[comp.sys.apple2] Ultima VI

Tabakal@UB.CC.UMICH.EDU (06/06/90)

I just got home from the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Chicago
this afternoon and came across this piece of electronic mail:
 
>    Well, Origin sent me an answer to the letter I snailed asking for
> support of the Apple ][ line of computers for Ultima VI. I got a form
> letter which seems to have been written in response to the Apple ][
> letter writing campaign. One sentence is "Your astounding letters are
> the supreme weapon for conquering the most fiendish foe of all: 'lack of
> vision and knowledge.'" The use of the plural form, and that quote which
> was definitely not in my letter suggest that they have seen quite a few
> Apple ][ owners sending letters.
>    More encouraging than this letter was the product catalog they sent
> along in the envelope. A chart inside shows availability of Origin
> programs for various machines. There are four different entries in the
> table. 1) The price of the product  2) Fall 1990  3) Future  4) Shaded
> box. Ultima VI has the following entries for the various machines:
> IBM-PC: $69.95
> ][+ ][e ][c ][c+ ][GS: Future
> C64 C128: Fall 1990
> 512 512E Plus SE Mac ][: Shaded box
> Amiga 500 1000 2000: Fall 1990
> Atari 520ST 1040ST: Shaded box
 
Well, I'll spice it up somewhat.  I had the distinct pleasure of
meeting Richard Garriot (aka Lord British) this morning at the
Origin booth.  I started to complain vociferously about the lack
of support for the Apple ][ market, but he cut me off.  "We've
decided to do a version for the Apple."  He couldn't tell me
when it would come since they're only in the planning stages
(i.e. no code yet).  It will be a port.  The first decision they
have to make is whether it will be an 8 bit port from the 
Commodore 64 or a 16 bit port from the IBM.  Note: the former
would run across the ][ line while the latter would be GS-only.
 
>    So, it looks like we might get Ultima VI for the ][ line eventually,
> but certainly not before the fall of this year.
>    Keep the letters going to Origin. Don't let them forget that there's
> a real market for Ultima VI on the ][ series. After all, Akalabeth began
> on the Apple ][, it would be a shame for the descendents of Akalabeth to
> ignore the Apple ][.
 
He told me that the decision would be dictated by economic factors.
So, GS people, if you want your own version, yell extra loudly.
 
> -- 
>  Christopher Neufeld....Just a graduate student  | He's the kind of person
>  neufeld@helios.physics.utoronto.ca              | who'd follow you into a
>  cneufeld@pro-generic.cts.com          Ad astra! | revolving door and come
>  "Don't edit reality for the sake of simplicity" | out first.
 
On an unrelated note, I also met Wayne Green, currently publisher
of CD Review, but known to many of us as the creator of Byte and
80 Micro. I bought his new Scott Joplin CD he's been pushing to
support "starving young artists" and "starving old publishers."
 
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    Todd A. Bakal                                All snappy sayings aside,
    U of M Apple User's Group                    !Index will be updated
    Ann Arbor, Michigan                          ASAP or my name's not... 
 
    Internet: Tabakal@ub.cc.umich.edu            FTP: ummts.cc.umich.edu
              Tab@terminator.cc.umich.edu             35.1.1.43   (PC5:)
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