Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss (PC/DOS) 1992, Origin Systems

[@piratehunterMorgan]

The words “ At last you are asleep “ were the first words my computer ever spoke ( first sound card). I want them on my tomb stone

[@grimmblade]

My older brother had to solder a 32 mb chip to the mobo to upgrade for this game... Man computers have come a long way. Had a soundblaster audio card also. Great game.

[@bikingchad]

Shared memory, there. Almost some feels at the thought of copying your idea, too.

[@piratehunterMorgan]

@@bikingchad do that, I think it’s beautiful

[@miyamotomusashi3968]

Thats very beautifull

[@callumrussell578]

Not going to lie you guys are ancient my first elder scrolls was oblivion and I feel old now lol

[@holden6104]

This game was so unbelievably ahead of its time.

[@hed-]

Yeep👆😎

[@sarpsarp8987]

Is it as ahead of its time as Doom is in 1993?

[@flamoxox9490]

@@sarpsarp8987 pretty much. Even daggerfall still has the largest map in all of gaming history

[@sarpsarp8987]

@@flamoxox9490 What is the point of this game being in small screen?

[@sarpsarp8987]

@@flamoxox9490 Ultimate Engine does not look so much more advanced than Wolf 3D to me. The game is pretty slow and it can't even be viewed in full screen. Doom is, however, much more advanced than Wolf 3D. Some even says Ultimate is more advanced than Doom and I say what the fuck.

[@Malachor01]

One of the greatest games ever made and my first RPG ever! Played when I was 10 and to this date I have yet to beat my single-most time sat in a seat playing a game non-stop. 18 hours!! Dear god those were the days. No responsibility whatsoever and just pure stimuli. Loved it. 🤓

[@luciferthedoberman8991]

Same. This was my first RPG. I never figured how to beat it though

[@anthonykoeslag]

This takes me back to a time where games could deeply absorb me

[@accidentcellar6307]

Same. Although I still get that with World of Warcraft Classic Hardcore.

[@lilblackbackpack80]

I used to play this game when I was 12! I'm 36 now and have been trying to remember it ever since... thank you for this walk through! I loved this game! Now I can show my teenagers. They'll either laugh or love it. LOL

[@samilaakso2928]

how did it go, did they love or laugh ? :D

[@steppenwolf.j]

Lol I'm guessing any teenager in 2021 would be horrified

[@lilblackbackpack80]

@@samilaakso2928 One thought it was great - he loves retro games/gaming! The other thought my excitement was highly overrated! LOL I tried to explain the feeling of playing it with the lights off in the den at night with my dad's surround sound speakers dialed in 🤣 He wasn't impressed. I was glued, though!

[@lilblackbackpack80]

@@steppenwolf.j Right?! I'm a school administrator and the teens there think I'm so old and 'lame'. I'll own it! 😁

[@katrinaaponte4787]

I still have the original install disk and manual for the game. I play through it once every couple of years. I still love it so much.

[@drewboo6579]

Love to see a channel preserving games like this that were so influential

[@ObiWon1089]

Got this game with my first computer, this and Wing Commander 2. Love that I found it!

[@sylarkane8883]

I have totally forgot Wing Commander 2...that was amazing!

[@808zhu]

One of my favorites of all time. Thanks!

[@mrpixelator]

I spent a glorious week or two rushing through this game in '92. I'd come home to play it after working long hours doing art for SNES and PC games at a small startup (not so small anymore w/ 2K integration). Those were the days.

[@hed-]

Wow🙀 Startup in 92, it’s real true?👹

[@joseole1117]

same. i would come home and play this on my windows 91 pc after coming back from a long day at school, had to travel an hour and a half both ways (we lived in a semi-rural town in the southern santa anta mountains in/near san diego) before coming home. on our way we would usually stop by the liquor mart and pick up beer and food for dinner usually. my dad was very religious but also a mean drunk, so i would hide in my room all day playing games on my computer, a much needed escape from my depressing life. nothing made me happier than spending my whole evening eating top ramen and cheese puffs while griding out many an hour playing games like castlevania, ultima, daggerfall, and later on age of empires and runescape. this game made putting up with my parent's bullshit worth it. honestly probably even a life saver, who knows without ultima and daggerfall and stuff i would have prob turned to drugs and would prob be dead or homeless right now, living in some abandoned tunnels eating rat meat and injectin meth.....

[@SexyFace]

that's the spirit! @@joseole1117

[@katrinaaponte4787]

It's nice to see that I'm not the only one who starts my playthrough by writing START on their map.

[@deceiver444]

Before Wolfenstein 3D and Doom.

[@ericjosephgarand8585]

Highly innovative game engine that greatly influenced FPS programmers like John Carmack and Jason Jones (Bungie Software).

[@ytgc-royalewarex5190]

Before Elder Scroll too

[@innawoodsmicrowavecookeryi1651]

Before Zork too

[@aceace605]

Zork 1 was released in 1980. I think you are referring to the graphic version of Zork Grand Inquisitor (1997). Also, the original Castle Wolfenstein (1981) came out well before Ultima Underworld (1992). Ultima 1 came out in 1981 as well. Basically the Commodore games predate the PC games by a decade.

[@innawoodsmicrowavecookeryi1651]

@@aceace605 YOU ARE WRONG! Zork is eternal. Learn your facts.

[@LoveLee_Dreamer]

I love the line "If thou dost not return, thy lies hath brought thee low" because it literally means "If you don't come back there's nothing I can do, but I will consider you a filthy liar"

[@danieltilson4053]

I suspect that the Baron's logic was that The Avatar has never failed to save the day, so if you don't save her, you're obviously not the Avatar. Though success wouldn't necessarily prove that you were telling the truth.

[@arvizturotukorfurogep6235]

11:57 Knife raised, intense battle music stars... then pompous victory music plays. All that trouble just because there is a little worm on the floor XD Imagine killing a spider in your room be like this!

[@Bonkman83]

How it started: at last you are asleep How it's going: hey you you're finally awake

[@eroige]

I was in the university when this game was launched, I loved so much!!

[@Linkonpark100]

I can tell that the interface and layout inspired Runscape in their classic days.

[@caioaugusto3138]

I was -10 years old when this game launched! Such nostalgia

[@t.c.bramblett617]

i loved this game. This takes me back

[@t.c.bramblett617]

I remember turning the corner and seeing that damn Headless, freaked me out lol

[@LettersAndNumbers300]

This game has so much engine / mechanics, for what is ultimately so little content / playtime. I think that may be what made it so amazing. They totally didn't 'milk' it.

[@plrc4593]

Yes, for its time it has very advanced engine, much more advanced than Wolfenstein 3D.

[@danieltilson4053]

@@plrc4593 More advanced, and released earlier. Not by much, but it proves that they were working with basically the same available tech.

[@double-cheesemcqueeze6315]

​@plrc4593 To be fair, Wolf 3D was built for speed and control. I don't think Ultima is exactly more advanced, because Wolf3D did have some advanced optimizations to get it running as well as it did. This game tended to have a lower framerate, and is far more methodical, with less sprites onscreen and a smaller viewport. It's actually a bit of a miracle that Doom was as optimized as it was, achieving essentially indistinguishable graphical effects, and still managed to run significantly faster than this did only 2 years later.

[@eduardogallardo11386]

This game is the main basis (core physics and mechanics) for fps games like system shock then deus ex then stalker then e.y.e divine cybermancy.

[@Sola_nin]

How it inspired Stalker?

[@spearPYN]

The most important Dungeon game since Zork.

[@OnexGray]

Roomate had a 486-SX33, a 14.4 modem for local BBS's and this game... amazing memories

[@Chey60]

I ran a BBS (spitfire) back in the day on an IBM PC JR and one of those big floppys lol

[@jjunbee9136]

Right !!! I love this game in 386 PC.... Thank you !!!! Action & Magic ...

[@alvarof8095]

For those nostalgic with this game, I recommend you to try one called "Exanima". This game brings me similar feelings like I had when playing Ultima as a child..

[@SteelHex]

I remember playing this game on my Pentium PC running Windows 95 about 25 years ago... good times...

[@Hubert_Cumberdale_]

That combat music is epic

[@sherrihaight2724]

Omg. I got this to myself as a university graduation gift, including that fancy sound card and special graphics so could play it. Played it several years until cpu speeds made everything too fast to interact with. What a trip seeing this again! Wonder if it could get thebupdate that elderscrolls has.

[@nmeau]

Such a great game, back in the day

[@TRafael82]

I didn't play this game but think it's fascinating.. for it's time this is very good.

[@plrc4593]

Yes. The game has very advanced engine, for it time: - Floor and ceiling texturing. - Stairs in 10:05 - Looking up and down - Thick doors - I don't even know how they coded it! The engine is much more advanced than the engine of Wolfenstien 3D.

[@sarpsarp8987]

It is a slow game with small screen.

[@Quake1402]

I've been playing the new System Shock remake that was released some days ago, and I started looking if that was the first game (the 1994 version) that introduced the inventory system, but I guess it was something that "Looking Glass Studios" was already using in their games, like Ultima Underworld. So, was this game the first one introducing the inventory system in the FPS or RPG genre?

[@F6261]

I absolutely loved the game at that time. I never understood the people who were so excited about doom. When I played doom later I only thought „Well, this is like Ultima Underworld, but without a motivating story and with a less powerful 3d engine“.

[@Robahue]

... and much much better gameplay, fine tuning and better level design.

[@VITAS874]

ultima have bad level design? you joking.

[@dodgygeezer4123]

Dooms 3d game engine is far superior. Its a matter of tastes anyway cos neither games are as similar as they initially seem and when played feel miles apart.

[@F6261]

Depends on what you mean by superior. You can look up and down in Ultima, you can jump, there are slopes, all this was not possible in Doom. The Doom engine was probably faster though.

[@808zhu]

They sorely need to make more games like this...

[@plrc4593]

The game has very advanced engine, for it time: - Floor and ceiling texturing. - Stairs in 10:05 - Looking up and down - Thick doors - I don't even know how they coded it! The engine is much more advanced than the engine of Wolfenstien 3D. But they didn't fix the fisheye effect - they didn't refined their math.

[@pretzelboi64]

The doors and the textures are all possible because of a very simple fact: Ultima Underworld is literally just rendering triangles like modern games do but on a CPU instead of a GPU. It just does it in a very hacky way. Like, the "fisheye effect" you mention is actually the result of a pseudo perspective-correct texture mapping algorithm. They knew how to do it properly but the cost of texture mapping triangles correctly in 1992 was just too much

[@plrc4593]

@@pretzelboi64 I know it's late, but: thanks for the comment :) I'ts very interesting. It's amazing someone did real 3D in that time.

[@indiareiss434]

Man I used to play the hell out of this! I want to play it again so bad for nostalgia!

[@paulpatti8184]

You can download It for free if you looking on Google

[@scottylans]

Yeah so this is fantastic, no talking over it, playing at a decent pace, I love it so great. I played this when I must've been a teenager. Grat video. I can't believe you get enough ingredients to cast some kind of fireball or lightning on level 1, I do not recall that.

[@Z3Milesky]

This game is pretty good actually for it's own timeline

[@MALCHAMATCHA-]

Graphic looks so clean

[@corsairegg]

Impressive for 92

[@Anuskasv0]

I used to play this SO much back in the day.

[@grimmblade]

Am I correct in remembering that when you beat this game there was a phone number to call?

[@CntrazZombie4]

Real talk, in an age where old school classic rereleases are common, why the fuck has this game never been rereleased?

[@Riceland]

Because if it looked or played anything like this it would maybe sell 1000 copies. And that’s a big maybe

[@Tenraiden]

This was WAY more advanced than Doom that actually came later!

[@n34t]

It depends. Walls and floors are not ortho, the camera movement is not restricted and has some 3D objects, so yes, looks like real 3D. But texture mapping is not perspective correct - big downside. Also the 3D viewport is small, and still the fps is not too good. Far plane cuts of visibility really close to the camera - big compromise. On the other hand Doom is just 2.5D and there are only 2D objects, camera is restricted. But looks way better and excels in speed. No quirks, textures are perspective corrected, no far plane visibility cut off, you can look as far as the map designer wants you to. I don’t kbow about UU, but Doom had awesome network playing modes and capabilities. They are not in the same league anyway

[@sarpsarp8987]

Bullshit. This game looks like toy compared to Doom.

[@sarpsarp8987]

This game has an extremely slow engine and you can't even play it in full screen.

[@danielhernandez2575]

Don't compare this to doom bro

[@ytgc-royalewarex5190]

An Elder Scroll before Elder Scroll

[@billlyons7024]

Bro I feel your pain with the jumps lol.

[@Atlas100Atlas100]

My most fav rpg before I played Witcher 3. Tip: look down before jumping. It helps to know when you have reached the edge and then jump.

[@Chey60]

was just talking about this game! even the music was good for that time

[@0Akeldama0]

40:05 He over writes his save here lol

[@DietmarEugen]

"a day-old piece of cheese" - I wonder how old the cheeses in Skyrim are...

[@Rascarrr]

cheeses christ!

[@AlexJonesGaming]

There always brand new because the dragonborne keeps stealing cheese from them so they have to make more

[@heidrekkingofthereidgoths1048]

"SELECT HANDEDNESS" Not even Skyrim does this.

[@RayX12]

Skyrim is a rather simple RPG, all things considered.

[@RayX12]

@@_DeadEnd_ Skyrim allows for some specific types of roleplaying; there are people out there who actually play these games to roleplay as lumberjacks, for instance (the type who works all day, comes home to his wife, and then goes to work again the next day). In general, the game allows you to craft a relatively personal character and then do almost anything inside a giant theme park, which is a thing people enjoy. That said, I do agree it is an extremely flawed work in general. It's not a rich RPG, but a game for people who enjoy prancing around in a giant theme park full of animatronics. The last good game Bethesda released was Morrowind, as far as I am concerned.

[@michealballspen1s93]

Fallout 1, 2 and NV: try me.

[@aspeckinthegrandschemeofth3457]

@@michealballspen1s93 Only Fallout 1 is good out of those.

[@TheRealTorG]

Daggerfall has a similar feature where you can swap weapons in left/right hand

[@knuckledragger5493]

this looks incredible for 92

[@projektant7169]

Обалдеть, игра вышла в один год с Wolfenstein 3d, а в ней уже можно смотреть вверх и вниз.

[@SMAXZO]

"Avatar...go save my daughter....what? Assistance? Why do you even need swords, armors...shoes...just go to the Abyss...good luck, shithead!"

[@gordino13673]

The basis for Arena, how cool

[@kght222]

chuckle, the voice for the baron is richard garriot. i'd know that voice anywhere after ultima 7 part 2 where he voiced well..... himself. lord british.

[@kan249]

Wish I played this back then. But 93 or 94 is when I got doom.

[@johneygd]

Met the ultimate question remains,could it run on a 286 pc or not???

[@shankao]

johneygd no way. Supposedly it was slow even on a 386

[@Shabass]

On a 386dx 33Mhz it was fine. And no, it would not run on a 286 because of the memore acces.

[@jacobitewiseman3696]

Should have gotten the bow and arrow

[@earthorbiter]

deco moreno.... just sayin'... ;) ... Man - i've spent countless hours in that abyss. I never solved the puzzle though - not until one day I could google it :D

[@tomaskoptik2021]

Sweet memories...

[@Antiriade]

Amazing game.

[@StefanReich]

That broken 3D engine really is a piece of art of itself

[@Zombiefromroblox]

how do you play this game

[@erispapps9929]

looks like the gameplay has aged like milk but a classic and historically important RPG.

[@RayX12]

There's a mouselook mod now, so the gameplay is no longer an issue.

[@madcommodore]

Sounds like period correct Adlib but surely is not running on an emulated 16mhz 286 in the DOSBox setup there, which was the only remotely affordable off the shelf PC for families (by Amstrad's PC5286 at 799 inc sales tax). The adverts for both are opposite sides of the same page in my March 1992 issue of ACE magazine. Was hoping to gauge how unimpressive Eye of the Behold II was for Amiga 1200 of October 1992 fame because I know this is better, just can't compare graphics update on screen during gameplay for the two series on two competing low end family computer markets. (and yes I know, I had a 486 PC in 1992 so they were around but families got something between 400-800 bucks and did not tinker or set up anything....a bit like those who like iMac CRT models) I was a computer science degree student and it was for my 4 year course I started in 1992 so pure luck the 486SX CPU had just come out and it was a great budget CPU by Summer/Fall 1992 and I bought a cheap no name build PC from a group of engineers with a few shops not some mege corporation like Amstrad with high profit margins for their dealers. One of the best games to see what Family PC/Amiga purchasers got for their money and lack of effort.

[@0Akeldama0]

omg elder scrolls is so much like this wow

[@Мстящийбоксер-ъ6г]

nice soundtracks

[@sarimsakliyogurtlumantikli1212]

i5-6400, Gtx1660 Super +16GB, do you guys think it will run?

[@michaelfoster8530]

That King looks like Nicholas Cage in a Red Beard. :D

[@anthonydelange4128]

I need this on my dosbox only have larry

[@buddhull]

Thou dost seem to be a dexterous lad!

[@meetbeeterl4337]

Ahhh, the elder scrolls -1

[@sarpsarp8987]

Why small screen?

[@DietmarEugen]

Because a "standard" PC could not handle a full screen 3D-rendering. System Shock had the options to toggle to full screen and/or a rear view mini-screen, and both practically halted my PC.

[@CaudaMiller]

40:06 omfg

[@Danlovar]

After having played some Arena and a lot of Daggerfall, I do not have any more time for these kind.

[@Zero-pe3iq]

A true 3D game in 1992? So was this the first? You know lots of fake 3D games that only appear 3D. Was this another one of those or was it true 3D? I mean if the hardware to run true 3D didn't exist yet does that mean hardware limitations mean this was appearing 3D only once again?

[@konaisystems-alantrbizan8772]

"False 3D" like wolfstein used 2D world and then just draw a 3D view. In Ultima Underworld the world itself is 3D.. that's why you can look up/down and also go up od down. 3D hardware has nothing to do with it. 3D hardware does not make 3D view possible.. it just speds it up at high resolutions and details. As far as I know... Ultima Underworld was the first game of this type.

[@simontobias9678]

@@konaisystems-alantrbizan8772 It was the FIRST 3D Game Ever i still play it on Dfend Dos Box with Shaders =D

[@konaisystems-alantrbizan8772]

@@simontobias9678 right now I'm the 5th level... :) Playing it via GOG / DOSBox

[@sarpsarp8987]

Heretic has Doom Engine and you can look up and down.

[@thriftweeds]

Become a patron! - www.patreon.com/thriftweeds

[@Les_Fleurs_duMal]

Reminds me of wolfenstein and now i know where the red HP and blue mana jars in diablo are coming from. : D Filthy blizzard stole from ultima underworld! : D

[@heathurban9217]

This game starts the exact opposite way Skyrim does lmao

[@G3E007]

what kind of daggerfall is this

[@doom5895]

Wonder why wolfenstein 3d or doom didn't look this good?

[@Мстящийбоксер-ъ6г]

this is crysis -1

[@konaisystems-alantrbizan8772]

Wolf 3D is a 2D world... just drawn like a 3D. No up and down. Also wolf run on a 286... ultima can't.

[@sarpsarp8987]

What looks good about it? Doom looks so much better.

[@SEAWRECKS83]

The Elder Scrolls before there were The Elder Scrolls.

[@chrismoore2429]

That’s old

[@chazjamesn]

It would have been nice to have heard the full range of swear words you used during that jumping/save-scumming scene ;)

[@Cimm_ut]

The Elder Scrolls 0.5

[@racist2708]

Ok

[@pelimies1818]

Jumping has been the Achille's Heel of Ultima games.. God damn annoying!

[@nobodycares9579]

Look at you, hacker. Sorry, wrong game.

[@a2pha]

Wow. The voice-acting in here is cringeworthy.

[@neomcdoom]

wrong

[@robertbick986]

Logitech CyberMan owners represent.