Shroud of the Avatar, Richard Garriott's recently Kickstarted spiritual sequel to his Ultima RPG series, looks pretty damn good considering it's currently just an early prototype. Here, Garriott narrates a short 11-minute walkthrough of some of the game's features they've been working on in the past few months.
Yesterday, game-makers and fans were all up in arms over comments made by Richard Garriott to PC Gamer, where he said, among other things, that "most game designers really just suck."
The man who revolutionized computer role-playing games with the Ultima series doesn't think much of the talent currently working in the medium when it comes to game design. Who's good at it? He is. Maybe a few others.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Y3i_16TG--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18gw5y2av8gesjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--xFRomaHr--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18gw5y2av8gesjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--iioUHfBP--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18gw5y2av8gesjpg.jpg, (large)])
Richard Garriott, aka Lord British, was carrying a backpack full of fascinating things, when he stopped by Kotaku's offices last week to talk about his next game, Shroud of the Avatar.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--M_Q6F8t3--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18gv0khwnc8r1jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LxGcAaB---/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18gv0khwnc8r1jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PwtG9PHU--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18gv0khwnc8r1jpg.jpg, (large)])
The man known as Lord British has been gone from video games a long time. Yeah, he's had the whole space travel thing going on. And there was a messy bit of business where he got half a million dollars stolen from him to buy fancy magician paraphernalia. But it seemed really weird that Richard Garriott—an iconic…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nvZiz7QN--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17idglbhajwuapng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Nvdc_Qae--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17idglbhajwuapng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--To3RS0-C--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17idglbhajwuapng.png, (large)])
Richard Garriott, shown above brushing his teeth in zero gravity, helped birth the world-conquering MMO genre. The success of his early Ultima games make him enough money to essentially rent a rocket to go into outer space. But, smart and rich as he is, the man known as Lord British can still get oodles of cash…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dHmX9UsR--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18rcwtxtkkbdijpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PRrirHh3--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18rcwtxtkkbdijpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VzJZqqdY--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18rcwtxtkkbdijpg.jpg, (large)])
What does one do after inventing one of the first virtual worlds ever to exist online? If you're Richard Garriott, you try to leave Earth behind altogether, for a little while anyway. Lots of gamers know about Garriott's quest to escape the bounds of Earth's gravity via private space travel. What some may not know is…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--U26QKBbt--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j19hvxe6tktjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kfNpHI2e--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j19hvxe6tktjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--IgbfkoCV--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j19hvxe6tktjpg.jpg, (large)])
With his new wife living and working in New York and his company and home base in Austin, Texas, how does legendary game developer Richard Garriott split his time between the two? He doesn't, that's what his robot is for.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UI33xHpL--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j1anneqe1vjjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--be7jmVcn--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j1anneqe1vjjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sDgNSgvk--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j1anneqe1vjjpg.jpg, (large)])
Richard Garriott, the Ultima creator and space tourist believed to be the only private citizen to own property on an extraterrestrial body, is selling real estate here on Earth. For about $4 mil you may claim the stately Texas manor owned by Lord British.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--O3GMb6Up--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hgftkvu65bhjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7jxHAzjE--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hgftkvu65bhjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kMPcBcgB--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hgftkvu65bhjpg.jpg, (large)])
Earlier this month, we heard that Richard Garriot — son of an astronaut and granddaddy of science fiction/fantasy games like the Ultima series — would officiate a wedding in zero gravity.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--r7E1nqan--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hghbeg3uibijpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bbHl0npm--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hghbeg3uibijpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tjr_e2Os--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hghbeg3uibijpg.jpg, (large)])
Richard Garriott, son of an astronaut and science fiction/fantasy video game icon, will join two self-proclaimed sci-fi addicts in holy matrimony 36,000 feet in the air.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sW1chhL7--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j4sbz92qv1yjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--HYOIMvCD--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j4sbz92qv1yjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---HO2o9mf--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j4sbz92qv1yjpg.jpg, (large)])
Late last year, Ultima creator Richard Garriott split from NCsoft, the developers and publishers behind his latest game, Tabula Rasa. Sounds like the split wasn't exactly amicable.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sZ_xVCrf--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hgylsr47iiujpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--J4hEXTzz--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hgylsr47iiujpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sPoVophU--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hgylsr47iiujpg.jpg, (large)])
Sure his head is up in the clouds at the moment, but Ultima creator Richard Garriott hasn't forgotten where he's from. In an interview with GameDaily, Garriott discusses an eventual return to gaming.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4Cbk6jb4--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hgyvtts0jyijpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--YJQTkXSX--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hgyvtts0jyijpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--zB3KHeCr--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hgyvtts0jyijpg.jpg, (large)])
Gaming legend Richard "Lord British" Garriott's trip into space has come and gone, leaving the Ultima creator nothing but fond memories and stories, which he'll share live on stage in Austin Texas later this month.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---x5Vn7Gi--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hhd5vcj4ggkjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--txXKoeiu--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hhd5vcj4ggkjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--BBqsMne1--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hhd5vcj4ggkjpg.jpg, (large)])
I am very grateful to you… ], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--cYeMuWHl--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j5afl7h3m2jjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--FC1gJrgD--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j5afl7h3m2jjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7BhwgdV---/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j5afl7h3m2jjpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--BMhGAOHJ--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17n1ma83b9cmajpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mn916wCQ--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17n1ma83b9cmajpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--flu27FzZ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17n1ma83b9cmajpg.jpg, (large)])