UO2.0: Facts and Speculations 1.5

THE FACTS

Here are quotes from OSI employees that could be relevant to UO2.0, in chronological order:

6/11/2001
Additionally, we're doing some behind-the-scenes prototype work for an even more revolutionary enhancement for Ultima Online. These are the very early stages, but expect to see details revealed in the coming months as we get further along. We're still discussing a few different concepts, but our underlying goal is to make the game more exciting and engaging, with more possibilities than ever - and without halting the momentum we're creating with our systematic bug fixes and our popular new content.
Stellerex, senior producer, Ultima Online
Source: http://update.uo.com/dev-comments.html (under Archives/Stellerex on Spring)

7/3/2001
Hey all,

Just wanted to tell everyone here that I'm moving from Maxis to Origin (so
yep, moving to Austin!). I'll be leading the design for "UO2.0" (not to be
confused with the late UO2 -- more details to come :) ).

I should be set up there in a couple of weeks, and will be signing back onto
the list then.

Thanks,
Mike Sellers
Source: http://www.incagold.com/pipermail/gamedesign/2001-July/000558.html

...I'll be coming out there to work starting in just a few weeks. I'm leaving Maxis and The Sims to lead the design for the next evolutionary incarnations of UO (aka the-project-that-is-not-UO2 :) ).
Mike Sellers
Source: ? (reported by UO Stratics)

8/2/2001
We are always looking ahead at new ways to improve UO, so there's certainly changes being discussed. But as for another new product in the works, no - there's no definite plans, or name at this time. UO 2.0 is more just a concept of UO's future growth and direction... it's not a sooper-seekrit closed door project. :)
Cynthe
Source: http://uohoc.stratics.com/logs/pub010802.shtml

1/23/2002
Just a quick note to let you know that I've been given the opportunity to work on another aspect of UO so I won't be handling the scenarios anymore. Ignatz (some of you may know him better as Twilight) will be heading up the scenario team, which should be a great role for him since he spent over two years creating and designing Interest events (when he starts posting, be sure to ask him about the time he accidentally slayed himself while running a quest). And of course, Augur and Gromm will continue to be on the team, so you can continue to look forward to their work (and Gromm's fiction!) for some time to come.
Jonathan "Calandryll" Hanna
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=qscenarios&Number=970463 (doesn't exist anymore)

My new role is basically going to be finding ways to make golems stack. Like getting 5 golems together to form a super golem that flies and has a magic sword that it creates from thin air. Or another golems that form into a horse and buggies. J/K!! Seriously, I can't really talk about it much yet.
Jonathan "Calandryll" Hanna
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=qscenarios&Number=970625 (doesn't exist anymore)

2/27/2002
Just a quick note: although we currently do have another UO expansion planned to be out sometime late this year, it will not be related to UO2. The UO2 project is not an will not be ressurected.
Sannio
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=Disc&Number=1056080 (archived at http://)

3/18/2002
I think he was trying to clear up the misconception that he was some kind of "Tools Programmer," something our own Evocare joked about but was taken seriously by enough people for it to become a wide-spread rumor. So what's Cal doing? He's still one of our designers, although not one on the scenario/content team. I hope that helps clear up some things. :]
Sannio
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=dev&Number=1113959 (archived at http://)

3/19/2002
An interview by Arcadian Del Sol:

A warning by Arcadian: "The portions of my interview with Calandryll which are pasted [below] were hypothetical in nature and were not even specifically about Ultima Online. I simply wanted his opinion on the *concept* of MMOGs coming out with sequals, like EverQuest2 and Asheron's Call2 - and what he thought that would mean to people who wanted to continue playing the original games.

At no point in my interview did we discuss in specifics, any plans EA may or may not have for Ultima Online, or any other unannounced projects."

The view of Calandryll about what should be a sequel of a MMORPG isn't necessarely the view of OSI/EA. What is stated in this interview may perfectly be at the total opposite of what OSI/EA want to do with UO. On the other side, Calandryll's view on MMORPG sequels may perfectly be influenced by its work at OSI. So take this interview with prudence and subtlety. :)

Arcadian Del Sol: UO2 was cancelled for as many reasons as stars in the nighttime sky - most folks seem to be of the opinion that a determination was made that two online Ultima products could not co-exist. Can you weigh in on that assumption? Do you think another online Ultima put the success of UO in danger?
Calandryll: I think any MMOG that creates a sequel needs to make sure that it's a true sequel. I don't buy the idea that people will play two versions of the same game, even if they are kind of different. While there is no history established right now to prove it, in my opinion, what will happen is if the second game is better, most will jump over to it. That means the first game loses subs, and runs the risk of being sun-setted. The problem with that is you are basically sending a message to the people in the first game that their time in that game has no value. So the natural question is: why should I play the second game if that time won't be valuable?
Arcadian Del Sol: Sounds like what you're saying is that it's probably a safer, smarter bet to create a new game in a new setting/genre instead of 'sequeling' existing MMOG titles?
Calandryll: No, not at all. What I am saying is that if you are going to make MMOG2, then you have to send the message to the players of MMOG that their time in the current game has value.
Arcadian Del Sol: But isn't the very idea of a sequel an indication that the original game has reached its maximum potential and that the vision of that developer is looking ahead to other projects? And as a player, wouldn't you see that as a sign to get out sooner rather than later?
Calandryll: Why make them get out? Why not send the message to keep playing the current game because your play will have value in the new game?
Arcadian Del Sol: Meaning some sort of bridge between the two?
Calandryll: Right. It's been done before, although not necessarily in online games. The old gold box D&D games. Or Bards Tale. Anyone who played the first gold box D&D game remembers how cool it was to take the characters into the second one. And then when the third game was released, you knew you could again keep those characters. It made playing the first and second games more meaningful. Making gameplay meaningful in MMOGs is even more important because people are paying you 10 dollars a month (or more) to play these games over time.
Arcadian Del Sol: Not too long ago, you left the UO Live team, correct?
Calandryll: Yup, although I am still fixing the bugs in the code I did for scenario 4.
Arcadian Del Sol: So have you been checking papers or applying for work with any other developers in light of the fact that you're no longer on the UO Live team?
Calandryll: No, I am still very happily employed by OSI.
Arcadian Del Sol: well I'm a little confused. You're no longer on the UO Live team, yet you're still employed by OSI, who has only had one product in the past 4 years. Is there a UO Undead team, perhaps? Or perhaps you've moved into Human Resources?
Calandryll: Strange isn't it?
Source: http://www.arcadiandelsol.com/article.php?sid=82

3/26/2002
From the UO official boards FAQs:
Calandryll
Calandryll, a designer at Origin Systems, holds the esteemed title of the OSI employee most often blown up, killed or otherwise maimed in fan-produced flash movies. Calandryll got his start at OSI in the Community Relations department and later moved over to development on the UO Live Team. Currently he spends his time in a dark, locked, secret room working in shrouded mystery.

Jalek
When not bringing in donuts for the entire team, Jalek spends his time sitting in the dark void he calls his office, shunning the sunlight and hissing at passers-by while working on mysterious and complex background programming tasks.

Stellerex
Previously a Senior Producer for Ultima Online Live and MVP of the year for 2000 at OSI, Stellerex now works behind the scenes, ensuring a bigger and better future for UO. He is an avid player of almost every type of game, and a chess fanatic.
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=FAQ&Number=1133457

3/27/2002
An email from Stellerex received by Kaeros:
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 10:12:55 -0600
From: Stellerex [Add to Address Book]
Subject: RE: A question

Heh. They never forget a word I say, do they?

You're right, LBR was a solid, clean, release, with a bunch of new content, but it wasn't revolutionary. No one could have considered it UO2.0, and it wasn't a whole new way to play the game, either.

But I stand by my original comments. :)
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 4:06 AM
Subject: A question


I had been wondering about things, pretty excited about some of the new changes to the game, and what scenario 4 could hold in it. And I got to wondering, so I went back and read your old comments from the team, and there was thing that got me to wondering.

LBR wasn't the UO 2.0 thing was it?
It seems like LBr was mainly a graphics and music update for the 2d client.

And in your comments you said

"Additionally, we're doing some behind-the-scenes prototype work for an even more revolutionary enhancement for Ultima Online. These are the very early stages, but expect to see details revealed in the coming months as we get further along. We're still discussing a few different concepts, but our underlying goal is to make the game more exciting and engaging, with more possibilities than ever - and without halting the momentum we're creating with our systematic bug fixes and our popular new content."

LBR didn't seem to be extremely revolutionary. So I was thinking maybe what you were talking about there has yet to happen. I was just curious if that was true. I know I can't get ya to say what it is *laughs*

Anyway I was just curious.

Still wondering what that "whole new way to play the game" is that you all mentioned at the faire.

Thanks
Kaeros
Source: Kaeros

6/7/2002
Superchrisypoo posted:
Gosh I hope OSI adds some new things into the game, BIG things, not just doing house changes, taming changes or anything like that, im talking about another facet, mabey true 3D (that unreal engine or whatever they said they would use), mabey a whole lot of new skills, make UO into a multiplayer game, not just a soloable game, and some other stuff I can't think about...........

Peace
Tajima replied:
>>Gosh I hope OSI adds some new things into the game, BIG things<<

Careful what you wish for.

-Tajima
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=dev&Number=1302920 (archived at http://)

6/7/2002

In reply to:

In reply to:

Ok now that you have shown up on these boards more frequently now. How about a example of one of those "pointy questions asked of EA senior management during company meetings."

OK, how about this: who says we aren't planning to put in more land for housing?

MrTact
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=Disc&Number=1303426 (archived at http://)

6/13/2002
Alai, UO client programmer, is interviewed by Orion from UO Compendium
Just how long do you think UO, in its current form, can compete against the likes of Star Wars Galaxies, EverQuest 2, Asheron's Call 2, Horizons and the rest of the games out there?
We're convinced that Ultima has a glorious future ahead and we've already begun working to realize that future.
Given the opportunity, would you ever want to develop a fully 3D client for UO?
Who wouldn't? A 3D conversion for a game with such loyal fans and deep game play would be a great project. The question is whether or not the game would benefit from being fully 3D and whether or not it makes sense from a pragmatic (read: business) perspective. Given the opportunity to do a fully 3D client, I'd jump all over it.
Source: http://www.gamesentry.com/uo/

6/16/2002
These two messages don't come from OSI, they where posted on the official development board by Enterie. Please note that given their nature, they have to be taken with prudence.
Well I happened to be good buddies with an artist who works with Origin, and the other day he tells me some interesting news about UO, since he knew i played it. He told me he was making mapobjects for a fully 3d UO, which is rather interesting to me, from what i could get my source to tell me either origin is going to make a completely new MMPRPG or bascily turn UO into a fully 3d client. What also interests me is he said the engine they are making the mapobjects for is the Ureal 2003 (The Warfar Engine) This jumped right at me because i knew id heard rumors on this board before about people saying a fully 3d UO wiht the unreal engine. The whole project is pretty much under raps right now im geussing my friend stated it would still be like 2 years before it would probably be out. But I know for a fact now that EA is working on a new MMPRPG which is either a totally new game, or a totally revamped UO.

----------

First of all, I would have to say my friend probably shouldnt be telling me, but theres no real way to tell who told me, there have been informations leeks about a fully 3d client for a year now, i just managed to get the facts straight fomr someone working for EA/ Origin. Something else i found out recently, apparently the models are all being redone, how does a 4000 poly ettin sound to you? This game is gonna look awesome, i just cant wait for EA to pull the sheet off and let us all have a look, unfortunately i couldnt get y friend to get me any screenshots, but just asking has anyone ever heard of a place in uo history called the misty woods? just wondering..
Source: http://boards.uo.com/cgi-bin/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=dev&Number=1324027

7/16/2002
About Ultima Online: Age of Shadows.
I am not working on this project. :)

Jonathan "Calandryll" Hanna
Designer, Origin Systems
"a wizard did it"
Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ultima/

3/5/2003
The following news has been posted then removed from the Liquid Development website :
Origin Systems, an Electronic Arts owned developer, has contracted Liquid Development for the past 2 years as their exclusive art provider on for their Ultima Online line of products. Our relationship with Origin Systems began with a contract to design and create the characters for Harry Potter Online, and then progressed forward as a full content provider for UO: Lord Blackthorne's Revenge, UO: Age of Shadows, and now their next generation release of the UO franchise, due out in 2004.
Thanks to BA Barracks for this information!
Source: http://www.liquiddevelopment.com

4/20/2003
SunSword, UO producer, have posted the following message on the UO Stratics boards.
P.S. - I may have *really* interesting things to talk about regarding the future of UO in the coming weeks.
Source: http://boards.stratics.com/php-bin/uo/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=uouhall&Number=3908655

[NEW] 5/2/2003
The June 2003 Issue of Computer Gaming World Magazine has the following quote on page 21, written by Jeff Green:
The really exciting news this month should be going public as you read this. For over a year now, Origin has been quietly woodshedding Ultima-X its new MMORPG. And it's going to surprise you. I can't say anything just yet except maybe three quick words: Unreal Warfare engine. Watch this one. EA surprised everyone when Battlefield 1942 showed up out of nowhere last year. They may do it again.
Source: http://uo.stratics.com/news/CommunityNews.shtml#newsitem1051941422,45391,

JOB ADS

Unknown starting date
OSI hired 3D artists to model flora and architectures since sometime last year. And they still are:
We're currently seeking creative individuals for the following positions:
3D Artist
Essential Job Functions
* Primarily responsible for building and modifying all aspects of a rich online world, including characters, creatures, flora, architecture, and effects/phenomena
Source: http://www.origin.ea.com/artists.html

In July 2002
A more recent job ad.
Client Programmers
[...]
Pluses Include:
* Experience with Unreal Script
[...]
* Familiarity with 3rd party game tools such as the Unreal or Quake engines
Source : http://www.uo.com/uojobs.html

In 2003
An even more recent job ad...
World Builder
Primarily responsible for producing professional-quality world maps and levels for a MMP online game. Works on complex problems, exercises independent judgment within generally defined guidelines and standards.

Applicants must submit a demo map using Unreal Ed, Q3Radient, Worldcraft, or similar 3D editor. Also include a text file with a short description of what the level is about and the objectives/highlights. Please indicate the amount of time it took to construct and what editor you used to create the map.

Essential Job Functions

* Assist in design concept and prototype for 3D environments
[...]

Qualifications

[...]
* Ability o demonstrate 3D level design and texturing skills
* Familiarity with Unreal Ed, Q3Radient, Worldcraft, or similar 3D editor
Source: http://www.uo.com/uojobs.html

THE SPECULATIONS

Put all these informations together and here's what we could get:

When: 2004
What: A full 3D client
Who: Sterellex (producer), Mike Sellers (lead designer), Jalek (programmer), Calandryll (designer), Liquid Development (art), and other unidentified people.
Length of development: +30 months

ULTIMA ONLINE: AGE OF SHADOW

Is UO:AoS UO2.0 ?
Likely not. Calandryll said he doesn't work on UO:AoS and everything leads us to believe he's working on UO2.0. So UO:AoS doesn't seem to be UO2.0.
It also should be noted 18 months seems to be a little too long to create a "multi" maker, new spells, some new monsters and a new landmass. UOTD took less time and involved creating a semi-3D client and redoing every existing monsters and characters.

THE UNREAL ENGINE?

From the E3 emerged the rumor UO2.0 uses the Unreal Engine. Let's take a look at this.

Does UO2.0 use the Unreal Engine?
Given the absence of denial by OSI after several weeks of rumors, it seems very likely. Not to deny this rumor could create high expectations for their next product, and creating such expectations would be a marketing suicide if they revealed to be false.

This rumor has been reinforced be the July 2002 job ad for client programmers experienced with Unreal Script.

That sucks! I hate Unreal and FPS!
Using the Unreal engine doesn't mean 1st person view. OSI could perfectly use a top-down 3rd person view.
Here are screenshots of a recent 3D top-down 3rd person game (FYI it doesn't use Unreal Engine) :
http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiege/images/screenshots_big_2.jpg
http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiege/images/screenshots_big_4.jpg
http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiege/images/screenshots_big_21.jpg
http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiege/images/screenshots_big_26.jpg
Pretty neat, isn't it?

Unreal is old! What the point in using an outdated engine?
You're mixing up the engine of the game named Unreal and the Unreal Engine. Unreal Engine (UE) is in no way old. It is constantly updated and used in ultra-modern games like Unreal 2 and Unreal Tournament 2003. The first Unreal retail version was based on Unreal Engine build 200. Unreal Championship shipped with build 400. The first first screenshot of Unreal 2 published in january 2001 used Unreal Engine build 633. The screenshots published in CGW used a build around 800. And the E3 demos were certainly running on an even more recent version of the engine.
The lastest Unreal Engine public release is build 829. All licensees got it in February 2002. Using the Unreal Engine is definitely not using an outdated engine but one of the most powerful and recent one.

What's the Unreal Warfare Engine?
It's the codename of the versions of Unreal Engine used in Unreal 2 and Unreal Tournament 2003. Builds 0xx-3xx are the classic Unreal engine, builds 4xx-5xx are the "Tournament" engine and builts 6xx-7xx are the "Warfare" engine.

I want more informations about Unreal Engine, where can I look?
Here are some links I found interesting:
http://www.epicgames.com/UnrealEngineNews.html
http://udn.epicgames.com
http://cleaned.beyondunreal.com/UWFAQ/UWFAQ.htm

I don't want UO to become an action game. :(
Using the Unreal Engine doesn't mean using the Unreal game systems. It only means using the 3D graphical engine. FORM changes, substance stays the same. The exact same thing happened with the UOTD 3D client a year ago.

Unreal works with zones! I don't want loading times in UO!
Indeed Unreal uses relatively small maps. But UO2.0 is not doomed to do the same. For instance the Lineage 2 dev team (who also works with the Unreal Engine) found a solution to this problem.
We have added 'Seamless' functionality while customizing the Unreal engine. Originally the engine used the zone method for loading the whole map. However Lineage II adopted a seamless way to make players feel real adventures in a huge cyber world. So battlefields, towns and dungeons are all merged in one huge zone. The customizing for this has been difficult, but so far we are very satisfied with the result. (source: http://www.lineage2.com/eng/faq/faq.html).


A 2D COMPATIBLE CLIENT OR NOT?

The biggest issue with a full 3D client is to make it compatible with the current 2D and pseudo-3D clients. The UO tile system isn't 3D-friendly at all and would need to be entirely reworked to become compatible with a 3D client. Multis (pseudo-3D objects made from 2D sprites) could also be an issue. We don't know if OSI solved (or wanted to solve) these problems. If they did, the new 3D client will be compatible with the old clients. If they didn't, the new 3D client will not be compatible with the current clients.

What if they solved the tile issue?
UO2.0 client will work on Trammel, Felucca and Ilshenar, showing the current UO world in full 3D. It will also have a new world that takes fully advantage of the new 3D capabilities of UO2.0. The UO2.0 client will likely replace the current 3D client.

What if they didn't solve the tile issue?
UO2.0 will be a new client that will only work in a new world. UO and UO2.0 clients will be entirely incompatible. However it's likely (as Calandryll said in his interview) they would be some sort of bridges between UO and UO2.0 (for instance you could use your UO characters in UO2.0, when you gain skills in UO you would also gain skills in UO2.0, etc.).

What about the current 2D client?
In both scenarios it will continue to work in Trammel, Felucca and Ilshenar and will very likely continue to be supported by OSI. However it will certainly not be compatible with the new land expansion especially made for UO2.0 (and will certainly never be, unlike Ilshenar).

CURRENT THEORIES

UO2.0 will be a :
- 3D client for UO (works in the current UO world)
- 3D client incompatible with UO (only works in a new world)
- 2D expansion (new land, new monsters, new gfx, etc.)

The 3D client will use :
- a 3rd person top-down view (à la Dungeon Siege/Neverwinter Nights)
- a 1st/3rd person view (à la Morrowind)

UO2.0 will be out :
- Q3 2003 (after the E3)
- Q4 2003 (for christmas)
- 2004

UO2.0 will work on :
- the current UO servers (the servers manage the 3 clients, 2D, pseudo-3D and 3D)
- new servers decidated to the UO2.0 world (the server only manages the 3D client)
- new servers working in parrallel and synchronized with the current UO servers (new servers manage the 3D client but UO and UO2.0 still share the same world)

VARIOUS QUESTIONS

Uh! I thought UO2 had been cancelled?
UO2.0 isn't Ultima Online 2 (a.k.a. Ultima Worlds Online: Origin a.k.a. Ultima Nexus a.k.a. TGFKAUO2). To quote Mike Sellers, UO2.0 is "the-project-that-is-not-UO2" and must not "be confused with the late UO2". If you don't remember what UWOO was, you could take a look at http://origin.stratics.com.

Why Cynthe told us UO2.0 was "not a sooper-seekrit closed door project"?
To squelch the rumors.
1) Mike Sellers publicly leaked infos about UO2.0, obviously he wasn't supposed to do it.
2) Rumors about UO2.0 appeared on UO fansites and official boards.
3) OSI had to deal with the situation. After a few meetings they decided to deny the rumors at the next UOHoC and then to stop all communication about UO2.0.
4) Cynthe declared "[UO2.0] is not a sooper-seekrit closed door project".
OSI certainly wanted to squelch this information because they just wasn't ready to talk about UO2.0 (at this time UO2.0 certainly was only in the first early stages of pre-production) and they also didn't wanted competition to know about their long terms projects for UO.

Why is OSI working on the 3D avatar update if they plan to release a new full 3D client?
If the UO2.0 client isn't comptatible with UO or if UO2.0 is only planned for 2003, it makes sense to keep the UO clients as good as possible.
If the UO2.0 client is compatible with UO, it could still be a good move for a commercial point of view. If the new avatars gfx were originally made for UO2.0, to reuse them in UO3D could be cheap. (They did it with UWOO and the Ridgebacks, Jukas, Meers, Juggernauts, new dragons, Betrayers, etc.) However it should be noted the avatars upgrade is more than just a textures and models upgrade, the wearable code had to be entirely rewritten. But here again perhaps is this new wearable code the same than the UO2.0 one.
It should also be noted the avatar update was originally planned for April. It could have boosted UOLBR sales. Even with the delay, OSI could want to release it to avoid making the customers unhappy (bad move when you plan to release a new game) and to help LBR sales in the coming months.

If UO2.0 isn't compatible with UO and works on its own servers, could that mean UO2.0 will require a new subscription?
We don't know. If OSI asks for a new subscription for UO2.0, it's likely UO2.0 will be a lot more than just a 3D upgrade (new skills? new game systems? new BIG HUGE world? new house architectures? new monsters? new spells? new weapons?).
If OSI asks for a new subscription, perhaps will UO subscribers have a discount (If UO costs 10$/months and UO2.0 also costs 10$/months, UO+UO2.0 could cost 15$/months for example)?

Why isn't OSI talking about it if it is planned for this christmas?
They may think announcing UO2.0 could slow down UOLBR sales. Or perhaps is UO2.0 late and will not be out this christmas. Or perhaps the extension planned for this year isn't UO2.0 and UO2.0 is only planned for 2003.

Wouldn't it make more sense to release it after the 2003 E3?
Even if OSI could benefit from the E3 hype and have more time to develop the game, it would also have drawbacks. First, in May 2003 EQ2, AC2 and SWG may already be out or in public beta. If EA can release UO2.0 before the competition products they will very likely do it. Secondly, sales are strong at Xmas.

2D client is so old... Why would OSI bothers with it after the UO2.0 release?
2D client has a LOT of loyal fans. To stop supporting this client would mean losing 10 000s of disgusted clients. To keep supporting the 2D client is more profitable then to stop supporting it.

Why would OSI bother with so many clients? They already have SEVEN!
Firstly, because UO needs to evolve to survive. Secondly, because they don't really have to bother about seven clients.
They are truly only 5 different clients:
- The original client (uo)
- T2A/UOR/UOTD 2D clients (gold)
- UOLBR 2D client (lbr2d)
- UOTD 3D client (uotd)
- UOLBR 3D client (lbr3d)
And if you take a look at the last client patch:

In reply to:

[mind@localhost patch]$ ls -ltr
total 164
-rw-rw-r-- 1 mind mind 2541 Jun 14 14:45 uo_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
-rw-rw-r-- 1 mind mind 2541 Jun 14 14:46 gold_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
-rw-rw-r-- 1 mind mind 3119 Jun 14 14:49 lbr2d_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
-rw-rw-r-- 1 mind mind 73554 Jun 14 14:57 uotd_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
-rw-rw-r-- 1 mind mind 73554 Jun 14 14:59 lbr3d_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
[mind@localhost patch]$ md5sum *
92ed6445c9896eee69d9d66f2abbe8eb uo_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
92ed6445c9896eee69d9d66f2abbe8eb gold_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
1612e595697ae80a62fabda86fc00f11 lbr2d_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
85ea0497868ca14b75f2dd998574a016 uotd_win32_3-0-8f.rtp
e0240a49879ad8cbee96630c04b9a930 lbr3d_win32_3-0-8f.rtp

You can see :
- uo and gold seem to have merged (the two patchs are exactly the same)
- uotd and uolbr3d are almost merged (the two patchs are the same size but the md5sums differ, perhaps only a difference in a text string about the client version)

It looks like OSI does really have to care about "only" four clients. Not seven. :)
It's even likely OSI only has two branchs (2D and 3D) and patchs for the different clients are automagically generated from these branchs.

In an interview, Alai, UO client programmer, said on this subject: The 2D clients are virtually identical, so we don't have it that bad. We generally think of it in terms of code bases: one for the 2D clients and another for 3D. This means that there is some amount of redundant development for new features.

Maintaining the two branchs of the UO client and the UO2.0 client would not be a big issue. Especially if that means more subscriptions for OSI/EA.

When will UO2.0 officially be announced?
We'd all like to know. :)
Let's take a look at the dates of announcement of every UO expansion:

UOT2A
Announcement: Jun. 28, 1998 (not sure, was just a message on a board, not a press release)
Release: Oct. 29, 1998
Interval: 4 months
UOR
Announcement: Jan. 6, 2000
Release: May. 4, 2000
Interval: 4 months
UOTD
Announcement: Nov. 10, 2000
Release: Mar. 29, 2001
Interval: 4 months 1/2
UOLBR
Announcement: Oct. 31, 2001
Release: Feb. 12, 2002
Interval: 3 months 1/2
UOAoS
Announcement: Jul. 7, 2002
Release: Fev. 11, 2003
Interval: 7 months

Given the importance of UO2.0, it's likely it will be announced at least 6 months before its release (like UOAoS). So we can expect an annoucement a few months after the UOAoS release or near middle 2003.
Wait and see...

How to apply for the beta test?
I heard about a quest that involves killing Evocare and Adrick in a 2 vs 1 fight, winning a chess game against Stellerex, freeing the "wizard who did it" from the Calandryll secret dark tower and finding Cynthe's "State of the Skills" lost parchment. To my knowledge, nobody solved the quest yet.