I'm not familiar with Ultima 9, but in the late 90s I played a RPG called Ultima Online. The main reason for responding is due to your mention of Ultima 9 being like a real living world, which is how I thought about Ultima Online, as you had to do things like mining or blacksmithing or some other profession, to make money and advance your skills. You had to buy a piece of land to build a house on, and the whole game was so immersive, and was good for making friends in-game, and seeing them each day was fun as well. I miss that game and its intricacies, and I doubt anything like it will ever exist again.
Just wondering - is Ultima 9 related to Ultima Onlilne in any way?