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Ultima Online Irish "Freeshard" Server
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27-09-2009 11:14am#1Hey guys,
I've been involved with Ultima Online "freeshard" development, on and off, since 2000. In the past it has always been with servers in the US, as that is where the community is centred and hosting was an issue here due to lack of a decent connection.
Late last year I created a server for friends and customers/members of Wired to play on. I basically used it as a roleplaying platform, where I ran quests once or twice I week. With the closure of Wired that was put to the side, but I took it up again a few months ago and have been working on it since with the view to opening it up to the public. It's still in it's early stages of development, I really want to create something of quality rather than getting it out fast.
It's called Ruthiryn Online and with it I'm not aiming for an "OSI clone", meaning the goal is not to match functionality with the official servers. Instead I'm trying to create something more unique. I'm not aiming for any particular era, instead I am removing and adding features in order to create a better playing experience.
The whole game will be on one map, no faccets or other worlds. To save time I am using the original map, but areas of it will be heavily modified. Players will all begin in the same city and though there may be one or two others that will be the main hub. The world will be full PvP, but with towns are certain safe areas patrolled by guards (who are very strong but not teleporters or instakill).
Because it will be a small scale MMO I'm concentrating on making it more fun and interesting for people on their own or in small groups. In a way I'm making elements of it more like a singleplayer game, with a more interesting and interactive world, and more things to do on your own. If you've played Ultima VII you'll have an idea of what I'm talking about. For instance NPCs will go about their lives, working, eating, going to the tavern, resting etc. They will also have speech.
NPCs will also have factions, which are affected by how you interact with them (through killing them, helping them via quests etc). These factions affect who will talk to you, sell/buy from you etc.
Crafting will get a major overhaul. Vendors will buy player-made items from you based on their quality and then sell these items at a markup, making them available to others (vendors will always carry basic supplies and low quality items).
I don't think an auctioneer is suitable for a small scale MMO, but perhaps a Trader would be (basically an auctioneer but only with Buy Now and/or Make Offer available).
I'm using the original Ultima 2D client. That new Kingdom Reborn and Stygian Abyss clients are not fully supported and probably won't be, due to legal issues. I am however giving the UI an overhaul.
Some of the new graphical elements of the UI can be seen here: http://www.ruthiryn.com/roui.jpg
One thing to keep in mind is quest content. I'm not sure how much there will be, but Ultima Online was always more of a sandbox game. Instead events, such as "live" quests, will be held regularly at scheduled times (and sometimes, on the spur of the moment).
I haven't gone through everything here, but this post is getting rather long.
What I want from this post is to find out whether people would be interested in playing such a game. UO is old now, over 10 years, but it offers a far different experience than modern MMOs.
Also, I'd like to hear your ideas, comments and questions.
Thanks,
RabidDog
Note: The server is based on RunUO, an Ultima Online server emulator which uses no code from the original game/server and is completely legal. I will not be providing a copy of the client, instead players will download the client from EA and apply a mod to it in order to play Ruthiryn Online.0
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I'm afraid Ultima Online hasn't progressed that much since Origin Systems, Inc., who created UO, was shut down in 2004.
Since then it's mainly been crappy content added, such as Samurai and Elfs.
I have no plans to support the newer clients. They use new file formats and come with legal issues that the 11 year old client doesn't have (as it was created before many of the modern copyright laws and it's file formats/techniques were not patented).
Distributing material which EA owns, such as art assets, would be illegal but I am not doing that. Instead I will create patches which make the necessary changes to the vanilla client.
I am going to improve on the game as much as I can. On the social side for instance the server has been integrated with the website, so that messages can be sent/received in-game or on the site.
Notifications from in-game events, like an offer being made on an item in the trader, will show up in your messages on the website as well.
But behind it all it'll still be the original Ultima Online, so if that doesn't interest you then you may not like it.
All are welcome to try though. 0 -
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I have a lot of work done already, especially in regard to website integration.
The server/website integration is in place, allowing data to pass between the server and the site. Account creation and handling (changing account details and retrieving passwords etc) is all done through the website. Characters show up on the website profile, including how they look (the same graphic as the in-game paperdoll), their name and profession (from their highest skill). Characters can be made private also, on a per-character basis.
The NPC Dialog & Scheduling System is complete, but all the activities themselves aren't. At the moment I'm writing the tavern activity, where the NPC will go to the tavern, take a seat and order some food and/or drink. However I have a good few more to do. I really want this system though, to make the world feel more alive.
The Quest System is complete, and integrated with the Dialog & Scheduling System. So for instance certain quest elements or dialog trees might only occur during certain activities or at certain times of the day.
Also the Quest, Dialog and Scheduling Systems store their data in XML format. I may create an external program with a Quest/Dialog/Schedule wizard, allowing people to easily create and submit their own. It could be as simple as a quirky NPC that someone wants to add to the bar or an epic quest.
I also want to redo the crafting system. Each crafting skill will be able to create a base list of items. To create the best and exotic items blueprints (or recipes) will have to be bought, found or earned through quests. I can use this to keep crafting more interesting by introducing new blueprints every so often.
For those who played UO and have done lumberjacking, you'll remember that trees were never cut down (they gave wood but the actual tree remained). I have devised a system where trees will be dynamic, being cut to the stump. After a time the tree will then regrow. A simple thing but then it's the details that make the difference.
As for timescale I don't know for certain yet. On the safe side I would say two or three months.
As for population, I expect it to begin very small. If I do a good enough job though word of mouth could lead to steady growth and a few hundred players isn't unreasonable. I'm aiming for a community centric game, where people are encouraged to get involved. Where people want to organise their own quests or events that will be supported as much as possible.
What I want to do now, and one of the reasons for this post, is to cement the list of changes/additions/features I'm going to add. So I would like to hear comments, suggestions and ideas. 0 -
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Dont make it too Irish-centric, it would be better if there were UK players too. Very few people played this game during its popular times in Ireland due to very basic internet coverage.
I myself played on the Catskills server from Australia on a modem
It should start off as wild as you can make it. People having houses should take a bit of time rather than straight off.
Wild west unexplored style. Dungeons should be feared rather than be places you run straight to.0 -
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Wild is exactly what I'm going for. The main town/city itself is very rugged.
A day lasts 6 hours, with a full say/night cycle. Many of the most deadly animals and beasts will be nocturnal, so one must be careful about travelling at night in the wilderness.
And certainly the server will be open to everyone. I just used Irish in this case to help get some attention.
I'm going to have rooms/small houses that can be leased in and around the main city, which will be cheaper than buying a house. These will let you place a vendor (open a shop) and/or place crafting tools (like an anvil, forge, spinning wheel etc.). Owning a house will definitely be more of a long term endeavour (and the server will use the build your own house system, where you design it from scratch, though presets will still be available).0 -
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This sounds cool. I'm a huge fan of Ultima but never really got a chance to play UO. I'd be well up for this.
Yeah, I remember my parents freaking at me when we received our phone/dial-up bill.
Ultima Online is really unlike anything else out there. It is the freedom that is, in my opinion, one of UO's greatest strengths. There are no classes, no set path to be taken. Instead your skills improve as you use them. Each skill ranges from 0 to 100 and the skill cap is 700. How you fill that 700 is completely up to yourself (once you hit the cap you can choose which skills you wish to fall in order that others may rise).
The world itself is also far more interactive than other MMO out there. Use a dagger on a corpse to get meat and hides. Cook the meat to eat, or bake it in a dish of some sort if you fancy. Cut the hides into leather with a scissors and use a tailor's kit to sew some leather armour. Chop down some trees and you can make a shield, or a chair, or a set of drawers. Mine some ore, smelt it into ingots at a forge and use a hammer and anvil to create armour or weapons.
However that freedom, for some, can be a curse. There is no clear path to take and for many that can lead to boredom. But I'll certainly do my best to remedy that.
Jumpy: I missed your testing offer, I posted at exactly the same time. I think I'll take you up on that, sometime in the next few weeks at least. 0 -
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It sounds like the level of anal retentiveness that I like in a game.Yeah, I remember my parents freaking at me when we received our phone/dial-up bill.
Ultima Online is really unlike anything else out there. It is the freedom that is, in my opinion, one of UO's greatest strengths. There are no classes, no set path to be taken. Instead your skills improve as you use them. Each skill ranges from 0 to 100 and the skill cap is 700. How you fill that 700 is completely up to yourself (once you hit the cap you can choose which skills you wish to fall in order that others may rise).
The world itself is also far more interactive than other MMO out there. Use a dagger on a corpse to get meat and hides. Cook the meat to eat, or bake it in a dish of some sort if you fancy. Cut the hides into leather with a scissors and use a tailor's kit to sew some leather armour. Chop down some trees and you can make a shield, or a chair, or a set of drawers. Mine some ore, smelt it into ingots at a forge and use a hammer and anvil to create armour or weapons.
However that freedom, for some, can be a curse. There is no clear path to take and for many that can lead to boredom. But I'll certainly do my best to remedy that.
Jumpy: I missed your testing offer, I posted at exactly the same time. I think I'll take you up on that, sometime in the next few weeks at least.
I tried a version of it years ago, but simply didn't understand what the hell I was doing. Pity really, as now I realise I'd of really liked it.
Is this a project you're undertaking on your own? And is it to be based in the Ultima Universe, or are you simply using that game engine? I'm reading up on UO now so I can get a grip on what it's like (and I also learned a new word: boondoggle ).
As with Jumpy, I'd like to help if you want me to. I've only basic programming knowledge, so probably won't be any use there, but I am a writer if you ever need help in that department, and I spend my days playing games, so I might as well put those skills to use!0 -
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Here is the website design and part of the server/website integration (characters showing on the profile): http://www.ruthiryn.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=fbprofile&task=showprf&Itemid=6&userid=63
Character data is uploaded to the website every few minutes, so the character images shown are constantly updated.
And a picture of the installer:
Ultima Online works perfectly on Windows 7, without any compatibility settings.0 -
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