Micromuse
| MicroMUSE | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Project community |
| Engine | MUSH, MUSE |
| Platform(s) | Platform independent |
| Release | 1990 |
| Genre(s) | Social/Educational MUD |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
MicroMUSE is a MUD started in 1990. It is based on the TinyMUSE system, which allows members to interact in a virtual environment called Cyberion City, as well as to create objects and modify their environment. MicroMUSE was conceived as an environment to allow people in far-flung locations to interact with each other, particularly college students with Internet access. A core group of users remain active today.
MicroMUSE was founded as MicroMUSH by the user known as "Jin" in the summer of 1990. Based upon TinyMUSH, MicroMUSH was centered around Cyberion City, a space station orbiting earth of the 24th century. The initial MicroMUSH database was largely due to the efforts of Jin and the Wizards who went by the online aliases "Trout_Complex", "Coyote", "Opera_Ghost", "Snooze", "Wai", "Star" and "Mama.Bear". Larry "Leet" Foard and "Bard" (later known as "Michael") were, along with Jin, the primary programmers.
The focus, at the time, primarily was communication and creativity. Users were encouraged to build "objects" and were given extensive leeway to create and communicate with other members. At times, it could be compared to a high-tech version of the wild west.
Typical problems of growth and success, over time, led to issues with computing resources. In April 1991, MicroMUSH moved to MIT. The name was officially changed to MicroMUSE during this same time period.
Through 1992, the focus of MicroMUSE continued to change, though not very noticeably to existing users. New users were given a smaller "quota" of object which they could build. The game was extremely popular at this point. One could log in at almost any time of day, and find at least thirty active people.
By the end of 1993, the space engine, which had been developed within the original theme of MicroMUSE, was moved out of MicroMUSE. The focus was shifting; it became less about creativity and communication between random people across the internet, and more about bringing in primary-school children. The "quota" of objects was reduced, for all players, from as much as 100, down to 10 "objects". The game became more-heavily censored, as some of the leadership began to push a K-12-friendly environment throughout the game. Long-time users who did not like the change, and spoke out against it, were often banned from the game altogether.
By the end of 1994, any semblance of what MicroMUSE had been was almost gone. A charter and bylaws were created, which officially changed the focus of MicroMUSE. The second developer had left the project, and Frnkzk became the head developer of MicroMUSE. The guidance of a "mentor" was required for anyone not pre-screened by the administration. By this point, the focus was solely education.
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Wikipedia