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For the unenlightened, MUD stands for Multi-User Dungeon, a text based game often of a roleplay orientation, though with many varieties and variations, it can often be anything from the traditional Dungeons and Dragons style fantasy realm, to a war torn post-apocalyptic battlefield.
The MUD I am currently working on with friends is called ‘Advent of the Mists’, a game that will have one objective, roleplay. Without levels and class types, and the distinct lack of the traditional sense of Good and Evil for inept conflict, the player will be limited only by their imagination and common sense. My part towards the game has been Building, the act of writing and constructing the text based environment of the game. An example of one such ‘Room’ is below. A Cozy Den Bathed in firelight, flickering and swaying to the primal rhythm, chairs and chesterfields rest in a circle about a large stone table. Carpets of cloth and hide rest underfoot, softening the tread of any whom would seek a quiet, comfortable place to read or chat. Paintings hang upon the walls, scenes of chivalry and noble deeds displayed in rich hues and shades. Carved of the very mountain itself, in the likeness of a noble dragon, a fireplace holds a fire of unnatural origin, burning a scant inch above the stone, no ash or kindling evident. Leave can be had to the south, one might return to the shelves of book and scrolls. [Exits: south] A large chesterfield rests here. An oak reading table rests here. A silky smooth fur rug covers the floor. A cozy papasan chair rests here. What has been given has been the title of the room, A Cozy Den, followed by the description of what a player would see, thereafter the Obvious Exits in which a player can navigate, and below a collection of objects found in the room. Through rooms such as this, worlds are created in MUDs for the players to interact with, while roleplaying together as they meet. With smaller player bases than the recent rash of graphical online roleplaying games, some find a closer sense of community with MUDs. Personally it is this sense of community and creativity that draw me to this type of online roleplaying. What I can create is only limited by my descriptive skill as a writer, not by a pixel or graphics engine. I can attempt pass along a sense of emotion with my writing of an area. Thus I’m hooked. |