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s creator Matt Mihaly came up with the idea of a dual currency system to generate revenue to cover the higher operating costs; while one in-game currency remained free, the other premium currency could only be purchased with real-world funds, and many special items could only be purchased with the
432:
Nevertheless, some aspects of the game have met with criticism. The game's revenue system, in particular, has faced mixed opinions. Players playing for free "won't be able to advance as much as the person who has the funds" without a considerable time investment, which often sparks controversy
401:
The combat system includes "hundreds of different ways to attack an opponent", leading to a "complex array of strategies" that is a "true test of skill". The game's engine was adapted for use as the medium of an "e-summit" staged at the 7th Annual World Summit of Young
Entrepreneurs with the
348:(IGDA) has noted that Achaea has been successful in this "revenue from object sales" model, "report substantially higher average revenue per customer ... than the usual subscription prices.". Achaea's use of this model was compared to higher-profile releases such as
328:
Achaea's controversial revenue structure has received attention from the game development industry. Although Iron Realms
Entertainment provides a custom MUD interface for the game, there are neither up-front costs, nor monthly fees typical for the
340:
Recently, however, Achaea has somewhat deviated from this model. In early 2010, the option to purchase an Iron Elite membership became available, which periodically gives players credits and other bonuses in exchange for a monthly fee.
409:
The role-playing and social aspects of the game have also led to Achaea being cited as an example of "political game design". That political system, along with the game's dynamic events and "player narrative" are remarked on in
433:
between free players and those who paid for in-game bonuses that can cost as much as 2500 credits, the equivalent of $ 725 per item. The IGDA acknowledges that the system requires "delicate issues of design balance".
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313:. It had been initially launched when Internet service plans were time-limited, effectively gating access to MUDs so that their cost of operations were low. However, when
330:
175:
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345:
444:, created controversy, angering some players and reviewers who felt it sent an inappropriate message about the consequences of real-world drug use.
317:
offered flat-rate plans, this removed that gate, and many MUDs like Achaea became unprofitable since players could spend much more time on them.
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Achaea has received generally positive reviews for both its mechanics and social complexities, including a review from
294:
Recent structural changes have enriched the environment of Achaea further, by opening up the seas to player controlled
1251:
350:
260:, which allows the players to design and craft goods, and the player-run social structure, including Houses (formerly
298:. This has made available many minigames including diving for treasure, deep-sea fishing and even a form of piracy.
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275:, ranging from common countryside to more exotic and surreal environments. Players may choose among eighteen
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416:, Bartle's examination of the history of multiplayer online games. Iron Realms Entertainment quotes
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132:(MUD) released on September 9, 1997. It was published by Achaea LLC, now known as
495:"Meet the man who invented microtransactions years before Oblivion's horse armour"
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and interact with other players. One of the major forms of interaction is
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as a possible solution for the problems other online games face involving
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plays a dominant role in Achaea. The other play mechanics include the
140:
system, which allows payment for the acquisition of in-game benefits.
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that are then used in-game to acquire skills and superior equipment.
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as saying he "doesn't believe there is a deeper game in existence".
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465:"Achaea: the game where microtransactions cost hundreds of dollars"
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The world consists of over twenty thousand locations, known as
970:
942:
147:
568:. International Game Developers Association. Archived from
533:. International Game Developers Association. Archived from
136:. Achaea is operated by collecting the revenue through a
869:
627:"In Defense of Retro Gaming: A Discussion of Abstraction"
1175:
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994:
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920:
249:combat, where the dynamic conflict, especially the
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81:
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47:
35:
21:
309:is one of the first known examples of a game with
787:. Iron Realms Entertainment. 2005. Archived from
279:, ranging from familiar fantasy elements such as
897:
8:
563:"IGDA Online Games White Paper, 2nd edition"
360:and has been highlighted by game developer
182:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
1277:Video games developed in the United States
1236:
904:
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882:
556:
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521:
519:
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27:
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346:International Game Developers Association
202:Learn how and when to remove this message
561:Jarett, Alex; et al. (March 2003).
333:. Instead, players may spend money for
649:
647:
452:
766:from the original on 28 September 2007
7:
817:from the original on 14 January 2007
458:
456:
180:adding citations to reliable sources
762:. Iron Realms Entertainment. 2007.
528:"2004 Persistent Worlds Whitepaper"
526:James, Daniel; et al. (2004).
811:"Virtual Dopers Crave High Scores"
14:
835:Gibson, Jon M. (September 2004).
708:"A Summit of Young Entrepreneurs"
706:Yap, Diana Michele (2000-09-28).
629:. Armchair Arcade. Archived from
593:Bartle, Richard A. (April 2004).
493:Hrodey, Matt (October 25, 2019).
398:that was reported as favourable.
233:, players can fight monsters for
1246:
1245:
1235:
682:"Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands"
388:on the June 10, 2004 episode of
283:to more unusual options such as
152:
1014:Bartle taxonomy of player types
809:Terdiman, Daneil (2004-05-25).
475:from the original on 2024-06-09
214:In the game, players explore a
732:Bartle, Richard (2003-07-15).
600:. Themis Group. Archived from
595:"Pitfalls of Virtual Property"
251:conflict between Good and Evil
118:Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands
22:Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands
1:
654:Hardeman, Kurt (1999-08-30).
374:interaction with real economy
351:Magic: The Gathering Online
221:world revolving around six
65:Rapture Runtime Environment
1303:
680:N., Stephen (2000-04-01).
463:Mills, Mark (2020-04-15).
1233:
1190:Iron Realms Entertainment
1089:Player versus environment
760:"Stat Altering Artefacts"
436:The 2004 introduction of
134:Iron Realms Entertainment
54:Iron Realms Entertainment
42:Iron Realms Entertainment
26:
1152:Designing Virtual Worlds
735:Designing Virtual Worlds
413:Designing Virtual Worlds
710:. Wired. Archived from
837:"Just Say No to Gleam"
684:. MPOG. Archived from
658:. MPOG. Archived from
237:and treasure, perform
841:Computer Gaming World
380:Reviews and reactions
243:non-player characters
225:and their respective
1215:Mythic Entertainment
1159:A Rape in Cyberspace
1094:Player versus player
1069:Non-player character
954:codebases, libraries
791:on September 6, 2008
469:Rock, Paper, Shotgun
176:improve this section
76:Platform independent
1004:Alternate character
913:Multi-user dungeons
325:premium currency.
633:on 2 February 2007
575:on January 4, 2007
540:on January 4, 2007
231:role-playing games
130:multi-user dungeon
1282:Virtual economies
1259:
1258:
1220:Plaintext Players
1210:The Mud Connector
714:on 4 January 2007
391:The Screen Savers
311:microtransactions
247:player vs. player
235:experience points
219:sword and sorcery
212:
211:
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114:
113:
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1287:1997 video games
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1084:Player character
1079:Persistent world
906:
899:
892:
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873:
872:
870:Official website
856:
855:
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852:
843:. Archived from
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785:"Achaea credits"
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370:commodification
364:and researcher
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315:America On-Line
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1074:Online wedding
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921:Major branches
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862:External links
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738:. New Riders.
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877:Official Wiki
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847:on 2006-11-09
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1144:Publications
1064:Mob, Monster
849:. Retrieved
845:the original
840:
830:
819:. Retrieved
804:
793:. Retrieved
789:the original
779:
768:. Retrieved
754:
733:
727:
716:. Retrieved
712:the original
701:
690:. Retrieved
686:the original
675:
664:. Retrieved
660:the original
635:. Retrieved
631:the original
620:
609:. Retrieved
602:the original
588:
577:. Retrieved
570:the original
542:. Retrieved
535:the original
504:. Retrieved
498:
488:
477:. Retrieved
468:
437:
435:
431:
411:
408:
400:
389:
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362:Daniel James
355:
349:
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334:
331:MMORPG-genre
327:
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272:
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213:
198:
192:January 2013
189:
174:Please help
162:
117:
116:
115:
49:Publisher(s)
37:Developer(s)
1225:Simutronics
997:terminology
506:October 25,
428:Controversy
422:John Romero
418:id Software
386:Leo Laporte
255:free market
223:city-states
109:Multiplayer
71:Platform(s)
1266:Categories
1176:Companies,
1166:Terra Nova
1135:Zone, Area
851:2007-01-15
821:2007-01-15
795:2007-09-28
770:2007-09-28
718:2007-01-15
692:2007-01-07
666:2007-01-17
637:2007-01-17
611:2007-01-17
579:2007-01-15
544:2007-01-17
479:2024-06-09
448:References
289:Occultists
127:text-based
125:-focused,
1272:MUD games
995:Concepts,
813:. Wired.
258:economics
163:does not
1252:Category
1115:Twinking
1105:Spawning
1049:Immortal
1034:Grinding
1019:Cybersex
986:TinyMUCK
815:Archived
764:Archived
656:"Achaea"
500:PCGamesN
473:Archived
420:founder
281:paladins
266:politics
144:Gameplay
123:roleplay
91:Genre(s)
1200:Lysator
1029:Griefer
966:GodWars
933:DikuMUD
928:AberMUD
335:credits
302:Revenue
287:-using
277:classes
216:fantasy
184:removed
169:sources
105:Mode(s)
96:Fantasy
82:Release
1205:Kesmai
1130:Wizard
1044:Healer
1009:Avatar
981:Talker
915:(MUDs)
742:
396:TechTV
319:Achaea
307:Achaea
264:) and
262:guilds
239:quests
227:Houses
61:Engine
1195:Jagex
1185:Areae
1100:Quest
938:LPMud
605:(PDF)
598:(PDF)
573:(PDF)
566:(PDF)
538:(PDF)
531:(PDF)
438:gleam
322:'
296:ships
285:Tarot
273:rooms
121:is a
1242:List
1110:Tank
1059:Loot
976:MUSH
740:ISBN
508:2019
372:and
354:and
344:The
241:for
167:any
165:cite
85:1997
1024:God
971:MOO
961:DGD
943:MU*
394:on
178:by
99:MUD
1268::
839:.
646:^
553:^
516:^
497:.
471:.
467:.
455:^
406:.
376:.
291:.
268:.
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190:(
186:.
172:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
