Text Based Browser Games - What Are They?
So you’ve heard about text based rpg games, and you want to know more. Continue reading to discover the history, attraction and how text based mmorpg games have evolved over time.
Long before the average computer had any sort of graphical capabilities, text based web games were being played on university LANs over exceedingly weak dial-up connections. Best known as multi user dungeons (MUDs), many of these text-based rpg games have been adjusted for play over the web using a MUD client, or more recently, a modern web browser.
Most text-based RPGs have very few graphics. Like their offline pen and paper style predecessors,such as Dungeons & Dragons, they rely on random numbers, written words and statistics. The game can be played over a poor web connection, and can handle a huge number of users, often known as MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). Unlike graphical games, text based mmorpg games will run on computers with much lower system requirements, enabling them to be enjoyed on pretty much any computer connected to the web. Some people also play them on modern handheld gadgets and modern cellphones.
All text based browser games worth their salt must have the ability to build a character, improve their skills, weapons, equipment, status etc, and complete tasks in the game. With so much competition, expectations are generally higher and building a successful text based RPG requires time, effort and constant feature updates. Great text browser games are massively addictive and keep players loyal for months, and sometimes, years.
Facebook observed the attraction in text based browser games and has recently launched Mafia Wars, Farmville and Frontierville, produced by Zynga. Although Zynga’s games are more graphical than the original text based rpg games, the game play is really no different to most other text based mmorpg games.
Why not start with Torn, Mafia Wars, Frontierville or many others, if you want to give text-based web games a try.