MUD（多用户维度）是一种纯文本驱动的多人虚拟世界游戏，通过命令行或专用客户端访问 [1]。玩家可在其中体验具备记录、颜色、别名、触发器、计时器和地图等功能的游戏环境 [1]。
尽管图形技术已取得长足进步，MUD仍因多项独特优势在互联网社区中保持活力 [1]。其核心特性在于持续变化的环境模拟系统，能够模拟时间、天气、经济、NPC日程等复杂交互 [1]。学者Rheingold将MUD定义为"人们用言语和编程语言即兴创作、建造世界、解决谜题的虚拟空间" [1]。
MUD在包容性方面具有显著优势，特别是对视障玩家而言 [1]。由于游戏完全基于文本，视障玩家可通过屏幕阅读器完全体验游戏内容 [1]。同时，MUD的创作成本相对低廉——建立一个质量较好的MUD需要数月至数年的开发周期，创建成本主要源于文字描述而非图形资源 [1]。
学者Turkle指出，"MUD是新型虚拟客厅游戏、新型社区形式，也是协作写作文学，玩家既是消费者也是内容创造者" [1]。这种高度定制化和强社群特性使MUD能够为玩家提供独特的创意表达空间 [1]。
对于有志于MUD开发的JavaScript开发者，业界推荐使用Ranvier引擎和Pinwheel项目进行开发 [1]。
Multi-user dungeons (MUDs) represent a distinctive category of text-based virtual worlds that continue to offer unique value despite advances in graphical gaming technology [1]. These platforms function as collaborative environments where players interact through command-line interfaces or dedicated clients, with features including logging capabilities, color support, aliases, triggers, timers, and mapping functionality [1].
The technical foundation of MUDs centers on dynamic environmental simulation systems capable of modeling complex interactions such as time passage, weather patterns, economic systems, and non-player character schedules [1]. Scholar Rheingold has characterized MUDs as "virtual spaces where people improvise with words and programming language to build worlds, solve puzzles, and create collectively" [1]. Similarly, researcher Turkle describes them as "new forms of virtual parlor games and community spaces, as well as collaborative literary composition, where players function simultaneously as consumers and content creators" [1].
A significant advantage of MUDs lies in their accessibility for players with visual impairments, who can fully experience gameplay through screen readers [1]. Unlike graphically intensive games, developing a quality MUD typically requires investment of several months to years of development time, with costs centered on textual creation rather than graphical asset production [1]. For JavaScript developers interested in MUD creation, the Ranvier engine and Pinwheel project are recommended development frameworks [1].