If this WAS a MUD instead of a MUCK

#1

Okay, so right away I admit this is gonna be a weird topic, but it’s been something on my mind for years regarding the way MUDs operate as interesting hybrid games and chatrooms. I’m just brainhopping some ideas here, and I’m not trying to suggest changing Wolfery into something completely different. I just felt like adding my two cents in here if it WAS a game, because doing so helps my creativity flow.

Usually, you’re consigned to some strict character class, and multi-classing is discouraged, sometimes even across subclasses. This is usually the case with CoffeeMUD. Bleh. I think a better idea would be to take up skillsets instead. Skillsets that let you build your own character archetype more freely and organically. The more skillsets you pile onto your plate, however, the slower character progression would take–however that would be measured. So a strict swordfighter would progress faster in swordfightery than a swordfighting fire mage. You could still have archetypes and whatnot, say a cleric has the skillsets of heavy armor and life magic, or whatever. But you get to piece together your character however you see fit, rather than consigning yourself to dusty old pigeonholes.

I’ve also seen combat in CoffeeMUD. Either you smash in skill keywords on your keyboard and hope it all pans out, or most people just end up succumbing to macros. In truth, a system similar to the gambit system from Final Fantasy XII would be ideal for MUDs. It can be difficult processing and understanding the textual information presented on screen–particularly if it’s rushing by at high speed. Setting up these “conditional” actions would be far more manageable. You can prioritize using healing items or skills when your health is low, and whatnot. Makes it much easier to remain in-character and not break immersion from the role-playing aspects of the game. Your rogue-type can start combat out by backstabbing as their first action, or something. Perhaps they could steal every fourth tick or whatever.

I dunno. These are just ideas I’ve had in my head. I know they don’t apply here at all. I guess I was just hoping to hear that they’re not outright stupid ideas. I thought here would be a good place to ask because MUCKs and MUDs are kinda similar enough that people might already have opinions on or interests in the matter. That’s all. Finding ways to keep things from being complicated with hundreds of numbers to crunch is a good direction, I think, along with plenty of flexibility and player-induced customization.

#2

I don’t think Accipiter has expressed any intent to turn this into a game. I think, for now, it’s intended as a kind of modern MUCK. I’ve seen MUCKs try to convert into MUD systems, and I’ve seen MUDs try to encourage heavy roleplay. My experience is that the two ideas are fundamentally at odds with one another. The more structured a game is, the less freedom players have to roleplay and the less authority any given participant wields. The less structured it is, the less the ‘game’ portion matters. The more you trend toward roleplay, the more an authority is generally needed to make judgement calls or apply rules/systems. An excellent example of the two meeting thoughtfully is D&D, where you gather a group of likeminded individuals in a campaign setting of your mutual desire and then you have a player whose job it is to make the world operate and tell a story, while giving as much freedom as possible to the players and guiding them back when that freedom strays them too far from the written path. (I.E. herding cats and quelling the bloodlust of murderhobos. :P)

Personally, I’d think if a game ever made its way into a MUCK like this successfully, it would either need to be a low-priority PvE thing, or something self-contained and instanced like the card games from some of the Final Fantasy games (I.E. Triple Triad.) But I’d not expect or ask for something like that here.

#3

Hehe, yeah. It is true what @Raeth says; I will with all likelihood not go in the MUD direction.

But, I can’t help but to think; can it be done? The engine behind it, could I build it in a way so that others can build realms more in MUD style?

With the planned LUA scripting and multi-realm support, and if I add support for custom client add-on modules for different realms, maybe I could build the engine so that these things can be created.

Not by me, perhaps - I have no history playing MUD, I wouldn’t even know what to build - but by others.

The thoughts sounds interesting, though!

/Accipiter

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#4

That sounds pretty neat, @Accipiter. Yeah, I totally understand that this is a MUCK rather than a MUD. I just hope my ideas were at least semi-good, or interesting. I admit that the appeal of the environment leans toward a gaming aspect for me, but it’s nice to explore and hang about as well.