Crossfire (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Crossfire is a free
and open source cross-platform
multiplayer online computer role-playing game
Crossfire features a tile based graphic system with a pseudo-isometric perspective. All content is licensed under the GNU GPL
. The client and server will run in Microsoft Windows
, Linux
, Mac OS X
, IRIX
, and an array of other platforms.
clone developed by Frank Tore Johansen at the University of Oslo
, Norway. After a name change in that same year and brief hosting time at University of California Berkeley (Jul-1999 to Jan-2001), the project now resides at SourceForge where development continues.
Crossfire started with just one indoor map and then increased to 4 indoor-maps with one-way portals from level 1 to level 4. Upon clearing the last level, there was nothing more for the player to do. Spells were limited to magic bullet (the first spell), fireball, magic missile, burning hands and lightning bolt. Later, when two-way portals were implemented, development and content contribution expanded greatly.
Crossfire has since grown to encompass over 150 monsters, about 3000 maps to explore, an elaborate magic system, 13 races, 15 character classes, a system of skills, and many artifacts and treasures.
and roguelike
games such as NetHack
or Angband. Any number of players can connect and play on the public servers, finding and using items and battling monsters. They can choose to cooperate or compete in the same world which includes both static and randomly generated content. It is a client and server based game with the ability to be played over the Internet, on a local network setting, or on a single computer setup.
Crossfire is based in a medieval fantasy world and is similar to other games of this genre. Players can choose any of the 13 races from dragons (fire hatchlings) to quetzalcoatl as well as the more average human and elf. They can also play as one of 15 classes or professions which range from alchemist to a monk to a warrior. The game consists of a comprehensive skill system that has experience levels in each skill, rather than just general experience points. As a result, it is realistic in that the skills the player uses are the skills that are improved.
Once the character creation process is complete, players enter the game world and pick from the two starting towns, Scorn or Navar. Although there are many quests, the game leans towards hack and slash
adventuring with other players. With thousands of different maps spread out over a full-sized continent, the game has plenty of room to explore.
s, such as Wyvern
, a Java
rewrite, Graal Kingdoms, which closed its code and content, and Daimonin, which only used the server code but features an isometric view and a different project philosophy focused on a single main server. Deliantra is another fork of the Crossfire project, primarily aiming to improve the quality of its code and in-game content.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
and open source cross-platform
Cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
multiplayer online computer role-playing game
Crossfire features a tile based graphic system with a pseudo-isometric perspective. All content is licensed under the GNU GPL
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
. The client and server will run in Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, IRIX
IRIX
IRIX is a computer operating system developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. to run natively on their 32- and 64-bit MIPS architecture workstations and servers. It was based on UNIX System V with BSD extensions. IRIX was the first operating system to include the XFS file system.The last major version...
, and an array of other platforms.
Development
Crossfire's development history started in mid-1992. It originally started as a GauntletGauntlet (arcade game)
Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. It is noted as the first class-based multiplayer game. Released during the emergence of popularity of other role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, the game was a sensation, being one of the first true dungeon crawl...
clone developed by Frank Tore Johansen at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, Norway. After a name change in that same year and brief hosting time at University of California Berkeley (Jul-1999 to Jan-2001), the project now resides at SourceForge where development continues.
Crossfire started with just one indoor map and then increased to 4 indoor-maps with one-way portals from level 1 to level 4. Upon clearing the last level, there was nothing more for the player to do. Spells were limited to magic bullet (the first spell), fireball, magic missile, burning hands and lightning bolt. Later, when two-way portals were implemented, development and content contribution expanded greatly.
Crossfire has since grown to encompass over 150 monsters, about 3000 maps to explore, an elaborate magic system, 13 races, 15 character classes, a system of skills, and many artifacts and treasures.
Gameplay
Crossfire has the feel of certain other games, especially GauntletGauntlet (arcade game)
Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. It is noted as the first class-based multiplayer game. Released during the emergence of popularity of other role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, the game was a sensation, being one of the first true dungeon crawl...
and roguelike
Roguelike
The roguelike is a sub-genre of role-playing video games, characterized by randomization for replayability, permanent death, and turn-based movement. Most roguelikes feature ASCII graphics, with newer ones increasingly offering tile-based graphics. Games are typically dungeon crawls, with many...
games such as NetHack
NetHack
NetHack is a single-player roguelike video game originally released in 1987. It is a descendant of an earlier game called Hack , which is a descendant of Rogue...
or Angband. Any number of players can connect and play on the public servers, finding and using items and battling monsters. They can choose to cooperate or compete in the same world which includes both static and randomly generated content. It is a client and server based game with the ability to be played over the Internet, on a local network setting, or on a single computer setup.
Crossfire is based in a medieval fantasy world and is similar to other games of this genre. Players can choose any of the 13 races from dragons (fire hatchlings) to quetzalcoatl as well as the more average human and elf. They can also play as one of 15 classes or professions which range from alchemist to a monk to a warrior. The game consists of a comprehensive skill system that has experience levels in each skill, rather than just general experience points. As a result, it is realistic in that the skills the player uses are the skills that are improved.
Once the character creation process is complete, players enter the game world and pick from the two starting towns, Scorn or Navar. Although there are many quests, the game leans towards hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
adventuring with other players. With thousands of different maps spread out over a full-sized continent, the game has plenty of room to explore.
Influence on other online games
Crossfire was used as the base of a number of commercial and free MMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s, such as Wyvern
Wyvern (Online Game)
Wyvern is a 2-dimensional Graphical MUD/MMORPG game which was released for public play on February 4, 2001 by creator Steve Yegge through his company Cabochon Inc. Wyvern is a free game that was influenced by games such as Crossfire and NetHack...
, a Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
rewrite, Graal Kingdoms, which closed its code and content, and Daimonin, which only used the server code but features an isometric view and a different project philosophy focused on a single main server. Deliantra is another fork of the Crossfire project, primarily aiming to improve the quality of its code and in-game content.