[Mediterraneo10]

> these often tight knit, yet welcoming, communities.

Are they really welcoming? Over the last few years I have occasionally revisited some 1990s-era communities (Usenet groups, forums on a dedicated website, mailing lists...) in search of a sense of tight-knit connectedness lost with modern huge networks like Facebook or Reddit. Yet I almost always found that those 1990s communities that had survived, had eroded down to a handful of posters who were mostly angry and cantankerous, or outright mentally ill. Thus, it was hard for any newcomer to feel comfortable among them. So, I am now very wary about going back to any kind of old-school community, and it would take a lot of evidence to convince me that it was worthwhile to even try.

[throwvondannen]

Yeah, some are bogged down in politics and dominated by a few Methuselah with ego problems, but I've played plenty and those are in the minority and stick out like sore thumbs. Keep away from MUDs that take themselves too serious and you're good. Or look out for freshly established ones. Aardwolf would be one example with a very friendly population. Gamewise it's a hodgepodge of creative writing and doesn't follow any strong guidelines.

[2snakes]

This has been my experience as well. Tight-knit communities do not age very well. They're almost cabalistic.