During the maintenance tonight, the Europa and Drachenfels shards will remain down for an extended period of time. At this moment we expect the shards to go offline at 12am EDT and be back online no later than 2am EDT.

Please keep an eye on the Herald for any updates regarding this maintenance.

Greetings,

Publish 74 comes to Test Center later today, along with the Enhance Client Patch 4.0.22 and the Classic Client Patch 7.0.22.

Here are the notes for your reading pleasure.

See you in-game!

Publish 74.0.0

Live Arc Started

You will be noticing we have added town loyalty, please pick the town you are the fondest of, you can only have loyalty to one town.  Starting this month and continuing thru September the UO Team and the EM Team have worked together to create something we are very excited about.  So keep your ears and eyes open for the next phase in this adventure as we prepare in the coming months for our 15th Anniversary!

Bulk Order Revamp

• Bulk Order Caching
  • NPCs will now allow cache up to 3 bulk order deeds for players
  • All BODs are limited to one every six hours; this is no longer dependent on crafting skill level
  • The system will “cache” up to 18 hours worth of BOD give outs
  • Players may claim all 3 deeds in quick succession
  • Turning in a BOD adds a new deed to the cache (up to 3)
  • Example: Log in after 18 hours and receive 3 deeds
  • Example: Receive 3 deeds, then turn in 3 filled deeds, and immediately receive 3 new deeds
• Bulk Order Bribery
  • Players may now grease the palms of NPCs that give out Bulk Order Deeds
  • The NPC will accept a bribe from the player in order to upgrade a BOD to a better one
    • Upgrades: Quantity, Quality, Material
    • Can only upgrade completely empty deeds
  • NPCs will become more greedy over time and ask for higher bribes
    • Higher level deeds also require higher bribes
  • NPCs who are bribed frequently will come under Guild scrutiny, and stop accepting bribes for a short time
  • To start the process, select the Bribe context menu option on the NPC, and follow the instructions!
• Runic Re-Forging
  • For Stygian Abyss accounts, players may now use Runic Hammers to “re-forge” items
  • Re-Forging requires that the user use a Runic tool near a Soul Forge
    • Soul Forge bonuses DO NOT apply to Runic Re-Forging
  • If a Runic tool is used away from a Soul Forge, or by a non-entitle account, it behaves as a classic Runic crafting tool
  • Re-Forging Basics
    • Re-Forging requires a non-magical craftable item that is not made from special materials
    • Re-Forging will consume one or more charges from the runic tool to add magical item properties to the item
    • The user choose from a number of options to affect the results of the re-forging
    • Each option selected increases the charges required to perform the action
    • If no options are selected, the tool will add item properties randomly to the item, similarly to classic Runic crafting
    • The following options affect the result:
      • Powerful Re-Forging: causes the item to have slightly more magical power
      • Structural Re-Forging: causes the item to have more magical power, but the item will be Brittle
        • Fortified Re-Forging: causes the brittle item to have higher durability
      • Fundamental Re-Forging: causes the item to have significantly more magical power, but the item cannot be repaired. Its durability will be increased.
        • Integral Re-Forging: further increases the durability of the “cannot be repaired” item
      • Focused Imbuing: causes the item’s magical properties to be fewer and more powerful
        • Concentrated Imbuing allows the item’s magical properties to achieve higher maximum values
      • Grand Artifice: guarantees that the resulting item will have one name, either a prefix or a suffix
        • Inspired Artifice: allows you to choose which name will be added to the item.
        • Exalted Artifice: guarantees that the item will have two names, both a prefix and a suffix
          • Sublime Artifice: allows you to choose a name to be added to the item. You must use both Inspired Artifice and Sublime Artifice in conjunction if you wish to choose both names to add to the item
    • Some options require other options to be set:
      • Fortified Re-Forging requires Structural Re-Forging
      • Integral Re-Forging requires Fundamental Re-Forging
      • Concentrated Imbuing requires Focused Imbuing
      • Inspired Artifice requires Grand Artifice
      • Exalted Artifice required Grand Artifice
      • Sublime Artifice requires Exalted Artifice
    • Higher-level tools:
      • Have higher budgets for adding item properties
      • Grant more properties
  • Runic tools can be combined together if they are exactly the same type
    • Their charges will be combined into one tool
    • Only works if the resulting tool has 100 or less charges
    • To combine tools, double-click one tool while near a Soul Forge and target the other tool

Wrong Dungeon Revamp

• Loot items from this dungeon now use the New Loot Generator
• Mobs in Wrong can drop Mondain’s Legacy items, but not Gargoyle items
• New and tougher mobs
• Prisoner Escort: gain Compassion more rapidly by escorting prisoners out of Dungeon Wrong
• Bedrolls: Search prisoners’ bedrolls to see what they’ve been up to
• The Prison of Nightmares
  • You start in a cell in the center
  • Can you find your way through a maze of vanishing walls?
  • Watch out for the Jailor – he will put you back in your cell!
  • Find the treasure room and steal some enchanted items
    • Watch out, these items have a security enchantment
    • You must escape with the item to lift the enchantment that binds it to the treasure room
    • New Item Property: Assassin Honed (found on items in the treasure room) – A successful hit with a weapon will provide additional bonus damage based on the attacker facing the same direction as the target. The percentage of the damage is based on the weapons original swing speed. Ranged weapons have a 50% chance to proc.
• New Stealables

Clean up Britannia – 4 new dyes

•  Aura of Amber Pigment
• Murky Seagreen Pigment
• Shadowy Blue Pigment
• Gleaming Fuschia Pigment

Looting rights distribution change

Healers, Tanks, and DPS will all be equally counted when receiving looting rights throughout the game.

Bard changes

Context menu updates:

• Will now display the mastery path you are currently on.
• Will allow you to switch masteries without having to re-do quests, once every 10 Minutes.
• Initiating any mastery ability will update your mastery book with the new context menu.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed the issue with the Dream Serpent not spawning in Ter Mur
• HP, Stamina and Mana of duelist in the arena will be completely restored after the duel
• The Christmas mats are now dyable with the standard dye tub, the furniture dye tub, natural dyes, tokuno dyes, and the clean up britiannia pigments. Please remember the square mat can only be dyed when in deed form.
• Fixed the issue of the Christmas greeting card changing their from and to values
• Fixed the issue of welcome mats blocking players from entering their homes with a single door.
• When trading a pet the pet will now become frozen, an animal lore gump will be displayed and the pet has to be within 10 tiles of the owner.
• Special Titles were added to the arena system.
• Fixed the issue with how the garland hangs in the EC client
• Siege should now have arena stones
• Balanced will no longer  be given to throwing weapons with the new loot generator
• Removed the Fireworks wand form the clean up items accepted
• Immolating Weapon fir damage will now apply to each weapon hit instead of killing blow.
• 10th Anniversary sculpture can now be turned with the interior decorating tool.
• Mannequins will no longer be ejected from a house when the house private/public settings are adjusted.
• Green Thorns can no longer be used in champ spawn areas containing sand terrain.
• Players are no longer able to enter a negative balance in Sacrifice
• Fixed an issue with SA Goblins spawning in stuck locations
• Fixed an issue with the Lava Proof Hook, it should now attach correctly to the pole.
• Owners cannot eject co-owner placed Mannequins from a house.
• Magic Reflect will no longer flag you for reflecting non damaging spells.
• Spectators can no longer invite duel participants to a party.
• Removed a rogue cobblestone tile from the middle of the ocean.
• In chat players can now use the players ID number to submit a harassment appeal
• The Blood Drinker property will now spawn on items that are spawned with the new loot generator.
• You will no longer lose compassion if you fail to rez a pet.
• Bolts of cloth will auto stack in your inventory upon creation.
• Fixed the issue with Transferring/copying gargoyle characters  losing racial flight ability.
• Buff/debuff scripts will remove themselves properly when you stable/claim a chicken from their coop.
• Players can no longer recall to their ships over loaded.
• Spellbooks, runes, books etc will no longer be sent to the Cavern of Discarded when disposed of in a container.
• You can now dye the following with Tokuno Dyes:  Slither, Night Eyes, Venom, Cloak of life, Cloak of Death, Cloak of Power, and the Conjurer’s Garb.
• The general hotbar will default to cursor target instead of current target
• Changed out the barstools in the Fisherman’s Brew Inn/Tavern
• Scrolls of Alacrity have localized text for the Japanese players.
• Players can now cancel an appeal that has been submitted.
• In the EC client the scissor sound effect was fixed
• Players on Siege and Mugen will no longer have to wait for mobs to spawn after using the valor virtue.
• Draconic Orbs and Rare Serpent Eggs will no longer become stuck on the appropriate alters
• Gardeners can now open the plant gump when the plant is in secured containers.
• Players can now dry dock their ships when the deck is cluttered with bones that do not decay.
• The reward from the “The Honor of the De Boors” quest is now labeled correctly “The Goblet of Celebration”.
• Faction Town Sigils should now provide silver to the correct thief when it is returned to the Faction Town Sigil Monlith.
• Evil Omen will now work with melee damage
• If your criminal warning gump is off it will no longer appear when using the CurrentTarget macro.
• With the New Loot Generator, weaker mobs now have a chance of producing unusually powerful items, rarely
• Luck now has more influence on the power of items created by the New Loot Generator
• Slayer item properties will now spear with greater frequency on items created by the New Loot Generator
• Unraveling items looted from medium-level creatures in Shame will more often produce relic fragments

Classic client  7.0.22

• Cliloc Changes

Enhanced Client  4.0.22

• Cliloc Changes

The Ultima Online Forums had the opportunity to interview Jeff Skalski, the Ultima Franchise Producer and published part one of the Q&A on their site.

    What is a typical day like in the office for you?
    Starbucks in one hand and iPad in the other. I really avoid spending too much time in Outlook. Instead, I’d rather be engaged with fellow team members. In between that, I’m playing the game, in meetings, looking ahead and communicating in all directions around me about how we’re doing.

To get a better understanding of your producer and what changes we can look forward to for Ultima Online, head over to the Ultima Online Forums for the complete interview.

We would like to thank everyone who participated in assisting the Mysterious Healer in combating the horrid plague that has afflicted the Gargish of Ter Mur. Thanks to your hard work and dedication the Gargish will survive!

Keep an eye on the Herald in coming days for more fiction as we finish The Awakening leading up to our 15th Anniversary.

Publish 78.0.0 has been patched to TC1. 

Here are the publish notes for your reading pleasure.

Publish 78.0.0

Anniversary Items

Anniversary items for the 15th Anniversary of Ultima Online have been added. Considering  these are a gift from us to you, we will drop a few sneak peaks in the upcoming weeks.

• All Characters older than 30 days will be eligible to receive Anniversary Items beginning September 1st, 2012 and ending September 30th, 2012

Despise Dungeon Revamp

      Two brothers, both well learned in the arcane arts, lusted for the same woman.  She was but a simple maiden, tending to the ranches dotting Britannian countryside, her beauty, however, was without equal.  Both men knew should they compete against one another, neither would succeed in bearing fruit with such beauty.  So the brothers conspired, and began to corrupt the very fabric of her love.  Together the brothers conjured a powerful Polymorph spell to transfigure themselves into the perfect man for the maiden to love.  For months they would deceive her love, the maiden unknowingly accomplice to a corrupt triangle.   Finally, she gave birth to twins. Despite the powerful magics the brothers used to pursue their ruse, the mother’s love for her children was too great and the brother’s trickery was uncovered.  Outraged at such a thing the maiden cast away her lovers forever, cursing them to the Abyss.  As the twins grew and their mother aged they would learn of her hate towards their fathers.  As each twin grew to adulthood and became their own man, they would blame the other for their own father’s fate, and come to despise one another.  Already practiced in their fathers’ art and fully possessing their arcane talent the twins began bartering with the mysterious Wisps.  Eventually each convinced the Wisps to conjure an army with which to destroy the other.  Their mother, bearing witness to this feud and knowing the dangers of the likely outcome, pleaded with her sons to reconcile.  Corrupt with rage, there was no foregoing their anger and so she mediated at the Shrine of Compassion, hoping in her heart of hearts for her sons to end the feud.  As she meditated a mysterious Wisp appeared to her and in an instant an eternal pact was struck.  The mother’s love was enough to save Britannia from impending war, but her sons, filled with despise would be cast there forever… 

• Note that this new content is on Trammel only
• There is a mysterious wisp near the entrance to Despise. Double-click it to have a conversation and learn something of the new dungeon content.
• The top two levels of the dungeon are now aligned to Good and Evil and are at war
• Look for the stone ankh inside the dungeon, and use it to commune with a Wisp
• Your purpose is to help out your side in the war by building and training your army
• The strongest army will periodically be transported to the Final Battle in the depths of Despise
• Collect Putrid Hearts (the Dungeon Crystals of Despise) and spend them with the Mysterious Wisp on powerful rewards
• The Final Fight can yield new artifacts!

Despise Artifacts

Compassion’s Eye
Ring

• Intelligence Bonus 10
• Mana Increase 10
• Mana Regeneration 2
• Luck 250
• Spell Damage Increase 20%
• Lower Reagent Cost 20%

• Nightsight
• Random Damage Eater 2%

• Archery +5
• Damage Modifier 10%
• Dexterity Bonus 5
• Reflect Physical Damage 5%
• Hit Chance Increase 5%
• Random Resist 10%
• Lower Ammo Cost 30%
• Weight Reduction 30%

• Random Super Slayer
• Hit Lightning 15%
• Hit Mana Leech 30%
• Hit Cold Area 100%
• Hit Chance Increase 20%
• Swing Speed Increase 25%
• Damage Increase 50%
• Cold Damage 100%
• Durability 255/255

Cleanup Britannia Dyes

• Black and Green Pigment
• Shadow Blue Pigment
• Vibrant Crimson Pigment
• Reflective Shadow Pigment

Halloween Masks Added

New Casino Games

• Visit the Fortune’s Fire Casino at the base of the volcano on Fire Isle
• See the Cashier to buy Casino Chips or to cash out your winnings. The exchange rate is 100 gold for 1 chip
• Bet your Chips with one of the two dealers in the Dice Tent:
  • Chuckles’ Luck: Bet on a number between 1 and 6. The dealer rolls 3 dice. You win your bet amount for each time your lucky number comes up!
  • iHi-Middle-Lo: Place a bet on “High”, “Middle”, “Low”, or “Outside”. For the real gamblers out there, the “Outside” bet pays 5:1 on a win!
• Enjoy a mug o’ Fortune’s Fire Grog, and don’t forget to tip your waitress

Stewards

• Can only be placed in public houses
• Can be named 
• Can be dressed
• Can be programmed using key words to hand items out to other players when the correct word or phrase is spoken.

Bug Fixes

• The rockslides preventing passage into Central Ilshenar have been cleared.
• Act II of the Awakening has been disabled. 
• The Afflicted Gargoyles of Ter Mur have been healed.
• Seedboxes will now hold up to 300 unique seeds and 5000 total seeds.
• Rare hued vanilla plants are available from completing the Naturalist’s Quest.
• Lava Lobster traps will now retain the correct name when returned from buoy form.
• City Raiders have been added to the Brigand Fort between Yew and Britain.
• Ghosts will no longer get stuck in the Experimental Room within the Underworld
• The maximum price of an item on a player-run vendor is now 175,000,000gp
• Players who kill certain creatures in other parts of Covetous will no longer receive score credit on the Void Pool scoreboard.
• Mannequins can now wear faction armor.

Classic client  7.0.27

• Cliloc Changes
• Fixed issue where the sitting animation and a chair can allow the classic client to become out of sync.

Enhanced Client  4.0.27

• Cliloc Changes
• Fixed EC crashing periodically when dealing with loading and unloading dynamic objects.

Enjoy your day!

Greetings!

We would like to take a moment to remind players to be wary of efforts from outside sources to compromise your account security. Please remember, BioWare Mythic will never ask for your Master/Play Account password through in game communication. Additionally, please be mindful of websites you are visiting. Please remember that you will never be asked to enter your account information anywhere but the Mythic Account Center (https://accounts.eamythic.com/), and in the Mythic Patcher when launching the game.

As always, we encourage our players to be safe and secure with your account information by never sharing your account information with anyone, using a strong password utilizing letters, numbers and symbols, paying close attention to websites you visit, and by updating your passwords regularly by visiting the Mythic Account Center.

You also have the option to add a Secret Word to your account. This word will identify you as the true owner of the account in case your details got lost or changed. Again, please make sure that nobody else knows this word.

Thank you for your continued support.

On June 5th, the Ultima Online website encountered a critical failure and lost its database. We were able to restore its content up to March 28th and we’ll continue to update the rest of the content as soon as possible, prioritizing publish notes first.

Thanks for bearing with us.