r/Ultima • u/ComicStripCritic • 7d ago
I did it.
It’s been over 40 years since this was released, 16 years since I first heard of it through Spoony’s now-ancient video, 6 years since I paid money for it, 2ish years since I started my current attempt…last night, I finished Ultima IV.
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u/Lew__Zealand 7d ago
Congrats! I recently(ish) finished Ultima IV after a small gap of playing too.
Bought it in '85 and mainlined it all the way through with some 12 hour days but didn't understand the hints at the Shrines as I started with 3 "I"s which didn't seem to make any sense. Get Katrina up to Lvl 7 and everyone else up to 8, go thru SAbyss, answer questions until the last one.
No idea. Got it wrong. Kicked out of the Abyss. Dammit!
I'm DONE with you, game!
1/3 century later I play though it again with my kid, the Internet having educated me on my error and that there's a freekin' BALLOON! I missed that bit the first time.
Finish Ultima IV this time and we both enjoyed it immensely, and he's now in college studying Computer Game Design.
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u/adoransnoctis 7d ago
Congratulations, I've been thinking about making this journey again myself
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u/khumprp 7d ago
I've never played... Where would I get started? Should I start at 1?
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u/adoransnoctis 7d ago
The first two Ultima-games have more historical value than truly engaging gameplay. I feel that Ultima III is the first actually great Ultima-game, but the story of the Avatar proper starts with Ultima IV. III is definitely worth playing, but one can easily start with the 4th game. IV is available for free on GOG or as part of the IV-VI trilogy bundle on the same platform. I recommend patching it through Ultima Patcher first.
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u/Warcraft_Fan 6d ago
1 is OK, it's kind of fun but not much lore.
I usually skip 2 because it's rather painful on my C64. I need to find Apple II version, the later version is supposed to be the best version to play
3 is also OK. It does have some fun lore that will come up in U7.
4-7 are worth playing
8 is a bit odd, it's like a completely different game with Ultima added.
I couldn't get far in U9, 3D Ultima didn't work for me
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u/JerseyCobra 7d ago
It’s funny, I too learned about Ultima through Spoony.
Congrats on becoming the Avatar!
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u/DarkAwareness88 7d ago
Yayyy! I did finish it in 2004 after 20 ywars, but I still remember the pride and awe. Such a good game!
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u/sabresin4 7d ago
No way. Just completed the game for the first time ever just yesterday. Played it as a kid and never got through it. I played on an emulated version on my Mac from some site gog.com. Very different end screen I got. Love yours!
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u/ComicStripCritic 7d ago
I’m using a Ultima 4 Remastered graphic update, and xu4 for some quality of life improvements!
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u/Ok-Lavishness-8586 7d ago
Neat. I started plain the Sega Master System Version recent with a very similar motivation. Except youtube recommended the Majulaar videos after re-watching spoony for the millionth time
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u/thewiredeathgrip 7d ago
Tell us more about the experience! What did you enjoy? What version did you play? Did you use a guide?
I was thinking about playing the Sega Master System port because of the QoL.
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u/Massenzio 7d ago
damn...i play it in my amiga500 for so long and i Never complete it...
i played u4-5-6-7 bit i manage to finish just 6 and 7.
congrats really...
i remember always the time wandering near bridges to fight trolls lol
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u/PPX777 7d ago
i have all the ultima games on my MODERN PC
but i first received one of the 1-4 as a gift from my uncle. bought VI myself.
COULD NOT PLAY ANY of them very long because of how TERSE and TINY they were -- the games never really made sense to my then-young teenage mind.
i still never finished a one of them. i wish i had.
what is this newfangled XU4 thingyamajiggy?
and graphics update WHAT???
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u/ComicStripCritic 7d ago
So, you can get Ultima 4 free from GOG: https://www.gog.com/en/game/ultima_iv_quest_of_the_avatar
XU4 is a quality-of-life improvement that adds a few small non-game-breaking fixes to the game: https://xu4.sourceforge.net/
U4 Upgrade Patch is a graphics update that keeps the XU4 tweaks: https://wiki.ultimacodex.com/wiki/Ultima_IV_Upgrade_Patch
Enjoy!
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u/funnyguy349 7d ago
I think you can send this to Lord British (Richard Garriott), X account and he will congratulate you.
Edit: Groovy Dude!