FurryMUCK
Encyclopedia
FurryMUCK is one of the oldest and largest non-combat MUD
-style games in existence. It was founded in 1990 as an online gathering place for furry fans to meet and socialize in a virtual role-playing
environment. Over time, FurryMUCK has become one of the central focal points for furry fandom
, with a user base consisting of several thousand, with over 150 users regularly signed on simultaneously. It has a reputation, among virtual world
s, as an environment heavily focused on TinySex
.
Many furry fans state that their first exposure to furry fandom came from FurryMUCK. Many of the more popular phrases of furry jargon, including "yiff" and "scritch" stem from this virtual environment.
West Corner of the Park is the central meeting place within the MUCK. It is held to a non-explicit rating and is generally continually populated. Visitors will emerge into the Park. There is also a webcomic
of the same name which is set on FurryMUCK, usually in the park.
s appeared in 1978, and provided a text-based virtual world
focused on adventure
. While the first MUDs were clearly focused on the game, things changed in 1989 when Jim Aspnes released TinyMUD
. TinyMUD allowed users to focus on building and socialisation, rather than game playing. It did not take long until TinyMUD
had emerged as the "most popular MUD on the internet", and a subculture
of furry fans
emerged within the system. These players "described themselves as anthropomorphic animals", and proved to be "somewhat controversial".
With TinyMUD's success a number of alternative systems derived from TinyMUD’s basic architecture emerged. One of these variants was TinyMUCK
, a program originally developed and released by Stephen White. Piaw Na became interested in White’s TinyMUCK in 1990, and decided to implement Forth as the programming language
for development within the environment. The result was MUCK Forth (MUF), as implemented in TinyMUCK 2.0, which became the core to Na’s short-lived AtlantisMUCK, which was launched in 1990. AtlantisMUCK grew to be "tremendously popular", but was shut down in August of that year. Nevertheless, by that time copies of Na’s code had spread, and by late 1990, FurryMUCK had been released using Na’s version of TinyMUCK.
According to Tina "Jahangiri" Smith, the founders of FurryMUCK were looking for a theme for their new MUCK, and "furries" emerged as an option. The aim was to combine furry fandom with the MUD's users — the former group needing a better method of communication, while the latter understood "high speed roleplay". However, one early difficulty faced by the growing FurryMUCK community related to where to host the system. The original version of FurryMUCK was hosted at North Carolina State University
until mid 1991, when it was forced to move. A new home was found at the University of California at Irvine, where it resided until November of that year. While at UC Irvine FurryMUCK was limited to 63 concurrent users. In November FurryMUCK moved again, this time to a server at Carnegie-Mellon University. It remained there until September, 1992, when FurryMUCK was deleted and had to be restarted (with the loss of considerable work) at the University of Toronto
. Toronto proved to be only a short-term home, and in October 1993, after a call for volunteers to host the system, it was moved to St. Norbert College
. This time the address proved to be more stable, and FurryMUCK remained at St. Norbert until 1999, when it was finally relocated to a dedicated server.
At times, FurryMUCK has undergone turmoil in response to Internet content legislative efforts.
In spite of the many moves, FurryMUCK grew rapidly, and by 1995 was regarded as one of the "most successful MUDs". Four years later, in 1999, FurryMUCK had become "one of the longest-running and best-maintained social MUCKs online", and it is still online today.
MUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
-style games in existence. It was founded in 1990 as an online gathering place for furry fans to meet and socialize in a virtual role-playing
Role-playing
Role-playing refers to the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role...
environment. Over time, FurryMUCK has become one of the central focal points for furry fandom
Furry fandom
Furry fandom is a fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, the ability to speak, walk on two legs, and wear clothes...
, with a user base consisting of several thousand, with over 150 users regularly signed on simultaneously. It has a reputation, among virtual world
Virtual world
A virtual world is an online community that takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects. The term has become largely synonymous with interactive 3D virtual environments, where the users take the form of...
s, as an environment heavily focused on TinySex
Cybersex
Cybersex, also called computer sex, Internet sex, netsex, mudsex, TinySex and, colloquially, cybering, is a virtual sex encounter in which two or more persons connected remotely via computer network send each other sexually explicit messages describing a sexual experience...
.
Many furry fans state that their first exposure to furry fandom came from FurryMUCK. Many of the more popular phrases of furry jargon, including "yiff" and "scritch" stem from this virtual environment.
West Corner of the Park is the central meeting place within the MUCK. It is held to a non-explicit rating and is generally continually populated. Visitors will emerge into the Park. There is also a webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
of the same name which is set on FurryMUCK, usually in the park.
History
The first MUDMUD
A MUD , pronounced , is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, with the term usually referring to text-based instances of these. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat...
s appeared in 1978, and provided a text-based virtual world
Virtual world
A virtual world is an online community that takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects. The term has become largely synonymous with interactive 3D virtual environments, where the users take the form of...
focused on adventure
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. While the first MUDs were clearly focused on the game, things changed in 1989 when Jim Aspnes released TinyMUD
TinyMUD
TinyMUD is the name of a MUD server codebase, and the first MUD running that codebase. The MUD itself has subsequently come to be known as "TinyMUD Classic" or simply "Classic", or occasionally "DaisyMUD"...
. TinyMUD allowed users to focus on building and socialisation, rather than game playing. It did not take long until TinyMUD
TinyMUD
TinyMUD is the name of a MUD server codebase, and the first MUD running that codebase. The MUD itself has subsequently come to be known as "TinyMUD Classic" or simply "Classic", or occasionally "DaisyMUD"...
had emerged as the "most popular MUD on the internet", and a subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
of furry fans
Furry fandom
Furry fandom is a fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, the ability to speak, walk on two legs, and wear clothes...
emerged within the system. These players "described themselves as anthropomorphic animals", and proved to be "somewhat controversial".
With TinyMUD's success a number of alternative systems derived from TinyMUD’s basic architecture emerged. One of these variants was TinyMUCK
TinyMUCK
TinyMUCK or, more broadly, a MUCK, is a type of user-extendable online text-based role-playing game, designed for role playing and social interaction...
, a program originally developed and released by Stephen White. Piaw Na became interested in White’s TinyMUCK in 1990, and decided to implement Forth as the programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
for development within the environment. The result was MUCK Forth (MUF), as implemented in TinyMUCK 2.0, which became the core to Na’s short-lived AtlantisMUCK, which was launched in 1990. AtlantisMUCK grew to be "tremendously popular", but was shut down in August of that year. Nevertheless, by that time copies of Na’s code had spread, and by late 1990, FurryMUCK had been released using Na’s version of TinyMUCK.
According to Tina "Jahangiri" Smith, the founders of FurryMUCK were looking for a theme for their new MUCK, and "furries" emerged as an option. The aim was to combine furry fandom with the MUD's users — the former group needing a better method of communication, while the latter understood "high speed roleplay". However, one early difficulty faced by the growing FurryMUCK community related to where to host the system. The original version of FurryMUCK was hosted at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
until mid 1991, when it was forced to move. A new home was found at the University of California at Irvine, where it resided until November of that year. While at UC Irvine FurryMUCK was limited to 63 concurrent users. In November FurryMUCK moved again, this time to a server at Carnegie-Mellon University. It remained there until September, 1992, when FurryMUCK was deleted and had to be restarted (with the loss of considerable work) at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. Toronto proved to be only a short-term home, and in October 1993, after a call for volunteers to host the system, it was moved to St. Norbert College
St. Norbert College
St. Norbert College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,175...
. This time the address proved to be more stable, and FurryMUCK remained at St. Norbert until 1999, when it was finally relocated to a dedicated server.
At times, FurryMUCK has undergone turmoil in response to Internet content legislative efforts.
In spite of the many moves, FurryMUCK grew rapidly, and by 1995 was regarded as one of the "most successful MUDs". Four years later, in 1999, FurryMUCK had become "one of the longest-running and best-maintained social MUCKs online", and it is still online today.
External links
- Official web site
- FurryMUCK on WikiFur