Ultima 7 (using exult which allows it to run on modern systems)

"As computers evolve, we risk losing classic games from the not-so-distant past.

One of these, Ultima 7, an RPG from the early 1990's, still has a huge following, and many consider it to be one of the most immersive games ever produced. Exult is a project to recreate Ultima 7 for modern operating systems, using the game's original plot, data, and graphics files"

This is one of my old favourites, and many will never get to play it (sadly) because it's not Halo2... therefore not in any retail stores.

I have the original (ripped up, drooled upon, burned and barely able to run off the CD) 'mint condition' game, with the cloth map :-)

You can collect nappies/daipers and chuck them at monsters, they then run away from you screaming: "ahhhhh!!!"

This is...beautifully deep, and everyone deserves to play it.

The project, you could arrange something with the developers so that you're able to charge 50cents-$10 for a download...(sharing it with them of course).

This would obviously make them more motivated to keep working on it, improving it for all of us, charging for it would also make players 'value' it more and really appreciate it.

As a player...asking you to charge for this is not in my best interests,
but for the success of the game, I think it's naturally the right thing to do, if you can

http://exult.sourceforge.net/

Oh, yes. This strikes me as an excellent way to get sued.

And while I have the utmost respect for the Ultima series.... Iesu Christe, the vast bulk of any development effort is generating the engine and the art assets. While designing the gameplay and developing the story are highly important, and vital tasks the merit of which I (as a game designer) will surely not undervalue--if you're going to this effort, why not create something original?

I agree, Exult is an excellent project, and Ultima 7 is one of the finest RPG games ever made.

However, EA owns the rights to the Ultima series - you can play them, mod them, spend years remaking them in a labour of love, but to make money out of them (i.e. selling them) you'd have to talk to those who essentially have Ultima locked in a vault somewhere =|

It's one of the greatest tragedies in game history that the Ultima franchise was shelved, if you ask me. UO doesn't count.

If you're interested in what happened to Ultima and Origin Systems, The Escapist article 'The Conquest of Origin' is a great read: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/14/

On the bright side, the Ultima remake scene is very active, with Ultima V Lazarus (www.u5lazarus.com - a from-the-ground-up remake of the original U5 using the Dungeon Siege engine which took over five years to make) being released last year, not to mention its sister project, the Ultima VI Project (www.u6project.com), is quite far ahead into development...

Edit: the above projects (Exult, Lazarus, U6Project) are free. They are *not-for-profit* in any way, shape or form.

They're simply labours of love, by dedicated fans of the series.

Disclaimer: I worked on Lazarus in various capacities as a member of Team Lazarus, who developed UVL. :)

Original post updated.

Direct response to the question '... why not make something original?'

The series met with an untimely shelving - many fans of the series of the series were greatly displeased with Ultima 9, and the path UO rambled down....

Hence the 5-years-in-dev remakes (Lazarus), Exult, and so on. As a way of showing respect for the Ultima series and keeping it alive.

Fanboy=out.

costik, I thought you were a fan of stuff like Underdogs - a way of preserving the old stuff. Aren't projects like Exult (specifically; not Lazarus) beneficial in that respect?

Outside of that, I agree. Put all that creativity to good use!

Oh, I have no objection to the project per se... But I don't think it's something we could legally sell.

Good points made.
I wouldn't reccomend selling this, for obvious reasons.

Is it illegal to give it away for free though?
(probably)

Anyone who's really interested,
will be able to find it anyway.

Thanks for looking at it.

Yes, it is illegal. Simply because no money is being charged doesn't make infringing copyright any more legal.

Part of respecting and encouraging the developers is also respecting copyright.