BatMUD - Virtual Community and Playerbase

Virtual Community and Playerbase

It is arguable that BatMUD formed one of the earliest virtual communities of gamers on the Internet. What marks the community significant, is the active operation and participation of the individuals within the virtual community. Several conventions and events are being held across the world, with one of the most notable probably being the Indiana, U.S. based Campcon, being held for the 11th consecutive year in June, 2009 — a real life gathering of active participants of the BatMUD community. Similar events are held in Europe and Scandinavia every year.

BatMUD provides a range of interplayer communication methods, allowing the players to talk and chat. Though the majority (about 2/3) of the players reside in Finland, the game itself is wholly in English, enabling it to host a large player base from several countries, including many European countries, the United States, Canada and Australia. Together with roleplay not being strictly enforced, the common language of English allows debates to flourish.

With several hundred players simultaneously online, it is also one of the largest traditional MUDs. However with the rise of massively multiplayer online games its popularity has fallen off in recent years with fewer new players joining. Aggressive efforts have been made to make the MUD more newbie friendly but most players continue to be well established players who have invested months or years into the game. As with many other popular online games, addiction is not unknown.

BatMUD employs a virtual economy, with players selling rare items and favours to each other in the game's internal currency. Sale of characters or equipment for real life money is forbidden. If it has occurred, it has not been a major problem.