Graphical MUDs : Othor Games

» Wed May 18, 2011 11:15 pm

As a fan of creating worlds for others to explore and creating stories for them to experience, one thing I've always been fond of is DMing. I enjoy modding and creating levels for a multitude of games, but what I really enjoy is storytelling - interactive fiction at its finest, if you will. Unfortunately in this day and age it can be kind of cumbersome to orchestrate DnD campaigns, but there have always been games such as Neverwinter Nights which allow you to set up worlds for people to explore at their own leisure, even when you can't be there.

While we're all sitting here chewing the fat waiting for Skyrim, I was wondering if anybody knew of any good (and relatively popular, of course) graphical MUDs, free or otherwise. Top-down or isometric ones are the most engrossing to me for whatever reason, but it doesn't matter. I've been a huge fan of the graphical MUD Wyvern for some time, playing intermittently now and then but unfortunately the server seems to have disappeared for a few months whilst they work to relocate it. Anybody have any similar games to recommend?

» Thu May 19, 2011 8:07 am

"... this is always about the time the dwarf botches the fight and throws his hammer into the elfs face"

Hmm. Not 'alot' of DnD style games come to mind. They unfortunately bit the dust when gaming went from actual thinking to 'This button shoots a fireball that always does this much damage, right?".

I'v seen a few free online games which feature an isometric style game with DnD mechanics. But I can't remember many games that ever used that mechanic [or used it effectively]

» Thu May 19, 2011 5:14 am

It doesn't have to utilize a DnD ruleset per se, so long as it more or less has a similar amount of freedom in it.

» Thu May 19, 2011 10:55 am

Well if you aren't looking into games that use DnD rules or calculations for damage, check out MMO websites and sort by 2D or 2.5D games. There are tonnes out there I wouldn't even begin to know what to name, and you could do some research to see which you'd most prefer.

I can't think of alot of games like NWN that use the same type of system with alot of freeroam and freedom when it comes to characters. It's rather unique in that aspect.

There are a few games that aren't 'entirely' freedom based, like Diablo and Diablo 2, Baulders Gate series, and more recently, Dragon Age [it lets you use that over the top view and pause to issue commands so you can be tactical].

» Thu May 19, 2011 3:48 am

Graphical MUDs, psh! I like being able to telnet into the thing and play from a terminal anywhere! Though to be brutally honest, I don't MUD much anymore. Though I do appreciate http://alteraeon.com, I am 'Demorde' ingame.

» Thu May 19, 2011 4:12 am

Wyvern is the only one I know of, and I'm glad it's gone. It's the only game I've ever been banned from, and wrongly.

If you want to know why:

Spoiler

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4953/wrongfulbanishment.jpg

As a new player I discovered the power of summoning scrolls. The Greater Shoggoth one quickly became my favorite, and I used it liberally to clear areas tougher than a storm giant my level could handle. It was expensive but I made up for it with what I could kill.

The game suffered from lag (this was years ago) and those random dungeons with many levels could be a particular problem. There were times I'd descend the stairs only to find myself surrounded by high level monsters with little time to react.

Well one time I descended some stairs, found myself instantly being attacked by some high level monsters, and in vain I quickly hit the hotkey for my Summon Greater Shoggoth scroll. Of course with the lag it didn't take effect until I was dead and back in the nearby church. So there I was standing there with a Greater Shoggoth I could not use (and which cost a good amount of money), and it was late so I logged off for the night.

The next day, BANNED. Apparently if you log out your summon doesn't disappear, but becomes a hostile monster. My summon went berserk in the newbie respawn church killing new players who died and spawned again right next to him. Not long after that they made it so you can't summon in those churches. Why in the world did it not operate like every other game, where when you log out your summon disappears?

I explained my story to Teshuvah, who banned me, and Arilou, and almost word for word Arilou said: "You're lying, I don't believe your story. I was the one who told Teshuvah to ban you, she originally didn't want to" He accused me of lying. Oh I don't stand for that! I don't lie. How dare you accuse me of lying? Who do you think you are? You are the ones lying, saying Teshuvah repeatedly warned me. I logged off one night, and by the next day I was banned.

That was years ago and I still harbor anger for that guy, whoever he is. I feel vindicated that the game is essentially dead now. Sorry to everyone who enjoyed the game but for me it's death is a sweet victory in a battle that has seen me try to get unbanned for years with no luck, always coming back to the same thing: "You're lying, just admit it". Arilou and the other wizards can go pound salt up their butts.

Ugh now that I'm revisiting this I'm angry all over again. It was over 7 years ago so why do I care, right? But I do care. I was accused of lying and banned when I don't lie and never get in trouble for anything, online or in real life. That game is run by a bunch of buttheads and I'm glad it's dead.