--- title: "The DikuMUD family tree" textKind: "reconstruction" voiceLayer: "mythic-admin" source: "Primary source credits and histories linked per relationship" canonical: "https://darkpawns.org/about/#lineage" --- # The DikuMUD family tree Working reconstruction, reviewed 2026-10-23. This is a selection of the family, not every game or contribution. Supported ancestry can omit intermediate releases; an unconfirmed connection needs more evidence and is not necessarily false. Design influence does not assert shared source code. Dark Pawns began on CircleMUD 1.7 in September 1994, according to Frontline's preserved account. It moved to 2.2 in December 1995, 3.0pl9 in March 1996, and 3.0pl11 in June 1996. The chart places the surviving C game under CircleMUD 3.x. DPReturns and the Go restoration are separate descendants of the original Dark Pawns. Merc's credits acknowledge Copper, Alfa, and Silly code; ROM 2.4 uses Merc 2.1. A single-parent tree leaves those exchanges out. SocketMUD is shown separately because the earlier chart's Merc connection remains unconfirmed. ## Relationships and sources - **AberMUD to DikuMUD** (design influence). [DikuMUD: history](https://dikumud.com/history/): The original team’s account of Diku, Sequent, Diku II, and the influences behind the game. Design influence, not a claim that Diku uses AberMUD source. - **DikuMUD to SillyMUD** (supported ancestry). [DaleMUD: surviving credits](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/DaleMUD/blob/b92ba1bf4809826c465d774b179f3f856dbf9462/lib/credits): Preserves the SillyMUD and DikuMUD credits. - **DikuMUD to VieMUD** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **DikuMUD to CircleMUD 1.x** (supported ancestry). [Jeremy Elson: the history of CircleMUD](https://www.circlemud.org/general.html): Diku ancestry, the original Circle game, and the first public release, CircleMUD 2.0. - **DikuMUD to Diku II** (supported ancestry). [DikuMUD: history](https://dikumud.com/history/): The original team’s account of Diku, Sequent, Diku II, and the influences behind the game. - **DikuMUD to Sequent** (supported ancestry). [DikuMUD: history](https://dikumud.com/history/): The original team’s account of Diku, Sequent, Diku II, and the influences behind the game. - **DikuMUD to Eltanin** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **DikuMUD to Techno** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **DikuMUD to Crimson** (supported ancestry). [CrimsonMUD: original credits](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Crimson/blob/fa4486011e7e7fdb4b35fe367093d4959cbb1a65/lib/credits): Names the original Diku source and CrimsonMUD modifications. - **SillyMUD to BlackMUD** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **SillyMUD to DaleMUD** (supported ancestry). [DaleMUD: surviving credits](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/DaleMUD/blob/b92ba1bf4809826c465d774b179f3f856dbf9462/lib/credits): Preserves the SillyMUD and DikuMUD credits. - **CircleMUD 1.x to CircleMUD 2.x** (supported ancestry). [Jeremy Elson: the history of CircleMUD](https://www.circlemud.org/general.html): Diku ancestry, the original Circle game, and the first public release, CircleMUD 2.0. - **CircleMUD 2.x to Archipelago** (supported ancestry). [Archipelago: original README](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Archipelago/blob/e512852b07c894bbea086f79c49dd89b36500808/README): Explicitly based on CircleMUD 2.2. - **CircleMUD 2.x to CircleMUD 3.x** (supported ancestry). [Jeremy Elson: the history of CircleMUD](https://www.circlemud.org/general.html): Diku ancestry, the original Circle game, and the first public release, CircleMUD 2.0. - **CircleMUD 3.x to tbaMUD** (supported ancestry). [The Builder Academy](https://www.tbamud.com/): The project describes tbaMUD as the continued development of CircleMUD. Continuation through CircleMUD 3.1 and later releases; intermediate versions are omitted. - **CircleMUD 3.x to Dark Pawns** (supported ancestry). [Frontline: a brief history of Dark Pawns](https://darkpawns.org/archive/history/): Records CircleMUD 1.7 in 1994, 2.2 in December 1995, 3.0pl9 in March 1996, and 3.0pl11 in June 1996. March 1996: 3.0pl9. June 1996: 3.0pl11. Earlier bases were 1.7 and 2.2. - **CircleMUD 3.x to Lost Lands** (supported ancestry). [Lost Lands: surviving credits](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/LostLands/blob/b889e86937e6ebb49abbca5b2c4d286b5e4e158f/lib/text/credits): This surviving release credits CircleMUD 3.0. Its earliest fork point is not established here. Surviving release credits 3.0; moved here from Circle 2 in the supplied chart. Earlier ancestry is unresolved. - **Dark Pawns to Go restoration** (supported ancestry). [Dark Pawns: Go restoration](https://github.com/zax0rz/darkpawns): The current project ports the surviving C game. It does not descend from DPReturns. Port of the surviving original C game, not of DPReturns. - **Dark Pawns to DPReturns** (supported ancestry). [Dark Pawns Returns: project history](https://github.com/RustySpeedy/darkpawns-returns/blob/master/README.md): The C revival of Dark Pawns, distinct from this Go restoration. A separate revival of the C game. - **Sequent to Nilgiri** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Sequent to Copper I** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Sequent to Fajita** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Copper I to Copper II** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Copper I to Pirate** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Copper I to Merc 1.x** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Copper II to Copper III** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Merc 1.x to ROM 1.0** (supported ancestry). [ROM: original credits in Dawn](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Dawn/blob/127020af06eac484b98da75ab613430cba6affdb/help/credits.txt): Records ROM beginning on Merc 1.0 and the later ROM 2.3 and 2.4 releases. - **Merc 1.x to Merc 2.x** (supported ancestry). [Merc 2.2: original README](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Merc/blob/1d2ea7a92f826ca50945622c9df8945eff7d6ae3/README): Describes Merc as a Diku derivative. The precise Copper fork point in the supplied chart remains unconfirmed. - **Merc 2.x to Vego** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. The supplied chart places Vego under Merc 1; a 1996 operator listing describes Merc 2.1 with 2.2 code. Exact early history remains unresolved. - **ROM 1.0 to ROM 2.3** (supported ancestry). [ROM: original credits in Dawn](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Dawn/blob/127020af06eac484b98da75ab613430cba6affdb/help/credits.txt): Records ROM beginning on Merc 1.0 and the later ROM 2.3 and 2.4 releases. - **ROM 2.3 to ROM 2.4** (supported ancestry). [ROM: original credits in Dawn](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Dawn/blob/127020af06eac484b98da75ab613430cba6affdb/help/credits.txt): Records ROM beginning on Merc 1.0 and the later ROM 2.3 and 2.4 releases. - **ROM 2.3 to SunderMUD** (supported ancestry). [SunderMUD: original credits](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/SunderMUD/blob/3dfedeab7e7bf8863d53e2d9d971dbfc0ab1fa0b/doc/SunderMud.credits): Identifies the ROM 2.3 variant used at Dark Times as its base. - **ROM 2.3 to EmberMUD** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **ROM 2.4 to Anatolia** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **ROM 2.4 to RoT** (supported ancestry). [RoT: preserved credits](https://wiki.cleftofdimensions.net/index.php?title=Credits&oldid=2375): The RoT credits identify ROM 2.4 as its base. - **ROM 2.4 to Oblivion** (supported ancestry). [Dawn: original licenses](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Dawn/blob/127020af06eac484b98da75ab613430cba6affdb/src/docs/licenses.txt): Names ROM 2.4, Oblivion 2.0, and Dawn of Time in the ancestry. - **Oblivion to Dawn of Time** (supported ancestry). [Dawn: original licenses](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Dawn/blob/127020af06eac484b98da75ab613430cba6affdb/src/docs/licenses.txt): Names ROM 2.4, Oblivion 2.0, and Dawn of Time in the ancestry. - **Merc 2.x to ACK!MUD** (supported ancestry). [ACK!MUD: original license and credits](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/AckMUD/blob/a2b2e17373b3b95bb8acce747ea1db17afba7bd3/docs/acklicense.txt): Identifies modified Merc 2.2 and credits Merc 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 code. - **Merc 2.x to Envy 1.0** (supported ancestry). [EnvyMUD 2.0: original README](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/EnvyMUD/blob/0bab3b701ab23247d2788cf37335106adbedb85c/README.old): Explicitly traces Envy 1.0 to Merc 2.2 and Envy 2.0 to Envy 1.0. - **Merc 2.x to SMAUG** (supported ancestry). [SMAUG: original license](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/AFKMud/blob/f2f464c598015c23373775130c3d9f8f1ee80654/doc/license.smaug): Explicitly based on Merc 2.1. - **Merc 2.x to GodWars** (supported ancestry). [GodWars: original license](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/God-Wars/blob/e4cecaf3627f424132b0322f7db6ec0942d8e717/doc/license.gw): Explicitly based on Merc 2.1. - **Merc 2.x to MrMud** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Merc 2.x to NiMUD** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **ACK!MUD to ASSAULT** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **Envy 1.0 to Envy 2.x** (supported ancestry). [EnvyMUD 2.0: original README](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/EnvyMUD/blob/0bab3b701ab23247d2788cf37335106adbedb85c/README.old): Explicitly traces Envy 1.0 to Merc 2.2 and Envy 2.0 to Envy 1.0. - **Envy 2.x to Mythran** (supported ancestry). [Mythran: original license](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/MythranMUD/blob/e45ef5a4500e7d69f25a3502017c3010438732cf/doc/license.myt): Explicitly based on EnvyMUD 2.0. - **Envy 2.x to UltraEnvy** (supported ancestry). [UltraEnvy: original license](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Ultra-Envy/blob/240666877f5c616bfbf9af803bd9dbade0f48bd3/doc/license.ue): The surviving UltraEnvy release traces through Envy 2.2, itself based on Envy 2.0. - **Envy 2.x to EOS** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **SMAUG to AFKMud** (supported ancestry). [AFKMud: original README](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/AFKMud/blob/f2f464c598015c23373775130c3d9f8f1ee80654/README.AFKMUD): The release retains the SMAUG licensing and documents changes to the SMAUG engine. - **SMAUG to SERF** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **GodWars to Dystopia** (supported ancestry). [Dystopia: original license](https://github.com/DikuMUDOmnibus/Dystopia/blob/9b9310d89642a8d0086c4690a03c7e609ec88256/doc/license/license.dystopia): Explicitly based on God Wars. - **MrMud to Emud** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **NiMUD to EmlenMUD** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **SocketMUD to RocketMUD** (unconfirmed connection). Reported in the earlier chart; not established from a primary source in this review. - **SocketMUD to NakedMUD** (supported ancestry). [NakedMUD: maintainer’s project history](https://github.com/NakedMud/nakedmud): Identifies Brian Graversen’s SocketMUD as the foundation. No Merc descent is asserted here. [View the diagram](https://darkpawns.org/about/#lineage). [Open the full-size SVG](https://darkpawns.org/about/lineage.svg).