IT'S EASY TO PLAY

... as easy as 1-2-3!

Just follow the 1-2-3 sequence below to try out the game. 2.7 million characters to date can't be wrong!

READ SOME ESSENTIALS,

• The 1 Page Playguide
• The 1 Page WOT Guide
• The 5 Rules

PLAY THE GAME!

Play using the
beginner client,
which has first
commands installed. Play using a java applet. For older PCs with smaller screens. Play using the fullscreen client. For screens with normal resolutions. Play using the extrascreen client. For fast PCs & high resolutions. Play using telnet software (not on Vista)

WHEEL OF TIME MUD HELPS

• Are my stats good?
• ARGH! Too much screen spam!
• Help! I'm wanted!
• Potions that matter
• Statting secrets
• The 5 essential items
• The PK terms you need
• What are mobs?

More to come...

EXPLORE THE GAME

• Wheel of Time MUD Classes
• Wheel of Time MUD Crafting
• Wheel of Time MUD Homelands
• Wheel of Time MUD Maps
• Wheel of Time MUD Races
• Wheel of Time MUD Skills
• Wheel of Time MUD Weapons
• Wheel of Time MUD Weaves
• Wheel of Time MUD Websites
• Wheel of Time MUD Trinkets

WHEEL OF TIME GAME DESIGN

Designing for a game which is balanced, credible and appealing for players is a very different exercise to designing for a game which slavishly follows the creative excesses perpetuated by a fantasy author for dramatic effect. A fantasy novel wouldn't be the same without magic user which can slay vast armies in one fell swoop, but as the game designer your hands are tied by the humans playing characters; nobody wants to play a darkie which is killed with consumate ease. Jordan also has near-invincible warders which can utterly destroy their enemies; great if you're a Warder... but not so great for the other 99% of the players in the game. Yet... you must have sides, conflict and combat to perpetuate plot, so the challenge in any Wheel of Time game is to do it in such a manner that follows the spirit of the books as far as it reasonably can whilst also creating a satisfying playing environment for as many different classes and sides as possible.

Game balance

game balance, the endless debate

What we're talking about is game balance, the endless debate between the Wheel of Time purists who argue for excessive character attributes and abilities because they're in the books, and the gaming purists to whom balance and gameplay is paramount. They are both right of course. At the Wheel of Time we strive continuously to accomodate both parties and many an hour has been spent kicking around alternatives between the game's immortals to get this as right as is reasonably possible. We involve the players in the process with both the balance board, a forum designed to encourage discussion of the game and how it can be improved, and a beta testing group which tests our programming updates on a test server before they are added to the game. Yet, despite this game balancing act, the Wheel of Time MUD truly is without a rival when it comes to the extent to which we follow the books to make this as accurate an experience as possible.

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Geography

Every zone which is added to the Wheel of Time MUD is based strictly on the information which is gathered out of the books by the builders of that zone. All the zones in the game are areas that you'd expect to see. True to the books, the oldest Kingdom in the land is the Crown of Andor, which rules the area around Caemlyn, located broadly in the centre of the land. Directly to Caemlyn's north lies the Dragonmount, a mysterious peak just south of Tar Valon, city of the Aes Sedai. To Tar Valon's north lie the vast battle plains of Saldaea, Kandor, Arafel and Shieriar, and the area of Ghealdan. The city of Fal Dara lies here, whose inhabitants are directly in the front line in the battle against the Dark One's forces which come from the nearby Blight, Mountains of Dhoom and Shayol Ghul.

Every zone which is added to the Wheel of Time MUD is based strictly on the information which is gathered out of the books

At the southernmost point of the Mountains of Mist is Amadicia, home of the Children of the Light. Far to the west, on the coastal plain on the other side of the Mountains of Mist, are Bandar Eban, Falme and Tanchico, ports that all lie on the coast of the Arith Ocean, prone to invasion by the Seanchan hordes. The Seanchan race come from a continent far to the west; between this contenient and the mainland lies the Isles of the Seafolk. Stedding Shangtai, Tear, Lugard, Ilian, Ebou Dar and Amador are the main towns in the south of the land. Stedding Shangtai in far to the east, on the south of the Spine of the World, the eastern mountain range. Tear and the Fingers of the Dragon, the name for the delta of the River Erinin, are almost directly south of Caemlyn. Lugard is due south from the midpoint of Four Kings and Whitebridge, two towns that lie west of Caemlyn, and is connected to the latter by the River Manetherendrelle. Ilian, the port on a peninsula which extends into the southern Ocean, the Sea of Storms, lies south of Lugard. Cairhien, leading to the Janghai Pass through the Spine of the World, lies to the east of Caemlyn. The mountains of the Spine of the World are the easternmost boundary of known lands. The Aiel Waste lies in the northeast: harsh, rugged and all but waterless country, travellers are advised that strangers are not welcome.

The resources that we use to make our zones as accurate as possible include Robert Jordan's "Big White Book", the Wheel of Time concordance and the various other resources that can be found via the Wheel of Time Directory.

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Clans

Clans at the Wheel of Time MUD are somewhat of an unspoken agreement between players and the immortals. In exchange for roleplaying their characters in the way that you'd expect from the books, clans and their members are given equipment, attributes, special features and any other help we can reasonably give them without skewing the game balance in favour of one set of clanned individuals. Each of the clans works in a slightly different manner, primarily dependant on the drive and enthusiasm of the players and Watcher responsible for running the clan. To enter a clan, mail the moderators or immortal named against that clan on the forums homepage, at which point you'll typically be set a series of quests and challenges to prove your worth.

All it takes is one look at the forums homepage to see all the Wheel of Time clans that have been implemented into the game, all of which have features or bonuses done in such a manner as to complement their behaviour in the books. The clans:

Cairhien Rising Sun

for the protection of the Sun Throne and the nation of Cairhien.

Civil Watch

for the protection of Tanchico.

Defender of the Stone

for the defenders of the Stone of Tear, home to Callandor.

Forresters

for the walkers of the woods.

Gleeman

for the entertainers of the Light.

Illian Companions

for the elite personal guard of King Mattin Stepaneos den Balgar.

Illuminators

for those who bring joy through lighting other's skies.

Legion of Unity

for the Legion of Unity

Lion Warden

for the Lion Warden, guardians of Andor.

Red Eagles

for the Red Eagles of Manetheren.

Sword and Hand

for the protection of the nation and king of Arad Doman.

Thiefbane

for the thiefbane.

Wall Guard

for those who keep the peace of Far Madding.

Winged Guard

for the Winged Guard, guardians of the city of Mayene.

Wisdoms

for the Wisdoms of the land.

Children of the Light

for the Defenders of all who walk in the Light.

Hand of the Light

for the Hand of the Light, those who hunt the Shadow wherever it lies.

Borderguards

for the guardians of the northern borders, both Fal Dara and Maradon.

Shienaran Lancer

for the Shienaran Lancer, guardians of Fal Dara.

Saldaean Cavalry

for the Saldaean Cavalry, guardians of Maradon.

White Tower

for the clans of the White Tower.

Gaidin

for the Gaidin of the White Tower of Tar Valon.

Valon Guard

keeping the city of Tar Valon free of crime.

The Chosen

for the Chosen, forsaken by the light.

Dhai'mon

the leaders of the Horde

Dha'vol

the Great Lord's most elite scouts

Ghar'ghael

the horde's most brutal warriors

Ko'bal

the Great Lord's deadliest assassins.

Ahf'frait

paving the way for the Great Lord's generals

Deathwatch

for those that guard the Empire.

Morat'raken

for those who fly the Raken.

Morat'torm

for those who ride the Torm.

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Resources

The Wheel of Time MUD has always taken a lead in both creating and using Wheel of Time resources available on the web for the good of the game, its accuracy in general and for the good of other Wheel of Time enthusiasts on the web. Some of the resources that we've created over the years include:

Wheel of Time Codex

the most accurate item, clothing and object inventory available from the Wheel of Time books

Wheel of Time Map

the best non-official Wheel of Time map available

Wheel of Time Directory

the definitive directory of Wheel of Time resources available on the web

Wheel of Time Name Generator

a Wheel of Time name generator using Robert Jordan's grammar rules

Wheel of Time taunt Generator

an entertaining taunt generator using Robert Jordan's phrases

Nass, 2008

 

PLEASE HELP THE MUD!

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