Produced by: Mark Mitchell
Website: Forum posting at the Cartographer’s Guild
This is an ambitious project to create a realistic heightmap of Britannia using such tools as Photoshop, Terragen, and L3DT.
This in turn would be useful for some Ultima project developers, since I know for a fact that tools exist for some game engines (Neverwinter Nights 2 especially) that allow for the automatic creation of terrain based on imported heightmaps.
But that’s not the reason Mark has undertaken this project for himself. As he creates this work, he also wants to consider: “size and scaling of the continent, political and demographic issues, economy and trade routes, [and] geology and land formation.” In that regard, it’s as much an anthropological study as it is a really cool piece of artwork. You can see just how cool by clicking on the project’s image there on the left; that’s a sample/preview image he sent me a couple months back. It can be viewed in somewhat better detail at Aiera’s Flickr page.
Produced by: Andrew Brozyna
Website: Ferrous Lands
Andrew’s intriguing project involves taking various 28mm metal figurines and repainting them (with physical modifications if necessary) in order to reimagine Ultima as a tabletop wargame.
Thus far, he’s added a number of monsterforms to his collection — ettins, orcs, goblins, and headlesses to name but a few — and has fashioned a model of the female Avatar and a few of the companions as well (Dupre is pictured here). He has even begun work on a to-scale tavern model, inspired by The Modest Damsel (New Magincia’s tavern in Ultima 7.)
Produced by: Enrico Ricciardi
Website: Enrico Ricciardi
Mystik is a calendar of photographs of European models posed with props and backdrops that represent the virtues and principles of the Ultima universe, as well as the associated character classes.
Ricciardi put a fair bit of thought into understanding and conveying these aspects of Ultima’s backstory, and is offering the calendar in support of Village for All (V4A), which appears (I cannot read Italian) to be a charity devoted to helping those with disabilities travel.
This effort even has the support of Richard Garrriott, which is pretty darn cool.
Produced by: Chgowiz
Website: Chgowiz’s Old Guy RPG Blog
Releases:
*
Rulebook (390.2 KiB, 56 hits)
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Game Referee's Guide (378.3 KiB, 47 hits)
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Hawkwind's Gazeteer: Perinia (470.1 KiB, 55 hits)
A pen-and-paper RPG inspired by the first three Ultima titles, Siege Perilous is not (according to its author) a faithful representation of the canonical timeline — it is instead a “hybrid” game that can represent any point within the Ultima timeline, or serve as the foundation for a completely new, “off the cuff” Ultima adventure.
It was developed from an adaptation of the Swords & Wizardry White Box, in addition to several other sources.
The game is complete to the point that it can be playtested; Chgowiz has additions to make to the list of magic items (including potions and spells), character creation rules, and game setting information. Reviews of the game are welcome.
Posted by: Withstand the Fury Dragon Tags: D&D, Diablo 3, EUO, LUA, Neverwinter Nights, RPG, Ultima, Ultima 4, Ultima 5, Ultima 6, Ultima Online
Produced by: Max Breedon
Website: EUO
Releases:
* [drain file 77 url EUO Installer] ([drain file 77 size])
* [drain file 76 url Patcher Update (use only if needed)] ([drain file 76 size])
* [drain file 16 url Launcher (Client Configurator)] ([drain file 16 size])
* [drain file 75 url Map Editor] ([drain file 75 size])
* [drain file 103 url 3D Client] ([drain file 103 size])
Borrowing a fair bit from other RPGs, EUO is intended to be a real-time, single/multi-player, persistent-world RPG…one that looks and plays much like Ultima 4 or Ultima 5. The project site proudly proclaims that those looking for mouse support and Diablo 3-style graphics should seek their fix elsewhere.
EUO uses a Ultima Online-like skill system, without player classes. Combat is based on dice rolling like in Neverwinter Nights (and with more Ultima Online influences, apparently). Although the original EUO did feature a U4-like tileset, the current iteration is completely original (although most monsters and traps will be familiar to Ultima 5 fans). Spells can be cast using either the Ultima 5 runes, or through a simpler list for the less-than-Ultima-proficient.
Also, the game now incorporates the LUA scripting language, meaning that the player can influence the dungeons to a greater degree through certain key actions. Leveling is done at shrines, with stats being upgraded along the same lines as happened in Ultima 6.
The game features over 100 NPCs and over 50 quests, with more being added all the time. And now, a 3D client is even available!
Produced by: Saduj
Website: Ultima Restoration
Releases:
Utilities
* Ultima Potions (hak pak) (376.6 KiB, 129 hits)
* Ultima Potions (demo module) (37.0 KiB, 85 hits)
* Ultima Potions II (hak pak) (375.8 KiB, 73 hits)
* Ultima Potions II (demo module) (41.3 KiB, 82 hits)
* Venom Dagger (erf import file) (2.4 KiB, 79 hits)
* Venom Dagger (hak pak) (36.3 KiB, 77 hits)
* Venom Dagger (icons) (700 bytes, 81 hits)
* Venom Dagger (source files) (11.9 KiB, 73 hits)
* NPC Schedules (erf import file) (64.7 KiB, 75 hits)
* NPC Schedules (demo module) (455.6 KiB, 74 hits)
* NPC Schedules (readme) (4.2 KiB, 87 hits)
* Moongates (erf import file) (23.7 KiB, 71 hits)
* Moongates for CEP (erf import file) (23.7 KiB, 73 hits)
* Moongates (demo module) (198.5 KiB, 68 hits)
* Moongates for CEP (demo module) (565.3 KiB, 75 hits)
* Savage Empire Female Portraits (3.2 MiB, 124 hits)
* Savage Empire Male Portraits (1.6 MiB, 103 hits)
* Ultima Conversation System (files) (287.7 KiB, 79 hits)
* Ultima Conversation System (demo) (685.6 KiB, 78 hits)
* NWN 1.69 Portraits & Soundsets Unlocker (18.3 KiB, 96 hits)
* NWN 1.69 Portraits & Soundsets Unlocker (readme) (216 bytes, 87 hits)
* NWN 1.69 Portraits (93.4 KiB, 101 hits)
* NWN 1.69 Soundsets (31.6 KiB, 122 hits)
This is actually a comprehensive collection of utilities and in-progress remakes of Ultima titles, all done in the Neverwinter Nights engine. The list of utilities is pretty comprehensive, including functional moongates (with Orb of the Moons!), NPC scheduling, animated potions, a conversation system to replace the default NWN system, and a very good reproduction of the venomous dagger of Ultima 7 fame.
But even more promising is the list of remakes that are being put together by this team and others. Currently in progress are remakes of Ultima 1, Ultima 7 (which provides the screenshot here), Ultima 8, Savage Empire, and Martian Dreams. Most of these seem still to be in the early stages of development, but the Ultima 7 remake — which deals, it seems, only with the events of The Black Gate at present — looks to have progressed somewhat further.
Here is hoping, then, that this collective set of efforts bears much fruit in the future! As the projects progress, I’ll probably break off each remake into its own standalone entry. For now, this one omnibus entry will suffice.
Produced by: Team Lazarus & Team Archon
Website: Project Britannia
Releases:
* [drain file 432 url Milestone 2 Release] ([drain file 432 size])
Updates (may be unstable):
* [drain file 421 url Britannia Art] ([drain file 421 size])
* [drain file 422 url Britannia Logic] ([drain file 422 size])
* [drain file 423 url Britannia Sound] ([drain file 423 size])
* [drain file 417 url Britannia Map] ([drain file 417 size])
Utilities
* [drain file 430 url Project Britannia Development Environment] ([drain file 430 size])
* [drain file 429 url Container Override example] ([drain file 429 size])
* [drain file 428 url Dungeon Siege Font Builder] ([drain file 428 size])
* [drain file 427 url Dungeon Siege Skrit API] ([drain file 427 size])
* [drain file 426 url Skrit/Template Cross-reference] ([drain file 426 size])
* [drain file 412 url Dungeon Siege Toolkit] ([drain file 412 size])
* [drain file 416 url Lazarus Lorebook Editor] ([drain file 416 size])
* [drain file 433 url Rapid Tank Creator] ([drain file 433 size])
* [drain file 415 url Siege Tools for Eclipse (Full)] ([drain file 415 size])
* [drain file 419 url Siege Tools for Eclipse 1.0.29 (Plugin)] ([drain file 419 size])
* [drain file 413 url Siege University Compilation] ([drain file 413 size])
* [drain file 434 url Tank Viewer] ([drain file 434 size])
* [drain file 435 url U6 Project UI Designer] ([drain file 435 size])
* [drain file 425 url Conversation Compiler] ([drain file 425 size])
* [drain file 420 url Conversation Editor Plugin for Siege Tools] ([drain file 420 size])
* [drain file 418 url Book Editor Plugin for Siege Tools] ([drain file 418 size])
* [drain file 424 url NPC/Schedule/Chest Generator] ([drain file 424 size])
Milestone 1 Release:
* [drain file 110 url Project Britannia (1 of 3)] ([drain file 110 size])
* [drain file 111 url Project Britannia (2 of 3)] ([drain file 111 size])
* [drain file 112 url Project Britannia (3 of 3)] ([drain file 112 size])
This ambitious project, a joint venture arising from the copperative developments of Ultima V: Lazarus and the Ultima 6 Project — both Dungeon Siege-based remakes of their respective Ultima titles — aims to create a platform for the easier creation of Ultima remakes (and, one would assume, spinoffs).
It’s “short list” of features is really too long to name here, but includes dynamic weather, ship navigation (a feature lost in many modern RPGs), complete day/night cycle, NPC scheduling, reagent-based spellcasting, moongates, dynamic factions, and a custom-build branching conversation system.
Or, to sum it all up in three words: it looks cool.
Now, the development team for Project Britannia is pretty active, and they are constantly putting out updates. The ones hosted here are current to the best of Aiera’s knowledge, but they may be a few days stale. To that end, the most current versions of the update files can always be found at the Project Britannia Change Log. Please note that these updates are likely unstable at present.
Produced by: Scythifuge
Website: Exult Form Thread
A project to recreate Savage Empire using Exult. This relatively new project (announced June 16, 2006) seems to be developing at a reasonable pace. Scythifuge has been experimenting with the Gimp and PaintShop Pro, and has begun to add custom graphics to this promising work. He has also begun to experiment with high-resolution tiles, and has posted some sample roof tiles to the forum thread linked above.
As yet, however, no demo or project snapshot has been released.