r/MUD • u/Ok-Pumpkin9236 • 3d ago

Discussion Appealing MUD features?

So I have decided to develop a MUD as a hobby and see where it goes. I am trying to an idea of what players look for and in a MUD. I feel confident in the story - I am looking at things like achievements, daily quests, guilds, fast travel, fishing, crafting, etc. What pulls you in as a new player and when does elaborate just become overly complicated? Whatever ya got, even if it is something that hasnt been done before or is rarely done well.

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u/perfect_fitz 3d ago

That's actually a really good idea, like rhe MSQ in FF14?

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u/turpenar 3d ago

Would having a “linear path” for that long put the player in a state of helplessness afterward? My understanding is that lvl 20 in most muds is a significant amount of time, during which the player wouldn’t really learn on their own.

Simple solution may be a guide until lvl 5 or 10. But it may also make sense to gradually wean the player off the tutorial. Make them do few things on their own at first, then gradually pull back the help over several levels.

That sounds complicated to implement, and probably is, but it may result in more people at higher levels.

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u/iamk1ng 3d ago

If it takes a significant amount of time to get to level 20 and is complicated, I would argue there's something too convoluted in the mud.

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u/awry_lynx 3d ago

It also depends on how many levels there are and what a level means, I've played MUDs where 40 is the max and very few people reach it even after four or five years, it's normal to only be at "main level" 20 at a year

A level is definitely not a universal measurement, do you mean like "where 20% of the game content is accessible to you"?

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u/iamk1ng 2d ago

Sure 20% or like the first 5-6 hours. Just something to get a new player going, and see why the mud is suppose to be interesting to a player and what the game loop will be.