[SongofTwilight]

In my spare time (which I have much of) I am looking for
a new MUD to play. I want to find an -original- role-playing
MUD (that means, there shouldn't be a single tiny bit of stock,
no areas, no themes, no ideas, no races, no smurfs, ect.)

I'd love to find a role-play ENFORCED game, with enough players that I actually find someone to role-play with and have lots of things to do, even if there is no-body around. I will not play anything if it has levels and classes, though, because.. well, I just don't like them. They soil the role-playing experience with numbers and OOC rot. >=^D

Anyways, a very, very varied skill system is a great bonus. Realism is a great plus, too, with lots of player-run stuff and endless possibilities. NPCs should be respected as other players, because I dislike hack-and-slash MUDs.

One more tiny note. It has to let AOL people play. You have no idea how frustrating it is to play want to play a game and then get booted off and banned for something some other idiot has done. That and it can't be pay-per-play, because I don't have any money at all.

- Anassa

[John]

You might want to try ArmageddonMud. I'll let you know how it mostly fits your criteria:

* It's Roleplay enforced. No OOC communicating within the game at all except for an OOC command that is rarely used. There aren't any global channels at all.
* During on-peak times it can get up to 70 players (possibly even more, it's been a while since I played it cause I haven't had the time). On-peak time is quite a large time-frame about 6 hours long. During off-peak times there is about 25 people on, depending on how late it is.
* It started out using the Diku code however it has been changed a hell of a lot, with an emote system like no other.
* All areas are original. No stock rooms, items, anything. Everything is original.
* No levels. The only way to increase in a skill is to use it.
* Numbers aren't displayed when you fight, you see descriptions instead. You can however find out how much hp you have by typing "score" however that isn't necessary, and is only there for your benefit. There are other ways to find out how your health is without being shown numbers.
* From an OOC standpoint it has classes, however ICly there aren't any classes. There aren't any "guilds" for warriors or spell casters. If you want to be a guard then you will have to try to find hire as a guard. However that doesn't mean you have to pick the warrior class, you can pick the merchant class if you want too, and no-one will be able to tell.
* The skill system is extremely varied. When you create a character you select a class and then a sub-class. This sub-class is designed to flesh out your character by giving him more skills then just his class does. It also has a skill-branching system so the more you use a skill the better it gets, and when it gets to a certain level you get another skill. However you never get told what level your on so it's impossible to know when you'll branch a skill.
* NPCs and VNPCs are treated exactly the same as PCs. NPCs do die, but only when it's IC to. The code also helps enforce this but the majority of the enforcement comes from the staff and players.
* You can live a successful life if you don't create a character who gets in fights often, and in fact will probably live longer. However there are ways to successfully create fighting characters which some people only do.
* There are staff run plots and activities. However the majority of the plots are created by the players which the players have requested.
* It does let AOL players play and is 100% free!!! (I'm also a cheap ass )

I hope this is the game your looking for, I did my best to not be biased.

good luck,
John

[Robiwan]

Wow, Sounds like exactly what I was looking for a few months back.

Dragon's gate http://pub13.ezboard.com/bdragonsgate (click on the Dragon)

Let me see:  If you go into OOC in this game, any player can report you to the staff.  There are normally normally a few guides and elders who can quickly step in...And so no one ever goes OOC except to ask about game mechanics.  Someone asked me today how you protect someone...You use the defend command.  That's all the OOC I got this week.

Now, you can be Anti-social and go off alone to hunt, or you can sit inthe middle of town and talk all day, never leaving it.
They have an "novice" status which lasts 80 hours of in game time for each character (up to 5 characters at a time per account) During that time, death can't hurt you, and players can't attack you.  They have a nice area that is geared for new people, an academy that every player arrives at, and where the guides normally hang out to help.

Now, this game does have skill levels, but you can't see them.  No one knows what your levels in your skills are, and it is possible to have a high level in 1 skill, and nothing in your others...it is based on what you do, because each time you use a skill, you are doing the required homework for your next training. No one is a "level 10 fighter"  He might be a fighter with level 10 in sharps, level 8 in blunts, level 7 in shield parry and level 5 in first aid...and more.  The levels is in each skill, not a "character level"

There are distinct classes, Fighters, Bezerks, Bards, 5 types of mages, 3 types of clerics, Thieves and Forresters, and Psions.  Most skills are available to all classes (anyone can swing a sword, but a fighter is better at it), but a few are restricted - only a thief can pick a lock.

I know several players who are merchants, I have in my short time risen and fallen in the the politics of one city, am now a somewhat important person in a temple, and several people are always happy to see me.  The discriptions of the rooms are detailed, the characters wear several articles of detailed clothing, along with their armor. There are friendly NPCs and hostile ones - sometimes you can't tell the difference until one swings at you.  Elders (the programmers) often take time to run NPCs, and they do a great job at making them fairly believable even when they are not around.

Global channels:  The only ones who can make a Game wide announcement are the staff, and normally it is done in an in-character way - a page runs up, unfurls a scroll and announces, "Lady ____ is having her fashion sale in the Rainbow tent in 5 minutes!" he then races off to tell someone else.

The only PCs who can send a message to a large area are the Psions (a class) and Psycians (a race) who have reached their 25th level in Psionics (it takes months, maybe years to get that high) and they can make a city wide announcement, but that is rare, important, and monitored by the staff...  Sometimes it is nice to have someone to let the entire city know that another city is attacking through the south gate...  Speaking of which, there are 4 major cities, and several minor towns inthe game.  Some are so big it would take you hours to get to every "room" in the city, and you might get lost trying to do that.  
Numbers:  You do not see how much damage you do when you hit someone, but you do get a damage number when someone hits you...but since some things can kill you inside of 30 seconds, It's a good thing you can see it comming.  I hope you at least take a look at it, it is a rather fun game.

This game used to be on AOL, and many of the players still use AOL, so I know it is accessible from there.
It peaks at well over 200 players, and at 3 AM, you will still sometimes find over 50.
If you aer interested, and want a personal coach for part of your time, I'd be happy to help.  E-mail me at RobersonWT@Juno.com, and I can help you find the perfect race/class for your needs and desires, and help show you around...I have a character who I leave in the Academy to help folks who are just starting.

The staff is constantly working to make the game better, and more enjoyable for players. Many of their ideas are suggested from the players (they have part of the message board dedicated for this).

Edited in a few clarifications.

[Jazuela]

The thread starter specified he/she wanted a free game. Dragon's Gate is a pay-for-play.

Free trial period or not, you still have to pay once that period (1 week I think, maybe 2?) is over. For someone who has NO money to pay for a game, it's pointless to recommend it.