August 21, 2007 6:00 AMBatMUD, the now 17-year old online fantasy, has been updated with a new partially graphical client. The change comes as a response to the onslaught of commercial MMORPGs offering stiff competition for text based role playing. By providing an up-to-date Java-based lightweight Game Client, the hope is to shift the whole MUD Community towards the younger MMORPG generation.In their prime, text-based hack & slash MUDs were thought as the most advanced multiplayer online games feature-wise, already having implemented with such features as City ownership and very deeply customizable guild, skill and spell paths; and by utilizing the 'most powerful graphics engine' of all time - your own imagination. BatMUD has lived up to its promise, by still being one of the most diverse games available on the Internet, with constant development during its 17-years of existence. Generally, back in the day, MUDs were thought as terribly hard to adapt to due to the text-based playing style, but BatMUD's new Game Client shifts the odds on this and does its job remarkably well without losing the old magic feeling of playing a true MUD.Screenshots and a feature list are available at BatMUD site listed below. The client is available for OS X and is a free download. Playing includes no hidden charges.BatMUD ClientBatMUD