Proposal to Metro

[Vitoc]

With the GreaterMUD engine nearing completion and interest in the project at an all time low I decided it was time for a change in tactics.  Until yesterday I didn't realize exactly how unfinished our original content was, and it was a real eye opener.

Yesterday I sent off a proposal to the sales contact e-mail at gameport.com.  I also sent the same e-mail off to Shannon this morning.

The idea is I'd like to package Major MUD's content with GreaterMUD.  In return we would share a % of the revenues or pay a flat fee to Metro/GamePort for each copy of their content that was packaged with GreaterMUD.  The goal of this project has always been to faithfully recreate the Major MUD experience and package it in for a fraction of the cost in a more modern product that is easier to maintain and support.  I've already invested hundreds of hours of my spare time and I haven't seen a single cent and I assure you I'm not in this for the money (telnet text games aren't exactly cash cows).  If we can keep the price under $60 or even $80 total for TGS, GMUD, and Major MUD's content combined, I believe it would be a huge improvement over the status quo; $1000 for MMUD+Modules, $1000 for WG.  If $60-80 sounds too high, I'll do what I can to drop it even further.  Not only is that a fraction of the price, but now we would have the ability to fix longstanding issues and add some modern features that just aren't practical (and even possible in some cases) right now in Major MUD.

If there were ever a time for this community to show support, I believe now is the time.  I honestly believe this is our best shot at picking up the pieces and moving on with what's left of the community.  I ask those who haven't seen our project and those that have opposed us in the past to take a look at what we've accomplished in GreaterMUD and compare it to what has been accomplished in Major MUD in those same two years.  If you have any shred of interest or enthusiasm left in the game we all once enjoyed, the choice is clear; it's time for a change.

Please show your support by joining me in urging Metro to accept this proposal.  Thanks for your time.

[The Crazy Animal]

Nice

[DeathCow]

Wow, if you get an email back...i think thats the final sign of the apocalpse.

[The Crazy Animal]

Snicker...

[banjaxster]

Hello,
Good luck on even getting a reply from Metro or Shannon,Shannon hasn't replied to anyone in the sysop forums in months now and everyone thinks that
Metro has given up on MUD.
Many are waiting on you to finish GreaterMud ,it's looking like MajorMud is dead.
The last we heard from Shannon was a big announcement will be coming soon, then nothing.
We were hoping it had been sold since they don't want to do anything with it at all.
Now it's sounding like your mud won't be out anytime soon either??
I own and run two mud boards and wanted to run your mud since yours would have the fixes and new things that MMUD  probably never will get done.
GOOD LUCK to you and everyone who has worked on GreaterMud.

[Vitoc]

Hello,
Good luck on even getting a reply from Metro or Shannon,Shannon hasn't replied to anyone in the sysop forums in months now and everyone thinks that
Metro has given up on MUD.
Many are waiting on you to finish GreaterMud ,it's looking like MajorMud is dead.
The last we heard from Shannon was a big announcement will be coming soon, then nothing.
We were hoping it had been sold since they don't want to do anything with it at all.
Now it's sounding like your mud won't be out anytime soon either??
I own and run two mud boards and wanted to run your mud since yours would have the fixes and new things that MMUD  probably never will get done.
GOOD LUCK to you and everyone who has worked on GreaterMud.

Thanks for the encouragement.

The engine is nearing completion but we've made almost no progress in the content department in the last year.  If I had to put an estimate on how complete the content is, I'd guess it's maybe around 20% complete, if that.  I realize DC has a lot going on with his job and that's why I'm not asking him to finish his content right now.  This is why I'm proposing this to Metro.  I realize it's a desparate attempt seeing as how the community hasn't gotten any meaningful feedback from Metro but I feel like I have to try.

If we don't get a response, all is not lost.  With all the illigitimate boards out there running Metro's content and derivatives of Metro's content, it's obvious that 1) people aren't afraid to use that content without Metro's consent and 2) Metro isn't going after people that use it.  I already created a converter that converts from NMR's format to GMUD's format.  NMR pulls it's data from the actual dat files, so anyone with a Major MUD realm can export their content via NMR, convert it with this utility, and run it under GMUD.  Heck, you can probably even export the players so the transition would almost be seamless to your players.  Our stance is just that unless we get Metro's consent we won't be distributing the content ourselves, but anyone can use any content they can get their hands on with GMUD.  It would be in the community's best interest if Metro were to agree since then people wouldn't have to go through the hassle of trying to find Metro's content on their own, but based on their track record I'm not holding my breath.