Talk:Key locations in Ultima Underworld

Sadly, I don't have the time to get all the correct item pictures for the list.--Tribun (talk) 14:34, 19 March 2019 (MDT)

I just made my own set of images of all the keys in the game that I was going to upload, because some are missing, and I was going to edit this article and fix a couple of mistakes. But I just discovered that some of the sprites you uploaded are completely different from the ones in my version of the game. I'm not talking about minor artifacts from editing the images, I mean they're completely different (but similar) sprites that aren't in my version of the game. So I'm wondering which version of the game you got them from...maybe there are slight variations between versions? The sprites in my game look the same as the ones found here: [1]. The yellow gem key and the chipped red gem key you uploaded have minor differences in color, have some different pixels around the gem inset, and are both one pixel longer. The black outline of your version of the yellow gem key is also different. If you want I could upload a picture with both to compare them. I also checked the GOG version and the keys were the same as in mine. EDIT: The small yellow bandit key is also different. -JC (talk) 22:16, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

If you pulled them directly from the game, then that's the correct ones, since I was forced to use indirect sources for this game. Only hold back with overwriting files, since some files are used for multiple keys.--Tribun (talk) 23:49, 1 December 2019 (UTC)

I've upload fresh files I sourced from the game files (the same ones used in the GOG version). I put them up with new file names so the others can be preserved if needed. I extracted the images from objects.gr, cropped them down to content, scaled them 2x using nearest neighbor. The new files are named like Uw1.obj.key.XX.crop.scale2.png where XX is 00-14. Note that 01 is the lockpick and that 15 is the lock which isn't used in game so I didn't include it. That means there are 14 key graphics in game and at least 18 keys (that I know of) so there are some in game keys that share graphics. Sir Robin (talk) 23:58, 4 January 2025 (MST)

Description ?

Since 99% of the players don't bother with looking at the keys and the item picture is more than enough to keep the keys apart, the description is honestly not needed and only takes up space. I am thinking of removing those (though won't do so before getting some feedback).--Tribun (talk) 12:06, 25 December 2024 (MST)

Hi, I'm the one who added the descriptions. I'm new here, I found this page while doing a play through and wondering about some keys and locks. I noticed some keys were missing from the list, and also some of the graphics were wrong, so I thought i'd try to fix it. At first I was adding the descriptions to the lists to help me keep track of which keys I had checked/fixed. As to if they should be kept, I guess it depends on the attitude of the wiki - it is meant to tell the in-game lore or just spoilers/solvers? --Sir Robin (talk) 00:08, 5 January 2025 (MST)

Key behind the spider

Seeing the note, yes, there is the key in the lair of the spider, just found it while playing the level yesterday. And it indeed does not seem to have any use.--Tribun (talk) 12:06, 25 December 2024 (MST)

Interesting, do you know what version you're playing and where you got it from? Or better yet, is there a way you can post your lev.ark file for me to look at? I could tell you from there --Sir Robin (talk) 00:22, 5 January 2025 (MST)

I'm playinf the normal CD version of the game. There's nothing extraordinary about it. COuld be that you simply missed the key in the spider cave.--Tribun (talk) 04:52, 5 January 2025 (MST)

It's definitely not there in mine. And the level and object file is exactly the same from the disk to CD to PPC to PS1 to GOG versions, so if you're seeing that in the CD version I'm guessing you've got a hacked or glitched game file. If you can get me that lev.ark file I can tell you what the key is supposed to open.

Nope, I got it from the original Underworld compilation CD sold by Origin. There actually are two stone keys in the level. One is found close to the orb, the other in the spider cave. They do stack in the inventory (maybe that confused you?). The walkthrough here also confirms this in the item listing. (the first at I17 the second at I37).--Tribun (talk) 14:15, 5 January 2025 (MST)

Well I wasn't feeling confused before, but maybe I should be? LOL. Let's review the facts and see where we are with this:

1. I saw the line about a key on level 1 "Behind the lair of the spider Navrey Night-eyes" with the note "Unknown, what this one opens."
2. In all my play throughs in all the versions I've played I don't recall seeing this key so I added a note on the page asking if this entry was correct (I am new to this site, I didn't realize the more proper way to have a discussion is here on the talk page, excuse me)
3. In response to my note, you confirmed that you see a key in your game and that you don't know what it opens. This brings me to two questions:
   1. Where did this key come from?
   2. What does this key open?
4. I checked my copy of the game and did not see any key in the spider area. I then opened the data files in an editor and looked at the object table for the first level and searched for keys. There are six entries for keys, all of which are accounted for, and none of which are in the spider area. So I know that my copy of the game does not have this object as mentioned.
5. I thought maybe there is a difference between versions of the game, so I did a binary comparison of the game data files between all the versions I have - the disk version, the CD version, the GOG version, the PPC version. All data files came back as identical. So I know that this object is not in any of the standard versions of the game.
6. I asked you what version your are using, and if you could share your data file so I could compare it to what I've got.
7. You stated that you are using the standard CD version, and that you have not intentionally hacked or glitched your copy of the game.
8. You stated that your key from the spider area stacks with the key found near the orb, and that there are only two such keys in the level. So this should answer the question of what does it open. But it brings up another question: If you only have two copies of this key, one from near the orb and one from the spider area, what happened to the one in the spiral room?

So based on these facts, and I haven't seen your data file yet so I have to speculate based on what you're saying, but it seems you started with a clean copy of the CD version and at some point it glitched and moved the key from the spiral room into the spider room. If you're not tech savvy to share the data file, there is another way we can check it, if you know how to run a command line.

If you are able to open a windows command line, go to the folder where you launch UW.EXE from, run this command:

CERTUTIL -hashfile DATA\LEV.ARK

and post the results. That will tell us if the discrepency is in the data file or not.

Regardless of all that, my conclusion is that the key is not present in any normal version of the game. Why you see it in your copy is a curiousity, but isn't relevant to other people playing their copy of the game, and doesn't need to be included in the wiki. --Sir Robin (talk) 12:07, 6 January 2025 (MST)

Since you use the GOG version, perhaps its your version that was altered and that the key was moved in the GOG version for whatever reaon? I had no key in the spiral stairroom. I'll just add that in the GOG version, it has a different location.--Tribun (talk) 05:58, 7 January 2025 (MST)

If you want the lev.ark file, how to get it to you?--Tribun (talk) 06:00, 7 January 2025 (MST)

Look at my point #5 above. The data files for the disk, CD, GOG, and PPC versions are all identical. The second stone key is in the spiral room in all those versions. This key discrepancy seems to be isolated to your local copy of the game, it won't be in anyone else's game unless they copied it from your computer. I can still look at the lev.ark file if you want me to, but first run the command line I mentioned above. That will tell me if it's even necessary to look at that file. --Sir Robin (talk) 13:35, 8 January 2025 (MST)