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TinyMUCK or, more broadly, a MUCK, is a type of user-extendable
online text-based role-playing game An online text-based role playing game is a role-playing game played online using a solely text-based interface. Online text-based role playing games date to 1978, with the creation of ''MUD1'', which began the MUD heritage that culminates in to ...
, designed for
role playing Role-playing or roleplaying is the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role. While the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' offers a definition of role-playing a ...
and social interaction.
Backronym A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...
s like "Multi-User Chat/Created/Computer/Character/Carnal Kingdom" and "Multi-User Construction Kit" are sometimes cited, but are not the actual origin of the term; "muck" is simply a play on the term MUD.


History

*The original TinyMUCK 1.0 server was written by Stephen White from University of Waterloo in winter of 1990, based on
TinyMUD A MUD (; originally multi-user dungeon, with later variants multi-user dimension and multi-user domain) is a Multiplayer video game, multiplayer Time-keeping systems in games#Real-time, real-time virtual world, usually Text-based game, text-bas ...
1.5.2 codebase. This version improved building capabilities for the users. *TinyMUCK 2.0 was released in June 1990 by Piaw "Lachesis" Na from Berkeley, who added the programming language MUF for in-game server extensions. *TinyMUCK 2.1 and 2.2 were released in July 1990 and April 1991 by Robert "ChupChup" Earl of San Diego, California. These were mostly bugfix releases as the code was cleaned up and ported to new operating systems and architectures. *FuzzBall MUCK server was built on TinyMUCK 2.2 codebase b
Belfry Webworks
and, as of version 5, released in 1995, includes the alternative programming language
MPI MPI or Mpi may refer to: Science and technology Biology and medicine * Magnetic particle imaging, an emerging non-invasive tomographic technique * Myocardial perfusion imaging, a nuclear medicine procedure that illustrates the function of the hear ...
. version 6, available a
SourceForge project fbmuck
also supports MCP and MCP-GUI.


Characteristics

MUCKs are extensible by design, players can create and modify ("build") all internal objects of the game environment, including rooms, exits, and even the system commands, for which the MUCKs use the MUF (Multi-User
Forth Forth or FORTH may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''forth'' magazine, an Internet magazine * ''Forth'' (album), by The Verve, 2008 * ''Forth'', a 2011 album by Proto-Kaw * Radio Forth, a group of independent local radio stations in Scotla ...
) language. Fuzzball MUCKs also use Message Parsing Interpreter (MPI) which can be used to embed executable code into descriptions of all in-game objects. Unlike many other virtual worlds, however, TinyMUCK and its descendants do not usually have computer-controlled monsters for players to kill.


Usage

TinyMUCKs are popular among members of
furry fandom The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term ...
; examples of active, large TinyMUCKs include ''
FurryMUCK ''FurryMUCK'' is one of the oldest and largest non-combat MUD-style games in existence. It was founded in 1990 as an online gathering place for Furry fandom, furry fans to meet and socialize in a virtual role-playing environment. Over time, ''Fur ...
'' and ''
Tapestries MUCK The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The term ...
'', both of which run the Fuzzball version of MUCK server code.


See also

* MUD * MUSH *
MOO A MOO ("MUD, object-oriented") is a text-based online virtual reality system to which multiple users (players) are connected at the same time. The term MOO is used in two distinct, but related, senses. One is to refer to those programs descend ...
*
Online text-based role-playing game An online text-based role playing game is a role-playing game played online using a solely text-based interface. Online text-based role playing games date to 1978, with the creation of ''MUD1'', which began the MUD heritage that culminates in to ...


References


External links


MUCK Manual Version 1.0
at The MUCK Information Kiosk
FuzzBall Software
{{MUDs MU* servers Online chat