Review Submitted By: Michelle
Author Status: Player
Started on Lensmoor: February 16, 2009
Submission Date: Mar 5, 2009
TMC Listing: Lensmoor
The following review is the opinion of the review's author [Michelle]
and in no way represents the opinions of this website or its staff.
I have been a mud player for almost 10 years. I have participated in
player-killing, non player-killing, roleplay intensive and roleplay
optional muds. I have never bothered to review a mud in that entire
time, finding most games to be so like each other that there would
really be no point. Until now.
Recently, I was born into a world called Lensmoor. From the outset,
this realm was different - more immersive, more creative, and much
more flexible than I was used to. The racial system is intriguing even
for a rank beginner, and depends upon which of the two continents you
choose to live on. Remorting (being reborn upon achieving a certain
level of experience) is an option, and the remort races interesting
enough to provide quite the motivation to achieve.
This world features an auto-quest system with useful rewards and
bonuses for grouping (which helps create player bonding and roleplay
opportunities). In addition to auto-quests, players will meet
interactive non-player characters who need their assistance in one
time only 'zone quests', which are relevant and plot driven, and
reward you amply for the time and intellect used to solve them.
Roleplay is intensive, required, and indeed rewarded (or punished!)
by your peers, with immortal review ensuring fairness and a minimum of
bullying or abuse of the 'points' based system. Players are
encouraged to build and customize their own locations and equipment,
with enough investment to ensure the results are in character and
indeed, add to the overall atmosphere of the world itself. The
immortals themselves participate in the roleplay, run fun global
quests and games, and lead religious orders which afford not only
richer roleplay opportunities, but the chances to obtain one-only and
unique skills.
This world is absolutely HUGE and is constantly being added to not
only by their active building staff, but by long-time players whose
talents and deep knowledge (and indeed, love for, these lands) are not
allowed to go to waste.
The classless skill system is well thought out and balanced, allowing
for skills to be gained through learning (from players - which a bonus
is given for doing, again encouraging interaction and roleplay - and
non player characters) or, best of all, through actual use of the
skill, and an amazing variety of equipment is available throughout to
accommodate different skill and experience levels. You can specialize
in several different walks of life, from Necromancy to Healing to
Crafting and receive boosts and benefits from your expertise in your
chosen field. Lensmoor features a rich commodities (materials) driven
crafting system, which actually affords a pure crafting type
experience gain and growth through participating in their chosen craft
- typical hobbies such as alchemy and herbalism are available, as are
more unique and roleplay-driving talents such as distilling, farming,
or weaving.
Finally, an amazingly interested and patient staff and playerbase
made MY time as a clueless newbie not only survivable, but FUN, as I
was invited into groups, clans, and indeed, checked on by friendly,
concerned immortals constantly, though without being harassed or
feeling spoonfed.
My formatting of this review may leave something to be desired, due
to my inexperience in doing such things, but I encourage anybody who
happens to read this to drop my the 100% free text realm of Lensmoor
to whip a character up and spend some time there, questing, exploring
and hunting.
You will enjoy this interesting and unique world and no doubt, choose
to return time and time again.
