On the Nature of Ultima Online.
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On the Nature of Ultima Online. |
During the earliest span of the age of darkness. Found in only the most aged of manuscripts lived a world born of mystic arts and ancient sorcery: Sosaria. Despite Sosaria's enchanted origin its people shunned magic for its very use corrupted the souls of the unwary. But one man dared to awake the slumbering powers of alchemy. Twisting the awesome powers of the gem of immortality to his will and binding all of Sosaria to his corruption: Mondain the wizard. His power was absolute as the whole of the planet was gripped in his cruel embrace. Only the appearance of a stranger saved Sosaria from impending destruction. From whence he came no one knows, but his strength and courage were without peer. In this stranger lay Sosaria's only hope. Only a traveller from the stars could release this world from Mondain's vile stranglehold. He would prove himself a saviour, shattering the gem of immortality and defeating Mondain. But a deeper and more sinister evil was released with the destruction of the gem, for Sosaria was not free of the stone's power. The planet was still bound to the jewel even as it lay shattered on the floor of Mondain's castle. For within each shattered remnant of the jewel dwelt a perfect likeness of Sosaria. Thus is the world in which you are born, live and die. Britannia that was once Sosaria now exists as a thousand worlds each with its own peoples, history and destiny. This Britannia is but one of many in the multiverse, that is Ultima Online.
(From the Ultima Online Intro)
After giving it some thought I must conclude, that UO was never built to be consistent with the original Ultima games. It was built to be a game, which blended to its liking all the various elements across the ages from all original Ultima games. And to have the freedom to introduce all sorts of new material as well. That must be what is meant in the Ultima Online intro when it is said: "(...) each with its own peoples, history and destiny." Thus it seems not fair to criticise Ultima Online of breaking away from the original Ultima games, for it was indeed never intended to follow the original Ultima games.
The possible danger of Ultima Online is, however, that it blends old material and introduces new material in a way, which lets the game evolve into something, which alienates the playerbase from the original Ultima games. I am not sure if this alienation has by now happened or not. Some Dragons would say it has e.g. UDUO, but others that it has not. The Dragons, who enjoy Ultima Online enjoy it for what it is and for the possibility it gives of group play in the Britannian landscapes. The Dragons, who dislike Ultima Online dislikes it either for what it is, but more often for what it is not. The final judgement on this matter of like or dislike I leave to thee noble reader.
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