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This is just a reminder to those interested that Ray's contest will end in a few days. Here's his original post about it. Check the news archive for more information.

OK, you've been asking for it, and now you're getting it.

1) here's the deal:

We're starting preliminary discussions on a new game. So,
your mission, should you undertake it, is to create a sub-quest.

The subquest should be something that's clearly related to the larger issues of the game period, be interesting, and have a payoff beyond the obvious, I.E. get the really good sword, earn money, etc.

Is that tough enough for you?

Here's some even more perplexing limits. You can't use ANY characters that I've created in the books. The characters of the game, obviously, are who they are (as yet unnamed), so any NPC' you create must be new and original to you. Also, you can't 'follow up' on old story lines and themes from either the books or the games, so no 'get the other great sword in Elvandar (from BaK),' or 'find the other gobblin camp in the mountains,' (from RtK), or 'return to the Mac Mordain Cadal and see if Rhuarge left some treasure the dwarves missed (fat chance).'

2) here's the prize:

There's more than 1.

First prize will get a galley (I have to go digging to see which one's I have laying around. I think I've got a Merchant Prince, but I'll have to go check).

Second prize will get an autographed book, either Krondor (if you already don't have it or you want it with an autograph) or the next one.

Third prizes (yes, plural) will get an autographed map of Midkemia created as a premium for RtK by Serra. There will be at least 3 of those, if not more. (I'm feeling generious, but not too much--I've got to buy a price mailing tube to send those out. <g>).

OK, you have until January 31st to e-mail me your entry. Do not post to the list until I say it's OK.

Here's what you have to stick at the bottom of the entry:

I hearby grant to Raymond E. Feist, Sierra Studio, it's heirs and assigns, the right to use the above material in any way they see fit, without further compensation or condition. All character names, place names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are the exclusive property of Raymond E. Feist, The Bitter Sea Company, Midkemia Press, and/or Pyrotechnix, Inc., and/ or Sierra/Studio.

OK, there you go. Knock yourself out.

. Remember, though, that you should only send your contest entry to that address, not fan mail (keep it on the mailing list).

Desslock's RPG News, everyone's favorite RPG news site, posted about these reviews today. What? Me copy Desslock? Never!

Quandary
Although it isn't such an epic journey as Betrayal at Krondor, this journey is nevertheless very engrossing. Because there are few side quests the focus is mostly on the story and it is most enjoyable to follow through and to finally send the bad guy packing. The graphics are 3D but I can't comment on this aspect because I don't have a 3D card. Still, I was very happy with the graphics and the characterisations as the voice acting is generally very good. The dialogue itself would get top marks from me except that it isn't subtitled.

Games Domain (Second Opinion)
I personally found Return to Krondor to be a very short, sporadically interesting title. Unlike Karen, I don't mind pre-scripted events, and the feeling that the game is more of an adventure game than a true RPG game. Because of that, I had some fun while playing it, but as Karen pointed out, the game always falls short of greatness both in terms of story and interface. Some players might really enjoy this game, especially if they are fans of Feist's work. As Karen showed, not even fans of the previous game are guaranteed to like this game. The game is far too easy to recommend to hard core gamers. With all the other great titles still out there thanks to the holiday season, this one is probably one best left behind.

After a long absence, the Polling Booth has returned to the site. The current topic: 'Did you enjoy Return to Krondor?' Each poll will run for two weeks, then the results will be posted. Please vote!

My signed copy of Krondor the Betrayal arrived today. It was the 'Honorable Mention' prize in the Avon Books Krondor Web Contest. Thanks to everyone who voted for the site!

You never realize how many gaming sites exist until they start posting reviews... In any event, Game Revolution has reviewed RtK, giving it a B+:

Slight bugs and lack of longevity aside, this is one of the most invigorating and addictive RPGs to come out since Diablo rocked the PC gaming world way back in 1996. In the less than stellar popular field of computer RPGs, Return to Krondor has some of the best plot, gameplay, and production values seen in a while. Now, Return to Krondor is titled Book One. If Book Two lives up to this one and the aging prequel, we very well may have a phenomenon on our hands.

Game Revolution also has a walkthrough available online.

Karsiss posted this lengthy bit about the current status of RiftMUSH

After a year of being down, RiftMUSH is re-opening due to a large number of players requesting it to be so. Our address is pug.riftwar.com play in the world of Midkemia.

RiftMUSH....

The Status of Crydee....

It has been a hard winter since the death of both Prince Talan and Duke Dalton. Princess Lissandra has struggled hard to keep the population of Crydee alive during a harsh winter with little food. Only the generosity of the Eledhel allowed the larger part of the people to survive. Princess Lissandra and the new Duke of Crydee, William, has finally allowed the City to have had a season of peace between leaders....but this peace is not without troubles. The Mockers have returned to activity and only the City Watch has been able to keep the murders and thefts down in numbers, yet even they cannot be everywhere at the same time.

The farmers indicate that due to the Princess and Duke ordering their soldiers to help with the farming, the amount of crops will easily be enough to feed all of Crydee and repay the Eledhel for their help during the winter months. For the first time since The Night, Crydee will be without hunger.

It is now May and the people of Crydee are for the first time filled with hope. The hope that they will survive the aftermath of The Night.

We look forward to having you join RiftMUSH.

RiftMUSH 4202

TinyMUX version1. 4 patchlevel 16 #2 [6/10/98]
Build date: Sat Oct 17 17:33:53 EDT 1998

For further information, join our Player Mailing List and Email your questions.

Or see our RiftMUSH Status Page

- -----------------------------------------------------------

Question: What is a Mush? What is RiftMUSH?

A Mush is a Multi User game where players log in and create characters to act out plots and events created by role playing. It is a place where people are able to enter the world created by the Admin. Sometimes a group of Admin will create a world based upon their own creations, other times it will be based upon a book or series which each Admin has read and enjoyed. Basically it's like nothing you have ever done before. :)

In our case, we have received permission from Raymond to build a Mush based upon the Riftwar Saga. We have taken a point in the Rift time line and had a global 'event' occur. This event created an environment for players to role play in.

RiftMUSH was open for a year and then was shut down due to the fact that the Admin started building a new RiftMUSH to replace the existing one. We had decided that we could do a better job and create a more enjoyable place to role play in. It's been a year since we shut down and a large number of players asked me to re-open our RiftMUSH database so they could continue to role play while they wait for RiftMUSH r to open (still a number of months away). Due to the large response, I decided to re-open the Mush. Role playing has started and there are still many positions available for those people who wish to join the Mush.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about Mushs in general and about RiftMUSH itself.

Q: What is the difference between a MUSH and a MUD?
A: Sorry to say but a MUSH is highly different from a MUD. There is no canned combat system which you can use to go out and battle monsters to gain experience and glory through gaining levels. Mushs are used either as a social gathering place, or a place to Role-Play a theme. You create a character concept based on the information of the MUSH, and interact with other people through Tps (Tiny Plots) and change your world in that manner.

Q: You mean I can't kill things?
A: Generally on a MUSH, the answer to that is no. Some Mushs have coded combat systems, and some don't have one at all. Others like RiftMUSH have something in between, where you compare stats and then Role-Play what should happen based on individual skill levels. It is possible to die, but usually only in a predetermined situation.

Q: How does one learn more about a MUSH?
A: Mushs are generally filled with helpful people who are available to answer questions and offer help. You may also FTP the 'mush manual' which can be found

Q: How do I get started playing on RiftMUSH? It all seems so confusing.
A: Well, through reading the NEWS files you can learn a lot about your environment. After you do that, please speak with any staff (+staff to find any online) about any questions. Talk to these people, and any others you run across. Find out as much information you can before deciding your future.

Q. How do I communicate?!?
A. The commands say, pose, and page are all of use to you. Example below.

say Hello there! (help say, abbreviated by ' )
Newbie says, 'Hello there!'

pose laughs! (help pose, abbreviated by : )
Newbie laughs!

page Kazander=Please give me some help! (help page, abbrev. By p )
Newbie pages:Please give me some help!

Q. What does it cost to play on RiftMush?
A. There is no cost to play on RiftMUSH. All you require is a computer, internet connection, and a Mush Client. An example Mush Client is SimpleMU which can be downloaded from: http://homepages.together.net/~shae//simple.html

Q. If I want help, can I ask Raymond E. Feist on this mailing list?
A. Raymond has no connection to RiftMUSH and he will not respond to any Email directed to him or this list with regards to the Mush. His time is valuable and is not here to answer questions about the Mush but to answer questions with regards to his books and himself. Please direct your questions to myself, Karsiss

I hope this information helps you, and all other interested people in your decision to try out, or join RiftMUSH. We welcome any and all players (new and experienced) and the Staff and players of RiftMUSH are very willing to help you if you have any questions when you are online.

As a final note, I'll give my personal description of what RiftMUSH is.

RiftMUSH is a place to enter into a world based upon Raymond E. Feists Riftwar Saga. In this world you are able to create a character and role play as if Raymond himself wrote the character (or at least how you believe Raymond would have written the character). Instead of reading the story, you are able to be apart of the story. Granted, there isn't anything as good as the actual series, but we give a great attempt at getting as close to it as possible.

A frequent Topic of conversation on the mailing list is the differences between the elves and their dark cousins. Ray posted this message to clear up any confusion:

The physical thing is more an issue of gene drift, and adaptation, over ages. Just as there are blond Italians up in the north and dark ones in the south of Italy.

And it has no more significance than that.

I'm juggling here, as Steve and I have a basic difference on what 'dark evles' are, going back to the original game. He sees them as a separate race, which was news to me by the time I'd finished the Riftwar. I had thought them difference branches of the same family.

So some of the stuff I wrote in Krondor: the Betrayal is an attempt to shoehorn those concepts central to Steve's feelings about the moredhel into my creation. There were dark elves in Midkemia, very 'drow-like' before we ever read about the drow.But they were cardboard characters for players to knock down, like kobalds, orcs, and gobblins. Writing about them required different things.

So, I have Gorath explain in passing that the changes in the races is so profound that an elven woman can't have a child with a moredhel male. Sort of 'non-human' pyschic/magic juju for making elven babies. One can assume the reverse is true, though we all know elves would never rape a moredhel woman.

So we have what I hope is a satisfactory compromise, my view of the elves as one species separated by magic, attitude, and living apart from one another, coupled with the original idea they were different critters.