BladeMaster

For other uses, see Blademaster (disambiguation).
BladeMaster
Developer(s) Don Arnel
Designer(s) Adam Horowitz
Platform(s) Bulletin Board System
Release date(s) 1990
Genre(s) Role-playing video game
Mode(s) Single-player

BladeMaster is a 1990 BBS game. According to the instruction file, the program was written by Don Arnel and the creatures/treasure design was by Adam Horowitz. It was known to have run on The Gaming Center Bulletin Board System, which utilized Galacticomm's Major BBS/Worldgroup software. It was not a door game but a Worldgroup module.

Summary

BladeMaster is labeled "an arena combat simulation." It is very akin to a RPG, in which you have items and gain experience through killing enemies to gain levels. However, unlike traditional RPGS, you do not travel around a world, instead you only inhabit an arena. There is a hierarchy of enemies (such as Ruffians, Mercenaries, etc.). The game has a real-time gaming environment, in which you only possess a few lives per day. Wise players exert self-control, only letting themselves die once or twice a day, avoiding permanent death. Much of the thrill of BladeMaster comes from this aspect of it as it is tempting to keep playing and progressing despite the increasing risk.

BladeMaster's uniqueness comes in its actual execution. The game is not straightforward like many RPGs, instead, it can only be won by learning the 'tricks' of it. There are certain weapons with each group of enemies that enable you to progress rapidly (otherwise leveling would be unbearably slow and perhaps at some points impossible) if used against the right enemy. The 'trick' to BladeMaster is to get a weapon in a lower-class of enemies that is super-effective against a higher-class enemy. This also emphasizes the thrill of it, as you will have to face higher-level enemies that could easily kill you in one attack, hoping to flee until you find the right one without death.

A rewrite of this game was attempted under the name Blademaster 2, but never got beyond rudimentary development. The program was written in C++ and is still available on SourceForge. The creator searched unsuccessfully for the original Blademaster creators, hoping to obtain the code.

Suggested strategy for quickly gaining levels: 1) Use all your money, haggle prices, and purchase a Battle Axe. 2) Challenge Ruffians until you have gained a few levels. 3) Fight Mercenaries until you obtain the Poison Dagger from the Dark Assassin. 4) Use the Poison Dagger and kill Robin Hood in the Heroes arena group and obtain the Bow of Justice. 5) Challenge the Sorcerers and obtain the Staff of Dragons. 6) Challenge Creatures and use the Staff of Dragons to kill dragons and drakes. 7) Go back to the Heroes group and obtain the Bow of Light and Sword of Light. 8) Challenge Netherbeasts and kill devils and demons 9) Challenge Extra-planar creatures and obtain the Trident of Agony 10) Use the Trident of Agony to disease any opponent and then avoid them until they die.

See also

External links

Places to Play Blademaster:

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