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Aether's Manual for Beginning PlayersContents:
Introduction:What is MUSHing? First of all, it is a text-based game played over the Internet by a multitude of users. It stands for "Multi-User Shared Hallucination," and it stresses role-play and interaction with other players. In a MUSH, the story and characters are more important than amassing huge quantities of wealth or gaining a plethora of experience points; such as in MUDs, another type of online, multi-user game that stands for "Multi-User Dungeon." The idea of a MUSH is to take part in an ongoing story or plot-line through a character that you have created. Think of it as being inside a book or play, where you get to interact with the other characters and all the acting is improvised. There is no script--only your imagination, and what you accomplish with your character depends on your own skills and creativity. But there is more to MUSHing than simply taking part in a story. Part of the allure comes from the people we meet online; MUSHing provides a chance to interact with others who share our interests and ideas, and gives us the opportunity to express ourselves freely without the inhibitions that plague us in real life. Partly, it is mere escapism; we log in to forget about work, school, family, responsibilities--the same way anyone does when they watch a movie or read a book or play a video game. And partly, it is the opportunity to become somebody else for a little while. Someone, or something, other than who we are. There are dozens of virtual worlds out there; perhaps more--many of them based on well-known books or movies, others inspired by already-existing roleplaying games, and still others with no limit but the imagination. Aether is such a world; an original setting gleaned from mythology, history, and fantasy. Here, you can choose from an array of races, backgrounds, factions, occupations, and even magical abilities. There are infinite possibilities, but the important thing is to develop a character that you will enjoy playing. That's the point after all--to have fun. Creation:
Accounts and Telnet Programs:"In the beginning...." Oops, wrong creation. In regards to MUSHing, some of the ingredients you'll need before you can begin are:
The first three are probably covered--after all, if you're reading this web-page, it is assumed that you already have a computer, a modem, and some sort of Internet account. If you don't have one of those three items, then either you're very talented, or you're mooching off a friend. If you're one of those types predisposed to becoming a hopeless net addict within a month, then it would probably help to get your own computer, modem, and Internet account. Or perhaps it would be best if you quit reading right now and forgot all about MUSHing. Still reading? Well, don't say we didn't warn you. In any case, since the games are text-based, they don't require an exceptional computer or an especially fast modem, although you may find that lag is easier to deal with when using a 14400 baud modem or faster. An internet account allows you to dial a local number and connect to a server; and from there you can check out the web, use e-mail, join newsgroups, and of course, MUSH. Internet accounts are often available through school (usually with little or no charge), or through independent servers. Some of the most popular ones are America Online and Compuserve. You might also check out your Yellow Pages for local Internet service providers, and compare prices. Usually a monthly unlimited access charge will run between 20 and 30 dollars, but you may be able to find a cheaper one. You will also need a "telnet" program. Most computers already contain a default "terminal" program that will allow you to telnet to the MUSH site, or you can download one off the web. Use a search engine such as Yahoo or Webcrawler, and type in "telnet" at the search prompt. You should get a list of various sites that contain free telnet programs, which you can then download and install on your computer. Once you have each of these ingredients, you're ready to MUSH! The first step is connecting and creating a character.
Getting Connected:First of all, you'll need to telnet to the address of the MUSH. Open up your telnet program and choose "Open" under "File." Then type in the following address: aether.mux.net 8080 Or, if you are using a shell account, which is solely text-based; simply type "telnet aether.mux.net 8080" at the prompt, and it will connect you to the game.
Once you have connected to the game, you will see its login screen, which is usually some form of ASCII art (artwork made solely through symbols and letters of the keyboard). Click here.
Creating a Character:Simply follow the instructions on the login screen to create your character, although you do not need to include the < > symbols. You would just type "create," followed by your character's name and his or her password (this can be anything you want, preferably between five to ten characters, which will prevent anyone else from logging in your character). For example, to create a character named "Thor," you could type: create Thor thunderbolt If someone else happens to be using that name, you would get the message: "Either there is already a player with that name, or that name is illegal." In that case, just try a different name until you find one that works. Once you have successfully created a character, you will see a lot of text scroll across your screen--something like the following: Welcome to the world of AetherMUX. Explore places. Meet people. Have fun! If you need help, just ask somebody (type a double quote mark and then type your question, like this: "How do I keep people from picking me up? The question will appear to others in the same room as: <yourname> says "How do I keep people from
picking me up?" This is your welcoming message, and is fairly standard on most MUSHes. You will also see the description of the room you are in. Aether's first room looks like this: Chaos - The Beginning - OOC Chambers Obvious exits: All new characters automatically begin their journey in this room. The highlighted words are commands you can type in for more information about Aether. "+Staff" is especially important, for it gives you a list of the administrators of the game. They can help you if you get stuck or confused.
Rooms, Moving, and Looking:Now, when we say "room," obviously that doesn't mean an actual physical one. A room is an object on a MUSH that you can enter and leave, which includes a description and exits. Characters can walk in and out of them, just as you would walk in and out of an actual room. To move from one room to another, look at the bottom of the room's description, where it lists "Obvious Exits." You will see the name of an exit, as well as a letter or letters enclosed in < >. Simply type that letter or letters, and you'll be transported into the next room. In this case, the exits are "Chargen" and "Beginners." You can read more about chargen in the files under Character Generation, but for now, you don't need to worry about it. Just head through the "Beginners" exit by typing the letter "B." This will take you into the next room: Seshat's Newbie Library. It was designed especially for beginning players, and contains a manual much like this one, which can teach you other helpful commands and hints for creating your character. Looking is another important command. A room's description automatically pops up when you enter the room, but if you want to see it again, type either "look" or just "l." You can also look at objects (such as Seshat's Book of Wisdom in the Newbie Library), by typing "l <object>," or yourself by typing "l me." You'll see your character name, his or her number, and a description. Here's an example: l me The number is called your dbref#--it is the number of the object on which your character was created. In Thor's case, he was the 33rd object to be created on Aether's database. A new character's description is automatically set at "You see nothing special." More can be found later under descriptions. To look at another character, type "l <character name>." For example, if you wanted to look at a character named Bellona, just type, "l Bellona." However, the character you look at has to be in the same room as you. To see what other characters and objects might be in the room with you, look at the bottom of the room's description. If it lists "Contents," then those items listed below are present in the room. For example, in the Newbie Library, you'll see: Seshat's Newbie Library - OOC Chambers Contents: Seshat's Book of Wisdom is an object in the Newbie Library, which you can look at and use. If there were other characters present in the room, they would be listed under "Contents" as well. Commands:Your character is a Player Object--a specific type of object on a MUSH that can move around, pose, speak, and contain certain types of code. You control your player object, but sometimes other players can trigger commands on your character, either deliberately or accidentally. The following code will help you to prevent that from happening.
Locks and Uselocks:First of all, type the following: @lock me=me This locks your player object to yourself so that no one can pick you up. Any object can be picked up if it is not locked, and player objects are no exception. To prevent another player from triggering commands coded onto your character, type: @lock/uselock me=me A uselock is a specific type of lock, that locks all your attributes so that no one can trigger them except you. More information on attributes will be included later in the manual. In case you ever need to unlock yourself--for instance, if someone wants to give your character money--you can do so by typing: @unlock me=me
Setting Gender:You probably don't want your character to run around as a neuter, so type either of the following: @sex me=male or This sets the gender of your character, so he or she won't have to be referred to as an "it." For instance, there is a command on most MUSHes called "+finger." It contains information about your character that other players can access, and sex, or gender, is usually included.
Aliases and New Names:Another important command for player objects is @alias. This gives your character an alias, which other players can use to page him or her, or which you can use to set code on yourself, instead of typing our your character's full name or using the dbref#. Usually, it is just a shortened version of your character's name. For this example, let's assume that your character's name is "Minerva." You could type: @alias me=Min If the alias you chose is already being used by another player, you'll get the message: "That name is already in use." Just keep trying others until you get the message "Set," which means your alias has been accepted. To remove an alias, just use the same command, only leave the alias line blank: @alias me= You may also decide that your character needs a new name. Don't worry, you don't have to create an entirely new character. Just type: @name me=<name> If the name is taken, you'll get a message saying so, but you can keep trying different names until you find one that is free. You can also give yourself a name consisting of two words, such as "Pallas Athena," but you'll need to give yourself a single-word alias so that you can still connect to the game (if you tried typing "connect Pallas Athena <password>" at the login prompt, the game wouldn't be able to tell which word was your password). Also, say for example you were trying to exchange your name for your alias--let's assume Minerva wanted to name herself "Min" instead. She'll get the message "that name is already in use," because she's the one using it. First, she'll have to clear her alias before she can re-name herself "Min."
New PasswordsYou may decide that you don't like your current password, or perhaps an administrator created your character, and you want to give yourself your own password. To do so, just type: @password <old password>=<new password> Make sure the new password is only a single word, and double-check the spelling before hitting "Enter" so you don't end up mis-typing your new password--you won't be able to connect to your character then. If you do mis-type your password, or neglect to write it down somewhere and then forget what it is, don't despair. Just log onto Aether as a guest ("connect guest guest" from the login screen), and page an administrator online. Tell the admin what happened, and ask him or her to give you a new password. Once you log your character in, go through the same process, only this time, keep track of the new password!
Creating Objects:At times, you may find it necessary to create objects. These can be anything from a weapon, to a puppet, to a multi-descer. Objects are similar to rooms and Player Objects--they contain descriptions and code, and some can even be entered, as one would enter a room. They can also be picked up, manipulated, and used by players, particularly their owners. New characters on Aether typically receive a quota of five--this means that they can own five objects. However, be frugal, for your quota also includes rooms, and a single room requires three quota by itself--one for the room and two for the exits going in and going out. If you wish to have a room, that leaves only two quota for objects. Items such as swords, articles of clothing, jewelry, and other odd trinkets can all be included in your character's description--you don't have to create a separate object for each one. Yet there are times when an object is necessary. You may wish to create a multi-descer, which will contain all your character's descriptions so that you can switch easily from one to the other. Or you might have a special item that needs its own code, such as a magical weapon or potion. Or you could create a puppet, such as a horse for your character to ride, which would also contain its own separate code. The code that goes into such items may be too advanced for new players, so this manual will only include the basics. But you can find manuals online that go into more detail about the creation and coding of objects--just do a search on the web for "MUSH code" or "MUSH Manuals"--there are several excellent resources out there. For now, try the following: @create <object> Let's say Thor wanted to create his magical hammer, Mjollnir. He would type: @create Mjollnir and receive the message "Mjollnir created as object #41." The number is his hammer's dbref#--it is useful when adding code to the object. If he were to look at Mjollnir, he'd see: l mjollnir He could then add a description to his hammer, and lock and uselock it to himself: @lock Mjollnir=me This would prevent anyone else from taking or using his hammer, which is a helpful precaution when you're the god of Thunder. Communication:
Speaking:There are several different ways to communicate with other characters on a MUSH. The easiest is simply by speaking, which you can do either by typing quotes or "say" and then your message. "Hello. Note: You do not need to include quotes at the end of your message--they will be added automatically. Again, let's assume your name is Thor. Your screen will show the message: You say "Hello." Everyone else's screen would show: Thor says "Hello."
Paging:However, this command only works if someone else is in the room with you. There is another command that lets you speak to anyone, anywhere on the game. It is called "paging." To do it, simply type: p <player>=<message> This requires that you find out who else is currently connected, of course. You can do so by typing "who," which will give you a list of everyone online, such as the following example: WHO List from CryptMUX, 11:30 p.m. 11/23/97: Player Name On For Idle Doing Guest1 00:06 34s Jan 00:39 20m Irene 00:41 41m Newbie Helper, page_ok Nicolae 00:51 29m Raised to be sincere not charming. Jasper 01:29 1m Sionell 03:39 3m Not misunderstood.. Just evil. Jocobus 05:36 6m Leyira 06:05 1m 8 Players logged in, 81 record, no maximum. The "WHO" list includes each character's name, how long he or she has been on, how long they've been idle (how many minutes it's been since they last typed something), and a brief, optional message about what they're doing. If Thor wanted to page Leyira, he could type: p Leyira=Hello. His screen would show, "You paged Leyira with Hello,'" while she would see, "Thor pages: Hello."
Whisper and Mutter:Other commands you can use to communicate are whisper and mutter. They operate similar to a page, though both require the other character to be in the same room as you. To use them, type: wh <player>=<message> or The difference between the two is that whisper is a totally private essage, much like a page. Mutter, however, is a more IC command, which will emit a message to the entire room. For example, assume that Thor muttered a message to another character in the room named Freya. mutter Freya=Nice apples you got there. Freya would see "Thor mutters Nice apples you got there,'" while the rest of the room might see: Thor mutters to Freya, "...apples... there..." Mutter is best to use when you're roleplaying and want other characters to catch tidbits of the conversation. If you want the conversation to be private, use whisper. Paging is considered a strictly OOC command, and should not be used in roleplay.
Telepathy:There is one last method of communicating with another player, which is a game-specific command called "telepathy." This command is locked to characters with telepathic magic, however, and operates similar to a page. You would type: tel <player>=<message> rather than using "p." For more information about telepathy, see the news files on magic.
Channels:While online, you might notice messages on your screen that look something like this: [Public] Astraea waves howdy. :) These are messages on the "Public" channel. A channel is simply a chat-line, and you needn't be in a specific room to speak on one. All new players are automatically added to the public channel upon creation. That's one thing you may be wondering--just how to speak on the channel. It's easy. Simply precede your message with "pub." That is: pub Hello. We'll use Thor again as an example--everyone would see: [Public] Thor says, "Hello." It's the same for posing on the channel. pub :smiles and waves. Other helpful commands are: pub who which gives you a list of who's on the channel; pub off which takes you off the channel; and pub on which adds you to the channel once more. Check out help comsys and help comsys commands while online for more information about channels.
Posing:If you want to learn how to roleplay, that will require that you learn how to pose. It's as simple as learning to communicate, and there are fewer methods. In one case, you use a colon, and in the other, a semi-colon. Here's how: :waves hello. In both cases, everyone else in the room (including you) would see, "Thor waves hello." The only real difference between the two is that ":" automatically puts a space after your name, and ";" does not. Normally, people use :, and ; is best for when you're using a possessive term, such as: ;'s eyes sparkle with good humor.
Pages and Whispers:You can also use poses in pages and whispers: p <player>=:smiles and waves. The other player would see: From afar, Thor smiles and waves. In the case of a whisper, Thor could type: wh Freya=:watches you closely. Freya would then get the message: You sense Thor watches you closely. It is the same method for mutter, and you can see other available mutter commands by typing "+help mutter" online.
Emits and Ambience:Poses automatically include the character's name at the beginning, but there is another command that does not. It is called an @emit. There are several different kinds of emits, such as the @pemit, which sends a personal emit, or @remit, which sends an emit to the entire room. But your basic emit operates like this: @emit A pin drops. Anyone in the room would then see the message: A pin drops. though they wouldn't be sure who posed it. Emits are helpful if you want to create a mood or setting, or even if you're just tired of seeing a long string of poses with characters' names at the beginning. They allow a little more creativity, and often you can identify the more advanced roleplayer by how often he or she uses an emit rather than a basic pose. For more help on @emits, see "help @emit" online.
Say vs. Pose:Another way you can identify a more skilled roleplayer is by seeing how often they pose versus using "say." That is, characters who rely too much on the regular "say" command are typically viewed as less experienced or creative. They speak rather than pose, and all the subtle nuances of inflection or hints about body posture--even an action as mundane as sipping a drink--are neglected. Posing allows you to say exactly what your character is doing, so take advantage of it. For instance, let's say Thor was wandering about on the world of Aether, when all of a sudden he stumbled across a combat scene, and saw two characters hacking at one another with swords. Which pose is more effective? Thor says "Oh no!" Thor's eyes widen when he notices the two combatants, and he exclaims "Oh no!" as he watches the blade arc down towards its victim. The second example conveys more of Thor's reaction to the scene, and is probably a more noteworthy pose than the previous one. Descriptions:
Basic Descriptions:Earlier in the manual you learned about looking at rooms and objects, including yourself. You probably noticed that your description is set at, "You see nothing special." In order to become something special, you'll need to use the @desc command. It works like this: @desc me=<description> This will set a new description, or "desc" (as most MUSHers call it) on your player object, and it can be viewed whenever anyone looks at you. Here's an example: @desc me=A tall Empyrean with white wings, pale blond hair, and blue eyes. He is wearing a simple toga knotted at the shoulder, and golden sandals.
Also, here's a tip. If you find that you can only type three or four lines at one time, try hitting the "Ctrl" key on your keyboard, and "D" at the same time (Ctrl-D). And if that doesn't work, you can add onto your description by typing: @edit me/desc=$, {continued description}
Editing:So, you're all done typing your description, and ready to read on to the next part of the manual, when the unthinkable happens. You discover a typo! But don't despair, for there is an @edit command that will let you get rid of typos or spelling errors without having to re-type your whole description. Just type: @edit me/desc=<typo>,<corrected word> For example, assume "toga" had been accidentally spelled "toag" in the sample desc. The player would type the following to correct the description: @edit me/desc=toag,toga If there is a comma in the correction you need to make, enclose the phrase in {}: @edit me/desc={old phrase},{new phrase}
Peeping Tom:Another helpful desc-related command is @adesc. This is triggered whenever another character looks at you, and you can use it to let you know when you are being glanced at. @adesc me=@pemit me=%N just glanced at you. As you learned in the previous section on posing, a @pemit is a personal emit that only you can see. %N substitutes a character's name whenever the command is triggered. For example, if Thor were to look at you, you would get the message, "Thor just glanced at you."
Multiple Descriptions:You may want to have more than one description for your character a change of clothes, a different mood, etc. Don't worry, you can do that easily without having to retype it each time. Here's how.
@create <object> This object can be anything a necklace, a weapon, or even something straightforward like a Multi-Descer. In any case, you'll want to lock it to yourself:
@lock/uselock <object>=me @set <object>=Inherit This allows the object to alter things relating to your character, in this case, the description. You can read more about the Inherit command by typing "help Inherit" while on the game. After you've done all that, you are ready to set attributes on your object. Basically, an attribute is any code you set yourself, specific to a particular object or character. It often begins with a & sign: <attribute-name> <object>=$<trigger-name>:@desc <dbref#>=<description> It may look complicated, but it's not. The attribute-name is just the name you give to the attribute. The object is what it's set on, either yourself, or, in this case, the object you just created. The trigger-name is often the same name as the attribute it's what triggers an attribute's action. For us, the trigger would change your character's description. The dbref# is an object's number--in this case, yourself. Here's an example to illustrate how the code works: &feral-desc Descer=$feral:@desc #132=Scar is looking a bit hairier as the moon waxes, and his long, pointed canines denote him as one of the graisha. In this case, Scar has called his attribute "feral-desc." He's put the attribute on an object called "Descer." His trigger-word is feral, and finally, for the sake of this example, we'll pretend Scar's dbref# is 132. Now, all Scar will have to do in order to reset his description is type "feral." Warning: Once your description is reset, it will erase your current one. Therefore, it's a good idea to set up all your character's descriptions as attributes, so you can exchange them easily. The @edit command can still be used, only instead of @edit me/desc=<old>,<new>, you'd type: @edit <object>/<attribute-name>=<old>,<new> For example, say Scar misspelled "canines" as "canins." He could type: @edit Descer/feral-desc=canins,canines
You can set as many attributes as you like on an object, just make sure that each one has a different name and trigger. And don't lose the object they're set on!
Composing:
Bulletin Boards:Another standard feature on MUSHes is a bulletin board system. This allows characters to post important messages for everyone to read. Sometimes the messages will be about IC events; other times they'll concern OOC ones. It's a good idea to stay up-to-date on bulletin board postings, for you never know when you might miss something important. Some commands that you'll probably use a lot are:
If you type "+help boards," while connected to the game, you'll get a menu containing more information about reading and posting on the boards.
Post Office:Although many players use e-mail, most MUSHes have their own specific mailing systems as well. These allow players to compose, read, and send letters to one another while still connected to the game. There are two main types: +mail and @mail, but since Aether uses @mail, that's the system we'll cover in this manual. Here are some basic @mail commands:
For more information about @mail, see "help @mail" while connected to the game.
Hints:
Description Do's and Don'tsAs you learn more about MUSHing and expand to other games, you'll notice certain trends. Some of these develop in descriptions. And not all are good. Specifically, there are cliches that crop up in the descriptions of new players (and some older ones who just haven't learned any better). Here are some samples so you know what to avoid:
These are just a few examples you'll probably run into some on your own. Remember that one of the finest aspects of MUSHing is its emphasis on writing, and the best roleplayers are often the best writers. Try to find an original way of saying something don't repeat someone else's. Be creative and unique and remember that that doesn't require your character to be phenomenally beautiful or a tremendous athlete. The best characters are the ones who have some basis in reality. Make them seem real to us, not like a comic-book superhero. When getting ready to write your description, look at others for inspiration. Some characters are wealthy and aristocratic, while others live much simpler lives in the forests around the main city. Garb may vary depending on which faction you're in, and if you're a warrior, you may have some type of armor (though try to avoid anything too extravagant). Also, when describing your character, limit yourself just to what people would see on the surface. Don't include anything we wouldn't notice at a glance, such as information about his or her history. We merely want to know how your character looks and acts. Aside from the obvious physical aspects, we encourage you to include how he or she moves, speaks, or any other obvious traits someone might notice right away.
Posing Do's and Don'tsAs with descriptions, there are certain poses that are vastly overused, such as raising one's eyebrows, smiling faintly, slightly, softly (or any similar adverb), furrowing one's brow, etc. Granted, some of these are unavoidable, as there are only so many ways you can say something. But the mark of a good roleplayer is coming up with new ways of saying an old thing. Observe people. Think about your own expressions. Are there other ways you can describe a pose, instead of using the same phrase you've seen a hundred times? Glance through a Thesaurus or a Dictionary if you're at a loss--they're wonderful places for inspiration. Be original and innovative, and more people will want to roleplay with you.
Terms:
DictionaryAs you start to play and get better acquainted with Aether and MUSHing in general, you may come across some unfamiliar terms. The following "dictionary" has been included to help clarify them for you. Chargen: This stands for "Character Generation," and it is the process a player-character goes through when setting his or her stats. Each player receives a certain amount of points upon creation, which they can then distribute however they wish. IC: This is short for "In Character," and it refers to anything you do in the guise of the fictitious, online personality you have created. It can also refer to the "in character" actions of other characters, or to rooms or objects which are used for roleplaying purposes. See also: OOC. Lag: When it takes a long time for your poses and comments to go through, then you're lagging. Lag can be caused by a number of things: your modem speed, the stability of your connection, the speed of the host computer, or the current traffic on the Internet. Usually, lag won't last for more than five minutes or so--if it lasts longer, then you might try reconnecting, or else contact your service provider to see if there's a problem. Multi-Descer: A multi-descer is an object containing several different descriptions for a character. It can be used to signal a change of clothes, appearance, or mood. The section on descriptions contains some basic code for creating your own multi-descer. NPC: This stands for "Non-Player Character," and it refers to all the characters that are implied on a game, but who aren't actually played. They may be the general "common folk" in an area, or even important public figures who are too powerful to take an active role in the game. See also: puppets Newbie: A newbie is a person who is new to the game, and often new to MUSHing itself (as you probably are, since you're reading this manual). However, don't take offense at the term--unlike twink, it isn't meant in a derogatory way. After all, we were all newbies at one point. OOC: Short for "Out of Character," this refers to the
player behind the keyboard, rather than the online personality. When someone
does something OOC, it is not something they would do as their character.
For example, if Osiris poses laughing and bapping Janus OOCly (OOC-turned-adverb),
you know it's just a joke--a side comment.
Puppet: A puppet is an object controlled by a character, which can move around, @pemit messages back to its owner, and pose, just as a character would. Usually, players will create puppets as pets or NPCs for their character. RP: Short for "roleplaying," this refers to the improvisational "acting" you perform as your character. Sometimes IC and RP are synonymous, as in, "Let's go IC," or "Let's RP." RL: This refers to "real life"-- all that boring stuff we have to do every day, like work, school, etc. See also: VR. Spam: No, it's not that processed meat-substitute. "Spam" is all the stuff that scrolls by on your screen that you can't keep up with. For instance, if you're in a room where several people are talking at once, plus you're getting paged, as well as overhearing conversations on a channel . . . that's spam. There's more going on than you can keep track of, and as a new player, you'll probably become acquainted with it fairly quickly. But don't worry, spam becomes easier to deal with as you become more experienced and learn to keep up with several things at once. Twink: A twink is a person who abuses MUSH etiquette by being rude and unreasonable, or someone who gears their stats to be as high as possible simply for combat-purposes. No one wants to be a twink, but as long as you're respectful to others and play your character reasonably and fairly, you can avoid such a label. VR: This stands for "virtual reality," and refers to anything that happens on the game or to your character. It represents your character's virtual "life."
Acronyms:There are other MUSH terms which are simply acronyms for longer phrases. The following are a few examples:
You're bound to run across others, but if you're confused by the meaning, just ask. Most players will be happy to tell you.
Emoticons, or "Smileys":Along with the terms listed previously are what are called ""emoticons" or, more commonly "smiley faces." These are meant to give people a sense of emotion, since MUSHing is a text-based reality and players don't have expressions or a tone of voice to rely on. Some common ones are:
:) - General smiley-face.
;) - Winking face.
:P - Sticking tongue out, grimace.
:( - Sad face.
:/ - Frown.
:D - Laughing.
:9 - Yummy!
Many people like to come up with their own variations, and you might want to make up some of your own as well. Be creative! Conclusion:Now that you're all done with the manual, hopefully you've got a better idea of what to do and how to play. If you've followed the instructions, your character is locked, sexed, desced, and well-versed in the ways of communicating and posing. You're ready to play! But first, you need to set up your character's stats. Read the files on Character Generation, as you go through the chargen rooms on the game, adjacent to Seshat's Newbie Library. There, you will receive instructions on how to view your character's +sheet and distribute his or her points. If you're confused about anything, contact a member of the staff, and they'll be happy to help you out. Also, don't forget to read the news files, and please visit the Terms Database, designed by Rabi@Aether. The first contains all the general information needed for the game, while Terms Database acts as a handy dictionary for unfamiliar words. Finally, the "+help" files online are for specific, game-related commands. Otherwise, you're ready to step into the Aether....
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