A 'client' is a program you use to connect to the MUSH. If you are logged into  
Los Angeles and reading this, you are using a client. 'Telnet' is a client,     
albeit a simple one. (The MUSH program itself is called a 'server'). A good     
client allows you to switch between MUSHes whilst staying logged into           
'background' MUSHes, handles linewrapping well and includes a log function. A   
basic web search will yield a variety of clients from which to choose. Three of 
the more popular are as follows:                                                
                                                                                
MUSHclient       [mushclient.htm]  
SimpleMU                 [simplemu.onlineroleplay.com/]   
Tiny Fugue       [                                                                          
Mud] Master 2000    http://www.mmgui.com                                    
                                                                                
Larger lists can be found at sites such as [clients.htm.]     

Hello! Welcome to Los Angeles: A House Divided. If you've made it this far,     
there are some simple commands that you need to set onto your character. Enter  
them on a blank line, as you see them below. In brackets, following each        
command, is the description of the command.                                     
                                                                                
&sex me=<male|female> (choose one, for obvious reasons)               
@lock me=me (prevents other people moving you around)                           
@set me=enter_ok (allows people to give you items)                              
@lock/uselock me=me (keeps people from using your commands)                     
@lock/enterlock me= =#0 (keeps people from stealing your stuff)                 
@desc me=<text> (a description of what your character looks like)         
@adesc me=@pemit me=%N just looked at you! (this command will                   
        tell you when another player looks at you)                              

                                                                                
This is our list of the most important commands that we think you need to know  
at first. They are covered in help <name> if they are normal commands     
common to all MUSHes that use this code and +help <name> if they are      
installed specifically on Los Angeles.                                          
                                                                                
say (help say)                                                                  
page (help page)                                                                
+mail (+help +mail)                                                             
+feedback (+help ooc/feedback)                                                  

Because this is a game involving a good number of people there are tenets of    
courtesy and propriety that should be followed. First and foremost, please      
remember at all times that there is another, living, feeling person behind the  
character with whom you are roleplaying. No matter what /your/ character's      
motivation may be, not everyone's player is equipped to deal with what might    
happen to their character.                                                      
                                                                                
It is also wise to keep IC and OOC separate. If a player knows some information 
out of character, it DOES NOT mean that your character knows it. You may also   
hear things OOC about a tinyplot or a pending tinyplot. This also DOES NOT mean 
that your character has the information. It confuses everyone and messes up the 
careful planning of the administration when OOCly gained information transcends 
into IC play. In short, everybody suffers. If you'd like to be involved, ask,   
don't force it.                                                                 

Another important thing: It's fun to role play. Everybody is here to do just    
that. But it's polite to page someone and ask if they have time to roleplay. Not
everyone has an unlimited amount of time to play and if the person you would    
like to RP with is busy, please understand. Repeated paging only interrupts what
they might otherwise be involved in.                                            
                                                                                
Occasionally, conflicts will arise in the course of play where one player might 
wish to interact with another player in a way that makes one of them            
uncomfortable. If you feel that something is being done to your character that  
you as a /player/ find wholly offensive, communicate these issues OOC to the    
other players involved. If this does not resolve the matter, page an Arbiter or 
a staff member immediately. You also have the power to logoff or go +ooc. These 
options should never be used simply as a means of escaping the consequences of  
IC actions (see +news theme/face the music), but a request to "fade to     
black" on the scene and have a summary resolution without detailed RP is   
within your rights.                                                             
                                                                                
As a final matter, if you page a staff member and do not receive an immediate   
response, it is best to +feedback/request (see +help ooc/feedback) your request 
to them, as it is not always easy for a person to meet your needs immediately if
they are otherwise busy, and pages can sometimes be missed.                     

A MUD (Multiple User Dimension, Multiple User Dungeon, or Multiple User         
Dialogue) is a computer program which users can log into and explore. Each user 
takes control of a computerized persona/avatar/incarnation/ character. You can  
walk around, chat with other characters, explore dangerous monster-infested     
areas, solve puzzles, and even create your very own rooms, descriptions and     
items. A MUSH (Multi-User Shared Hallucination) is a particular variety of MUD  
that lends itself more to social interaction than some other types. Most of the 
MUDs that seek to emphasize role-playing over roll-playing use MUSH programs    
rather than the alternatives. (Thanks to Moira's MUD FAQ for this).             

Using OOC (Out of Character) information for IC (In Character) purposes, or     
giving out OOC information detrimental to enjoyment of the game (such as paging 
people information their lores do not give access to) spoils the game and is,   
essentially, against house rules. This includes:                                
                                                                                
o Pages are always Out of Character; exceptions might include phones,           
radios, and similar devices.                                                    
o Pages are the *only* accepted way of discussing OOC matters without           
going +ooc. If you say it out loud on the street and you are not talking        
to a judge then expect other players to treat you as if you said it IC.         
o Do not say things OOC in public areas, *even* with an <>OOC<>     
prefix.                                                                         
o Things learned from Command and Speech sweepers are OOC.                      
o The Examine command is OOC, though Investigation may be used.                 
o Things learned from roommates, SOs, friends, are OOC, unless an IC            
meeting occurs, or is alluded to.                                               
o Always react in an IC way to things that are not simulated with coding.       
o You do not even know all the text that appears on screen IC. For              
instance, you must meet a person before you ICly know their name.               
(Didi@CoD, edited)                                                              

Let's pretend for grown ups. Some of us pretend to be Vampires, some pretend to 
be normal humans, and we have adventures.                                       
                                                                                
Roleplaying is about taking on the character of another person, someone         
different from yourself. It is quite easy to 'play yourself', particularly in a 
MUSH such as this where things are so like the real world, but role-playing     
really comes to life when we are more adventurous.                              
                                                                                
The heart of roleplaying is a good concept for your character. Character concept
is something that you create, in your mind, or on paper, for yourself. Yes, the 
RP staff *will* ask you about it, or ask for a copy of one before you are       
allowed certain things, but it is primarily something you make for yourself.    
(after Didi@CoD)                                                                

Following are some terms that you may see used in the course of play and idle   
time as well as their definitions. Please note that these definitions are the   
opinion of this MUSH and not necessarily the same on other MUSHes.              
                                                                                
OOC - Out of Character: This term describes when you, as a player, are talking  
to another player about any topic but the words are not from your character     
directly. You may be discussing where each player is from but not where the     
characters are from. OOC discussions are, more often thannot, about the fate of 
a particular character, what is the next move of the character, directions to a 
place to meet or information about a character that one player would like to    
share with another. They should be made via pages ('help page'), or in the OOC  
room.                                                                           
                                                                                
IC - In Character: Obviously, the opposite of OOC. When you are in complete     
roleplaying mode. You must be 'in character' to accrue votes for experience.    

PC - Player Character ("PC"): Any character designed for this MUSH and
played for the enjoyment of a single person. Anybody who logs on and makes a    
character has made a PC.                                                        
                                                                                
NPC - Non Player Character ("NPC"): These are characters on the MUSH  
that are generally run by the staff. These characters are used to further plots 
along or aid other PCs in furthering a plot. These NPCs are generally played for
a limited time and have a limited use. Often, if you were to see a ghost or a   
dead body... or something of that nature, like as not, it is an NPC.            
                                                                                
ARBITER - When two or more players have a conflict, or a person is trying to    
attempt something by themselves that involves their stats, an ARBITER is usually
called. An Arbiter is an Architect who helps players resolve disputes that they 
cannot resolve themselves.                                                      

TWINK - This is more of a slang term. A TWINK is a player who seems more intent 
on ruining everybody's good time than they are in forwarding the theme of the   
game. Their stats may be skewed so that no one could beat them in a fair fight  
or they may use knowledge gained OOC to further their IC interests.             
                                                                                
RL - Real Life: Anything that pertains to you and what you do outside of this   
environment of Los Angeles.                                                     
                                                                                
VR - Virtual Reality: Anything that pertains to the environment of Los Angeles, 
Internet itself or other computer generated, graphically enhanced, non real life
experiences.