The first Uru: Ages Beyond Myst expansion pack is now slated to be released the first week in March. The expansion pack will be free, and available at Gigex as a download (you must have first installed Uru: Ages Beyond Myst). Watch here for information about the final list of areas that will be included
From The Uru Service Status
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Updated at: 2:00 PMUru Live for Everyone:
Change in Plans for Uru’s Content DeliveryRather than maintaining an online service limited to reaching only those explorers with broadband Internet connections, Cyan and Ubisoft have decided to instead release ongoing content for Uru: Ages Beyond Myst through expansion packs. The online service of Uru Live will end on February 9, 2004.
The decision was based on the rapid sales of the Uru box game compared to the relatively lower interest in a broadband-only online delivery.
Regardless of how subsequent chapters are delivered, Cyan and Ubisoft are committed to providing ongoing updates, content additions and story progression for everyone interested in experiencing more of the journey that began in Uru: Ages Beyond Myst.
Please visit www.mystworlds.com for more information.
Archives
REMINDER: Please ensure that you have the latest video drivers for your Graphics cards. Nvidia drivers older than 45.23 can cause Uru Live
Uru Live Ends
Greetings,
Like all things must do in time, Uru Live has ended. It has been a great experience in many ways. We hope that you continue the adventures and friendships you have made during Live, and look forward to expansion packs to continue the story of Uru. From the entire team here at Ubi.com and Cyan, we thank you!
The Uru Live team.
Uru Expansion Pack 1 Content
From Bill;
The first expansion is not empty in any sense of the word.
From the point of view of the people who bought Uru but didn’t play beta or prologue (the overwhelming majority), here’s my rough count:
8 new Ages or significant areas
10 new puzzles
5 new Relto customizations (including 2 new technical features)
17 new pieces of clothing
43 new journals or monologuesFor people who played beta or prologue:
4 new (small) Ages or significant areas you’ve never seen even if you hacked prime
10 new puzzles you haven’t solved though 2 involve the marker system in a way that will be somewhat familiar
2 new Relto customizations you’ve never seen (including two new technical features)
4 new pieces of clothing
34 new journals or monolgueplus a continuation of the storyline
The Future of Uru Live
Uru Live fans and friends,
Thank you so much for your continued support of the worlds that are Myst and Uru. It has truly been wonderful immersing ourselves along with you in the ongoing adventure, following your comments – good and bad – as you explored Uru Live.
I have some good news and some bad news.
First, the bad news…
Uru Live is being put to bed.
Even with all of the time, money, resources, code, people, sweat, and heart that were poured into Uru Live, we needed a certain number of subscribers to pay the bills. We didn?t get there. Uru Live is innovative and unique; its online universe is one of the most beautiful and complex ever built, anywhere. The idea of ongoing content was dramatic and forward-looking, but it required a substantial continuing effort to sustain. We were just not able to sign up the number of subscribers (even for free) necessary to pay for that effort.
Now for the good news…
The soul of Uru Live will live larger.
The soul of Uru Live came in two parts: the community and the content. Both will live on. Nothing can kill the community – it has a life of its own. The Call and the Gathering of the community will continue. And the content – what can I say? We have it, large amounts of it, ready to expand the world of Uru. In the past weeks we?ve been hard at work packaging that content in a different, more inclusive form – expansion packs – the first of which will be available in a month or two. Even better, the first expansion pack, To D’ni, is free. And there?s more good news on inclusivity. I?m pleased to officially announce that the Mac version of Uru is finally under way.
It would be easy to focus on the negative aspects of this announcement. But we?ve grieved our loss, and with clearer minds we see things in a different light. The fact is that the continuing Uru adventure is amazing. The story and places it reaches are spectacular. And in the long run, we want as many people as possible to experience and explore these new worlds. The closing of Uru Live actually gives us the opportunity to open these expanding worlds to a larger audience, including those people without broadband. Only a small portion of the people who played Uru ever made it to D?ni in Uru Live. Now everyone can get to D’ni – and beyond.
Again, perhaps the ending has not yet been written.
Shorah,
Rand and the Cyan Worlds Team
Bill Slease
Content Director
Cyan Worlds, Inc.