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

[Ryan P.]

At 10:23 AM 12/21/99 +0000, Richard Ross wrote:
[snip class/race stuff]
>
>Well thanks! That save me typing out the entire AD&D Monstrous Manual!
>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?
>
>Richard
>
I shall repeat a lame quote I'm sure most of us have heard over the ages,
"If you have an infite number of monkeys typing at an infinite number of
computers, you will eventually get Shakespeare."
Not to insinuate that mud administrators are monkeys=). However, many ideas
are generally regurgitations of someone else's idea, whether they realize it or
not. Really, how many times can you reinvent the same type of game?
I'm certain the recognition factor also plays a big part. People like to
see things
they know, with a little bit of unknown sprinkled in. Often some of the most
unique muds are unpopulated because they are so vastly different that no one
wants to spend the time to figure it out. Or possibly they only have a medium-
sized populace when they should have quite a bit more. People fear change,
this is why futuristic muds are not as popular as medieval muds.

--Ryan



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