BladeMaster
Encyclopedia
BladeMaster is a 1990 BBS game. According to the instruction file, the program was written by Don Arnel and the creatures/treasure design was by Adam Horowitz. It was known to have run on The Gaming Center
Bulletin Board System
, which utilized Galacticomm's Major BBS
/Worldgroup software. It was not a door game but a Worldgroup module.
, in which you have items and gain experience through killing enemies to gain levels. However, unlike traditional RPGS, you do not travel around a world, instead you only inhabit an arena. There is a hierarchy of enemies (such as Ruffians, Mercenaries, etc.). The game has a real-time gaming environment, in which you only possess a few lives per day. Wise players exert self-control, only letting themselves die once or twice a day, avoiding permanent death. Much of the thrill of BladeMaster comes from this aspect of it as it is tempting to keep playing and progressing despite the increasing risk.
BladeMaster's uniqueness comes in its actual execution. The game is not straightforward like many RPGs, instead, it can only be won by learning the 'tricks' of it. There are certain weapons with each group of enemies that enable you to progress rapidly (otherwise leveling would be unbearably slow and perhaps at some points impossible) if used against the right enemy. The 'trick' to BladeMaster is to get a weapon in a lower-class of enemies that is super-effective against a higher-class enemy. This also emphasizes the thrill of it, as you will have to face higher-level enemies that could easily kill you in one attack, hoping to flee until you find the right one without death.
A rewrite of this game was attempted under the name Blademaster 2, but never got beyond rudimentary development. The program was written in C++ and is still available on SourceForge. The creator searched unsuccessfully for the original Blademaster creators, hoping to obtain the code.
Suggested strategy for quickly gaining levels:
1) Use all your money, haggle prices, and purchase a Battle Axe.
2) Challenge Ruffians until you have gained a few levels.
3) Fight Mercenaries until you obtain the Poison Dagger from the Dark Assassin.
4) Use the Poison Dagger and kill Robin Hood in the Heroes arena group and obtain the Bow of Justice.
5) Challenge the Sorcerers and obtain the Staff of Dragons.
6) Challenge Creatures and use the Staff of Dragons to kill dragons and drakes.
7) Go back to the Heroes group and obtain the Bow of Light and Sword of Light.
8) Challenge Netherbeasts and kill devils and demons
9) Challenge Extra-planar creatures and obtain the Trident of Agony
10) Use the Trident of Agony to disease any opponent and then avoid them until they die.
Places to Play Blademaster:
The Gaming Center
The Gaming Center was a Southeast Florida BBS that was popular in the "gamer" scene. It was founded by Aztech and Player, and generally managed by ELLiS DeE....
Bulletin Board System
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
, which utilized Galacticomm's Major BBS
Major BBS
The Major BBS was bulletin board software developed between 1986 and 1999 by Galacticomm. In 1995 it was renamed Worldgroup Server and bundled with a user client interface program named Worldgroup Manager for Microsoft Windows...
/Worldgroup software. It was not a door game but a Worldgroup module.
Summary
BladeMaster is labeled "an arena combat simulation." It is very akin to a RPGRole-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...
, in which you have items and gain experience through killing enemies to gain levels. However, unlike traditional RPGS, you do not travel around a world, instead you only inhabit an arena. There is a hierarchy of enemies (such as Ruffians, Mercenaries, etc.). The game has a real-time gaming environment, in which you only possess a few lives per day. Wise players exert self-control, only letting themselves die once or twice a day, avoiding permanent death. Much of the thrill of BladeMaster comes from this aspect of it as it is tempting to keep playing and progressing despite the increasing risk.
BladeMaster's uniqueness comes in its actual execution. The game is not straightforward like many RPGs, instead, it can only be won by learning the 'tricks' of it. There are certain weapons with each group of enemies that enable you to progress rapidly (otherwise leveling would be unbearably slow and perhaps at some points impossible) if used against the right enemy. The 'trick' to BladeMaster is to get a weapon in a lower-class of enemies that is super-effective against a higher-class enemy. This also emphasizes the thrill of it, as you will have to face higher-level enemies that could easily kill you in one attack, hoping to flee until you find the right one without death.
A rewrite of this game was attempted under the name Blademaster 2, but never got beyond rudimentary development. The program was written in C++ and is still available on SourceForge. The creator searched unsuccessfully for the original Blademaster creators, hoping to obtain the code.
Suggested strategy for quickly gaining levels:
1) Use all your money, haggle prices, and purchase a Battle Axe.
2) Challenge Ruffians until you have gained a few levels.
3) Fight Mercenaries until you obtain the Poison Dagger from the Dark Assassin.
4) Use the Poison Dagger and kill Robin Hood in the Heroes arena group and obtain the Bow of Justice.
5) Challenge the Sorcerers and obtain the Staff of Dragons.
6) Challenge Creatures and use the Staff of Dragons to kill dragons and drakes.
7) Go back to the Heroes group and obtain the Bow of Light and Sword of Light.
8) Challenge Netherbeasts and kill devils and demons
9) Challenge Extra-planar creatures and obtain the Trident of Agony
10) Use the Trident of Agony to disease any opponent and then avoid them until they die.
External links
http://www.gamefaqs.com/bbs/627151-blademaster [Game FAQs Website]Places to Play Blademaster:
- telnet://seabreeze.servegame.com [Seabreeze BBS](Located in New York, U.S.)
- telnet://hs.host.net [High Society BBS](Located in Florida, U.S.)
- telnet://tohs.dyndns.org [Tower of High Sorcery BBS](Located in Michigan, U.S.)