Richard Garriott
Reporting and statements that mention Richard Garriott.
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"One of the biggest mistakes game developers make," Valve's Gabe Newell warns in an unearthed clip, is treating "genuinely entertaining" player actions as hacking
Valve boss Gabe Newell warns that a significant mistake game developers make is misinterpreting entertaining player actions as hacking. He cites the "Lord British assassination" incident in Ultima Online as an example where developers should have embraced the emergent gameplay rather than rolling back the server.
Shroud of the Avatar heralds over 2000 changes and improvements are arriving this October
Shroud of the Avatar is preparing for a major release on October 1st, featuring over 2,000 changes including a Unity engine upgrade and new server infrastructure. Despite past controversies and criticisms regarding development and corporate practices, the team is aiming for a relaunch with a planned ad campaign during the holiday season.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 573: Project Demogorgon
The Massively OP Podcast episode 573 covers SpiritVale's early access launch, Dungeons and Dragons Online's Terror of Demogorgon expansion, and the cancellations of Overwatch Stadium and Final Fantasy XIV Mobile. Hosts Bree and Justin also discuss Richard Garriott's comments on Ultima and the predictability of MMO experiences.
MMO Week in Review: Lament for Elder Scrolls Online
Microsoft's decision to lay off a significant portion of The Elder Scrolls Online team has led to further management turnover and a restructuring of the studio. This week's MMO news also covers the early access launch of SpiritVale, the cancellation of Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, and discussions on lessons for Guild Wars 3.
Richard Garriott vaguely references Ultima plans, including using Shroud of the Avatar as a testbed
Richard Garriott vaguely discussed potential plans for the Ultima series during a birthday livestream, mentioning ongoing discussions about regaining copyright and hoping for more substantial news by DragonCon. He and Chris Spears of Catnip Games suggested using Shroud of the Avatar as a testbed for new Ultima concepts, while Spears also provided updates on Shroud of the Avatar's backend improvements and future episodes.
Shroud of the Avatar plans infrastructure move this fall and Richard Garriott birthday stream this month
Shroud of the Avatar is planning a significant move to new server infrastructure between July and October, involving new hardware and a revamped build pipeline. The MMORPG will also host a birthday stream for Richard Garriott on July 17th, where he is expected to discuss future plans, potentially including the rumored acquisition of Ultima rights.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 570: Card Wars 3
The Massively OP Podcast episode 570 covers various MMO industry news, including Guild Wars' card game, a potential ArcheAge revival, and Richard Garriott's interest in Ultima. Discussions also touch on World of Warcraft's upcoming patch, Dungeons and Dragons Online's new race, and EverQuest Legends pre-orders.
Gothic blev det Ultima 9 vi aldrig fick
This article analyzes how Piranha Bytes' Gothic, released in 2001, succeeded as a role-playing game where Ultima 9: Ascension failed. While Ultima 9 promised an open-world 3D experience but delivered a buggy and unoptimized product, Gothic, despite its "European jank" and technical limitations, offered a living world and a sense of genuine player immersion. The piece suggests Gothic filled the void left by Ultima 9's shortcomings and influenced subsequent European RPGs.
Ultima's creator Richard Garriott is planning to win back the rights to his legendary RPG from EA with an 50-year-old copyright quirk
Ultima creator Richard Garriott plans to reclaim the rights to the legendary RPG series from Electronic Arts using a provision in the Copyright Act of 1976 that allows authors to reclaim copyright after 35 years. Garriott, also known as Lord British, stated that he intends to regain all copyrights to his original work, though he acknowledges that this would grant him ownership of the copyright rather than the trademark, meaning he could create a game similar to Ultima but not use the 'Ultima' name.
MMO Week in Review: ArcheAge’s revival, Guild Wars’ CCG
This week's MMO news roundup covers a variety of topics including Guild Wars receiving a CCG in China, ArcheAge's revival, and Richard Garriott's efforts to regain Ultima copyright. It also features updates on Tomo Endless Blue's Kickstarter success, Embers of the Uncrowned, and Diablo Immortal's new Warlock patch.
As EA appear to renew the trademark for Ultima, its creator lies in wait to reclaim the game's copyright next year
Electronic Arts has renewed trademarks for the Ultima series, prompting discussions about its future. Series creator Richard Garriott revealed he has been attempting to work with EA on an Ultima revival for years and plans to reclaim the copyright in 2027, when the 35-year term expires. While EA would retain the trademark, Garriott aims to regain copyright for his original work under a new title like 'Lord British's Ultima'.
It seems a copyright law quirk will finally let Lord British reclaim Ultima from EA’s clutches
A quirk in copyright law may allow Richard Garriott, also known as Lord British, to reclaim the Ultima franchise from Electronic Arts. The article suggests that legal technicalities could lead to the return of the classic RPG series' rights.
Lord British May Regain Ultima Copyright
Richard "Lord British" Garriott is reportedly planning to regain the copyright for his seminal role-playing game series, Ultima. The series was a pioneer in PC gaming and helped define the genre.
Ultima creator Richard Garriott now claims he could regain the series’ copyright by next year
Ultima creator Richard Garriott claims he may regain the copyright for the series from Electronic Arts by 2027, citing a 35-year rule in copyright law. While EA currently operates Ultima Online, Garriott expressed past frustrations with the company's handling of potential revivals. This news comes amidst EA filing new trademarks for the Ultima series.
The creator of Ultima is reportedly reclaiming the series' rights back from EA, and it could happen as soon as next…
Richard Garriott, the creator of the Ultima series, is reportedly set to reclaim the copyright to the franchise from Electronic Arts in 2027 due to a 35-year copyright reversion law. While EA will retain the trademark, Garriott plans to develop new titles under a name like "Lord British's Ultima".
New Ultima trademarks filed by EA, but don't get too excited
Electronic Arts has filed new trademarks for the Ultima series, covering downloadable PC games and online experiences. While this suggests potential activity, it may also be routine intellectual property protection, as there have been no new single-player installments since 1999. Creator Richard Garriott has expressed interest in a revival, and Larian Studios has been mentioned as a potential developer.
'What's your salary? I told him, and he said no problem, we'll double. And those days are gone:' Listening to game dev legends reminiscing in 1989 about the 'golden days of computer games' already being over is a trip
Newly discovered recordings from the 1989 Computer Game Developers Conference reveal industry veterans discussing the perceived end of the 'golden days' of PC gaming. Topics included market saturation, the shift from single-developer projects to specialized teams, and the increasing importance of marketing.
Quoteworthy
Thirty-seven years ago, Robert Garriott of Ultima expressed concerns about an oversaturated PC game market. This sentiment highlights a recurring discussion within the gaming industry regarding market viability and competition.
Ultima's Robert Garriott was worried about there being too many PC games on the market… 37 years ago
In 1989, Robert Garriott of Origin Systems expressed concern about market saturation in PC gaming, noting consumer confusion and the need for higher quality products. He emphasized developing games with depth and graphics that couldn't be replicated on consoles, a sentiment still relevant today.
The best CRPG docuseries on YouTube just covered Ultima 8 with a 3-hour retrospective
A YouTube docuseries by Majuular, focusing on CRPGs, has released a three-hour retrospective on Ultima VIII: Pagan. The series explores the game's history, development, and its significant influence on the CRPG genre, despite Ultima VIII not being the most acclaimed entry in the series.
