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View Full Version : Is their still a market for text-based games?


mjfroggy
06-24-2008, 10:24 PM
Hello all,

So I did not know what category to put this post in and this one seems to be the closest to where it would go.

Basically I wanted to get some feedback from the community here we have seen a boom with game server hosting. More and more kids/teens/adults even playing online rpg's

However are people still into playing text-based role playing games? I mean what is everones opinion on if their was a text-based game that had a good theme/story line but it was text based would you play it, if it was free to play??

post your feedback thanks :-)

Coolraul
06-24-2008, 11:13 PM
Personally no but I was never into them to begin with except for a VERY brief period of time wth Zork.

Does OGame and Cybernations qualify as text based role playing? If so then I am sure that it is a viable form of game.

DNGeeks
06-25-2008, 03:20 AM
If you consider a game like Dragons Kingdom "text" based then yes, I do think there is something of a market.

Dragons Kingdom is a browser based game, that include images and text. It is interactive (somewhat) with other players in that you can fight them, but it's mostly read the screen, make a decision and read some more.

Last year I sold a game site that had about 50 active players daily (2000+ registered) of DK for $500. For the buyer it was about ad exposure, as the site turned over a LOT of page views while people played.

johnny-l
06-25-2008, 05:53 AM
Hello all,

So I did not know what category to put this post in and this one seems to be the closest to where it would go.

Basically I wanted to get some feedback from the community here we have seen a boom with game server hosting. More and more kids/teens/adults even playing online rpg's

However are people still into playing text-based role playing games? I mean what is everones opinion on if their was a text-based game that had a good theme/story line but it was text based would you play it, if it was free to play??

post your feedback thanks :-)

If you mean what traditionally is called a MUD , i definitely think NO.
If you mean a web based game, yes.

Mike - Limestone
06-25-2008, 09:25 AM
There seems to be a market for text-based game among more experienced Internet users, especially those who frequently use Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or similar protocols.

I think that game content and features have more of an impact on popularity than the specific delivery method (whether text or graphics). I have used text-based games in the past, and I would again in the future.

-mike

xaero
06-25-2008, 12:08 PM
I have a clone of ogmae (called xnova) that is open source and i have converted it from french to english as best i could. http://www.debianbox.net/xnova ) Alot of my coworkers and friends enjoy it. Mostly because you can turn up the speed and it doesnt take months to make a game good. right now were at 10x the ogame speed


feel free to join in:agree:

phantom-hosting
06-25-2008, 02:39 PM
There is a lot of room for any type of game, You just have to make it interesting enough to bring the players. Although I do agree visual games get more people, but myself I play all sorts of games when I get bored.

So in my opinion yes there is always room for hosting more.

mjfroggy
06-26-2008, 12:28 AM
Thanks all for your comments.I have been looking at alot of "Mud" text based games and I always thing ughhh how can anyone find it fun toplay this is all just reading and ugly gui's

I asked my origional question because I am playing with the idea of starting a web based text based game. Something prettyer then a mud text based game but not fully graphics based eaither.

Thanks all for your comments :-)

blomstervand
07-03-2008, 02:32 AM
travian is a text based game as far as i know with pictures and multimedia, and i think its important to include now a days. Also search "Legend of the Green Dragon", its a plain text game with no pictures in it that attracts ALOT of visitors, its very popular and can easily be modified with mods and all that.

JordanJ
07-03-2008, 12:16 PM
http://games.swirve.com/utopia/

Over 80,000 active players!

RDOSTI
07-03-2008, 12:31 PM
If you have a demo and would like me or someone else to have a look...I like games and I love story based ones..Id love to help and see if its any good or fun...Im sure if its good and fun yes ...might still click.

A lot of people say its outdated...isnt that what people thought about books..you get audio books now..yet you still like reading...

I think it could connect if its good and something on a higher level (Extra ordinary)

Regards

ababmxking
07-04-2008, 01:22 AM
Me and my friend are currently working on a racing text based game, although there really isnt much racing just somewhat of some strategy and overall i think the reason people like this style of game is because its simple but you have always have a goal that you want to reach.

www[dot]racing-generation[dot]com

We only learned how to code in php like 4 or 5 months ago and have probally spent like 2 and a half months working on it. Theres still quite a bit before its 100% done to our standards but it is playable right now.

mjfroggy
07-05-2008, 10:01 AM
Hey all,

Thanks for the continued comments. I actually don't have any part of the game truly play-able yet. Although it will be a cool game with use of some graphics, as well as player interaction with other players (via chat and player vs player attacks), we will also have in-game celebrations and surprise events that happen in the game. The game has been on the drawing board for a few months now (with sketch's of the characters being drawn up and the towns/land map being orginized. My plan is to become a real competitor of games like http://www.bat.org (who's site looks better then the game itself in my opinion) as well as other large games like the game Utopia mentioned by another poster. What will set us apart is the use of high end graphics along with some features/functions that are not all available in the typical text based game.

I plan to open a website soon so people can start to read the history and become interested in the game. Which is titled
"Haskalah: Rebirth" Domain just registered today. :-)

RDOSTI
07-06-2008, 08:10 AM
Well let us know if you want some testers or players :)

xaero
07-07-2008, 11:17 AM
Me and my friend are currently working on a racing text based game, although there really isnt much racing just somewhat of some strategy and overall i think the reason people like this style of game is because its simple but you have always have a goal that you want to reach.

www[dot]racing-generation[dot]com

We only learned how to code in php like 4 or 5 months ago and have probally spent like 2 and a half months working on it. Theres still quite a bit before its 100% done to our standards but it is playable right now.

I was thinking about building a drag racing type game as well... i have a couple other ideas and would love to hear your thoughts on them... PM me or something so i can share them with you

ababmxking
07-08-2008, 01:14 AM
i added you to msn xaero, for some reason i cant private msg, i guess its because of my post count. but my msn is ababmxking@msn.com and my display name is ABABMXKING -OWNER- Twizted Development

HBZSoftware
07-08-2008, 09:34 PM
The answer is probably no. Do you play text-based games? Do you know ANYONE that does?

spacehosting
07-08-2008, 09:50 PM
yes they isn't a great deal about at the minute to be honest.

Main 2

www.frog-life.com (http://www.frog-life.com)

www.alienaa.com (http://www.alienaa.com)

I currently play www.modern-mobsters.net

ababmxking
07-09-2008, 09:36 AM
gbzsoftware, i know like 2,000 that play game thats like mine, and over 100,000 registered on it, and then other text based games have well over 500,000 registered, and a good amount that play

mjfroggy
07-12-2008, 01:30 PM
If a text based game was .99cents to register (to play). Does everyone think that would limit the amount of people that would sign up to play??

I am just trying to think of a way my game can make a bit of $$ without having to post adds all over the site.
I am also thinking maybe of selling some of the sound track (music) that is some how going to be used on the website for the game as well as sell t-shirts and other merchandise related to the game.

For all who is interested I am still developing my story line for my game and so far have only outlined two characters. But the land/cities have all been outlined as seen on my site. I may but up a forum soon on the site just to start generating some feedback on the concept.

WHTer
07-12-2008, 03:15 PM
Yes.

Check out cybernations.net

A very very successful text based game.

Although you're better off offering it for free, and then getting revenue from donations, ads, and perhaps give people some inventive to donate, etc...

GixxerPC
09-02-2008, 03:27 PM
MUDs are still active, however its hard to get in the market for them.

manicone2008
09-25-2008, 02:51 PM
To me, it doesn't if it text-based or not. It all depends on the game play.

tati
09-30-2008, 10:55 PM
There seems to be a market for text-based game among more experienced Internet users, especially those who frequently use Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or similar protocols.

I think that game content and features have more of an impact on popularity than the specific delivery method (whether text or graphics). I have used text-based games in the past, and I would again in the future. <<<<<<<<<<<<

Shannara
10-01-2008, 07:01 PM
As I know personally, there is a HUGE market for text based games, if the following are met:

1. the game is 100% free.
2. you fund it 100% by yourself (for coding), and use the user base for other development such as graphics (if any), music, ideas, features, etc.

Realms of Kaos comes to mind as such a game.