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How
to Become a Video Game Designer
Working
on a MUD
(Multi-User
Dungeon)
Online
multiplayer games such as Origin’s Ultima Online
have taken the games world by storm. Now every publisher
is wondering whether the future of games lies in huge,
immersive worlds in which players can lose themselves
every evening, while paying a monthly fee that allows
for the running of the game, further development and
a profit.
Origin’s
Ultima Online
http://www.uo.com
However,
long before Ultima Online was even proposed, there
were already many online worlds welcoming players from
around the world. They eschewed graphics in favor of text-based
descriptions: quick, universal and low-bandwidth. Players
picked a character class (elf, human or barbarian,
for example) and teamed up with other players to form
a party of adventurers who roamed through a world of towns,
shops and dungeons, spending hours slaying monsters and
completing quests.
For
the creators of these games, adding a room was a matter
of writing some code and a little text, so the worlds
grew quickly. This was the world of the Multi-User
Dungeon, or MUD.
Today,
MUDs run either through a telnet link (the player’s
computer ‘talks’ directly to the server computer across
the Internet) or through a MUD client (a modified interface
that makes entering commands quicker). While many MUDs
now support color text and text animations, few
have moved into graphics, preferring the low cost
and low bandwidth approach to the extravagance of their
commercial counterparts.
MUDs’
proponents claim that the world created in a MUD can
be every bit as rich and varied as one created in graphical
multiplayer role-playing game like Ultima Online.
Some even say the MUD option is superior, since
it forces players to use their imaginations and
caters to a wider range of players since it does
not need a powerful machine on which to run. MUDs also
have the advantage of almost always being free to play,
unlike Ultima Online and its commercial competitors
who require a monthly subscription fee.
For
the designer looking for a way to demonstrate his skills,
the attraction of helping to run a MUD should be obvious.
Short of actually working for one of the companies producing
modern online games, this is the closest to direct
experience you can get. You will gain expertise
in creating new areas, new monsters and new quests.
You will have to deal with player problems, arbitrate
in disagreements and pass judgment where necessary.
You will handle player accounts and even recruit players
to help you. If this sounds like something that’s for
you, here are the steps to getting involved.
Becoming
a Player
The
first step is, of course, to become familiar with MUDs
and the way they work, and there is no better way to
do this than to become a player yourself. Playing a
MUD is good experience for any would-be designer, even
if you do not intend to move into online gaming, because
it demonstrates how atmosphere and game play
can be created using only minimal tools.
You
will want to find a MUD that suits your personal
tastes, too. The common generalization that “all
MUDs are about pixies and dragons” is to some extent
true, as the vast majority of them are based on hardened
Tolkien-esque ideas.
However,
there are others that either turn these ideas on their
heads or branch out in an entirely different direction,
preferring to capture players’ imaginations with science
fiction or cyberpunk settings.
An
excellent starting point is The MUD Connector,
a deservedly well-renowned web page that lists every
MUD its creators can find, along with full descriptions
and reviews. You can search for a MUD based on a wide
range of criteria and check its statistics and connection
to assess whether it’s still running.
The
MUD Connector
http://www.mudconnector.com
While
you’re there, you should take the time to read the MUD
FAQ at:
MUD
FAQ
http://www.mudconnect.com/mudfaq
You’ll
also need either a telnet client or a MUD client.
The simplest option is to use the telnet client built
into Windows 98 (type ‘telnet’ at the ‘Run’ prompt accessible
from the Start bar). Alternatively you can download a
third-party telnet client such as:
Vandyke.com
CRT
An excellent general-purpose terminal emulator, free
to try, $34.95 to buy the full, latest version.
http://www.vandyke.com
Windows
Telnet Project
Free,
basic telnet client (includes an FTP server so you
can share files with other users)
http://www.magnitka.ru/~anatol/telnet
Another
solution is to use a MUD client. Unlike telnet clients,
which can be used for any purpose that involves your computer
‘talking’ directly to another over the Internet, MUD clients
are specifically for MUD players. They aren’t strictly
necessary but can make things easier, providing
you with such options as auto-mapping, recording and replaying
of movement (useful for making long journeys quickly)
and tools to help you connect to your favorite MUD quickly
and easily.
Some
require a shareware fee, but this may be worthwhile
if you’re going to spend a lot of time MUDding. Two
you may want to try are:
zMUD
An
all-purpose client, free to try for 30 days, $20 if
you decide to keep it
http://www.zuggsoft.com
Portal
for Windows 5.0
Also
includes a feature that lets you search for active
MUDs, free to try, $24.95 for full registered version.
http://www.gameaxle.com
When
you’ve found an interesting MUD and obtained a telnet
or MUD client, simply connect and start playing. Be sociable,
help other people and have fun. If you decide that MUDding
is for you, that’s the time to start looking into adding
areas.
Help
to Run a MUD
All
MUDs need trusted players to help keep things running
smoothly. Be polite, friendly and responsible, help
out new players and you will gain the trust of the MUD
administrators, who may then give you responsibilities
within the MUD. These may involve being available to
answer questions from new players, managing player accounts
(removing players who haven’t logged on in a long time)
or helping to build new rooms and areas.
All
of these aspects can be of great value to a designer,
because by watching how players react to new quests
and ideas, finding ways to make the MUD accessible to
first-time players while keeping it challenging for
old-hands and dealing with frustrated players you’ll
gain experience perfect for transferring into the running
of a modern, graphical online game.
TIP:
Remember to keep a log of your duties and experiences.
From an employer’s point of view, it’s particularly
impressive to find a designer who has put heart and
soul into a MUD over a period of years, helping to take
it from a little-played one to a well-known name in
MUD circles.
Running
Your Own MUD
Running
a MUD requires a solid knowledge of the ‘C’ programming
language, as well as a machine permanently linked
to the Internet and enough time to create a whole world
for the players to explore. You may be able to join
up with an existing MUD group that is in need of a designer
to plan new areas and quests, but be ready to learn
some programming skills of your own.
The
best place to find potential teammates for such a project
is either to get talking with both players and administrators
on MUDs you play on (there’s a fair chance that someone
on the MUD is thinking of starting their own one) or
on one of the Usenet newsgroups devoted to MUDs. In
particular, try:
rec.games.mud.admin
All
things related to the administration of MUDs
rec.games.mud.announce
This
is a moderated group where you might well find news
of a new MUD starting up that could use a new designer
rec.games.mud.misc
Miscellaneous
postings, a good place to get a feel for the community
Also
useful is the MUD Resource Collection, an index
of documents relating to all aspects of MUDding and MUD
building.
MUD
Resource Collection
http://www.godlike.com/muds
The
MUD connector (mentioned above) is also an excellent
source of information for those thinking of starting their
own MUD. You will find answers to your questions on everything
from building areas to getting your MUD hosted.
The
MUD connector
http://www.mudconnect.com
Showing
Your Experience to an Employer
Unlike
a single-player game that you have designed, a MUD cannot
be simply sent on a CD-ROM to a potential employer,
nor can you take screenshots of it as you could with
a Half Life or Quake level. What you can do is outline
exactly what you have been responsible for on a MUD,
whether it’s player administration, design and building
of new areas or the creation of the MUD itself.
Include
a single line stating the length of time you worked
on the MUD, its name and your responsibilities as part
of the experience listings in your resume. Then, on
a separate sheet of paper, create an ‘invitation’
to the employer to visit your MUD. List the unique features
of the MUD and state exactly what you have been responsible
for throughout your time working on it. Provide the
name and Internet location (IP address) of the MUD so
the employer can easily visit you.
A
useful tip is to create a player account for the
employer in advance, then send them the name of
their character and its password. This serves two purposes:
firstly, it will entice the employer to try the MUD
(the fact you’ve taken the trouble to create an account
especially for the company will make them feel they
should at least stop in once).
Secondly,
if you create a unique account for each company you
contact (And why shouldn’t you, since creating new player
accounts costs you nothing?) you can tell by
looking at the MUD’s logs if employers are looking at
your work.
It
also doesn’t do any harm to have a trusted player look
out for the employer’s character and welcome
them to the MUD if they see them, perhaps showing them
some of the most impressive areas. This isn’t cheating—remember
that unlike a normal player, the employer will probably
only visit once and only for a short time. Make the
employer’s visit interesting and exciting and you’ll
impress much, much more.
This article is
an excerpt from the fabjob.com How to Become a Video
Game Designer. Visit www.fabjob.com
for information.
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