Richard Bartle - Part 1 - MUD (Multi User Dungeon)

Richard Bartle - Part 1 - MUD (Multi User Dungeon)

Author: Karl Kuras August 3, 2025 Duration: 2:12:51
Video Game Newsroom Time Machine
LeisureGamesHistoryVideo Games

While there are many founders of the video game industry writ large, the dawn of multiplayer gaming is a much more select group of luminaries and our guest today, Richard Bartle is most definitely one of them.  He cocreated MUD1, the first Multi User Dungeon game as a college student and has gone on to help shape the academic view of gaming ever since.

Recorded: January 2025

Video version:  

https://www.patreon.com/posts/135579198


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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bartle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracosm
https://www.mobygames.com/game/124837/multi-user-dungeon-mud1/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_Online
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_Online
https://mud.co.uk/richard/mpublish.htm
https://mud.co.uk/richard/pcwaug84.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_Kesmai
https://mud.co.uk/richard/pcpsep87.htm
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessmulligan/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/historical-bits-mobile-gaming-part-2-wap-games-anu-halme/
Books by Richard:
How to Be a God 
  http://www.howtobeagod.com/                                                     https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0955649498
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/0955649498/
  https://mud.co.uk/richard/How%20to%20Be%20a%20God.pdf
Dheghōm                                                                            http://www.Dheghōm.com/ (http://www.xn--dheghm-fgb.com/)
   https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1915964008/
   https://www.amazon.com/dp/1915964008/
   https://mud.co.uk/richard/Dhegh%C5%8Dm.pdf
Erwā     
   https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1915964040
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1915964040

Bhéwonom                                                                       
   https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1915964067
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1915964067

Copyright 2025 Karl Kuras


Ever wonder what gamers were actually talking about decades ago, before online forums and endless hot takes? Each month, Video Game Newsroom Time Machine hosted by Karl Kuras does exactly that, dusting off the headlines and magazine pages from the past. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a grounded look at the industry's turning points as they happened. You'll hear about the surprising announcements, the forgotten controversies, and the hardware launches that had everyone buzzing-from arcade trends in Japan to home computer wars in Europe and North America. The podcast specifically revisits news from exactly 30, 40, and 50 years prior, creating a unique layered perspective on how video game culture evolved. It’s like sitting in a newsroom from a different era, piecing together the stories that shaped the games we remember today. Tune in for a monthly dose of context, where the past conversations about pixels and processors feel surprisingly fresh and directly connected to the present.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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