[MUD-Dev] Terms

[Ola Fosheim Grøstad <olag@ifi.uio.no>]

I've tried to find the terms which have been assigned to mud-like systems by
various sources. Most of them is based on what I associate with them, but I
hope somebody out there will jump in and challenge my interpretations as
well as provide additional terms.

Btw, which terms are catching on right now??


GENERIC TERMS WHICH COVER MOST RECREATIONAL MUDS

shared virtual reality (shared VR):
	Used by the VR community to describe VR with multiple
	participants.
shared spaces:
	Used by authors discussing general problems, such as temporal
	aspects, which are relevant for all spatial multiuser systems.
collaborative virtual environment (CVE):
	Used by the spatial oriented branch of computer supported
	cooperative work (CSCW) with links to the VR community.
multi user dimension (MUD):
	Used by those who have a background in textual multiuser systems
	with links back to Mud1. Originally known as "multi user dungeon".
multi user virtual environment (MUVE):
	Not too common, probably used to distinguish their work as more
	serious than what most MUDs are.
multi user adventure (MUA):
	I think this was introduced to avoid the confusion between the
	term MUD and the game MUD. Didn't succeed.
multi user game (MUG):
	I believe I used to see this term quite a lot in the late 80s.
multi player online game (MPOG):
	Used by those that came to the field through singleuser games
	which were turned into "few-player" multiplayer games. Often
	simple peer-to-peer systems.
massive multi player online game (MMPOG):
	Used by those who use the term MPOG. It basically means the same
	as MUD, but as those systems which are described as MPOGs
	typically have a large commercial entrprise behind them, they are
	expected to cater for thousands of users. 
virtual world:
	Used by those who think about their system as a graphical avatar
	space, where users is living in a habitat. Typically these systems
	is more oriented towards the surface than mechanics. Unfortunately
	this term is heavily used in other fields as well, for instance as a
	general term which to describe hypotetical avant garde 3D models in
	architecture.	
collaborative virtual world (CVW):
	Used by the same guys who are likely to use the term CVE. It is
	used to describe spaces which is less bent towards CSCW, and more
	towards creating an experiental world.

OTHER TERMS

virtual reality:
	Yes, this term has in fact been used to describe even text-only
	MUDs. Probably because of the high hype factor...
multi user game world:
	Rare?
gaming world:
	Rare. (I believe Bruce Damer/CCON use it)
online role playing game (ORPG):
massive online role playing game (MORPG):
	Used by those who try to avoid what might be associated by MUD and
	MPOG.
habitat:
	Not a stand alone term. Usually used in a context where virtual
	and multiuser is assumed. Decends from Habitat/WorldsAway.
virtual space:
	Yet another term used to describe MUDs and similar systems.
virtual community:
	Generally used for all types of online community like systems, but
	also used as a reference to MUDs by some authors.
multi user player-extensible game (MUPEG):
	See Bartle's MUDReport.


--
Ola Fosheim Groestad,Norway      http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~olag/


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