Yeah, Ultima usually started off (for me anyway) with trying to get to Skara Brae as fast as possible to pick up Shamino (I think?) and Minoc for (Tristan? maybe Dupre? Damn I can't remember all the names now) and wherever Iolo was hanging out (usually Britain I think?). And getting annoyed when they weren't there
Seriously, I know a lot of these games would suck nowadays, and I'm fine with them living in my memories, but I'm honestly quite sick of the whole Oblivion-style single player games, and the NWN-style "quest until you find people to team up with you" and such. Granted, Witcher is pretty sweet. But it is a rarity, as opposed to a time when I *knew* that every single Might & Magic, Bard's Tale, Wizardry, TSR-Gold Box, etc. game was going to be at least worth playing, if not absolutely fantastic. I actually think that the advent of fancy graphics has really fucked things up a lot.
Sorry for waxing so nostalgic repeatedly. I don't mean to, but I can't remember the last game that really recaptured the feel of those games for me. Probably Wizardry 8, which was what, like 2000? Even Witcher leaves me feeling lacking because it is just one character. Hell, in the couple of battles I played in Fantasy Wars last night I was already trying to spread some xp out amongst my units because I wanted them all to level up, as if they were "party members." Maybe some game developer will read this and get a clue.