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Produced by: Max Breedon
Website: EUO
Releases:
* EUO Installer (4.6 MiB, 346 hits)
* EUO Patching Utility (99.7 KiB, 334 hits)
* Launcher Client (24.7 KiB, 333 hits)
* EUO Map Editor (158.8 KiB, 326 hits)
* EUO 3D Client (253.3 KiB, 342 hits)
Borrowing a fair bit from other RPGs, EUO is intended to be a real-time, single/multi-player, persistent-world RPG…one that looks and plays much like Ultima 4 or Ultima 5.
The project site proudly proclaims that those looking for mouse support and Diablo 3-style graphics should seek their fix elsewhere.
EUO uses an Ultima Online-like skill system, without player classes. Combat is based on D&D dice rolling like in Neverwinter Nights (with additional Ultima Online influences, apparently). Although the original EUO did feature a U4-like tileset, the current iteration is completely original (although most monsters and traps will be familiar to Ultima 5 fans). Spells can be cast using either the Ultima 5 runes, or through a simpler list for the less-than-Ultima-proficient.
Also, the game now incorporates the LUA scripting language, meaning that the player can influence the dungeons to a greater degree through certain key actions. Leveling is done at shrines, with stats being upgraded along the same lines as happened in Ultima 6.
The game features over 100 NPCs and over 50 quests, with more being added all the time. And now, a 3D client is even available!
Just to correct this: although the original EUO did use Josh’s U4 tiles, the current tile set is completely original. However, most monsters and tiles are based in the Ultima V canon (sand traps and so on, and you’ll recognise your reflection in the mirror!).
The ‘classes’ are based on fighter / mage / rogue skills: each skill is governed by one of these, and a player can only have 125% total. To make this clearer – fighter specials (bash, cleave, and so on) require a 90 skill in a weapon, meaning you’d raise your fighter percent to 90 if you trained this skill. Thus, if you wanted to use sixth circle spells as well, you’d find you couldn’t, as these require 60 in magery skills (magery, sorcery, piety). All in all, EUO has a lot of skills – ranging from the usual fighting ones to enchanting, animal taming, tinkering and so forth, however, players can tailor their characters to their own wishes to a large extent.
All the spells can be cast using the Ultima V runes, or for the non-Ultima fans, through a simpler list. The dungeons, of which there are over 30, are player made and with 1.2.0 going live, now incorporate the LUA scripting language – meaning that like in Ultima V (where you could zap rocks with your magic axes) you can now influence the dungeons through switches, puzzles and spawned monsters Although, yes, there are a couple of randomised dungeons on top of these as well!
There are also over 100 custom-written NPCs, and over 50 quests with more being added all the time. Leveling is done by meditating at the Shrines, which use a variant of the Ultima VI method – for example, the Shrine of Valor gives +6 strength, and the Shrine of Spirituality +2 to all stats.
All in all, if you loved Ultima V, EUO is well worth a look – nostalgia mixed in with quirky nethack nods and a designer whose doing rather smart things behind the now archaic front end!
He’s working hard with a lot of input from the gamers he has. The game also doubles as a simple chat and has new ideas coming in all the time.
Max is only one programmer so updates can be slow but just this year there has been a ton.
you have farming, crafting, arenas, pvp, guilds, 4 servers:
REgular Server
Player Death server where xp and skills gained is at x10
No Grind server where there’s no xp but only skills and stats
Weekly ladder – which will soon be completely like old NEthack and random.
The weekly ladder will be wiped every week with the rewards going to the top 3 players.
Races now include:
human
gnome
dwarf
draconian
shadowkin
bloodkin
half-orc
Classes include:
fighter
mage
priest
rogue
monk
The game also has yearly contests for best pvp on the regular server.
There are also clans, food, booze, pets, housing, some minigames, and more.
Give it a try and tell all your friends. Max just got a new server from the donation of several people so he’d love to see over 100 people online, even if its only a dream.
I will…make a point of posting news about this when I resume normal updates next week.
Kewl Beans.