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**Error** · 05-18-2006, 12:33 AM

pretty addictive but not to the point of wasting your life. I like the social interaction.

I played EverQuest for a few years.

**Canadian*Sniper** · 05-18-2006, 12:34 AM

In computer gaming, a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon or Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games and social instant messaging chat rooms. Typically running on a bulletin board system or internet server, the game is usually text driven, where players read descriptions of rooms, objects, events, other characters, and computer-controlled creatures or non-player characters (NPCs) in a virtual world. Players usually interact with each other and the surroundings by typing commands that resemble a natural language, usually English.

Traditional MUDs implement a fantasy world populated by elves, goblins, and other mythical or fantasy-based races with players being able to take on any number of classes, including warriors, mages, priests, thieves, druids, etc., in order to gain specific skills or powers. The object of the game is to slay monsters, explore a rich fantasy world, to complete quests, go on adventures and create a story by roleplaying. MUDs are typically fashioned around the dice rolling rules of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) series of games .

MUDs often have a fantasy setting, while many others are set in science fiction-based universe or themed on popular books, movies, animations, history, etc. Still others, especially those which are often referred to as MOOs, are used in distance education or to allow for virtual conferences. MUDs have also attracted the interest of academic scholars from many fields, including communications, sociology, law, and synthetic economies.

Most MUDs are run as hobbies and are free to players; some may accept donations or allow players to "purchase" in-game items. There are also many professionally developed MUDs which charge a monthly subscription fee.

The first known MUD was created in 1978 by Roy Trubshaw and Richard Bartle at Essex University on a DEC PDP-10 in the UK, using initially MACRO-10 (an assembly language) and, later, rewritten in BCPL; also used was a database description language, MUDDL [1]. They chose the acronym MUD to stand for Multi-User Dungeon[2], in reference to another PDP-10 game called Dungeon (or DUNGEN due to the six character filename limit), which was later commercially released by Infocom under the original development code name Zork[citation needed]. Zork in turn was inspired by an older text-adventure game known as Colossal Cave Adventure or ADVENT[citation needed]. The classic game MIST (also part of Essex University MUD) which could be played from any computer connected to JANET (a European academic network predating the internet), became one of the first of its kind to attain broad popularity[3].

Oubliette, written by Jim Schwaiger, and published on the PLATO system predated MUD1 by about a year. It was so difficult that one could not play it alone: in order for players to survive, they had to run in groups. Whilst Oubliette was a multi-player game there was no persistence to the game world. Following it, also on PLATO, was a game called Moria written in 1977, copyright 1978. Again, players could run in parties but in this game and it was also possible to effectively play while only running one character. They were graphical in nature and very advanced for their time, but were proprietary programs that were unable to spread beyond PLATO. Textual worlds, which typically ran on Unix, VMS, or DOS, were now far more accessible to the public.

Another early MUD was Avatar, written in 1979 by Bruce Maggs and Andrew Shapira, both high school students using the PLATO system at the University of Illinois. This MUD was 2.5-D game running on 512x512 plasma panels of the PLATO system, and groups of up to 15 players could enter the dungeon simultaneously and fight monsters as a team.

**Canadian*Sniper** · 05-18-2006, 12:37 AM

MUD came before MMORPG and is the same concept. MUDs could contain a mass amount of clients to one server.

Reason I know all of this is because Me and a few others are working on a MUD application out of personal interest. It's going pretty awesome. When it's complete I'll let you all know.

**Baker** · 05-18-2006, 01:21 AM

That was a lot of interesting information, Sniper. I never knew about any of that.

That reminds me of something about Zork. A few years ago, whatever company owns Zork made it free, offered a free download package and then several months later changed their mind, told everyone to stop distributing it.

Corporations are so dumb. All of that over a "text adventure". I mean, c'mon, what is the real value of Zork other than as a museum entry in a display of the history of computer games. Ridiculous.

It's about as valuable and entertaining as pong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zork

**Baker** · 05-18-2006, 01:27 AM

Originally posted by Error

pretty addictive but not to the point of wasting your life. I like the social interaction.

I played EverQuest for a few years.

Yeah, not everyone "over does" them. At least for those that do over do it, they do cost $$$ every month :d

**Monster** · 05-18-2006, 05:30 AM

They do waste your life, and most MMORPGs are boring and they suck. Exampels: DIABLO, DIABLO II, Runescape. Runescape is free, but if you pay $5 a month (dunno if they raised the price), you get a ton of more features and more boring shit. I played that game until I got to level 89. Until I couldn't stand the boredom anymore and just said, fuck this shit.

runescape.com if anyone wants to try it.

**Grim** · 05-18-2006, 08:08 AM

Originally posted by Monster

They do waste your life, and most MMORPGs are boring and they suck. Exampels: DIABLO, DIABLO II, Runescape. Runescape is free, but if you pay $5 a month (dunno if they raised the price), you get a ton of more features and more boring shit. I played that game until I got to level 89. Until I couldn't stand the boredom anymore and just said, fuck this shit.

runescape.com if anyone wants to try it.

I disagree. I've played Diablo and Diablo 2 and enjoyed them.

Age may play a part as well. I'm 40 and I've played EverQuest for four years until World of Warcraft came out.

It took me a while, but I finally switched, (They're always sending me stuff like this) and started playing World of Warcraft, (WoW for short). I've been playing since 01/01/05. It costs me $78.00 every six months and I really like it. I have a few characters here. This game was such an improvement over EverQuest. It wasn't as much of a time sink like EQ was and I could get off when I wanted/needed to. Wow is my way of relaxing.

I have responsibilities that come first before I sit down for a good game. For example, my week usually goes like this: Lot of land to tend to, 4.25 acres I try to cut, some on Monday, some on Thursday, music practice on Tuesdays, play on Wed, Thursday I go to my dad's and Grandfather's house and help them with things they can't do. Grandfather is 89 and dad is a 63 year old diabetic that learned the hard way what it's like to NOT take care of himself. Music practice again on Friday. Play on Sunday morning service. The only day I have for myself is Sat and I usually take most of the day to play unless something comes up.

In that time I also manage to have time for a wife, an 8 year old son and pay bills. It's far from boring.

Now back to topic.

Originally posted by Baker

I'm not saying everyone does this, NOR am I saying that MMORPGs are *ALWAYS* bad.

But I guess the thing that strikes me about this, usually people in their late teens and early 20's are making NUMEROUS decisions that effect the rest of their lives.

Waste of life/time? Depends on who you are and what you want out of life. I think the young people may be more prone to get the addication. There is a balance but it has to be sought. When I first started playing Wow, I can say that there was an addication.

(long story short)I would wake up thinking about Wow and go to bed with it on my mind. I realized the amount of time I was spending on it and neglecting other responsibilities. The key is realizing there is a problem, caring about the problem and gaining self control of the problem not to turn the other way that leads to utter destruction of everything. I've heard/read of people dying of hunger because they didn't want to take the time from the game to eat. Children dying from neglect, losing their jobs, losing their marriage, and even suicide.

My opinion: I've beaten the odds. If you're that stupid to get an addiction to a game that will eventually ruin your life, then it's probably for the best for you not to procreate.

Ok, that was a bit mean. If you find yourself caring for nothing but the game you're playing, it's time to quit.

Life is good and things are in place.

**Canadian*Sniper** · 05-18-2006, 08:16 AM

Originally posted by Grim

Life is good and things are in place.

Like I'm going to take that advice from the Grim Reaper

**danknugz** · 05-18-2006, 03:26 PM

I've Played Diablo II for years and it does get old.....but I still keep my characters going by logging on at least once every three months. I use to "over do" it but having a wife now doesn't allow it.

Diablo is at least still free I would never pay.....

**Net-Tyme** · 05-18-2006, 04:01 PM

wow. Heavy topic.. I would have to say that people who are depressed/introverts/etc would be more likely to become addicted to this type of game more then the avg. Joe. They find their "Ups" behind the keys. Depression comes in all stages. Online poker is another realm now that is taking over lives just as much as online games. Family counseling is having a gay ole time with that one.

I remember MUD.. Hired a girl that would travel to Mud Events and play nightly. She was pretty young and I was more worried for her well being then worried about the game. Had her show me around the game but didn't really find an interest in it. Seemed to cluttered with information. My sister plays WOW. She seems to like it. And I know she plays it alot. But she manages to clean house, work full time, take kids to their events and still find time to play.

**Monster** · 05-18-2006, 04:14 PM

I've Played Diablo II for years and it does get old.....but I still keep my characters going by logging on at least once every three months. I use to "over do" it but having a wife now doesn't allow it. Diablo is at least still free I would never pay.....

I played Diablo II until my guy was like level 10... then it got boring... running around killing the same monstas over and over.

**Canadian*Sniper** · 05-18-2006, 06:02 PM

Newb, I can get to level 81 in 3-4 hours!

**Retroactive** · 05-19-2006, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by Monster

I played Diablo II until my guy was like level 10... then it got boring... running around killing the same monstas over and over.

See thats the problem with kids now, they can't pay attention. You do know how dam popular that game STILL is....right?

**Canadian*Sniper** · 05-19-2006, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by Retroactive

You do know how dam popular that game STILL is....right?

Yea but 80% of the population is just part of the whole mainstream builds. All of my hero builds are original. Some of them can even pk the mainstream builds (take that hammerdins!)

And yes, I play Hardcore only

I pked a bowzon (she had a 1 hitter quitter, guided arrow). My used my ninja assassin to telekick her, pray that my 75% block works on the missiles already shot, and dance in glory. ^^

They are too addictive and waste your life.	63.64%	7 votes
They aren't too addictive/not a problem	36.36%	4 votes

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