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I agree completely that it'd be incredibly hard to implement a fully-objective rating format. But the present format is completely subjective and MUD-player demographics heavily favor some types of MUDs over others. For example, it's amazing that two of the three RPIs in existance are on the front page, yet I doubt there's any way all three could consistently hold Top 20 spots. There probably aren't enough RPI players in existance to do this if even 20% of the players of other types of MUDs voted. A shame really since the three RPIs are all of some of the highest quality available out there (and in my personal opinion, ranked in the exact opposite order of quality, a reflection no doubt of the lesser emphasis on role-play on the most popular one and a greater emphasis on role-play in the least popular one which allows the former to appeal to a broader range of player than just role-players but less-so to those specifically seeking RPI-niche traits).
Perhaps the best thing that could be done, as I said before, would be a greater monitoring/regulation of the way in which MUDs on the list advertise themselves. We're already seeing numerous attempts by MUDs to skirt around voting rules and false advertising is so blatant that it makes one want to puke. Holding MUDs to a greater standard of honesty would be a good thing. I can't tell you how many times I've run searchs on "level-less" MUDs only to find that more than half of them have levels. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've run searches on "historical" MUDs only to find that half the list have no historical tie-in whatsoever (my favorites in this example are MUDs with futuristic original worlds that turn up on "historical" searchs). Greater regulation of how MUDs classify themselves, a wider array of "Top 5" lists (Commercial, PK, RPI, H&S, science-fiction, fantasy, etc), plus a "Top 5 Most-Popular" to satisfy the top beneficiaries of the present system would make TMS a greater resource to all MUDders rather than just a resource to those MUDs which can lie, cheat, bribe, or just sit back and enjoy the fact that most people don't really understand how the present system works.
Take care,
Jason
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