More Posts from the Past (Sanvean)
From Jhalavar, 8/26/1992, in response to a post about SneezyMUD implementing poker:

This is an interesting idea... I just made up my own Poker-type card game for Armageddon called Kruth (rhymes with tooth... hell, why not?). There are 6 different "suits"; Truth, Deceit, Life, Death, Fate, and Kings. There are also elements that can be combined with these; Sun, Water, Stone, Wind. Therefore you could have the Stone of Fate, Wind of Death, etc. Different combinations are worth different amounts of points, and it's really quite fun. ;-) Maybe I'll add some more games like it (gives 'em something to do while resting ;) ).

And a couple of months later, 10/9/92:

I had an interesting idea for something I'm about to add to Armageddon:
different currencies. It occured to me that finding the same type of
treasure everywhere is rather boring... Wouldn't it be interesting if
the lich you just slayed had a chest full of adamantium coins
depicting an ancient sorcerer-king of millenia past? I almost
dismissed the idea as too memory-consuming (100 different currencies,
a large estimate, would take up a few extra megabytes of memory), but
I thought of another happy method that would probably SAVE memory
in the long run:

struct currency_data {
byte type;
int amount;

struct currency_data *next;
};

That structure would be put in the character data as a linked list,
and would take up less memory depending on how large a variety of coins
the player has. In the player file (since it's binary) I would use a
similasr structure, but an array rather than a linked list.

To make this even more interesting, I could also define different
monetary "systems". For instance, the penny, nickel, dollar, etc, all
belong to the American system. Similarily, the "bit" and the "obsidian
piece" would belong to the Allanaki system. Shopkeepers would trade
only in one system, and would compute the lowest combination of coins
you have that is still above the price of the item. Players would
be able to get change for "current" currency (from a thriving city)
in any other city, although they would be at a disadvantage... A
Kragharian hralor might only be worth 8 Allanaki bits in Allanak,
although the hralor might really be worth 3 times that much (2 obsidian
pieces).

In addition to making the game much more interesting, it would also
make it much easier for would-be con-men ("I'll give you SEVEN hralor
for that little Suk-Krathi ceramic coin"). It might even be possible
to create some spells centered around it. *shrug*

(Unfortunately, this never got implemented. -San)

And finally, here's another early advertisement, this time from 2/27/1994

Armageddon - studsys.mscs.mu.edu 4444
Based on Dark Sun, Armageddon has ten guilds you can choose from.

Defilers: All around mages, mana is gained by draining life force from the
earth and plants around you. (Don't announce you are one, since you are
likely to be hunted down and killed)

Elemental Clerics: Sun, Wind, Water, and Stone...The accepted type of
magic in this world.

Assassins: Familiar with poisons, a fighter/thief mix that can be deadly.

Warriors: Standard class, added subdue skill perfect for kidnappings.

Pick-pockets/Burglars: Two thieves of a different kind and expertise.

Rangers: Better suited to live in the mostly desert environment.

Templars (need permission first): They make the rules in their cities,
their power comes from the sorcerer-kings they serve, and to kill one is
to be marked for death.

Merchants, Shadowdancers (coming soon)


In Armageddon, other players aren't recognizable by their names, you only
see their descriptions. (giving out your true name right away could be a
bad idea, since with that knowledge, an evil defiler must summon you and
put you out of your misery!!!)

There are no levels in this mud. Your health (hp) is fixed, and based on
your endurance only(unless magically increased). You get better at using
your skills and spells by _using_ them. Spell casters get new spells by
mastering simpler ones (you need to master invis before you can get
ethereal, for example). There are several factions to ally yourself with.
Become a member of House Kurac, and build your fortune dealing in the
addictive spices, illegal in some areas. Join House Salarr, those who
deal in weapons of death. Many other alliances exist, and you have only
to find them and gain their trust.

Role-playing is a _must_ here, however...If you ignore this, do not be
surprised if the templars seem to be checking your wagon more than usual,
or charging you taxes that you've never heard before!

Death is final in this mud, unless you are a new character in your first 2
hours of play. This does not mean you lose everything, though. You may
inherit most of the skills of your old character, but then you are not
given the 2 hour safe period...

Casting spells is also much different. There aren't several different
healing spells of varying power, for example. Spells are all cast with
power levels as a part of them. Thus if you wish to cast a more powerful
heal, merely cast 'mon un vivadu viqrol wril' and you will feel like
new...You may have up to 10 aliases to make you life easier in your
casting.

We also currently have about 8 languages. Find someone who will teach you
Mirukkim, the language of the dwarves, and increase your comprehension by
listening to someone who speaks it better than you!

So, if this sounds like something you might want to check out, feel free
to stop by! If you don't get through at first, don't give up! The
Overlords may simply be adding spell components, or something else to
improve the game. Once again, the address is: studsys.mscs.mu.edu 4444
Give Armageddon a try, you won't be sorry!