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Old 12-30-2010, 07:24 PM   #1
Vendayn
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Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

Well, first before I go into what I'm looking for in a MUD...

I've been playing MMOs the past many years, started with Asheron's Call and then moved to Ultima Online. The thing is, MMOs are just not doing it for me these days, at least modern ones. Maybe I've outgrown/outplayed them.

I've played MUDs before...tried the Iron Realms muds, but they seemed a bit expensive after playing a while. They were closest to MUDs I've liked, but not quite. And like I said, way too expensive for me. I also played Aardwolf, but that wasn't what I was looking for at all. I also paid for a mud for a couple months, it was another popular one...can't think of the name, but the company had like 3 muds under their belt and some graphical games. This one I liked a bit more than the Iron Realms muds...OH...it was Gemstone IV. Dragonrealms was another one I really liked by that company.

The problem with those, and I probably would go back to those two...I lost my job (one reason I've stopped playing MMOs too), and I get disability every month by the government...long story...but I don't get paid much, so Gemstone IV and their other games are too expensive for me as well. Even though it is only 15 dollars a month, I can't really afford it.

So, I'll get back to MMOs, and then I'll talk about what I liked about those two MUDs I mentioned.

Favorite MMOs:

Asheron's Call...huge world, world events, fun dungeons, classless so I could choose what skills/spells//stats/etc...I wanted. I would earn EXP from killing things or doing quests and choose what I wanted to raise.

Ultima Online...the world seemed a bit small for me for an MMO, but the world events were fun, I enjoyed exploring and again, a classless based system. Though, as a negative, I much prefered AC skill/stat system. In UO I would get 6 skills raised, and suddenly be at cap...seemed really limited to me. Very nice crafting system as well.

Istaria: Chronicles of the Gifted (formally Horizons: Empire of Istaria)...could play as a Dragon (favorite animal, mythical or not), large world, tons of game events, tight knit, but friendly community, very fun crafting system. Was sort of fun to go off exploring too.

EVE Online...HUGE universe, fun events that move the storyline, not too bad of a crafting system, lots of player interaction...pvp was fun, but a bit too hardcore for me, since I prefer more exploring/crafting/PVEing. I do like PvP too, but heh. It was annoying flying around and being wrp scrambled and losing everything. Better than perma death...still death meant something as you lost stuff, which is nice. Better than "lol I died. Free teleport to town".

Asheron's Call 2...don't remember much about it, the world was tiny which was a big negative for me...it was fun rebuilding towns and stuff, though. Classes were really unique.

Fallen Earth...awesome setting (love post-apoc stuff)...great for exploring...didn't like the crafting because it didn't feel post-apoc at all. Everything you crafted could easily be bought off merchants...fine in some games, not in a post-apoc game...at least my opinion

Auto Assault...LOVED this game. Actually felt post-apoc, lots of action, open and large world. Going around destroying buildings and other structures was fun.

Tibia...2d MMO, and I love the idea of it. HUGE world, tons of things to explore, love the skill up system, even if it is partly class based...problem? Worst community ever.

Runescape...good size world, not huge like Tibia but not bad either. The problem I have with RS, at least for free member area...everything is built up, every inch of space as a fence or building on it. That made me quit, too urbanized for me. But other than that, could find cool stuff by exploring, awesome skill/stat system (love it)...community is on the young side, but not really that bad

And I'll go for my favorite singleplayer RPGs

Morrowind...nice open world, fun quests...was fun turning into a vampire and werewolf, don't remember much else about it

Oblivion...nice open world and for a singleplayer game was rather big...though I much prefer Nehrim Total Overhaul mod, which has really awesome crafting (use bellows to light a forge, use forge to craft resources, then use water trough for final product)..and Nehrim is like 3 times the size of Oblivion.

Fallout 3 and New Vegas are awesome, purely for the setting alone, and they are open world too, which is a nice bonus. Though, I found Nehrim/Oblivion have much greater atmosphere than the Fallout 3/New Vegas games.

Fallout 2, love this too, more so than the newer Fallouts...mostly because it has much greater atmosphere to it.

As for the two muds...

I actually don't remember too much about them, but the communities were nice, and the events were a lot of fun.

So I guess what I'm looking for in a MUD...

Not expensive or have to pay every month...my income is shot, so I can't afford even 10 or 15 dollars a month. Need that extra money for food/rent/bills

large world, doesn't really matter the setting...I prefer fantasy the most. Post apoc is very nice too, but any will do...not into space based MUDs (if there are any out there). Sci-fi games with guns and stuff are kind of low on my list of favorite genres, but hey, I kind of like them too. But I don't relate to them as much as Fantasy or Post apoc.

Good crafting system, because I love to craft.

Good exploration, so I can be out and find cool things, I might find a shrine in middle of nowhere that has a story behind it or is engraved with words. Like a statue saying "Here is King Seralon. Ruling in the years of AD 238..." and maybe some extra story to that...there doesn't need to be a uber item at the end of it. I just like to explore and find neat things.

Events. I'm not big on static worlds...I like things to change, either by PvE or PvP. Not fun being in a game world that is the same for years and years...this is a HUGE negative for me if things never change.

But not all the events have to be game changing...events are fun overall. Asheron's Call didn't change all at once, but things changed, like I remember one event a town was destroyed by I think "Bael'Zharon" who led armies across the land attacking places randomly. And the town was permanently gone. That was fun. Plus Asheron's Call changed with the seasons, so it went from snowy to spring to summer and then to fall...well, AC's versions of those seasons. Istaria/Horizons had awesome events too. And the community worked together to "unlock" stuff...like bringing resources to a bridge to connect it to a new land, that would then unlock a new race.

For MUDs...I'm not big into 100% forced RP ones (guess that would be hardcore RP?) where I need to act out my character the whole time. Hey, I won't talk off topic as that kind of ruins the immersion of the MUD...but a MUD where I need to say "Thou art thou romeo, where thee..." I probably screwed that up, I'm tired as heck right now, so sorry if I did...but you get the point. I don't tend to talk off topic in MUDs or about real life things, but at the same time, acting out my character is a bit hard. But hey, I wouldn't mind giving it a shot if the MUD matches what I'm looking for. So actually, I guess this one isn't really a required one.

But I'll be a beginner at RPing and sort of a beginner at MUDs. Having said that...a good ongoing story in the MUD/game is a HUGE bonus.

Now for the minor things that don't matter too much compared to what I listed above.

A variety of races to play with is nice, but mostly if each one isn't half-done because its there just to add to the race selection...if thats the case, I prefer a smaller selection of better lore in those particular races.

Classless or class based system doesn't matter...both are fine. Though, over the years, I've kind of moved my preference to class systems, mostly since thats what most games use anyway...if thats the case, having a large selection of classes is nice. And even better, a large selection of skills and/or spells. I like class combos too, mix/match classes, but thats only a small preferrence.

Dragons are nice to play as...but I see not too many games let you play as one. A nice bonus though to the MUD.

as for combat preference...I like the typical gemstone IV/Dragonrealms/Ironrealms combat system. I have played a few MUDs where the combat was very actiony, where you controlled where you hit the npc/player and it was very fast paced...nice, but not my cup of tea.

Community size doesn't matter too much. I mean, 0 players active is boring...but a small, tight-nit and active community is just as good as a large community, but just for different reasons.

Well, hopefully with looking at what MMOs and singleplayer RPGs I've liked, and the other info...there will be a MUD that fits me.

Thank you in advance.

(edit)

Also...here is a list of books I really like, that may help find a MUD that fit me

Also, one last comment for this thread. Here is a list of my favorite books, that I think can fit somehow into a good MUD for me.

Dragonlance, my first Fantasy novels
Dune, my favorite books EVER...amazing series
Forgotten Realms by R.A Salvatore...with the Dark Elf

and those are the main ones.

I also have liked Shannara series by Terry Brooks
Lord of the Rings are of course a must, but not among my favorites
Isaac Asimov Foundation is great

and thats off top of my memory

Last edited by Vendayn : 12-30-2010 at 07:31 PM.
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Old 12-30-2010, 08:59 PM   #2
Jazuela
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Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

First, you should know that the vast majority of muds are free. Only a very limited handful require payment and some of those are only payment required for added perks, but you can play a "basic" access for free.

Next - combat systems: the Simutronics games (GSIV, DR, etc) use a proprietary codebase, so you probably won't find that particular system anywhere else.

Next - it sounds like you're looking -primarily- for a hack-n-slash, where the main goal is to gain levels, and you do that mostly by killing mobs, and you want a crafting system.

Next - you sound like you'd prefer a relaxed, but enforced roleplay environment.

Given all these things, I would recommend you narrow down the -types- of games: You are not looking for what is commonly known as an RPI. RPIs tend to have a more rigid roleplay environment, they have permanent death, they don't have levels. So I'd rule games like Armageddon, Shadows of Isuldur, and Harshlands out.

Next, I'd probably rule out DIKU and LP as codebases, unless you find one with a completely rewritten combat system. They're automatic - you type "kill mob" and the combat script engages, and doesn't end til someone is either dead, or flees from the scene, or knocks someone unconcious. You wouldn't type "kill mob" over and over again. There is generally also no engagement system, which is what you experience in Dragonrealms.

What I -would- suggest, is a MOO, as far as codebases go. The MOO codebase can accommodate an engagement system -and- something similar (though not the same) to the combat system of Dragonrealms and Gemstone. The code also accommodates various roleplay devices, such as socials (verbs), introductions, and the like. It also can readily accommodate various crafting systems. I haven't played any in years, and the last one I did play closed down. I know there are many out there so you'd have to do a little research.

BTW: MOO stands for Mud: Object-Oriented and refers to the codebase itself, which was created with the C programming language.
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Old 12-30-2010, 09:22 PM   #3
Vendayn
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Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

Thanks for the reply

Correct on pretty much all those. Except not really on the hack and slash part. Though I do enjoy killing stuff...that part is correct. Though you did put (primarily) there...which is true for the most part, but not totally. I don't think I'm into 100% hack and slash...which was what Aardwolf was from what I played of it. I also like exploring and finding cool things that don't need to be about finding powerful items. And yeah, crafting as well is important too. Plus the other stuff I mentioned.
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Old 12-31-2010, 12:59 PM   #4
Darren Brimhall
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Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

There are also sites that over a wide variety of Games for a set price, after the initial first month free.

Ironclaw is what I play now at Skotos, and hopefully beable to continue to (because Unemployment sucks).
It's staff is friendly, and fellow players who aree more than willing to help. But to play after the first month, to see if you like it, the cost is $12.95.

But as said, there are free MUD's out there. If you like, and to be polite, ask if you can make a donation towards the Game.

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Old 12-31-2010, 04:08 PM   #5
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Smile Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

hellmoo!
so you want to hear about this super mud game?
A city with lots of shops, bars, law enforcements, and more called "freedom city". Thats where you start and gonna live here as a citizen.
How do you start? Well this is a real one, you cannot play as a wolf, owger, or whatever, you start as a useless and defendless orphen. But do not worry, you will grow up through some steps and you will prepare to live on your own.
There are stats and skills at hellmoo. Basicly skills depends on the stats, like: brawn, brain, senses, cool, reflexes and so on.
And the skills like: combat skills (fists, blades, spears, dodge, clubs, rifles, pistols, whips) and other useful skills like (climb, hack, sneak, pilot(boat and planes) repair, focus, track, scavenge, craft, pick locking, ****, :"well ****ing is a skill really", medic and more)
so for e.g blade users need cool and reflexes, and hacking needs brains.
So you have to choose your way, a good fighter. A medic or a hacker, and so on.

Gameplay: there is a city called "freedom city" most of the players live here and rent the apartments here. Because fc has law enforcement, and if someone atack you, or you atack them in front of fcpd cameras, you will get stars and.. Heh the police is after you, depending on your stars. So you can forgeting killing at fc.
The Map system and areas are nice, there are many roads, cities, dead cities, forests, sea and rivers, islands, mountains.. Lots of things to explore!
For example there is a road west of fc, that leads to mountains, forest,mines and a dead city.

So is this game just killing and killing?
No, if you do not want to be a fighter, be a medic and help your friends, craft weapons and armor, be a hacker, or just sit at a bar , and talk with your friends. At first you should log off at a crashed hotel, but later you wil rent your apartment and live there.
There are lots of shops at hellmoo (food, weapon and armor, clothing, planes, and lots of nice items.)

The combat system is enhanced and so advanced, you can hold someone, escape, feint or crash your enemmy! Take cover if your a gun user and shoot. Or parry whith your sword like a boss. At combat you may get so wounds and if no one help you, you will bleed to death, you can cause broken lims to your enemy.
There are lots of jobs, journals to do for money and experience points.
Corprations: there are many corprations/clans at helmoo, you can join them easily and find your friends there, or you can make a corp once you get so powerful.
They will hire you and make you so strong. Choose your way, become an outlaw, or help to kill other criminals. Help your corpmates and support them to hold out your enemies, or help each other to rob someone's apartments.
The weather is real, the events like rain, wind, storm,... the sky has one sun, there are nights and days, and they effect on your gameplay. Bring a light at night forest or you will freez to death, or lose the way, or wild monsters...
You wil be thersty, depending on your movement and the temprature. Hunger, horny, illnesses and more.
Play it and enjoy. I hope i could help you out by this.

do not miss it!
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Old 12-31-2010, 04:13 PM   #6
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Red face Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

ah, sorry, the site is
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Old 01-01-2011, 11:07 AM   #7
Darren Brimhall
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Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

[quote=hadi;45743]hellmoo!
, , ****, :"well ****ing is a skill really",


Is this what I think it is.

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Old 01-01-2011, 12:32 PM   #8
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Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

Hello Vendayn!
I am also a post Ultima Online buff who left online graphic rpg's for the beauty of true roleplaying in a textual world.
I looked over your requirements and to rephrain from repeating them all I'll give you some choices that I would recommend based on your request and responses.

First I will recommend some other games then give you details of why you may wish to try New Worlds Ateraan.

1. For post apocolyptic my first choice would be Atonement.

2. Another choice might be Armaggedon. However the functionality is very difficult and requires alot of reading.

The first two are heavily roleplay intensive. Be aware of that.

3. For crafting you would want Primordiax. It is also a huge world with innumerable places to explore.
This one is also roleplay required but on a much more relaxed atmosphere. You stay in character but aren't beaten over the head by it.

4. For quests and thought provoking brain twisters in a strange and different genre try 4Dimensions.

5. For personal gain and self reliance try God Wars II. This one is a player vs. player one that revolves around pk. (I forgot it hence the edit).

There's the others. Now here is why you should try New Worlds Ateraan.
1. A great staff and guide group to help you get to know the game, roleplay, and functionality.
2. A tutorial to help you get to know the game, roleplay, and functionality.
3. A very thought out and indepth epic world with a rich background and design.
4. A large playerbase for enjoyment in roleplay, interaction, and group adventuring.
5. Ships, houses, caravans, invasions, theater, auction halls, fishing, whaling, pirateering, questing, mountains, valleys, cities and on. Everything you could ever want in a world.
6. The game is based on a novel that you can read online at the website for serious immersion into the world and history.
7. Events are staff and player driven and happen frequently to create a strong environment and community.
8. Roleplay is required, however, many are new to this and there is no requirement to speak in archaic english or other silly thing. We just require you to remain in character and not talk about football while in the game.
9. Areas where non roleplay (out of character talk) are available for the betterment of community involvement.
10. Races and guilds are fully developed and structured superbly with unusual races and guilds as well as common ones.
11. Two cities to start in. One in the kingdom for a more structured and easier beginning and one in a very very harsh environment for those who like the challenge.
If you try the game PLEASE start in the north (or kingdom), you will learn the game much better without frustration.
12. An excellent creation setup for the advanced player or the beginner.
13. The game is entirely Free. You can donate but if you want to keep your money for your rent you won't be taken out back beaten and robbed.
14. You mentioned that you read Terry Brooks. There is a little bit of the feel of that in Ateraan as well as Raymond E. Feist if you are familiar with his books.
15. A lot more that you really have to play the game awhile to see for yourself.

That's it. I welcome you to try NWA and see what you think.

Last edited by Newworlds : 01-01-2011 at 12:41 PM. Reason: Forgot a Mud Recommendation
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Old 01-04-2011, 05:40 PM   #9
Milawe
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Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

Thanks for the recommendation, NW.

has gone back into Open Beta since we discovered that many of our planned systems are far more crucial to the game than we thought. We are not actively recruiting more players until those systems are in place.

Thanks!
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Old 01-06-2011, 05:58 PM   #10
nasredin
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Re: Sort of beginner looking for MUD to play (lots of info, long post)

For Dragonlance, come to ArcticMUD. Solace and Palanthas, Paladins and Knights of Takhisis, the quest to get 'heal' in Xak Tsaroth and the Conclave test to become a Robed mage - we have all that and much more.


As to your other requirements,

> large world
Huge, and ever growing.

> Good crafting system, because I love to craft.
Most of our crafting is related to magic. Every magic user may scribe scrolls or brew potions and use them later in the game or sell to other players.

> Good exploration
You get it. Many zones in Arctic have excellent stories behind them. To tell the truth, I started to play ArcticMUD first and read the Dragonlance novels later. The books disappointed me - after seeing the zones based on them, I expected more.

On top of that, it is rumoured that some of our quests have never been solved and still wait for a brave adventurer to uncover the mistery and get the rewards.

> Events. I'm not big on static worlds
Our world is stable, but not static. Not only do we regularly get new zones, but some of the old ones are changed to make them more interesting and challenging. For example, not long ago the guildmasters of the Knights of the Lily were captured by the forces of Solamnic Knights.

> I'm not big into 100% forced RP ones
Arctic is a hack-n-slash MUD. We barely have any RP at all.

> having a large selection of classes is nice. And even better, a large selection of skills and/or spells.
We have a dozen of classes with unique and elaborate skills and spells. If you choose to play a mage, each robe is basically a separate class with it's own specialization.

> Dragons are nice to play as...
You can't play a dragon in Arctic. However, if you play a Paladin or a Knight of Takhisis, you may have a dragon pet that gains ranks and gets new skills and abilities.

> Community size
50 players on-line at the moment.

> Not expensive or have to pay every month...
And, last but not least, there is nothing to lose if you try ArcticMUD. The game is absolutely free - we neither have monthly fee nor sell any perks. The only way to progress in the game is to play it.
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