So, this weekend, I had considered whether to buy ultima 7 from GOG.com. Not that it's expensive or anything, but my concern was if I had time to get into it or not, so I wanted to see how it played.

So, I watched a Let's Play by Game Hoarder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikf18SfhbU4...;feature=relmfu

This is what I got...a large *red* man has appeared in Britannia and is up to no good. He is behind a cult that emphasizes reliance and cooperation on others, and which mandates the giving up of personal wealth to the collective. Specifically this cult takes advantage of the desperate and the very poor. The cult hangs out and does nice things, which is why it's so dangerous...it seduces people away from the individualistic, traditional judeo-christian values of the Avatar's virtues.

It reminds me of the old black and white plays you used to be able to watch on TV on the 50s which are all allegories about communism. I remember one where a ship captain allows a shunned traveller onto his boat, only to find that said traveller has a briefcase full of subersive literature and has started to corrupt the ship's crew. Furthermore, the captain finds he can't offload the traveller at any ports because he's banned in all countries. In the end the only solution is for the captain to shoot the traveller at the end of the film in a suitably stage-play-style dramatic fashion.

Anyway, the fact that in Ultima 7 this is all perpetrated by a large red man just somehow makes it all the more humorous. It's almost breaking the fourth wall in an ironic and over the top way. And then the idea of the Avatar running around Britannia and chasing this mysterious red figure around is some hilarious mishmash of medieval fantasy and 50s.

Here's old PSA footage for you, for your amusement: http://youtu.be/AWeZ5SKXvj8

I'm not exactly sure it's the opposition of Communism vs judeo-christian values (though it's an interesting and funny way to consider it).

First, the Avatar values are far from individualistic. Compassion and Sacrifice are quite altruistic.
Second, what makes the Fellowship bad isn't that it does nice things. It's .

See, but from your American Cold War perspective, it all fits together. Compassion and Sacrifice are part of the Judeo Christian value system, and could be associated with apple pie, mom, her M14, and church on Sundays.

Likewise, those leftist academic types buying into to communism may not realize it, but in the Cold War paradigm they support murder and are rooting for the destroyer of worlds.



Incidentally, I watched another part of the Let's Play that made me laugh. Towards the beginning of the game, the Avatar came upon some harpies in a circle, which he killed, and then he rescued a baby. The only thing that he was able to do with the baby was stuff it in a companion's backpack...and then it looks like the player forgot about the baby and kept on heading for the capital, since for all intents and purposes it's an item.

I don't know how much coding went into the baby but it would be funny if they actually coded up some consequences if you didn't check on it periodically.



Lastly, is it just me, or is Ultima 7 kind of Monty Haul? Within the first hour of play, the player went to a chest just lying unguarded out in the wilderness near the beginning town and busted out multiple magic weapons and magical armor pieces for the party. It's like within the first hour of play the Avatar's gear was nearly max upgraded.

I'm still not sure about the Fellowship=communism angle. It has been brought up before, but according to Richard Gariott, the Fellowship is much more inspired by the Scientologists.

Another funny thing you can do with the baby is equip it in your hand, and hit people with it.
You and your companions have to eat and drink, but I'm not sure it applies to the baby... I remember you can change them, though.

Anyway, Ultima 7 has an open world and you can go nearly everywhere you want when you want (and do pretty much what you want, including baking bread, and even adding apple bits inside), provided you have the means of transportation and can survive what's living there. There are also many treasures hidden everywhere, and you can get some nice items pretty soon, but even then you still tend to find better equipement later in the game.

Yeah... I wouldn't necessarily say Ultima is a Monty Hall in the traditional sense. It sure as hell gives the player some sweet gear early on, but only so long as you know it's there in the first place. If you don't know what's what and where, you're stuck scrounging the traditional way.

Besides, this guy is a total amatuer. That chest? Small potatoes compared to whats hidden inside Trinsic itself. That baby? Just you wait to see what it can do for you later on. If you want to see this game really get bent over the table, take a look at this. Sure, it's just a screen-shot LP, but it's pretty comprehensive and features a comedic narrative that involves a sociopathic female Avatar named Steve.

I remember killing children and stuffing their corpses in Iolo's backpack.

Or killing people and stuffing them in other dead people.

After going on a rampage and killing every single human being in town, littering the streets with corpses.

Good times, good times

So... Tuesday then?

Oh god, I love that baby. I used that baby as my melee weapon for DAYS. After that I used a Parrot on a stick.

Truly hilarious times.