Topic
In the meantime...
I know you are all looking for a cool graphical game to replace Glitch and all that. However, in the meantime, I wanted to invite you all to a place a little more retro. I run a MUD that is mostly empty these days, though you might find an old-timer or two just sitting idle somewhere. It has NO graphics. It is text-based. However, it does offer a few features you won't find in forums. If you've played a MUD, you know what I mean. If you haven't, well, you're missing out. Since it's mostly empty, I figured there'd be no weirdness with interacting with others who call it home from time to time. The website is www.infinitymud.com and you access a MUD by telneting to it. Infinity is a quest-based LPmud, and has a theme centered around Past, Present, and Future. You can travel to various realms where you might find anything from trolls to dragons to robots and fairy tales. Infinity, beyond chatting and social interaction, includes two major game elements. Combat, and Quests. Quests are not what you are used to in MMOs. They are highly intelligent, very complex, and will make you scream in agony trying to solve them, only to slap your forehead once you do so with a 'Duh!'
If you've already lost interest, then don't bother to continue. If you are interested, then here's some help:
To telnet, both Windows and Mac have built-in clients, but they aren't very good. A client that is common to both platforms and is good, is TinyFugue. Check out www.druware.com/tf for instructions. If you prefer a graphical client that has more features, Windows has one called zMUD. This is the link. If you are on an iPad or such, then google "MUD Client" and see what you find.
The actual address is infinitymud.com and the port is 4242.
Once you are logged in, you may find help by typing 'help'. Everything is command line driven. There is no point and click in the actual game :) For things like chatting, start with 'help communications'. The first channel you will have access to is called "newb". So to chat with everyone, "newb hello". "newbhelp" will give you some other options. Once you get to level 3, you have access to the global channel "chat", which would be used like "chat hi". You can also send private messages to others with "tell malc hi". "who" will show you everyone logged in at the moment. I think I have a hard limit of 70 players at once able to log in. If people actually use this, I'll take the time to bump the limit.
Take the time to read the all the help found when you type "help". It will answer most of your questions. When you begin the game, you are given a map. "exa map" (or look map, examine map, l map) will show you a map of the town, and to the north is a Post Office where you can mail each other. Feel free to mail me with questions. Honestly, I'm not logged in much right now because of real life demands. If people take an interest, I'll make more time to be there.
Have fun :)
Replies
- Oh, man. I haven't played a MUD in AGES!
- Me either but ... if this --They are highly intelligent, very complex, and will make you scream in agony trying to solve them, only to slap your forehead once you do so with a 'Duh!' -- is true, I'm very interested! I've been searching for a long time for a MUD that was a good fit for my interests so thank you for the info and I will check it out :)
- Oh wow...I wasn't sure moo/muds even existed anymore...haven't had telnet in forever. What's the telnet client I used to use...gosh...can't...quite...recall...PUEBLO!!! That was it! Thanks for the flash from the past, Malc...I have many fond memories from my time as Cloudsister on lamda.moo.mud.org. Anyone need help in setting up telnet, buzz me...I might be able to help you figure it out. (Man, the moo...hayrides and ufo trips and my friend Ark_Angel's text-based "view" out his window...awwwww!)
- curiouser and curiouser!
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The MUD is alive, well, and profitable. See: Gemstone IV for a pricey one.
Speaking of which, I'm terrible at combat in MUDs. I can get past the lack of graphics (well, at least if other players have made maps or directions...), but I just suck at the combat and have never had fun failing at such that I would try to improve. Now, I could probably go seek MUDs without combat (or be a Gemstone empath...), but I've never had much reason to try. That and most MUDs "permit" PKing (you can do it in Gemstone, but get out of town fast!) and I really, really hate PVP. I might have to go poke at your MUD, just because. - There was combat? Wow, never came across that, that I know of. It was more like, go left...you enter into the area outside the kitchen. Go right...you go into the quiet woods, or go left...you enter into the sacred ruins...that sort of thing. Glad there wasn't combat in my moo....I hate that. :)
- Whoa... wayback machine. It has been... Heck I don't even remember the last time I played in a MUD.
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Nice to see the optimism :) If you never had combat in a 'mud' you played, then you were playing on a moo, mush, or muck, not a MUD. If you had combat, and no quests (or the quests were 'go kill 5 of these'), then you were playing a Diku, not an LPmud. I've programmed on all of the above, and only really ever enjoyed LPmud because of the flexibility (and complexity) of the programming language. I could go on here a while, so I will stop now :)
A little more about Infinity: There is an 'arena'. It is located in town, and has several warnings before you enter it. That is the ONLY place where PK is allowed, and you cannot be forced to enter there. That being said, there are a couple of goodies to be found inside, if you can survive the NPCs there (level 17+ I would say).
There are two types of quests. Wizard, and Level. Level quests are required to advance levels, but you don't have to do them every level. For example, in order to reach level 5, you have to solve 5 beginner quests (out of 9 quests available). You choose which quests you want to do, and when. Do them at level 1, or level 5, or anywhere between. If you get tired of one, try a different one. Level quests do not require ANY killing/combat. Wizard quests are advanced, and you probably wouldn't want to try those until you are high level. Wizard quests require killing, and other than "I did all the quests" bragging rights, their only purpose is to stop you from becoming a wizard. And they will stop most of you, I promise.
One important note about quests. We've had a particular rule for 20 years, and this rule has helped the quests be what they are. We do not condone cheating on quests in any shape, way, form. Trust me, we've seen all kinds of attempts over the years. There is only one penalty for cheating, and that is banishment. As in you will be blocked and you will not log in again. This sounds harsh. But it is not fair to give someone an answer that takes 15 minutes to solve a quest that should take hours, or even weeks (no kidding). This is one of the only ways you will perma-die in Infinity. Other ways are, of course, things like abuse, harassment, etc. Type 'help rules' Combat-wise, you cannot perma-die. You basically lose about 1/3rd of your experience, possibly some stats, and you might get a cool scar. Quests in Infinity will be unlike any MUD you have ever played. They have been meticulously picked over with a fine toothed comb, and every effort has been made for the highest level of quality. Most quests will have taken months for a developer to create, and take most players hours or weeks to solve. I've solved every quest on there (without help) and I was pulling my hair out on several.
For combat itself, it's pretty simple on the user end. Combat will mostly be automated. Pick up a sword, axe, scythe, whatever. 'wield' it, 'wear' some armor, and you're good to go. find a monster, 'kill <name>' and you'll see the fight progress. If you have spells/skills, you can use those to pick up the pace and take out the bad guy that much faster (and that piece is not automatic), but otherwise, pretty simple. You can find potions, scrolls, etc to boost things..or poison yourself... You can also join guilds. A Guild is not a class! It is a guild! We have a few that are currently open, and some closed ones I have been re-working. There are the Explorers (they have abilities and such, but more of a true role-playing guild), the Necromancers (guild of death), the Legion of the Eternal Blades (guild of fighters), and then by default you are not in a guild, so you report to the 'Adventurer's Guild'. All guilds have spells/skills/etc abilities to aid in your fighting, but we try to keep them balanced enough so that someone who chooses not to join any guild, is only slightly under-powered in comparison. 'help guilds' for more information.
And if you haven't played a MUD before, or you can't remember, then go log on now!
:) - Oh, the wonderful days of British Legends and the original MUD that inspired it! Sure miss them.
- bump :) I've seen a few people log in :)
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I logged in and created a character. But my new work hours have been harsh and I'm brain-dead by the end of the day. I'm hoping to have more time (and brain power) during the holidays to really check it out. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I've been searching for a really long time.
Edited to add: And now my derpy internet has decided to randomly drop my connection so I only got to play for a little while today. (12/22/12) :( - bump :)
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Ok, got killed twice and ... it was fun! I felt like an adventurer again. It's been way too long. :)
Providing work doesn't mess with my brain too much you'll be seeing Kridla lumbering around town, hopefully not getting into too much trouble. -
Just as another tip...When you first enter the game, there is a guide. He will give you a map of the town if you hang around a couple minutes, up until you are 25 hours old. (that's 25 hours of playing time). After you enter the portal from the guide, go west, south, west, and there is a bulletin board (called the advertising board) that has directions to different areas of the game. 'exa board' will show you all the notes on the board, and 'read #' will read that particular number.
Note 3 has an area called Shmoo Land. That is for levels 1 to 7. Shmoos are small furry creatures. Just don't wander off the path into the Dinosuar Grounds, as those are for high-level and/or suicidal players. Dinosaurs attack on sight, they don't wait around for you to attack them!
Note 6 has an area for beginners, though getting to it might cause newbies to scratch their heads at first.
Note 8 is for newbies.
Note 12 has a low level area for levels 1-7 (and other higher level areas)
Note 14 has directions to an area where some beginner level quests are located (check the quests themselves first by going 1 east from this board and typing 'list beginner')
Note 17 also mentions how to get to another beginner quest (and intermediate)
Note 21 mentions a beginner quest, but make sure to take a torch with you!
Note 22, near the end, speaks of a low level area that contains the Snuzzlegruffs. This area also has a beginner quest. Snuzzlegruffs are even more fun to kill than Shmoos.
Note 25 isn't for beginners, really, but it does have Peter Pan and the lost boys!
Note 26 has a particular area called the Cartoon Castle which is for beginners
Note 31 also has a newbie area...you have to shrink down and fight insects on their level. This is only open to levels 6 and younger! There is also a pinball machine to be found nearby, if you read the directions carefully.
But, fighting is not all there is...
Note 2 talks about buying a pet Koala, but the directions are off a bit.. here are the correct directions (going from this board): e,n,w,w,w,w,w,w,nw,w,w,n,n,n,n,e,ne,n,w,w, and you should run into Alwyn. Alwyn will sell you a koala bear pet for 200 coins with 'buy koala'. Just 'read sign' for more information there.
Note 5 mentions a toyshop...though I believe you can just do 'tell mailorder help' and order remotely.
Note 13 has an interesting taxidermy where you can take any corpse and have it stuffed and mounted (corpses decay normally)
Note 30 gives you directions to various games like Blackjack, poker, slots, and "Infrared Pursuit" (lasertag with other players)
And, just as an FYI, it is possible to get married in the game, as well as have babies. You do not need to get married in order to have a baby, and magically in Infinity, anyone can have a baby. Just be good to them!
Enjoy, - <bump> <bump>
- <bump>