Home » Technology » Online Text Games » The Legend Lives in Avalon, Fantasy Roleplaying Game

The Legend Lives in Avalon, Fantasy Roleplaying Game

© Dina Ely

Avalon; the Legend Lives is a "MUD" (multi-user dungeon): a text-based online roleplaying game for multiplayers. If you've never played a MUD, you're missing out! Text games are like an interactive novel that the players write from day to day; there is no limit to what can be done with the right amount of creativity!

Avalon has been around for well over a decade. It is one of the best-developed text-based roleplaying games on the Internet. It is based in a fantasy world with all the typical components--an active pantheon of immortals, loads of mythical beings (dragons, goblins, etc.), magical & mundane skills (Sorcerers, Knights and much more). You may combat with other players, partake in the hundreds of quality quests scattered about the land (which is over 4000 locations large), become involved in the politics of guilds or cities, or simply interact with other players in character. Frequent events such as weekend-long hunts and competitions, flag quests (which will be familiar to any of you who've played multiplayer games like Quake), and divine gem quests help keep things fresh and exciting.

It is worth noting that Avalon is not free to play, though many games are. They've recently changed their pricing structure, and the cost is roughly $24 USD per month for unlimited access. You can play Avalon via a java client on their web site, a MUD client such as ZMUD, or basic telnet. The address to connect to Avalon is avalon-rpg.com , and the port is 23. To visit the web site, point your browser at http://www.avalon-rpg.com

Some players have been in Avalon since the beginning, some a few years, and some are new to the realm, so you will have a good mix of peers & tutors. Avalon's player age demographic ranges from teenagers to people over 70 years young, though since player interaction is largely in character, real life age means very little. Unlike some games, Avalon does have a relatively high maturity level-not so much because of content (i.e., don't be overly concerned about things such as vulgarity), but because of the age of the people playing it. Children would not enjoy Avalon, but adults will.

Text games have the ability to reach out and grab you, and make you feel a depth of emotions unmatched by video games. Writers and other creative folk absolutely must try a text game at some point, it will be an unbelievable Muse! Avalon is an excellent place to start, it's new-player friendly and easy to learn.

The copyright of the article The Legend Lives in Avalon, Fantasy Roleplaying Game in Online Text Games is owned by . Permission to republish The Legend Lives in Avalon, Fantasy Roleplaying Game in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.