A.V.A.T.A.R. MUD is a free, online, massively multiplayer, fantasy, text-based role-playing game (or MUD), set in a real-time virtual environment. It combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games, adventure games and social gaming. It began as an LPMUD called Farside MUD at Newcastle University, in the summer of 1991, before ultimately relocating to the United States of America. It suffered catastrophic loss of data in August, 1994, which led to a switch to the Merc code base. On the 8th of August, 1995, it changed its name to A.V.A.T.A.R. MUD. __TOC__