muds

Muds, or multi-user dungeons, are a class of interactive, text-based online games in which large numbers of players inhabit a shared, persistent virtual world. The interface presents written room descriptions, objects, and actions; players type commands to move, inspect items, interact with the environment, cast spells, or engage with other players. Gameplay centers on exploration, collaborative storytelling, social interaction, and sometimes competitive combat. Worlds are typically created and moderated by administrators and sometimes by players who contribute content within defined rules.

The first MUD, known as MUD1, was created in 1978 by Roy Trubshaw and later developed with Richard Bartle at Essex University in England. It established the core concept of a persistent, networked fantasy environment and inspired a wave of successors. In the 1980s and 1990s, many MUDs surfaced from different code bases and communities. Influential lines include DikuMUD, which emphasized structured combat and quest-based progress; LPMUD, which used the LPC programming language to enable flexible, object-oriented worlds; and various social or role-playing variants such as TinyMUD and MU* games.

Today, the term muds encompasses a range of related formats, including MUSHES and MUCKs that foreground collaborative storytelling and social role-play rather than combat. Numerous mud servers have long-running histories and sizable communities, offering educational and archival value for researchers studying online cultures, language, and game design. Although graphical MMORPGs have largely eclipsed muds in mainstream appeal, text-based mud communities remain active and continue to influence design ideas and online interaction practices.