Inside Cryosphere: the satirical sci-fi space MUD
October 25, 2025
Long-time developer Morwen shares the origins of Cryosphere, the design decisions that shaped the game, and what's coming next.
ReadTag: Game Design
Practical advice for game creators, developers, and admins. Includes everything from considerations of game mechanics to player retention.
Lumen et Umbra: re-imagining a world between light and shadow
September 30, 2025
Learn how Simone, AKA Niymiae, rebuilt the Italian game Lumen et Umbra from its Diku roots into a one-of-a-kind hack-n-slash MUD with ARPG influences.
Too many MUDs, not enough players?
August 20, 2025
We've all heard it, but is it true? And does that mean it's a lost cause to make a new MUD in 2025? Andruid shares her two cents.
GoMud: a lightweight engine for building text-based worlds
July 21, 2025
Volte6, creator of GoMud, talks about the new engine, what it's like to make a project open-source, and lessons learned along the way.
Federation 2 Community Edition: from hauling cargo to shaping the galaxy
June 29, 2025
Federation 2: Community Edition is a player-run revival of a space trading MUD. Jonathan (“Cosmo”) shares how it came back from the brink - and why it's still special 30+ years later.
LociTerm MUD client and the legacy of The Last Outpost
June 8, 2025
Discover how RahjIII built LociTerm - an accessible, browser-based MUD client - to keep The Last Outpost and other games playable on any device.
A picture worth a thousand rooms: the Worldmap project by Hades_Kane and Grieffels
May 22, 2025
Discover how Hades_Kane and Grieffels built a worldmap system that lets you quickly make areas from PNG files. Includes screen reader support, in-game editing, and more.
3 Years of Writing Games: a look back
March 16, 2025
To celebrate Writing Games' third anniversary, I present compelling insights and key takeaways from all the year 1 interviews in a single post!
Text-based adventure games: from Zork to AI Dungeon
February 15, 2025
Learn about the history and evolution of text-based adventure games, from the classic Zork to the modern AI Dungeon platform.
How long should room descriptions be when building a MU*?
September 18, 2024
New MU* creators and builders often want to know how long their room descriptions should be. Find out in this post.
Making a MUD vs. creating a game: is there a difference?
August 26, 2024
So you're making a MUD: does that also make you a Game Creator? Is there a difference? Find out in this installment of Ask Andruid.
Shattered MU: beyond monsters and magic
July 2, 2024
Tat, creator of Shattered MU (a post-apoc game), talks about the importance of community and shares her guidelines for game design.
AresMUSH: the next-gen server platform
May 19, 2024
Faraday talks about why she created AresMUSH, as well as some of the core tenets that went into its development.
MU* Accessibility Week: 6 ways to take part
May 16, 2024
It's MU* Accessibility Week! Whether you're a staffer or player, there are ways to get involved and make a difference. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Evennia: a modern way to create MU*s
April 13, 2024
Learn about Evennia, the Python MU* creation system, from Griatch, the developer who's been working on the project for more than a decade.