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Elvarlyn · 08-02-2010, 11:20 AM

Disclaimer: The following is a rant based in large part on frustration and is the opinion of myself only, and not the other Lithmerian staff or Lithmeria as a whole.

It is, but I can't help but feel that the biggest threat to the 'health' of MUDs isn't a lack of developers/developer tools but a lack of players and lower tier staff. Thousands of MUDs open up every year, each draining players and talent out of the common pool from which they all draw. My concern is that many of these MUDs are created and run by people who want to try MUD administration but don't fully comprehend the level of commitment required to make a real go of it. They play around with a stock codebase, change a few things, goof around with the OLC, change a few room names and declare their MUD open for business. Players enter (and I fear) become disillusioned with the genre as they are met with a lack of professionalism, dedication and innovation.

I can't help but feel that if every 10 MUDs out there consolidated into one, pooling their staff and combining their talents and resources, the hobby as a whole would be in much better shape. It reminds me of being a kid and playing Battlefield: 1942 with my friends, watching as every single person on a team swarmed toward the 2-3 planes/tanks in an effort to get there first, only to eventually lose the game because no one wanted to be an unglamorous (but indispensable) infantryman.

What makes this issue especially significant for me is the snowball effect the size of a playerbase has on a MUD. I can't speak for anyone else, but I personally would have absolutely no interest in playing even the very best MUD in the world if it had no player base. The PvE could be a rollercoaster ride of adventure that makes raiding 25 man heroics for the achievements in WoW seem like a nice relaxing afternoon of casual gaming... and I still wouldn't play if there were only 6 people online at a time. Similarly, I know I lingered at my previous MUD home for far longer than I probably should have because I'd built up a whole slew of connections and relationships, possible only in a MUD with a significant playerbase. My fear is that MUDs have spread themselves so thin that quality games are wallowing in obscurity, unable to pick up the initial playerbase required to build up a true following.

08-02-2010, 11:20 AM	#63
Elvarlyn Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 50	Re: The "Health," of Muds Disclaimer: The following is a rant based in large part on frustration and is the opinion of myself only, and not the other Lithmerian staff or Lithmeria as a whole. It is, but I can't help but feel that the biggest threat to the 'health' of MUDs isn't a lack of developers/developer tools but a lack of players and lower tier staff. Thousands of MUDs open up every year, each draining players and talent out of the common pool from which they all draw. My concern is that many of these MUDs are created and run by people who want to try MUD administration but don't fully comprehend the level of commitment required to make a real go of it. They play around with a stock codebase, change a few things, goof around with the OLC, change a few room names and declare their MUD open for business. Players enter (and I fear) become disillusioned with the genre as they are met with a lack of professionalism, dedication and innovation. I can't help but feel that if every 10 MUDs out there consolidated into one, pooling their staff and combining their talents and resources, the hobby as a whole would be in much better shape. It reminds me of being a kid and playing Battlefield: 1942 with my friends, watching as every single person on a team swarmed toward the 2-3 planes/tanks in an effort to get there first, only to eventually lose the game because no one wanted to be an unglamorous (but indispensable) infantryman. What makes this issue especially significant for me is the snowball effect the size of a playerbase has on a MUD. I can't speak for anyone else, but I personally would have absolutely no interest in playing even the very best MUD in the world if it had no player base. The PvE could be a rollercoaster ride of adventure that makes raiding 25 man heroics for the achievements in WoW seem like a nice relaxing afternoon of casual gaming... and I still wouldn't play if there were only 6 people online at a time. Similarly, I know I lingered at my previous MUD home for far longer than I probably should have because I'd built up a whole slew of connections and relationships, possible only in a MUD with a significant playerbase. My fear is that MUDs have spread themselves so thin that quality games are wallowing in obscurity, unable to pick up the initial playerbase required to build up a true following. Last edited by Elvarlyn : 08-02-2010 at 11:27 AM.