When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet to a system that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and cities. It was much
more than a rogue like, it was an entire world. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, or where I could find something like this? I'd just be
willing to play it, I don't have to host it (though I'd like to!).

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp,
,wss) (Ports 22,23,110,21,119,999)


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet to a system that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and cities. It
was much more than a rogue like, it was an entire world. Does anyone
know what I'm talking about, or where I could find something like this? I'd just be willing to play it, I don't have to host it (though I'd like to!).

Would that have been angband or one of it's many many derivatives?

If you want to take it for a spin there is a website that lets you play multiple different versions and derivatives of it: angband.live

zangband and some of the other angband derivatives are kinda like nethack but with an overworld with towns an multiple dungeons...

... All answers questioned here.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbs>>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

* In a message originally to Shurato, kirkspragg said:

When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet to a

system

that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and cities.

It

was much more than a rogue like, it was an entire world. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, or where I could find something like

this?

I'd just be willing to play it, I don't have to host it (though I'd

like

to!).

Would that have been angband or one of it's many many derivatives?

If you want to take it for a spin there is a website that lets you play multiple different versions and derivatives of it: angband.live

zangband and some of the other angband derivatives are kinda like nethack but with an overworld with towns an multiple dungeons...

I have angband on my system. Haven't looked at it. I'll have to!

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp,
,wss) (Ports 22,23,110,21,119,999)


---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

Re: Re: ANSI Dungeon World...
By: Shurato to kirkspragg on Fri Jul 18 2025 08:49 pm

A whole world you say? On a telnet system back then? That's gotta be the coolest thing ever.

I get that it's just text and (maybe) pixel art but being on such a minimal interface with only so much RAM amd the slowest dialup connection is just pure cyberpunk-esque to me.

I also understand that game like TradWars 2002 exist and that game is like a whole universe.

I don't know, I just find this stuff very facinating.

I also wasn't even alive then.

...RAM DISK is NOT an installation procedure!
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Win32
* Origin: -=[conchaos.synchro.net | ConstructiveChaos BBS]=- (21:4/141)

I get that it's just text and (maybe) pixel art but being on such a minimal interface with only so much RAM amd the slowest dialup connection is just pure
cyberpunk-esque to me.

I also understand that game like TradWars 2002 exist and that game is like a whole universe.

I don't know, I just find this stuff very facinating.

I was alive then and it is facinating. TW2002 is mostly text, while it
sounds like what he is describing must have had at least some ANSI drawing, like the rogue game would have, but on a much larger scale.

I wish I had happened upon that back then!


* SLMR 2.1a * It is not who votes, but who counts them.
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Re: Re: ANSI Dungeon World...
By: Dumas Walker to AFRAIDMASYNRLK on Sat Jul 19 2025 10:17 am

Games like LoRD and New York 2008 kick ass even to this day. I wish more people used these old BBS systems just because it gets you away from all the corp BS.

Here it's all people, cummunity, no bots, no crazy ads. Just...people.

And because of that the messages we write and the things we do here is all real.

If more poeple used Telnet, SSH, whatever you prefer and logged onto a BBS, they would truly see what the internet is about.

Innovation. Connection and creativity.

OH and cool files and text games.

I probably wouldn't write something like this on the modern NET.

...Scratch & Sniff .\\essage: Scratch Here --->²²²²²²²²<---
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Win32
* Origin: -=[conchaos.synchro.net | ConstructiveChaos BBS]=- (21:4/141)

Re: Re: ANSI Dungeon World...
By: Afraidmasynrlk to Shurato on Sat Jul 19 2025 12:20 am

I get that it's just text and (maybe) pixel art but being on such a minimal interface with only so much RAM amd the slowest dialup connection is just pure cyberpunk-esque to me.

It's all relative. By today's standards, dialup connection speeds weren't fast, but back then, as new modems came out, they were the fastest speeds available. People still had different modems that could do different speeds, so it was still possible to have a relatively slow modem, but if you were able to buy a new fast modem (or even a decently fast modem, if not the fastest), it actually wasn't bad. I think by the time modems reached 14.4kbps (maybe even 9600bps), displaying even entire 80x24 ANSI screens wasn't bad, and it was even better with a 28.8k or 33.6k modem. And the interface was minimal by today's standards because of the connection speeds back then.

Also, compared to today, computers had little RAM back then, but back then, I remember when 4MB or 8MB of RAM was a lot of RAM.

I got my first computer in 1992, and it was a hand-me-down PC, so not the latest stuff, but I was still happy to have it. It had a 12mhz 186 processor, 2MB of RAM (I think), and I got a 2400 baud modem with it too. I started using BBSes right away, and I thought it was so cool. Initially I had a Hercules monochrome monitor with it, but later that year I was gifted a VGA graphics card and an IBM VGA (640x480) monitor, and I thought the upgrade from monochrome to color was so cool. I also had a Sound Blaster card in my PC by then, and I remember playing Wolfenstein 3D on my PC - the first 3D shooter I had played.

Nightfox
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Re: Re: ANSI Dungeon World...
By: Nightfox to Afraidmasynrlk on Sat Jul 19 2025 01:09 pm

Yes, I forgot to mention that.

Since data was so small compared to today's standards, dial-up would have in fact been plenty for ANSI text and graphics.

Same with those specs, it would have been plenty for Lemmings or WOLF 3D.

I wish I was alive then just to have some cool experience with that tech in it's prime.

Sadly, I was born post-9/11, 512 MB of RAM was the norm and dial-up was dying, so I grew up with the late Y2K and early 2010's NET mess that soon evolved into the corpo AI slop NET.

Though I enjoyed my times on the internet then as they were way better than any of my current experiences on the NET.

I'd give away a kidney for times like those to return.

...Construct a system that even a fool can use and only a fool will want to. --- SBBSecho 3.28-Win32
* Origin: -=[conchaos.synchro.net | ConstructiveChaos BBS]=- (21:4/141)

Re: Re: ANSI Dungeon World...
By: Nightfox to Afraidmasynrlk on Sat Jul 19 2025 01:09 pm

Dude, please quote ... no one can remember one day to the next let alone message to message.

... Never go to a cyberpunk play when the review says "Riotous."

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* Origin: The Titantic BBS Telnet - ttb.rgbbs.info (21:1/144)

Re: Re: ANSI Dungeon World...
By: Exodus to Afraidmasynrlk on Sun Jul 20 2025 12:19 am

Dude, please quote ... no one can remember one day to the next let alone message to message.

Sorry, I don't know the laws of ANSI netiquette.

Riotous? Exactly, that's the point.

If I really wanted structure I wouldn't be here.

...Power corrupts. Absolute power is kinda neat, though.
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Win32
* Origin: -=[conchaos.synchro.net | ConstructiveChaos BBS]=- (21:4/141)

Games like LoRD and New York 2008 kick ass even to this day. I wish more peopl
used these old BBS systems just because it gets you away from all the corp BS.

Here it's all people, cummunity, no bots, no crazy ads. Just...people.

And because of that the messages we write and the things we do here is all real.

We do on a few occassions get a visit from an internet bot in some of the echoes but, for the most part, yes it is a smaller community made of of
real folks.

If more poeple used Telnet, SSH, whatever you prefer and logged onto a BBS, they would truly see what the internet is about.

Some of them would like it, I am sure. Others would still yearn for the instant gratifications of "likes" and whatever else it is they get from
social media.


* SLMR 2.1a * Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (21:1/175)

Dude, please quote ... no one can remember one day to the next let alone message to message.

Sorry, I don't know the laws of ANSI netiquette.

Riotous? Exactly, that's the point.

If I really wanted structure I wouldn't be here.

FWIW, the message you responded to was received here right before your
reply, so it isn't a big deal. I knew what you were discussing.

If you are responding to a message that is 2-3 days old, it is better to quote so the person you are chatting with can remember what they said. None of us are getting younger and our memory may not be so great! :D


* SLMR 2.1a * Isn't this where....
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* In a message originally to Shurato, Afraidmasynrlk said:

Re: Re: ANSI Dungeon World... By: Shurato to kirkspragg on Fri Jul
18 2025 08:49 pm

A whole world you say? On a telnet system back then? That's gotta be the coolest thing ever.

I get that it's just text and (maybe) pixel art but being on such a
minimal interface with only so much RAM amd the slowest dialup connection
is just pure cyberpunk-esque to me.

I also understand that game like TradWars 2002 exist and that game is like
a whole universe.

I don't know, I just find this stuff very facinating.

I also wasn't even alive then.

It wasn't dial-up, it was a networked AIX system, but it was through telnet.
It was a huge world. I wish I could remember what it was called. I still haven't looked at my angband install, it might be comprable.

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp,
,wss) (Ports 22,23,110,21,119,999)


---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet to a

system

that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and cities.

It

was much more than a rogue like, it was an entire world. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, or where I could find something like

this?

I'd just be willing to play it, I don't have to host it (though I'd

like

to!).

Would that have been angband or one of it's many many derivatives?

It wasn't angband. It was a more detailed upper world, like the door game LORE, but full screen, not in a window.

If you want to take it for a spin there is a website that lets you play multiple different versions and derivatives of it: angband.live

zangband and some of the other angband derivatives are kinda like nethack but with an overworld with towns an multiple dungeons...

... All answers questioned here.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64) * Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbs>>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp,
,wss) (Ports 22,23,110,21,119,999)


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

Re: ANSI Dungeon World...
By: Shurato to All on Fri Jul 18 2025 01:48 pm

When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet to a system that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and cities. It was much
more than a rogue like, it was an entire world. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, or where I could find something like this? I'd just be willing to play it, I don't have to host it (though I'd like to!).

It sounds to me like you are talking about a graphical MUD (Multi User Dungeon). If so, you can give New Worlds of Ateeran a go. It is all text (no graphics) but last time I gave it a try it rocked.


--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
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* In a message originally to Shurato, Arelor said:

Re: ANSI Dungeon World... By: Shurato to All on Fri Jul 18 2025 01:48
pm

When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet to a

system

that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and cities. It

was

much more than a rogue like, it was an entire world. Does anyone
know what

I'm

talking about, or where I could find something like this? I'd just be willing to play it, I don't have to host it (though I'd like to!).

It sounds to me like you are talking about a graphical MUD (Multi User Dungeon). If so, you can give New Worlds of Ateeran a go. It is all text
(no graphics) but last time I gave it a try it rocked.

Yeah, it was all text, no graphics, but not like most MUDs... It was ANSI. I'll look into this, thanks!

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp,
,wss) (Ports 22,23,110,21,119,999)


---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet to a

system

that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and cities

It

was much more than a rogue like, it was an entire world. Does an know what I'm talking about, or where I could find something like

this?

So what you are describing is incredibly cool. I have wanted to write this game for a very long time. LORD2 is quite similar in a way, but I haven't really played LORD2 because the storyline isn't my bag.

What I wanted to make was a multiplayer world which wasn't a dungeon based thing. That used ANSI chars and control sequences (so, ANSI graphics - if you will call it graphics - the extended IBM charset).

The main thing I'd envisaged is rooms and rooms of places to visit. Houses, stores, fields, forests etc. All fullscreen (or maybe a status window to the side or something). Rather than being a fixed-goal world, it would be open to explore. People could either talk to others in real time or just leave others a message, and if two were there in real time, they could battle or trade. No offline battles. Every now and again I write a bit of code to get started, then I get busy :)

I wish what you are talking about was still online, I'd be hella interested!

Cheers!
Al


hyjinx // Alistair Ross
Author of 'Back to the BBS' Documentary: https://bit.ly/3tRINeL (YouTube) alsgeeklab.com

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
* Origin: bbs.alsgeeklab.com:2323 (21:1/126)

When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to telnet

system

that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeons and c

So what you are describing is incredibly cool. I have wanted to write
this game for a very long time. LORD2 is quite similar in a way, but I haven't really played LORD2 because the storyline isn't my bag.

I know it's not ANSI nor that open world feel but for anyone who hasn't checked out the game Stone Story RPG I would recommend it. The most beautiful ASCII art game I've ever seen, like stunningly beautiful and if iirc every single frame of every single animation and and screen was hand done. The amount of work and artistry put into this is insane.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: thE qUAntUm wOrmhOlE, rAmsgAtE, uK. bbs.erb.pw (21:1/158)

Sh When I worked at IBM in the early 90's, I was able to

telnet

system that had a mostly full screen ANSI world with dungeon

and c

So what you are describing is incredibly cool. I have wanted to write this game for a very long time. LORD2 is quite similar in a way, but

I

haven't really played LORD2 because the storyline isn't my bag.

I know it's not ANSI nor that open world feel but for anyone who hasn't checked out the game Stone Story RPG I would recommend it. The most beautiful ASCII art game I've ever seen, like stunningly beautiful and if iirc every single frame of every single animation and and screen was hand done. The amount of work and artistry put into this is insane.

I just got the demo on Steam.if I can finish it, I'll buy it.knowing me, I'll get stuck.

--
Shurato, Sysop Shurato's Heavenly Sphere (ssh, telnet, pop3, ftp,nntp,
,wss) (Ports 22,23,110,21,119,999)


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
---
* Origin: Shurato's Heavenly Sphere telnet://shsbbs.net (21:2/148)

BY: unc0nnected (21:1/158)

|11u|09> |10I know it's not ANSI nor that open world feel but for anyone who hasn't|07
|11u|09> |10checked out the game Stone Story RPG I would recommend it. The most|07
|11u|09> |10beautiful ASCII art game I've ever seen, like stunningly beautiful and|07
|11u|09> |10if iirc every single frame of every single animation and and screen was|07
|11u|09> |10hand done. The amount of work and artistry put into this is insane.|07
BBS game or regular game?


--- WWIV 5.9.03748[Windows]
* Origin: inland utopia * california * iutopia.duckdns.org:2023 (21:4/108)

I know it's not ANSI nor that open world feel but for anyone who hasn't checked out the game Stone Story RPG I would recommend it. The most beautiful ASCII art game I've ever seen, like stunningly beautiful and if iirc every single frame of every single animation and and screen was hand done. The amount of work and artistry put into this is insane.

BBS game or regular game?

It's a regular game on PC and Mobile. Knowing that the animations are all hand done this one could actually be ported over as a door game, just need to redo the underlying game systems.

... It's only a hobby ... only a hobby ... only a hobby ...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
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