Ultima Online™ Live Development
Happy 6th Birthday, Ultima Online!
by Anthony "SunSword" CastoroHail and well met, my friends. I bring to you happy news of Ultima Online's 6th Anniversary! The past year has been an important one for UO, one which witnessed our most successful retail expansion and the fulfillment of many player desires, such as Necromancy, Customizable Housing, and the return of in-game events. Perhaps most important, UO reached its peak number of subscribers at 250,000! Ultima Online's longevity and success continues to impress us all, and the future will only bring better things.
In the immediate future, there are several key items to look forward to, including Publish 20 which will provide an improved Vendor System and Housing Phase III. Also on the way is an addition to the UO PowerUP! program called "Character Transfer." Character Transfer will allow players to move a character and most of its items from one shard to another! Stay tuned to UO.com for more info on this new program.
The next year may be the most eventful of all for the Ultima Franchise. As many of you know, Origin and Electronic Arts recently announced an addition to the Ultima Franchise is in the works. As a sister product to Ultima Online, Ultima X: Odyssey offers a new gaming alternative for Ultima fans looking for a level-based, online game steeped in the fantasy traditions of this legendary series. Ultima X: Odyssey picks up where Ultima 9: Ascension ended and, for the first time, allows players to share the experience of a traditional Ultima RPG together. Go to http://uxo.ea.com to learn more about Ultima X: Odyssey.
In addition to the announcement of UO's new sister, major efforts are in the works to breathe new life into Ultima Online itself! We can't talk about it much just yet, but the work is already underway, and we are looking for more people to help us. If you are a talented artist or programmer, visit http://www.origin.ea.com/jobs.html and send us your resume!
On a personal note, this month also marks the 1 year anniversary of my return to Origin and Ultima Online. I cannot adequately express how much I've enjoyed working on this game, with this crew of developers and for all of you. While at times it is a challenging job, nothing beats the opportunity to work and live in an environment and with such a passionate and active community of players. It's hard to believe it's already been a year. I am looking forward to many more years of working on Ultima Online and with you all.
Anthony Castoro
Producer, Ultima Online
Introducing UO Magic Moments!
Make your next sentimental event a Magic Moment!UO Magic Moments offer players a selection of pre-packaged in-game event templates in which they can choose: Wedding Ceremony, Birthday Party, or Remembrance Gathering.
Each event includes an official in-game ceremony officiated by one of Origin System's Magic Moments moderators, a customizable script, and a variety of heartwarming keepsakes.
For more information on this new service, please visit our Magic Moments page.
Lord British Returns!
Talk circulates throughout the land of the return of a figure from Britannia's past, whose whereabouts have been shrouded in mystery for these many moons. In towns all across Britannia, whispers of confusion and doubt quickly turn into a crackling of excited chatter as word spreads like wildfire: The Lost King has returned!
A Brief Moment in Time
Let's take a step back and look at some of the highlights from Ultima Online's thrilling 6 year adventure-but fear not, this is only the beginning!September 1997 - Last day of the original beta test. The beta ended with a bang, as players were treated to an "end of the world" scenario with Shadowlords, demons, and other evil creatures slaughtering every character in sight.
September 1997 - The adventure begins! Ultima Online opens its doors to the public.
August 1997 - Lord British has an unfortunate accident. While giving a speech to a bright-eyed Britannian crowd, the King was engulfed in flames and spent some time in the realm of the dead. However, with the aid of his companions, he was revived shortly thereafter and finished his speech, much to the delight of those in attendance.
October 1998 - The Second Age. Ultima Online's first expansion introduced an entirely new landmass, vicious new monsters, new dungeons, and a lush tropical jungle filled with surprises.
December 1998 - Ultima Online achieves 100,000 users worldwide.January 1999 - Ultima Online expands into Asia
May 1999 - Origin Systems announces European launch of Ultima Online.
January 2000 - Ultima Online expands into Australia with "Oceania," UO's 21st shard.February 2000 - The Invasion of Trinsic. A massive army of undead laid siege to the once peaceful city of Trinsic. Due to the overwhelming odds, the dark army managed to conquer the city under the leadership of Juo'nar and the Dark Mistress Minax. All hope seemed to be lost, but noble Britannians from all over rallied together and reclaimed the city from the clutches of evil!
February 2000 - Ultima Online achieves 150,000 subscribers.February 2000 - Lord British disappears. Rumors fly on the wind about the disappearance of the King. Some claim he was abducted by Mongbats, while others insist that it was the work of more malevolent forces.
May 2000 - Renaissance. Ultima Online's second expansion marked the beginning of a new era in Britannia. With the splitting of the lands into the facets of Trammel and Felucca, players could choose their geography based on their play style.
November 2000 - UO World Faire. Players from all over met and mingled in Austin, TX at Ultima Online's first official Fanfest.
March 2001 - Third Dawn. Ultima Online's third expansion introduced the new land of Ilshenar, new beasts and monsters, and an entirely new way to view the game.
January 2002 - Online Worlds FanFest. Ultima Online's second official Fanfest was held in Austin, TX. Players were able to meet the Developers behind the game, as well as special guest speaker Todd McFarlane.
February 2002 - Lord Blackthorn's Revenge. Ultima Online's fourth expansion brought players into a world under siege, replete with more than 30 new and exotic characters created by none other than Spawn™ creator Todd McFarlane.May 2002 - A hero emerges. Dawn, Royal Knight of Britannia, leads the fight against Blackthorn and Exodus.
February 2003 - Age of Shadows. Ultima Online's fifth expansion was the most aggressive yet, offering players the ability to custom design their homes, the Paladin and Necromancer professions, a new land called Malas, and 13 new combat moves.
March 2003 - Ultima Online reaches 250,000 subscribers.
June 2003 - Lord Blackthorn is defeated! During a speech given by the virtuous Dawn, Blackthorn orders his minions to attack the assembled masses. The battle was fierce, but in the end, the noble citizens of Britannia prevailed, and Lord Blackthorn was slain.
September 2003 - Lord British returns! The Lost King returns to his people and speaks of the future of Britannia.September 2003 - Happy 6th anniversary Ultima Online!
New Necromancer Advanced Character!
Harness the powers of evil with the new Necromancer Advanced Character from UO PowerUp! That's right, now you can jump right into inflicting pain, pestilence, cold, and vile curses against your hapless foes. The Necromancer Advanced Character is the latest advanced character template offered by UO PowerUp! And for the month of October, you will receive a special in-game item with each advanced character that you purchase that reads "Happy 6th Anniversary UO" when you click on it. So get powered up now with your new Necromancer Advanced Character!For complete details visit www.uo.com/uopowerup.html
Orc War Imminent?
Restless orcs continue to venture beyond traditional tribal borders and harass peaceful Sosarians around the world.Trinsic locals were recently astonished to witness an orc convoy trampling their neighborhood. While belligerent orc couriers confronted passers-by, Britannian loyalists raced to the scene to maintain order. The area soon exploded into a battlefield, bloody enough that wandering healers were said to have temporarily run out of resurrection supplies.
Do you have a hot tip, some cool advice, or a story that needs to be told? Send it to [email protected]. If we publish your entry, we will send you a 15-day FREE Game Time code!This months Hot Tips come to us from Sannio, the UO Community Manager.
Tip #1
You can use a special red leaf found on certain player-grown plants to "lock" the text in a book and prevent it from being edited. This leaf permanently seals the text in the book and it can never be changed.Tip #2
You should use certain potions on a plant to help it grow. Double-click the plant to open the plant management window and click the "pitcher" image. You'll see the message "Target the container you wish to use to water the [seed/sapling/plant]" and then target the potion you wish to use.