From: dsblack@iastate.edu (Vilkata TDK)
Subject: Re: Ultima/Origin Systems Info Needed
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 00:45:34 GMT

In <83140@ut-emx.uucp> foegelle@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Michael Foegelle) writes:

>In article <1992Nov3.204927.2704@brandonu.ca> marshall@brandonu.ca (Edward S. Marshall) writes:
>>Now for an Ultima question of my own...
>>
>>I've been out of touch with Origin System's newer products.  Matter of fact,
>>the last program I purchased from them was Ultima V, and the last stuff I saw
>>coming from there was Omega and Times of Lore.
>>
>>I've heard rumors about Ultima VI and VII, but don't know much about them.  If
>>anyone has ANY information about them, PLEASE!!!! get in touch, preferably
>>through e-mail.
>>
>   >>>>Stuff deleted to please my net server...<<<<
>>
>>If you've heard of anything new coming out of Origin Systems, and particularly
>>Lord British (Richard Garriott) work, I'd love to know about it.  Thanks a lot!
>Well, sorry to disappoint you and any other Origin fans, but, although it gave
>them their birth, Origin has gone the way of so many other software companies
>and dumped the Apple II line we all love so much.  Living here in Origin Land 
>(Austin Texas) I have met quite a few people who work there.  (Some even 
>suggested I apply for a job there, but....)  In fact, the guy I bought most of
>my GS stuff from was the last person to put a significant effort towards 
>writing the GS version of Ultima VI!  I have a number of disks (unfortunately
>erased) that have hand scrawled labels like "Ultima VI Source disk 1" and
>"Ultima VI World Disk", etc.  Bummer!

Okay, Ulitma VI and VII are out for the IBM, and VIII is either out or almost
done.  Ultima VI is called "The False Prophet," and VII is "The Black Gate."  I
don't know what VIII is.  I have seen VI and VII on a friend's IBM, and they 
are AWESOME.  The graphics and sound are amazing.  And in one of them (I'm 
pretty sure it's VII), I think it's entirely underground.  Have you ever seen
Castle Wolfenstein?  I haven't seen the GS version, tho I know it's out, but 
another friend plays it on his IBM all the time.  It's pretty cool, too--but
the way you move in it is very similar to movement in Ultima VII.  Very nice!
One little thing I have noticed is that every time they release another one,
another island pops up, and the towns get bigger and more smaller ones sprout.
This hasn't stopped as of Ultima VII--Britannia is a huge city.  Although I
didn't see it, I saw the map, and it fills just about the whole area from 
slightly east of where it was, clear around the bay, to the area where the town
Britain was.  And all of the other cities (Magincia?  don't know) have grown
proportionally, too, with lots of little new towns.

Don't get me wrong; I still prefer the Apple/Mac line over IBM, but I have to
admit, they have some awesome stuff.  To think that the GS would probably have
_better_ stuff if they cared!

Now, the good news: I heard (rumor!) that Ultima VI is either being released or
maybe was even already released very recently for the GS.  Why they would have
waited this long, but then done it now, I don't know.  I would very much like
to see it, tho!

While I'm on the awesome-IBM-programs-that-they-should-have-made-for-the-GS-
years-ago topic, has anybody heard anything about Test Drive III?  I know they
weren't planning on making it, but I always cling to the hope that they'll 
change their minds....

Sorry, that's all I know...  Didn't do much other than raise the tension, did
it?  Oh, well...

dsblack@iastate.edu
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