Review Submitted By: Alistair
Author Status: Player
Started on StarMUD: 1995
Submission Date: Apr 22, 2003
TMC Listing: StarMUD
The following review is the opinion of the review's author [Alistair]
and in no way represents the opinions of this website or its staff.
I have to start by admitting that starmud has me hooked. I've quit
starmud and quit mudding every so often, but I always end up back
there.
There are a unique set of races and professions (classes), as one
might hope from any mud. But what I find especially pleasing about
these sets is that your choices actually do impact the way that you
play the game.
Some races don't use armor, relying on their natural defense or
their extraordinary healing ability to recoop damage. Some prefer
to use their claws or tentacles instead of wielding weapons.
Also, different races have different vulnerabilities, making your
choices of weapons, etc. actually matter especially when it comes
to pk.
The professions you can choose also yield very different experiences.
I honestly can't think of examples to provide that don't sound
cliche but their strenghts are really very varied.
Above everything else, though, the major pro for starmud is the
organic feel to everything. The interface is so nice to use, being
able to type commands like 'get all into any backpack' takes away
some of the annoyingness of mud commands. You aren't limited to
100% in your skills-- as long as you keep using it, you'll keep on
getting better at it. There are a few artificial-feeling limits,
but deservedly so-- your stats are capped (a cap which you won't
reach until at least a week of playing time) and there are ranges on
pk (should you choose to participate).
Part of the organicness of starmud is in it's ever-changing nature.
This is a good thing at times, with new areas or features being
introduced to try. But other times, it can be frustrating as stuff
gets changed or disappears for apparently no reason. Currently
being fixed are pk, tactics, and guns among other things that have
been available in the past.
Regardless, though, it's an incredibly original mud, some fairly
intelligent if opinionated regulars, and for those who don't want
role play and don't mind swearing on the channels or coming out of
the monsters' mouths, a cool place to waste some time.
