Drygulch is a MUD game taking place in a Western setting. Inspiration for the name comes from How the West was One + Three x Four where Dry Gulch is one of the train stops. Instead of exploring a fantasy dungeon as was the standard at the time in Drygulch the player explores a gold mine. The player can visit the town itself where there are various locations such as the town hall, bank, general store, assay office (where gathered ore can be turned into money), Kitty’s Saloon, the sheriff’s office and jail, a stable, a hotel, and the cemetery Boot Hill. Each locale has its own contextual menus allowing for different interactions. Not all of which might necessarily help the player, such as shooting the assay office’s proprietor. Actions can lead the player to prison or the cemetery. Elections allow players to run for mayor, sheriff and inspector, bringing even more options to play. The Sheriff can assign rewards to the capture of other players that broke the law and send them to jail. Elected players can be killed even when they are offline.
The core of the game uses a typical stats system similar to Dungeons and Dragons, with stats like strength and dexterity. But it also added stats for injuries, hunger and thirst and carrying capacity. Players can buy a mule at the stables which has similar stats. Instead of fantasy monsters the mine features rats, bats, spiders, bears and coyotes. When coming in contact with a creature a player has the choice to fight, swear (scare it away), ignore (hope it will do the same), evade (skill check based on dexterity) or run. A random roll would determine the outcome of the player’s actions.
The dungeon is displayed in a first person view with vector graphics showing walls. The town locales are 2D graphical depictions.