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What's wrong with MUDs?

VioletteViolette Member UncommonPosts: 119

Don't give me the old line "lack of graphics"

How about really using your imagination instead of having graphics spoon-feed you?

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Comments

  • SundersGhostSundersGhost Member Posts: 224

    MUDs own.

  • WaterlilyWaterlily Member UncommonPosts: 3,105

    Why use ink when you can use stones to write.

    Why use computers when you can use ink.

     

    Why use messengers when you can use letters.

    Why use letters when you can use email.

     

    Why use telephones when you can use speech.

    Why use telephones when you can use cellphones.

     

    Why use board games when you can use muds.

    Why use muds when you can use graphics.

  • FreemasonsFreemasons Member Posts: 52
    Originally posted by Violette


    Don't give me the old line "lack of graphics"
    How about really using your imagination instead of having graphics spoon-feed you?



     

    some people don't have imaginations

  • VioletteViolette Member UncommonPosts: 119
    Originally posted by Waterlily


    Why use ink when you can use stones to write.
    Why use computers when you can use ink.
     
    Why use messengers when you can use letters.
    Why use letters when you can use email.
     
    Why use telephones when you can use speech.
    Why use telephones when you can use cellphones.
     
    Why use board games when you can use muds.
    Why use muds when you can use graphics.

     

    Waterlily, you're talking about EXTREMES. I don't mean all or nothing! At least TRY a MUD.

     

  • WaterlilyWaterlily Member UncommonPosts: 3,105

    Ok, I could try one, I just don't know how to install one, and I don't know how to find a good one =).

  • SomeOldBlokeSomeOldBloke Member UncommonPosts: 2,167

    I like to move forward with the experiences in my life, not backwards... and I like shiny things....

  • paulscottpaulscott Member Posts: 5,613

    tried an IronRelms mud and one other that had a wierd name.   was fun but you're only doing a bit more in a MUD than you are in a normal MMO, then add being fored to use human assisted macros for both of them because the combat was too lame-assed-fast for the medium(oh you're expected to use them by the way).  played the iron realms game for a month, and the other for a week.

    I do play a lot of web based games but those aren't 'multi user dungeons'  rather 'multi user war games'.  WurmOnline and second life are very Mush-ish, they're just graphical. 

    The traditional MUD was only good for rounding out the MMO experiance and wishing normal MMO's would do some of this stuff.  After that MUD's just turned out to be a medium that didn't evovle as fast as they should and are dying because of it, hell some are even going backwards and trying to take stuff from graphical worlds

    I find it amazing that by 2020 first world countries will be competing to get immigrants.

  • WolfenprideWolfenpride Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 3,988

    ..Lack of graphics. :p

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by Violette


    Don't give me the old line "lack of graphics"
    How about really using your imagination instead of having graphics spoon-feed you?

     

    If i want to use my imagination, I read a book.

    i play VIDEO games, not text games.

  • obiiobii Member UncommonPosts: 804

    Actually good idea to try some now.

  • XzaLLeNTXzaLLeNT Member Posts: 46

    i tried one once. but to tell u the truth, it didnt really catch me. i can see people having fun with it as its also a type of rpg, but for me i just get tired of reading and reading and reading. i barely read quest details in mmo's.

  • ImpacatusImpacatus Member Posts: 436

    I played one (retromud), and I enjoyed it and I really like the concept.  When it comes down to it, it's amazing how you can have amuch more complex and intricate game with just text than you can with graphics.

    Still, I have to admit a graphical client can a lot easier to use.  It's easier to parse information represented with images than it is to pick it out of a block of text.  Clicking is also easier than typing long text commands.  Yes, I know you can use macros, but you still have to program them.   Unlike most, graphics don't help me with immersion very much.  To me, their main advantage is ease of use.

    I'd like to see a minimalist school of game design.  Too many developers spend all their time and resources on graphics and neglect everything else.  I'd really like to see more people go back to developing text and/or 2d graphic games with innovative designs.

    If you're building an mmorpg, or if you'd like to share ideas or talk about this industry, visit Multiplayer Worlds.

  • MylonMylon Member Posts: 975

    Muds fail because of the lack of an interface. When you have to type, "kill goblin", the game is pretty bogged down. When you can hit the tab key then spacebar, and then maybe press a few more keys to do some special abilities, you've exerted the same effort than it took to initiate combat, but did much more.

    I hated most the quest system in most of these muds, which consisted mostly of finding the right syntax to accomplish the next portion of the quest.

    image

  • paulscottpaulscott Member Posts: 5,613

    oh yes the syntax you get used to it eventually.  but it's still not natural, and when you do get stuck the NPC's either give too little help or too much. 

    Say vulpine?  "Blehity looks at you stupidly"

    give Vulpine to Blehity  "Blehity looks you and laughs "not me friend""

    :god damnit the guy just spent a few lines talking about them and I know I need to do something with this thing:

    channel fire

    channel air

    cast FireStorm At Blehity

    :that feels soo much better, shame for anyone else that knows what to do with the guy it'll be atleast 2 hours till this guy comes back:

    I find it amazing that by 2020 first world countries will be competing to get immigrants.

  • ttomm46ttomm46 Member UncommonPosts: 446

    I tried a couple of simutronics ones but they cost a fortune for a premium account.........however they were quite fun.....but not for25 a month or more!..Platinum is like 49.95 a month

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726

    If you like living in the dark ages, I guess it is ok..... I guess most of us just don't find any enjoyment of watching strictly text stream by. 

    But if you still enjoy it, go for it.  You decide what you enjoy and what you do not, no one else.

  • gathgath Member Posts: 424

    This be funny... people are replying: "no, i wont drive a bicycle, i can drive a car!"...

    It's the sort of people that wont ever be happy with almost any game.

    "i have a car, why drive a bicycle? inferior vehicle, 2 wheels, i have to pedal, pff, i dont want!"

    Haha!

     

    Anyway, i tryed MUDs, i didnt liked mutch, mostly because i'm not very good in grammar, so, communication would suck, also, i'm somewhat dislexic... reading mass amounts of text in the PC isnt something i enjoy -.-

    _________________

    Senhores da Guerra

  • zwrathzwrath Member Posts: 3

    When speaking about MUD's, the King of MUD's needs some attention.

     

    Gemstone IV is the -best- MUD I have ever played, and I've tried IronRealms and other MUDs, but for the easiest to learn, get into and must depth, Gemstone is key. Now it is also the only MUD with a monthly fee, and that fee is about that of a traditional MMO. But if you give it a shot, you'll be able to understand why.

     

    First of all its the only MUD I've played with an interface. Combat can be carried out with clicks and selecting hyperlinks in chat and the like, bags and personal belongings and side windows and the like, spelled qued up without typing a word. Hell even if you look at some critters it will load an expandable GIF if the critter.

     

    The combat and damage system is fantastic, in that you can deliver crippling blows to your foes in many ways. For example, you can swing your sword at a mob, and rather then just doing X amount of damage, you can hit a sweet spot. Maybe you hit them in the arm and wound it making them drop their weapon. Or you could land a critical hit and then the fun starts. Limbs severed, heads removed, bodies in half. ect ect. And thats just with Melee, spells like Acid Stream and Limb Disruption can have all kinds of nasty turn outs. Bard receive a spell which causes the weapon they are holding to vibrate with sonic power and make them drop it. And if they "roll" high enough on the attack it causes the weapon to explode in a shower of shrapnel on the mob. Oh, and did I mention that all of this nasty stuff that can happen to mobs, can also happen to you?

     

    Healing is interesting in the game as the main from of it is granted entirely by a class called the Empath. What they do is they meditate over the injured party and take their wounds onto themself, HP loss, damaged limbs, even removed limbs, they can make vanish on the afflicted, and appear on themselves. Then they use their magic to heal their own bodies, with spells like Trolls Blood that make them regenerate at the speed and strength of a D&D style Troll. You can also heal yourself using herbs and other medicinal products. I remember having a pharmacy cloak loaded with all shapes and sizes of herbal remedies for battlefield healing sessions.

     

    Speaking of classes, each one has something special only they can do. Clerics have no problem with hunting Undead and also can of course, raise bodies, which they can gain EXP from doing. Rogues not only sneak and stab, but also can open locked boxes which nearly all humanoid mobs drop, and are serious grab bags, with anything from a few coins to magic items and such. The Boxes can also be trapped and have nasty things like explosives and flame jets in them and also, Rogues can gain EXP from picking locks and opening chests. Rangers have animal companions which act like WoW's hunter pets with a personality. Warriors have piles of special combat and melee abilites no others do.. like can't get into a chest? Pull out a blunt weapon and bash it open. Sorcerers have "dark" magic spells which cause all kinds of nasty effects, and Wizards have elemental spells and the ability to enchant gear. Bards have sonic magic and the ability to Loresing to items where they target the song on an object and have to type out an actual, rhyming song, in order for the item to "resonate" and tell them what, if any magic enchantment items have.

     

    Also EXP works very interesting like... You go out and do whatever you class can to gain EXP, and your mind bar fills up. Once it has filled, you need to come back to town, or a safe location and rest for it to then turn into actual EXP. This is what allows the game to have an actual, honest to goodness social structure, as people have to sit around town after finishing their selling, banking and all that before hunting again, so people have the chance to RP and socialize. Also the game has enforced RP rules, meaning GMs will appear in a heartbeat if you start speaking out of character and slap you around. and you don't have to have a novel for your characters story, just use "in-game" terms for things like rather then asking a healer "heal plz need HP" just ask 'Any healing available? I have a lot of blood-loss.."

     

    And I'm only scratching the surface, there is much much more to the game. If you wanna try it do a search for Gemstone IV and enjoy a 30 day trial.

  • altairzqaltairzq Member Posts: 3,811

    I tried playing a MUD several times, but I find them so extremely boring. You are in a room with a door to the north, and a door to the west.. oh my GOD... Give me graphics PLEASE!

     

    Disclaimer: I enjoy a good reading as the next guy, I'm a huge fan of Ursula K. Leguin (MAge of Earthsea, I loved that series), Stephen King (up to IT), Asimov (everything but specially the robot novels and short stories),  Kafka (everthing except America and the Castle), Cortazar (everything specially the Cronopios), Borges (everything), and many many others.

  • Calintz333Calintz333 Member UncommonPosts: 1,193

    I may try a MUD...if im bored out of my mind completely. They are still in the to play list  WAY ahead of Generic Korean grind fest games like oh..  80% of the sites home page ads...Id rather play a MUD than any of those Grind tastic travesties. Ill try the MUD first.... Assuming the people playing it don't grind............

  • LuckyRLuckyR Member UncommonPosts: 260

    Best MUD around IMO is Sojourn 3

    Look it up and give it a try friendly community will help you with gear and how to actually play and write scrips.

  • DragonMyth88DragonMyth88 Member UncommonPosts: 245

    WTF is a MUD LOL>>>>?????????????>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....................

  • ZorvanZorvan Member CommonPosts: 8,912

    I actually enjoy a good MUD. Nothing brings out my uber-geekiness like breaking out the graph paper to make my own maps as I travel. I love it.

  • LiljnaLiljna Member UncommonPosts: 274
    Originally posted by LuckyR


    Best MUD around IMO is Sojourn 3
    Look it up and give it a try friendly community will help you with gear and how to actually play and write scrips.

     

    FYI, I think it is back to the Toril name again and has been for 4-5 years. So if anyone is looking it up check for Torilmud and not Sojourn (http://torilmud.org).

    Decent mud actually, I just prefer my home somewhere else :)

     

     

  • JosherJosher Member Posts: 2,818

    If I wanted to live in the 80s with text adventures, I'd use my imagination to think back to a time when I did.  But now, I'd rather play Crysis, MGS or Devil May Cry 4 or Spore.   I'm not sick of my nice, shiny new cars with GPS, integrated seat betls, rear view cams, better styling, fit and finish, ect.   I have no interest in driving an old Corolla or 3 speed, station wagon with an 8 track &  woodie sides, which is pretty much all a MUD is...an old relic that doesn't compare to todays entertainment.  Theres a reason I own a $2000 computer, PS3 and Xbox360...its not to play text adventures. 

    Having an imagination has nothing to do with it...its called outgrowing something that entertained you 20 yrs ago.  My Atiari 2600 just doesn't keep my interest now quite like when I was 8.  Can you blame me?

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