Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness
Name: Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness
Programmer(s): Richard Garriott a.k.a. Lord British
Publisher: California Pacific
Year: 1981
Description:
Ultima is the grand daddy of all RPGs and is heavily influenced by Dungeons & Dragons. First published in 1981 by California Pacific this was the first role playing game that I encountered as a kid. Sold in "sandwich bags" at my local Software City Ultima was the follow up to Akalabeth. The "quest" behind Ultima was to destroy an evil wizard who possesses a gem on immortality. Game play is a top down view of the world. There are dungeons, towns, castles, temples, shrines, oceans and lots and lots of orc filled wilderness to be explored. Unlike later Ultima games there is only one character in a campaigning party. At the start of the game the player gets to pick the race (Human, Dwarf, Elf, Hobbit), Class (Fighter, Cleric, Thief, Wizard) and sex (Male, Female, Other) of adventurer they would like to be. The player is also given 50 points to spread among various attributes such as strength, wisdom, dexterity and intelligence. The player gets bonus points in attributes depending on the choices made for race & class.
To achieve the goal of destroying the wizard, the player must preform different tasks/mini quests for various kings and other characters scattered through out the Ultima world. An example of a quest would be to go and kill a gelatinous cube or find the Eastern Sign Post. Upon completing a quest the player is either rewarded with gold or in some cases gems to be used later.
The palyer progresses through the game by gaining experience points. Experience points are gained by doing battle with the various evil creatures who pop out of nowhere or live on various levels in the dungeons. In dungeons the deeper the player goes the more dangerous the creatures are, meaning that each hit a creature lands on the player the more hit points are lost. There are 10 different experience levels that the player has to "unlock" to get to the next quests.
Ultima was originally written in Apple Basic with some assembler code, but was later rewritten & re-release by Origin entirely in assembler significantly speeding up game play. Ultima was followed by eight sequels, Ultima Online and now The Shroud of the Avatar. [[1]]
- Ultima 1: The Foundation of Role-Playing Games
In the pantheon of computer role-playing games, few titles hold as much historical significance as Ultima 1, the groundbreaking adventure that established many of the conventions we take for granted in modern RPGs. Created by Richard Garriott, who adopted the moniker "Lord British," this 1981 masterpiece stands as the grand daddy of all computer RPGs, heavily influenced by the tabletop phenomenon of Dungeons & Dragons that was sweeping the nation. Originally published by California Pacific and sold in humble "sandwich bags" at software retailers like Software City, Ultima represented a quantum leap forward in interactive entertainment that would influence generations of game developers.
- Origins and Technical Achievement
Ultima emerged as the ambitious follow-up to Garriott's earlier creation, Akalabeth, but it far surpassed its predecessor in scope and complexity. The game's central quest revolves around destroying an evil wizard who possesses a gem of immortality, a simple premise that belied the sophisticated gameplay mechanics beneath. What made Ultima revolutionary was its seamless integration of multiple gameplay elements within a cohesive fantasy world viewed from a top-down perspective. Players could explore vast wilderness areas teeming with orcs, delve into mysterious dungeons, visit bustling towns, seek audience in majestic castles, find solace in temples, discover ancient shrines, and even navigate treacherous oceans.
The original California Pacific release stands as the superior version of this classic, offering the purest expression of Garriott's vision before later ports and remakes diluted its impact. This initial release captured lightning in a bottle, presenting players with an unprecedented level of freedom and immersion that felt genuinely magical for those experiencing computer role-playing for the first time. The game was originally programmed in Apple Basic with some assembler code, which, while limiting in some respects, gave it a distinctive charm and character that resonated with early computer enthusiasts.
- Character Creation and Progression
Unlike the later Ultima games that would feature full adventuring parties, the original Ultima focuses on a single character campaign, creating an intimate connection between player and avatar. The character creation system was remarkably sophisticated for its time, allowing players to choose from four races (Human, Dwarf, Elf, Hobbit), four classes (Fighter, Cleric, Thief, Wizard), and three gender options (Male, Female, Other) – the latter being particularly progressive for 1981. Players received 50 points to distribute among crucial attributes including strength, wisdom, dexterity, and intelligence, with bonus points awarded based on racial and class selections.
The progression system revolves around gaining experience points through combat with the myriad evil creatures that populate the world. These monsters might ambush players in the wilderness or lurk in the depths of multi-level dungeons, where deeper exploration yields both greater rewards and more formidable foes. Each successful battle grants experience, but the risk-reward calculation becomes increasingly complex as players venture into more dangerous territory. The game features ten distinct experience levels that players must "unlock" sequentially, with each advancement opening new possibilities and challenges.
- Quest Structure and World Design
The brilliance of Ultima's design lies in its quest structure, which requires players to perform various tasks and mini-quests for kings and other important characters scattered throughout the expansive game world. These missions range from eliminating specific monsters like gelatinous cubes to locating important landmarks such as the Eastern Sign Post. Upon completion, players receive rewards in the form of gold or precious gems that prove essential for later challenges. This quest system created a sense of purpose and progression that was largely absent from earlier computer games, establishing a template that countless RPGs would follow.
The world itself feels alive and interconnected in ways that were revolutionary for early 1980s gaming. Towns buzz with activity and offer essential services, while castles house the nobility who dispense quests and rewards. Temples and shrines provide spiritual guidance and healing, while the vast wilderness areas between major locations create a genuine sense of adventure and discovery. The ocean segments add another layer of exploration, allowing players to sail between distant lands and discover hidden secrets beneath the waves.
- Legacy and Technical Evolution
While Ultima was later rewritten and re-released by Origin Systems entirely in assembler code, significantly improving gameplay speed and performance, purists argue that something ineffable was lost in translation. The original California Pacific version, with all its technical limitations and quirky charm, represents the game in its most authentic form. This initial release captured the raw creativity and ambition of a young programmer pushing the boundaries of what was possible on early home computers.
The influence of Ultima cannot be overstated in the context of gaming history. It spawned eight direct sequels, each building upon the foundation established by this groundbreaking original. The series eventually evolved into Ultima Online, one of the first successful massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and more recently inspired The Shroud of the Avatar. Each iteration has attempted to recapture the magic of that original experience, when players first stepped into Lord British's carefully crafted fantasy realm.
- A Gaming Revolution
What made Ultima truly special was its holistic approach to world-building and player agency. Rather than presenting a series of disconnected challenges, it offered a living, breathing world where player choices had consequences and exploration was genuinely rewarding. The game's influence on subsequent RPG development cannot be overstated – from its character progression systems to its quest structure, from its moral complexity to its emphasis on player freedom, Ultima established conventions that remain central to role-playing games today.
The original California Pacific release of Ultima stands as a testament to the power of creative vision and technical innovation. In an era when most computer games were simple arcade-style diversions, Lord British dared to create something far more ambitious: a complete fantasy world that players could inhabit and explore at their own pace. The result was a gaming experience that felt revolutionary to those lucky enough to encounter it, establishing Richard Garriott as one of the medium's most important pioneers and creating a legacy that continues to influence game developers more than four decades later.
For those who experienced Ultima in its original form, sold in those humble sandwich bags at local computer stores, it represented nothing less than the future of interactive entertainment. It proved that computers could be vehicles for epic storytelling and immersive world exploration, setting the stage for the rich tradition of computer role-playing games that followed in its wake.
Original (and better version)
Enhanced version
Here's the "Walk Through" http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/562657-ultima-i/faqs/26869
Also check out Nox Archaist at http://www.6502workshop.com/p/nox-archaist.html for a game in the same style as Ultima I