hackmud is a text-based multiplayer hacking simulator for keyboard-compatible personal home computers. Crack protected systems and solve puzzles as you explore the abandoned internet of the future. Write scripts to protect your winnings and trick other players. Lose everything. Get it back.
At the core of the gameplay, players interact with the game world through a fully scriptable command-line interface. This allows them to write their own JavaScript programs to automate tasks, hack systems, and engage with other players. The ability to code and script is a central focus, empowering players with technical skills to create powerful tools and utilities.
The game provides an open-ended sandbox environment, eschewing linear objectives in favor of allowing players to explore, discover, and shape their own experiences. Without hand-holding, players must navigate the world, uncover secrets, and devise their own challenges and narratives. This emergent gameplay enables a high degree of creativity and player agency.
The persistent in-game economy is player-driven, enabling the buying, selling, and trading of items and user-created scripts. This economic system is closely tied to the game's social dynamics, as players must navigate a world of potential allies and adversaries. Trust, betrayal, and social engineering become key elements as players outmaneuver and outsmart each other.
Hacking is a core mechanic, allowing players to exploit security vulnerabilities and steal resources from others. However, the game also provides tools for players to defend their own systems, creating an ongoing arms race between attackers and defenders. Mastering hacking techniques and security measures is crucial to success.
The game world is filled with procedurally generated puzzles and challenges for players to solve, ranging from simple code-cracking to complex logic puzzles and riddles. Uncovering hidden content and solving these puzzles is essential for gaining resources, information, and strategic advantages.
The game is known for its steep learning curve, as it provides minimal handholding or tutorials. This can be daunting for new players, but it also cultivates a strong sense of community, with experienced players often offering guidance and support through the game's active Discord server and in-game channels.