writing games
Exploring the culture and craft of text-based games
Welcome to Writing Games: a site about building shared worlds through words. Among these pages, you’ll find how-to guides, accessibility tips, and interviews with developers behind today’s text-based games. Whether you’re writing a virtual world of your own or just curious about the craft, you’ll be in good company.
New to multiplayer text games?
Start here and choose your own adventure:
Featured posts
Accessibility in a changing MU* landscape: an interview with bscross
Long-time MU* enthusiast Brandon Cross talks about how far the hobby has come – and some of the accessibility hurdles that still remain.
Too many MUDs, not enough players?
We’ve all heard it, but is it true? And does that mean it’s a lost cause to make a new MUD in 2025? Andruid shares her two cents.
Latest posts
Shattered MU: beyond monsters and magic
Tat, creator of Shattered MU (a post-apoc game), talks about the importance of community and shares her guidelines for game design.
AresMUSH: the next-gen server platform
Faraday talks about why she created AresMUSH, as well as some of the core tenets that went into its development.
MU* Accessibility Week: 6 ways to take part
It’s MU* Accessibility Week! Whether you’re a staffer or player, there are ways to get involved and make a difference. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Excelsior: new stories in a unique Marvel universe
Manu (Power) and Lae (Mind) share their experiences running Excelsior: a roster-only MUSH set in a unique Marvel universe.
Evennia: a modern way to create MU*s
Learn about Evennia, the Python MU* creation system, from Griatch, the developer who’s been working on the project for more than a decade.
The Network: only the finest quality programming
Clockwork, mastermind behind The Network MU, shares lessons learned from years of creating and running online roleplaying games.
Helpfile Spring Cleaning: 10 ways to participate
It’s Helpfile Spring Cleaning Week! Here are 10 ways that staff and players can get together to improve their favorite games.
Striking a balance: simulation vs. storytelling in text-based roleplaying games
Guest author Brandon Cross offers advice for MUD developers on how to use storytelling vs. simulation to create a more immersive game.
Concordia MU: Write your own destiny
Spes, owner and co-creator of Concordia MU, talks about the many hats she wears and what she sees as her most important role in the game.
Recently updated
Inside Cryosphere: the satirical sci-fi space MUD
Long-time developer Morwen shares the origins of Cryosphere, the design decisions that shaped the game, and what’s coming next.
Beginner’s guide to multi-user dungeons (MUDs)
Just what is a MUD game? And what does that mean, multi-user dungeon? Are all of them set in dungeons? Find out in this post!
AI-written content in online RP games: “it’s ruining my experience”
What can you do if your fellow players are using AI to do their writing in your favorite text-based RP game? Read on for some food for thought.
How to market your text-based game
What does it take to successfully market your text-based game for free? Find out in this post, which includes accessibility tips and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Writing Games?
Writing Games (writing-games.org) is a modern website dedicated to old-school text-based games. The site houses resources for building better games and communities and covers topics such as accessibility, inclusivity, and how to welcome and retain new players.
Is this site about video games or text games?
Technically, text-based games are video games – they’re played on screens, after all. But when people say “video games,” they usually mean graphical games with visuals, animations, etc. Writing Games focuses on text-based games. This includes multi-user dungeons (MUDs), chat-based roleplaying games, and other systems where play happens through written language rather than graphics.
Who is this site for?
Writing Games is for anyone who plays, creates, or manages text-based roleplaying games. This icludes players exploring text adventures for the first time, developers designing their own MUDs or MUD clients, writers interested in collaborative storytelling, or admins who want to make their games more inclusive.
What kinds of content does Writing Games publish?
Writing Games publishes how-to guides, interviews, an advice column, a glossary, and essays focused on text-based roleplaying games and the communities around them.
For example, with the guides on this site, you can learn how to market your game for free, improve player retention, make your game more accessible, and write more compelling characters and roleplaying hooks.
How can I support Writing Games?
The easiest way to support the site is to simply tell your friends about it. Share your favorite posts with your communities or link to them in your own articles, websites, or games. For other ways to support the site, check out the Support page. 💜
Page Last Updated: February 3, 2026