Editing Ultima Online (section)

==Expansions and follow-up releases==
{{main|Ultima Online expansions}}

Throughout ''Ultima Online''{{'}}s history, there have been many major additions to the game. [[Expansion pack]]s have been released regularly, all of which add new content in the form of landmass, art, quests, items, or game mechanics.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title !! Release date !! Features
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: The Second Age|The Second Age]]''
|Oct 1, 1998
|Lost Lands, along with an in-game chat system and new creatures. Also known as ''T2A''. It was released in two boxed versions with different artwork and a single manual.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Renaissance|Renaissance]]''
|May 4, 2000
|Doubled the size of the world, adding a mirror copy of the existing landscape. The worlds were called Felucca and Trammel, after the two moons in ''Ultima's'' Britannia world. The Trammel world did not allow [[player killing]] and was geared towards fighting monsters. Felucca adopted a darker, more foreboding look and kept its player vs player roots.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}

|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Third Dawn|Third Dawn]]''
|Mar 7, 2001
|Included a 3D client to compete with 3D competition like ''[[EverQuest]]''. A special Third Dawn-only land was created, called Ilshenar. It was accessible only to 3D clients until the release of ''Lord Blackthorn's Revenge''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn's Revenge|Lord Blackthorn's Revenge]]''
|February 24, 2002
|Brought "a dark new world based on new characters from [[Todd McFarlane]]" to ''Ultima Online'' with improved game [[artificial intelligence]], in-game help and improved character creation.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-

|''[[Ultima Online: Age of Shadows|Age of Shadows]]''
|February 11, 2003
|Brought the landmass of Malas with space for new housing, two new [[character class]]es ([[Paladin]] and [[Necromancer]]) and the ability to customize house designs. The item system was reworked with this expansion. Armor resistance was split into five types and many new properties that affected game play were added to weaponry. As good equipment became vital, this expansion also brought with it item insurance. Subscriptions reached a peak of over 250,000 accounts following the release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.ea.com/portal/site/ea/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20030314005303&newsLang=en |title=ORIGIN Systems Announces Record Number of Subscriptions |publisher=Electronic Arts |date=March 14, 2003 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710163624/http://news.ea.com/portal/site/ea/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20030314005303&newsLang=en |archive-date=July 10, 2011}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire|Samurai Empire]]''
|November 2, 2004
|Brought ancient [[Japanese mythology]] and folklore to the game, two new classes ([[Ninja]] and [[Samurai]]) and a new area to explore, the Tokuno Islands. The new class skills shifted the balance of player vs. player combat away from mage dominance.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Mondain's Legacy|Mondain's Legacy]]''
|August 30, 2005
|Introduced a new race, [[elves]], and a new skill, spellweaving. Several dungeons were also added.{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}}
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss|Stygian Abyss]]''
|September 8, 2009
|Featured a new playable race, the Gargoyle; additional play areas; and three new skills: imbuing, throwing and mysticism.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zeeman |first=Chrissay |title=Publish 60 Notes |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=932 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=September 8, 2009}}</ref> Stygian Abyss also featured significant upgrades to the Kingdom Reborn client, which has been renamed to the Enhanced Client. The original client is still supported.<ref>{{cite web |last=Crowner |first=Calvin |title=Open Beta Begins! |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=903 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=August 14, 2009}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: High Seas|High Seas]]''
|October 12, 2010
|Focused on additions to fishing, sailing and the pirate skill. Four new ship types, improved ship movement, pirate NPCs to hunt, and new boss encounters are introduced along with improvements to the fishing skill like new types of fish and crustaceans to catch and an increased skill cap.<ref>{{cite web |title=Welcome to the High Seas! – Publish 68 Notes |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=1108 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=October 12, 2010}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Ultima Online: Time of Legends|Time of Legends]]''
|2015
|New Areas: Shadowguard and Valley of Eodon; two new champion spawns; completing the virtue system; many new items; new skill-masteries; updates to classic housing.<ref name="Developer video diary">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/F54j3zSj6oQ Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20151122090502/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F54j3zSj6oQ Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |title=What's New for UO in 2015? |website = [[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F54j3zSj6oQ |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=February 24, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
|}

===Clients===
Electronic Arts provides the standard clients with which players are allowed to connect to the ''Ultima Online'' servers, though some third-party clients were made.

The 3D client was originally released as a part of the ''Ultima Online: Third Dawn'' expansion, but received poor reviews due to performance issues (especially [[memory leak]]s early on) and sub-par graphics. An update to the 3D client was made on January 30, 2006 when characters and creatures from the game were scaled down to smaller sizes. As of early May/Late April 2007, the ''Third Dawn'' client was no longer supported by Electronic Arts, and focus shifted to the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client and its successor the Enhanced Client. Electronic Arts ''Ultima Online'' servers do not allow the ''Third Dawn'' client to connect.

[[File:UO-Kingdom Reborn.jpg|thumb|right|Screenshot from ''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'']]

''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'' was announced in August 2006 and was released August 27, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ultima's Kingdom is Reborn |publisher=Gamespot |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ultimas-kingdom-is-reborn/1100-6177764/ |date=August 28, 2007 |access-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref> A series of clues provided by [[Software developer|developer]]s via an in-game event arc allowed players to find a [[URL]] on the ''Ultima Online'' website wherein a simple message was contained as well as a [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] movie featuring screenshots of the upgraded graphics. In addition to the upgraded graphics, there was a newer, more streamlined interface. Some of the changes included [[hot keys]], a scrolling bag configuration and a new character sheet. The new client modernized the game's look, making it easy to add new content without backsliding through outdated and outmoded art, while maintaining the niche market as an MMORPG that can run on [[high-end|lower-end]] computers. Electronic Arts referred to the ''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'' client as "2.5d," meaning that it was written in 3d and then moved into 2d to make it easier for lower-end computers to run. The client is available as a free download.

Electronic Arts originally stated that the ''Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn'' client would replace the long-standing ''Ultima Online'' client. As of September 2009, the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client has been superseded by a modified version of the ''KR'' client, now called the "Enhanced Client".<ref>[http://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=863 The new "Enhanced Client", based on the KR client], 17 Jul 2009.</ref> The ''Kingdom Reborn'' client no longer works on official shards.<ref>[http://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=928 Abandoning development of the KR Client], 07 Sep 2009.</ref> The new "Enhanced Client" keeps the rendering engine (including particle effects and light source rendering) from Kingdom Reborn, but not the KR graphics. Support for this client ended to streamline the patch process prior to the release of the [[Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss]] expansion.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zeeman |first=Chrissay |title=Kingdom Reborn Client |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=928 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=September 7, 2009}}</ref>

A modified version of the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client, renamed as the "Enhanced Client", was introduced as part of the ''Stygian Abyss'' expansion. It was released as an [[Closed beta|open beta]] in July 2009. Changes included enhanced macro abilities, a more configurable interface, changes to the mapping system, and graphical improvements.<ref>{{cite web |last=Crowner |first=Calvin |title=New Client Open Beta |url=https://uo.stratics.com/uoherald/news/news.php?newsid=863 |access-date=April 13, 2019 |date=July 17, 2009}}</ref> The enhanced graphics of the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client had been retired in favor of lower resolution original graphics that more closely resembled the original 2D client. This graphic set was based on the ''Third Dawn'' client and was previously available in the ''Kingdom Reborn'' client as optional original graphics.

===Other releases===
''Ultima Online'' has had several special releases that were not expansions or booster packs, but came with boxed or in-game extras.
* ''Ultima Online: Charter Edition'' (September 30, 1997) was available to pre-order from Origin Systems at the launch of ''Ultima Online'' and in small quantities alongside the standard retail box. It included a signed lithograph of the ''Ultima Online'' artwork by the Hilderbrandt brothers and a pewter pin badge bearing the ''Ultima Online'' logo. The box was not signed by Richard Garriott, but simply bears a digital print of his Lord British signature. The Charter Edition included the cloth map that was also a feature of the standard box, and included three months of subscription time, as opposed to the single month included with the standard box.
* ''Ultima Online: Discovery Edition'' (February 1, 2000) was released to the Australian and New Zealand markets at the same time as the launch of the Oceania server for the region.
* ''Ultima Online: 7th Anniversary'' (September 25, 2004) was a special release of the game to celebrate ''Ultima Online's'' seventh birthday. It included a more recently patched CD. This release was contained in a small cardboard box containing a triple-CD jewel case, featuring ''Ultima Online: Age of Shadows'', but also included ''[[Ultima IX: Ascension]]'' install and play discs as a bonus. A glossy booklet showing the history of ''Ultima Online'' expansions was included that contained historic art and an interview from the ''Ultima Online'' team and community leaders. It included a code for an in-game gift, one of which was ''Ultima Online's'' famous Hilderbrant print, an extra character slot (a total of six characters was now available) and 7 buddy registration codes.
* ''Ultima Online: Gold'' (July 18, 2005) was sold by Wal-Mart and includes the same content as ''[[Ultima Online: Samurai Empire]]''. This edition came with an Advanced Character token code and quick-start manual.
* ''Ultima Online: The Eighth Age'' (September 25, 2005) was a boxed game CD with an array of in-game tokens. The release was to celebrate ''Ultima Online's'' eighth birthday. The box included a patched game CD, a glossy booklet featuring an atlas of [[Sosaria]], in-game tokens for an anniversary gift (choice of 8), a character transfer, an advanced character, a 45-day free trial code and a time-limited blue soul stone.
* ''Ultima Online: 9th Anniversary Collection'' (October 31, 2006). Formerly known as "Eve of a New Age." This came with an in-game upgrade code that redeemed 9 "Heritage Tokens", "Crystal" and "Shadow" items which matched new housing tile sets in the game, and attendants, which took the form of NPCs. These could be set to announce a player's presence in a house or to follow the player around on the map. The Heritage tokens could be redeemed for several kinds of items including special armor, weapons, and house decoration items in various themes (3 fruit trees, a set of rugs, tables, a broken furniture set, a "dark" or evil furniture set and more).