[KaVir]

Most muds incorporate both text and graphics (although text muds are usually limited to ASCII graphics) - so it's really just a question of degree. Personally I don't see how replacing a text prompt with an energy bar or an ASCII map with a proper graphical one would dumb down a game.

Even your own mud has graphical images on its website - do you think it would dumb down your mud if the maps could be accessed directly from within the mud, or if some of your artwork was included in the help files? You wouldn't even necessarily need to use pictures - you could just use it to format output into nice tables, or extend the number of available colours, or provide a thematic medieval font, etc. Or perhaps the only graphics are the background, which looks like the open pages of an ancient book.

Back in the old days there were people who hated the idea of adding ANSI colour to muds (after all, novels aren't written in multicoloured text!). But over time colour has become a fairly standard feature, and I believe we'll gradually see the same acceptance extended towards certain graphical elements. No doubt some muds will spurn all graphics, just as some still refuse to add colour, but I think the hobby on the whole will adapt.

Like it or not, you are competing with WoW and Runescape. But there's a large market for , and players' graphical expectations are far lower than for regular MMORPGs. I think even a primarily text-based mud could pull in many new players with some careful marketing and a pretty browser-based client.

And don't forget, the browser client would be optional - your existing players could stick with their own clients. You wouldn't be giving anything up, only opening new doors.

Finally, as I mentioned previously, sound support is very popular among blind players - and that is one audience you're not competing with WoW over.