[MUD-Dev] History, background and religion

Wed Apr 12 12:02:17 CEST 2000

> THIS MESSAGE IS IN MIME FORMAT. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

--MS_Mac_OE_3038385737_7775168_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit

----------
From: Pileborg Joachim - FMT <joachim.pileborg at fmt.se>
To: "MUD Development List (E-mail)" <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Subject: [MUD-Dev] History, background and religion
Date: Tue, Apr 11, 2000, 3:48 AM

> I know that most existing MUDs don't have either a history, background 
> or religion. What I'm wondering is how many of you do have a (more or 
> less) well thought-out history for your MUD? 

Both of the projects I've worked on have had extensive histories which were
developed before I came on board, but both had/have an "original" world as a
major selling point.

In the first project, the plan was to have versions of the histories written
up as in-game books that the players could read in libraries. 
Unfortunately, the game never saw general release.

In the current project, the histories are available to the players, but in
an unwieldy form (a single, 150+k html file).  To be honest, I'm not sure if
any of our testers have read the histories.  The bits of fiction on the web
site seem to have had a greater effect.

> Are you borrowing stuff from 
> our own history? How do you handle names (of people and places) in case 
> you dont? Religion and gods? Do the implemtation of it all differ from what 
> you first planned it to be, and why? 

To the best of my knowledge, little or nothing of the histories of either
world was taken from real-world history.  Names in both cases were invented.
 Some names turned out better than others.

Religion: the first project had an original, but relatively conventional,
pantheon, again developed before I joined the project.  In the current
project, each culture has its own religion (some cultures consist of more
than one race).  Most of these religions haven't been very well developed
yet.  The primary religion centers around the worship of saints.

You might want to check out http://www.rpghost.com/prophecy/GMHIST0.shtml
for an example (documents from the first project).

Good histories and race design will catch my eye and make me more inclined
to play a game, but for me, poorly-written histories and race descriptions
can be worse than none at all.  I think a lot depends on the type of MUD
you're developing and the type of player you're trying to attract.

   -- Sharon 

--MS_Mac_OE_3038385737_7775168_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Re: [MUD-Dev] History, background and religion</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=3D"#FFFFFF">
----------<BR>
From: Pileborg Joachim - FMT <<FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><U>joachim.pileborg@=
fmt.se</U></FONT>><BR>
To: "MUD Development List (E-mail)" <<FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><U>=
mud-dev at kanga.nu</U></FONT>><BR>
Subject: [MUD-Dev] History, background and religion<BR>
Date: Tue, Apr 11, 2000, 3:48 AM<BR>
<BR>
> <FONT SIZE=3D"2">I know that most existing MUDs don't have either a hist=
ory, background</FONT> <BR>
<FONT SIZE=3D"2">> or religion. What I'm wondering is how many of you do h=
ave a (more or</FONT> <BR>
<FONT SIZE=3D"2">> less) well thought-out history for your MUD? <BR>
</FONT><BR>
Both of the projects I've worked on have had extensive histories which were=
 developed before I came on board, but both had/have an "original"=
 world as a major selling point.<BR>
<BR>
In the first project, the plan was to have versions of the histories writte=
n up as in-game books that the players could read in libraries.  Unfort=
unately, the game never saw general release.<BR>
<BR>
In the current project, the histories are available to the players, but in =
an unwieldy form (a single, 150+k html file).  To be honest, I'm not su=
re if any of our testers have read the histories.  The bits of fiction =
on the web site seem to have had a greater effect.<BR>
<BR>
<FONT SIZE=3D"2">> Are you borrowing stuff from</FONT> <BR>
<FONT SIZE=3D"2">> our own history? How do you handle names (of people and=
 places) in case</FONT> <BR>
<FONT SIZE=3D"2">> you dont? Religion and gods? Do the implemtation of it =
all differ from what</FONT> <BR>
<FONT SIZE=3D"2">> you first planned it to be, and why?</FONT> <BR>
<BR>
To the best of my knowledge, little or nothing of the histories of either w=
orld was taken from real-world history.  Names in both cases were inven=
ted.  Some names turned out better than others.<BR>
<BR>
Religion: the first project had an original, but relatively conventional, p=
antheon, again developed before I joined the project.  In the current p=
roject, each culture has its own religion (some cultures consist of more tha=
n one race).  Most of these religions haven't been very well developed =
yet.  The primary religion centers around the worship of saints.<BR>
<BR>
You might want to check out <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><U>http://www.rpghost.com=
/prophecy/GMHIST0.shtml</U></FONT> for an example (documents from the first =
project).<BR>
<BR>
Good histories and race design will catch my eye and make me more inclined =
to play a game, but for me, poorly-written histories and race descriptions c=
an be worse than none at all.  I think a lot depends on the type of MUD=
 you're developing and the type of player you're trying to attract.<BR>
<BR>
   -- Sharon <BR>
<BR>
</BODY>
</HTML>

--MS_Mac_OE_3038385737_7775168_MIME_Part--

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