Mudgik
|
|
Mudgik was a CircleMUD when it began in 1995. Characters would select a race (many of which were likened after MTG cards) and a class on creation. This changed about two years after the mud opened and players then started as a generic Adventurer class, and were free to join different guilds every few levels. To some, this time period represents the golden age of the mud because it allowed for a diverse path of experience, while the game was still simple enough that the only way to the top was hard work, if you could survive the tough competition. Later additions to the codebase were controversial or prone to exploitation.
| Contents |
Classic zones
- The Sea was a popular zone for high level characters until the sea was 'improved.' Depth, sinking, and vehicles were introduced to make the sea more realistic, however the resulting code was buggy and often the sea was out of order. Moreover, several mobs were removed from the area, including the Marhjan. In the Old Days, the Marhjan Spine Bone was a trophy fit to crown those players who had conquered the Sea's worst. When it was finally fixed, Drownings were frequent. Most players found the opportunity cost too high and abandoned the zone all together.
- The sewers served as a convenient place for new characters to rise up to new, more deadly mobs, and as a way for characters to neutralize their alignment.
- The Elven Fort was a good place for high level players to level. Tough combat with elven Archers and Warriors, ending with the infamous Bard. Leather Armor was good for selling or as a gift to newbies.
Important figures
- Mekalanthia, or Mek founded Mudgik and was the Head of Pantheon.
- Ryven was a major Imm who was demoted to mortal because he wished to marry a mortal. His beloved left him soon after, and he spent a year wandering the MUD alone as a mortal before he regained his favor with Mek and was allowed to return to his Imm status, as the first Quest God.
- Sylvian--for much of the MUD's existence--was second only to Mek. Formerly known as mortal Kilbey, and Artemis as an Imm and God of Law.
- Locke was another player who went back and forth between being a mortal and an Imm as he lost and regained favor. Locke became popular and known for his kind, stable temperament and for helping others. He was a renowned thief.
- Tess was a major god who was very involed in the MUD.
- Menorah was perhaps the most generally liked Imm on the mud.
Unique additions
It is hard to say which of these additions was the nail in the coffin for Mudgik, but many agree that Mudgik implementations often produced blunderous results.
- A Vampire class was introduced, which created and interesting hierarchy of power as older vampires could control the actions of younger ones, regardless of level or strength.
- An outbreak of contagious flu plagued Mudgik for many weeks, and never totally went away. After this implementation, other implementations were made to reduce the exponential nature of the contagion. First raincoats appeared, then a Healer's guild. After a while, contagion appeared almost totally nullified. It is not certain whose idea this was to begin with.
- A Healer's guild was implemented that allowed character's to earn experience by good will; either through donating money or healing others. However, shortly afterwards a new policy allowed for players to multiplay. After this, nobody chose Healer for their primary class, but instead everyone forthwith began making their own healer characters. It was thought by Administration that this guild would make game play more interactive, but it ended up doing the opposite.
- In February 1999 several non-player characters appeared on the mud. Initially, administrators indicated that these mobs were the beginnings of 'Supermobs,' which would eventually be coded to respond to characters, assist players and hold vendettas, and lead quests. However, this goal never reached fruition, yet the mobs continued to wander around Adarkis, mostly as target practice for players.
- A courier system was introduced with the idea that it would give newbie's some incentive to venture outside of Kendos and explore surrounding areas. This, like many other implementations by administrators, was the source of constant exploitation. Newbie characters stopped adventuring all together--it was not unheard of for a level 20 to have never engaged in combat. Many players who did not need to use the courier system devised ways to exploit it to their benefit.
- Horses were implemented with the intent of expanding exploration. However, their existence made journeying obsolete. With only an origin and a destination, players no longer needed to pack for a trip; instead, players could zip across the entire world in seconds. The magic of 'far off' zones quickly wore off.
Orrins: Mudgik goes pay-for-play
Orrins were probably the most controversial topic of Mudgik and the game was never the same after their implementation. Initially, there was a mandatory Orrin 'subscription' in which a character would not function unless they had clicked on a few links on Mudgik's website. After several players abandoned the MUD, Orrins became an optional part of the game but their effects nonetheless effected all who played. Special effects such as Healing, extra HP/Mana/MV, 'Jihad' (temporary +200 HP), were now purchasable with orrins, further driving the Healer's guild into obsolecense.
Although this was a more neutral way to make the MUD generate an income, it had a very deletrious effect on the traditionally very intricate interpersonal politics of Mudgik. Players began to sit in the temple 24 hours per day gaining orrins, and with the excess amount they had saved up, even the youngest characters became effectively unkillable. A side effect of keeping characters online constantly was that the Hall of Champions--previously the source of immense competition between players--became cluttered with people who weren't active very often.
Player interaction
Owing perhaps to its intimate size, competition between players was fierce. Moreover, the game was simple enough such that new players from other muds often rose to challenge the 'establishment'--the current heroes of the game. Since there was no strict PK policy, for the most part players were left to arbitrate fairness among themselves. Moreover, no single group or clan-dominated to any great degree--yet brutality among individuals was high enough to compel players to group together. Countless associations formed, labelled themselves, challenged a counter-faction and then vanished in some intrigue or conspiracy.
Eventually, however, the disappearance of Administration and the numerable open exploit holes, as well as the addition of Orrins to the game, opened the door for players to raise their scores to exceedingly high numbers--PK became rare as damage couldn't be done in such amounts--quickly enough--that the victim wasn't able to make a getaway. As competition plummeted, the player base grew apathetic and when the MUD went offline in 2001, very few players frequented the game.
The end days
Strangely, as Orrins were introduced, Administration vanished. Quests, which were never missed by those who frequented the MUD, were rarely run. Quest Immortals were introduced but quests lacked the spontanaity and depth that they once did--presumably because their powers were meager.
A new administrator named Izrael (perhaps a prior Imm using a new name) appeared and enthusiastically began trying to put the pieces of Mudgik back together, but lacked support from Sylvian and Mek, who were scarce after Pay-for-Play was implemented. Izrael piloted a MUD named Mudgik II, however there has been little activity there since it opened in 2001.
What happened to Mudgik?
What can be said is speculative at best. The disappearance of administration makes it hard to speak with certainty about Mudgik going offline in 2001. Rumors began that the mud was shut down after Mek was accused of infringement by CircleMUD developers, after player Izlude tipped them off, but this is inconclusive although a link below seems to give some support to this theory. Another rumor circulated that the MUD had been sold, although why someone would purchase a MUD to shut it down was never understood.
Mudgik Resurrected?
Mek began offering a modified version of Mudgik as a freebie on a gaming website he is affiliated with. The Mudgik world is now called 'Abzolute Adventure,' and mirrors Mudgik as it was when it went offline in 2001. A few improvements have been made, the removal of several Implementations That Should Never Have Been:
- Parcel delivery has been removed
- Orrins and orrin-related powers have been removed
Moderation is practically nonexistent, as is a player-base.
External links
- Official Mudgik Homepage (still around for some reason): http://www.gibnet.gi/~rondu/second_home.html
- Mudgik II : http://eutopia.kyndig.com/
- House Tremere: http://members.tripod.com/~kslade/mudgik.htm
- Mudgik and Infringement: http://www.circlemud.org/maillist/2000-01/0027.html
- Mailing list for people who hate Mudgik: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/whatmudsnottogoto/
- Official Mudgik II (Now called Abzolute Fantasy): http://www.aarcsoft.com/games.html