Look what the book fairy just brought! Well, not quite the book fairy, it was an ordinary mailman. But what a book! Why, it's a book from none other than our very own Richard Bartle: the title is Designing Virtual Worlds.

Have you ever considered writing your own MUD game? You'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you read Richard's book before you begin. But you don't have to be an aspiring game designer to benefit from Richard's book: all MUD players will gain a better understanding of the world they "live" in as the Land's creator reveals the thoughts that were behind his design decisions.

All in all, highly recommended, not only for its content, but also for Richard's entertaining narrative. The anecdotal examples alone are well worth buying the book for.