Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att-cb!att-ih!pacbell!ames!hc!beta!unm-la!unmvax!charon!cs2531bn
From: cs2531bn@charon.unm.edu (Lazlo Nibble)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Ultima V (was: Desktop Bus)
Message-ID: <2656@charon.unm.edu>
Date: 31 Mar 88 22:57:43 GMT
Reply-To: cs2531bn@unmc.UUCP (Lazlo Nibble)
Organization: Donutz, Donutz, DONUTZ!
Lines: 27

> How about some reviews of Ultima V?  I'd love to hear about it.  Does it
> support the Mockingboard, perhaps GS sound drivers, and what are the
> graphics like?
>
> Dave Seah - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

It's a real beauty, and is well worth the wait.  It supports Mockingboards
(we've tried it with up to two at once, I don't remember if it claims to be
able to handle more than that) and also lets you use a MIDI controller to play
the music on an outboard MIDI-comapatible synth.  Doesn't have any GS-specific
sound routines, though -- they're saving that for the GS-specific version
which should be out . . . uhm . . . whenever they put it out.  You know how
Origin is.

The graphics are beautiful.  LB is finally using page-flipping, so the screen
updates are quick and smooth (very noticable on large expanses of ocean), and
the colors are really nice for single-hires.  He's using a lot more tiles so
the maps (especially coastlines and rivers and such) look a lot smoother.

Gameplay is a lot nicer in a lot of ways, and it's really tantalizing.  I'm
dying to see what the dungeons are like!  I don't own it -- my friend does --
and I'm sorely tempted to drop the $45 it costs around here to get my own copy.

Disappointments?  Well, just one actually.  The free Codex that comes in the
package is just cheap aluminum.  Other than that?  Not a one...

Lazlo Nibble (cs2531bn@charon.unm.edu)