So I've taken a break from CF, until I can get a better rein of my temper I probably won't be back either. I have looked at a few other Muds though and learnt a few things.

For any mud to survive, you need new players. Recently in my boredom I started several characters on various Muds that rarely drop below 200 players, even during the Aussie peak. I was trying to kill time, but it was somewhat interesting seeing how long they each lasted me, and determining why.

The key factor that kept me from quitting within the first hour, or even 15 minutes was how quickly you actually got into the game. Long academies, newbie quests and the like were far more likely to make me quit. Whereas the games where I could pretty much jump into killing mobs, and gaining levels were far more appealing, even if I was completely lost.

The problem I see with CF is it is incredibility newbie unfriendly. CF is probably one of the tougher Mud to master, yet it contains less newbie help than most of the easier muds.

Some examples of what I found appealing on other Muds;

Automatic hints that could be toggled on and off were actually quite handy, even if some were blatantly advertising the mud I was on. E.g. Hint: Shapeshifters can not actually choose their forms, only what type of form they'd like to focus upon. The forms you gain are completely random, and the more powerful combos are quite rare. See; help shapeshift
An ad like that to a player from one of the more standard and boring muds like Aardwolf is definitely going to spark some interest.

Automatic hints and tips when I reached an obstacle were far less draining than slogging through a text file on how to use a key when forced into a locked room. Similar to what happens when you hit level 11 and you enter PK range.

Not being forced through the same stupid academy on every mud teaching me how to look, move and eat. There should be two academy paths; one for complete Mud noobs, which we have now, and one for vets from other muds. Maybe during creation you give three options; New to CF; New to Mudding in general; or neither.

Completely OOC help files on where and how rank and quest for the low levels. Every vet already knows this, and any noob could find it IF they new the right websites. A help file listing good areas to rank with directions included, and I don't mean "north of Galadon", I mean; 4n2w2n2e, or better yet; a link to a map.

Another OOC helpfile with a "basic regear" list for each main class type. Of course you'd state in the help file that this is only to put them on even footing with the vets, and that after level 15-20 they'd have to work it out for themselves.

Much of what the academy has to teach newbies can be done with CF's excellent help command (which I must say kicks the living #### out of any other mud I've played) or the newbie channel. Expanding the newbie channel so that more players, not just pre-11 and IMMs can talk on it would help too. Maybe grant it to people who request it, or once you pass a certain number of hours, but be quick to remove it and punish any who abuse it too.
Instead of forcing new players to read a slab of help files when they start, 99% of which they'll forget almost instantly, just drill into them that if they get stuck help <name> will almost always find what they want, and if it doesn't there's always someone on the newbie channel.

Also, CF is a PvP mud. I'm sure It's more bloody and vicious than any other PvP mud out there, so why not advertise it? Why not allow PvP in the academy arena, or at least parts of it. Give small amounts of exp for winning, and even some for losing. Make it so you don't die, you just get DEFEATED like the current arena, and stop any skill improvements so people can't abuse it. Like I said, starting a new mud is beyond boring, it's a chore and this is a good way to combat it.

I dunno, I'm starting to ramble a bit now. I figured I just throw some ideas out there and see what you thought.