Posted by
| Cyberthrope
USA (17 posts) bio
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Message
| I know that this subject is a couple months old, but I just ran across it and I thought that I would put my two bits (not from a horses bridle) worth into it. I skimmed and read most of what was here.
First, a mud is not an mmo. An mmo is a graphical game (intentially graphical) where as a mud is not (by limited design back in the days before graphics). If a mud were to become more graphical in nature then it would not be the, per se, mud from which it was derived. Instead, it would be a graphics mud (maybe, GxMUD?). Which would make it an advanced mud with a graphics intensive nature.
Second, in comparing an mmo to a mud is like comparing a horse drawn cart (the mud) to a model T (the mmo). You get the same results only with a fancier mode for traveling. You can either read the words (whip the straps, ie; type west, or such) or look at the pictures (press the gas pedal, ie; click a direction, or such).
Third, a mud is text and not graphic. A person is not going to play a mud if they do not, or cannot, type (very well). And, if they don't like reading they sure will not sit and want to read stuff on a screen. Muds are not for everyone, new people will not be drawn into a mud unless it offers: 1) easy ability to join (no complex and rigorous junk to choose from when first joining), 2) understandable and ease of use of equipment (basic eq to start), 3) a start area that is easy to mitigate and will not get you killed if you venture out of the noob area, and 4) a progressive learning cycle as one advances in levels to understand the gaming environment.
Fourth, instead of trying to add bling (graphics) to a mud, why not make a mud more newbie friendly? Why not have a whole area (or areas) for low levels, then have higher levels expanding outwards from there?
Fifth, is your game even friendly towards those who cannot see. (ie, An mmo: shows an angry guard heading towards your toon - are you seeing this? -- A mud tells of an angry guard heading towards your character - are you hearing this?)
Sixth, nostalgia: Who wants to play a game from the past? Who wants a game based on passed technology to reflect something from now? Can we actually get the interest up in those who play the graphics intensive games of today to play one of the simpler (but more advanced than that of yore) text based mud games that have been ongoing, or that have spawned up, of which are available now?
Just some thoughts.
I would, however, since I am here posting, like to thank Nick for his Mushclient and AreaEditor. Without these programs I would not have been able to grasp alot of what the mud community is all about. And, may not have gotten myself involved with muds at all.
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