Bedlam is an offshoot of an old-MUD called Anotherworld. The playerbase is relatively small, but very friendly. Newer players that stick around will quickly find themselves being outfitted with good starting gear by the experienced players. The entire playerbase is also more than willing to help with things like corpse retrievals and levelling.

The staff is also small but usually quite helpful and receptive to ideas when approached in the right way. Bugs are usually fixed very quickly when reported and strong consideration is given to implementing ideas from players. A good portion of the features added in the past year or so seem to be based on player ideas.

One of the most unique features of the MUD is the availability of an iOS app designed specifically for the MUD. While not completely polished or bug-free, it is a very ideal way to play the game for people on-the-go or for casual players. As a result, the game is quite casual and casual-friendly.

The quest system is also quite interesting, although it does have a few problems from time-to-time (minor bugs and annoyances). The quests offer alternative ways to level beyond grinding NPCs and some of them have good rewards.

Player-owned shops are also another interesting addition. Players are able to purchase a shopkeeper to sell their goods to other players. This provides great benefit to newer players as they can browse player shops for good gear, while also making it easy to sell excess gear one might earn.

The MUD also offers a basic clan system in order to promote fellowship.

Players are also able to purchase housing and many interesting housing upgrades, such as storage rooms and combat pets.

The classes could use some improvement, mainly in increasing the distinction between them. Some classes are too similar to each other. Some classes are rarely played for this reason since they don't offer much over other similar classes.

PK is basically non-existent (players may duel each other in a small arena) so those looking for PK should look elsewhere. It does not appear like expanding PK is on the horizon.

The MUD is relatively stable but crashes do happen every so often. They are usually fixed quickly, especially if reported.

To summarize, Bedlam is a small but friendly MUD with many nice features. There are many small bugs and quirks, but the game overall is enjoyable for those looking for a more casual atmosphere.

Hi all, been playing Bedlam for just over 12 months, in that time it has evolved so much. There are multiple quests to do, a tonne of artifacts to search and kill for and an enjoyable quest system. For those who are restricted by time there are a number of solo classes to choose from and for the majority that do have the time a load of group able characters to select and level up.

You will be overwhelmed by the support and assistance both players and admin provide and can always look forward to new developments being implemented. As well as that it has a wonderful App that you can play anywhere which once you grow accustomed to it can have it working with you to achieve your level of game play.

You will meet a happy group of players from all around the world and thoroughly enjoy the topics of discussion that arise. If its for you, develop zones with a tool developed by the admin or develop quests for the populace to puzzle out and enjoy.

All in all I think it's a wonderful break from reality and provides some challenging situations that stimulate enjoyment a sense of achievement.

7/10 from me after crafting is implemented I am likely to raise that :)

Enjoy!!!

(This is a continuation from my second post, respecting the max char limit.)

As may be clearly seen from the emails reproduced above, the admin's reasons for having banned me have nothing to do with my quality or style of play (no cheating, no abuses of bugs, no botting or multiplay) but everything to do with the fact that he cannot find it in himself to accept that (a) people actually disagree with him, (b) they have good reasons for so doing, (c) he has no logical answer to those reasons and (d) it is a matter ultimately of pride.

I did not wish to say this in my original post as I thought that the post might actually spur the admin in question into doing some serious reflection about the shape the game was getting into, and start taking constructive criticism positively. This did not happen. I have been in contact with 4 players who, like me, were longtime players of Bedlam and very committed at one point to the game and its interests. One of us actually wrote an entire new zone for Bedlam, only to be told after a lot of work had been put into it, that it was inappropriate and all names in the zone had to be changed (the zone was based on Rome). Quite why this could not have been said earlier, i.e. that 'no real is allowed' mystifies me. The admin's excuse that 'people don't usually finish whatever they start' also holds no water.

It's like saying that since 1/3 of all marriages are going to end in divorce anyway, why bother telling your intended at the altar that in fact, you really are gay and don't want to marry her??

Veda, the admin, has also apparently nerfed individual players that he wanted out of game but could not find reason to ban. This is pathetic and puerile. Fiddling with individual players' thac0 is plainly an abuse of immo powers.

But then again, Veda's conduct for the past year has been an increasingly lurid display of arrogance and an overweening sense of self-superiority.

In case he is reading this, I have only one thing to say to him: change that attitude, Veda. You are not always right. Accept that. It is a fact of life that people who are genuine listeners, truly interested in what others have to say, will always do better at knowing what it is people want. Looking down your nose on the people on whom your game depends and writing them all off collectively as you did me (and others), as 'power players' who want their own way, when all these people have ever done was provide feedback about how your changes were negatively impacting the game and poorly thought through - the game is starved of a pbase today because you have successfully alienated every single person who actually CARED about it. You have a serious attitude problem and a great deal of intellectual arrogance. Get this: the fact that you have a PhD means *nothing* if all that education has done for you is to cultivate in you a sense that you are better than others. Don't deny this because it is written everywhere in the Internet. I have seen how you conduct yourself on MUD builder/ admin forums, and it smacks of self-satisfaction. Pretty much how you always dealt with others.

Finally, banning me was your choice. I frankly do not care that you did, since it more or less confirmed my evaluation of you as a person. Dictators always silence the voices of opposition that make the most sense.

It has been quite some months since I posted my last review on Bedlam. Originally I had no intention of replying to Veda's riposte, but supervening events have led me to the conclusion that a reply is necessary - if not for the sake of refuting his claims that I am a 'mid-career player' bent on nit-picking and petty revenge, then for the sake of injecting some truth into the picture.

Since writing the review I had more or less decided not to play until the admin got some sense into his head and decided to start listening to an experienced pbase that actually cared about the game. This did not happen. Instead, on the single occasion that I logged back into game to see how things were going, and to chat to old friends, the admin immediately leaped upon me and a 'tell' conversation ensued. Not once was I inappropriate or rude in my conversation, although I was understandably sarcastic/ cryptic in my comments. This is natural and expected when a player who was serious about the game has been marginalised/ ignored for far too long. Instead of taking my comments positively and actually turning an eye on himself, the admin decided to ban me - despite knowing that he had NO grounds to do so as I had not broken any rule of policy. I never have.

24 hours later, the admin emailed me to say that my having posted the comment I did here was 'unforgivable'. His email is reproduced below for posterity. A refund of the price I had paid for his Apple app was offered. One only imagines that the reason he had done this was because he feared losing his app developer privileges with Apple, if it were to come out that he had unjustly and without cause, banned a player - simply for having had the temerity to disagree with him.

______ Hi, I'm writing to let you know that I've decided to ban you permanently from the game Bedlam.

Obviously, everyone's free to review the game in any way they please. But if you leave an all-negative review designed to turn new players away, and then continue to play the game yourself, that would be hypocritical. So, if you stand by your review, you should quit even without being banned.

I've decided I don't care why, after playing for 2 years, you left a review in which you didn't mention a single positive thing about the game. But I do care about the health of the community, and I can't forgive someone who made it clear by their actions that they'll continue to try and drive the game into the ground instead of contribute to its growth.

Would have like things to be different, but I would be foolish to not try and minimize the damage you are trying to inflict on the game I've worked, and will work, so hard to create.

I wish you all the best in your other pursuits in life. Regards, Plamen _____ Also, if you have purchased the iOS app and feel in any way dissatisfied with your purchase, I'd be happy to provide a full refund--just let me know at what price.

P.

This game used to be great when I first started it back in 2010. Game updates were stable and did not cause upheaval to the pbase or to existing characters.

All this has changed significantly in the last year. Game crashes are frequent affairs, resulting in bits of partially-implemented code which more often than not substantially change fundamentals. This is very off-putting.

The immortals in this game also seem to be running the show for their own personal enjoyment more than anything else. Don't bother contacting the immos. They rarely respond, and when they do, expect thinly-veiled sarcasm, especially if you have any complaint to make about the direction in which the game is heading.

It's no wonder that the pbase has steadily dwindled on this game. Who wants to play somewhere where you have to continually recreate characters just to keep up with stat changes, or tweak your wardrobe literally every boot just to stay current? People MUD to de-stress, not open themselves to more sources of annoyance.

Bedlam is a new spin on an old mud (Anothworld). I have been playing off and on since 1995 and the community is great. Lots of variety to the game and the new administration get things done pretty fast. Lots of classes and races. Veda is working hard to implement new skills and spells and fix the old code.

To start out try a thief class or warrior type, they level the quickest and help you learn the areas. Good luck.