DartMud has been over 5 years in the making. It is built on the solid foundation of LPMud 3.1.2 with heavy modifications. We'd like to invite everyone to come give it a try. You'll find the world of Ferdarchi a unique experience.
From the outset, DartMud was designed to be a MUD for hard core mud players. It is complex and brutal. The whining MUD newbies among you need not apply (although adventurous newbies are welcome).
The following is a list of some of the features DartMud has to offer:
Races -- Every player can choose his/her race. There are 14 different races for players to choose from and even more that may be available later in the game (see Real Death). Each race has its own unique characteristics, such as extra limbs, its own language, or stat bonuses.
Stats -- Every player can customize his/her stats. There are 14 stats. All of them are adjusted based by race, but there are no hard limits (other than 0). Stats have an effect on almost everything in the game, from skill learning rates, to how descriptions appear to you.
Skills -- DartMud players do not advance in "levels." The Skill System has replaced the experience point system found in standard MUDs. There are over 250 skills to be learned, and that number is growing everyday as creators can easily add them to the flexible and extensible skill system. The rate at which you progress in a particular skill is affected by other skills that you know, your alignment, your stats, and how much you practice. Skills have no upper bounds. Become a master swordsman, thief, or spellcaster, or any combination! There is no class system on DartMud. You choose the skills you wish to excel in. When you become sufficiently advanced in a given skill, you may also choose to teach it to some of your fellow Mudders.
Spells -- DartMud has a rich and unique spell system with over 90 spells. From invisibility to summoning animals to your defense, the spell system has many wondrous and arcane magics to discover! The list of spells is still growing.
Real Wilderness -- No longer is a MUD just a giant twisted map of sometimes randomly interconnected rooms. DartMud implements a complete wilderness hex mapping system. You start in Eristan, a city of corrupt politicians, and rampant lawlessness. When you've had enough of exploring the sprawling city you can then exit to the hex map, where an entire continent of forests, plains, and mountains lies--surrounded by dangerous oceans.
Weather -- DartMud has real weather systems, which travel their ponderous paths across the hex map, blown by the Ferdarchi winds. Outdoor rooms can be affected by a sudden squall, or a hot wind.
Brains -- All monsters come equipped (at no extra charge) with a sophisticated brain which guides them through their rewarding (although sometimes short) lives. You'll meet computer simulated personalities you'll come to know and love (or hate). Behaviors ranging from chatting to downright nasty fighting are all controlled by our configurable brain.
Crafts -- A set of skills known as the Craft System allow you to become involved in local economies. Be a smith, a miner, or a cook. Then sell your wares to the hungry, bloodthirsty adventurers. Use the money to wage a bloodthirsty campaign of your own!
Wizards -- DartMud has no Wizard System.
Feudal system -- Although playing the game can be a goal unto itself, DartMud offers a unique alternative: Feudalism. Become the biggest land baron on the mud! As a lord, you get a title and income from your estates. Your castle becomes an edifice for all to see on the hex map. Beware, however, other landowners may decide that your castle is too close to theirs, or that perhaps, they don't like you. Other players make the best enemies in the battle for land and wealth.
Construction -- Once you're a land baron, you can start to build up your castle. Build ramparts, storerooms, mines, fields (mine fields?), and more. Improving your castle can increase your income and make your prized kingdom more defensible. Hire guards, train them to fight, and command them to stand watch over treasure rooms. All it takes is money!
Descriptions -- Many descriptions on the MUD (of rooms, objects, monsters) are written to take into account your character's personal view of the world. A sword to an elf may be a dagger to an ogre. A series of squiggles on a wall to a moron may be graffiti to a more educated fellow. All this intensifies the role-playing experience.
Combat -- DartMud has an extremely sophisticated combat system whose features include: Limbs -- Each race has a body shape, and arms, legs, heads, bodies, wings, and tails can all be damaged or disabled separately, and may be targeted individually. Style -- Customize your fighting style by adjusting combat parameters. Adjust bonus, daring, speed, aiming, parry, and control to make your fighting style unique and best suited against whatever you're fighting. Partying -- The party system is completely integrated with combat. There are tactical party commands that allow you to fight in ranks. Put your beefy fighter types in the front; have your mages and thieves pelt your foes vigorously with daggers and hellfire from the rear rows. Spells -- Many of the spells are combat-oriented and pack a devastating punch. Hit your enemy with a flash of light to confuse him, then blast him with an octarine fire bolt--but don't get hit while casting! Intelligent Monsters -- Monsters fight intelligently, thanks in part to the monster brain. Monsters will party up with those friendly to them, and their wounded will automatically move to the rear to avoid attack. Some monsters will even chase and track you down if you run away. Most of them hold a grudge for a very long time. Monsters are able to adjust their style just like players, and can adjust them in real-time to help pummel you senseless. Weapons and armor -- There is an extremely extensive list of weapons and armor of all shapes and sizes. This includes shields and weapons designed for parrying. If you have a particular weapon in mind, ask your friendly neighborhood smith to make one for you (for a fee, of course). Quests -- Quests on DartMud are truly rewarding for those who undertake them. The prize for finishing quests is generally much more permanent than a silly "Super Weapon" or a requirement for Wizardhood (there are no Wizards). You may achieve a rare skill for your deed, perhaps a new spell, or you may even get land to call your own. Some quests are "one time" quests, that can only be completed once. The players that complete these quests will go down in DartMud history as true Champions.
Languages -- The world of Ferdarchi is rich with different races and cultures. Some of them have developed their own language to talk freely, whilst those who don't speak it stand there and see only strange gibberish.
Unique alignment system -- Good and Evil are very relative terms. On DartMud your alignment is based on the emotions of, rather than the righteousness of actions. You may commit Evil acts in the name of Love, or you may commit Good acts while your mind rages Destruction. Good and Evil are to be judged by other players, but your emotions may affect in which skills you excel.
Permanent items -- Some important items in the game may be permanent items. These items are saved so that they return in the same place and condition they were left when the game restarts. There are also rooms which allow all items put in them to temporarily become permanent items so that (for a fee) you can keep your items across restarts.
Permanent monsters -- Some of the important creatures in the game may be permanent monsters or NPCs. These are monsters that save just like you do. They learn over time and improve. And when they die, they die (unless they have an amulet, see Real Death). Often at the end of "one time" quests, these monsters make fearsome opponents indeed.
Extensive help -- Many help files have been painstakingly extracted from the various programmers. Please make use of them. Also make use of some of the dedicated playtesters who helped test our Mud. They can make the seemingly complex and arcane be revealed for the simplicity that it really is.
Real Money -- On DartMud, you can't go around carrying your hoard of 2,000,000 gold pieces. In fact, coins are items just like anything else, they take up space and weight. Getting Gordon the Banker to give you an account is probably a good idea.
Real Inventory -- On DartMud, if you want to carry 15 items, you should have a backpack, or they better all be wearable. Don't try to pick things up if you don't have a free hand. Better learn how to sheathe that sword!
Real Injuries -- Your DartMud character, although not as frail as a person in real life, sustains damage in a much more realistic way than other MUDs. Rather than taking damage out of a large pool or hit points, we divide your hit points up between the parts of your body. If your leg is damaged or destroyed, you can no longer walk, and your buddy (you'd be smart to fight with at least one buddy) will have to drag you off. Of course, if your head is damaged you're unconscious, and if it's destroyed, well...(see Real Death).
Real Death -- Death, such an ugly word. Well, on DartMud it's not only an ugly word, but an ugly event. "When you gotta go, you gotta go," is the saying, and that's a fact of death on DartMud. Care must be taken to travel with friends, so if you are severely injured, you can be helped to safety. Only in the instance that you have a rare Soul Amulet can you survive a DartMud Death (TM). These mystical devices are constructed such that when you die, your spirit flees within, where you remain until your friends can find a Great Healer. If they have enough money, and the healer enough skill, you may be resurrected. Of course, there's the minor detail of having a body to put you in. If you're very lucky, your friends brought your body along too. If you're extremely lucky, your body isn't decayed beyond use. If you're typically unlucky, your friends will have to "generate" a body for you. Some poor orc, or rat, or dragon, whose dead corpse will have to suffice as a humble abode for your soul.
Real Food -- Food is an annoying fact of life. This is no less true for your life on DartMud. In order to continue your existence as a member of Ferdarchi society, you must consume mass quantities. Food, at least as a younger character, will likely be one of the foremost subjects on your mind. Later, perhaps you will be taught how to cook by a fellow citizen. Until then, I'm sure many will be happy to cook for you, for a price.
Player Based Economy -- In many of the above descriptions you may have noted that many things come with a price attached. This is true in most MUDs. However, on DartMud, most of this money will exchange between the hands of players. With the Craft System, and Feudalism, all the needs of a would-be adventurer can be provided for by other players with the right skills. It is certain that though prices may fluctuate, things will rarely be free.
Player Interaction -- We cannot stress enough the importance of having friends. Socializing has always been a major factor in the enjoyment of MUDs, but never has it been so important. Cooperation is they key to getting ahead in DartMud life. Between the party system for combat and the player based economy, you'll need to be on good terms with people to really succeed. So even though you CAN kill other players, it's probably not a good idea if you plan on furthering your character.
Hopefully, some of the features listed above will intrigue and challenge you to come play our MUD. We hope to see you there.