TMC Reviews: Legends Untold

Legends Untold is a Pure-PK MUD, which encourages players to duel against each other as much as possible. When beginning, the chance to join several different orders is available. Although each order contains its own special ability, the implementors quite successfully balanced the initial character creation stages. Aside from all the extras however, the theme is completely based on how much you enjoy killing others and how patient you are with dying. Considering that PK-MUDs usually appeal to a smaller group of players, the MUD keeps intact its tradition of allowing players to use the entire MUD as their own personal arena.

Just from the character creation process, a good idea could be formulated on how the MUD is designed. The help files that were available were mostly updated, and very detailed. However, some help files (such as the help file on classes) were missing altogether. With a conventional Spell/Skill selecting screen, the rest of character creation was quite user-friendly, and there was little trouble getting into the game.

Along with most MUDs, Legends Untold contained a small, but sufficient MUD School. With a constant INFO channel displaying helpful tidbits, it was clear that the immortals wanted newbies to quickly become immersed in the game. One disappointing component of all of the newbie help was the lack of information on player-killing itself. Though ample amount of information was given on how to play the MUD, an emphasis on PK, its main theme, did not seem entirely too evident.

In my experience only one character offered me assistance on what to do. Even though there were not many people online to begin with, the players did not seem entirely happy to help. However, that is forgivable given the fact that the immortals can't control what the players are thinking. From there, a barrage of help files was required to sift through in order to figure out how to begin. Eventually though, most of the information could be found, and levels came relatively easily.

There is a large list of areas that are available to players if they look for it. Directions are also available, although most of them were outdated (or required beginning at a location which was never revealed). Aside from that, there are more than enough zones out there to satisfy most players. Suggested levels for entering a zone are provided, making it extremely simple to begin leveling. Having only a few stock areas, Legends Untold contains many original and well-made areas for adventurers to explore. Besides a little place called 'The Void' (which I got stuck in randomly, and couldn't get out of for awhile), everything is connected together quite well, and everything flows together perfectly.

Legends Untold has definitely cleaned up since the last time it was reviewed, but I feel there are still several problems. Although none are too serious, I would have preferred some more organization in the MUD. All the information was too jumbled, and too separated. Even though the help files were all quite well-written, it was difficult to find pertinent information as quickly as I would have needed. I do congratulate the balancing however. I found that all characters rivaled each other well, and worked nicely with the PK theme.

Even though having never played a Pure-PK MUD before, I found the experience at Legends Untold to be very enjoyable. I did not expect from the beginning that people would try to become great friends with me, due to the fact that they will eventually kill me. All in all though, with great balancing (from what I saw at least), the MUD turned out to be great. I recommend it to all players, especially to Newbies to the PK-world, Legends Untold will open your eyes to whole new dimension of gaming, one that will hopefully grow as time goes on.

Like most PK muds, the sole theme is to level up and kill everything in sight. There are options during character creation to choose a sphere to roleplay by (chaos, order, elements, life, death) but they are only visible when a rules conflict arises.

There are very few muds I have visited that have a *less* friendly playerbase, even accepting that the point is to kill other players. Help files are sometimes incomplete, sometimes wrong, and many simply don't exist. Some helps exist for commands that may have been removed or are just not in the game yet. There are several player posts complaining about unfair kills, or kills on the leader of a newbie tour. Many other posts flame, complain, or just swear for the fun of it. The older players usually keep to themselves (well, socially at least) and it is often very difficult to get info from them.

There is a group dedicated to helping newbies level up, but as they cannot PK or be PK'd their numbers are slim. According to posts, this is because people may have only been joining to be safe, and it detracts from the spirit of the game.

Most obvious by far was the mud's attitude on swearing. Hardly a post can be written, or a chat sent, that does not have some variation of a four letter word in it. It's an almost childish enthusiasm that ironically makes it completely unsuitable for children.

About half of the areas I found are unique. You start out in the familiar city of Midgaard and its typical surrounding areas. Other areas are woven in with a more random feeling, taking little notice of putting mountains in swamps and the like. In any other mud the balance between mobs and players would lean too heavy toward the players' favor, but this is on purpose: the admins have made things very easy so it will take little time to max out and really start causing some damage.

The admins have included some nice protective features, such as a seven level limit on who you may attack. There is also a two hour wait before you may kill someone again. After your character does any violent action there is a ninety second timer where you may not use shops or quit the game. It can come in useful if you need time to hunt someone down before they can sell your equipment or quit with it still in their possession. The only real downside to the coding of the mud is that skills and spells that don't work have not completely been removed from character creation.

You may also not be PK'd until level 15, but you may still be watched. The same minute I crossed level 15 I was gated to and PK'd by a character who had just logged in. He quit when his timer ran out and immediately relogged his level 90 multi. There were no playful boasts on chat or anything to lend fun to the whole experience. Later on I did notice the more mundane half of my equipment had been donated. Apparently this was a common sort of strategy - during my short review I met another player who had a similar experience.

When it came to PK, unlike its less-endowed competetor muds, it is not all in good fun: It's for the kills, and the points, and the specials that can be bought with them. Expect little help from the players or the help files.

Skills, spells, and specials chosen in character creation don't necessarily work, so make a test character to look around before jumping right in. But while it's got some nice coding and what I can only guess are unfinished concepts (or dead ones not yet removed), Legends Untold is best for those die-hard PK'ers more interested in kill percentages and stats than fun.

Legends Untold falls into the category of muds known as a PKmud. Its main and only real theme is PK (Player Killing). In most diku-style muds you battle npcs or mobs. In a PKmud such as Legends Untold, you hunt, seek-out, and KILL other PLAYERS! Some really fun stuff for thrill seekers who are tired of the same old social goodie goodie muds. True to its theme Legends Untold has put much of its major coding accomplishments into PK improvements and enhancements.

The people on Legends Untold did not gossip or help very often if ever. This was not surprising, however, what do you expect on a mud where everyone is trying to KILL you. The Implementors have put a substantial amount of effort into helping new players get a grasp of things available to them. An example is this is the automated Info channel which randomly tells players to type help this or help that. Other than the Info channel I received help from a 'leveling train'. High level players once in a while form a 'leveling train' in which low level players join the high level player to gain levels (And gain levels quickly!) After joining one leveling train I found myself at the maximum level of 90 in a very short amount of time.

The World of Legends Untold is fairly large. At first look Legends Untold seems like a stock ROM mud with stock code and stock areas. After a second glance and a lot of wandering around there are a couple of pretty interesting original areas and a few pretty unique coding enhancements. I did not pay too much attention to the areas or room descriptions and concentrated on finding equipment to better my chances of survival. The areas on the mud are generally not 'played'. Most of the players seem to stay in the main town either at the Altar or in a room called Kate's Diner. I did not have the chance to sit around and smell the flowers nor do most of the players who want to save their skins. Although there are plenty of lands on the mud to make it large, all-in-all it felt small and empty.

There is an attempt on some roleplay dependant on the alignment of players. Alignment and Faith play a small part in Guilds and also character creation. The only noticable benefit to different alignments was the unique spell or skill at character creation and also player stats. The mud tries hard to create and maintain a balance of rules and fair PK. The general rules are strict and the PK rules are stricter. Punishment seems harsh but in the dog eat dog world of PKmuds such enforcement is a necessary evil.

The world of Legends Untold is strictly PLAYER KILL. It is not a recommneded environment for younger players to be in but there are strict rules to keep players in line. If you have never been on a PKmud Legends Untold seems like a pretty good place to learn. The players seemed decent and usually did not kill other players without reason. If dying bothers you or if the thought of KILLING others isn't a thrill, then Legends Untold is not for you.