NITETIME MUD // START HERE
==========================

WHAT IS A MUD?

A MUD is a shared, text-based world. There are no graphics to steer.
The game describes your surroundings in words, then waits for you to
type a command. Other people may be exploring and talking at the same
time.

The NITETIME MUD begins in a radio-station Garage beside Lake
Koshkonong. You can explore the station and nearby Wisconsin night,
investigate a repeating radio signal, keep discoveries in a journal
and communicate with other players. No previous MUD experience is
needed.

CONNECTING

The public Telnet address is:

  mud.nitetime.net  port 4000

At the welcome screen, a returning player types:

  connect <name> <password>

A new player types:

  create <name> <password>

Replace the words in angle brackets with the name and password you
want. New characters begin in the NITETIME.NET Garage.

YOUR FIRST MINUTE

Type these one line at a time and press Enter after each:

  look
  read board
  tasks

`look` describes the room, nearby people and objects, and exits. The
Garage work order starts the opening investigation. `tasks` reminds
you of the next required objective.

MOVING

Read the exits shown by `look`, then type an exit name by itself:

  outside

Directions such as `north`, `south`, `east`, `west`, `up` and `down`
work where those exits exist. Some exits have descriptive names such
as `garage` or `take trail`. Use the name the game shows you.

FOUR WAYS TO REACH PEOPLE

  local Hello!              current room only
  private dan Hello!        one connected player
  global Hello, everyone!   public NITETIME channel
  online                    connected character names

Use `comms` inside the game for the complete communication guide.

IF YOU FEEL LOST

  menu       beginner action guide
  tasks      next quest objective
  quests     active and completed quests
  hint       progressive hint for the next objective
  map        places your character has discovered
  status     location, equipment and quest summary
  help       general command help

Nothing here requires combat. Progress, discoveries, achievements,
explored locations and important equipment state persist when you
disconnect and return.

Next: /mud/quick-reference.txt

When you are ready to make pictures inside the world, continue to
/mud/appearance-and-equipment.txt and /mud/field-camera.txt. A SNAP
begins with a live MUD event and preserves it for the external photo
lab; it is not a prompt sent straight to an image toy.