Richard A. Bartle: Essex MUD

Essex MUD

	The specification for the MUD1 database, handwritten by Roy Trubshaw at the end of 1979. PDF size: approx. 20M.
	A map of MUD1 printed in the September, 1984 issue of Micro Adventurer; reproduced here with permission. It was done by an artist who had never played the game working from a sketch I did myself. This "satellite over The Land" approach was used as the model for a later MUD2 map. Image size: approx. 18K.
	A view of MUD1 also printed in the September, 1984 issue of Micro Adventurer; reproduced here with permission. Again, the artist worked from a rough sketch of mine (and did a far better job than I ever could!). This "bird flying over the sea" approach was used as the model for a later MUD2 view, which itself was subsequently sketched in smaller form for a magazine article. Image size: approx. 26K.
	A map of MUD1's house, printed in the November, 1984 issue of Micro Adventurer; reproduced here with permission. It was copied and placed on the MUD2 view in a completely incorrect form (you're not surprised, are you?). Image size: approx. 27K.
	The wiz list, or at least the first 64 entries in it - it got a lot longer than this of course but I don't have copies of it in its later stages. This one was sent to me by Barry/Paula (number 41 on the list); it had a few instances of line noise in it which I have endeavoured to correct, but there are doubtless errors remaining. If you have anything more accurate, please let me know..!
	This is another of Barry's logs, showing the incident where Paula made witch under somewhat dubious circumstances (she was kissed up by Averazix, who later went on to be an arch-wiz..!). There's an ommision from the wiz commands list which was overprinted by a message from the operator (this text comes from a hard copy) but otherwise it's sound.
	This is a 1984 log of an event known as a spectacular, which took place on the version of MUD1 running on the mainframe of the University of Wales at Bangor. It's courtesy of Amanda, or Rob in real life.
	MUD.BOX, the "things to do" file as it was when I ceased work on Essex University's MUD1. I've left it warts and all, and because many of the lines are extracted directly from player emails and bug reports you can therefore look forward to a riot of bad spelling, bad grammar, bad punctuation and bad typing..! I present the file here in all its glory so that old-timers can reminisce, and new-timers can look through to see which ideas were actually implemented and which haven't yet made it. Oh, and at least one of the suggestions was put in only so I could tell people it was on my list, although I never had the slightest intention of using it. See if you can guess which it is...
	The area north of the narrow road. This is a scan of the original map I drew when designing it, on the back of a sheet of green-lined, fanfold paper. Because of the width, it's in two parts, for the left and right sides. I normally draw this type of map when I'm designing an area, which explains why they rarely fit a neat grid pattern. I have other early maps, too, but I don't want to publish the entire set or it could be useful to players! This one is representative. Image sizes: approx. 109K (left) and 70K (right).
	The dwarfen citadel. Although usually I draw an overhead-view map, I occasionally do it as a network of nodes, if I know it's not going to be complicated and it's in a confined space. This kind of map is more like the ones the players draw. The scan presented here is of the original I did when designing the interior of the citadel. Image size: approx. 102K.
	Now here's a real treat! This is a scan of a photocopy of the map that Roy drew when he designed MUD1. It shows the full extent of The Land as it was before I took over; it's quite surprising how little of it there is, but how much of it has remained intact. I've reproduced the map in four parts, the first three of which are reduced to 30% of actual size with the final one at full size for comparison. The Narrow Road. Image size: approx. 49K. The House. Image size: approx. 13K. The Maze of Tombstones. Image size: approx. 29K. Beneath the Yew Tree. Image size: approx. 69K.
	The Micro Adventurer articles, all of which relate to MUD1 as it was in late 1984/early 1985.
	A Eulogy for Essex MUD, which appeared in Adventurers Club Ltd. Member's Dossier shortly after the game was closed down.