Greetings,

I just purchased Ultima 7, and have been playing it for a little while now. I'd like some general opinions from the community. Namely, what is so great about this game? Is it very long? How is the story? How are the characters and writing? I like what I see so far, but i'm not hooked, though i'm not very far in at all. The main thing I see people referring to when playing this game is how awesome it is that you can bake and all sorts of other activiites.

Is this an open world rpg where I can buy property and "live" in the world, or are they extra features just fluff?

In a nutshell, freedom and variety. Yes. There's a good 40-50 hours into the game, possibly more if you do all the side quests. Unique. As far as I know the story has not been done in other RPGs. There are many memorable characters like Smith the horse. Locations are very diverse. Although I don't personally like the archiac dialog the writing is good enough to understand what the NPC's are saying. Different strokes for different folks. Some people enjoy that aspect of Ultima 7. Some enjoy the exploration side of the game. Other only want to concentrate on the main quest. Very open. I don't think you can buy property but you can purchase mounts like horse carts. The questing system is non-linear in that you can do any quest in any order. You can visit any place at any time, although I would say the strength of mobs in certain areas act like "gates" (unless of course you cheat then that's irrelevant). As the Avatar you are a figure of moral uprightness for the people of Britannia, but you do have the ability to become corrupt and act like a criminal... with consequences.

You can't 'buy' property no. But you can 'murder' a people and take their houses, or just live in them. I usually 'relocate' a specific person in Britain and live in their large house. Also I go around stealing treasure chests from people, also using the hack mover i take their furniture and make a cozy living space.

But if you want to play the game to it's fullest you will need to eventually settle somewhere, anywhere to store stuff you aren't going to use right away because some items you don't want to leave behind because they are valuable, and powerful, but you can't always carry them around.

The game is open in the same way Gothic is. Your actions may not have a gain a direct response from npcs but you can make it so you can't complete the game without cheating, and the story isn't totally unique, but it isn't your typical slay the beast, save the world either. It has a lot of mystery involved, and has plot twists that should keep you in the story.

EDIT: Yes you can rob the Mint too.

I want to try this game. But I need to know one thing before.
How works fights in this RPG? I saw few gameplay videos and WTF?. it looks like some RTS style ultraquick combats.

The fighting is kind of a like what you would expect from an old dungeon crawler. It takes a little bit to get used to, but it isn't complicated.

OK, I started the game, but I have a serious problem now. Game is insanely jerky. Doesn't matter which graphic mode or how many cycles i set, movement looks still horrible. WTF? Is this normal game feature or just really bad emulation? It's unplayablefor me. :(

Is Core 2 Duo 3,12GHz enough for running this?

(sorry for spelling mistakes, its late, and im not a native)

Well for starters, NO LOADING SCREENS, the full map loads once and that is it, this helps with the inmersion, wich is enormous.

The level of detail of the map is incredible, you've already read about the NPCs having their own schedules, wich helps the inmersion. Arriving late afternoon into a town and not seeing anyone on the shops but the bar is a nice touch.

As you explore the open world (again, no loading screens!) you will have random encounters, you will find bridge trolls, hidden huts, you will find pirates hidding in caves, secret treasures in small islands, sailing ships, hidden chests (with no key! but... you will also find keys around, making you search for their chests)

Also, aliens.


But this is only the tip of the iceberg, i am only talking about how the world unfolds in front of you. On the front seat you will find a political/religious corruption story, with murderers, innocents...

You will meet strange people, you will know of tragedies (great sad enormous tragedies that will make you *feel* really sad). You will know really mad people, whose pars can only tell you how sad they feel because they saw his mentor's mentality decay.

You will find sorrow, and boy, it begins early, the second companion you get is an orphan boy, the son of the butchered guy you whose murder you are investigating since you arrive, making now this search personal, since one of yours is now fatherless because of... (not telling you)


Also, lust, sex and love.


You cannot buy properties because you are only there to help and not to stay (that is the idea of the Avatar, a hero from another world that comes in aid of Britannia and leaves when he is done)

Another amazing fact about the story is that it unfolds seemingly innocently but you always SENSE something is going on in the back and that not everything is how you think it is.... And there are a LOT of things happening around that are RELATED to the main quest but you only end up understanding that as you advance more and more to the final conflict.



I hope this is enough to describe the game :)

edit: spelling, grammar

Note that the weird movement feeling can be resolved by playing through Exult with its smoother movement setting enabled.

Basically what Arkose said. If you want to get rid of the jerky movement Exult is the answer. It has a feature that will smooth the Avatar's walking animation. I'm not sure how to apply this animation smoothing to the entire party. Does anyone know? I'd love to see ALL the NPCs and mobs in Ultima 7 have animation smoothing.

The main reasons that makes Ultima VII (Black Gate + Serpent Isle) my favourite game ever are:

1) The plot. Is really a great story involving chivalry, love, loyalty, treason, lust, ...
2) The wolrd. Is huge, detailed and ALIVE.
3) The freedom. You are free to go elsewhere, follow the plot or not, travel, work, fight, sail, explore, ...

I've played many games with better grpahics, better engine, cooler music, ... but never found such a story as this ( specially Serpent Isle ). Since then I worship the serpents!