[Thagrahn]

Actually, the very first step for people practicing game creation (including MUDs) is a step simple referred to as "Documentation and Research" Which is basically you studding what has been done, what works, studying the working code, and talking with others who have tried similar things.

As you go through this step, you create a list of goals you want to have in the finished game. Then you start working to break each goal on the list down into it's most basic elements. Once you have the list of basic elements down, you organize them into the order in which they need to be created.

Since I am going to want the experience, and need to get back into the programming habits, I will very likely be starting with what Camlorn said. My goals may make the project look over designed, but I know that many MUDs have created similar elements in them. I don't have a lot of the key elements broken down all the way yet, but I also realize it will be about 3 to 4 months of work to event get close to a point where it's ready for event the Alpha play testing.

Beta Testing could require another 3 to 5 months of coding and building, and Open Beta could require 3 more months.

Sadly, I also know that this project will be left mostly complete and in Open Beta state for the remainder of it's active life.

Do to the nature of MUDs and the MUD community, very few MUDs will see their Gold stage completed. This is because there is very little to learn from a truly completed MUD. Builders are not needed, Coding is done, and usually the Players have already explored the entire MUD by then.