Empire (online game)
Encyclopedia
Empire was a MUD
, a text-based online role-playing game
, founded in 1992 by Farhaj "Astafas" Hashmi and several associates. It received critical praise.
world; gameplay is primarily hack and slash
. The MUD was noted as complex and unsuitable for beginners.
Player character
names and statistical information were not initially divulged to other players. This has been considered to foster an improved atmosphere for role-playing
. Player killing is unrestricted; though that was not the primary focus of the game, it was generally prominent in commentary.
conflict to create a tense and exciting atmosphere, and for its pace of development. It has been called "one of the best MUDs out there".
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...
, a text-based online 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...
, founded in 1992 by Farhaj "Astafas" Hashmi and several associates. It received critical praise.
Game characteristics
Empire was set in a medieval fantasyMedieval 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....
world; gameplay is primarily hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
. The MUD was noted as complex and unsuitable for beginners.
Player character
Player 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...
names and statistical information were not initially divulged to other players. This has been considered to foster an improved atmosphere for role-playing
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...
. Player killing is unrestricted; though that was not the primary focus of the game, it was generally prominent in commentary.
History
Empire was founded in 1992. It apparently went offline in July 2010, its operations spanning 18 years.Reception
Empire received critical praise for using identity ambiguity and player versus playerPlayer versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
conflict to create a tense and exciting atmosphere, and for its pace of development. It has been called "one of the best MUDs out there".