The Unofficial Ultima Online FAQ V1.5

This FAQ is unofficial, and all information in here should be treated as such. Origin has had no involvement in the preparation of this FAQ, and should not be held responsible in any way for anything herein. Ultima Online, Ultima, and all references thereto are copyrighted by Origin Systems. "Lord British" is copyrighted by Richard Garriott.

Windows 95 and DirectX are copyright Microsoft.

1. What is Ultima Online?

2. System Requirements

2.1 What were the system requirements for the pre-alpha?

2.2 What are the requirements for the upcoming beta?

2.3 What are the requirements for the final version?

3. Basics

3.1 What's the game engine like?

3.2 Combat

3.3 Magic

3.4 Graphics

3.5 Sound

3.6 Character Creation

3.7 Conversation

4. Beta Changes

4.1 What's the level system like?

4.2 Is the magic system different than that of the pre-alpha?

4.2.1 How can I find reagents?

4.2.2 How do I learn spells?

4.2.3 Can I enchant items?

4.2.4 Can I create spells?

4.3 What's the skill system like?

4.3.1 How many skills are there?

4.3.2 What's this I hear about atrophy?

4.3.3 Is it any easier to regain atrophied skills it was to learn them the 1st time?

4.4 How big is UO?

4.4.1 Will UO include all 4 original continents?

4.4.2 Will UO ever include other lands?

4.4.3 What's the map size?

4.4.4 How many cities are there?

4.5 Can I build houses?

4.6 How can I afford all these expensive services?

4.7 How will UO deal with pkilling and other "offenses"?

4.8 Will there be any way to find another player anywhere in the world?

4.8.1 Can I contact that player?

4.9 What forms of transportation are there?

4.10 Will combat change at all?

4.11 What about quests?

5. Interface/Engine changes

5.1 How many players will UO support?

5.2 Will the UO beta be a downloadable client, like the pre-alpha?

5.3 Will there be customizable hotkeys?

5.4 Will I be able to transfer my character from the beta to the final release?

5.5 What about language filters/swearing?

5.6 That shopkeeper interface in the pre-alpha crashed constantly!

6. Plot

6.1 Is there an overall plot to UO?

6.2 Well then, is there a recurring theme in UO?

6.2.1 Who are the two main characters?

6.2.2 Who plays them?

6.3 When is UO set in the Britannian timeline?

6.4 Will we see the Gods again?

7. Guilds

7.1 Are there "official" guilds in the game?

7.1.1 What benefits do they give me?

7.2 Where can I find a list of player guilds?

7.2.1 What benefits do they give me?

8. Pricing/Availability

8.1 When will the beta test start?

8.2 When can I register for the beta test?

8.3 How do I register?

8.4 When is the final version going to be released?

8.5 How much will it cost?

9. Some Ultima Online Sites

10. Credits

UO = Ultima Online (also UOL)

OSI = Origin Systems, Inc.

LB = Lord British

CRPG = computer role playing game

pkiller = player killer, somebody who kills another's character

1. What is Ultima Online?

Ultima Online is a multiplayer CRPG created by Origin. It's one of a new generation of internet games that allow many people to participate simultaneously. Of course, this has the added benefit of allowing interaction with other players, as opposed to just NPCs and monsters.

2. System Requirements

2.1 What were the system requirements for the pre-alpha?

The pre-alpha required a Pentium-60 or better, with 12 megs of RAM and Windows 95. DirectX was also required. Note that while these were the "official" requirements, I have talked to many people who ran the game with a 486 (varying types, but as low as a 486/66) and 8 megs of RAM. The game also required a video card able to display 16 bit color (65k colors).

There was no Macintosh version for the pre-alpha.

2.2 What are the requirements for the upcoming beta?

The beta and final versions should be less CPU-intensive, but how much less is unknown. A 256 color mode is planned, so this can only help lower the overall requirements. A high-end 486 will probably suffice for 256 color mode, while a Pentium will probably still be necessary for 16 bit color. Windows 95 will still be required for the PC version. Of course, internet access is also required: UO won't supply this.

A Mac port is planned.

2.3 What are the requirements for the final version?

Basically the same as the beta. Since the beta will supposedly contain all the final code, the requirements shouldn't vary too much.

3. Basics

3.1 What's the game engine like?

The game engine affords a top-down isometric view of the surrounding area, with your character in the middle of the screen at all times. The game runs in 640x480 resolution, with a 16 bit color palette. The character is controlled by the mouse. Overall, the engine is probably most similar to that seen in Ultima 8: Pagan. The mouse can be used exclusively, or some hotkeys (inventory/spellbook shortcuts, etc.) can supplement mouse control. Players could pull up a status bar which showed their overall hit points, mana (spell points), and fatigue. Hit points for other monsters could also be viewed.

3.2 Combat

Combat in the pre-alpha was simple. A character could be toggled between two different modes: War and Peace. (The status bar would be pink in War mode, and slate gray in Peace mode.) If a character was set for war, double-left-clicking on an animal, monster or another player would choose that as the target for attack. All that was required after that was to move within melee range, and the computer would automatically force your character to swing his weapons. This system did have a few small bugs, though. Creatures at different elevations couldn't attack each other, so if your character was standing on a hill, he couldn't swing at anyone beneath him. (This was far better than the original bug, which allowed monsters in tunnels beneath the surface to kill characters walking around above them!) Further, there were no ranged weapons. These problems were minimized in the test, and will almost certainly be fixed by the time the beta is released. Further, your character would automatically attack anyone who attacked him. This led to some amusing situations, mostly when people forgot they were set in War mode, and accidentally started swinging at each other! The only cure for this problem was to walk away from the other person, find an animal, and beat it senseless. This would reset the attack flag, so that walking near the other character wouldn't result in combat.

Combat was also real-time, not turn-based.

3.3 Magic

Magic in the pre-alpha test was limited to eight spells. They ranged from healing to fireballs. Also included were some "utility" spells, such as food creation, light spells, and darkness spells. It was impossible to tell who was casting a spell at any given time, since spells weren't accompanied by any casting motions; the spell effect would just pop into being. The one exception to this was the fireball spell, which showed the casting character actually throwing the fireball.

3.4 Graphics

UO ran in 640x480 resolution, and at a 65536 (16 bit) color depth. It could be run in either a windowed or full-screen mode. This shouldn't change with the advent of the beta, except that a 256 color option will be included. No word on whether or not different resolutions will be supported.

3.5 Sound

For the most part, sound was very basic in the Ultima Online pre-alpha. The music was taken from earlier Ultima games, and the sound effects were simple. All combat consisted of two sounds: one when an attack hit, and one when it missed. The music was a temporary measure for the test, and will probably be upgraded for the beta.

3.6 Character Creation

In the pre-alpha, characters had three statistics: strength, dexterity, and intelligence. A set of slider bars allowed the player to prioritize the three: as one slider was increased, the other two decreased. Players could also set gender, hair color, and hair style. There was an option for skin color, but that was unavailable in the pre-alpha.

3.7 Conversation

Conversation in the pre-alpha was simple. A player would type what he wanted to say, and the words would be "barked" over his head. Anyone nearby could see this message; even walls or roofs were no impediment. There was no way to send a private message or any type of global chat. A BBS allowed posting for all to see.

4. Beta Changes

4.1 What's the level system like?

Origin has said that there will be no levels in the beta or releases. Instead, practicing any skill will cause it to increase (and presumably, the stat controlling the skill). No word yet on how hit points will rise.

4.2 Will the magic system be different than that of the pre-alpha?

Yes, several differences will exist. Most importantly, spells will now require reagents to cast, just like in previous Ultimas. This will probably have the effect of cutting down on the overall amount of spellcasting in the game, since each spell will consume player resources. Secondly, there will be no more "hidden casting." In the pre-alpha, there were no visible signs of who cast any spell, except for the fireballs. Often, this led to a situation where one person would stand around and heal monsters that another player was fighting! Now, each spell will be accompanied by some type of effect that allows other players to tell who cast the spell.

4.2.1 How can I find reagents?

Presumably many reagents will be available for sale through NPCs, as in previous Ultimas. However, Origin has said that many of the more powerful reagents will be very rare. This may mean that they'll either be very expensive, or hidden in areas of the world which players must find.

4.2.2 How do I learn spells?

Spells can be learned from certain NPC guilds. Other spells will be hidden, requiring players to experiment or find them through adventuring.

4.2.3 Can I enchant magic items?

Yes! UO will support the creation of magic items. NPCs can be hired to enchant these items for a player, although such a service is likely to be prohibitively expensive. Origin also mentioned the possibility of allowing characters to enchant their own items, without NPC aid.

4.2.4 Can I create spells?

No. The spells in the game come from a predefined list. :-(

4.3 What's the skill system like?

In the pre-alpha, there were approximately fifteen skills. As you used them, they slowly increased. Skills had a range from 0% to 100%. The chance of a successful skill use (like swinging a sword) was based not only on the skill rank, but the controlling stat as well. For example, chances to hit a monster in combat increased as both melee skill and dexterity rose. Thus, two people with 100% skills in the same area won't necessarily be equally good. Supposedly, this system will remain more or less intact for the beta and final releases. Some skills in the beta will be available only if the character receives specific training.

4.3.1 How many skills are there?

The beta will include many more skills, although the exact number is undetermined. Merchant and craftsman style skills have been mentioned, including weaponsmithing for those of you who want to forge your own implements of destruction.

4.3.2 What's this I hear about atrophy?

If a skill remains unused for a certain period of game time (not real time), then it begins to slowly decrease. Basically, the player gets "rusty" in the skill. This will also prevent players from building godlike characters with maximum out percentages in all skills; there just won't be enough time to maximize everything.

4.3.3 Is it any easier to regain atrophied skills it was to learn them the 1st time?

Unfortunately not. Regaining skills will be just as tough the second time around.

4.4 How big is UO?

The pre-alpha test realm was limited to the city of Britain and its immediate surroundings. Even so, the test area was approximately the same size as the Ultima 6 map! The beta and final versions will supposedly be 100 times that size.

4.4.1 Will UO include all 4 original continents?

There is a 75% chance that thier will be other continents.

4.4.2 Will UO ever include other lands?

Maybe. It would be easy to expand the UO world, since the scenery and graphics would be in place already. Rumor has it that tiles for future expansions may be included on the CD, thus eliminating the need to buy a new CD-ROM later.

4.4.3 What's the map size?

The map is now supposed to be one hundred times the size of the pre-alpha. This equates to roughly 100x the size of Ultima 6!

4.4.4 How many cities are there?

There are 16 cities.

4.5 Can I build houses?

Yes. NPC architects can be contracted to build various structures for a fee. It's unknown if there will be a set number of plans to choose from, or if players can make their own designs. Supposedly, this service will be very expensive. Further, players can hire NPC locksmiths to make locks and keys for buildings, thus restricting access.

4.6 How can I afford all these expensive services?

This could be a problem, since money will be far rarer in the beta. However, there will be several opportunities in the game itself for employment. Origin has said that there will be many other ways to make money, but hasn't given any specifics. Banks will probably be available to hold money for players.

4.7 How will UO deal with pkilling and other "offenses"?

Guards will be smarter in the beta release than they were in the pre-alpha. Different cities will have different laws. Characters can call the guards if needed. Outside the cities, lawlessness will reign. Mention has been made of a bounty system for known pkillers.

4.8 Will there be any way to find another player anywhere in the world?

Towns may have a hall that allows you to locate another player anywhere in the game world. There will be a fee for this.

4.8.1 Can I contact that player?

Origin has mentioned that they plan to implement spells designed to allow in-game player contact. Just how far-reaching this will be is unknown. However, there will be no global chat interface as part of the game.

4.9 What forms of transportation are there?

Horses will be available, as will boats. However, magic carpets won't appear in UO. There will be some style of teleportation. "Blink" spells have been mentioned. Also, towns will supposedly have some type of "Moongate center", able to transport you to different areas for a fee.

4.10 Will combat change at all?

Basic combat will remain the same, but a "tournament mode" will be added. This feature will allow players to fight until one or the other is unconscious, rather than dead. Using this mode repeatedly may prove to be a good way to increase combat skill for two players...

4.11 What about quests?

The game itself will generate quests for players to undertake. Once a quest is finished, that's it. More than one person will not be able to complete the same quest.

5. Interface/Engine Changes

5.1 How many players will UO support?

UO will initially support 2000 players at once; the system will be expandable as needed. There will be multiple servers working together seamlessly to create one world, so the server that you're connected to will be irrelevant.

5.2 Will the UO beta be a downloadable client, like the pre-alpha?

No. The beta will be far larger than the pre-alpha (approx. 500 MB), and will be shipped on CDs. There will most likely be a small fee charged to help defray Origin's costs. (At DragonCon, Starr Long threw out a figure of around$2 for this.)

5.3 Will there be customizable hotkeys?

Yes. Players will be able to define their own hotkeys.

5.4 Will I be able to transfer my character from the beta to the final release?

No.

5.5 What about language filters/swearing?

There will be an optional language filter: swearing will be allowed. If you don't want to see it, just turn on the filter.

5.6 That shopkeeper interface in the pre-alpha crashed constantly!

The shopkeeper interface is being totally reworked, but no details have been released.

6. Plot

6.1 Is there an overall plot to UO?

No more than there is to any RPG. Origin hopes that the game will be driven mainly by the characters, rather than kill this/find that style quests. The hope is that we, as players, will drive the world, rather than the other way around.

6.2 Well then, is there a recurring theme in UO?

Yes, there is. Ultima Online will center around the struggle between two entities and their plans. Apparently a fair amount of the plot will revolve around these entities' ongoing schemes.

6.2.1 Who are the two main characters?

One of the two is Lord British, ruler of Britannia. Origin is keeping a tight rein on the identity of the other person. The popular theory is that this second person is Blackthorne, last seen in Ultima 5.

6.2.2 Who plays them?

Lord British will be played by Richard Garriott (of course), and the second figure by Starr Long, UO producer. Garriott will also play a second, unnamed adventurer with no relation to LB.

6.3 When is UO set in the Britannian timeline?

UO is set before the time of the Avatar, in an alternate dimension. This means that many of the things considered "canon" in the Ultima world may be changed or missing.

6.4 Will we see the Gods again?

"The Gods" was a colloquial term for the various UO team members who participated in the pre-alpha. It's unlikely that they'll take an open hand in the beta or final release, but this doesn't preclude them from playing regular characters.

7. Guilds

7.1 Are there "official" guilds in the game?

Yes, there will be several different guilds available to join. These guilds will already be set up when the game begins, and controlled by NPCs. I've used the term "official" guilds here since they'll be set up by the UO team, rather than players. This doesn't necessarily mean the UO programmers etc. will be involved with them, just that they'll already exist in the game before we players start.

7.1.1 What benefits do they give me?

These guilds will be able to train a character in skills, teach spells, and hand out quests to guild members.

7.2 Where can I find a list of player guilds?

Several player guilds have already formed, and more are springing up every day. Auric and Andrew have a fine master guild index at: http://members.visi.net/~auric/index.html Check it out and see if one suits you. If not, feel free to start your own!

7.2.1 What benefits do they give me?

Player guild benefits will probably be very different from NPC guild bonuses. For example, it's doubtful that one player can teach spells to another, or train someone else in combat skills. However, a player guild gives more opportunities for interaction, allows a new player to draw on the knowledge of those more experienced, and the opportunity to get help in many situations. In the pre-alpha test, most guilds helped members by hunting down and killing those who murdered one of their members. Believe me, this alone makes a guild worth joining for the inexperienced.

8. Pricing/Availability

8.1 When will the beta test start?

The beta test should begin sometime this fall. Origin hasn't said anything more specific than that, but a popular belief is that early September will see the start of the beta.

8.2 When can I register for the beta test?

Word from DragonCon is that registration for the beta test is imminent: hopefully within the next couple of weeks(i.e., around the middle to end of July.). Keep an eye on www.owo.com for the registration form! Or if you read LaWizard's Chat Zone (address below), he will have a link at the top when the sign up has started.

8.3 How do I register?

Origin will probably put a join form at the Ultima Online website: www.owo.com. Other than that, it may be wise to periodically check rec.games.computer.ultima-dragons for the details regarding registration. I guarantee that r.g.c.u-d will have the details as soon as they're available.

8.4 When is the final version going to be released?

Origin is shooting for final release by Christmas of 1996.

8.5 How much will it cost?

There's no official word on this. Unofficial word (again, from DragonCon) was that there will be two pricing plans: hourly and monthly. The monthly pricing plan should be around $20/month. This price isn't set in stone, though, so don't be surprised if the final price is different.

9. Some Ultima Online Sites

Check out the following sites for more info:

IRC channel #ultima

Auric's UO Page + Guild Index

LaWizard's Chat Zone

Andrew's UO Page

March of the F**kheads

***Note: the final site listed may offend some people, but hey, it's still got good stuff!

There are bunches of other sites out there, but these should prove to be a good start. If you want you site added here send LaWizard an Email...

10. Credits

The authors Kildaren and LaWizard would like to thank all the people who have contributed to this FAQ in one way or another, including:

LaWizard - for hosting it on his Chat Zone

Auric - for his many invaluable contributions

DrAtomic - for logging the Origin conferences when the rest of us couldn't get in

SengirD - for the same

Riva Dragon - who brought back good info from DragonCon

Ruziska - ditto

Newton D. - ditto

Volatios - ditto

LadyWhisper - for contributing information to this FAQ.

And everyone from OSI for answering our questions....

There will be dragons in UO...