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Old 10-20-2010, 09:53 PM   #1
Helo
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Join Date: Oct 2010
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Searching for a MUD

Greetings all, name's Helo, new to this forum, though not to muddin. Pleasure to meet everyone.

I've been a text only gamer for going on 13 years now, though not consistently. I've tried graphics, and honestly, hate it. They're just not at the level of my imagination, and I do not see them being so for a long time, if ever. Unfortunately, we mudders seem to be a dying breed, but personally, I refuse to give up, no matter how low the playerbase gets. Anyhow, the first world I started out in, I frequented for many a year, and quite honestly, have found nothing that compares since. I capped there, no easy feat, and although it's been a few years and I'm sure they've added content...basically seen and done everything there is to see and do there.

So, I am looking for a new world, and would really appreciate some help in doing so. I'm going to write out a "wish list" of sorts, which will likely be ridiculously specific, heh, but it is a wish list, and I of course don't expect every condition to be met. My first world, the one I compare everything else to, also carried a monthly subscription, and I realize that getting such features from a free game, is likely impossible. But here goes...

Interesting, challenging, and fun combat, both PvE and PvP. Really my largest complaint with anything I've tried, aside from possibly a complete lack of RP, is the bland, boring, monotonous combat mechanics. Although I really enjoy RP, and a well written environment...when it comes down to it, sometimes I just want to bash and level. And when that is not in the least bit entertaining, and becomes a chore...it's unlikely that I will be returning to that particular world. Challenging critters, varied attacks, class/guild skills, a multitude of spells for casters...to me, these things make bashing, fun. I've played one too many games now, that have none of these things. Mostly I've seen a lot of: swing, RT, swing, RT, swing, critter dies, exp, next. I really, really, can't stand that. I'd also prefer to be in a forced PvP environment, but one that requires an IC reason, and carries consequences, both IC and OOC, for use and/or misuse. I've found that PvP optional, can lead to some ridiculousness, with players hiding behind PvP flags or what have you, and effectively destroying RP by receiving no consequences for their actions. Granted, it is a double edged sword, and forced PvP can get out of hand as well....but, with strong and well enforced rules pertaining to such, I definitely prefer it.

Next, but not least, is RP enforced, but not required. What I mean by that is, I never want to be exposed to public OOC. Obviously trolls slip through now and again, and that is to be expected, but from the playerbase in general I really prefer a strong RP community. What I mean by not enforced is...although I generally love to RP and will always stay in character, I don't want to be forced or expected to pose every time I enter a room. I've played RP-only games, that is, games with absolutely no mechanics, and while I do enjoy that level of RP, as I mentioned before sometimes I just want to bash and level. I definitely have a certain love for game mechanics, character development, and just numbers in general, which I'm sure many of you can relate to. I cannot be completely without those things, that's for certain. That said, I have yet to find a "leveling" game, where anyone really roleplays on a serious level, and certainly not one where posing is common. In the RP-only game I mentioned, a ten line pose was common, sometimes surpassing twenty. It would be, for lack of a better term, awesome, to find a world that melds the two, as I love to write and roleplay. However, I believe this point in particular, is wishful thinking, and as long as public OOC is not allowed and punished, I could be perfectly happy.

Moving on...an interesting, large, well written environment and world. I thoroughly read every room I come across, and really need a certain level of detail and quality to be present. I've come across one too many worlds with horribly written and/or extremely short room descriptions. The shortness, I can deal with, if it's in appropriate areas, for instance a very long road between towns, or even some of the hunting areas, as long as it's somewhat interesting. However, the focal points of my adventures, like the cities, dungeons, towers, and what have you, should be longer than two lines. And I do appreciate proper spelling and grammar. It quite honestly shocks me to come across worlds with a multitude of errors in both, and while I'm more than willing to report and/or fix those problems in a game world I love, it shows a certain lack of effort on the part of the devs when such problems are common. Also horribly distracting, to me anyhow.

And next, are just a few shorter wishes, not requiring a paragraph, heh. So, I'll list them simply, to follow:

Preferably a medieval fantasy setting...elves, dwarves, halflings, swords, magic, ect ect. I might be willing to try something different, if the game were exceptional, but I certainly prefer a fantasy setting.

A variety of races and classes to choose from, with specific weaknesses and strengths associated with each. And along with that, class guilds are always fun, particularly ones that have a point in regards to mechanics, ie, skills to learn and such.

The option to play as good or evil, beyond RP. Meaning, different groups to join, gods to worship, ect.

No corpse recovery or possibility of losing all ones items. Best system I've played on allowed you to decay if you wished, waking up in a temple with body and gear intact, though with an EXP penalty, which I think is of course warranted. Or, you could wait for someone to save you, either a cleric with resurrection powers, or another kind player dragging you back to a temple.

No permadeath. I know some hardcore gamers enjoy this, but I really don't think it could ever grow on me. It actually was an option on my first game, but only on a separate, "hardcore" version of the game, played by very few.

The ability to "physically" group up with other players. A friend of mine is also looking to join a new world, and we'd like to easily be able to explore and battle together.

A relatively large amount of built in socials/emotes, and of course, at least the ability to pose, at great length if desired.

A decently sized playerbase, though I know what to expect these days, and am not getting my hopes too high on this one.

The ability to write your own character description, or at least a varied selection of stock options to choose from. This is actually the only point on which my first world did not surpass the rest I've tried, as it used fairly simple stock options. Although, one could get them modified in various ways. I have to say that I prefer complete freedom to write my own, though this should of course have certain rules pertaining to it. Just as bad to have players destroying RP with ridiculous character descriptions. That goes for character names as well, should always be IC.

The possibility of creating or modifying weapons/armor/clothing/items. On this one, I just mean the description really, as in...taking an existing "longsword" with set statistics, and turning it into a "leather gripped elven longsword", or whatever, with the same statistics. I realize this involves dev/god intervention, and is usually won or bought somehow.

The inability, to buy god mode. I've come across more than one game that is absurdly unbalanced, particularly in a PvP sense, due to the ability to outspend everyone else. Preferably, I'd like a completely free game, that operates by donation only, with zero associated perks, or very few. At the least, the inability to buy uber gear and powerups. Perhaps one that just rewarded donation with previously mentioned "alters" and such. I realize this is likely asking a lot out of a non-subscription site, but a guy can wish eh.

Welp, heh, told ya that would be ridiculously specific. My apologies for the length, I really did attempt to make it as short as possible, while getting my points across. Again, I realize this is by far a wish list, and never expect any one game to adhere to all these conditions. If I were a millionaire, I'd hire a team of tech geniuses to build such a world....but I'm not, so here I am.

Thanks for listening everyone, I do appreciate your time. And hope to see you in game.

~Helo
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