Draconi posted this thread to give us the lowdown on the recent complaints regarding Stones.



Recently, several members of the UO community found a new arrangement of “Stones,” the centerpiece of Ultima’s musical suite, being used in another game trailer. Our community is passionate about Ultima, about UO, and about the history and hallmarks of our past. Understandably, then, there has been quite a consternation from those who are now hearing a completely new arrangement of “Stones,” and having no idea where it came from.

In order to quell rumors and assumptions and the unintentional calumny seen so far, I think it’s best to explain directly: this arrangement was written specifically for UO, and further, by someone who cares very deeply about UO.

I’d like to take a moment then and introduce Michael Gluck, also known to the wider gaming world as Piano Squall. He is a good friend and former colleague of mine, who volunteered to take on a commission from the UO team to compose a new suite of music for the game. When he heard David Watson’s iconic theme for the first time, he knew right away how special it was, and the next thing I knew he was in front of a piano. Believe me, I was there, it was awesome.

In the near future we’ll be making his first few pieces available in UO, including this new theme specifically made for our newest challenges: “Battle on Stones.” After that, true to his enthusiasm for Ultima, we hope to present a series of arrangements for each of the towns, based on the Virtues.

While recent, unexpected, events have somewhat spoiled the surprise, we still hope everyone will look forward to a bright, musical future for UO!

For more information about Michael and his work, please visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Gluck
http://www.pianosquall.com


Tim "Draconi" Cotten - UO Designer - EA Mythic

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That didnt placate the pedants though and the following comments.

...

So was the use in the preview a mistake?

Just wondering.

and


Didn't really address why its being used for another game.


brought this reply from



Larisa Stratics General & Community News Reporter


I think it does...it was written by a person...then RE-written for use in another game.....by the person who wrote it.

The owner of the piece has every right to use it however he chooses, does he not? Or is Stones Trademarked SPECIFICALLY for UO?? It probably isn't.

It's like...if I wrote a little ditty for UO and then re-wrote it and let WoW use the re-write..it's my right to let anyone use it if I so choose.

Does that make sense?


wich in turn brought this rapid response from

Spock LS News Stratics
UO News Reporter,


You're confusing the idea behind the song being trademarked, with why the song is being used in the first place. Draconi seems to have used his ambiguity to tell us that David Watson's song was rewritten, by (not sure who) and used in a different game.

Why is it being used? I care not. But it would be nice for him to address why it's being used rather than fluffing everything up and discussing new music...

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Dermott of LS made the following point.


...

If I read Draconi correctly, the version was meant to be a UO piece.

However, that doesn't really explain why it's in O&E's trailer or why the composer cavalierly mentions it on his website with no mention of Ultima.

Also, we know David (Iolo) Watson co-wrote it, but I wonder what say he has in it on when/where it can be used or if EA owns the rights to the music.

Also looking at this guy's tracklist on his CD... again I wonder if he's getting the licensing rights to the songs he's recording since they are not technically his works... simply his renditions of other works.

The version in the preview sounds good... but the legality (especially knowing how the Intellectual Property Rights people tend to be) seems a bit on the risky side to me.



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Kiminiality had her own view.

Why is it being used?

I would make a vague guess that, the music for the actual game probably falls a bit short of "epic".
My reading on the subject, admittedly, amount to about 2 minutes reading the Wiki Article, some page I can't remember, and the official game page.

The music for the game probably isn't going to help sell any copies, so they reached for the nearest avaiable fantasy piece.
Cue, Battle on Stones.
No one's ever heard that arrangement before, so it's "fresh", and pretty awesome (imo).
And, there we have it.
A plausible explanation.

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Draconi responded to Dermott of LS

I'm sorry, let me make this more clear:

* The piece was commissioned for UO; I cannot comment on its unexpected usage elsewhere. Expect to hear it in UO very soon
* David Watson (Iolo) is the original composer of the music, and his late wife, Kathleen Jones (Gwenno) provided the lyrics
* Michael Gluck arranged a new version, as has been done in previous Ultimas, with permission from, and at the request of EA
* While his CD isn't exactly on topic, I will mention that yes, it's all properly licensed


P.S. I'm trying to learn "Stones" on the piano, maybe one day everyone can critique me, mwahaha.

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Dermott of LS thanked Draconi for the reply.

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The thread brought a post from the original poster of
this thread,wood,which I hadnt reported to you on, as I was waiting for an official response,which Draconi started theb
thread here for.

wood says here


One song, a haunting melody, that ties all of us together. Even if we are separated by facets, factions, play styles, guilds, one song always brought the wanderers of Sosaria together, and that was Stones.

The main thought that stuck out vividly in my mind when I first made my original post concerning this issue, was why Stones was being used in a totally unrelated game for a totally unrelated gaming platform, namely "Orcs and Elves" for the Nintendo DS. Had EA sold out (EA is all about selling out, we all know that anyway) and was therefore willing to slap on Stones onto any run-of-the-mill wanna-be RPG that came out of the factory just to make a quick buck? To me it felt like being betrayed. What once belonged to Ultima was now being used for the advertisment of a game originally played on cellphones.

Like the old saying goes..

If its not broke, don't fix it.

Remakes certainly don't always capture the emotion, the feel, of the original. Except perhaps for the remake of Stones that was crafted for the Ultima V remake that came out a few years ago. That new rendition nearly brought tears to my eyes. But this new version... it just sounds like something used in a Michael Bay film. All action and no substance. But that is just me.

We should honor the memory of David "Iolo" Watson and his late wife Kathleen Jones and not forget this song's humble beginnings.



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woods words

brought this memory from Nusair


I have had the song on my IPOD for the past 18 months.

It's the song that plays when I boot up my computer.

A little side story.

Many, many years ago, in the beginnings of a little convention known as Dragon*Con in Atlanta, I was one of the original people on staff. For several years Lord British would be a guest/guest of honor at the con. One year, I was working panels instead of security and I asked to set up the panel that Richard was going to be giving.

After the panel was finished I was sitting there, holding his name card thinking about all the enjoyment I had gotten out of Ultima and what it meant to me (I was 16 at the time).

Low and behold, but he walks up behind me and it's just us two, and we start talking Ultima, computer gaming, and cons. As he gets up to leave, I asked him if he would sign the name card for me. And he did.

Just a little piece of history from someone who, to this day, is moved by the experience.

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Two fitting memories to end the thread on

Thank you Tabbitha

Your welcome Solidchrome