by Michael E. Ryan

By now, you've probably heard a great deal about Origin System's Ultima Online. You may have even played the game yourself. Either way, there's a very good chance that your impression of the game is a negative one. After all, we're talking about an Internet-only game that is often plagued by play-halting lag and an online world where ruthless player-killers are said to stalk innocent newbies without pity or remorse. And if neither of those issues bothers you, there's the fact that the game itself is complex and extremely open-ended, a combination that can be awfully confusing for new players (particularly when the game ships without a printed manual).

Never fear. We have braved Ultima Online since the early days of the open beta test. Through exploration, experimentation, and the devout dedication of fanatical computer game journalists, we've compiled a strategy guide that can help you survive and thrive in the world of Britannia.

Keep in mind that for an open-ended game like Ultima Online, no single playing guide can cover all the possible issues and strategies. Assuming that most of you would play UO for the thrill of a swords and sorcery adventure, we focused this guide on early player development and the building of a full-fledged adventurer.

In this guide you'll find: A list of tools and utilities you should have in order to get the most out of Ultima Online Advice for character creation, including some useful skills with which to begin the game Suggestions for molding a fledgling character into a fighting man or woman of the wilderness Strategies for making and saving money in the game Tips for finding (and surviving) adventures in the forests and dungeons of Britannia A discussion of magic and its role in an adventurer's life Some tips for avoiding and dealing with the player-killer threat A few basic steps you can take to minimize the impact of lag on your UO experience

Go to Getting Started