Where is the Future for the MUDs?
Today we already have MUDs with graphics interface, but still very poor graphical
abilities. On the other hand more and more computer_games_ are going online,
creating a strong competitor for the 'undergraduates pennies'.
One of the biggest online communities which has left the traditional text-based
environment of the MUDs is the World of Ultima Online.
Having started as a mostly text based adventure game with little more than
ascii-graphics it grew up over the years, improving the game controls and also
the graphics. But it remained still a traditional computer game in the way of
being loaded to the computer at home and played by a single player.
With Ultima Online the creators have left the traditional basis of the game, the computer at home, and moved on to the internet. With a worldwide
network of servers people from all over the world can log
into the world, having just a few essential components of the game control on
their actual computer, while the world, like in MUDs, is generated, interacted with
and kept on the server.