Is it trendy in RPGCodex to dislike Bethesda, Bioware, etc?

[sgc_meltdown]

The Ultima series still has/had a lot of unexplored potential I think.

Just like the Elder Scrolls setting.

 

[Jaesun]

Still, I know I wouldn't have been very happy with that other plot version simply for the fact that it was also written as a conclusion to the series.

WAT? The Avatar gathers groups of people from the various towns, has them all hide in a safe location and then LB and the Avatar unleash Armageddon from Stonegate, destroying the Guardian once and for all.

What is not to like?

 

[Excommunicator]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't that have destroyed the rest of the world and all of its accumulated history pretty much?

 

[sgc_meltdown]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't that have destroyed the rest of the world and all of its accumulated history pretty much?

In Black Gate it kills everyone but leaves everything else but a very annoyed Lord British and Batlin behind. Very conclusive internet research follows:

http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Armageddon

This spell is truly devastating. Once it is cast, it destroys all life on the world, with exception of the spellcaster, leaving only a barren wasteland behind, devoid of any life. Only the biggest fool, full of madness, would dare to cast this spell, as it would be the end of the world as we know it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_IX:_Ascension

Eventually, it is revealed that the Guardian is nothing other than the dark half of the Avatar himself, and the only way to save Britannia is for the Avatar to ascend to a higher plane, taking the Guardian with him. The player is able to accomplish this via an Armageddon spell cast behind a Barrier of Life, which takes the Avatar and the Guardian to a higher plane out of Britannia.

http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Barrier_of_Life

The Barrier of Life only appears in Ultima IX. Essentially, it is an energy barrier that nothing can pass, not even the ultra-powerful Armageddon spell. To actually create it, the mage first has to place the eight Sigils of Britannia in a circle and then use the incanation "SANCT VAS GRAV IN MANI AN CORP" to create the barrier. Once created, it is unknown how to again collapse it.
In Ultima IX, the Avatar created the barrier in order to trap the Guardian inside and then use Armageddon to destroy the two of them, merging into one single being. The Armageddon spell reflected off the barrier, before dissolving both of them.

:/

 

[Excommunicator]

Yeah, so complete extinction of all life forms and collapse of the biosphere, not to mention the storms and earthquakes. Not much room left for lore after that.

I'd rather another Ultima chapter, even if it had to be in Pagan or SI.

 

[Luzur]

SO basically Mastermind is Todd Howard?

well, he sure likes Oblivion alot.

 

[DraQ]

Oblivion was also better balanced, with magic actually being reasonably playable thanks to mana regeneration.

Potions, rest and spell absorption is your friends.

Also, this.

Magic in oblivious was mostly reduced to elemental archery (and causing rampages among non-hostile NPCs with frenzy spells for fun and... mostly for fun), thinking it was in any way superior to anything is delusional.

Morrowind has easily the best magic system of the series, although it could benefit a lot from level dependent magnitudes and 'flavoured' effects of Daggerfall. Combination of new spell effects (like summoning, TK and true waterwalking) with benefits from chaining the effects together, failure mechanics (too bad it didn't include critical failures as well, would be fun) and clear, readable interface was stellar.

Whoever would prefer elemental archery with rapidly regenerating magicka is clearly delusional.

 

[Gord]

*snip*

Sorry, but thats totally, like, your opinion, man.

Fact is that Morrowinds magic system was all but useless without relying heavily on exploits, be it through enchantment or alchemy.

By all comparison magic in Oblivion was actually a viable way of playing.
And that even without the mods usually needed to make Oblivion otherwise enjoyable.

Morrowind has done a lot of things better than Oblivion, but magic simply isn't one of them.