Ultima Online was not a good game. Saying Ultima Online was a good game is a concession of nostalgia. It was only played because it was the only option. When other MMOs were released, users fled like the world was burning. It was unfun, overly-complex, ugly, and completely inaccessible to anyone who hadn't been playing for years. If you weren't already at the top, there was essentially no reason to play.
Devs, if you are going to look at UO, look at it as an example of what not to do. Thank you.
