I just hopped back into mudding after say a 10 year hiatus, got back on my old fav and remain stunned.

I really can't say enough about the uniqueness of this mud, it definitely is not just the same old stock code with a new skin on it.

The character classes (guilds,) super detailed combat and experience and crafting systems and ... weapons/armor/crafting/castles/viscious pets/thieving/mining/assassination/general ongoing ... CHALLENGE and in depth pvp meets a heist movie experience here is awesome.

If you are looking for a new type of mudding experience this is the place!

When a good friend first introduced me to Darke at the tender age of 13, I had no idea what I was getting into. It was a little rough at first, learning commands for this type of game I had never even heard of before. After some time and a little guidance I started to interact with people and have met some of the most interesting and exciting characters I will ever meet in my entire life. I played Darkemud steadily until the early 2000's, and I mean everyday as much as I could. I stopped playing in about 2008 and just recently discovered it again. Darkemud is more than just a mud, it is a community. Back in the day there was turmoil and clan wars. Groups banded together to raid castles and discover new areas. Nowadays, we are all trying to work together to rebuild our once great empire. Darke has some amazing active admin on the team and players that are excited to be there and want to help with advice, gear, and basically anything you need. New to mudding? Let Darkemud be your first, you'll find it just might be your only.

DarkeMUD is perhaps, imho, the best game out there. In depth combat and spell system unique to Darke in and of itself. Awesome areas, fantastic armor and weapons system which players can create, enhance, and make unique to their own taste.

Player kill system, once again, unique only to DarkeMUD. Thoughtful and inventive Arches and Wizards. Come try Darke, I haven't stayed here this long for nothing!

Do not play Darkemud. In my time there I have been subject to three bugs that resulted in either my repeated death, loss of equipment or both. With all of these situations the admin did not seem to care, or do anything to fix the problems, instead they said 'deal with it.'

In addition, the players (if you can call them that) are not worth playing with. After a prolonged period away from the mud I reconnected, just to check up and play a little, and was killed within the first 5 minutes. I continued to be killed over and over, all for no reason. At which point in time I realized, why bother with this kind of mud? Want a safe bet? Stay away from Darkemud.

I have played darke for many years now and I love it. After all these years I would have liked to think I know what i am doing, but I still have issues.

I love the fact that you can make stuff and increase upon them the items made. I love that you can get by without getting other people involved, but if you want to be the top dog, you have to incorporate many people to get your equipment right where you want it.

There is no other mud out there that ranks up with it. It is the best mud experience I have ever had.

Great system and mud. The code covers practically everything you would want, from player-created equipment, multiple magic guilds, permanent player-summoned (and purchased) pets, and mine and castle creation. The XP system is love it or hate it: You only get magic xp by casting spells, you only get creation xp by creating things, and you only get combat xp by killing things. I like it.

The mud used to feature lots of conflict, with almost hourly PK and castle raiding. That made it difficult for new players without a support team, but it also made the mud very compelling to play. Today, the playerbase lacks that kind of dynamism, both to its size (about half what it once was) and the evolution of super huge players, who could easily wipe out a whole team unless they took significant time to grow themselves.

With an increased player base Darkemud could be compelling to play again. It certainly has the underlying code base for it.

Lets face it, there are alot of uninteresting MUDs out there. Most are just plain ugly, some are insulting of your intelligence. In some games, newbies are so coddled all the challenge is taken out, and in others, multi-playing and botting is normal, making the game crowded but hollow. If you agree with me about this stuff, Darke is a MUD you should try.

Ultimately, in the game of DarkeMUD the goal is to dominate the other players, magically, physically, economically. PK players have been known to hold powerful tinkers and enchanters hostage, forcing them to crank out the best gear or die a thousand deaths. Perhaps a hero would arise to destroy such a tyrant. It is an interesting world, and it only gets more interesting as more people get involved, so come on by.