Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: Threshold RPG]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/rise-and-shiny-threshold-rpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/rise-and-shiny-threshold-rpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/rise-and-shiny-threshold-rpg/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Threshold RPG screenshot
It's the third week in a row I have decided to spend with a MUD, or multi-user-dungeon. I've explained it before, but in case you are not familiar, a MUD is a text-based MMO. That's right: you play by typing commands and exploring environments, all in text form. I started this exploration with Gemstone IV, an amazing MUD that seems to be the gold standard for MUDs. I am still playing it and finding out how amazing it is. I moved on to BatMUD, a slightly more basic MUD that offered a great client but frustrated me. Honestly though, my time with BatMUD was a little unfair and I need to revisit the game. It really has some wonderful elements.

Now that I have moved on to Threshold RPG, another ancient MUD from before the time of mostly graphical MMOs, I feel as though I have finally reached an understanding as to how MUDs work and what makes them incredible adventures still to this day.

Threshold is more basic than all of them so far, but that's a good thing in many ways. There's also a lot that is lacking, and several tweaks that need to be made.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Threshold RPG

MassivelyRise and Shiny: Threshold RPG originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfrogdicehands-onlivestreammassively-tvmudmulti-user-dungeonrise-and-shinystreamthe-pride-of-taernthresholdthreshold-rpgthresholdrpgtwitchtwitch-tvvideoSun, 27 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: BatMUD]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/rise-and-shiny-batmud/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/rise-and-shiny-batmud/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/rise-and-shiny-batmud/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BatMUD UI screenshot
Here I am making myself crazy once again. Why? Why do I insist on visiting games that I know will provoke issues both physical and mental? I guess it's because lately I have been fascinated with MUDs, or multi-user-dungeons. They are better described as text-based MMOs or choose-your-own-adventure books written with thousands of other players. It's a fascinating concept, especially when you consider how dissimilar it is to today's modern, easy-to-play offerings. The ancient design of the MUD now feels fresh, so much so that I have decided to dedicate a future article about the possibility of MUDs' viability in today's three-dimensional world.

I have found some good and some very bad over the last several weeks. I've also stumbled across brand-new versions of the migraines that often bother me when I concentrate way, way too hard on PC text. I have to admit that my issues do not seem that common, but it is important to look at a game from all angles, even from the angle of someone who has specific issues. BatMUD has tested my patience over the last few weeks and several hours. It's also shown me some wonderful adventure and sparked my imagination.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: BatMUD

MassivelyRise and Shiny: BatMUD originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BatMUDbeau-hindmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onlivestreammassively-tvmudmulti-user-dungeonrise-and-shinystreamthreshold-rpgtwitchtwitch-tvvideoSun, 20 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MUD history gets a wiki for itself]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/16/mud-history-gets-a-wiki-for-itself/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/16/mud-history-gets-a-wiki-for-itself/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/16/mud-history-gets-a-wiki-for-itself/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


When we last talked about multi-user dungeon (MUD) history here on Massively, it wasn't for good reasons. Wikipedia had been slowly removing some of the more memorable games from its archives, causing a response from a few of the resident experts here in the multiplayer genre. Since that story was published, many readers here offered a suggestion, "Why not go put the history on your own wiki?"

Well, that suggestion has recently become a reality with the creation of MUD Wiki. MUD Wiki, a Wikia gaming wiki, will be holding all of the MUD history and information that Wikipedia has been slowly losing/removing. The wiki launched on January 11th, and is slowly filling up with all kinds of information relating to MUDs, including a growing entry for the recently Wikipedia-deleted Threshold RPG MUD. If you have anything to contribute, stop by and add what you have to the new home of MUD history.

MassivelyMUD history gets a wiki for itself originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deletionhistorymudmud-historymud-wikimulti-user-dungeonthresholdthreshold-rpgwikipediaFri, 16 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST