1.10 An introduction to MUDs
This brief introduction is intended for those who are unfamiliar with
MUDs. If you have played them before, it's unlikely you'll need to read
the information below.
Since you are reading this, we can assume that you have successfully
created a character. What this means is that you have made a persona for
yourself that will grow as your knowledge and experience in the land
increases. This is _you_ for the purposes of the game, and soon enough
you will begin to feel, when playing Aetolia, that it really is you.
MUDs as a whole are structured to provide real-time interaction between
many players, and between various computer-controlled elements. They can
be as varied as the imagination and to attempt to characterise the
content of them here would be pointless. However, briefly, Aetolia takes
place in a fantasy environment that combines elements of classical
Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, and ancient Persia.
Currently, you are standing in what is called a "room" or "location".
You will always be in a room in Aetolia. The structure of Aetolia is
such that there are thousands of locations, each representing an area of
space. A location could be field, a section of desert, a part of a city
street, or just a room in a house. They may be connected in mundane
ways, or there may also be portals that connect far-flung locations.
HELP ENVIRONMENT explains a bit more about the environment of Aetolia.
To "see" the room you are standing in, simply type LOOK, or just L. This
will show you the name of the room (always a single sentence, like "Four
Corners on Nordau Street."), the description of the room, and whatever
is in the room, be it an item, an animal or monster, or other players.
HELP MOVEMENT documents clearly how to move your way around.
Oftentimes, you will not want to read the entire description of the
room, and you will just want to see the name of the room and the items,
'monsters' and players that are in it. To do this, just type QL (which
stands for Quick Look).
Since you are reading this, you are probably new to MUDs and will
initially experience confusion in dealing with the medium. However, the
other players will generally be willing to help you, and all you need to
do is use the NEWBIE command to ask for help. For instance, "newbie
Could someone please help me? I'm not sure what to do".
You can also see who is online by typing WHO and then asking an
individual player for help by using the TELL command. If you read all
the help files in the Newbie Introduction (just type HELP on its own for
more information about this), then you will get detailed instructions on
how all this works. The Guides, Hansel and Gretel, are often available
to help you, and you will see their names in yellow on WHO or QW.
I'm sure that at this point, you still do not have a clear idea of what
goes on in MUDs, and I can only recommend that you jump right in and
start playing. Take the Newbie tour (remember, just type HELP to see a
directory of the help chapters), and never be afraid to ask other
players for help. Just remember that there are people who will gladly
help you, so don't get frustrated and quit at the first thing that
confuses you. It may take some getting used to, but this is a highly
entertaining and involving art form that hundreds of thousands of
internet users find hopelessly addicting. Give it a try and you'll
discover a brave new world waiting to be explored!
See also: HELP, ENVIRONMENT, MOVEMENT, NEWBIETOUR, AETOLIA
