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So can someone explain the whole concept of "MUD"ing to me?

N

nativesunshine

Diamond Member
I have a friend who's REALLY into them...

he tried explaining it to me last night over dinner but I just couldn't get it.

what is it..and what's the appeal in those things??
 
if you understand what the appeal of mmorpg's is, then mudding should follow.

if the idea of slaying goblins so you can get a higher strength and wield bigger swords has no appeal to you whatsoever, then i'm afraid you'll never get it.
 
I was really big into Zork and the like in the 80's, because there really wasn't much with depth on the graphical front. They still hold a certain charm.
 
you see 4 doors

"north"

you go north

you see a can, a tree, and a girl

"get girl"

girl slaps you

"get can"

you pick up the can

"throw can at girl"

you throw the can at the girl and she falls down weeping before you begging for your forgiveness.



Sounds pretty awesome to me!
 
but it's...a bunch of WORDS on a screen?

sample "log" <--that's what they're called, i believe?

..............................
[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
>
Fayne utters the words, 'bolt of glory'.
A bolt of light bursts forth from Fayne's hand!
A racy female drow yells 'Guards! Fayne is trying to murcer me!'
A racy female drow weeps in pain and despair as Fayne's bolt of glory hits her.

[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
>
Trosaj starts to concentrate.

[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
>
The Baron of Midnight clambers to his feet.

[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
> c bolt
...............................................


and it goes on for PAGES!!!
 
Originally posted by: LordJezo
you see 4 doors

"north"

you go north

you see a can, a tree, and a girl

"get girl"

girl slaps you

"get can"

you pick up the can

"throw can at girl"

you throw the can at the girl and she falls down weeping before you begging for your forgiveness.



Sounds pretty awesome to me!
Click to expand...


Excellent analogy my friend!
 
Originally posted by: nativesunshine
but it's...a bunch of WORDS on a screen?

...............................................


and it goes on for PAGES!!!
Click to expand...

Well, when you play any computer game it's just a poor (though getting better) representation of what's supposed to be going on in the game world, anyway.

Words can communicate what's going on just effectively.
 
A good MUD compared to a random MMORPG can be somewhat like a good book compared to a movie(not the best analogy, but it's true to some degree). Why do some people still do tabletop D&amp;D sessions? Beats the hell out of me. They have the necessary Greater Imagination epic feat. 😛

Anyway, I liked MUD's back in the day, but modern MMORPG's are getting there. I'm curious to see where the genre will be in 10-20 years. The only MUDs I'd still consider playing would be ones where roleplaying is enforced.
 
I really enjoyed them way back when. The creatures, worlds, and character still look better in my mind's eye than they do in current graphical online RPGs.
 
Originally posted by: nativesunshine
but it's...a bunch of WORDS on a screen?
Click to expand...

Yes, long, long ago, people actually read words on these pieces of fibrous sheeting called "paper" and used their imaginations to picture the action indicated by the words!

I could never get into them.

When my older brother went away to college (1993), we played on a MUD together. It wasn't so much the fun of playing as much as it was a fun and free way to hang out with my bro some while he was away.
 
Many of the folks who enjoyed them cut their teeth on games like Adventure and Zork. Of course, most folks on ATOT were born long after Infocom folded (stupid Cornerstone).
 
Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw
Many of the folks who enjoyed them cut their teeth on games like Adventure and Zork. Of course, most folks on ATOT were born long after Infocom folded (stupid Cornerstone).
Click to expand...

They are likely to have been eaten by a grue.
 
Originally posted by: Modeps
I never got into MUDs way back when, just IRC and BBS door games.
Click to expand...
OOoh, that reminds me of those MajorBBS games. Flash Tank was the shiznit until someone developed a cheap for it. 😀

I remember BBS games like Dragon's Inn or something where you fight other players and you can seduce Violet (and if you didn't have enough charisma, she'll kick you in the balls for trying to sleep with her). 😉

I used to be a MUD junkie until I started college. It was fun while it lasted.
 
Originally posted by: nativesunshine
but it's...a bunch of WORDS on a screen?

sample "log" <--that's what they're called, i believe?

..............................
[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
>
Fayne utters the words, 'bolt of glory'.
A bolt of light bursts forth from Fayne's hand!
A racy female drow yells 'Guards! Fayne is trying to murcer me!'
A racy female drow weeps in pain and despair as Fayne's bolt of glory hits her.

[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
>
Trosaj starts to concentrate.

[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
>
The Baron of Midnight clambers to his feet.

[HP:100%] [ME: 88%] [PE:100%]
> c bolt
...............................................


and it goes on for PAGES!!!
Click to expand...



that is called your imagination...
 
Basically a MUD has everything that the current popular online games have. Except MUDs did it 15 years earlier and don't have the graphics frills. Many MUDs do have simple graphics, and there are downloads that will give you visual maps and things like that.

They were great as they were often the first ways to compete with real people with real intelligence around the world. No crappy AI that behaves the exact same everytime you play the game. There is something special about dying 100 times trying to kill a monster, waiting for all of your friends (in real life or just online) to join, forming a group to kill the monster, then stabbing your friends in the back and getting all the treasure. No single player game ever has that aspect, so MUDs are really fun.

I was big into MUDs 10-12 years ago, but then I found Quake with the Capture the Flag and Grappling Hook additions. I haven't returned. Actually I don't play any online games due to lack of time. I wouldn't be against playing another MUD if I found a really good one.
 
Originally posted by: Ranger X
Originally posted by: Modeps
I never got into MUDs way back when, just IRC and BBS door games.
Click to expand...
OOoh, that reminds me of those MajorBBS games. Flash Tank was the shiznit until someone developed a cheap for it. 😀

I remember BBS games like Dragon's Inn or something where you fight other players and you can seduce Violet (and if you didn't have enough charisma, she'll kick you in the balls for trying to sleep with her). 😉

I used to be a MUD junkie until I started college. It was fun while it lasted.
Click to expand...

LORD = Legend of the Red Dragon
 
Originally posted by: dullard
They were great as they were often the first ways to compete with real people with real intelligence around the world. No crappy AI that behaves the exact same everytime you play the game.
Click to expand...

oh man..that's almost exactly what my friend said to me last night.

he promised to show me what it was all about...we'll see howt hat goes. hehehe.

he says that if i like it that he'll get me sucked in and i'll become a dork like him!! w00t! lol.
 
Originally posted by: nativesunshine
oh man..that's almost exactly what my friend said to me last night.

he promised to show me what it was all about...we'll see howt hat goes. hehehe.

he says that if i like it that he'll get me sucked in and i'll become a dork like him!! w00t! lol.
Click to expand...
Read the rest in my edit. It gives a typical example. I don't think it'll be easy to get someone into MUDs now - with the lack of graphics. There are similar online games now with sound and graphics which have much of the same gameplay.
 
It's like Everquest without graphics.


search for lpmud, dikumud, or abermud on google for some ip addresses and telnet into them to play.
 
Originally posted by: Beattie
Originally posted by: Ranger X
Originally posted by: Modeps
I never got into MUDs way back when, just IRC and BBS door games.
Click to expand...
OOoh, that reminds me of those MajorBBS games. Flash Tank was the shiznit until someone developed a cheap for it. 😀

I remember BBS games like Dragon's Inn or something where you fight other players and you can seduce Violet (and if you didn't have enough charisma, she'll kick you in the balls for trying to sleep with her). 😉

I used to be a MUD junkie until I started college. It was fun while it lasted.
Click to expand...

LORD = Legend of the Red Dragon
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, that's what it was called. 😀 LORD was fun. Pay the innkeeper so you can break into ppl's rooms to kill them for the round.
 
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