Game #74: Ultima I: Immersion & Player Reciprocity

Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness (First post)

There is a certain degree of commitment when you desire to play these older game offerings. Many computer games, both old and new, are rated by the level of immersion the player experiences. That threshold becomes easier to reach with new games using new technology. The Playstation 5’s improved framerates and graphics, for example, literally shine thanks to ray tracing. Furthermore, their new DualSense technology and 3D Audio headsets help to take a gamer’s adventures even further. This kind of technology requires no work from the player. The hardware is doing all of the heavy lifting to create a great gaming experience. There is very little in the way of reciprocity.

Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness is now 40 years old. There are no spectacular graphics or pulse-pounding sound. If you want to have the same awesome experience that players had in 1981 it requires a covenant between the game and the player. If you desire a truly immersive experience there needs to be reciprocity between the player and the game. The threshold for immersion was completely different in 1981 and some of the heavy lifting falls on the shoulders of the player as well. There needs to be a give and take between the game and the player or what I call reciprocity. Allow me to illustrate a bit further.

I am now 22 hours into Ultima I. Many might be surprised by that admission or exclaim; “But it is such a short game!” I have read reviews from modern gamers how they have finished the game in 2 to 3 hours. My contention is this: there is no way they finished the game in that length of time unless they already played through it once and then wanted to see how quickly they could run through it a second time. This is where that covenant or contract between player and game comes into play. If you’re going to be lured by the temptation of the many online walkthroughs and videos available for these older games then why play at all?

I mentioned in my prior blog post that I wanted to experience Ultima I as if I had opened the box for the very first time in 1981. I have purposefully avoided any spoilers or any kind of aid. I have also been mapping the outdoor environment of Ultima I by hand.

The map depicted above is not 100% complete yet. I have mapped out all four continents in the game and in a future blog post will provide you with updated photos of the finished products.

Based on the recommendations of William, a frequent contributor, I also purchased the Official Book of Ultima by Shay Addams.

The first half of the book does an excellent job of providing background information on Lord British and the creative process that transpired to make each of the Ultima games. It was a fascinating and captivating read. The second half of the book contains walkthroughs and spoilers for Ultima I – VI but I avoided that second half. I wanted the book to add to my collection and I was interested in reading about the history behind the series. The book now holds a special place on my bookshelves.

The care and the detail that has gone into the creation of these outdoor maps and reading about Lord British and the making of the game is part of the reciprocity that I am alluding to. I am doing my own part to create an enjoyable and immersive experience with the game. I am doing all that I can to experience and play the game the way that it should be played. These efforts have greatly added to my overall enjoyment and experience with the game. There is a reciprocity. A covenant. If you’re going to experience Ultima I for the very first time I urge you to do the same. Avoid spoilers, avoid cheating, take your time with the game and completely explore the environment.

In my next blog post I will provide greater detail on the four continents and what I have discovered on each of them.

So as I have said I am 22 hours into the game – where do I stand with it at this point in time? I have completed all 8 quests that were given to me by the eight different kings. My experience with the game reminds me of watching an episode of Lost. You wander about with virtually no idea what to do but as you explore each of the cities you learn snippets of information at each of the pubs. The information you receive is sparing and only gives rise to more questions. I learned that I have to go back in time to defeat Minax. Completing the quests for each of the kings not only awarded me four different colored gems but also more information. This new information is enough to propel me further into the game. I have learned from one of the kings that these gems will aid in operating a time machine that will allow me to go back in time. I have also learned that I am going to need to rescue the princess locked within the castle; that she will provide me with another piece of information. I believe however that the game is steering me to blast off and become a “Space Ace” (whatever that means) first.

Wish me luck. Until next time…