World model of Ultima VIII

The engine for Ultima VIII divides the world of Pagan into a series of maps and then groups the maps together according to their in-game proximity. The maps can only be left through narrow sets of circumstances, however, it is possible to breach areas that should be closed off to the player.

The Areas and Their Division

The two tiers of mapping can be described thusly:

• Sub-areas: these are the playing fields about which the player can interact directly. The player can access different sub-areas through designated exits or various means of teleporation.
• Meta-areas: these are maps that groups the sub-areas. The player should never be able to access these outside of the sub-areas, however, the particular meta-area can be identified with the Divination spell.

For example, the three parts of Tenebrae are three sub-areas that are in the meta-area of Tenebrae. Leaving through the city gates teleports to a different meta-area (for example, Fishermen's Reef). The same goes for Argentrock Isle. The isle itself is one sub-area and the caves below the monastery another, yet they are in the same meta-area "Argentrock Isle" and connected to each other with a teleporter.

Going Beyond the Boundaries

Normally it should be impossible to leave the boundaries of a sub-area, therefore the player should never learn how the game is structured. However, the programmers did not manage to eliminate all possibilities, missing four points where the Avatar can leave the sub-area, falling directly into the meta-area.

• There is a place in the cave to the Plateau that allows leaving the boundary. It is hard to find. Go on the southernmost stepping stone until you see the south shore. From here, jump all the way to the edge of the southern shore. The cheat entrance lies in the southern rock jutting out to the water. Now, just walk straight into the wall, and turn a little west to get into it, but continue south. You should now be under the ground, and the Avatar will not show any more. Go south and a little west until the large stalagmite with brown mushrooms around it appears on the center of the screen, and go south. You will see the screen jerk slightly as when the Avatar jumps off a ledge. Now, you are free to run around the place.
• Go to the temple where the Zealan gods are, and put two scrolls on the small table in the northwest corner of the room. Climb onto the scrolls on the table, and jump onto the wall. You are now over the wall between the Zealan gods' temple and Khumash Gor's tomb. Jump over, beyond the wall, and you've escaped the area's boundaries.
• There is a broken wall in the Upper Catacombs, which allows leaving the boundaries.
• In Herdsman's Valley it is possible to stack all the wood blocking the ghost cave and then use it to climb on the mountains. Walking further results in falling into the meta-area.

The effects are strange. Since the game has nothing it can draw, a strange hall of mirrors-effect sets in until the Avatar comes near another sub-area. It is impossible to leave the meta-area because of the invisible wall surrounding it, and also impossible to enter the other sub-areas, although it is possible to walk through the void in which Mythran's house floats. There are even some strange area remnants, such as in the Shrine of the Ancient Ones.

Leaving to return to the game is only possible with the recall item.

Gallery

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  The hole in the cave

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  The hole in the Catacombs

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  Walking on the Ethereal Void

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  The "hall of mirrors" effect

External Links

• Hidden Things – Dino’s Guide to Ultima VIII – notes taken by the fan who discovered this part of the engine