Xyllomer

Last updated
Xyllomer
Xyllomer logo.gif
Developer(s) Project community
Engine DGD
Platform(s) Platform independent
Release1991
Genre(s) Medieval fantasy RP MUD
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Xyllomer is a MUD, a text-based online role-playing game, founded in 1991 as PaderMUD (after the University of Paderborn, where it was hosted). [1] It was the first publicly accessible MUD to use Dworkin's Game Driver. It has been hosted in Germany throughout its history.

A MUD is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, usually text-based. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat. Players can read or view descriptions of rooms, objects, other players, non-player characters, and actions performed in the virtual world. Players typically interact with each other and the world by typing commands that resemble a natural language.

Role-playing game Game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making regarding character development. Actions taken within many games succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines.

DGD, Dworkin's Game Driver, is an LPMud server written by Felix A. "Dworkin" Croes. DGD pioneered important technical innovations in MUDs, particularly disk-based object storage, full world persistence, separation of concerns between driver and mudlib, runtime morphism, automatic garbage collection, lightweight objects and LPC-to-C compilation.

Contents

Game characteristics

Xyllomer's setting is medieval fantasy in theme. [2] Roleplaying is enforced, [3] with strict penalties for improper out-of-character behavior, including conducting out-of-character communication through in-character channels. [2] [4] Game mechanics are hidden behind abstractions so as to enhance immersiveness. [5]

Game mechanics are methods invoked by agents designed for interaction with the game state, thus providing gameplay. All games use mechanics; however, there are different theories as to their ultimate importance to the game. In general, the process and study of game design are efforts to come up with game mechanics that allow for people playing a game to have an engaging, but not necessarily fun, experience.

Xyllomer supports a gameinfo command at its initial login screen to help new players orient themselves. [6]

History

A screenshot of one of the several login screens Xyllomer displays Xyllomer login.png
A screenshot of one of the several login screens Xyllomer displays

In 1992, PaderMUD ported from its original LPMud 2.4.5 infrastructure to the CD gamedriver and mudlib. [7]

LPMud, abbreviated LP, is a family of MUD server software. Its first instance, the original LPMud game driver, was developed in 1989 by Lars Pensjö. LPMud was innovative in its separation of the MUD infrastructure into a virtual machine and a development framework written in the LPC programming language.

In 1993, PaderMUD ported from the CD driver to DGD, becoming the first public DGD MUD. [8]

In 1995, PaderMUD changed its name to Xyllomer. [9]

In 1996, Xyllomer moved to its own dedicated server, which has been funded by the players through donations. Previously, it had been hosted on a server owned by the University of Paderborn. [7]

In 2004, Xyllomer's login screen was quoted as an example of civic-minded warnings issued to players regarding the time-consuming nature of MUDs. [10]

In 2010, Xyllomer has been upgraded to the latest DGD version and the wizards started to transform it into a permanent world setup.

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References

  1. ↑ Busey, Andrew (1995). Secrets of the MUD Wizards. SAMS Publishing. p. 456. ISBN   0-672-30723-5. PaderMUD MUD IP Name Address: mud.uni-paderborn.de [...] MUD Type: DGD (LPMUD)
  2. 1 2 "Xyllomer: The Mud Concept". Xyllomer. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  3. ↑ "Gameplay Information". Xyllomer. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  4. ↑ Batinic, Bernad; Reips, Ulf-Dietrich; Bosnjak, Michael (2002-06-15). Online Social Sciences. Hogrefe & Huber Publishing. p. 276. ISBN   0-88937-257-8. [...] is so strongly stressed that private conversations have to be transferred into special out-of-character channels (see for example http://www.xyllomer.de:80/l_guide.html#part3).
  5. ↑ Janus, Ulrich; Janus, Ludwig. Abenteuer in anderen Welten[Adventures in Other Worlds] (in German). Psychosozial Verlag. pp. 167, 168. ISBN   3-89806-737-8. [pp. 167] Damit das Rollenspiel nicht durch technische Details gestört wird, bleiben in Xyllomer die Zahlenwerte für Erfahrungspunkte und Eigenschaften des Spielers so weit wie möglich hinter Umschreibungen verborgen. [pp. 168] Auch Xyllomer lebt daher von der technischen Weiterentwicklung durch die Wizards und von der zahlreichen Anwesenheit seiner Spieler. [pp. 167] So that technical details do not interfere with roleplay, in Xyllomer the numerical values for experience points and the character's statistics are hidden behind abstractions as much as possible. [pp. 168] And Xyllomer lives on because of the technical development of the Wizards and the presence of its many players.
  6. ↑ Hoffman, Allan (1995). 50 Fun Ways to Internet. Book-mart Press. p. 116. ISBN   1-56414-176-4. If you have trouble connecting to Muddy Waters, or if you want to explore another MUD, try PaderMUD at either mud.uni-paderborn.de 3000 or padermud.uni-paderborn.de 3000. Like Muddy Waters, PaderMUD allows you to log in with the name gameinfo to get yourself oriented.
  7. 1 2 "The History of this world". Xyllomer. April 2001. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  8. ↑ Reese, George (1996-03-11). "LPMud Timeline" . Retrieved 2010-04-14. December 1993 ¶ PaderMUD re-opens after having converted from CD to DGD, making PaderMUD the first production MUD using DGD.
  9. ↑ Reese, George (1996-03-11). "LPMud Timeline" . Retrieved 2010-04-14. August 1995 ¶ PaderMUD changes its name to Xyllomer.
  10. ↑ Wolf, Dominik (2004). Der einsame Spieler: Vereinsamung durch Internetspiele[The Lone Gamer: Isolation by Internet Games] (in German). GRIN Verlag. p. 21. ISBN   978-3-638-68413-2. Bei einigen MUDs erscheinen sogar Warnhinweise auf dem Bildschirm, bevor man sich einloggen kann, wie hierzu sehen bei dem MUD Xyllomer: "This might become a very time-consuming system if you start to use it, it might take effect on your real-life, especially on your studies! Consider this before you start spending your time here!" [In some MUDs, warnings even appear on the screen before you can log in, as seen in the MUD Xyllomer: "This might become a very time-consuming system if you start to use it, it might take effect on your real-life, especially on your studies! Consider this before you start spending your time here!"]
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