Remember Ultima Underworld? So does Otherside Entertainment

[ShadowTiger]

Not sure if a topic has been created for it already, but if there is, it doesn't appear to be concurrent, so here we are.

Otherside Entertainment has launched their Kickstarter for the next interpretation of the Ultima Underworld series! I just gave a truckload of money to satisfy me fangirling inner gamer, which fondly, fondly remembers how much I thoroughly and completely enjoyed the games. Plus I'm a huge Ultima fan, even though the games weren't that tied-in with the other games, especially the first Ultima Underworld game.

Super-psyched! There's an Underworld Builder Toolkit if they reach a million and a ten thousand dollars. Can't wait to get my hands on that.

Although I am well aware that these are just promises, hopes, and dreams, I'm still very happy to be able to take part in the funding of something that I've truly always wished for. This is nothing short of necromancy here. Reviving a dead series. Let's see what sort of grotesque zombie pops up that we end up loving or hating!

[Nash]

As I've already said 4 minutes prior, this makes me moist. :D :D :D

I wonder if lore-wise, would it be canon? I see they ditched the name "Ultima" so I don't think this will have anything to do with the original game from a story perspective. I would have loved to find out what happened to the poor lizard folk...

[XanderK9]

this makes me moist.

Cassandra, is that you?

I haven't played much of the Ultima series (I don't think I ever tried Underworld), although I did played similar games to Underworld, which I liked. I should correct that someday.

[ShadowTiger]

Yes, but it deserves its own topic. Monumental stuff, this! So to honor your precursion,

The official Ultima Underworld spiritual sequel has been announced. This makes me really moist.

(Coincidently I was playing UW a while ago!)

There is even a thread over there about who is deciding to replay the games. I should. I really should.

There is a Kickstarter milestone Lizardman addition to the game with that $1,050,000 donation set. I do kind of feel like the word "Avatar" is being tossed around over there as if it's somewhat Canon.

Then again, the Underworld games were never truly canon, just like so many of the Ultima games weren't properly linked with the rest! Sooooo much changes between each game, just like Spoony explains in his reviews of each game.

Where is all of the Avatar's equipment after Underworld II, for example? Not a hell of a lot of time had passed after the Blackrock wall had fallen, and Batlin was already on the loose. Why wait so long for the Avatar to get flabby again to chase after him?

[Nash]

I've recently started doing a full RP-playthrough but a while ago I got hit with the shitty "Object List Error" bug and that really made me upset that I had to throw out many hours of gameplay. I posted a while ago here on ZDoom that I think I found the issue and it has to do with the internal item list being overpopulated so in my latest playthrough, I had to do some really 4th-wall-breaking shit by picking up any useless items and chucking them into the water or lava. It certainly seems to work, I'm at level 7 now and I haven't been hit by the bug yet.

EDIT: One of the devs of the original game confirmed my observation. So if any of you plan to replay the classics... start dumping useless crap into the water. :P

[Ixnatifual]

Ugh, those graphics. But it's early days. Kickstarter seems to be going well.

[ShadowTiger]

The graphics are likely only for the prototype, so people would have some sort of confidence-boosting reason to pour money into it.

It's made over $210,000 so far, and it's been less than two days. Sweet. I hope the trend continues.

[Ixnatifual]

Kickstarters go really fast in the beginning and at the end, but slow down a lot in-between. My guess is that it will make the 600k.

[Gez]

Then again, the Underworld games were never truly canon, just like so many of the Ultima games weren't properly linked with the rest! Sooooo much changes between each game, just like Spoony explains in his reviews of each game.

Where is all of the Avatar's equipment after Underworld II, for example? Not a hell of a lot of time had passed after the Blackrock wall had fallen, and Batlin was already on the loose. Why wait so long for the Avatar to get flabby again to chase after him?

Underworld II is firmly set in the Ultima canon, it's set between Ultima VII and Serpent Isle. You even start Serpent Isle with the Blackrock Serpent of Order, which you get as a reward from goblins in Underworld II.

As for why equipment isn't kept... Same reason statistics aren't kept.

[Ixnatifual]

Ultima Underworld also features dwarfs, for example, while the main series purposefully did away with those and other traditional fantasy races Like elves and "Bobbits" in Ultima IV and forwards.

[Gez]

Ultima Underworld also features dwarfs, for example, while the main series purposefully did away with those and other traditional fantasy races Like elves and "Bobbits" in Ultima IV and forwards.

So you're saying Bobbitts were cut?

Anyway, the first Underworld wasn't really meant to be an Ultima title originally. It was shoehorned into the franchise for commercial reasons. The second Underworld, though, is a real Ultima title and integral to the Guardian series.

[Nash]

Makes me wonder if they ever intended to make an "Ultima Openworld" game - a main Ultima game in the Ultima canon - using their then-flashy 3D graphics engine... that and The Elder Scrolls would be in a huge competition though. :D

[leileilol]

to be bought out by zenimax. i'm calling it now

[wildweasel]

Makes me wonder if they ever intended to make an "Ultima Openworld" game - a main Ultima game in the Ultima canon - using their then-flashy 3D graphics engine... that and The Elder Scrolls would be in a huge competition though.

I thought that's what Ultima IX and the then-in-development Ultima X were supposed to be.

[ShadowTiger]

Too bad "What's a Paladin?" happened, and X got cancelled, or just never made. I also hear Shroud of the Avatar was reasonably awful. Lot of people are disappointed.

Still, though, I'm happy to give any game that takes the basic concept of Ultima Underworld or Arx Fatalis and brings it into the present a chance.