What Are Text Based Browser Games
January 11th, 2011, 12:32 am
Understanding text-based rpg games and why are they so incredibly popular?
Students started playing text based RPGs many years ago on college LANs over super slow dial-up connections.
A slow web connection has very little affect on playability, and they can handle huge numbers of concurrent users, often referred to as Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG). This is largely due to the fact that most text based RPGs have very few graphics.
Another advantage to text based MMORPGs is that they have much lower system requirements than graphical games, enabling them to be played on pretty much any computer connected to the Internet. Some people are even playing them on handheld devices and modern cellphones.
All text-based mmorpg games worth their salt will have the ability to create a character, increase their health, wealth, 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 developing a successful text based rpg game involves time, effort, regular feature updates and lots of caffeine. Good text rpg games are addictive and keep players loyal for many months or years.
Facebook observed the attraction in text-based mmorpg games and has recently launched Mafia Wars, Farmville and Frontierville, created by Zynga.
Although more commercialised and graphical than the first text based rpg games, under the bonnet, they are almost identical to most other text-based mmorpg games.
Take a look at Torn, Mafia Wars, Frontierville or many others, if you fancy giving text based rpg games a try.