MUD Builders and Areas

Maraz · 05-06-2003, 03:42 PM

I was just wondering what sort of things you get insperation from. I have just started building, and I found that writing rooms and mobs is much easier if you work from something like a photo. Does anyone write rooms based on places they have actually been? Or mobs on people you really know?

Or do you just think things up in your head? Especially for fantasy, or futuristic worlds I guess that you would need to use a lot of your own imagination. For me the best way is to have a picture, like a photo, and then I can build on that and develope it. Also I find that little bits of text can sometimes inspire.

So, what inspires all of you guys?

Maraz

smadronia · 05-06-2003, 05:42 PM

I use books, music, movies, and random thoughts for most of my areas. Sometimes I'll go hunting on the net for pictures of what I'm looking for, but usually I just create a mental picture of the area and work from there.

My best known and loved areas are based around a city I created, full of goths. So I draw a lot from teh goth subculture, but even that only goes to far. I have to create the city based on what I know, as it's hard to find buildings made of black and red rock, with ornate edging and all that. and even when I find photos, it's not always what I want.

OnyxFlame · 05-07-2003, 09:37 AM

I don't actually build on a mud so I dunno how much my opinion is worth, but oh well.

Considering I've grown up writing and drawing and all that artsy stuff, little images and snippets of text tend to pop into my head for no particular reason. I doubt I'd have a problem coming up with enough ideas if I *did* build on a mud.

enigma@zebedee · 05-07-2003, 02:43 PM

Hmm I generally come up with an idea, draw a map, and then all the images needed pour forth from my twisted imagination like juices from a freshly squeezed corpse. Songs and images, books and stories, I draw inspiration from all over the place and then hook them all together into my own uniquely fiendish monstrosity.

Unless of course I am doing a nice fluffy area in which case...erm...####, when did I last do a nice fluffy area?

<scratches head thoughtfully>

Ahh, I remember! Yes I do all the above except that the juices come from a freshly squeezed orange and they hook together into my own uniquely fiendish monstrosity.

No! Damnit! Not monstrosity.

<goes off and bangs head on the wall for a while muttering 'nice'>

Into my own unique and fluffy caring individual who will take you by the hand and lead you into a nice fluffy cage full of sharp iron spikes that emerge from the fluffyness and impale you. Impale you all I say! Impale! Muhahahaha!

Muhahaha!

<caughs and shuffles in a slightly embarrised manner> :O

Where was I? Ahh yes, being nice.

I can't think why people are always worried when exploring my areas, I always put in lots of nice juicy bait. Erm, sorry, not baits, items. Can't think where the word bait came from. Slip of the tongue there. Ahem.

Anyhow, as you can tell - I have no problems drivelling out all sorts of well, drivel really I suppose! I just get an idea and out flows lots of other ideas. Then everyone else stands around and hits me with sticks when I try to use the bad ideas and stops hitting me when I find a good one.

Can I come out of the cupboard now please Mummy?

smadronia · 05-07-2003, 11:59 PM

I thought on this overnight, there's one more thing that inspires me. Dreams. I have really weird, vivid dreams, and they're great cannon fodder for areas and stories and the like. Sometimes one element is all it takes for me to flesh out an area.

Utopia · 05-08-2003, 12:22 AM

Actually, I use a lot of obscure mythology. Old stories from various cultures that most people dont know about. I take an idea out of those stories then kind of run with it. Most of my zones have a lot of magickal references that most people wont get unless they know an awful lot about various pagan religions. So far only one person has actually caught them in thezones I've built.

Other than that, I actually think of the area that the zone is going into. If that area already has a theme, I build upon that, adding more detail and perhaps a sub-theme within it. Over all, i try very hard to stick with the theme of the MUD and try not to stray too far from what the other zones are like.

Rafnir · 05-11-2003, 09:56 PM

I usually draw upon either practicality as to what the mud could use or I try to create some warped disturbed concept out of the back of my head, sorta hard sometimes with a selectively creative imagination, some days ill be going like a flash, going through room routes and ideas, but then I stop dead, unable to process two separate thoughts.

So basically my inspiration mostly comes from myself, a scarce few books, and a boring school day.

Savitri · 05-21-2003, 08:46 AM

I have found when I get a general idea about what I want to do - (perhaps a storyline about a race or perhaps just the setting), that the best is to write down things that you can think off for that area that you defenitely want to do. Then go research each of that things that you want to do and with this you will come up with soooo many new ideas. Well works for me atleast. The only problem that i found is that you get so many ideas sometimes that you are not sure what to do, go back then to what you initially defenitely wanted to do and see what will fit together and use that in the end.

markizs · 05-21-2003, 10:48 AM

well thinking of new area layout is easy. writing it is lot harder though. especialy when u aint native english lad :P

but then rooms alone dont make area. and its hard to make original items on mud with simple architecture. ofc items you DO make ARE original. and that rocks. especialy when enigma have alreayd made all best 'baits' in game :P

05-06-2003, 03:42 PM	#1
Maraz New Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 15	I was just wondering what sort of things you get insperation from. I have just started building, and I found that writing rooms and mobs is much easier if you work from something like a photo. Does anyone write rooms based on places they have actually been? Or mobs on people you really know? Or do you just think things up in your head? Especially for fantasy, or futuristic worlds I guess that you would need to use a lot of your own imagination. For me the best way is to have a picture, like a photo, and then I can build on that and develope it. Also I find that little bits of text can sometimes inspire. So, what inspires all of you guys? Maraz

05-06-2003, 05:42 PM	#2
smadronia Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Coeur d'Alene, ID Posts: 65	I use books, music, movies, and random thoughts for most of my areas. Sometimes I'll go hunting on the net for pictures of what I'm looking for, but usually I just create a mental picture of the area and work from there. My best known and loved areas are based around a city I created, full of goths. So I draw a lot from teh goth subculture, but even that only goes to far. I have to create the city based on what I know, as it's hard to find buildings made of black and red rock, with ornate edging and all that. and even when I find photos, it's not always what I want.

05-07-2003, 09:37 AM	#3
OnyxFlame Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 153	I don't actually build on a mud so I dunno how much my opinion is worth, but oh well. Considering I've grown up writing and drawing and all that artsy stuff, little images and snippets of text tend to pop into my head for no particular reason. I doubt I'd have a problem coming up with enough ideas if I did build on a mud.

05-07-2003, 02:43 PM	#4
enigma@zebedee Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 70	Hmm I generally come up with an idea, draw a map, and then all the images needed pour forth from my twisted imagination like juices from a freshly squeezed corpse. Songs and images, books and stories, I draw inspiration from all over the place and then hook them all together into my own uniquely fiendish monstrosity. Unless of course I am doing a nice fluffy area in which case...erm...####, when did I last do a nice fluffy area? <scratches head thoughtfully> Ahh, I remember! Yes I do all the above except that the juices come from a freshly squeezed orange and they hook together into my own uniquely fiendish monstrosity. No! Damnit! Not monstrosity. <goes off and bangs head on the wall for a while muttering 'nice'> Into my own unique and fluffy caring individual who will take you by the hand and lead you into a nice fluffy cage full of sharp iron spikes that emerge from the fluffyness and impale you. Impale you all I say! Impale! Muhahahaha! Muhahaha! <caughs and shuffles in a slightly embarrised manner> :O Where was I? Ahh yes, being nice. I can't think why people are always worried when exploring my areas, I always put in lots of nice juicy bait. Erm, sorry, not baits, items. Can't think where the word bait came from. Slip of the tongue there. Ahem. Anyhow, as you can tell - I have no problems drivelling out all sorts of well, drivel really I suppose! I just get an idea and out flows lots of other ideas. Then everyone else stands around and hits me with sticks when I try to use the bad ideas and stops hitting me when I find a good one. Can I come out of the cupboard now please Mummy?

05-07-2003, 11:59 PM	#5
smadronia Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Coeur d'Alene, ID Posts: 65	I thought on this overnight, there's one more thing that inspires me. Dreams. I have really weird, vivid dreams, and they're great cannon fodder for areas and stories and the like. Sometimes one element is all it takes for me to flesh out an area.

05-08-2003, 12:22 AM	#6
Utopia New Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 2	Actually, I use a lot of obscure mythology. Old stories from various cultures that most people dont know about. I take an idea out of those stories then kind of run with it. Most of my zones have a lot of magickal references that most people wont get unless they know an awful lot about various pagan religions. So far only one person has actually caught them in thezones I've built. Other than that, I actually think of the area that the zone is going into. If that area already has a theme, I build upon that, adding more detail and perhaps a sub-theme within it. Over all, i try very hard to stick with the theme of the MUD and try not to stray too far from what the other zones are like.

05-11-2003, 09:56 PM	#7
Rafnir New Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 6	I usually draw upon either practicality as to what the mud could use or I try to create some warped disturbed concept out of the back of my head, sorta hard sometimes with a selectively creative imagination, some days ill be going like a flash, going through room routes and ideas, but then I stop dead, unable to process two separate thoughts. So basically my inspiration mostly comes from myself, a scarce few books, and a boring school day.

05-21-2003, 08:46 AM	#8
Savitri New Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: South Africa Posts: 14	I have found when I get a general idea about what I want to do - (perhaps a storyline about a race or perhaps just the setting), that the best is to write down things that you can think off for that area that you defenitely want to do. Then go research each of that things that you want to do and with this you will come up with soooo many new ideas. Well works for me atleast. The only problem that i found is that you get so many ideas sometimes that you are not sure what to do, go back then to what you initially defenitely wanted to do and see what will fit together and use that in the end.

05-21-2003, 10:48 AM	#9
markizs Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Riga, Latvia Posts: 36	well thinking of new area layout is easy. writing it is lot harder though. especialy when u aint native english lad :P but then rooms alone dont make area. and its hard to make original items on mud with simple architecture. ofc items you DO make ARE original. and that rocks. especialy when enigma have alreayd made all best 'baits' in game :P

MUD Builders and Areas

What inspires you?