with the [[Scarecrow (Oz)|Scarecrow]] representing truth, the [[Tin Woodsman]] representing love, and the [[Cowardly Lion]] representing courage.<ref name = "CGW">{{Cite magazine | date = March 1986 | magazine = [[Computer Gaming World]] | title = Inside Ultima&nbsp;IV | pages = 18–21 }}</ref>
===''Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle'' ([[1993]])===
 
[[File:Ultima_codex_symbol.svg|thumb|Annotated approximation of the Codex symbol &ndash; the virtues (numbered) are associated with the principles (italics in shaded circles) they touch]]
While the Avatar destroys the Black Moongate that the Guardian is just 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 serpents played a central role.
 
The Virtues have become a frequent theme in the Ultima games following ''[[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar|Ultima&nbsp;IV]]'', with many different variants used throughout the series. ''[[Ultima&nbsp;V: Warriors of Destiny]]'' saw Lord Blackthorn turn the virtue system into a rigid and draconian set of laws.<ref>[http://www.uoguide.com/Virtues#Lord_Blackthorn.27s_Code_of_Virtues Lord Blackthorn's Code of Virtues]</ref> The rigid system of Blackthorn unintentionally causes the Virtues to actually achieve their polar opposites, in part due to the influence of the Shadowlords. This shows that the Virtues always come from one's own self, and that codifying ethics into law does not automatically make evil people good.<ref name = "U9PrimaGuide"/> ''[[Ultima&nbsp;VI: The False Prophet]]'' confronted the Avatar with the fact that, from another point of view, the Avatar's quests for Virtue may not appear virtuous at all, presenting an alternative set of virtues.<ref>See "[http://codex.ultimaaiera.com/wiki/Gargish_Virtues Gargish Virtues] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505055729/http://codex.ultimaaiera.com/wiki/Gargish_Virtues |date=2011-05-05 }}" at the Ultima Codex</ref> In ''[[Ultima VII: The Black Gate|Ultima&nbsp;VII]]'', an order known as the Fellowship displaced the Virtues with its own seemingly benevolent belief system, casting Britannia into disarray; and in ''[[Ultima IX: Ascension|Ultima&nbsp;IX]]'', the Virtues had been inverted into their opposite anti-virtues.
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.
 
Ultima's virtue system was considered a new frontier in game design,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kline |first1= Stephen |last2=Dyer-Witherford |first2=Nick |last3=De Peuter |first3=Greig |title=Digital Play: The Interaction of Technology, Culture and Marketing | date= 2003-07-31 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |isbn=978-0-7735-2591-7 |pages= 160–162}}</ref> and has become "an industry standard, especially within role-playing games."<ref name="halosandavatars">{{cite book |editor= Craig Detweiler |last= Hayse |first= Mark |title= Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games With God |chapter= Ultima&nbsp;IV: Simulating the Religious Guest |date= 2010-01-01 |publisher= Westminster John Knox Press |isbn= 978-0-664-23277-1 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/halosavatarsplay0000detw/page/34 34–46] |chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/halosavatarsplay0000detw/page/34 }}</ref> The original system from ''Ultima&nbsp;IV'' has influenced moral systems in games such as ''[[Black & White (video game)|Black & White]]'', ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (video game)|Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]]'' and the ''[[Fable (video game series)|Fable]]'' series.<ref name="halosandavatars"/><ref name="videogamesandeducation">{{cite book |last = Brown |first= Harry |title= Videogames and Education |url = https://archive.org/details/videogameseducat00brow |url-access = limited |date= 2008-09-01 |publisher= M.E. Sharpe |isbn=978-0-7656-1997-6 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/videogameseducat00brow/page/n106 82], 88–90}}</ref> However, Ultima can only be won by being virtuous, while other games typically offer a choice to be vicious.<ref name="videogamesandeducation"/> Mark Hayse specifically praises Ultima's virtue system for its subtlety. The game emphasizes the importance of virtue, but leaves the practice ambiguous with no explicit point values and limited guidance. This makes the virtue system more of a "philosophical journey" than an ordinary game puzzle.<ref name="halosandavatars"/>
Since most of the game's code was recycled from Part VII, it was decided not to call it ''Ultima VIII''; Richard Garriot had stated in interviews around 1988 that no two Ultimas shared the same program code, unlike the then-competing ''[[The Bard's Tale]]'' series, and he probably felt bound by this statement.
 
===Characters===
The Two "Part VII" games are seen by many players as the high-point of the series, with their incredibly detailed worlds and their many memorable [[NPC]]s.
{{Main|List of Ultima characters}}
===Artificial scripts and language===
[[File:Britannian runes.png|thumb|Britannian runes, loosely based on the [[Elder Futhark]], and their Latin equivalents]]
The ''Ultima'' series of computer games employed several different [[artificial script]]s. The people of Britannia, the fantasy world where the games are set, speak English, and most of the day-to-day things are written in Latin alphabet. However, there still are other scripts, which are used by tradition.
 
Britannian [[rune]]s are the most commonly seen script. In many of the games of the series, most signs are written in runic. The runes are based on [[Runic alphabet|Germanic runes]], but closer to Dwarven runes in Tolkien's ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', which creator Richard Garriott has stated he has read. They gained steadier use since ''[[Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny|Ultima&nbsp;V]]'', which was the first game in the series to use a runic font for in-game signs. Runes in earlier games were mostly found in hard copy materials, such as maps and the decorative covers of booklets. Runes appear less in ''[[Ultima VII: The Black Gate|Ultima&nbsp;VII]]'' and in later games.
'''Expansion Pack - The Silver Seed'''
 
Gargish is the language of the gargoyles of Britannia and the language used in spellcasting within the game. Unlike the runic script, which is usually used simply as a visual cipher for English, the Gargish script encodes a genuine [[constructed language]], based on (but expanding greatly upon) the magical words of power that first saw use in ''[[Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny|Ultima&nbsp;V]]'', as well as the mantras for each of the Shrines of Virtue, which had remained consistent since ''[[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar|Ultima&nbsp;IV]]''. The lexicon mostly comprises deformed or truncated Latinate stems (''flam'' "fire" ← Latin ''flamma''; ''lap'' "stone" ← Latin ''lapis''; ''leg'' "to read" ← Latin ''legō''), but other origins are also apparent (''uis'' "wisdom" ← English ''wise''; ''kas'' "helmet" ← French ''casque''). But the grammar is ''de novo'' and bears little resemblance to Latin, being largely [[Analytic language|analytic]] in structure instead. Gargish uses suffixes to denote [[grammatical tense]] and [[grammatical aspect|aspect]], and also in some forms of [[Derivation (linguistics)|derivation]]. The Gargish alphabet is featured in ''[[Ultima VI: The False Prophet|Ultima&nbsp;VI]]'', though it is seen only in specific game contexts. ''[[Ultima VII: The Black Gate|Ultima&nbsp;VII]]'' and onward does not feature anything written in the alphabet, with the sole exception of some books to be found in the gargoyle colony in the underwater city of Ambrosia in ''[[Ultima IX: Ascension|Ultima&nbsp;IX]]''. The Gargish language and alphabet were designed by Herman Miller.
The 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.
 
The Ophidian alphabet, featured in ''[[Ultima VII|Ultima&nbsp;VII Part Two: Serpent Isle]]'', was used by the Ophidian civilization that inhabited the Serpent Isle. It is based on various snake forms. Ophidian lettering was quite difficult to read, so the game included a ''Translation'' spell that made the letters look like Latin letters.
The ''[[Exult]]'' project is a complete, free reimplementation of the original ''Ultima VII'' games which can be played on modern computer systems.
 
==Reception==
===''Ultima VIII: Pagan'' ([[1994]])===
{{expand section|date=August 2013}}
In the United States, the first five ''Ultima'' games had collectively sold more than {{formatnum:{{#expr:50000+100000+120000+100000+100000}}|}} copies for home computers by 1990.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Official Book Of Ultima |edition=second |date=1990 |pages=16, 23, 35 |url=https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialBookOfUltima/page/n28}}</ref> In Japan, total sales of [[Pony Canyon]]'s Japanese versions of the ''Ultima'' series had reached nearly 100,000 copies on home computers and over 300,000 units on the [[Famicom]] (Nintendo Entertainment System), by 1990.<ref name=sales3>{{cite journal| author=Ferrell, Keith |title=The Japan Factor|date=November 1990 |issue=123| journal=[[Compute!]] | pages=22–29 }}</ref>
 
In 1996, ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' ranked the ''Ultima'' series as collectively the 55th top game of all time, commenting that, "While the graphics and playing style change with the technological leaps of the day, [it] has been the most consistent source of roleplaying excitement in history."<ref>''Next Generation'' 21 (September 1996), p.51.</ref> In 1999, ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' listed the ''Ultima'' series as number 18 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that, "Most PC RPGs are about hacking and slashing through anything that moves, usually while crawling through a dungeon. The ''Ultima'' series, however, has always been firmly grounded in a world where a character's virtues are as important as their armor class in determining success."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top 50 Games of All Time |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=50 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=February 1999|page=78}}</ref> In 2000, Britannia was included in [[GameSpot]]'s list of the ten best game worlds, called "the oldest and one of the most historically rich gameworlds."<ref>{{cite web|date=2004-10-27|title=The Ten Best Gameworlds: Britannia (Ultima series) &#124; GameSpot|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_worlds/world4.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318140424/http://www.gamespot.com/features/tenspot_worlds/world4.html|archive-date=March 18, 2013|access-date=2013-08-11|website=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref>
Following the defeat of Batlin on Serpent Isle, the Guardian drops the Avatar onto a world that he has already destroyed, Pagan. The world of Pagan is in eternal twilight as the result of an ancient battle between the Elemental Titans and the evil "Destroyer", which resulted in the victory of the Titans. However the people of Pagan had to pay a high price for that -- the world's sun was eternally dimmed, and they must now worship the Titans as gods. The Titans bestow powers on their most ardent followers, but they are otherwise cruel and unloving rulers, and their followers terrorize the general population. And what is the Guardian's role in this scheme?
 
==Impact and legacy==
In this part of the series Richard Garriot delegated most of the work to others, and the result disappointed many fans. The world was much smaller than in the preceding parts, NPC portraits were eliminated, day-and-night cycles were eliminated, the game went back from the "party" concept to the "lone hero" of the first two parts, platform-game-like "jumping" was introduced, and the first release had major plot holes and was very buggy. A second release corrected the bugs, fixed some plot holes, and mostly eliminated the "jumping", but by then the damage to the game's reputation had already been done. However this fixed second release (and all the identical later releases) is actually a very decent RPG, even if maybe not quite up the immediate predecessors.
Many innovations of the early ''Ultimas'' – in particular ''[[Ultima&nbsp;III: Exodus]]'' (1983) – eventually became standard among later RPGs, such as the use of tiled graphics and party-based combat, its mix of fantasy and science-fiction elements, and the introduction of [[time travel]] as a plot device.<ref name="barton_3623_04">{{Harvnb|Barton|2007|p=4|Ref=barton_3623}}</ref> In turn, some of these elements were inspired by ''Wizardry'', specifically the party-based combat.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barton|2007|p=76|Ref=barton_3623}}</ref> ''Exodus'' was also revolutionary in its use of a written narrative to convey a larger story than the typically minimal plots that were common at the time. Most video games – including Garriott's own ''Ultima&nbsp;I'' and ''II'' and ''Akalabeth'' – tended to focus primarily on things like combat without venturing much further.<ref name="borlanddd_b">{{Harvnb|King|Borland|2003|pp=72–78|Ref=borlanddd}}</ref> In addition, Garriott would introduce in ''Ultima&nbsp;IV'' a theme that would persist throughout later ''Ultimas'' – a system of chivalry and code of conduct in which the player, or "Avatar", is tested periodically (in both obvious and unseen ways) and judged according to his or her actions. This system of morals and ethics was unique, in that in other video games players could for the most part act and do as they wished without having to consider the consequences of their actions.<ref name="borlanddd_b" />
 
''Ultima III'' would go on to be released for many other platforms and influenced the development of such RPGs as ''[[Excalibur (video game)|Excalibur]]'', ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' and ''[[Dragon Quest]]'';<ref name="gspot_consolehist_h">{{Harvnb|Vestal|1998|p="The First Console RPG"|Ref=gspot_consolehist}} "A devoted gamer could make a decent case for either of these Atari titles founding the RPG genre; nevertheless, there's no denying that Dragon Quest was the primary catalyst for the Japanese console RPG industry. And Japan is where the vast majority of console RPGs come from, to this day. Influenced by the popular PC RPGs of the day (most notably Ultima), both Excalibur and Dragon Quest "stripped down" the statistics while keeping features that can be found even in today's most technologically advanced titles. An RPG just wouldn't be complete, in many gamers' eyes, without a medieval setting, hit points, random enemy encounters, and endless supplies of gold. (...) The rise of the Japanese RPG as a dominant gaming genre and Nintendo's NES as the dominant console platform were closely intertwined."</ref> and many consider the game to be the first modern [[computer role-playing game]].<ref name="barton_3623_04" />
'''Expansion Pack - The Lost Vale'''
 
On June 30, 2020, Garriott said he was turned down by EA for any attempts to revive or remaster the Ultima series.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gerblick |first1=Jordan |title=Ultima remasters were turned down by EA, says series creator Richard Garriott |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/ultima-remasters-were-turned-down-by-ea-says-series-creator-richard-garriott/ |website=GamesRadar |date=30 June 2020 |access-date=30 June 2020}}</ref>
This expansion to ''Ultima VIII'' was planned from the outset, and was much anticipated, but never released; it was cancelled when the main game didn't sell as well as had been expected.
 
===''UltimaShroud IXof the Avatar: AscensionForsaken Virtues'' ([[1999]])===
{{main|Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues}}
[[Richard Garriott]]'s new company [[Portalarium]] developed an [[Role-playing video game|RPG]]/[[MMORPG]] that Garriott has described as a clear [[spiritual successor]] of the ''Ultima'' series.<ref>{{cite web |last=Reahard |first=Jef |url=http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/garriotts-ultimate-rpg-clearly-the-spiritual-successor-to-ult/ |title=Garriott's Ultimate RPG 'clearly the spiritual successor' to Ultima &#124; Massively |publisher=Massively.joystiq.com |date=2011-12-12 |access-date=2012-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211022541/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/garriotts-ultimate-rpg-clearly-the-spiritual-successor-to-ult/ |archive-date=2013-12-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On March 8, 2013, Portalarium launched a Kickstarter campaign<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/portalarium/shroud-of-the-avatar-forsaken-virtues-0 |title=Shroud of the Avatar Kickstarter Campaign |publisher=Portalarium |date=2013-04-08 |access-date=2013-04-08}}</ref> for ''[[Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/ |title=Shroud of the Avatar Home Page |publisher=Portalarium |date=2013-04-08 |access-date=2013-04-08}}</ref> ''Forsaken Virtues'' is the first of five full-length episodic installments in ''Shroud of the Avatar'' and was designed as a "Selective Multiplayer Game". This allowed the player to determine his or her level of multiplayer involvement that ranges from MMO to single player offline. Despite original plans to launch in Summer 2017,<ref>{{Citation|last=Portalarium Austin|title=Spring 2017 Telethon of the Avatar|date=2017-03-17|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aENqiJsjQk8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/aENqiJsjQk8| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|access-date=2017-03-22}}{{cbignore}}</ref> with Episodes 2 through 5 estimated for subsequent yearly releases,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/?page_id=19 |title=Shroud of the Avatar FAQ |publisher=Portalarium |date=2015 |access-date=2015-04-13}}</ref> the first episode would ultimately be released on March 27, 2018, to mixed reception. Further episodes have not yet been released.
 
==References==
Following the Avatar's liberation of Pagan, he is transported back to Britannia for one final battle with the Guardian, who is increasingly ruining the physical and moral fabric of that land. He must restore the Runes of Virtue and cleanse the shrines of the Guardian's taint and he must restore the people to the way of the Virtues - knowing that he will now never again be able to return to Earth.
{{Reflist}}
 
==Sources==
The long pause between the release of ''Ultima VIII'' and this game was mostly caused by the fact that a three-quarters-finished isometric "Ultima IX" was thrown away because it was decided to aim for a true 3D game, and then the [[Voodoo 3D]] graphics cards fell out of public favor and thus the [[Glide]]-based code had to be readjusted another time for [[Direct3D]]. While being better than the previous part, and with a stunningly detailed, seamless 3D world, this game also had its reputation spoiled by a very buggy first release; the design team had objected strongly to that release, but Electronic Arts management enforced it. A few months later, a fixed version was released; a further unofficial fix was leaked on the Internet a bit later by an anonymous member of the team. After this, the game was not bug-free and still had memory leaks, but was much more playable than in the first release.
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=leIwAgAACAAJ|title=The Official Book of Ultima |last=Addams|first=Shay|date=December 1992|publisher=COMPUTE Books|isbn=978-0-87455-264-5|ref=addams}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3623/the_history_of_computer_.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423120401/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3623/the_history_of_computer_.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 23, 2008|title=The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part 1: The Early Years (1980–1983)|last=Barton|first=Matt|date=2007-02-23 |website=[[Gamasutra]]|ref=barton_3623|access-date=2010-09-05}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CvxOAAAAMAAJ|title=Dungeons and Dreamers: The Rise of Computer Game Culture from Geek to Chic|last1=King|first1=Brad|last2=Borland|first2=John M.|publisher=[[McGraw-Hill|McGraw-Hill/Osborne]]|year=2003|isbn = 0-07-222888-1|ref=borlanddd|access-date=2010-09-25}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/rpg_hs/index.html|title=The History of Console RPGs|last=Vestal|first=Andrew|date=1998-11-02|website=[[GameSpot]]|ref=gspot_consolehist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802000558/http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/rpg_hs/index.html |archive-date=2009-08-02 |url-status=dead |access-date=2009-09-10}}
{{Refend}}
 
==External links==
It is also of note that the rush in the release resulted in an unfinished storyline and game world. The game story failed to link itself with that of the previous games. Many fans hate it because it greatly disregards its predecessors. There exists a [http://members.aon.at/hacki-ultima/english/nitpicks_u9.htm Nitpick list for Ascension], as well as a series of fan made [[patches]] to the game that enhance three different aspects of it. The latest official patch version released is [http://www.fileplanet.com/index.asp?section=0&file=36594&download=1 1.18]
{{Wikiquote|Ultima}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/19970330131400/http://www.origin.ea.com/ Origin Systems, Inc.] (redirects to the ''Ultima Online'' website)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120902020412/http://www.uo.com/archive/ The official Ultima WWW Archive] – Information and files concerning the entire saga
* {{moby game|id=-group/ultima-series|name=''Ultima'' series}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311025225/https://www.gamespot.com/features/ultima/ The Ultima Legacy from GameSpot] – A historical overview of the series
* [https://wiki.ultimacodex.com/wiki/Main_Page The Codex of Ultima Wisdom (Ultima Wiki)]
 
{{Ultima}}
<center>Three major fan-made patches are available for Ultima IX: </center>
{{Authority control}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ultima (Series)}}
* Patch v1.19, which enhances the game's performance
[[Category:Ultima (series)| ]]
* Dialouge Patch - which amongst other things rewrites the dialogue for the entire game, fixing plot holes and increasing coherency with the rest of the series.
[[Category:Constructed fictional scripts]]
* Economy Patch - The shops have more on stock, the monsters are harder to beat are the most noticeable changes with other details on the rather long list.
[[Category:Open-world video games]]
 
[[Category:Electronic Arts franchises]]
Shortly after the release of this game, Richard Garriot left Electronic Arts, while EA kept the rights to the "Ultima" name, thus effectively ending the series.
[[Category:Lists of video games by franchise]]
 
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1981]]
==Other Ultima games:==
[[Category:Video games adapted into comics]]
 
[[Category:Video games adapted into novels]]
===''Akalabeth'' ([[1979]])===
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
 
[[Category:Richard Garriott]]
Original forerunner of the ''Ultima'' series that started Richard Garriott's career. Based on D&D28, his twenty-eighth text game based on the [[Role-Playing Game]] ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', with added graphics for the [[Apple II]] computer, the game was called ''D&D28b''. After showing the game to friends, it was later named ''Akalabeth''. Originally self-published by Richard Garriot (a dozen or so were sold by a local computer store), since 1980 published by [[California Pacific Computer]] Co. The name originates from [[Tolkien]]s legend of [[Númenor]] (though leaving out one "L" for whatever reason). The game was later also known as "Ultima 0" among fans, though this was never official.
 
The Game was started as a hobbyist project, was entirely written in [[BASIC]], was on a level with many of the type-in games of the early 1980s, and was originally released for the Apple II only. The player would mainly explore randomly-generated dungeons and battle the monsters living within them, while trying to become a knight.
 
An unofficial fan-made PC version existed on the Internet since about 1995, but only in 1998(?) did an official PC version see the light of day when it was included in the "Ultima Collection" release together with parts I through VIII.
 
===''Worlds of Ultima: Savage Empire'' ([[1990]])===
 
After ''Ultima VI'', the Avatar is transported by a friend's failed experiment with Blackrock to a jungle valley in another world, whose indigenous people were descended from some of the aboriginal tribes of Earth.
 
This game and the following use the ''Ultima VI'' game engine, with some improvements. They are among the best RPGs with "non-traditional" settings.
 
===''Worlds of Ultima II: Martian Dreams'' ([[1991]])===
 
The Avatar finds himself on a spaceship right from the pages of [[Jules Verne ]] or [[H.G. Wells]], and lands on Mars, together with various well-known persons from the late 1800s, such as Nellie Bly, Sigmund Freud, and Nicola Tesla.
 
===''Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss'' ([[1991]])===
 
The first 3D ''Ultima'', and one of the first successful "true 3D" games worldwide (predating [[Doom]]). The Avatar is thrown in the Stygian Abyss by a Baron whose daughter was recently kidnapped. The storyline is only very loosely connected to the main series. Developed by [[Looking Glass Studios]].
 
===''Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds'' ([[1992]])===
 
The second 3D ''Ultima''. Following the Black Gate incident, the Avatar and the rest of Lord British's palace is captured by the Guardian under a dome of blackrock. The storyline is more fully connected to the main series than it was in the first Underworld game; it takes place between ''Ultima VII'' and ''Ultima VII: Part II''. Also developed by [[Looking Glass Studios]].
 
===''[[Ultima Online]]'' series ([[1997]])===
 
A [[MMORPG]] version of the world of Britannia. In ''Ultima Online'', thousands of players interact online in Britannia. See its ''[[Ultima Online]]'' for much more information.
 
===''Ultima X: Odyssey''===
More Info: [[Ultima X]]
 
A [[MMORPG]], slated to be released sometime in Q1, 2004. The official homepage is at http://www.uxo.ea.com/
 
As the game is not single-player, nor was it endorsed by Richard Garriott, its title is generally seen as little more than a marketing device. It is pronounced "Ultima eks", not "Ultima ten".
 
== Related projects ==
* [http://xu4.sourceforge.net xu4] - An open source, portable Ultima 4 engine.
* [http://nu5.sourceforge.net nu5] - A planned open source, portable Ultima 5 engine.
* [http://nuvie.sourceforge.net Nuvie] - An open source, portable Ultima 6 engine. (Works with Savage Empire and Martian Dreams, too)
* [http://exult.sourceforge.net Exult] - An open source, portable Ultima 7 Black Gate and Serpent Isle engine. (Works with the Expansions)
* [http://pentagram.sourceforge.net Pentagram] - A planned open source, portable Ultima 8 engine.
* [http://uwadv.sourceforge.net Underworld Adventures] - An open source, portable Ultima Underworld engine.
 
== Major and Recurring Characters ==
* The [[Avatar (Ultima)|Avatar]]
* [[Batlin]]
* [[Beh Lem]]
* [[Lord Blackthorn]]
* [[Lord British]]
* [[Chuckles]]
* [[Dupre]]
* [[Exodus (Ultima)|Exodus]]
* The [[Guardian (Ultima)|Guardian]]
* [[Iolo]]
* [[Mondain]]
* [[Minax]]
* [[Shamino]]
* [[Smith (Ultima)|Smith]], Iolo's talking horse
* [[Johann Schliemann Spector|Dr. Johann Schliemann Spector]], a.k.a. Zipactriotl
* The [[Time Lord (Ultima)|Time Lord]]
 
== See Also ==
* [[Britannia (Ultima)|Britannia]]
* [[Codex of Ultimate Wisdom]]
* [[Felucca (Ultima)|Felucca]]
* [[Gargish]]
* [[moongate]]
* [[Richard Garriott]]
* [[Sosaria]]
* [[Trammel]]
* [[Virtues of Ultima]]
 
== External links ==
* [http://www.origin.ea.com/ Origin Systems, Inc.]
*[http://www.mobygames.com/game_group/sheet/gameGroupId,88/ Moby Game's entry on the Ultima Series]
* [http://www.gamespot.com/features/ultima/ The Ultima Legacy from GameSpot], a historical overview of the series
* [http://www.cdmag.com/articles/022/184/garriott_interview1.html CD Mag Interviews] Interviews concerning Ascension and other games in the series.
* [http://uxoo.com/ UXO Online], active community visited by developers
* [http://ultimax.ogaming.com/ Ultima X OGaming], part of OGaming network, it receives exclusive material from developers
 
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'''Ultima''' is also the name for the game originally known as [[Baroque chess]].
 
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In the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' [[role-playing game (video games)|console RPG]]s, '''Ultima''' is a powerful [[magic (paranormal)|magical]] [[spell]], usually the most powerful spell in the game. There are also [[weapon]]s and/or [[monster]]s called "Ultima Weapon" in several of the more recent entries in the series.
 
[[de:Ultima]]
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[[Category:Ultima series]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_(series)"