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Melissa, what grabbed my attention in your post was the hope that we might be able to form some sort of community support to further the success of text-based games. As a father of 2 boys, I do everything that I can to encourage reading. The fact that most kids today have the attention span of a gnat is understated. I think free MUDs get the attention of the kids just because they are kids and have no funds to upgrade to the p2p gaming. Free MUDs provide an entry level for the younger MUDders, where p2p MUDs create the commercial viability that is required on the 'net for anything to continue for any duration of time. I believe you are correct that most p2p MUDs bring more viewers here with the opportunity to check out free MUDs than any other source, but I still get a creepy feeling with some of these MUDs who use less-than-ethical practices to increase their profit margin a small bit. It appears to me that the more successful a p2p MUD is, the more ethical their advertising and payment practices.
Melissa, I think you should not give up the hope of a MUD community that will band together in the hope to introduce today's youth to text-based gaming. It will happen. The reason is that it does not matter if a MUD is p2p or free, there will always be those who use shortcuts to find their own version of success, just as there is in real life, but there is always those who will put a cause before profit, and I know there are at least a few left out there.
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