One of my new projects is a non-fiction book about MUDs and their continued survival in the age of graphical games. I'm looking for anecdotal information from the perspectives of both MU* creators and players. Questions for both categories are included in this post. If you have time, please respond and send your answers to

Thank you.

Questions for Creators

1. Name (Either the name by which the MU* community best knows you, or your real name, or both)?
2. Date of birth?
3. MU*(s) you've created? Website and telnet address?
4. How did you first discover MUDs? What drew you to them? What kept you playing?
5. What other types of hobbies do you have? Any other types of gaming you enjoy?
6. How did you reach the decision to create your own MU*?
7. Did you develop an original theme or base your creation on some thing established, such as Dragonlance, Star Trek, etc.? Why?
8. How much time do you spend a week tending to your game?
9. How long has your game been online?
10. How large is your playerbase? How do you promote your game and increase growth?
11. How much money do you spend annually on running your game?
12. What is your favorite experience as a MU* creator?
13. What is your worst experience as a MU* creator?
14. How does your text-based MU* compete with the graphical MMORPGs like Everquest and Asheron's Call?
15. Describe the toughest aspect of MU* management for you? (Coding, people skills, giving players things to do?)
16. If you could teach a new MU* creator *one* important lesson, what would it be? Why?
17. If you could do *one* thing differently as a MU* creator, what would it be? Why?
18. How large and diverse is your staff? Do you have a crew of people who can approach problems from different points of view or do you prefer to keep people on hand who think like you? Do you find you spend a lot of time micromanaging? How much latitude do you give your staff?
19. What lessons have you learned from other MU*s you've seen?
20. What skills from MU* development do you expect to apply to your real life, if any?

Questions for Players

1. Name (Your common screen name is fine - please specify in e-mail if you want even that much withheld)?
2. Date of birth?
3. MU*(s) you've played?
4. How did you first discover MUDs? What drew you to them? What kept you playing?
5. What other types of hobbies do you have? Any other types of gaming you enjoy?
6. What criteria do you use when considering whether to try a new MU*?
7. Do you prefer original theme games or games based on established themes? Why?
8. How much time do you spend a week playing your favorite MU*?
9. How long have you been playing MUDs?
10. Do you prefer games with smaller or larger playerbases? Why?
11. Do you contribute financially to the upkeep and maintenance of your free-to-play games of choice? If yes, why? If no, why not?
12. What is your favorite experience as a MU* player?
13. What is your worst experience as a MU* player?
14. Why do you play text-based games?
15. What's your biggest pet peeve about MU* managers?
16. If you could teach a new MU* player *one* important lesson, what would it be? Why?
17. If you could do *one* thing differently as a MU* player, what would it be? Why?
18. Should MUD creators and their management teams do more to listen to their players? Why?
19. What lessons have you learned from other MU* players?
20. What skills from MU* participation do you expect to apply to real life, if any?

Thanks for your help! Remember, send the answers to

I'll send any follow-up questions directly via e-mail.