I'm fairly new to MUDs in general, so my introductory experience is still fresh in my mind...
To me the fascinating things were the character I could choose, and the world I was about to enter. Things like the availability of maps and colour schemes were irrelevant to me as I had no prior experience of them and had no baseline to gauge them against.
I agree stongly with the_logos' points on introduction - for first time players their 'first impression' is as dependent on a brief and enjoyable in-game experience that teaches the game mechanics and introduces the player to the world, as it is on simple and clear presentation.
Another crucial element for any first-time player is to be given a simple set of user commands very early on - how to move, how to look, and how to access those all important help-files. I remember first reading the help-files of the MUD I play, and being greatly amused by the jokes in them. I thought to myself "If the developers here gave the same attention to detail and sense of humour to the world as they did to something as potentially mundane as basic help files, I know I'm going to have fun here!". After all, in order to gain even the most basic level of proficiency, any novice player is going to have to trawl through an awful lot of help-files and a little humour can make the process more enjoyable...
Nearly'
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