After several years of unfortunately turbulent and unsuccessful gameplay modifications and testing, AvP has landed solidly on its feet with an entirely new skill-based combat system coded by its original conceptual designer and creator, Chris Jacobson. AvP features a solid mix of diversified racial combat between the USCMC (United States Colonial Marine Corp), the Yautja ('predators'), and the Xenomorph ('aliens').

The USCMC: consisting of human soldiers and their synthetic counterparts, the USCMC is the workhorse of the US armed forces, and the main front against the impending xenomorph infestations. Being the weakest race by nature, USCMC squad members rely on superior tactical deployment, teamwork, and firepower to overpower and annihilate their enemies. Marines are divided into two distinct categories: 'melee' and 'snipe'. 'Melee' marines (generally synthetics) are highly proficient in close-combat, while 'snipe' marines generally tend to be of the human variety, and are capable of shooting down foes at long ranges (2-4 rooms away). In addition to their vast firearm armories, the marine arsenal also includes, but is not limited to: M40 high-explosive grenades, motion detectors, installable M-388 proximity mines, electrostatic grenades (for disabling those pesky predator cloaking shiftsuits), dropships, APCs (armored personnel carriers), and more. Marines are generally a good choice for newbies, since they expose new players to multiple facets of gameplay at early stages.

The Yautja: bred to become hunters and warriors from conception, the Yautja possess a massive arsenal of combat efficiencies to employ in their honorable hunt for prey. As such, they are often considered the most 'difficult' race to master, since they have no exceptional proficiencies in any given area. A successful predator must acclimate themselves with both ranged and close combat, as well as develop their stealth abilities in order to ambush and slaughter their prey. Due to their extremely violent and militaristic society, the early years of young Yautja are spent preparing for the Hunt, thereby devoiding them of any intellectual basis to be spoken of. To this end, predators spend the vast majority of their time practicing and honing their formidable combat skills, while generally ignoring technical and medical training. The predator race is an excellent choice for experienced players who wish to test and develop a wide variety of combat abilities.

The Xenomorph: the natural killer. Every aspect of its horrific and grotesque biological evolution has been finely tuned to create the perfect killing organism. Capable of surviving in the cold vacuum of space and possessing concentrated acid for blood, the highly aggressive xenomorph is generally considered the sole dominator of close-quarters combat, though they completely lack any form of ranged combat. Alien players have the ability to spread eggs from their Queen across the various worlds, where they will lay in wait to impregnate their unsuspecting prey. Aliens are generally considered a low-to-mid range difficulty race - though they excel solely at close range combat, they are easily picked off by players with ranged combat abilities, and require a great deal of quickness and aggression to play successfully.

AvP has come quite a ways over the past year, with the implementation of the new skill-based combat system and new armor class system. Damage is divided into types, each with a corresponding armor absorb type (blunt, ballistic, thermal, slash, impale, energy), allowing for an almost unlimited amount of customizable armor and weaponry to be created. Thanks to a highly active and populated staff base, additions are made to the mud on a regular basis in the way of new zones, equipment, and player-inclusive missions.

If you're looking for a solid sci-fi/military warfare MUD, AvP is definitely the place for you. Race wars exist almost perpetually as each race vies for dominance in the universe - so pick up a gun, a plasma-caster, or a pair of talons, and join the fray.