How to Play

What is a MUD?

A MUD is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, described entirely in text. Imagine a fantasy novel where:

• You are the main character — you control what you do and where you go.
• Other players share your world — you'll meet, trade with, and sometimes fight real people.
• The world is persistent — things happen whether you're online or not. Cities exist, monsters roam, and other players continue their adventures.
• Everything is text — you read descriptions and type commands. There are no graphics or mouse clicks.

If you enjoy reading fantasy and using your imagination, you'll love MUDs. Every room is described in rich detail. Every monster, item, and character is brought to life through words.

Getting Started

1. Create an Account — Register on the website or through the game client.
2. Create a Character — Choose a name, race, and profession. Your race determines your starting city (Good: Aethelgard, Evil: Gorgoroth) and alignment.
3. Enter the Realm — You'll appear in your faction's starting city. Read the room description — it tells you where you are and what's around you.

Understanding the Interface

Room Descriptions

Every location in ROP has a room description. When you enter a room, you'll see:

• The room name — what this place is called.
• The description — what you see, hear, and smell.
• Exits — the directions you can travel (north, south, east, west, up, down, etc.).
• Contents — any players, monsters, or items present.

Your Prompt

The prompt shows vital information at a glance — your current HP, mana, and other stats.

Your Character Sheet

Use commands like score or stats to see your character's full information: level, experience, stats, equipment, and more.

Basic Commands

Movement

Command	What It Does
n, s, e, w	Move north, south, east, west.
ne, nw, se, sw	Diagonal movement.
up / down	Climb or descend.
look or l	Describe the room and its contents.
exits	List available exits cleanly.

Looking & Examining

Command	What It Does
look <thing>	Look at a specific object, player, or monster.
examine <thing>	Inspect something in detail.

Character Information

Command	What It Does
score or sc	Show your character sheet (level, stats, HP, mana).
inventory or i	List what you're carrying.
equipment or eq	Show your equipped gear.
who	See who else is online.

Communication

Command	Reach	Description
say <msg>	Room	Everyone in your current room sees it.
whisper <player> <msg>	Private	Send a private message.
gossip <msg>	World	Global out-of-character chat.
newbie <msg>	World	Ask questions — helpful players will answer.
emote <action>	Room	Narrate an action (e.g., emote bows deeply).

Combat

Command	What It Does
kill <target>	Begin melee combat. You'll keep attacking automatically.
flee	Attempt to escape from combat.
stop	Cease attacking.
consider <target>	Assess how dangerous a fight might be.

Inventory & Equipment

Command	What It Does
get <item>	Pick up an item from the ground.
drop <item>	Drop an item.
wear <item>	Equip an item.
remove <item>	Remove equipped item.
give <item> to <player>	Give an item to another player.

Economy

Command	What It Does
buy <item>	Purchase from a shopkeeper.
sell <item>	Sell to a shopkeeper.
list	Browse a shop's inventory.
deposit <amount>	Store gold in the bank.
withdraw <amount>	Withdraw from the bank.

MUD Etiquette

• Be respectful — other players are real people. Treat them as you'd like to be treated.
• Out-of-character vs. In-character — use gossip and ooc for out-of-character chat. Keep say and emote in-character.
• Ask questions — use the newbie channel or help <topic>. The community is here to help.
• Explore — don't be afraid to wander. The world is huge. Just be careful — death has consequences.

Helpful Tips for New Players

• Use aliases — most commands have short versions: n for north, i for inventory, l for look, sc for score.
• Read the help files — type help for the main menu, or help <topic> for specific guidance.
• Start slow — explore your starting city first. Talk to NPCs. Learn the layout before venturing into dangerous territory.
• Talk to NPCs — try say hello when near NPCs. Some may offer quests or information.
• Group up — adventuring with other players is safer and more fun. Use group commands to form parties.
• Take notes — many experienced MUD players keep a notepad. Write down important locations, NPC names, and quest clues.