In computer gaming, a MUD (multi-user dungeon, dimension, or sometimes domain) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games, and social instant messaging chat rooms. Typically running on a bulletin board system or Internet server, the game is usually text driven, where players read descriptions of rooms, objects, events, other characters, and computer-controlled creatures or non-player characters (NPCs) in a virtual world. They may interact with each other and the surroundings by typing commands that resemble a natural language, usually English.
Traditional MUDs implement a fantasy world populated by elves, goblins, and other mythical beings with players being able to take on any number of classes, including warriors, mages, priests, thieves, druids, etc. The object of the game is to slay monsters, explore a world rich in fantasy and with adventure, and to complete quests. MUDs are typically fashioned around the dice rolling rules of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) series of games.
MUDs typically have a fantasy setting, while others are set in science fiction-based universe. Still others, especially those which are based on MOOs, are used in distance education or to allow for virtual conferences. MUDs have also attracted the interest of academic scholars from many fields, including communications, sociology, law, and synthetic economies.
Most MUDs are run as hobbies and are free to players; some may accept donations or allow players to "purchase" in-game items.
excerpt from Wikipedia - the Free Encyclopedia.
Muds are one of the most accessible form of computer game for the blind player because of their inherent text-based nature. The beauty of Muds is that they are online and can be played with anything - literally (I've mudded on a windows 95 machine with 16 MB of ram with a 133 hz processor, and that's not to mention their popularity in the DOS days). Now, with modern gaming as it is, Mudding is all but a lost art - which is something of a shame because it's really one of the only ways blind people can game with sighted ones over the Net.
This page is here because I want to promote mudding as much as I can without shoving it down your throats. Simply put, here you'll find instructions and files for setting up and using a Mud Client as painlessly as possible with your screen reader, Sound packs for Muds I play (that will work with the client we use, Monkey Term), and, in time, other articles and information about Muds.
That depends on who you are. If you haven't Mudded before, know that it's a big world you're getting yourself into. The client I use, Monkey Term, may be difficult for you to get set-up and working, and if there's no sound pack provided for your Mud, getting it and a screen reader cooperating will probably be difficult. I have no problem with these things because, lets not beet about the bush here - I know what I'm doing. Some of you may not, but I don't want you to go away from something like this because it's tricky - and so I'll try and explain, carefully and simply, how things work and if you have questions then you get to shout at me. If you already Mud and want to switch clients, things should be easier on you - although configuring Monkey Term isn't as easy as using something like GMud, I can tell you that much. If you already Mud, use Monkey Term and have some of my sound packs, well. The packs are on the page labeled accordingly - what are you doing sitting here?