Line #35 VideoGame/AvatarPLATO


1	%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are commented out.
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3	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/baby_uranus_2410.png]]
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5	''Avatar'' is a multiplayer DungeonCrawling RolePlayingGame for the [[Platform/MainframesAndMinicomputers PLATO Network]], created in 1977-79 by Bruce Maggs, Andrew Shapira, and David Sides. It was one of the most popular games on the network, and was updated several times over the years. It's similar to the earlier ''VideoGame/{{Moria\|PLATO}}'', but more advanced and more closely based on ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' rules. The first version was released in 1979.
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7	Players create an HonestRollsCharacter, of one of ten races. You start in the city, and as a member of the Nomad guild. From here, you join with other players to create a party, and go adventuring in the dungeon. You could go in alone, but you won't have all the skills needed to survive and collect treasure. The dungeon is many levels of rooms and corridors filled with monsters, traps, and treasure chests. There is no final goal, other than reaching the bottom of the dungeon and defeating the most powerful monsters. Returning from the dungeon, you can visit a store, put your gold in a bank (monsters may steal it if you have it on you), join other guilds (depending on your character's race and stats), or visit a morgue where you can revive dead characters.
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9	The guilds are not only places to find people; they affect which spells you can cast, and which items you can carry. The guilds are where you increase your CharacterLevel, and they give you quests. In addition to Nomad, you can join one guild for free, and you can [[JobSystem switch that guild]] in the city. Further guild memberships cost gold, as does leveling up.
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11	Avatar was probably the first RPG videogame to run into the economic problems of modern [=MMORPGs=]. There is a finite amount of gold in the game, and as time goes on it moves from the monsters to the players. As the monsters run out of gold, the game becomes much harder for new players. A GameMaster is needed to manage each session's money, by deleting abandoned characters or periodically resetting the game.
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13	Also included a LevelEditor where you could make your own dungeon maps.
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15	Still online at [[http://www.cyber1.org/ cyber1.org]]. A simulation of ''Avatar'' is also available free at http://www.javatar.org/.
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17	Not to be confused with [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender the cartoon]] or [[{{Film/Avatar}} the movie]], or the video games based on either of those.
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19	----
20	!!''Avatar'' provides examples of:
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22	%%* AnEconomyIsYou: There is only one store in the city.
23	%% * AntiMagic: Traps in the dungeon.
24	* BackFromTheDead: Characters can be resurrected in the Morgue. Some versions of the game actually allow dead characters to find their way through afterlife levels and back to life.
25	%% * CriticalExistenceFailure
26	%% * CriticalHit: Joining certain guilds allows your character to do this.
27	%% * DungeonCrawling
28	%% * ExponentialPotential: With enough gold, you can join as many guilds as you like.
29	%% * FauxFirstPerson3D
30	%% * FetchQuest: Handed out by the guilds.
31	%% * FighterMageThief: The best three-person party.
32	%% * HitPoints
33	* HonestRollsCharacter: Each starting character stat is determined strictly by rolling three (virtual) six-sided dice.
34	%% * JobSystem
35	%%* KleptomaniacHero: Pretty much the point of the game.
36	%% * LevelEditor
37	* MoneySpider: The monsters in the dungeon drop money. At least until they run out of money.
38	* MonsterAllies: If you have enough Charisma, you can induce monsters to join you rather than fighting you.
39	%% * OneWordTitle
40	%% * {{Plunder}}
41	%% * PreexistingEncounters
42	%%* PressXToDie: Teleporting into solid rock.
43	%% * RandomEncounters
44	%% * RandomlyDrops
45	%% * RespawningEnemies
46	%% * TheSixStats
47	%% * StandardRPGItems
48	%% * StatusEffects
49	%% * TurnBasedCombat
50	%% * VancianMagic
51	%% * WalletOfHolding
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Context VideoGame / AvatarPLATO