News from the Net
              From our reporter, Alex van Kaam

     Hi and welcome to this issue's Web News.

     To start off with I have this link:
     http://www.peroxide.dk/ultima/
     which will lead you to a site of a group of programmers who
     have got permission from Lord British to create Ultima 1
     again, but this time in 3D.

     I have included 2 screenshots for Sue to put in this issue,
     as you will agree, it looks very nice. I downloaded the test
     demo and I must say it runs very, very smoothly !!!! I also
     included an interview with one of the programmers, might be a
     bit long but I think it is worth it:

RPGDot: Ultima 1 - A Legend Reborn; will it follow the original
storyline of Ultima I, or where's the differences ?

Telemachos: We decided to change the storyline some to make the
game more RPG oriented rather than the hack 'n' slash action game
the original was.  We'll do that by introducing a lot of
sub-quests, mainly given by NPCs you'll meet in taverns, on the
streets of the towns, in the wilderness etc. Also by popular
demand we'll remove the space-part from the original where
suddenly you had to fly a space craft and shoot down aliens and
replace that by a quest more true to the fantasy genre. The
overall plot of the game remains unchanged though so the final
battle shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

RPGDot: Did you arrange any license issues with Origin/EA on using
the brand Ultima ?

Telemachos: Yes, when the project started we contacted Richard
Garriott and made sure there wouldn't be any copyright issues. He
was kind enough to allow us to continue with the project and
agreed that "U1 - A legend is reborn" could be released as
freeware.

RPGDot: For how long have you been working on Ultima I now ? Can
you please introduce the team to us ? What other projects have you
been working on ?

Telemachos: We started working on this project about a year ago.
We started all the way from scratch with no existing codebase to
build on so the first months were spent just developing the 3d
engine and finding the right graphics style. The core team in
Peroxide features just Soeren Seeberg aka.  ZeeGate, the graphics
artist, and myself Kasper Fauerby aka.  Telemachos as programmer.
For the Ultima project we have expanded the team with two new
people; Peter Moore who will produce the music for the game as
well as work with us on the plot and Winston Monzon who will help
ZeeGate with the modelling. It is quite possible that we might
expand the team further when the technology is more in place and
we start to script the game.  For most of the team this is their
first serious attempt at making a game but some of the team
members has some experience in the business either from previous
employment at game companies or from work with multimedia
products. Also it might be worth keeping an eye on our webpage
during January as we might have a little something up our sleeves
;)

RPGDot: What kind of game play are you planning for Ultima I ? A
true hard core RPG with lots of statistics or a RPG light … la
Ultima 9 - Ascension ? Can you generate your character or will
there be some kind of gypsy Q/A ?

Telemachos: We will try to make the game as RPG-like as possible
and avoid having arcade battle sequences. Still the original
Ultima was heavily based on fighting and character developing so
there will be quite a lot of combat in the game. We will probably
look for a way to achieve a fun fighting system where the outcome
of the fight is quite heavily dependant on the characters' stats.
To force the player into exploring the world rather than sticking
to one particular dungeon all through the game (as it was often
the case in the original) we'll spread out the monsters based on
their levels giving each dungeon a distinct feel based on their
inhabitants. The sub-quests we'll add will also require a lot of
exploring and travelling through the continents. As for character
development - it is not yet decided if we'll use a gypsy or not
for the initial stats but when in the game we'll leave the
development to the player.

RPGDot: Do you already know, what's the combat and magic system
will be like? What weapons and spells can you choose from?

Telemachos: We'll make a larger distinction between fighters and
mages in this version of the game than in the original.  There
will only be a very limited selection of magic available to the
fighter through scrolls and potions while we consider adding a
spellbook, possibly with new spells, for the mage. This is a huge
difference from the original where a fighter could easily cast all
spells in the game. The exact appearance and way of invocation of
the spells isn't decided yet as the choice depends heavily on
which combat system we end up with.  Nothing is certain on that
field yet, we are even considering a 3rd person view instead of
the current 1st person. All I can say is that we'll try to make it
an eye-pleasing experience with juicy special effects, particle
systems etc. :)

RPGDot: Comparing A Legend Reborn to Ascension: How do you handle
conversation, inventory, shops etc ...?

Telemachos: Conversations will be like about every other game out
there these days - a conversation tree where the player makes
certain choices in the dialog. Still to challenge the player more
we'll not always allow the player to mindlessly click through
every conversation option. So the player should think about what
he/she answers as the answer could affect the final outcome of the
game. Inventory will be handled with a good old paper-doll system
and the backpack will be split up into equally sized fields with
each object taking up a certain amount of squares. Somewhat
inspired by Ascension and Diablo we will include hot-bars for
quick access to scrolls and potions.

RPGDot: What skills and attributes will there be? And how are they
measured - with numbers or descriptive words (like in U9)?


Telemachos: We'll represent skills and stats by numbers. The
character statistics will include the common attributes like STR,
DEX, MAG etc. Skills will probably be limited to various fighting
skills as trading/producing of objects isn't really in focus in
this game. At each advancement in level the player will be allowed
to distribute points on his/her skills and stats. Also, like in
the original, certain quests might affect the hero's stats.

RPGDot: Are you planning to make more Ultima games in the future?
(If Ultima I follows the original story line, maybe all of the
Ultima games?)

Telemachos: No, this one is the only Ultima we'll remake. This
particular game is a tribute to Richard Garriott and the Ultima
series and it's my personal way of saying "Thank you" for a great
series.  Still it has taken an incredible amount of work just to
get where we are now and after this game is finished we'll
probably try to make our own game. Also it is no secret that some
of the team, myself included, are using this project as a learning
experience and hopefully it can help us getting into the industry
either by contracting our work with a publisher or by getting jobs
in a game company. Eventually the bills has to be paid somehow ;)

     I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to this one
     very much !!!!

     On another (old) note, I have been playing Dungeon Master the
     last few days on my PC using WinSton, I know I mentioned it
     before but Version 0.4 is out and with the correct STOS file
     (1.04) it runs DM perfectlt, even with sound!!! Funny how
     everybody else in the house looked up when I opened the first
     gate with the mummy behind it... It all sounded very
     familiar.  Anyway if you're interested check out
     http://winston.atari.org, I also tried to get Captive to work
     but had no luck :-(

     ... And since I am on "old" items now anyways, I am sure you
     will get a kick out of
     http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/infocomjava.html

     Yup, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on a webpage, now
     don't think it is anything flashy, it's the old well known
     black screen with the white letters, all done in some java
     applet, anyways, log on, click on the black screen that will
     appear in your web browser and start typing.....

     If you first want to know what to expect then check this
     little help file:

Help
The Hitchhiker's Guide was renowned as one of the most fiendishly
complex adventure games ever released. Many considered it a signal
achievement even to get out of the house at the start. The Java
version you have here won't let you save or restore a game, so I'm
afraid you're stuck with starting from scratch each time you play.
If you'd like to be notified when the full shareware version
becomes available, please e-mail Richard Harris at TDV
(rh@tdv.com).


If you aren't familiar with the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
you will likely be very confused. If you are familiar with the
HHGG, you will also be very confused - while the game starts
similarly to the book, it soon diverges. In summary, you play the
part of Arthur Dent a rather ordinary and ineffectual Earth being
with a liking for tea.

The game starts when the local council makes a spirited attempt to
demolish your house to make way for a bypass. While you're trying
to cope with that, your friend Ford Prefect drops past to tell you
that your efforts are pointless, as the Earth itself is about to
be demolished to make way for a Hyperspace bypass. The rest is up
to you!

     ZDNet has a new article up called "ONLINE RPG WEEK" at
     http://www.zdnet.com/gamespot/stories/features/0,12059,2655
     547-1,00.html, just to let you know all that is covered I
     included that 1st page:



Day One:
Ultima Online
One of the oldest and most popular online RPGs is also one of the
most infamous. Read up on the past and present of the online world
of Britannia.

EverQuest
Brave adventurers have been exploring EverQuest's colorful 3D
world of Norrath since February 1999. EverQuest has grown and
changed since then, and it will soon have a new expansion.

Day Two:
Asheron's Call
Only the most intrepid explorers may heed Asheron's Call.  Read up
on how the world of Dereth has continuously changed since the
game's initial release.



Dark Age of Camelot
This promising upcoming online role-playing game fuses traditional
European mythology with tactical team-based combat. Enter the Dark
Age of Camelot.

Day Three:
Anarchy Online
In this upcoming game, the futuristic planet of Rubi-Ka has been
taken over by the greedy Omni-Tek corporation. Will you side with
the company or against it?

Shadowbane
Shadowbane is an upcoming game in which the land has fallen into
chaos. Only the strong rule of a united group of powerful
adventurers will restore order.

Day Four:
Atriarch
The upcoming online role-playing game Atriarch will take place on
an entirely alien world inhabited by entirely alien creatures.



Neocron
This upcoming game will take place in the metropolis of Neocron,
where mutants prowl the lands outside the city walls, and where
humans duel each other with futuristic weapons within.

Ultima Worlds Online: Origin
In this upcoming sequel to Ultima Online, adventurers will find
that the land of Sosaria has changed considerably, as
steam-powered technology will be as prevalent as magic.

Day Five:
Neverwinter Nights
Not only will Bioware's forthcoming game include single-player and
multiplayer adventures, it'll also have the means to run
tabletop-style Dungeons & Dragons campaigns online.


Dark Ages and Nexus: the Kingdom of the Winds
You may not have heard of these games, but both Dark Ages and
Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds have been underway for over a
year.

Horizons: Empires of Istaria
Horizons is an ambitious role-playing game that's currently in
development, and it will feature over a dozen different fantasy
races to play.

     StarTrek Creative (http://www.stcreative.de/) have an
     interview up with the audio directory of Star Trek: DS9 - The
     Fallen at http://www.stcreative.de/interviews/tfi01e.htm

     IGN has put a their 3rd to 5th chapter on IceWind Dale: Heart
     of Winter Designer Diary at
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/iwdhow01.shtml
     (Prologue)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/iwdhow02.shtml
     (chapter 1)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/iwdhow03.shtml
     (chapter 2)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/iwdhow04.shtml
     (chapter 3)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/iwdhow05.shtml
     (chapter 4)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/iwdhow06.shtml
     (chapter 5)

     And while you're there why not check out the Dragonriders
     Designer Diary, yes from the famous DragonRiders of Pern
     books

     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/dragonriders1.shtml
     (Prologue)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/dragonriders2.shtml
     (Chapter 1)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/dragonriders3.shtml
     (Chapter 2)

     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/dragonriders4.shtml
     (Chapter 3)
     http://rpgvault.ign.com/features/den/dragonriders5.shtml
     (Chapter 4)

     You will read a lot there about how it goes with the games
     and some nice screenshots too (Included one for Sue to put in
     this issue)

     Talking about Ultima (way back at the start), CGO have put up
     a preview of Ultima Online: Third Dawn:
     http://www.cdmag.com/Home/home.html?article=/articles/030/
     136/ultima_preview.html
     which, as you can read below, seems to be a huge overhaul of
     the original game

Origin Systems is readying the most significant overhaul of its
Ultima Online massively multiplayer online role-playing world with
Ultima Online:  Third Dawn. It features a cosmetic makeover that
takes the existing top-down 2D game's sprite characters and
monsters and replaces them with motion-captured animated 3D ones.
The gameworld itself-the terrain and buildings will remain in
their existing 2D form, and the view of the game will remain
nearly top-down.

Though you may be inclined to think the 3D upgrade is a way to
help compete with the more technological advanced (though in some
game design ways simpler) EverQuest, producer Rick "Stellerex"
Hall feels it shows Origin's commitment to its subscribers. "It
says very emphatically that 'we intend to continue expanding on
this incredible world for a long time to come' ", he explains.
"While we feel that it's a dramatic graphical step forward, it's
also very significant in that it gives us a nearly infinite amount
of room for future expansion. With [Third Dawn], we'll be able to
patch in new content, special effects, and game systems that
simply weren't possible with the old client."

In addition to offering the 3D upgrade, Third Dawn also comes with
new worlds to explore (according to Hall, it's 50 percent bigger
than what was delivered with The Second Age), and as with previous
new editions of the game, these areas will not be accessible to
players that elect not to upgrade. Hall says the new land will use
the Trammel rule set, it will be adventure- only (with no housing)
and your character's reputation (good or evil) will make more of a
difference there (Hill gives an example of evil characters being
more likely to be attacked by "good" monsters). Hill won't give
much detail about the new world's fiction. "We don't want to give
that way before launch-that would spoil the fun." He will divulge
that there are 13 new monsters for the new land mass, some of
which are the "good" monsters and others designed to fit the theme
of the new land.

     They also have another preview of Wizardy 8, and I must say
     it looks nicer and nicer each day
     http://www.cdmag.com/Home/home.html?article=/articles/031/
     041/wizard_preview.html

Wizardry 8 (the final instalment of the role-playing trilogy that
began nearly a decade ago with Wizardry 6: Bane of the Cosmic
Forge) was supposed to have been finalized on December 15, but
when it will hit store shelves (and from whom) isn't yet decided.
The game itself, though, is basically done, much to the delight of
RPG fans. It has been a long and sometimes frantic journey for the
Sir-Tech Canada team

     And finally they have a preview of the new expansion pack for
     EverQuest
     http://www.cdmag.com/Home/home.html?article=/articles/031/
     080/everquestsv-01-r.html

Scars of Velious is the second expansion within a year for
EverQuest, Sony/Verant's reigning overlord of online RPGs, and
most assuredly a critic-proof product for its legions of diehard
subscriber/adventurers (more than 300,000 as of this writing).
Ruins of Kunark, the first add- on, gave you the ability to
progress to level 60 and introduced a new playable race, the
reptilian Iksar. Of course it also supplied a lot of new stuff to
see and kill.


Velious concentrates more on the stuff. Character levels are still
capped at 60. There are no new races. It has less surface area
than Kunark (but more than Faydwer). And you can only reach the
new continent, which lies southwest of Antonica, via the
exceptionally photogenic vessel Icebreaker from North Ro or by
hopping along on some wizard or druid's coat tails. It's also a
pretty rough neighborhood for anyone below level 40, but
considering the rate at which players now seem able to whiz
through their apprenticeship (Internet survival guides for every
class are pretty thorough), this won't be much of a backbreaker.
Once you do arrive, there's quite a bit to see and kill.
Including, at long last, little white bunnies.

                                                   Alex





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