View source for Furcadia

{{Infobox video game
| title = Furcadia
| image = Furcadia_Login_Screen.jpeg
| caption = Login screen for Furcadia
| developer = Dragon's Eye Productions, Inc.<br><br>Catnip Studios
| publisher = Dragon's Eye Productions, Inc.<br><br>Catnip Studios
| engine =
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]], Web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and others)
| released = {{Start date|1996|12|16}}
| genre = [[Massively multiplayer online game]]
| modes = [[Multiplayer video game|Multiplayer]]
| designer = Dr. Cat<br>'Manda<br>Ben Jans
}}
'''''Furcadia''''' is a free-to-play [[Massively multiplayer online game#Casual|MMOSG/MMORPG]] or [[graphical MUD]],<ref name="koster">{{cite web| last = Koster | first = Raph | author-link = Raph Koster| url = http://www.raphkoster.com/1999/10/13/recent-news-3/| title = Recent News| work = Raph Koster's Website| date = 1999-10-13| access-date = 2010-05-01| quote = Also, I have to say that I think Furcadia is probably the most successful non-gaming, socially oriented graphical mud I’ve seen.}}</ref><ref>Carson, Bryan M. (2007). "Virtual Copyright: The Applicability and Ownership of Copyright in Second Life", ''Against the Grain'', 19:5, p.80.</ref> set in a [[fantasy]] world inhabited by magical creatures. The game is based on [[User-generated content|user-created content]] with emphasis on world building tools, exploring, [[Socialization|socializing]], and free-form [[roleplaying]]. ''Furcadia'' hosts a large [[Volunteering|volunteer]] program called the Beekin Helpers,<ref name="helpbeekins">{{cite web| author=Dragon's Eye Productions| title=Help Beekins| url=http://furcadia.com/beekins/| publisher=Dragon's Eye Productions| access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref> allowing players to help with [[Moderation (Internet)#Moderators|community moderation]], welcoming new players, handling in-game [[technical support]], running in game [[Event planning|events]], creating art for the game itself, accessing and updating the game's [[Website monitoring|website]], and [[Software bug|bug hunting]].<ref name="beekinstasks">{{cite web| author=Dragon's Eye Productions| title=About The Beekins| url=http://furcadia.com/beekins/about.html| publisher=Dragon's Eye Productions| access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref> ''Furcadia'' holds the [[Guinness World Records]] title for the longest continuously running social [[Massively multiplayer online game|MMO]]RPG and, in addition to being one of the first games to heavily encourage modding and let users build virtual worlds for themselves,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rog.asus.com/24242016/gaming/8-games-that-changed-how-we-play/|title=8 Games That Changed How We Play|website=rog.asus.com|access-date=2016-08-18|archive-date=2016-08-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822163346/https://rog.asus.com/24242016/gaming/8-games-that-changed-how-we-play/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Guinness">{{cite web| author=Guinness World Records| title=Longest-running social mmorpg| url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-9000/longest-running-social-mmorpg/| date=2010-11-28| publisher=Guinness World Records| access-date=2013-08-03}}</ref><ref name="10years">{{cite web| author=Dragon's Eye Productions| title=Furcadia Celebrates 10th Anniversary| url=http://www.mpogd.com/news/?ID=2279| date=2007-12-15| publisher=Multiplayer Online Games Directory| access-date=2009-05-20| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211234136/http://mpogd.com/news/?ID=2279| archive-date=2010-02-11}}</ref><ref name="2006townmeeting">{{cite web| title=2006 Town Meeting transcript| url=http://www.furcadia.com/tenth/townmeeting.html| publisher=Dragon's Eye Productions| access-date=2009-05-20}}</ref> it was also one of the first freemium online games.<ref>{{cite book |title=Issues in Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management: Articles from SAGE Business Researcher |date=2018 |publisher=SAGE Publications, Inc. |location=Thousand Oaks, California |isbn=9781506381381 |page=114 |edition=First |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OnGHDgAAQBAJ |access-date=19 June 2018 |ref=&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&dq=freemium+furcadia&source=bl&ots=29UCAwzubN&sig=-bEU9d77YFPhOAHIvftFxeM4oK4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJi9-M4uDbAhVtCTQIHbEhCWU4ChDoAQg2MAE#v=onepage&q=freemium furcadia&f=false}}</ref> In 2008, ''Furcadia'' was reported as having over 60,000 players.<ref name="Stam2008">Syam, Kathryn; Scialdone, Michael. (2008). "[http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/8290/1/Stam_and_Scialdone.pdf Where Dreams and Dragons Meet: An Ethnographic Analysis of Two Examples of Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs)]". ''Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet'' 3:1. p64. Retrieved January 20, 2013.</ref>
==Gameplay==
[[File:FurcShot2007.png|thumb|''Furcadia'' screenshot]]
=== Characters ===
The character, or [[Avatar (virtual reality)|avatar]] on ''Furcadia'' can be set to one of 11 free species, including both humans, insects, and [[anthropomorphic]] animals.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://cms.furcadia.com/update31a|title=Update 31a - The Biggest Update EVER! - Furcadia|website=cms.furcadia.com|access-date=2016-08-04}}</ref> Players can choose between one of three genders: male, female, and unspecified. These genders modify the default portrait, butler (the large character art), and specitags, icons seen to the left of players' names in chat.
===Customization===
Players can customize their avatars by choosing colors from a palette. These colors are shown on the butler,  walkabout, and portrait. The walkabout has a walking animation with the ability to stand, sit, or lie down. There are default portraits for each avatar, however, players may upload a 95x95 custom portrait for a small fee.<ref name="portraits">''[http://www.furcadia.com/beekins/portraits/ Personal Portraits]'', Furcadia website. Dragon's Eye Productions. Retrieved November 26, 2007.</ref> 22 Custom avatars (non-gendered) may be added and used inside private dreams, for free.<ref name=localspecies>{{cite web|title=Local Species|url=http://www.furcadia.com/update/species/|access-date=20 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102053007/http://www.furcadia.com/update/species/|archive-date=2 November 2014}}</ref>
Each character can also have a written description, which can include character details, external links to websites, or internal links to private dreams. Some players choose to link to third-party websites to extend their descriptions beyond the character-limit the standard Furcadia description allows.
===Dreams===
The primary focus of ''Furcadia'' is [[user-generated content]]. To this end, the ''Furcadia'' game download includes an art editor, a map creating program, a skin editor, and a script editor. Users are encouraged to create their own [[virtual world]]s, called Dreams, using these free tools.<ref name="Furcadia Dreams">{{cite web
| author=Dragon's Eye Productions
| title=Make Your Dreams Come True
| url=http://www.furcadia.com/beekins/guide/dreamed.html
| publisher=Dragon's Eye Productions
| access-date=2013-08-04
}}</ref> These worlds can be uploaded to the ''Furcadia'' server for free and used for a variety of purposes, examples being text based [[Online text-based role-playing game|role playing]], a place to hang out with friends, or playing [[Multiplayer online game|multiplayer]] games and quests with other users, etc. Dreams remain open to the public area in which they are uploaded, so long as it is inhabited, and, if unoccupied, it is eventually unloaded automatically.
While there are several types of dreams that are popular, users continue to create new things with the tools they are given. ''Furcadia'' hosts a variety of roleplaying dreams, ranging from strict-continuity roleplay (in which the dream is its own independent world) to [[Persona (disambiguation)|persona play]].<ref name="Roleplay">{{cite web | url = http://www.furcadia.com/roleplay/ | title = Roleplaying in Furcadia | publisher = Dragon's Eye Productions | access-date = 2010-07-28 }}</ref> Roleplaying dreams also come in a number of different forms, ranging from [[Feral organism|feral]] (wild animal) to furre (anthropomorphic animal) to [[human]]. Many dreams revolve around [[fantasy]] plots and themes, based on [[Lists of books|popular books]], [[Television genre|television programs]], ancient [[mythology]], or original creations of ''Furcadia'' players.
''Furcadia'' itself is basically made up of several dreams, the ones made by its users and the main maps.
===Patches===
Almost all of the 6,000+ default art files shown in ''Furcadia'' can be [[Patch (computing)|patched]] over and displayed in a Dream, including the [[Skin (computing)|skin]], buttons, avatars, items, walls, effects, lighting, ambience, portals, and floors.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Furcadia Patches">{{cite web
| author=Dragon's Eye Productions
| title=Add Your Own Art/Sounds/Music
| url=http://www.furcadia.com/beekins/guide/patches.html
| publisher=Dragon's Eye Productions
| access-date=2013-08-04
}}</ref> Additional art may be added to a Dream in file types ending with 'e', such as iteme, floore, etc., which does not overwrite the default art. Much user created patch art is available for download via third party websites.<ref name="faz">{{cite web
| author=Matt Hirschfelt
| title=FAZ Patch Archive
| url=http://www.furcartzone.com/index.php?action=downloads
| year=2013
| publisher=FurcArtZone.com
| access-date=2013-08-04
}}</ref><ref name="roamheart">{{cite web
| author=Paul "Kinsem" Delaney
| title=Roamheart Patching Database
| url=http://archive.roamheart.com/
| year=2004
| publisher=Archive.Roamheart.com
| access-date=2013-08-04
}}</ref> Dreams can also include the use of audio files in the [[Windows Media Audio|WMA]], [[Ogg]], [[MOD (file format)|MOD]], [[S3M]], [[WAV]] and [[MIDI]] (.mid) formats.
===Scripting===
Players may add interactivity to dreams chiefly through a [[Scripting language#Application-specific languages|custom scripting language]] known as DragonSpeak, or "DS". DragonSpeak commands may be [[Event-driven programming|triggered]] by in-game actions or by custom buttons displayed over the [[HUD (video gaming)|game interface]].<ref name=dsbuttons>{{cite web|title=DragonSpeak Buttons|url=http://www.furcadia.com/creations/dsbuttons.html|access-date=20 March 2013}}</ref> Other custom scripting tools include PhoenixSpeak, which is used to store information to a permanent [[Database server|database]],<ref name=phoenixspeak>{{cite web|title=PhoenixSpeak|url=http://www.furcadia.com/creations/psalpha.html|access-date=20 March 2013}}</ref> and an [[Animation#2D animation|animation]] scripting language called KitterSpeak.<ref name=kitterspeak>{{cite web|title=Animating With Kitterspeak|url=http://www.furcadia.com/update/animating.html|access-date=20 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111012626/http://www.furcadia.com/update/animating.html|archive-date=11 November 2012}}</ref>
These scripting languages enable players to script actions ranging from the simple, like opening a door, to the more complex, such as a complete game of [[chess]] or [[laser-tag]].
Dream owners are allowed to make and use [[Internet bot|bots]] to accomplish things that DragonSpeak cannot, but these are not officially supported by ''Furcadia''.
====Dream standards====
Although ''Furcadia'' itself is unrated, individual dreams may specify a standard which details what kind of behavior, language, and content may be allowed. Before March 2007, ''Furcadia'' used a rating system akin to the [[MPAA film rating system]]. Since March 2007, ''Furcadia'' uses its own Dream [[Video game content rating system|standards system]] which allows users to define exactly what kind of behavior should be allowed on a per-dream basis. The Dream standards are based on age groups, ranging from Everyone8+ to Adult Only, with specific behavior, language, and content restrictions. Some main maps—FurN and Hawthorn (previously Haven/New Haven)—immediately block the user from entering the main map if they are not within the specified age group and parental controls are enabled.<ref>''[http://www.furcadia.com/standards/ Dream Content Standards]'', Dragon's Eye Productions.</ref><ref name="Bell2008">Bell, Lori; Trueman, Rhonda B. (2008). ''Virtual Worlds, Real Libraries: Librarians and Educators in Second Life and Other Multi-User Virtual Environments''. Information Today Inc. {{ISBN|9781573873611}}. p26.</ref>
==Development==
[[File:DrCatAtAnthrocon2009cropped.jpg|thumb|''Furcadia'' developer Dr. Cat in 2009 at [[Anthrocon]]]]
David Shapiro (AKA Dr. Cat), a former employee of [[Origin Systems]], launched ''{{vanchor|DragonSpires}}'' as one of the Internet's first graphics-based [[multi-user dungeons]] (MUDs) in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.raphkoster.com/games/the-online-world-timeline/|title=The Online World Timeline|date=13 January 2014|website=raphkoster.com}}</ref><ref name="scholderzimmerman">{{cite book
| last1 = Scholder | first1 = Amy
| last2 = Zimmerman | first2 = Eric
| title = RePlay: New Literacies and Digital Epistemologies, V. 18
| publisher = Peter Lang Publishing
| isbn = 978-0820470535
| pages = 260
| quote = Their game DragonSpires was one of the first graphic multiplayer RPGs on the Internet.
| year = 2003
}}</ref> Unlike other graphical video games, ''DragonSpires'' focused on social relationships and peaceable community-building over combat and violence. The game was free to access.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/1995/03/net-surf-45/|title=Net Surf|first=Wired|last=Staff|magazine=Wired}}</ref> The novelty of the game interested multiple venture capital firms as well as Origin. The developers remade the title as ''Furcadia''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.gamedev.net/archive/columns/interviews/furcadia.html|title=GameDev.net - Interview with Dragon's Eye Productions|website=archive.gamedev.net}}</ref>
First opened to the public on December 16, 1996, ''Furcadia'' is developed by Dragon's Eye Productions, Inc (DEP) and later, Catnip Studios. At its public release, ''Furcadia'' featured a graphical improvement: art with a 256 color [[Video Graphics Array|VGA]] palette. At the time, ''Furcadia'' was never intended to be an exclusively 'furry' game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.flayrah.com/4455/furcadias-second-dreaming-meets-first-funding-target|title=Furcadia's 'Second Dreaming' meets first funding target {{!}} flayrah|website=www.flayrah.com|date=28 November 2012 |access-date=2016-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://forums.furcadia.com/index.php?furcadia_session_id=894807-bbez-gwx&showtopic=30737&st=0&p=261356&#entry261356|title=Furre Vs. Furry - Furcadia Community Forums|website=forums.furcadia.com|access-date=2016-08-04}}</ref>
New support for [[Color depth#True color (24-bit)|24-bit]] non-remappable portraits (the first art to extend beyond 256 colors), and [[Windows Vista]] support were implemented in the April 6, 2007 "Kitterwing Edition." On December 16, 2006, ''Furcadia'' became the first-ever MMORPG to celebrate ten years of continual service.<ref name="10years" /><ref name="2006townmeeting" />
''Furcadia'' was originally designed and programmed by David Shapiro (also known as ''Dr. Cat'', or ''Felorin'' in-game) and 'Manda (known as ''Talzhemir'' in-game). Additional people have since been included as part owners for their work: game [[executive producer]] Emerald Kaiten Catz (known as ''Emerald Flame''), who coordinates new development on the game, as well as who developed (and still coordinates) the Beekin volunteers project, Aleksi Asikainen (known as ''Fox'', or ''sanctimonious''), who created the game's editors and was involved in coding the client / server, though he no longer works for ''Furcadia'',<ref name="depchanges">{{cite web
| author=Emerald Flame
| title=Changes At Dragon's Eye
| url=http://forums.furcadia.com/60257
| date=2009-06-19
| publisher=Dragon's Eye Productions
| access-date=2013-08-04
}}</ref> Ben Jans (known as ''Gar''), the game's [[design director]], and Michael Vondung (known as ''Cironir''), who manages the community. The other DEP staff are involved with the game's art and programming development, as well as community affairs.<ref name="furcadiastaff">{{cite web
| author=Dragon's Eye Productions
| title=Dragon's Eye Productions Staff
| url=http://www.furcadia.com/credits/
| publisher=Dragon's Eye Productions
| access-date=2013-08-04
}}</ref><ref name="catnipstaff">{{cite web
| author=Catnip Studios
| title=The Team
| url=http://www.catnipstudios.com/the-team.html
| publisher=Catnip Studios
| access-date=2013-08-04
}}</ref>
The iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch client was released on July 19, 2010, though it is no longer available for download.<ref>"[https://www.metacritic.com/game/furcadia/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad Furcadia]", ''[[Metacritic]]''. Accessed 2013-01-20.</ref>
In 2012 ''Furcadia'' launched a Kickstarter campaign to renovate the entire game in a series of updates called The Second Dreaming. This campaign was successful, and raised more than $100,000.<ref>"[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1810822448/furcadia-the-second-dreaming]", ''[[Kickstarter]]''. Accessed 2015-03-09.</ref>
In 2016, ''Furcadia'' released "The Second Dreaming Part 1", which added new 32bit world building tools, character enhancements, a web based character creator and editor, and other massive updates to the graphics engine.<ref name=":0" />
==Awards==
* Finalist for the 5th [[IGDA]] awards<ref name="GameSpy-IGDA-Awards">{{cite web | url = http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/january03/igf2003/ | title = The Fifth Annual Independent Games Festival | publisher = [[GameSpy]] | date = 2003-01-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071030012455/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/january03/igf2003/ | archive-date=2007-10-30 }}</ref><ref name="GameSpy-IGDA">{{cite web | url = http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/january03/igf2003/Furcadia/index.shtml | title = Furcadia | last = Harris | first = Tricia | publisher = [[GameSpy]] | date = 2003-01-13 | access-date = 2009-05-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071021105835/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/january03/igf2003/Furcadia/index.shtml | archive-date = 2007-10-21 }}</ref>
* Honorable Mention in [[WarCry Network]] Editor's Choice Awards 2006 (Indie Game of the Year)<ref name="WarCry">{{cite web | url = http://www.warcry.com/content/editors_choice/2006/studio_indie | title = 2006 Indie Game of the Year | publisher = WarCry | year = 2006 | access-date = 2009-05-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070212033007/http://www.warcry.com/content/editors_choice/2006/studio_indie | archive-date = 2007-02-12 }}</ref>
* Softpedia Pick Award from [[Softpedia]]<ref name="Softpedia">{{cite web | url = http://games.softpedia.com/get/Freeware-Games/Furcadia.shtml | title = Furcadia 2.7B | publisher = Softpedia | access-date = 2009-05-12 }}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading==
* {{Cite journal | url = http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/volltexte/2008/8290/pdf/Stam_and_Scialdone.pdf | title = Where Dreams and Dragons Meet. An Ethnographic Analysis of two Examples of Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) | author = Kathryn Stam |author2=Michael Scialdone | journal = Online - Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet | publisher = Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet | volume = 03 | issn = 1861-5813 | date = 2008-03-18 | issue = 1 | access-date = 2009-05-22 }}
==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.furcadia.com}}
* [http://archive.gamedev.net/archive/columns/interviews/furcadia.html Gamedev.com interview with Emerald Flame and Felorin] (21 February 2003)
{{MUDs}}
{{Furry fandom}}
[[Category:Massively multiplayer online role-playing games]]
[[Category:1996 video games]]
[[Category:Active massively multiplayer online games]]
[[Category:Fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing games]]
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[[Category:Furry fandom]]
[[Category:Graphical MUDs]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games with isometric graphics]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Virtual world communities]]