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Some retarded Ultima 5 questions

Stabwound

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Yes, it's awesome. But really, I would suggest playing U4 first, because they share the same world and you can appreciate U5 a lot more, in terms of how much they expanded upon the world and how the game mechanics are updated. U4 is not nearly as good as U5 to me, though.

You're basically dropped off in the world and it's up to you to figure out what's going on and what to do, like a proto Elder Scrolls game. You can buy a boat (or take over a pirate ship) and go anywhere in the world, visit any town to explore and gather clues and explore and all that.

The main downside is the combat, which is pretty shitty and the character development/equipment is pretty boring/bad as well. I think the entire Ultima series from 4-7 is like a good adventure game with a shitty combat system attached to it.
 

Bruma Hobo

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The main downside is the combat, which is pretty shitty and the character development/equipment is pretty boring/bad as well. I think the entire Ultima series from 4-7 is like a good adventure game with a shitty combat system attached to it.

With an open and interactive world, multiple ways to solve problems, resource management, and some little C&C. Thats all RPG stuff, just like combat (wich is not bad in Ultima V until the magic axes). While not your average mondblutian RPGs, the early-mid Ultima games are pretty close to the adventurous side of P&P gaming (unlike railroaded adventure games).
 

Infinitron

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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
multiple ways to solve problems
and some little C&C

Hmm, not really. But you forgot to mention the dungeon crawling. The Ultima series had some pretty epic dungeons. They were even the best part of U9.

The dungeons are a part of the Ultima series that has always been understated IMO
 

SinVraal

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The dungeons in U5 are pretty unique in that you have a 1st person, grid system with rooms spread out that cause the party to go into combat mode. The puzzles were pretty fun too. I will never forget as a kid being stuck in a room like "WTFUUUUUUUUUUU?" when good old Iolo missed his target and shot a torch, opening a secret passage.
 

Bruma Hobo

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multiple ways to solve problems
and some little C&C

Hmm, not really.
Yes really. Even Ultima 1 had some option (stealing weapons and food, or different dungeons to finish the same basic quests). Later games gave us different clues to complete single quests, different methods to raise virtues/karma and goods (hunting, baking bread!!1), different means of transport (ships, spells, moongates, underground passages), and so on.

On the other hand, U4 was an early attempt on C&C (as Garriott said), while U5 had some "codexian C&C", like the black badge quest.


But you forgot to mention the dungeon crawling. The Ultima series had some pretty epic dungeons. They were even the best part of U9.

The dungeons are a part of the Ultima series that has always been understated IMO
You're right, but other games like Wizardry were much better in that regard.
 

taxalot

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I am replaying U5 since the first time in ages. I only remember it vaguely, and I think I'm stuck very early in the game.

I have gotten quests to see the Codex. For that, I do need a boat. I was lucky once to be attacked by pirates and seize their boat, but I died and lost it. I tried to get attacked by pirates again, but this time they wouldn't come. And let's face it, 950 is the amount of gold I cannot afford right now.

Am I doomed to do some grinding (I am Level 1, due to XP loss of death) for money ? I think I remember you level up by doing shrine quests, which I cannot do so far because both Spirituality and Sacrifice asked me to see the codex, for which I need a boat. I completed Despise only to get my butt wiped in the Underworld, and the other dungeons are proving too tough for me.

What would be the logical next step ? Right now my handicap is that I am seriously underpowered which makes any kind of progression suicidal... without a boat.
 

Infinitron

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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I am replaying U5 since the first time in ages. I only remember it vaguely, and I think I'm stuck very early in the game.

I have gotten quests to see the Codex. For that, I do need a boat. I was lucky once to be attacked by pirates and seize their boat, but I died and lost it. I tried to get attacked by pirates again, but this time they wouldn't come. And let's face it, 950 is the amount of gold I cannot afford right now.

Am I doomed to do some grinding (I am Level 1, due to XP loss of death) for money ? I think I remember you level up by doing shrine quests, which I cannot do so far because both Spirituality and Sacrifice asked me to see the codex, for which I need a boat. I completed Despise only to get my butt wiped in the Underworld, and the other dungeons are proving too tough for me.

What would be the logical next step ? Right now my handicap is that I am seriously underpowered which makes any kind of progression suicidal... without a boat.

Screw the shrine quests, get around where you can with moongates for now. You'll meet new pirates eventually, or you can do some limited dungeon crawling to get gold.
 

taxalot

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Unfortunately, I cannot do much dungeon crawling considering I'm seriously underpowered. I can hardly make it through Despise in my current position, and there is nothing down there except my ass being handed to me in the Underworld. I realize Captain Johne is down there, but I need the magic carpet or something.

Only other dungeon I have access to right now is Destard, and this proves too tough.

By the way, where are the goddamn swamp boots in that game ?
 

Infinitron

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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Unfortunately, I cannot do much dungeon crawling considering I'm seriously underpowered. I can hardly make it through Despise in my current position, and there is nothing down there except my ass being handed to me in the Underworld. I realize Captain Johne is down there, but I need the magic carpet or something.

Only other dungeon I have access to right now is Destard, and this proves too tough.

I said limited dungeon crawling. You don't have to hack your way all the way down to the Underworld. Remember that in U5, "cleaned" dungeon rooms stay clean.
 

taxalot

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Can your party members spontaneously ressurect ?! Because this just happened to me. One minute ago.:eek:
 

Stabwound

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Bumping this thread since I got back into my U5 game.

Question about rings of invisibility. I found one somewhere, and used it for a while. It seemed to be a long while. Eventually, I entered a battle and it was just gone, and I have no idea why; if there was a message, I missed it. Do these rings run out of power eventually?
 

taxalot

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They do in other versions of Ultima, so I'm sure they do it here too. They'd be overpowered tools otherwise.

I am still playing this game ; it has no end. I am busy exploring a few dungeons, but besides Despise (which is useless), I cannot seem to be able to access the Underworld. I am starting to wonder if Grinding is the only thing I can do to advance the plot at this point.

But I'll do what it takes!
 

Stabwound

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Haha, yeah, the game is way longer than I thought it would be, especially compared to Ultima 4. There is just so much shit to do and figure out. It does take some of the detective work and exploration out if you played U4, though, because I believe all of the mantras are the same, and dungeons/shrines are in roughly the same locations. Pretty great game though.

And yeah, I just noticed my regeneration ring is gone too, so they must run out.
 

MMXI

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Bumping this thread since I got back into my U5 game.

Question about rings of invisibility. I found one somewhere, and used it for a while. It seemed to be a long while. Eventually, I entered a battle and it was just gone, and I have no idea why; if there was a message, I missed it. Do these rings run out of power eventually?
Rings do run out, though I don't know the exact mechanics behind their durations. I never did use the rings of invisibility though, except for a couple of bugged dungeon rooms with dragons.

There are other ways into the Underworld. Hint: Read the manual.
Words of wisdom, but if you can't make it to the underworld through a dungeon then chances are you're probably not good enough to survive down there (and get back).
 

Name

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What is the proper way to boost the survival ability of the party? In Ultima V, PC's HP is seriously debloated, making level up not that useful eh? Some measly HP and +1 to a random attribute? Is massive spellcasting the only way to beat the combat part of this game? How's the economic balance of reagents and loot? If I clean every dungeon room only one time, is it enough for me to level up for good(the exp required is seriously too much)?

That said there is really too little sense of progression in character development/level advancement. And the equipment seems to make little difference. Even magic axe is not that overpowered like they were in U4 now.

What's wrong with me? A fag too new that can't properly game good RPGs?
Should I add this to my list of reasons to give up my life?

And how to pass time in town at night (trapped)? I seem to remember I can't find a bed to sleep in town. I really admire the day-night circle and NPC schedule and such. But it seems to be more like an impediment than a feature in this game. And this real-time in-game clock seriously messed up the Lazarus ramake IMO(along with inherent companions stuck at the doorway/some random object disappearing bugs).

Why didn't Lord British kickstart a project to remake U1-9 + all the third-person spin-offs into a single huge (episodic) game with a modern engine featuring 2D graphics and turn-based combat and sprite exploring? Oh wait, the IP's in EA's hands and they want a Lady British on iOS. And LB loves LARPing and social MMO.
 

taxalot

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Codex 2013 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015
I gave up and failed ONCE AGAIN at this game. I am utterly, incredibly ashamed at myself.
 

Ladonna

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Aug 27, 2006
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I am a bit spoiled these days, since after playing it many years ago, I always make my first quest the 'grabbing the Magic Carpet' quest. Picking up the sandalwood box while I am there.

I try to resist the crown for a bit longer.
 

Daemongar

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Codex Year of the Donut
I gave up and failed ONCE AGAIN at this game. I am utterly, incredibly ashamed at myself.
When I found myself getting bogged down in U5, I referred to The Official Book of Ultima for guidance. It tells of a race to finish U5 between Garriott and John Miles to finish U5 first. It's just short couple of pages on their competition (they both finished in about 14 hours.) But there were two key points they brought up:
1. Go for the magic axe right away
2. Get rid of everyone in your party - the game can be finished by one character, and didn't require a full party like in U4. You use less food, need less items, and invisibility rings last a lot longer

I didn't do it that way, because I felt kind of guilty ditching Iolo and Shamino, but if I just wanted to get the game over with, I'd do it solo.

Edit: And I had to look it up because it's been a while, but you can get rid of live companions by leaving them at an Inn.
 

taxalot

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I am also guilty ; I do like having party memebers even though they are more of a hindrance than anything else. Playing a video game is about as lonely as an experience as it gets ; you might as well pretend there are people doing it with you.
Sometimes, I like to pretend that the characters I control are actually things like those Martian rovers, it's happening IRL just far far away. As you can tell, it's saturday night and I am feeling quite drunk right now.
 
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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In
I also have a few questions about this gem.

1. How true is a rumor about a time limit. I've heard in a few places that British will eventually starve to death but nobody can name a date. I also never seen any screen documenting his demise.

2. How exactly does Karma work? All I know is:
-Dialogue checks can raise and lower your karma
-Killing NPCs and stealing lowers your karma
-Freeing prisoners raises your karma, so does donating to the poor people and temples
-Completing shrine quests raises your karma and so does donating gold afterwards
-The higher your karma is the more experience you keep after dying
-I've also heard that it lower prices in shops but I don't know if it's any true.
 

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