Site Frontier:What is the Frontier
From BattletechMUX
What is the Frontier?
Battletech: The Frontier Lands is a BattletechMUX set in the distant future world of the 31st century, mostly focusing on conflicts within and around the Inner Sphere. The many political and military powers battle for supremacy and survival in a cutt-throat, dog-eat-dog manner. Players take to the front line of the wars, piloting massive war machines such as Tanks, Choppers, Battlesuits, Warships, and the deadly 100 ton BattleMech.
Is the Frontier Text-Based only?
No. While our codebase, BattletechMUX, is itself completely text-based, there exists a protocol that allows the creation of graphical HUDs. These provide graphical portrayals of the map, keyboard bindings, and a bunch of other neat things that make playing the game much easier and better on the eyes. Check out THUD or Xpertmud for good examples.
What is the basic goal of the game?
The basic goal is to work with your faction to capture strategic points such as Bases and Relays in order to gain a stronger hold on the contested territory.
Do I actually get to pilot units?
Yes! This is something that the Frontier has that is truely unique in comparison to other games of its type. Using either a set of commands or a graphical HUD, players pilot their units around an actual map with terrain and elevations. You're in charge of movement, targeting, firing, ammo loadouts, and pretty much everything required to keep your 'Mech from becoming a smoldering heap of scrap.
What kind of personal character advancements are there?
Although the Frontier is a very team-oriented game, there is plenty of room to improve and augment your character as he progresses:
- Progress through 20 different ranks, each giving your character unique new abilities.
- Buy, sell, and trade your own units.
- Develop your skills and advantages.
- Form or join an Outfit.
How is the Frontier similar or different from the board game?
The Frontier, unlike the board game, is real-time. This means that time progresses at a normal, continuous rate just like real life. There are no "turns" or "phases", the game just keeps moving. This is similar to comparing Sid Meyer's Civilization series to Starcraft.
Aside from that, we compare very favorably with the board game in terms of rules and units. We currently have the capability to allow the players to pilot hundrefs of standard CBT units.
How true is the Frontier to Classic Battletech Rules?
The vast majority of the things we implement are true to Classic Battletech rules, but keep in mind that we are a real-time game unlike the board game. Some rules had to be adapted to a real-time environment and didn't transfer over directly from the manuals. For example, we have variable recycle times, which means it takes varying amounts of time for different weapons to be ready to fire again.
We also do use some rules from Maxtech from time to time to further expand gameplay, in addition to a small amount of house rules in the case that something didn't transfer over well from the CBT books.
How similar is the Frontier to MegaMek in terms of gameplay?
As mentioned previously, MegaMek is more along the lines of the board game and is turn-based. We, on the other hand, are real-time. Additionally, the objectives and factions are completely different in behavior between the two games. The only real similarity is that we both implement CBT plot, rules and units.
What does it cost to play?
The Frontier is and will always be free to play. However, we do accept Donations to help cover our operating costs and advertising.
How can I get started?
Check out our guide to Getting Started.
