Dragon's Gate
- This article is about the computer game Dragon's Gate. For the Japanese wrestling promotion, please see Dragon Gate.
History
Dragon's Gate is a text-based multi user online fantasy role-playing game, sometimes referred to as a MUD. It is one of the longer running pay-for-play online games in the world, having opened in the early 1990s, and has been available on GEnie, AOL, Mythic Realms and most recently independently. Currently, the game server is off line entirely. It will however be back "SOON".
Dragon's Gate is an interactive, real time, fantasy role playing game. Each player creates a character and assumes the identity of that character while participating. Role-playing allows interaction between player characters (PCs) and non-player characters (NPCs in the form of computer controlled monsters, merchants, etc.), within a land, which runs in a real-time framework, allowing for an imersive experience.
At its creation, the core of Dragon's Gate was based on the AUSI-entitled game Aradath, which was designed in 1985 by Mark Jacobs. Jacobs, along with partner Rob Denton, later formed a company in 1995 called Interworld Productions, which in 1997 was re-named as Mythic Entertainment. Mythic is currently best known for the MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot.
An unfortunate by-product of this sort of anonymous online interaction would be the occasional player that shows an inability to separate themselves from in-character conflicts. This results in said player often lashing out at other community members on a personal basis, as well as inaccurate and defamatory commentary towards the game itself.
A prevalent climate of cowardice can often be observed in the actions of those who are thusly ostracized by the larger player community, whereby the 'offended' player will post slanderous and inaccurate conjecture towards the person they had conflict role-play with in the game in any anonymous public venue they can find. It is a matter of interest that often such behaviors result from jealousy in regards to another character's success with the opposite gender, possessions held by the other player, or the popularity of a rival in general.
Production overview
Like other games of its kind, Dragon's Gate is based on ideas similar to popular fantasy stories (such as The Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons). Each player creates a character and assumes the identity of that character while participating. Role-playing allows interaction between PCs (player characters) and NPCs (non-player characters in the form of computer controlled creatures including monsters and merchants among others) within a simulated enviroment, which runs in a real-time framework, allowing for an extremely immersive experience. Among the possible game events are numerous GM (game master) or player-run scenarios which variously consist of adventuring, completing quests, fighting in gladiatoral sports, and making new friends with other players.
A player character may be comprised of any one of several classes and races and can be individualized in many ways, similar to more modern MMORPGs. Throughout the gaming process, players quickly learn about the way the world functions and how to adventure (usually in search of things like loot, glory, fame, and fortune) either alone or with other players. The game is specifically designed to emphasize its role-playing aspects, and to this end the developers have de-emphasized the statistics; although they play a major role in how the game works, with player-characters at maximum levels bullying and degrading the newer and mid-level players without recourse. Life in the game continues 24 hours a day, and events continue to occur without requiring the direct intervention of players, a concept commonly referred to as "persistence."
According to the staff: "The world is rich with political and religious strife and has a detailed history. It is very easy to get involved and immersed in role-play. Dragon's Gate allows you to experience an exciting world designed to be more than just a text adventure. As a social gaming system, Dragon's Gate is intended to be fun. Cooperation and communication with the other gamers are the cornerstones to the existence of Dragon's Gate."
According to several players: "This game has wonderful mechanics and the combat is outstanding. I can enjoy the roleplay at times when staff favoritism isn't really displayed."
According to Varchild: "This game is like Vanilla Ice's music, it was cool at the time it came out onto the market, but since then, it is only for a niche few, and generally isn't mainstream at all."