Cherek wrote:Wow. That's one big list. So, which MUDs are doing best these days? And what do they do that we don't? I would guess all MUDs have their strengths and weaknesses, just like we do, though?
As for wizards and learning curve, yeah that is a problem. We need new active wizards to improve and maintain the game, and work on many of the things you listed. However new wizards often fail due to the steep learning curve and not enough current wizards around to help them. It's hard to solve that equation, because to solve it we need wizards, and to get new wizards we need... new wizards.
The only way as I see it is to try to recruit already skilled coders, or people who can learn by themselves, and try to help them as best as we can, and hopefully increase our wizard numbers over time, making it easier and easier for new wizards.
Oh of course, every mud or game in general has its pros and cons I'm not just ragging on Genesis and saying everything else out there is perfect. The biggest difference is that other then PK based MUDs all of the more popular ones have enforced RP. Where if you don't stay IC the immortals punish you. Most of these games have very harsh death penalties, while I don't quite agree it seems to work for them because they have a more strict PK policy. In these games, combat is difficult. Status effect attacks in all guilds, NPC's can sometimes take up to 20+ people and none of the games high end content is able to be soloed by even the highest leveled players. No EQ hunting, equipment is saved and loses durability. Level caps, no enforcement on quests and the brute systems are time based to prevent 24/7 botters. Rewards for RP, newbie guides and player driven events are handed out by immortals. Weekly or bi-weekly events in terms of raids on cities, tournaments, etc. General Balance with small tweaks now and then. Crafting systems that actually work and are worthwhile, player driven economies with money sinkholes. No overabundance of items that aren't even worth being sold.
A lot of these MUD's only have maybe 1-4 real coders and the rest are just builders or those who create areas, run events, player relations and issues.
These are just some of the things they have or differences, not all may be good for Genesis but these are just my opinions of issues that I feel need to be addressed. Maybe everyone else disagrees and doesnt want to see any of the pre-mentioned things changed.
As for the Wizards I know there are plenty who have either failed in the past or thought about becoming one. Find a decent coder that has the time to teach, even still if you get five who attempt it and only two that stick around thats two more wizards then you currently had. There's got to be at least one person upstairs with enough knowledge to at least write up some lessons to teach things such as values, variables, proper format etc. You could always attempt to recruit, it's not going to hurt any. Though I believe every LPC game is different so even those who are recruited may need some time with our form of LPC or assistance. Or maybe even find an outside source thats willing to teach or give pointers.
But before you gather a bunch of people to start coding, talk to the players, look through old posts for complaints. Get an idea of what the players are expecting to be changed, start directing your wizards to focus on immediate issues, have them form teams to tackle them if need be. It may not be the Genesis way, but for right now there is an obvious Need>Want ordeal going on.
And don't let all this ranting fool you, Genesis has the smoothest combat even if it is simple, no lag on commands, 10 times better descriptions in general and a lot less spam other then the random x30 MOBs who shout random things in combat. Immersive quests (syntaxes not included) and tons of little secrets to be explored. It's a jack of all trades unlike some of these where we have the beginnings of not only a great Role Play Environment but a PK, Crafting and PvE. The only MUD with a imbuement drop system or something similar, automated Auction House, unrestricted racial choices and lots of them (Even if some are obviously better skill/spell wise) guild warring systems... the only issue is that when you look at some of these individually its like they were never quite finished.
Here's a couple of the MUDs right now, I could continue to log into various ones but you get the idea.
New Worlds - Non Peak Hours
------> There are currently one hundred and forty three players online. <------
Threshold - Non Peak Hours
Denizens of Threshold: 68
Sindome - Brand new mud, maybe 3 months or so old I think? 2 less players then Genesis right now - Non Peak Hours
A lot are in the mix and a lot are topside. (29)
Both DragonRealms and Gemstone I have heard are doing quite well since removing the subscription fee
Then of course Iron Realms Achaea and a couple of there others seem to hold 70+, though I havent logged into them for a while.
. So take it with a gain of salt I suppose, I come back like many others do for short spurts out of nostalgia. But the MUD community is far from small and it's far from dead, the days of saying it was better in the 90's really can't be used as a crutch anymore.
