Meridian 59
From Freepedia
| Meridian 59 | |
| Developer(s) | 3DO Studios (original), Near Death Studios (current) |
| Publisher(s) | The 3DO Company (original), Near Death Studios (current) |
| Release date(s) | 1996, 2002 |
| Genre | MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
Meridian 59 is an online computer role-playing game first published by 3DO Studios and now run by Near Death Studios. As a "massively multiplayer", 3D graphical RPG with a flat-rate monthly fee from 1996, it is often credited as the first MMORPG.
Contents |
History
Andrew and Christopher Kirmse started writing the game in 1994. In 1995, they and Steve and Mike Sellers formed Archetype Interactive to further develop it. Shortly after this the team began to grow as artists, other designers, and a producer were added. The early team included John Hanke, later CEO of Keyhole, Inc., and Damion Schubert, now at Wolfpack Games.
On December 15, 1995, Meridian 59 first went live with a cap of 35 simultaneous users.
The game was in an early beta stage in April of 1996 when it was noticed by Kevin Hester and other game developers at 3D0. Trip Hawkins, CEO of 3DO, recognized the forward-looking value of the game and the company, and 3DO bought Archetype in June 1996. More than 25,000 players joined the game's beta that lasted until its commercial launch on September 27, 1996, beating its next rival, Ultima Online, by approximately eighteen months.
Prior to its release, the term "massively multiplayer" and the acronym "MMORPG" emerged in meetings within 3DO (beating out other monikers such as "large-n game"), as did the now-ubiquitous monthly subscription model (at the time, AOL was still charging per minute, though a change to flat fees was anticipated). The game received multiple awards, including the fantasy-role-playing game of the year for 1996. It has also had various updates throughout its life, each adding new monsters, spells, and areas.
3DO shut down the game on August 31, 2000 and it was re-released by Near Death Studios in 2002. A new rendering engine was added to the game in October 2004, offering an alternative to its Doom-like graphics. This expansion also included features like dynamic lighting, rebindable keys, mouselook, and other visual improvements.
Gameplay
The game is now aimed primarily at fans of PvP (Player vs. Player) combat, as it is virtually lag free and has only a loose justice system implemented to mediate killing of other players. Unlike many online RPGs, it is not based around character levels and classes. Instead, each individual skill and attribute including health develop independently of one another. Hit points (health) are acquired by killing monsters that are a challenge for the player. Mana (magic points) is acquired by exploring and finding mana nodes in the game world. All attributes except for karma are static, but they can be adjusted with certain items and spells temporarily.
Players choose from seven skill/spell schools, six of which are based on patron gods in the game world's mythos: Weaponcraft, Shal'ille, Qor, Kraanan, Faren, Riija, and Jala. Each school has a different focus and application in gameplay.
Setting
The game is set in the 59th provincial colony of an ancient empire which explored the universe through portals in a magical nexus. However, several hundred years ago, something went wrong and the young frontier colonies in Meridian 59 were separated from the Empire. Now the land is in turmoil. Political factions fight for territory and power, monsters, trolls, orcs, and the undead threaten to destroy all life, and the magical nexus is in a flux, causing disasters across the land. Meridian 59 features six cities and towns: the rebellious mining town of Jasper, the royal city of Barloque, the thriving but troubled Tos, the peaceful farming village of Marion, the crossroads lake-side university town of Cor Noth, and the independent jungle island settlement of Ko'Catan.
While there is evidence of ancient dwarves and some other high fantasy races, players can only play human characters.
Schools
Weaponscraft - Physical combat, including dodging, parrying, weapons skills, archery, shields, and disarming.
Shal'ille - Based on the patron goddess of rain and peace. Healing, protection, uncursing, harming evil, curing, resurrecting, and trucing.
Qor - Based on the patron goddess of evil and darkness. Damage, blindness, curses, and other ailments to control or harm opponents, as well as invisibility.
Kraanan - Based on the patron god of war and valor. Combat "buffs", resistance to various kinds of spells, attribute modifiers, and miscellaneous other utilitarian spells with practical applications in combat.
Faren - Based on the god of the earth and the elements. Mostly Area of Effect and Direct Damage spells based on lightning, ice, wind, fire, and other natural forces.
Riija - Based on the patron god of illusion and trickery. Spells used to deceive players or confuse monsters, including hiding information, summoning illusory minions, and spells to manipulate the mind. Riija is also home to the most powerful teleportation spells in Meridian 59.
Jala - Based on the patron goddess of music and artistry. The School of Jala is comprised of songs and jingles which have magical effects on all entities in the area, including negation of the effects of the other schools of magic, creation of potions and enchanted magical items, and mana and health regeneration.
Organizations
Players can join one of three political factions: Jonas D'Accor's rebels, the throne of Princess Kateriina, or that of her rival in Tos, Duke Akardius. Each faction offers certain bonuses to specific types of players. The rebels are seated in Jasper, Kateriina in Barloque, and Akardius in Tos. Players fight one another in the name of their respective factions either for territory or for control of tokens of power which may be used to sway the votes of the councilors of the land.
Players can also join player-created guilds. These are typically just small groups of friends who help each other out and socialize together, but sometimes they are more elaborate than that. There are often guild wars, in which multiple guilds fight one another in mortal combat to seize resources such as a Guild Hall or to declare total dominance of the server
Previously, players could ally themselves with the warring Necromancer and Hunter factions. These factions each drastically altered the way the game was played for their members, and there were great rewards for killing members of the opposite faction. As of this writing, this element of the game is disabled.
Expansions
- Vale of Sorrow (March 18, 1997)
- Revelation (June 19, 1997)
- Renaissance (March 16, 1998)
- Insurrection (August 1998)
- Dark Auspices (January 26, 1999)
- Liberation (July 6, 1999)
- Resurrection (June 13, 2002)
- Evolution (October 31, 2004)
All expansions are free to subscribers and do not cost extra. The developers also make frequent updates to the game on a regular basis adding new content and upgrading existing content, such as in-game art.
Current Information
The game is currently running in both the United States and Germany. There are two normal servers in the United States run by Near Death Studios, Inc., and one Sacred Haven (non-PvP) server run at Skotos. A subscription on one of the normal servers cost $10.95 per month with no startup fees and no charges for expansions. The game is patched on a regular basis for free for all subscribers. The game has a very loyal following of fans that have enjoyed the game over the past decade.
External links
- Meridian 59 Official Website
- Details about Meridian 59 on the official site
- Gilroy's Meridian 59 Reference
- Meridian 59 entry at MobyGames
- History of Meridian 59
Categories: 1996 computer and video games | 3DO games | Massively multiplayer online role-playing games | Windows games
