Muds - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Muds

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
delerak
Jul 15, 2003 22:24:32 Since my arrival here, and my already begun subject on muds I will state that I am in the process of creating a MUD, that will definitely be based on Darksun. I am throwing around the name Darksun MUD or perhaps if the people at athas.org don't mind The Burnt World of Athas. It is going to be extremely dedicated to roleplaying, and probably will not be around or up for beta testing for another year or so. Just letting everyone here know, and if anyone wants to help, I'm open to ideas, and definitely CODERS, or just opinions on how you think the mud should be built.

-Delerak
#2
zombiegleemax
Jul 15, 2003 22:36:21 That is actually not a very good idea. It may in fact border on infringement issues. I would highly suggest contacting WOTC first and asking for permission to create a MUD using Dark Sun material. From what I've gathered, you could easily create a MUD using information from the SRD, but since none of the DS material is held under the open gaming liscense, you may have legal issues down the road. Better safe than sorry.

Also, you may have a few issues with regards to the DS community itself, which currently has two online graphical RPGs based on it (one released and one still in the works as I last heard). MUDs that have been around for quite some time still have a healthy following of steady players, but newer MUDs are unfortunately not garnering the number of players that make it really worth the effort. Not to disuade you, but those two factors may lead up to a great MUD played by less than 2 dozen people each day. In fact, there have been some great newer MUDs that have closed down due to lack of people taking interest in them (Koracks is the last one I recall, beautiful design work, great detail and background, more versatility than I've seen in any other MUD yet, and it lasted less than 5 months since its highest number of players on in one day was 13).

Anyhow, get in touch with someone who may be able to give you a hand with regards to the legality of such an endevor. Not sure if the other online Dark Sun games had to, so that might be a good place to start is by asking one of them if there were any legal issues that they had to resolve first.

Anyhow again, good luck either way. I can't code so I can't help much, but if you need someone down the road for ideas and descriptive texting, I can do that aplenty ;). Drop me an email if you want a hand in that part of the developement.
#3
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Jul 16, 2003 0:25:04 Using WotC's game worlds (intellectual property) is pretty dangerous, legally speaking. You *can* make a game based off the SRD, however, according to the d20 Trademark License (broken down on the WotC d20 site) you cannot make any reference to d20 or D&D, (possibly not even that, depending on the OGL, been a while since I read it) as it would most definitely be considered an "interactive program" (just ask the guys who develop PC Gen, see how many loops they had to jump through - and that's not even a game).

However - I myself have tossed around the idea before, even sketched up some coding from time to time with a related project of my own. I've been mainly working in Java as of late (but I migrate about every 2-6 months between languages - too many to list any more), partially because my roommate is curious about how to program in Java, and I've been curious about how far it's developed since I last heavily worked in that language (which was circa JDK 1.0/1.1). I've been toying with the idea of fully duplicating a pencil & paper roleplaying system into programming code, just to prove that it can be done, especially to the dozens of people I've heard in the past who state it can't be done, as I don't like the word "can't" being applied to computer programming.

As I plan on eventually building my own game system into a computer, I figure having a tried and true game system, that's been well tested on a sort of "preliminary" game may prove useful, then I can build up my own system (which I also have sketched up, more of a planning/idea than actual coding [pseudocode is my friend]). However that project will most definitely be my own game system, my own campaign worlds, and it is "my baby"... but I need more resources (and a little more self-motivation) to continue on that route...

Then again, I've also been shooting for more of the so-called "MMORPG" ideas, which really are, for the most part, MUDs (MUSHes, MOOs, etc) with graphics and sound.
#4
zombiegleemax
Jul 16, 2003 1:02:15 Check the links section in Athas.org and there are already 2 MMORPG projects going on. If you know enough programming, I'm sure they'd be happy to have an extra hand ;)
#5
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Jul 16, 2003 11:07:57 Those are projects using pre-existing games to simulate it. I am overly frustrated with the limitations and restrictions such game environments provide (NWN), that are a far cry from being a 100% true replication of pencil & paper system into a computer program (unfortunately). Rather than ripping out my hair and giving myself a dozen more ulcers trying to figure out work-arounds for a program that the designers couldn't get right the first time, I've decided it's just easier (on my mind, body, and spirit) to just do it right myself. Plus, I cannot stand top-down game environments as they are, rather preferring a first-person perspective, but with options to allow for people to play how they want.
#6
delerak
Jul 16, 2003 11:18:28 I already know all about the legal issues. And they won't be giving me a problem. I want to simulate the Darksun tabletop into a text-based roleplaying mud that grabs you and takes you into the Darksun world. Even if I can't open it because of WOTC, I can at least say I did something for the Darksun world and allow the code public use for alteration, etc.

-Delerak
#7
jon_oracle_of_athas
Jul 16, 2003 17:25:08 I think I speak for the whole Overcouncil at athas.org when I say that we would rather not be associated with your MUD in name. Please use a different name than Burnt World of Athas.
#8
delerak
Jul 16, 2003 17:38:13 Alright. Thanks anyway.

-Delerak

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 delerak Jul 15, 2003 22:24:32	Since my arrival here, and my already begun subject on muds I will state that I am in the process of creating a MUD, that will definitely be based on Darksun. I am throwing around the name Darksun MUD or perhaps if the people at athas.org don't mind The Burnt World of Athas. It is going to be extremely dedicated to roleplaying, and probably will not be around or up for beta testing for another year or so. Just letting everyone here know, and if anyone wants to help, I'm open to ideas, and definitely CODERS, or just opinions on how you think the mud should be built. -Delerak
#2 zombiegleemax Jul 15, 2003 22:36:21	That is actually not a very good idea. It may in fact border on infringement issues. I would highly suggest contacting WOTC first and asking for permission to create a MUD using Dark Sun material. From what I've gathered, you could easily create a MUD using information from the SRD, but since none of the DS material is held under the open gaming liscense, you may have legal issues down the road. Better safe than sorry. Also, you may have a few issues with regards to the DS community itself, which currently has two online graphical RPGs based on it (one released and one still in the works as I last heard). MUDs that have been around for quite some time still have a healthy following of steady players, but newer MUDs are unfortunately not garnering the number of players that make it really worth the effort. Not to disuade you, but those two factors may lead up to a great MUD played by less than 2 dozen people each day. In fact, there have been some great newer MUDs that have closed down due to lack of people taking interest in them (Koracks is the last one I recall, beautiful design work, great detail and background, more versatility than I've seen in any other MUD yet, and it lasted less than 5 months since its highest number of players on in one day was 13). Anyhow, get in touch with someone who may be able to give you a hand with regards to the legality of such an endevor. Not sure if the other online Dark Sun games had to, so that might be a good place to start is by asking one of them if there were any legal issues that they had to resolve first. Anyhow again, good luck either way. I can't code so I can't help much, but if you need someone down the road for ideas and descriptive texting, I can do that aplenty ;). Drop me an email if you want a hand in that part of the developement.
#3 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Jul 16, 2003 0:25:04	Using WotC's game worlds (intellectual property) is pretty dangerous, legally speaking. You can make a game based off the SRD, however, according to the d20 Trademark License (broken down on the WotC d20 site) you cannot make any reference to d20 or D&D, (possibly not even that, depending on the OGL, been a while since I read it) as it would most definitely be considered an "interactive program" (just ask the guys who develop PC Gen, see how many loops they had to jump through - and that's not even a game). However - I myself have tossed around the idea before, even sketched up some coding from time to time with a related project of my own. I've been mainly working in Java as of late (but I migrate about every 2-6 months between languages - too many to list any more), partially because my roommate is curious about how to program in Java, and I've been curious about how far it's developed since I last heavily worked in that language (which was circa JDK 1.0/1.1). I've been toying with the idea of fully duplicating a pencil & paper roleplaying system into programming code, just to prove that it can be done, especially to the dozens of people I've heard in the past who state it can't be done, as I don't like the word "can't" being applied to computer programming. As I plan on eventually building my own game system into a computer, I figure having a tried and true game system, that's been well tested on a sort of "preliminary" game may prove useful, then I can build up my own system (which I also have sketched up, more of a planning/idea than actual coding [pseudocode is my friend]). However that project will most definitely be my own game system, my own campaign worlds, and it is "my baby"... but I need more resources (and a little more self-motivation) to continue on that route... Then again, I've also been shooting for more of the so-called "MMORPG" ideas, which really are, for the most part, MUDs (MUSHes, MOOs, etc) with graphics and sound.
#4 zombiegleemax Jul 16, 2003 1:02:15	Check the links section in Athas.org and there are already 2 MMORPG projects going on. If you know enough programming, I'm sure they'd be happy to have an extra hand ;)
#5 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Jul 16, 2003 11:07:57	Those are projects using pre-existing games to simulate it. I am overly frustrated with the limitations and restrictions such game environments provide (NWN), that are a far cry from being a 100% true replication of pencil & paper system into a computer program (unfortunately). Rather than ripping out my hair and giving myself a dozen more ulcers trying to figure out work-arounds for a program that the designers couldn't get right the first time, I've decided it's just easier (on my mind, body, and spirit) to just do it right myself. Plus, I cannot stand top-down game environments as they are, rather preferring a first-person perspective, but with options to allow for people to play how they want.
#6 delerak Jul 16, 2003 11:18:28	I already know all about the legal issues. And they won't be giving me a problem. I want to simulate the Darksun tabletop into a text-based roleplaying mud that grabs you and takes you into the Darksun world. Even if I can't open it because of WOTC, I can at least say I did something for the Darksun world and allow the code public use for alteration, etc. -Delerak
#7 jon_oracle_of_athas Jul 16, 2003 17:25:08	I think I speak for the whole Overcouncil at athas.org when I say that we would rather not be associated with your MUD in name. Please use a different name than Burnt World of Athas.
#8 delerak Jul 16, 2003 17:38:13	Alright. Thanks anyway. -Delerak