<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
(	O
UO	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
fantasy	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
(	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
)	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
24	O
,	O
1997	O
by	O
Origin	O
Systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
release	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Kingdom	O
Reborn	O
in	O
2007	O
brought	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
engine	O
with	O
upgraded	O
visuals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
continued	O
the	O
tradition	O
of	O
previous	O
Ultima	O
games	O
in	O
many	O
ways	O
,	O
but	O
due	O
to	O
advancing	O
technology	O
and	O
the	O
simple	O
fact	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
Origin	O
's	O
first	O
persistent	B-Protocol
online	B-Application
game	I-Application
,	O
many	O
new	O
game	O
mechanics	O
appeared	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
began	O
with	O
a	O
single	O
world	O
,	O
with	O
specific	O
expansion	O
packs	O
adding	O
additional	O
territory	O
and	O
new	O
worlds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
world	O
was	O
the	O
"	O
Lost	O
Lands	O
"	O
,	O
often	O
referred	O
to	O
by	O
players	O
as	O
T2A	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
expansion	O
's	O
name	O
,	O
"	O
The	B-Application
Second	I-Application
Age	I-Application
"	O
,	O
with	O
additional	O
land	O
,	O
dungeons	B-Application
,	O
creatures	O
,	O
and	O
terrain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
was	O
Trammel	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
a	O
mirror	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
map	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
release	O
of	O
trammel	O
led	O
the	O
developers	B-Application
to	O
distinguish	O
the	O
original	O
world	O
by	O
making	O
the	O
environment	O
more	O
grim	O
,	O
and	O
naming	O
it	O
"	O
Felucca	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
worlds	O
in	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
include	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Ilshenar	O
—	O
Added	O
dungeons	B-Application
and	O
monsters	O
and	O
evolved	O
to	O
include	O
new	O
land	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
more	O
than	O
30	O
new	O
creatures	O
(	O
designed	O
by	O
Todd	O
McFarlane	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
featured	O
Dungeon	B-Application
Doom	O
,	O
the	O
largest	O
dungeon	B-Application
at	O
the	O
time	O
of	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
cities	O
:	O
Luna	O
(	O
the	O
"	O
City	O
of	O
Paladins	B-Application
"	O
)	O
and	O
Umbra	O
(	O
the	O
"	O
City	O
of	O
Necromancers	B-Operating_System
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
is	O
the	O
product	O
of	O
Richard	O
Garriott	O
's	O
idea	O
for	O
a	O
fantasy	O
game	O
involving	O
several	O
thousand	O
people	O
who	O
can	O
all	O
play	O
in	O
a	O
shared	O
fantasy	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
games	O
allowed	O
hundreds	O
of	O
people	O
to	O
play	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
,	O
including	O
Habitat	B-Application
(	O
beta-tested	O
in	O
1986	O
)	O
,	O
The	B-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
,	O
Neverwinter	B-Application
Nights	I-Application
(	O
the	O
AOL	O
version	O
)	O
and	O
Meridian	B-Protocol
59	I-Protocol
;	O
however	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
significantly	O
outdid	O
these	O
games	O
,	O
both	O
graphically	O
and	O
in	O
game	O
mechanics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Garriott	O
commented	O
that	O
"	O
it	O
was	O
very	O
important	O
to	O
us	O
that	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
be	O
a	O
game	O
with	O
a	O
theme	O
,	O
and	O
story	O
,	O
and	O
quest	O
-	O
and	O
then	O
support	O
larger	O
,	O
grander	O
activity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
will	O
be	O
,	O
I	O
believe	O
,	O
the	O
very	O
first	O
ever	O
completely	O
virtual	O
world	O
for	O
the	O
mass	O
public	O
to	O
go	O
live	O
out	O
alternate	O
lives	O
in.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
initial	O
team	O
was	O
composed	O
of	O
Garriott	O
,	O
Starr	O
Long	O
,	O
Rick	O
Delashmit	O
,	O
Scott	O
Phillips	O
and	O
,	O
a	O
bit	O
later	O
,	O
Raph	B-Application
Koster	I-Application
,	O
who	O
became	O
the	O
lead	O
designer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Koster	O
drew	O
inspiration	O
from	O
prior	O
online	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
DartMUD	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
project	O
started	O
in	O
1995	O
and	O
was	O
presented	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
at	O
E3	O
as	O
"	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Shattered	O
Legacy	O
"	O
in	O
May	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
's	O
initial	O
features	O
included	O
persistent	B-Protocol
player	O
housing	O
,	O
skill-based	O
character	O
progression	O
(	O
without	O
levels	O
or	O
classes	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
craft-based	O
and	O
player-driven	O
economy	O
,	O
and	O
unrestricted	O
player-versus-player	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
was	O
Garriott	O
's	O
in-game	O
alter	B-Application
ego	I-Application
,	O
who	O
was	O
killed	O
during	O
an	O
in-game	O
appearance	O
at	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
beta	O
test	O
on	O
August	O
9	O
,	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
a	O
server	O
population	O
stress	O
test	O
,	O
a	O
player	O
character	O
known	O
as	O
Rainz	O
cast	O
the	O
"	O
fire	O
field	O
"	O
spell	O
,	O
killing	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Producer	O
Starr	O
Long	O
blamed	O
it	O
on	O
human	O
error	O
:	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
's	O
character	O
,	O
like	O
others	O
,	O
had	O
been	O
made	O
invulnerable	O
to	O
this	O
kind	O
of	O
attack	O
,	O
but	O
by	O
design	O
,	O
the	O
invulnerability	O
did	O
not	O
persist	O
over	O
several	O
game	O
sessions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Beta	O
testers	O
protested	O
Rainz	O
's	O
ban	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
subsequent	O
actions	O
of	O
Long	O
and	O
other	O
developers	B-Application
,	O
during	O
which	O
his	O
in-game	O
character	O
used	O
a	O
spell	O
to	O
indiscriminately	O
kill	O
other	O
characters	O
who	O
observed	O
the	O
assassination	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
1997	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
launched	O
and	O
opened	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
servers	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
release	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
proved	O
popular	O
,	O
reaching	O
100,000	O
paying	O
subscribers	O
within	O
six	O
months	O
,	O
causing	O
severe	O
lag	B-Application
problems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2000	O
,	O
Garriot	O
resigned	O
from	O
Origin	O
,	O
taking	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
with	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2000	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
second	O
expansion	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Renaissance	O
dramatically	O
altered	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
2000	O
,	O
a	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
's	O
first	O
official	O
fanfest	O
was	O
held	O
,	O
called	O
the	O
UO	O
World	O
Faire	O
in	O
Austin	O
,	O
TX	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2001	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
third	O
expansion	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Third	O
Dawn	O
was	O
released	O
and	O
introduced	O
graphics	O
which	O
attempted	O
to	O
reproduce	O
a	O
three-dimensional	O
effect	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2002	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
second	O
official	O
fanfest	O
was	O
called	O
Online	O
Worlds	O
FanFest	O
,	O
also	O
held	O
in	O
Austin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
were	O
able	O
to	O
meet	O
the	O
developers	B-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
guest	O
speaker	O
Todd	O
McFarlane	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
February	O
saw	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
fourth	O
expansion	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Lord	O
Blackthorn	O
's	O
Revenge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2003	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
fifth	O
expansion	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Age	O
of	O
Shadows	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
March	O
2003	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
reached	O
approximately	O
250,000	O
subscribers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
no	O
longer	O
had	O
a	O
named	O
studio	O
managing	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
sixth	O
expansion	O
,	O
Samurai	B-Application
Empire	O
,	O
launched	O
in	O
November	O
2004	O
was	O
Japanese-themed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
offered	O
two	O
new	O
professions	O
,	O
the	O
Ninja	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Samurai	B-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
new	O
Japanese-themed	O
housing	O
tile	O
sets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
was	O
the	O
first	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
to	O
reach	O
the	O
100,000	O
subscriber	O
base	O
,	O
far	O
exceeding	O
that	O
of	O
any	O
game	O
that	O
went	O
before	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
April	O
2008	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
held	O
a	O
market	O
share	O
below	O
0.6	O
%	O
of	O
the	O
massively	O
multiplayer	O
online	B-Application
game	I-Application
subscriptions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
may	O
in	O
part	O
be	O
attributed	O
to	O
the	O
2004	O
release	O
of	O
World	B-Protocol
of	I-Protocol
Warcraft	I-Protocol
,	O
which	O
quickly	O
established	O
hegemony	O
over	O
the	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
market	O
and	O
has	O
attracted	O
scores	O
of	O
players	O
from	O
all	O
preexisting	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
featured	O
the	O
second	O
player	O
race	O
,	O
Elves	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
new	O
dungeons	B-Application
were	O
added	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
2006	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
purchased	O
Mythic	O
Entertainment	O
,	O
the	O
creators	O
of	O
Dark	B-Protocol
Age	I-Protocol
of	I-Protocol
Camelot	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mythic	O
was	O
tasked	O
with	O
managing	O
EA	O
's	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
portfolio	O
,	O
including	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
month	O
it	O
was	O
also	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
anti-cheating	O
software	O
PunkBuster	B-Application
would	O
be	O
integrated	O
into	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
marked	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
PunkBuster	B-Application
would	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
an	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
to	O
help	O
curb	O
cheating	O
and	O
exploiting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
never	O
integrated	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
November	O
2006	O
,	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
put	O
the	O
PunkBuster	B-Application
integration	O
on	O
indefinite	O
hold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
August	O
2007	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Kingdom	O
Reborn	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
major	O
overhaul	O
of	O
the	O
client	O
and	O
artwork	O
systems	O
since	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Third	O
Dawn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Internal	O
sales	O
predictions	O
for	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
were	O
low	O
,	O
as	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
president	O
John	O
Riccitiello	O
remarked	O
that	O
Ultima	O
"	O
was	O
never	O
a	O
big	O
franchise.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
debuted	O
at	O
#9	O
on	O
PC	O
Data	O
's	O
computer	O
game	O
sales	O
rankings	O
for	O
October	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
writer	O
for	O
CNET	O
Gamecenter	O
found	O
that	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
trend	O
of	O
role-playing	O
successes	O
in	O
October	O
,	O
alongside	O
Fallout	B-Application
and	O
Lands	B-Application
of	I-Application
Lore	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
Guardians	I-Application
of	I-Application
Destiny	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Between	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
launch	O
on	O
September	O
25	O
and	O
November	O
13	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
sold	O
65,000	O
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
sales	O
rate	O
was	O
the	O
fastest	O
ever	O
for	O
an	O
Internet-only	O
game	O
by	O
1997	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
led	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
to	O
declare	O
the	O
title	O
its	O
fastest-selling	O
computer	O
game	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
mid-November	O
,	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
revealed	O
plans	O
to	O
ship	O
an	O
additional	O
80,000	O
units	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
worldwide	O
,	O
including	O
15,000	O
for	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
reached	O
70,000	O
global	O
subscribers	O
by	O
early	O
December	O
,	O
of	O
which	O
Japan	O
made	O
up	O
8,000	O
and	O
Europe	O
5,000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
had	O
fallen	O
from	O
PC	O
Data	O
's	O
monthly	O
top	O
20	O
for	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
during	O
November	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
firm	O
tracked	O
87,000	O
sales	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
in	O
that	O
country	O
alone	O
through	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
December	O
1998	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
had	O
reached	O
100,000	O
subscribers	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
average	O
simultaneous	O
player	O
count	O
of	O
12,500	O
and	O
an	O
average	O
weekly	O
playtime	O
of	O
20	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
had	O
risen	O
to	O
120,000	O
subscribers	O
by	O
March	O
1999	O
,	O
and	O
by	O
June	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
global	O
sales	O
had	O
surpassed	O
200,000	O
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Domestically	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
and	O
its	O
Second	O
Age	O
add-on	O
together	O
had	O
sold	O
249,610	O
copies	O
and	O
earned	O
revenues	O
of	O
$11.3	O
million	O
at	O
retail	O
alone	O
by	O
early	O
2000	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
PC	O
Data	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
early	O
2001	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
playerbase	O
was	O
estimated	O
at	O
20	O
–	O
30%	O
female	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
common	O
to	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
of	O
the	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Japan	O
remained	O
a	O
key	O
market	O
for	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
by	O
July	O
2001	O
,	O
and	O
accounted	O
for	O
64,000	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
240,000	O
subscribers	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
representative	O
for	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
reported	O
,	O
"	O
While	O
we	O
do	O
only	O
a	O
fraction	O
of	O
PC	O
game	O
business	O
in	O
Japan	O
against	O
EA	O
's	O
worldwide	O
business	O
,	O
over	O
25	O
percent	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
business	O
is	O
done	O
in	O
Japan.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Worldwide	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
retained	O
225,000	O
subscribers	O
by	O
early	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
won	O
"	O
Online	B-Application
Game	I-Application
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
and	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
the	O
Outstanding	O
Achievement	O
in	O
Software	O
Engineering	O
at	O
1st	O
Annual	O
Interactive	O
Achievement	O
Awards	O
(	O
now	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
D.I.C.E.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
success	O
resulted	O
in	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Records	O
awarding	O
the	O
game	O
eight	O
world	O
records	O
in	O
the	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Records	O
:	O
Gamer	O
's	O
Edition	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
records	O
include	O
"	O
First	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
to	O
Reach	O
100,000	O
Players	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Longest	O
Running	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
"	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
First	O
and	O
Only	O
Person	O
to	O
Kill	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
"	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
done	O
by	O
a	O
player	O
named	O
Rainz	O
during	O
a	O
server	O
reset	O
which	O
turned	O
off	O
his	O
invulnerability	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
the	O
"	O
Longest	O
Running	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
"	O
award	O
was	O
revoked	O
due	O
to	O
an	O
oversight	O
and	O
was	O
instead	O
given	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
Furcadia	B-Protocol
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
nine	O
months	O
prior	O
to	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2001	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
won	O
the	O
MPOGD	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
award	O
In	O
2010	O
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
was	O
the	O
first	O
inductee	O
into	O
the	O
Game	O
Developers	B-Application
Choice	O
Online	O
Awards	O
Hall	O
of	O
Fame	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
presented	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
with	O
a	O
"	O
Historic	O
Achievement	O
Award	O
"	O
to	O
commemorate	O
"	O
fifteen	O
years	O
of	O
innovation	O
,	O
imagination	O
,	O
and	O
dedication	O
in	O
support	O
of	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
community.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
had	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
serious	O
bugs	O
when	O
it	O
first	O
shipped	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
vast	O
majority	O
of	O
them	O
being	O
fixed	O
with	O
patches	O
over	O
the	O
next	O
few	O
months	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
designers	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
wanted	O
to	O
provide	O
freedom	O
and	O
sense	O
of	O
agency	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
important	O
to	O
allow	O
players	O
to	O
act	O
in	O
a	O
villainous	O
role	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
explained	O
by	O
designer	O
Raph	B-Application
Koster	I-Application
,	O
"	O
Being	O
safe	O
from	O
evil	O
is	O
,	O
in	O
my	O
mind	O
,	O
an	O
uneven	O
tradeoff	O
for	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
you	O
do	O
n't	O
get	O
to	O
be	O
heroes	O
anymore	O
,	O
in	O
that	O
you	O
can	O
just	O
opt	O
out	O
of	O
fighting	O
evil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
was	O
sued	O
by	O
former	O
player	O
volunteers	O
(	O
"	O
Counselors	O
"	O
)	O
and	O
settled	O
in	O
2004	O
without	O
admitting	O
wrongdoing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Onlines	I-Protocol
history	O
,	O
there	O
have	O
been	O
many	O
major	O
additions	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Felucca	O
adopted	O
a	O
darker	O
,	O
more	O
foreboding	O
look	O
and	O
kept	O
its	O
player	O
vs	O
player	O
roots.Third	O
DawnMar	O
7	O
,	O
2001Included	O
a	O
3D	O
client	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
3D	O
competition	O
like	O
EverQuest	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
accessible	O
only	O
to	O
3D	O
clients	O
until	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Lord	O
Blackthorn	O
's	O
Revenge.Lord	O
Blackthorn	O
's	O
RevengeFebruary	O
24	O
,	O
2002Brought	O
"	O
a	O
dark	O
new	O
world	O
based	O
on	O
new	O
characters	O
from	O
Todd	O
McFarlane	O
"	O
to	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
with	O
improved	O
game	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
in-game	O
help	O
and	O
improved	O
character	O
creation.Age	O
of	O
ShadowsFebruary	O
11	O
,	O
2003Brought	O
the	O
landmass	O
of	O
Malas	O
with	O
space	O
for	O
new	O
housing	O
,	O
two	O
new	O
character	O
classes	O
(	O
Paladin	B-Application
and	O
Necromancer	B-Operating_System
)	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
customize	O
house	O
designs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Subscriptions	O
reached	O
a	O
peak	O
of	O
over	O
250,000	O
accounts	O
following	O
the	O
release.Samurai	O
EmpireNovember	O
2	O
,	O
2004Brought	O
ancient	O
Japanese	O
mythology	O
and	O
folklore	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
two	O
new	O
classes	O
(	O
Ninja	B-Application
and	O
Samurai	B-Application
)	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
area	O
to	O
explore	O
,	O
the	O
Tokuno	O
Islands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
class	O
skills	O
shifted	O
the	O
balance	O
of	O
player	O
vs.	O
player	O
combat	O
away	O
from	O
mage	O
dominance.Mondain	O
'	O
s	O
LegacyAugust	O
30	O
,	O
2005Introduced	O
a	O
new	O
race	O
,	O
elves	B-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
skill	O
,	O
spellweaving	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
dungeons	B-Application
were	O
also	O
added.Stygian	O
AbyssSeptember	O
8	O
,	O
2009Featured	O
a	O
new	O
playable	O
race	O
,	O
the	O
Gargoyle	O
;	O
additional	O
play	O
areas	O
;	O
and	O
three	O
new	O
skills	O
:	O
imbuing	O
,	O
throwing	O
and	O
mysticism	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Arts	O
provides	O
the	O
standard	O
clients	O
with	O
which	O
players	O
are	O
allowed	O
to	O
connect	O
to	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
servers	O
,	O
though	O
some	O
third-party	O
clients	O
were	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
3D	O
client	O
was	O
originally	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Third	O
Dawn	O
expansion	O
,	O
but	O
received	O
poor	O
reviews	O
due	O
to	O
performance	O
issues	O
(	O
especially	O
memory	B-Error_Name
leaks	I-Error_Name
early	O
on	O
)	O
and	O
sub-par	O
graphics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Arts	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
servers	O
do	O
not	O
allow	O
the	O
Third	O
Dawn	O
client	O
to	O
connect	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Kingdom	O
Reborn	O
was	O
a	O
client	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
created	O
in	O
2007	O
with	O
updated	O
graphics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
series	O
of	O
clues	O
provided	O
by	O
developers	B-Application
via	O
an	O
in-game	O
event	O
arc	O
allowed	O
players	O
to	O
find	O
a	O
URL	O
on	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
website	O
wherein	O
a	O
simple	O
message	O
was	O
contained	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
Flash	B-Operating_System
movie	O
featuring	O
screenshots	O
of	O
the	O
upgraded	O
graphics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Kingdom	O
Reborn	O
was	O
announced	O
in	O
August	O
2006	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
August	O
27	O
,	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
client	O
modernized	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
look	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
easy	O
to	O
add	O
new	O
content	O
without	O
backsliding	O
through	O
outdated	O
and	O
outmoded	O
art	O
,	O
while	O
maintaining	O
the	O
niche	O
market	O
as	O
an	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
that	O
can	O
run	O
on	O
lower-end	O
computers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Arts	O
referred	O
to	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Kingdom	O
Reborn	O
client	O
as	O
"	O
2.5d	O
,	O
"	O
meaning	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
written	O
in	O
3d	O
and	O
then	O
moved	O
into	O
2d	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
easier	O
for	O
lower-end	O
computers	O
to	O
run	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Arts	O
originally	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Kingdom	O
Reborn	O
client	O
would	O
replace	O
the	O
long-standing	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
client	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Support	O
for	O
this	O
client	O
ended	O
to	O
streamline	O
the	O
patch	O
process	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Stygian	O
Abyss	O
expansion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
has	O
had	O
several	O
special	O
releases	O
that	O
were	O
not	O
expansions	O
or	O
booster	O
packs	O
,	O
but	O
came	O
with	O
boxed	O
or	O
in-game	O
extras	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Charter	O
Edition	O
(	O
September	O
30	O
,	O
1997	O
)	O
was	O
available	O
to	O
pre-order	O
from	O
Origin	O
Systems	O
at	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
and	O
in	O
small	O
quantities	O
alongside	O
the	O
standard	O
retail	O
box	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
included	O
a	O
signed	O
lithograph	O
of	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
artwork	O
by	O
the	O
Hilderbrandt	O
brothers	O
and	O
a	O
pewter	O
pin	O
badge	O
bearing	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
logo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
box	O
was	O
not	O
signed	O
by	O
Richard	O
Garriott	O
,	O
but	O
simply	O
bears	O
a	O
digital	O
print	O
of	O
his	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
signature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Discovery	O
Edition	O
(	O
February	O
1	O
,	O
2000	O
)	O
was	O
released	O
to	O
the	O
Australian	O
and	O
New	O
Zealand	O
markets	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
as	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
the	O
Oceania	O
server	O
for	O
the	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
7th	O
Anniversary	O
(	O
September	O
25	O
,	O
2004	O
)	O
was	O
a	O
special	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
celebrate	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
's	O
seventh	O
birthday	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
release	O
was	O
contained	O
in	O
a	O
small	O
cardboard	O
box	O
containing	O
a	O
triple-CD	O
jewel	O
case	O
,	O
featuring	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Age	O
of	O
Shadows	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
included	O
Ultima	O
IX	O
:	O
Ascension	O
install	O
and	O
play	O
discs	O
as	O
a	O
bonus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
glossy	O
booklet	O
showing	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
expansions	O
was	O
included	O
that	O
contained	O
historic	O
art	O
and	O
an	O
interview	O
from	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
team	O
and	O
community	O
leaders	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
included	O
a	O
code	O
for	O
an	O
in-game	O
gift	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
which	O
was	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
's	O
famous	O
Hilderbrant	O
print	O
,	O
an	O
extra	O
character	O
slot	O
(	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
six	O
characters	O
was	O
now	O
available	O
)	O
and	O
7	O
buddy	O
registration	O
codes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Gold	O
(	O
July	O
18	O
,	O
2005	O
)	O
was	O
sold	O
by	O
Wal-Mart	O
and	O
includes	O
the	O
same	O
content	O
as	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
Samurai	B-Application
Empire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
The	O
Eighth	O
Age	O
(	O
September	O
25	O
,	O
2005	O
)	O
was	O
a	O
boxed	O
game	O
CD	O
with	O
an	O
array	O
of	O
in-game	O
tokens	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
release	O
was	O
to	O
celebrate	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
's	O
eighth	O
birthday	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	O
9th	O
Anniversary	O
Collection	O
(	O
October	O
31	O
,	O
2006	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
2	I-Protocol
,	O
later	O
renamed	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Worlds	I-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
Origin	I-Protocol
was	O
announced	O
in	O
1999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
to	O
add	O
steampunk	O
elements	O
to	O
the	O
fantasy	O
setting	O
,	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
world	O
where	O
the	O
past	O
,	O
present	O
and	O
future	O
of	O
Sosaria	O
were	O
merged	O
by	O
a	O
mistake	O
made	O
by	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
while	O
attempting	O
to	O
merge	O
the	O
shards	O
of	O
the	O
Gem	O
of	O
Immortality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
cancelled	O
in	O
2001	O
before	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
citing	O
the	O
competitive	O
nature	O
of	O
the	O
massively	O
multiplayer	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
market	O
—	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
feared	O
the	O
sequel	O
would	O
harm	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
's	O
subscription	O
numbers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
of	O
the	O
monsters	O
and	O
art	O
made	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
were	O
later	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
expansion	O
Lord	O
Blackthorn	O
's	O
Revenge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultima	B-Protocol
X	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
Odyssey	I-Protocol
was	O
a	O
new	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
to	O
be	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
world	O
named	O
Alucinor	O
,	O
created	O
by	O
the	O
Avatar	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Ultima	O
IX	O
:	O
Ascension	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadowclan	O
is	O
a	O
guild	O
that	O
gained	O
notoriety	O
within	O
the	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
community	O
in	O
1997	O
by	O
taking	O
the	O
place	O
of	O
non-player	O
character	O
orcs	B-Language
in	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
reference	O
to	O
Shadowclan	O
was	O
written	O
into	O
the	O
official	O
Dark	B-Protocol
Age	I-Protocol
of	I-Protocol
Camelot	I-Protocol
documentation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fans	O
of	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
reverse-engineered	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
produce	O
server	O
emulators	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
servers	O
.	O
</s>
