Getting Started

DolphinMUD, like most other MUDs, uses the Telnet network protocol. Telnet is a very old protocol, originally developed as a way to control computers remotely; it can do many other things, however (such as host MUDs!)

To connect to a Telnet server like DolphinMUD, you will need a Telnet client. Think of a Telnet client as being similar to a web browser like Firefox, but for text-based programs. Your Telnet client is your gateway to the world of DolphinMUD, just like your web browser is your gateway to websites.

  • If you are on a PC running Windows 7 or later, then we provide a Telnet client specifically designed to work with DolphinMUD, called PicoClient. Download and set it up here.
  • If you are running Linux, then odds are Telnet already comes preinstalled. If not, use your package manager to install the telnet package (sudo apt install telnet on Debian/Raspbian/Ubuntu/Mint, or sudo yum install telnet for CentOS/RHEL). Once telnet is installed, run the command telnet dolphinmud.net 5999 to connect.
  • If you are on a device running macOS, you can either install Telnet using Homebrew or (on some devices) Netcat may already be installed; if Netcat is available, use nc dolphinmud.net 5999.
  • If you are running Android, the Termux app includes a Telnet client. Simple open Termux and run this command telnet dolphinmud.net 5999. You should now be connected.

Once you have your Telnet client working and connected, you should see DolphinMUD's opening text appear:

                ----- Welcome to DolphinMUD -----

DolphinMUD is a world made of words by people from anywhere. You may 
not always like what you encounter; behave with appropriate caution. 
DolphinMUD is a social space, and its people are real people. Treat 
them accordingly. 

To log in, type "@login". To enter the MUD as a guest, type "@guest". 
To acquire an account, please fill out an application at 
dolphinmud.net/apply.

Please read and respect the rules at dolphinmud.net/rules.

In no event shall the authors or copyright holders by liable for any 
claim, damages, or other liability, whether in an action of contract, 
tort or otherwise, arising from, out of, or in connection with this 
service ("DolphinMUD") or the use thereof. By accessing this service, 
you confirm that you are of the age required by law. The authors and 
maintainers of DolphinMUD disclaim all responsibility for the 
statements and opinions which may be expressed on the service by the 
users of the service.

The lag is approximately 0 milliseconds.

From here, since you do not yet have an account, type @guest and press Enter. You will immediately be logged in as a guest user. As described in section 2, What is DolphinMUD?, the MUD will display a description of your surroundings:

    Gate
You stand before a small gate in a stone wall. The wrought iron bars 
and curlicues are heavily rusted; the slate pillars and crumbling walls
remain, crowded with lichen and moss and shimmering in the summer sun. 
Northward lies the mansion; to the south, long grassy lawns slope away 
into the distance.

Exits: north, south

From here, you can type what you want to do in simple English commands, pressing Enter after each one (called Return on some keyboards). Note that DolphinMUD is just a computer program, and not a particularly sophisticated one at that; its understanding of the English language is rudimentary at best. The most common forms of command in DolphinMUD are one-word commands or simple two-word commands, such as get lamp, eat donuts, and so forth. Using articles (like 'a' or 'the') in your command will almost always confuse the parser. When talking with other humans, be descriptive; when talking to the computer, be terse.

You will note, in the room description above, that the room has two exits. You can move in these directions by typing north or south. If you move north, DolphinMUD will display the description of your new surroundings:

    Courtyard
This is the central courtyard of the Mansion. A dry fountain adorns the
middle here, the marble of which has been partially shattered by the 
roots of a majestic oak bursting through the flagstones a little 
farther on. The path you are on continues north to the Mansion and 
south to the gate; to the west is an elegant herb garden of modest 
proportions, while to the east a set of slate steps descends down the 
hillside, curving to the north.

Exits: north, south, west

You may see another player. If you do, you can type examine <player's name> to get a description of them:

You see here: Nua

examine Nua

    Nua
You see a pale, tall man, dressed in a dark robe of nondescript blue 
which is covered in a faded star pattern. He carries a pointy hat under
one arm, rather awkwardly, as if ashamed to wear it.

You can interact with other players:

Nua: Hello!
Nua waves.

To speak, put an apostrophe (') in front of what you want to say:

'Hello Nua.

To perform an action (referred to in MUD-speak as emoting), put a colon (:) in front of the action you want to do. For example:

:waves

This will display to other users in the same room:

Guest waves.

Note that you can only talk to people who are in the same room.

If you want to leave the server, simply type @quit.

As a guest, you are limited to walking around, using objects that have already been made by other players, and chatting. If you want to create your own objects or rename yourself. You will need to get an account on DolphinMUD. This is the topic of the next section.