[KaVir]

As I mentioned in the thread I linked to previously, by outward/sideways advancement I mean systems where you gain more options without more power. This also fits with your earlier comment about characters becoming "mainly more versatile over time".

However your latest post seems be talking more about non-linear advancement, such as pure skill-based systems. If that's the case, the RPI muds like Harshlands, Armageddon and Atonement sound like a good fit from a mechanics perspective - the downside is that they are also heavily RP-enforced. Unless that's a total deal-breaker, I'd suggest at least giving them a look.

Starting off as a naked wimp, fighting slugs and rats, is also one of my pet peeves - I remember once playing a mud where my level 3 vampire mage had the stuffing kicked out of him by a "plump turkey". Another time I tried a mud that claimed to be RP-oriented, in which fighting a single mosquito proved challenging for a trained human warrior.

Characters in my mud start with appropriate gear - a bloodguard starts with a suit of bloodsteel platemail and a weapon that gains strength from the blood of those it injures; a dragon rider starts with a full set of dragonscale armour and a dragonbone weapon, and can freely summon drakes to serve as mounts; a nightblade starts with shadowcloth clothing and can conjure ghostly blades of elemental darkness; a samurai starts with a full set of themed armour, along with a katana, wakizashi and tanto hanging from their belt, and a naginata strapped across their back. And so on.

But power is relative. A starting character is indeed powerful compared to a mortal human - they can tear through villagers and town watchmen with relative ease, they can slay mountain lions and grizzly bears, and overcome a variety of monsters. But the player characters aren't normal humans, they're gods, and the more souls they absorb the more powerful they become. So yes, players can eventually defeat dragons - in fact, many of them are dragons.

So the point I'm making is that you have to view the starting character within the context of the mud. Those playing my mud may think they're starting out as tough guys when they compare themselves to human and animal mobs, but compared to the top players (some of whom are 40+ foot tall titans, or ancient dragons, or powerful demon lords, etc) and the supernatural opponents those players face, they are extremely puny.

Perhaps you start out as a "naked wimp" on ConQUEST, but the established characters won't be much stronger, relatively speaking. From my limited experience of Harshlands, it seems that the RPIs are similar (although perhaps someone who's played them for more than a few hours could give a more informed view).

But if you don't mind "less complex", I think you may find your best bet is to have a look through the various MUSHes, MUCKs and MOOs to see if any of them appeal to you.