Stanford University Libraries recently took a trip back to the not-so-distant past when it acquired the original source code for the first online virtual world, MUD1.

Multi-User Dungeon (MUD1) was a text-based adventure in which individuals typed in commands to progress through the game. The virtual world marked a step forward compared to previous offerings because it allowed users to play the game online, rather than being forced to play it alone.

The initial version of the game allowed users to solve puzzles in collaboration with other people. As the game grew and evolved, users were allowed to attack other characters and build their own castles.

The game was created in 1978 by students from Essex University in England. While it can be played online currently, Stanford plans to make the original source code available online at some point in the near future.

Andrew Vogeley