Ultima Online: The Second Age
| Company type | Expansion pack |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Ultima Online |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Origin Systems |
| Products | MMORPG expansion content |
| Parent | Electronic Arts |
Ultima Online: The Second Age represents the initial expansion pack for the Ultima Online MMORPG, developed by Origin Systems and released by Electronic Arts in 1998. This update brought several enhancements, such as a new playable area known as the Lost Lands, additional fauna, and the introduction of player-constructed cities. Notably, it was the last Ultima Online expansion crafted under the direction of Raph Koster.
Added content
The Second Age broadened the game's scope by incorporating fresh creatures, adversaries, and regions.
Lost Lands
A newly introduced continental zone called the Lost Lands featured two urban centers—Papua and Delucia—alongside the Terathan Keep dungeon. Within Ultima's narrative, this territory formed following geological upheavals caused by the "Armageddon" spell cast by the Followers of Armageddon (Zog Cabal). Access to the Lost Lands is available through eleven entrances reachable by boat, on foot or mount, and through teleportation.
Papua
Situated at the northeastern boundary of the Lost Lands, Papua—dubbed "Swamp City"—is the smaller of the two towns added in T2A. It can be reached via teleportation from Moonglow and includes a dock for maritime access. The settlement is characterized by grass huts and hosts several essential NPCs such as an alchemist, blacksmith, carpenter, healer, jeweler, provisioner, shipwright, stablemaster, tailor, and tinker. Its environment and architectural style draw inspiration from Papua New Guinea’s marshlands.
Delucia
Located in the southwestern sector of the Lost Lands, Delucia is the larger town introduced in T2A and is sometimes referred to as the "City of Ruins." The town features cotton plantations, minable mountain areas, fields for harvesting lettuce and turnips, as well as facilities including a bank, mage shop, healer, and provisioner.
Mobs
Unique to the Lost Lands and consistent with its lore, The Second Age expansion added new creatures and hostile entities.
Creatures
- Bullfrog
- Frost Spider
- Giant Ice Serpent
- Giant Toad
- Ice Snake
- Lava Lizard
- Nightmare
- Forest Ostard
- Desert Ostard
- Frenzied Ostard
Monsters
- Cyclopian Warrior
- Frost Troll
- Ice Elemental
- Ice Fiend
- Imp
- Mummy
- Ophidian Apprentice Mage
- Ophidian Avenger
- Ophidian Enforcer
- Ophidian Justicar
- Ophidian Knight-Errant
- Ophidian Matriarch
- Ophidian Shaman
- Ophidian Warrior
- Ophidian Zealot
- Snow Elemental
- Stone Gargoyle
- Stone Harpy
- Swamp Tentacle
- Terathan Avenger
- Terathan Drone
- Terathan Matriarch
- Terathan Warrior
- Titan
- Wyvern
SYSTRAN Integration
Ultima Online: The Second Age pioneered the integration of SYSTRAN's real-time language translation software within a game environment to enhance communication among players worldwide. Supported languages consisted of English, Japanese, and German. Executive producer Jeff Anderson emphasized that SYSTRAN played a crucial role in overcoming language obstacles within Ultima Online’s international player base. Marketing campaigns highlighted this aspect with the slogan: "A Global Game - Ultima Online makes the world your playground with features specifically designed to bring players together from different countries."
Reception
The PC edition received a perfect five-star rating from Next Generation, which recommended it as essential for enthusiasts of fantasy role-playing and followers of the Ultima franchise. Although critical opinions were divided, The Second Age secured the D.I.C.E. Award for Online Game of the Year during the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. Nevertheless, numerous critiques pointed out that the expansion offered limited innovation to the original game, particularly when compared to the rise of 3D MMORPGs such as EverQuest and Asheron's Call.