The first metaverse was a game of Lucasarts for Commodore: Habitat, History of the MMORPG

Lucasfilm Games, from 1991 to 2021 Lucas arts Home Entertainment Firm LLC (short LEC or Lucas arts) is the firm name of the 1982 division of George Lucas of Lucasfilm Ltd. While Lucasfilm Games worked primarily as programmers of computer games, particularly Adventures, particularly experiences, the Star Wars Video Clip Games under this label were released from completion of the 1990s. In 2012, the after that known under Lucas arts was gotten by Disney. Given that April 2013, Lucas arts has actually only been functioning as licensors for video games after a restructuring action of Disney. That stayed 2021 after renaming in the old name.

It is never over to look back to know more about the history of video games, because very pleasant surprises are discovered, and that you can also serve as a topic of conversation to demonstrate your knowledge while you are taking something. These days, concepts such as met avers or MMORPG are treated and associated with a current and avant-garde evolution. But, the truth is that the interactive entertainment sector has been exploring these ideas for a long time, a long time. Specifically, since 1986, more than 35 years ago. This is the story of habitat.

Probably his name does not sound to you, since it is a project not well known and that he did not even finish running. Its development, carried out by the mythical study of Lucas arts, began in 1985 for the COMMODORE 64 systems. Although it is not the first MMORPG, since that honor falls on a game called Island of Kasai, Yes, it is considered as the first graphic virtual world that initiated a beta phase. And for that reason, it is considered as the precursor of online multiplayer games that proliferate both in the sector lately.

It seems impossible that with the connections that there was then, where the Internet was almost non-existent, it was already a game of this caliber, right? Habitat was available in Beta phase for three years making use of Quantum Link, an online service for the aforementioned Systems Commodore 64 where it had to be paid $9.99 a month plus six cents per minute to play. Then, everything was wearing a modest server located in the North American town of Virginia that was only operational at night and on weekends. A support from the bearers that helped Lucas arts — which was then called Lucasfilm-to finance the development of such an ambitious project. Come on, that the Kickstarter and the patrons are not ideas for two days, precisely.

Randy Farmer, Chip Morningstar, ARIC Plunder and Janet Hunter are the names of the three principals responsible for this idea that, although they are not the best known in the sector, are the ones who were the first to get that An online game with graphics — the mentioned Island of Kasai was made with ASCII graphics — which allowed hundreds of people from anywhere in the world to connect with each other and may interact with each other from the forms that this proposal allowed. Never winter Nights, in 1991, was the first MMO to use, but inspired by the influence of Habitat.

How was Habitat played?

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• conversation to demonstrate

Taking into account the time in which its development phase took place, the truth is that Habitat seemed to serve more as a field of testing for online game stability, but in the end it was evolving. Initially, was a very free proposal, so that is why, its creators made the decision to add influences so that the players could make different things and stay immersed in their world.

Do not think that Habitat was a simple project. Habitat had more than 20,000 different screens why we could move with total freedom; Obviously without the level of detail of a current MMO and with loads between them. We had natural areas with nothing but vegetation to places with objects to interact and move through their different regions. Players could use their avatar and perform different actions among which, of course, you could talk to other players or make gestures. Even personalize the avatar with different clothes or even homes with pictures, furniture and other objects.

Habitat allowed for the first time that we could connect with other people and interact in real time with a video game itself; or at least with graphic or representative elements.

So they added tools for users to do what they would have progressively. They had a kind of city and each could take on their way to follow. From doing business to exchange objects. But in the end, and as a pioneer also in this of the social simulators, the debauchery appeared. The players were stolen and murdered with each other, and it was all a chaos. So, they added rules and the presence of agents of the law with authority to try to maintain that free will.

Habitat He ended up as Beta Project in 1988 and did not continue his legacy; At least not directly. The project was continued by q-link as exclusive to its customers, although with the name of Club Caribbean. Of course, it did not last too long, since several of the most popular additions they had added in Lucas arts and did not end up curing; The company ended up using more as a chat room with graphic elements and nothing more.

So, you already know something more about video game history and one of the driving projects of the MMORPG ; A subgenre that took its first steps in the mid-eighties, for incredible it seems.