Ultima Online

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A New World

When Origin launched Ultima Online on September 25, 1997 it marked a change in the video game industry. UO, as it's affectionately called, was the first of it's kind. Sure, other games had gone before that offered players the ability to play online. But UO was the first massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) that required you to play it online. No one player 'home' version available. No saving it in case you get ate by a dragon. And while UO no longer holds the market share (and hasn't for some time) I still feel that MMORPG players everywhere should give honor where it's due. Thank you OSI and Richard Garriott for creating a revolution. And thanks to EA for screwing it up causing another revolution... player run shards. :)

10 Years of Ultima Online 

10 years of UO boxes © Electronic Arts

Player Run Shards 

Fans of the early days of UO developed software to emulate the servers at OSI. This enabled people to create their own worlds with the primary limiting factor being the graphics in the UO client. This has allowed hundreds of people to build UO worlds the way they want which provides fans plenty of choices on where to play.

Each player run shard has it's own set up and rules. So while you may only have 700 skill points to play with on one shard, you may have 7000 on another. Some shards are built with a focus on role playing while others focus on player vs player (pvp) combat. Still others try to balance it all.

In the end, reguardless of your play style, there's bound to be a player run shard out there for you somewhere. It won't be as flashy as the real Ultima Online and there won't be as many people on it. But, if you're like me, you consider those qualities to be features.

Great Stuff Ultima Online Stuff 

Ultima Online Gold (Jewel Case)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009) Buy Now

Ultima Online: The Second Age--Prima's Official Strategy Guide

Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009) Buy Now

Ultima Online 9th Anniversary Collection

Amazon Price: $52.80 (as of 07/11/2009) Buy Now

Ultima Photos 

Casa UO by ...Isha

Casa UO

Elaborate game-guild schwag, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Elaborate game-guild...

Elaborate game-guild schwag, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Elaborate game-guild...

Happy Fun Balls, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Happy Fun Balls, Son...

Raph Koster and old UO headline, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Raph Koster and old...

Raph Koster and Ultima Online rune, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Raph Koster and Ulti...

Raph Koster and Ultima Online lawsuit headline, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Raph Koster and Ulti...

Raph Koster and original Ultima Online artOriginal Ultima map, Raph Koster's office, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Raph Koster and orig...

Elaborate game-guild schwag, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Elaborate game-guild...

Original Ultima map, Raph Koster's office, Sony Online Entertainment, San Diego by gruntzooki

Original Ultima map,...

UO videos 

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Ultima Online Kingdom Reborn

Runtime: 1:51 | 172725 views | Comments

YouTube thumbnail
Ultima Online Intro

Runtime: 2:52 | 21751 views | Comments

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Ultima Online - Stones

Runtime: 2:10 | 92418 views | Comments

Reader Feedback 

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Lensmaster

Nathan_Gough

http://uogamers.com/

ReplyPosted July 18, 2008

Lensmaster

gp1628

There are over 300 player run shards. There is all pkill, no pkill, easy gains, hard gains, some recreate older versions of UO, some so modded that you dont recognize monsters and maps, some crowded, or empty enough that there is wilderness you can build a house in and have no neighbors.

ReplyPosted October 27, 2007

by jweiss

Jeremy Weiss is a husband, father, son, thinker, blogger, geek, consultant, internet marketing dude, martial artist, philanthropist, genius and more!

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