The biggest problem with Ultima Online (I am talking about when it was first released) was the lag, Pk'ers with a T1 line or  other broad band connection could beat the heck out of your character while you stand almost motionless on your 56k dial up connection.  There was one time I had a ton of gold; had picked up way over my limit and was walking back to my house.  I had no spells or potions at the time so I would pick up a big pile and throw it; then move ahead of the pile, pick it up and throw it and just keep repeating this until I got to my house.  I did this for about twelve hours, but is was a lot of money and I couldn't resist trying to make several trips back and fourth to get all the gold....Always making a save file whenever I could.

Suddenly the server went down and I couldn't play for 16-18 hours.  When I got back online all the gold was gone PLUS, I returned to a save when I was a wanted criminal from 3-4 days before.  There were many times when similar things occured; but I do have to say that the was the worst. 

Underneath the actual playing of the game was a very interesting structure.  Good and evil reputations, status from a basic  to Grandmaster.  You could furnish your house with all kiinds of things.  I had a chess board in my house and we would play it from time to time. 

All that ended for most of my friends and me with the release of Sony's Everquest.  The graphics were way beyond what UO had and there was no significant difference in characaters speed., regardless of broadboand or dial up connections.  I made a human wizard and got to about level 35.  The Wizards that were level 30 elves were able to cast "Root" effectively.  I still couldn't do it at whatever exact level I was.  This is when I cancelled my account.  Level 30+ took a long time to get to in the first game.

Anyway, without the Root spell, a Wizard had to depend on other party members to to protect him/her.  The root spell allowed the magic user to nail the opponent down in one place  and then blast the heck out of the him/her.  After I realized that even with the higher priced equipment and maxing my stats at some time would never be as good as most other types of Wizards.  I lost all incentive to go back and make another Wizard...35 levels was just too much to do again. 

Please add your thoughts about this subject.  I am curious to know about other peoples first online game.

A personal screen capture that I made from my character.  I paid ovenight delivery to get this game online quickly.  Taken in 1997-1998.

Anyone that dismissed the first game as too childish or catering to only younger players:  Well, sorry...But you missed one of the most versatile and unique games that has come out in the recent past on any platform.

Is it an action game?  No, it is a strategy rpg and easily replaced Final Fantasy Tactics as the number one Srpg. 

You have a team of up to 10 characters.  Everything is customizable on all.  It's a strategy game, but not real time.  I still think this is the best; despite Nippon-Ichi's release of:  Phantom Brave, La Pucelle Tactics, and Makai Kingdom.

It it not as a hard game to just pick up and play, but there are layers so deep in this game that I doubt even some of the most ardent fans have learned all that is available in approaching this game.

If you like deep thinking games:  you'll love the title.  If you're looking for more of an action/adventure game, I would suggest looking somewhere else.

I've gotten Phantom Dust:  Voices from the Fog

http://spaces.msn.com/insidnav

blog up and looking fair. 

Joined the flood zone union today.  This is the closest list {to my own interests}of games that I have encountered.  Although, I am also, very much supportive of my two other Unions.

Keep getting encouraged to do blogs...everywhere I post someone is putting up their blogs.  Interesting in a way...the www gets more graphic and we go back to writing journals on that same graphic internet...

Now the blags with audio.

How far behind are the blvgs?

lol, just making sure I haven't dispersed this entry into the cosmos...