I'm not sure how a game with those features in 2003 was among the "clones". Outside of Anarchy Online I can't really think of many MMO's that were using combat instances at that time.
Besides the fact that they did in fact have UO 2 in the works which was also cancelled. So it would have been redundant for UXO to be the same design. They also had either privateer or wing commander "online" in develpment about that time. Those were all cancelled but I remember the announcement of UXO the most.
As someone else mentioned it was about when they closed the Austin Office. Which I remember mostly due to people who had lost jobs with EA being offered positions with SOE (raph koster had worked for EA previously but I don't want to divert into that really).
Typical EA short sightedness. They never have had much of a grasp of the dynamics of the MMO market. Their suits are WAY too risk adverse for this market. There are any number of ways that UX could have been done, and done properly and given the timing it would no doubt have been profitable. I suspect they had some totally unrealistic expectations in that regard, and since it might not match those, they didn't even bother. Talk about missed opportunities. But thats life.
Of the three games (wow, eq2, and uox) I will say that UOX was the one I was waiting for. Yes they had dashed my hopes by cancelling UO2 but they would never do it again....
Yep they would.
EQ2 when it first released went through some interesting changes quickly. I actually liked it when it first launched with the hard but solable +++ monsters all around before they first made them not very soloable then double-taked and added solo monsters all over the place.
WoW -- blech. I never liked wow -- I tried it twice(once with no expansions with a hunter -- and once with the first expansion with a rogue. Both times it took me under a month to limit out -- and both times I did not renew.)
UOX just had more potential than either -- unlike both of the evolutionary games, UOX was revolutionary. So very sad it did not release.
----
EA is not a kind master... From UO2 to Pogo -- everything it touches tends to shrivel.
Such a shame that these, for that time, innovative games gets cancelled where cookie cutter games like WAR, AOC and now Rift gets released...
Damns Suits have ruined the genre...
LOl, this statement made me chuckle! What in this piece about UXO gives you the idea that this game is jsut so different then the current released MMO's? All these "innovations" have been done since then...... You people who hate the genre so much need to head over to the fps forums or something.
Just to fill in some history. This game was not really cancelled by EA because of choice to actually cancel the project itself. EA bought them out, then later decided to close the department in Austin that was developing UXO and move it to California. EA simply did not count on the sheer number of developers, including Cal, who would be unwillingly to relocate. When they tried to reassemble everything in California, there were simply too many missing pieces that would have greatly delayed the game. I was following the development closely when it happened, and you could literally see all the talented people suddenly disappear in the weeks leading up to all this. Finally Cal wrote his goodbye letter and basically everyone knew the project couldn´t survive. A few weeks later the official announcement came. I don´t think EA ever intended to cancel UXO.. I think someone higher up just underestimated the impact of closing austin.
Many people are right that UXO would have been very similar to WOW.. but it had deeper lore and another layer of complexity with the virtues. If it had been published, people would be calling wow the clone.
I believe UXO was about to set a new standard. At least that how I felt about it at the time. They were talking about a unique spawn system for mobs, also a new combat system that wasn't like what we were used to. I remember a article of one of the hands on people talking about fighting 3-4 mobs at once and how the action was more like he felt watching the Mines of Moria combat scene in LotR:Fellowship movie. Then he talked about how the mobs would attack villages and such and being able to group hunt with players to go out in the world and destroy the mobs camps. It was just this stuff that at the time sounded so revolutionary for an MMO I couldn't believe it was cancelled.
I was so hyped for the game that I was never the same after they closed it down. Who knows if all the hype was true? I sure was hoping at the time it was. to this day I will not let myself gat over hyped for upcoming titles just because of this game. SAD
It seems I mistook UXO for UWO, which was supposed to be the "real" UO2. That was the one, I was sad about, not UXO. And I understand why now. UXO is the standard EQ-model, whereas UO2 was a continuation of UO.
I cannot see, that the release of UXO would have brought anything to the genre.
It would have brought competition to Bliz. WoW was and in a lot of ways still is the only stylized MMO that will play on a toaster that boasts a large game world that is POI based with group content from 10+. EQ2 even today needs a beast of a PC and even today has a tiny land mass. DAoC RvR focus never really made up for little PvE content. CoX is a completely different animal... UXO would have meant WoW had direct competition early in its release cycle.
It would have brought competition to Bliz. WoW was and in a lot of ways still is the only stylized MMO that will play on a toaster that boasts a large game world that is POI based with group content from 10+. EQ2 even today needs a beast of a PC and even today has a tiny land mass. DAoC RvR focus never really made up for little PvE content. CoX is a completely different animal... UXO would have meant WoW had direct competition early in its release cycle.
You make a good point. All the MMOs today are smaller, more system demanding games. I wonder if they released UXO now, then would it draw any of the POed x-WOW players like myself (hmm, yes it would). I would've loved to have tried this game.
Just the same, to release it today they would have to up the graphics, combat style, character design and etc or be called another outdated, re-used clone like RIFT. But if they have more starting areas and a better layout than RIFT, then I would go UXO in an instant. RIFT is very poor in that area. It will never compete against WOW's diverse maps and etc (and that is from somebody who dislikes WOW - I hate you Bilz).
As some have said, you could not really call this a "clone" when it was set to come out as some of the things we were doing were innovative at the time. Also, most of us on the team were die-hard Ultima fans, so, it was still true to the series.
EA did in fact underestimate how closely people were tied to Austin; They never intended to kill the game. It was sad watching Origin disentigrate and this game go under.
It would have brought competition to Bliz. WoW was and in a lot of ways still is the only stylized MMO that will play on a toaster that boasts a large game world that is POI based with group content from 10+. EQ2 even today needs a beast of a PC and even today has a tiny land mass. DAoC RvR focus never really made up for little PvE content. CoX is a completely different animal... UXO would have meant WoW had direct competition early in its release cycle.
You make a good point. All the MMOs today are smaller, more system demanding games. I wonder if they released UXO now, then would it draw any of the POed x-WOW players like myself (hmm, yes it would). I would've loved to have tried this game.
Just the same, to release it today they would have to up the graphics, combat style, character design and etc or be called another outdated, re-used clone like RIFT. But if they have more starting areas and a better layout than RIFT, then I would go UXO in an instant. RIFT is very poor in that area. It will never compete against WOW's diverse maps and etc (and that is from somebody who dislikes WOW - I hate you Bilz).
WoW has six years of content, and has produced billions of dollars for Blizzard at this point. Of course Rift isn't going to start off with that advantage. But then neither did WoW when it started. For all of those who keep howling about Rift, we get it. You don't like Rift. Fine, go play something you do enjoy. For myself, I quite enjoy Rift, and I'm looking forward to playing it. I hope you all eventually find something that you do enjoy playing.
UOX looked to be some kids game with WoW mechanics. UO2 was the innovative sequel to UO1 with skill based systems and sandbox environment like its previous incarnation.
Just to jog your memory on the differences, here's a link to the UO2 video, which was a far more tragic loss to the MMO world.
Great article! It must have been nice seeing it in action! I noticed they didn't go with the "sandwich combat"/"number key smash" combat system but went with a more Demon Souls "learn to skill" type combat system. Amazing how most of the market today is "sandwich combat". It could have broken new ground with skill based combat.
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
Man I miss the early days of UO. My favorite gaming story is how I was robbed and murdered my first day in the game but I also remember how frustrated I got when I accidently hit someone in combat and ended up gray and had to run for my life everytime I ran into someone that wanted to kill me. Back then I had no love of pk's and really didn't understand why folks wanted to kill others. Now, I miss the challenge and the feel the game had especially when you went into town where it felt like a living place. Sure the game was flawed, ie the monster spawning leaving the coasts filled with monsters stuck and the world where over kill in one zone was supposed to bring out a dragon but they eventually dumped all that. Still the pks made the game interesting and its still the only pvp system that made sense as there were reasons to not be a pk and have to deal with them. In my opinion this is the only pvp that matters and it mirrors the real world in a certain way. Trammel changed everything and while I went back a few times I never felt like part of the world. My brother is back playing (he never quit paying for the game) and started with me back in '96. I still hope for a return to those times but have no illusions of how my memory can cloud the very real frustrations of the time that led to trammel being created. The game was failing and wouldn't be here if it hadn't changed so that's why I know a return to the early days isn't really possible just from a typical player perspective. Especially now when everything is so easy in mmo's. And I don't look forward to a UO 10 as I grew tired of those with UO3.
Man thought I still remember going to the fair in Austin back when they were going to announce UO2 and instead dropped UO 3d on us. Was a great time though meeting so many UO fans. Wish I still had the cd I bought from the music group that performed as they had a great UO song but I lost that years ago in a flood. Don't remember the name of the group either. Anyway, sorry to bore all with my musings. If you read all of this thanks. If not then I .......nm.
Oh the memories that unfold reading this! The site was so small back then and I was so excited that EA was going to fly me out to San Francisco to take part in this unveiling. I had a blast and it does make me miss the days when I was "on the ground" with MMORPG.com
One thing is for sure UXO was way ahead of its time in 2003. I had so much fun playing this head to head with the other particpants. I was totally floored when this game was cancelled, and had they pulled it off I really think it would have had WoW type success. A shame...
- MMORPG.COM Staff -
The dead know only one thing: it is better to be alive.
It would have brought competition to Bliz. WoW was and in a lot of ways still is the only stylized MMO that will play on a toaster that boasts a large game world that is POI based with group content from 10+. EQ2 even today needs a beast of a PC and even today has a tiny land mass. DAoC RvR focus never really made up for little PvE content. CoX is a completely different animal... UXO would have meant WoW had direct competition early in its release cycle.
You make a good point. All the MMOs today are smaller, more system demanding games. I wonder if they released UXO now, then would it draw any of the POed x-WOW players like myself (hmm, yes it would). I would've loved to have tried this game.
Just the same, to release it today they would have to up the graphics, combat style, character design and etc or be called another outdated, re-used clone like RIFT. But if they have more starting areas and a better layout than RIFT, then I would go UXO in an instant. RIFT is very poor in that area. It will never compete against WOW's diverse maps and etc (and that is from somebody who dislikes WOW - I hate you Bilz).
WoW has six years of content, and has produced billions of dollars for Blizzard at this point. Of course Rift isn't going to start off with that advantage. But then neither did WoW when it started. For all of those who keep howling about Rift, we get it. You don't like Rift. Fine, go play something you do enjoy. For myself, I quite enjoy Rift, and I'm looking forward to playing it. I hope you all eventually find something that you do enjoy playing.
WOW started with 6 major cities, 8 races, spread over a huge map with dramatic differences in environments per the races.
I know WOW had a huge advantage in the history from Warcraft RTS, but it's that which gave it substance and if a game producer can't come up with that depth, then don't launch a half hearted game. One - it kills the replay ablity, diversity and depth of play. Two - It causes the entire server to pile up in one start area and they never get away from each other.
I was actually looking forward to RIFT. TERA is for pedofiles / lolicons and I'm not totally sure I want GW2 (I'll wait on it).
The main point I'm making is that WOW has had many years (I was there when it launched), but it started out in grand style so that isn't any excuse that I'll accept for RIFT. It's a half hearted clone. Get over it. I want more from it. I had great hopes for RIFT and I think it could be much better with more depth. I do give them marks for making what looks to be a nice launch.
Its a way back machine, not an annoucement for a game launching in 2011 =P UO2 graphics and motion capture were mindblowing in 2000 and UXO being lined up to compete with WoW looked the part. UO2 was more about standing with AC and AO.
It's so great to see how much inovation they were going to include that was way before anything else. Too bad EA is the bane of everything ever! I hate that company!
Comments
No housing. 100% consentual combat, quest and leveling-oriented.
Even when I was very sad, that this got cancelled back then, Im totally indifferent now. UXO sounds exactly like the other leveling/questing games.
It even had plans for instancing!
Just another clone in the host of the them.
I'm not sure how a game with those features in 2003 was among the "clones". Outside of Anarchy Online I can't really think of many MMO's that were using combat instances at that time.
Besides the fact that they did in fact have UO 2 in the works which was also cancelled. So it would have been redundant for UXO to be the same design. They also had either privateer or wing commander "online" in develpment about that time. Those were all cancelled but I remember the announcement of UXO the most.
As someone else mentioned it was about when they closed the Austin Office. Which I remember mostly due to people who had lost jobs with EA being offered positions with SOE (raph koster had worked for EA previously but I don't want to divert into that really).
Typical EA short sightedness. They never have had much of a grasp of the dynamics of the MMO market. Their suits are WAY too risk adverse for this market. There are any number of ways that UX could have been done, and done properly and given the timing it would no doubt have been profitable. I suspect they had some totally unrealistic expectations in that regard, and since it might not match those, they didn't even bother. Talk about missed opportunities. But thats life.
Of the three games (wow, eq2, and uox) I will say that UOX was the one I was waiting for. Yes they had dashed my hopes by cancelling UO2 but they would never do it again....
Yep they would.
EQ2 when it first released went through some interesting changes quickly. I actually liked it when it first launched with the hard but solable +++ monsters all around before they first made them not very soloable then double-taked and added solo monsters all over the place.
WoW -- blech. I never liked wow -- I tried it twice(once with no expansions with a hunter -- and once with the first expansion with a rogue. Both times it took me under a month to limit out -- and both times I did not renew.)
UOX just had more potential than either -- unlike both of the evolutionary games, UOX was revolutionary. So very sad it did not release.
----
EA is not a kind master... From UO2 to Pogo -- everything it touches tends to shrivel.
LOl, this statement made me chuckle! What in this piece about UXO gives you the idea that this game is jsut so different then the current released MMO's? All these "innovations" have been done since then...... You people who hate the genre so much need to head over to the fps forums or something.
Just to fill in some history. This game was not really cancelled by EA because of choice to actually cancel the project itself. EA bought them out, then later decided to close the department in Austin that was developing UXO and move it to California. EA simply did not count on the sheer number of developers, including Cal, who would be unwillingly to relocate. When they tried to reassemble everything in California, there were simply too many missing pieces that would have greatly delayed the game. I was following the development closely when it happened, and you could literally see all the talented people suddenly disappear in the weeks leading up to all this. Finally Cal wrote his goodbye letter and basically everyone knew the project couldn´t survive. A few weeks later the official announcement came. I don´t think EA ever intended to cancel UXO.. I think someone higher up just underestimated the impact of closing austin.
Many people are right that UXO would have been very similar to WOW.. but it had deeper lore and another layer of complexity with the virtues. If it had been published, people would be calling wow the clone.
I believe UXO was about to set a new standard. At least that how I felt about it at the time. They were talking about a unique spawn system for mobs, also a new combat system that wasn't like what we were used to. I remember a article of one of the hands on people talking about fighting 3-4 mobs at once and how the action was more like he felt watching the Mines of Moria combat scene in LotR:Fellowship movie. Then he talked about how the mobs would attack villages and such and being able to group hunt with players to go out in the world and destroy the mobs camps. It was just this stuff that at the time sounded so revolutionary for an MMO I couldn't believe it was cancelled.
I was so hyped for the game that I was never the same after they closed it down. Who knows if all the hype was true? I sure was hoping at the time it was. to this day I will not let myself gat over hyped for upcoming titles just because of this game. SAD
Bump! Long live Dark Age of Camelot 2.
It seems I mistook UXO for UWO, which was supposed to be the "real" UO2. That was the one, I was sad about, not UXO. And I understand why now. UXO is the standard EQ-model, whereas UO2 was a continuation of UO.
I cannot see, that the release of UXO would have brought anything to the genre.
It would have brought competition to Bliz. WoW was and in a lot of ways still is the only stylized MMO that will play on a toaster that boasts a large game world that is POI based with group content from 10+. EQ2 even today needs a beast of a PC and even today has a tiny land mass. DAoC RvR focus never really made up for little PvE content. CoX is a completely different animal... UXO would have meant WoW had direct competition early in its release cycle.
You make a good point. All the MMOs today are smaller, more system demanding games. I wonder if they released UXO now, then would it draw any of the POed x-WOW players like myself (hmm, yes it would). I would've loved to have tried this game.
Just the same, to release it today they would have to up the graphics, combat style, character design and etc or be called another outdated, re-used clone like RIFT. But if they have more starting areas and a better layout than RIFT, then I would go UXO in an instant. RIFT is very poor in that area. It will never compete against WOW's diverse maps and etc (and that is from somebody who dislikes WOW - I hate you Bilz).
I, along with a couple of others, started this project from the ground back in the day. You can read a synopsis of what really happened here:
http://middle-agedgamer.blogspot.com/2008/08/five-years-later-interview-with-ultima.html
As some have said, you could not really call this a "clone" when it was set to come out as some of the things we were doing were innovative at the time. Also, most of us on the team were die-hard Ultima fans, so, it was still true to the series.
EA did in fact underestimate how closely people were tied to Austin; They never intended to kill the game. It was sad watching Origin disentigrate and this game go under.
WoW has six years of content, and has produced billions of dollars for Blizzard at this point. Of course Rift isn't going to start off with that advantage. But then neither did WoW when it started. For all of those who keep howling about Rift, we get it. You don't like Rift. Fine, go play something you do enjoy. For myself, I quite enjoy Rift, and I'm looking forward to playing it. I hope you all eventually find something that you do enjoy playing.
Uh.. are we confusing UOX with UO2?
UOX looked to be some kids game with WoW mechanics. UO2 was the innovative sequel to UO1 with skill based systems and sandbox environment like its previous incarnation.
Just to jog your memory on the differences, here's a link to the UO2 video, which was a far more tragic loss to the MMO world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWumht6AuZo
Great article! It must have been nice seeing it in action! I noticed they didn't go with the "sandwich combat"/"number key smash" combat system but went with a more Demon Souls "learn to skill" type combat system. Amazing how most of the market today is "sandwich combat". It could have broken new ground with skill based combat.
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
Man I miss the early days of UO. My favorite gaming story is how I was robbed and murdered my first day in the game but I also remember how frustrated I got when I accidently hit someone in combat and ended up gray and had to run for my life everytime I ran into someone that wanted to kill me. Back then I had no love of pk's and really didn't understand why folks wanted to kill others. Now, I miss the challenge and the feel the game had especially when you went into town where it felt like a living place. Sure the game was flawed, ie the monster spawning leaving the coasts filled with monsters stuck and the world where over kill in one zone was supposed to bring out a dragon but they eventually dumped all that. Still the pks made the game interesting and its still the only pvp system that made sense as there were reasons to not be a pk and have to deal with them. In my opinion this is the only pvp that matters and it mirrors the real world in a certain way. Trammel changed everything and while I went back a few times I never felt like part of the world. My brother is back playing (he never quit paying for the game) and started with me back in '96. I still hope for a return to those times but have no illusions of how my memory can cloud the very real frustrations of the time that led to trammel being created. The game was failing and wouldn't be here if it hadn't changed so that's why I know a return to the early days isn't really possible just from a typical player perspective. Especially now when everything is so easy in mmo's. And I don't look forward to a UO 10 as I grew tired of those with UO3.
Man thought I still remember going to the fair in Austin back when they were going to announce UO2 and instead dropped UO 3d on us. Was a great time though meeting so many UO fans. Wish I still had the cd I bought from the music group that performed as they had a great UO song but I lost that years ago in a flood. Don't remember the name of the group either. Anyway, sorry to bore all with my musings. If you read all of this thanks. If not then I .......nm.
Oh the memories that unfold reading this! The site was so small back then and I was so excited that EA was going to fly me out to San Francisco to take part in this unveiling. I had a blast and it does make me miss the days when I was "on the ground" with MMORPG.com
One thing is for sure UXO was way ahead of its time in 2003. I had so much fun playing this head to head with the other particpants. I was totally floored when this game was cancelled, and had they pulled it off I really think it would have had WoW type success. A shame...
- MMORPG.COM Staff -
The dead know only one thing: it is better to be alive.
WOW started with 6 major cities, 8 races, spread over a huge map with dramatic differences in environments per the races.
I know WOW had a huge advantage in the history from Warcraft RTS, but it's that which gave it substance and if a game producer can't come up with that depth, then don't launch a half hearted game. One - it kills the replay ablity, diversity and depth of play. Two - It causes the entire server to pile up in one start area and they never get away from each other.
I was actually looking forward to RIFT. TERA is for pedofiles / lolicons and I'm not totally sure I want GW2 (I'll wait on it).
The main point I'm making is that WOW has had many years (I was there when it launched), but it started out in grand style so that isn't any excuse that I'll accept for RIFT. It's a half hearted clone. Get over it. I want more from it. I had great hopes for RIFT and I think it could be much better with more depth. I do give them marks for making what looks to be a nice launch.
Back to topic. The earlier link on UO2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWumht6AuZo That looked like crud. So I looked up UXO on youtube.
This video made me cry all the more that it didn't launch - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6B63lCNL2E , but then I found the combat video on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVoDp5QKjiA&feature=fvw and decide both UO2 and UXO sucked in combat. I want the would the did the fly by in and bring in some better mobs and avatars.
Uhg, both UO2 and UXO had sucky mobs and avatars. How disappointing.
Correction post
*I want the world they did the fly by in and bring in some better mobs and avatars.
Its a way back machine, not an annoucement for a game launching in 2011 =P UO2 graphics and motion capture were mindblowing in 2000 and UXO being lined up to compete with WoW looked the part. UO2 was more about standing with AC and AO.
you goT that right! the blasted Suits are ruining the gaming industry!!!!
It's so great to see how much inovation they were going to include that was way before anything else. Too bad EA is the bane of everything ever! I hate that company!