Review Submitted By: Trevan
Author Status: Player
Started on RetroMUD: 6 months ago
Submission Date: Sep 10, 2003
TMC Listing: RetroMUD
The following review is the opinion of the review's author [Trevan]
and in no way represents the opinions of this website or its staff.
RetroMUD is a MUD with a large scope of options. It has 19 primary
guilds (classes), 53 secondary guilds, and around 220 tertiary guilds
(Divided into paths). To further diversify the choices, there are a
total of 62 races available for selection. This allows for a large
variety of combinations to choose from. This, of course, runs into
the problem of functionality. Not all combinations work, such as
giant mage, which would fail due to a low hermetic max. Some races
require good alignments, making Fallen a less than optimal choice.
The way guilds work in RetroMUD is quite complicated compared to
other MUDs that I have tried. You have a primary guild, where you
may level up to 20. After that, you have a second guild, which is in
reality flavor and is nothing more than a few more spells and skill.
The real point of the second guild is to determine what Tertiary
guilds you may join, which specialize you and give you the largest
bonuses to statistics and skills/spell. Unfortunately, not every
path works out as you would hope. The secondary guild Dischordian is
a literal dead end, leaving those who choose that guild rather lost
as to where to go after level 34. Luckily, not many are actually
like that, but asking around about guild paths before you follow them
is usually a good idea.
Something I enjoy about the MUD definitely is the community.
Everyone in general is friendly and helpful, assuming you listen.
Many people are more than willing to help Newbies on the mentor
channel and the MUD itself has coded in Newbie advantages to help
Newbies ease themselves into the flow of the game. Many questions
that are asked are covered in the numerous help files located in the
game, so it’s a good idea to check there, and if you can’t find it,
ask about it. General tip, don't ask a question on mentor then whine
about the answer.
RetroMUD is, in its complete form, a party MUD. This is not a solo
MUD. Newbies in the beginning solo yes, but in later levels parties
are *required*. General form of a party is tanks in front, bios
healing tanks, and blasters casting damaging spells. If you don't
function well as any of these, good luck finding a party. Luckily,
most guilds can perform somewhat decently in one of those defined
roles, assuming you train your skills and spells.
A few points to mention is that storage in this MUD for your
equipment is pricey and takes a long time to get enough money to
afford it. If you don't have storage, you can't keep your
equipment. Newbies start with some equipment every time though. A
factor I personally dislike is that if you die many times with enough
scars, you lose stats, sometimes even PERMANENTLY, which I guess is
even more incentive not to die. They may be minor, but it bugs me
personally. Also, if you come to this MUD for RPP, prepare to work
for it. A lot. Normal custom emotes must be earned by RPing, and
you have to find other people to RP with, to vote for you so you may
gain RP. You may also write stories on the off-chance some person
reads your story and thinks 'wow, this is good'.
All in all, RetroMUD is a wonderfully balanced MUD. There are a
things incomplete, things bugged, but everything IS being worked on
actually and not just being ignored. In any case, the community
makes a few points for this MUD in itself. If you choose to play
RetroMUD, prepare to spend a lot of time on it as training and
leveling takes a longer time than in most MUDs. Not that I mind.
