Kingdom of Loathing

Kingdom of Loathing
"KoL" redirects here. For other uses, see KOL.
The Kingdom of Loathing
The Kingdom of Loathing logo. "An Adventurer is You!" (quote spoofing Pro Wrestling)
The Kingdom of Loathing logo
"An Adventurer is You!" (quote spoofing Pro Wrestling)
Developer(s) Asymmetric Publications
Publisher(s) Asymmetric Publications
Designer(s) Zack "Jick" Johnson
Josh "Mr. Skullhead" Nite
Platform(s) Web browser
Release date(s) February 11, 2003
Genre(s) Turn-based role-playing game
Mode(s) Single-player with some multiplayer interaction
Media/distribution Internet
System requirements

Web browser, Internet access

Kingdom of Loathing (abbreviated KoL) is a browser-based, multiplayer role-playing game designed and operated by Asymmetric Publications, including creator Zack "Jick" Johnson and writer Josh "Mr. Skullhead" Nite. The game was released in 2003. Because content is still being added frequently, the game is still considered unfinished and officially remains in open beta.

It uses hand-drawn stick figure graphics and writing characterized by surreal humor, word play, parody and references to popular culture. In KoL, a player's character fights monsters for experience, meat (the game's currency), and items, through a turn-based system. Players may also interact with each other through player versus player competition, participate in the in-game economy by trading goods and services, organize their characters into clans, work together to complete dungeons found in the Clan basements, and speak to each other in many different chat channels.

In 2008, the game had between 100,000 and 150,000 regular players. It is also particularly notable for managing to be financially successful purely from donations and the purchase of virtual goods rather than from advertising or subscription fees like many online games.

Contents

Gameplay and features

A screenshot of combat against scarab beatles.

Gameplay involves fighting monsters, completing quests, gaining skills and stats, and accumulating items and meat.

In KoL's turn-based gameplay, a player's character is supplied with a number of adventures each day. The game day resets at a time called "rollover". Characters are allotted forty adventures every rollover, though they can increase that number with various equipment and items.[1] Additional adventures can be acquired by consuming food and booze.[2]However, only a limited amount of each can be consumed each day,[2] and drinking too much booze puts the character into a drunken stupor for the remainder of the day.[3] During rollover, drunkenness and fullness are reset to zero, and minor amounts of HP and MP are restored. Although a character can accumulate a large number of adventures, the number is reduced to 200 at rollover.[4]

Many actions require a certain number of adventures (usually one) to execute. These actions can range from cooking food to combat. Combat against a monster takes one adventure and is turn-based, allowing the character to use attacks, skills, or items each round.[3]

Puzzle-solving is an important part of the game, with the solutions often involving a certain item combination or the completion of tasks in different zones.[3]

By defeating monsters, players can acquire pieces of meat, the game's currency. Meat can be used to buy potions, armor, items for quests, and other useful objects.[2] Characters can combine items by using "meat paste" (a substance analogous to glue), and can also cook food, mix cocktails and smith weapons and armor. Characters may earn trophies or tattoos for various in-game achievements.[2]

Player interaction

While Kingdom of Loathing's player versus environment content largely operates as a single-player game, there are other features based upon multiplayer interaction.

Player versus player (PvP) combat is voluntary,[2] and features a series of stat comparisons and a randomized selection of non-interactive minigames. These tests, which range from a "Work Ethic Contest" to "Wine Tasting" or even "Balanced Diet," compare sometimes obscure statistics of the two competitors' characters.[3] The winner of the PvP battle can take rank, stats, or sometimes even meat and items from the loser.[5]

The game features an integrated chat system which is available only after completing a basic test of English grammar and spelling.[3] There are many chat channels, including even a channel in which all chat must follow the syllabic conventions of English haiku.[3] Most of the chat channels are moderated; those who violate the chat rules are banned. Players can also message each other and send gift packages in-game. The official Kingdom of Loathing forums are also an active venue for discussion among players.

Upon reaching level 3, characters may join a clan. Clans are bands of cooperating characters.[2] A clan has a clan hall which can be furnished with beneficial equipment, and a clan stash for sharing useful items.[3] Clan members can chat with each other in a clan-specific chat channel.

In 2008, a multiplayer dungeon was added which allows clan members to raid cooperatively in Hobopolis, the underground city of hobos.[3] Eurogamer likened Hobopolis to World of Warcraft instances.[6]

Players can buy a store in The Mall of Loathing and sell their character's items to other players.[7] Most items, including Mr. Accessories, can be traded in this way. Direct trading between two players is also possible, and in the trade chat channel users can auction items and advertise shops.[4]

This functionality has created a complex in-game economy which author Ted Friedman has described as "vibrant."[8] The Kingdom of Loathing economy was the subject of an academic study, Economics in the Kingdom of Loathing: Analysis of Virtual Market Data in 2011.[7]

Character classes

Players choose from six classes when they create a character (and after each ascension).[2] Each class has various items that characters obtain by completing class-specific quests. Characters also receive non-tradable class-dependent items as a reward for completing harder ascensions. The classes can be split into groups based on the primary character attribute associated with them.

Muscle classes: The two muscle classes are Seal Clubber and Turtle Tamer. Muscle classes depend on strength and fighting ability.[2]

Mysticality classes: The mysticality classes are Pastamancer and Sauceror. Gameplay for mysticailty classes is focused on spellcasting and the use of magic.[2]

Moxie classes: The moxie classes, Disco Bandit and Accordian Thief, use charm and dexterity to achieve success.[2]

Familiars

Familiars are creatures that can accompany players in combat, performing (usually) helpful actions.[2] Some familiars are instrumental in the completion of quests.[2]

Familiars possess many abilities.[3] For example, a Sabre-Toothed Lime attacks monsters, a Leprechaun grants extra meat after combat, and a Hovering Sombrero increases stat gains from combat. Some familiars, such as the Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot,[3] are very difficult to acquire.[2]

Ascension

Ascension is a feature that allows characters to start the game over and play through it again from the beginning,[2] similar to a New Game Plus feature.[9] This feature becomes available after the game's final quest is completed.[3] Players who ascend have their character's experience levels reset to zero, but they retain their currency and items.[2]

Ascending players can also choose to make their ascension more difficult by taking on various restrictions, such as not being able to eat or drink,[2] in exchange for special rewards.[3] In addition, the game features a leaderboard system which allows players to see one another's ascension speeds and compete for the fastest ascensions.[7]

Plot and setting

‫‬‭‮‪‫‬‭The player takes on the role of an adventurer who is tasked with solving problems and killing monsters in a fantasy-based kingdom. The game is humorous in nature, and most quests, battles and individual item descriptions include jokes, witticisms, or references to popular culture.[10]

The Naughty Sorceress has captured and "imprismed" (imprisoned in a prism) the Kingdom's ruler, King Ralph XI. The ultimate objective of the game is to defeat the Naughty Sorceress and free King Ralph.[11]

In King Ralph's absence, most of the power in the Kingdom of Loathing is held by the Council of Loathing, which gives quests to characters as they increase in level,[12] with the final quest given when the character has reached level 13 and finished the other quests.[2] Players can also unlock quests from other sources, some of which are available only after ascending.[10]

Development

Zack Johnson created several games before Kingdom of Loathing but did not feel that they were good enough to release online.[10] Deciding that he was taking the games he created too seriously, Johnson then set himself the challenge of creating one within a week and publishing the result online.[9] The early game was considered more of a joke than a game, and the initial content including classes and even the name of the game were stream of consciousness.[10] The game was released in early 2003,[13] and Johnson soon invited his childhood friend Josh Nite to help with the game as a writer and designer..[14][13] Within a year, 300,000 player accounts had been created,[15] far exceeding Johnson and Nite's expectations; Johnson has referred to the games success as "a never ending series of astonishments."[16] In 2008, the game had between 100,000 and 150,000 regular players.[10]

In the game's early days, Johnson would work on the game during breaks while at work, but eighteen months or so after launch, the game was bringing in enough money for Johnson to quit his day job as a programmer and work on the game full-time.[9] He then began to pay Nite for his work[10] and after approximately two years he hired two more developers.[14] There are currently eight full-time employees working on Kingdom of Loathing, as well as three other employees who are working on a separate game.[16]

The game's creative process is fluid and loosely structured.[9] According to Johnson, "At this point, I provide the overall direction. I do about a quarter of the writing, a quarter of the coding, and almost all of the artwork."[9] The bulk of the writing is done by Nite, who also contributes design ideas,[17], while the other two developers, Riff and HotStuff, work on writing, design, and coding.[16]

According to Nite, the game's writing style owes itself to a humorous email exchange between himself and Johnson that began when the two separated after high school. These emails "helped us develop the shared comedic voice that KoL's written in."[17] The game's developers cite text-based games such as Zork and Legend of the Red Dragon as creative influences, and Nite has compared the game to the Choose Your Own Adventure series of children's book.[12]

The game has been in open beta since its initial release, and is continuously being worked on.[17] New content is released weekly or monthly,[9][17] and there is also unique holiday-themed content every Christmas, known as Crimbo.[16] Occasionally, the developers stage world events such as the Gray Plague, a virtual which was spread from player to player and caused chat text to appear gray. This was similar to the Corrupted Blood incident in World of Warcraft.[18]

Business model

Kingdom of Loathing is advertising-free and does not charge subscription fees.[14] Maintenance and development of the game is supported by sale of associated merchandise, and by donations.[19] Players who donate $10 USD to the game receive a powerful item known as a Mr. Accessory.[20] Mr. Accessories can be equipped to give stat boosts or spent in the "Mr. Store" to buy powerful items (including special monthly items).[7] Mr. Accessories and Mr. Store items may be traded freely between players.[7] According to an interview with Zach Johnson from 2010, Johnson originally established the Mr. Accessory revenue model as "kind of an afterthought", but it became lucrative enough to allow him to work on the game full-time and eventually to hire several permanent employees.[9]

Community

Kingdom of Loathing has been praised for its welcoming and active player community.[21][11] One of the most unique aspects of the community is the large number of female players: according to Johnson, approximately 40% of players are female.[19] Fans often gather at both official conventions, run by Asymmetric, and unofficial player-organized meet-ups,[9] including the annual KoLumbus event.[17] Players can communicate online through the in-game chat systems and the game's official forums,[11] and there is also a player-run wiki which offers puzzle solutions and walkthroughs.[2] Longtime player and nerdcore rapper MC Frontalot is active in the community[22] and included a Kingdom of Loathing-themed song on his 2010 album Zero Day.[23]

Brett Bixler, manager of the Educational Gaming Commons at Pennsylvania State University, has hypothesized that the Kingdom of Loathing community is successful because it accounts for Richard Bartle's model of player personality types in massively multiplayer online roleplaying games, creating a balanced gameplay system that appeals to a wide variety of players.[2] Researcher Martin Oliver addressed similar issues in a 2009 study of the Kingdom of Loathing player community, Playing Roles in the MMORPG Kingdom of Loathing[24]

Radio

A Web-based SHOUTcast radio station, Radio KoL, is the "official unofficial" radio station of KoL. It is a 24/7 DJ-hosted station, with volunteer DJs drawn from the KoL user base.[9][25] Twice weekly, development team members host shows on Radio KoL in which they discuss the state of the game and answer questions from players.[11]

Reception

 Reception
Review scores
Publication Score
Eurogamer 9/10[26]
NetJak 7.4/10[27]
ESCMag 7/10[28]
Play This Thing 4.5/5[11]

Critical response for Kingdom of Loathing has been generally positive, with consistent praise for the game's humor and surrealism. The gameplay and content have been praised as "well designed" and having a "huge amount of content".[26] Matt Gallant of Gizmodo said that the game is "actually very full-featured" with "a lot of content,"[29] and according to Worlds in Motion, "Kingdom of Loathing isn't just a great game, but a really unique and interesting MMO."[30] Jay Is Games called it "a 'must play' game for RPG fans who want something different,"[31] and OnRPG said that "it has been very hard to find any faults in Kingdom of Loathing".[32] The graphics have had mixed reception with some reviewers praising the decision to focus only on gameplay but others deriding them as "functional, but nothing more".[27] The player community has also received praise for being welcoming and rarely using Internet slang, unlike other online games.[26][3]

Reviewer Jon Hamblin has noted the influence of Kingdom of Loathing on other games such as Twilight Heroes, Forumwarz and Secret Society Wars,[26] while Michael Walbridge of GameSetWatch said that Mafia Wars "borrows heavily" from it.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ Lynn J. Alford (5 December 2004). "Kingdom of Loathing: PIB PC Game Review". http://www.pibweb.com/review/kol.html. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Brett Bixler (15 January 2009). "Kingdom of Loathing - Analysis of a Great Game". Pennsylvania State University. http://web.archive.org/web/20100305051438/http://gaming.psu.edu/KoLAnalysis. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Justin Olivetti (2 November 2010). "The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: The highlights". Massively. http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-the-h/. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Hecht, Eliah (November 5, 2007). "Time is money, friend!". Massively. http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/time-is-money/. Retrieved 2008-10-11. 
  5. ^ Simon Carless (26 July 2008). "Worlds In Motion Atlas: Inside Kingdom Of Loathing". Worlds in Motion. http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/07/worlds_in_motion_atlas_inside.php. Retrieved 5 November 2011. 
  6. ^ Pearson, Dan (June 18, 2008). "Kingdom of Loathing expands". Eurogamer.net. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/kingdom-of-loathing-expands. Retrieved 2008-07-10. 
  7. ^ a b c d e Safferling, Christoph; Lowen, Aaron (2011). "Economics in the Kingdom of Loathing: Analysis of Virtual Market Data". Working Paper Series of the Department of Economics, University of Konstanz (University of Konstanz). http://www.uni-konstanz.de/FuF/wiwi/workingpaperseries/WP_30-Safferling-Lowen-11.pdf. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  8. ^ Ted Friedman (0814727395). Electric dreams: computers in American culture. NYU Press. p. 155. http://books.google.com/books?id=dFn0kxWg0xcC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Justin Olivetti (16 November 2010). "The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Joshing with Jick". Massively. http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-joshi/. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
  10. ^ a b c d e f Janelle, Robert (August 5, 2008). "Stumbling Into the Kingdom of Loathing". Escapist Magazine. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_161/5112-Stumbling-Into-the-Kingdom-of-Loathing. Retrieved 2008-08-05. 
  11. ^ a b c d e "Kingdom of Loathing". Play This Thing. 9 September 2007. http://playthisthing.com/kingdom-loathing. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  12. ^ a b Brett E. Shelton (2009). "Extensions of Interactive Fiction to the Social Sphere: Zork to the Kingdom of Loathing". Well Played 1.0: Video Games, Value and Meaning. http://www.etc.cmu.edu/etcpress/node/276. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  13. ^ a b "Kingdom of Loathing: An interview with Jick". Planet Geek. 9 July 2004. http://planet-geek.com/archives/2004/07/kingdom-of-loat.html. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  14. ^ a b c Cooper, Park (2007-04-13). "An Adventurer Is You: The Zack Johnson/Kingdom of Loathing Interview". Silver Bullet Comics. Archived from the original on 6 June 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100606202516/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/pb/117648256288713.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-03. 
  15. ^ James Bishop (6 April 2010). "On One's Own: Kingdom of Loathing". DIY Gamer. http://www.diygamer.com/2010/04/kingdom-loathing/. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  16. ^ a b c d Peter Eykemans (14 May 2010). "Seven Years Later: Kingdom of Loathing [Interview"]. DIY Gamer. http://www.diygamer.com/2010/05/years-kingdom-loathing-interview/. 
  17. ^ a b c d e Justin Olivetti (9 November 2010). "The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Interrogating Mr. Skullhead". Massively. http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-inter/. Retrieved 3 November 2010. 
  18. ^ Magnus Boman; Stefan J. Johansson (2007). "Modeling Epidemic Spread in Synthetic Populations —Virtual Plagues in Massively Multiplayer Online Games". arXiv: 1. http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/0705/0705.4584v1.pdf. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  19. ^ a b John Borland (1 October 2004). "Dare you fight the possessed tomatoes?". CNET. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1043_3-5389938.html. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  20. ^ "The Kingdom of Loathing: A Review for the Tragically Uninitiated". Indie Game Reviewer. 29 September 2009. http://www.indiegamereviewer.com/the-kingdom-of-loathing-a-review-for-the-tragically-uninitiated/. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
  21. ^ "Kingdom of Loathing". GameAxis Unwired: p. 12. August 2005. http://books.google.com/books?id=FekDAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  22. ^ "MC Frontalot: Attendance is Mandatory!". Buzzbin Magazine. 12 August 2011. http://www.buzzbinmagazine.com/home/2011/08/12/mc-frontalot-attendance-is-mandatory/. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  23. ^ Doug Gross (8 April 2010). "Geek Out!: M.C. Frontalot talks nerdcore hip-hop, geekery". CNN. http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/08/geek-out-m-c-frontalot-talks-nerdcore-hip-hop-geekery/. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  24. ^ Martin Oliver (2009). "Playing Roles in the MMORPG Kingdom of Loathing". Handbook of Research on Effective Electronic Gaming in Education. London Knowledge Lab. 
  25. ^ "UpFront - March 1, 2005". Linux Journal. 1 March 2005. http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7951#mpart2. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  26. ^ a b c d Hamblin, Jon (April 15, 2008). "Browser RPG Roundup Review". EuroGamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/browser-rpg-roundup-review. Retrieved 2008-10-11. 
  27. ^ a b LoBue, Chris (September 27, 2007). "Kingdom Of Loathing - Windows Review". Netjak. Archived from the original on 2008-02-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20090108102214/http://www.netjak.com/review.php/1362. Retrieved 31 January 2011. 
  28. ^ Grieser, Andy (September 27, 2007). "Kingdom of Loathing - ESCMag Review". ESCMag. http://www.escmag.com/v5/reviews/review.cfm?rv=415. Retrieved 2008-10-22. 
  29. ^ 17 June 2004. "Pickup Games, Vol. 4 – Kingdom of Loathing". Gizmodo. http://gizmodo.com/16409/pickup-games-vol-4-kingdom-of-loathing?tag=archives. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 
  30. ^ Mathew Kumar (26 July 2008). "Worlds In Motion Atlas: Inside Kingdom Of Loathing". GameSetWatch. http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/07/worlds_in_motion_atlas_inside.php. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 
  31. ^ Preston (September 12, 2005). "Kingdom of Loathing". Jay Is Games. http://jayisgames.com/archives/2005/09/kingdom_of_loat.php. Retrieved 2008-10-13. 
  32. ^ Haoson, Vincent. "Kingdom of Loathing Review: Humor With Stick Figures". OnRPG. http://www.onrpg.com/MMO/Kingdom-of-Loathing/review/Kingdom-of-Loathing-Review-Humor-With-Stick-Figures. Retrieved 2010-10-27. 
  33. ^ Michael Walbridge (5 June 2009). "The Game Anthropologist: Examining Massively Single Player Online Games". http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/06/massively_single_player.php. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Kingdom of Fear — (deutsch: „Königreich der Angst“) ist ein Roman von Hunter S. Thompson der im Jahr 2003 in den USA veröffentlicht wurde. 2006 erschien Kingdom of Fear erstmals in deutscher Sprache beim Heyne Verlag .Der Autor behandelt in seinem Buch viele der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Film) — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas — (deutscher Titel: „Angst und Schrecken in Las Vegas“; wörtlich „Angst und Abscheu in Las Vegas“) ist ein Schlüsselroman von Hunter S. Thompson, der 1971 in den USA erschienen ist. Laut Thompson selbst basiert der Roman auf einer tatsächlichen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72 — (deutscher Titel: „Angst und Schrecken im Wahlkampf“) ist eine Sammlung von Artikeln, die die US Präsidentschaftswahl 1972 beschreiben, geschrieben von Gonzo Journalist Hunter S. Thompson und von Ralph Steadman illustriert. Die Artikel wurden… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Islam in the United Kingdom — Shah Jahan Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in UK Part of a series on Islam by country …   Wikipedia

  • Asymmetric Publications — is the company that is responsible for the popular web based RPG Kingdom of Loathing . Currently it is run by Zack Johnson and Josh Nite (who are known as Jick and Mr. Skullhead, respectively, in the game). Employees of the company are known as… …   Wikipedia

  • List of fictional elements, materials, isotopes and atomic particles — This list contains chemical elements, materials, isotopes or (sub)atomic particle that exist primarily in works of fiction (usually fantasy or science fiction). No actual periodic elements end in ite , though many minerals have names with this… …   Wikipedia

  • Portal:Video games — edit   …   Wikipedia

  • Tim the Enchanter — is a fictional character from Monty Python s 1975 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail played by John Cleese. In the play Spamalot based on the movie, the part was originally played by Hank Azaria. Tim is a strange reclusive wizard or conjurer… …   Wikipedia

  • Boris (first name) — Boris (Bulgarian, Russian: Борис) is a Slavic name, probably with Bulgarian roots. [ [http://www.omda.bg/engl/history/ime Boris.htm THE TRIP OF THE NAME OF BORIS ROUND THE WORLD] ] [ [http://promacedonia.com/vz1b/vz1b 3 1.html Васил Н.… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”