Best Text Based RPG I've Ever Played

[TruthBringer]

Some may be happy to know that play.net >> GemStone IV currently has a Summer special going where they are offering their platinum memberships for 2 months free. Can't beat free right? I don't use the platinum I use the regular $14.95 per month membership because I can afford that. Most people can still afford that in reality. Thats only a little over $100.00 a year. Not bad if you ask me. But anyways, here's the offer from the staff that they posted over there on the site:

Free Platinum Summer Trials!

Posted on 7/7/2009 3:46:43 PM by the Webstaff

For the months of July and August, you're invited to give our Platinum community a try... for free!

The tight-knit, amazing community is full of players who have the same desire for adventure and storylines as you! Take advantage of the opportunity to participate in one of the many MHO events, earn a custom title or unique rewards while participating in stories (both player and staff driven), make long lasting relationships with others, and create amazing memories as you explore the wonderful world of Elanthia together. And do all of it at our expense!

What this means is that you will have two months of fun with everyone involved in the Platinum community, from the players and GameMasters to the wonderful world of Elanthia. Our focus is on you, the players, and creating an immersive and interactive world for you to engage each other within. There will be raffles, merchants, a festival exclusive to Platinum, and the annual Frontier Days celebration - all during those two months alone! Stick around after the trial and take part in an epic, Platinum-exclusive storyline encompassing all of Elanthia as the Fall season comes in full, and follow up with the ever popular Ebon Gate festival as the year comes to an end.

The Platinum community invites you to come and rediscover the imagination and adventure of today's Gemstone IV!

(This offer only valid for GemStone customers who have not had an active Platinum subscription within the last 6 months.)

https://www.play.net/gs4/news.asp?id=149

[TruthBringer]

Here is the official Gemstone 4 Players created message Board where people go to talk about the game. Perhaps those interested in playing could learn more about the game by visiting it?

The Gemstone IV Players' Corner - Powered by vBulletin

[cooldude94]

I played a better game, though I don't remember what It was called.

[TruthBringer]

Gemstone is one of the first MMORPG's ever created and it is one of the longest running online games still active.

With Gemstone 4, The gameplay differs from most MMORPGs in two ways.

Firstly, while players can (and do) group together to better slay evil creatures, this is not compulsory nor necessary; a single character, if played wisely, can be self-sufficient. Secondly, this is a game for those wishing to invest a long time playing, and advancement is steady and lengthy. It has been calculated that if a player spent 8 hours playing a day, every day, it would take a little over three and a half years to reach the maximum level of 100. Compare this to WoW, where a few months play will quickly get you to the maximum.

In other words, games like WoW just aren't challenging enough for a hard core gamer. If it was, it would take alot longer and be alot tougher to reach the maximum level in WoW.

With Gemstone, development of the game is ongoing, with a dedicated team of staff and an equally loyal player base.

I have played on Gemstone for over 2 years, and am so far showing no signs of becoming bored. I know people on there who feel the same after ten years. If you're looking for something that's a little more immersive than the typical MMORPG, can support itself without the need for flashy graphics, and has a long history and established playerbase, than Gemstone is the game for you.

I just think Gemstone 4 is alot more in depth than other MUDS.

In Gemstone 4, you move through the game by walking through "rooms," which are vividly described as you enter. The descriptions are generally top-notch, showing some real imagination and knowledge on the part of those who design these things. As you move from room to room, there are working doors, ladders, tunnels, portals, trapdoors, caves, arches, and various other means of entrance and egress, to lend variety and realism. In addition, many rooms have hidden exits, which you must search for - but find only if your character possesses sufficient skill.

Characters are several and varied, framed so that the different races and professions essentially need each other for spells, items, services, and other things. This encourages interaction among players, and seems to work well.

Gemstone IV is now over 18 years old, and is the longest running game of its kind. The world of Elanthia is dynamic. Characters in Gemstone have a lot more options open to them as well. You could choose to become a Master Fletcher, Blacksmith, or Cobbler. Mining/Smelting is currently in the works. Alchemy has been introduced. One of the better improvements, in my opinion, was the addition of the Adventurer's Guild. This is a reward system, and is completely optional. With Gemstone 4, There is no software to purchase.

Plus, with Gemstone 4, you get quite a varied and useful cast, made more so by the fact that each sort of character can be created using any of the many races that Gemstone offers to players: Sylvan, the slight and agile; Elf, the slight and strong; Half-Elf, stronger and not so slight; Halfling, the littlest and quickest; Human, among the strongest and ablest; Dark Elf, very strong, but dark at heart; Dwarf, very strong and spirited; and Giantman, the strongest but rather clumsy. Combining these races with the various character types makes for terrific roleplay.

Of course, none of this would be much fun without monsters to slay. When a character is young, it has an abundance of low level monsters to fight, but as it grows older and more skilled it can successfully fight higher level beasts, for better treasure.

With G4, you get auctions, special merchants, and other events to keep things moving for those temporarily weary of the hunt. The Items are richly detailed, with descriptions and properties.

With Gemstone, the interaction is often evocative. Characters can marry, adopt other characters as their children, and weave intricate histories combining each other's stories often in epic sagas of tragedy and glory. They can fight each other (although this is frowned upon by Simutronics), over squabbles, love, money, and other disagreements. They can join forces to face a superior critter, hunt these and share the treasure among the entire hunting party. They can own houses and general stores, complete with user-selected furnishings. But most of all, players form friendships, many of which transcend the game. There are even Simutronics Conventions (Simu-Cons) which players can attend, meet each other in real life, don imaginative (and often expensive) costumes, and sometimes form intimate relationships.

Ultimately, Gemstone IV offers an escape from the dreary day-to-day lives that most of us imagine we lead. Who does not prefer to rush off on noble quests, battle evil monsters, defend home and hearth, hunt cunning prey, and learn useful survival skills whose merits are immediately obvious, rather than sit in rush hour traffic for hours, knowing you're going to do the exact same thing tomorrow and the next day.

Gemstone IV is compelling, intricately detailed, heroic, and grand. It is magnificent fun.

Gemstone 4 can make for a much more imersive world without people running around with the name "HAxor!#AH$(A)" talking about how their mom wont let them go to the movies.

Also, Gemstone 4 has a 25,000 word manual. That's incredible. And very useful. Gemstone 4 has an interactive language system that is incorporated into the game.

http://www.play.net/gs4/

[TruthBringer]

Here's a crude video of Gemstone 4 that I snapped yesterday but at least it gives you a small glimpse of what Gemstone 4 is like:

YouTube - Gemstone 4 (Ultra Mud)

[TruthBringer]

YouTube - The Greatest Mud Ever Created

[TruthBringer]

New Gemstone 4 video fresh outta the box:

YouTube - Greatest RPG Game Ever!!! GemStone IV

[TruthBringer]

Some weapons in game:

YouTube - Some Weapons You Can Get In GemStone IV MMORPG MUD

Some armor in game:

YouTube - Some Armor You Can Get In GemStone IV MMORPG MUD

A Bank in game:

YouTube - One Of The Many Banks In GemStone IV MMORPG MUD

A music shop in game:

YouTube - One Of The Music Shops In In GemStone IV MMORPG MUD

[TruthBringer]

Looks like someone posted this GS4 video yesterday on youtube:

YouTube - Gemstone IV Skull Temple hunt

[TruthBringer]

Two more brand new GS4 Videos done today:

YouTube - The Path To Darkstone Castle (Gemstone IV MMORPG)

YouTube - Hunting For Trolls In Gemstone 4 MMORPG