19 May, 2014, Nathan wrote in the 1st comment:
Votes: 0
I was just reading this promotion for shadowgate mud -> http://www.mudbytes.net/topic-4583 It really doesn't seem all that interesting. Their website is more interesting than the post, but doesn't really highlight anything about what the game is about. So I'm going to complain about all the spots where I think it flops. I'll just apologize now for being overly critical.

<begin harsh criticism>
Why on earth would you tell us that:

"Its not 100% perfect in every way but the experience is just unlike anywhere else."

Well?

This is stating the obvious in an unnecessary way. Everyone knows that no game is perfect, and even if it was great in 9/10 aspects then that last 1/10 would be at least somewhat flawed/unlikable. Also, the latter half is practically lying. If it's a mud then it probably resembles a certain percentage of other muds, period.

Then you have the gall to say something like the following:

"In addition to this the world is HUGE! I mean bigger then the biggest big big world ever! I don't know how big it is exactly because no one has ever actually explored the whole thing."

Seriously? Most of us don't give a darn how big your world is. After all Skyrim is huge and if weren't for the high-quality graphics and the ability to cross over most mountains on foot, kill animals, jump in any lake you please, and occasionally find dragons people would have been begging for fast travel systems that didn't require you to walk/ride there first (they probably were anyway). Also, there is no way for you to know that it is bigger than any other. Lastly, if no one's ever explored the whole thing, then I guess that means that the mud admins haven't either. So, how can they say anything about it's quality. A millions miles of n/s/e/w with nothing in it and no room descriptions, etc, etc would be boring and frustrating enough to drive anyone insane.

"When you join Shadowgate Mud, the first thing you will see is the tutorial and then a large newbie area with five or six decent sized areas to explore."

No offense meant to these guys, but tutorials range from somewhat dull/not mentally stimulating to mind-numbingly boring and grind-like. It's not a fair comparison, but video games don't come with "newbie areas" generally. They simple start you out in a part of the world that is reasonably safe for to you learn how stuff works.

"Carefully and perfectly balanced."

Hah. Carefully balanced I might buy into, but 'perfectly'? Yeah right, 'perfectly' my foot. It's probably impossible to perfectly balance anything.

"After the Newbie area there will be a long stretch of mostly just exploring, learning geography, meeting and talking to other players, developing relationships and if you're really lucky you'll find people around your own level to roleplay with, travel with. And you can freely ask for help on the lines."

Really? Um guys? It's called a MUD –> "Multi-User DUNGEON" for a reason. People want combat and action and all that. What you describe sounds virtually action free. How many real people will put up with that. I like exploring, but one usually explores in hope of finding something and in most games games "meeting people" means spending a max of 5 minutes in the same room and attending to your own business w/no player interaction at all. Also, you already told us that you don't have many players so what are the odds that we'll run into any of them in that super huge, awesometastic world that you just told us about?

"Yes I realize its a pretty jerky thing registering on a forum just to advertise for a game I like. But thats just the way the cookie crumbles. "

No point in telling us that you know that you're a jerk. Either be unapologetic about getting the news about your game because YOU think it's worth playing (which I assume you do because you say you like it) or don't waste people's time with something you don't think is worth playing. Also, there's nothing keeping you from participating on this forum unless you don't think it's worth YOUR time. Cookies don't crumble on their own.

"In my own personal opinion before level 20 you are probably going to just be getting yourself established and learning the people and getting to know your own character and his potential roles in the world. Once you pass level 20 thats when you really need to think about shaking things up and getting seriously involved. By then you will hopefully know enough f everything to not get embarrassed."

So, as a player, I have to struggle through 20 levels of blag before I develop any sense of connection to the game world? Is it easy to get to level 20 or is it a horrendous grind/multi-stage experience of boredom that would drive away any interested and patient player? Get embarassed by what, pray tell?

</end harsh criticism>

** DISCLAIMER: I haven't played this mud, this is just based on the promotional post.
20 May, 2014, Omega wrote in the 2nd comment:
Votes: 0
+1
20 May, 2014, Kaz wrote in the 3rd comment:
Votes: 0
Nathan said:
Really? Um guys? It's called a MUD –> "Multi-User DUNGEON" for a reason. People want combat and action and all that. What you describe sounds virtually action free.


The word "Dungeon" is a historical artifact, and plenty of people have attempted to rebrand it as "dimension" or "domain". There are also loads of muds that are about role-playing or socialising over combat and action.

But that's the only part of the rant I really disagree with. The rest is certainly valid.
21 May, 2014, Hades_Kane wrote in the 4th comment:
Votes: 0
The big thing to keep in mind is that this was a player enthusiastic about the game and trying to drum up players.

This was NOT an Admin for the MUD advertising the game, and so was certainly not an "official" promotion and likely had no involvement with the Admins of the game, and that said, is probably not the way the game would try to represent itself given the opportunity to do so.

Considering that, I think criticizing the post so harshly is, by your own words, overly critical.

As a MUD admin myself, if a player posted an ad like this, even if it was ineffective and perhaps not exactly representative in the best way, I would appreciate the effort and just stay silent on the post. The fact that any player would care enough about a game to bother registering just to advertise to drum up new logins is a pretty compliment on the behalf of the player in my opinion.

The fact that this was an enthusiastic player posting, I think the hyperbole and general lack of specific information ought to be forgiven.

My 2 cents, anyhow.
22 May, 2014, Viriato wrote in the 5th comment:
Votes: 0
+1
19 Jun, 2014, Naylor wrote in the 6th comment:
Votes: 0
don't you just *mimes choking someone* love players?
0.0/6