A new official UO client - Teaser-screenshots inside! :P

Post by **Xuri** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 4:12 pm

giwo · Post by **giwo** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:32 pm

Hopefully they get some of that Mythic crew to work on their Mobile animations, DAoC is a beautiful game....

I never cared much for UO3D, mostly because it was a resource hog considering the level of graphics it produced. We'll see if this one turns out better...

Maarc · Post by **Maarc** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 3:46 am

Notably none of the screenshots really show off the UI, only ingame creatures and world. Granted, it looks quite nice, and definitely a major step up. But one of the ugliest things that UO3D brought had to be the interface. The buttons and other things were fugly as sin.

But it looks like a step forward, and hopefully their claim that they're aiming for low systems is a good thing too.

stranf · Post by **stranf** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:00 am

Think it will ship with a new encryption scheme that will make it difficult for 3rd party shards to work with it?

If this client's interface is as good as it's world-screen looks and it's completley stable with Uox3, then I would plop down my $30 or 40 to own a legit copy.

And I think Maarc hit is spot on, I can't stand the 3d client mainly from an interface perspective, that and Uox3 likes to kick me off all the time. The 3d client and Uox3 tend to fight for system rescources and that causes problems when you play and run the server on the same PC.

Hopefully this new client will be able to run on the same PC as UOx3 without getting a "lost connection" every 2 or 3 minutes.

punt · Post by **punt** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:05 pm

Actually, it "could" be a major turning point. The current client is fairly well understood, and has apparently disassembled by many. The packets are also fairly welll known.

This is to be a completely new client. The internal structure could be completely different, meaning many parent matching schemes used today for encryption would need to be reworked. In addition, this would be a wonderful oppurtunity, if they desired, to toally change the packet structure (to remove any limitations of the past).

To me, this is the largest worry. For it is not clear that many today are willing to take the time to document what they discover, in as nice a format as others have done. Or if they even be willing to share.

Speculation at the worst, conspiracy plots at the best.

Post by **Xuri** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:52 am

Unless they intend to give the client away for free as automatic updates, their servers will still have to be compatible with the older clients, and thus the new client will probably use a similar scheme.

punt · Post by **punt** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 4:33 am

Well, the other clients have been free. And the first client "update", originaly was going to be 20, then down to 5, then they evenually just made it free.

So, as I said, it "could" be a turning point. Just have to wait to find out.

Post by **Xuri** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 3:52 pm

Newsflash!
A new FAQ is up, along with three new screenshots.

From the FAQ:

Q: Will we still be able to play with the old 2D or 3D client after Kingdom Reborn launches?
A: Yes, we will continue to support the older clients after the launch of Kingdom Reborn. However, the long term plan is to support a single client for the game.

stranf · Post by **stranf** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:54 pm

Man it really looks good. And I will be eager to buy it as soon as I find out it works with Uox3.

Notice there still are not interface shots? I wonder if that is what they are working on now.

Hopefully what the DEV team means by "only supporting" one client in the future, is that all tiles and animations will only be drawn for the new version instead of the older ones. This makes sense as it will limit the development time between updates to create animations for 2D, 3D, and the new client.

Again, I'm not a fan of the time commitment, nor do I have the time, required to be successful in an online RPG. So if it dosen't work on Uox3, I won't buy it, but if it does, then EA will get a check from me.

Post by **Xuri** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:22 pm

I'm guessing they'll be trying to convert as many players as possible to the new client, and when (if) at some point they see that only a minimum amount of users still stick with the older clients, they'll stop providing updates for those clients and possibly change the encryption or something so they no longer work.

I don't think we have to worry overly about UOX3-compability though. They're not creating a new game from scratch, only updating the client and it's user-interface. Perhaps they'll change some packets around, but that's fixable.

stranf · Post by **stranf** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:15 pm

Ok, time for some fun speculation.

Which new player race do you think gets added? (I think Richard Garriot would have hated this since he basically got rid of all the fantasy races after UIII, and stuck with his own world)

Halflings: The hobbits or (bobbits) would be the logical choice. Change a couple graphics and skins, make a few restrictions on large weapons, add some hobbit only equipment to balance it out, and wala you have a player race the would be good for rogues, spies and maybe some wizards. Throw it on a new landmass and say, "This is where the halflings went after Mondain's gem was smashed"

Gargoyles: Following in the "mature" Ultima tradition (U4-U7), gargoyles would be another logical choice, although a bit more difficult to implement then halflings. Greating a gargoyle world would be easy, but how do you deal with factions? Do the human and elf NPCs attack or run away on site? How do you explain all the gargoyles in hyloth? Do you put a script that says, "Hello, xorki, welcome to this dirty dungeon, I hope thou enjoyest thy stay". While possible, I think the halfling class is a bit easier.

Orcs: They already have enough skins for orcs, and buildings in place, just add a few orc NPC vendors and you've got "new" cities and towns already in other landmasses. It would also encourage PvP. While this would be an easy road to take, I would feel it to be a marketing blunder considering you are basically copying World of Warcraft.

New Equipment:

I Just want to say, Two-handed-sword. Does ANYONE have an email to ANYONE in the UO dev team so that I can say, "Get me a greatsword!" My RPG character is not complete without a two-handed-sword. sheesh. And he dosen't like those long Japanese ones either.

What I would like to see:

Realize I play now on a "Roleplaying shard" and not a MMORPG shard. I wish, and they would never implement, they would put in a magic system similar to Ultima Underworld. Forget carrying reagents around. Have a rune back, that you make combinations of runes and then click a cast spell or macro to use those runes to cast the spell.

Ultima Underworld even had the familiar spell circles and everything, there was just a rune corresponding to a word of power for each spell. For example, to cast fireball a PC would need to be able to cast the appropriate circle, have enough MP, and have the runes "Vas", and "Flam" set up as the "current" spell.

Keep reagents for inscribing, enchanting, etc. Maybe make the mages who can use runes a "sorcerror" and add sorcerry as a class. Although I think this would greatly imbalance Ultima Online's economy system so it would never happen. Maybe put restrictions on the use of sorcerry to keep grandmaster warrior/mage platemail wearing PKers from being a dime a dozen. I think a good RPG shouldn't restrict what a PC can wear (a la the old D&D), but a good RPG should penalize a wizard for trying to cast a spell wearing heavy armor. It would also open up the leather and studded leather armour markets.

Just some thoughts, what would all of you like to see?

Post by **Xuri** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:41 pm

I put my bet on Gargoyles or Orcs, considering the "uproar" the developers had to face when they wow-ified UO with elves in the previous expansion

And they have stated since that they want to stay in touch with the "Ultima" part of the game, so I'd be surprised if they went adding a completely new race so far unseen in UO and only being seen in Ultima once or twice (like halflings)

stranf · Post by **stranf** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:55 pm

I can agree with that.

I had another thought about a runic magic system..... after considering it for awhile, consider the benefits if done CORRECTLY (that's the key)

-It adds another magery skill, Runic Magic or Sorcerry or whatever. To be a GM mage as well as sorcerror would require using 200 points of the stat-cap, further hindering the cross-class of warrior mage. The PC would have to decide how much he is willing to invest in the magic arts at the expense of combat arts.

-Make simple runes available to the PC early on. Runes such as In Lor and Mani would allow a PC to cast "light" and basic "heal", thus relinquishing him from using reagents for these spells and allow him to use runes (which don't perish) for these acts and practice sorceerry.

So what would prevent someone from abandoning reagents altogether? The whole purpose of having Runic Magic IS TO remove the dependence on reagents; however, make this a quest in and of itself. Have some runes so expensive it would take lots of time to get them. Have the runes found in the wild re-spawn very slowly and scarcly that many mages won't recieve them without questing for long periods of time.

Since runes are bound to the PC upon death (since they are so rare, you would lose players if they lost all their runes when a PK killed them), it would also allow a new economy of rune trading. If a mage had two Corp rune (which would be rare), he would seek out a mage who had too Vass runes and they would have to make a trade.

In the meantime, while a mage builds his collection of runes, he would be dependent upon the magery skill and reagent magic.

After considering this, if you implemented it right (IE: Make it RARE and DIFFICULT to get ALL the runes), Runic Magic could be a supplement to the Regeant magic system and NOT hurt the UO economy in the process.

I think it would be cool. For basic spells which you had runes for you wouldn't have to use up reagents. (also, maybe spells cast with the runic system could cost 1.5 times the amount of MP of a reagent spell too).

What do you think? Runic magic has its roots in Ultima, so it wouldn't seem that "odd". Again, if done right, it could boost the diversity of the world and add gamers. I just think it might be too complicated to balance correctly and the developers might not want to impliment a potential "headache"

Post by **Xuri** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:54 pm

Three new screenshots!

And the client will apparently be unveiled to the public (for real) in an UO Town Hall meeting on January 27th. Was hoping for more as a Christmas present from EAOSI, but.. ah well.

stranf · Post by **stranf** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:32 pm

That last screenshot is interesting....

look at the bottom left, that monster looks like a minotaur. Are minotaurs in the game now? I've never seen them at least.

And look at the upper right, the PC is *sitting* on the bed. That's kind of cool. If we can sit on beds now, how do we do it?

I agree with you Xu, I was also expecting a bit more by now. Notice in all three screenshots you see basically the same NPC (elf?) with golden plate and the little elvish sword thing. It would ahve been neat to see other equipment. All in all, I still like it, and will be one of the first in line to pick it up if it is UOX3 compatible.

Post by **Xuri** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:23 am

More info on UO:KR was/is supposed to be released tomorrow at the UO Town Hall meeting, but it turns out some japanese UO site (I think) leaked some UO:KR screenshots a day early

Enjoy.

The rumormill says: Playable Gargoyle characters and Stygian Abyss.

Post by **Xuri** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:39 am

More info: http://pc.gamezone.com/news/01_26_07_09_37AM.htm

Basically:
Kingdom Reborn - free client upgrade.
Stygian Abyss - expansion coming late summer/early fall. Playable Gargoyle race, new dungeon (largest in UO ever). Requires KR client.

stranf · Post by **stranf** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:36 am

Interesting.

It's nice that it is free, but does this mean the 2d will still be supported? Or do they mean their "classic interface" is how they support the 2d client?

I'm wondering if a mass upgrade of everyone to kingdom reborn will allow a new encryption process thus making it awhile before KR will work with UOx3.

But, with it as a free upgrade, it will be easy to see if it works or not!

It looks nice, but it is almost february and we have ZERO screenshots of the interface...I hope it is good!

Post by **Xuri** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:42 am

As far as I've heard, you'll be able to use either the old 2D client, the old 3D client or the new Kingdom Reborn client.

Post by **Xuri** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:49 pm

Videos from the UO Town Hall presentation:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JeninSC

Ultima Offline eXperiment 3 forums

A new official UO client - Teaser-screenshots inside! :P

A new official UO client - Teaser-screenshots inside! :P