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Old 02-09-2016, 11:37 PM   #6
nyanko
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Home MUD: Imperian
Home MUD: Alter aeon
Posts: 35
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Re: Reinvigorating MUDs

I believe there are many ways that MUDs can expand their player base to reinvigorate themselves.

For example, Alter Aeon has done a wonderful job in making their MUD friendly for blind and visually impaired players. It works with a wide selection of screen readers. Alter has been rewarded by having an active playerbase of 70 to 100 plus players on-line at all times of day and night. Many blind players consider it to be an audiogame, with lively sounds and music. Having so many players to chat with makes it fun for blind and sighted players alike. More MUDs could definitely tailor their structure to work well with screen readers and attract blind players.

Another method to gain more players is to advertise for players at colleges. English majors love to read and write and can up-load their poetry and stories to their favorite MUD--keeping to the theme of the MUD. I, as an example, used poems and stories to do my guild requirements in Imperian; it was fun to have a fantasy-themed outlet to practice poetry and writing skills. If every MUD advertised at one or two colleges in their home state, it could help them attract a small but steady influx of players.

And why stop at colleges in the United States? Part of the fun of a large and active MUD is to chat with players from all over the world. Many people from other countries like an English language MUD in order to practice their English skills in a fun, fantasy environment. A MUD could potentially advertise for players on a foreign college's website or make contact with the English department to provide an exciting way for their students to practice English with native speakers.

Even being listed on huge gaming websites like Kongregate.com can gain a few players. Personally, that is how I first discovered MUDing, and once I tried MUDs, I never went back to graphical games.

There might be no one easy and constant method of MUDs gaining a wider audience, but there seems to be almost unlimited ways for them to reach out to new groups of people. I, for one, don't think there is any reason for gloom and doom in the MUDing community. MUDs are still relevant and have a lot of potential.
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