BioWare Says Choice Will Be Crucial for Ultima Forever

The trademark story and choice mechanics that BioWare is known for will be at the core of Ultima Forever: Quest for Avatar, elevating the game experience from its simple dungeon crawling origins.

Jeff Skalski, who is the executive producer working on Ultima Forever, told Games.on.net that, “We have some of the best writers in the industry and even though we are scattered across several locations as an organization we do our best to share best practices among each other.”

He added, “Ultima Forever is more than just a dungeon crawl game with friends. At its core is a story of a journey with choice. The eight virtues are threaded throughout the game and your actions will dictate how you progress those virtues.”

Ultima Forever takes place 21 years after the event of Ultima IV, which was launched more than 20 years ago, and players will be part of a world that has forgotten the Avatar and his actual actions.

All the players in the game will be able to become this ultimate expression of virtue by exploring the game world, talking to characters and then taking on on their missions.

Gamers will be able to also make choices in order to influence the game world.

Ultima Forever: Quest for Avatar will use the same core map as Ultima IV but the development team at BioWare plans to upgrade the structure of the dungeons and expand on the abilities of the eight classes that will be included in the game.

BioWare is also experimenting with the business model for Ultima Forever, which will be free-to-play for all those willing to give it a shot, with real money used to get access to a number of customization options.

The game is set to arrive on the PC late during 2012 and a beta stage will be introduced early during the fall.

Via: BioWare Says Choice Will Be Crucial for Ultima Forever