The Pit
The real thing — The Pit v4.01 by Midas Touch Software, the 1994 arena-combat door people called the Crysis of the BBS days. This is the actual DOS program running in an emulator right in the window below, graphics, sound effects and all — and it's one shared world, just like the old board. Everybody's gladiators live on the same roster: check the rankings, and use Challenge/View to fight the other members' fighters. One caller at a time gets the line; if it's busy, the board redials for you. Want it full-size? Open The Pit on its own page.
How to play
You're a gladiator. Fight in the arena, take the winnings, gear up, and climb the ranks — a keyboard is pretty much required, so this one's best on a computer.
- Press the play button, answer Y to the graphics question, and type a name for your character. Everyone plays in the same world, so use the same name every visit to get your own gladiator back — and stick to your own name; the door takes you at your word, honor system, like it always was.
- From the town menu, hit the Weapon Shop first — fighting bare-handed in a loin cloth is a short career. Menus work by pressing the highlighted letter.
- Enter the Arena and pick an opponent class — start with Trainees. In the fight, move with the arrow keys and walk into your opponent to attack.
- Challenge/View from the main menu is where the multiplayer lives — browse the other members' gladiators and pick a fight. The door fights back on their behalf, and the results (and bragging rights) show up in the rankings and the Log of Day for everyone to see.
- Bank your cash at the Deposit window (dead men get robbed), heal up at the Healer, and try the Tavern, Magic Shop, and Gambling den when you've got coin to burn.
The door gives you an hour on the clock per sitting, just like it did on the board. If you run out, drop back in later.
← Back to the door menu · The Pit © 1990–94 Midas Touch Software, code by James R. Berry, art by Greg Hargrove. Long out of print; preserved copy via myabandonware.com, running in the browser with js-dos by Alexander Guryanov (DOSBox in WebAssembly). If the rights holders object, it comes down — get in touch.