[FastJack]

Translation for us english-speakers? I know MUD, but...MUSH? MUCK? MUX? MOO? I feel lost, and google turned up the definitions of the actual words muck, mush, etc.

I feel old.

These are what we used to play back before there was MMOs.

[Mirikon]

The simplest way of describing a MUD is a text-based MMO. Back before chatrooms, there was this thing called Telnet. Using telnet, you could connect to a server by going to the address. Not a URL, the actual address. A string of numbers that means absolutely nothing to you if you don't know the nuts and bolts of how data at point A gets through various routers and servers to the server at point B.

One day, someone thought "You know, let's find some way to have fun with this" and thus, AberMUD, TinyMUD, LPMud and DikuMUD were born. In the early days of the internet, these games were open source, and they multiplied faster than tribbles, since anyone with enough money for the server fees could run one, even if they didn't have the coding knowledge to expand the game beyond the basic setup.

MUSHes, MUXes, MOOs and their like came along later, as some people started wanting an experience that wasn't a hack & slash D&D adventure, and turned to new codebases that allowed a more freeform style of play.

Over time, people decided that raw telnet scrawled by too quickly for them, and since there was no way to scroll back and see what you missed, this was a problem. So they developed clients to both allow you do do macros and to enhance the way you play. Some clients were more geared towards MUD users, while others lent themselves to the freeform style of MUSHes.

And they are certainly still around today, despite the rise of MMOs.

But instead of going first to google, why don't you try wikipedia when you want a general description of something?

[Mason]

MUSHes, MUXes, MOOs and their like came along later, as some people started wanting an experience that wasn't a hack & slash D&D adventure, and turned to new codebases that allowed a more freeform style of play.

Over time, people decided that raw telnet scrawled by too quickly for them, and since there was no way to scroll back and see what you missed, this was a problem. So they developed clients to both allow you do do macros and to enhance the way you play. Some clients were more geared towards MUD users, while others lent themselves to the freeform style of MUSHes.

And they are certainly still around today, despite the rise of MMOs.

Ah, I see. I have played a MUD or two, but I never heard of the variants before. Thank you for clarifying that for me.

[Mirikon]

Null sheen.

One thing to say about MUSHes and their ilk is that while you tend to have more roleplaying in them (actual roleplaying, as opposed with the 'roleplaying' you see on a RP server on WoW), things tend to be divided into 'scenes', much like you'd see in a stage play. Proper etiquette is to type everything in the third person and past tense, and to use a more passive mode of action when dealing with the environment (especially when dealing with other PCs and NPCs run by someone who is running an 'event').

These would be incorrect ways to do things:
I stab the man with my sword.
Mirikon grabs the stone and leaps out the window.
Mirikon swept Nadja into an embrace, kissing her deeply.

These would be correct ways to do things:
Mirikon thrust out with his blade, trying to stab the man in the chest.
Grabbing the stone, Mirikon turned, and dashed for the window, attempting to leap through it.
Mirikon stepped in close, and, if she did not resist, swept Nadja into an embrace, kissing her deeply.

The wording may seem a bit convoluted at times, but it is there because the MUSH environment is best described as 'collaborative storytelling', and so you don't want to step on people's toes. Also, it gives others in the scene a chance to react to what you wrote.

This brings up another point (one that applies well to play-by-post games like here on the forums, as well). The more you write, the more other players have to play off of, which makes the scene more interesting for everyone involved. If your IC (in character) post is a single sentence, what hook does that give the people you're with to play off of? Let's just take one of the examples above.

Crap:
Mirikon stabbed at him with his sword again.

Better:
Darting in, Mirikon slashed out with his sword, aiming for the guard's belly.

Best:
Flourishing his blade, Mirikon parried the guard's blow, using the motion to slip inside the man's guard. With a deft thrust, he stabbed upward with his blade, looking to impale the man upon his sword.

The first sentence conveys action, but gives absolutely nothing to the roleplay. The second is better, but is clearly not as informative as the third. In a text based medium, the more descriptive you can be, the better. At the very least, try for a simple paragraph (4-5 sentences) in a post.

[JustADude]

I think CGL does have the rights on those now because they are offering pdfs of 3rd ed books on their site and you can even get PoD (print on demand) versions of them via drivethru-rpg now....

Ah, well, if it's still available then that's awesome. I'll have to pick them up when I get the cash, if only to see how things were before Crash 2.0.

[Murphy01]

Null sheen.

One thing to say about MUSHes and their ilk is that while you tend to have more roleplaying in them (actual roleplaying, as opposed with the 'roleplaying' you see on a RP server on WoW), things tend to be divided into 'scenes', much like you'd see in a stage play. Proper etiquette is to type everything in the third person and past tense, and to use a more passive mode of action when dealing with the environment (especially when dealing with other PCs and NPCs run by someone who is running an 'event').

These would be incorrect ways to do things:
I stab the man with my sword.
Mirikon grabs the stone and leaps out the window.
Mirikon swept Nadja into an embrace, kissing her deeply.

These would be correct ways to do things:
Mirikon thrust out with his blade, trying to stab the man in the chest.
Grabbing the stone, Mirikon turned, and dashed for the window, attempting to leap through it.
Mirikon stepped in close, and, if she did not resist, swept Nadja into an embrace, kissing her deeply.

The wording may seem a bit convoluted at times, but it is there because the MUSH environment is best described as 'collaborative storytelling', and so you don't want to step on people's toes. Also, it gives others in the scene a chance to react to what you wrote.

This brings up another point (one that applies well to play-by-post games like here on the forums, as well). The more you write, the more other players have to play off of, which makes the scene more interesting for everyone involved. If your IC (in character) post is a single sentence, what hook does that give the people you're with to play off of? Let's just take one of the examples above.

Crap:
Mirikon stabbed at him with his sword again.

Better:
Darting in, Mirikon slashed out with his sword, aiming for the guard's belly.

Best:
Flourishing his blade, Mirikon parried the guard's blow, using the motion to slip inside the man's guard. With a deft thrust, he stabbed upward with his blade, looking to impale the man upon his sword.

The first sentence conveys action, but gives absolutely nothing to the roleplay. The second is better, but is clearly not as informative as the third. In a text based medium, the more descriptive you can be, the better. At the very least, try for a simple paragraph (4-5 sentences) in a post.

Heh. I freaking wish I could get players to describe their combat as anything more than 'I hit him with my Killing Hands.' They do okay on posting general emotes and sometimes even actions, but there have also been times where I've had to prod them along. 'Guys..go..now...expediently....today....before you combust.' It's ordinarily at combust, that there are a flurry of emotes.

[Kat9]

Translation for us english-speakers? I know MUD, but...MUSH? MUCK? MUX? MOO? I feel lost, and google turned up the definitions of the actual words muck, mush, etc.

I feel old.

These are what we used to play back before there was MMOs.

You ARE old.


Sadly...so am I..

[JustADude]

Heh. I freaking wish I could get players to describe their combat as anything more than 'I hit him with my Killing Hands.' They do okay on posting general emotes and sometimes even actions, but there have also been times where I've had to prod them along. 'Guys..go..now...expediently....today....before you combust.' It's ordinarily at combust, that there are a flurry of emotes.

It's all about the style, really. I've been MUDing and MUSHing since the days when you had to direct-dial the servers, and I was so young at the time I didn't even really realize that MUDs were based off anything else, because nobody had ever told me about AD&D.

But, yeah, 'I shoot a Long Narrow Burst at the guy' is what I'd say at-table, just to keep things moving, but in a text based environment, it'd be more like...
(ed.note: My MUSH experience is 3rd-Person-PRESENT-Tense is proper etiquette, so that's what I'm using.)

Mr. Soft growls under his breath as he staggers back from the impact of the bullet hitting him in the chest, looking down to confirm that his armor caught it and he's not bleeding. No blood, but the fragin' slotter just put a hole in one of his favorite coats, and those things don't come cheap in his size. Good thing he decided to wear the ballistic plates tonight, too. The troll lifts his battle rifle up, the lethal mass of metal and plastic looking almost toy-like in his huge hands as he gets ready to make his displeasure known in a very definite manner. The targeting information from the smart-link glides smoothly across his vision as he draws a bead on his intended victim and jams the trigger, the suppressed weapon making a *THUP*THUP*THUP* noise as a hail of bullets rip through the night.

[Murphy01]

That's an awesome emote. You old guys should come play. Bog knows we need better planners than some of the runners I have now. Last run was break into a corp house and steal a data chip. After finding out the guy works during the weekday, they came up with some retarded plan to have two of them with sniper rifles take out the guys limo while the other two rush in on bikes and snag the guy(I guess to beat the location or something out of him).  This plan was rejected (since they didn't know which car he would be in ) and they decided to go that night while dude is at his house with his bodyguard. They break in the front door and all three of them (One guy left the run) get taken down by the bodyguard they knew was there. She was a stock NPC right out of Mr.J's lil black book abd took out two 100 Karma + PCs with a Narcoject.
Very Sad

[Smileinbob]

I think CGL does have the rights on those now because they are offering pdfs of 3rd ed books on their site and you can even get PoD (print on demand) versions of them via drivethru-rpg now....

Ah, well, if it's still available then that's awesome. I'll have to pick them up when I get the cash, if only to see how things were before Crash 2.0.

TBH I preferred the matrix rules from earlier versions to the current wireless version even tho its more of a realistic look at what the future could be like. i loved playing a combat decker who had to break into buildings to get into secure servers because they had no hard wire connections to the outside world... but the rules got to be alot messier as in dealing with server security levels and what not...

[JustADude]

She was a stock NPC right out of Mr.J's lil black book abd took out two 100 Karma + PCs with a Narcoject.
Very Sad

*facepalm*

That... wow...

Seriously... did nobody think to throw some flashbangs (note, not one flashbang, but SEVERAL) through after they kicked down the door?

[Mirikon]

Sometimes the dice gods just hate you.

[All4BigGuns]

I did try it briefly, but I have issues with that it uses the outdated system of SR3 and that the second worst chargen system is used (the worst being karmagen). If it upgraded to build point (i know it was said earlier a coder was working on it) and also upgraded to the current rule set, I feel it would be much improved.  I also do not like something a player I know from another MUD told me about the GMs requiring special permission to advance an aspect of your character via karma (attributes).

[Murphy01]

*facepalm*

That... wow...

Seriously... did nobody think to throw some flashbangs (note, not one flashbang, but SEVERAL) through after they kicked down the door?

Nope. The pair that went in first saw the house with closed blinds. Back area dark, front area tridset going at high volume. They left the third guy across the street in a hedge as overwatch. Keep in mind they are 2blocks from an A security shopping area. They sneak up to the house, use a laser mike to determine that, yes in fact, the trid is playing. This apparently satisfied them so Bennet pulls out his magloc passkey and pops the FRONT door.

He eases it open and the bodyguard (who was doing her job and watched then approach on a camera) takes her held action, fires two darts and misses. She closes the distance, Tokiko rushes past Bennet and pulls out a monowhip. The guard dodges and sweeps Tokiko's legs out from under her. BG steps up to Bennet who throws a punch, she ducks under it, sticks her Lethe against his side and drops him. Second pass same round she spins and puts two darts in the back of Tokiko's head as she's getting up.

Greg watches this go down, and fires his UNSILENCED AK97 through the front window, causing the BG to know that a third person is out there and makin lights and nosy neighbors wake up all down the street. .Greg charges across and leaps throught the shattered window... in time to catch 2 darts in the face.

[Murphy01]

Sometimes the dice gods just hate you.

Actually, I had given them Good Karma for rerolls that they blew doing silly stuff earlier in the run. So, it wasn't bad rolls it was bad planning and a comedy of errors.