Updated version of the original Ultima IV Reborn by Devi. Original description by Devi: "This is as faithful a reproduction of one of my all-time favorite games, Ultima IV, as I was able to make."
This update fixes several bugs, and makes several gameplay improvements, most based on users' feedback. It makes even more improvements than the first fix, 1.1.0, which can be found here.
Version with some improvements and fixes over 1.2.0, mainly for better gameplay balance. Includes the .mod file, a .jpg with the areas, and the readme file.
Version with a minor improvement over 1.2.1, in order to give better hints to help the player find the White Stone. Includes the .mod file, a .jpg with the areas, and the readme file.
Hi, guys. Very good mod but where is the white stone ? The ghost says it is at Serpent's Spine. The guy in Buc's Denn says that there is a secrect passage near the exit from Hythloth. The dungeon exit at Serpent's Spine is Despise, not Hythloth. Hythloth's exit/entrance is at LB's castle. I've licked all the ground and no trace of the white stone. Thanks a ton for the help.
I'm really stuck now.
A - I have all the stones except the black one. My journal says I should ask Nate but he does not spawn. I have tried entering the moongate near Moonglow at the New Moon but no black stone.
B - My journal says to ask about the Skull of Mondain at the pub in Buccaneer's Den. I asked Ragnar in the pub but he only says I should not use the skull except to destroy it. The pirate on the ship is not offering to take me to to the skull. What next please?
Managed to find the rune of Honesty without Nate's appearance. Still not sure about the stone.
I now have a problem with Rune of Valor. Found my way into Jhelom city walls & talked to Nostro. He says the rune is in a storage room. Looked in all the rooms I could find. There is a locked door in SE tower which I cannot open. I presume that's where rune is but how do I open the door? Help please.
@HipMaestro: I see your point. However, before talking on why it is scripted that way, you're confused about something: the final step to get to the White Stone is NOT to talk to the Shrine of Spirituality after the ghost. The last step is just to talk to the ghost. The Shrine is just a parallel way of getting the same info that the ghost gives the player. The ghost says "The White Stone sits upon the Serpent's Spine. It can only be reached by one who floats within the clouds.", and the Shrine says "If thou dost seek the White Stone, search ye not under the ground, but in Serpent's Spine!". The Shrine does not add anthing important to the ghost's information, and it doesn't set any variables either. So that particular dialog at the Shrine is not part of any critical path; it's just an optional hint.
Now, why it's programmed so that only players that have not reached the highest Spirituality levels see it? I didn't create this part, as I've just been updating the module, but from what I see, each Shrine does one of two things when meditating three cycles with the correct mantra: it either gives partial Avatarhood if you have reached the highest level in that Virtue, or it gives you a hint if you haven't. Any of these hints are just additional tips, not necessary info. That's why you don't see it if you have reached the highest level.
Now, could this be scripted in some other way, so after getting partial Avatarhood, you could still get the hint? Maybe. I'm not sure how this worked in the original game, but for now I'll asume this was the same way it was in the original U4. As this info is not critical anyway, I guess it's better to leave it this way.
The funny thing is that, actually, in order to get to know how to get to the specific part of Serpent's Spine with the stone, you have to talk to a guy in Bucaneer's Den, who is completely unrelated to the other hint trail... but again, that's just how the original game was.
What I COULD do is to change the ghost's hint to point to the guy at Bucaneer's Den, as the "clouds" thing does not apply to this mod (there is no baloon here, unlike the original game). But once again, this has nothing to do with the Shrine.
In the search for the white stone, the final step is the convo with the Shrine of Spirituality after the ghost gives the hint. However, the way the script is written returns a False flag if the VirtueStatusLevel is 5 (the highest level). This means the node MUST be encountered before very much gameplay has occurred to raise that virtue to high levels. Not sure why it was written this way, since it forces one to figure out a way to lower Spirituality to get the node for the White Stone if they already got partial avatar in that virtue.
Honestly, I have gone too far (this is the 2nd attempt since Avatar became impossible in the first go-round because I guessed wrong at creature alignments too often) to begin all over again.
It's a decent module with lots of innovative depth but has game-breaking idiosyncrasies that can easily become frustrating. It's just too long of a campaign to keep restarting. The depth is very engaging especially for someone who never completed the original Ultima but some method of "critical path recovery" should be provided, although I am at a loss to suggest how. Critical paths should NEVER be able to be permanently broken IMO.
I'll refrain from replaying or voting until this issue is fixed since I never vote until a module has been played to completion at least once. _________________________ The NEWEpic Character Builder's guild
Thanks again for your comments. BTW, I thought you were going to wait for an update before continuing. I would recommend you to do it if you're feeling frustrated with the current gameplay.
First thing, I didn't create the mod, I just tweaked it to improve it a little, as it had several bugs in its initial version. I'm sorry that I cannot change everything in the module, as I don't have the time for it, but I'm trying to improve it the most I can.
As I said, I'll tweak the respawn and gold stuff to see if it can be improved. I did play test the module, and I did have some problems at some level with the difficulty of the monsters appearing. I thought I had improved it a little, but clearly not enough. I insist that secret rooms in dungeons have lots of gold, but probably monsters do not have enough. I'll check it out in the next days.
If you are willing to wait, I can upload an improved version in some more days.
I found henchmen quite useful, though I insist that they were created pre SoU and HotU, so they do not have inventory or armor management. Maybe they don't have the best armors, in fact I haven't had the time to see what the creator of the mod put on them, but when used in numbers, they can help a lot.
About the journal, part of the reason of the openness is because this is a mod of Ultima IV, which was very open on what to do at every part of the game. The tips in the readme should point the way on what to do; I'll see if I can make a walktrough and improve the journal a bit, but I can't change the quests too much or it will stop being a remake.
I insist that I'm no expert in this module, I was playing it, found that it had a lot to be improved, and went and fixed stuff. But based on your input, I'll try and improve it even more.
I have persevered but the respawning has gone toofar now. "You played through the module?" The most ridiculous example of respawning , I could not belive this could e beaten. In a space of less than 1 minute. 1 rost giant and 1 adult white dragon becomes 3 adult white dragons, 3 frost giants, 1 adult green dragon and 2 fire giants. The latters base attack is 21 and still I have no worn magical items (found a 1 katana). Have 36 gp on me and now I am a 1/11/3 rgr/clr/COT.
On top of all of this as I have been playing the game on and off. There are so many journal entries I am completely lost in where to go next.
Henchmen are practically useless. Not only can you not see their inventory but you don't have enough money to buy them anything. The monk I found who levelled up to 13 was ac 20 (prob no magical armour) and no magical gloves ie no elem damage. The cleric I levelled to 14 was ac 21 (fIRE Giant base attack) and had a +1 morningstar, +1 extra damage vs evil.
I greatly appreciate the free time and effort put into this. I am in awe with all of you mod makers but I do not beieve this game has been playtested. Based on gold found (Lord British's hoard consisted of about 6 ccw potions, some heal kits +1/+3 and about 200gp) and respawns this game has not been thoroughly play tested if at all.
Thanks again for the comments. I'll check out the respawning too. BTW, I did play over the module, and even though at first I had some trouble with the gold and monsters, eventually it evens up. But I'll try to tweak both things a little more.
Henchmen inventory is in fact disabled. This is a limitation on the original version of the module, and I unfortunately do not have the amount of time necessary to improve this, so for now it will stay that way. When henchmen level up, however, they automatically get better items.
I'll see if the "difficult to find" spots can be improved, too.
Thanks for the reply. Found rune in poison field but it was difficult even with a search skill of 13. Respawns though are becoming ridiculous. If you stay in one spot to long all creatures will respawn very quickly. For example 1 orc chief, shaman and champ, then 2 of each etc. You are only able to rest in towns which makes sense but having to fight 2 min chieftains, 4 min berserk, 2 min shamans, 2 orc chief, 2 orc champs and 2 orc shamans because I reamined in a spot too long is a bit over the top. Having won through I pick up a heal kit +1, a sapphire and a silver necklace. Used up 3 heal kits, 2 ccw potions and a csw potion. I play hardcore so trying to cure yourself in combat when youa re being attacked by a lot of nme is very difficult. Attacks of opp and a chance for a concentration failure.
Stopping now because of this and wait for updates am a 1/10/2 rgr/clr/COT. I have 739 gp in my invewntory non magical plate, large shield, long bow, morn star and long sword.
I can't check it out right now, but if I remember correctly, level 7 of the Shame dungeon is a small room with coffins, right? If so, when you enter the room, you should turn right. Along that wall you should find the secret door, next to one of the coffins I think.
Some pointers:
(WARNING: some spoilers)
* As the readme says, there are some islands that are only available through moongates, and others are only available through some sailors in different towns. Search around till you find either a moongate or a sailor that will take you to that northern island. I assume you mean the shrine of honesty, which is on an island north of Moonglow.
* I would have to check this, but if I remember correctly, the rune in Trinsic can be found inside the poison file that a mage creates in the corner of the town. Move your mouse inside it till you can click somewhere and it will appear.
* About level 7 secret door, let me check on that and I can tell you how to get to the secret areas.
* In Yew, it's not about how long, it's just about finding the right spot. You have to enter the cell with the very bad guy, but ignore him. There is a grate in the floor besides him. Click on it or part of it to get the rune.
* Taking gold from houses in general is a crime, so it will lower some stats (all of them can be raised again though). There is a secret room in Lord British's castle with gold and stuff that you can get for free with no effect on your stats.
* Gold is generally scarce. The best source of gold are the secret rooms in dungeons. Once you find them, you'll be full of gold. However, I will try to see if I can tweak the gold given by monsters a bit. I have already improved the amount of gold given by monsters from versions 1.0 and 1.1, but maybe it's still not enough.
Am having a number of problems probably due to my mistakes.
Starting off in moon can not find shrine of compassion on northern isle?
Can not find honour rune stone in trinsic. Supposed to be buried in sw corner. I can boost my search skills to 13 for a limited time. 6 normally without buffs and nothing.
Likewise in dungeoun level 7 of shame could not find a secret door. I am guessing there is something there as I could not rest.
In Yew I have etered cell with vorpal to do my pennance, once more the judge mentioned something about searching. Can't find anything. How long do I have to stay in cell to do my pennance.
Gold is incredibly limited. I can not buy any +1 weapon or better. The werecats must have +3 soak 10 or more damage..
Respawns are a bit of a pain. Again very very etc limited gold. So buying potions and healing kits do add up.
I can solve this by having 1000s of gp just by making stoneskin scrols and selling them off but thta does not seem right.
Playin a half/elf rgr am now 1/9 rgr/clr so can use spells to boost my abilities.
Anyway a bit of help for above obstacles would be very much appreciated.
Didn't realise that taking gold etc from barrels would be a crime (I think this may have affected my chances with justice)
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at 2012-03-03 19:19:51
