StarMUD

StarMUD is a scifi themed text-based MUD (Multi-User Dungeon or Domain or Dimension) based on the MudOS driver and written in the LPC programming language. StarMUD was first opened to the public in 1992, run by Dent and Butter. It originally made use of the TMI Mudlib, but in 1994 underwent a completely custom recode by Dent to what has become known as Starlib. StarMUD holds the distinitions of being almost completely custom coded from scratch. It has also been rated one of the top MUDS on the MUDLIST. StarMUD is completely free to play.

Administration & History

StarMUD was originally housed at Solace Computer Society's servers at Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall, Sweden. In 1999 it moved to a privately owned, dedicated server in Austin, Texas.

StarMUD has undergone changes in management over the years, its original administrators, Dent and Butter (who later changed his name to Blackheart) having retired and left MUD maintenance to newer admins, Zac and Ravnos. All new code implementations are overseen by the administration, and the day to day operations of the game are lead by a group of dedicated Archwizards.

StarMUD has undergone several drastic overhauls of its codebase over the years, and is still currently being actively worked on.

Game play

StarMUD has few roleplaying elements, instead favoring a complex combat system and extensive inter-player communication system. Players may play one of many available species, and join one of several professions, subprofessions, or player organized factions. Killing monsters and solving quests earns the players experience points and credits, which they can spend to raise their skills and statistics. Those skills and statistics are ranked against the other players in an evaluation system, instead of the typical level systems seen in many more traditional MUDs.

Several professions are available, loosely based on various sci-fi novels and movies. Professions include space marines, cybermercs, scientists, cybermages, cavaliers, martialists, and a few others. Most professions also have specializations, or subprofessions which give a little more variety in game play. Several professions have also been folded or renamed over the years. For example the martialists were previously known as kombatants (in homage to the video game Mortal Kombat, which was quite popular when they debuted on StarMUD) and scientists were once known as doctors. There were originally only three professions available marines, cybermercs, and doctors.
 
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