Even though the Ultima franchise as a whole has been a massive influence for countless other games since 1981, I was completely unaware of it's existence until sometime in 2023. I began watching a Twitch stream heavily shaped by the world within these games and was immediately intrigued. Despite learning all the music and spells and other references from this creator, many straight out of the game, I just...never tried it. A lot of things about playing something like this so late in the game intimidated me, and with real strangers not NPCs? Plus I am so, so bad at serious gaming.
Cut to 2025 and I still watch or listen to the wizard's stream every day. This particular day he's going to hold a competition. One that welcomes all players to try and prove they are the "Ultimate Sosarian" for a chance at a million gold (Sosarians are residents of the world within the game.) Still having never logged in and actually played myself, I am certain this is not something I am. But I am ultimately silly, and this seemed like fun.
I downloaded some things, and soon had created an account for myself on Ultima Online Forever. I had four days to figure out how to play this game before the competition.
What the fuck did I get myself into?!
My first hours of playing I could not tear myself away from the screen. I died more times than any other game I'd ever attempted playing combined, and in stupider ways than I ever thought possible. I found priceless treasures and lost everything. I wandered through woods, swamps, arctic tundra. I bought a boat. I bought a small property and began building my first house. I made allies and enemies. I tamed fierce beasts and killed fiercer foes! I felt alive. Despite knowing next to nothing, I felt like I really was capable of learning and doing anything in this world. It's a feeling I had never had playing a video game. Maybe I've been playing the wrong ones.
When it came time for the competition a few days later I made it much farther than I would have ever guessed despite all I'd done already. I earned the daemon statuette that now sits at my house as a prize. (I misunderstood rules and technically cheated eliminating myself from the competition lol.) It didn't matter though, to me this game had become the prize.
That was just over three months ago and I have logged in every day since, even if I only have a few minutes. I joined a guild, built a bigger house in a better location, earned a talisman, and on and on. There's enjoyment in setting small goals for myself and seeing them come together over time, whether I'm quietly clicking away leveling a skill or slaying monsters and screaming at my screen.
That being said, my next goal outside of the game is some new paintings inspired by it. One of them may already be done and posted soon >:]
And if you're intrigued, or just feeling nostalgic for Ultima- I highly recommend the free server I'm playing on that I linked to. It's a very active, dedicated community of UO fans, all of whom are nothing but welcoming and helpful! <3
