FAQ
From BattletechMUX
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All about BattletechMUX
What is Battletech?
Battletech is a fictional universe set in the distant future. A number of large to small factions are all fighting for their space in the stars, using the massive 13 meter tall war machines called Battlemechs to destroy one another under their cold ferro fibrous feet.
Most BattletechMUXs deal with some place in the Battletech universe and follow the Battletech literature to some degree, others choose to create an entirely different storyline.
So what is this BattletechMUX thing?
BattletechMUX is a server for a text-based realtime rendition of Battletech, the popular boardgame that was pioneered by FASA (now owned by WizKids). However, instead of using a table-top system like in the traditional boardgame, BattletechMUXs are persistent games which are enjoyed by people all over the world rather than gathered around a table. Players may take to the front lines on a variety of different games all built differently by different people. Some may be team oriented, others may focus on the individual. Some may emphasize sneaky, infiltration missions, others may be home to large-scale battles. BattletechMUX is varied and rich enough to provide different kinds of play styles.
BattletechMUX primarily uses rules that are now called Classic Battletech, which are maintained by FanPro and hosted via ClassicBattletech.com. Most of the game is crafted using the Classic Battletech Master Rules (BMR), along with secondary and optional sources such as Maxtech and Solaris VII Map Pack. While we've tried to stay as true to the "normal" rules, we have had to make some adaptations since our game is real-time and the board game is turn-based. Along with accurate rules, we also have the vast majority of all FASA and Classic Battletech units available for use within BattletechMUX games.
How much does it cost to play?
All BattletechMUXs currently in existance are free. It is unlikely that this will ever change due to the open nature of the community and the licensing that goes along with the source code that run the games. While some games may accept donations, you can almost assume with certainty that all games, present and future, will remain free to play.
Why would I ever want to play a text based game when we have beautiful graphical games like MechWarrior 4 and Mech Commander?
This is a very common question and the answer varies from person to person. But I'd like to point out a few things that make text games a viable (not necessarily superior for everyone) way to spend time:
- Mech Commander, MechWarrior 4, and other such games see updates on a rare basis outside of patches. Expansions do come out sometimes, but not a whole lot. A BattletechMUX may go through periods where multiple changes, improvements, and expansions happen in a single day. Time normally spent on creating pretty graphics is instead used to pump out anywhere from a small change to a massive update.
- With a graphical game, your interpretation of what is in front of you is handled by the graphics. On a text based game, your imagination renders the scene that is before you, which many people find to be much more immersive than even the "prettiest" graphical game.
- Text based games are inheritently more social than graphical ones. Due to the lack of graphics, people must communicate and work with each other via written language rather than a mixture or purely graphical. Many people make lifelong friends on MUX/MUDs, and go on to play other various MU*s together over the years.
- The large majority of text-based games are free whereas one of the above graphical titles may run you anywhere from $20-$50.
- If you are the coding type, you can grab the source and start your own text game.
How do you pilot a 100 ton Battlemech via text?
Piloting units on a BattletechMUX was traditionally done with a MU* Client without any capability to display anything but text. While this it is completely possible to be a great pilot with a normal MU* Client, a graphical HUD is typically used to assist in piloting now.
A HUD-Capable MU* Client graphically displays information from the game, making it easier to operate your units. The current popular HUDs are:
- THUD (Anything with Java Runtime 1.5 - Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac, Etc.)
- A stable, Java-based client that will work on almost any machine. Not as feature-rich as Xpertmud.
- Xpertmud (Windows, Linux)
- A client with an aggressive feature set. A bit buggy but very functional.
So how do I get playing?
Depending on what kind of game you're interested in, look through the game links on this site and find one to start with. Read the instructions on the site's page for more details. A list of the current popular games with getting-started guides on here:
Can I start my own?
Absolutely. But the process of building a BattletechMUX is not for the feint of heart. Using a simple internal language called softcode, you may create just about whatever you can imagine. However, there is a whole lot to learn and it is strongly recommended that potential admins spend some time playing on an existing game before starting their own.
If you want to take a shot at creating a BattletechMUX, visit the Wiki page on Getting and Updating the BTMux source. From there you'll need to utilize some of the community resources to learn the ropes.
