DOS Games Discussion

(Borrowed the format from /r/tipofmyjoystick on Reddit!)

Platform(s): PC, played in browser (I'm about 90% sure it was browser-based at least, but I suppose I could be mistaken on this!). Likely a Java applet, though again that's not certain.

Genre: Online RPG; I wouldn't really call it an MMO, however.

Year: Late 90s, I think. Somewhere between '96 up to 2000, most likely.

Graphics/art style: 2D prerendered art and text. A lot of the game was text, but there was a first-person viewpoint like many of the old gold box RPGs. Shadow of Yserbius is a very good approximation, though it is not that game or either of its sequels. From the like two non-thumbnail screenshots I can find of it, the now-defunct game Panumbra also looks very similar (and may in fact be what I'm thinking of, but since I can't find any more screens and the game is now dead, I can't really confirm. I don't think that's it, though).

Characters: None that immediately stick out. Players created their own characters, but I don't believe there were any visuals for PCs. Fairly certain the starting area had you fighting the standard fantasy RPG staple of rats.

Gameplay: Character creation was very involved, though unlike most goldbox-type RPGs you only made a single character. There were many different skills you could invest in at creation - multiple types of magic, combat skills for various weapon types, and *possibly* some thieving/item creation skills (though I'm less certain of that).

Other details: The game definitely wasn't too demanding, as I remember simply playing it on my father's work laptop with a dialup connection. Like I said, I wouldn't really consider it an MMO, but it was definitely multiplayer and had to be played online. I'm also wanting to think that you started the game in a sort of "safe zone" (though it still looked like a dungeon) that was instanced for you alone that had some starter equipment and newbie rats to kill, then you had to go through a blue portal to access the main game world proper.

I think I found it through an online game listing site like MPOGD or somesuch.

Also as mentioned, the Yserbius series seems very close and is practically a dead ringer, but I never paid for the game I'm thinking of or a sub to any "game zone" - it was just a completely free game I played in the browser. In fact, I doubt the game even exists anymore, but it'd be nice to find it on some old game list or some screenshots or some confirmation that I didn't just completely imagine it!

Games it definitely is not: Shadow of Yserbius or any of the other Yserbius games, Meridian 59, Neverwinter Nights, or anything in this list. I've also already checked MobyGames and the UVL.

Thanks in advance!

There is a free RPG called Dragon Court which still seems to be alive, maybe that's the one?

It was mentioned at the MPOGD site in -98 (archive.org) and what images I've seen look similar to what you describe, it was made in Java and was played in a browser. Guilds were available, but otherwise it was described as a random encounter hack&slash, from the reviews I found.

edit: looking a bit deeper, it seems the game maintainer is not active any more, so I'm not sure if it's still playable.

http://wild.ffiends.com/DCourt/Game.stm

http://www.mpogd.com/games/game.asp?id=199

After looking through the screenshots, that doesn't seem to be it, but it definitely looks like something I would have played had I known about it at the time. Good guess, thanks!

Just wanted to revive this thread since I think this is the game I've been looking for for a decade +.

I remember it had a little square "avatar" for every online player in the area. Enemies would spawn and everyone in the room could attack an enemy for XP. It played very much like a MUD but had these little graphics to it like the avatars and a little flavor picture for each area.

I had a "thief" like character who used daggers and I could go stealth. When I went "stealth" my avatar would disappear to show I was stealthed.

I used to play games everywhere so not sure where I found it, mplayer, AOL, sierra online, or whatever other various online game sites were out there.

I remember it being free but it might have had a premium way to pay for the game to get more out of it.