MUD stands for “multi-user dungeon.” MUDs are typically characterized as text-based proto-MMORPGs.
mud
The Game Archaeologist: Warhammer Online
When it comes to notable years in the MMORPG genre's history, 2008 stands out as one of the most significant. World of Warcraft's debut...
Soulbound readies Chronicles of Elyria for pre-alpha
Here is some exciting news for Chronicles of Elyria's fans: The project is nearing its first alpha phase as the dev team lays down...
Massively Overthinking: What we really mean when we talk about ‘difficulty’ in MMORPGs
Massively OP reader Steve wants us to revisit the Daily Grind on making death more meaningful without making it more annoying. His letter was long, so...
Perfect Ten: MMOs that claimed to be the first
We've all been there. We're playing our favorite MMORPG and then self-appointed professors of game history start arguing in world chat about firsts --...
Classic text MMO Torn is coming to Android devices next month
Back in the ancient era of 2016, we pointed you toward a 14-year-old text-based MMORPG called Torn (formerly Torn City). The title gave players...
The Game Archaeologist: A Tale in the Desert
Once asked what he thought was the most innovative MMO from the last decade, Dr. Richard Bartle, the creator of MUD, gave a succinct answer: "A...
GDC 2018: Ultima Online post-mortem with Richard Garriott, Starr Long, Raph Koster, and Rich Vogel
Plenty of panels at GDC are recorded and uploaded to the internet weeks after the event, including this one. It's not quite the same...
Chronicles of Elyria starts taking surname reservations
Clutterbuck. Butterworth. Pigfat. McSneezy. Featherbottom. Wisenheimer. Horsefeathers. Dizzydame. Readmassivelyop.
All of these surnames -- and more -- are up for grabs over at Chronicles of...
The Game Archaeologist: EverQuest Mac
In 2003, Sony Online Entertainment tried an experiment to reach out to the (then) small-but-growing community of Mac users. The company released EverQuest Macintosh...
Perfect Ten: The top 10 sexiest monsters of Monster Hunter World
I remember my first time. Unlike many hunters, I didn't stalk her. In fact, she bumped into me. I was just strolling down the...
The Game Archaeologist: BBS door games
When you think of MMORPGs, I wouldn't blame you if your mind stayed rooted firmly in the past decade or so, perhaps taking a...
The Stream Team: Enjoying New Life festival cheer in Elder Scrolls Online
Celebrate local traditions with Elder Scrolls Online's New Life holiday festival! Massively OP's MJ is looking forward to participating in the Snow Bear Plunge...
Massively Overthinking: Our MMO predictions for 2018
With 2017 drawing to a close and 2018 rushing up to meet us, the Massively OP team has regrouped for another round of bold...
Perfect Ten: 20 upcoming MMOs to watch in 2018
It has become a long-standing tradition as Massively OP and our former site that we like to end the year by creating a list...
Monster Hunter World’s first console beta event is slated for this weekend
You have nothing to do but play video games this weekend, right? No crushing holiday shopping you should be getting a jump on? Great...
The Game Archaeologist: Vanguard Saga of Heroes
The significance of Vanguard's development, release, long-running drama, second chance, and eventual closure should be of great interest not just to game historians but...
Chronicles of Elyria begins selling individual perks, shows character customization
No longer will you have to pay a large lump sum for bundles just to gain certain perks in Chronicles of Elyria. If you...
PAX West 2017: Chronicles of Elyria’s monetization philosophy, tribe evolution, and the PvP sandbox stigma
What is Chronicles of Elyria? We first learned about the game and its goal to redefine the MMORPG genre back in 2015. Since then,...
Raph Koster on roleplaying consent and emotes in Star Wars Galaxies and WoW
MMORPG designer Raph Koster has a fun piece out today, ostensibly about what he's dubbing "consent systems" in multiplayer games that include roleplaying --...
The Game Archaeologist: Furcadia
Let's face it: There isn't really a huge pool of MMORPGs from the 1990s to explore in this column. By now I have done...