As all Kotaku readers know, Second Life is the virtual world most famous for finally allowing Wagner James Au to experience the semblance of getting laid. But what would he have done if Second Life had never been created? To what game would WJA and Second Life's panoply of virtual prostitutes flocked then?

Over at The Escapist, Richard Bartle — the game designer who created the very first MUD back in 1978 — has a highly entertaining account of the sex MUD a dot com company approached him to created in 2000. It's a really great read, detailing the tough decisions that go into designing a game of this type. For example, do you implement a PvP-like system and allow characters to flag themselves as rape-able? How is pregnancy handled? What about chlamydia? Bartle even describes an innovative sexual "combat" system in which the amount of "mana" you have doesn't benefit you, but instead your partner.

Of course, the Dot Com bubble burst and the game was never completed, but even if you aren't Wagner James Au, you should read Bartle's reminisces. This is a hugely entertaining read and actually a good primer on the game design process to boot.

I Was Young, I Needed the Money [Escapist]

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