Ultima IV Remastered now available for the C64

Neil79 · 29 March 2015, 14:27

Quote:

Another big hitter in the retro scene for C64 owners is today's release of Ultima IV Remastered for the C64. Originally released way back in the late 80's for the Apple II and ported over to the C64, is arguably one of the best RPG's ever released for the Commodore.

http://www.indieretronews.com/2015/0...lable-for.html

Galder · 29 March 2015, 14:40

Ah, that's awesome! Makes me wanna buy a c64 too! Ultima series has been always the ultimate rpg experience for me.

Neil79 · 29 March 2015, 15:14

I didn't get into Ultima until much much later, DOS era

jbenam · 30 March 2015, 12:45

Damn, that looks wicked!

My first Ultima was VI on IBM PC. I remember buying it when I still had an Amiga, hoping that it would somehow run

It was a real surprise to run it one/two years later and find out what an awesome game it was!

I never played the first five games, so two years ago I started an Ultima "marathon". I stopped at the beginning of Ultima IV, so I need to pick it up again and this comes as a most pleasant surprise

gimbal · 30 March 2015, 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil79

I didn't get into Ultima until much much later, DOS era

My first one was Ultima 8. Thank god in that time period all RPGs were awesome to me so it didn't dissuade me from trying Ultima 7 and Ultima Underworld too.

Leffmann · 30 March 2015, 21:32

It actually looks better than the Amiga version, which is surprisingly dull looking.

jbenam · 31 March 2015, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimbal

My first one was Ultima 8. Thank god in that time period all RPGs were awesome to me so it didn't dissuade me from trying Ultima 7 and Ultima Underworld too.

You were lucky, you could've started with Ultima IX and you'd have hated the Ultima series forever

Obliterator · 31 March 2015, 11:23

Woohoo now were my Zoomfloppy and blank disks

gimbal · 31 March 2015, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbenam

You were lucky, you could've started with Ultima IX and you'd have hated the Ultima series forever

You want to say it is worse than the patience-testing-simulator known as Ultima 8?

I couldn't play 9 ever because it was in the dark days of early hardware acceleration (Voodoo, Voodoo 2) and I simply didn't have the money for it. I remember reading it was quite buggy.

jbenam · 31 March 2015, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimbal

You want to say it is worse than the patience-testing-simulator known as Ultima 8?

I couldn't play 9 ever because it was in the dark days of early hardware acceleration (Voodoo, Voodoo 2) and I simply didn't have the money for it. I remember reading it was quite buggy.

Funnily enough I still haven't ever touched Ultima VIII at all, but it's part of my "Ultima Marathon" so I'll reach it eventually.

I remember playing the U9 demo back in 1999/2000 both with my Voodoo Banshee (loved that card) and Trio V64+ (software acceleration). It was a buggy piece of crap in both modes

And yes, as if the bugs weren't enough, even the rest of the game is total crap! If you're an Ultima fan and want to have a good laugh:

[ Show youtube player ]
(you can find the other parts around - YouTube removed part 2, iirc)

Jgames · 31 March 2015, 17:40

Ultima 9 is one of the best games ever made, beautiful graphics, awesome music, nice long story.

Galder · 31 March 2015, 21:47

I will agree with Jgames about Ultima IX: it was a great game despite the fact that it was buggy and demanding.

McTrinsic · 31 March 2015, 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgames

Ultima 9 is one of the best games ever made, beautiful graphics, awesome music, nice long story.

You smoking something?? I want something of that, too!

Or did I miss the gigantic "sarcasm" sign??

:boggle:

Cheers,
McT

Neil79 · 01 April 2015, 02:18

Galder · 01 April 2015, 02:24

The story along with the 'incompatible' graphical elements and many silly events that EA chose at that time were definitely sad for someone who followed the series 'faithfully'. However, it was still an ultima game that I really enjoyed playing back then. So I imagine that for an ultima newcomer it would have been much more appealing.

Jgames · 01 April 2015, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by McTrinsic

You smoking something?? I want something of that, too!

Or did I miss the gigantic "sarcasm" sign??

:boggle:

Cheers,
McT

beautiful graphics: It had the best graphics of his day, that are still great today.
awesome music: it did.
nice long story: Epic story.

I can add: great controls, great 3d immersion.

It's only bashed on by ultima fanatics who concentrate on the story, are pedantic on details not even ultima creators thought about.

jbenam · 01 April 2015, 10:54

If you guys want to understand why we said that about U9, just watch the video I linked earlier - that's what most of us fans thought when I played it (yes, I sourced the full U9 later on, but I've lost the install disk)

It's just that the Ultima series gave us fans an HIGH standard of quality, and U9 wasn't up to par with that standard. It wasn't the worst game ever, that's for sure, but sure it did crash every five minutes or so!

By the way, hasn't Ultima always been entirely about the story?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil79

Now that's amazing!

gimbal · 01 April 2015, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil79

What is it about those graphics of yesteryear that makes them look just so much more... appealing? warm? familiar? ... than the flashy super realistic graphics of today.

Its quite odd. Take an indie game with pixelated retro graphics that applies some form of a scanline simulation and the graphics instantly give me a sense of joy and familiarity, while without the scanlines the graphics look cold and "wrong".

Galder · 01 April 2015, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimbal

What is it about those graphics of yesteryear that makes them look just so much more... appealing? warm? familiar? ... than the flashy super realistic graphics of today.

Its quite odd. Take an indie game with pixelated retro graphics that applies some form of a scanline simulation and the graphics instantly give me a sense of joy and familiarity, while without the scanlines the graphics look cold and "wrong".

That's because we are people of yesteryear

We grew up with those graphics and whenever we see them they yell "VIDEO GAME". What I see nowadays in those ps4's and xbox's is just good-looking interactive movies...

gimbal · 02 April 2015, 16:32

Yeah I guess

All the way up to the way older hardware produced graphics and sound.

I wonder if it would work the same for movies. Like if you see a movie like "IT" on a modern TV, you can almost taste the plastic of the clown. But if you would see it today on an old TV with a VCR, would it be "better"?

I think yes.

01 April 2015, 02:18	#14
Neil79 Autistic 'n IRN! Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: - Posts: 2,978	Attached Thumbnails

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29 March 2015, 14:40	#2
Galder Amiga is my Goddess Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Future world Posts: 140	Ah, that's awesome! Makes me wanna buy a c64 too! Ultima series has been always the ultimate rpg experience for me.

29 March 2015, 15:14	#3
Neil79 Autistic 'n IRN! Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: - Posts: 2,978	I didn't get into Ultima until much much later, DOS era

30 March 2015, 12:45	#4
jbenam Italian Amiga Zealot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Italy Age: 36 Posts: 1,910	Damn, that looks wicked! My first Ultima was VI on IBM PC. I remember buying it when I still had an Amiga, hoping that it would somehow run It was a real surprise to run it one/two years later and find out what an awesome game it was! I never played the first five games, so two years ago I started an Ultima "marathon". I stopped at the beginning of Ultima IV, so I need to pick it up again and this comes as a most pleasant surprise

30 March 2015, 21:32	#6
Leffmann Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,269	It actually looks better than the Amiga version, which is surprisingly dull looking.

31 March 2015, 11:23	#8
Obliterator Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Age: 48 Posts: 89	Woohoo now were my Zoomfloppy and blank disks

31 March 2015, 17:40	#11
Jgames Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: UK Posts: 457	Ultima 9 is one of the best games ever made, beautiful graphics, awesome music, nice long story.

31 March 2015, 21:47	#12
Galder Amiga is my Goddess Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Future world Posts: 140	I will agree with Jgames about Ultima IX: it was a great game despite the fact that it was buggy and demanding.

01 April 2015, 02:24	#15
Galder Amiga is my Goddess Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Future world Posts: 140	The story along with the 'incompatible' graphical elements and many silly events that EA chose at that time were definitely sad for someone who followed the series 'faithfully'. However, it was still an ultima game that I really enjoyed playing back then. So I imagine that for an ultima newcomer it would have been much more appealing.

02 April 2015, 16:32	#20
gimbal cheeky scoundrel Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Spijkenisse/Netherlands Age: 42 Posts: 6,905	Yeah I guess All the way up to the way older hardware produced graphics and sound. I wonder if it would work the same for movies. Like if you see a movie like "IT" on a modern TV, you can almost taste the plastic of the clown. But if you would see it today on an old TV with a VCR, would it be "better"? I think yes.

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