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[red_avatar]

Ultima VII *always* ran poorly. It's the nature of its engine. Same with Ultima VIII. The Exult remake was an engine remake which is why it's not identical to the original. DOSBox simply emulates the original game which includes the rather odd behaviour of the game.

Sound skipping is due to an improperly set-up DOSBox though. I believe 10.000 cycles was about the optimal setting for Ultima VII.

Still, I went for Exult as well. You got the big bonus of seeing a lot more of the area around you which I find very handy and of course, the improved interface which was taken from the second part.

[CrybKeeper]

Think I'll have to agree with you Red Avatar, The ability to see so much is very nice. I am off to solve this murder. Poor fellow appears to be dismembered! EDIT: Lunch!

[Geezer]

Originally Posted by red_avatar

Ultima VII *always* ran poorly. It's the nature of its engine. Same with Ultima VIII. The Exult remake was an engine remake which is why it's not identical to the original. DOSBox simply emulates the original game which includes the rather odd behaviour of the game.

Sound skipping is due to an improperly set-up DOSBox though. I believe 10.000 cycles was about the optimal setting for Ultima VII.

Still, I went for Exult as well. You got the big bonus of seeing a lot more of the area around you which I find very handy and of course, the improved interface which was taken from the second part.

I will second what red_avatar has said. Exult is many times better.

[red_avatar]

The only downside of Exult, is that it alters the game so people who want an authentic experience should still go for DOSBox. Combat especially has been altered.

On the other hand, Ultima VII is very sensitive to bugs - I encountered many and Exult says to address some so that's a bonus. Nothing worse than being stuck at the end of a game which takes 50 hours to complete.

[antifood]

Ultima 7 is my absolute favorite game. Can anyone recommend any recent (last few years) titles that provide a similar feel?

[BostonGeorge]

Apart from the fact that a "game-feeling" is always a subjective expierence I can only quote "JazzOleg" from Mobygames who wrote an excellent review
on this jewel:

"[…]Today we hear a lot of such words as immersive world or interactive environment. They appear in game commercials and on many game box covers. They are used so often that they actually have no meaning at all. But they do have a meaning if applied to "Ultima VII". Of all games I know, this one has the most immersive world, and boasts the most truly interactive environment.

[…]The game satisfies one of the most important instincts of a gamer - curiousity. Any gamer is naturally curious and wants to see everything a game offers. But you'll never achieve this goal in "Ultima VII", unless you wish to dedicate it all the time you spend with other games - it has too much to offer.

[…] Ultima VII" is the most engrossing world you'll ever plunge into, it is a universe, a noble legend, a proper object of cult. […] you also begin to realize it is the adventure/role-playing experience of the century. It is a monster of a game, a veritable behemoth, a wonder of programming and of generous creativity. For me personally, "Ultima VII" is a milestone in my development as a gamer. It showed me aspects of gaming I never dreamed about. It made me richer as a gamer, and richer as a person."

no additional comments

[Wolf Thug]

Ok I just downloaded this game yesterday using exult system and err ye its fun but Wtf combat so lame? U just hit "C" and your men do all the fighting and you just watch? FAIL.

Then In a cave fighting huge but very weak cyclops monsters I find a sack with bread in it so the kid says hes hungry and I give him the bread to shut him up and then one dude in my party calls me a thief and just walks away WTF? For taking cyclops bread????????God.

Not to mention the inventory that get so cramped you can park a car in there and it will get lost and no way of knowing your health points and total health points and not knowing who to heal cause u can't see hp anywere?

The manual is useless. ololol How about that chick Nastassia? Who can kiss a chick 4 minutes after meeting her? That chick drunk? Gawd Avatar is such a cassonova or Britannia has such easy chicks.

[Borodin]

Originally Posted by Wolf Thug

Ok I just downloaded this game yesterday using exult system and err ye its fun but Wtf combat so lame? U just hit "C" and your men do all the fighting and you just watch? FAIL.

You can generally control each member of your team in combat, telling them whether to go after the strongest, nearest, or weakest opponent, to defend, to run away, etc. That noted, like you I considered it weak at the time when it first came out, since you couldn't directly control the combat actions of anybody. My thought was that they were trying to make up for the poor combat AI of their foes, by making it harder to focus your team. Arcanum does roughly the same thing.

Not to mention the inventory that get so cramped you can park a car in there and it will get lost and no way of knowing your health points and total health points and not knowing who to heal cause u can't see hp anywere?

I interviewed Garriott when the game came out and asked him precisely about this. Why didn't you allow for plenty of submenus to hold stuff, and auto-move objects into each? His answer was "I didn't want to." Then dead silence. Garriott did things his way, and he didn't like advice.

Still a great game. Each town has its unique feeling and quests. The villainy feels real, rather than cartoonish, as is so often the case in so many RPGs. The environment is far more hands-on than in any subsequent RPG, too.

[Wolf Thug]

Originally Posted by Borodin

You can generally control each member of your team in combat, telling them whether to go after the strongest, nearest, or weakest opponent, to defend, to run away, etc. That noted, like you I considered it weak at the time when it first came out, since you couldn't directly control the combat actions of anybody. My thought was that they were trying to make up for the poor combat AI of their foes, by making it harder to focus your team. Arcanum does roughly the same thing.

I interviewed Garriott when the game came out and asked him precisely about this. Why didn't you allow for plenty of submenus to hold stuff, and auto-move objects into each? His answer was "I didn't want to." Then dead silence. Garriott did things his way, and he didn't like advice.

Still a great game. Each town has its unique feeling and quests. The villainy feels real, rather than cartoonish, as is so often the case in so many RPGs. The environment is far more hands-on than in any subsequent RPG, too.

Rofl ya it does feel real but avatar at least cud have a notebook to write down his quests.

All in all its a great game, I overcame the inventory problem easy , I just gave all the keys,scrolls etc to the kid and weapons and armour to the stronger characters.

[LurkingGrue]

Originally Posted by red_avatar

The only downside of Exult, is that it alters the game so people who want an authentic experience should still go for DOSBox. Combat especially has been altered.

I've tried searching the Exult site for the info, but couldn't find it (maybe my search-fu is rusty), so I'll ask here. What, if any, changes were made to Exult that alter the story, dialogue or quests over the original U7?