OtherSpace MUSH Reborn

Back in 1998, I got together with a bunch of friends from around the world and started OtherSpace MUSH – an original-theme space opera “multi-user shared hallucination,” which is a creative way of saying virtual live-action roleplaying.

At its peak, during our Telnet days around 1999 and 2000, we saw more than 100 players exercising their imaginations, throwing pebbles into plot pools, and becoming the main characters in an evolving epic. As graphical MMORPGs – especially World of Warcraft – and then mobile phones (and their distracting apps – sorry, be right back, I have to catch up on my Marvel Snap missions) took hold of our attention, games like OtherSpace faded into obscurity.

I tried reviving and reinventing the game several times: Within the PennMUSH platform on Telnet, in forums, on Slack, on Discord, in the web-based AresMUSH platform. But I’ve never been able to achieve the critical mass of active participants that’s really needed to drive their own stories forward and, maybe more important, I haven’t had the bandwidth to provide story hooks or live events.

After the 25th anniversary of launching OtherSpace, in 2023, I put it on hiatus and thought maybe I’d left that universe behind for good.

Then, in July 2024, I started working on Southpoint Access, which does an excellent job of scratching my journalistic itch for providing local news to my neighbors. It’s a heck of a lot like how I felt in 1998, when we launched the daily edition of the Central Pasco Times in Florida. And what else did I do that same year?

I love symmetry. So, I’m trying again.

I’ve officially outlined five new OtherSpace story arcs that are expected to play out over about two and a half years (depending on participation) under the umbrella title “The Fractured Singularity.”

Titles for the arcs contained within the saga:

• The First Light.
• The Lost Protocols.
• Shadows of Control.
• The Dawn of Sovereignty.
• Balance of Power.

Some OtherSpace veterans may recall the early days when we had an initial run of five story arcs, during which HUGE changes occurred within the game universe. I am older now than Danny Glover was in Lethal Weapon, and I’m just too old for that s***. Suffice it to say, these arcs are designed more for personal and emotional impact for players than they are for setting up and knocking down narrative bowling pins that I have to keep rearranging. Different characters dealing with challenges and choices? Sure. Having to frequently get used to a new normal? That happens too much in real life to deal with in a roleplaying game.

For your planning purposes, “The Fractured Singularity” storylines would benefit from these character types:

• Diplomat: Someone who can bridge factions, negotiate alliances, mitigate conflicts.
• Technician: A resourceful character skilled in technology and analysis of alien artifacts.
• Soldier: Protector in hostile situations, skilled in combat strategy, courageous and disciplined.
• Skeptical Investigator: Someone who’s a critical thinker who tries to uncover secrets and hidden agendas.
• Ethical Philosopher: A counselor, priest, or scholar who can provide a moral compass and reflect on ethical consequences.
• Knowledge Seeker: Collector of alien wisdom and relics with a curious mind that’s hungry for lore and learning.

Use SimpleMU, MUSHClient, or some other favorite Telnet client to connect to jointhesaga.com 1790 and get started on a character today. Join us on our OtherSpace Discord. Follow us on BlueSky!