I discovered WoTMUD a few months ago, and have been playing since, I must say though, I find it much more enjoyable than WoW. I’ve never once had someone call me a “N00b!”. And every time I log in I am able to find someone to do something with. Actually, my first night playing several people showed me around Caemlyn and got me some equipment, and leveled me up a little. I really am horrible at leveling though… XD

I’ve been playing WoTMUD for nearly 6 years and even though I am a HUGE WoW addict, I always find myself drawn back to mudding. The pvp is like nothing an MMO can offer and the intimate community atmosphere and (mostly) mature player base is a far cry from the commercial, often childish community that is an MMO playerbase. I even met my husband on WoTMUD!

Great article and it’s really nice to see that muds are still getting some attention.

I stepped into a few MUDs after reading about them when I first really started using the Internet. Never really got into them. And of course the popularity was already declining as “the web” took shape.
The high school I attended for my senior year required me to fill out a form with a parent signature before I was allowed an account on the school’s Internet-connected network. There were all sorts of warnings about what was going to happen to me if I looked at porn or tried to “drop to DOS” (on Windows NT 4), etc. What was really interesting though, was that there was an entire paragraph about MUDs. Something probably only a handful of students would even know existed had it not been there. It sort of explained what they were and why we were not allowed to access them– something about violent sorcery. I wish I had made a copy and saved that thing.

Yes because MUDs are the devil incarnate… XD

I’ve been playing WoTmud on and off since around ‘99 or so. I keep coming back for one reason: The PK (PvP) is the best I have seen anywhere.

I have such fond memories of MUDs. My older brother introduced me to Discworld MUD when he was in college and I was a wee lass. I hadn’t ever read any of the books and so it was soso very confusing! I believe I was a witch and Nanny Ogg was there, and I might have had an encounter with Hogfather and members of the Assasin’s Guild. It was so much fun. I loved the environment and the chance to roleplay. Because of that brief introduction, I later became a total MUD addict in college. Happy me, but my education suffered!

I can’t wait until I’m a high enough level to actively participate in PK on WoTMUD. I’m so tired of running from Trollocs…

After I finish working on a POC for SAP, I’ll need to research FDA SOPs, and then I’m off to set up NIM with a third-party IDS/IPS and IDM.

That is the world of acronyms in which I live. Y’all, on the other hand, are speaking Greek to me.

(Technically speaking, I live in a world of initialisms and acronyms. But the distinction is one of interest only to those of us who live and die by the rules of English grammar.)

I haven’t messed with MUDs since 1995 or so, but I have fond memories of them. At the time, I was playing off and on in a Robotech MUD. Generally speaking, they’re great communities, but they can also delve into a land of tech-speak that can be tough for the average person to get these days.

You’re completely right, Josh. A lot of muds now, especially the ones with speedy player killing, need a big area for new players which teaches not just how to play the game, but WTF everyone is shouting about! Your character’s life can often literally depend on how fast you type.

I remember thinking that, if I wanted my player to have a weapon in the Robotech MUD, I effectively had to code one using zMUD. As fun as the RP elements were in those games, there were times I wished I could see something, and walk over it (ala Doom) to take it.

This has been a very educational day for me. First I learn of MUDs and now JemCon. It’s like geekdom has reared up to show me its soft underbelly.

I confess the MUD thing intrigues me. I think I really could have gotten into that once upon a time. And as a result, I might have become much more than the ignoramus about all things game related that I am today.

Unfortunately, when I was in college the Internet was virtually unheard of on campus. There were whisperings here and there about some newfangled contraption known as email, but by and large we were ignorant of the giant that was grogily awakening around that time.

Darn you, Internet. I spelled “groggily” right the first time, but you told me it was wrong. And this is why I still don’t trust you.

yeah, I’ve been addicted to WoTMUD since ‘98 or so. My roomate Jeff and I both got hooked and we were so bad, that we had to sleep and game in shifts as we only had one computer. It also connected to the internet w/ a 14k USR modem, so we received no calls and if you came over and picked up the receiver you probably got beat up. missing meals, missing friends, eating raw ramen…that was the initial stages, the learning and total full on crazy addiction.

now however after years and years of playing and taking breaks I’ve got it under control (LOL). I really do enjoy my time there and don’t regret the days and days I’ve put in. I’ve tried other muds, but this one just keeps me here because of the many things to do. PK, RP, exploring, I just joined a smithing guild and a crafting guild. so with my one hour playtime I actually can do something! I really can’t say enough about wotmud. It’s my home away from home.

I joined WOTMUD in late August. Since then I’ve become totally addicted. I’m more of an RPr than a PKr, mainly due to the horrible internet connection I have, but there is just so much to do!

I’ve just now got to the stage where IRL is now starting to balance out again, but I can’t imagine a time where the MUD would not now be a part of my life. So many friends, so many places to explore, and so many spin off websites etc. Oh- and it’s linked to one of the best fantasy series ever written.

I have a lot of respect for people who play MUDs these days.

Back in my day (OK, the mid-90s), we didn’t HAVE fancy graphics and real-time bump shading. If we wanted a multiplayer game, we had to drag another computer down the hallway of the dorms and link them with a null-modem cable to play Wolfenstein. And we LIKED it!

But with all of the choices you folks have in MMOs these days, it takes a special, resilient and intelligent type to go to a text-based world that can be hugely overshadowed at times. So, very cool, y’all, and keep up the good work!

My first mudding experience ever was on WoTmud and it is still the one I play. I’ve tried other muds, but they all lack something from other players, no PK, no RP, no cohesive theme. WoTmud has it all for me. I’ve even gone so far as to try to IMM on other muds, but even with that it was all blah.

I finally tried graphical games and to me there was just no imagination required. A MUD is like writing an interactive book

To be honest, I tried the graphic games and was bored stiff. As soon as I get a picture infront of me, it’s like a tiny part of my brain turns off.

Why should someone else ruin the picture that I have in my mind with their own ideas?

Yes- I am one of those people who hates it when books get turned into movies or graphic novels, and I do hate the LOTR and Harry Potter films.

And, in case you are wondering- on WOTMUD I RP an Illuminator (a firework artist).