FAQ
What is Ultima?
Ultima is a legendary CRPG series that was created in 1980 by Richard Garriott, and is renowned for its revolutionary approach to the genre. Since its creation, Ultima has been the source of many games, and created a huge following from CRPG Fans. While the series ended in 1999 with the release of Ultima IX: Ascension, the Ultima legacy now spans over twenty titles, including spin-offs, online games and fan projects.
What is Ultima: Return to the Serpent Isle?
Return to the Serpent Isle is a fan-made game revisiting the Serpent Isle, which had been introduced in Ultima VII Part Two. It intends to follow and uphold the tradition of the past episodes in the series.
Why make a game about the Serpent Isle?
Because Serpent Isle has always been one of the most renowned episodes of the franchise and happens to be the favourite episode of many of our team members. It also had a wonderful plot, memorable characters, and the land in itself was a wonderful setting that just craves to be revisited. So ultimately, we decided to create our own vision of the future of the Serpent Isle.
If you love Serpent Isle so much, why not just remaking it?
While remaking Serpent Isle would be a great endeavour, we feel that it is even more important to craft new Ultima stories to keep the Ultima legacy alive rather than just doing another remake.
What engine are you using?
Return to the Serpent Isle will be developed using the Neverwinter Nights 2 engine along with the latest additions of its Mask of the Betrayer and Storm of Zehir add-on.
How much will Return to the Serpent Isle cost?
Return to the Serpent Isle will be a freeware game. You won’t have to pay for anything except for Neverwinter Nights 2 and its add-ons.
What is the premise of Return to the Serpent Isle?
“Following the defeat of the Guardian, Britannia is finally at peace. Yet Shamino feels compelled to start an expedition toward the Serpent Isle, intend on finding out what have happened to his former land. As a member of his expedition you are about to set out on an adventure that will forever change your life…”
Neverwinter Nights 2 is very different from traditional Ultima games. How do you intend to craft a true Ultima with it?
While it is true that Neverwinter Nights 2 is quite different from the latest Ultima games, and prevents amongst other things the creation of a seamless world, we will modify it to the best of our ability to offer an experience worthy of the Ultima name, notably by using extensively the overland map system provided by Storm of Zehir. While it will obviously be quite different from the design philosophy of an Ultima VII, let us just say for now that our plan is to create a somewhat more “old school” Ultima game, but with a modern flavour.
When will Return to the Serpent Isle be released?
When it’s done.