Question Using D&D Campaigns when Creating MUDs

So, this is a request to see what your points of view are for using existing D&D campaigns for MUD themes. I know there are lots of them out there -- Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance have quite a few MUDs exploring their campaigns, not to mention the original D&D setting. In my curiosity, though, I'm finding that some campaign settings are coming up with no results on MudConnect or elsewhere.

Is this because there are strict rules on using content for some of them? For example, Eberron. The campaign setting has been ported to 4.0... Does that mean that the Eberron campaign is considered "off-limits" for a project like a MUD? Is that why there are no MUDs that I've found based on Eberron? Or is it just an unpopular campaign?

I mean, even Shadowrun -- which isn't D&D, but still has a considerable amount of content available for tabletopping -- has MUDs based in its universe.

Anyway, just curious. Of course, the safest way to play anything that begins crossing intellectual property and licensing issues is to just make your own (as so many have done with their own codebases), but just looking for some opinions.

Thanks for humoring me (if you decide to haaaa)!

Dont think there are any limitations, cus if you are a GM you use the books to make a world for people to play, does it happend on a table in someone home in the good old days, or on a mud, i dont see the difference.
And never read anything suggesting a limitation.

That's not always the case. I don't remember it too clearly, since it was practically a decade ago, but I think there was an issue with one mux having used a city's name (Pebble Beach) and some issues came up because of it. Thankfully they were worked out, though I'm not sure how exactly. Or maybe I'm remembering wrong, like I said it was a long time ago. The point is to not assume, things can happen.

As for why no one has made an Eberron mud... it might be because it's not really something people want to play. Or the ones who do want to play would rather just do some tabletop gaming instead. Who knows? You could be the first to try making it.

Yeah honestly I've never heard of any issues with making a MUD based on Dragonlance or Forgotten Realms. So I've always assumed its all open-field, especially if you aren't making money on your MUD and don't draw a lot of attention.

On the other hand, I've heard stories of MUD's being told they can't use this author's world for this reason blah blah.

Personally, I have always loved pretty much all the DnD campaigns I've been exposed to, part of the reason our MUD isn't based on a specific campaign is because now I can take and choose content from all the campaigns that I like

JTP wrote: Dont think there are any limitations

There's absolutely limitations.

JTP wrote: cus if you are a GM you use the books to make a world for people to play, does it happend on a table in someone home in the good old days, or on a mud, i dont see the difference.
And never read anything suggesting a limitation.

Huge difference. You play a tabletop game in your home. MUDs are accessible to the public.

It's much like: I can write a sequel to my favorite novel so long as it only exists on my computer.

I however cannot publish it without the permission of the author of the original piece.

As far as Eberron is concerned specifically, I have no clue, but in regards to making MUDs based off D&D in general I'd suggest taking a look at the Open Gaming License (OGL) (this is what Rasputin complied with when written) or the newer royalty-free license called the Game System License (GSL) which is specifically for third-party developers creating games based on the D&D 4th Edition ruleset.

Awesome. Thank you, Fizban, that's what I was looking for.

I had been under the impression, much like JTP, that the availability for GMs to use made it okay to use for MUDs as well, seeing as there are so many MUDs out there that do it.

Not sure what it was that made me start thinking that they must be regulating the usage somehow. I'm glad to know where to look, now, if I ever need to reference it!