[Telperion]

Hi! New user here looking for an easily approachable (installation and operation), yet in-depth and captivating Tolkien MUD. Thanks for any advice!

[jackal59mo2]

Originally Posted by Telperion Hi! New user here looking for an easily approachable (installation and operation), yet in-depth and captivating Tolkien MUD. Thanks for any advice!

I'm not sure what you mean by "easily approachable installation," since the only thing you would have to install to play any MUD is whatever MUD client you select (or none, if you want to use telnet). Here are four Tolkien MUDS that I know of:

Beleriand telnet://middleearth.net:4739
Elendor telnet://mush.elendor.net:1892
Shadows of Isildur telnet://middle-earth.us:23
The Two Towers telnet://towers.t2tmud.org:9999

Of those, I know Elendor the best and would recommend it the strongest. It is a MUSH, though, with a limited combat system and no coded advancement. If you want those things in a game, the last two listed might interest you more.

[Telperion]

Originally Posted by jackal59mo2 Of those, I know Elendor the best and would recommend it the strongest. It is a MUSH, though, with a limited combat system and no coded advancement. If you want those things in a game, the last two listed might interest you more.

Thanks.
I installed PuTTY and should be able to take from there

[Throttle]

Are you looking for anything specific? Shadows of Isildur is an RPI mud, meaning that roleplay is of abslute foremost importance. If serious, dedicated roleplay in a level-less, class-less environment isn't your goal, you should pick one of the others. If you happen to be looking for an RPI with all that it entails (permadeath, advanced emoting, character applications requiring staff approval etc.) then I can heartily recommend SoI. Try your luck with the wealth of information at Shadows of Isildur - The Middle Earth Lord of the Rings RPI MUD.

[jackal59mo2]

Originally Posted by Throttle Are you looking for anything specific? Shadows of Isildur is an RPI mud, meaning that roleplay is of abslute foremost importance. If serious, dedicated roleplay in a level-less, class-less environment isn't your goal, you should pick one of the others.

While I don't object to a bit of promotion outside the Promotion thread, that promotion should be accurate. This isn't.

Yes, Shadows of Isildur is a good, RP-focused game, but Elendor and the unfortunately underpopulated Beleriand (nobody wants to play First Age, it seems!) both offer "serious, dedicated roleplay in a level-less, class-less environment" as well. In fact, since they are both MUSHes, they offer almost nothing but role playing. Because they don't have the sort of coded character-game interaction that's common on, say, a DIKU-derived MUD (i.e., no mobs, no coded quests, etc.), players don't need to grind practing multiple coded crafts and combat skills in order to have a semi-competent character to role play under the game's coded systems.

I can't speak for The Two Towers, since I haven't played there. I have played extensively on both SoI and Elendor, less on Beleriand. From that experience, I can say that the original poster will find in-depth consent/consensus-based RP on Elendor and in-depth but more heavily code-involved RP on SoI. To say that SoI is the only place for level-less and classless RP in a Tolkien setting, though, is hogwash.

[Telperion]

Originally Posted by jackal59mo2 Yes, Shadows of Isildur is a good, RP-focused game, but Elendor and the unfortunately underpopulated Beleriand (nobody wants to play First Age, it seems!) both offer "serious, dedicated roleplay in a level-less, class-less environment" as well. In fact, since they are both MUSHes, they offer almost nothing but role playing. Because they don't have the sort of coded character-game interaction that's common on, say, a DIKU-derived MUD (i.e., no mobs, no coded quests, etc.), players don't need to grind practing multiple coded crafts and combat skills in order to have a semi-competent character to role play under the game's coded systems.

I spent a good three hours pouring over the beginner's guides at SoI, and I have to say, I fell in love with the place. Being a professional programmer I have no problems with the kind of mechanics that SoI requires to operate: the system actually looked very intuitive and consistently good through-out the introductions.

I'm not a big grind-fan (can't stand MMORPGs), so at SoI I'm hoping to enter into a rich RPI world (heh, starting to pick up on the lingo) where I can start as a humble carpenter's apprentice and see where the environment takes me from there. If I want more-or-less brainless high-speed hack'n'slash action, I'll turn on my XBox.

As I'm writing this, I'm at the same time typing up the last few lines of background for my first-ever SoI character. The process seemed rather good, although at times I was left guessing a little as to where I should write more and where less. Hopefully I got everything right

Originally Posted by jackal59mo2 I can't speak for The Two Towers, since I haven't played there. I have played extensively on both SoI and Elendor, less on Beleriand. From that experience, I can say that the original poster will find in-depth consent/consensus-based RP on Elendor and in-depth but more heavily code-involved RP on SoI. To say that SoI is the only place for level-less and classless RP in a Tolkien setting, though, is hogwash.

It occurs to me that I should probably introduce myself properly to this community - seeing as how I plan on sticking around. To put it shortly: I'm an old-school pen & paper roleplayer since 1988, PC gamer since 1993 and console gamer since 2007.

[Newworlds]

Originally Posted by Telperion Hi! New user here looking for an easily approachable (installation and operation), yet in-depth and captivating Tolkien MUD. Thanks for any advice!

I would have to agree with Jackal in that Elendor and Beleriand are far better choices than SOI for pure roleplay. I would, however, recommend T2T if you want a combination of enjoyable gameplay and depth of descriptive landscape. While it's fun to run around as a hobbit, aging and getting to know people as the only effective method of measuring success is a tad lacking.

Either way, good luck!

[Throttle]

Originally Posted by jackal59mo2 While I don't object to a bit of promotion outside the Promotion thread, that promotion should be accurate. This isn't. Yes, Shadows of Isildur is a good, RP-focused game, but Elendor and the unfortunately underpopulated Beleriand (nobody wants to play First Age, it seems!) both offer "serious, dedicated roleplay in a level-less, class-less environment" as well. In fact, since they are both MUSHes, they offer almost nothing but role playing. Because they don't have the sort of coded character-game interaction that's common on, say, a DIKU-derived MUD (i.e., no mobs, no coded quests, etc.), players don't need to grind practing multiple coded crafts and combat skills in order to have a semi-competent character to role play under the game's coded systems. I can't speak for The Two Towers, since I haven't played there. I have played extensively on both SoI and Elendor, less on Beleriand. From that experience, I can say that the original poster will find in-depth consent/consensus-based RP on Elendor and in-depth but more heavily code-involved RP on SoI. To say that SoI is the only place for level-less and classless RP in a Tolkien setting, though, is hogwash.

Huh, somehow I had gotten the impression that the other MUDs weren't roleplay-oriented. I never meant to imply that they didn't have quality roleplay, I simply thought they were of the hack-n-slash type. I know The Two Towers is, so I probably generalized a bit too much there. Sorry.

[Milawe]

Originally Posted by Telperion It occurs to me that I should probably introduce myself properly to this community - seeing as how I plan on sticking around. To put it shortly: I'm an old-school pen & paper roleplayer since 1988, PC gamer since 1993 and console gamer since 2007.

Woo! Good luck with SoI and welcome!

[esquiva]

Originally Posted by Telperion Hi! New user here looking for an easily approachable (installation and operation), yet in-depth and captivating Tolkien MUD. Thanks for any advice!

I'd invite you to visit The Two Towers!

We have a fully featured clients available on our website, Facebook and MySpace!!
We offer help for newbies via their own communication channel and active helpers!!

Come check us out, we are always looking for new players!

The Two Towers MUD website
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telnet://t2tmud.org:9999

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Always at your service!
Esquiva, eorling Warrior Princess

-Where is The Two Towers set?
The Date is March 15, 3019 Third Age.

Sauron has brought war to the Free People of Middle-Earth. On the field of the Pelennor, at the gates of the great city of Minas Tirith, the battle of our time is being fought. Lothlorien, Thranduil's Kingdom, Dale and Erebor are also under siege.

Sauron will not stop until all of Middle-Earth is his. Join him, or stand with those who are against him. The choice is yours!

-What is The Two Towers?
The Two Towers MUD is a free Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game set entirely within Tolkien's world of Middle-Earth. We have extensively re-created the lands of Middle-Earth in a rich text environment, from Mithlond to Mordor and the lands of Harad beyond. With over 100,000 rooms and always growing, The Two Towers is a richly developed and highly interactive world. There are hundreds of quests, with rewards great and small, for you to discover.

The Two Towers has an active community of players from around the world who come together to play online. Players join together to create guilds, raid enemy lands, and more.

Online continuously since 1994, The Two Towers is one of the longest running Multiplayer games on the internet and is maintained by a staff of hardworking volunteers who love Tolkien and multiplayer gaming.

-Why The Two Towers?
I've been playing The Two Towers since November 1994 and can honestly say I've never seen another MUD, MUSH, or MOO with the quality, the options, and the wonderful people that The Two Towers brings with it. Why not stop in and see why it's been so popular for over 15 years now!!