StickMUD
Encyclopedia
History
StickMUD opened to the public on June 17, 1991. The founding wizardsWizard (MUD)
Wizard is commonly used in MUDs, particularly LPMuds, AberMUDs and MU*, as a term for the MUD's developers and administrators. The usage originates with Richard Bartle's original MUD1 and MUD2. It is frequently abbreviated "wiz", which is sometimes used as a verb; to wiz is to become a wizard...
, Pekka "Frobozz" Timonen and Niilo "Graah" Paasivirta, got permission to run the MUD on a server at the University of Jyvaskyla
University of Jyväskylä
The University of Jyväskylä is a university in Jyväskylä, Finland. It has its origins in the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college , founded in 1863. Around 14,000 students are currently enrolled in the degree programs of the university...
, Finland, from a local admin, Otto J. "Extechop" Mäkelä (who later participated in administration of the MUD). The name of that server in English was "stick", and thus StickMUD was named.
Over the years the MUD has been in operation, it has seen numerous players and admins. Thanks to donations from numerous players, StickMUD eventually secured its own server but still retained its name. The new server continued to be housed for some time at the University of Jyvaskyla until the original creators/owners of the MUD left both the MUD and the University.
Another game administrator, Tero "Tron" Vaananen, later offered to host the MUD, which now runs out of Nova Scotia, Canada, with Vaananen as head administrator.
The world
StickMUDs setting falls into the medieval fantasyMedieval fantasy
Medieval fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that encompasses medieval era high fantasy and sometimes simply represents fictitious versions of historic events. This subgenre is common among role-playing games, text-based roleplaying, and high-fantasy literature....
genre, and is considered a medium sized world, consisting of a number of unique and semi-unique areas, including areas specially created for those that have donated to StickMUD.
The world is filled with many different races and monsters of varying difficulty. To aid players, there are many different types of armours, weapons and magical items with which to adventure with. There are also unique and rare objects that offer even more power.
Player races
Every player starts off as human, but may choose later to be of a different race depending on how they want to play or which guild they join. The normally available races are dark elf, dwarf, elf, half-orc, hobbit, human, and troll. Donators to StickMUD may also choose from goblin, half-elf, and ogre.Player guilds
Every player eventually joins a guild which grants them skills and/or spells to aid them in their life in StickMUD. (As typical of LPMudLPMud
LPMud, abbreviated LP, is a family of MUD server software. Its first instance, the original LPMud game driver, was developed in 1989 by Lars Pensjö...
s, a guild in StickMUD more closely resembles a character class
Character class
In role-playing games, a common method of arbitrating the capabilities of different game characters is to assign each one to a character class. A character class aggregates several abilities and aptitudes, and may also sometimes detail aspects of background and social standing or impose behaviour...
than it does the predominant usage of "guild" in online RPGs
Clan (computer gaming)
In computer and video gaming, a clan or guild is an organised group of players that regularly play together in a particular multiplayer games. These games range from groups of a few friends to 1000-person organizations, with a broad range of structures, goals and members. The lifespan of a clan...
.) To join a guild, one must reach level
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
5, and usually some assistance is required in finding the guild. These known guilds of StickMUD are the Bards, Fighters, Healers, Mages, Necromancers, Ninjas, Priests, and Thieves. The Ninja guild has been noted as more flavorful than others.
Player abilities
Typically a player is granted abilities when they join a guild. These abilities can be anything from fighting with different types of weapons, casting powerful arcane spells or crafting items like traps or scrolls. The more a character uses an ability, the more effective the relevant skill becomes. Some abilities are common to multiple guilds, so that training in a previous guild may be useful in a new one.Quests
There are a number of questsQuest (gaming)
A quest in role-playing video games — including massively multiplayer online role-playing games and their predecessors, MUDs — is a task that a player-controlled character or group of characters may complete in order to gain a reward...
in StickMUD of varying difficulties, styles and themes. These may vary from battling hordes of orcs to seeking out hidden items to solving intricate puzzles. Players do not have to perform every quest, nor perform the quests in any particular order. Some questing is required in order to advance in level
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
. Additionally, some guilds have their own quests. These are typically optional, but usually give the player something special to aid them in their journeys or improve their status within the guild.
Player versus player
StickMUD policy on player versus playerPlayer versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
activity, or player killing (PK), is one of "open PK". This means that PvP combat is allowed everywhere in the game with the exception of a few PK-free zones.
PKing can be done for just about any reason, though it is usually regulated by the players and unofficial player rules of conduct. However, if it becomes apparent that the PKing has turned into harassment, then administrators have the option to intervene.
Clans
StickMUD features a clanClan (computer gaming)
In computer and video gaming, a clan or guild is an organised group of players that regularly play together in a particular multiplayer games. These games range from groups of a few friends to 1000-person organizations, with a broad range of structures, goals and members. The lifespan of a clan...
system, allowing players to form their own organizations. This was an outgrowth of an older "liege" system, under which a player would select another specific player as their "liege".
Multiple characters
StickMUD allows players to create multiple characters, but there are strict rules regarding them. They must be registered before they can be played, cannot be on at the same time (which is not possible when registered properly) and cannot transfer gold and equipment amongst themselves.Multiple characters of a player are not known to other players unless revealed by that player in some fashion. Some players try to play their alternate character
Alternate character
An alternate character, often referred to in slang as alt, alt char, or less commonly multi, is a character in addition to one's "primary" or "Main" player character...
s completely differently so as to not link them. Others, unfortunately, mix their different characters' business, which is not illegal by StickMUD rules but is greatly frowned upon.
Reception
StickMUD has received critical feedback that, while not impressed with its races or guilds, called its added features, such as the former liege system, "well thought out", saying these made the MUD "worth playing".Technical infrastructure
StickMUD is an LPMudLPMud
LPMud, abbreviated LP, is a family of MUD server software. Its first instance, the original LPMud game driver, was developed in 1989 by Lars Pensjö...
running on the LDMud game driver, with a mudlib
Mudlib
A mudlib, short for mud library, is a library of code forming part of the technical infrastructure of a MUD. Though different varieties of MUD may be considered to have mudlibs, the term is most often used with LPMuds. In an LPMud, the mudlib consists of interpreted code written in the LPC...
originally based on LPMud
LPMud
LPMud, abbreviated LP, is a family of MUD server software. Its first instance, the original LPMud game driver, was developed in 1989 by Lars Pensjö...
2.4.5, called StickLib.