Ultima IV (Master System) Speedrun 2h27min

[@lolodurden7099]

I owe this game so much. My father bought it for christmas back when i was 12 because i loved English. I spent hours with my dictionary (I'm French) and my notes, delving into it, learning all I could (I'm pretty sure you could reach the White Stone using Blink, I spent so long finding the right spot using the sextant to locate it for future runs), it made me think about concepts such as Honesty, Honour, etc (in my view that's not a bad thing to reflect upon...). I also improved my level of English. Both the game and language stuck with me and today I'm an English teacher in Normandy.

[@OriruBastard]

Heh, looks like I'm not the only one who learned english from videogames. :) Though, let's plays and party chats helped too.

[@diegoarthur]

Nice story! I also played the master system version with a dictionary by my side and learned so much english by playing this game (I am Brazilian).

[@grumpyyyyy]

I'm an English teacher as well, although it's my first language. You raised a great point, if you want to learn a language you need motivation and something that captures your interest in that language;games, novels, music, movies, sports. You learn as much from the authentic material that you want to engage with as you do a textbook.

[@robmcraf2765]

Indeed. Was a teen when I played this originally and I have to think that the concept of "bettering one's self" had some sort of positive influence. If nothing else, the game taught me patience while waiting for the long load times on the C64!

[@stefanoc5995]

Me too, from Italy. This is my favourite game, definitely!

[@javathechava26]

this brings back memories nearly 30yrs ago I remember playing countless hours with no clue to what I was doing...you've made it look easy!

[@robmcraf2765]

I finished it as a teenager, but with a notebook and graph paper and 9 months. About half of that was disk-access time on the C64 :)

[@1Tafu]

I used to play this when I was super young and found almost everything you did (using the sextant) except i didnt know about throwing the skull into the abyss, while using the bell etc... Thinking back I would have never been able fully complete the game... Like there were some things you did in there like secert passages, that any normal person could/would just not have been able to find no matter how many 100s of hours I put into that game... So sad I never found that last dungeon :'( Well done and thank you for this blast from the past, truly appreciated!

[@Thomsonicus]

Now that is one speed run. I would never be able to figure everything out as a teenager, no way. Especially the last part with the questions.

[@robertbick986]

I first played this for ages on an apple 2e with no mocking board so I never heard the music until like 15 years later, just the battle sound effects and the “plop plop plop” of walking everywhere.

[@fernandhalves]

Há 15anos tentei zerar esse jogo é não consegui, parabéns!!!

[@holyve3083]

When I was young (🥳) I have started this game with the shepherd. All my team was LV8. The runes and others items give you XP. I liked to play with 8 characters... Ultima 4 was a great game. Congratulations to your fast finish. 💪🏼

[@robmcraf2765]

played on my C64 in 87/88/89. No hints, cheats, or internet. Probably 200 hours if you count disk load times! Did not know there was a SMS version. (edit: I saw the link with the differences in the versions.)

[@CarlosPizarro-s4w]

5:57 honesty, compassion, valor, justice, sacrifice, honor, spirituality, humility. ❤❤

[@epsilon8597]

This fucking game so inspired me for every fantasy I've created after!

[@jeremylenoir4265]

juste for the musique, i like this video ^^ and gg for your time ;)

[@GamingRoomOficial]

good stuff. I'm embedding this to my Ultima IV tips and hints article.

[@VolkaRachoNYC]

I finished this on the C64 in the Eighties. It was unbelievably tough. There was no "save game" in the Abyss, so not knowing everything in the final sequence brought you don't big time. I also shed a certain arrogance Commodore owners used to have. The Sega Master system version is far superior. However, there is a fan project for C64 called Ultima IV Remastered which fixes bugs, has a cartridge version, features better graphics, and now beats Sega! :) magervalp.github.io/2015/03/30/u4-remastered.html

[@garethbertram3091]

I used to play this loads nearly 30yrs ago...i never could work the game out as much as enjoyed it..it was confusing 🤣

[@rootykazooty351]

Great video mate. Really well played.

[@winterstormm7185]

Great run. I have had this game for 30 years. Picked it up again over the weekend and am having a blast. Only issue im having is that boats seem to disappear every time i enter and then leave a town. No idea how you got yours to stick around.

[@Yarisken12]

Also put hours and hours into this game but also never finished it :-)

[@user-ui2nm9ty4g]

excellet video!!

[@speedruns3155]

Thanks man!

[@shadomaz7180]

congratulation!!

[@RaginKavu]

I just noticed that @ 34:15 when entering the dungeon, the 1st floor is in the shape of that S thing, that those from the N party used, back In the mid to late 40's! And that the name of the place is *WRONG*. LOL

[@robmcraf2765]

That general shape (meaning luck & prosperity) is also found in Hindu and other religions that tie in with the "Avatar" theme. Richard Garriott would have been aware of that and maybe was a statement that the appropriation of a religious symbol to the SS was "wrong". The symbol is a lot more common that you might think. Hitler didn't just come up with it on his own. www.quora.com/What-is-the-story-behind-the-swastika-Hindu-symbol-Is-its-resemblance-to-the-Nazi-symbol-just-a-coincidence.

[@RaginKavu]

@@robmcraf2765 yeah, I know. They say that it was the shape of Budda's footsteps. And it's still used today in some places of India. But the penny has finally dropped, when watching the run, after some 20 years almost. Nice link, btw.

[@BluBoulzor]

The master system, what a beast this system is. So to gain honesty you have to repeatedly talk to Hawkwind? Was wondering if your gold was bugged then I remembered you could simply not pay for the regents! hahahaha if only games were like this nowadays.

[@speedruns3155]

Talking to Hawkwind gives you spirituality. That's how I builded spirituality at the start of the run. The women who sell reagents are all blind, so you can actually choose how much gold you will pay each time you shop. That's no bug. If you pay less than the right price, you lose a ton of Honesty, Justice and Honor. But everytime you pay the right price, you get +2 on each of these virtues. So you basically cheat her getting all reagents you need for the entire game, then buy reagens again, 1 by 1, until you max out Honesty, Justice and Honor again. That's what I did. Not really an avatar thing to do, but it works lol.

[@robertbick986]

@@speedruns3155 avatar life hacks

[@billnipp2309]

Looks fun. If you're the Rainman hahaha

[@Miler97487]

I owned this on the Atari 800XL and was disappointed this would be the final Ultima for the Atari 8-bit. I also played the NES version and didn't like it. I didn't like the music nor how they made the characters look like cutesy anime, not what I want to see in the Ultima series. Not to mention the drastic changes. With the Sega Master System version it's wonderful how it stays close to the home computer ports but with one major modification: to make it all playable on one controller rather than keyboard since the Sega Master System obviously had none being a game machine.

[@csmth96]

Yeah, and mixing 99 portions of magic in one-go is so user-friendly.

[@sambojinbojin-sam6550]

How did you get your "virtue amounts" up at 43:34? That would have been really handy to know when I played this as a kid.

[@speedruns3155]

While inside any of the dungeons, press button 1 on the second controller. It will show the screen with how many points you have in each virtue. If you press button 2 on the second controller, you will see other screens with location of all the items, cities, castles, all mantras, and other info about the game.

[@sambojinbojin-sam6550]

Great run anyway. The SMS version is my favourite of UIV. This is probably unofficially the world record too, simply due to lack of competition on this version of it.

[@speedruns3155]

Probably, yes. But it's up on speedrun.com. Check out: www.speedrun.com/ultima4#Any%25_DOSSMS So, I think It's officialy a WR, considering I dont know about any other speedrun of this version on the internet. If you know, please, point it out =D

[@thedagit]

@@speedruns3155 Thanks for posting this video! Your route inspired me to try optimizing it further: www.twitch.tv/videos/644663826

[@painthenhope]

Where are the 3D dungeons in the NES version? Do I have this game confused with another?

[@speedruns3155]

NES version of Ultima IV is another game.

[@painthenhope]

Speedruns That doesn't make sense. But anyway, after seeing Phantasy Star, I know SMS is capable of better 3D dungeons. Too bad they weren't in this game. Thanks for responding!

[@speedruns3155]

Well, not really another game, but different in many ways. Here's a link that shows them: ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Console_Ports_of_Ultima_IV It's a matter of taste I believe. I prefer the SMS version =D

[@painthenhope]

Speedruns ok, I will check it out!

[@Miler97487]

NES diverges too much from the home computer ports while the Sega Master System stays true to the home computer ports but is playable entirely on a controller rather than keyboard.

[@iwanttocomplain]

43:35 how on earth did you bring up your virtue stats?! 1:13:35 tense moment.

[@moodydude6790]

I try to give blood at the healer but for some reason the game dosen't let you do that from the beginning. What am I missing so far?

[@moodydude6790]

Ok, just looked up the Strategy Guide of the NES version online and it says that you can only give blood if your HP is above 300 and/or if you're Level 4 or higher.

[@lolodurden7099]

you probably don't have enough health, if I remember correctly you need at least 300 or 400...

[@Miler97487]

I've owned the Atari 8-bit version back in the day and I seem to remember your character requires the minimum of 400 hit points in order to donate blood. If your character doesn't have 400 hit points remember that gaining experience (from killing foes) will eventually raise your hit points (but you need to see Lord British periodically to raise your level and hit points if you've gained enough experience). It's recommended all 8 players have 800 hit points to complete the game.

[@JohnVmc2]

Great game. I liked it more than Phantasy Star, despite de worst graphiucs, but the story was much better and had more role playing elements. Unfortunately, it lacked the first person dungeons, something they put on Phantasy Star.

[@cugeltheclever2957]

If you really have your heart set on 3D dungeons, check out this version of Ultima 4: www.gog.com/game/ultima_4

[@RealParadoxBlues]

Downvote me if you want, but I still say the NES version has better music.

[@binarypench]

RealParadoxBlues, the NES version’s music to me is unsavory. No flavor. The other versions (like the Master System version) has that medieval taste. And I like it.

[@RealParadoxBlues]

Whereas to me the Master System's music is the flavorless one - just drones and whistles.

[@Miler97487]

The Sega Master System version uses the original music as used on the some of the 8-bit home computer ports such as the Apple II with sound card.

[@simonyork6720]

Finest game in the sms