Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

[Sep 01, 2011, 09:59 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

GOG.com announces they are now offering Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar, the fourth installment in Lord British's Ultima series of RPGs, saying this is available at no charge. This game has an unusual background, as it was an intentional departure from some of the amoral mechanics of previous games in the series and genre. Here's a bit from MobyGames:

Instead of building up a character by any means possible in order to face a villain in the end of the game, in Ultima IV the player is trying to become the Avatar, a role model for people. This means upholding the Eight Virtues, basically trying to become a better person. Making morally conscious decisions and helping other people is not done expecting a material reward, but because it is the actual goal of the game and the main focus of its gameplay. The game frowns on behavior typical of most other RPGs, such as backstabbing fleeing enemies or picking up everything that isn't nailed down even if it does not belong to the protagonist. This different approach established the game's reputation as the first "true" Ultima, influencing the design philosophy of later installments and the overall spirit of the series.

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30.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 2, 2011, 17:17

venomhed

Glad I was alive and was fortunate enough to participate in the golden age of gaming (1978-1997) more or less. Times were simpler, people had to be so creative due to the perceived (or real) limitations of the Apple ][e, Intellivision, Atari, TI, Amiga, C64 etc. Origin was just such a dominant force back then, nearly every game was just platinum status out of the box. Then SSI took over in the mid late 80's. Good times!

29.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 2, 2011, 10:55

Creston

born2expire wrote on Sep 1, 2011, 18:04: Ultima 5 was the longest game EVER!!! man I remember playing that game for months and months. I also remember you could swap disc at times enter dungeons and it would load the underworld instead of Brittiana, lol. Those Shadowlords where damn scary the first couple of times you face them, and Lord Blackthorne was such a badass. Man, don't even get me started on U7, both parts where so amazing, nothing like getting that sword in the expansion pack and then getting it to kill Lord British, muhhhahahhaa!!! Anyone tried the Lazaurs versions? What are the Lazarus versions? Last time I played U7 and serpent isle, I played them through Exult Weirdly enough, Exult ran fine for me a few years back, but now they seem to have a nasty-ass bug in their current code. Sucks. Creston

28.

removed

Sep 1, 2011, 22:19

erher

* REMOVED * This comment was deleted on Sep 1, 2011, 23:18.

27.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 19:45

Talisorn

While I enjoyed games prior to this, U4 was so revolutionary back then, it really began my love affair with gaming. CURSE YOU, RICHARD GARRIOTT!! ;-)

26.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 19:32

zincthallinide

I think U5 is the best game of the series. Lord British is gone and you have to save the entire planet without really knowing what's going on. U4 somehow felt forced to me.. I could never get into it. But yeah, U4 and 5 really had all the things that so many RPGs do now, build up a party from people who are otherwise 'NPCs', open world where you can go anywhere you want, many different modes of transport. I don't think any modern RPGs have even tried to model an entire planet, but with so much more work needed nowadays to make something that looks impressive, I don't fault them. A lot of U5 was imagination, either that or you really thought the world's grasslands really were a few dots repeated over and over Also, kill the sandtrap monster things for tons of loot.. once you're strong enough

25.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 18:04

born2expire

Ultima 5 was the longest game EVER!!! man I remember playing that game for months and months. I also remember you could swap disc at times enter dungeons and it would load the underworld instead of Brittiana, lol. Those Shadowlords where damn scary the first couple of times you face them, and Lord Blackthorne was such a badass. Man, don't even get me started on U7, both parts where so amazing, nothing like getting that sword in the expansion pack and then getting it to kill Lord British, muhhhahahhaa!!! Anyone tried the Lazaurs versions?

24.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 17:40

Silicon Avatar

You might need the spell words too. They were "an nox" if you do. You'll want to have that spell mixed up pretty much all the time. If you liked Exile and haven't played Ultima, then you should play Ultima. Ultima 5, 6, and 7 were my personal favorites.

23.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 16:45

Creston

A51Abductee wrote on Sep 1, 2011, 14:13: Illumin wrote on Sep 1, 2011, 13:23: How in the bleep do you cure poison in this game? Im a paladin and get poisoned almost every time from a chest, snake , marshlands and it last forever. I know there's a cure spell but i can't even find the reagents for it. Anyone? Been a looong time, but if I remember right it's ginseng+garlic. Or you can talk to Lord British and he'll heal you for free. applauds Impressive. You have to be able to cast the spell if you want to do it yourself (I think it's a 4th level spell.) Alternatively, keep healing yourself and run to Lord British. I think there are some healers in some towns too. Poison is definitely a major threat in the early game. Creston

22.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 16:05

saluk

I never got into the ultima games - they all seemed so strange, like they were made in another dimension. I've had fun with some of their clones though, like the exile games. One of these days I'll give it a try.

21.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 15:55

Frijoles

Go to town, find healer, ask him to cure you for 100g. That's about the extent of my knowledge. I can't find a keyboard command list, but I haven't looked very closely at the manual (which appears to just be the history). UI design has come a long ways.

20.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 14:13

A51Abductee

Illumin wrote on Sep 1, 2011, 13:23: How in the bleep do you cure poison in this game? Im a paladin and get poisoned almost every time from a chest, snake , marshlands and it last forever. I know there's a cure spell but i can't even find the reagents for it. Anyone? Been a looong time, but if I remember right it's ginseng+garlic. Or you can talk to Lord British and he'll heal you for free.

19.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 13:36

Wolfen

-scratching his head wondering why his post was deleted- Edit: NVM. Blue explained. All is well and fair. =)

18.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 13:23

Illumin

How in the bleep do you cure poison in this game? Im a paladin and get poisoned almost every time from a chest, snake , marshlands and it last forever. I know there's a cure spell but i can't even find the reagents for it. Anyone?

17.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 13:20

JediPunisher

Let us meditate now… Om Om Om Ra Ra Ra

16.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 13:18

A51Abductee

Hope Ultima V is next. First UO, then Ultima 1-3, and now this. GoG is spoiling us.

15.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 12:18

killer_roach

Silicon Avatar wrote on Sep 1, 2011, 11:04: Ultima 4 has been legally given away for free about 50 billion times now. It's still a good game though, so no real complaints here. That being said, GOG has their usual complement of extras to go along with the game, something that other releases haven't had...

14.

removed

Sep 1, 2011, 12:11

Wolfen

* REMOVED * This comment was deleted on Sep 1, 2011, 12:20.

13.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 11:39

DI-MeisterM

WTF is up with the shitty GOG Installer for U4? It takes ages to extract 25 megs...

12.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 11:22

LittleMe

Epic music.




Political freedom can only be preceded by economic freedom which is preceded by monetary freedom.

11.

Re: Free Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar on GOG.com

Sep 1, 2011, 11:11

Kajetan

Silicon Avatar wrote on Sep 1, 2011, 11:04: Ultima 4 has been legally given away for free about 50 billion times now. If i remember correctly U4 was made freeware to promote U9 or UO, so it's freeware since a few years now

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