You want something done right, do it yourself.

[Farn]

I've decided to make my own MUD so that every time I think, "hey, things should be this way," I have the power to make it so. Suggestions would be welcome. Here are some of the basic concepts I've got so far:

1. No limiting professions. Every character can learn any skill they want to, but they have to practice it. If you don't practice a skill, it will slowly degenerate - hence you can't be a master at every single skill possible, though you can definitely learn and maintain quite a few.

2. No general experience. You don't go out and slaughter a bunch of sentient creatures, then use that "experience" to raise your climbing and herb-foraging skill. Your skills can improve in 3 ways: Practice, study and being taught by others (both NPCs or other players). Whether a skill you use gets better depends on the challenge. If you're an expert swordsman, going around fighting giant rats (for example) isn't going to improve your combat or swordsmanship skills. You can't learn from a book or teacher if you aren't near their skill level, whether above or below that level.

3. While there aren't any set professions, there will be optional guilds, universities and other groups you can join for opportunities to learn a specific set of skills. There will be a cost associated with the guilds, and a maximum number you can belong to at one time. Also, if you're in the Cult of the Evil Dark Scary Sorcerers of Doom, you probably won't be welcome in the Circle of Happy Bunny Healers.

4. NPC factions. Not every single NPC outside of town will immediately be hostile (though of course some will be). You can do certain things to make them mad or make them happy. Get in good with the kobolds and they'll sell you their famed dirt-covered sacks, and if you're in really good with them, maybe the kobold shaman will spell you up with or even teach you some unique spells that only his people know.

5. Player factions. This would be the basis for organized PvP play. While great in theory, it'll likely be a supreme pain to keep both sides happy and "balanced." This will likely only be worked on after most of the other aspects of the MUD are well-developed, if it still seems doable.

6. Not a combat-centric game. As mentioned before, you improve skill through practice, so you could spend your whole life away from combat but still be a legendary enchanter, alchemist, healer, blackmsith, ale brewer, or whatever. No need to go out and kill things for experience (unless you want to get better at going out and killing things, of course). I've got ideas for fun and involved non-combat systems, including the typical blacksmithing, alchemy, etc. as well as things like farming both crops and livestock, animal taming, cooking, etc.

The greatest thing about all this is that I've already managed to program a basic MUD engine from scratch (so I understand completely how it works and can easily modify/redesign if necessary) and have got it running on a server, so it's not all a pipe dream.

Questions, comments and suggestions are all welcome (in fact, they're encouraged).

Edit: For newcomers, here's the connection info:

Address: clok.contrarium.net
Port: 4000