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Threshold · 05-04-2006, 09:14 AM

I think you are right. I think a big reason that DIKU dominates so many discussions on TMS, TMC, and elsewhere is a result of it being so incredibly easy to set up and expand with snippets and downloadable zones.

Even someone with virtually no skill with computers or game design can get a DIKU up and running pretty easily, and fill it with snippets and zones. This results in a ton of people who pay $5 for some mud hosting, rush to forums like TMS to put simultaneous posts in the Advertising for Players/Advertising for Coders forums, and then declare themself a "game developer."

Then, since they can't actually spend their time working on their game (since they don't know how to), they just occupy their time posting on MUD community forums. Also, since they have no success themself, they pile on every crusade against successful or commercial muds, because then they get to feel like its ok that their game stinks, since its not their fault. The successful and commercial games are all dirty cheaters in one way or another. The fact that their Crap Stock MUD has no players is because these successful games are cheating to steal players that should rightfully be theirs! This includes high rankings that the successful muds don't deserve. There needs to be a way for even the crappy stock muds to get listed on the front page!

They get stroked by the other "admins" like themselves, and they get to feel like they are part of the big "We" fighting against the ugly "Them."

The net result of this is a totally stagnant community where few people with skill or talent are interested in participating. The ancillary result of this is that general MUD issues and topics get dominated by DIKU stuff.

The funny thing is, it didn't used to be this way. Back in the day, the .diku usenet newsgroup didn't really get more traffic than many of the other rec.games.mud.* groups. But as time has gone on, even with little or no development of DIKU and its progeny, the incredible ease in setup/expansion-via-snippet has made its influence GROW (in a weird, sick way).

Unfortunately, this also makes it harder for newer, more viable MUD engines to get noticed. Many of the ones you've already mentioned here and in other threads really deserve more attention than they get. Sadly, its really hard for them to flourish amongst the horribly overgrown bed of weeds (DIKU Stock Muds).

05-04-2006, 09:14 AM	#14
Threshold Legend Join Date: Apr 2002 Home MUD: Threshold RPG Posts: 1,260	I think you are right. I think a big reason that DIKU dominates so many discussions on TMS, TMC, and elsewhere is a result of it being so incredibly easy to set up and expand with snippets and downloadable zones. Even someone with virtually no skill with computers or game design can get a DIKU up and running pretty easily, and fill it with snippets and zones. This results in a ton of people who pay $5 for some mud hosting, rush to forums like TMS to put simultaneous posts in the Advertising for Players/Advertising for Coders forums, and then declare themself a "game developer." Then, since they can't actually spend their time working on their game (since they don't know how to), they just occupy their time posting on MUD community forums. Also, since they have no success themself, they pile on every crusade against successful or commercial muds, because then they get to feel like its ok that their game stinks, since its not their fault. The successful and commercial games are all dirty cheaters in one way or another. The fact that their Crap Stock MUD has no players is because these successful games are cheating to steal players that should rightfully be theirs! This includes high rankings that the successful muds don't deserve. There needs to be a way for even the crappy stock muds to get listed on the front page! They get stroked by the other "admins" like themselves, and they get to feel like they are part of the big "We" fighting against the ugly "Them." The net result of this is a totally stagnant community where few people with skill or talent are interested in participating. The ancillary result of this is that general MUD issues and topics get dominated by DIKU stuff. The funny thing is, it didn't used to be this way. Back in the day, the .diku usenet newsgroup didn't really get more traffic than many of the other rec.games.mud.* groups. But as time has gone on, even with little or no development of DIKU and its progeny, the incredible ease in setup/expansion-via-snippet has made its influence GROW (in a weird, sick way). Unfortunately, this also makes it harder for newer, more viable MUD engines to get noticed. Many of the ones you've already mentioned here and in other threads really deserve more attention than they get. Sadly, its really hard for them to flourish amongst the horribly overgrown bed of weeds (DIKU Stock Muds).