Mod: Short for “modification,” mods are user-created add-ons or changes to an exist-
ing game. Mods were popularized by id Software’s open-architecture policy, which
allowed players to make their own levels forDoom. Beyond levels, mods also often
include new AI, new weapons, new art, or some combination of all three, potentially
creating a radically altered gameplay experience from what was found in the original
game.
MOO: Stands for MUD, Object Oriented.SeeMUD.
MUD: Originally stood for Multi-User Dungeon, but now can also stand for
Multi-User Domain or Multi-User Dimension. MUDs resemble a text adventure with
heavy RPG elements in their central play mechanics, with the important difference
being that they take place in persistent, massively multi-player worlds. MUDs were set
up and run by college students starting in the 1980s. Players of the games, when they
reached a high enough experience level or rank, would become the creators of the
games’ content for other, less experienced players to explore. The primary interest
many players have in MUDs is the social component, preferring to chat with people
they have never seen before to going onDungeons & Dragonsstyle adventures. In
many ways,Ultima Onlineand subsequent MMORPGs are carefully regulated graphi-
cal MUDs. Another popular variant are MOOs, which stands for MUD, Object
Oriented. MOOs are architected such that players are able to easily expand the
game-world themselves. There are also MUSHes, which are Multi-User Shared Hallu-
cinations. MUSHes tend to forgo typical MUD gameplay, which centers around
accumulating stats and weapons, in favor of a more social, role-playing oriented experi-
ence. There are lots of other acronyms for MUD variants, such as MUCKs and MUVEs,
which I encourage readers to search out on the Internet if they are so inclined.
Multi-Player: A game that involves more than one player. Today, this typically also
means “networked multi-player” where each player has his own computer and com-
petes with the other players over a network, such as the Internet.
MUSH: Stands for Multi-User Shared Hallucination.SeeMUD.
Newbie: Slang for someone who is new to something. In games, this means novice
players who have just started playing a particular game. Often used to refer to players
who have just joined an online game, such as a massively multi-player RPG. Newbies
are often at an extreme disadvantage to the players who have been playing longer.
Non-Linear: Obviously, the opposite of linear. In terms of gaming, this means that
players are not locked into achieving different goals in a specific order or in achieving all
of the goals they are presented with. Instead, players are able to move through the
game in a variety of paths and can be successful in a variety of ways. Non-linearity
leaves players with more choices to play the game their own way.See alsoLinearand
On a Rail.
Non-Player Character: Any character in a computer game that is not controlled by
the player. Typically this refers to game-world characters that are not hostile to the
player, such as townspeople in an RPG.
NPC: SeeNon-Player Character.
Glossary 665