Ultima The Ultima Underworld I & II Thread

[octavius]

I find it easier to return to UU if I play a bit Dagerfall before it, then the transition is easier,

You think Daggerfall is more primitive?

still I like UU2 best.

Technically it's better, with a larger view area, but some of the worlds are rather silly.

 

[MMXI]

I bought the GOG version and the sound files are dated 1993, while the patched files are dated 1998, so I think we can rule out the music patch.
As for using the CM-32 Roms instead of the MT-32 ones, all non-torrent (I'm not about to start with that kind of shit) download links lead to sites that want you to install their malware, so I think I'll just have to suffer the pathetic soundblaster sound effects (funny how DOOM could have such awesome Soundblaster sound effects only a year later).

I'm quite sure that it does come with the music patch because I read on the GOG wiki that their Ultima Underworld is set up to use the MT-32 by default. Without an emulator it'll play as GM and it sounds absolutely woeful without the GM music patch.

Regarding the difference between MT-32 music and default GM crap through Windows, here's a comparison of the song you hear on the map. The GM version uses the GM patch, of course, as without it the music sounds even worse.
http://www.filedropper.com/ultimaunderworldmusic

Which one of these are you hearing in game?

EDIT: You're right. I've just obtained the GOG version and it doesn't use the music patch. It sounds dreadful as expected. I can't believe you can't hear the difference as it's like night and day. Perhaps you haven't set things up correctly?

EDIT 2: Ah, it seems I also get the piano footsteps when playing without an MT-32 emulator. I also get the piano footsteps when playing with the GM music patch. In fact, the only two cases in which I don't get piano footsteps is when playing with SoundBlaster/Adlib or through the MT-32 emulator (MUNT). In other words, I don't think you've set MUNT up correctly. I blame your ROMs. I can confirm that the ones on that popular torrent site work correctly with MUNT. In fact, they may actually be the ones I use!

 

[MMXI]

Okay, I think I may know why you aren't managing to get the MT-32 emulation working with the GOG version of Ultima Underworld. In the DOSBox config files provided by GOG, under the [midi] section, you can see they've changed "midiconfig=" to "config=". If you've been setting "config=1" then DOSBox won't read that value. You need to change "config=1" to "midiconfig=1" for DOSBox to recognise the device. Also, if you've installed MUNT my way you don't need to use any custom built DOSBox. Use the default DOSBox that comes with the games, open the default config files that come with the games, change "config=" to "midiconfig=1" and play.

 

[octavius]

I finally got it to work, by using the regular version of DosBox and the CM32 Roms from TPB (I feel dirty now, but I guess it was worth it)!
Now the water actually sounds like water!
Thanks MMXI.

I didn't need to change the DoxBox config, though, probably because I've set my machine to use MT32 as default midi device from Control Panel -> Sound Properties.

 

[MMXI]

Thanks MMXI.

No problem. Have fun!

I didn't need to change the DoxBox config, though, probably because I've set my machine to use MT32 as default midi device from Control Panel -> Sound Properties.

Yes. It defaults to midiconfig=0, using the first midi device. By changing the default in Windows you're effectively changing the first one. If you were using Windows 7, like I am, I don't think you can change the default midi device at all through Control Panel, so you have to change the midiconfig value in order to get it to work.

 

[octavius]

How do you pronounce Stygian anyway? I thought it the "y" would be pronounced the same as the "y" in Styx, but in the intro the (terrible) voice actor pronunces the "y" like in "pig sty".
And is it common knowledge among english speaking people that Stygian is derived from Styx (it actually means "Styxian")?
I only learnt it recently. I though it was derived from Stygia, a country in Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age, which I though was yet another recycled mythological country, like Ophir, Vanaheim etc.

 

[Infinitron]

Styg·i·an
adjective /ˈstijēən/ 

Of or relating to the Styx River

Very dark
- the Stygian crypt

 

[MMXI]

How do you pronounce Stygian anyway? I thought it the "y" would be pronounced the same as the "y" in Styx, but in the intro the (terrible) voice actor pronunces the "y" like in "pig sty".
And is it common knowledge among english speaking people that Stygian is derived from Styx (it actually means "Styxian")?
I only learnt it recently. I though it was derived from Stygia, a country in Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age, which I though was yet another recycled mythological country, like Ophir, Vanaheim etc.

It's definitely stij-ee-uhn as opposed to sty-jee-uhn, sty-gee-uhn or even stig-ee-uhn.

 

[octavius]

Seems Ultima Underworld really is real time, as in time is not compressed. If you play for 20 minutes 20 minutes pass in game. I'm now on lvl 5, it's the 4th day of my imprisonment and I've only slept three times.
Since time is not compressed it means mana recovers quickly, you need food only rarely and sleep even more rarely.
Could the need for sleep being so infrequent become a problem, seeing as the old bearded geezer (Garamon, I seem to recall his name was after finding a tombstone with that name on it) keeps appearing in your dreams. Will things get messed up if you reach the end before you have received all the dreams from Garamon?

 

[octavius]

Anyone know what armours of "toughness" do? "Protection" is obvious, and so is "Accuracy" and "Damage" for weapons.
I suspect it means an armour's resistance to being damaged by enemies. If so it seems it's better to go for "Protetion", since armours can be repaired.

 

[Gord]

Will things get messed up if you reach the end before you have received all the dreams from Garamon?

You need to see them to figure out some of the things you have to do later in the game (if playing without walkthrough), but I never had problems with timing there. There aren't that many and the important ones are triggered by reaching certain points in the MQ, I think.

About toughness, I might be mistaken, but if I remember correctly then it's a minor increase in armor rating.

 

[octavius]

Hmm...portcullises can be unlocked by keys, both on lvl 5 and in the goblin/troll prison on lvl 7.
Bug or feature?

 

[Sceptic]

Could the need for sleep being so infrequent become a problem, seeing as the old bearded geezer (Garamon, I seem to recall his name was after finding a tombstone with that name on it) keeps appearing in your dreams. Will things get messed up if you reach the end before you have received all the dreams from Garamon?

I don't think you need any of his dreams to actually complete the game. None of them are triggers. UW1 is really good about not having triggers actually; there is only a single set of actions that you can only do after the proper trigger is set, but really, you shouldn't even think of doing them until you've set the trigger anyway.

Hmm...portcullises can be unlocked by keys, both on lvl 5 and in the goblin/troll prison on lvl 7.
Bug or feature?

Pretty sure it's feature. I think some of them HAVE to be in order to make progress, if not in 1 then in 2.

 

[RK47]

Wouldn't force myself to enjoy it too much. It wasn't that great for me. But the sequel certainly did the trick. It had better UI, graphics. Played it till finish, no regrets.

 

[octavius]

Wouldn't force myself to enjoy it too much. It wasn't that great for me. But the sequel certainly did the trick. It had better UI, graphics. Played it till finish, no regrets.

I don't need to force myself to like UU. Except for the need to run all the way back to Shak when I need to repair stuff, and then run back again, I'm enjoying every minute of it. Using the mouse for movement, instead of WASD, works surprisingly well, despite lack of mouse look. Elazair complained about clunky controls in his Let's Play, and he seems to have used the keyboard for moving and jumping. But using the mouse becomes second nature after a while, and after cranking up mouse sensitivity to 200 in the DosBox config, the controls become very intuitive.

Pretty sure it's feature. I think some of them HAVE to be in order to make progress, if not in 1 then in 2.

It does seem rather silly to be able to use a key on the portcullises on lvl 7, when all dialogue with the inmates suggest you are trapped and the only escape is via the escape tunnel that leads to lava. OTOH, I think the game assumes you didn't kill all the guards to get the key. Still, it is silly to use keys on a portcullis that doesn't have a lock.

 

[octavius]

Damned, Ultima Underworld is still a mighty fine game.
I'm almost sad it's over, but I have UU2 to look forward to.

And I'm pleased to say that I encountered no bugs (except the spiders, that is) in this playthrough. No items going missing, and no error messages whatsoever.

 

[Sceptic]

The missing item bugs got fixed by one of the patches, most versions you find nowadays include it. Congrats on finishing it, glad you enjoyed. It really is a mighty good game.

 

[MMXI]

Damned, Ultima Underworld is still a mighty fine game.
I'm almost sad it's over, but I have UU2 to look forward to.

And I'm pleased to say that I encountered no bugs (except the spiders, that is) in this playthrough. No items going missing, and no error messages whatsoever.

I hope you enjoyed the sound!

 

[octavius]

Congrats on finishing it, glad you enjoyed. It really is a mighty good game.

It's the third time I finish it, actually.
Fortunately it was along time since I played it last and I remembered very little of the details, so it was almost as fun exploring the Abyss this time as it was the first time.

I hope you enjoyed the sound!

Well, it didn't detract from the enjoyment, like the Soundblaster effects did. But even with Roland emulation, the sound is still rather weak compared to contemporary Amiga games, or Doom which was released a year later.
Doom had fantastic sound, while I think the sound is the weakest part of Ultima Underworld.

 

[Sceptic]

Fortunately it was along time since I played it last and I remembered very little of the details, so it was almost as fun exploring the Abyss this time as it was the first time.

Lucky you

Doom had fantastic sound, while I think the sound is the weakest part of Ultima Underworld.

Actually Doom was released almost 2 years later, and these 2 years were the biggest jump in computer game sound since 1988: the move to the Sound Canvas for music, and the use of digitized sound. So comparing the sound of both games is REALLY unfair.

 

[octavius]

Doom had fantastic sound, while I think the sound is the weakest part of Ultima Underworld.

Actually Doom was released almost 2 years later, and these 2 years were the biggest jump in computer game sound since 1988: the move to the Sound Canvas for music, and the use of digitized sound. So comparing the sound of both games is REALLY unfair.

OK. I don't much about the history of sound in games.
But I remember digitized sound, or "sampling", was something that came around 1985 in the music industry. And I had the same sound card when playing Doom for the first time, as when I played UU for the first time.
And UU does have nice and clear speech, so why not sound effects of the same quality?

Normally I don't care much about sound, and actually turn it off on most older turn based CRPGs or strategy games, but for a 1st person real time game the sound is important for the immersion.

Anyway, even with the Soundblaster sound Ultima Underworld is still on my top 10 list of favourite games.
A near perfect game. I wonder how it would have turned out if had been released a few years later, with sound of Doom quality, being able to swim and explore under water, and being accessible (hardware wise) to more people?

 

[Jaesun]

And UU does have nice and clear speech, so why not sound effects of the same quality?

As hilarious as it sounds, back in the day, the NUMBER 1 cost concern was how much floppies a game would be on. The more floppies == more expensive. Which is why you see so much compression prevalent in older games. Additional digital sound effects would have added more space. And like for example, the cut down Serpent Isle Intro. They had to cut parts of it JUST for mere floppy space consideration.

The cost of floppies were also a factor in the demise of Origin, even before they signed a deal with SATAN.

 

[Infinitron]

A near perfect game. I wonder how it would have turned out if had been released a few years later, with sound of Doom quality, being able to swim and explore under water, and being accessible (hardware wise) to more people?

Shockingly enough, the logical evolution of Ultima Underworld, if you take it out of the dungeons, is...something like The Elder Scrolls.

Although of course LGS would have done a better job.

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

MMXI I would brofist you a hundred times if I could (and octavius for creating this thread). Not only do the sound effect in the game work properly now, but also the music sounds absolutely gorgious with roland emulation.

I've been wondering though, is there any possibility to lower the music volume in comparison with the ingame sounds? As it is now, I barely hear the soundeffects because the music volume is too high (this has nothing to do with the roland emulation though, it was this way before).

 

[Gord]

I've been wondering though, is there any possibility to lower the music volume in comparison with the ingame sounds? As it is now, I barely hear the soundeffects because the music volume is too high (this has nothing to do with the roland emulation though, it was this way before).

There's this topic over at GOG on how to (manually) setup sound in the GOG version to fix various issues with sound, including midi used for effects and volume issues.