[Tjnet88]

Tips, URLs to a website where i can download something and start making my MUD, General info,Other kinds of URLs to help me(Please say whats in there and why i should read it) and Anything else to help me!

[Jazuela]

First, welcome to the forum, I noticed this is your first post. Next, a gentle scolding: You posted in the "Builder's Forum," which is supposed to be designated for builders to discuss building issues, not owners to discuss mud development issues.

I'm guessing (though I could be wrong) that this means you don't realize a builder isn't the person who actually starts up the creation process of the mud. If this is the case, I would urge you to learn the different terms used before trying to start one of your own.

Then, outline what kind of mud you want. A diku? A pure C-language? Some kind of SMAUG derivitive? Once again, if you don't know what these things are, you -really- need to learn the terms before you even start thinking about creating your own.

Will it be a roleplaying game primarily, or more of a hack-n-slash? Do you want classes and skillsets, or do you want something different? Different code bases specialize in different things, though many of them can be tailored by the coder to suit the needs of the mud owner.

Do you want to do all the coding yourself, or do you just want to write up the general theme and idea of the game and have someone else do the mechanical work?

I wish I could offer you more helpful information, but without any from your end there's no way anyone can really suggest things you should do. We don't know what you've already done, or know how to do, or know what you're looking for.

In the meantime, there are dozens of posts here (look for pretty much anything by Brody, KaVir (especially regarding Godwars), Ntanel, and yeesh - a few others as well for tons of info on existing codebases and alternatives to using existing codebases. Check the coder's folder, the mud admin folder, and those should give you enough data to pour over for awhile.

[Jaewyn]

Along with all the very valid points Jazuela has raised, another thing to keep in mind is to setup a MUD that people will want to play takes a LOT of development time.  Some MUDs are in development for years before they open to players, reason for this is the sheer amount of time it takes  to build something unique and different.  

Sure you can grab an existing codebase with stock areas and open to players without changing anything, but don't expect many players.  This is a common downfall of a lot people starting a MUD for the first time, they say come and visit my all new MUD, when in fact the only thing new about it is the name.  To attract players you generally need something they can't get elsewhere, be that unique areas, unique code, a unique theme, in short, something to make it stand out from the others.  

I think it would be safe to say that any MUD worth it's salt has generally had a development time of at least 12 months. I/m not trying to scare you away from the idea, just prepare you for the amount of work required if you want a succesful MUD.

[Tjnet88]

Yes okay heres all the info i can think of and awnsers to your questions

UNIQUE all the way
Yes i would like to give out the theme and ideas and have people help

Theme:FFX's Zanarkand city will be where everything is (After all if you dont know Zanarkand its about the size of a large state or more)
What to do IG: This will be somewhat based on TEC's play, Choose a class, Choose Human or Al bhed, Get a job get money mabye make your own buisness (all i can think of for now)
Classes: Chocobo raiser, Fiend fighter, Machina(Machine) Builder, Merchant/Trader, BLITZBALL PLAYER!!! Or just a citizen (More when i can think of them)
Blitzball: A kick butt sport, Football soccer and swimming combined!
Chocobo:Looks like a chicken and a Ostrage combined..Kinda
Currency: Zinny
How to script the game of Blitzball: I have no idea, I'll have to think about it i want fast pace kind of stuff i dont want swim north then west then kick ball into net, I want one large room or if possible(Wich is what i want) Rooms you can move around but everyone in the arena and inside the playing area can see the movments and where everyone is, Shooting passing catching ect ect skills will be added if you choose blitzball player as your class(There will have to be Requirments you will need to be a citizen and other stuff, Cant think of a good way to make it)
Blitzball playing field description: Its a giant orb in the center of a large arena the orb is filled with water (All blitzball players can hold the breathes for hours)
Jobs: Chocobo Racer/Manager
Chocobo ranch owner(Raise larger numbers of chocobos)
Agency owner (Advanced job, Veary veary hard to get must be Merchant/trader to start one) (Agency is like a franchise)
Blitzball player/manager/owner
Fiend hunter
Buisness owner
TransportsOnly these and no others unless i can think of more or change my mind) Chocobo, Walking, Airship and boat.
Airship:Airships are large machine ships that can hover pretty much or fly veary fast (They almost have Enersha) Some may be equiped with weapons and all of them have lots of walking and storing space
How to script Airship: At many places where you can land Airships (To land go to cockpit room and type land airship) then once outside (Must walk through ship to an exit and input password) and typing board will bring you to the door of the ship on the outside (Same as landing put in password and walk in, close door and walk to cockpit room).
Al bhed:Look just like human, enter game with Al bhed language (If you give me your Email, Thats if you will help me, I can give you a program that translates english to al bhed) but there eyes, Allways green, Have black swirl loops in them, No pupil or slight small pupils.
Housing: Everyone will be able to buy/rent/lease a house and they range from cheap to veary expinsive and can buy items and 'Place <item> on/in/under/onto <Object/ect>
(Posting second for fear of cut off)

[Tjnet88]

(Just to let you know, Yes i am a fast learner, No i dont know alot of mud terms can you refer a url to help me learn?)
Leaving Zanarkand: You can only go so far (Mabye 10k rooms outside of Zanarkand) Wich will have Fiends left and right, No other citys...Mabye..Mabye player built and run citys but not sure on it.
Leveling: Yes
Hp:No We work with limb info like right arm is slightly bruised to no right arm or something(Like TECs health system)
Mana:Yes, Lol i just forgot to add the classes of white mage and black mage
Online staff names: (Ie: wizards gods immortals in other games) Rambans (Al bhed for Helpers)
How to script Machina builders: Take one item and another, Mabye more, Combine(If you can think of a better word please tell me) them and make Arm1 or just a part of the machina then combine all parts once done and there you go! a Mob pet (Think of commands for them later)
Well thats alot isnt it? I'm sure you get the idea, I have alot more if you want to hear later.

[Ntanel]

Your first mistake is wanting to start a MUD.  Why you ask?  Because you are just about to sell your soul to Satan.  Sleep, money, time, a life... Forget it all!  Run while you can!

If you think you can survive going without the joys of life, enjoy the advice you get. For the rest of your life the advice you get will become the pages of your bible.  Muhahahaha!

[John]

This is IMO. But if your going to ask people to hand you everything to you on a silver platter. Your going to fail.

Go search for links yourself. Not only will it be more rewarding, you'll begin to get a better idea of what mudding is about as you read websites by accident.

[Sanvean]

Here are some pages that might get you started:

A link of recommended reading for people who want to code MUDs: http://www.mudconnect.com/resources/Books.html

Resources from the MUD Connector: http://www.mudconnect.com/resources/Mud_Resources.html

Beginner's Guide to MUD Programming: http://www.gignews.com/morrow1.htm

Advice for people wanting to create a MUD: http://www.suite101.com/discussion.c...47166/latest/8

Be aware that what you're planning takes an awful lot of work, and ten times more so if you're thinking about developing a game from scratch. Ig you haven't already, I suggest playing a number of different muds and seeing what features you do (or don't) want to include. Then take the time to write it all out - an hour spent planning will save you at least ten hours further on down the line.

Running a MUD is more than just the code, unfortunately. You'll also need to do a lot of building, or find some decent builders. Here again, time spent planning beforehand will pay off tremendously.

You'll need to figure out where you plan to host it. Once you're ready, you'll need players and will have to figure out where to get them from.

You may be biting off more than you can chew - but it never hurts to dream, and it's valuable experience - even just the planning part. Good luck.

P.S. I'm very serious about the planning thing.

[Tjnet88]

Originally Posted by (Ntanel @ Jan. 31 2004,00:56) Your first mistake is wanting to start a MUD.  Why you ask?  Because you are just about to sell your soul to Satan.  Sleep, money, time, a life... Forget it all!  Run while you can! If you think you can survive going without the joys of life, enjoy the advice you get.  For the rest of your life the advice you get will become the pages of your bible.  Muhahahaha!

I'm young, Most of my life is on the computer and in TV lol

[Tjnet88]

Originally Posted by (John @ Jan. 31 2004,02:14) This is IMO. But if your going to ask people to hand you everything to you on a silver platter. Your going to fail. Go search for links yourself. Not only will it be more rewarding, you'll begin to get a better idea of what mudding is about as you read websites by accident.

I'm looking for help not asking that everyone serve me, Thats why i started this post

[Tjnet88]

I'll check those URLs thanks and i know it will be alot of hard work but i can do it, Any more information from anyone is good.

[Tjnet88]

Okay i think ive found a place to Host my mud and a good mud client to run my mud
I need Builders...Um i think thats it, I still got some reading to do but thanks alot for those URLs! they really help

[Lodes]

I don't think you really understand the planning part. Getting a server before you have even planned your mud in some details is asking for trouble/getting robbed/becoming **** poor. Alright I went overboard on that one

If you really want to create a game which you yourself will enjoy and make other people enjoy requires quite a lot of planning. It doesn't matter if it is a graphical game, a text game, a multiplayer/single player game.

What you first have to start with is to write down your game concepts. This stage is often called writing the concept document. This is usually around 2 to 4 pages, and provides a very general overview of your game and what you are trying to achieve. When you get other people to work on your game, this is probably the first thing you should make them read.

From then people take many different routes. It's the stage where you have to literally plan and write everything down. You can do this formally and thus write a design document, or some people just a wiki where the members of the core team just write down their thoughts. This is not very formal, but it does make you write everything down. Or some people even do all that on some forums. During this stage, some people start immediately coding and building and this could be alright but this often leads to rewriting some things.

I hope this was of some help, but please at least write a concept document before you do anything else. Now if the core team is you, you and you, then I guess what I just said doesn't really hold but you'll sure be thankful to have written it down someday.

links to some articles/resources to design your game.

Good Luck,

Lois.

[Tjnet88]

So then i just make a document with every detail of how i want this game created and if i do get people to build i have them read it, Correct?

[Kyndig]

How To Start Your First Mud explains step by step how to start up, compile and modify your first mud.

-Kyndig

[Tjnet88]

The html on that website is all messed up, Its hard to read, I'll need something that wont cunfuse me as much

[Tjnet88]

Nevermind i think i can understand it

[Lodes]

Hey,

It depends if you want to make a successful mud or not. Success can mean quite different things to most people, but here I define success as to having a loyal playerbase that is active in your game and is having fun. Achieving this can be pretty hard and just following what kyndig (who is a good host by the way ) linked to won't get you anywhere. Why?

I have never checked the figures on the mud connector but there are a lot of muds out there, and guess what 80-90% (I got no sources for that ) of them are? A stock codebase, without any story, without any goal. It's just blank crap that people won't play for more than a day ( and that's a lot ).

So it all depends. Do you want to create a game that will have a loyal playerbase that has fun? Or, do you want to create a mud just for the sake of having your own mud and toying with it? I know I love to toy with things but don't necessarily want to make a full blown thing out of them.

If you want to make a game with a playerbase, then first plan, first write your ideas down and then maybe follow the general guidelines that kyndig pointed out. I would highly recommend having a friend who knows more about it than you do guide you in this later process of actually putting something up.

If you want to just have fun and toy with a mud, then by all means find a host, and get yourself coding/building whatever.

Good Luck,

Lois.

[Jazuela]

Your game also has to have a point (unless as Lodes says, you just want to create the mud for the sake of creating it and don't intend for it to be played by anyone - which is a great learning tool!.

Just "Wheel of Theme" with big swords and eq saving is pointless. Think of your mud as an enormous epic series, with a continuation in "Series II" unwritten.

In Series I, you outline the history of the world. Where is it? What does it look like? Does the story take place planet-wide, or only in a remote village and it never goes further? If it's planet-wide, does it have mountains? Desert areas? Tropical forests? Snow? If so, why? If not, why not? What led the planet to exist as it does?

Are there gods or one god that created the world and its inhabitants? Do its humanoid inhabitants acknowledge the god(s)? Are they revered or loathed? Why, why not? Are all the players going to be one or another type of human, or will there be elves, or half-giants, or muplings or whatever? Why? What led your world to evolve as it is when the game (first page of your epic) opens?

How about commerce? What about the balance of trade in your world? Do they import water from somewhere else? If so, who are they getting it from, who's doing the actual transporting of the water? Why are they transporting it? Are they slaves on property owned by someone in the town? Are they a "friendly" neighbor who gives you water in exchange for gold? Where is the gold coming from? Who's panning for it?

Blah blah blah - and so on and so forth.

THEN - plot a map. You're not going to have builders build zones that make absolutely no sense. Maybe one builder wants to create Smurf Village and another wants to build an industrial SIMS town, while a third wants to do Minas Tirith. Gotta have a map, it needs to be plotted before you ever even download the code. And not just a world map, you need area maps and building maps as well.

History leading up to the current "existence" of the storyline is crucial if you want people to get involved in plotlines. If there are quests, there needs to be some reason for them to exist, and not just because you have this awesome idea and toss it in there. Cranberries are great, and so is Caesar Salad, but you don't wanna throw cranberries into the caesar salad because no one is going to want to eat it.

The game has to make sense from a timeline and geographical point of view, if you want avid players who will extoll its virtues.

THEN - learn the code. THEN code the game's existence. THEN get the server, hire the builders, and test test test test test til you puke. Then test again a few more times. If you're lucky, you -might- have something worthwhile and be ready to open for business.

[Tjnet88]

Aww your all so kind, Yes i do need a plot and i just thought of one, Erm to bad i suck at drawing or using paint but its just like a guidline i'm not supposed to do square by square am i? If so is there a program to help me make this?

[Threshold]

The #1 MOST important thing to do before starting your own mud is work as a staff member on AT LEAST one other mud for at least 1 year.

You will learn alot from working on another mud. You will see first hand either good or bad staff management (seeing either one is helpful). You will see how people deal with preventing (or failing to prevent) abuse either by players or by staff. You will see how people deal with game and class balance. These are invaluable lessons that cannot be well learned on your own.

By watching what works and doesn't work, you will obtain a greater understanding of what you are doing.

Furthermore, by being a staff member, you will have some understanding of what it is like to be in that position.

[Jazuela]

Square by square. If you're not willing to map out the game world, don't expect any builder or coder worth hiring to waste their time helping you out.

You can use MS Excel, or any of the dozens of map-creation programs available.

How can you even think to ask someone to help you build, when you can't even tell them exactly what you want to see, and where? I know as a builder if the admin said "create a zone, make it around 50 rooms, and put it northwest somewhere," I'd laugh and walk away. You couldn't even -pay- me to work with someone who doesn't care more about their own mud than I do.

When it comes to owning and running a MUD, there's no such thing as "can't I JUST." Toss that word the heck out of your vocabulary, friend. If you're not willing to put in 110% effort on your own project, don't expect anyone else to either.

[Jaewyn]

Tjnet88,

It might sound like people are trying to discourage you from making your own MUD. If fact, these are highly respected people in the MUD community with a huge amount of experience, (I don't include myself in that) trying to make you understand the magnitude of the project you want to undertake. They would like nothing better than to see you succeed, but they are trying to help you avoid the common mistakes people make when starting a MUD. In short, plan well, heed the advice of those that have gone before you, be prepared to put in the work by doing research yourself and become passionate about your project, if you're not passionate, nobody else will be either. Something like what you describe takes time to develop and grow, so be patient.

I have been working on a MUD that has been in development for well over a year and it's still a fair way from opening to players.

Good luck.

[Tjnet88]

Originally Posted by (Jaewyn @ Feb. 01 2004,18:03) Tjnet88, It might sound like people are trying to discourage you from making your own MUD.  If fact, these are highly respected people in the MUD community with a huge amount of experience, (I don't include myself in that) trying to make you understand the magnitude of the project you want to undertake.  They would like nothing better than to see you succeed, but they are trying to help you avoid the common mistakes people make when starting a MUD.  In short, plan well, heed the advice of those that have gone before you, be prepared to put in the work by doing research yourself and become passionate about your project, if you're not passionate, nobody else will be either.  Something like what you describe takes time to develop and grow, so be patient. I have been working on a MUD that has been in development for well over a year and it's still a fair way from opening to players. Good luck.

Yes i know, and i get the idea, Put in 110% get back 110%, Makes sense

[Hephos]

Actually I'd say it is more like put in 110% get back 0.1% (In the sense, how much you spend on the game, and what you get back from it, not including commercial games).

[Lanthum]

Originally Posted by (Tjnet88 @ Jan. 31 2004,10:58) I'm young, Most of my life is on the computer and in TV lol

Preface:  This is not meant to be rude, but a gentle suggestion.


If most of your life is spent on the computer, then you should be very familiar with search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc.  I went to Google and typed in your question (or something similar) and found no less than 10 great sites with TONS of info listed on the first 2 pages alone.

Did I read through some useless stuff, absolutely.  Did I come across some other useful stuff (for a beginner) that pertained to starting a mud - yes!  Did I find what I "was looking for" - you bet!

Believe all these other people - there have been MANY people out there to ask the same question before.  And they got great advice.  No need to reinvent the wheel just to drive a car - no need to answer the same question when it's been asnwered many, many times before.  Now I understand if you DID use a search engine and didn't find anything because you didn't know what to search for.  I've done that myself!  But, at least try.

What all of these gracious people are telling you - is do some work yourself!  People help those that help themselves!  Plus - it will make you smarter in the end!  If you have any specific questions about sites or things you read there - I'll (and probably others) will be happy to help you!  

[Tjnet88]

Originally Posted by (Lanthum @ Feb. 02 2004,12:58) Originally Posted by (Tjnet88 @ Jan. 31 2004,10:58) I'm young, Most of my life is on the computer and in TV lol Preface:  This is not meant to be rude, but a gentle suggestion. If most of your life is spent on the computer, then you should be very familiar with search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc.  I went to Google and typed in your question (or something similar) and found no less than 10 great sites with TONS of info listed on the first 2 pages alone. Did I read through some useless stuff, absolutely.  Did I come across some other useful stuff (for a beginner) that pertained to starting a mud - yes!  Did I find what I "was looking for" - you bet! Believe all these other people - there have been MANY people out there to ask the same question before.  And they got great advice.  No need to reinvent the wheel just to drive a car - no need to answer the same question when it's been asnwered many, many times before.  Now I understand if you DID use a search engine and didn't find anything because you didn't know what to search for.  I've done that myself!  But, at least try. What all of these gracious people are telling you - is do some work yourself!  People help those that help themselves!  Plus - it will make you smarter in the end!  If you have any specific questions about sites or things you read there - I'll (and probably others) will be happy to help you!

I spent three days searching 4 differant search engines (Yahoo All the web Google somethign named website finder or something) and probly 50 key words in the searches so thats why i signed up for this forum waited another three days trying a few more searches still finding nothing and started this thread okay? and i'm not making everyone work for me i'm asking for help in something i know veary little of but now know a heck of alot more thanks to these nice people

[Jaewyn]

I went to Yahoo and typed this question... "how do i start a mud" and the first result page showed 3 or 4 great resources. What search term did you use in Yahoo?

[Tjnet88]

I didnt ask a question i did stuff like
Mud creater
Mud maker
Make a mud
Mud
Muding
Create a mud
stuff like that

[Jazuela]

Originally Posted by (Tjnet88 @ Feb. 02 2004,18:08) I didnt ask a question i did stuff like Mud creater Mud maker Make a mud Mud Muding Create a mud stuff like that

It's creator, not creater.
It's MUD, not mud or Mud. It is case sensitive, because "mud" is just dirt mixed with water. MUD is an acronym that stands for Multi-User Dungeon.
It's MUDding, with 2 "d"s.
Creating a mud involves mixing water with dirt, as above.

In most cases, I don't bother trying to correct someone's spelling because it is rude to do so. But in your case - dood - if you don't even know how to spell what you're looking for, you probably shouldn't be trying to utilize the results.

If you had tried any of the following you'd have found tons of stuff, as I did:

MUD
MUD creation
coding MUDs
MUD codes
text games creation
text games codes

and made it case sensitive in the search options. I'm not a coder, nor do I own a MUD, nor have I ever had any interest in either. I'm also fairly new to the MUD world, having been secluded in a pay-to-play for 6 years before venturing out and learning that other types of text games existed. And yet, I had no trouble at all figuring this stuff out.

Now you know for next time though, but honestly for someone who claims to spend most of their life in front of the TV or on computers, your computer skills seem lacking. I would bone up on basic understanding of search engines before even thinking about creating a mud.