[MUD-Dev] Originality/Points of Reference (was Classes and Races and more (a BIG list) (fwd))

[Matthew Mihaly]

On Tue, 21 Dec 1999, Richard Ross wrote:

> Seriously, did most of that race list look familiar or what?  I've been
> designing my MUD for a few months now and every time I get stuck I put in
> some D&D rules.  That's not a concious decision (I haven't even played it
> for four years), I just cobble something together only to have another
> designer turn around and say "Oh, you mean like in <insert d&d sourcebook
> here>".  Oddly enough I've not ever considered adding in some Shadowrun
> stuff (which I play twice weekly and have done for nigh on four years).
> 
> This has probably been asked before but I currently lack the facilities to
> check...  Are there any -truely- original MUDs out there?  or do players
> need points of reference like familiar races/classes, recognisable
> societies/governments etc?

I would say it would be nearly impossible to be truly original. To be
completely original in the strictest sense of the word, you'd have to even
invent your own in-game language that players would have to learn (english
not being particularly original as far as languages go). However, there
are lots of muds that don't endlessly rip off AD&D. Hate to use my own mud
(Achaea) as an example, but it's the one I know best. You would find that
none of our classes are anything like AD&D or
whatnot. Examples: Serpentlords use dimensional wormholes, bite you with
30 or so different venoms that they can produce, and implant subliminal
suggestions into your brain via hypnosis. Priests summon guardian angels
to perform various tasks for them, have kick-ass affliction healing via
elemental channels, and erect and maintain shrines, which act as focal
points for certain multi-room abilities, as well as certain transportation
abilities. 

I long ago gave up on castigating the pathetic lack of originality in most
muds. I just laugh when I hear people talking about how they are original
because their thief backstab works slightly differently, or their fireball
uses a different damage formula. Most muds I've gone to have essentially
the same classes with, in many cases, identical abilities and skills. I
can't blame you for asking the question, but some of us _have_ spent a lot
of time coming up with original muds (a promise from me to any potential
Achaea players: We will _never_ have a fireball in Achaea).
--matt




_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev maillist  -  MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev