SWDH was my first experience with the Star Wars genre. I have been an avid gamer for many years but never tried a Star Wars game until this one. This game is very very newbie friendly with staff and players who try to help everyone fine their niche. I've invited friends to play here and when asked 'Why?' it's hard to settle on just one answer...staff willingness, even eagerness to be involved, opportunity for input, informative Q/A/Informational sessions about different aspects of the game, easy to follow help files, top-notch roleplayers and an atmosphere of creativity and sense of community that really stands out from most any other game I've ever played.

This game was recommended to me by another player. Since joining SWDH I have been totally taken by it. Trust me, once you get into it, you can't leave! The Staff put a lot of thought in making SWDH. Many are very old time MUSHers and have put a lot of thought in what works and what doesn't. What they have accomplished is, in my 14+ years of MUSHing, created a game that surpasses any other MUSH I have ever seen. The game is set up to allow you the player, to not only play your character, but to control his/her advancement and direction. Be a fighter pilot and control space, merchant that makes more credits and buys what he/she wants, get into the politics and rule a planet, be a mercenary and put yourself out for hire to the hightest bidder. It is all up to you. No more do you have to depend on the OOC politics to advance you. Your actions, your skills, you control. Well thought out, extremely easy to talk to the Staff (which, by design, is a small group so that there are not levels one has to go through), rich in environment, more roles than you could shake a stick at...it is all here at SWDH.

Alright, so one of the very questions you might ask is what is so spanking different about this Star Wars MUSH than any other stock-pulled one that you've seen without a doubt in great quantities? The answer? I'd have to begin by saying the amazing flexibility of this MUSH is breath-taking. Remember all that happened in Episodes I - III at the movies? It never happened here. You, as a player, make what happens, happen in that time period. Episodes I - III isn't considered canon at Star Wars: Dark Horizons -- only as a reference. The game currently is set pre-Episode I, in which players have time to make their character and develop them before the party begins. Perhaps you didn't like how the Clone Wars turned out in Episode II? You get to make it how you want to be with your character's influence. Be a politician, a Republic Guard, Freelancer Pilot, Bounty Hunter, even a Jedi, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. We have a wide variety of species, to name a few, such as Trandoshan, Quarren (those squid-fish-heads), Mon Calamari (It's A TRAP!), Bothan, Talz, Togruta, Rodian, Hutt, Ishi Tib, and many, many others. And if that's not enough for you, should you find a specific species that you wish to roleplay, and you think it'd fit in with our theme, you can talk to Staffers to make arrangements to play that specific race, should they find it acceptable and approve it. Now you might ask, how does the Force Sensitive system work here? At the beginning of character generation, you will have several choices as your 'Advantage'. One of these, is Force Sensitivity, and by no means do you have to be a Jedi should you choose this option. There is no application process and such to be a Force Sensitive character, as you might experience in other MUSH/MUDs. You heard me, none. *Wink* However, any Jedi induction as a padawan is totally dealt with on an in-character basis. Jedi choose their padawans, not the other way around. There is no 'signing up' as a Jedi right off the bat. For any that consider playing a Dark Jedi, it is totally allowed, granted that the 'fall from grace' is done in a reasonable and in-character manner. Our combat system, both Ground and Space is highly innovated, and totally custom. We heavily enforce that all combat and action scenes are RP-intensive, which flows insanely well with the custom code. Come experience it once, and I assure you will be bedazzled.(So no worries out there for you folks that might be concerned that it's simply a rapid 'code-wise shoot shoot shoot' mentality in combat). For example, this is taken from our helpfile, '+help ship', +shipposing has been made possible, and is an important facet to Space Combat RP. 'Example: +ship executes a half-turn at ever-increasing speed, seeking to maneuver between the blockading Carracks and out into open space. There is desperation in the maneuver, reckless fear in the ship's handling. ... might result in ... 'SPACE - The Orbit of Corus II: RNS Shili executes a half-turn at ever-increasing speed, seeking to maneuver between the blockading Carracks and out into open space. There is desperation in the maneuver, reckless fear in the ship's handling.'' Furthermore, I would like to add that in my time on Star Wars: Dark Horizons, the Staffers are -very- friendly, with no lack of gusto to aid new players in answering any MUSH-related, or theme-related inquiries. You'll find no lack of active Staffers to answer or resolve any questions or issues you might encounter. My rating for this MUSH? The Wizards that have made this game possible have created a monster. Once you pop, you won't stop coming back for more. I guarantee it. -Junssk

When one of my associates pointed me to Dark Horizons, I wasn't exactly thrilled to join a MUSH with a theme as popular as Star Wars. However, upon entrance and reading their news files, and a few hours of roleplay, I got hooked. Combat is hard-coded as to make everyone's life easier, there is an IC Economy and a complex banking system with investments - so you can make a monthly income that increases as you apply more money. Ground and Ship combat are done by poses - as is befitting a RP MUSH, after all, but there are hardcoded combat commands as well as a variety of vessels to choose from. Staff are actually helpful and will try to resolve conflicts and other issues as quick as possible, and while in some other servers mistakes made by newbies are over-punished, and then laughed at, DH's wizards, helpers and judges alike are there to hear your suggestions and even to help you with plots and advise you in policies and rules if you are having difficulties. There are several races from the original trilogy to play from, and the theatrical releases of Episodes IV to VI are the only SW works considered canon - which is exciting. No Jar Jar Binks stupidity nor that crazy midi-chlorian business! That said, the Force becomes less scientific and more mystic here, as befitting the original trilogies. You can play a Jedi and many other varieties of Force-Users if you wish; you can be a star ace, or a professional assassin, or a succesful merchant. It's all up to you, the player, to decided what to play. Oh, and your IC actions may define the course of the game's history. The roleplay is solid - unlike some of the sci-fi MUDs/MUSHes out there and it is rather easy to get engaged in a plot or even to join a faction - cliqueism is not endorsed here, and there are subtle measures to ensure inclusivity in the game. My only criticism is that more +news files are needed regarding the policy, theme and systems, as well as an explanation for several files. They do have a comprehensive wiki page, but that alone doesn't quite help enlightening the masses of newbiehood. This small problem aside, the point that staff is helpful should be reiterated. Looking forwards to meet you there!

I was brought to this mush, from another mush. A fellow player there told me about Dark Horizons, and suggested I join. So I stopped over, and decided to make a char. If you're looking for a good Rp place this isn't it. Even if you come across another player (there is no +where, so you don't know where anyone is..)they either speed walk out, or simply ignore you. The BBoards are filled simply with battle reports, and senate reports. The stats system is even more odd, with just phrases about things with no chart describing what they mean...you don't really have any idea what your char can or can't do. You just get a general feeling, like the place was partially built and then they stopped before it was done.

An excellent interpretation of Star Wars. Breaking away from the studied norm of 'After the battle of Endor' using the prequels, the modified re-releases of the original trilogy, and the EU for canon, going only with the ORIGINAL Star Wars films, as they were released in the 70s and 80s. Taking only what is needed for ease of settling into the theme. Turing the trilogy, by their terms, into a 'Prophetic Story' and letting the players of the game, and the staff who run it, shape the years leading up to the events that would occur in A New Hope, Empire, and Jedi. They also split off from the norm with a completely new system for stats. Not using the Dahan or WEG systems, but creating their own, with an abstract skill system, that while confusing only at first, is easily acclimated to (especially with how helpful staff and players are to newbies). With a character generation system that even allows for you to start higher level, force sensative, or with a huge pile of credits to begin making your way. A system of transferring cargo (which can be a little rattling when you try to get the knack of it) and even investments one can make in the general galactic bank, and your own faction, which in my personal experience is racking up around 1400 combined credits a week, and can easily grow if you continue to invest intelligently. Want a ship off the bat? Take the 50k starting resources in cgen, want to be the big tough hombre from the rim looking to make his way? Take the 4 extra levels of experience. Wanna be a force wielder? Its an option as well (though naturally theres a little more scrutinizing over background to make sure folks know what they're getting into) Heck you can even by your own armies. Some people may think that all this coded shennanigans can detract from roleplay, but on the contrary, in the short time I've been on this game, it -more- than facilitates to aid you in finding your place, roleplaying around, and making your name in the galaxy. You're only a member of the faceless mass if you want to be. I think the only thing that jars me is no +where command, you can tell where people are in the various systems via +rpmap, but from there on its direct contact via the chat channels to find RP, making folks be proactive in the hunt for game, which isn't really a bad thing if you think about it. So take a look, I guarantee you'll be impressed. (and you can find me on game as Reegu)

Dark Horizons is still around and going strong! Anyone desiring roleplay in the Star Wars universe would be doing themselves a disservice by not checking this game out. Star Wars: Dark Horizons is set about forty years prior to the events of the Original Trilogy. While this is technically the prequel era, only the OT is considered canon under our theme (yes, that means no Jar Jar Binks). Anakin will become Darth Vader, Palpatine will become the Emperor, and other events necessary to bringing about the OT era will eventually take place. Everything else is up in the air, with the players shaping the course of events. Because Dark Horizons is a MUSH, it should be emphasized that roleplaying is the game's focus. You gain experience toward advancement through RP, rather than killing mobs. Don't despair if you're fond of coded systems, though! Dark Horizons benefits from many unique systems prepared from the game, from combat to space. There's even a political system perfect for folks interested in belonging to the Senate. In addition to a variety of Star Wars races, the game uses a class system which allows your character to attain a wide range of abilities. You're given enough experience at the start to choose five levels from among these classes. You also choose a special trait to further refine your character -- Experienced, Property, Force Sensitive. Most potential players will wonder whether they can play a Jedi or Sith. The answer is: maybe. Under our theme, the Jedi are much less organized and there's no genetic testing for Sensitivity. You can work with the Jedi OOCly to some extent, possibly steering toward an apprenticeship, but there's really no guarantee. Until somebody tells you you're Force Sensitive, your character just doesn't know. As for the Sith, don't bother asking. Even the Jedi regard them as being extinct or as an outright myth. Dark Horizons currently sees an average of 20-40 players online at any given time, and often more during our peak hours in the EST evenings. It'd be great to have you join these ranks as a fellow player! The Republic is currently in the thick of a war, which means this is a really involving time to jump in. If you need any help once you've logged in, don't hesitate to drop me a line. Address: starwars.isunlimited.net 2001 - Ondula

I'd like to begin by saying that, while this review may come off like an advertisement, I am not staff on Star Wars: Dark Horizons. I'm just a fan of the game who'd like to see more people join in. Dark Horizons is technically set in the same era as the prequels, but it does not treat the prequel movies as cannon. Some of the basic elements of the story will still be upheld. Palpatine will become Emperor, the Republic will fall, the Jedi will be wiped out, etc. Other than that basic framework, the course of events is up in the air. Even the manner in which those things happen may be different, depending upon the actions of the players. The head staff hopes that this will result in this era being played out the way it should've been, before we move on into the time of the Empire and the Rebellion. It's important to note that Dark Horizons is a MUSH, and is thus driven by role-play. There are no automated mobs to run around and kill. Numerous coded systems are in place to keep the game from being totally freeform, however. There's an economy, personal and ship-to-ship combat, mechanized combat with things like tanks, armies, the Force and other interesting stuff. For people who enjoy politics, you can even be a planetary official or a member of the Republic's government. The Senate is coded so that its members may submit motions, propose amendments and vote things into law. I was impressed with how each of the coded systems manages to be detailed, without becoming overly technical - and confusing - in the way that some sci-fi MUs do. There's a +help file for virtually everything. Systems that should be common are prominently documented, while other things that are thematically mysterious (like the Force) remain as such. Space code is usually the most frightening thing to newcomers on Star Wars MUSHes, but Dark Horizons makes it very easy to pick up and use. Character generation is quite streamlined. You're asked to select your species (with advantages/disadvantages), write a description, and provide a short background. You then select a special trait to further define your character. These include Experienced (more skillful), Wealthy (extra cash), or Force Sensitive (you have the potential to be a Force User). Your character's abilities are governed according to your character class, and there are MANY to choose from. The game starts you off with enough XP to take five levels in the classes of your choosing, and you earn more XP through roleplaying. In light of the Force Sensitive trait and the class system, I'm sure many of you will wonder whether you can play a Jedi. The answer: maybe. The Jedi Knights are much less organized under the revised theme, and the Force is a mysterious thing. Genetic testing for Force Sensitivity does not happen. Your character might be Sensitive, but your character won't know it unless a Force User decides to tell him. Don't bother asking about the Sith, as they're little more than an extinct tradition or an outright myth in the minds of most. The game regularly sees 20+ simultaneous logins during the afternoon and evening hours. Having encountered many of those players, I'm pleased to say that the average quality of roleplay is excellent. I've yet to see the coded systems be abused by anyone, for those who'd worry about that. There's been action, adventure, and politics aplenty. In less than a month, Dark Horizons will kick off the main plot arc with the first official episode (our version of Episode I). Come on by, give the place a try! I have been very satisfied with the quality and variety offered by Star Wars: Dark Horizons. No matter what sort of character you want to play, you'll fit in fine.

Short Review: I have only been at this Mush for a short time, yet I have seen some great potential here. It is very active and yet has a playerbase thats not too large to be annoying - and has a number of dynamic in-game systems. Its worth checking out. Long: The first thing I noticed about this Mush after connecting was that it was set before the original Star Wars movies. This is fairly standard, except it didn't take the prequels as cannon. According to the news files, the administrators wanted to try something different, to do what they felt the 'new' movies should have been. Since I'm not exactly a Star Wars Puritan, this doesn't bother me; and gives me a chance to be surprised, and yet still know what's going on. The second thing I noticed was character creation. Most Star Wars mushes with extensive code-work done (and this does have extensive code work) have a detailed system where you choose skills and such. This one has you choose three things; your race, your class archetype/s, and a special perk. The race comes with 'racial skills' - skills which your race is naturally very good at, and will actually be very useful. The class selection gives you skills; and each level in a class gives the same skills to everyone; skills just get better as you level. You start out with 5 'levels' to disperse, and there is a wide variety of classes to choose from, and news-files describing them. This is apparently meant to simulate the 'feel' of the original movies, and works fairly well. The special perk is interesting. There are three of them, Skills, Wealth and Force-Sensitive. Choosing Skills (Experience) - increases all the skills you have greatly; making your character really good at what he has skills in right off the bat - he (or she) is a power player in terms of abilities, and will be very handy to have around. Want to be a great pilot? Check. Great spy? Check. Great politician? Check - its all possible. Great wealth makes you rich; so you can be a Hutt Businessman or a member of the Nobility. Both are very useful. Force-Sensitive lets you have the ic-chance to someday be recruited into the Jedi. On the other hand, theres also a Wilder Force-Adept class, so even if you arn't one of the ones who get recruited into the Jedi, with enough work, you can use the force anyways. The FS perk is the most work of course - but unlike most mushes, anyone can choose it. And the other ones are just as useful - perhaps even more so. As for the roleplay, I've seen a number of great roleplayers here. I've roleplayed with the politicians, the criminals, the Jedi, and the bar appears to be fairly high. Poses are refreshingly long (usually) - and yet posed quickly. The characters all have definitive personalities and are interesting. Its not hard to get an IC job (just ask someone), and I'm almost never lacking rp if I want it. Most amazingly, it is almost absurdly easy to acomplish things icly, as long as you work hard and /can/ reasonably accomplish them icly - the administration has a very dynamic government and economy which gives almost unprecedented freedom to the players, and I've been mushing for 12 years - I've seen everything. In short, I believe this mush is worth a shot if your into Star Wars mushes. I don't usually like Star Wars mushes myself, but this one managed to impress me so much that I'm willing to stick with it.