BatMUD
Encyclopedia
BatMUD is a medieval fantasy
MUD
, established in 1990. BatMUD is Finland-based and operated and owned by a non-profit organization, Balanced Alternative Techniques ry ry
("B.A.T. ry"), officially registered 1994 in Helsinki
, Finland.
By 2006, over 100,000 players had frequented the game, making it one of the largest text-based multiplayer games on the Internet. In the beginning of 2008, it had over 30,000 subscriptions. It has been called a "very popular and complex game".
s and has been online with only a few, if any minor breaks since 14 April 1990.
The game was initially set-up by a wizard
who named himself Jaf, followed by many volunteer coders, all becoming wizards
in the process.
The MUD's name comes from the name of the server the game was first hosted on, batman.cs.hut.fi. Since then, BatMUD has relocated several times, at one point residing in Oulu, Finland.
As of November 2007, the main BatMUD servers are co-located in the two data centers of Nebula in Helsinki, Finland.
Despite its phenomenal age as an Internet community, the MUD is constantly evolving which makes it both challenging and entertaining to new and old players alike.
Due to the rich set of features, BatMUD may be a bit overwhelming for a newcomer, but more experienced players often help if asked politely, and registered newbie helpers are available to guide fresh players.
Like most other active MUDs, BatMUD is also constantly developed.
Over the years there have been over 200 coders contributing to the codebase
.
It is expected on BatMUD that a coder will actively work on development of the MUD, with newcomers who have not been productive enough to a level being periodically purged.
All coders agree to an intellectual property rights agreement in order to secure the legal-aspects of the modern day world, even though coding is done volunteer-based.
The game was also previewed in Pelit
-magazine and was highly praised from its rich set of features while scoring over 90/100 points.
In 1996, BatMUD received the Finnish Oiva award, and the game has also been prominently featured in many mainstream computer gaming magazines, such as the Pelit
-magazine.
B.A.T. ry received a Business ID from the Finnish tax authorities (by own request) and was entered into the tax prepayment register in May 2002.
This was preceded by a major overhaul (of 1999-2002), during which the B.A.T. ry slowly re-organized itself to become a more effective and productive organization - responding to the professionalism required in running the larger legal entity
which B.A.T. ry had become.
Through the years, BatMUD has also been voted "Game of the month" by several Internet gaming-sites, such as MPOGD.com in April, 2003.
In 2004, B.A.T. ry applied for the BatMUD™ trademark
and "BatMUD" was registered as a trademark by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on April 5, 2005.
Also, a 91-page Pro graduation thesis
emerges from the University of Lapland
, themed "Artificial Intelligence in text-based computer games' dramaturgy.
Study subjects: Nethack
and BatMUD", Audiovisual Mediaculture written by Jussi Huhtala (in Finnish).
BatMUD turned 15 in 2005, and an official birthday-gala was held at Kaivohuone (Helsinki, Finland). More than three hundred guests from all over the world, all dressed in evening attire, joined the celebration of BatMUD's 15-year long journey. The oldest Finnish newspaper, Keskisuomalainen
, wrote an article on the event.
During April, BatMUD' s Niklas Lindroos and Christopher Ragusa attended Notacon
2005 and held a presentation on "The BatMUD community - a biased study in running large global communities on the Internet".
In May 2006, B.A.T. ry published a press-release regarding producing a new Client Platform for BatMUD. This effectively meant that BatMUD shifted towards tackling the onslaught of the MMORPG
.
In December 2006, BatMUD released the first version (v1.00) of the Official game client
. What makes this Batclient significant is the many steps it takes towards the more modern, graphical gaming environments of more recently published games. The game client is a lightweight, unique Java
-based desktop application. The development continues rapidly towards an even more competitive game GUI
, in order to overcome the MMOG-playing generation
's barriers of playing text-based
games. This game client is solely dedicated for playing and subscribing to BatMUD.
In February 2007, a 100-page Pro graduation master's thesis with the topic "Virtual gift
- Trading gifts in BatMUD virtual community" in cultural anthropology
for the University of Jyväskylä
was published, written by a non-player in Finnish.
BatMUD made the news again in August, 2007, covered by sites such as Inside Mac Games and several other gaming related news-sites.
Other on-line gaming sites, such as Massively have covered BatMUD since then, resulting in B.A.T. ry being acknowledged as a member of the on-line gaming industry.
by choosing a race, background (civilized, magical, evil religious, good religious or nomadic), alignment
and a name for the character.
As usual in role-playing game
s, there is no specific goal in the game.
Players get experience points for various things their character does in the virtual environment of the MUD.
For example, player character gets experience points from finding new rooms.
BatMUD has over 16,000 unique rooms, plus a moderately large "outerworld".
BatMUD features a detailed combat system, player to player commerce, playerbuilt cities, seafaring vessels, mounts and hundreds of custom zones.
It is not allowed for a player to have multiple characters in BatMUD, for reasons of fairness.
Because BatMUD does not require a special client program beyond a Telnet
-capable computer (although specialised MUD client
s do exist), it would be relatively easy for a player to multiplay effectively (leading to experience/virtual currency inflation
) compared to other types of modern multiplayer online game
s.
It is said that the Realm map is best to be experienced through the Java
based Batclient interactive map features or by viewing the Google maps hack available for the web browsers.
There are 44 races in total: 31 immediately selectable, 10 available only to experienced players rebirthing, and 3 invitation-only player-run races.
There are some extremely unusual races including sprite
, merfolk, or barsoom
ian (a kind of four armed ape capable to some extent of four hand wielding).
If players wish to change their character's race, they can reincarnate and choose another race/background; they lose a relatively small percentage of their total experience and get to respend their experience in a new way from their previous incarnation. This means you can completely transform your character, whereas in many current MUDs and games such as World of Warcraft
, you are very much fixed into one race and class, and the investment of experience into the character is permanent. The experience loss depends on the time since one's last reincarnation, as well as reincarnation method, and is between .5% to 10% of one's total experience. Experienced players also have an option to rebirth their character, allowing them not only to choose a new race and background, but also to change their name.
After rebirthing they lose all of their current experience, but get some minor bonuses and a chance to re-experience the lower levels.
guild
, which for a fee will dispatch a group of players to kill another player.
An archwizard's
comment about in-game player killing on a highbie-channel in Finnish, regarding a player's question on the view of the administration: "Kill anyone you please, just not too much!"
or synchronize both games has yet to be achieved. A classic version (an older version of game lib and world) also exists as a separate game.
As said, the game can be played enjoyably for no cost, but donations of money are rewarded with in-game benefits which allows the donator to have a character with enhanced characteristics (the pay-for-perks model).
Money raised from donations is spent on improving and maintaining the game.
These benefits can also be gained by completing in-game tasks, but donations are the easiest way.
What marks the community significant, is the active operation and participation of the individuals within the virtual community
. Several conventions and events are being held across the world, with one of the most notable probably being the Indiana, U.S. based Campcon, being held for the 11th consecutive year in June, 2009 — a real life
gathering of active participants of the BatMUD community. Similar events are held in Europe and Scandinavia
every year.
BatMUD provides a range of interplayer communication methods, allowing the players to talk and chat. Though the majority (about 2/3) of the players reside in Finland, the game itself is wholly in English, enabling it to host a large player base from several countries, including many European countries, the United States, Canada and Australia. Together with roleplay
not being strictly enforced, the common language of English allows debates to flourish.
With several hundred players simultaneously online, it is also one of the largest traditional MUDs. However with the rise of massively multiplayer online game
s its popularity has fallen off in recent years with fewer new players joining. Aggressive efforts have been made to make the MUD more newbie friendly but most players continue to be well established players who have invested months or years into the game. As with many other popular online games, addiction
is not unknown.
BatMUD employs a virtual economy
, with players selling rare items and favours to each other in the game's internal currency. Sale of characters or equipment for real life money is forbidden. If it has occurred, it has not been a major problem.
, founder of Iron Realms Entertainment
. Mihaly became a wizard
on BatMUD, but was banned for making a room that trapped and disabled other wizards.
Medieval fantasy
Medieval fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that encompasses medieval era high fantasy and sometimes simply represents fictitious versions of historic events. This subgenre is common among role-playing games, text-based roleplaying, and high-fantasy literature....
MUD
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
, established in 1990. BatMUD is Finland-based and operated and owned by a non-profit organization, Balanced Alternative Techniques ry ry
Ry (suffix)
In Finland, a ry is a suffix ending which generally denotes a registered, non-profit organization. In this instance, ry is an abbreviation for rekisteröity yhdistys, or "registered association", e.g. tAAt ry. Registration requires the organization to create legally sound constitution, which must...
("B.A.T. ry"), officially registered 1994 in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland.
By 2006, over 100,000 players had frequented the game, making it one of the largest text-based multiplayer games on the Internet. In the beginning of 2008, it had over 30,000 subscriptions. It has been called a "very popular and complex game".
History, Legal and Development
BatMUD was one of the first LPMudLPMud
LPMud, abbreviated LP, is a family of MUD server software. Its first instance, the original LPMud game driver, was developed in 1989 by Lars Pensjö...
s and has been online with only a few, if any minor breaks since 14 April 1990.
The game was initially set-up by a wizard
Wizard (MUD)
Wizard is commonly used in MUDs, particularly LPMuds, AberMUDs and MU*, as a term for the MUD's developers and administrators. The usage originates with Richard Bartle's original MUD1 and MUD2. It is frequently abbreviated "wiz", which is sometimes used as a verb; to wiz is to become a wizard...
who named himself Jaf, followed by many volunteer coders, all becoming wizards
Wizard (MUD)
Wizard is commonly used in MUDs, particularly LPMuds, AberMUDs and MU*, as a term for the MUD's developers and administrators. The usage originates with Richard Bartle's original MUD1 and MUD2. It is frequently abbreviated "wiz", which is sometimes used as a verb; to wiz is to become a wizard...
in the process.
The MUD's name comes from the name of the server the game was first hosted on, batman.cs.hut.fi. Since then, BatMUD has relocated several times, at one point residing in Oulu, Finland.
As of November 2007, the main BatMUD servers are co-located in the two data centers of Nebula in Helsinki, Finland.
Despite its phenomenal age as an Internet community, the MUD is constantly evolving which makes it both challenging and entertaining to new and old players alike.
Due to the rich set of features, BatMUD may be a bit overwhelming for a newcomer, but more experienced players often help if asked politely, and registered newbie helpers are available to guide fresh players.
Like most other active MUDs, BatMUD is also constantly developed.
Over the years there have been over 200 coders contributing to the codebase
Codebase
The term codebase, or code base, is used in software development to mean the whole collection of source code used to build a particular application or component. Typically, the codebase includes only human-written source code files, and not, e.g., source code files generated by other tools or...
.
It is expected on BatMUD that a coder will actively work on development of the MUD, with newcomers who have not been productive enough to a level being periodically purged.
All coders agree to an intellectual property rights agreement in order to secure the legal-aspects of the modern day world, even though coding is done volunteer-based.
Notable (external) events, timeline
In September 1994, the organization Balanced Alternative Techniques ry was officially registered in the "Joint corporate information system of the National Board of Patents and Registration and the Tax Administration" of Finland.The game was also previewed in Pelit
Pelit
Pelit is a Finnish video games magazine published 11 times a year by Sanoma Magazines, a division of the Sanoma Group. Being by far the largest of its kind in Finland and covering both PCs and consoles, it has for a long time lacked serious competition and is thought by many to be the magazine of...
-magazine and was highly praised from its rich set of features while scoring over 90/100 points.
In 1996, BatMUD received the Finnish Oiva award, and the game has also been prominently featured in many mainstream computer gaming magazines, such as the Pelit
Pelit
Pelit is a Finnish video games magazine published 11 times a year by Sanoma Magazines, a division of the Sanoma Group. Being by far the largest of its kind in Finland and covering both PCs and consoles, it has for a long time lacked serious competition and is thought by many to be the magazine of...
-magazine.
B.A.T. ry received a Business ID from the Finnish tax authorities (by own request) and was entered into the tax prepayment register in May 2002.
This was preceded by a major overhaul (of 1999-2002), during which the B.A.T. ry slowly re-organized itself to become a more effective and productive organization - responding to the professionalism required in running the larger legal entity
Legal personality
Legal personality is the characteristic of a non-human entity regarded by law to have the status of a person....
which B.A.T. ry had become.
Through the years, BatMUD has also been voted "Game of the month" by several Internet gaming-sites, such as MPOGD.com in April, 2003.
In 2004, B.A.T. ry applied for the BatMUD™ trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
and "BatMUD" was registered as a trademark by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on April 5, 2005.
Also, a 91-page Pro graduation thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
emerges from the University of Lapland
University of Lapland
The University of Lapland is located in the city of Rovaniemi, Finland. It was founded in 1979.The university is divided into four faculties:* Faculty of Art and Design* Faculty of Education* Faculty of Law* Faculty of Social Sciences...
, themed "Artificial Intelligence in text-based computer games' dramaturgy.
Study subjects: Nethack
NetHack
NetHack is a single-player roguelike video game originally released in 1987. It is a descendant of an earlier game called Hack , which is a descendant of Rogue...
and BatMUD", Audiovisual Mediaculture written by Jussi Huhtala (in Finnish).
BatMUD turned 15 in 2005, and an official birthday-gala was held at Kaivohuone (Helsinki, Finland). More than three hundred guests from all over the world, all dressed in evening attire, joined the celebration of BatMUD's 15-year long journey. The oldest Finnish newspaper, Keskisuomalainen
Keskisuomalainen
Keskisuomalainen is a daily Finnish newspaper published in Jyväskylä, serving central Finland . It was founded in 1871, and is the oldest Finnish-language newspaper, with the fifth-highest circulation of daily Finnish papers...
, wrote an article on the event.
During April, BatMUD
Notacon
Notacon is an art and technology conference which takes place annually in Cleveland, Ohio. The name Notacon became a bacronym for Northern Ohio Technological Advancement Conference, however use of this was mostly dropped after the first year...
2005 and held a presentation on "The BatMUD community - a biased study in running large global communities on the Internet".
In May 2006, B.A.T. ry published a press-release regarding producing a new Client Platform for BatMUD. This effectively meant that BatMUD shifted towards tackling the onslaught of the MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
.
In December 2006, BatMUD released the first version (v1.00) of the Official game client
Game client
A game client is a piece of software that connects to a game server. The server provides the connection and sends packets of information back to the game client. Many clients can be connected to the server at the same time, which will keep an overall view of the game world. Each game-client has...
. What makes this Batclient significant is the many steps it takes towards the more modern, graphical gaming environments of more recently published games. The game client is a lightweight, unique Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
-based desktop application. The development continues rapidly towards an even more competitive game GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
, in order to overcome the MMOG-playing generation
Generation
Generation , also known as procreation in biological sciences, is the act of producing offspring....
's barriers of playing text-based
Text-based
Usually used in reference to a computer application, a text-based application is one whose primary input and output are based on text rather than graphics or sound. This does not mean that text-based applications do not have graphics or sound, just that the graphics or sound are secondary to the...
games. This game client is solely dedicated for playing and subscribing to BatMUD.
In February 2007, a 100-page Pro graduation master's thesis with the topic "Virtual gift
Virtual gift
Virtual gift may refer to:* A gift consisting a picture of an item, instead of the item itself, usually through the internet....
- Trading gifts in BatMUD virtual community" in cultural anthropology
Cultural anthropology
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans, collecting data about the impact of global economic and political processes on local cultural realities. Anthropologists use a variety of methods, including participant observation,...
for the University of Jyväskylä
University of Jyväskylä
The University of Jyväskylä is a university in Jyväskylä, Finland. It has its origins in the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college , founded in 1863. Around 14,000 students are currently enrolled in the degree programs of the university...
was published, written by a non-player in Finnish.
BatMUD made the news again in August, 2007, covered by sites such as Inside Mac Games and several other gaming related news-sites.
Other on-line gaming sites, such as Massively have covered BatMUD since then, resulting in B.A.T. ry being acknowledged as a member of the on-line gaming industry.
Gameworld
In BatMUD, a player initially creates a fantasy characterPlayer character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
by choosing a race, background (civilized, magical, evil religious, good religious or nomadic), alignment
Alignment (role-playing games)
In some role-playing games, alignment is a categorisation of the moral and ethical perspective of the player characters, non-player characters, monsters, and societies in the game....
and a name for the character.
As usual in role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s, there is no specific goal in the game.
Players get experience points for various things their character does in the virtual environment of the MUD.
For example, player character gets experience points from finding new rooms.
BatMUD has over 16,000 unique rooms, plus a moderately large "outerworld".
BatMUD features a detailed combat system, player to player commerce, playerbuilt cities, seafaring vessels, mounts and hundreds of custom zones.
It is not allowed for a player to have multiple characters in BatMUD, for reasons of fairness.
Because BatMUD does not require a special client program beyond a Telnet
TELNET
Telnet is a network protocol used on the Internet or local area networks to provide a bidirectional interactive text-oriented communications facility using a virtual terminal connection...
-capable computer (although specialised MUD client
MUD client
A MUD client is a computer application used to connect to a MUD, a type of multiplayer online game. Generally, a MUD client is a very basic telnet client that lacks VT100 terminal emulation and the capability to perform telnet negotiations...
s do exist), it would be relatively easy for a player to multiplay effectively (leading to experience/virtual currency inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
) compared to other types of modern multiplayer online game
Massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
s.
The Realm
BatMUD: The Age of Exiles was introduced in late 2006. Effectively, for old players, this meant a reconfiguration of the known world and the learning of several new continents. The multitude of areas (or zones) were scattered across the globe. A new storyline and capital cities were introduced.It is said that the Realm map is best to be experienced through the Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
based Batclient interactive map features or by viewing the Google maps hack available for the web browsers.
Races
BatMUD has a wide variety of races.There are 44 races in total: 31 immediately selectable, 10 available only to experienced players rebirthing, and 3 invitation-only player-run races.
There are some extremely unusual races including sprite
Sprite (creature)
The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of preternatural legendary creatures. The term is generally used in reference to elf-like creatures, including fairies, and similar beings , but can also signify various spiritual beings, including ghosts. In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books,...
, merfolk, or barsoom
Barsoom
Barsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote close to 100 action adventure stories in various genres in the first half of the 20th century, and is now best known as the creator of the character Tarzan...
ian (a kind of four armed ape capable to some extent of four hand wielding).
If players wish to change their character's race, they can reincarnate and choose another race/background; they lose a relatively small percentage of their total experience and get to respend their experience in a new way from their previous incarnation. This means you can completely transform your character, whereas in many current MUDs and games such as World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, you are very much fixed into one race and class, and the investment of experience into the character is permanent. The experience loss depends on the time since one's last reincarnation, as well as reincarnation method, and is between .5% to 10% of one's total experience. Experienced players also have an option to rebirth their character, allowing them not only to choose a new race and background, but also to change their name.
After rebirthing they lose all of their current experience, but get some minor bonuses and a chance to re-experience the lower levels.
Player to player confrontations
Player killing is lightly moderated in BatMUD. It is not forbidden if there exists a valid reason or the killer is registered playerkiller (which makes them open prey for anyone). Registering as playerkiller has some possible benefits, such as eligibility for winner of the week, who gets a special bonus. Complaining about player killing may result in harassment which can continue for as long as the complainers play the game, but repeated unwarranted player killing is looked down on. In addition to random killings there is an assassinAssassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
, which for a fee will dispatch a group of players to kill another player.
An archwizard's
Wizard (MUD)
Wizard is commonly used in MUDs, particularly LPMuds, AberMUDs and MU*, as a term for the MUD's developers and administrators. The usage originates with Richard Bartle's original MUD1 and MUD2. It is frequently abbreviated "wiz", which is sometimes used as a verb; to wiz is to become a wizard...
comment about in-game player killing on a highbie-channel in Finnish, regarding a player's question on the view of the administration: "Kill anyone you please, just not too much!"
Amarth: tapa ketä vaa missä vaa päi battia kunhan et liikaa!
Hardcore version
In 2000, a separate version of BatMUD was launched using a hardcore or permadeath ruleset. Though less populous than the normal (often referred to as "flower BatMUD") it remains a unique and challenging game world. Several attempts to raise the playerbase, draw more interest from the ArchwizardsWizard (MUD)
Wizard is commonly used in MUDs, particularly LPMuds, AberMUDs and MU*, as a term for the MUD's developers and administrators. The usage originates with Richard Bartle's original MUD1 and MUD2. It is frequently abbreviated "wiz", which is sometimes used as a verb; to wiz is to become a wizard...
or synchronize both games has yet to be achieved. A classic version (an older version of game lib and world) also exists as a separate game.
Subscribing
The subscription for the game is free, as is playing without any limitations. The official client, Batclient, is also free of charge.As said, the game can be played enjoyably for no cost, but donations of money are rewarded with in-game benefits which allows the donator to have a character with enhanced characteristics (the pay-for-perks model).
Money raised from donations is spent on improving and maintaining the game.
These benefits can also be gained by completing in-game tasks, but donations are the easiest way.
Virtual community and Playerbase
It is arguable that BatMUD formed one of the earliest virtual communities of gamers on the Internet.What marks the community significant, is the active operation and participation of the individuals within the virtual community
Virtual community
A virtual community is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals...
. Several conventions and events are being held across the world, with one of the most notable probably being the Indiana, U.S. based Campcon, being held for the 11th consecutive year in June, 2009 — a real life
Real life
Real life is a term usually used to denote actual human life lived by real people in contrast with the lives of fictional or fantasy characters.-Usage online and in fiction:On the Internet, "real life" refers to life in the real world...
gathering of active participants of the BatMUD community. Similar events are held in Europe and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
every year.
BatMUD provides a range of interplayer communication methods, allowing the players to talk and chat. Though the majority (about 2/3) of the players reside in Finland, the game itself is wholly in English, enabling it to host a large player base from several countries, including many European countries, the United States, Canada and Australia. Together with roleplay
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
not being strictly enforced, the common language of English allows debates to flourish.
With several hundred players simultaneously online, it is also one of the largest traditional MUDs. However with the rise of massively multiplayer online game
Massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
s its popularity has fallen off in recent years with fewer new players joining. Aggressive efforts have been made to make the MUD more newbie friendly but most players continue to be well established players who have invested months or years into the game. As with many other popular online games, addiction
Behavioral addiction
Behavioral addiction is a form of addiction which does not rely on drugs or alcohol. Increasingly referred to as process addiction or non-substance-related addiction ) behavioral addiction includes a compulsion to repeatedly engage in an action until said action causes serious negative consequences...
is not unknown.
BatMUD employs a virtual economy
Virtual economy
A virtual economy is an emergent economy existing in a virtual persistent world, usually exchanging virtual goods in the context of an Internet game...
, with players selling rare items and favours to each other in the game's internal currency. Sale of characters or equipment for real life money is forbidden. If it has occurred, it has not been a major problem.
Influence
BatMUD was the first MUD played by Matt "Sarapis" MihalyMatt Mihaly
Matt Mihaly / Matthew Mihaly is an American CEO and Creative Director of and Chairman, founder, CEO, and formerly Creative Director at Iron Realms Entertainment. He is known for pioneering the sale of virtual assets in online games...
, founder of Iron Realms Entertainment
Iron Realms Entertainment
Iron Realms Entertainment is a computer game development company that has created the MUDs Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands; Aetolia, The Midnight Age; Imperian, the Sundered Heavens; Lusternia, Age of Ascension; and Midkemia Online...
. Mihaly became a wizard
Wizard (MUD)
Wizard is commonly used in MUDs, particularly LPMuds, AberMUDs and MU*, as a term for the MUD's developers and administrators. The usage originates with Richard Bartle's original MUD1 and MUD2. It is frequently abbreviated "wiz", which is sometimes used as a verb; to wiz is to become a wizard...
on BatMUD, but was banned for making a room that trapped and disabled other wizards.
Press releases
- BatMUD Reports increased growth in 2007-2008, press release, Feb 2008
- B.A.T. ry and Mythicscape to Produce Client Platform for Multiuser Internet Games, press release, May 2006