AWSOME MUD GAME!!!
Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 8:22 pm
one of my most favorite game of all time...(besides my newly acquired forgoten realms: Balders Gate: Dark Alliance)... is a MUD called MATERIA MAGICA. it is sooo deep it is almost frightening! it is located at www.materiamagica.com
there are 12 races to choose from when creating a character(elves humans dracons gnomes fey minotaurs ...); 14 classes and you can also multiclass(theif:rogue + bard. mage: wizard ranger psiconics.... fighters: paladins cavaliers vakries... and cleric: druid priest shaman.) it is just sooo awsome.
it is TOTALY FREE!!! not a $ or c to be payed ever.
all you have to do is download a client. (best free and not one is the GoS.) the web site has links to theses sites and many more)
Materia Magica's more notable features include:
The Vast Universe of Materia Magica
Endless Realm of Adventure: Materia Magica features a huge, totally original, realistic universe (you won't find it anywhere else) - with over eight million locations to explore, as well as remarkable and numerous means of travel, such as horses and dragons, magic carpets, enchanted brooms, powerful worldgates, strange devices of gnomish design, and much more! With seas, jungles, plains, desert, mountain areas and underground, you have virtually unlimited possibilities for adventure. In addition, Materia Magica's visible compass provides information and direction as to where you can go and what might await you there.
ANSI-based Terrain: We provide ANSI-based, fully colorized, seamless wilderness terrain connecting cities, dungeons, towers, castles, and many other expansive structures (See some Screen Shots to fully appreciate this feature).
Experience-adjusted Wilderness Encounters: Experience many wilderness encounters solely based on your gaming experience - the difficulty of the world grows with your character allowing you to progress at your own pace.
Player-controlled Ships: Our shipwrights offer player-ownable and controllable ships that can be sailed across the wide blue oceans of Alyria. These are real ships, much more than a simple "boat" you carry around in your inventory! Hold your ship's title and travel the world or do battle with your worst enemies. Live the seafaring life you've always dreamed. But - beware of pirates!
More Realistic, Interactive NPCs: The non-player-character (NPC) interactions are sophisticated and elegant. NPCs don't just stand around doing nothing, they continue on with the business of their lives. Players and NPCs interacting with each other take the gaming experience to a new level.
Unique "Mark" System of Exploration: Participate in our original "Mark" system of game exploration to guarantee an Adventurer's knowledge of the game. Go on a quest to gain the Mark of Fire, so you can pass the Hellbent Mountain guards! Gain the Mark of the Traveller by questing! Search for the hermit that will give you the Mark of Force! Marks are given by the Powers for performing certain tasks or reaching certain levels of expertise, and are an exciting way of measuring your progress.
Immense Underground World: There have been a rash of recent earthquakes that have revealed a vast underground world, complete with dangerous, outcast cities, a central sea, mysterious volcanic caverns, and a ferocious whirlpool. The Great Alyrian Underground, as it has become known, provides a thrilling experience for experienced Adventurers with its many tunnels, caverns, and secrets.
Powerful Combat and Magic Systems
Unique Formation-Based Combat: We offer cutting edge formation-based combat. As formation leader, move your team members around to achieve the optimal defense of the weaker characters, while putting your strongest characters up front to take the brunt of the attacks. You may place your magic-users in the back of the form so they can blast the opponents with spells, while you take advantage of your short-range weapon in the front of the form. You can aim at a creature's specific body parts and take advantage of vulnerabilities. Try to blast their arm (or tentacle!) with a magical wand or even parry an opponent's sword, or block his deadly fireball with your shield. You can use the default settings with great ease, or customize your combat settings for more control.
Original Armor Resistance System: We have developed an Armor Resistance (AR) system that reduces damage from attacks based on the stopping power of your clothing and armor, instead of confusing 'armor class' systems that determine whether or not you've been hit (?) taken from commercial RPG systems.
Bardic Song Magic: The Bards of Alyria possess a unique system of song-magic. Imagine having the ability to actually play musical notes in order to cause changes in the physical world around you. The songs are based not by player level but by difficulty and the instrument on which they are played.
Druid Elemental Magic: Druids have the power to call upon the elements in their various forms and combinations, and thus invoke or evoke the primary elemental forces of air, fire, water, and earth, as well as the quasi- and para-elements, for powerful effects.
Player-Driven Economy
Realistic Economic System: Materia Magica has a highly detailed commerce and economic system. Our bank branches charge fees and provide financial stability. The shops restock themselves from a centralized warehouse instead of having items 'magically' appear in their inventory. The supply and demand theory is alive and well here as price decreases and increases are based on item demand and availability.
Live Auctions: Bid on items put up on the auction block by other players, or place your own items up for bid in this intriguing method of trading items through the in-game IMAIL system, with enchanted auction imps powering the process and making sure your item(s) arrive safely at their destination (for a small fee, of course).
Player-Controlled Shops: Journey to the colorful Alyrian Bazaar, where you can lease and run your own in-game shop. Stock it with items, set and adjust prices and "hawking" messages, and enjoy becoming a powerful merchant with this economically-inspired feature of Materia Magica. A whole subculture of Adventuring Merchants has been created, with capitalism as their binding philosophy.
Remarkable Characters, History and Mythology
Adventuring Races Bring the Game to Life: The player races have fully been developed to include a powerful story behind their creation, and each have their own histories and storylines that become richer and more detailed as time progresses. Watch your character come to life and become a part of the daily activity in the game.
Balanced Player Classes: Materia Magica has thirteen different Adventuring classes, all of which are well-developed and balanced. We encourage players to select the classes based on their individual personalities, or go for something totally different for a change of pace - the choice is up to you.
Unique Multiclassing System: We offer a four-tiered multiclassing approach. Feel free to create a character that will be with you for a long time to come allowing you to create bonds with other players from all over the world.
Unique Skill System: Experience a completely unique, complexity-based skill system, utilizing proficiencies and spells to create and provide more intricate gaming environment. No skill levels - you learn the skill when find an appropriate trainer and obtain the right information and understanding to progress in your chosen Adventuring path.
Fully-Realized Theology: An amazing theological system brings you further into the universe of Materia Magica, allowing you to explore the cities and temples of the elemental Powers themselves. In Alyria, the Gods do not walk the land, but are amorphous forces that are called by many names across the different races and societies.
Technologically Advanced Server and Game Support
Support for MSP and MXP Sound Effects: If you're using a client that supports the MXP or MSP sound protocols (such as ZMUD or Portal), you can take advantage of Materia Magica's sound effects support by downloading our free sound packs here and enabling them for use in your client. Hear fireballs explode, worldgates shimmer, and shields block!
Portal MIP and ZMUD MXP Client Enhancements: If you're using the Portal or ZMUD game clients (or any client that supports ZMUD's open specification, MXP, such as MushClient), you can take advantage of special features such as hit point, stamina, and spell point status bars, text enhancement, HTML links, and much more!
Plentiful, Detailed Quests: Do you need a bit of structure and purpose in your play? Try a quest! Journey into the various towns and seek a quest from one of the Lords. Based on your level and experience, receive a quest to honor the Lord and return to gain a handsome reward. While Materia Magica was the creator and distributor of Vassago's Automated Quest Code, used in hundreds of games all over the world, it has taken that original concept much further and turned it into an even more fun, enjoyable way to participate in the world of Alyria and gain rich rewards.
Integrated Chat Rooms: Need a break? Tired of role-playing? Escape to the Materia Magica Chat rooms, where you can talk with who you want, when you want. With password-protected rooms for secret meetings, you can keep out your enemies and bring your friends closer. You can even relay a chat room through a special custom communication channel so you can play and still chat with your friends at the same time - creating, in effect, your very own chat channel to be used from anywhere in the game! The Materia Magica Chat Rooms are set up to be similar to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) in that you can assign room operators, place bans, kick people from rooms, moderate conversation, etc.
Capture the Flag Arena: Come join the Capture the Flag (CTF) arena for player groups, clan tournaments and other strategic battles! Want to hone and fine tune skills or your combat strategy? Battle in the CTF Arena! Plan a clan-wide activity or a melee with a host of players of different races, classes and experience, or just play a game with whoever wants to join you. Choose to be on the Red Team or the Blue Team, and invent strategies to recover your opponent's flag in this exciting feature of Materia Magica.
Alyrian Chess: Test your brain against some of Alyria's best chess masters and play them in a game of Alyrian Chess, Materia Magica's unique adaptation of the classic game that can be played from anywhere within the game.
Completely Free: This gaming experience is completely free! We exist solely off of non-required contributions from our players, who think that it's the best game around.
This is just a partial list of the many unique things that make Materia Magica one of the leaders in online, text-based, massively-multiplayer gaming. Come join the Materia Magica universe! Click here to get started.
there are 12 races to choose from when creating a character(elves humans dracons gnomes fey minotaurs ...); 14 classes and you can also multiclass(theif:rogue + bard. mage: wizard ranger psiconics.... fighters: paladins cavaliers vakries... and cleric: druid priest shaman.) it is just sooo awsome.
it is TOTALY FREE!!! not a $ or c to be payed ever.
all you have to do is download a client. (best free and not one is the GoS.) the web site has links to theses sites and many more)
Materia Magica's more notable features include:
The Vast Universe of Materia Magica
Endless Realm of Adventure: Materia Magica features a huge, totally original, realistic universe (you won't find it anywhere else) - with over eight million locations to explore, as well as remarkable and numerous means of travel, such as horses and dragons, magic carpets, enchanted brooms, powerful worldgates, strange devices of gnomish design, and much more! With seas, jungles, plains, desert, mountain areas and underground, you have virtually unlimited possibilities for adventure. In addition, Materia Magica's visible compass provides information and direction as to where you can go and what might await you there.
ANSI-based Terrain: We provide ANSI-based, fully colorized, seamless wilderness terrain connecting cities, dungeons, towers, castles, and many other expansive structures (See some Screen Shots to fully appreciate this feature).
Experience-adjusted Wilderness Encounters: Experience many wilderness encounters solely based on your gaming experience - the difficulty of the world grows with your character allowing you to progress at your own pace.
Player-controlled Ships: Our shipwrights offer player-ownable and controllable ships that can be sailed across the wide blue oceans of Alyria. These are real ships, much more than a simple "boat" you carry around in your inventory! Hold your ship's title and travel the world or do battle with your worst enemies. Live the seafaring life you've always dreamed. But - beware of pirates!
More Realistic, Interactive NPCs: The non-player-character (NPC) interactions are sophisticated and elegant. NPCs don't just stand around doing nothing, they continue on with the business of their lives. Players and NPCs interacting with each other take the gaming experience to a new level.
Unique "Mark" System of Exploration: Participate in our original "Mark" system of game exploration to guarantee an Adventurer's knowledge of the game. Go on a quest to gain the Mark of Fire, so you can pass the Hellbent Mountain guards! Gain the Mark of the Traveller by questing! Search for the hermit that will give you the Mark of Force! Marks are given by the Powers for performing certain tasks or reaching certain levels of expertise, and are an exciting way of measuring your progress.
Immense Underground World: There have been a rash of recent earthquakes that have revealed a vast underground world, complete with dangerous, outcast cities, a central sea, mysterious volcanic caverns, and a ferocious whirlpool. The Great Alyrian Underground, as it has become known, provides a thrilling experience for experienced Adventurers with its many tunnels, caverns, and secrets.
Powerful Combat and Magic Systems
Unique Formation-Based Combat: We offer cutting edge formation-based combat. As formation leader, move your team members around to achieve the optimal defense of the weaker characters, while putting your strongest characters up front to take the brunt of the attacks. You may place your magic-users in the back of the form so they can blast the opponents with spells, while you take advantage of your short-range weapon in the front of the form. You can aim at a creature's specific body parts and take advantage of vulnerabilities. Try to blast their arm (or tentacle!) with a magical wand or even parry an opponent's sword, or block his deadly fireball with your shield. You can use the default settings with great ease, or customize your combat settings for more control.
Original Armor Resistance System: We have developed an Armor Resistance (AR) system that reduces damage from attacks based on the stopping power of your clothing and armor, instead of confusing 'armor class' systems that determine whether or not you've been hit (?) taken from commercial RPG systems.
Bardic Song Magic: The Bards of Alyria possess a unique system of song-magic. Imagine having the ability to actually play musical notes in order to cause changes in the physical world around you. The songs are based not by player level but by difficulty and the instrument on which they are played.
Druid Elemental Magic: Druids have the power to call upon the elements in their various forms and combinations, and thus invoke or evoke the primary elemental forces of air, fire, water, and earth, as well as the quasi- and para-elements, for powerful effects.
Player-Driven Economy
Realistic Economic System: Materia Magica has a highly detailed commerce and economic system. Our bank branches charge fees and provide financial stability. The shops restock themselves from a centralized warehouse instead of having items 'magically' appear in their inventory. The supply and demand theory is alive and well here as price decreases and increases are based on item demand and availability.
Live Auctions: Bid on items put up on the auction block by other players, or place your own items up for bid in this intriguing method of trading items through the in-game IMAIL system, with enchanted auction imps powering the process and making sure your item(s) arrive safely at their destination (for a small fee, of course).
Player-Controlled Shops: Journey to the colorful Alyrian Bazaar, where you can lease and run your own in-game shop. Stock it with items, set and adjust prices and "hawking" messages, and enjoy becoming a powerful merchant with this economically-inspired feature of Materia Magica. A whole subculture of Adventuring Merchants has been created, with capitalism as their binding philosophy.
Remarkable Characters, History and Mythology
Adventuring Races Bring the Game to Life: The player races have fully been developed to include a powerful story behind their creation, and each have their own histories and storylines that become richer and more detailed as time progresses. Watch your character come to life and become a part of the daily activity in the game.
Balanced Player Classes: Materia Magica has thirteen different Adventuring classes, all of which are well-developed and balanced. We encourage players to select the classes based on their individual personalities, or go for something totally different for a change of pace - the choice is up to you.
Unique Multiclassing System: We offer a four-tiered multiclassing approach. Feel free to create a character that will be with you for a long time to come allowing you to create bonds with other players from all over the world.
Unique Skill System: Experience a completely unique, complexity-based skill system, utilizing proficiencies and spells to create and provide more intricate gaming environment. No skill levels - you learn the skill when find an appropriate trainer and obtain the right information and understanding to progress in your chosen Adventuring path.
Fully-Realized Theology: An amazing theological system brings you further into the universe of Materia Magica, allowing you to explore the cities and temples of the elemental Powers themselves. In Alyria, the Gods do not walk the land, but are amorphous forces that are called by many names across the different races and societies.
Technologically Advanced Server and Game Support
Support for MSP and MXP Sound Effects: If you're using a client that supports the MXP or MSP sound protocols (such as ZMUD or Portal), you can take advantage of Materia Magica's sound effects support by downloading our free sound packs here and enabling them for use in your client. Hear fireballs explode, worldgates shimmer, and shields block!
Portal MIP and ZMUD MXP Client Enhancements: If you're using the Portal or ZMUD game clients (or any client that supports ZMUD's open specification, MXP, such as MushClient), you can take advantage of special features such as hit point, stamina, and spell point status bars, text enhancement, HTML links, and much more!
Plentiful, Detailed Quests: Do you need a bit of structure and purpose in your play? Try a quest! Journey into the various towns and seek a quest from one of the Lords. Based on your level and experience, receive a quest to honor the Lord and return to gain a handsome reward. While Materia Magica was the creator and distributor of Vassago's Automated Quest Code, used in hundreds of games all over the world, it has taken that original concept much further and turned it into an even more fun, enjoyable way to participate in the world of Alyria and gain rich rewards.
Integrated Chat Rooms: Need a break? Tired of role-playing? Escape to the Materia Magica Chat rooms, where you can talk with who you want, when you want. With password-protected rooms for secret meetings, you can keep out your enemies and bring your friends closer. You can even relay a chat room through a special custom communication channel so you can play and still chat with your friends at the same time - creating, in effect, your very own chat channel to be used from anywhere in the game! The Materia Magica Chat Rooms are set up to be similar to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) in that you can assign room operators, place bans, kick people from rooms, moderate conversation, etc.
Capture the Flag Arena: Come join the Capture the Flag (CTF) arena for player groups, clan tournaments and other strategic battles! Want to hone and fine tune skills or your combat strategy? Battle in the CTF Arena! Plan a clan-wide activity or a melee with a host of players of different races, classes and experience, or just play a game with whoever wants to join you. Choose to be on the Red Team or the Blue Team, and invent strategies to recover your opponent's flag in this exciting feature of Materia Magica.
Alyrian Chess: Test your brain against some of Alyria's best chess masters and play them in a game of Alyrian Chess, Materia Magica's unique adaptation of the classic game that can be played from anywhere within the game.
Completely Free: This gaming experience is completely free! We exist solely off of non-required contributions from our players, who think that it's the best game around.
This is just a partial list of the many unique things that make Materia Magica one of the leaders in online, text-based, massively-multiplayer gaming. Come join the Materia Magica universe! Click here to get started.