[SnowTroll]

You're doing things backward. Make the best mud you can, then try to sell it to people based on all the neat things you've accomplished making it. Don't ask the general community to tell you a bunch of things it likes, then hope we're still interested a year from now when you finally get around to making your first crude attempt (if you ever even get that far).

Have a core group of friends who will be your first devoted players. Poach them from the mud you play now if you have to. Players make the mud, not features. And it's not features that attract your first players. I've never tried out a mud because it had unique races or an automated quest system. I've tried out a mud because fellow mud players I know or like recommended it. Even if your mud meets everybody's lavish desires to a T, we're all going to log in, see nobody there, and log out in 3 seconds because it's not worth taking the time to write a character description or figure out your unique systems.

Also, if I were you, I'd make a really awesome mud. All about Pokemon, but have it take place in the world of Harry Potter. But add unique races. I want to see Pokemon wizards who do battle with octopus-rabbit hybrid monsters in between charm and potion classes. And make sure it's adult oriented, because you bet your sweet butt I want to have some furry child-aged pokemon magic cybersex.