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What is ultima5-ios?

dmaynard51/ultima5-ios — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

5ShellAudience · generalComplexity · 3/5Setup · moderate

In one sentence

A build script that packages the classic DOS game Ultima V into a playable iOS app using a patched open source DOSBox emulator, no paid developer account required.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((ultima5-ios))
    What it does
      Patches dospad DOSBox
      Auto boots Ultima V
      Copies your own game files
    Tech stack
      Shell script
      Xcode
      DOSBox
      iOS
    Use cases
      Free Apple ID sideload
      Prebuilt IPA install
      Android via RetroArch
    Audience
      Retro game fans
      Ultima V owners
      Sideloading hobbyists

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Build and sideload a working Ultima V app onto your own iPhone or iPad using only a free Apple ID.

USE CASE 2

Install a prebuilt IPA on a Windows or Linux machine without needing a Mac.

USE CASE 3

Play your legally owned Ultima V DOS files with touch controls and sound on a phone or tablet.

USE CASE 4

Run the same Ultima V game files on Android through the RetroArch DOSBox-Pure core.

What is it built with?

ShellXcodeDOSBoxiOS

How does it compare?

dmaynard51/ultima5-iosanmoln7/agent-standard-ossmisterio77/minicava
Stars555
LanguageShellShellShell
Last pushed2023-01-28
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasymoderate
Complexity3/52/52/5
Audiencegeneraldeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 1h+

Requires a Mac with Xcode, a legally owned copy of Ultima V game files, and Apple signing setup.

License is not clearly stated for this project, the DOSBox base it patches is GPLv2 licensed.

So what is it?

This project lets you play the original DOS game Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny on an iPhone or iPad. It does this by building on dospad, an existing open source DOSBox app for iOS, and patching it at build time so it boots straight into Ultima V with a custom gold ankh icon instead of the normal DOSBox menu. The repository does not include the game itself. You must already own a legal copy of Ultima V, and the build process copies your own game files onto the device. Setup requires a Mac with Xcode and git. Running one shell script clones the DOSBox project, patches it, detects your Apple developer signing identity, builds the app, installs it on your device, and copies your Ultima V files over. A key point the documentation stresses is that you do not need a paid Apple Developer account. Any free Apple ID can install an app you built onto your own device, though a free account's signature expires after seven days, so you need to reinstall periodically or use a sideloading tool like AltStore that renews it automatically. For people without a Mac, the project also publishes a prebuilt IPA file in its Releases section. You can sideload that IPA on Windows, Linux, or Mac using tools such as Sideloadly, AltStore, or TrollStore, again using only a free Apple ID, then copy your own Ultima V files onto the phone through the Files app or Finder. Once installed, the app runs in landscape with a purpose built control layout: an on-screen movement pad, labeled buttons for common Ultima commands such as Attack, Talk, and Look, and a toggle to bring up a full keyboard when you need to type things like conversation keywords or a character's name. Sound is supported. The README also covers an alternative path for Android users, running the same game files through the existing RetroArch DOSBox-Pure core rather than a dedicated Android app.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Walk me through running build-ios-dosbox.sh to install Ultima V on my iPhone using a free Apple ID.
Prompt 2
My Xcode signing failed with a paid account prompt, help me fix it using the free provisioning steps.
Prompt 3
Explain how to sideload the prebuilt Ultima V IPA using Sideloadly on Windows.
Prompt 4
Where do I copy my Ultima V game files so the iOS app finds ULTIMA.EXE correctly?
Prompt 5
How do I set up RetroArch's DOSBox-Pure core to play Ultima V on Android?

Frequently asked questions

What is ultima5-ios?

A build script that packages the classic DOS game Ultima V into a playable iOS app using a patched open source DOSBox emulator, no paid developer account required.

What language is ultima5-ios written in?

Mainly Shell. The stack also includes Shell, Xcode, DOSBox.

What license does ultima5-ios use?

License is not clearly stated for this project, the DOSBox base it patches is GPLv2 licensed.

How hard is ultima5-ios to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 1h+ to a first successful run.

Who is ultima5-ios for?

Mainly general.

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