1258:
165:
1248:
335:
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
443:
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
412:
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
359:(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
339:
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
351:
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.
420:
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
444:
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".
483:
1287:
324:. 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
341:
186:
605:
356:
455:, created controversy, angering some players and reviewers who felt it sent an inappropriate message about the consequences of real-world drug use.
328:
offered flat-rate plans, this removed that gate, and many MUDs like Achaea became unprofitable since players could spend much more time on them.
847:
573:
718:
637:
825:
538:
754:
475:
212:
774:
692:
1024:
666:
40:
914:
261:
190:
372:
395:
Achaea has received generally positive reviews for both its mechanics and social complexities, including a review from
305:
Recent structural changes have enriched the environment of Achaea further, by opening up the seas to player controlled
1262:
361:
271:, which allows the players to design and craft goods, and the player-run social structure, including Houses (formerly
309:. This has made available many minigames including diving for treasure, deep-sea fishing and even a form of piracy.
1292:
1297:
1200:
1099:
291:
144:
64:
52:
1162:
795:
745:
423:
175:
971:
286:, ranging from common countryside to more exotic and surreal environments. Players may choose among eighteen
612:
194:
179:
1115:
1044:
272:
119:
253:
1225:
1169:
1104:
1079:
1054:
427:, Bartle's examination of the history of multiplayer online games. Iron Realms Entertainment quotes
59:
47:
855:
1110:
1014:
580:
1282:
1145:
1120:
1069:
1019:
923:
907:
241:
140:
109:
81:
1230:
1220:
1176:
1074:
750:
641:
401:
257:
245:
229:
505:
1094:
1089:
367:
321:
148:
101:
722:
545:
384:
380:
325:
287:
821:
1135:
1084:
1059:
1049:
452:
414:
376:
249:
86:
770:
1276:
1130:
1064:
900:
696:
1252:
1140:
670:
237:
143:(MUD) released on September 9, 1997. It was published by Achaea LLC, now known as
506:"Meet the man who invented microtransactions years before Oblivion's horse armour"
1235:
432:
428:
396:
265:
233:
164:
71:
137:
892:
1034:
299:
268:
17:
256:
and interact with other players. One of the major forms of interaction is
379:
as a possible solution for the problems other online games face involving
1125:
1029:
996:
510:
276:
133:
1210:
1039:
976:
943:
938:
226:
106:
39:
264:
plays a dominant role in Achaea. The other play mechanics include the
151:
system, which allows payment for the acquisition of in-game benefits.
1215:
991:
406:
348:
that are then used in-game to acquire skills and superior equipment.
799:
435:
as saying he "doesn't believe there is a deeper game in existence".
887:
476:"Achaea: the game where microtransactions cost hundreds of dollars"
1205:
1195:
948:
306:
295:
986:
896:
282:
The world consists of over twenty thousand locations, known as
981:
953:
158:
579:. International Game Developers Association. Archived from
544:. International Game Developers Association. Archived from
147:. Achaea is operated by collecting the revenue through a
880:
638:"In Defense of Retro Gaming: A Discussion of Abstraction"
1186:
1154:
1005:
962:
931:
260:combat, where the dynamic conflict, especially the
115:
100:
92:
80:
70:
58:
46:
32:
320:is one of the first known examples of a game with
798:. Iron Realms Entertainment. 2005. Archived from
290:, ranging from familiar fantasy elements such as
908:
8:
574:"IGDA Online Games White Paper, 2nd edition"
371:and has been highlighted by game developer
193:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
1288:Video games developed in the United States
1247:
915:
901:
893:
567:
565:
532:
530:
528:
38:
29:
357:International Game Developers Association
213:Learn how and when to remove this message
572:Jarett, Alex; et al. (March 2003).
344:. Instead, players may spend money for
660:
658:
463:
777:from the original on 28 September 2007
7:
828:from the original on 14 January 2007
469:
467:
191:adding citations to reliable sources
773:. Iron Realms Entertainment. 2007.
539:"2004 Persistent Worlds Whitepaper"
537:James, Daniel; et al. (2004).
822:"Virtual Dopers Crave High Scores"
25:
846:Gibson, Jon M. (September 2004).
719:"A Summit of Young Entrepreneurs"
717:Yap, Diana Michele (2000-09-28).
640:. Armchair Arcade. Archived from
604:Bartle, Richard A. (April 2004).
504:Hrodey, Matt (October 25, 2019).
409:that was reported as favourable.
244:, players can fight monsters for
1257:
1256:
1246:
693:"Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands"
399:on the June 10, 2004 episode of
294:to more unusual options such as
163:
1025:Bartle taxonomy of player types
820:Terdiman, Daneil (2004-05-25).
486:from the original on 2024-06-09
225:In the game, players explore a
743:Bartle, Richard (2003-07-15).
611:. Themis Group. Archived from
606:"Pitfalls of Virtual Property"
262:conflict between Good and Evil
129:Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands
33:Achaea, Dreams of Divine Lands
1:
665:Hardeman, Kurt (1999-08-30).
385:interaction with real economy
362:Magic: The Gathering Online
232:world revolving around six
76:Rapture Runtime Environment
1314:
691:N., Stephen (2000-04-01).
474:Mills, Mark (2020-04-15).
1244:
1201:Iron Realms Entertainment
1100:Player versus environment
771:"Stat Altering Artefacts"
447:The 2004 introduction of
145:Iron Realms Entertainment
65:Iron Realms Entertainment
53:Iron Realms Entertainment
37:
1163:Designing Virtual Worlds
746:Designing Virtual Worlds
424:Designing Virtual Worlds
721:. Wired. Archived from
848:"Just Say No to Gleam"
695:. MPOG. Archived from
669:. MPOG. Archived from
248:and treasure, perform
852:Computer Gaming World
391:Reviews and reactions
254:non-player characters
236:and their respective
1226:Mythic Entertainment
1170:A Rape in Cyberspace
1105:Player versus player
1080:Non-player character
965:codebases, libraries
802:on September 6, 2008
480:Rock, Paper, Shotgun
187:improve this section
87:Platform independent
1015:Alternate character
924:Multi-user dungeons
336:premium currency.
644:on 2 February 2007
586:on January 4, 2007
551:on January 4, 2007
242:role-playing games
141:multi-user dungeon
1293:Virtual economies
1270:
1269:
1231:Plaintext Players
1221:The Mud Connector
725:on 4 January 2007
402:The Screen Savers
322:microtransactions
258:player vs. player
246:experience points
230:sword and sorcery
223:
222:
215:
125:
124:
16:(Redirected from
1305:
1298:1997 video games
1260:
1259:
1250:
1249:
1095:Player character
1090:Persistent world
917:
910:
903:
894:
884:
883:
881:Official website
867:
866:
864:
863:
854:. Archived from
843:
837:
836:
834:
833:
817:
811:
810:
808:
807:
796:"Achaea credits"
792:
786:
785:
783:
782:
767:
761:
760:
740:
734:
733:
731:
730:
714:
708:
707:
705:
704:
688:
682:
681:
679:
678:
662:
653:
652:
650:
649:
633:
627:
626:
624:
623:
617:
610:
601:
595:
594:
592:
591:
585:
578:
569:
560:
559:
557:
556:
550:
543:
534:
523:
522:
520:
518:
501:
495:
494:
492:
491:
471:
368:Project Entropia
334:
218:
211:
207:
204:
198:
167:
159:
149:microtransaction
42:
30:
21:
1313:
1312:
1308:
1307:
1306:
1304:
1303:
1302:
1273:
1272:
1271:
1266:
1240:
1188:
1182:
1150:
1107:, Playerkilling
1007:
1001:
964:
963:Minor branches,
958:
927:
921:
879:
878:
875:
870:
861:
859:
845:
844:
840:
831:
829:
819:
818:
814:
805:
803:
794:
793:
789:
780:
778:
769:
768:
764:
757:
742:
741:
737:
728:
726:
716:
715:
711:
702:
700:
690:
689:
685:
676:
674:
664:
663:
656:
647:
645:
635:
634:
630:
621:
619:
615:
608:
603:
602:
598:
589:
587:
583:
576:
571:
570:
563:
554:
552:
548:
541:
536:
535:
526:
516:
514:
503:
502:
498:
489:
487:
473:
472:
465:
461:
441:
393:
381:commodification
375:and researcher
332:
326:America On-Line
315:
219:
208:
202:
199:
184:
168:
157:
28:
27:1997 video game
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1311:
1309:
1301:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1275:
1274:
1268:
1267:
1245:
1242:
1241:
1239:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1192:
1190:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1180:
1173:
1166:
1158:
1156:
1152:
1151:
1149:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1136:Video game bot
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1085:Online wedding
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1050:Hack and slash
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1011:
1009:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
968:
966:
960:
959:
957:
956:
951:
946:
941:
935:
933:
932:Major branches
929:
928:
922:
920:
919:
912:
905:
897:
891:
890:
885:
874:
873:External links
871:
869:
868:
838:
812:
787:
762:
755:
749:. New Riders.
735:
709:
683:
654:
628:
596:
561:
524:
496:
462:
460:
457:
453:addictive drug
440:
437:
415:United Nations
392:
389:
377:Richard Bartle
314:
311:
240:. As in most
221:
220:
171:
169:
162:
156:
153:
123:
122:
117:
113:
112:
104:
98:
97:
94:
90:
89:
84:
78:
77:
74:
68:
67:
62:
56:
55:
50:
44:
43:
35:
34:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1310:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1280:
1278:
1265:
1264:
1255:
1254:
1243:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1189:organizations
1185:
1179:
1178:
1174:
1171:
1167:
1165:
1164:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1153:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1131:Virtual goods
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1065:Kill stealing
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1012:
1010:
1004:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
969:
967:
961:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
936:
934:
930:
925:
918:
913:
911:
906:
904:
899:
898:
895:
889:
888:Official Wiki
886:
882:
877:
876:
872:
858:on 2006-11-09
857:
853:
849:
842:
839:
827:
823:
816:
813:
801:
797:
791:
788:
776:
772:
766:
763:
758:
756:0-13-101816-7
752:
748:
747:
739:
736:
724:
720:
713:
710:
699:on 2000-08-16
698:
694:
687:
684:
673:on 2000-08-18
672:
668:
661:
659:
655:
643:
639:
636:Feris, Buck.
632:
629:
618:on 2007-01-17
614:
607:
600:
597:
582:
575:
568:
566:
562:
547:
540:
533:
531:
529:
525:
513:
512:
507:
500:
497:
485:
481:
477:
470:
468:
464:
458:
456:
454:
451:, an in-game
450:
445:
438:
436:
434:
430:
426:
425:
418:
416:
410:
408:
404:
403:
398:
390:
388:
386:
382:
378:
374:
370:
369:
364:
363:
358:
353:
349:
347:
343:
337:
331:
327:
323:
319:
312:
310:
308:
303:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
280:
278:
274:
270:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
228:
217:
214:
206:
196:
192:
188:
182:
181:
177:
172:This section
170:
166:
161:
160:
154:
152:
150:
146:
142:
139:
135:
131:
130:
121:
118:
114:
111:
108:
105:
103:
99:
95:
91:
88:
85:
83:
79:
75:
73:
69:
66:
63:
61:
57:
54:
51:
49:
45:
41:
36:
31:
19:
1261:
1251:
1175:
1161:
1155:Publications
1075:Mob, Monster
860:. Retrieved
856:the original
851:
841:
830:. Retrieved
815:
804:. Retrieved
800:the original
790:
779:. Retrieved
765:
744:
738:
727:. Retrieved
723:the original
712:
701:. Retrieved
697:the original
686:
675:. Retrieved
671:the original
646:. Retrieved
642:the original
631:
620:. Retrieved
613:the original
599:
588:. Retrieved
581:the original
553:. Retrieved
546:the original
515:. Retrieved
509:
499:
488:. Retrieved
479:
448:
446:
442:
422:
419:
411:
400:
394:
373:Daniel James
366:
360:
354:
350:
345:
342:MMORPG-genre
338:
329:
317:
316:
304:
283:
281:
224:
209:
203:January 2013
200:
185:Please help
173:
128:
127:
126:
60:Publisher(s)
48:Developer(s)
18:Achaea (MUD)
1236:Simutronics
1008:terminology
517:October 25,
439:Controversy
433:John Romero
429:id Software
397:Leo Laporte
266:free market
234:city-states
120:Multiplayer
82:Platform(s)
1277:Categories
1187:Companies,
1177:Terra Nova
1146:Zone, Area
862:2007-01-15
832:2007-01-15
806:2007-09-28
781:2007-09-28
729:2007-01-15
703:2007-01-07
677:2007-01-17
648:2007-01-17
622:2007-01-17
590:2007-01-15
555:2007-01-17
490:2024-06-09
459:References
300:Occultists
138:text-based
136:-focused,
1283:MUD games
1006:Concepts,
824:. Wired.
269:economics
174:does not
1263:Category
1126:Twinking
1116:Spawning
1060:Immortal
1045:Grinding
1030:Cybersex
997:TinyMUCK
826:Archived
775:Archived
667:"Achaea"
511:PCGamesN
484:Archived
431:founder
292:paladins
277:politics
155:Gameplay
134:roleplay
102:Genre(s)
1211:Lysator
1040:Griefer
977:GodWars
944:DikuMUD
939:AberMUD
346:credits
313:Revenue
298:-using
288:classes
227:fantasy
195:removed
180:sources
116:Mode(s)
107:Fantasy
93:Release
1216:Kesmai
1141:Wizard
1055:Healer
1020:Avatar
992:Talker
926:(MUDs)
753:
407:TechTV
330:Achaea
318:Achaea
275:) and
273:guilds
250:quests
238:Houses
72:Engine
1206:Jagex
1196:Areae
1111:Quest
949:LPMud
616:(PDF)
609:(PDF)
584:(PDF)
577:(PDF)
549:(PDF)
542:(PDF)
449:gleam
333:'
307:ships
296:Tarot
284:rooms
132:is a
1253:List
1121:Tank
1070:Loot
987:MUSH
751:ISBN
519:2019
383:and
365:and
355:The
252:for
178:any
176:cite
96:1997
1035:God
982:MOO
972:DGD
954:MU*
405:on
189:by
110:MUD
1279::
850:.
657:^
564:^
527:^
508:.
482:.
478:.
466:^
417:.
387:.
302:.
279:.
1172:"
1168:"
916:e
909:t
902:v
865:.
835:.
809:.
784:.
759:.
732:.
706:.
680:.
651:.
625:.
593:.
558:.
521:.
493:.
216:)
210:(
205:)
201:(
197:.
183:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
