Gemstone, the ultimate of MUDing?

[Anne Boleyn]

I was always wondering if there exists alternate MUDs like Gemstone or DR out there with the same caliber and especially population?

I see a lot of great MUDs out there with deep mechanical aspects and RPs but they have all of 50 people on at any given time. I see MUDs with 100+ players but they are just DIKUmud derivatives. So, is Gemstone the best of both worlds?

Further is Gemstone the end of MUDing? With it's 700 players a night does it represent the pinnacle and thus the final and ultimate form of MUDing? Can MUDing improve?

[Jayvn]

back in 98 i remember like 2000 people... at least 1800 on at a time..and we didnt' have the nations then... for realy real

[AnticorRifling]

If you haven't checked www.lemonparty.org I would see what they offer before putting GS up as the best of the best.

[ElvenFury]

SO not right. Never clicking on a link from you again. :-(

[Drew]

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA classic lulz.

[diethx]

SO not right. Never clicking on a link from you again. :-(

LOLOL

[Stanley Burrell]

I was always wondering if there exists alternate MUDs like Gemstone or DR out there with the same caliber and especially population?

I see a lot of great MUDs out there with deep mechanical aspects and RPs but they have all of 50 people on at any given time. I see MUDs with 100+ players but they are just DIKUmud derivatives. So, is Gemstone the best of both worlds?

Further is Gemstone the end of MUDing? With it's 700 players a night does it represent the pinnacle and thus the final and ultimate form of MUDing? Can MUDing improve?

You should check out the link Anticor posted (it's related to Monks :thumbup:)

[Liagala]

SO not right. Never clicking on a link from you again. :-(

:rofl: Welcome to the PC!

[Trouble]

At least he didn't disguise the link. In HoR Monkeysnarf and others used to love to post stuff like check out the new patch notes (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/test-realm-patchnotes.html) but the link actually pointed to lemon party so you had to check the link before clicking. CT even banned the use of the words on those forums so people had to refer to it indirectly. Good times! :)

[Back]

If you haven't checked www.lemonparty.org I would see what they offer before putting GS up as the best of the best.

I’m not falling for that twice, bastard.

[Mabus]

I was always wondering if there exists alternate MUDs like Gemstone or DR out there with the same caliber and especially population?
As a hobbyist MUD coder (and viewer of stats and features related to) I would have to say that no other MUDs with the features of Gemstone or Dragonrealms exist, and the ones that have great features do not have the player base numbers.

This site ( MUDStats (http://mudstats.com/MainPage.aspx) ) deals with MUD stats (imagine that!) , but is neither all inclusive nor always up to date. It also tends to cater more toward the MUSH/MUCK community. I would not even vouch for its accuracy, but it is better then nothing.

Here (http://mudstats.com/Game/GemstoneIV.aspx) is a nice overview of theirs on Gemstone.


I see a lot of great MUDs out there with deep mechanical aspects and RPs but they have all of 50 people on at any given time. I see MUDs with 100+ players but they are just DIKUmud derivatives. So, is Gemstone the best of both worlds?
50 would be considered a very decent player base at this time.

Many, many games go days without players.

Further is Gemstone the end of MUDing?
This discussion is had at least once a month on various MUD forums; whether MUDs are dead.

As long as there are people that either prefer text-based games, have low bandwidth or are blind there will be an entertainment niche to be filled by MUDs (in my opinion).


Can MUDing improve?
Anything can improve.

A lot of the numbers issues with players is a "Catch 22". If people log in, type "who" and do not see a large number of people playing some will immediately log back out.

Rather then seeking a game with the player numbers why not seek a game you like and work with the staff to make the numbers more acceptable?

Personal choices. Accept what is given or work to make a better place. I suppose some people can do both.

[Lockrebezz]

Well way back in the day there would usually be 2k+ on and if there was a merchant event or invasion it could reach 3k+. Wish those days would come back. The amulet was always full of people selling stuff and the forums would always have new posts in nearly every category.

[Rolton-Sammich]

If you haven't checked www.lemonparty.org I would see what they offer before putting GS up as the best of the best.

"It wouldn't be a Lemon party without old Dick!"

[AnticorRifling]

With the census thread, GS dying talk, some other text base game doing good, etc. etc. it reminded me of this gem. Man I am awesome.

[Belnia]

Under 2 minutes total for all the auction tickets to sell? GS might be dying, but the people left are pretty hardcore.

[Kuyuk]

Under 2 minutes total for all the auction tickets to sell? GS might be dying, but the people left are fucking addicted.


fixed

[Drunken Durfin]

Truth.

[Lumi]

Truth, and sad. The fact that the small but hardcore/addicted fanbase will continue to support the game through criminally overpriced pay events means that there will never be any motivation to actually improve the truly broken aspects of the game.

[Ker_Thwap]

I played for a few months back in the day when thousands played at a time. I think a few folks are remembering the game through rose colored glasses.

- The RP was abysmal in the Landing. River's Rest was actually tolerable with it's more limited population.

- The hunting was stupid overcrowded. "Chasing!"

- Unless you were well known, it was impossible to get an assist answered.

- Getting merchant work done. Forget it, there weren't nearly enough staff members.

I left GSIII when Plat came along, and it was far better back then. I then left for another game entirely which had a population of about 500 hardcore roleplayers, half decent mechanics and a large world with a detailed history, but minimal coding support.

Upon returning to GSIV, the population is at a manageable level, more people roleplay, or at least attempt to. The GMs can answer assists, they provide pretty damned amazing support, the game has grown mechanically by leaps and bounds in the decade I've been gone.

I just have to chuckle at those people who don't even realize how good they have it. I used to have to roleplay in the snow, uphill.

[Drew]

I played for a few months back in the day when thousands played at a time. I think a few folks are remembering the game through rose colored glasses.

- The RP was abysmal in the Landing. River's Rest was actually tolerable with it's more limited population.

- The hunting was stupid overcrowded. "Chasing!"

- Unless you were well known, it was impossible to get an assist answered.

- Getting merchant work done. Forget it, there weren't nearly enough staff members.

I left GSIII when Plat came along, and it was far better back then. I then left for another game entirely which had a population of about 500 hardcore roleplayers, half decent mechanics and a large world with a detailed history, but minimal coding support.

Upon returning to GSIV, the population is at a manageable level, more people roleplay, or at least attempt to. The GMs can answer assists, they provide pretty damned amazing support, the game has grown mechanically by leaps and bounds in the decade I've been gone.

I just have to chuckle at those people who don't even realize how good they have it. I used to have to roleplay in the snow, uphill.


This.


Also what happened to your MUD with 500 players?

[Ker_Thwap]

The developer, Mythic Entertainment" expanded into graphical gaming to chase the big money. The original programmer got permission to run the game out of his basement, it got even less support, he felt guilty about charging people, and made the game free.

Without supervision, one of the long term GMs went on a power trip to enrich their own characters and punish their enemies.

A bunch of emo teens and a bunch of Beavis and Butthead teens signed up when it became free, the forums became a wasteland of whiny bitches.

The next time the server broke the programmer took a look at the boards and decided he didn't want to risk a divorce putting his spare time into supporting a bunch of whiny bitches (who weren't even indicative of the general population.)

Having watched one game death spiral into oblivion, I tend to advocate against unsupervised GMs, lower prices and anarchy on the main boards.