[MUD-Dev] Re: Mudschool

[Richard Woolcock]

Ling wrote:
> 

[snip]

> Personally, I think there should also be a 'drop them right in the middle'
> option on muds to improve the hook.  This could take the form of plopping
> the player into a pre-made character in the middle of a skirmish or some
> other adrenaline situation.

Hmmm I like that idea...but why use a pre-made character?  How about:

   Enter your name: Bubba
   New character!  Enter a password: *****
   [Press enter to enter the game]

   You are standing on a huge plain!  A huge battle seems to be taking place
   around you.  Hundreds of black-armoured and white-armoured soldiers fight
   against each other.

   A black-armoured soldier leaps towards you, his blade sword raised!
   [HINT] TYPE: block high
   >block high
   You swing your white blade up in the air, parrying the soldiers blow.
   [HINT] TYPE: decapitate
   >decapitate
   You start swinging your blade towards the soldiers neck!
   The soldier ducks, and your blade whistles harmlessly over his head.
   The soldier raises his sword above his head, and steps towards you!
   [HINT] TYPE: impale
   >impale
   You thrust your sword towards the soldier's chest.
   The soldier tries to sidestep, but is impaled by your blow!

   [Fight continues, giving less and less help until the player is killed]

   You wake up with a start, beads of cold sweat running down your body
   caused by your nightmare of the Blood War.  You silently thank Aries,
   God of War, for watching over you throughout that terrible battle in
   which hundreds died, and many others were crippled.

   [Story continues for a while, giving more background on the world]

The above would give an introduction to combat and to the world, capturing 
the newbie's attention by starting them off in the thick of a fight.

> Admittedly, I don't have a clue how to do the
> same for rp muds, they seem to grow on you gradually (esp as rp = social =
> other people).  Though having good rp logs available is not a bad idea.
> Rp school will probably be shunned by those who aren't interested in the
> first place.

Actually I think the above would be quite good as an introduction to a
roleplaying-based mud as well, although with less emphasis on the combat
and more on the people and world.

You could even have a selection of different intro's, either chosen by the
player, randomly, or dependant on class/race.

KaVir.

--
MUD-Dev: Advancing an unrealised future.