Evennia — Python MUD/MU* Game Engine

Evennia is an open-source Python-based framework for building modern multiplayer text games (MUDs, MUSHes, MUXes, MUCKs, and MOOs). It provides a flexible foundation that handles networking, persistence, and core infrastructure without imposing specific game mechanics, allowing developers to extend it using standard Python.

Why Evennia Matters

• Modern Python stack: Built on Django, Twisted, and modern Python 3, making it accessible to developers familiar with web frameworks
• Full persistence: All game state persists across server reboots via database (SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL)
• Protocol agnostic: Supports Telnet/SSL, SSH, WebSocket/HTML5, IRC, and RSS
• Learn by building: Excellent for learning Python while creating something playable
• Hot-reloading: Update code without disconnecting players

Official Documentation

Start here, not with tutorials: evennia.com

The official Evennia docs are comprehensive and actively maintained. Don’t try to learn Evennia from third-party guides alone—the framework evolves rapidly and the official documentation is the source of truth.

• Evennia Introduction — Core concepts and architecture
• Beginner Tutorial — Build a complete small game from scratch (based on Knave RPG)
• Evennia GitHub — Source code, issues, and discussions

Quick Start

pip install evennia
evennia --init mygame
cd mygame
evennia start

Access via web at http://localhost:4001 or MUD client at localhost:4000.

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Curated Resources

Example Projects & Games

Learn from existing codebases:

• Ainneve — Full example MUD using Open Adventure system. Fantasy theme, turn-based combat, roleplay-focused. The primary reference implementation. Play online | GitHub

• Evennia minimud — Minimal working game built entirely from Evennia contribs (2.0.0 codebase). Great starting point for new projects.

• EvscapeRoom — Complete multiplayer escape room engine. Shows how to build puzzle-based gameplay. Also available as an Evennia contrib.

• Arx — Open-source code from the popular Arx game. Story-driven MUSH with advanced social/political systems. Uses older Evennia version. Installation guide.

• Encarnia — Game dir with races, combat, and RPG systems for older Evennia. Reddit summary.

• The Dark Net MUD — Hackers-style cyberspace zone with puzzles from DEF CON 27. Shows unique thematics and challenge design.

• Evennia Game Index — Live games built with Evennia, including Silent Heaven (horror RP), Song of Avaria (story RP), Empire, and others.

Programming Resources

Evennia-specific development patterns:

• Python Basic Introduction — Intro to Python concepts in context of Evennia. Great for beginners.

• Evennia in Pictures — Visual guide to typeclasses, inheritance, and object architecture.

• Typeclasses — Core abstraction for game entities. Essential reading.

• Evennia Code Style — Conventions for imports, naming, docstrings, and code organization.

• Tutorial World — Single-player tutorial area (dark rooms, puzzles, AI mobs, combat). Type tutorial in-game to explore.

• EvCast Video Tutorials — Community video series on installation and Python concepts.

• Evennia Devblog — Musings from lead developer Griatch, organized by year. Covers new features, design decisions, and release notes.

  • 2022 posts — Evennia 1.0 progress, beginner tutorial updates
  • 2021 posts — Advice on building game engines, architecture discussions
  • 2018 posts — Evennia 0.8 release, OLC (Online Creator) system
  • 2017 posts — yield in commands, event systems, IRC bots, EvEditor

• ChatGPT Evennia Guide — Custom GPT loaded with Evennia docs (as of Dec 2023). Useful for quick questions.

• Evennia on GitHub Search — All Evennia-related repositories.

Articles & Blog Posts

Community perspectives and case studies:

• Evennia for MUSHers — Explains Evennia for those coming from traditional MUSH codebases.

• MUD Tech: Fun/Cool, But Don’t Forget to Ship — Greg Taylor’s advice on MUD design and avoiding feature creep.

• Language Understanding for Text Games Using Deep RL — MIT research paper using Evennia to train AI agents. PDF.

• MUD Cookbook: Design Meets Implementation — Design philosophy for text-based worlds (code vs. player balance, emergent gameplay).

MUD Design Theory

Foundational texts for building persistent virtual worlds:

• Designing Virtual Worlds (Richard Bartle) — Free PDF from the co-creator of the original MUD. Essential reading for persistent world design. Covers player psychology, world physics, economics, and social dynamics.

• Bartle’s Taxonomy of Player Types — Killers, Achievers, Explorers, Socializers. Foundational model for understanding player motivations.

• GNS Theory (Gamist, Narrativist, Simulationist) — Framework for understanding player preferences and designing mechanics to support them.

• Raph Koster’s Laws of Online World Design — Thought-provoking guidelines from the creator of Ultima Online.

• Nick Gammon’s Hints for Starting Your MUD — Comprehensive checklist of things to think about when designing a new MUD.

• Lost Library of MOO — Archive of scientific articles on mudding (particularly MOO).

• Imaginary Realities Archive — E-magazine on MUD design with several Evennia articles.

• writing-games.com — Curated collection of blogs and texts on text-based gaming.

Community Resources

Get help, share projects, and connect with other developers:

• Evennia Discord — Primary support channel. Active #getting-help channel for troubleshooting.

• Evennia GitHub Discussions — Forum for questions, project sharing, development discussions. Posts auto-announce to Discord.

• MUD Coder’s Guild — Blog and Slack channel for MUD development (not Evennia-specific).

• Multi User Dungeon Discord — General MUD development server.

• r/MUD on Reddit — MUD-centered subreddit with development discussions.

• Grapevine — MUD listings and inter-game chat network.

• MudBytes — MUD listing and forums.

• Top Mud Sites — MUD listing and forums.

Related Tools

Utilities for MUD development:

• ROM Area Reader — Parser for converting ROM area files to Python objects (useful for importing legacy MUD content).

• MUD Protocol Documentation — Classic MUD telnet protocols reference.

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Why This Article Exists

Brad previously used Evennia as a “learn Python” project, exploring game design, TTRPG mechanics, and MUD architecture. This collection serves as a curated resource for anyone interested in text-based multiplayer game development, whether for learning Python, exploring game design theory, or building a persistent virtual world.

The focus is on links, not recreating documentation—Evennia’s official docs are excellent and maintained by the core team. This article curates the ecosystem: example projects, design philosophy, community resources, and theoretical foundations that complement the official documentation.

This approach reflects The Practice—learning by building, documenting what you discover, and leaving a trail for others to follow.

See Also

• D&D 5e Encounter Design — tabletop RPG mechanics and balance
• The Practice — learning through making and recording the journey

Sources

Primary Sources

• Evennia Official Documentation — Framework authors
• Evennia GitHub Repository — Source code and discussions
• Evennia Devblog — Lead developer Griatch’s development diary
• Richard Bartle’s Designing Virtual Worlds — Free PDF from original MUD co-creator

Secondary Sources

• Web search synthesis of Evennia ecosystem (tutorials, community posts, example projects)
• Perplexity — Research aggregation (Feb 2026)
• Community articles from MUSoapbox, MUD Coder’s Guild, and development blogs
• Academic research (MIT deep RL paper using Evennia)

Further Reading

• The Alexandrian — TTRPG design (applicable to MUD systems)
• Lost Garden — Game development blog
• What Games Are — General game design theory