Multi-User Dungeons

What is a MUD?

A MUD (Multiple User Dimension, Multiple User Dungeon, or Multiple User Dialogue) is a computer program which users can log into and explore. Each user takes control of a computerized persona/avatar/incarnation/character. You can walk around, chat with other characters, explore dangerous monster-infested areas, solve puzzles, and even create your very own rooms, descriptions and items.

How do I connect to a MUD?

There are several ways to hook yourself up to a MUD’s Internet port. First, you can use telnet once you find out the MUD’s network address and port number. For instance, Shattered Dreams’ network address is sdmud.com, port 7000, so we type:

(on most systems, including UNIX)

telnet sdmud.com 7000

(or, on some VMS systems)

telnet sdmud.com/port=7000

and we’d be ready for action. Your second option is to scout out the many fine client programs which exist for the sole purpose of providing a friendly and useful front end to MUDs (see below).

What is a client program?

Telnet is a rather ugly way to connect to most muds, since it doesn’t do any fancy text wrapping, and if someone says something while you’re typing out a line, it will make a mess out of your line, making it hard to see what you’re typing and hard to keep track of what’s going on in the mud. A client program is simply another program you use instead of telnet to connect to a mud. Clients also provide useful things such as macros and the ability to gag or highlight certain mud output. We recommend MUSHclient, a feature-filled and free MUD client. You can also play the game directly in your browser.

Now that I’m connected, what do I do?

When you’ve connected to the game, enter a name and password and proceed through the character generation. During the process, you can type ‘help’ to get more information about the commands available. When you finally enter the game as your new character, you can once again type ‘help’ to get directions.

What password should I use for my MUD character?

You should pick a password just as you do for any computer account. Use a word, or better yet, a phrase or anagram, that isn’t obvious. Don’t, for instance, use the same name as your character, or your own first name, or your girl/boyfriend’s name. And never never use the same password as the one on your computer account.

What’s the easiest way to annoy a veteran MUD user?

Demand something. Whine. Follow them around. Page or tell them over and over after they’ve asked you to stop. In combat MUDs, steal from corpses of things they just killed.

What’s the easiest way to be a mean veteran MUD user?

Don’t give help to the new players. Kill them, ignore them, shout “get a description” at them. These are the best ways to kill off MUDding in general, actually.

What should I not do in terms of player interaction?

You shouldn’t do anything that you wouldn’t do in real life, even if the world is a fantasy world. The important thing to remember is that it’s the fantasy world of possibly hundreds of people, and not just yours in particular. There’s a human being on the other side of each and every wire! Always remember that you may meet these other people some day, and they may break your nose. People who treat others badly gradually build up bad reputations and eventually receive the NO FUN Stamp of Disapproval. The jury is still out on whether MUDding is “just a game” or “an extension of real life with gamelike qualities,” but either way, treat it with care.

Is MUDding a game, or an extension of real life with gamelike qualities?

It’s up to you. Some jaded cynics like to laugh at idealists who think it’s partially for real, but we personally think they’re not playing it right. Certainly the hack-’n-slash stuff is only a game, but the social aspects may well be less so.

What common commands are used on MUDs?

Most MUDS have a core of commands which players use to move around and interact with each other. For instance, there are commands for interacting with other players, like say, and other commands like look, go, etc.

I know what’s going on now! What’s next?

Now is the time when you should be most careful. Within reason, don’t be afraid to ask questions of other players.

Who should I ask for help?

Immortals are usually helpful; if you know an immortal to be an immortal, then you can usually ask them a question or two. Make sure they’re not busy first. Also, players who have been logged on for a long time (which you can check using the who command) are often helpful, as they are usually the veterans who’ve seen it all before. Asking relatively high level characters is usually the way to find things out.

What if I’m completely confused and am casting about for a rope in a vast, churning wilderness of chaos and utter incomprehension?

Ask a friend to help you. Just take it slow, one step at a time, smoothing over the things you don’t understand by reading the help files.

What’s a clueless newbie?

A newbie is someone who has only recently begun to participate in some kind of activity. When we’re born, we’re all life newbies until we get experience under our belts (or diapers, whatever). You’re a clueless newbie until you’ve got the hang of MUDding, basically.

What is a cyborg?

A cyborg is defined as ‘part man, part machine.’ In the MUD world, this means that your client is doing some of the work for you. For instance, you can set up many clients to automatically greet anyone entering the room. You can also set up clients to respond to certain phrases (or triggers). Of course, this can have disastrous consequences. If Player_A sets his client up to say hi every time Player_B says hi, and Player_B does likewise, their clients will frantically scream hi at each other over and over until they manage to escape. Needless to say, runaway automation is very heavily frowned upon by anyone who sees it. If you program your client to do anything special, first make sure that it cannot go berserk and overload the MUD.

What’s a dino?

A dino is someone that has been around for a very long time (cf. dinosaur). These people tend to reminisce nostalgically about old times.

What is a flame?

Flaming is when someone shouts at another person in a vain attempt to convince them that whatever that other person said or believes in is unconditionally wrong or stupid. Avoid getting into flame wars, and if flamed, laugh it off or ask someone else what you did wrong.

What is OOC/IC?

These terms stand for Out-Of-Character and In-Character, respectively. They’re used by players to note when they’re really roleplaying, or not.

What is an ‘immortal’, or ‘god’?

Gods are the administrators who run the game. Immortals are barely distinguishable from Gods – they’re just barely one step down from the Gods of the MUD. Immortals are very powerful, but they don’t have the right to do whatever they want to you; they must still follow their own set of rules, or face the wrath of the Gods. Gods can do whatever they want to whomever they want whenever they want — only good things, though, of course.

A more appropriate name for immortals and gods would probably be Janitor, since they tend to have to put up with responsibilities and difficulties (for free) that nobody else would be expected to handle. Remember, they’re human beings on the other side of the wire. Respect them for their generosity.