Gameplay is marginally improved from stock DIKU but not by much. If you played a DIKU game in the past you'll be able to figure out how to play pretty easily. Most of the rest of the learning curve is figuring out how to roleplay in the world, which is also pretty easy, since standards are minimal. Just do things your character would do and you should be fine. There's no need to be flashy and write novel-length poses. The question, really, is why would you want to play? The administration has 17 staff members on it as of this writing. The three Producers direct the game at the topmost level. They "oversee the direction of the world at large and help ensure the atmosphere of the game is constant", according to the website. What this translates to is they ensure nothing of significance changes within the game. There is certainly no worldwide political intrigue; ever since they closed Tuluk off and pretended it doesn't exist, there is no conflict between states. All of the Producers are programmers. They don't care about what makes the game a roleplaying game; things like story are beneath them. They're focused on repeatedly fixing their own mistakes and making sure the game doesn't crash. Then there are three Administrators, who are basically middle management. They try to lead independent spheres of the game, but often get embroiled in rules enforcement and other petty stuff that the Producers should really be handling. There are eight Storytellers, who manage individual clans within those spheres. But since they can only allow things the Administrators allow them to, and Producers give permission to Administrators to act, nothing actually happens since the staff are constantly tied up in a bureaucratic mess. The remaining three staff members are builders, who do an unspecified amount of work since very few new objects get added to the game, and staff are notoriously not fans of adding new things on behalf of players. This mismanaged bureaucracy allows staff to conduct a lot of unofficial actions, such as harassment of players and extensive cheating. Staff's mortal characters are easy to identify by how overpowered they are. Given staff's focus on making sure nothing of significance actually happens, it's up to players to make the world exciting. What can they do, though? They can ask for permission and aid from staff, who then get to arbitrarily decide if the player's character has the resources and political pull needed to get something done. And if they can't secure that from the staff, then nothing of significance happens. Since it's so difficult to get staff to agree to help with anything, players are left to fend for themselves when it comes to plots. Interpersonal conflict between characters is high because staff have no control or sway over that, so it becomes the primary source of RP. What this ends up amounting to is independent characters trying to set up distribution channels, where hunters grind raw... Read More

I have voted for Armageddon about 5-10 times in my entire time playing. I started in 2014. I think voting should be like leaving a high rating review at a restaurant. Not something you do every day like a drone. People shill voting in the discord and forums non stop but...I don't get the point. I don't vote because I /want/ the game to get better, I think you should vote because the game /is/ great. And the game is good. Just not great. Armageddon is a restaurant that has a killer steak but the cook times are long and you sometimes get a waiter that is a super ass and sometimes you get a waiter thats really nice, but the food still takes an extra 20 minutes. Let's break the game down. THE GOOD: The code gets updated fairly regularly and you can do most things. The setting is cool (Atleast it is to me) The class rework makes the game a lot more diverse (More on that later) Code: You can take a look at it for your self on some less than staff-approving forums to see what exactly is going on, but the game works a good 90% of the time and I've only ever broken the code on accident like twice. I've got no real complaints about it. I'm sure other games do it better. I think the game only has like 1 staffer on code so the updates are a bit slow but regular. Setting: It's dark sun, but not. The game uses a lot more from Dark Sun than people like to talk about and will just go 'uwu it's not dark sun tho' but you'll still see a similarity. The culture/world is completely different, but the reference material is there. Some creatures are completely different, and some cool ones aren't available, but the idea is there. Classes: The classes are good but some are more robust than others. You have some classes that seem to be able to do everything great, and some that can't do anything good at all. I think Scout/Raider, for example, are great but Soldier seems kinda shitty. Regardless I think even the worse class available is better than the old pickpocket that used to exist. THE BAD: This game has 14 staffers on it. Assuming we have 60 players, that's like 4.2-ish staff per player. That's an insane ratio! That's great! How much animation will you receive in this game?....Not a lot. Also, the times for the request tool (Which is basically emailing but not and twice as slow) are horrendous Example: I wanted a character with a mutation that has a benefit, mutations of which are common in Armageddon. The idea was:I wanted Darkvision/The ability to see outside no matter the time of day. I wanted to FLAVOR this as being due to his magic ability, as he was going to be a wind mage. All mutations that are beneficial have to have a (For... Read More

Long post ahoy! Consider yourself warned. Armageddon MUD is the best role-playing MUD you're going to find. While it's not perfect, if you come in with the right expectations, you can have a lot of fun. No game - ever - has made my heart pound from the stress of being hunted by enemies, sad (or happy!) to see another PC die (or get what was coming to them), or as curious to discover answers that I did not have. The perma-death and relationship building, along with the sometimes cruel and unforgiving environment full of things that can surprise you for better or more often worse, is unparalleled. If this sounds cool to you, dive in and see what you think. There are a wide variety of character archetypes to play from the coded perspective, and an infinite number of personalities and social traits to play as. The game has a karma system to unlock more powerful coded abilities and races that require special play, but even at the 0 karma level there's so many possibilities you could play for years and not explore all of them. At its core, the game is about a broken world that is ruled by a couple of god king despots and their lackeys. Generally speaking, your PC will be coming from squalor and trying to make something of themselves and just survive, frankly. The fun of the game is with interaction with other players via their PCs. There are some true stars that are a lot of fun to interact with. Staff position certain players in leadership roles to facilitate clan play and others are promoted up through the ranks organically themselves. Catching one of these PCs and getting hired on is the best way for a new player to learn the ropes. A good leadership PC facilitates plots for everyone around them, both in and out of their clan. Just a few blurbs to address a couple of the other reviews I read here. Not tooting my own horn, however I played heavily for well over a decade before joining staff for a multi-year stint (now retired) at that as well, so I have a pretty good grasp on the world, its mechanics, how the game works, how the staff works, and so on. Consider me "woke" when it comes to ArmageddonMUD. Re: The "OOC" community around the game can be a weak point. * The discussion board on the official game isn't the most welcoming of places (the word toxic gets used and sometimes that's accurate) and sometimes there are back channel discussions between players that cause problems. You aren't supposed to talk about in character stuff when you aren't playing the game "in character" and when this happens, it's always bad. That's fair and something the game could definitely improve on. * There's also a self-promoting 'community' of people who seem to enjoy bashing the game endlessly, despite largely having vowed to have long ago quit playing which... Read More

I started playing this game 3 months ago. Interesting world, but people in this game will randomly do sex emotes in public places, such as taverns. They do these emotes in a "hidden" fashion, so you need a high watch skill or you need to be watching the emoter specifically in order to see the emotes, but apparently people will just watch each other and proceed to have hidden sex with each other. Except you will see these emotes passively if your watch skill has gone up, and it WILL go up as you play. You're supposed to ask consent before doing not safe for work emotes, and these people don't ask consent, they just force their sex emotes on people who might be at work, at home with family, and so on. I tried confronting two such players by saying that I didn't consent to these emotes, and asked them to please either stop, or take their mudsex somewhere else. One of them responded with "lol" and this started a small argument between a few of the players in the room, but ultimately they decided to continue mudsexing in public. I tried to send a message to staff but got ignored. I decided to just leave the game because the community is toxic, and there is no common courtesy between people here. They all do whatever they want to and don't care if it bothers anyone else.

In lieu of a traditional review, I will instead strive to fix the myriad inaccuracies on this game's listing on this website: 1) Tuluk "exists" but it is closed for play, so everything about Tuluk in the game's description is pointless. Everything in the description about the setting's harshness is practically non-existent; the game is a place for socializers to cuddle and find erotic roleplay. 2) The "Adult" category is simultaneously too accurate and wildly inaccurate. If you don't get involved in the erotic roleplay, you will not get involved in plots in general, period. At the same time, players act like kids who will throw a fit if they don't get their way. 3) This game does not have anywhere between 74-99 players online as a general rule. The average is closer to 30-50 in the two or three-hour window that's considered peak times. 4) This game is not newbie-friendly. Learning this game involves going through the lengthy character creation process, dying, and trying again. Repeatedly, forever. It's commonly said that no one ever stops being a newbie at this game. 5) The MUD is only fully operational in the strictest sense, that you can connect to it and play. It is run by a bloated and mismanaged bureaucratic body that seems intent on stymieing any and all sorts of player effort. If you're looking for a game where player effort equals changes to the game world, this is absolutely not it. When you play Armageddon, you're playing in the staff's sandbox, who expect you to create a story without any help from them. The staff are essentially deadbeat DMs. 6) Roleplaying is not enforced, it is encouraged at best. You are absolutely allowed to create a character that interacts with no other player and exists solely to kill animals. One could say you're roleplaying a psychotic animal-killer in this scenario but this excuse is weak at best. 7) The huge world of 15,000+ rooms contains a plethora of rooms that are just copies of one another: endless desert with nothing particularly interesting about the specific rooms. Occasionally you'll find a landmark or an animal to kill. Finally, a few words of caution: This game is on a downturn, and has been dying slowly for years. The vast majority of players are those who have been around for 10-15 years or more. I played for 14 years before I decided to walk away, due to players' hostility towards newbies. Many staff have tried and failed to fix the game by addressing the problems of the exclusionary, xenophobic community, only to be run out of town. The remaining staff body only serve themselves and their friends. I walked away after witnessing the absurdly poor treatment of female players and characters in this game. Female characters are treated as no more than living sex toys by many of the men who play this game. It is not uncommon to see staff animate a male NPC just to harass female... Read More

Armageddon is quite possibly the poorest-administrated roleplay-enforced game in existence. The bloated staff body is often between 12 to 15 members in size, 3 to 4 times larger than some smaller MUDs. The end result is a mismanaged bureaucracy that slows down roleplay and player plots. The staff use their powers to gain special privileges for their own mortal characters - and yes, the staff are allowed to play mortal characters in this game - and to give special privileges to their friends, such as special items or roles to fill. As a staff member, in four instances I noticed an administrator tweaking their character's skill levels and giving them weapons that looked similar to some basic equipment but had more powerful damage dice. The game has been bleeding players for years. They are fleeing for a reason. This chart shows the number of weekly logins per week from 2010, when the game started counting unique weekly logins, to 2019: https://i.imgur.com/pJ5xhtp.png The reason why the game is bleeding players is quite simple. There is nothing to do in the game. Armageddon is supposed to have a plot driven by conflict, but staff, as well as players in powerful positions, stamp out all conflict as soon as it starts for fear it might threaten their characters or those of their friends. It has been happening for years. Any plot in the game is manufactured by staff and only supported for the duration of the plot itself. Once the plot is over, nobody cares what happens so long as you aren't drawing on staff's precious red tape time or threatening any players. This game is perhaps the only game with an unofficial message board where people have aired their grievances without fear of being censored by the staff or shouted down by the game's sycophantic players who have built out-of-game connections with the staff. I won't post the link here but it is pretty easy to find if one conducts a Google search for "armageddon mud", since it will be at or near the top of the search results, along with other reviews of Armageddon posted on other websites. The game is a shadow of its former self. The old positive reviews on this site are written by players who experienced a different era of the game or are hoping to get a karma handout from staff. Karma allows players to play more powerful roles, and to get it, you must essentially beg the staff for it, much like one must beg a boss for a raise. The staff know how valuable karma is to its players and will dangle it over people's heads to get them to jump through hoops. Often a request for more karma is denied, and staff will lay out the framework for how a player must play in order to gain more karma. These rules often include avoiding conflict with other players. As a staff member, I am doing my best to change things the... Read More

I posted a review years ago, so here's an update. The game world has expanded - it was always large, thousands of rooms. Now it's thousands more. Lots of areas to explore, mobs to kill, and to kill you, plenty of dynamic code. With the "forage" skill comes opportunities to find valuable artifacts, gemstones to sell or use, food, wood and on rare occasion, treasure (those would be loaded for specific reasons by staff). Some areas have closed - mainly the city of Tuluk, and Red Storm East, an outpost village that was never all that populated in the first place. The guild/subguild system has been completely reworked and is now a class/subclass (semantics). You can now specialize more efficiently, and be "really awesome at everything because you picked the right main and sub" less efficiently. This is intentional. The results are a mixed bag, I feel. The mundane classes are much better well-rounded, and I absolutely love the myriad of options now. The magick system has been split into subclasses, which I feel takes a lot away from the mystery and risk vs. reward of playing a mage in a world where magicks are considered dangerous, scary, suspect, and loathed. I enjoyed playing victim or minion or hunter to some of the more difficult mage roles, and I enjoyed the possibility that I'd be able to play them some day, myself. The roleplay is still the core of this game. Inspired heavily by a combination of Dark Sun and the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, characters live in a post-apoc desert world where the fabled, legendary and never-seen Sorcerer-King rules the south and the equally legendary but (previously) sometimes-seen Sun King rules the north. Noble houses vie for their place in the heirarchy of politics, influence, and power, their minions doing their bidding (or not, and risking consequences). Commoners live their lives, some trying to rise in influence, some simply wanting to "get good" at making fancy things and selling them for lots of money. Some are hunters, who bring back raw materials and artifacts from elsewhere on behalf of clients. Some are raiders, who ride the trade route ready to rob those very hunters - whether by coersion or by force. The player base is also a mixed bag. Some of the veterans who left years ago are returning after a haitus, and that means newer players will have a chance to interact with more folks who understand the depth of this game. I feel the best way to get these newer players deeply involved in interactions, is to show them how robust the RP can be. Some of them don't understand that their character being murdered can actually be a GOOD thing. Some don't understand that this isn't a PK-game, even though PK is allowable and not uncommon. If more folks who appreciated their character being influential enough to warrant an assassination attempt, would step up and demonstrate the benefits of this, I feel would... Read More

I've been with this game since I was about 14 years old (I'm now 32), through Armageddon I learned to write, roleplay take part in a wonderful shared story. It's a game I've played almost non-stop since my youth. The depth of the game is beautiful, the lore is something you can lose yourself in if you take the time to look at the world around you. The playerbase is mature, the roleplay is top tier and I've come to have more long-lasting friends from this community than I have in any other online gaming community I've been a part of. It really is a beautiful game, the coders are always working one bringing something new and awesome, like the new classes/subclasses! They manage to keep the game wonderfully fresh and interesting even for an old fart like me that's been there for for almost two decades. Come join!

At its core, Armageddon Mud is poorly coded game. The world is small and rather empty. There is no reason to explore since there is nothing to find or discover at the edges of the world At best you find insta-death rooms and lose your character and time investment. There are also no quests, no treasures, and the over all game-play, mechanics and, economy is rather simple. The mud had two things going for it, an excellent theme taken from dark sun and a healthy player base which made the game fun to play. Where this game was supposed to shine was stories, RP and interactions. Unfortunately this game suffers from toxic staff who along with their close friends have slowly dwindled the playerbase to less than 1/3 of its original size. Sometimes you can only find 20-25 people during prime time, these people spread across several areas and sometimes just remain idle or are afk. The continual loss of their play base has not made the staff change their attitude. They still insult and belittle their players and when players finally speak up they get punished and banned. They do this in game and through emails, if there are forum outburst by staff, those are usually deleted. There is a forum by ex-players dedicated to former players about their experiences,even posting pictures of the rude emails they have received from staff. It was the healthy player base that made this game fun, by alienating the majority of those players and driving them away all that is left is a boring and beak game play experience. The recent additions to their code and class does nothing to change the game, especially in a mud with such a poor world devoid of any meaningful content/npcs. You are asked to invest a huge amount of time in order to get anywhere, however this is just a lie. After investing time and effort in making this bleak game fun for yourself, you will not find fun or exciting stories, instead you will a mud staff that will not respect you as a player, or even as a person, and cause you to lose that investment by killing your character or just insulting you and causing you to leave. The players remaining are often friends of staff, and will be equally as toxic, they will also outright kill your character without reason, cause or RP. There are better ways to spend your time.

I came to Armageddon searching for a rich and immersive roleplaying experience with the hopes that it also came with a community that liked to have fun. I was very shocked to find that many players here cannot separate the game from real life and act just as badly on Discord and the game forums as their characters do in the game. The game has a harsh setting, so it is understandable that players will play bad people. But they don't have to be bad people in Discord and the forum. When you go on the game's Discord only to be flooded with creepy sexual and racial jokes, and this behavior is not only the norm, but completely supported by the staff who moderate the chat, you have to wonder if Armageddon attracts bad people, or turns good people into bad people. When I have said that people should calm down I was private messaged by both players and staff. Many were rude and told me, in harsher words, that I was being a buzzkill for being offended by racist and sexist behavior. The rest told me that what they do kind of sucks, but it's the norm and that they hoped I would enjoy the game despite the community surrounding it. However these people are missing the point: a MUD is supposed to be a community just as much as it is a game. If you can't enjoy the community, how are you expected to enjoy the game? Would you play a tabletop D&D game with people you don't like? It does not make any sense. Avoid this game at all costs until they do something to fix the community and remove players and staff members who are aggressive towards women and minority players. They are a stain on the MUD community that may never go away until the MUD community makes the effort to keep away.

When I first logged in, I nearly fled to the closest quit room the moment someone looked in my direction. I was a beginner with zero roleplaying experience and MUDs were 'multiplayer interactive fiction/text-based games' to me. In the three years I've played on and off, I have since learned that a MUD is a 'multi-user dungeon'. But it can also be a lot lot more than that. Enter Armageddon: a rich, immersive experience in a harsh, gritty world reminiscent of grimdark fantasy, with vivid descriptions, a conscientious eye for detail, hundreds of flora and fauna, and a large variety of treacherous terrain. Here, death is a common affair and kindness is a rare resource. The community is active and generally helpful, if stubborn in their conflicting opinions. The staff, who are players themselves, can seem distant and apathetic from afar but the majority of them are extremely responsive, encouraging and supportive. The coded mechanics, while lacking in some areas, are fairly robust and facilitate storytelling in ways that other mediums cannot. At its heart, roleplaying is the meat of the game. And it shows in several ways. The heavy focus on immersion sacrifices the predetermined for spontaneity, giving way to unexpected developments. The plethora of lore and documentation opens up a limitless number of possibilities. The unique cast of characters: from silly and comical, to inspiring and frightening. From deep and developed, to the more code-focused. Now and then, you will run into the odd player whose efforts amount to textspeak, but the majority bring a clamor of goals, personalities and backstories to the game. Lastly, the emotionally-driven scenes that will leave you on the edge of your seat, hands trembling or on the verge of tears. If you are looking for a roleplaying experience that is intense, fast-paced and challenging at its peak, look no further than Armageddon.

The game promotes itself as something it isn't. I usually keep to myself, I don't even have a forum account because I want to keep a distance from the games community. However, one of the players known to be extremely pro-staff insisted that we, the players, should all go out and post positive reviews on all mud review sites, to combat the growing negative reviews from disgruntled players, most of whom are newer players tried of being treated as second rate players because we haven't been around for a decade. I would be considered a new player, yet I've played for over three years with consistent log on times of about twelve hours a week. There have been unironic posts from players who feel ten years is a good time period for players to be considered trustworthy enough to have karma. As you can imagine, many newer players, by the community standard of new, are unhappy. So, I came to post a review about the game, though I doubt anyone would consider it positive. You won't be welcomed or accepted. You can window shop the website and see all kinds of interesting things, but almost none of those exist in the game anymore. I never received karma and have since been locked out from ever getting more, along with every other quote un-quote new player. While people who are popular in discord and on the forums walk around with high powered characters, skill bumps and magic, destroying us lesser players and our plots for discord giggles, any and every new player is indefinitely barred from having access, no matter how honest or talented they may be. They insist that at some point in the distant future, karma requests will be re-opened. They have been saying this for a long time now and no matter how many new players come, realize they're nothing but fodder for staff and vet alikev and leave, the staff are steadfast in their refusal to let players have a chance. I urge you not to believe them, or to be ensnared by some of the laughably dishonest reviews floating around. It isn't a healthy game and you will reap nothing but disappointment for your earnest efforts.

It's been three years since I started playing Armageddon. I started as a near complete newbie to MUDs, my only experience prior being a few hours spent running around SlothMUD, trying to level up and rapidly growing bored of the repetition. It was in no way SlothMUD's fault, though. I was never one for hack and slash games. The idea of roleplay was intimidating to me. The closest I'd ever gone to roleplay, before then, was a small forum roleplay based on Hunger Games my schoolmate had made back in grade school. We 'roleplayed' as ourselves (being badass), in truth, so I'm not sure it even counts. Nevertheless, I waded into these strange waters, hoping for the best. On my first few characters, I treated Armageddon as if it were just another hack and slash game. I came across these 'scrabs' and -- yes -- I imagined they were scarabs. My first character died because this mistake. 'No biggie,' I had thought, and I rolled up a new character. This time, I started attacking an NPC on the road, in broad daylight, because I somehow thought that was the way to skill up and because my character was in 'desperate' need for coin. My character was promptly taken to a dark cell that stunk of death. Both she and I anxiously waited in the gloom. It was only a few minutes later when a templar came in, bathing the cell with light. Cockroaches littered the floor. I found that fascinating and the descriptions so utterly atmospheric. The echoes were my favorite part. At the time, I hadn't realized echoes were automatic, shot every few minutes. When a scream filtered through the door and was suddenly cut off, I was terrified. As I was saying, the templar entered this filthy cell. He came with an offer: for my character to fight it out in the arena or for her to pay a substantial amount of coin by the end of the month. She went for the coin, of course. The templar was visibly disappointed. That same day, she died in her attempts to hunt. I was hooked by that point. My next character joined the T'zai Byn. It was there that I began to grasp the game. Armageddon has its weaknesses. There are voices in its community (and outside) who are incredibly toxic. Its hack and slash roots are glaringly obvious at times, one main example being the fixed skillsets. I shouldn't be speaking generally, because in the midst of this toxicity, I've seen wonderful players in Armageddon. The roleplay I've come to learn and experience is some of the best I've ever been involved in. I've played different roleplay MUDs and have joined few roleplay forums since I started in Armageddon. These include Evolution of Esos, TI Legacy, and Arx, to name a few. No matter what, the level of detail in Armageddon, the quality of roleplay, and the plethora of lore I've yet to discover always me... Read More

I played Armageddon for over a decade, then got deployed overseas. After that long deployment, and taking some time to rest, I decided to check back at my old haunt for what roleplay could be found. Over the course of the few months I had given Armageddon another try, I was shocked to see how far the game had fallen in the three years I had been away. The game's staff desperately removed Tuluk, a major playing area of the game, in a bid to push players closer together. But the player count has gone down. I remember times that I would see 50 to 60 people logged in at Armageddon's peak times, in the evening. But that number has fallen to about 20. Further, the players that remain have become more toxic than ever. The game's discussion forum's active members usually promote self-serving ideas for the game, things that are not good for the game but for themselves. Actual roleplay is hard to find in the game, where characters usually focus hard on skill advancement while neglecting deeper character development. The staff members are generally unfriendly as well. At the beginning of my character's existence I was told to submit monthly character reports on what I was doing. In response to my first character report for the first month of play, I was asked why I was bothering to submit character reports as my character was deemed unimportant, and was discouraged from sending future reports unless my character was doing something that required staff assistance. Lastly, a player has started a campaign on the game's forum to write positive reviews for the game in an effort to recruit players: http://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php/topic,53850.0.html I have to say that this appears to be an effort to game the system. Armageddon should be avoided at all costs. There are better roleplaying games with more players out there. Armageddon is not the top dog by any stretch of the imagination.

A staff member sends: 'You're being banned for participating on a forum responsible for stealing and distributing Armageddon's code.' wish all What forum? ---------- *record scratch* *freeze frame* Yeah, that's me. I bet right now you're wondering how I got here. Honestly, so am I. I started playing Armageddon about six months ago. I saw it was rated #1 on this very website, so I figured it was worth a try. What appealed to me was the fact that it's been around for almost 30 years and that the game has extensive documentation describing just about everything in the game. Immersing myself into the game was relatively hard. After my first character was tricked into following someone into the desert and ultimately murdered - they said they were going to lead me to their clan compound to hire me - I rolled a second character and decided to seek help on their 'live help chat', which is in fact rarely staffed by helpers, which results in having to send an email to helpers for help. I tried asking questions on the Discord and forum, but quickly found the Armageddon community to be sycophantic and very bizarre. There are weird individual personalities, like the player who thinks revenge porn is the victim's fault. There are weird collectives, like the Discord sub-group that seems to thrive on mocking former players and staff. Yeah, I don't need to make new friends by mocking people that aren't part of the group. That's the kind of thing you grow out of in high school. Then one day, completely at random, I got the above message that I opened this review with. I have no idea what this 'forum' is and I have no idea how Armageddon's code would be distributed. All I can assume is that, because I use a VPN, my IP address clashed with the person actually responsible for stealing the code, and they assumed it was me. Essentially tired of the game at this point, I did not bother to appeal. The community is horrid, the staff are insular and paranoid, and you will almost certainly be taken advantage of as a newbie. Stay far away from this game. The only reason they are #1 on the listings is likely because of extensive cheating.

What I love about Armageddon: Roleplaying tools. Once you learn the commands, acting out a character can become a game in itself. Using them, even mundane tasks like cleaning your gear or cooking meat can be a deeply reflective part of your story. The nice part about it is it’s not required. Indulge if you want, paint a really cool picture of how you stormed through a room with murder in your eyes and a bone blade in your hand, or just go west west. The mood and setting. Dark Sun was cool. Dune was alright. For me, Armageddon takes the best of both and twists it around a little. You get back what you put into it. During the pinnacle of my Armageddon days, I played characters that helped me figure out who I am, exploring elements of my personality like trying on different skins. A lot of roleplayers experience this in their game of choice, but none other offers the same depth of exploration. If you can invest the time and give it a serious try, the interactions you’ll have with the other characters will come together into a story you’ll want to tell your RL friends. Some of the best might inspire some new fiction. What bugs me about Armageddon: The shrinking world. Once upon a time, the most often heard complaint was that it was too hard to get involved with other players. Part of the reason was that they were spread too thinly across a world that can be time-consuming to traverse. Closing one of the city-states had its ups and its downs. It became easier to interact with other players, but the conflicts lost a lot of dynamic. With player numbers on the rise, it’s time to see the Sun King come back with a vengeance. The awkward economy. Let’s face it, a game that doesn’t struggle with this is fooling itself. You have issues of playability vs realism, of incremental growth vs balanced play, the incentives that drive fun things like adventure and exploration. Armageddon strives to create a world that feels real, yet the value of goods doesn’t jive with the value of labor. Some players, new and old, have no problem at all generating thousands of coins, while others struggle to support themselves doing things that, from any logical point of view, should generate reliable income. It’s possible to play a role without rubbing against this, but sometimes, depending on what you try to do, you’ll come across one of the places where gameplay and simulation can’t see eye to eye. You get back what you put into it. It can be hard to appreciate Armageddon as a casual player. It’s doable, especially if you are willing to play a lonely game while you skill up and develop your psyche. But these days, with two kids and a well-more-than-full-time job, I have a hard time enjoying Armageddon like I used to. Accessibility could use some work. The review: had... Read More

Armageddon is a MUD that markets itself as a 'tough love' roleplaying game, where nothing is free and actions have real consequences in a dangerous world. Murder, corruption, betrayal, blah blah blah. I was really enthusiastic about this, but the game is poorly implemented and impossible to break into. You will have a lot of difficulty playing this game if you are new. Armageddon is geared towards old players to an incredible degree - and they do this through the restriction of knowledge. Maps are in ASCII art and lack detail. To craft items, you need to OOCly know the recipe for the craft, which is available nowhere in the game or the website. You need to ask another character to tell you the recipe. For every recipe in the game. There is no information available on how to do most things, such as creating antidotes, locating crafting ingredients, or making money in general. You see, there's a culture that talking about game mechanics at all in OOC is taboo. If you ask a question on the forums or in their official Discord, the answer will invariably be 'find out IC'. And in Armageddon, finding things out IC will usually kill you. After you die because you didn't know that one particular room has an NPC which can 1-shot you before you finish typing 'flee west', you're expected to create a new character. This would be fine, in a hack-and-slash that doesn't market itself as a serious roleplaying game. In Armageddon, you need a lengthy appearance description and backstory for your new character, every time. Expect to go through dozens of these characters before you go through enough trial and error to memorise which rooms and scenarios will instantly kill you. If you were attached to any of your characters and wanted to spend time building up an actual story, you are playing the wrong MUD. Sorry. If you are willing to power through all of this, there's more. Your 1000 starter money? About half of that is protection money that belongs to whatever gang is prowling the starter zone at the time. If you don't feel like paying that protection money, you will get ganked by a guy who has been grinding his combat skills for several months because he is a veteran who actually knows how to play the game. There's also brownie points which you build up on your account over time for doing things that the staff approve of, or something. I didn't play long enough to find out what warrants getting one of these brownie points, but it opens up a lot of additional options in character generation that only veterans have access to. The roleplay is okay. That's it. Most of the people you meet will disappear before your next login, and you'll never know whether they got bored of the game, or their corpse is lying somewhere in the desert because nobody told them that the 'antidotes' sold in the for... Read More

I would like to preface what will be a rather negative review with the very important fact that this was once not only my favorite Mud, but my favorite game. Armageddon Mud has everything one could want from a RP mud, including a nigh-flawless code, beautiful writing, a deep, vast lore, and many other great attributes. Despite all of this, the game has devolved into one which I would not recommend to anyone; the primary reason for this is the Staff. Staff on Armageddon mud are fickle at the best of times, and immoral/dictatorial at the worst. They treat the game like their own personal sandbox in which they can play god for the benefit of ~20 players who are themselves or their close friends. Try killing the wrong player, for instance, and you will find the player resurrected, and yourself banned. Try making a legitimate change in-game that a staffer is not fond of, you will find your character singled out and targeted with staff-animated enemies until they are dead. The staff-driven plots are ones that have almost no tangible effect on the average player, but provide entertainment for their selected Aristocracy to experience. They tend to ignore any player-driven ideas or changes in the world, unless it is against the grain for the story they want to be told, in which case they will put a halt on it. In the glory-days, you could see 100+ players online on the weekends. Now, you are LUCKY to see that number break 40. The massive dip in players has caused them to close sections of the world, close clans, close guilds, and close race options. At this moment, simply googling 'Armageddon Mud Forums' will bring you not to the official forum for Armageddon Mud, but to a 'Shadow-Board' which posting in overtly will get you banned from the game. This Shadow-Board has hundreds of former players who are equally dissatisfied with the horrible turn their beloved game has taken these last several years. Rather than changing their ways, and attempting to regain a massive playerbase, staff would rather keep playing in their sandbox, and devote their time to making unwanted, unnecessary changes that are universally disliked by the still-active players. The game has also become a haven for politically-correct lunacy. The game's mantra is 'Murder, Corruption, Betrayal.' But try saying the word 'Slut,' 'Retarded,' or any other politically-incorrect phrase in-game, and you will earn OOC opposition from the playerbase and staff. I would love to come back and play this game into which I have devoted hundreds of days of playtime - with great relish, I might add - but without a massive reform of the Staff, it is pointless. As it is, this is a dying game which I would not recommend to anyone.

I'm a big fan of the poop sandwich style of writing feedback. In other words if you must criticize something then stick your criticism (the poop) between two nice things (bread? mmm). Anyway, no more cussing. Let's begin. BREAD SLICE ONE Armageddon bills itself as a roleplaying intensive game. Its tagline is 'Murder, Corruption, Betrayal'. It is set in the harsh desert world of Zalanthas where you can't even get a drink of water for free. The documentation is extensive. So extensive, in fact, you likely won't be able to read it in one day, or three, or ten. This is not a bad thing. The more fleshed out the game world is the better it tends to be. Clearly Armageddon benefits from being over 25 years old as it has had all that time to form, and reform, and define itself. The idea of Armageddon is extremely good and extremely sound. It has a lot of potential, and undoubtedly hundreds if not thousands of people have found Armageddon fun at one point or another. Creating a character is relatively easy. There are lots of resources available to a new player, including sample characters, a walkthrough, the helper system and the General Discussion Board. Picking a guild and subguild is easy. Writing a background is pretty easy provided you understand you are writing a Level 1 character here. Keep those origins humble. Then you enter the game. There's a newbie tutorial that's helpful if Armageddon's your first MUD. There's a pre-game shopping area where you can gear your character up before they head out into the harsh world. Allanak, here I come! THE ... POOP This is where the disappointment starts to set in. You start in the local tavern's dormitory and wander into the bar. You're looked at. You try to introduce yourself. There's several people at the bar to introduce yourself to. And... nothing. It's not like I'm talking to NPCs here. These are PCs. They're talking to each other. They're just too busy to talk to me. One of them is trying to get laid. The other is trying to play hard-to-get. The third is looking for an elf to beat up. The last one is wearing a hood indoors and is keeping to themselves. One or two of them look at you, sure. But they don't respond. They don't try to inquire further. It's fine. I'll just give a prompt. 'I'm looking to join the Byn, who can I sign up with?' The Byn is a mercenary group and the recommended clan for new players. I'm hoping that by the grace of God there is a Bynner in the tavern willing to recruit me right then and there. Wouldn't that be lucky? I can play a mercenary and learn about this deep game with some in-character friends. Then I get my first response. 'Sign? What do you mean by sign?' someone asks. Then it hits me. The stupid little thing I had forgotten. people... Read More

I have been a avid mud player since my teenage years in the mid 90's. I have played many muds over the years, some for over a decade. A couple of years ago, after taking a break (as we all need to do sometimes) I thought I would try a new mud to mix things up. This is when I started playing Armageddon. When first starting to play I really enjoyed myself. The game seem to hit all of the things I liked in a mud. Role-playing enforced, permanent death, a survival aspect that seems real if you are not part of a clan, a rich history with a large enough world to start new characters in different places and experience different play styles. After loosing my first few characters to silly mistakes while learning the game, I finally settled into a character and joined a clan. I joined a Greater Merchant House as a hunter. It was my job to go out and collect supplies for the crafters. It was a great position and I made some in game friends (and enemies) and the role-play was rich and fun. As the months went by we were told by the staff that the hunter groups in the Greater Merchant Houses were being removed to improve role-play. The general thought was that the independent players that are not part of a clan would get more opportunity to sell their supplies to the houses, instead of the hunters just going out to get them. On the surface this seemed like a reasonable thing and everyone role-played out our characters and moved on. I don't want to speak for the other players but this was the first real sour taste of the game I got. A great group of players who all role-played well were forced apart by a staff change that in the end didn't even work out. The already established independent groups just picked up most of the slack and the mercenary group called the T'zai Byn picked up the rest. My next character ended up playing in the Byn and we were sent to chop down piles of trees for the Greater Merchant House I was just forced to leave (a job the hunters use to do but the now independent players were “suppose” to be doing). This is an example of how the game seems to run. Instead of staff running the game as Game Masters or Dungeon Masters, they make sweeping changes to mix things up. In the end it usually puts a bad taste in the players mouth and creates animosity between staff and players. On that note, the staff and player relationship is incredibly toxic (a word used often about this game). To put it simply they hate each other. The forums are full of hateful posts and arguments that seem to go in circles. It is not uncommon for a thread to be locked because the conversation degraded into petty bickering. I post... Read More

(This review was trimmed to fit Mud Connector's size standards. For the full review, see https://goo.gl/o7ZQNq) At the risk of seemingly looking at the past with rose-colored glasses, I will carefully explain a clear phenomenon with any game world. On Day 1 of starting a new game, the game's setting seems vast and exciting. Every place to explore is new. Every creature or character you can run into is a new experience. But play through the game, and start again, and that setting loses some of its luster. You already know it. It stands to reason, then, that to keep a setting interesting, new things must get added to it. Unfortunately, once you hit Armageddon's borders, that's all there really is to them. Staff have ideas on expanding the world, but they tend to fall through or get shelved. I sincerely hope I am wrong about this statement, but I don't see Armageddon's world growing any time soon. And that is because the trend suggests shrinkage, not growth. To some extent, it's shrinking because it's practical to shrink. With a smaller playerbase, fewer players will actually interact with one another if they are spread out across longer distances. Armageddon had two major, opposing playing areas: Allanak and Tuluk. At some point a couple of years ago, Tuluk was closed. Although the high-level staff made this decision with good intentions, they ignored reports from lower-level staff as well as clear metrics from the players showing that Tuluk was gaining additional interest and more time investment from players. Suddenly, Tuluk, which has more documentation than Allanak and was more fleshed out then Allanak, was set to close, with a final storyline to ensure that it would be plunged into chaos and swept under the rug. And while I had fun observing this storyline, it was bittersweet. The community has a loud and obnoxious subset of Allanak fans who gloated over Tuluk's closure, but what they failed to understand is that it removed outside conflict for their precious city. Since then, the stagnancy of Allanak has been put on full display. While the staff do focus on the players there, and give them opportunities to participate in storylines, the setting as a whole does not change significantly enough to hold a player's interest for long. Staff interest has turned outward, to make minor playing locations like Luir's Outpost and Red Storm Village more interesting. But with Allanak as the recommended starting location for new players, and the main hub of activity, it sets a poor example for the setting as a whole. The player community, the staff, and roleplay are severely intertwined. And not usually in a good way, unfortunately. Before I continue, I will say one good thing about each of these things, because there is danger ahead. - Community: Player helpers, the official ones with the Helper title as well as the unofficial 'players who just happen to be helpful', are awesome and dedicated to their work. - There... Read More

The setting is interesting and fun and the game code is relatively well built. As a survival mud, it's really interesting. The economy looks good at first but it doesn't take long to see how shallow and confined it is. The gameworld is not very large either. In total number of rooms it's fine, but when you realize that a thousand or more of those rooms are not safely reached without magic (that they've mostly removed from the game now) then you realize that, if you want to play with other people, you're herded into a very small space. The rules are arbitrarily enforced ... mostly against people who aren't friends with staff and long term players. If you didn't start playing Armageddon in 2005 then you might as well not start now. Most of the interesting and powerful skills are gated by 'karma'. About the time you start earning some under the current system they'll redo the system and you end up starting over again from the beginning. Except, of course, for those who are their friends and have been playing for a decade. The player community is caustic, both IC and OOC. The staff are just as bad. The complaint system is useless since every complaint you're going to file is submitted to someone about their best friend with whom they've been chatting in IM or emailing for the past fifteen years. If you could go back in time and start this game in 2004 and play it during its heyday then you'd probably have fun. But in its current incarnation and with the current playerbase and staff, I'd recommend skipping it and investing your time elsewhere.

I began playing Armageddon in 2008. It was my first mud, and I loved it. A newly blossoming gamer fresh off of a much belated discovery of Diablo 2 and still all too wildly in love with the Ashlander elves of Morrowind. I loved the amount of depth, expression, and freedom this change of platform had allowed for, and the intensity of immersion was like no game I had ever heard of or played before. It was so good, it inspired tens of thousands of hours over a decade or so, of my enjoyment. It was two and a half years into playing that I was welcomed aboard as a Story- teller - the lowest ranking of staff members. The greatest portion of my time is here, this year and a half or so period between June of 2010 and October of 2011 when I was not only playing but also on staff. During this period, most of my time was spent as the sole active staffer for the many varied clans of the northlands open for play. A job that was complicated by answering to an administrator for anything from item to room to npc building who was so absent that most of our contact was not recorded on their staff forum but instead done over chat in various forms. This all led to a sort of stagnation that is apparent in other areas now as back in the day it was in the Northlands. The beauracracy set up which makes the low ranking staff members more or less glorified pencil pushers and ties their hands on doing their namesake and... actually telling stories... has only grown deeper and more profoundly stifling as time wears on. The culture has gotten so stifling that even your crafts when you have a master crafting level merchant pc are micromanaged to the point 'you cannot use phrasing like brilliant azure when blue would suffice' - and that is not an exaggeration. That is lifted directly from a newly changed help file on the subject. Only suitable, one must suppose in a game where player glass ceilings have been so lowered over time that you can no longer play mages with a full skill tree, you can no longer make a tribe or family that is not preapproved by staff, you can no longer advance, even in roles which the staff has sponsored in, to senior levels of in game power. In a ranking of junior noble, senior noble, and senator or house head, you used to be able to advance to senior nobility. Not so, now. A system with blue, red, and black (three tiers) of power for the templarate (a sorcery based noble 'police force'), you used to be able to advance to red robe, and have houses. Not so, now. Only blue robes. You used to be able to advance to senior positions in other clans as well, such as Merchant Houses. And again, now not possible. used... Read More

Armageddon is a great mud, in game and in character. It's amazingly deep, hardcore, and alive. It's a wonderfully crafted world and it shows a lot of passion has been placed into the game over the years. It's worth while mud if your willing to put forth the time and have the capacity for it. It's a bit grindy, and parts of the code are unnecessarily hidden and the community can be needlessly vague about the correct way to build a character, code wise. It is an RPI but it seems be a mini game just navigating the code the first few character so you can actually work into a role you wanna play down the road. I feel this is the games only real down side is it can be difficult stuck playing the same 'I dunno anything' role, or 'I weak as hell and inept everything even after 10 days played'. Staff are very much human and your interactions can range from bad to great. Be respectful, accept their judgement and move on. There is nothing to be gained from arguing or treating them badly. All my staff interactions have been more then stellar. The OOC community is deplorable. Basically avoid the GDB as much as possible. So if you wanna play, Play the game, learn to enjoy losing a lot. Avoid the GDB because the OOC community isn't welcoming, unless of course you act like a newbie and keep your mouth shut. As side not, this review is bound to see comments from other players stating 'such and such is wrong' It is not, Stats matter, skills matter, items matter GREATLY, and very important things are hidden from you. And if you want to play a strong warrior for example, you'll need to know how stats work, how to gain skills the correct way, and how to maximize this in a way that doesn't require months of grinding away. The GDB keeps a thing veil of civility but honestly due the heavy handed moderation expect passive aggressive attacks at your actual character, if you have a different opinion. Certain posters are clearly capable of getting away with more than others, so do not expect to be apart of the conversation. Unless of course you agree with the herd mentality. To recap: Play, have fun. Learn to really enjoy low level weak roles. OR study up on the meta game and prepare for a grind. Avoid the OOC community, they're toxic and can hurt your enjoyment of the game. Respect staff in all interactions, nothing to be gained by being a problematic.

It's a great place to play, honestly, one of the deepest best experiences I've ever had. In gaming, staff can be hit or miss some days, but its rather forgivable as long as you approach them with a cool head. They're human after all. The world is rather harsh, documentation can be a bit over-whelming some days, but all in all the mud is quality and its with stood the test of time. If you have the heart for it and willing to sink some time into it. It can be very rewarding. The GDB (forums for the game) should be avoided at all costs besides for clan boards. I will not discuss in length the things that plague the OOC community, I recommend sticking to the game and trying to have fun there. If you need help, use the helper chat option on the front page or Send a request into staff if you have a question not answered in the documentations.

I've been playing Armageddon off and on for quite some time, and I think it is important to warn people that it isn't for everyone. Many muds attract those whose primary interest is in mudsex, and while 'Arm' is no exception to that, its harsh environment also attracts a certain sadistic element. I have readily detected a certain 'obsession' with protracted torture scenes. The issue is substantial. In December 2013 an announcement was made: 'After much staff discussion we have decided to ban rape and sexual torture plotlines from the game.' However, this seems to be interpreted as narrowly as possible. Compelling characters to grovel, be spit upon or kicked hit while helpless and for the flimsiest of excuses Indicates a MUD that is still struggling with how to understand 'sexual torture.' Sadists need not focus on the genitals to achieve sexual gratification. The problem with these scenes is that the 'role-playing' quickly devolves into something different than telling a story, rather it becomes an 'Out of Character' desire to impose one's will on an unwilling player, not a character in the story. Power emoting is a strong indication of OOC crossover: 'I kick you in the face' is an example of a power emote; it gives the victim of the kick no opportunity to duck, block, or retreat. They can only submit. It disempowers the other player not just the other character, and is a crutch that abusive and sadistic players readily resort to, and a tell-tale sign of the sadistic player. I've seen this kind of power emoting in torture scenes, reported it to the staff, and was informed it was acceptable play in Arm-- merely a part of the harsh environment they wished to foster. In short, those who try out Armageddon MUD should not take the prohibition against 'sexual torture' at face value. I suspect what they are trying to prohibit is genital torture. But sadistic torture more generally is actually encouraged in the game, as are players whose desires are more about humiliating and bullying other players , even when their behavior makes little or no sense within the game world or current story line, or if the players being victimized are unwilling participants.

I have played Armageddon MUD and other RPIs for over a decade. I have no complaints about the game itself. There are a lot of good roleplayers and I get a great amount of enjoyment out of playing the game itself. If you are looking for a MUD to participate in a story where every action or inaction can have a consequence and players work toward or against each other or the world around them, then Armageddon is that game. Staff are very supportive of player efforts provided that the player makes the effort. At times, playing a role where you set out to accomplish something big in the game can feel like work. But it can also be fun if you enjoy that sense of accomplishment. My main complaint about the game is not actually about the game itself, but the player base. The official forum community is populated by players that are completely toxic toward discourse about the game. A part of game policy is that no in-game information should be shared among players outside of the game, so no one officially knows who is playing whom and it is impossible to discuss details about what is going on in the game lately. This results in some posters resorting to passive-aggressive comments about vaguely-described characters or actions with the apparent hope that the message will get across to the offending players. It also results in arguments about the state of the game where everyone claims their position on something is correct, although it is impossible for anyone to prove due to the No IG Info rule. There are a few kicked dogs of the community that they will consistently complain about. One entire sphere/section of the game (taking up about 1/3 of the game world and holding about half of the players at any given time) is almost universally despised by the loudest posters, with some calling for its closure. Other hated things include players who play more difficult races 'incorrectly' (in their opinion), sponsored/leadership roles (roles that often feel like work and largely serve the purpose of entertaining the other players and making the world come to life), and 'independents' (characters that don't join clans). The staff's hands-free approach to moderation seems to suggest a contented attitude toward the forum's current state. It's obvious that they noticed the state of discourse surrounding the game, because they are the forum moderators and are assumed to pay at least some attention to the forum from time to time. They could fix forum discussion by either enforcing or altering the impractically strict rules but have made no move to do so. One excuse that is given by staff is that they expect the players to self-moderate, which they have clearly proven unable to do. A cynic might say that the staff prefer forum discussion to be as messy as it is, because as long as players are having an unmoderated fight with each other, they won't complain staff.... Read More

I've been playing Armageddon off and on since the mid 1990's. When real life hits I stop playing but always return when I can. I have, until recently, always found Armageddon to be a fun relaxing way to get over the stress of the day. The game is a beautiful world, allowing for you basically to have a PC that you can dictate how they act and what befalls them, as long as its kept IC. Roleplay for the most part is always great and well handled. Staff usually are quite fair and very responsive when you need help. They also try to take the time to explain how you could do things better. The staff is quite dedicated and spen a lot of their volunteer time to make Armageddon a great game. Like I said in the first part of the review I usually have found that its been a fun and relaxing way to get rid of the stress of a day. This has recently changed. Certain members of the staff seem to want to ruin the general day-to-day life when some PCs start getting too good. This I perfectly understand. Armageddon is a harsh world and I expect things to happen. However, recently a situation has arisen where a certain staff member decided to do this by ways of using OOC (admin eyes) information in an IC way of an NPC they were animating. This in my eyes is completely unacceptable. Staff prides themselves on making sure players do not mix OOC and IC information, for them to do this is appalling.

Arm is an incredibly deep mud... but don't bother if you aren't a primarily social player. Exploring kills characters. The imm staff are actively set against achiever personalities. There is a decent crafting system, but once you get geared up, there is nothing to spend large amounts of money on except other players. Strictly put, if you aren't in the 'in crowd' by the end of your first year of play, only play Arm if you don't need karma or imm interaction to get what you want from the game. If you get sideways with staff, give up, or switch IP addresses and make a new account.

Once upon a time there was this southern-born merchant. She traveled far and wide and gained clients from many walks of life, earned wealth and prestige and a reputation for, not only skill at her craft but, having a soft spot for mutants of all kinds. She adopted a female mutant with Lirathu skin who would blister under Suk-Krath and would grow to follow in her footsteps. She fancied herself a Provider of Pleasure. That is how one of my characters started, that was her background and she ended very far from where she started. I had another who's mother was a wee bit psychotic and raised her (very flawed) daughter to believe she was meant to be the Highlord Tektolnes' bride. I've played a grubby little street urchin who was such an annoyance?she was thrown in a trough by a Lady Templar. A spy, an assassin, a social climber, a mousy slave, a bubbly half-giant... I've played them all... and you can too. Armageddon affords you unlimited imagination, the ability to delve into the darkest recesses of your mind, into the nicest, most hopeful champion, the seediest, most evil thing lurking. Your alternate you will struggle, it will hate, it will learn, it will crumble. It will work and love and party and stumble. It will be murdered, corrupted, betrayed... and you...? You will like it. This is the single most in depth roleplaying experience out there. It is a living, breathing, pulsing interaction that cannot be attained anywhere else. You will attempt to weave a story and find that other characters you didn't plan on end up adding their tale to yours in a way you cannot control. You will be part of a rich history that has been documented from its beginning. You will not be able to escape Armageddon's lure. Give it a month, I guarantee you will be?addicted too. Trust me, I know, it's been an 11 year courtship that's still as sweet as the first time it entangled me in its web.

By far the best mud I've played, most the player base has strong R.P. Skill and the ever watching staff can and do, make the world that much more fun.I would recommend that one avoid the forum if you do not fall in line with the Uber politically correct crowd, one will see much leniency given to those who rant dyed in the wool 'Dem' views but any non-P.C. view will quickly be dealt with. You will see this bleed over in game as well. Early on they decided that in this harsh world of multi races (Humans, Dwarves, elves, etc...)and many tribes that there would be no sexism(one may act outside the norm but you will player complaints and no brownie points). There is also no sexual orientation-ism, I don't mind much as it's not my R.P. style anyway, just strange I think. Play the Game, avoid Game forum.

I can confidently as this is one of the best MUDs out there today. On their Forums, the best quote to sum this game up is by brytta.leofa 'The great power of Arm[amgeddon] isn't in the stories we intend to make, but in the ones we could never have predicted.' But, like all games, it has its downsides. One of the things I really have against it is how the staff members wanted to build a gritty, harsh desert world. A place of hardship, starvation, murder, betrayal, racism, amongst many words for it. Racism, in the game, obvious is between species (i.e. Humans hate Elves). People don't play racists in this game often enough (racism is the cultural norm IG). And everyone tends to be nice to each other. Now, I can understand, in some instances, you can't be rude. That man you're scowling at could know some powerful Templar (a term for an all-powerful person who could kill you on a whim). But it's not always the case. Clans often accept other races (humans are the majority), even Elves, oddly enough. Elves in this game, can't ride mounts, making it very tricky to get around. It seemed to me that they'd be a liability to a clan. One quick thing I'd like to mention is that the game has a degree of elitism, (in the forums). So, although people won't visibly exclude you, don't expect to make many friends. Lastly, what I don't like, but it's tolerable about is sexual orientation. People are really careful in the game to not set on toes and offend people IRL. It's bull, I think. Sexual orientation in a world like this is important. People would be discriminated against in this sense. In a world as harsh as 'Zalanthas', reproduction is important to survive. And that'd all it take for discrimination. So, with those words spoken, and despite my complaints, I'll be sticking around with Armageddon, it's a great game. And I'd recommend it to anyone who seriously wants to roleplay and have fun.

There are very few muds which ever captivated me like ArmageddonMUD did. The atmosphere and culture of the game are rich and documentation is everywhere. This is by no means a simple DikuMUD clone, this is an entirely different experience from your normal hack n' slash. Roleplay is enforced, which can be difficult at first, however it grows easier as you lose a few characters to the harsh game world. Death just means you can create an entirely new concept, from a simple mercenary for hire to one of the most feared mages in the world. I would recommend Armageddon to anyone who is looking for something new, something unusual and unique. You won't be disappointed giving it a try, just make sure you ask one of their many Helpers if you have questions about the game. As with any mud, Armageddon has its flaws. Some say it is staff, some say it is the community. I can attest to butting heads with staff when trying to push through a game or history changing plotline, but for the mostpart they deal with such requests professionally and promptly. The community is full of talented artists, writers and is brimming with imagination. Everyone I have met outside the game has been really nice and down to earth. My only complaint is the expectation that your character act 'realistically' when it comes to sexual relationships. The amount of mudsex going on in this game, which could be considered cybersex, is ridiculous. It is frowned upon to play a character who is celibate or uninterested in sex, because it is such a big part of the game. If you do participate in such ventures, just know that someone is very likely logging every action you take or word you speak.

After eight years I still play Armageddon for the same reasons I played eight years ago. I play for the stories. One thing that doesn't change is that there are still moments where my hands shake, or I stare at the screen open-mouthed. Like a great novel, Armageddon hits on several levels, provoking many emotional responses. Sometimes all at once. I laughed. I cried. Etc. I know several serious RPers Mush rather than Mud, and the idea of the heavier code may seem counter intuitive. Heres the thing. On Armageddon, the RP isnt functioning around the code but rather the code supports the RP. I find it more seamless than a Mush. The players act and the world reacts. No one stops to roll. Those coming from a Mush will have to make some adjustments. Syntax and custom are different. Some of our best players made the switch, some may have been frustrated at first. They found the adjustment period worth the effort. Our code keeps evolving. We predate the RPI engine, but I think in many ways, our game style inspired it. Those coming from muds that use it will see some difference. For those people and for anyone new to Armageddon, help files and helpers are your friends. To someone logging in the first time, (I really suggest everyone log in a first time, if you really love RP because it doesn't get better than on Arm) you may hit some stumbling blocks. I'd like to talk about how to have the best early Arm experience. First: You want to have an understanding of the flavor of the world. For the most part, we'll know a new player when we see one. It's funny, but even with every syntax mistake a person can make, with every gaff a newbie can make, you can tell the ones who come to RP from the ones who are there to play a mud. An understanding of the game world will make it that much easier to include you. Second: Contact a helper. They are truly helpful. There's a live helper utility at the bottom of the home page. Operators are standing by. Armageddon seems to appeal to smart people. Several smart people like to wing it, and do it on their own. The help offered is supportive and not intrusive. Three: Getting your feet 'If we have a drawback it's that Armers can seem closed off. (Another reason to rely on a helper. They can help explain the reactions and lack of reactions.) There have been times when I've sat at a bar with three other people and we haven't spoken to one another because our characters were not outgoing. Often in that situation we just emote at each other. A new player should not feel shy to start a conversation. My suggestion is that you start a conversation that your pc might start. Maybe: The wind?^?^?s kicked up again. Or 'They closed the shop I used to go to. Where can I buy some meat at a good price?' Sometimes you meet pcs who have the luxury of drawing you in. Sometimes the nature of the characters you run across make it more difficult to reach out to a new player's PC. But it's the PC who's getting the reaction. We love new players. Life is fragile and fleeting on Zalanthas. There are those who say, you'll die early. I disagree. Make each pc like you plan to live forever, and mourn them when they die. Some of the most powerful pc's I've come across in game were first PCs, who lasted real life months or in a couple cases years. You will hurt more when they die, but you'll enjoy them more when they live if you invest completely. Finally, look for me. I'll be the one laughing and crying and loving and dying. I'm the one who's still having a blast after almost a decade. Of course, it might be hard to find me in the crowd.

There was a review posted, a few months back, that I pretty much have to agree with 100%: http://www.mudconnect.com/mud-bin/prev/review.cgi?rid=29256 I've played this game off and on since long before 85% of the current staff members had even heard of the game, and even did a brief stint on staff myself, back in the early days. As the previous reviewer posted, it is very much an 'our sandbox' mentality. The staff view is summed up by a quote from an early staff member (who still holds an oversight position) 'My mud would be perfect, if it wasn't for all of the players.' I do mourn for the mud, it used to be a place of wonder. The downhill slide began a number of years ago when rumors of a so-called notification from Wizards of the Coast started to spread, notifying the mud staff that Armageddon was violating the d20 license in their use of Darksun material since the game accepted donations. This moved on to how the staff needed to change the mud to remove all of the Darksun references, and as such planned to destroy the current game world through a series of 'End of Arm' plots, while they created a new 'Armageddon Reborn' mud, which was the mud minus the Darksun material. This strangely happened about the same time that one of the head staff members started talking about wanting to write a book about Armageddon. Needless to say, over the following year, a hefty chunk of good, older staff members quit the game, the End of Arm plots all stalled out, doing nothing but chasing a way a lot of players. Over 4 years later, Armageddon Reborn is still in the works. And I gotta say, this is the -most- patient group of WotC lawyers I've ever heard of. Typically when they send out a cease-and-desist, you've got a month, not several years, to comply. There are a few staff members that are top notch. There to help. Always keeping in mind that yes, this is a game. And then there are the rest, who want things done how they want them done, even if they screw over PC after PC. This especially happens during the rare occasions that a PC is able to gather a good amount of power for themselves, without staff sanction. These PCs are almost universally smacked down, in the end, as those who run the game want all the big decisions in their hands alone. Which is truly a shame, because 'back in the day' a PC was able to keep their power, if they were able to grab a hold of it. For good or for ill. Another issue is the blatant favoritism. There are definitely 'pets' who get almost anything they ask for. Much of the time this is due to out-of-game friendships with staff members. In other cases, an example that has come up a few times over the last few months, is the staff member who is the wife of one of the mud forum's top trolls, and the good friend of another of its top trolls. Using thread delete and lock privileges just to support a husband and a friend who everyone else agrees are out of line is sadly very much in line with the way the game staff works these days. So in the end, if you think you can manage a very low key, low power role that requires no staff interaction, give the game a try. It's one of the oldest and one of the best. But if ever want to move out of the corner, I'd have to reverse quote that earlier phrase: 'This mud would be perfect, if it wasn't for (most of) the staffers.'

Armageddon, like any MUD out there, has its share of pro's and con's. In my time there I found the code of the MUD, as well as the way in which the world was built to be absolutely top notch. It's got a well developed (though heavily influenced/copied from Dark Sun) theme for the game world overall, and the player community surrounding it is likewise filled with some great people who make playing there a wonderful way to pass the time. But like just about any MUD you go to, it's staff appear to have a very strong 'our sandbox' kind of mentality and a?dishonest, underhanded way of handling things with the playerbase. That doesn't do much to interfere with a player's enjoyment of the game at the start, but has a proven track record of driving away the player base little by little. There seems to be a tangible 'us vs. them' mentality staff-side. Though they have a complaint system, the replies one gets from it are lip service at best, outright admission that they don't care at the worst. So all in all, it's a great game if interaction with the staff who manage it can be avoided, but it can quickly turn sour and frustrating once they get involved.

I have tried several online games. Searching for a real and detailed world experience. From jobs to families, to the drudgery of putting food and water on the table. The only game I have found that has left me feeling very content with the overall world and playing experience is Armageddon. In some, my main peeve was the walking into a room and seeing everyone's name. Which was really annoying to me because logically, I -wouldn't- know the name of someone who I'd never met. In others, it was the fact that I couldn't think or feel -as- my character. In others, it was the heavy focus on combat, which was -not- was I was looking for. In Armageddon, there is strictly enforced roleplaying in a detail-rich, player-driven, and dynamic world. It can be as harsh and gritty as your southern mercenary would like, or as rich and sophisticated as your northern merchant could care to have it be. There are -many- different options for a character. Nearly any type of play you are looking for can be found here. I also love the fact that there is a caring and detail-oriented staff on board. It very much shows in the constant improvements, not only in the code, but in the richness of the world around. I have personally, only had to use the wish command to contact the staff once. It was my mistake, in an attempt to lead a mount into an estate, I couldn't enter it. I thought that maybe something had messed up (due to my own misreading the screen). I wished to the staff that I thought there may have been something wrong there, and quickly corrected that. In under a minute, I was sent a kind and prompt response by one of the staff members working. There is also a rich item creation system in the world of Zalanthas. Everything from cooking, to stonework, woodcrafting, and even wagonmaking. Not to mention the tailors, linguists, and so forth. This is a rich and very fufliflling experience. At first, learning the commands can prove a bit daunting, but there is also a index of helpfiles that you can keep open in your internet explorer window that is detailed and expansive enough to answer nearly any questions you might have. The system here is skill-based, rather than level-based, and very few people abuse the code. There is plenty of violence and fighting to be found if you look for it as well. From hunting bahamet and carru, to sparring or being hired out in the Byn. Overall, this is a rich, detailed world, in which the only limits there are, are the ones put there by your imagination.

I was searching for a free mud that implemented rich crafting, depth and originality. In my searching, I stumbled upon something called Armageddon, but didn't try it out because of negative associations with a movie by the same name, thinking it had something to do with fighting aliens and other superficial stuff. Never did I imagine that this game had the depth and richness I was searching for, but couldn't find. A few months later, a forum poster suggested I give Armageddon a try.... Little did I know that a new love affair had just begun! What kind of love was this, though? It was rowdy, harsh, unpredictable, plus there were no colors. (What kind of girl can stand love without colors??) The world of Zalanthas was beckoning me. Desert, dry, corrupted. I was a tad scared just reading the descriptions of the mud! (I'm a touchy feely type) Vulgar language was allowed, the nobles (played by mortal players like you and me) controlled the commoners, magick and magickers (also played by mere mortals) feared like death, and the world beyond towns and cities - inhospitable and downright frightening. YET.... I loved the prospect of it. Why? Because I could control everything my character did AND I could affect the environment and the course of the history, economy and politics of the game. I can't begin to describe the road that this love affair paved for me - the process of application, the heplfulness of the 'helpers' and the community, learning the emoting system, or how when I finally got a grip of the technical side of the game, I lost myself in the moment and truely felt as if the character became me as I immersed myself in another world. (It may be just a parallel world in an alternate Universe, for all we know) I hope many new Armageddon love affairs begin soon :)

Truly a book in a game.. in the sense of reading and getting engrossed in a good fantasy novel-type book I mean. Come play and you'll see what I mean. The plots and intrigues are just so rich and interesting... you wont find this anywhere else.

Darkness (Lirathu hanging low in the sky above): An alley, a lone half-elf, derided, ashamed of who she is, who her parents were, who she wants to be. Too long, too long has she waited for the filthy 'rinther to bring the goods from the northern alleys of the city... the stench wafts far too close to her sensitive nose. She may be scum, but there is worse. She will rise above... someday, but not today. Today she needs what no one wants, she has a job to do and no one will do it for her. Blinding light (Deep in the red sands): He has been out here too long, no human should ever be left without a beast of burden, much less left to die in the constantly swirling, storming sands. Were he one of the long-legged, pointy-eared theiving bastards who stole his sole possessions he would just run home. They can run forever. He shambles, clutching his side as he climbs the next dune. Maybe he'll find the city soon, maybe over this dune, not like the last. Then he'll show them, he'll come back with a whole storm of T'zai Byn mercenaries and slay and enslave every last one of them... just one more dune. Morning (The eerily quiet forest): I keep seeing them... krath help me they are behind every tree. I've brought flame to their world, nearly searing myself in the process... and the little ones still try to hunt me. Life isn't hard enough, without those anklebiters trying to take me down, to EAT me. My focus will not waver, I will not allow them to stand in my way. I will not shame myself, failure is not possible. I am a dwarf, I persist and I will succeed. I survived the city, the discovery of my affinity for fire... even the hunt that drove me into this horrid place. I will not fail. On Patrol (City of the Chosen): They understand me. They love me, that is why we are great. That is why we are powerful. The legions are my home. We are giants amongst men, though some say only half. The Chosen and the Faithful are great, they are all and we must protect them. They love me, even if they may have sharp tongues. Even if they do not appreciate me, they love me with water and food and we will keep them safe. We will love them with sword and shield, that is why we are here, that is why we wear the red and white. We love them. Singing (Surrounded by fellows): To lift the purse and take the bait, to sing the song and trump the great. We are consumed in flight, live by our hands and by swords we die. Sing for the tribe so strong and true, sing for the coins and the way we're due. Sing loudly and softly and let them hear, sing words that entrance the human ear. are... Read More

I have been playing on Armageddon MUD for about six months now. We have recently had a surge of new players, and since this game is harsh and brutal (and intended to be), some people will feel that their efforts are wasted. Those are the players who don't stay and go on to find a MUD that suits their needs, and that's perfectly fine. For those who do stay, one of the best online roleplaying experiences await. Armageddon gives back what you put in - do not expect to sit back and have the goodies served on a silver platter, but if you make the effort and if the environment suits you, then this rich, immense and breathtaking world will unfold and let you take part in it. But it does take an effort and that is part of its perfection. If you play without common sense, without realism and without proper roleplaying etiquette and a will to be a devoted member of the community, then yes you will be treated poorly and killed, because in the world of Zalanthas only the tough, smart and innovative survive. Part of what makes it so addictive is that there are very real everyday risks and you have to make an active effort out of surviving, and you have to prove your worth as a responsible and resourceful roleplayer to gain the trust and attention of both the staff and the community. In the end, this means that the vast majority of Armageddon's players are responsible, mature and capable roleplayers who make the game interesting and exciting. The few bad apples that every game has - and yes, there are few - quickly catch the attention of the staff and are dealth with. So if what you want is a MUD with the perfect balance of a deep, rich environment and story, political intrigue, harshness and challenge, and a realistic and comprehensible code to back it all up, then Armageddon may be for you. Or it may not, but the staff and the players have never claimed that this game suits everybody. Only those who have what it takes and want what this game gives them will thrive, and those are the people we want. Some facts about Armageddon: Player count during peak hours (US evenings) is sometimes higher than 80, and rarely lower than 60. Despite permadeath, many players have had the same character for as long as one or more RL years. Survival is entirely possible if you know the world and how to fit in. A very high number of mature and dedicated staff members who do their very best to make this game a great experience for the players. The server is (despite past troubles) stable and capable of keeping the game up and in perfect condition 99% of the time.

I've had the disappointment of seeing several bad reveiws lately. While I understand the opinions given, I still wish that these disgruntled Armers had had a better time. Let me be blunt. Armageddon is not a game that caters to every player's whim. It is a game that is hard to learn at first, and harder to grow acclimated to. But Lord, it has provided me with nothing but pleasure for the last 7 years. Now, maybe I'm a sadist, one who likes to bang his head against the wall a few hundred times. Probably that's it. Or maybe it's just because Armageddon is addictive, and I have an addicitive personality. You can't play Armageddon realistically and enjoyably until you can seperate your OOC from your IC. Armageddon is, then, absolutely the definitive roleplay experience. The code is simple to grasp, after mastering the first basics, and there are literally thousands of nuances within the game that are simple awesome. The political experience alone is enough to make this game. Add in the hunting, the scary NPC AI in some places, the mood, the RP ... Armageddon is quite simply the best game ever made, in any medium whatsoever ... well, aside from Chess. :)

I've played Armageddon MUD on and off for the last several years. I even got a chance to try some "restricted" classes after requesting permission from the staff there. Overall I would say don't waste your time. This is a very niche MUD where only the most sociopathic roleplayer could immerse himself and immersion is enforced in the game to degrees that most players find uncomfortable. However it is free so you may want to take a look anyway since a small niche of players (30-40) do keep play it religiously. Some issues follow: A lot of the backstory and world never made much sense when applied to everyday gameplay. Conflict is almost artificial in the game. This has improved somewhat from the days where the staff created "raider" clans in the game that would grief newbie players. Remember this game has perma death. In a desert world with very few resources most of its inhabitants would be cooperating and not engaging in frivolous infighting. This little factoid was never quite grasped by the MUDs storytellers. Instead players reroll constantly and die constantly. It's a miracle anyone is left on Zalanthas. Expect to play a very unimportant character with a boring role who will get pushed around, ignored, and eventually be killed. The staff tends to play with the same playerbase and use newcomers as placeholders. A bit of disclosure: I left Armageddon after suiciding a character and was reprimanded by the staff for not "roleplaying my character's problems." Maybe if I got paid to I'd play Armageddon again. Certainly not as a past time.

If you are the type of person who can only enjoy a game if you have great stats and are a master at every skill, or are easily put off by being killed without immediately understanding why, this game's probably not for you. However, if you dig a well-fleshed out environment, thoughtful, unique, and largely stable code that is updated with new features every week, and a world that defies the stereotypes of fantasy role-play, you'll probably enjoy this game immensely. Armageddon starts you near the bottom so you can claw your way to the top. This is not a world where happy-go-lucky elves frolick with unicorns and chivalrous knights in enchanted glades. Likewise, you're unlikely to find honest citizens who want to help you out of the kindness of their hearts. Everybody on Zalanthas wants something or needs something. It's just an issue of finding out what it is before they take it from you. My first character background defined a "veteran mercenary who was so good with his sword, he could beat almost anyone in the land." I logged in, and within an hour of exploring the wasteland, I got my butt kicked by a beetle that I later learned is one of the lesser dangers in the world. My second character background defined an elf in search of a new tribe. I got lost near someplace and found someone who could lead me back to the city. After a lengthy conversation where I stupidly admitted not to have any political affiliations or tribemates, he happily led me away from the NPC guards where he killed me. I had water, coins, decent gear, and a mount. At first, I was pissed, and I complained about being pkilled. Then I realized that the water alone was probably enough for him to kill me on Zalanthas. My third character background was a little more realistic: an aspiring assassin seeking a wealthy sponsor. Within two weeks of play, I found a job as a noble house aide. I never used the coded skills once, and I had a blast as a conniving wretch who managed to mislead so many people up to and even during my eventual demise. In short, this is the most addictive game I've played since T-dome (anyone else remember that one?). It's hard as hell to start, and there's a lot of documentation to read. But I've found it thorougly enjoyable since.

Challenges: My observation is that Armageddon MUD’s challenges (I wouldn’t go so far as to call them weaknesses) happen in two phases. The first is as a newbie. Arm will cut the teeth of an experienced mudder, let alone total mudding n00b. Fortunately, there is a plethora of reading material, and, even more importantly, helpers. Helpers are players dedicated to doing just that: helping others. Think of them as able to provide you with an answer to anything in the documentation that you can’t find yourself. If you’re new to Arm, pair up with at least one helper. You won’t regret it! The other challenge comes later, when you’re an “expert” at the game, you’ve pulled back the curtain, and are able to observe the more subtle minutia. I’m going to be somewhat vague, so you can form your own opinions, but will say this: not all players are created equal. This becomes most evident in potentially deadly situations. Most players you can trust to at least try to roleplay but some don’t. Let’s just say the ability to quickly assess what type of player you’re dealing with will serve you well. On the bright side, the immortals constantly monitor the game, and the vast majority of Arm’s playerbase is a wonderfully demented, creative bunch. Strengths: Addictive. It’s an ongoing joke when someone says on the message boards that they’re leaving forever. The response is usually, “see you soon”. Why is Armageddon MUD so addictive? There are many possible answers. Mine is the immersion. At a certain point with each character (if they live long enough) I start to feel like a part of me “is that character”, when playing. This feeling is a result of numerous factors that include the excellent descriptions, the power of the various commands to control my character, the roleplay with Arm’s many talented players and immortals, the depth of the varying cultures, and yes, perma-death. That my character might die at any time and never come back gives Armageddon MUD intensity other games lack. It hurts at first to lose a character you like, but then you get to think up a new one, and explore a whole other side of the game, of which there are many. Hope to see you in Zalanthas, and I look forward to stealing your boots!

I tried Armageddon MUD for a couple of weeks and left feeling the game could be much improved if the developers spent more time balancing it and making it more focused. Armageddon MUD lacks focus with character development. Most characters you can create from the get go are very canned. A fixed guild/subguild selection along with randomly rolled stats earns you a character who may or may not be aligned with your character concept. If you want to make a burly thug you'll find that rolling low on strength quickly makes for an awkward clumsy character. The other downside is the seemingly schizophrenic focus the game has. You're told not to powergame or min/max your character and focus on roleplaying; however almost all the players except for a handful spend their time farming mobs and killing players indiscrimanetly. The party line towed by the playerbase is that the game is "harsh." Really, most of the systems in place are there to promote player griefing under the guise of "roleplaying" (e.g. desert elves who are encouraged to swindle players and make their lives miserable). Support-wise the developers don't care much beyond their plots that involve the same 10-20 players who have been playing there for years. Caveat emptor: most players are just part of the landscape. If you can put up with a lot of stress the game might be worth trying but it's not as fun as the other RPI muds out there.

I'm fairly new to Armageddon MUD, but it's safe to say that this is probably one of the best MUDs out there. I've played other MUDs before, such as Imperian, Medievia, and Materia Magica, but none of those are as in-depth and gripping as Armageddon. Let’s begin with the setting: Armageddon MUD is set in a desert world called Zalanthas. There are two major cities, Allanak and Tuluk, whose residents hate those from the other city. Scattered outside these cities’ walls are small villages and tribes. Clean water, decent food, and a permanent home is a luxury, and literacy is illegal for the vast majority of the people. Metallic items are rare, and you will often find yourself protecting yourself with a breastplate made of bone or a weapon crafted entirely out of obsidian or glass. When you start off with your first character, you will be a commoner, subject to the decisions of nobles and the templars’ enforcement of the law. The world is highly detailed and is meant to be harsh to those who reside in Zalanthas. Roleplaying is a very large part of Armageddon MUD. The possible roles are endless: you can be an assassin that takes contracts with a disregard for life, a pickpocket who steals from unsuspecting passerby, a warrior who guards merchants on their trade routes, and more. Roleplaying is enforced, but never have I seen someone that wasn’t in-character. The players and staff are intelligent and creative people, and you will most likely have a great time roleplaying with them. There is an excellent combat system. Many combat skills, like backstab, will initiate combat, but an attack like ‘sap’, which can knock a victim out cold, can be used to take care of people without killing them. Unlike many other MUDs, where one can come back to life after death, Armageddon has permanent death. When your character is dead, you will never be able to play as that character again. This may seem frustrating at first, but many players go through many characters and are not displeased with the game. However, this game is not centered around combat. If you so desire, you can choose to lead a life of non-violence. The staff is intelligent and very helpful. They take suggestions on how to improve the game from the players, they make weekly updates to the game, and they can even control NPCs to roleplay with the players. However, the majority of the game is player-run, and the staff generally does not interfere with events that only they can control. The other MUDs I have played do not even match Armageddon’s superiority. Imperian, Medievia, and Materia Magica all have coded items that you can buy with a “donation”. These items often give players an unfair advantage over others. This is not the case in Armageddon. Players from all walks of life have an equal chance in Armageddon. Also, roleplaying is very weak or not even present in these three games especially... Read More

Simply put, the best game in the history of all games. It is a masterpiece, it is artwork, it should be studied by scholars and marveled at by old people and kids on their 4th grade field trip. The Roleplaying is so in-depth you become attatched to your character, and because of permadeath, you become SO FREAKIN SCARRED when you think you are going to die. Total adrenaline rush. After playing Armageddon Mud, no other game suffices for me. Nothing will -EVER- be the same.

I've been a role player since I stumbled into the wrong chat room on MSN quiet a few years back. For there I discovered muds. My first MUD being Dragon Realms. The day I discovered mudding I spent the whole night playing it. I was hooked. As years went by, I matured, I ran out of money and time. But I never let my love affair with role playing die. Not ever. One day, bored I thought I try something new. I read some reviews checked out a few web sites. I found Armageddon completely by accident. After reading some stuff about it. I nearly didn't play it. I was ready to go back to Achaea, but I decided to throw in an application for a character anyways. I was approved in about 12 hours (can take up 24), next day I logged in. The best way to describe Armageddon is to call it deaths personal ant farm. I choose Allanak as my characters home city, first place they put me is in the The Gladiator and the Gaj Tavern, which is like a biker bar, only replace biker with mercenary, motorcycles with Giant ants called kanks, the guns with large swords made out bone, and the beer with rough tasting ale. The room description either makes you want to chug a large pint of ale to forget your there or leave before you get vomited on or worse. Its like that crazy bar all your friends are afraid to go to? Well thats where you start! At first glance that game appears hard, but you won't understand how well put together the game is, till you log in. For something that is free and done completely by volunteers with a passion, it functions extremely well. The setting is harsh but you'll be amazed at how fast you can learn. You'll find that most of the player base is patient, understanding, and most important of all good at role playing. I've never see so many people that know how to get into the role. Their more then just flowery emotes and 1 dimensional characters. This community has an uncanny ability to create complex beings that bring the world to life. Some Companies can't pay for better support. You can always find the help you need. A whole list of people just willing to help you, their only payment a chance for another person to populate their rich and vibrant world. This is the stuff that can only be made out of a passion. The staff, the helpers, and the player base are some of the best I've seen. I doubt any mud has a community has great as Armageddon's. Once you step into Zalanthas, you don't experience anything like it. The fear, the angst, the loss, the love, the hate, the victory, and the dream. You'll forget that its a character... you'll forget that there's a screen in front of you. The game will no longer say feeling... Read More

Where to begin? I'm a fairly new player on Armageddon MUD, but I have already experienced some of the fun and potential of this rich world. Roleplaying like I have never seen it before, set in an environment that I can best describe as 'perfect'. I have been playing here for two weeks, so granted I cannot contribute with as much as others, but I can tell you of what I have seen. I have seen a world that is so unique and beautiful (from a player's point of view, not my character) and a roleplaying environment that is so rich and has such quality that I know for certain that this is where I will spend my spare time for quite a while. Enough melodramatics, here's what I think of the game itself: - A game world that is realistic to the smallest detail, with such quality that you will rarely if ever need to break the immersion of roleplaying. - Roleplaying of such quality that I am sucked into the game time and time again. I have been playing for two weeks and have already had more and better roleplaying experiences than I have in any other game that I have played for much longer. Enforced by the rules, but controlled by players so intelligent and mature that the staff don't even have to supervise and intervene. Vast amounts of possibilities for you to play a character any way you want as long as it is within reason and fits with the environments. Want to play something a little different for once? Send a special application to the staff, and if they deem you worthy based on your previous achievements and qualities, they just might approve. - Player-run clan system with stunning diversity, fun and enthusiasm. You are literally educated and trained by other players so that you can carry out the role that you wish to play. - A life-like society with layers ranging from thieves and muggers lurking in the alleys, to commoners making a living as their chosen profession, high-class citizens of noble heritage controlling the politics and templars who literally serve as the hands of Gods, ruling and judging the world around them. You can be anything you want if you show that you are capable. - A well-developed combat system. I play a non-combat character, but from what I've heard, it is realistic and fun. You don't go out to kill groups of static enemies because you want to increase your sword skill - you go out to kill enemies if your character has a reason to, and then you advance because your character learns and experiences. You don't grind xp, you don't spam-kill mobs for fancy equipment and you act and react exactly as YOU would if you were your character. - Perfectly sufficient playing experience even if you never engage in combat throughout your character's life. Want to play a noble's aide who infiltrates a group of society provide... Read More

Come join the addiction. These are my confessions as a veteran mudder. I've done every kind of mud in existance from the old Dark Shadows to LPs like Nightmare and Darkness & Despair, simple merc circle diku and all that. I've flitted and fluttered from mud to mud over the years, and I gotta tell you that there's nothing quite like Armageddon. This mud is for a very distinctive type of mudder. A kind of mudder who needs that lifelike feel without going overboard, a kind of mudder who desires the rush of permanent character loss on the FIRST death, and who has an intense attention and desire for detail. It is one of the only muds where I have seen major changes brought on by players, and minor changes that occur on a weekly scale. Code updates, new critters, new items, new crafting recipes, new help files, and new plots to kill you. RP enforced, to the point where the IMMs don't even have to step in. The code seems to do it for you. If you seek H/S, then I wouldn't even waste the time applying, as there's only one fight you're going to lose, and it's likely to be your first which will also be your last. The magick system is second to none, and on no mud have I seen magick users as extremely respected, feared, and avoided as they are on Armageddon. They are treated exactly as they should be by the populace: extremely dangerous, unpredictable beings, with problems more profound than you could imagine. If you enjoy an environment that you can rely on for complete immersion if you have the imagination with a dedicated playerbase and staff, then I highly suggest trying Armageddon.

A little more food for thought... Last time I wrote a review, it was a particular focus on -one- of my favorite features of Armegeddon, this one is going to be the same, only on a new topic. With most games I've run across, there's a few features where are inherently the same. To get anywhere, you have to place your focus on stats. How strong is my character, what level, how many "Bad Things" am I going to have to kill to bring that up? In Armageddon, your basic focus is on RP. But don't let that fool you. You are not confined to a certain role with specific attributes. You -are- your role. It'syour job to bring your character to life, and in doing so bring the game to life for you. So what if your characters 'guild' is specified as "Warrior" or "Merchant"? This doesn't mean you -have- to do this, and this alone. In fact, it's often encouraged, and expressed, that if you go against the general grain of the guild you have chosen, you may find yourself having the most fun. You are required to pick a guild or class when you begin your character. Nowhere in the rules does it say you ever have to remember this class once you've begun. Guilds on Arm are more of a "What skills have you as the character learned up to this point" moreso than it means "What will you spend the rest of your miserable life doing, every single day until you die". So you picked a Merchant, big deal. What if your flimsy little merchant wants to try and become a scout, a guard? So they don't have the necessary skills to initially succeed. They get their butts whipped when they try to train with the big boys. What if this merchant, who is proficient in all things made of stone, has stashed up some money from selling his wares. So he isn't advancing through the 'normal' means. What if he greased some palms? Paid a fellow trainee to fail when the super-badass Lieutenant was watching instead, to make themselves look better. Or maybe they weren't meant to succeed. Failure of an IC nature doesn't mean you've failed OOCly. If you are enjoying yourself, then failure is an obsolete word. So they don't have that stash of $$ to ease their way to the top? Let them become bitter. Let them become obsessed. So long as you, the player behind that waffle-pattern keyboard is smiling, all is well.

I've been playing this game for a little bit now, and really have nothing but devoted praises to the creators who made it, the coders who improve it, and the immortals who oversee it. Not to mention the players who bring it to shining life. I'm not the most eloquent person to try and write a review, but here's my take on Armageddon, and one of my favorite features in any game I've played. I found Armageddon when one day searching the top muds for something different, sadly unsatisfied with the current mud I'd been playing. Dragging the same programmed quests, spam-killing beasts, doing little besides trying to level-up and trying to regain the points my character had before some bad ol' monster killed them, -again-. I didn't even realize at the time I was playing nothing more than a mildly improved Hack-and-Slash until playing in Armageddon. Armageddon offers the best of all the games I've played, without the tragic faults. You don't have to worry about an OOC conversation about 'the big game' breaking into your intense RP. Or some assinine twit walking into the bar and going "D00ds help! i just got k1ll3d by the same ball of slime 7 times, it took my l33t sw0rd!" It simply doesn't happen.. And if it does it's swiftly corrected, and not tolerated. Initially, the game seems a bit daunting. One of the biggest factors is the fact unless it was by fault of the game that your character dies (a buggy -accidental- instant death room), or your character actually has a viable, totally in character way to return to life, when they're dead, they are D-E-A-D. This scared me the most first coming into the game. Why in the heck would I want to invest time into writing a background, a description, an entire life and personality for this character - THEN spend time waiting for it to be approved by the staff, take a few days exploring my point of origin so I know where things are... Just to risk losing this being who's already consumed so much time and energy, in one fatal error in judgement? Seems a bit crazy. But even crazier, an amazing thing actually happened. I invested time, fleshed out this very first character, even found some great RP after getting my feet under me.. And then one day, dying a sudden and avoidable death. I gawked, stared at my computer, and then went "THIS IS SO COOL!" I was hooked. Sure, not every death is so invigorating. Sometimes you get so attached to a character, when it dies you feel disappointed, upset, or more. But after you step away, take a breath, you realize there's so much more you can do in this game. With each character you learn more, you grow, and the more the players grow, the more rich and vibrant the game becomes. New plots are born, past ideas take flight when these new characters impliment them. The the... Read More

I've been playing this game for a little bit now, and really have nothing but devoted praises to the creators who made it, the coders who improve it, and the immortals who oversee it. Not to mention the players who bring it to shining life. I'm not the most eloquent person to try and write a review, but here's my take on Armageddon, and one of my favorite features in any game I've played. I found Armageddon when one day searching the top muds for something different, sadly unsatisfied with the current mud I'd been playing. Dragging the same programmed quests, spam-killing beasts, doing little besides trying to level-up and trying to regain the points my character had before some bad ol' monster killed them, -again-. I didn't even realize at the time I was playing nothing more than a mildly improved Hack-and-Slash until playing in Armageddon. Armageddon offers the best of all the games I've played, without the tragic faults. You don't have to worry about an OOC conversation about 'the big game' breaking into your intense RP. Or some assinine twit walking into the bar and going 'D00ds help! i just got k1ll3d by the same ball of slime 7 times, it took my l33t sw0rd!' It simply doesn't happen.. And if it does it's swiftly corrected, and not tolerated. Initially, the game seems a bit daunting. One of the biggest factors is the fact unless it was by fault of the game that your character dies (a buggy -accidental- instant death room), or your character actually has a viable, totally in character way to return to life, when they're dead, they are D-E-A-D. This scared me the most first coming into the game. Why in the heck would I want to invest time into writing a background, a description, an entire life and personality for this character - THEN spend time waiting for it to be approved by the staff, take a few days exploring my point of origin so I know where things are... Just to risk losing this being who's already consumed so much time and energy, in one fatal error in judgement? Seems a bit crazy. But even crazier, an amazing thing actually happened. I invested time, fleshed out this very first character, even found some great RP after getting my feet under me.. And then one day, dying a sudden and avoidable death. I gawked, stared at my computer, and then went 'THIS IS SO COOL!' I was hooked. Sure, not every death is so invigorating. Sometimes you get so attached to a character, when it dies you feel disappointed, upset, or more. But after you step away, take a breath, you realize there's so much more you can do in this game. With each character you learn more, you grow, and the more the players grow, the more rich and vibrant the game becomes. New plots are born, past ideas take flight when these new characters impliment them. The sky's the limit, and even that's negotiable. So come play! Don't be scared. Armageddon is a wonderful enviroment, amazingly detailed, intriguing, engrossing, and sometimes overwhelming. You can play for years and not see all there is, it's always changing, even if you don't realize it. You might think you know everything there is to know, but something new can still pop out of the woodwork and give you an adrenaline rush.. Of course, it usually eats you in 3 seconds after that!

Just like when you walk into a library and see row after row of books lining every visible location, the search for quality in a mud might seem to be just as arduous. There are hundreds to choose from, with locations and styles that range as widely as the books that we read. Each one takes a little time to really understand, to really get into, and that leaves a lot of places, peoples and adventures that will never get that chance. So how do you choose a book? Mud’s don’t really have covers like a book, they have a few numbers out there for you, regular player base, number of classes, number of races, etc. Are these really the things that you should choose a mud on? The same way that an average looking book can hold within the pages an experience that you will never forget, so does Armageddon. It’s not just a mud where one comes to watch devastating hits slay glob monster after glob monster. It’s a story, an experience, and a community that survives on the edge of gritty death. After years of mudding through all types of genre’s, both as a player and a staff member there has never been a place where the sand blowing across the horizon could feel so real. Where the change of winds on your screen could mean death for your entire group as the storms rise and blank out the world with their desiccating fingers. Challenges lie everywhere. In the cities, in the wild, through politics and through swordsmanship this mud is an entire living breathing and changing plane of existence. Don’t be fooled by the cover, we don’t have ANSI. We have a world as detailed as they can come. A role-play standard that makes the people alive, the cities a striking buzzing mass of cultures, the wilds a dangerously intense and often last resort for survival. You can never get the same feeling chopping up one Fido after another as you get when alone and separated from your group you struggle to hide in caves as bands of roaming gith stalk across the dunes. Or perhaps this time it’s been one of the huge and rare beasts that are almost certain death, bounding towards you while through a series of quick moves you barely escape with your life. Your heart will pound in your chest, your fingers will shake, because if this char falls, he doesn’t loose 200 xp and come back in town. He stays out in the sand, lifeless. This is Zalanthas, this… is Armageddon. This is why even with a smaller player base then some; we are continually at the top ten of the Mudding world. If you have, or haven’t given Armageddon a try before, take some time and set up a chance to experience it today. Create a life on this mud, and see just how long you can survive in a living place that will grow to as... Read More

I'll start off my now second review of Armageddon, by stating, "This MUD has no equal in the RPI genre." Now with that being said, it has positive and negative qualities like all MUDs do. I'll start first with the positive qualities that have been encountered with my several years at the mud. - Freedom: What I mean by this is, you are not bound by anything except certain documentation which helps 'guide' your roleplay with a character. If you want to play a human mercenary with a missing eye, it can be done and supported with a scar-code. Perhaps you want to turn your body into a frightening display of gory ink? Or a work of art from the Tuluki tattooists, it can all be done, and supported with a code. This is the one thing that always set Armageddon apart from other MUDs, the constant work on the code, and the constant feedback the staff is willing to receive from the players. You are free to alter your character as you see fit. If you take massive trauma to the head, you can IN GAME go and put the type of scar on your head and people can see and read it. Or you can even send in an e-mail with a description of the scar and have it added by a staff member (albeit taking some time). - Code: The code for the mud is really an astounding thing. Is it Diku? Well it is listed as diku, but over fifteen years of coding has gone into the mud and I'd doubt that any actual diku code is even left. The combat code needs work, but compared to other muds it is very easy to learn and understand, and it is simplistic, something needed for the harsh setting the mud uses, which is very similar to AD&D Darksun. With an array of combat skills to further help with your roleplaying in the burnt world, such as: Disarm, Kick, Bash, Archery, Guard, Subdue, Charge, Two-Handed, Dual Wield.. And those are just off the top of my head. The point is the code will impress those who enjoy a slow MUSH environment with a very extensive emote system, or even those who like a fast-paced PK-style combat code, which Armageddon also has. You can literally die from one hit in combat. - The Setting: From half-giants, to hairless dwarves with the focus to sail the Silt Sea. The setting, to anyone familiar with Darksun, will seem just like you are in Athas. The Athasian races are all there, the defiling/preserving magick, and the great beasts of the Darksun from Mekillots to Anakore, to the lovable kanks. The setting truly is something to experience if you have never roleplayed in a Darksun environment. - Community: The community for Armageddon MUD is very loose since the playerbase is spread across the entire World. There are players in Germany, Australia, Turkey, I even think there is one in Russia. the... Read More

Simply the best! I went from loving games like Everquest and Final Fantasy and never even considering a text based games like MUDs and MUSHs, to being completely in love with the world of Armageddon and the roleplay that happens there every single day! For two and half years I've been playing Armageddon. And after all that time, putting in somewhere between four to eight hours a day, I have barely scratched the surface of this expansive game: I've only played one race/class combination, and I can't wait to try out the thousand other possibilities.

This isn't your mundane, boring Hack 'n' Slash (sorry to though H&Sers out there, just my personal opinion). Set on the harsh desert planet of Zalanthas where everyday is a struggle to survive, Armageddon is an over a decade old RP-enforced MUD, with indepth RP. RP is strictly enforced and intense. Since starting, around.. 8? months ago, I was promptly hooked to this realistic, apocalyptic, massive and completely original desert world, which isn't frequently called 'Crackageddon' by the majority of the playerbase for nothing. Death is permanent and realistic, making the world even (generally) more adrenaline pumping. No more being stuck with the same character(s) permanently, despite 'dying' a myriad of times. PK is unrestricted and adrenaline pumping (heck, it's not uncommon to be so innundated with adrenaline as to barely be able to type, just gawp at the screen) and realistic. There are no 'rounds' in combat. How fast and much your character swings a blade is dependent on his/her agility. I'm not suggesting that you'd see PCs running around, meaninglessly cutting down others; the staff are always working at preventing this, and soldiers in more lawful areas of the world will prevent this also. Though a character application is required to get into the game, all applications are accepted, declined or edited expeditiously. -Don't- be discouraged by this, it's well worth the time. The staff are great (good work Imms!), as are the players, OOCly. The game is intricate and the possibilites are almost limitless - as long as its in theme of the game, you can be pretty much anything: A malnourishd, grimy, rag-clad youth making a living begging in the alleyways and pickpockets to law-enforcing Templars, cutthroats, sultry prostitutes and foul-mouthed mercenaries. There is a innumerable amount of things to discover, and a massive world to explore, -all- original. The room descriptions are excellent. I personally enjoy ambling around the world, staring at the beautifully written descriptions, I'm certainly impressed. As far as I can see, Armageddon is the most emotionally involved MUD around, with times when you're ecstatic and excited to moments of melancholy and despair. There is magick, though it is quite rare, disdained and feared, and the magick system is advanced. I've got to say again, I'm impressed. And not only is the world large, but the helpfiles are -huge-. If you haven't already, I strongly urge you to at least contemplate giving this place a try, whether you consider yourself a skilled RPer, or have never RPed in your life. You won't be disappointed and the players and staff are helpful to newbies. Just contact one of the helpers on getting started.

I've been a MUDer for a while, and I've tried out quite a few MUDs, and I must say, Armageddon MUD is, by far, my favorite MUD ever. At first, the emoting system may be confusing, but once you get used to it, (killergoldfish.com/arm/ helps) you will see how amazing it is. This complex system allows you to express yourself so vividly, it can feel like you're writing a story. That's how it is, for everybody. You're each writing your own story in the grand scheme of Zalanthas. It will probably be a very long time until I quit this game, if I ever do. At first, the character approval process may be a turn-off, but I think this is actually a strong point of the game. This way, the game doesn't turn into some sort of joke, with OOC character running around everywhere. Permadeath is a wonderful thing, too. How can you claim to be a roleplay MUD if you don't have permadeath?! All of this adds to the intense feel you can get from this game. Sometimes, I have started trembling, and breathing heavy, in real life, because of the intensity (nothing serious, the feeling was actually quite awesome). It had my adrenaline pumping, and I LOVED IT! This is the only game that has ever had that effect on me, and, weird as it sounds, it's actually amazing. This fantasy world is so vivid and real, so intense and suspenseful, that you feel attached to your character, you begin to feel like you -are- your character. This is by far the best, most intense, vivid, and immersive MUD I've ever played.

I can't begin to describe how excellent this game is. I've never before played a game where I was able to get so wrapped up emotionally in the characters and the story. It is -truly- being able to play out a character in a novel, to develop something that can stick in the hearts and minds of others around you for years to come. In fact, many pcs are part of the game's history, their marks left on the gameworld in story and in game. Where permanent death makes your character's life worth something. I've laughed, nearly cried and wrung my hands in worry during the rollercoaster ride with characters in this game. Armageddon has the most incredible emote system in place to really paint that masterpiece along with your fellow players, an incredible magic system, and an excellent setting. I don't really have anything negative to say about the game at all. The only thing I would like to have is to fill out more of the world with players that can handle the learning curve. It's tough, but that's what makes it so sweet when you work through it, your successes and failures in the game mean alot more. Armageddon, a neverending, free-flowing story written by players and staff from all over the world. Come and join us, it's worth the effort and the struggle is half the fun.

It saddens me to write anything but a good review for arm as I have been playing for several years. Recently though several players have run into the same problem I have and that is the game has become basically a playground for the imms. They control the storylines recently and if you try to take control of it you will find yourself quickly batted down, fight against it and your character will die pretty quick. It used to be if something like the recent trend happened it was put down pretty quickly, recently though it has just gotten worse. If you report it and mail the staff you seem to get squashed even more. Some people would say if you don’t like it don’t play, which makes sense. It is hard though to watch easily some of the best rp I have seen in a mud slowly disappearing as most muds are basically HnS, even the RP intense ones still break down to HnS at some level or another. So obviously I want to try to keep what we had and am hoping maybe this review will get the attention that is needed. To close this I will stay say the rp is amazing and the staff is still helpful, I don’t feel their recent actions have been spiteful, just… blissful I think I will use. They don’t seem to realize that the characters are being forced along storylines they aren’t too happy about. One example I can give since he doesn’t play anymore is a two-bit thief that was approached by the games “guild” and made to pay a fine for pick-pocketing in the area. This to me is totally ic if it wasn’t for the fact they asked such a huge amount from a two-bit nobody so his time was basically spent trying to make his payments instead of character development. I know for a fact this character’s player is good at political type roles and his plan with this character was to start a small criminal crew. If allowed to gain some growth with his character he would have made a far more interesting rp environment later as his crew was approached by the “guild” but now his char was forced to work extra hard “since he didn’t log in often he had to make a lot of use of the little time he had” and led to his character dying a far earlier death. I use this example not to say the imms are bad, but they have seem to lost sight of allowing characters to develop a little instead of forcing you into a role right away.

Adrenaline pumping, fast paced action. Breathless, edge-of-your seat suspense. Moments that range from heart-warming and sweet to despair and loss, from cold calculation to primal rage and destruction. A gritty, apocalyptic desert world that pits your character's very survival against the force of the elements and the backstabbing, paranoid clime of the cities, both ruled by the ruthless power of the Sorceror-Kings and their Templars. A neverending, ongoing story rich with intricate plots and secrets, created by and participated in by each and every character that walks the gameworld...which is a world with depths so limitless that once you're truly deep in it, anything seems possible. This is why I keep coming back to Armageddon, and why I can't imagine wanting to leave. There is truly something for every type of player. Whether you like action and adventure, scheming and plotting, romance, social climbing and politics, a life of crime, or a mix of all of the above -- it's here for the taking. If you like intensive roleplay or want to learn what it's all about, ArmageddonMUD is an unparalleled experience. There is nothing like it.

Adrenaline pumping, fast paced action. Breathless, edge-of-your seat suspense. Moments that range from heart-warming and sweet to despair and loss, from cold calculation to primal rage and destruction. A gritty, apocalyptic desert world that pits your character's very survival against the force of the elements and the backstabbing, paranoid clime of the cities, both ruled by the ruthless power of the Sorceror-Kings and their Templars. A never ending, ongoing story rich with intricate plots and secrets, created by and participated in by each and every character that walks the gameworld.. which is a world with depths so limitless that once you're truly deep in it, anything seems possible. This is why I keep coming back to Armageddon, and why I can't imagine wanting to leave. There is truly something for every type of player. Whether you like action and adventure, scheming and plotting, romance, social climbing and politics, a life of crime, or a mix of all of the above -- it's here for the taking. If you like intensive roleplay or want to learn what it's all about, ArmageddonMUD is an unparalleled experience. There is, quite simply, nothing like it.

A rich world indeed. I have been playing Armageddonmud for over 4 years and each day I find something new and wonderful to explore and deepen my experience. The expectations for Role Play are high and make the game completely engrossing. If you are the type that likes to take a break from realty and slip into an entirely different world you will love this game. There are no limits to what your character can do or become. Become a hero, an outcast, fall in love, betray someone, murder a friend, plot a rebellion. The RP opportunities are only as boundless as your imagination. A dedicated staff of volunteers and helpful players make the steep learning curve a bit less difficult and a strict Karma system rewards serious players with restricted roles. The harsh desert climate makes play a challenge to say the least and the players of templars and nobles do an excellent job of oppressing the lower class giving the game it’s gritty feel. The only negative I see as a player would be the smaller player base that Armageddon has. With only 60-70 players on at peak times.

It should be noted, I think, that over the years various persons concerned with their place in the game and with the game's management have either left Armageddon (only to return) or alienated themselves from the playerbase. There are times when the game absolutely seems too strict. The reason, however, is clarity in perfection. There are pages and pages of documentation on how to play in Armageddon. Virtually all of it is well-written and it is all informative. There are published guidelines on playing a specific race, on certian elements in the game which demand a proper clarification, on role-play expactation... hell, there is even documentation on pregnancy and who it functions in Armageddon. The game is run so strictly because if one person deviates, everyone will want to 'deviate' from something that is a grassroots in the game world. Now, perhaps the odd Immortal (who are human, by the way) might overstep a boundery. In most cases, this is dealt with by other staff, who might see the need to explain, reprimand, or ban. Yes, agreed, it's harsh. But now, if you can not deal with the pain, don't play the game. The best solution is to quit for a while, take a break, and pick it back up later on. Despite all of this concerning those who do not wish to play following issues, this must be said. Armageddon is the greatest game in the world, bar none.

I've been playing Armageddon on and off for a while now, and I can say that I really agree with the previous review. The immortals on Armageddon are a bit difficult sometimes. With Sanvean (the game's owner) gone, the immortals seem to have gotten worse than ever. If you are unwilling to conform with one of the staff's beliefs in how the game should be played, even the most minor thing, then you will definitly run into conflicts. With the way the Karma system is set up, you more or less need to be on the staff's good side if you want to play anything besides the simplest characters like the basic warrior human or elf ranger. I will say that the game has pretty good coding and features, but the way the mud is ran (including the 10 hour mandatory game closing on all Saturdays,) and the immortals that run it leaves alot to ask for.

Arm's a good MUD, but theres one major problem. There are about as many imms as players. If one of them doesn't like you youre screwed. cross one of them and your Arm career will never be the same. Most of the good things that have been said about Arm in these reviews are accurate and true. But, like I said, slip up once and you're done. Every Imm, and there are a bunch of them - most who you won't even know - will come down on you hard and never forget it. You're expected to follow the Imm's lead while roleplaying, they like you to think they're always watching, and indeed often they'll animate someone for you to roleplay with if no players are close by, but if you do something that they didn't forsee, or if you try to think for yourself, you'll never live it down. better make a new account and start fresh. So, if you want a good MUD, and you can conform, then Arm is the place for you. If you're a free thinker, you'll get beaten down quickly.

I had awoken, but I knew not where. Although assured of my conciousness by the blazing pain in my lower back, the colors slowly filtering through my eyes couldn't be anything but dream. I could tell I was still dressed in my nightsilks. Shoeless, of all the luck. Gone were the fated picks of Kelloch, as well as the gloves of my father. I heard something of a wheeze/groan over from the right, and squinted past a haze of hues so vibrant as to make the richest merchant weep. A broad expanse of tanned flesh, creased down the center by an intricate set of pleasantly unmoving ink marks. Grinner. So called because of a ghastly boarding wound, Grinner ceaselessly smiled and constantly hissed. Loyal to his last drop, we'd been together for years; his body a patchwork of pigmented tales of our travels. My vision slowly clearing, it was easy to see he was bare atop with his mast-like legs clad in brown and black mottled travelling leathers. Black boots as well, with an ivory adornment on the side whos lethality was only known to the wearer, myself, and an unlucky few. A weight flew from my heart when the massive, inked man thumped over onto his back, his good eye focusing on me and giving a wink. My wits returning, I glanced down at the back of my right hand. Upon my ring finger was a ring setting only slightly shorter than the bone beneath, and just as wide. Silver backed and set with a multitude of stones, it would fetch a more worth than a Ynyrr plantation and a crew full of slaves. A gift from the princess of Zhegwai, to whom I was briefly betrothed. For a full five months, it is said, she commanded her five most competent craftsmen to piece together this treasure. With a tap of my finger, I set the precious metals and gemstones upon the ring's face into motion as a soft whirring sound arose from within. I heard a soft click as the compass ruby slipped into place, then a series of softer tics as it slowly kept moving around the circle of orichalcum it was set within. Confused, I glanced away. Grinner's one eye appeared as wide as a coin, and shortly mine couldn't have been much smaller. I'd be a liar if I said I was not familiar with methods of incarceration. More than a few gaols had known my scent, most of them I departed from easily enough. A few required coin, a couple of them needed some fast talk. When diplomacy failed, there was always force. None had kept me longer than I'd wished to stay. Some had been dank, dingy affairs riddled with rats and roaches while others had been clean and sturdy and run with the precision of a clocksmith. On one memorable ocassion, the bars were gilded in gold. A political prisoner, they'd called me then, and I was treated better most... Read More

Take my review with a grain of salt. Mind that I screwed up and not really in a little way. I would expect some repercussions, as I'm sure all would. However, for those of you out there with the potential to screw up (read this as everyone), be careful. After my screw up, I received zero tolerance from the staff. While some may say that this should be expected, I felt on at least one occasion like another player was attacking me, but I was the one being told by the staff that I was being bad, which I found very discouraging. Anything I did that wasn't the action of a 'Yes-man' player on the game was rewarded with a reprimand or worse. When trying to discuss any situation with staff afterwards, I was rewarded with another reprimand about something I was already spoken to about. Two months ago, I received an email with a reprimand and etc. I replied asking for explanation, as I didn't see my actions with the same interpretation as the staff. (Too many details will not be provided to protect others involved.) I received none. I responded again a couple weeks later, as the staff has told the players to do when not receiving a reply. Still no response. The staff DO have favorites who receive support left and right. However, if you aren't a stellar player or have screwed up ever, don't expect nearly the same level of attention from the staff. It is possible that if you've screwed up that you will receive zero support...or consideration. My personal belief is that situations like mine, a screw up of whatever size resulting in the cold-shoulder from the staff, is what has kept the p-base at the level it was when I was last playing, when other RPI's have a much larger and loyal p-base. Myself, I've stopped playing the mud over this situation. To me, the staff has been very clear on their desire not to have me around. Maybe I'll come back, but then again, maybe I won't. There are plenty of other games out there that I can play with role-players that I consider as good or superior to the people that I meet in the game on Arm, but in a more pleasant OOC/role-playing environment. As I said, take my review with a grain of salt. I had a bad experience. I do think it is something one should consider, however.

In the scrub, we lurked. Five strong and all veterans. Across the white stones of the road I was barely able to pick out the pair of dwarves, both bald heads covered in thick caps of braxat hide from which stuck twigs and leaves. To my left were the twins, both dirty halfbreeds but each as deadly as they were scarred. They lay silently, prone, flanking a log fitted with makeshift handles. I grabbed the crossbow from beside me and brought it to a low, ready position and went to my stomach as I heard the rumble of large wooden wheels from beyond my sight. A brief vision appeared in my head of Kalis, our eyes to the east. His burly, halfelven form approaching out of the haze of my psyche, telling me quarry had arrived. A single wagon drawn by four kanks, build for speed but riding heavy. Nenyuki markings. Four guards on the back. Today was going to be a very good day. Soon enough the black wagon came within view, rolling easily across the well-tended white stones of North Road. Sighting down my crossbow, I frowned as I looked across the front of the wagon. No chance for a shot on the driver. Even though the front of the wagon was open, a shimmering black silk cowl was pulled over the gap, letting sight pass only one way. I heard a softly muttered chant just over my left shoulder and scowled as the wind picked up for a moment, and the twins vanished. Magickers. I could live without them, but it's easier not to. It's unhealthy to piss off a pair of brothers that can light you on fire or fade from your eyes with a word, and many tales had been told of curses laid on those who crossed them. Curses which stripped fortune, luck, friendship, and in one memorable case the reproductive organs of the target. We work well together, so we do. We survive. I saw a footprint in the dust appear at the side of the road, and then nothing. The wagon continued. As it passed my position, I firmed my grip on the crossbow and sighted in on the guard in the middle. All human, excellent. Should be easy. I tightened my grip on the trigger and the guard fell over. Quick, painless, and without a sound he toppled forward off the back of the wagon, his head colliding with the white stones below and streaking them red. Confused, I glanced down at my crossbow to regard the bolt still within. My mind raced... the dwarves were the hitters, distractions. Neither of them had anything better than a knife to toss. The twins were more flashy than that, and always, always waited for my signal to strike. I my thoughts derailed as I heard the panicked bleating of a kank, simultaneous with seeing the dwarves burst out of cover to the other side of the wagon. A flint headed flew... Read More

I've found this MUD both incredibly interesting and incredibly disappointing at the same time. This is not a negative review for I have good things and bad things to say about the game, though for all the reasons listed below I have decided against playing this game, at least for now. On one hand the game is filled with (some) rich detail, character's are REQUIRED to make a description of no less than 4 lines in length, role-play is mandatory (unlike MUDs which make similar claims but fail to back them up), OOC communication is down to a bare minimum so it's very easy to stay focused and in character, there are many races and classes to explore, immense documents comparable to a mini-novel in length, extremely supportive staff particularly with assisting new players, an advanced emoting code (and I mean advanced!), and on and on. The flip side of the coin, is that while seemingly richly detailed there are many cases where over a dozen rooms are identical. I don't like the fact that many streets in the game are given the exact same description as the next. I keep expecting to see Fido NPC dog come around the corner! There is enough minutaie of detail in the world (especially a fantasy world) to give each portion of even a mundane city road it's own unique descriptions. Though this is a small criticism and the greater reality is that there is still a great deal of depth to the game world, in its players and its size. Still, beginning the game to a 10-room long road with the exact same (small) description over and over made a bad first impression. First impressions in online gaming is important. The two key reasons I am against playing here however are this. The game shuts down for 10 hours of maintenance each and every Saturday without fail, making the game effectively inaccessible all day according to my time zone. This wouldn't be such a problem to me were it not for the fact that Saturday is the one day out of the week which I can devote more time to online gaming than any other. I could be a lot more forgiving if the game were closed every other Saturday or rotating days out of the week. The second reason I am strongly opposed to playing an otherwise incredible game is the inability to communicate with offline characters. By my understanding, the only way you can send a message to someone who isn't logged on is to try and find a player who is and ask them to relay your message to the necessary party should they see him/her before you do. All communication is done 100% in character which seems great in theory but in practice I can only assume I would be spending weeks and even months, sometimes, trying to reach certain characters, especially considering most players are illiterate. In fairness I've only played the game for short... Read More

"I am not ashamed to admit that I dream about my characters, or wonder how they would react to an everyday situation." Morninglight "After I got into the spirit of the game, I realized that it was amazing that you could actually assassinate someone if you needed too." Kazuko Kodo "Armageddon MUD: A realm of exquisitely precise writing, described in detail that includes the taste and smell and sound of the world in which your character acts." GypsyLass "Fabulous role-players." Joss "When (not if) my current character dies, I will weep, grit my teeth, swear never to return and be back staring at the character application within 36 hours at the most. It is that compelling." Frostflower "The staff is absolutely incredible and diligent in its commitment to the place, the players are phenomenal and sometimes I sit and watch in awe because it is poetry in motion." ShaLeah "There is no other place like it, none, those who leave, return, and those who can not visit it because of real life, miss it, those of us who sit on Saturdays and wait twelve hours for its return from maintenance, crave it." ShaLeah "If you have ever played a table-top role-playing game then you should IMMEDIATELY explore the Armageddon MUD website and create a character, this game is a dream come true." Vox "Armageddon is, in essence, a vast group-told story that never really seems to quit expanding." Clegane "The flavor, world, and people of Armageddon are so captivating that I'm sure you'll quickly see why this is, in my opinion, the greatest game ever made." FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit "My character lie dead in an hour, was I frustrated? No. The intense role-playing, wasn't hard to get into at all, right off the bat I was starting off my own story, I was a different being in a different world, I wasn't focusing on stats or killing tons of animals, I WAS in that world." Anonymous "By far the most appealing aspect of Armageddon MUD is the immense detail of the world, presenting both delight and horror around every corner." Bushranger "The reality is dangerous and unforgiving, and even if one thinks that everything is going well, you can never know if someone if plotting your demise." Lorain "When you’re not playing, you'll wish you were. You're going to think about it at work, tell your friends, tell your family, and tell strangers, tell anyone that will listen. When you sleep....you're going have Armageddon dreams." jmordetsky "There are politics, greed, robberies, murder, lies, corruption, betrayal, sex, romance, heroes and villains!" Crownsilver "Now as an Armageddon player for two years, I see Armageddon as all I could have hoped for and much more as a roleplay environment." flurry "Armageddon is quite probably the only MUD where role-play and realism are so forceful that it is, in fact, to commit terrible crimes and actually get away with it." Larrath "I've used and outsmarted people and been used and outsmarted by others, and... Read More

Slipping along through the shadowy rubble, the boy shifted his pack on his back once more. The warrens of the city echoed with the chatter of those folks who lived there, but he paid them no mind. His path was south, out of the maze of alleyways into the City itself. In his pack rested a large budle, wrapped in sandcloth a dozen times and tied with a length of sinew. In the budle was his, and his families, ticket to an easy life, at least for awhile... In the bundle sat a head-sized lump of spice. The good stuff. Expensive it was, exensive enough to cost him his head if anyone found out he was running it. He was eager to be rid of it, and to obtain the hefty sack of obsidian coins he had been promised, but not so eager as to appear suspicious. As he emerged from the dank, rubble-strewn alleys he noted a few soldiers dawdling about. One of them glanced his way, but he scratched his rump irritably and the soldier looked away, muttering somethign about 'urchins'. So much the better for the boy, for he was almost to his destination. Ducking around a corner from the soldiers, he began to jog. His bare-feet slapped against the rough sandstone cobbles, and he covered the distance to his destination quickly. Slinging the pack from his shoulders, the boy knocked twice on the door, waited a few moments, and knocked again. The scrape of the door sounded loud in the silence of the evening, as did the clank of obsidian coins as a massive, hairy-knuckled hand thrust out a large sandcloth bag. Exchanging his spice-filled pack for the coin-filled bag, the boy thrust the sack inside his shirt and turned on his heel to scoot out of there, very quickly. IT WAS DONE! He had enough coin in this bag to feed his mother and sisters for weeks. Months even. Fruits and meat and flour. And water. That is what would come first, a barrel, mebbe, of the freshest, cleanest water he'd ever tasted.... That was the thought on his mind as the ragged elf stepped from the shadows. The boy paused, but only for a moment before setting off in another direction, away from the elf. Dissheveled he was, and hungry-looking. His almond-shaped eyes followed the lad as he picked his way over a large mound of rubble. Slipping around a corner, the boy began to run. It was harder, here in the alleys, for debris and things could cut one's feet badly. He still made his way through the detritus quickly, and was almost home-safe when the elf's long, slender fingers closed on him and spun him around. The red moon's light glinted on the blade of an obsidian knife as he thrust out his hand and spoke a few words in the elven tongue. The boy didn't speak the language but he understood the gesture: Gimme. He started to protest, the... Read More

There is a certain pride one obtains after about a year of playing Armageddon. You realize that most people don't know about it, the people you tell about it become obsessed with it like it was opium, and you can't wait to think up the next character concept. At least that's my situation. Armageddon is an incredibly harsh world. You will die. You will suffer, emotionally and physically, from the detrimental harm it will do to your soul. And you will like. No, you will love it. I've had sixteen characters over the past year and a half. I stored only one, because I took a break from the game during college and couldn't get back into the concept I thought up for him. Let me list a few of the important ones. A burglar, working for an important Noble House. By day, he was an Aide to one of the most important Nobles in the Ivory City. By nightfall, he was a dangerous robber, breaking into people's homes, disposing of bodies, taking care of the dirty work. Caught in a Merchant Houses compound after three successful heists, and murdered by his own people. A Kuraci Dwarf, obsessed with a single goal. To become the best. He strove for years in the tightly-knit, spice-fiend company of Kuracis, sent on missions through the Tablelands where he fended off horrible creatures called Gith with a single companion for months with no viable source of food or water, except what was found or foraged. An assassin who roamed the intricate alleyways of the Labyrinth, founding a gang with a few other like-minded individuals in the first few days of his arrival. The gang becomes reknowned, feared, loathed, and even respected. A wolf-eyed man, brilliant blue eyes that pierced into the hearts of everyone around him. He became a Private in the Militia, learning the ropes of law and order. Eventually, became the Overseer for all new recruits, nearly being assassinated by a hired killer in the ruins of the Old Tuluk. Died in the most incredible way ever, an event I still remember to this day. This isn't your run of the mill hack and slash MUD. Again, your character will die. You will be frustrated. You won't know what to do, you might choose to take your anger out on the IMMs and the game itself for being so harsh. But you'll be back for more. If you want adventure, intrigue, romance, plots, insane stories and mischief, you've come to the right place. You've come to Armageddon, population: dwindling.

Epic adventures of our times have struck us and amazed us. From Wizards like Gandalf to plain farm girls like Paksennarion and the immense expanse of the Belgariad we have all read or engrossed ourselves upon excitement and the unknown. The world of fantasy in words, laid out in intricate detail for us to watch and see, to experience and breath. But, from the moment Garion set upon his quest, or Gandalf, or Frodo, or Paks, or whatever character you have ever read about, their destiny was sealed. Each word might have allowed you to watch the adventure, but it did not put you in it. Armageddon does not leave you out. The sands are death, intelligent cultures and creatures struggle to survive from one corner to the next, resources are low, and water is sought with desperation. The world is there, living and breathing, intricate and impressive like the most fantastic stories you have ever read there is adventure, friends, laughter, but also conflict, danger, and magic. Imagine for a moment if you could step into the series of books that have given you excitement and love for reading and experiencing adventure. Imagine if you could be part of the story, if you could be the honest merchant, the decrepit beggar, the one eyed mercenary, and change the world, change the story. This is not a place to come and kill beasts for loot. This is the place to come to become part of a roleplaying tradition. Come and see why time and time again this game is known across the mudding community for its total undiluted intent to be the absolute best experience there is. Raise an army, be a leader, be feared, be hated, be loved, be unknown, explore distant ruins, control the politics, follow unquestioning into battle, find hidden tribes, run from massive beasts, sneak into homes, steal from the rich, become a hero, become a horror. Don’t be one of 400 people on line with a level 70 that means nothing, join the mud that lets you become part of the world. If you are a new player to role playing, don’t be afraid. I learned here, and after trying every mud that has made any top 20 list I could find over the last 5 years of playing muds. This is the one I come back to.

One very common phrase you are likely to hear at Armageddon MUD is this, "One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic." Whatever thoughts flare in your mind at the utterance of this single phrase, they are probably true. Harsh? Yes. Unreal? Yes? Heartbreakingly sublime? Totally. Over the course of seven-and-a-half long years, I have had the pleasure (and in some cases, the extremedispleasure) of commiting myself to the statistics of five MUDs. I have labored and toiled and sweat to perfect those MUDs, once or twice as a staff member, but more often as a dedicated player. And after seven-and-a-half years, do you know what thought above any other persists in my mind? Pointlessness. It is an oft-discarded truth that no matter how hard you strive in a MUD, as a player or otherwise, your efforts always fall short in effecting any real or lasting change. (Yeah, I bet you're wondering where I'm going with this, right?) At Armageddon I found this is not always so; players who apply themselves can have a real impact on the way that life continues on the world of Zalanthas. Whether as a blade-running mercenary of the T'zai Byn, or a Blue Robe of the Allanaki Templarate, or a commoner begging on the corner of Commoners' and Caravan Way for his next meal - you make an impact. It's an amazing and profound thing to feel connected to a senseless jumble of words and numbers, but here at Armageddon, we do! In the end, could it really be any other way? With such a sprawling gamut of choices to indulge in and risk your life over, how could anything here devolve into such a base and vile thing as pointlessness? And though life is harsh and oft-times short here, we welcome you to join us for what you will hopefully find to be a notable and worthwhile roleplaying experience.

I was playing UO (ultima Online) when I heard about MUDs for the first time. Looking back upon it all, I can't beleive how twinkish and now seemingly boring UO was. Today's graphical games are so much more advanced in regards to graphics and playability. But of course, that is off-topic. I was playing UO, and my brother told me about a game he was involved in with no pictures, many rules, and a vibrant and engrossing background. "My dear brother," I said. "Such a thing sounds too ludicrous to be true, or even remotely interesting. I'll pass." It was a year later when he spoke to me again of it, and to humor him, I decided to try it. I mean, after all, what could I lose? It is thusly that I used Telnet for the first time and logged onto 64.252.79.51, port 4050, snorted quite derisively at the ANSI mantishead that greeted me, and slovenly created and submitted a character. I decided, the next day, upon wandering about aimlessly for a few hours with my new and bewildered character, that this was not the game for me. Sure, I liked the idea of real RP. Perma-death? Whoa, not sure about that. I'd lose my brown backpack! No PICTURES!?!?! NO OOC TALK?!?!?! How the hell am I to find my way to the market, to buy a magic cloak of whatever and a half? No, screw this game. And back to UO I went. I guess the little world stuck with me though, in the end, this little mess of words and persons and exotic locations. UO just seemed to be missing something. I didn't know what it was; I had my house, my guild, my uber-character...but something was missing. So I spoke to my brother, and I asked him a little more about this world he played in, where the dwarves had no hair and the elves were taller than everyone, where the sands killed you and where there was no 3117. And I created an elf named Krist, and never again looked I away from the world of words. Since that time 5-6 years ago, I've tried other MUDs, but nary one can do what Armageddon has done to me. Some say that the combat code is horrible, some of the classes are over-skilled, others under-skilled, the IMMs at times unable to understand, the players mean, the learning curve too steep, the MOBs overpowered, and so on and so forth. They say the MUD is stacked against you. Even if all of this was true, it would still be worth it. That's the crux of the matter. Even if this MUD was all the things that the critics say it is, even if it was absolutely the bane of a newbie, it is still worth it to play it like a religion. There is no place in MUDdom that can compare to Armageddon. And when it comes down to it, in the end, I if... Read More

[I wrote this note to everyone who I play with. I was told to post it as a review] I have reached the big two four of hours played and this is what I have experienced with Armageddon. You learn to hate elves. You learn to fear Templars. You feel suspense from every moment even the simple ones. You fall inlove with the woman. you feel regret when you sell out your friends. You are joyed when you make a new friend. You are lifted to a good mood when you drink! Text based music forms into sweet sound within your head. the death of your friend breaks your heart. The moments of dispair fill you with faithlessness as you fight to survive. What other game can actually make you feel any emotion? OHHH I am on my first character, and I anticipate the drama of my character's death. It will be tragic because when I play I feel like I -am- my character. No book can do such things. And when my character's death arrives I will sigh as my thoughts billow with my character's experiences. And when that time comes I will turn the last page of my character's chaper in the book of Armageddon and soon after, begin the next. Anyway, I love the slaving immortals who work to make this game that I enjoy so much. I love my fellow players who participate in RP. I love the helpers and everyone else who took the time to get me started. I love the players who did not flip out at me as I first learned how to use emote correctly. The wealth of documentation is amazing. Without it, I would be utterly lost. Thanks for gathering all that information, it really really helps. And it feels like I actually know what I am doing! Anyway, to all who make this work of art everything that it is: Thank you. -Thunder

[I wrote this note to everyone who I play with. I was told to post it as a review] I have reached the big two four of hours played and this is what I have experienced with Armageddon. You learn to hate elves. You learn to fear Templars. You feel suspense from every moment evan the simple ones. You fall in love with the woman. You feel regret when you sell out your friends. You are overjoyed when you make a new friend. You are lifted to a good mood when you drink! Textbased music forms into sweet sound within your head. The death of your friend breaks your heart. The moments of despair fill you with faithlessness as you fight to survive. What other game can actually make you feel any emotion? OHHH I am on my first character, and I anticipate the drama of my character's death. It will be tragic because when I play I feel like I -am- my character. No book can do such things. And when my character's death arrives I will sigh as my thoughts billow with my character's experiences. And when that time comes I will turn the last page of my character's chapter in the book of Armageddon and soon after, begin the next. Anyway, I love the slaving immortals who work to make this game that I enjoy so much. I love my fellow players who participate in RP. I love the helpers and everyone else who took the time to get me started. I love the players who did not flip out at me as I first learned how to use emote correctly. The wealth of documentation is amazing. Without it, I would be utterly lost. Thanks for gathering all that information, it really really helps. And it feels like I actually know what I am doing! Anyway, to all who make this work of art everything that it is, thank you. -Thunder

A Newbie's Review I came to Armageddon after many years at a MUD which, for lack of any real comparison, I thought was RP enforced. The difference between that mud and Armageddon was a lot like the difference between high school and the real world. It's the difference between kids and adults. Armageddon is a rich, interactive world. It's also a harsh world, where newbies (especially those with little MUD experience) die quickly. Were you to take it at face value, you might even think it too harsh. Thankfully, there are a few factors which help this MUD stand out from the rest. The first is Armageddon's immstaff. Seldom have I seen an immstaff so capable and so helpful. Questions on the "ask the staff" section of the MUD's forums are quickly answered, as are emails to imms who are responsible for taking care of your clan or group. My first character was helped ICly by an imm switched into a bartender, and then OOCly afterwards with a few tips and a link to the list of Helpers. The Helpers are another of Armageddon's fantastic features. Helpers are regular players who have volunteered their time (and instant messenger screen names) to help newbies with any questions they might have. I found them to be an invaluable resource as I stumbled around a new and very different world. The players themselves are another breed in Armageddon. The vast majority of them are fantastic roleplayers, as the harsh nature of the game world tends to weed out those looking for a more "hack and slash" style of playing. Add to that the fact that there are no global channels, IC or OOC, and you'll find a much more immersive IC experience. Armageddon allows playerkilling, but only when it makes sense. Don't expect to be able to kill a man in the middle a city without reprecussions, and certainly don't expect to threaten a noble and get away with it. Do expect a rich experience, and do expect a good time. Armageddon is a delight for those willing to ride the rollercoaster.

The glare of the sun was opressive as the man bent down to break apart yet another piece of dry, crusty earth. The salty chunk of dirt came apart easily in his powerful hands, but there was nothing in it but grit and a few loose grains of worthless salt. Damn, he thought. Six days away from the City, and only a few handfuls of good, valuable salt to show for his trouble. Barely enough to cover the cost of water for another outing, and not enough to buy a meal. Damn and damn again. Muttering to himself, he leaned down to crumble another chunk of baked earth in his fists. As his head dipped, he heard a -whiff- sound. For a moment, he stood, staring stupidly at the slender arrow that sprouted from his thigh, just above the knee. A smooth, wooden shaft had pierced his sandcloth leggings and gone through his thigh and out the other side. It looked gruesome, he thought, his mind slightly detached from the scene. Funny enough, it didn't hurt much. But then he raised his eyes from the arrow, and he knew fear, for there, rising from behind a slight rise in the flats, were two shapes. Slightly hunched, the attackers moves swiftly across the expanse between them, one notching another arrow, the other hefting a long, bone headed spear. Still staring in dumb disbelief, the man's hand twitched toward the axe at his hip. His fingers had barely brushed the rough wooden haft when another arrow -thunked- into his hip. Crying out, the man scrabbled at the axe and pulled at it slightly when another impact jarred him. The spear hitting his chest felt like a hammer-blow, and it drove all thought of resistance from his head. His eyes swam wildly for a few moments before realizing he was on his back, with a dwarf's length of spear jutting from his chest. The soft, hissing language of the Gith touched his ears, along with their soft, mocking laughter. Then, there was only darkness... ________________________________________________ And that is why I love Armageddon. The virtues of this mud are endless, but it's greatest strength is by far the players, staff, and the cohesion between them that allows for such stellar roleplaying and storytelling. I don't have the time or the words to express how much I love and enjoy this game... But, as with every mud, there are a number of features I dislike. Namely the sandstorm code, which is utter nonsense in my opinion. Thieves stealing with no -visible- roleplay are another bad aspect of Armageddon, but that might be an In Character complaint, because I hate loosing my hard-earned loot. :) All in all, Armageddon is the finest roleplaying experience I have ever had the pleasure to partake in. The above little story is from a character I once had, whom I loved very much. One moment he was living his life, the next he was gone and I staring... Read More

I came to Armageddon about three years ago after tiring of the banality a RP-enforced mud that is elsewhere in the Top Ten listing. I was in the middle of shopping around for a new RP-enforced mud and was trying out a few here and there but they weren't quite doing it for me. Not quite sure why I picked Armageddon in the end. The name didn't sound that great to me but after reading the blurb I thought I'd give it a try. It sounded harsh and tough and that was what I was looking for. The first thing you'll do is create and account and write up a character. This character has to be approved by the Imms in order to preserve the integrity of the gameworld. Its relatively painless though once you've read the tips on creating a character and I've never had to wait too long for approval despite the fact that I'm not a US-peak time player (I think about 15 hours is the max and 20 minutes is the min for me with it generally being around 4 or 5 hours). Once you've been approved you're ready to start. My first impressions were mixed - I came from a mud with lots of colours and Armageddon doesn't have any... or two if you want to be pedantic ;) There is slight ANSI support but if you want colours you'll need to use your client's triggers. Personally, I grew used to black and white and I like the kind of starkness it gives the game which matches its mood but it didn't do it for me in the beginning. I stuck it out though despite feeling a little underwhelmed initially. I hung around one of the local taverns to get a feel for the place and the first major thing that struck me was the RPing going on around. My last Mud was a place where everybody used the stock emotes; where smiles were beamed, people bounced happily, everybody laughed "heh, heh, heh"... you get the idea. Not so on Armageddon. I'd found a place where people RPed realistic emotions and actions. I quickly discovered that the Armageddon's code is written to greatly help with RPing. The coded emote system, while a little tricky to get the hang of at first, is the best I've seen yet and allows you to flexibly reference all the people and objects around you. This really helps people to express themselves and brings the gameworld alive. I was glad too to find that people weren't excessive about the whole thing either - you won't be waiting 2 minutes for 4 or 5 line emotes and I find the game moves along at a nice pace. Of course emoting doesn't equal RPing. Armageddon has some excellent RPers I believe. When I was looking for a new Mud I was looking for realism, complexity and shades of grey. I was tired of the evil to the core, good the... Read More

Armageddon is a very special MUD. Even at the hard-coded face level, in terms of spells and equipment and tough monsters to slay, Armageddon is easily one of the best MUDs out there. The game is balanced beautifully; rangers truly are the masters of the wilderness, able to find their way through places where others would end up walking in circles. Each guild has its niche. The world is so massive that even the oldest players (some of which have been playing for a decade) have not seen all of it. With single, permanent death that is completely without ressurection points whatsoever (with the sole exception of dying due to bugs), Armageddon's combat and exploration are more exciting than anywhere else. Though not a monster MUD with thousands of players on at any given moment, Armageddon's playerbase is both generously sized and generously gifted; regular playing hours usually see around 35 players on while primetime can boast as much as 65 to 75, and sometimes even more. To all this, add an intense, gritty and immersive IC world that is well-planned and richly documented, and you may get a vague image of what Arm is like. In terms of roleplay, there is absolutely nowhere half as good as Armageddon. Armageddon is quite probably the only MUD where roleplay and realism are so forceful that it is, in fact, to commit terrible crimes and actually get away with it. None of that goody-goody illogical players who always figure out the crime because your PC was the only one close to the scene of the crime. Also, Armageddon has the best magick system ever. Ever. Armageddon is admittedly hard to get started, but in order to make the transition and the learning curve easier for our new players, player helpers are available right here: http://www.armageddon.org/intro/helpers.html

I would recommend this Game to anyone regardless of their tastes. It's Cheap, fun, exciting, and will continue to be that way. Cheap- Armageddon is free to play, and there are no special purchases that allow you the advantage over other people. The size of your wallet isn't an issue here, as long as you have an internet connect, you can play this game. Fun- We are the only MUD/MUSH/MU* that can boast real RP. The reason for this is dedicated staff and playerbase that are willing to enforce that realistic RolePlay is taken out. The whole Game is a Utopia for RPers because the entire playerbase will not break their role until they've logged off from the game. We respect the game, and want everyone who plays to do so as well. Exciting- Because the roleplay is forced a thin line the width of a sheet of paper, even further than that even, it's up to you-the-player to decide what goes on. As long as you follow the rules that pertain to staying in character at all times, anything can happen. The staff aren't corrupt; regardless of how much it may seam on the boards, once in-game, they follow the rules and are kind and considerate to all players. -Long Lasting This MUD and it's creators have withstanded time. Armageddon MUD is old and very experenced in what the playerbase wishes, if something is a problem it is fixed within a timely manner. Each saturday, durring the morning till dusk, scheduled mantainence, upgrading, and bettering occurs. This may seam like a downfall, but for any experenced player, this isn't a hinderance, but a benifit. Because of these down times, we can progress much easier than any other MUD, allowing new code and better system upgrades to flood into the system at reboot making happy players. -Common Misconceptions Being a player for at least three years, I can explain many misconceptions that visitors and new players make: -Downtime Since the game is free, the staff cannot quit their jobs and work full time at developing the game. This means they have to work on their spare time, and saturday is the day to do it. The game is highly addictive once you understand how to play, and sometimes it's best to have a day off anyway. Regardless, we all love our staff here and respect them for designating a whole day from their busy schedule to work on our mud. -Aproval of Character Apps Before you can start playing the game, a staff member must aprove your character. It only happens once, and takes at most 24 hours to get approved. Since characters aren't perminent, once your character dies, you'll have to make a new one. Because of the aproval process, trying to keep your character alive becomes more important. This also helps to set descriptions of characters straight, since there are so many new that are away from the norm of other MUDs, the aproval process another... Read More

Absolutely the best MUD ever. Full roleplay, not your average, "Hey...you wanna kill rabbits, from there we can l33t ourselves up to bats and then dogs!", on Armageddon, roll-play is outlawed. There is a drawback however to this mud: The Learning curve is extreemly tough for most people. If you don't understand at least one of the original parts to this mud within three days, the chances of your survival here is slim. The best part, is that everything is original and unique, on no other mud will you find all elves have a passion/disease for theivery, and dwarves are obsessive compulsive naturally. Actually, I make it seam worse than it really is: Think Fun, Challenging, and witty mixed into one Game. -Trenidor

Armageddon MUD is not just fun to play, it is educational. I've learned more about grammar, spelling, detail selecting, role-playing and fiction writing in general from this mud then I have from all the fantasy books I've ever read, and I'm an English Major. The system is -perfect-. You can PK anyone, but you never know how strong that person is. You only have one life, so if you screw up and underestimate that person’s abilities, your character is gone for good. To prevent you from spawning an endless wave of character with the sole intent to kill, and to keep the environment role-play friendly, you have to get your character reviewed by the Imms. Lastly, to make the game worth playing, you are rewarded Karma points for good role-playing. These Karma points allow you to come back as more powerful or unique characters.

I have been a player on Armageddon for the last 2 years. I've got nothing else to say other than that this game ROCKS! Anyway, I just wanted to talk about the things that you don't see in other muds. *Perma-Death* Meaning once you die....well then you stay down. This concept of the game rocks, and what really brought me into this game almost 2 years ago. It really makes the game feel realistic, making the whole world completely realistic. You'll never fight the same PC ever again, if you're succesful in killing them, but this mud isn't about all about killing at all, just saying how important this factor in the game makes it a good mud. * Political* This mud has a lot of political value. Many many things come into consideration when you choose you actually rival, rebel, or conquer someone or something. The cities themselves are run by US players. Meaning any actions that you or other do will have an impact on the society. Even if you are a Hunter who finds a secret area filled with many creatures and beautiful pelts to skin off them. You will then become popular; meaning alot of the player-run organizations (Noble Houses) who have a lot to say Politically behind their walls will want you. *Too many Possibilities* There are just so many things to do in this game, from being a merciless thug, to a very powerful and accurate ranger, a slave, an outcast, maybe even an Noble one day. The possibilities are endless! Yes, i was very confused about this mud when i started, but the mud itself has a lot of helpfiles and their website is in full detail about how stuff works, politically or not. Just try it out. Trust me you'll 'learn' to love it! Later all, and Happy Mudding!

So I started playing this mud about seven years ago, and for the first six years I played unsuccessful characters. I'd die often, then apply for a new character, then die again, rinse/repeat, take a five month break, come back, etc. Then one day, I special apped to play a wind mage, and was approved. This character was what kind of threw me out of newbie-dom on Armageddon, and taught me a lot about the game. Ever since then I've been hooked on it, but I also can't say it doesn't have its downsides which can't be overlooked. To me, the upsides of the game are: 1) Extremely cool magick system, as well as how most of the populace fears or hates magickers to the point of killing them on sight. Magick is more powerful on this mud than others, but the downside is some very powerful people hate you, and its hard to make a friend. 2) Level-less system keeps you from having to kill mob X over and over again to gain experience. The game is entirely skill based. 3) Very detailed documentation and awesome concept, which leads to make it a very brutal world. 4) Permadeath and other code mechanics allow you to realistically play some concepts that you can't play on other muds (shadowy/unknown assassins, for example - you won't see any 'Bob just killed me, he was a traitor!' type stuff). 5) No where list, no who list and other OOC devices, including no way to OOC'ly learn of a character's class (ie. you never know when your best friend, or enemy, is a filthy magicker) 6) Immortals watching over every group, lending an immortal hand to help the players make world-changing events happen if necessary. You have an ability to affect the climate of the game in Armageddon. The main downside of the game is the number of players. It averages about 25-35 players. Peak times can see 55-65, occasionally higher. I'm still hooked on the game, despite this drawback, however it is something that is lacking. The world is huge and there's a variety of different things that would be absolutely wonderful if they were fleshed out with PC's: the military of the city-states, led by self- serving priest-warriors (Templars) of the city states, the haughty nobility, using the wealth of their houses to fund their private interests, the desert elf tribes, each with their own set spiritual beliefs, a downtrodden section of the city (the Labyrinth), filled with would-be thieves, burglars and assassins, all this among many other things. All of the above exists in Armageddon, as I've been a part of a few of the things I mentioned, however a lot of times you get the feeling that things are a little 'bare'. For instance, you could play in a tribal (coded) desert elf tribe, however there's probably a total of five others desert elves online at the time, and only one, if even, is a PC of your tribe. You could play a soldier of the city state, ready to catch would be burglars and thieving elves, however they may not exist to be caught. I came from a hack and slash mud which was very competitive, and I tend to play games that are the same. Armageddon is definitely very different. It's not a game where you're 'playerkilling' left and right, but its still very appealing to me. The goal, instead of making a character that gets to the highest level and has a large number of PKs, is making a mysterious bandit mage that fights against the great powers of the city-states, a secret psionicist embedded in a large organization influencing its and its opposing groups decisions to his/another's advantage, or a desert raider looking to rob travelers between the cities. Like I said, the only thing Armageddon really lacks is a large playerbase - it's spread thin. However it's the most well done mud I've ever seen, and I'm still hooked despite this drawback. If the number of players doubles or triples it would make the mud absolutely incredible, as the concept, the imm support, the code and various other features are awesome. As it is, its more than playable, however with my play style I generally have to put myself into roles that tend to cause a ruckus so I don't reach any dead air time, so to speak. There's a little bit of a learning curve in getting used to the mud, but the helpers at www.zalanthas.org are useful in getting people acquainted to it so a new player can learn how to survive. Over the last few years I've noticed a steady increase in players, however I can't say that I wouldn't want to spur that number up a bit faster if I could help it. So if you'd like to play in a realistically made fantasy environment that is very brutal and unforgiving, has a unique view on handling the magick system and the culture around it, and you want to play in a very RP-intensive environment, go for Armageddon. Oh, and one other thing, start small. Your first character(s) goal should really be only to learn how to survive. And email the helpers, email the helpers, email the helpers! They're there to be abused and nagged.

I think Armageddon is da gwaitest place on erfth! Come play Armageddon! Its the shizit!

I was an early addict to muds. Starting in 1990, I had been taking part in three of them consecutively, both as player and as staff. When I started playing AD&D with a great group and DM, my ideas on mudding changed their focus towards roleplaying. The last mud I had been on, (DGD-based LPmud) was undergoing the same process, moving towards roleplay, and experiencing heavy modifications. Things improved, but another immortal there, who I highly respected as one of the few true RP'ers, kept telling me about his favorite mud, Armageddon. As much as I liked what he told me about the intense roleplay there, the prospect of permanent death and a harsh desert world just didn't appeal to me. It sounded way too far from my fancies of picturesque landscape, 'whole' ecologies, arcane magic and Tolkienesque fantasy. I like worlds with intricate background and cultural diversity, such as the one created by J.R.R. Tolkien, or Robert Jordan in his Wheel of Time series. More than a year passed before I finally got around my reservations and applied for the character I had in mind. From day one I was hooked. Imagine what I had missed during that year of waiting! So what got me hooked so soundly? - Armageddon gets as close to a LARP as I can possibly imagine. I often had problems logging off, knowing that the world would keep going on, and the things happening meanwhile would affect my surroundings there. Things happening in another part of the world, at another time, could easily affect me without me knowing the connections between. This added to the feeling of a complex world, with different cultures fleshed out to great detail, something I loved from my favorite authors. The staff takes the place of the DM, and while pretty much invisible to players, they seem to be always there and easily accessible for all kind of 'DM-Tasks' - be it animating an NPC, adding new items that got created during play, or to coordinate the flow of actions. The actions of the players affect the game, and are not limited to the coded command set, skills or spells. Roleplay and emoted action is as real as coded commands, and the consequences can change the fate of the world. When I started playing, my first impression was of a friendly and helpful staff, even (if not especially) to newbies. My application was mailed back with a friendly and encouraging comment asking me to flesh out some details, and promptly got accepted the second try. While there is no 'beginner' area on Armageddon, some kind immortal seems to have watched over the poor lost newbie, and even jumped into a few npc's to get my mind set into the new surroundings, much as a DM would do with a new member to join his group. Players are encouraged to develop their own plots and run them, and in many cases player run actions result in permanent changes or additions to the world. The limit there is imagination and consistency with the game world since the single most powerful command to change the world is emote and roleplay in general. The staff is helpful when approached with ideas or plots handed in for approval or comments. An example to this I witnessed on my third day of playing, and this scene convinced me that I had found the right mud for me: A gate was being built for a new camp, and I was deeply impressed how real building material got transformed into a virtual gate by emoted action only. Even more impressed was I, when the players involved destroyed the (valuable) materials used in the process for the sake of having them built into a virtual gate. And - everyone treated the gate as present during their subsequent actions. A few more days later, a coded gate was added as result of the RP'ed building process. During the years to follow, I learned that this isn't the exception, but the norm. Small and big changes into the world and its history are created by roleplay only, often prepared (or followed) by a mail to the staff. Descriptions are special and atmospheric, and define the mood of a place. Unlike the typical LP-Mud though, things and features mentioned there are rarely coded. It is up to the players to reflect them in their actions to immerse themselves and others in their surroundings, and I have met many true masters in this art, making the world jump to life. So I'd like to invite everyone who likes cultures and background fleshed out to great detail, a consistent world with more secrets hidden in history and ongoing plots than a mortal can discover, and intense roleplay to take a look at the documentation and give the world a try. The best and fastest approach to the game is probably to contact a helper (http://www.armageddon.org/intro/helpers.html) through one of the instant messaging services. They're more than willing to answer questions and help in giving everyone a good start without spoiling the experience. I hope you're taking less than the year it took me to make up my mind.

I love Armageddon. If roleplay is what is important to you, I think there’s a good chance you will too. I came to Armageddon from a MUD that was roleplay optional, and though I chose to associate with the “roleplayers”, I found the experience often lacking. In that MUD, the emote system was very limiting, and many of the better roleplayers would fall into the pattern of hack-and-slash and unrealistic actions in the name of getting more powerful. The taste of roleplay that MUD offered appealed to me, but I knew it was far from ideal as a roleplay environment. Now as an Armageddon player for two years, I see Armageddon as all I could have hoped for and much more as a roleplay environment. It is really superb. The players truly care about roleplay, and the playerbase has truly fantastic and creative roleplayers. If you’re worried about measuring up, don’t be intimidated. As impressive as the players are, I have found the playerbase to be both understanding and helpful with players who are new to Armageddon or new to this kind of roleplay environment. If quality roleplay is what you are looking for, chances are you will find your niche and be very content with this MUD. Yes, you will read some lively discussions on the game’s discussion board, but I find these are fueled by genuine love for the game and the roleplay it offers, rather than elitism. The setting, a harsh desert environment where players struggle for resources, offers both intrigue and endless challenges. With an eye for realism, the room descriptions enhance the playing experience beautifully. Plenty of secrets lurk in dark corners, and those ‘wow’ moments of discovery in the middle of nowhere remain some of my fondest memories in my time playing. I’ve been very impressed with the staff, and especially the relationship between the staff and players. In other MUDs, I always had the sense that there was a wall between the players and staff. In Armageddon, I have found the staff to be much more accessible, and the communication in both directions is a major plus in my opinion. The staff encourages player input and ideas, and often players write NPCs or items which become part of the game world. The staff regularly update the players on the latest improvements to the game world or code. What I love most of all is the sense that the game puts very few limits on the realm of possibilities. The emote system, the best I have seen by far, allows you to express your character’s actions just as you imagine them. The player-driven plots are intricate and engrossing. The staff is very helpful in helping making player ideas happen, and stripping away limits on player imagination. I’m very glad I found Armageddon. If you’re looking for a roleplay MUD, I hope you’ll give it a try.

I have been playing Armageddon mud for about six months, I have however been playing mud's on and off for close to ten years. I will say that within all that time I have found Armageddon mud to be a very distinct and enjoyable experience. I also want to note that not everyone will find this the case. I would like to clear up a few misstatements from a prior review. There is occasional lag, only once or twice within the six months that I have been playing it have I found it to be a serious problem. It has not diluted my experience there. There is not a 24 hour waiting period for a new character, rather it is -up to- 24 hours to get a character approved. Usually it is within few hours. I have personally seen it happen within 10 minutes. It's not that the NPC guards are buggy, rather there is a heated discussion about how they should operate, that is quite a different thing. And lastly it does not take a whole day to reboot the mud. The mud reboots as fast as any other mud. Rather the game is taken off-line for 10 hours on Saturday. This is a scheduled and long standing tradition that the game's administrative staff have taken for a number of reasons. To infer that this is what it takes to change/fix/add something is missing the intent of the scheduled downtime. One of the things I think a potential player needs to be aware of, is what Armageddon mud is not: If you like to play a slash and hack style mud, that is, if you like to kill as many things as possible in the shortest possible time, you will not like this mud. If you like running the numbers and seeing where you are compared to others playing the game you will not like this mud. If you like extensive global communication channels, where most anything can and is discussed, you may not like this mud. If you desire knowing what comes up next, what uber spells and items are available, or if having almost everything kept a secret, so that the only way to find out is in the game and in context, bothers you, you will not like this mud. If you really want to play exotic characters and races, and want to right off the bat become a powerful magic user or cleric you may not like this game. If you want coded quests you will find none. If you feel that you should -not- have to read documentation in order to play, you may not like this game. If you want very quick turnaround on staff interaction you will most likely be disappointed. What the game does offer A very immersisve role play environment, where what happens to you is for the most part entirely in your own hands. There is a strong social (or anti-social if you are so inclined) to... Read More

Armageddon is possibly one of the most poorly ran muds I have encountered in the five or six years I've been mudding. Armageddon prides its self to be a RP intensive mud, where RP is strictly inforced and PK without RP is forbidden. This is utter non-sense. Though there is a higher level of RP here than at other muds, a carefully crafted character can easily be killed by by someone who choses to neglect the rules of RP. There are plenty of instences of players walking into a room and killing a character without a single word or emote. If you want to see specific examples then just go to their discussion board. The staff is rude and at times are no where to be found. To illustrate: five weeks ago I sent an email to the mud asking for help with my game account. Since the website said that all emails are usually answered within 48 hours, I sent the staff member in charge of responding to emails a message via the game's discussion board inquiring of the status of my email. Here is a copy of that message: Hello. I sent an email to mud@armageddon.org a few days ago asking for a copy of my account notes. I followed all the instructions in the contacting the staff section of the help files, but I haven't received any response from the mud. Thank you for all your help :) And here is their response: Yes, I'm having trouble answering account mail because everyone is sending me stupid PMs ont he GDB. GDB is general discussion board. It has been about four weeks now and still no help to be found. Note that I also sent an email to the game's main email address, and have not heard from them either. In addition, the mechanics of the mud are also hopelessly flawed. The game lags like you would not believe; a real mystery considering there are usually only 20-30 players online. Characters often die from lag or crashes during combat. These characters are not reimbersed due to "mud policy," which forces you to wait 24 hours to have another character approved for play. The shop system of the game will only accept 5 of one item for one real life week; meaning if you arn't one of the players who are able to log on before anyone else and flood the shops with goods after a reboot, then you arn't going to sell a thing for the next week. The NPCs of the mud are buggy and players have asked that NPC guards in the city be tuned for what must be atleast 4 years now, yet no tune is ever implemented. This problem is also cited on the games GDB. By the way, a game reboot takes an entire day. Yup, every saturday from 9am till 7 pm the game is down and unplayable. Know any other muds where it takes that long to change/fix/add Achaea... Read More

Armageddon... The perfect MUD! Somewhat. I am here today to give my honest opinion on the mud as it stands, as a player of nearly 4 years now, who has seen many changes. By no means do I intend for this to be negative if it is taken as so, but more or less a non-biased opinion of the games good and bad. THE GOOD In my first bit, for anyone who wishes to play a true roleplay intense MUD, I personally believe there is no place that will rise above Armageddon. ))There are no global channels save for OOC, which has *very* strict rules about it. ))The emote system is so deep (and easy to learn!) that you can literally bring your character to life with a dazzling paragraph, or a smiple sentence using the keyword indicators and other tools involved. This makes for the most in-depth emoting you will ever witness. I have gotten the chills many times from such things, and no, not just during the sex. ))Ever worry about having your in-depth plot ruined by ooc chatter on chat channels and the like? No need here, as such things are strictly forbidden, and dealt with accordingly, to ensure the BEST of your suspense. And if those things are not enough to wet your roleplay whistle, take in account the unique atmosphere, where just blinking wrong will end your life if one above you so wishes it! Settle yourself into the ranks of society and learn who your betters are, and who you must be, and play accordingly, or suffer as so many before you have! And considering the perma-death factor... How intriguing is that to try and fit into!? Worried about those hack and slash twinks with super-classes who always want to steal your Ub3R junk? No need here, because the classes capable of disturbing such a balance are limited to those who earn them through the great roleplay described above! And everyone is out to earn that right, so you can expect the majority of those you interact with to be using their best behavior and sticking to their character! A favorite part of the game to myself personally, is the way the skill system itself is written. How good are you with that sword? You have a 30% skill rating? NOT! You never know, skill numbers are hidden, thus leaving you with only a general idea of what you can do! You won't be capable of your weaponsmith saying, 'Hey, I have an 80% weaponsmithing skill, I can make steel maces!' Instead, it would be more like, 'Hmm, I'm pretty decent, I wonder if I can make a decent bone sword yet! I shall try!' It just adds a nice touch of realism that doesn't interfere with playability, and I personally love it! This is not even half of the good either... There are so many things, from a detailed crafting system that is virtually limitless thanks to imm intervention, to massive... Read More

Armageddon is among the best roleplay intensive MUDs currently online, if not the best outright. The MUD is immersive and quite simply beautiful; a brutally harsh desert world that has it's life sucked out by the fiendish defilers and the ruling monstrousity that was the Dragon. It is loosely based on the Dark Sun setting, but do not expect a group of merry, cheerful adventurers swinging their steel swords as they crawl through dungeon after dungeon after dungeon. Oh no; while we do have our share of dark and mysterious dungeons and crypts and what-have-yous, we do not have Amos the Swashbuckler Human, Joe the Elven Wind-Mage (or Whiran) and the rest of the cookie-cut adventurers that sit around and make no sense. That's right, this means we don't have adventurers who fail to see why they should bow to a king *they* did not vote for and voice this opinion in the city square. There are no levels, magick is mysterious and scary simply because at least for the first few months, you will only be able to guess what sort of a dirty trick these elementalists will come up next! Play in Allanak; the city-state of the Highlord Tektolnes and get ready to point some trembling fingers as one of His templars comes up to you and asks you who spilled that drop of ale on his robe and hope that someone else will be the one thrown into the Arena so that you may live another day, assuming you can afford your next drop of water! Play in the northern city-state of Tuluk and enjoy the finer things in life as you discuss the barbarism of the South over a glass of ginka wine...just be careful not to say the wrong thing to the wrong man, lest you may suddenly vanish and never be heard from again! Armageddon is an immersive, no-nonsense MUD. It is free, it has a very generous playerbase that plays steadily (around 65 people daily). It has a lot of documentation that should be read, and it has a very hard learning curve. Its level of roleplay, however, is beyond compare. Are you tired of trying to force some realism into the roleplay of your MUD? Are you sick of everyone being the same, boring 'fearless warrior at day, tortured artist at night' characters? Come to Armageddon, and prepare for one hell of a ride! Three things are warmly recommended to anyone who wishes to join: 1) Read the documentations in the website. (www.armageddon.org). 2) Look through the General Discussion Board. (www.zalanthas.org). 3) Contact a Player Helper with questions. (http://www.armageddon.org/intro/helpers.html) Your first characters may, and probably will, die [painfully]. Do not be discouraged; keep on trying, look into joining a clan, and have fun!

As I was searching over the reviews here, something that one person posted struck me as odd. A player had posted that the newbie influx and game lag due to that influx was bringing down the quality of the game's RP. This is something that I have to disagree with 100%. So here are my thoughts on those two topics and what I think myself of Armageddon mud. Now, though there was a few days about two weeks ago where the game had experienced some what I can only assume are technical difficulties and did have some lag.. this is by no means the norm and over all I would say that the issue was fixed and has nothing to do with the amount of players on line. At peek HPRT time Armageddon has been known to hold upwards of 180 players with little noticeable lag. That being said I would like to address the issue of new players. Bringing in fresh blood is always a good thing for any Mud, learning curve aside. To me one of Armageddon's strong points is it's karma system and that the staff is selective with special roles and/or certain races and guilds. Armageddon's system brings new players into the world slowly and prevents major abuse by not allowing access to certain roles until the "staff" feels that the player is ready to take on that sort of role. Yes, the volunteer staff does take a very active role. Also by being selective with high profile roles they keep a constant example and structure of what proper and quality RP is, which is very important for Newbies. When I started this game, it was the RP of the players around mine that set the example of what was expected if I wanted to be taken seriously and get involved. I would not say that Arm is a newbie friendly mud, it can be down right daunting at first. New players can have a hard time getting the hang of things and there is truly an overwhelming about of information to be absorbed about the code, world and mandatory rp involved. I would say that anyone who comes into Armageddon with less than a full effort would have a very difficult time, also that those who come here just to play a H/S game would loose interest rather quickly. In my opinion all of Arm's charm is truly in the fact that you are playing a "code enhanced role" and you are part of an on going story. The high standards of RP that the Game, the Imm's, and the existing player base have are what makes it so very engrossing. Not everyone is up to par with this, but I think more often than not, newbies will quickly learn what is in store for them and either step up to the RP plate, or decide that this is not the sort of game for them. At peek times I have seen of... Read More

While Armageddon has, in the past, proven to be a highly enjoyable MUD, in it's present state, it can no longer hold up to the model of RP and game play that it was before. The main issue now revolves around a new influx of new players into the game. In the last few months, a few dozen new players have joined the game, bringing player numbers near the high ninties during peak hours. Although new players are always a welcome addition to any online game, it has become more and more obvious that Armageddon MUD is not capable of supporting such a player base. With the increase of new players, the mud now experiences extreme lag even during off-peak hours for some reason. The problem has increased to the point where some characters can no longer hunt, steal, or do anything that may result in combat with an NPC for fear that the lag will prevent the player from inputing a flee or draw weapon command, which would result in death. Even general movement has suffered. Though there has always been a movement delay built into the game, the walk delay now last a good three to five seconds; the sneak command takes even longer. Besides the lag problem, the sudden increase of players has resulted in a large set of players who are completely unaware of the mechanics of the game. In the past, new players arrived gradually, allowing more experienced players to "teach" them the game. With a rush of new players, the game has become filled with characters who don't understand the RP nature of the MUD, abusing their skills and trying to power-game their way to sucess. I recently watched a newbie sit one room away from an npc and throw knives at the npc, go into the npc's room to retrieve the knives, run back to his room, and re-throw the knives until the npc died. There are also more players than ever who don't make use of emotes (a tool that can be used to describe what the character is doing, ie. The man limps slowly up to you). It is not impossible now to see someone sit down a sack of materials and craft for a full ingame day without utilizing a single emote. Many players strive only to advance their skills through repition, something that,in the past, would have been noticed by an immortal, but now slips through the cracks. At it's current rate, the quality of Armageddon MUD will continue to decline until it is no longer worth playing.

As I was sitting here reading Armageddons discussion board I realized how many ‘rare’ things I have been fortunate enough to role play through. Then, it occurred to me that it has been a pretty long time since I have written a review for Armageddon so here goes a short one. I am by far not one of the oldest Arm players out there, some of the dedicated players have been around since the days when it was a h&s, Armageddon has come a -very- long way since then. I have been mudding since I knew what Telnet was and I got my hands on an uber-fast apple 2 computer. I have played a rather wide variety of MUDs and I think I have given all of the usual top ten a shot. I have always been a tabletop role play fan and always looked for that in a MUD but was never able to find that...real feeling. I searched for years before coming across Armageddon and when I did I finally found what I was looking for. 95% of the features I ever wanted in a MUD all in one game for once. Armageddon supports ‘hard core’ role play...you wont find people walking around whacking townspeople for experience like they are mindless targets (without being seen as a murderer and dealt with properly at least). Here, unlike so many other muds, role play is not limited to talking like Tarzan. I hate to sound negative but when I try another mud that calls itself ‘RP’ I honestly feel sick now that I have played Armageddon. The Armageddon experience is like no other and I feel privileged and lucky to have found it and to have been a part of the community for the last four or so years. The players and staff really make the world go ‘round. As a majority, the Imms in Armageddon are great. They are not on some power trip or treat the players like they are better then them. The players are top notch and each contribute greatly to a world that feels so real. Everyone, including the staff, often say that Armageddon is not newbie friendly. I disagree. Armageddon is not newbie friendly to the average newbie. But for the new player that takes time to read the documentation and is looking for a real role play experience, Armageddon is bliss. The best mud I have ever played and no mud that I have played can even hold a candle to it. Thanks for the years of fun passed and to come to the staff and players of Armageddon, I really do appreciate you. -The Lonely Hunter

Murder... Corruption... Betrayal... She hated him. She truly hated most people but she had a tendency to loathe anyone with whom she couldn't be herself and he definately had no clue as to who she really was behind the pristine white garb, her immaculate manners... the dulcet voice. She hated the way he looked at her, the way he spoke of their future, his memory of another... the vile magicks that coursed through his veins like persistent poison that makes your death achingly slow. They courted anyway because that is what she did, she followed through on her facades no matter what. Among her annoyances was that he really didn't love her, that he was still pining for another, one that was long and very publicly dead but her biggest displeasure was his employer. He worked for one of the city templars, a woman given power and magicks by the Highlord himself that act as his tightening grip on the throat of His people. She had already tested his loyalty and knew that he realized he was a slave... she would be his savior, templar or not, and in the process gain a powerful ally. She didn't like to lose. How does the story end? I could tell you but I will not for I am hoping the next person my character betrays, or befriends, is yours. I want your hands shaking with adrenaline. I want you to feel the heart ache of loss and the joy of triumph. I want your hatred to consume you. I want you to live another life and feel so much a part of it that you believe... Come and join Armageddon Mud, I guarantee you'll never want to be anywhere else.

There was a recent event in the world of Zalanthas. But the interesting thing is that the game had a population cap of 160 players. And they reached it. Sure, the two cities were attacked and lots of people had their characters die in this PermaDeath world of ArmageddonMUD, but I'm sure they all had some fun that day. Lately, during the regular Peak Times of 8 p.m. EST to 12 p.m. EST I've been noticing around 70 players online. We've been growing slowly, but it's ArmageddonMUD. It's a harsh desert world that has an incredibly hard learning curve. Of course, this MUD isn't for everybody. It has the unique spot of being a role-play enforced diku-based MUD. One of a few out there that seem to have a niche in the online world that doesn't seem to be disappearing with the later generations of Massive Multiplaying Online Role-Playing Games like World of Warcraft, City of Heros, and Final Fantasy XI. Check it out the other reviews posted about this MUD for more information about this game.

Truly the best MUD in existence!

I hate this game.... It causes me intense pain, anguish, suffering and has been the largest contributor to the overall degradation of whatever semblence of a RL life I once had. I'm hopelessly addicted and have told myself I would stop playing 3 times already this year. This game is the the china white of the roleplaying world, and I urge you to seriously consider that once you start playing you're going to waste away like a drug addicted fiend. When your not playing, you'll wish you were. You're going to think about it at work, tell your friends, tell your family, tell strangers, tell anyone that will listen. When you sleep....you're going have armageddon dreams. My life revolves around this game in ways my therapist and I are only starting the understand. I *chose* my current profession in AI 4 yrs ago because of this game. I got my girlfriend addicted, she didn't know what MUD was and now she's worse off then me. So let me tell you what I think about this game.... if you like muds, and you like RPGs, you like mushes whatever. You're done....if you play all those others are over, kapoot, finito, fait, hecho, Gemacht, fatto. This is the grand-poobah baby, the proverbial mother-load, the dogs balls, the big daddy, the shit, the shiznit, the fucking OMG end all be-fucking-all of the of roleplaying world. You will never be able to play another online mud/mush/graphic RPG again in your life. They'll seem to simple, to immature, to easy, to fuzzy, to unrealistic and too lame. You'll try to leave though, You'll try another mud, go back to an old one. You'll check out some different code bases...Oh yea, a circlemud, LPMud, amberMud, whatever...doesn't matter. You'll scoff at the idea of shouts, tells, yells, chat channels, auctions, and ....(Good God stop the bile from rising in my throat)....a fucking newbie school. (*spits*) They'll all make you sick, playing another mud will be like drinking a bottle of coors light when you normally do shots of mississippi moonshine. Like smoking a bag of schwag when you've had been on blunts of hydro for the last year. This is it for you man. This is the red pill. You might as well walk away now and don't look back. Forget you ever heard about this place because once you start their no turning back. Nah, I'm just playin. You'll be fine. Come on in.

This is a role-play mud. You write up a character, think of the background that they have lived through, pick a general 'guild' that has a certain skillset, and pick the race, and step into the harsh desert world of Zalanthas. And then you do whatever you want to do, within the game world. You want to become a mercenary, and do good and bad stuff for money? Sure! There's that option. You want to become a merchant, or perhaps have some skill in creating goods to sell? You could do that too. Do you want to be a pickpocket, wandering the streets to find an easy mark, then when the moment is right, steal that pouch of coins, or perhaps that shiny dagger off that noble's guard. You could do that. There are no levels. There are skills. After using the skills for a while, you slowly become better at what you do. Eventually, you might branch into another skill. It's set in a world inspired by the Darksun world, but has bits from Dune, and other such great novels. I thought I'd write of more things to do. Be a spice dealer in the shady parts of town, avoiding the citystate's soldiers and templars. Be a magicker and avoid everybody, because magick is rare and feared among the population. Who knows, if you state that you're a magicker in Tuluk, the whole tavern might get up and riot. There is two main citystates, Tuluk and Allanak, which are constantly at war with each other. The game is 'down' on saturday morning and afternoon, so that the immortals of the game can 'update' and 'fix' any problems that occured over the week. Or, for example, you set fire to one of the tavern's in a city. Keeping communication with the immortals over what you've done will result in that tavern having a 'new' description when the game comes up, at 8 p.m. est saturday night, of a 'burnt out tavern'. Since when have you had -that- kind of control of the world around you, in a MUD? It's a highly modified DIKU MUD, with an Original world. Peek times in North America give around 55-65 players. I'm guessing peek times is 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. EST. I think this year, so far, the lowest I've ever seen was 16 people online, and that was at 10 a.m. in the morning. The 'who' command only gives you a number of people online. There are no 'gossip' channels. What else is there to know? Ahh. Death. Once you die, (after the 2 hour limit) you have to start anew. Permideath. Sometimes, people are rude to your character. And mean. And sometimes people hate your character, in the game world. That's all how -they- are role-playing their character. Ahh, isn't it refreshing to have someone hate your character for something silly. No hippies. It's a harsh desert theme, with Sorcerer Kings and Mekillots and Sand Worms and Spice. join... Read More

I have been playing in Armageddon MUD for less than a month now, and I am loving every moment of it. The world has a staggering amount of features, everything from room scents to being able to cook your own food from raw materials (hard boiled egg in dough, anyone?) to the single best system for telecommunication in a pure RP MUD. "What? Telecommunication in a pure RP MUD?!" Yes. And it's implemented so well that it can be believed and it does not even spoil things. The mud has a very complete feel to it, with very extensive documentation and helpfiles for EVERY feature, including some special RP games, such as Izadri (a very original board game that reminds me of Chess) and, well, stuff! Lots of stuff! The reality is dangerous and unforgiving, and even if one thinks that everything is going well, you can never know if someone if plotting your demise. Armageddon MUD has several home town options which, while not allowing one to recall, give the character an accent, if appropriate. There are languages, systems for foraging, the ability to talk just at a table and not to a room, the ability to listen to a group talking at a table...it never ends. Armageddon MUD has one downside, and that simply must be stated. Character approval is required and one is expected to read at least some of the documentation on the website. This takes time and patience, but for a MUD who is easily among the top five games to date, with complete documentations and helpfiles, a massive playerbase of over 800 different players of caliber...isn't it worth it? I believe that it is, and if you log into the MUD, read the documentation and try it for a couple of days, I assure you that you will agree with me. Join us. There's cookies!

When I first discovered the world of mudding many years ago, I went through a short stint in which I tried dozens of different muds including Achaea, Dartmud, Materia Magica, and some different versions of WoT, to name a few of the more well known ones. Each of which had their own points of greatness, but also major detractors, which led me to constantly trying new muds. About a year ago, however, I came to Armageddon and found that not only did it possess all of the positive features of the other muds, it lacked all of their weaknesses as well. The way this mud is set it, the ideology of hacking and slashing for experience and equipment become obsolete. Taking a new, untrained character out of any major city to hunt for monsters will lead to a quick death by a NPC creature or a PC raider. Not only that, killing monsters does you very little good in terms of acquiring new equipment or money, as, adhering to the realism of the game, animals do not magically drop coins and fantastic weapons when killed. Mindlessly kill a NPC in the city or fail an attempt to steal from one will cause you to be branded a criminal and you’ll be arrested unless you’re really good at what you do. That said, there are hunters or, in the case of massive monsters, whole hunting parties who leave the confines of the cities to hunt for creatures, a task for which they are rewarded with the valuable skins and bones which they can craft or sell to merchants later on. If you’re avoiding the monsters outside of the city by staying within the city walls, you’re not much safer; offend a noble and become the target of a carefully plotted assassination. Sneaking thieves and brutal, powerful Templar law enforcers will also make sure you’re well entertained. In terms of the roles that a character can take on, Armageddon, though lacking the hundreds of different guilds and dozens of different races of a few other muds, has quite a numerous amount of incredibly well developed race and guild combinations. The mud breaks traditional molds of small, kind, druidish elves and wise, mountain dwelling dwarves with tall, untrusted, thieving back stabbers and stubborn, bald, single-minded dwarves. Each race has it’s own unique characteristics and histories to match. The guilds a character may take on are detailed as well. From lock-picking burglars, to foraging and hunting rangers, each has their own set of abilities and talents. You can play a merchant and travel between the cities and many desert outposts, trading your way to riches, or become a pampered noble, allowing other players to cater to your every need. Role-play is highly enforced and expected by both the staff and the players themselves and the plot lines are many and world changing. Every action of a fellow gamers will be supported by distinct emotes and well thought out roles. Every room item,... Read More

By far the most appealing aspect of Armageddon MUD is the immense detail of the world, presenting both delight and horror around every corner. Every player, creature and item is richly described to give a realistic view of Zalanthas. Every player, organization and city has a history waiting to be discovered and embellished. The roleplaying on Armageddon MUD is second to none and every scene is important in the world; from hunting animals for the nights meal, to world influencing politics. Every action in the world can become a tool for expressing your character. Armageddon MUD is unique, richly detailed and entertaining world that comes alive as you play it. If you are looking for a realistic, fantasy-themed roleplaying MUD that is constantly evolving through player and staff involvement then look no further.

I have been playing ArmageddonMUD for a few years now. Recently a newbie asked a line of questions basically asking how ArmageddonMUD compares to any other MUD. After responding I realized that the answer to these question sums up why I think ArmageddonMUD is a one of a kind MUD. Your skills do go up with time and you can get better equipment. However, equipment is a pretty small component next to skill. Further, what is good and what is bad equipment is pretty clear. If it looks like ragged shit, then it probably is. However, if it is nice and new and looks protective then it is. There is no uber equipment. I take that back, there IS uber equipment, just expect it to be fought over. If there is a delfier sword of doom sitting around somewhere, don’t expect for their to be more then one, don’t expect to loot it off some random spawn, and don’t expect anyone to let you keep it. I have been involved with fighting over the some magical item in the game. They are very few and far inbetween, and conflict surrounding them is intense. Don’t expect your average mercenary grunt to ever see one. Most equipment is bought or created, though you can loot some on occasion from NPC raiders. Just don’t be surprised to find out that raiders wear glorified rags. As for combat, it is as much of a component as you make it. You won’t be going into dungeons, clearing them out, and rinsing and repeating this until you are uber. The whole idea of a regular dungeon crawls or simply going out to kill stuff for the sake of killing stuff doesn’t happen on Armageddon. You are a living breathing person who can die permanently. If you happen to go through a dungeon like environment, it is probably a one time deal with a big reward (or death) at the end. Further, the ‘dungeon crawls’ I have been on have generally been terrifying and full of unknowns. If combat is your thing there are mercenary companies that cater strong to it. When you see combat with these guys it will be going out on paid missions to accomplish a job. Skills come through branching. Basically, if for instance you start with archery and you begin to get good at archery, you will eventually branch arrow making. If your sneaky guy becomes good at sneaking and fighting, he might branch back stabbing. Armageddon is a cohesive world. What your goals are will be whatever you set them to be. Staying alive is a good initial goal. The game revolves around plots though. All organizations have plots going on. Plots crisscross all through the game. They can be thought up of as quests, only instead of being driven by generic NPCs, they are drive by players and the staff. Pretty much anything you want to achieve can be achieved. If you want to start your own of... Read More

I've played quite a few MUD's but never before have I really gotten anything from one. They were all "kill rats until you are level 30" and people with all the power, most of them didn't have any brains. I gave Armageddon MUD a chance and found it had everything i was looking for. My character lie dead in an hour, was I frustrated? No. The intense roleplaying, wasn't hard to get into at all, right off the bat I was starting off my own story, I was a different being in a different world, I wasn't focusing on stats or killing tons of animals, I WAS in that world. If you have any creativity, and a hunger for plot and an original, detailed world I suggest this game. It is like living in a book. Very impressive. No resurrections may sound bad at first, but think of how drastically the death of a character could mean, adds so much to the world, all of a sudden the fight with that other human or monster MEANS something, it's intense. Give it a try, and hang in there. Very worth it.

I've been playing Armageddon for about a year now, and I think it's only right that I give this MUD the credit it so dearly deserves. I don't know where to start, really. To say that this is the best MUD ever would be an understatement. It's one of the greatest games I've participated in. The experiences I've had with this game are some of the best I've had in my life. I feel like it's helped me grow as a reader, writer, and person. It's a work of art, it truly is. The first thing to probably catch a newbie’s eye is the constant reminders plastered all over the web site that Armageddon is a strict role-playing game, which it truly is. People here are serious about role-play, and will kick your butt if you don't at least attempt to play along with them. (Note: By 'kick your butt', I don't mean that they will kill your character. I mean that you will face warnings, OOC punishments, bannings and the like if you willfully ignore the rules and environment). However, don't let this deter you! Armageddon, in its vastness and complexity, can seem rather daunting at times, but it's nothing to be afraid of. The players are willing to help you learn; just follow their lead, and you'll be a true role-player in no time! Even if you've never attempted an RPI MUD before, don't worry. Armageddon has an active discussion board, a team of helpers, extensive documentation and a helpful player base willing to show you the ropes. Even if you're uncertain as to what 'good role-play' is, you should still give Armageddon a chance. You'll quickly learn! One thing I often tell people is that playing Arm is like reading, writing, and acting all rolled into one. If you're a good writing, you'll enjoy using the complex emote system to immerse other players in Arm's harsh desert world. If you're a good reader, you'll be able to picture yourself in the setting, allowing you to play realistically and interact with other players on a deeper level. If you're an actor, you'll find your ability to 'get into character', that is, think how your character thinks and act how your character acts, will be very useful. Staying in character is vital to enjoying Armageddon, and if you're used to that sort of thing, so much the better. The best part of Armageddon, in my opinion, is the players and the plots. Everyone is up to something, and there is plenty to do in Zalanthas! Other MUDs often depend on Imms to initiate quests, but Armageddon is almost completely player-driven. You'll experience everything from subtle political schemes to screaming moments of chaotic warfare. You'll see cold blooded assassinations and jovial drinking contests. Don't get me wrong, we have a wonderfully dedicated staff, but it's amazing to think that the economy, history, culture and atmosphere of Armageddon is created and perpetuated almost solely by the players. Anyways, advice... Read More

Here are the reasons I started playing Armageddon after 11 months at another (more highly voted) MUD. - No levels and no mindless repetitive NPC-killing to get those levels. I hate repetition. When a song comes on the radio that repeats the same lyric one too many times, click. New station. - Death is permanent and starting a new character is quick and karma means you might have more options this time than you did last time. This is much better than death resulting in resurrection at a lower level and/or minus all accumulated experience points, a loss that means hours of mindless repetitive NPC-killing were completely wasted and now must be done all over again to regain what was lost. Armageddon's way means death opens up your next personal epic. Heck, I'm almost looking forward to my first death so I can have the fun of creating a new character and maybe one that I wasn't allowed last time. - Karma is based on RP. This means that if you ever want to be a Templar the way to do it is to play your dwarf realistically and then later play your half-giant realistically, etc. How many NPC's you killed is irrelevant. All that matters is that you demonstrate game maturity and character integrity and follow the rules and remember to emote. Which makes way more sense than becoming a Templar because you killed a million NPC's. Let's face it, lots of twinks are great at that. In Armageddon, no twink will ever be a Templar. (By the way, it may sound like I want to play a Templar one day, when in reality I'm not sure I do. I have a feeling it's just as much fun playing a dwarf in the Byn, which is what I'm doing now.) The above three points sum it up for me. There are other little things that I like a lot but these are mostly stylistic and may appear in other MUD's for all I know. For example, the exits command is a personal favorite. I get lost easy. I need a little help and the exits command gives me just enough. Oh, I also love that there's no global OOC mindlink. My personal belief is that a global OOC mindlink corrupts RP, especially if the immortals participate, in which case it also corrupts administration. So my hat's off to this MUD. Well done, folks. What makes you different is what makes you best. _________________ Lux.

I started playing Armageddon MUD back in late January. Some people in my scenario could still be called newbies. The reason why? Because the MUD is so much more than anything else that is out there. The communication system leaves everyone else in the dust...emoting and speaking at the same time, and it can be directed. This kind of stuff is here for the serious roleplayer...don't expect to become huge and godlike. The point of the game is to have fun with what you can do. Learn, along with your character(s), about his intricate and well thought out world. The player base is good and quite helpful to newbies. Granted, they are a little intolerant of willful ignorance, which is why I suggest that everyone wishing to play the game goes to the website and reads through ALL of the documents. That way anyone wishing to try the game has a good feel for things before entering the game...as this is not the kind of mud that you can just pick up and go with, learning as you play. Granted, you can do that, but that's the slow way...and the way that may require you to ask lots of questions that you wouldn't have to ask if you'd read the docs. The docs are pretty straightforward and very informative. The staff for the game is really trying to put forth the best game possible, and are willing to listen to the players...just don't expect them to pamper you.

Armageddon MUD has a perpetual schizoid thing going on. While perhaps the premiere roleplaying MUD on the Net (I've tried a lot of the other RPIs and none match up in terms of gritty realism and sometimes painfully intense roleplay), it has the problem that its standards make it difficult for new players to get the hang of things. A complicated emote system, while allowing for some ultrakeen emoting on the part of the players, is hard to learn, and the world has complex social mores, morals, and conventions. A MUD needs new players - they're the lifeblood of a MUD, and while this MUD has an adequate playerbase, with a greater number it could be awesome. Therefore its a step in the right direction that in the last couple of years, Armageddon has made a strenuous effort to make itself perhaps not friendlier to newbies, but easier to get the hang of. Examples: a list of player helpers, all of whom seem actually friendly and helpful an introductory section that covers everything from choosing a character name to how to create an account utilities like the emote exampler, that lets you see what an emote looks like in order to get the hang of things (http://www.zalanthas.org/ArmDocs/emoteemulator.html) discussion boards that include a newbie forum, and which manage to be active while (usually) free of flames. I've yet to see a new player flamed for a question - the occasional flareup seems to be reserved for experienced players I think Armageddon's worth the effort but if you're not in it for the roleplay, you should find someplace else. If you're all about the roleplay, though, you aren't going to find a better MUD to call home.

This is an adendum to my earlier review. Re-reading it I now think it was wrong of me to personally attack Nessalin so aggressively, what he did is in the past, as what I have done, (and was forgiven) and want to apologize to Nessalin and the other staff, Myrdryn only did what he thought was right, so I shouldn't have posted what he did, even though it was wrong in my eyes. The rest of my words, about the new pbase, code, and everything else I stand by, but I shouldn't have attacked the staff so relentless. Code 9/10 Players 5/10 Staff 8/10 Respectfully, -Delerak

Having played Armageddon MUD for nearly eight years now, I will begin this review by stating that I have developed a very love-disgruntlement relationship with this mud. Without being too self-aggrandizing, I like to think that I have seen this game at its best and its worst and, as a result, have a fairly broad base of experience from which to draw for this write-up. I'll start by discussing the meritable points of Armageddon, many of which will doubtless ring very similar to the multitude of other positive comments placed in this review section. Armageddon's strongest feature, by far, is its flavor. The inherent grittiness; the dark 'anti-hero' fantasy overtones that define just how truly potent a well-written, well-cultured world can be to the imagination. The sheer volume of history and culture (assuming you ever really become privvy to it, as much of it is pretty difficult to access) is immensely impressive and can, on a good day, succeed in completely immersing you in its dark grandeur. Armageddon is, in essence, a vast group-told story that never really seems to quit expanding. For the most part, I feel the Staff does a very solid job of defining this world and maintaining it. I do have a few disagreements that I think bear mentioning, but I will relegate those to the latter segments of this review. The code is also stellar, on par with anything I have ever seen elsewhere in the mudding community. It is incessantly being worked on and tinkered with and, believe it or not, a good deal of the changes seem to be a direct result of player criticism and commentary. The Staff is very responsible in terms of coding and truly seems to take the players' suggestions to heart. This, in and of itself, is a very enheartening and uplifting point and one that I don't necessarily feel mudders can find just anywhere. Armageddon's players seem, for the most part, to be somewhat more mature and dedicated than playerbases I have seen on other muds. Of course this is a generalization, but experience bears it out for me. I will agree with a few previous reviewers in stating that the overall level of quality in the playerbase does seem on a gradual decline, but this very well may be an inherent flaw in this reviewer's mindset. I'm old, jaded, and rather crotchety. It is entirely possible that I've simply raised my personal bar with each passing year and that the playerbase itself has not changed much, for better or worse. Regardless, I will still testify that the Armageddon playerbase is remarkably more impressive than any I have seen elsewhere, even to this cynical reviewer. Armageddon's Staff is...well...a perfect microcosm for the world today, as it should be, given that it is comprised of 18-22 people of varying ages, backgrounds, and mindsets. Just as in real life, you'll find Staff members whose personal philosophies and views mirror your own...and you'll find those who think odds.... Read More

Armageddon, though at once a good game, has quickly been declining. The level of role playing has become increasingly worse, with players twinking skills (focusing on training skills only)and even experienced players beginning to focus more on money than on role play. New additions to the staff have proven themselves to be detrimental to the previously acceptable group of administraters. Applications submited to the mud may be accepted by one staff member, but another, similar application, may be declined by another. In short, the role of the administration has been handed to a group of players chosen most likely simply for the amount of time they've been playing, rather than their skills, which will most likely be denied by the admins. Further more, the mud shuts down ever saturday for "additions to the game," however, it is illogical that such small additions would take a full ten hours to complete. The staff says that they are testing out new things, but it is obvious that few things are actually being added to the game. Even if the need for a server down time actually exists, saturday is a day when most players have spare time to play the game and is quite likely the worst day to shut down. Other muds have no such extensive down times and seem to be doing fine. These factors has caused the player base to deminish, going from 60 people at peak times to around 30. The player base is also so concentrated in one area, that allanak, supposedly the largest city in the world, have only 5-10 active players at peak hours, thus making any rp difficult. The staff actually suggested solo rping, or typing in countless emotes to a group of npcs and recieving no response. There are other flaws that can be easily listed, but the ones already named are the most important and should be sufficient, as the mud will most likely never fix them anyways.

I’ve not played as long as many Armageddon players, indeed I am still on my first character. But, I wanted to write a review from a newbie’s perspective. I started Armageddon last October. I had very limited experience in role-play (I knew what role-play was) and had no experience with MUD, MUSH, etc. In fact about the only thing I had going for me was a friend who had been telling me about this great role-play and belonged to a few yahoo group RPGs. This review will try to answer more of the “start up” questions about the game and give a bit about the over-all first time experience. The first thing people find when they come to Armageddon is a TON of files and information to read through. Be assured that almost everything (99.99%) of anything you wish to know about the game can be found in the help files and information sections. My only criticism here would be I personally didn’t like the organization of the information all that helpful. In fact part of the reason it takes people a couple of hours to read it all is because some of it one must go hunting to find. The information covers everything from code to geography to understanding how one might play any given race or character. Over all, I’d allow about an hour to read enough information for a person to understand the basic code and atmosphere of the game. Other helpful sections (helpful to read before/during play) are the wonderful stories (these are examples of what the role play should look like in game as well as giving one an idea about what the game actually looks like) and the general discussion board. The GDB is where one can get to know players, talk about anything (although no, generally, IC information is passed, so nothing is ruined because a player found out something before his character). This is also a good place to advertise if you would like to create a character that maybe already knows a character when they enter the game. This way you and another player can go into the game having characters that already know each other. There are also “helpers” who are online (almost twenty-four hours a day) to give more personalized help. I’ll admit having someone who I can just AIM when I don’t know what to do has been very helpful. Ok, moving on to being in game and characterization. Other reviews have already touched on the amount of choice given to new players so I will not discuss that here. One thing (if you so choose) is that there is a place on the GDB that one could ask if anyone would like to create a character with you. (Say you create a male character and would like to enter the game already as friends or family, you can put up an add here for someone to create a character that already knows yours). Now think... Read More

I'll start this review by saying, it's not going to be as positive as all the others. I have longed to write what I thought, but was decelerated by my hope. My hope that the staff of ArmageddonMUD, mainly the overlords, would somehow change. Hope can be a dangerous thing, it has lead to my ultimate demise of playing at this MUD which claims to be RPI. Now for my true scope on every aspect of this mud. It began long ago when I started as a simple-minded mudder, with only one true desire, to kill stuff. This desire arose from all the other non-rp muds that I learned from. Well it only took me a few months and three dozen characters, a few bannings, and verbal, well text, warnings that I am treading close to a permanent ban, which I succeeded at getting. Of course pleading at the young age of, I believe 15, the ban was lifted by the merciful Sanvean, one of the Overlords. While on the subject, let me begin my judgement of Nessalin and Tenebrius, the supposed coders and the other two Overlords, and might I add RL brothers. Tenebrius, silent, I never hear of him, nor what he does for the mud, perhaps a few odd notes in the weekly updates that this mud sends out, but nothing remarkable. Most of the coding praise usually goes to Nessalin, the Shade of, or whatever he likes to be called. Nessalin is an interesting character, either he has some form of scorn for you, or he leaves you alone. I don't know why, but it happens, erratic behavior, sometimes far too much when it comes to judging the players or their actions. I have had countless run-ins with him, I can't say why, maybe because I hate playing in clans and relying on an imm. You either love the staff at Armageddon, or you hate them. You can't pick, either you like the way things are run or you don't. While some praise them, and hail them as the best staff at any mud, I simply cannot. I don't care what the staff has done in the past, I do not measure people by their reputation or what they have accomplished or done in the past, only what they have done to me. I will not take someones word for it, and simply put, the staff for Armageddon is truly a chaotic mixture of good/bad/ugly. Some staff members are polite, Sanvean for example, and a great addition to the mud, some are not, some say things you can't believe, some do things that you still find even more ficticious but your mind tells you must be true. Nessalin for example, I recall in the past where I had died and was resurrected, (a 3 hour rule) and when I went back for my corpse Nessalin popped up and decided to chastise my over the OOC channel and then holier-then-though use the slay command me.... Read More

Irritable grunts erupt from various people as you shoulder your way through the swelling crowds of mid-day. Like a writhing sandstorm your thoughts wax chaotic as images of the morning's events flash through your mind. Suddenly feeling eyes upon you, you draw up the loose fabric of your hood and make for the side of the road, your fingers instinctually tightening around the worn, leather-wrapped hilt of the slim bone dagger tucked in your belt. The dust-caked fabric of your cloak billows slightly around your emaciated form as you slip behind a stack of empty crates and duck into an adjoining alleyway. Your breath, now coming in short, ragged pants, seems to resonate through the heavy dankness of the narrow sidestreet as you peer back towards the road known throughout the city of Allanak as Theyak's Walk. In a moment of genuine curiousity you ponder after who this Theyak was and what they could have done to deserve their name associated with this street, but the sound of something moving in the darkness however tears you from such thoughts and you draw forth the bone dagger in a white-knuckled grip. Lowering yourself in a defensive crouch and baring your glistening, yellowed teeth you offer a fierce and aggressive hiss which shortly turns into a raspy and amused chuckle as a scraggly gray rat scampers out of the shadows and sniffs at the air. "Only a rat this time..." You think. " But the Templar will find me eventually.. I have to find safe travel out of the city..." The sounds of the street filter into the alley, wrapping you in the folds of their raucous din as you settle yourself in the shadows to formulate your plan. --------------------------------- It has been roughly two years since my last review and I thought I would begin this one as I did the other, with a little creative and emotional writing. The scene illustrated above is very much a reality in ArmageddonMUD as those who have graced that world with their RP will testify. The level of emotional commitment offered forth by the players of this MUD is at a level I have never before experienced in any other game. It is because of this that the scenes created are enriched with a truth that grounds the fantasy in reality. This is the same essence which makes for good drama, be it Theatre or Cinema. That essence combined with a dramatic storyline is then supported through amazing affects. Here the heart of the story is supported by a dynamic and unique code which offer such amazing affects. Suspension of disbelief then becomes a natural affect and requires no effort to attain in the slightest. With an intense combat and magick system, language comprehension and emote variables, the ability to craft objects from raw materials, the development of unique skills including the ability to overhear conversations in other rooms it is clear that the Code offers startling and impressive support to RolePlaying... Read More

The nice thing about writing Armageddon reviews is that there's always new stuff happening in the game, both in terms of code and world events. Right now, the Northlands are finally freed from Allanak's rule, and New Tuluk is now a city in its own right. Over the course of the play that led up to the liberation, players shaped events, and it's exciting to see how their influences play out. At the same time, the creators of the new city have subtly acknowledged past influences - such as naming the streets in the Merchants' area after past figures. The weekly update shows the attention given to players and their suggestions - with dozens of typos/ideas implemented each week. I don't like the game being down every Saturday for maintenance, but over the years I've grown to think it unavoidable. It does mean lots of changes, and a world that isn't just left on its own with the players, but which continues to grow (and change) over time. Other than that, I don't have much I don't like. Newbies should be patient with play at first and take the time to at least look over the introductory documents. There's a scary amount there, but it's all good reading and the logs showcase one of Armageddon's major claims to fame - the quality of roleplay from its players, the attention to detail on the part of its imms, and the game's refusal to accept anything but the best.

What can I say that has not been said before about the reality that many of us call Armageddon? Not much really, every review about it raves about its unequaled detail in every aspect. The staff is absolutely incredible and diligent in its commitment to the place, the players are phenomenal and sometimes I sit and watch in awe because it is poetry in motion. I don't think I can accurately explain why many of us find this reality so compelling as to keep returning over and over again so I'll try and show you why Armageddon is so special to -me-. It took my friend months to get me to play, months. I had always shyed away from roleplaying because I learned muds by starting off at a hack and slash, like many of us do. After several badgerings I decided to make a character, just to shut him up and after my application being denied, fixing the suggested lines and getting stuck in the Hall of Kings for at least thirty minutes, I pointed to Allanak. I had someone waiting for me inside which made the transition easier and I was dumbfounded by the blast of sand that my character stepped into. I didn't know her too well so I figured it would take me quite a bit to get used to her. Not so. Within fifteen minutes of being logged on, while shopping for gear to aid her in her new job, I saw a dagger that was so detailed that it literally made my character enthralled, she had to have it. Within my first week I was ordered by a soldier to follow him out to the gate so that he may educate my poor amnesiac woman as to who the Highlord was, my friend and I were hired by a templar, ordered to get exotic jewelry by his wife, we were raided by a pair of very intimidating raiders, my character had nearly starved to death and was aided by a -magicker- of all things and discovered that not only did everyone smell like dust and sweat but that water was expensive, people were mean and racist and thieves would take the shirt off your back if they could. For those of you who have ever heard a piece of music and felt your heart touched, for those of you who read a book and feel outrage at the plights of the hero, for those of you who can watch a film and submerse yourself in the plot so much that you watch it again and again... Armageddon is definately the place for you. You can be anything, anyone you wish to be, you can change the world, destroy the weak, champion for the oppressed, you can be part of this wonderful evolution and it will feel very very real. There is no other place like it, none, those who leave, return, those who can not visit it because of real life, it,... Read More

It's been a year since I wrote a review, so I thought I'd put one in. I'm still attached like a Siamese twin to this MUD - beautiful writing, great code, fabulous roleplay. Other players are helpful, and there's a whole page of helpers in fact, at http://www.armageddon.org/intro/helpers.html Come and join the fun! Just remember to look at the docs first - so you know what you're getting yourself into. ;) Armageddon: the Few, the Proud, the Best Roleplayers Around - but I'm biased

I had heard of Arm from many of my friends for months before I actually created a character. I had heard it is a hard world, and to expect to die fast and often. I had also heard that the role-playing is superior to any other MUD. These were all intimidating to me. Having not read the Armageddon website,I was under the misconception this was a post-apocalyptic MUD, placed on desolate future Earth. Zalanthas (the name of the world of Armageddon MUD) is a beatiful,but harsh desert. Under the bloody-red eye of Suk-Krath various creatures wander the sands amidst purple cacti and groves of agafari. Most people live in on of the two big city states: Allanak and Tuluk. I have personally formed an attachment to Tuluk (or Northlands). It is a very hard world. Trusting the wrong person will easily lead to death on Arm. And death is the end of that character. But the player goes on, creating a new person to his/her account. When (not if) my current character dies, I will weep, grit my teeth,swear never to return and be back staring at the character application within 36 hours at the most. It is that compelling. Codewise, the adds I've seen on Armageddon put it very well: 'Value Added DIKU MUD'. I could rant about the crafting, cleaning, riding, fighting and emoting, but they are best experienced personally. The base is solidly DIKU, which means most basic commands will work the way one would expect. Yet there is nothing boring about it. It seems that the emote system is one of the stumbling blocks, not just to me, but other newcomers as well. The four-liners with athmospheric references can be great, but they are certainly not a must. 'Ordinary' emotes will do just fine, while building up onfidence. Roleplaying is much more than emoting, it is thinking the thoughts of the character (either literally by using the 'think' command or just in one's own head) and experiencing the world through the eyes of that character. It does take time to get started. Reading the documentation on the website not only gives information required to keep alive past the initial couple of hours, but more importantly, opens the beauty of Zalanthas to the player. With the background information, the experience of playing becomes more 'real'. Applying for a character takes patience. The approval process has in my experience taken from 20 minutes to about 8 hours, but 24 hours is what is promised. On each Saturday, Armageddon closes for maintenance between 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST. Take this into account if planning a character. The website with its treasure of information remains open.

Well I had an update review since my first one, but it got lost in the site crash. So here's another update on my opinion of Arm: First, the bad. Most of the rooms are still flat and lack interactive objects that correspond to the room's description. As before, it's a personal pet peeve of mine, coming from a game that *required* builders to include corresponding objects. The duplication of rooms on city blocks is still annoying to me, but not enough to rate the game poorly. It's more of a minor itch in my anal retentive sensitivities and not a full-fledged hemmorhoid They close on Saturdays for maintenence. It's bad only because I love looking forward to relaxing on a Saturday and gaming. It's good because it gives the staff time to dedicate themselves to the mechanics of the game without interference from players. Now for the good: I am constantly, and consistantly amazed by the quality of roleplay. I credit the players first of all because it's them who bring the world to life. But it's also because of the staff, who take such GREAT care in maintaining the integrity of the game that there's no way it will ever turn into yet another "RP-encouraged" mud. I've had wonderful experiences with the staff when I had questions or needed advice or even just wanted to send a "Hey these people are awesome and I wanted to let you all know!" note. Once in awhile their responses are slow in coming, and at early hours it's usually hard to find someone on staff present in the game. When something important happens though, such as a game crash resulting in the loss of all your stuff, they're more than happy to help you. One of the things I like best from the OOC side of things, is that the staff are eager to hear ideas and submissions for new things. We get a weekly newsletter after they shut on Saturdays for maintenence telling us what they've done during that day, who submitted the idea for it to get done, and who made the change. It's wonderful to see so many things the staff AND players get involved in to add to the depth of the world of Zanthalas. I guess this is wordy enough, so I'll end it here.

I played Armageddon when it first opened. *shrug* Just another mud, with a Dark Sun flavor. I hung for a while, then went on my way. Then, a year ago, I tried it again. Wow. Emote code that rocks. magick code that's slick. Descriptions that are beautiful. Crafting code. A million little details that show so much attention, so many little twiddles and nitpicky carefulness - npcs that talk back, perfume code, gah, I could go for hours. Fabulous roleplayers. A staff that sends out a list of changes every week - and credits everyone who's submitted a bug or typo that got fixed. A hardcore, crazed bunch of players that have their own little community. Wow. Oh wow.

Lots of good, not much that's bad, though the bad tipped the scales due to my rather picky criteria for gaming. Here's the good: Roleplay. I've never seen it so good anywhere else. In fact, their mechanics support roleplay in the "emote/say/tell/look" commands. You can target specific people while using these things, but continue the text to include other things as well. A single "emote" - emote glances at ~templar with trepidation, fidgeting nervously. She takes her eyes quickly away from ~templar and smiles sheepishly at ~olive. Each person (the templar and the olive-skinned woman) in the emote will see "you" where appropriate, and everyone will see "him" or "her" for the the rest. I just really love that. Takes awhile to get the hang of this sort of thing but it adds such amazing dimension to the roleplay I can't say enough about it. The "bots" or non-playing characters (automatons) - you can't really tell the difference between them and the player characters at first glance. Each of them has their own unique description, and each has various traits - some yell out goods for sale, some slink off to another room as they wander, etc. etc. Again, more richness to the RP side of things. Now for the bad - and I must emphasize it's only bad for ME - and not necessarily anyone else: Flat room descriptions. Example (made up but just to give you an idea): A large dresser dominates the eastern wall, opposite the door to the west. Against the south wall, an enormous mural hangs from wooden pegs, over an oval area rug woven from blue wool. Okay - looks great. But here's where it becomes flat: open dresser >You don't see any "dresser" here. look mural >You don't see any "mural" here. peer rug >You don't see any "rug" here. Most rooms are like that. A few here and there would be fine, and even rooms that don't include *every single thing* in the description would be okay. But most rooms have absolutely no objects that coincide with the description for interacting. How am I supposed to know if my character is "sinking" into a chair, if the chair doesn't even exist to have a description saying that it's a cushy comfortable thing? Maybe it's hard wood, and "sinking" into it would make no sense. But I'd like to know one way or another. Duplicated room descriptions. You could walk 5 blocks north on some streets and see exactly the same description on each block. Seems like a waste to me, and it's particularly boring, especially since there's either a built-in invisible RT for movement, or there's lag. I have no idea which it is but I've yet to be able to move from room A to room B without waiting a few seconds before the game accepted the command to move. All in all, if you're much more into RP than you are into the "texture" of the construction the... Read More

Armageddon MUD: A world so harsh that the daily struggle to exist will occupy all your initial attention as your character fights for a few obsidian coins, or the loot from a fallen fellow that may buy them a round of ale and a bowl of ocotillo stew to stave off starvation for another day. Once the base necessities of life have been achieved, he or she can look around for employment: perhaps as a noble's guard, or as a merchant for one of the Major Houses. Armageddon MUD: A code-base with the sophisticated emote-code that has become the standard for RPI MUDs, where the subtleties and vagaries of speech acts can be expressed like nowhere else. The developer of the think command in its fullest implementation as well as a thousand other nuances designed to make the roleplaying experience as real as possible. Armageddon MUD: A community of roleplayers like no other on the Internet, some of whose members have been playing in this world for over a decade. A history shaped by the words and deeds of generations of characters, cultures that have been fleshed out down to idiosyncracies and superstitutions, lexicons and last names. A world built by the efforts of hundreds of people, fleshed out and breathing, awaiting your visit. Armageddon MUD: A realm of exquisitely precise writing, described in detail that includes the taste and smell and sound of the world in which your character acts. Where the sunrise washes an obsidian-walled city with ruddy light as the Main Bazaar stirs to sleepy life and the gates of Allanak open to travellers while southwards, silt-laden winds, harsh and sere, pummel the traveller to the point of suffocation as they venture forth on the Sea of Silt. Armageddon MUD: A place of constant changes and updates, where the characters insinuate themselves into history, shaping the events and occasions of the ongoing, overarching novel told jointly, simultaenously by scores of players. Where not paying attention to politics may cost your character his or her life -- as yet another figure steps forward from the shadows before melding back into the overall narrative. Armageddon: Roleplay Required.

Okay, I'm going to keep this short, because I'm sure if I don't then noone will read the entire thing, expecially since I am only an on and off MUDder of about 3 years. Good things about armageddon? Well, there are plenty, but I'm gonna say the ones that -seem- to be bad at first glance. First off, there's the level-less system, something that I wasn't too sure about when I first started playing. Since then I realised that it's one of the best things to ever happen to a MUD. It means that someone who's killed a few creatures in their life can't make someone explode with a slash of their sword. It just makes the game that much more realistic. Second, the fact that there are no resurrections. I figured that I'd be submitting characters over and over again for weeks on end (well, I guess I did, but that's not the point) but really, after I got into the spirit of the game, I realised that it was amazing that you could acctually assassinate someone if you needed too. Not only that but it gives the player that same sense of survival and gets you into the game even more. Third, no metal? What the hell will they use as weapons and armor? Well, it turns out that metal really doesn;t matter, because people adapt, make their blades from shells, bone or even wood. It just makes people want to keep playing to maybe get a glimpse of something mettalic, or, if you're really lucky, find some metal yourself. And, lastly, basically the absense of magick in most of the world. This was the thing that made me most not want to try this MUD. I love magick, basically all my previous characters on other MUD's have been sorcerers of some kind. Really, all the absense of magick means is that any magicker could kick your ass! It requires alot of TLC to get to the place when you can play a magicker, but honestly, it doesn't really matter. The skill system on Armageddon is amazing and every thing about the game makes you lust for more. So much in fact that you'll find that you hate magic all the more just because your character doesn't like it. =)

Imagine a world where water is rarer than wood and nearly more precious than the metal only the wealthiest can afford. Imagine a sandstorm blasting its way over the land, its howl like a thousand souls in agony. Imagine a city where corruption is the rule, and generosity the exception. Imagine a place where elves are shifty thieves, dwarves hairless zealots and halflings carniverous forest-dwellers. Imagine all of this, and you may come close to the experience that is Armageddon. I have been playing Armageddon since January 2001, having started my mudding career on LP Muds in March 2000 and then moving to hack'n'slash, RP Enforced and then RPI. It is a one of a kind, filled with more realism than a telemovie based on true stories and more harshness than a US Marine drill sergeant on a bad day. It is more addictive than chocolate, in my opinion - I play Arm more than I eat sweets. The game's staff are pretty incredible - ever submitted an object or mob to a game only to be told it's not wanted because you're not a builder? In Armageddon, the players are encouraged to add to the world. I've had 110+ characters (it's a permadeath MUD) and one of the Immortals told me that I had managed to come up with original descriptions and histories for each one. Gives you a warm, fuzzy glow when you hear that, or so I think. The coding is fantastic. You can craft anything from a silken dress to a feathered earring to a blade of wood, bone or chitin - provided you have the skills necessary, of course. Guilds and certain races *are* restricted, but for some very good reasons. A desert elf has pretty impressive stamina as they don't ride mounts - imagine the abuse possible if this race was available to the average 'twink.' On the upside, you can customise your character with subguilds - have a ranger who can live off the land and make armour from anything he hunts, or a burglar with a talent for languages. This is the part I love about Armageddon, aside from the RP. RP isn't enforced - it's expected. Allowances are often made to newbies via advice even as that nasty elven assassin plans to slit that poor newbie warrior's throat. It's lead by example on Armageddon, and I've met role-players who would win Academy awards for their talent. Give Armageddon a go, and prepare for a life-changing experience in MUDs. I am not ashamed to admit that I dream about my characters, or wonder how they would react to an everyday situation. Read the helpfiles before applying for a character, and you'll do quite well. Morninglight the RP Addict

Armageddon is an incredibly intensive and above all realistic role-playing experience, and also has a brilliantly designed player character system. Your character's (whatever he/she is) attributes, skills, statistics, etc., are described with numbers in only a very few cases. You only know the precise number of your hit points, stun points, mana, and movement numbers, and these remain more or less the same (with some fluctuation according to age of the character). Although it sounds restrictive, this helps the atmosphere of the game and actually simplifies your life, because, although Armageddon has a lot of hard code, knowing your precise strength (for example) has no use here. Strength, agility, constitution, and wisdom are described according to your character's racial average (for example, "very good", or "exceptional"), and these will probably never change except for normal ageing (for example, wisdom keeps increasing indefinitely, but strength peaks in maturity). All derivatives of these attributes (for example, saving throws or damage bonus) are hidden from the player. This doesn't mean you don't get the information, merely that you have to think about it based on the world of Armageddon (for example, a dwarf with "exceptional" consititution is probably immune to poison, and Half-Giants usually are so strong that the damage they do is incredible). Races on Armageddon are not a matter of racial modifiers (such as +2 str, -2 agi, -1wis). None of that nonsense here: races are very distinct from one another, and extremely different in terms of physique, character, appearance, and abilities. Desert elves pride on their ability to run extremely long distances that other races can only match on a mount. Muls are expensive cross-breeds of dwarves and humans, bred for their physical power, and are almost always slaves or gladiators. There are no levels on Armageddon. Your character's hit points will not change substantially through his life. Everything on Armageddon is built realistically (there are no mobs with 15000 hit points!), said that there are some _very_ scary inhabitants, ranging from the gigantic to the tiny, and many of these are very deadly (all of them are richly detailed). The elaborate branching skill system is based on classes and subclasses; to advance a skill one has to practice it, and I don't mean going to the Guildmaster and using your practice points, but actually PRACTICE the skill in question. The only way a warrior is going to get better at fighting is if he fights (and survives) enough times to learn from his mistakes and build up his abilities. The same goes for a burglar, assassin, thief, ranger, merchant, templar or whatever, as well as for all the subclasses. This helps to build your character into a full role-playing experience. There are no distracting out of character channels. Once you log on to Armageddon you are in another world entirely, where everyone and everything is in-character all the time. Coupled with some truly well-written and very imaginative descriptions of the harsh desertified world of Zalanthas, this for... Read More

Armageddon is a MUD that is far different from others, of course everyone says this but it is true in this case. I have been playing MU*s for years, since the late 80’s. I’ve played possibly thousands of MU*s in my time and had fun with a great many but never quite got that ‘real’ feel from any. Armageddon gives me that feel like (A)D&D used to. Armageddon enforces role-play, it is mandatory and the players are great and really make the game come to life. Other MU*s claim to be 100% role play but the great many I have tried have had OOC chat channels, acted OOC, and just had tons of unrealistic or out of character motives, actions, etc. Armageddon fetters great plots, which are player and immortal run, noble and merchant houses with dark secrets, assassination plots, slave trade, and many, many other activities. You can play anywhere from a Wyvern Elite in the great noble house of Borsail and guard their property, wagons, and nobles along with many other activities. You could be an assassin for The Guild and try to penetrate a noble house and assassinate a senator, you could be a mercenary in the Byn and go on high risk contracts for just about anyone who could afford your services. Maybe try a weapons crafter for the merchant house Salar and supply the best weapons available or even an independent merchant or hunter doing whatever they can to survive. Magick? Sure, Armageddon has magick users but they are hated for the most part. Elementalist are allowed to live within the city of Allanak but let anyone outside of the walls find out you are an Elementalist and you will more then likely lose your life. Sorcerers and psionics? They aren’t even permitted in Allanak and 99.9% of the time will be killed on sight if they are discovered. Despite this, there are some places where some magick users can group together, the highly secretive Conclave for example or one of the elementalist temples in Allanak. One death, that’s it. Once you die it’s over. No resurrections and going to find your corpse or any crap like that. While this discourages some players that are used to not having to act realistically it increases the will to survive that everyone has and makes it more realistic. There are some people who have had the same character for years, living a long is not impossible if you are smart and aware of your surroundings. The immortals on Armageddon are great. They don’t interfere with the players unless they have a problem and need assistance; they are very helpful, polite, and courteous. Got an idea, a new item you would like to see, want to write some NPCs? Go for it, chances are it will be implemented as long as it fits in with the world. No glowing swords that talk named “I’m gonna kill you” or any crap like that, this world is Knights... Read More

To play or not to play: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of potential lagging, Or to take arms against a land of mantis, And by opposing, skin them? To die: to beep; No more, and by a beep to say we end The heart-ache and the deep horrendous damage That chitin shields not, 'tis an application Rapidly to be sent. To die, to beep; To beep: perchance to crash: ay, there's the rub; For in that beep of crash what gith may come When we have travelled between Outpost and home, Our wagon stops: there's the slow lag That means we soon may be losing the link; For who would bear the blinding storms of sand, The templar's hot ire, the rinth rat's antipathy, The pangs of spice withdrawl, the steal delay, The ambition of merchants and the scars That sparring Byn and the unwary take, When they themselves might quit test make In a tent of brown? who would carry rocks, To forage stone under a burning sun, But that check of Karma after death, The options choice that shows us what guilds Or races we become, measures the trust. And makes us choose to think and emote well Instead of fighting hours on end with rats? Thus roleplay does make actors of us all; And thus the earthly cry of the real world Is lost among the need for playing time, And wars in halls and battlefields alike With magick vile and psionics to dread, And elves to steal my ratlon.-Come back here! My ArmageddonMUD! Krath, in thy hot deserts Be all my time expended.

I have alot of spare time and a couple of my friends play muds and i was thinking about starting one of my own. this mud seems just as good as anyother mud and i was wonder what it takes to play a mud other then typing skills and a need to escape the real world into a fantasy world. this is my first review for a mud so i dont know what to really put but i would like to use the name Roach. if that name is not to the games standerds then i would also like to choose Daystar. Roach

All i can say about this game is WOW! I started arm a few months ago i was looking for something different than slaying hundreds of mobs and questing i wanted RP and lots of code. The game is far better than a MUSH such as otherspace where you have to rely on the imms to make things happen in arm there tons of things your char can do you can be a merchant join a house craft a whole load of different things be a skilled assasain who earns alot of money from employers you could use a sharp knife and backstab your target or cunningly poison some food or drink he might be going to consume you could also be a burglar and use lockpicks and traps to break into rich nobles houses although you might end up in the jails if your caught by the authorities! The landscape in the known world of Zalanthas is vast it is mostly desert but there are also forsest where you might want to live if your a ranger living of the land there are cities where the nobles (rich people) live not to mention the scum of Zalanthas. Before you sign up for a account i recommend you read all the documents on the website about descriptions and other things and also think about the char your going to play and also your first few chars may die but dont give up it takes about a week to get used to the land and learn to survive the harsh known world.

I got into mudding - heck - maybe twelve years ago now. I started playing on one of the many diku clones out there and then got sucked into an excellent (for what it is) LPmud. Still, my online gaming experience lacked the intensity of RP that I found with table top games. Then, by luck, I stumbled onto Armageddon. I was shocked. Confused. Amazed. Instantly addicted. My first interaction with a PC was to have them point out that I wasn't wearing any shoes and that the sand must be blistering my feet. No one - in any mud before - talked about my character as a real person. As a writer and English major, I felt like I had come home. Here, on Armageddon MUD, there is a group of people who don't play to kill mobs, gain experience, quest for points and always recover from their deaths. Here was a game like a Raymond Carver novel. Dirty. Gritty. Real. The game is difficult. You HAVE to roleplay. You have to play your character just like you are an actor on a stage (which, in fact, you are)and the emote commands will take a while to perfect. On the other hand, in surprisingly little time and with a little patience you can find yourself skilled enough to equal the average joe roleplayer. I guess one way to look at Armageddon is to compare it to a MUSH. In intensity of RP it is VERY MUSH-like. In fact, strip away the hardcoded realism of death, combat and economy and it becomes a MUSH without the little RP cliques and voting groups and all the OOC garbage that goes on with MUSHing. Armageddon is - in fact - a MUSH-style (read: very intense) RP married to hard coded game reality. That is the number one selling point of Armageddon. If you want to roleplay, you join Armageddon. If you want to kill smurfs, this game ain't for you. Other very cool things that Armageddon has to offer is - heck I'll just make a list: 1. Death. When you're dead, you're dead. 2. Unique and powerful spell system 3. Legal systems 4. Economic systems 5. Mounts (trained or purchased) 6. Houses to purchase 7. Huge crafting skills everything from poison to wagons and everything in between. It's very open ended. 8. Wagon code 9. Smart MOBS 10. High quality RP 11. Realistic combat code 12. Did I mention the smart mobs? 13. Starvation/dehydration code 14. Disease code (haven't seen a plague in awhile) 15. Addiction code 16. Psionic skills very different from spells 17. Unique environment (can't find another like it) 18. WELL written room, mob, object descriptions 19. Active IMMS and playerbase 20. Completely open-ended. What can I say? I've been playing forever (ten years maybe) and I'm not bored yet. Can you say that about your mud?? http://ginka.armageddon.org Join us. And watch out for the Mek.

I have been playing this mud for a few weeks and still can't decide if I like it. It has many good factors, like the crafting system and the realism in many aspects. I never really played a role playing mud before and it is difficult. The character approval length is one bad element just because sometimes it takes a day. Everyone here actually does role play, and if you are new its hard to get the hang of all the emotes and the unique commands. The one thing I found most difficult was that even if you read all the documentation before you start playing, when you enter the world, you really have no clue, and it shows. Your first few characters will have a hard time rping because even though they are from an area they don't know where the main place to buy things is? It doesn't make sense and everyone hates OOC questions, Ive seen about 10 OOC statements and I made 5 of them. All the old players who have kept their players for a long time are powerful and you just plain suck at first. I did enjoy a few characters and got really into them and was enjoying them because they actually started to interact with other players and also started doing things besides sitting around rp'ing. I enjoy rping but I also like to do things, which is why I suppose I end up dead and mourning my character and wondering why I play. The roleplaying can be lonely too for new players if all the old players just ignore you. It might be in their characters role to do so, you see...but running around role playing with npc isnt appealing to me. I think the problem with me is that I am playing in the sparse Northlands, where there perhaps isn't as many players, but I was just trying to get the hang of it. Overall I like the originality of the place, and the challenge. You just can't run around killing mobs for exp and expect to get far because there isnt any exp. Its hard to get into it but once you do it gets fun until you die, when I always get kinda sad about my stupid mistake that led to my death. I may have said some somewhat negative things, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to play or try a rp mud, and hell I am still going to try and play it until they let me be something cool and have no intention of giving up yet.

It took forever to setup a character and requires too much information, also their mud displayed options are very confusing. After I took all that time to set up a character I never got to play because it wouldn't let me get to the playing point. I contacted the creators of the mud, and after they tried to assist me I still could not get in. I would not recommend this mud to anyone that doesn't have the time or patience to deal with timely setups that may not work in the end anyway.

Armageddon - a harsh desert world named Zalanthas where survival does not solely come from the end of your blade. Key Concepts - roleplaying mandatory**. Open player killing. No numerical representation of attributes beyond the basics:hit points, stamina, stun and endurance. Permanent death. Account creation - to begin with you have to start with an account but that is not to say Armageddon is a pay-to-play game. At first I was more than a bit taken back by having to create an account and further discouraged by the need to send in an application for a character. Now I understand why, Armageddon is a community that gently demands a player put effort in their characters. Starting off having to create an account gets a you into the mind set for the serious roleplaying which follows character application acceptance. Character creation - Armageddon restricts your access to the classes and races at first. This is done to ensure quality control for roleplaying and so that a player does not get in over his/her head from the start. Basic Elves, Humans, Dwarves, and Half Elves are the four basic races available. Main classes are the basic warrior, a couple rogue types and interestingly a mercantile class. First character - start in Allanak and find your way to the Gaj, or one of the other taverns. Talk to people, get a feeling for the atmosphere and find a job or at least a couple friends. From there the sky is the limit all you have to do is being will to roleplay your rear off. The players are very helpful but it is required that you stay in character. Questions on the OOC board and on the general discussion board are answered quickly and curteously. Long term - just look below, that is a mail from one of the Immortal staff. They are diligent, enthusiastic and supportive so you know that in time you too can get involved in the intricacies of Zalanthas. Hi Psektos, I just wanted to check in and see how you've been/things are going, and to say thanks for your suggestions and what you've been contributing to the game. Thanks, Kari ** If you are not interested in roleplaying this mud is not the one for you, hack and slash happens with open PK but is -not- the focus of the mud.

A harsh desert world, water and metal are precious and in most cases unaffordable. Life is delicate, death lurks in every corner. Growing up in the Labyrinth, will you manage to steal enough to leave the ghetto, or will you become a spy for a high ranking Noble? Explore the immensely detailed world, discover new places. Watch out for magickers and other beasties along the way. Will you become a soldier, an assassin, or simply live off the riches of a lucrative merchanting business. If you plan on making a trade route, better take a few hired mercenaries with you.. and hope that they don't decide that they'd make more for killing you than you're going to pay them. ArmageddonMUD is an amazing world, where life is harsh. The roleplaying expectations are unrivaled at this text-based game which has lasted over a decade. Murder, chaos, destruction and disease lurk everywhere, but so do strong allies that can help bring your character into a place of real power. The immortal team is highly dedicated and do an amazing job at keeping ArmageddonMUD the very -BEST- online roleplaying adventure you could ever have. Do yourself a favor, and submit to the addiction that is ArmageddonMUD. ginka.armageddon.org port 4050

I just lost my 1st character. Its kind of a bummer, but I like it because its like life, you get only 1 chance. Its going to make me care alot more. (I wandered out of the city n fell off a wall or something :P) I like this mud, kinda boring at times, but I like to wander n look at everything. Kind of daunting at first, but I got drunk and talked to people in a tavern. Made a friend right off. Ive been mudding for 2 years, and played a couple Enforced rp muds, but Arm pulls it off much better, (unlike Threshold, Aristotle is a Nazi) They dont gripe or laugh at you, but try to help. So, all in all I dont have any gripes, except you have to judge skill% by rate of success. just kihnda guess about it... NA its a fun time. try it, but only if youre ready to RP.

Armageddon Mud This great mud is about as addictive as they come. But it can get tedious, and there is plenty of off time for rest. I play this mud a great deal, along with another mud when I need a break from the harsh reality of the desert world of Zalanthas. The mud has the most awesome, wonderful, super-fantastic rping in teh world. It is enforced, but with the people and the experience it could be optional and the people would do a great job. Their creative emote and thinking system allows for people to add emotes into nearly every action. From fighting, to merely taking a drink of ale. There are many classes and guilds to choose from, and the harsh style keeps you coming back for more with each death. The players are helpful... if you find the right people to ask, And the staff is always willing to help a good person in need. The world is large, and all original. Even the style of play and type of things to do are mostly original. This mud has been around for quite some time, and each and every saturday it takes another step towards improvement. A unique 'Karma' system allows the Imms to award and commend those that role-play well, and help breathe life into the mud, ingame and out. The staff and players are by far the most commited I have seen, doing all they can to keep up their mud, and meet regularly in annual player meetings, and other fun stuff. I cant stress enough the fun and uniquely addicting style of this game, so I must urge you to come play. But be warned, this is no place for the weak. :) Armageddon mud. ginka.armageddon.org port: 4050

ArmageddonMud Character Creation: Very in depth character creation from a roleplaying perspective but from a character’s skills and abilities creation is extremely limited. New players have to set up an account, and then create within the strict parameters set out in the documentation online and further developed on the webpage. Character choices are severely restricted at first with respect to race and class though all subclass options are available. This form of character creation is so complex that it may deter new players from going further than the account creation step. Playing in Armageddon: Nothing tangible to keep a new player going with respect to development of skills or abilities. Strict roleplaying rules can stifle a player's creativity since conforming is a must in order to thrive. Add to that the fact that there are so few choices available to a new player it is a further hindrance to gathering new players. Immortals that may have several plots in the works but never seem to forward them on regular basis so that a new player could at least catch a hint of it. Couple that with the fact that veteran players seem to run in their own cliques it makes for a very daunting atmosphere for a new player. The final problem is that permanent death removes a new player’s ability to truly explore the world and acclimatize themselves. Roleplaying: Depth is subjective, especially for a new player. Nothing that draws a new player into current plots and of any epic plots can be seen. That is not to say there are none but without some Immortal interaction moving a plot forward in such a manner that the players can see it becomes very hard to get into playing a role in Armageddon. Steep learning curves with respect to surviving and skill develop also applies to roleplaying since the documentation for many of the clans is locked. A lack of two or more powerful factions in the world makes for a complacent game that can regress into a monotonous routine of doing the basics to survive. A defined source of conflict between two or more central powers would provide players an avenue to explore rather than the mundane status quo. Roleplaying within a clan or House is well done with respect to emoting and staying in character but again there is a huge lack of depth. Characters seem to have their private plots and petty likes and dislikes but for depth there is nothing tangible that a new player can sense or get involved in. If a person is looking to develop their ability to include emoting in their roleplaying Armageddon does a very good job of that. Character Development: Skills and abilities have very few avenues to be developed and in most cases they are almost lethal. With permanent death being a feature in Armageddon that makes for a very trying time for a character who wants to be at least slightly proficient in their skills. world... Read More

For depth of realism, for beauty of writing, for code that both enhances roleplay and makes the world come alive, there's no equal for Armageddon. I've run characters there that ranged from gritty, gruff Byn sergeants to a devious, manipulative member of a noble house, a sly elvish pickpocket scrambling for her next sid and scheming for that one big haul... and it never loses its appeal. Recent changes include code that allows items to become burned, dirtied, or bloodied, additions to the already ample crafting code that allows clan-specific crafting, and northern and southern accents. New players are advised to skim through the introductory section of the webpage and get a feel for the game, which will enhance their first time tenfold -- but save the other docs for later reading. There's a lot of them, and they make this world feel more real than any other I've experienced. The immortals listen to the players -- while they stay out of the way of play, they also publish a weekly update that lists the changes they've made, credits people for typos and ideas, provides staff contacts for the clans, and on and on. It's a community of great roleplayers, with the best possible playground provided for them.

Greetings young soul, so you wish to venture forth into the harsh deserts of Zalanthas? Yes my Lord, I do. I tire of the monotony of hacking and slashing and gaining ranks within a thankless faceless guild. Ah, you have come to the right place young one but beware the sun itself in Zalanthas can take your very life if you are hasty or unwary. Yes, yes, but tell me, how does one develop oneself? Slowly young one, this is not a race to attain the best ability or gear instead it is a careful climb of the perilous cliff to attain some simple semblence of being self sufficient. Your path will not be always clear and have many unforseen happenings. Ah, so I must work harder than ever before to attain.... what ... what is it that I seek to attain...??? Muwahahaha.. your freedom fool.. your Freedom!! ***Play a character starting in Allanak for you beginners. Find the Gaj using "help map" and then begin your journey into roleplaying fulfillment***

I want to play a rebel whose continuing livelihood is truly in question. I want to crouch in the bush and sense the smoke of burning buildings in the distance touch my nostrils. I want to experience relief as my rag-tag side takes this victory, and know that the role I played was one of the most dangerous involved - and I survived. If I feel this, I can empathize with my character, and feel a part of the atmosphere the game sets out to illustrate. I'll try a MUSH. The emotes are flashy, stories are definitely developing, but something is lacking. Something does not feel real. They need my permission to kill me? My character was never in any danger? The result is real struggles being thrown into the background; players concentrate on playing out family life, developing intimate relationships, all without any regard for human struggle and consequence. Life becomes a soft ordeal, I feel retired before I even began. I'll try a MUD, its advertised emphasis on roleplaying. My character dies, then returns anew; the consequences are depressing. Suddenly, individual character life becomes worthless to players, risk becomes the norm, fear is forgotten. Recklessness ensues, and, in a stark contrast to the situation in MUSH environments, intimate relationships and complex plots are tossed into the background. Encounters are fake, not one face seems real. I'll try Armageddon. Jaded from previous pursuits, I'll discover a cold, harsh edge. I have only one life to live, and so I must be sure I can trust those around me. What are their motives? Why are you looking at me, you gap-toothed wretch? I am distrusting and hostile. The ruined landscape set out before me does nothing to ease these sentiments, and I am in a constant state of want, of yearn. Still, intimate relationships will develop with time -- in a world that stands ready to eat you raw, you have to make a friend or two. Intricate plots evolve and transform, secrets are discovered as I hold my breath. This ruined planet, ravaged by magicks of past and present that spoil and steal from the land, has mysteries that no player alone can claim to have mastered. Essential to this sense of exposure is the fact that ArmageddonMUD is backed by sturdy, realistic code. Combat feels very real, emphasized by the knowledge that if you die, you are not coming back. The code supporting these brutal exchanges is complex enough to fill them with surprises. Fellow characters are detailed and motivated: this game is host to some of the most effective roleplayers I've had the pleasure of interacting with. The world is poised for conflict, with an empire having swept through and conquered much of civilization. Fresh blood and ideas are a welcome contribution to the world of Zalanthas, and I hope to run into one of your (several, short-lived) characters.

I have just gotten my feet wet in Zalanthas. The game is deadly, downright deadly. Think death has no meaning on most muds? Come here, watching someone slip away has meaning. You have but one life per character, makes you think a heck of a lot more. The one life also seems to enhance Rp since when people start thinking before acting a lot more speaking takes place. No twinks, the Immstaff won't tolerate them. You want to go play some where that has no players with skills practiced to the point where they mop the floor with everyone? Come to Geddon. The atmosphere... it is wonderful! The players contribution count and I have had excellent interaction with both immstaff and with other players. There is even a list of helpers to get you started in Geddon, good folks all with a ton of info for you. The webpage... amazing! You really should spend the time to get the feel for Geddon from it. The docs are well written and provide all the basics a new player would need. And finally... I have to mention the roleplaying again. It is amazing, I started off with a bit of trepidation since I am a nitpicker on myself for quality roleplaying. Well Geddon has all the tools to make for an excellent roleplaying experience. One drawback... and it is less of a drawback than a shock to the senses. Zalanthas is lethal. I lost three characters within a couple days. But with that comes the feeling that you need to work on all aspects of your mudding not just "adventuring". I learned to fit in, and that at any time, anyone or anything can end your existance... keeps your fingers nimble and your heart racing. So for a great experience please come and give Geddon a try! I did and am glad for it.

If you like roleplay this is the mud for you! This mud is the best thing that happoned to me since my old d&d days (yes, I know im old). I've searched a long time to find a mud like this, its roleplay is by far the most extensive I have seen yet. Armageddon MUD is set in a very harsh desert world called Zalanthas. Many clans are available to help the main player along, some are easy to find such as the T'zai Byn and others are more secretive such as The Guild and The Rebellion, however all are very rewarding and offer many 'twists' to the game. Armageddon has many races and classes to select from as well as sub classes, whatever your taste you can find it here. I can write on and on about this MUD but I'll leave it to you to learn more but trust me, you wont be let down. ~Godkarma

I happen to enjoy playing this game regularly. It is harsh, gritty and *very* realistic, something which will most likely turn off non-roleplayers. You can earn money without killing things, and since it's level-less, hack'n'slashers will probably not like it. If you're a newbie, I recommend getting used to permadeath quite often. I have been playing for about nine months and have been through (at last count) 18 characters. Once you get the hang of it, your characters will live longer. Read the doc files before and after you put in an app; they'll give you invaluable help in playing the game (and surviving.) That's it for now. I hope my review has inspired you to play. *grin* Morninglight the RP Addict

This MUD is a masterpiece! I have never encountered a MUD with a world as vibrant, a plot as enticing, or an environment as absorbing as Armageddon. The world of Armageddon, known as Zalanthas, is a place of astonishing beauty and detail. The staff has done an amazing job at making Zalanthas one of the most vibrant worlds I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Every room, object, and creature, no matter how mundane, is masterfully described. Unlike most MUDs, this world has a very distinct flavor that is consistant throughout the game. The world hardly seems important, however, when it is compared to the lush roleplaying environment that Armageddon offers. Character interactions on Armageddon can be (and usually are) incredibly fun and exciting. Most of the players on the MUD roleplay very believable (and perhaps even memorable) characters. Playing Armageddon is not so much like playing a MUD; it is more like participating in an epic fiction novel. The guidelines for roleplay may seem a little harsh at first, but without them Zalanthas would not be the wonderful place that it is today. Armageddon's code is incredibly extensive, and supports the roleplaying aspect incredibly well. A level-less character system, enhanced emotes, and a plethora of crafting possibilities are only the beginning. Sure, there is a lot to learn, but that is what the documentation is for. The documentation on Armageddon is very extensive. With enough study, the most inexperienced newbie can just about everything he/she would need to know to play the MUD. It is actually recommended that players new to the MUD read the introductory documentation before submitting a character application. The staff on Armageddon are extremely polite and helpful, provided you show the proper politeness and respect in turn. The staff actually places a lot of effort to work with the characters to enhance the feel of the game. With Armageddon being open for almost ten years now, the staff has done an excellent job at using the players' feedback, along with a large amount of original thought, to make Zalanthas what it is today. What does all this mean? It means that Armageddon is, in my humble opinion, the best (free) roleplaying MUD available. Please note, this MUD may not be for you hack-and-slash players out there. If you are interested in roleplaying, however, you should definately try Armageddon.

I am newer then most to this mud. And me submitting a review just shows you how influcing this game is. It is one of the most realistic mud I have ever played. Not to mention one of the only decent muds focussing on roleplaying. Most muds nowadays are either hack and slash, with 'accepted' role-playing. Or are completely hack-and-slash, with people sometimes acting IC. Arm is different. It enforces role-playing in an environment that once you get established enough, allows for PK, fighting, etc. But be warned, like most people IRL you dont do things without reason, and the same is in this mud. There is no reward for maxing your stats, in fact someone doesnt even really need a skill to enjoy this game. The deep plot, and detailed environment allows for creative role-playing situations almost anywhere. As one progresses, different options and opprotunities will be opened. (i.e. staff sponsered characters, races, guilds, and subclasses.) Allowing someone once a lowly warrior to eventually creat an all-powerful templar, or even a variety of mages. This mud uses many common aspects from others, including multi-races, multi-classes, and the ability for a subclass that allows you to diversify your character. Merchant-mercenaries, warrior-bards, pickpocketing-rangers, etc. Possibilities are near endless. Armageddon, unlike most muds, features equipment and items that you dont need a level to use. The equipment is open for all, as would be expected in life. Speaking of levels... THERE ARE NONE. This is a skill based mud, where you progress in an act by doing it. No pointless mobs roaming for you to level, everything has a purpose, as should you. You will never hear 'Why were you attacking that gith?' 'To max my skills silly'. People are innovative in their roleplaying, with in-depth plots that give reason to action. Nobles, Citizens, slaves, foreigners, racism, guards, merchants, clerics, theives, rangers, hunters, horrid giths, mantis hordes, scheming elf clans, all-mighty templars, city-militia, mercenary groups, CRAFTING skills, ability to forage materials to craft with, realistic food and water demands, 100s of weapons and armor, tailorable clothing, jewelry, name it-we got it. THIS IS A MUD NOT TO TURN AWAY FROM. A highly interactive and cooperative staff that works WITH you, not there occasionally to reprimand you, but there to help you and advise you before that happens. Why waste your time trying to get to a max level, just to end up getting bored and recreating? Come play a mud where your given free reign of your skills, dont be held back by restraints on your character or your ambitions. Want to wield that longsword but your a thief? Come to armaggeddon, no one will tell you you cant because of your class. Tired of people asking 'Where can i get level 50 eq'? Come somewhere where levels dont matter, equipment isnt based on level. Now the good stuff. Totally original settings, no stock places, in a uniquely written creative world. LARGE world, with near endless settings surrounding a city.... Read More

Armageddon MUD (Arm) is set on the harsh desert world of Zalanthas; a world devastated by terrifying magicks, where tyrannical sorcerer-kings rule and people exist in a wide and weird variety of races. If this sounds familiar to you, then it will be no surprise that Arm was largely inspired by the AD&D Dark Sun setting. The two are not the same, but the themes are similar. Zalanthas is a brutal environment where only the fittest survive. Food and water are precious commodities. Magick is widely feared, and those who wield it are despised and persecuted. Metal is virtually nonexistent. Arms and armor are made mostly from bone, chitin, leather, obsidian, and wood. Civilization exists in isolated pockets, between which stretch vast expanses of hostile desert and barren wasteland. It's a game setting radically different from the typical medieval fantasy world. As might be gathered from my e-mail address, I'm one of the staff members on Arm. The obvious disclaimers apply (i.e., my personal views don't necessarily reflect the views of Armageddon MUD, and of course I will be encouraging you to play the game!), but I've tried to keep this review fairly objective. I play the game regularly, in addition to working on it, and am basing this review mainly on my experiences as a player. To me, the purpose of this review is to help you decide whether or not to try playing Arm. Arm has its good and bad points, just as any game does; the question is whether Arm would be enjoyable for you. In trying to help you decide, I'll start by considering the game's strengths. First, Arm is a role-play intensive (RPI) MUD, and the staff are very strict on you staying in-character (IC) all the time and not abusing out-of-character (OOC) knowledge. I see this as one of the game's strongest points. While these policies may seem harsh at first, you learn to appreciate them after a while. Everyone staying IC really makes the game gripping and intensive, and this is probably why most people play Arm. Second, Arm is an ongoing story. It's not a static entity, but something that both staff and players constantly put effort into. Things have consequences on Arm, and there are no set quests or missions to do, in terms of blindly going off to kill X or locate Y. There are exciting times and there are quiet times, just as in real life. The staff (who are all unpaid volunteers) put an incredible amount of work into the game, and it goes off-line every Saturday to be updated. Third, the game world is all original and excellently written. To see what I mean, you really have to play the game, since I can't reproduce a sample of room, object, or NPC descriptions here. It's also a huge world, encompassing two large city states (one of which is currently in ruins), several outposts, and vast expanses of desert and wasteland. The desolate setting of isn't... Read More

This mud is extremely RP oriented, so much in fact that it can get quite slow at times if you are not 'in' the 'in' crowd. It is extremely well coded, and has a diverse system for just about everything...Do not go here if you are looking for H/Slash it is more like a MUSH with a combat/spell system...Many of the times i have played, ( even after reading through extensive documentation ) i never saw a sole, and found doing anything ( other than being killed ) was quite a chore. This is not a negative review, but more of a warning for those looking for sword and sorcery and h/slash epic adventure to stay away. This is a tight knit group of RPrs who love to emote things. The longer you play also seems like the more 'control' of newbies you can have....Try it and enjoy.

"Welcome to Armageddon." Enter Zalanthas, a once thriving world destroyed by ancient magicks and transformed into a barren desert, where survival depends on sharp wits, power, and more than a little luck. This is an immersive role-playing game where realism is paramount. You don't get any second chances at life. You obey the city laws or you will be punished.. if you are caught. You brave traveling the dunes, only to be chased down by tribes whose land you trespassed, and hunted by wild beasts. For those few who attain high status and fortune, life is no simpler.. You must constantly watch your back for would-be assassins, or spies among your most trusted servants. What immediately impressed me about this game is that there is such attention to detail that the reality of the world itself is striking. Each room is vividly described, from the rolling desert dunes, to the most extravagant noble's dwelling, from the majestic and serene temples of the elementalists to the most pathetic, squalid tenements of the poor. You will see the sun rise and set, and the weather changes from day to day (and it affects you.. just try traveling on a moonless night, or in the middle of a brutal sandstorm). The code itself is of such broad scope that almost anything is possible. If you possess the right skills, you can create objects from items you buy, or forage from the vast wilderness. You can craft musical instruments, a large assortment of weapons, armor, jewelry, furniture, even wagons, the list goes on.. You can tame wild beasts, cook the food you hunt and skin for yourself (or perhaps just buy from the grocer's), make bandages to patch your wounds, brew beverages or mix deadly poisons. For an idea of the complexity of the game, all one has to do is take a look at the General Discussion Board linked to on the main site, you will find people in lengthy discussion over fine details, ones that are, or soon could be, realistically implemented in the game. There is such diversity that each character you create will result in an entirely different experience. No one has yet discovered all the mysteries of the world. There are at least 20 different houses and clans that can be joined, not to mention those few who decide to go-it-alone as solo hunters and travelers. Each house and clan has a unique culture, each with it's own stories from the elders of the group and different opportunities for you to make your mark (and even earn a little money along the way). You could become a craftsman, and work for one of the merchant houses, selling fine silks or desert gear, specialized weapons and armours, jewelry, prepared foods, or even spice (the equivalent to drugs on Zalanthas). You could also work as a guard for for one of the noble houses.. be prepared to become involved in whatever devious plots they might be up to order... Read More

Armageddon is the by far best MUD I have ever played and most likely ever will play. It really threw me off when I started I didn't end up in Migaard or Asgaard or some other gaard temple. There is nothing stock MUD about Armageddon, it is wholly unique in every sense of the game. The combat system is not turn based, it is based on checks against agility, skill, and other factors. There are no levels, just skills and as this is a roleplay MUD you don't know how good you are at any one skill, you can only guess from your sucess rate, just like in real life. There are no 'You ARE mad!' Consider messages, it just gives you a rough estimation about how big you are compared to whatever you are considering, just like in real life, you don't know if someone is more skilled than you by looking at them, you just can figure how badly they can hurt you with a punch. The Magic(k) system is wonderful, althought I myself have only seen two instances of it taking place, as magick is incredibly rare on Armageddon's world of Zalanthas. Another thing rare on Zalanthas is metal, giving it an amazingly harsh feel and making the combat much more realistic whil you use weapons fashioned from stone, bone, chitin or wood. If you want something different, Armageddon it the way to go.

I'm one of those people who have a hard time putting books down when they've caught me -- and Armageddon is even worse. I haven't found any other mud with the deep immersion in the character, even down to the think command and the having to submit a background, with such careful and meticulous documentation of the world so you know what's going on before you get there, and with a world so intricately and beautifully created, down to messages about the sunrise in Allanak's main bazaar, or the torches flickering on Caravan Way at night. It's not the easiest mud in the world by a long shot -- but well worth the time spent making a few characters and getting the hang of it...unless you actually wanted some free time. The staff stays behind the scenes, but they seem to be continually adding and improving to their creation. Just recently they added tattoo code -- your character can go get a tattoo from an NPC merchant and when someone looks at the character, they can see the tattoo's short desc, or can look at that specific body part and see the whole description. Plus if you're wearing equipment over the location, the tattoo won't show up. Not a huge thing, not another race or skill or whatever, but incredibly atmospheric. To new players, I'd strongly suggest looking at the website, particularly the introductory section, which will considerably shorten the learning curve.

You sit at a small table in the back of a well-kept, pleasant-smelling tavern. Glancing about briefly you notice that the stone walls of this building rise up high above your head and are devoid of windows. Only the doorway to the west admits any light from outside, and that much is diffused by the beads that hang in it. Cool shadows cover most of the bar, except where lamps hang on long brass chains above tables crowded with visiting merchants, giving the inn a quiet subdued air. A bar runs the length of the building's east end, where it meets a staircase leading up to the rooms which patrons often rent during their stays in Allanak. Outside the noises of early morning filter in on a warm breeze and for an instant you are able to forget the harsh and unforgiving world outside. Swilling the remaining liquid in your delicate wineglass a smile slowly creeps over your sun-toned features. Suddenly a raspy voice from the darkened corner near the table wrenches you from the safety of contemplation and sends goose flesh rippling over your back and neck. '...the day has come.' the voice rasps from the shadows. Memories of a few weeks ago rush through your thoughts with the raw power of a sandstorm and a ball roughly the size of your fist forms in your throat. Something in the shadow catches the light from your tables lantern and hot pain sears through the side of your neck. In a moment of instinct your hand shoots to your neck, your fingers wrapping around the protruding hilt of an obsidian longknife, the image of your encounter with the haggard elf in the bazaar replaying itself in your mind. You fall forward onto the table, the delicate wineglass in your other hand falling to the floor. As the glass shatters into brilliant shards beside your chair you are engulfed by the void. ------------ I've chosen to start this review with some creative, emotional writing to illustrate a point. Armageddon is the most creative, emotionally involved mud on the Net. I am an actor by profession and never before have I played a mud in which the roleplay atmosphere has been so intense, the coded atmosphere been so interactive and realistic, and the overall concept of the mud been so engaging. When you involve yourself in the harsh, desert world of Zalanthas you also involve yourself in the rich, creative world of emotion and imagination. Armageddon Mud incorporates these concepts as values and principles of belief rather than accepting them as enjoyable afterthoughts. I've been playing Armageddon Mud off and on for about 5 years and I can't seem to escape. The general concept of gaming and mudding are addictive, yes. But I've also played other muds and never found it so difficult to pull away as with Armageddon. This tells me that I am more emotionally involved in this world than any other mud. As an actor and a... Read More

I've played many muds before, from Avalon to old Star Wars muds and I must say, this is the absolute best that I have ever had the pleasure of playing on. The amount of work that spans over a period of ten years with the dedication that the staff has shown has proven most fruitful with the introduction of such an advanced and intricate game. The world is large and diverse similar to the environments of the ancient Egyptian civilizations with a much larger, far more complex social structure and gods that spend the time to help newbies along as well as provide quests and interesting plot lines. Anybody interested in a good roleplaying experience in which you actually play the role of another person, I strongly recommend this game to. Those seeking a hack and slash game should look elsewhere, this game has been made great over time by the enforcement of roleplaying rather than skill building and it would be a pity for it to be lost.

Armageddon is like no other mud I have played before. It is difficult, challanging, and sometimes frustrating enough to make me want to tear my hair out. However, I keep coming back. The reason for my return is simple, I have never found anything that can equal the complexity of Rp and the fascinating storylines that I find in Armageddon. If you are looking for a true roleplaying experience, then Armageddon may be for you. I will warn you, it's not something you can master, after over a year of playing Armageddon I still learn new things about the code on a daily basis, and that is just one of the things I love. Life is hard in Armageddon and death is permanent. It has the most advanced emote system I have ever encountered and it took me weeks to master it but ah... the flexability you have. The playerbase is on the small side, but then again, difficult and challanging isn't for everyone. If you are looking for mindless hack and slash, this is NOT IT. If however, you are looking for story lines that leave you sitting on the edge of your chair, hoping and praying your character survives, then you may be looking for Armageddon. The Roleplaying is intense. The storylines are as convoluted as an Xfile episode and you never really know who to trust. The staff is very rarely seen, but they are there behind the scenes and I have found them to be intelligent, thoughtful and always courteous and helpful to the players. I personally prefer a staff that remains in the shadows, guiding and steering things with gentle nudges and only occasionally the boot to the rear. I recommend Armageddon for the serious roleplayer. If you are looking for a place and a character that you can step into whole-heartedly, come join us in the harsh desert world we call home. Before you come though, you will DEFINATELY want to read up on the documentation. I personally kept my browser opened on the help files for the first few weeks I played and was constantly searching for help on something or other. I've been mudding since 1992, and I've been to a lot of muds. Armageddon is what I have spent almost ten years searching for. It is a story, that you are writing with other authors. It is complex and fascinating and more addictive than a soap opera or chocolate. It's just... incredible.

Armageddon Mud is filling a small niche in a vast sea of muds. It is a mud designed specifically for those who are interested in a fine roleplaying experience. Roleplaying is not encouraged or enforced, it is expected and required. On this mud, gone are the days of mindlessly going from place to place, zone to zone killing the same creatures over and over. No longer can you run across the world from one kingdom to the next in a day. Travel is harsh, combat is deadly, and death is permanent. The game is set in Zalanthas, based very loosely on the Dark Sun campaign by TSR. It is a harsh desert environment where the normal fantasy races are turned on their heads. Elves are now seen as thieving scum or barbaric tribals and dwarves are dedicated zealots. Humans are oppressive overlords, ruling the world by their numbers and organization. There are a variety of organizations to join. Think you know how to dictate fashion and make a million off of selling silk scarves and other fineries? Join House Kadius. Interested in the gritty life and heart felt camaraderie of a mercenary organization, try the T'zai Byn. Like to sell illegal drugs and work in the black market being a low down gutter thug? Try the The Guild a shadowy organization about whom only rumours and speculation are known. Like to enforce the status quo, beat up on the weak and defenseless, and have a cadre of half-giant soldiers at your call? The Highlord Tektolnes' Templarate is always looking for a few good men or women ready to whip those unruly masses into shape. One huge attraction for the mud to me is the gritty realism. This place seems to be for real. There is no twinkish alignment system. Real life isn't like that. There is no good or evil, just one huge shade of grey. Even the most apparently evil of people probably have their IC justifications for what they do which fit into the game world. Sure, that Templar represents the forces of 'good' in the city, but who would suspect that she is taking bribes and has a nasty spice habit on the side? These intriguing convulutions make the game tick for me. If you are looking for a mud where you really and truely don't have to kill stuff to get by, where you truly can have something to do as a merchant, craftsman, or prostitute, Armageddon has this. Many muds claim to have this sort of thing, but when you log in you find that the merchant class is little more than a fighter who can get good deals at shops. Not Armageddon. There are viable things for merchants and craftspeople to do. Pilot a wagon from one city to the next, picking up goods and getting rich. Hire out people to forage raw materials from the surrounding countryside, which you then craft into exquisite works and attempt to sell. Of course, could... Read More