MUME IV as described in Estonia

.exe Magazine - Issue 5 - July 1994

In July of 1994 a 5 page article about MUME was included in the latest copy of .exe magazine (an Estonian magazine, separate from the UK magazine of the same name).

It gave a detailed description of Mume as it stood at the time - a window into MUME IV that we would not otherwise have.

It also intrigued at least one or two Estonians enough to bring them into the game. Was this the first pebble that started the avalanche of Estonian Mume players that followed after?

Below is a translation of the article from the Estonian (by ChatGPT, so any Estonians please point out errors if you see them).

Here's a link to the page that had a copy of the issue and a bit about the magazine itself, but the internal link to the magazine upload is missing now - [1]

You can see it and hear some discussion with Mammoth about it on the Mume Podcast at around 9:00 here - [2]

MUD

Something more than just mud

If someone still thinks that virtual reality means a moving chair, a helmet on your head, and an adventure in a computer-generated world, then they are VERY mistaken.

Equipped with unlimited imagination and access to the Internet, hundreds of warriors, thieves, monks, and mages log into MUDs every day, venturing into magical lands, seeking out legendary battles and exploring the most mysterious realms.

Many treat it merely as a game, some use it as an escape, others live a second life there—which is not at all less painful or dry than the one most of us currently spend watching the days roll by, reading .EXE files and fiddling with who-knows-what useless programs.

In those worlds, too, people are born and die. There are kings and beggars, heroes and barbarians, gods and mortals.

Those who’ve ever played ZORK know what it means—you don’t need fancy graphics. It’s not about programs and listings—everything that happens there is born in the mind, shaped by your own words and thoughts.

The main difference with a MUD is that you create the story yourself. Not a writer you’ve never met, but you, the player, experience and guide the story. To make things more concrete, I’ll introduce you to one specific MUD—MUME (Multi-User Middle Earth)—whose world is based on the fictional realm created by J.R.R. Tolkien. (I recommend reading such works as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, etc.)

This is the world that holds MUME together...

How to get in? Nothing simpler:

telnet 128.178.77.5 4242

When you log in for the first time, you’ll be asked to first create a character for yourself, or as it's called in MUDs: a "char". Come up with some cool name that’s not too complicated and sufficiently memorable, as well as a password so no one else can get access to your char and use it maliciously. First, define what gender you want to be (Male / Female), i.e. male or female char. From the game’s perspective it doesn’t matter, but from a social viewpoint it does. Next, you'll be asked what class you want to belong to. MUME currently has four classes – Warrior, Thief, Magic User, Cleric. Each of them is equipped with so-called inborn talents and abilities. If you encounter unknown terms in their definitions, read to the end and don’t start over, because some expressions are explained at the end. By the way, most MUD terminology is strongly based on English, because for the sake of international communication (people logging into MUDs from all over the world), the whole game is strictly in English.

Warrior (soldier) – strong, dumb, and brutal are the words that describe a warrior. His high strength (STR), low intelligence (INT), and small knowledge (WIS), but high constitution (CON) and fairly high dexterity (DEX), make him an efficient killing machine. He can easily learn various combat skills, but struggles with even simple spell (spell) learning. It is said that because the Warrior class is closely linked to Clerics, he can more easily learn spells from that class. Ideal class for Trolls, Orcs, and Dwarves, but also suitable for Humans. Not recommended for Elves.

Thief (thief) – skillful, sneaky, and greedy are the keywords for this class. Because this is quite a dangerous profession, most of the focus is on DEX, but CON and STR haven’t been neglected either, even though STR isn’t as high as a Warrior’s – because when caught, one often must choose between two options: run or fight. They’re especially good with daggers and stealthy kills, particularly backstabbing. Like Warriors, Thieves are also especially proficient in magical arts, though they feel a certain kinship with Magic Users.  Recommended class for Hobbits. Definitely not recommended for Trolls and Dwarves.

Magic User (wizard) – wise, experienced, but cruel. Magic Users are masters of various violent spells. Their high INT and WIS give them a large amount of magical energy (unlike Thieves and Warriors). Fireballs, invisibility, turning into magical creatures beyond sight, teleportation and other spells make them deadly weapons in the hands of a good player. Still, it must be admitted that in direct combat, they’re rather helpless due to low STR, DEX, and CON, so they prefer to roam under the protection of a Warrior or Thief, while still amplifying the group's destructive power. They can also easily learn Cleric spells.  Recommended class for Elves or Half-Elves. Not recommended for Trolls.

Cleric (sage) – an experienced healer who draws magical energy from divine sources, and is therefore more of a priest than a sorcerer. His “technical parameters” are the same as a Magic User’s, but his spells are more focused on indirect assistance, though he can also easily learn Magic User spells and do quite effective destruction. He can heal injured fighters in battle, summon a distant adventurer to a caster’s side, blind enemies, and provide magical protection to knights charging into battle.  Not recommended for Trolls.

Then you must choose between races:  Hobbit, Human, Elf, Half-Elf, Dwarf, Orc, Troll.

Keep in mind, races are divided into two big groups: the “good” side and the “evil” side. All races except Orcs and Trolls belong to the good side (or as orcs and trolls mockingly call them – whiteskin or whitescum), and there is a constant and merciless war between good and evil.

I must note right away that the so-called evil side is discriminated against from the beginning – they get fewer prac sessions, and they lack ishtar levels, and you cannot become an immortal on the evil side (at least not without very bad stats – especially for trolls).  Orcs and Trolls are recommended only for experienced players, who can get the most out of a weak character through great knowledge and strategy.

Hobbit (halfling) – small in size, a race somewhat reminiscent of human children. Peace-loving. They don’t feel particular warmth toward elves or half-elves. Not outstanding in strength or mental talents, but nevertheless very capable if their path is stealth, sharp eye, and steady hand, making them excellent Thieves.

Elf (elf) – tall, cheerful race, not fond of darkness or gloom. Elves are known for their VERY long life – they are practically immortal. Even though their constitution and strength aren’t great, they make excellent Magic Users or Clerics, as their INT and WIS are the best in the game.

Half-Elf – a person with both Elf and Human blood, can call themselves a Half-Elf. Their “technical parameters” fall between the two.

Human – the golden mean. While this race has difficulty reaching perfection in any one area, they can achieve respectable results in nearly any direction. All parameters are more or less average.

Dwarf (dwarrow) – short of stature, but hardy fellows, known for their seriousness and lack of humor. They are the strongest race on the “good” side, whose favorite weapon is the broad double-bladed axe. Though they’re not known for speed or agility, they are very strong and tough.

Orc – dumb, but warlike and strong race. The sun tires them and causes them to wander, so they move slower and fight worse under sunlight. Still, keep in mind that at level 20, an orc becomes Uruk-Hai, and is less affected by sunlight. Excellent at night. Great Warriors.

Troll – dumb, but unbelievably strong race. Sunlight affects them fatally – back to level 1 and 0 experience points (though it’s said that Olog-Hai, i.e., level 20 trolls, aren’t affected as badly). Their bare-handed strike becomes much stronger than any weapon after level 10. Their vision is best in the darkest rooms, and they can easily detect invisible and hidden things.

Now you’ll be asked one more thing: what is your attitude toward the peoples of the world – do you want to be on the good or evil side (how that’s useful will be explained later).

CORE PARAMETERS

EXP – the amount of experience you have gathered. With each kill you get some experience, and when it accumulates enough, you’ll gain a level (“LEVEL”). You’ll be told how much experience you still need until the next level. If you fall below 0 experience (e.g., through dying), then your level decreases. EXP determines everything – your skills, your spell success, and the strength of your character.

PRACTICE – determines how many practice points you have for learning skills. Different races get different numbers of prac sessions. These can be used to learn or improve skills and spells.

LEV – the level of your character. The higher the level, the more experience is needed to reach the next level.

WARRIOR: W = STR T = CON C = DEX

THIEF: W = DEX T = CON C = STR

MAGIC USER: W = INT T = WIS C = CON

CLERIC: W = WIS T = CON C = INT

SKILL (A skill, usually a command)

A list of skills opens using the skills command.

Some basic combat-related skills:

KICK – a basic attack command with the foot (useful when your weapon breaks or is taken from you). 
BASH – (knock with the shield), can knock the opponent off balance and down (works well with strong races and heavy shields).
RESCUE – useful in groups – allows one to drag a fellow player out of combat.

There are also special attack types, divided into:

SLASHING WEAPONS – i.e. slashing weapons, such as swords, sabers. 
PIERCING WEAPONS – i.e. stabbing weapons, like spears, daggers. 
CONCUSSION WEAPONS – i.e. blunt weapons, like clubs, flails, maces.
PARRY – skill for using parrying.

You cannot carry a hobbit and a sword at the same time. Keep in mind that there are bones in a troll’s foot – you can break both with one swing. Certain attack types are more effective against specific opponents.

THIEF:

BACKSTAB – (stab-in-the-back trick), only works from hiding, only works with piercing weapons.
SNEAK – silent movement, hide, and then kill.
HIDE – hide yourself. 
STEAL – stealing. 
DODGE – dodging blows.
 ATTACK – includes violence and sneak attack (like backstab), especially useful with piercing weapons.

All these must be practiced (using practice sessions), or else you can’t use them.

CLERIC:

Cleric doesn’t cast damage-dealing spells, but their main spells are:

armour (+10 dodge)
blindness (blinds the opponent)
remove poison (removes poison from the body)
summon (pulls a target to you)
earthquake (hurts all in the area)
cure light wounds (heals +10)
heal (+60, the best healing spell)
bless (improves hit and saving throw)
sense life (detects invisible beings)

MAGIC USER:

Also has a number of powerful spells including:

invisibility (makes you invisible)
detect invisibility (cancels invisibility)
fireball (throws fireball, ~100hp)
cone of cold (even stronger than fireball)
teleport (teleports you to a specific location)
charm (forces another to follow you)
fly (you fly over water and mountains)
locate object (finds a specific item)
lightning bolt (about the same power as fireball)

Spells are divided into levels; the higher your level, the more powerful spells you can use, but also the harder they are to learn.

Spell success depends on stats; failing a spell may hurt or even kill you.

CORE TERMINOLOGY:

PRAC / PRAC TIME – these are the periods when you can go to a guildmaster (teacher) to learn new spells and skills or improve them. During prac time, you find a guildmaster, tell them your desired skill, and if you have practice sessions, they will teach you.

Group combat and following players: Group-based gameplay becomes easier with the help of the GROUP command – the leader uses FOLLOW to automatically gather the party. It also helps with moving as a group – if you’re far away, or stuck in the middle of nowhere, you can still catch up to the group by typing follow leader, and you’ll be brought back to the group, no matter your location (unless you’re dead). Buffer is a tank – a player (or NPC) whose job is to soak up hits from enemies (the kind who end up with more bruises than teeth). Since enemies often attack the one who deals the most damage (i.e. who hits the most), it's a good idea to have a buffer in the group with lots of HP and good constitution – if the buffer falls, the whole group might follow. Choose carefully.

Alignments:

The world is divided into zones of good and evil. This is reflected in ALIGNMENT, which indicates your moral compass. If you’re on the good side, avoid actions that shift you toward evil. Evil characters can’t easily be in good zones. Staying balanced is best, or stay committed to one side. Killing something evil will shift you toward good. If you kill innocent creatures, you drift toward evil.

Renting and Equipment:

If you're logging out but want to return later without losing progress, you must rent your character at a designated place (inn or room marked as [Reception]). Use the RENT command – your gear will be saved, and you’ll log back in later as if nothing happened. If you forget to rent, you may return stripped naked (with lost stats, gear, XP…).

Killing and resurrection:

Killing (KILL) isn’t always final – with good luck or proper magic, the dead can be revived. When you die, your HP drops to 0 and you fall unconscious. If you're not quickly helped, you may die completely. Resurrection is rare and costly. Some NPCs will eat your corpse if you lie too long.

Scoring and attributes:

The SCORE command shows your stats in detail. Here’s what matters:

STR – Strength, affects how much you can carry and how much damage you do.
CON – Constitution, determines health and resistance.
DEX – Dexterity, affects agility, speed, and stealth.
INT – Intelligence, used for learning spells.
WIS – Wisdom, affects spellcasting and faith-based powers.
CHA – Charisma, affects how NPCs react to you (especially in shops).

Magic and Movement:

MP – movement points. Each room you walk into costs MP.
TP – travel points. Determines how far you can teleport.
MANA – magic energy used for spells.

Equipment and weight:

Too much equipment can weigh you down. You may find that you can’t move – use DROP or REMOVE to free up weight. 

Weapons fall into types:

SLASHING (swords),
PIERCING (spears, knives),
BLUNT/CONCUSSION (clubs),

And this affects how effective you are against different enemies.

Basic Commands:

EXITS – shows visible exits from the current room.
NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST – moves you in that direction.
LOOK – observe surroundings or items.
EQUIPMENT – shows what you're wearing.
INVENTORY – what you're carrying.
STATUS – shows current HP, MP, etc.
SCORE – see all character details.
CONSIDER – assesses an enemy's strength.
CAST "fireball" or "heal" – cast a spell.
DRINK, EAT – for consuming items.
SAY – speak aloud to nearby players.
SHOUT – yell so everyone in the zone hears.
EMOTE – express an action (e.g. smile, nod).
GIGGLE, NOD, SIGH, etc. – predefined social emotes.
SLEEP, WAKE, STAND, REST – affect your state.
BUY, SELL, LIST, WEAR, WIELD – shop and equip items.

Social interactions and expressions:

Social emotes are used to show emotions. For instance:

grin – grin evilly.
nod – nod.
giggle – giggle.
snicker – snicker mischievously.
hug – embrace.
poke – poke playfully.
say “hello” – greet others.
narrate – broadcasts to everyone.

These help create atmosphere. For example:

say “Hey dude, it’s time to die!”

Or:

narrate “The mighty warrior steps into the cave and growls...”

Combat Communication Examples:

SAY – says something nearby can hear.
SHOUT – is heard across a wide area.
TELL [name] – send private message.
NARRATE – dramatic broadcast.
EMOTE – "You grin wickedly."
WHISPER – secret to nearby player.
GOSSIP – public channel.
AUCTION – trade channel.
GROUPSAY – speak only to party.
YELL – urgent cry.
LAUGH, CRY, SIGH, SMILE, DANCE – predefined actions.

Slang & Abbreviations:

AFK – "Away From Keyboard"
BRB – "Be Right Back"
FYI – "For Your Information"
IMHO – "In My Humble Opinion"
RL – "Real Life"
COOL – "I agree"
DT – "Death Trap"
NEWBIE KIT – starter equipment for new players
“Can I have newbie kit please?” – typical new player request

Closing Note:

In short: MUME is a roleplaying game set in Middle-earth. It is demanding, but richly rewarding. Be patient, learn slowly, don’t rush. Read what is written on the screen, listen to others. If you’re wise and observant, you will succeed. But if you rush in blindly... well, you’ll be troll food.

Image Credit:

Art by Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, and Olivier Bérat.