Andruid (Page 2)
Short bio
Andruid (she/her) is a writer, roleplayer, storyteller, and nerd who tries to live by Bill and Ted wisdom, i.e. "Be excellent to each other." 🎸 She created Writing Games to share lessons learned and to introduce new players to the world of text-based games. Learn more.
Hi, I'm Andruid.
I've been writing games, writing for games, and playing writing-based games since the early days of the internet - from AOL chatroom roleplay to IRC to play-by-post games, MU*s, interactive fiction, and virtual tabletop sessions. Writing and storytelling online have been a regular part of my life.
Over the years, I've taken on many roles in these spaces: player, contributor, moderator, builder, admin, and occasional developer. I currently work in the tech industry, but outside of that, I spend my time designing, creating, and thinking about how games and communities can be more welcoming, sustainable, and rewarding.
Writing Games grew out of that background. It's a shared resource for people who care about text-based games, collaborative storytelling, and the communities that form around them - with a particular focus on accessibility, inclusivity, and practical, experience-driven advice.
Latest posts
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.
Lumen et Umbra: re-imagining a world between light and shadow
Learn how Simone, AKA Niymiae, rebuilt the Italian game Lumen et Umbra from its Diku roots into a one-of-a-kind hack-n-slash MUD with ARPG influences.
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.
MudVault: a new way to discover MUDs
Asmodeus, creator of MudVault, is building tools to make MUDs easier to find, fairer to rank, and more fun to play - all while keeping the focus on user experience.
GoMud: a lightweight engine for building text-based worlds
Volte6, creator of GoMud, talks about the new engine, what it's like to make a project open-source, and lessons learned along the way.
Federation 2 Community Edition: from hauling cargo to shaping the galaxy
Federation 2: Community Edition is a player-run revival of a space trading MUD. Jonathan (“Cosmo”) shares how it came back from the brink - and why it's still special 30+ years later.
Bridging virtual worlds: past and future of the InterMUD chat network
Long before Discord, MUDs had cross-game chat networks. This post dives into the sometimes dramatic history of InterMUD.
LociTerm MUD client and the legacy of The Last Outpost
Discover how RahjIII built LociTerm - an accessible, browser-based MUD client - to keep The Last Outpost and other games playable on any device.
A picture worth a thousand rooms: the Worldmap project by Hades_Kane and Grieffels
Discover how Hades_Kane and Grieffels built a worldmap system that lets you quickly make areas from PNG files. Includes screen reader support!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why “Andruid”?
I’ve used a number of different pseudonyms over the years. Andruid is one I borrowed from a college friend who asked me to paint his face silver for Halloween one year. He dressed up in a hooded cloak and called himself an “andruid.”
The idea of a creative/mystical robot tickled me, so I later adopted it as my online handle. Also, I’m a creative science-y type, so it fits.
How did you get started playing text-based games?
I discovered AOL chatroom roleplay back in the early ’90s. From there, I branched out into multi-user dungeons (MUDs) and play-by-post games and made some good friends over long distances. While many of them moved on from the world of text-based gaming, I stuck around and continued to write. I’ve stayed in touch with a few and have met several in real life.
What made you decide to start a blog?
I enjoy writing and teaching, so I thought a blog might be a fun way to combine my interests and hopefully pass on some lessons learned or, at the very least, some food for thought. YMMV, of course.
I don’t expect everyone to share my views on all topics, and to be honest, I can’t claim to abide by my own advice 100% of the time… but distilling my thoughts does help me keep sight of the compass I want to follow and reminds me to make that effort.
Okay, but why a blog about text-based gaming of all things?
Because I have a lot of experience in the text-based gaming niche.
A while back, someone in a Discord channel said I was a “brave soul” for starting a MUD blog in 2022, and that made me chuckle. I don’t think it’s any more or less brave than playing a MU*, coding one, building one, or managing a playerbase. It’s a hobby and a fun side project. In fact, there are many others out there besides myself investing their time and energy into the craft.
Aren’t text-based games like MUDs dying out?
Even in the heyday of MUDs, they didn’t appeal to everyone, but there will always be people who prefer text for one reason or another.
Instead of bemoaning the end of a romanticized “Golden Era” where players (and trolls) were plentiful, I’d rather explore ways to draw new or former players back to the genre and into games that are right for them. Not because the genre needs more bodies but because (ideally) it’s a good fit and benefits both the player and the game.
If you run a MU*, I highly recommend reading my article on player retention. And if you’re a player, I recommend the article on ways to welcome new players.
What types of text-based games do you play?
I enjoy everything from MU* games to CYOAs.
When it comes to MU*s in particular, RP games have been my main jam. I like the structure and progression that MUD systems often provide (for example, the ability to explore neat areas and specialize in certain skills over time) paired with the storytelling and content creation typically found in roleplaying-focused games.
At the moment, though, I’m not playing any single text-based game too seriously. If I did, I wouldn't have any time to work on this site!
Why do you talk about accessibility so much in your posts?
Because I want everyone to have a great experience playing text-based games, regardless of their physical ability. (Or background, age, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, for that matter.)
Text-based games have a lot of potential to delight players who use assistive tech, but it does take some willingness on the part of game admins to make their games more accessible.
What I attempt to do is offer practical tips and advice that will help people understand each other better - as well as some of the hows and whys. Where possible, that advice is informed by the perspectives and experiences of guest authors, community members, and interviewees who have disabilities or have worked closely with players with disabilities.
Do you use assistive tech?
Yes, but not a screen reader. I’m moderately deaf and was raised by a deaf single parent.
I noticed you like to quote Bill and Ted…
That I do. I adopted “Be excellent to each other” as my personal mantra sometime after grad school, when I’d finally landed a steady job and had the chance to slow down, look back, and reflect. I’ll be honest - as a stressed-out grad student, I wasn’t always the most excellent version of myself, so the quote is there as a reminder. It came in handy again during COVID…
How can I support the site?
If you enjoy the blog and are thinking about offering your support, first of all: THANK YOU. I’m humbled. Seriously. Writing Games is a labor of love, and it’s hugely rewarding when visitors express interest in and appreciation for the site.
To answer the question: I’ve listed a few ideas on the Support page, but I’m also open to other thoughts and suggestions.
For example, I enjoy collaborating on projects of mutual interest and benefit. If you think there’s something we could do to support each other’s work or projects, I’m all ears and would love to hear your ideas.
How can I contact you?
You can email me at andruid [at] writing-games [dot] com, find me on Discord, or use the Contact form here on the site. Questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome! I’m always interested in interview recommendations, so if you know someone working on a cool project, I’d love to hear about it.
Acknowledgements
First off, a huge, huge thank you to all my interviewees for sharing their experiences with me. I recognize that it takes a certain measure of trust to open up to a near stranger on the internet and hope that they stay true to the spirit of the interview. Getting to tell others’ stories is one of my favorite activities, and I’m grateful for each opportunity. I learn a lot every time, and I hope my readers do, too.
I also want to thank my readers in the VI community. They’ve given me some excellent feedback on how to improve my alt text, which I seriously appreciate.
Last but not least, my humble thanks go out to everyone who has supported the site since it launched in March of 2022. Whether by sharing my blog posts in their Discord, adding links to their website, offering constructive feedback, or buying me a coffee on Ko-fi – I appreciate the time, effort, and resources people have invested in supporting my work.
Knowing that people are getting value from the site makes it all worthwhile, so THANK YOU. I mean it.
Oh, and a special shout-out to my friends over at Disc Defender, the disc golf lost-and-found platform, for an especially generous and completely unexpected Ko-fi donation. You rock!