Inter-BBS Door Games
     I would like to talk about a rarely used feature of many door games.
It is called "Inter-BBS Mode". What is an Inter-BBS door game? Well, it
is a door game that has a special routine that allows competition between
different BBS's.

     What happens is a user on one BBS can attack a user on another BBS.
This type of play can bring new life to door games on BBS's. While this may
sound strange, it is a very interesting way to play. More and more authors
of door games are trying to incorporate this function into their
programming.

     There are many door games that allow this feature. Some that do not
offer this have even had a special external program to make it possible!
The most famous and widely used Inter-BBS door has to be Baron Realms Elite.
Even the hot new door game Legend Of The Red Dragon can be played Inter-BBS.
While it is not written into the game itself, it the option to add Inter Game
Modules. One of these IGM's allows an Inter-BBS option. Some other doors that
allow Inter-BBS play are Iron-OX and Falcon's Eye. I am sure there are more
out there but I have not heard of them. I myself, am involved in 3 Inter-BBS
games of Baron Realms Elite and 1 Inter-BBS game of Falcon's Eye.

     While this may not be for every sysop, there are alot who are doing it.
The drawback to Inter-BBS games is that the sysop has to belong to some type
of network to join and play. But, this is not as bad as it sounds. It is
fairly easy to setup an Inter-BBS game. All you need is atleast two sysops
who are willing to do it. If you cannot find another sysop to join you, you
can also setup an Inter-BBS door game on a single system. I have done this
and had it setup as the Males vs. the Females on my BBS!

     Inter-BBS door games is a great alternative to using a door game where
users fight against each other. You can allow them to compete against others
who they might not even know! Be it a local BBS or a BBS in another State or
Country.

    I should not neglect talking about one other form of Inter-BBS doors.
There is one other way which BBS's can compete against one another. This is
by using door games that are of the "Chance" type. They send scores to other
systems and they compete to get the highest score.

    If you want to find out more information on Inter-BBS games, try
looking in the SRGAMES or DOORGAMES Echos which are carried by Fido-Net.



                            Multi-Node Door Games

    There are some BBS's who are running more than one node. I myself, run
a Multi-Node BBS with two nodes for callers and one local node. As BBS's
move into the Muliti-Node areas, authors of door games try to accommodate
them. While there are many door games available, there are some which allow
more than one user to play it at the same time! These are referred to as
Multi-Node Capable door games. Most of these are the "hack and slash" type
of games. A user can enter the game and fight other users. IF another user
happens to enter the door game at the same time, they can fight each other!

    Some of these Multi-Node door games are: Legend Of The Red Dragon,
Iron-Ox, New York 2002, Fantasy Land, Urges, Vampire: Children Of Darkness
and even Super Slots. This is not a complete list of them, just some of
which I have used and run across.

    Multi-Node door games bring another feature to door games which proves
that the authors of them are doing all that they can to provide quality door
games to sysops and users of BBS's. As the Internet and other On-line services
are trying to get more and more modem users to subscribe, BBS's are getting
more features that they can offer to users to give them another alternative.

    I would like to thank ALL of the people out there who spend their time
writing these door games and other programs to keep BBS's a new and exciting
place for regular users to spend time. My hat is off to you all!

   Tom Brown
   Diamonds In The Rough BBS
   1:3621/4
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