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{{SeriesInfobox | name = Ultima | genre = RPG, Fantasy | developer = Origin Systems, Blue Sky Productions, Looking Glass Studios, Electronic Arts, Bioware Mythic | publisher = Origin Systems, Electronic Arts | platforms = Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore VIC-20, Commodore 64, DOS, MSX, FM Towns, Apple IIGS, NEC PC-9801, Atari ST, macOS, Amiga, Atari 800, Nintendo Entertainment System, Master System, Commodore 128, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sharp X68000, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows }} '''Ultima''' is a series of [[fantasy]] [[computer role-playing game]]s from [[Origin Systems|Origin Systems, Inc.]] ''Ultima'' was created by [[Richard Garriott]], a.k.a. [[Lord British]]. Several games of the series are considered seminal games of their genre. Today, [[Electronic Arts]] holds the brand. ==Overview== The main ''Ultima'' series consists of nine installments (the seventh is further divided into two parts) which are grouped into trilogies or "[[List of time periods|Age]]s": The Age of Darkness (''Ultima I-III''), The Age of Enlightenment (''Ultima IV-VI''), and The Age of Armageddon (''Ultima VII-IX''). The latter is also referred to as "The Guardian Saga" after its chief [[antagonist]]. The first three games were set in a [[fantasy world]] named [[Sosaria]] but during the cataclysmic events of The Age of Darkness, it is sundered and three quarters of it vanish. What is left becomes known as [[Britannia (Ultima)|Britannia]], a realm ruled by the benevolent [[Lord British]] where the later games mostly take place. The protagonist of all games is a [[canon (fiction)|canon]]ically male resident of [[Earth]] who is called upon by Lord British to protect Sosaria and later, Britannia from various dangers. Originally, the [[player character]] was referred as "the Stranger" in the games but by the end of ''Ultima IV'', he becomes universally known as the [[Avatar (Ultima)|Avatar]]. ===The Age of Darkness=== In '''''[[Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness]]''''' ([[1980 in video gaming|1980]]), the Stranger is first summoned to Sosaria to defeat the evil wizard [[Mondain]] who aims to enslave it. Since Mondain possesses the Gem of [[Immortality]], which makes him invulnerable, the Stranger locates a [[Time travel|time machine]], travels back in time to kill Mondain before he creates the Gem, and shatters the incomplete [[artifact (fantasy)|artifact]]. '''''[[Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress]]''''' ([[1982 in video gaming|1982]]) details Mondain's secret student and lover [[Minax (Ultima)|Minax]]'s attempt to avenge him. Minax launches an attack on the Stranger's homeworld of Earth. Her actions cause doorways to open to various times and locations throughout Earth's history, and brings forth legions of monsters to all of them. The Stranger, after obtaining the Quicksword that alone can harm her, locates the evil sorceress at Castle Shadowguard at the origin of time and defeats her. '''''[[Ultima III: Exodus]]''''' ([[1983 in video gaming|1983]]) reveals that Mondain and Minax had an offspring, the titular Exodus, "neither human, nor machine", according to the later games (it is depicted as a computer at the conclusion of the game, and is generally held to be a [[demonic]], self-aware [[artificial intelligence]]). Some time after Minax's death, Exodus starts his own attack on Sosaria and the Stranger is summoned once again to destroy it. ''Exodus'' was the first installment of the series featuring a [[role-playing game#Game systems|player party system]], which was used in many later games. ===The Age of Enlightenment=== '''''[[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar]]''''' ([[1985 in video gaming|1985]]) marked a turning point in the series from the traditional "[[hero]] vs. [[villain]]" plots, instead introducing a complex [[alignment (role-playing games)|alignment system]] based upon the [[Virtues of Ultima|Eight Virtues]] derived from the combinations of the Three Pinciples of Love, Truth and Courage. Although Britannia now prospers under Lord British's rule, he fears for his subjects' spiritual well-being and summons the Stranger again to become a [[spiritual leader]] of Britannian people by example. Throughout the game, the Stranger's actions determine how close he comes to the [[ideal (ethics)|ideal]]. Upon achieving enlightenment in every Virtue, he can reach the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom and becomes the "Avatar", the embodiment of Britannia's virtues. In '''''[[Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny]]''''' ([[1988 in video gaming|1988]]), the Avatar returns to Britannia to find that after Lord British had been lost in the [[Underworld]], [[Lord Blackthorn]], who rules in his stead, was corrupted by the Shadowlords and enforces a [[political radicalism|radically twisted]] vision of the Virtues, deviating considerably from their original meaning. The Avatar and [[The Companions of the Avatar|his companions]] proceed to rescue the true king, overthrow the tyrant and restore the Virtues in their true form. '''''[[Ultima VI: The False Prophet]]''''' ([[1990 in video gaming|1990]]) details the invasion of Britannia by [[Gargoyle]]s, which the Avatar and his companions have to repel. Over the course of the game it is revealed that the Gargoyles have valid reasons to loathe the Avatar. Exploring the themes of [[racism]] and [[xenophobia]], the game tasks the Avatar with understanding and reconciling two seemingly opposing cultures. ===The Age of Armageddon=== '''''[[Ultima VII]]: The Black Gate''''' ([[1992 in video gaming|1992]]) sees the Avatar entangled in the plan of an ostensibly virtuous and benevolent organization named the Fellowship (inspired by [[Scientology]]) to create a [[Moongate (device)|gateway]] for the evil entity known as the Guardian to enter Britannia. An [[expansion pack]] was released named '''''Forge of Virtue''''' that added a newly arisen volcanic island to the map that the Avatar was invited to investigate. The tie-in storyline was limited to this island, where a piece of Exodus (his data storage unit) had resurfaced. To leave the island again, the Avatar had to destroy this remnant of Exodus. In the process of doing so, he also created [[The Black Sword]], an immensely powerful weapon possessed by a demon. '''''Ultima VII, Part Two: Serpent Isle''''' ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) was released as Part 2 of Ultima VII because it used the same game engine as Ultima VII. According to interviews, Richard Garriot felt it therefore did not warrant a new number. Production was rushed due to deadlines set to the developers, and the storyline was cut short; remains of the original, longer storyline can be found in the database. Following the Fellowship's defeat, its founder [[Batlin (Ultima)|Batlin]] flees to the Serpent Isle, pursued by the Avatar and companions. Serpent Isle is revealed as another fragment of former Sosaria, and its history which is revealed throughout the game provides many explanations and ties up many loose ends left over from the Age of Darkness era. Magical storms herald the unraveling of the dying world's very fabric, and the game's mood is notably melancholic and sad, including the voluntary sacrificial death of a long-standing companion of the Avatar. By the end of the game, the Avatar confronts the Guardian but is overpowered and thrown into another world, which became the setting for the next game in the series. '''''The Silver Seed''''' was an expansion pack for Ultima VII Part 2 where the Avatar travelled back in time on Serpent Isle to plant a silver seed to balance the forces that hold Serpent Isle together. Like Forge of Virtue, it created an isolated sub-quest that was irrelevant to the original game's storyline, but provided the Avatar with a plethora of useful and powerful artifacts. In '''''[[Ultima VIII: Pagan]]''''' ([[1994 in video gaming|1994]]), the Avatar finds himself exiled to a world of the same name by the Guardian. The Britannic Principles and Virtues are unknown here. Pagan is ruled by the Elemental Titans, [[god]]-like servants of the Guardian. The Avatar defeats them with their own magic, ascending to demi-godhood himself, and finally returns to Britannia. A planned expansion pack, ''The Lost Vale'', was canceled after ''Ultima VIII'' failed to meet sales expectations. '''''[[Ultima IX: Ascension]]''''' ([[1999 in video gaming|1999]]), the final installment of the series, sees Britannia conquered and its Virtues corrupted by the Guardian. The Avatar has to cleanse and restore them. The Guardian is revealed to be the evil part of the Avatar himself, expelled from him when he became the Avatar. To stop it, he has to merge with it, destroying himself as a separate entity. The [[Ultima IX: Ascension#Original plot|unreleased version of the plot]] featured a more [[apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|apocalyptic]] ending, with the Guardian and Lord British killed, Britannia destroyed, and the Avatar ascending to a higher plane of existence. Because it was only released with a truncated storyline and contained many plot holes and inconsistencies with the established Ultima universe, some fans refuse to accept Ultima IX in its released form as the series' conclusion. ===Worlds of Ultima spin-off=== The [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] '''[[Worlds of Ultima]]''' series uses the [[game engine]] of ''Ultima VI'' and describes the Avatar's adventures after its conclusion. In '''''[[Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire]]''''' ([[1990 in video gaming|1990]]), a failed experiment transports the Avatar to the Valley of Eodon, a [[jungle]] world populated by thirteen [[primitive tribe]]s whom he unites against a common enemy, the [[insectoid]] Myrmidex. '''''[[Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams]]''''' ([[1991 in video gaming|1991]]) takes place after ''The Savage Empire'' and sees the Avatar travel back in time to the [[Victorian era]] and eventually land on [[Mars]] to rescue humans stranded on it by accident and to restore the native Martian civilization. The third game, ''Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 3: Arthurian Legends'', was planned to be set in the times of [[King Arthur]] but was canceled in [[1993 in video gaming|1993]]. ===Ultima Underworld spin-off=== The second spin-off series, '''[[Ultima Underworld]]''', consisted of two games. Set after ''Ultima VI'', '''''[[Ultima Underworld The Stygian Abyss|Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss]]''''' ([[1992 in video gaming|1992]]) sees the Avatar descending into the Great Stygian Abyss to rescue a Britannian [[baron]]'s kidnapped daughter and prevent the summoning of a powerful [[demon]]. '''''[[Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds]]''''' ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) is set between the two parts of ''Ultima VII'' and starts with the Guardian trapping Lord British, the Avatar and his companions within an impenetrable barrier in their castle. To free them, the Avatar has to travel through several [[parallel universe (fiction)|parallel universes]] looking for a way to undo the spell. ===Ultima Online MMORPG=== '''''[[Ultima Online]]''''' ([[1997 in video gaming|1997]]), a [[MMORPG]] spin-off of the main series, has become an unexpected hit, making it one of the earliest and longest-running successful MMORPGs of all time. Its lore [[retcon]]ned the ending of ''Ultima I'', stating that when the Stranger shattered the Gem of Immortality, he discovered that it was tied to the world itself, therefore its shards each contained a miniature version of [[Britannia (Ultima Online)|Britannia]]. The player characters in ''Ultima Online'' exist on these "shards". Eight expansion packs for ''UO'' have been released (''[[Ultima Online: The Second Age|The Second Age]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Renaissance|Renaissance]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Third Dawn|Third Dawn]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge|Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Age of Shadows|Age of Shadows]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire|Samurai Empire]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy|Mondain's Legacy]]'' and ''[[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]'') . The aging ''UO'' graphic engine was renewed in [[2007]] with the official ''[[Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn|Kingdom Reborn]]'' client. ''Ultima Online 2'', later renamed to ''[[Ultima Worlds Online: Origin]]'' and canceled in [[2001 in video gaming|2001]], would have introduced [[steampunk]] elements to the game world, following Lord British's unsuccessful attempt to merge past, present, and future shards together. ===Canceled sequel=== The canceled MMORPG '''''[[Ultima X: Odyssey]]''''' ([[2004 in video gaming|2004]]) would have continued the story of ''Ultima IX''. Now merged with the Guardian, the Avatar creates a world of Alucinor inside his mind, where the players were supposed to pursue the Eight Virtues in order to strengthen him and weaken the Guardian. ''Ultima X'' was developed without participation of the original creator [[Richard Garriott]] and he no longer owns the rights to the series. However, he still owns the rights to several of the game characters so it is impossible for either him or [[Electronic Arts]] to produce a new ''Ultima'' title without getting permission from each other. ==Packaging== ''Ultima'' [[game box]]es often contained so-called "[[feelie]]s"; e.g. from ''Ultima II'' on, every game in the main series came with a cloth [[map]] of the game world. Starting with ''Ultima IV'', small trinkets like pendants, coins and magic stones were found in the boxes. Made of metal or glass, they usually represented an important object also found within the game itself. Not liking how games were sold in zip lock bags with a few pages printed out for instructions, Richard Garriott insisted ''Ultima II'' be sold in a box, with a cloth map, and a manual.<ref>[http://www.g4tv.com/icons/episodes/411/Richard_Garriott.html?detectflash=false& Richard Garriott interview on G4TV]</ref><ref>The Official Book of Ultima</ref> Sierra was the only company at that time willing to agree to this, and thus he signed with them. ==Anti-piracy measures== Ultima VI began the use of copy protection in the form of in-game questions, preventing the player from progressing any further if the questions were answered incorrectly. In Ultima VII, this practice was continued, although in both games the player had an unlimited number of tries to answer the questions correctly. Answers could be obtained by consulting the manual or cloth map, although the manual released with the Ultima Collection contained all copy protection answers for every game. In Ultima VII Part 2: Serpent Isle, the copy protection was changed slightly. Players were asked questions at two points in the game, and if they could not answer after two attempts, all NPCs said nothing but altered versions of famous quotes, such as "[[Richard III (play)|My kingdom for a hammer!]]", "[[Ten commandments|Honor thy father and thy hoe, babycakes]]" and "[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 movie)|Oh my, twig, I don't think we're in Britannia anymore]]". Everything would also be labeled "Oink!", preventing the game from being playable. From Ultima VIII onward, copy protection questions were discontinued. ==Media== ===Games=== ====Main series==== * ''[[Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness]]'' ([[1980 in video gaming|1980]]) * ''[[Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress]]'' ([[1982 in video gaming|1982]]) * ''[[Ultima III: Exodus]]'' ([[1983 in video gaming|1983]]) * ''[[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar]]'' ([[1985 in video gaming|1985]]) * ''[[Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny]]'' ([[1988 in video gaming|1988]]) * ''[[Ultima VI: The False Prophet]]'' ([[1990 in video gaming|1990]]) * ''[[Ultima VII#Part One: The Black Gate|Ultima VII: The Black Gate]]'' ([[1992 in video gaming|1992]]) ** ''[[Ultima VII#Forge of Virtue expansion|Ultima VII: Forge of Virtue]]'' (Expansion Pack) ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) * ''[[Ultima VII#Part Two: Serpent Isle|Ultima VII, Part Two: Serpent Isle]]'' ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) ** ''[[Ultima VII#The Silver Seed expansion|Ultima VII, Part Two: The Silver Seed]]'' (Expansion Pack) ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) * ''[[Ultima VIII: Pagan]]'' (including Speech Pack) ([[1994 in video gaming|1994]]) * ''[[Ultima IX: Ascension]]'' ([[1999 in video gaming|1999]]) ====Collections==== * ''Ultima Trilogy'' (1989) - an early compilation of the first three ''Ultima'' games released for the Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS by Origin Systems. * ''Ultima: The Second Trilogy'' (1992) - a later trilogy of the second three ''Ultima'' games released by Origin Systems for Commodore 64 and DOS. * ''Ultima I-VI Series'' (1992) - a compilation of the first six ''Ultima'' games and published for DOS by [[Software Toolworks]]. Includes reprints of the instruction manuals and original maps. =====Ultima Collection===== The '''''Ultima Collection''''' is a [[CD-ROM]] collection of the first eight ''[[Ultima]]'' [[computer games]] (MS-DOS versions only), including their respective [[expansion packs]]. It was released in February 17, 1998 for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] 95/98 and [[DOS]]. The disk will not work as such on Windows 2000 or newer; a DOS Emulator such as [[DOSBox]] and some manual work is required to get all the games working on modern versions of Windows. The included version of ''[[Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress|Ultima II]]'' is incomplete; see [[Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress|its own article]] for details. Along with ''Ultima'''s I-VIII this collection also included: * The PC port of ''[[Akalabeth]]''. * A sneak preview of ''[[Ultima IX]]'' with an interview with [[Richard Garriott]]. * A complete atlas of the maps used in each game. * The original documentation converted into Windows help file format. ====Other games==== * ''[[Akalabeth|Akalabeth: World of Doom]] (a.k.a. Ultima 0)'' ([[1980 in video gaming|1980]]) * ''[[Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash]]'' ([[1983 in video gaming|1983]]) — not considered canonical part of the series, as it was produced by [[Sierra On-Line]] without any authorization from Garriott and has little in common with the other games of the series. Highly sought after by collectors due to extreme rarity. * [[Worlds of Ultima|Ultima: Worlds of Adventures]] (a.k.a. Worlds of Ultima): ** ''[[The Savage Empire|Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire]]'' ([[1990 in video gaming|1990]]) ** ''[[Martian Dreams|Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams]]'' ([[1991 in video gaming|1991]]) * [[Ultima Underworld]]: ** ''[[Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss]]'' ([[1991 in video gaming|1992]]) ** ''[[Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds]]'' ([[1992 in video gaming|1993]]) *''[[Lord of Ultima]]'' — a browser game developed by [[EA Phenomic]]. ====Unreleased games==== * ''[[Worlds of Ultima|Arthurian Legends]]'' (canceled in 1993) * ''[[Ultima VIII: The Lost Vale]]'' (expansion pack, canceled in 1994) * ''[[Ultima Worlds Online: Origin]]'' (a.k.a. ''Ultima Online 2'', canceled in 2001) * ''[[Ultima X: Odyssey]]'' (canceled in 2004) ====Ultima Online==== {{main|Ultima Online}} An [[MMORPG]] version of the world of Britannia. In ''Ultima Online'', thousands of players interact online in Britannia. See ''[[Ultima Online]]'' for more information. ''UO'' spawned two sequel efforts that were canceled before release: ''[[Ultima Worlds Online: Origin]]'' (canceled in [[2001 in video gaming|2001]], though the game's storyline was published in the Technocrat War trilogy.) and ''[[Ultima X: Odyssey]]'' (canceled in [[2004 in video gaming|2004]]). However, several expansions were released for ''Ultima Online'', adding new features and areas to be explored. They are ''[[Ultima Online: The Second Age|The Second Age]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Renaissance|Renaissance]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Third Dawn|Third Dawn]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge|Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Age of Shadows|Age of Shadows]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire|Samurai Empire]]'', ''[[Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy|Mondain's Legacy]]'' and ''[[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]''. ====Console games==== Console versions of ''Ultima'' have allowed further exposure to the series, especially in [[Japan]] where the games have been bestsellers and were accompanied by several [[Merchandising|tie-in products]] including ''Ultima'' [[manga]]. In most cases, gameplay and graphics have been changed significantly. *''Ultima: Exodus'' ([[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]) *''Ultima: Quest of the Avatar'' (NES) *''Ultima IV : Quest of the Avatar'' ([[Sega Master System]]) — A faithful port of the original. Only released in English. *''Ultima: Warriors of Destiny'' (NES) *''Ultima: Runes of Virtue'' ([[Game Boy]]) — Non-canonical, action based gameplay and puzzle solving. The game's antagonist is called the "Black Knight." This is Garriott's favorite console-based ''Ultima''.[http://www.gamespot.com/features/ultima/g15.html] *''Ultima: Runes of Virtue 2'' (Game Boy, [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]]) *''Ultima VI: The False Prophet'' (SNES) — Gameplay adapted for the game pad. Includes plot changes and reduction in violence. *''Ultima VII: The Black Gate'' (SNES) — Gameplay adapted for the game pad. Includes plot changes and reduction in violence. *''Ultima: The Savage Empire'' (SNES) — A graphical update using the ''Black Gate'' engine for the SNES. Japan only, canceled in the [[United States|US]]. *''Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss'' ([[PlayStation]]) — Uses 3D models rather than the 2D sprites of the original. Released only in Japan. ====Remakes and new games==== * ''[[Ultima V: Lazarus]]'' - A remake of ''Ultima V'' by volunteer programmers using the ''[[Dungeon Siege]]'' engine. The final version of the game, ''Ultima V: Lazarus'' v1.2, was released on April 1, 2006.([http://www.u5lazarus.com website]) * ''[http://www.u6project.com The Ultima 6 Project]'' - A remake of ''Ultima VI'' also using the ''[[Dungeon Siege]]'' engine, was released on July 5, 2010. * ''[[Exult]]'' - In the late 1990s, the Ultima Dragons, an Internet-based ''Ultima'' fangroup, produced an unofficial 'rerelease' of both 'halves' of Ultima VII, and their subsequent expansion packs. Titled ''Exult'', the project updated both games, tying off loose plot threads and updating some of the duology's graphics and user interface, as well as correcting numerous typographical and continuity errors. For copyright reasons, ''Exult'' requires that the original ''Ultima VII'' data files be present on the user's computer to operate, and is entirely non-commercial. * ''[http://ultima.cfkasper.de/ Ultima IX: Redemption]'' - An entirely original installment of the Ultima series using the ''[[The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind]]'' game engine. ''Ultima IX: Redemption'' is an effort to create an alternative to ''Ultima IX: Ascension'', writing a new ending to the Age of the Guardian saga of the Ultima series. Production is approximately 90% complete as of April 2009. ''Ultima X: The New King'', a sequel to Ultima IX: Redemption, will be created by the same team and will likely feature ''[[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]]'' game engine. * ''[http://www.biggles2k.com/darkcore/ Ultima: The Dark Core]'' is a post ''Ultima VIII'' game made for web browsers by Michael D. Hilborn. * ''[http://swut.net/euo/ EUO]'', a retro massively multiplayer online RPG largely based on the early Ultimas and Ultima Online ===Novels=== *'''''The Ultima Saga''''', by [[Lynn Abbey]] ([[Warner Books]]) **''[http://www.lynnabbey.com/html/forge_of_virtue.html The Forge of Virtue]'' (1991) **''[http://www.lynnabbey.com/html/temper_of_wisdom.html The Temper of Wisdom]'' (1992) *'''''Ultima: The Technocrat War''''', by [[Austen Andrews]] ([[Pocket Books]]) **''Machinations'' (2001) **''Masquerade'' (2002) **''Maelstrom'' (2002) ===Manga=== *''Ultima: EXODUS No Kyoufu'' (The Terror of EXODUS) *''Ultima: Quest of the Avatar'' *''Ultima: Magincia no Metsubou'' (The Fall of Magincia) ===Other Ultima merchandise=== In Japan an Ultima soundtrack CD, two kinds of wrist watches, a tape dispenser, a pencil holder, a board game, a jacket, and a beach towel were released. There was also an Ultima cartoon.<ref>The Official Book of Ultima, page 78</ref> ==Characters== See [[List of Ultima characters]]. ==Artificial scripts== The [[Ultima (video game series)|Ultima]] series of computer games employed several different [[artificial script]]s. The people of [[Britannia (Ultima)|Britannia]], the fantasy world where the games are set, speak English, and most of the day-to-day things are written in Latin alphabet. However, there still are other scripts, which are used by tradition. ===Britannian runes=== [[Image:U7-Exult-Wayfarer.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A sign from ''[[Ultima VII]]'' in Britannian runes, saying "The Wayfarer's Inn".]] Britannian [[rune]]s are the most commonly seen script. In many of the games of the series, most of the signs are written in runes, with no actual transcription for them given. Some could see this as part of [[Origin Systems|Origin]]'s clever anti-piracy ploy, where people who do not have the manual would be far more confused while playing the game. Many players of the games learned to read runes without aid. [[Image:Britannian runes.png|thumb|left|150px|The Britannian runes and Latin equivalents.]] The runes are based on [[Runic alphabet|Germanic runes]], but are slightly different. In actual games, the runes have been in use since the early games. They gained steadier use in the games proper since ''[[Ultima V]]'', which was the first game in series to feature a runic font and use it for most of the display of various signs. Earlier games featured runes only in other graphics; For example, in ''[[Ultima IV]]'', visions got from meditating use runic letters. By the time of ''[[Ultima VII]]'', the runes had started to fall in somewhat of a disuse: Old establishments still used runes in the signs, while new ones, such as [[The Fellowship (Ultima)|The Fellowship]], used Latin characters. Curiously, they're also used in the cloth map of ''[[Ultima VIII]]'', even though it is set in a world with no ties to Britannia. ===Gargish alphabet=== Gargish is the language of the gargoyles of Britannia and the language used in spellcasting within the game. The language is complex and flexible, but the vocabulary is prohibitively small, limiting its use. The Gargish language has its own [[alphabet]], although it can also be written in the [[Latin alphabet]]. The difference between [[noun]]s, [[verb]]s, and [[adjective]]s is expressed through intonations and gestures. Because of this, written Gargish uses suffixes to denote [[part of speech]], [[grammatical tense]], and [[grammatical aspect]]. In some cases, these suffixes are also used as independent words. Gargoyles avoid using pronouns or verb tense unless it is crucial to comprehension; therefore the language is often spoken in the [[infinitive]]. The Gargish alphabet is featured in ''[[Ultima VI]]'', though it is seen in the games very rarely. ''[[Ultima VII]]'' and onward does not feature anything written in the alphabet, with the sole exception of some books to be found in the gargoyle colony in the underwater city of Ambrosia in ''[[Ultima IX]]''. The Gargish language and alphabet were designed by Herman Miller. ===Ophidian alphabet=== The ophidian alphabet, featured in ''[[Ultima VII: Part Two - Serpent Isle]]'', was used by the ophidian civilization that inhabited the Serpent Isle. It is based on various snake forms. Ophidian lettering was quite difficult to read, so the game included a ''Translation'' spell that made the letters look like Latin letters. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Wikiquote|Ultima}} * [http://www.origin.ea.com/ Origin Systems, Inc.] (redirects to the ''Ultima Online'' website) * [http://www.uo.com/archive/ The official Ultima WWW Archive] - Information and files concerning the entire saga *{{moby game|id=-group/ultima-series|name=''Ultima'' series}} * [http://www.gamespot.com/features/ultima/ The Ultima Legacy from GameSpot] - A historical overview of the series * [http://www.udic.org/ Ultima Dragons Internet Chapter] * [http://codex.ultimaaiera.com/wiki/Main_Page The Codex of Ultima Wisdom (Ultima Wiki)] * [http://www.ultima-universe.com Ivanhoe's Ultima Universe] Fan Site * [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/gargish.htm Gargish and Britannian runes] * [http://www.ultimacollectors.info The Ultima Collectors Guide] * [http://www.evertype.com/standards/csur/gargoyle.html Gargish alphabet] at [[ConScript Unicode Registry]] * [http://www.evertype.com/standards/csur/ophidian.html Ophidian alphabet] at [[ConScript Unicode Registry]] {{Ultima}}
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) (protected)
Template:MobyGames
(
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) (protected)
Template:Moby game
(
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)
Template:Navbar
(
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) (protected)
Template:Navbox
(
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) (protected)
Template:PageTypeSwitch
(
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) (protected)
Template:PlatformSwitch
(
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) (protected)
Template:Reflist
(
view source
) (protected)
Template:SeriesInfobox
(
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) (protected)
Template:Transclude
(
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) (protected)
Template:Ultima
(
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)
Template:Wikiquote
(
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)
Template:Β·
(
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) (protected)
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