From: rr@wasp.eng.ufl.edu (Robbie Roberts)
Subject: Announcing Worlds of Carnage
Reply-To: rr@wasp.eng.ufl.edu (Robbie Roberts)
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 92 19:46:49 GMT

			     Announcing

                                            __
               /      \                    /  \
               \  /\  /                   |
                \/  \/  O R L D S   O F    \__/ A R N A G E

		  A fantasy world of travail and triumph!

		   bigguy.eng.ufl.edu	128.227.116.14


		Created by Robbie Rogers and Aaron Buhr based
 	 on the DIKUMUD v.1 source code by Hans Henrick Staerfeldt, 
       Katja Nyboe, Tom Madsen, Michael  Seirfert, and Sebastian Hammer


     Worlds of Carnage (aka CarnageMUD) is a diku-style MUD that has been
rewritten from the ground up to be faster, easier, and more reliable than
most other diku variants.  Worlds of Carnage also has many major
enhancements not found in most other diku variants.  Below is just a sample
of some of our major extensions to the standard diku system, and we are
always working on more enhancements (currently more spells and more
classes).  Please come try CarnageMUD out, we think you'll like it!


    Welcome to the Worlds of Carnage.  This is a radically modified version
of the Diku-class MUD system.  If you are a newbie on this MUD, you may
consider asking other players for help.  Make sure to do the "help" command
by itself to see some of the new things CarnageMUD has implemented.
    Here are some other Help topics you may need to use: 
  MUD, NPC, PC, CRASH, COMPACT, BRIEF, COMMUNICATION, SCORE, SELF, PRACTICE


CRASH PROTECTION:  

   If the MUD crashes at any time, don't worry it will be up again within a
few minutes.  The MUD has an automatic re-boot system.  CarnageMUD has a
unique crash-recovery system.  Unlike other muds in which crashes make you
lose all of your equipment, CarnageMUD has a fault-tolerant rent system.
What this means is that whenever you rent, your current possessions are
saved that way until you rent again, "quit", or die.  Any of those three
actions clears your objects out of storage (though renting again stores
your new objects, too).  Entering the game does NOT delete your objects
from storage.  This means that if the MUD goes down due to a crash, all
your items are still in storage just as when you last rented!


GUILDS:

   On this MUD there are guilds, which are like gangs or cults, and have
nothing to do with the class-specific guilds used to increase your skills.
By joining a guild, you can kill members of other guilds and of your own,
subject to only a few restrictions.  If you don't join a guild, the MUD is
hard-coded so that you CANNOT be killed by another player.  There will be
guild quests with appropriate rewards and on-going guild wars, as well
as continual petty backstabbing and intrigue.  It's definitely more of a
challenge to pit your skills against another human opponent!  >:)
Do "help guild" to see more information about Carnage MUD guilds.


NPC/PC INTERACTION:

   Many of the NPCs, or Non-Player Characters on this MUD system are
interactive with Player Characters (you).  You can ask some of them
questions, give them stuff, say something to them, do something around
them, and they will react as defined in the game.  This can be used to make
quests or riddles for the players to figure out.  If you are ever stuck,
trying to get something or go somewhere and are having trouble, try asking
the NPCs around you questions.


PRACTICING AND GUILDMASTERS:

    CarnageMUD guildmasters are an example of our rewritten NPC system.
Unlike your garden-variety MUD, where you go to Generic Guildmaster A to
improve skill B, CarnageMUD guildmasters are not necessarily in defined
"Practice Areas" they can be anywhere at all in the game.  To find them,
you'll have to look for certain clues, and it is advisable to investigate
the local taverns for clues and hints.  Ask around, the inhabitants of the
Worlds of Carnage are smarter than your average diku-robot.  For any more
information on this type HELP PRACTICE.


MAIL SYSTEM:

   Most of you who are familiar with Diku systems are familiar with
bulletin boards.  We have multiple bulletin boards, specific to areas,
guilds and other interests.  We also have a private mail system.  There is
a small fee to use it (in gold coins from the game), since you have to buy
a letter and pen to make a letter.  Look for a mailbox to check your mail
and read it.  Do "help mail" for more information.


REAL NAMES:
   This MUD allows you to enter your real name, if you choose.  It is not
mandatory.  If you choose to do so, anyone who uses the command "whois" on
the mud on you can read your name and see what site you're connected from.
This is only to avoid confusion between players on names, because some
people have similar player names or use names that others use.  This way
you can make sure that person is who you think they are.


SCALED RENT:
    CarnageMUD has a special scaled-rent system.  We only use rent to
control the amount of high-powered and magic items in the game, because we
do not limit magic items themselves.  So anything that costs less than 500
gold per day costs nothing to rent.  The way the scaled-rent system works
is that each object in the game has an intrinsic power level tied into its
value, and if that power level is above your character level, the item
becomes much more expensive for you to rent.  Conversely, if the item's
power level is quite a bit less than yours the item becomes much less
expensive to rent, and at very high levels the rent drops drastically no
matter what the power level of the item is.


   In closing, you should know that this is a highly group-oriented MUD.
You can be a loner if you choose, however you may find it more rewarding to
group up with people of different classes.  The classes available currently
are the Mage, Warrior, Cleric, Thief, Ranger, and Paladin.  Each has skills
and abilities that the others do not, which can be useful in certain
situations.  This is not just a hack and slash MUD, because of the
interaction, it can require strategy and thought at times.  We hope you
enjoy it, and if you have any further questions, either ask an immortal, or
send one of us some mail, thank you for trying us out.

                                           Gilgamesh, Co-Implementor
                                           Dimwit, Co-Implementor
                                           Punisher, Minor Implementor

Newsgroups: rec.games.mud.diku