Multi-user dungeon: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:36, 8 February 2003

Revision as of 04:34, 20 February 2003

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'''MUD''' is an [[acronym]] for ''m''ulti-''u''ser ''d''ungeon (or ''d''imension), a [[role-playing game|role-playing]] [[computer]] [[game]] that runs on a [[bulletin board system]] or [[Internet]] server. Many people may connect simultaneously. Once connected, players control a character. They see textual descriptions of rooms, objects, other characters, and computer-controlled creatures or NPCs (''n''on-''p''layer ''c''haracters) in a virtual world. Players may interact with each other and the surroundings by typing commands that resemble plain [[English language|English]].

Most MUDs implement a [[fantasy]] world populated by [[elf|elves]], [[goblin]]s, and other [[mythology|mythical]] beings. Players pretend to be [[knight]]s, [[sorcerer]]s, and the like. The goal of the game is to slay [[monster]]s and complete quests. Some MUDs have a [[science fiction]] setting. Most MUDs are run as [[hobby]] and are free to players. Still others, especially thoses which are based on [[MOO]]'s, are used in [[distance education]] or to allow for virtual conferences.

The popularity of MUDs escalated in the [[USA]] during the [[1980s]], when (relatively speaking) cheap, at-home PCs[[personal computer]]s with 300 to 2400 baud [[modem]]s enabled role players to log into multi-line BBSes. [[Roguelike]] games were also becoming popular at that time. In [[Europe]] at around the same time, MUD development was centered around academic networks, particularly at the [[University of Essex]] where it was played by many people, both internal and external to the University. The MUD scene is still very much alive on the Internet, accessed via [[telnet]]. Specialized telnet clients exist that give a more pleasant user experience.

Some common MUD server programs are [http://www.game.org/smaug/ SMAUG] and [http://www.dikumud.com/ DikuMUD].

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*[[Ultima Online]] ([[1997]])

The original MUDs drew their inspiration from paper-and-pencil based games such as [[Dungeons and& Dragons]] (hence their name), and the computer game [[Original Adventure]]. The first MUD was created and written by [[Roy Trubshaw]] and [[Richard Bartle]] at [[Essex University]] in the [[UK]] [http://www.ludd.luth.se/mud/aber/mud-history.html]: a version of this first MUD is still running at [http://www.mud2.com/ www.mud2.com]. The first popular MUD was [[AberMUD]] written by [[Alan Cox]], also known as Anarchy, named after the [[University of Aberystwyth]], [[Wales]]. Over time variants have diversified into other models while retaining the textual format. For example, some variants are called [[MUCK|MUCKS]], MUSHs, LPMUDs, and [[MOO|MOOs]].

A '''MUSH''' is often said to mean ''mu''lti-player ''s''hared ''h''allucination. MUSHes descend from the program [[TinyMUD]]. MUSHes date back to the early [[1990s]]. They are more directly concerned with role-playing than MUDs, dispensing with the scoring system and most rules.

Other variants emphasize building by providing players with a powerful [[programming language]] (as in [[MOO]]'s) to make their own objects and rooms, or function as elaborate chat systems with no fantasy trappings.

==MUXes==

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A lesser known variant is the [[talker]], typically based on [[ew-too]], [[summink]], [[sensi-summink]], [[playground]], and plenty of other code bases. The talker is essentially a MUD, with most of the complex bits of code stripped away, leaving just the communication level commands -- hence the name ''talker''. People who use these tend to be called [[spod|spods]]. The [[spod]] tends to be something of a long term fanatic. Where many mudders may move on after a year or two, people who use talkers typically have been doing so for a decade or more. Talkers are signifigantly easier to run than an average MUD, since they don't incorporate very much [[artificial intelligence]], and they are usually much more user friendly, since there is not often much fighting as a focus. In other words, whole families of husbands, wives, children, and siblings have been known to [[spod]] in certain circles. They also use very little network traffic, and use simple protocols, making them ideal for setting up quietly at work.

The [[spod]] has earned a place in the [[jargon file|Jargon File]].

== Resources ==

*[http://www.mudconnector.com Mudconnector.com]

*If you want to know more about MUSH coding and MUSHes, take a look at the [http://www.godlike.com/mushman/ MUSH Manual], created by Lydia Leong.

*Further reading for MUD development and server origination can be found at [http://www.kyndig.com/ Kyndig]

*[http://www.iol.ie/~ecarroll/mud/mr_5b Some history and reviews]

*There is more information about MUD culture and history in ''The Jargon File'', http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/.

*For an academic look at MUDs, see [[Sherry Turkle]]'s writings.

== Popular MUDs ==

* [[LambdaMOO]]

* [[TinyTIM]]

* [[FurryMUCK]]

* [[SvenskMud]]

== External Links ==

*[http://www.mudconnector.com Mudconnectorwww.mudconnector.com]: Extensive list of available MUDs

*If you want to know more about MUSH coding and MUSHes, take a look at the [http://www.godlike.com/mushman/ MUSH Manual], created by Lydia Leong.

*Further reading for MUD development and server origination can be found at [http://www.kyndig.com/ Kyndig]

*[http://www.iol.ie/~ecarroll/mud/mr_5b Some history and reviews] from Richard Bartle's "Interactive Multi-User Computer Games" report.

*There is more information about MUD culture and history in ''The Jargon File'', http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/.

*For an academic look at MUDs, see [[Sherry Turkle]]'s writings.

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In the game of [[Contract bridge]] '''MUD''' is a defensive signalling convention that stands for Middle-Up-Down. A defender who plays his cards in this order is better able to communicate to his partner the number of cards he holds in the suit. The partner is thus able in infer the complete distribution of the suit.