Why do we MUD?

[Etain]

I've had reason to ask myself this question over the past year, and more so in the last month. The answer has so far been elusive, but it's led me to wonder, why do all of you keep playing WoTMUD? I've seen people leave, some for years, but a surprising number return in time. What is it about WoTMUD that keeps players coming back, day after day, year after year?

Some people, I know, will say that for them, it's about the PK. Others are all about smobbing, still others just like to hang out. I've even seen people who log in solely for the purpose of crunching the numbers and figuring out how everything works. What is it about those things that appeals to you, as individual players?

If you asked me this question, to be sure, I couldn't tell you. That's partly why I'm interested in other people's answers. I don't know why I keep coming back, just that it's turning out to be a lot harder to go away than I expected.

[Rhonin]

Itzs because we're all masochists.

[hasp]

The story got me into the game. I stay because in my real life I always have to be the nice, helpful, and calm person at work and at home. Here I can be a "bad guy". Poke and prod, yet never serious, disrespectful, and most importantly personal. Also, there are a lot of good people that I just enjoy talking to and made friendships with.

[Kitiara]

If i dont have any good books to read the Mud kind of fills that role in my life. I realized it a few years ago that I could never really be reading a series AND playing the Mud actively. But these days my availability to play is a lot less, so im usually only super active when im in between jobs... so I go months of active and months of inactive

[Melat]

I play for the community, the adrenaline of pk, practicing what I learn in life and have a "playground" to test it all out. To use negotiations, bartering, psychology, and acting. Playing this game is different from a visual game. It's like reading so it activates a different part of the mind for me. It's we can "shake" when we pk but we don't "shake" when we're playing call of duty. It's the thrill of the hunt or being hunted that we don't experience much. That is a pretty unique experience for me since I'm not hunting yet in real life. Though.. I do feel "hunted" when I'm in murky waters diving and just "feel" a shark is just around the corner.

[Frey]

For me, it's because of a few things.

1) Came because I liked the books, stayed because I liked the game, the immersion I feel when I play vs any other game
2) The people. I've made some really good friends here
3) Goals. I have so many goals I'd like to accomplish. I've knocked out a ton of things I've wanted to do, like getting masters in certain clans, making a Sedai, etc. But I have so many more I still want to accomplish, that keeps me going.
4) The pk. I really do enjoy the rush you get from an exciting, dangerous pk
5) Finally, the RP. Sometimes I like just RPing in a certain way, interacting with certain people, etc. It's fun to just screw around sometimes.

[Dartes]

I play for the community, the adrenaline of pk, practicing what I learn in life and have a "playground" to test it all out. To use negotiations, bartering, psychology, and acting. Playing this game is different from a visual game. It's like reading so it activates a different part of the mind for me. It's we can "shake" when we pk but we don't "shake" when we're playing call of duty. It's the thrill of the hunt or being hunted that we don't experience much. That is a pretty unique experience for me since I'm not hunting yet in real life. Though.. I do feel "hunted" when I'm in murky waters diving and just "feel" a shark is just around the corner.

This is well said, and also what Frey mentioned. There are a lot of really cool and fun people here that I've had the pleasure to interact with, even many of the ones that want my character(s) head on a spike!

[Rig]

I'm a bit younger than most of you so there are a few different aspects of it to me!

One of them is that mudding is unique. Today everyone my age is playing Fortnite and other stuff. They wouldn't be giving games like this a second thought. I've tried!

Pk of course, is fun for me. I've been branching out on some lesser known alts of mine and getting into the RP some. It's been an interesting experience and has peaked my interest once again.

Met a bunch of cool people. Made some friends. Normal stuff!

[Adael]

One of them is that mudding is unique. Today everyone my age is playing Fortnite and other stuff. They wouldn't be giving games like this a second thought. I've tried!

^ Ditto. Rig is one of the few fellow young 20 year olds I can think of that plays. I've tried to get some friends in on it in the past but never got the hook to sink. Though some are starting to get into d&d etc. lately so I might try to catch their interest again.

Personally, read the books in late middle/early high school, loved them, tried finding online games related to them and WoTMUD was the only one I came across. The fact that it was all text was actually a huge draw for me, I loved reading as a kid growing up and having more WoT universe to explore in imagination was great!
Running around as a newbie was a blast, the learning curve was awful and I sometimes wonder whether I've ever actually progressed . Clanning, making friends, smobbing, pking, all good stuff also.

Mostly though, the MUD has been a nice constant in life for me, from when I moved away for college or now overseas for work. Something I know I can always hop on and find the same old people around to shoot the breeze or die with

[Ashlee]

Mostly though, the MUD has been a nice constant in life for me, from when I moved away for college or now overseas for work. Something I know I can always hop on and find the same old people around to shoot the breeze or die with

This. While I enjoyed learning to pk and mastering, it is the constant ability to jump on amd see a few familiar faces. I played all through college and some of law school. It’s great to log on once and while and pick back up.