Ultima

Overview

Richard Garriott’s Ultima series evolved from simple dungeon crawling to philosophical exploration. Ultima IV abandoned defeating a villain for pursuing virtues. Ultima VII created a living world. The series defined what computer RPGs could be and established Origin Systems as the genre’s leader.

Fast facts

Creator: Richard Garriott (Lord British).
Publisher: Origin Systems.
Main series: 9 numbered entries.
Spin-offs: Ultima Underworld, Ultima Online.

Series evolution

Era	Games	Innovation
I-III	1981-1983	Foundations
IV-VI	1985-1990	Virtue system, narrative
VII-IX	1992-1999	Living world, 3D

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Revolutionary design:

Change	Impact
No villain	Become virtuous
Eight virtues	Moral framework
Companions	Character relationships
Player behaviour	Actions have meaning

The virtues

Virtue	Principle
Honesty	Truth
Compassion	Love
Valour	Courage
Justice	Truth + Courage
Sacrifice	Love + Courage
Honour	Truth + Courage
Spirituality	All three
Humility	None (awareness of limits)

Technical achievements

Game	Innovation
Ultima III	Party-based combat
Ultima IV	Day/night cycles
Ultima VI	Mouse interface
Ultima VII	Continuous world

World of Britannia

Consistent setting across games:

Lord British’s realm
Recurring locations
Character continuity
Expanding lore

Spin-offs

Title	Year	Significance
Ultima Underworld	1992	First-person 3D RPG
Ultima Online	1997	MMORPG pioneer
Savage Empire	1990	Alternate setting

Influence

Ultima established:

Open world exploration
NPC schedules
Moral choice systems
Party management
Quest structure

Richard Garriott

Creator and in-game presence:

Lord British character
Space tourist
Continued game development
Genre pioneer

Legacy

Modern RPGs owe Ultima:

Dialogue systems
World interactivity
Ethical gameplay
Persistent universes

The RPG that defined them all