When was colored ore added to Ultima Online?

I am in a dispute with someone who says it was either in the game from the start or added early 1998.


I say it was added at the very earliest mid 1999. As the UO site keeps no archives and everything has been changed on stratics to be consistant with AoS, it's hard to find out.

Anyone have any insight? Obviously he is wrong about it being there from the start, but does anyone have an exact date?

that is a great question I think ... hope some really 'ol timers can answer it ...
did talk to one ol' timer and they said it was there from at least from 98 ... but can't find proof on it

Wow great question. I don't remember the exact date I'll look into it and get back to you but I can tell you it was not around at the beginning it was added later because people were complaining about the fact that you could not get your armor to match! (I remember going from town to town trying to find the right shade of bronze armor to match the peace I just lost ack!)

as for the properties of the colored ore that was added with AOS in 2003

I think the ore was added with t2a in 98 but I can't find my t2a box to check
I'll keep looking.

Gosh darn it. I remember I ran into my old T2A manuals just a few months ago in a box somewhere, but I can't remember which box and what floor Can't find them now (of course).

I kinda recall colored ingots happening during T2A but not before it, but it may have been I was just ignorant in early T2A. So I'm frankly not sure

I believe it was added in with the The second Age: Oct 31, 1998 release date. We did not have colored ore before this date, but we did have colored armor you could make sets with by buying the colored pieces from npc smiths. Your friend probably has this ability to buy colored armor from npc smiths confused with armor made by player smiths(valorite, verite, agapite, etc.)


edit: I could be wrong about the timing, cause it could have been at a later date, but I do believe this to be accurate.