email: immortals[@]mirkwoodmud.org
url: http://www.mirkwoodmud.org
port: mirkwoodmud.org:4000theme: Mostly Tolkien and fantasy-inspired with places like the cozy main city Bree, the cozy hobbit village Shire, home of the evil eye Mordor, the magic-loathing city of Pelios and the dusty desert of Khorum. But there are sci-fi and real-life based areas as well as the pirate heaven Mos Eisley and the hillbilly infested Trailer Park.
focus: The main focus is to create a fun and friendly atmosphere where RP is encouraged. PK however is not allowed.
features: - 100+ areas and 10000+ rooms, mostly original with thousands of scripts making the world seem more alive
- Unique world map consisting of two continents
- Tribes with huge keeps, own channels and a tribal arena
- Race and class based, with more classes available through remort
- 200+ skills and spells available
- Quests available, both built-in and run by players/immortals
- Pets/companions gain experience
- Players can buy and decorate their own homes
- Friendly and fun atmosphere
- Active immortal staff
- Free to play
excerpt: Want a different interpretation of Tolkien’s world and more? Or just looking for a community?
status: Opened May 1995
codebase: ROM 2.3
average_players: 20-40
Review by Ketheryn:
Credits
Check. At top of the short login ASCII and within game in a helpfile.
Creation
‘Normal’ classes, ‘normal’ races - about what I had expected to encounter in the genre. Character generation was non-threatening and easy… almost too easy. I was wary, wondering if this ease of use was going to be a reflection of a simplistic environment. I need not have worried.
Mud School
Many extra brownie points for whomever came up with this version of Mud School. They’ve taken what is usually a vanilla barely-painted experience and made it whole. Once it was evident that there was actually a quest going on and I was supposed to do something, the experience drew me through it rapidly and painlessly - and rewarded me for what I would have done gratefully otherwise. Their compass mapping system took a moment to get used to, but after that it proved to be inconspicuous and very handy. Even many more extra brownie points for making it optional and easily toggled.
Website
I did not get as far into the website as I probably should - I tend to run the other way when things scroll and flash, especially if I can’t turn them off. After poking at a few buttons, I went back to playing the game. I’m sure after a while I’ll pay for my inattention, but ah well, it’s a game, right? [Note: I did go back a few times, hoping to find the supporting resources - skills, spells lists, general gameplay information, but didn’t find what I was seeking. It could be I just didn’t know where to look, but it also seemed that there was more of an emphasis on adjunct information like their analysis of Perl commands, than there was on actual game support. The player Blog section looked promising, but I was not able to read contents without making an account.]
Equipment
Gear saves over quit. No unpleasant surprises on relogging. I was right where I left, with what I left with, where I left from.
Color / Presentation
I like that I was not overwhelmed by rainbows in Color Normal mode. I don’t like a ton of color, so I didn’t test full color mode. What was there was presented consistently and without grating appearance. Descriptions are done consistently as well, although I noticed a great deal of ‘you’ which normally sends me running away. In this case, though, I was having too much fun to really find it to be a major concern. Length was consistent. City map of Bree is easy to follow.
Areas and Focus
The fantasy-inspired undercurrent is there, and the area list reveals a hodgepodge of approaches, some promising a thematic approach and some that seem displaced. It stands up to its application claim of having sci-fi and real-life based areas though. I think I found a trailer park…
Attendance / Assistance
It’s midnight on the West Coast, and 27 people are online - respectable for any hour on a lot of MUDs. The public channels are particularly quiet, with a conspicuous absence of inane banter and insults. What a relief. At the moment, online levels range from 4 (me) to 98 (probably a deity), with a decent spread of levels in between.
Features
A level 4 is never going to see the full spectrum of what a place offers - and this was no exception. However, I will say that what I did observe fully backs up their claim in the application. I did go wandering and, being level 4 as I am, got far in over my head rather fast. If I’d had my wits about me, I would have hollered for help. But, being witless, I just kept on poking around. Great fun, frankly. I did not see a wilderness per se (that is, an ASCII map wilderness) but I was just as convincingly lost as if there were one.
Quests
Lots of them. Loads of them! In fact I still have a few that I have no clue how I got into, like find a new wagon route across the lands. Since I can’t figure out yet how to replay the contents, I am just flailing around with them until something happens, but there is no lack of quests. I go back to the website and try to find more information… still nothing. However, if the beginning quest that led me through the Mud School is any indication, much more awaits the curious player in this direction. Helpfiles refer me to General Quests, Personal Quests, Initiation Quests, Auto Quests, and the like. The attention to detail at this level is evident. Four thumbs up.
Combat
Not flashy but not boring. The suite of skills for a warrior appears stock, though there may be more out of my little level 4 view. If there is, that’s neat but it doesn’t need much more. I feel quite self-sufficient as is (though of course I haven’t died yet so I have no idea what is facing me in that direction).
To Summarize
Refreshing and immersive. Granted, my impressions are riding on my level 4 exposure, but so far as I can see, they have paid attention at the lower levels. That is, to my thinking, a strong indicator of what to expect later on. A very pleasant surprise, from creation onward - this is a place that has taken the stock insertion process into a totally enjoyable experience. After a moment’s confusion (this can’t be what I think I’m seeing.. a stock Mud School with exceptional paint!?), progress was very gently eased along with instruction, encouragement and an easily understandable initial quest which actually rewarded me for getting on with things. Impressive.
http://www.mirkwoodmud.org
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