Re: Why No Ultima VI?

[Mitchell Spector <mitch2gs@hotmail.com>]

"Tempest" <tempest@atariprotos.com> wrote:

>I was looking at some Ultima sites and to surprise I discovered that
>Ultima VI was released for the C64.  I had no idea that it had been
>released for any computer other than Atari ST, Amiga, and PC.  Then it
>occured to me, if the C64 got a port of Ultima VI, why not the Apple
>II?

    As a matter of fact, as rumour has it, Richard Garriot himself began
programming 'Ultima VI: The False Prophet' on the Apple IIGS before
any other ports were started. It was to be released for the Apple first 
(like past versions) and only then ported. Apparently the Origin System 
management forced him to scrap the project and they moved what 
was started/done over to the PC version.

    True or not, it's interesting that on the back of the original PC box
is a mention of it being available for the _Apple IIGS_ (even though it 
never was released). If you own the game, have a look, it's there.

>Was the C64 market any more lucrative in 1990 than the Apple?  IIRC
>both were in a state of decline at the time.  I know Ultima V was
>really pushing the limits of the Apple, but was the C64 really any more
>powerful?

    It wasn't about which computer was more powerful, but obviously
which had the larger market share. By 1990 virtually every game
publisher and programmer had dropped out of the Apple IIgs market
(in fact, I distinctly remember the fall of 1990 was very last time there
were new games for the IIgs released by any mainstream publishers: 
i.e. The Immortal, Rastan, Space Ace).

    In 1990 there were still plenty of games being sold and released 
for the Commodore 64. Of course an Apple IIgs port was more than
doable, they just believed there wasn't a market for it at the time.
I think even a limited version for the 8-bit  Apple II would have been
possible, to some extent. Both may not have sold as well as for other
platforms, but the market wasn't dead yet--they were a bit premature.

>It seems a shame that the Apple was denied a port of Ultima VI, as it
>would have been nice to have closure to the storyline (it always bugged
>me).  Although the C64 version is rather nasty looking compared to
>Ultima VI on other machines, it would have been nice to have.  I think
>the Apple could have handled it.
>
>I read somewhere that a port of Ultima VI for the Apple was actually
>started and scrapped.  I wonder if anything from this version still
>exists?

    Besides the rumour of Ultima VI being started for the IIGS and then
scrapped, maybe you're thinking of Dreamworld's "TimeLord"? This
was a Ultima VI look-alike game (in fact it was supposed to be even
more advanced, from what I remember the authors telling me) to fill
the void left from Origin cancelling the Apple version. Ironically, 
TimeLord too was cancelled and never released, although there
is a semi-playable demo you can download.

This might be of interest, it was Origin's official statement on the
reasoning for tentatively cancelling the Apple port of Ultima VI 
(it was written by Greg Malone, then marketing and communications 
manager for Origin)....

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In response to the many inquiries being made by Apple users regarding whether
or not ULTIMA VI:The False Prophet is going to be made available on the Apple
platform, I'd like to fill you in on ORIGIN's current tt view. 


Unlike all previous ULTIMA's, number 6 is the first one which was completely 
designed and implemented on the IBM PC (& compatibles) first. When Richard 
"Lord British" Garriott learned that he could make use of the hugely growing 
IBM compatible market which has machines featuring 640K RAM, a hard drive,
and 256-color graphics, he couldn't resist the opportunity to as he put it, 
"...create the ultimate ULTIMA!  " Couple that with the ever disturbing fact 
that the Apple market is continuing to disintegrate at an alarming rate 
(beginning with base support from Apple Computer, Inc., and trickling down to
the Apple-specific magazines and even to disaffected Apple users), it is li 
ttle wonder that the question about developing ULTIMA on the Apple has
arisen. 

As of this date, a technical evaluation of such an endeavour is being 
conducted by ORIGIN. When one considers the daunting task of converting a
640K  game to 128K and doing so in a timely and cost-efficient manner, the
air of pessimism is unavoidable. Also, it is a widely recognized trend among 
entertainment software publishers today to focus title development on the 
remaining strong markets, namely IBM & compatibles, Amiga (especially for 
Europe) and the Commodore 64. (This mix is certain to evolve and change as 
time passes!) 

However, the subject regarding an Apple ULTIMA VI will not be entirely 
dedcided until all of the facts are in, including whatever comment or 
enthusiasm YOU (the Apple users) can muster. If you wish to express your 
support for an Apple version of ULTIMA VI, you should send by U.S. Mail a 
letter to the address below. Please refrain from sending such a comm 
communication via this electronic network.   Also, while sending us your 
comments, send a copy of your letter to your local software retailer and to 
favorite   Apple magazine publisher. If you don't, you could be 
fighting a lost cause. 


Send comments to: 

Apple ULTIMA Comments 
ORIGIN P.O. Box 161750 
Austin, TX  78716 

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Mitchell Spector