Enter the (Multi-User) Dungeon is a game jam by The MUD Coders Guild for the graphic-averse. At Enter the (Multi-User) Dungeon, you will build an open source text-based multiplayer game and rate other creators’ games. As text-based game enthusiasts, we wanted to host a game jam that promotes this not-dead-yet genre in a fun and engaging way.

> timeline

Enter the (Multi-User) Dungeon will be a 30 day long game jam running from April 17, 2020 to May 15, 2020 June 20th with voting continuing through the end of May June.

> theme

The theme of the Third Annual Enter the (Multi-User) Dungeon Game Jam is: Board Games

Board games is a widely interpret-able  concept here . You could entirely recreate a board game in only text, you could make the  playable area the same as an existing board game (like monopoly board rooms) you could reinterpret the rules as an mmorpg like Battleship: The MUD. This is easy to qualify for!

> rules

1. Multi-User Dungeons Only — The generally accepted definition of “Multi-User Dungeon” is a text-based multiplayer role-playing game, but with that said, feel free to stretch that definition to whatever limit you see fit.
2. Use Any Language — Seriously. Any programming language. Go wild. Or not. Your choice.
3. Libraries A-OK — All third-party libraries and services are considered to be fair game. If it helps you make your game, then you are free to use it!
4. Existing Codebases are fine - If you have an existing codebase like say the MUD you already run or one you've developed or one you've downloaded like MOO or DIKU feel free to use that as long as it conforms to an open source license.
5. Document, Document, Document — Anything needed to know to run the server. Configuration/compilation steps, tools, caveats, etc.
6. Open Source Licenses — For the sake of being awesome, all submissions should be licensed under a valid open source license.
7. Teamwork — You can work solo or on a team.
8. Pokemon Go To The Polls — Games require a minimum of 10 ratings to place in the top 3, so don’t just submit, but also vote on each others games!
9. Serve It Up — Multi-User Dungeons are, by definition, multiplayer. As a result, be sure to provide a way for multiple players to connect to your game server! From Telnet to Websockets, the sky is the limit here, all that we ask is you document how players and testers can try your game out.

NOTE: If you need somewhere to host your game, this DigitalOcean referral will give you $10 in credits to start with. Otherwise, Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, and Google Cloud all have fantastic free tiers for new users.

> criteria

1.  Does the game fit with the specified theme?
2. Gameplay — How well does the game… play?
3. Creativity — How creative is the game, given the constraints?
4. Story — Pretty self explanatory, don'tcha think?
5. Codebase — What does the code base look like? Is it clean and organized, or slapped together haphazardly?

> winners

The top three games will be selected based on the community voting criteria above.

> prizes

General: The MUD Coders Guild will match a $10 USD donation per submitting participant (registered and submitted an entry) to Direct Relief, a global relief group. (up to $200 USD maximum)

Winners: The first, second and third place winners will be able to choose their own charity and have $50/$25/$25 donated in their name. If a charity is not chosen that money will be donated to the Red Cross.

> social

1. Please join our  Slack channel  and introduce yourself or team and share your progress once the jam starts.
2. Follow us on Twitter  @mudcoders.
3. Use the  #enterthemud  hashtag on social networks.
4. Subscribe to our  monthly newsletter! Winners will be announced via the newsletter on June 1, 2019.