Ultima The Ultima Underworld I & II Thread

[octavius]

In my experience encumbrance was less of an issue in UU2 than it was in UU1.

 

[Dave the Druid]

Thank you all. So should I still pick Druid? The encumbrance issues caused me to drop Underworld 1 and restart with a new character. I'm more than happy to start off with a fighter and level up casting/mana a shit-ton mid-game if it means I'm not going to have to constantly drop a pile of garbage, mark it on my map and then backtrack when I find out I've dropped a quest-critical item without knowing it half an hour later. I know Underworld 2 has more of a hub-world design, where you're teleporting to different worlds. Can I just dump shit in the hub and teleport back and forth when necessary?

Just asking because I loved Ultima Underworld but it was a real bummer when I realized I hated the character I'd created over halfway through and there was no way to raise strength other than to roll a new character and restart. I don't want to go through that shit again. Any advice?

 

[Cael]

Thank you all. So should I still pick Druid? The encumbrance issues caused me to drop Underworld 1 and restart with a new character. I'm more than happy to start off with a fighter and level up casting/mana a shit-ton mid-game if it means I'm not going to have to constantly drop a pile of garbage, mark it on my map and then backtrack when I find out I've dropped a quest-critical item without knowing it half an hour later. I know Underworld 2 has more of a hub-world design, where you're teleporting to different worlds. Can I just dump shit in the hub and teleport back and forth when necessary?

Just asking because I loved Ultima Underworld but it was a real bummer when I realized I hated the character I'd created over halfway through and there was no way to raise strength other than to roll a new character and restart. I don't want to go through that shit again. Any advice?

UW2 has unlimited skill point gain, unlike UW. AND a place to grind for those unlimited skill points.

The central hub is a teleport location, so you don't have to mark anything. Just... don't accidentally drop stuff into the water...

 

[octavius]

While I prefered a Druid in UU1, I think the Paladin may be a better choice in UU2.

 

[unseeingeye]

While I prefered a Druid in UU1, I think the Paladin may be a better choice in UU2.

This has been my experience as well.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Thank you all. So should I still pick Druid? The encumbrance issues caused me to drop Underworld 1 and restart with a new character. I'm more than happy to start off with a fighter and level up casting/mana a shit-ton mid-game if it means I'm not going to have to constantly drop a pile of garbage, mark it on my map and then backtrack when I find out I've dropped a quest-critical item without knowing it half an hour later. I know Underworld 2 has more of a hub-world design, where you're teleporting to different worlds. Can I just dump shit in the hub and teleport back and forth when necessary?

What class you pick is more important in UUW2 than in UUW1.

I only learned this recently, but (in UUW2 at least) classes have limits on their skills. If you pick a Fighter for example, you will find that both Casting and Mana have caps on them, i.e. you can't train them up to 30. What skills you can and can't train to 30 depends on what Class you pick.

I'm guessing only the Shepherd is exempt from this, but I can't confirm.

 

[Spukrian]

I only learned this recently, but (in UUW2 at least) classes have limits on their skills. If you pick a Fighter for example, you will find that both Casting and Mana have caps on them, i.e. you can't train them up to 30. What skills you can and can't train to 30 depends on what Class you pick.

In UUW1 my fighter's casting and mana capped at 27 and Int was 13, so the cap might be (relevant stat + 14)?

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Bit of a tangent, but... Did they ever complete that Unity port for UU?
Is it currently in a RELIABLY playable state?

 

[JBro]

Bit of a tangent, but... Did they ever complete that Unity port for UU?
Is it currently in a RELIABLY playable state?

No, but I think Hank Morgan is back on the job.
https://github.com/hankmorgan

 

[vota DC]

IIRC the 'random' stats generated are sequential, so if you pick a class and randomize the stats 18 times, then quit the game and do it all again, you get the same identical stats.

As for getting 30 Strength with a Druid, it's impossible to do so in UU2 now.

In UU1 the Druid's stat-range is Str: High, Dex: Low, IQ: High.
In UU2 the Druid's stat-range is Str: Med, Dex: Med, IQ: High.

In UU2 only the Fighter and Paladin classes have Str at High, but the Ranger and the Shepherd cannot be ruled out as their random stat-bonuses may land a high Str-value. So those four have a shot at Str 30, the others do not.

In uu1 paladin carries less stuff than fighter.

 

[ShaggyMoose]

I seem to recall there were some central staircase points in UU1 where you could dump key items and get them back at any time without too much effort? Of course, it probably took a while to open this section up.

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

No, but I think Hank Morgan is back on the job.
https://github.com/hankmorgan

Oh well, see ya in five years.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I seem to recall there were some central staircase points in UU1 where you could dump key items and get them back at any time without too much effort? Of course, it probably took a while to open this section up.

Most of the central staircase is collapsed, but there are probably several good places within the Abyss where everything is within an equally long distance.

Clever usage of the Moonstone can help loads with this as well.

Personally I always used King Goldthirst's bedroom, but due to engine limitations it's probably better to have a few locations scattered across different floors to store your loot.

 

[Dave the Druid]

Bit of a tangent, but... Did they ever complete that Unity port for UU?
Is it currently in a RELIABLY playable state?

Nah. For the time being I've been using Ultima Underworld Portable. Really easy to set up with the GOG versions. Works for both games. It's DOSbox staging, properly set up with the MT-32 soundtrack. It's got the brightness hack enabled and an option to toggle on and off a wasd+mouselook hack in the launcher. Until hell freezes over and the source code leaks its the best way to play them today imo.

 

[LarryTyphoid]

Am I the only one who likes the jumping puzzles in these games? Gives the dungeons a great feel of verticality. Underworld 2 feels like a fantasy version of Super Mario 64 at times.

 

[Maggot]

I appreciate their existence in a 1992/1993 game but it's annoying that the only reliable way to make longer jumps is by using the mouse driven controls.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

I feel like I would have appreciated them more if I didn't feel like I was rolling the dice as to whether or not the game would let me successfully jump somewhere. The jumping physics don't really feel right and the games are pretty unique in how they feel wrong. The player's collision box is off and the game establishes how off it is early on in a way that doesn't really work for it.

 

[Spukrian]

Am I the only one who likes the jumping puzzles in these games? Gives the dungeons a great feel of verticality. Underworld 2 feels like a fantasy version of Super Mario 64 at times.

As I remember it, the jumping was much easier in the second game than in the first.

 

[Snufkin]

I hear those Ultima underground games are classics, but whenever i start them i get huge DERP feel.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

I hear those Ultima underground games are classics, but whenever i start them i get huge DERP feel.

The controls and interface require some time to acclimate, but it's well worth the effort for the strong exploration and level design. Be certain to play The Stygian Abyss first, since it has no real connection to the Ultima series (Ultima references were belatedly worked into the game, after Origin became the publisher), while the second game has a tougher introduction that might have expected players to retain knowledge from the first game.

 

[JBro]

Had to bust out the guide because some of this shit is fairly obtuse.

 

[Maggot]

Had to bust out the guide because some of this shit is fairly obtuse.

Make sure to use the generic interaction mode instead of constantly switching between look, key, use, etc.

 

[Mr. Pink]

It could be happening...

 

[JBro]

It could be happening...

WHAT

 

[Jinn]

It could be happening...

Seriously, wtf?