Myth (computer game)

Myth is a series of real-time strategy computer games, specifically, Myth: The Fallen Lords, Myth II: Soulblighter, and Myth III: The Wolf Age. The latter was developed by Mumbo Jumbo Software and published by Take 2 Interactive, the former developed and self-published by Bungie Software, now a division of Microsoft under the name Bungie Studios. Upon Bungie's sale to Microsoft in 2000, Bungie sold the rights to the Myth franchise to Take 2 Interactive.

These games represented a departure from old standards such as Warcraft in that resource retrieval and unit construction were de-emphasized in favor of squad-level and single-creature-level tactics. They were also remarkable for depth of free multigamer internet-play support, intense and continuing fan activity on the web (including a wide range of fan-created mods), and simultaneous Macintosh and Windows PC development and release.

Myth II was later ported to the Linux operating system by Loki Software.

Release dates

• Myth: The Fallen Lords – approx. November 5, 1997
• Myth II: Soulblighter – December 31, 1998
• Myth III: The Wolf Age – December 2001

Storyline

The Myth series is set in a fantasy world some believe to be very similar in texture to Glen Cook's Black Company novels, as it is narrated via a common soldier's journal that tells the tale of life itself coming under assault by an undead horde, and their masters, known as The Fallen Lords. More often than not, however, it is likened to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings stories, as many of Myth's creatures (dwarves, Ents, and elves being prime examples) and names (Balin as a dwarf name, for instance) are uncannignly similar to the fantasy novels.

Third Party Mods

Even during the days of Myth: The Fallen Lords, programmers in the community were investigating the tag structure of Myth files and releasing modifications for the game, usually by manually editing the hex code. With the release of Myth II, Bungie also released the map editors Fear and Loathing, which enabled virtually anybody to create whole new worlds using the Myth II engine. Many new multiplayer maps were released, as well as long single-player campaigns, and even a few total conversions. Notable third-party projects for the Myth II engine included Homeland (one of the earliest projects that inspired several others including The Seventh God), The Seventh God (by far the most ambitious and largest), Chimera (the official expansion pack), Jinn (a total conversion set in a futuristic post apocalyptic world), Bushido (a Japanese feudalism total conversion), Leggo My Myth (a joke that replaced Myth units with Lego equivalents, with the name misspelled for copyright reasons), and two American Civil War total conversions.

With its extensive modding capability, Myth has even had its own share of vaporware. The most notable, perhaps, was an early commercial project called Daimyo, an ambitious total conversion set in feudal Japan which amounted to nothing more than an elaborate webpage, a lot of excitement in the Myth community and the release of a single level long after the project was abandoned.

Myth World Cup

Myth World Cup is an online computer game tournament. It runs every year and players compete in teams of up to 7 on the game Myth II: Soulblighter. In recent years the number of players competing has declined due to lack of interest in such an old game.

External links

• Bungie Studios
• Flying Flip – Current Updaters of the Myth III mod tools as well as maintainers of Myth III.
• Mariusnet – free online multiplayer server for Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II
• Myth@Bungie.org
• Playmyth.net – free online multiplayer server for Myth: The Fallen Lords, Myth II and Myth III
• ProjectMagma – Myth modding group, as well as being the current maintainers of Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II.
• The Wargamer's Myth III site
• http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=57129&cid=5517624

(Note: game serial numbers are no longer required to play on the online multiplayer servers anymore, so you may play again if you have lost yours.)