Mud Ad: Dartmud (LONG)
William Matthew Bryan
DartMud has been over 5 years in the making. It is
built on the solid foundation of LPMud 3.1.2 with heavy
modifications. We'd like to invite everyone to come give it
a try. You'll find the world of Ferdarchi a unique
experience.
From the outset, DartMud was designed to be a MUD for hard
core mud players. It is complex and brutal. The whining
MUD newbies among you need not apply (although adventurous
newbies are welcome).
The following is a list of some of the features DartMud has
to offer:
Races -- Every player can choose his/her race. There are
14 different races for players to choose from and even
more that may be available later in the game (see Real
Death). Each race has its own unique characteristics,
such as extra limbs, its own language, or stat bonuses.
Stats -- Every player can customize his/her stats. There
are 14 stats. All of them are adjusted based by race,
but there are no hard limits (other than 0). Stats have
an effect on almost everything in the game, from skill
learning rates, to how descriptions appear to you.
Skills -- DartMud players do not advance in "levels."
The Skill System has replaced the experience point system
found in standard MUDs. There are over 250 skills to be
learned, and that number is growing everyday as creators
can easily add them to the flexible and extensible skill
system. The rate at which you progress in a particular
skill is affected by other skills that you know, your
alignment, your stats, and how much you practice. Skills
have no upper bounds. Become a master swordsman, thief,
or spellcaster, or any combination! There is no class
system on DartMud. You choose the skills you wish to
excel in. When you become sufficiently advanced in a
given skill, you may also choose to teach it to some of
your fellow Mudders.
Spells -- DartMud has a rich and unique spell system with
over 90 spells. From invisibility to summoning animals
to your defense, the spell system has many wondrous and
arcane magics to discover! The list of spells is still
growing.
Real Wilderness -- No longer is a MUD just a giant
twisted map of sometimes randomly interconnected rooms.
DartMud implements a complete wilderness hex mapping
system. You start in Eristan, a city of corrupt
politicians, and rampant lawlessness. When you've had
enough of exploring the sprawling city you can then exit
to the hex map, where an entire continent of forests,
plains, and mountains lies--surrounded by dangerous
oceans.
Weather -- DartMud has real weather systems, which travel
their ponderous paths across the hex map, blown by the
Ferdarchi winds. Outdoor rooms can be affected by a
sudden squall, or a hot wind.
Brains -- All monsters come equipped (at no extra charge)
with a sophisticated brain which guides them through
their rewarding (although sometimes short) lives. You'll
meet computer simulated personalities you'll come to know
and love (or hate). Behaviors ranging from chatting to
downright nasty fighting are all controlled by our
configurable brain.
Crafts -- A set of skills known as the Craft System allow
you to become involved in local economies. Be a smith, a
miner, or a cook. Then sell your wares to the hungry,
bloodthirsty adventurers. Use the money to wage a
bloodthirsty campaign of your own!
Wizards -- DartMud has no Wizard System.
Feudal system -- Although playing the game can be a goal
unto itself, DartMud offers a unique alternative:
Feudalism. Become the biggest land baron on the mud! As
a lord, you get a title and income from your estates.
Your castle becomes an edifice for all to see on the hex
map. Beware, however, other landowners may decide that
your castle is too close to theirs, or that perhaps, they
don't like you. Other players make the best enemies in
the battle for land and wealth.
Construction -- Once you're a land baron, you can start
to build up your castle. Build ramparts, storerooms,
mines, fields (mine fields?), and more. Improving your
castle can increase your income and make your prized
kingdom more defensible. Hire guards, train them to
fight, and command them to stand watch over treasure
rooms. All it takes is money!
Descriptions -- Many descriptions on the MUD (of rooms,
objects, monsters) are written to take into account your
character's personal view of the world. A sword to an
elf may be a dagger to an ogre. A series of squiggles on
a wall to a moron may be graffiti to a more educated
fellow. All this intensifies the role-playing
experience.
Combat -- DartMud has an extremely sophisticated combat
system whose features include:
Limbs -- Each race has a body shape, and arms,
legs, heads, bodies, wings, and tails can all be
damaged or disabled separately, and may be
targeted individually.
Style -- Customize your fighting style by
adjusting combat parameters. Adjust bonus,
daring, speed, aiming, parry, and control to make
your fighting style unique and best suited against
whatever you're fighting.
Partying -- The party system is completely
integrated with combat. There are tactical party
commands that allow you to fight in ranks. Put
your beefy fighter types in the front; have your
mages and thieves pelt your foes vigorously with
daggers and hellfire from the rear rows.
Spells -- Many of the spells are combat-oriented
and pack a devastating punch. Hit your enemy with
a flash of light to confuse him, then blast him
with an octarine fire bolt--but don't get hit
while casting!
Intelligent Monsters -- Monsters fight
intelligently, thanks in part to the monster
brain. Monsters will party up with those friendly
to them, and their wounded will automatically move
to the rear to avoid attack. Some monsters will
even chase and track you down if you run away.
Most of them hold a grudge for a very long time.
Monsters are able to adjust their style just like
players, and can adjust them in real-time to help
pummel you senseless.
Weapons and armor -- There is an extremely
extensive list of weapons and armor of all shapes
and sizes. This includes shields and weapons
designed for parrying. If you have a particular
weapon in mind, ask your friendly neighborhood
smith to make one for you (for a fee, of course).
Quests -- Quests on DartMud are truly rewarding for those
who undertake them. The prize for finishing quests is
generally much more permanent than a silly "Super Weapon"
or a requirement for Wizardhood (there are no Wizards).
You may achieve a rare skill for your deed, perhaps a new
spell, or you may even get land to call your own. Some
quests are "one time" quests, that can only be completed
once. The players that complete these quests will go
down in DartMud history as true Champions.
Languages -- The world of Ferdarchi is rich with
different races and cultures. Some of them have
developed their own language to talk freely, whilst those
who don't speak it stand there and see only strange
gibberish.
Unique alignment system -- Good and Evil are very
relative terms. On DartMud your alignment is based on
the emotions of, rather than the righteousness of
actions. You may commit Evil acts in the name of Love,
or you may commit Good acts while your mind rages
Destruction. Good and Evil are to be judged by other
players, but your emotions may affect in which skills you
excel.
Permanent items -- Some important items in the game may
be permanent items. These items are saved so that they
return in the same place and condition they were left
when the game restarts. There are also rooms which allow
all items put in them to temporarily become permanent
items so that (for a fee) you can keep your items across
restarts.
Permanent monsters -- Some of the important creatures in
the game may be permanent monsters or NPCs. These are
monsters that save just like you do. They learn over
time and improve. And when they die, they die (unless
they have an amulet, see Real Death). Often at the end
of "one time" quests, these monsters make fearsome
opponents indeed.
Extensive help -- Many help files have been painstakingly
extracted from the various programmers. Please make use
of them. Also make use of some of the dedicated
playtesters who helped test our Mud. They can make the
seemingly complex and arcane be revealed for the
simplicity that it really is.
Real Money -- On DartMud, you can't go around carrying
your hoard of 2,000,000 gold pieces. In fact, coins are
items just like anything else, they take up space and
weight. Getting Gordon the Banker to give you an account
is probably a good idea.
Real Inventory -- On DartMud, if you want to carry 15
items, you should have a backpack, or they better all be
wearable. Don't try to pick things up if you don't have
a free hand. Better learn how to sheathe that sword!
Real Injuries -- Your DartMud character, although not as
frail as a person in real life, sustains damage in a much
more realistic way than other MUDs. Rather than taking
damage out of a large pool or hit points, we divide your
hit points up between the parts of your body. If your
leg is damaged or destroyed, you can no longer walk, and
your buddy (you'd be smart to fight with at least one
buddy) will have to drag you off. Of course, if your
head is damaged you're unconscious, and if it's
destroyed, well...(see Real Death).
Real Death -- Death, such an ugly word. Well, on DartMud
it's not only an ugly word, but an ugly event. "When you
gotta go, you gotta go," is the saying, and that's a fact
of death on DartMud. Care must be taken to travel with
friends, so if you are severely injured, you can be
helped to safety. Only in the instance that you have a
rare Soul Amulet can you survive a DartMud Death (TM).
These mystical devices are constructed such that when you
die, your spirit flees within, where you remain until
your friends can find a Great Healer. If they have
enough money, and the healer enough skill, you may be
resurrected. Of course, there's the minor detail of
having a body to put you in. If you're very lucky, your
friends brought your body along too. If you're extremely
lucky, your body isn't decayed beyond use. If you're
typically unlucky, your friends will have to "generate" a
body for you. Some poor orc, or rat, or dragon, whose
dead corpse will have to suffice as a humble abode for
your soul.
Real Food -- Food is an annoying fact of life. This is
no less true for your life on DartMud. In order to
continue your existence as a member of Ferdarchi society,
you must consume mass quantities. Food, at least as a
younger character, will likely be one of the foremost
subjects on your mind. Later, perhaps you will be taught
how to cook by a fellow citizen. Until then, I'm sure
many will be happy to cook for you, for a price.
Player Based Economy -- In many of the above descriptions
you may have noted that many things come with a price
attached. This is true in most MUDs. However, on
DartMud, most of this money will exchange between the
hands of players. With the Craft System, and Feudalism,
all the needs of a would-be adventurer can be provided
for by other players with the right skills. It is
certain that though prices may fluctuate, things will
rarely be free.
Player Interaction -- We cannot stress enough the
importance of having friends. Socializing has always
been a major factor in the enjoyment of MUDs, but never
has it been so important. Cooperation is they key to
getting ahead in DartMud life. Between the party system
for combat and the player based economy, you'll need to
be on good terms with people to really succeed. So even
though you CAN kill other players, it's probably not a
good idea if you plan on furthering your character.
Hopefully, some of the features listed above will intrigue
and challenge you to come play our MUD. We hope to see you
there.
Herbert Rosmanith
: DartMud has been over 5 years in the making. It is
beside that there is a seperate group for advertising, you
also forgot to mention where to reach this mud.