Web-based Ultima-Like Framework (WULF)

The WULF project intends to create a framework based on open web technology to allow easy creation of an Ultima-like browser game. Started in 2018, developed in earnest in 2025.

Play

• http://morph-games.github.io/WULF/dist

Goals

Overall Project Goals

1. (W) Web-based -- JavaScript, HTML, CSS
2. (UL) Have almost all of the features from Ultima -- See 1.0 goals below
3. (F) Customizable framework
   • FOSS
   • Limited depdencies
   • Moddable
   • Sprite-swapping

Goals for "1.0"

1. Have most of the features from Ultima 1

   • Map on top of screen with text below it
   • Cardinal movement
   • An overworld with towns, castles, dungeons that can be entered
   • 4 Continents
   • One character, no party
   • Saving and loading
   • NPCs and monsters
   • Combat
   • Transacting with vendors
   • Shakespearean/King James English
   • Mounts - horses, ships, etc.
   • Spells
   • Inventory, with weapons, armor, spells, food, gold
   • Opening doors, coffins, chests
   • Stealing
   • Quests
   • Character creation
   • Stats advancement
   • Boss fight
   • ...and more (I have a full list written elsewhere)

2. Exceptions - Areas where the project will specifically not copy Ultima 1...

   • Dungeons will be grid-based (U6), not 1st-person (U1-5)
   • No space view (v); no space gameplay
   • Town and castle maps will be the same size sprites (U2-5), not smaller (U1)
   • Default key mapping will be different - see below
   • Legally unique - see below
   • Keep the Shakespearean English to just the NPCs (and maybe only some continents), not the UI

3. 2d, Pixel Authentic

   • Resolution of 320 x 200
   • 16x16 pixel sprites
   • No sub pixels or rotated pixels

4. Keyboard commands -- The default keys will have some changes from Ultima 1, and a few new keys.

   • ? = Show key commands
   • WASD for movement (along with arrow keys)
   • Bump combat
   • E will enter, but will also do context-appropriate things like using ladders and talking
   • F for fight - will replicate both U1's (A) attack and (F) fire depending on the range of the enemy
   • H for "hole up" (U4-5; stretch goal) instead of U1's Hyperjump
   • J for junk/drop instead of U1's (D) Drop
   • M for Map (stretch goal)
   • N for navigate (stretch goal), instead of U1's (N) Noise
   • O for Open will handle doors, coffins, and chests (U1's Open only worked on coffins)
   • P for Pickpocket replaces U1's (S) Steal
   • Q for Quicksave replace's U1's Quit and Save (which doesn't actually quit)
   • U for Use Item (matching U4-5) instead of U1's Unlock (now covered by Open)
   • V = TBD (replacing U1's view change for space)
   • Y = Yell
   • +/- for volume replaces U1's (N) Noise
   • Tab = TBD - might be the same as Ztats
   • A few renames: T for Talk instead of Transact, and I for Investigate instead of Inform.
   • All other keys should be the same as U1: Board, Cast, Get, Klimb, Look, Ready, eXit, Ztats

5. Improvements

   • More plot explanation in-game
   • Less grinding
   • No 255 overflow bugs

6. Legally Unique

   • "Ultima-like", not "Ultima"
   • No Lord British or Iolo (unless they want to join!)
   • New, original sprites

7. Complete within a year

   • It look Richard Garriot less than a year to build Ultima 1
   • Timing goal: Spring/Summer 2026

Credits

• Libraries: Copied some minor utilities from LittleJS and my own RocketBoots tools.
• All other code created by Luke (a human, not an AI)
• See LICENSE for the code license
• Original custom pixel fonts are CC BY-SA
• Original artwork and text is © Copyrighted 2025

Please reach out to me on Bluesky, or the Ultima Dragons Discord, if you: want to build a game; want to contribute to the code, art, or writing; just love the idea!; are Richard Garriot and want LB in the game; are EA and want to share the Ultima license.