Welcome to Arcticmud! Arctic is a text based MUD (Multiple User Dialogue) relying on heavily modified Diku-code. Arctic has been on-line since March of 1992 and, as such, has a rich gaming tradition. Our mud is based loosely on dragonlance themes and our creators have worked hard to bring you more than 500 zones comprised of more than 50,000 rooms for your exploring and gaming pleasure. While working to unlock the secrets these zones contain, you will interact with hundreds of other players from around the globe in this rich world we offer you. We hope you are well entertained during your stay here, and who knows, you may never choose to leave!
Directly following this paragraph is a short walkthrough designed to get you, the totally new player, started. Please consider using it at least the first time you play to avoid frustrating yourself needlessly. The following pages of this faq exist to answer commonly asked questions and are grouped into general topics. Later, the in-game help files may be added to end of this support section for reference also.
How to start? Read this!
Ok, so lets get you started playing. First note that this website is a support site for the game and that the game is not here. To connect to the game, you can click the connect button on the top bar to use the java applet (which works most of the time fairly well), or you can go to the command prompt on your computer and type: telnet mud.arctic.org 2700 or click the links page to use a mud client (such as zmud).
When you have connected to the game and see the ASCII arctic logo, type 'start' and choose an appropriate and available name for your character. Then put in your chosen password (keep this secret so others can not log your character on and try not to forget it). The gender of your character is up to you and affects nothing except how you want to play your character. When choosing your character's class (your choice affects the skills, spells and hps you will have-type help class to see descriptions of your options), race (your choice affects some statistics and inherent traits-see help race), primary stat (choosing the primary stat makes that stat roll near the racial maximum for that stat but the entire roll may be lower overall compared to not having picked one) and alignment (affects which mobiles you get experience from killing and which items you can use-see help alignment), we recommend starting using a warrior of good alignment. Note that you select these choices by typing the number that is beside your choice, not by typing your choice (ie type 4 instead of warrior). We also recommend that you choose a race with infravision so you can see a little in the dark (not human or kender). Make sure you give your valid email address when asked so that staff have it should issues arise. After scrolling down aways, type '1' to finally enter the game!
You will now find yourself quite literally Nowhere! Now, customize the mud's output to your liking using the help options (opt ansi and opt compact are popular) and peruse the help newbie and help commands files. Next you will need to choose a starting town in which to begin your adventure! We recommend Solace (especially for the good aligned character) but the other choices listed as good starting choices are fine too. Type 'solace' on a line by itself to get whisked off to the Inn of the Last Home! If you are warned that there is no known guildmaster for you in your chosen town, you should choose another class or another town as the last thing you want to do while finding your way around is searching for a guildmaster which may or may not exist there. By the way, a guildmaster teaches you your skills and, if you are a caster, some basic spells so these are very important people in your characters lives.
So, here you are in the inn. Later, when you wish to leave the game but wish to save your money and equipment for a later return, you will need to return to this starting room and type 'rent' so the receptionist will store your stuff (see help rent and help inns). There are many inns in the game spread throughout Krynn. While exploring Tika and Otik's inn, you may find Otik whips up amazing potatoes even though you are too poor to afford them for now (see help list to see what he offers and help eat to see why you may want some). For now, you have a bit of food in your inventory. Also, while wandering around the tavern, you may overhear an ongoing conversation. Tidbits gleaned from this chat may guide you as to where to start your adventures once you are ready. Now type 'look map'. The map in your inventory will show you the general layout of the town you are in. The next order of business is to find and visit your guildmaster in order to learn your basic skills and perhaps spells. The warrior guild is off of a hallway above the fountain in the center of town. When you have found your teacher, type 'learn all' in front of him/her. Learn about your skills by typing help 'skill name' (ie help long blades). If you are playing a caster and learned some spells, you will want to learn about the spell system (see help spells, help memorize and help spell system). You will want to visit your helpful teacher at least once per level (or if you die at low level and need new equipment, go to him/her and type 're-equip' for a new starter outfit) and try to find a similar individual every time you enter a new town in order to raise your skills and/or gain some new spells.
Finally, I would like you to learn how to use a store. Go two south and one east from the fountain to enter Theros' shop. Type 'help shop' here and learn your options. When it is time to eventually leave Solace to travel elsewhere (help map may be helpful here), make sure you are well stocked with supplies and use your complimentary note that can be redeemed (type redeem note) at the stables for a horse (type help mount).
You now have at least the basics under your belt and are ready to start your adventures but before you do, please read the help combat, help commands, and help consider files. While resting between combats you can (re)-read the help newbie, help topics and help options files again to start customizing how you like things. You can also find appropriate areas to explore when you are ready to leave town by reading the 'help area' and 'help area low' files. Also, read the help rules, help disclaimer, help policy files in order to learn what is acceptable in this new world you have entered and the peruse following support pages on this website for answers to common questions (the pages on interpersonal relations will be especially valuable). Try to find other new players (either in game or from real life) to learn the game with as the game is designed to encourage group play and it is much more fun interacting with others.
A final bit of advice for you, the new player: available playing time, game knowledge and friends are critical to your success here. A bold adventuresome spirit, some diplomacy skills and a sharp wit help also. Remember that the characters you play and the items you possess are pretty much irrelevant but the knowledge and friends/enemies you personally accumulate matter.
Good luck! and Welcome to Arctic!
