Island of Kesmai

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Island of Kesmai
Developer(s) Kesmai
Publisher(s) CompuServe
Release1985
Genre(s) Fantasy MUD
Mode(s) Multiplayer
Legends of Kesmai
Developer(s) Kesmai
Publisher(s) AOL, GameStorm
Release1996
Genre(s) Fantasy MUD
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Island of Kesmai was an early commercial online game in the multi-user dungeon (MUD) genre, innovative in its use of roguelike pseudo-graphics. It is considered a major forerunner of modern massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs).

Contents

Launch date

In the summer of 1980 University of Virginia classmates John Taylor and Kelton Flinn wrote Dungeons of Kesmai, a six player game inspired by Dungeons & Dragons which used Roguelike ASCII graphics. They founded the Kesmai company in 1982 and in 1985 an enhanced version of Dungeons of Kesmai, Island of Kesmai, was launched on CompuServe. Later, its 2-D graphical descendant Legends of Kesmai was launched on AOL in 1996. The games were retired commercially in 2000. [1]

Price to play

The game was available on CompuServe for no additional charge, but CompuServe charged $6 per hour for 300 baud or $12 per hour for 1200 baud access rates. The game processed one command every 10 seconds, which equates to 12⁄3 cents per command. Players could also order an optional 181-page game manual from Compuserve for $16.50. [2]

Game characteristics

After logging into Compuserve and selecting to play Island of Kesmai, the user was allowed to create a character. After creating a character, the next step was to enter the chat room. From the chat room, the user could enter the virtual world.

The game interface was two dimensional and scrolled unless you downloaded and installed a GUI. [3] The interface has often been called roguelike in that it borrowed features of game-play from a game called Rogue . The game used a Dungeons & Dragons -like turn-based play. Players moved in tiles on a grid utilizing short commands or key presses. Items could be found on the floor of the dungeon as symbols — as could mobs to fight.

One of the notable game play systems was the ability to perform quests for various rewards. [3] These choreographed progressions represented some of the first online questing systems which would become a significant aspect of the wildly popular future MMORPGs such as EverQuest and World of Warcraft .

Setting

The island of Kesmai was divided into five regions that totalled 62,000 discrete locations, was populated by 2500 creatures and non-player characters, and could support up to 100 simultaneous players. [2]

In 1988, with many players approaching the maximum character level, the new lands of Torii and Annwn were introduced. Promotional material promised "more powerful weapons, tougher monsters, and a variety of treasures". Players could only travel to those lands when they had reached the island's maximum character level, and once they had travelled to the new regions, they could never return to the island. [2]

Legends of Kesmai

Legends of Kesmai (LOK) was among the first successful graphical multi-player online role-playing games. It was based on a slightly stripped down version of Island of Kesmai with 2D sprites replacing IoK's roguelike pseudo-graphics, and was available for play at America Online and GameStorm. Prior to that, Kesmai corporation ran a long open beta for the game, as well as hosting the game for a short period of time in the mid 1990s. In 1999 Electronic Arts bought Kesmai and in 2000 closed the business. [1] [4]

Reception

Patricia Fitzgibbons reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World , and stated that "even telegamers who have become jaded with D&D-type programs perk up when they're adventuring with a party of real people. The best MP games allow players to interact and cooperate as well as compete with one another. IOK is a prime example of this facility". [5]

In the December 1987 edition of Dragon (Issue 128), Cheryl Peterson gave an in-depth examination of the game, noting it could be used by "anyone with a personal computer and a modem" and that it was unique at that point in time due to the interaction between players. She also noted that this was a game where "there is no real winner in any session. The point is for players to enjoy themselves and have fun". [6]

Related Research Articles

A MUD is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, usually text-based or storyboarded. 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, and non-player characters, and perform actions in the virtual world that are typically also described. Players typically interact with each other and the world by typing commands that resemble a natural language, as well as using a character typically called an avatar.

A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roguelike</span> Subgenre of role-playing video games

Roguelike is a subgenre of role-playing computer games traditionally characterized by a dungeon crawl through procedurally generated levels, turn-based gameplay, grid-based movement, and permanent death of the player character. Most roguelikes are based on a high fantasy narrative, reflecting their influence from tabletop role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.

<i>Wizardry</i> Series of role-playing video games

Wizardry is a series of role-playing video games, developed by Sir-Tech, that were highly influential in the evolution of modern role-playing video games. The original Wizardry was a significant influence on early console role-playing games such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Originally made for the Apple II, the games were later ported to other platforms. The last game in the original series by Sir-Tech was Wizardry 8, released in 2001. There have since been various spin-off titles developed for the Japanese market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GEnie</span> Online service by General Electric (1985–1999)

GEnie was an online service created by a General Electric business, GEIS, that ran from 1985 through the end of 1999. In 1994, GEnie claimed around 350,000 users. Peak simultaneous usage was around 10,000 users. It was one of the pioneering services in the field, though eventually replaced by the World Wide Web and graphics-based services, most notably AOL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Role-playing video game</span> Video game genre

A role-playing video game, commonly referred to as a role-playing game (RPG) or computer role-playing game (CRPG), is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character immersed in some well-defined world, usually involving some form of character development by way of recording statistics. Many role-playing video games have origins in tabletop role-playing games and use much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. Other major similarities with pen-and-paper games include developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replay value and immersion. The electronic medium removes the necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text-based console-window games into visually rich 3D experiences.

A massively multiplayer online game is an online video game with a large number of players on the same server. MMOs usually feature a huge, persistent open world, although there are games that differ. These games can be found for most network-capable platforms, including the personal computer, video game console, or smartphones and other mobile devices.

<i>Air Warrior</i> 1987 video game

Air Warrior was a multiplayer online combat flight simulation game launched by Kesmai in 1987. It was hosted on GEnie and used that service as a server for client software running on a variety of personal computers. It underwent continual improvement through its decade-long lifetime with Kesmai, appearing on new platforms and host services. Electronic Arts purchased Air Warrior in 1999, and became provider of the game, but it was discontinued in 2001. Sequels Air Warrior II and Air Warrior III were both released in 1997 and published by Interactive Magic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Procedural generation</span> Method in which data is created algorithmically as opposed to manually

In computing, procedural generation is a method of creating data algorithmically as opposed to manually, typically through a combination of human-generated assets and algorithms coupled with computer-generated randomness and processing power. In computer graphics, it is commonly used to create textures and 3D models. In video games, it is used to automatically create large amounts of content in a game. Depending on the implementation, advantages of procedural generation can include smaller file sizes, larger amounts of content, and randomness for less predictable gameplay. Procedural generation is a branch of media synthesis.

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Permadeath or permanent death is a game mechanic in both tabletop games and video games in which player characters who lose all of their health are considered dead and cannot be used anymore. Depending on the situation, this could require the player to create a new character to continue, or completely restart the game potentially losing nearly all progress made. Other terms include persona death and player death. Some video games offer a hardcore mode that features this mechanic, rather than making it part of the core game.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelton Flinn</span> American computer game designer

Kelton Flinn is an American computer game designer who is a major pioneer in online games. He is a co-founder of the seminal online game company Kesmai, which they began in 1982. His best known title is the first graphical multi-player online game offered by a major service, Air Warrior (1987).

Kesmai was a pioneering game developer and online game publisher, founded in 1981 by Kelton Flinn and John Taylor. The company was best known for the combat flight sim Air Warrior on the GEnie online service, one of the first graphical MMOGs, launched in 1987. They also developed an ASCII-based MUD, Island of Kesmai, which ran on CompuServe.

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Neverwinter Nights was an early multiplayer online role-playing game to display graphics, and ran from 1991 to 1997 on AOL.

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<i>Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands</i> 1996 video game

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John R. Taylor III is an American computer game designer, serial entrepreneur and massively multiplayer online game pioneer. He is a co-founder of the game company Kesmai, which they founded in 1981. In 2011, Taylor was awarded the Online Game Legend Award by the Computer Game Developers Association.

References

  1. 1 2 Mulligan, Jessica; Patrovsky, Bridgette (2003). Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide. New Riders. pp. 447, 463. ISBN   1-59273-000-0. 1985 [...] "My memory says that Island of Kesmai went live on CompuServe on December 15, 1985, after a very long internal test. The price was actually $6 an hour for 300 baud, $12 for 1200 baud. Serious players paid the bucks." — Kelton Flinn [...] 2000 [...] In May, Electronics Arts announces the shutdown of most of the Kesmai games, including Legends of Kesmai and Air Warrior Classic.
  2. 1 2 3 Maher, Jimmy (2017-12-22). "Games on the Net Before the Web, Part 3: The Persistent Multiplayer CRPG". The Digital Antiquarian. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  3. 1 2 Maloni, Kelly; Baker, Derek; Wice, Nathaniel (1994). Net Games . Random House / Michael Wolff & Company, Inc. pp.  95. ISBN   0-679-75592-6. Island of Kesmai You know a game has a steep learning curve when there are five file libraries on the subject, in this case in CompuServer's MPGAMES Forum. First of all, make your life easier and download one of the front-end shareware programs. You'll also want to download maps of the various areas, so you know where you're going. ¶ Fluid world ¶ Once you get the hang of all this, you'll find Kesmai to be a remarkably fluid world—there's no main goal to achieve, just adventure after adventure. And when you're not on a particular quest, join others in a hunting party and go after some big-time game (and treasure). Get enough experience points and you can find your way out of Kesmai and into the other segments of the game, eventually leaving the basic game entirely for the more-challenging Advanced Game. ¶ Kesmai is a multiplayer game in the truest sense: killing other players is forbidden, and stealing from them (even if you're a thief) is frowned upon. There are so many other ways to perish here, however, that you'll probably be thankful you have to leave fellow players alive—they can help you.
  4. ↑ Caron, Frank (2008-02-26). "A look at the studios EA has bought and shuttered". Ars Technica . Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  5. ↑ Fitzgibbons, Patricia (June–July 1986). "Island of Kesmai". Computer Gaming World. Vol. 1, no. 29. pp. 30–31.
  6. ↑ Peterson, Cheryl (December 1987). "The Island in Your Computer". Dragon . No. 128. TSR, Inc. pp. 69–73.
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