Espying the IFMUD
My initial impressions of the IFMud is that it is the watering hole of the Old Ones, the backroom where deals go down, and the hatchery of dark networks. Browsing through the FAQ turns up awesome gems like these:
Swearing is quite acceptable anywhere (there are several channels dedicated to nothing else). Insults are not.
The ignorance of a false dichotomy is painful to read. A whole channel devoted to swearing? I’d like to say I’m stunned or even surprised, but I’m just not. It’s another example of despotic excess. I guess you can’t expect much of the Old Ones, used to having their way in all things, to have a smidgen of self-control.
And insults are verboten? Excuse me, but if some Old One were to roast a newbie alive, who would stop him or her? Would the others not join in? How do you stop a king or queen from exercising their royal prerogative?
Time was when you had to turn on a special option to see who @emits were from, enabling people to hilariously torment the newbies. Then somebody decided to spoil our fun by making the option default.
I so love institutional cruelty. Don’t you? This is the truth behind all the mask; one-way torture is welcomed.
It’s been debated whether ifMUD is “newbie-friendly” or not. We don’t chop up newcomers with our +8 Swords of Dood, so to that extent we’re ahead of the game. We’re generally pretty darn polite as these sorts of places go. But here’s the “but”: we are, as noted, an established community, and not looking to change. MUD regulars have built up friendships with, and respect for, each other over many years.
It’s not an explicit “stay out”, but it is a warning sign about 10 feet tall. Nice. Screw you and your insider cliques! You are the very reason why the IF “community” is in such a sorry state! Here you meet to devise new dances for all the peasants to dance to, formulating tyranny while others sleep! I see your “change is not welcome” subtext, written in sick unholy fire. This is is just “go along or get out” said with a menacing leer. I’d like to say that I’m shocked, but I’m not.
If I could burn the IFMUD to the ground, I would — although it would be pointless. The Old Ones would just regroup somewhere else and find a new off-the-record, secretive, Journolist-like hangout to prepare their decrees.
