The Beginner’s Guide to Text Based Games
Tell me about text based rpg games and why are they so incredibly good?
Long before the average computer had any sort of graphical capabilities, text-based browser games were played on college networks over super weak dial-up connections. Commonly known as multi user dungeons (MUDs), many of these text-based RPGs have been adapted to play online via a MUD client, or more recently, a modern web browser.
Most text based browser games do not have graphics. Like the old school Dungeons & Dragons game, they rely on random statistics, numbers and written words. With low graphics, the game will not be hindered by a poor web connection, and they can handle large numbers of concurrent player, often referred to as Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG ). Unlike graphical games, text-based web games will run on computers with a much lower specification, enabling them to be enjoyed on pretty much any computer connected to the Internet. People are now playing them on handheld devices and mobile phones.
All text-based rpg games worth their salt must have the power to create an in-game character, increase their status, equipment, weaponary, trade items etc, and complete tasks in the game. Over recent years, the landscape has changed and with so much competition, players expectations are generally higher and building a successful text based rpg game involves time, effort and constant feature updates. Great text games are hugely addictive and keep players loyal for months, and sometimes, years.
Facebook saw the appeal in text-based MMORPGs and has recently launched Mafia Wars, Farmville and Frontierville, produced by Zynga.
Although more commercialised and graphical than the first text-based browser games, under the hood, they are almost identical to the majority of other text based rpg games.
If you want to give text based mmorpg games a try, why not start with Torn, Farmville or SimRocker.