[MUD-Dev] Clients

[Matt Chatterley]

On Mon, 12 Jan 1998, JC Lawrence wrote:

> On Sun, 11 Jan 1998 21:48:43 PST8PDT 
> Matt Chatterley<root at mpc.dyn.ml.org> wrote:
> 
> > I think the most popular client features which people have described
> > to me are an easy to view command line for entering commands (with
> > no limit on length of lines), and a command history as well as a
> > 'scroll back' of sorts (aka tf's /recall).
> 
> Take a good look aththe command line abilities of JP Softwares
> 4DOS/4OS2/4NT: <URL:http://www.jpsoft.com>.  Their handling of history
> recall, history searching, and history paging is particularly intuitive.

I glanced over the website briefly - it looks interesting (I think I'll
probably try their demo to get a feel for how it works). Thanks for the
pointer!
 
> > The ability to make log files of events, connect to multiple worlds
> > simultaneously and macros are also popular.
> 
> <chortle>

Mwuah. I thought I'd toss these in as a topical tidbit. All three are
(mildly) controversial. Points worth note:

I have never had a trouble with people logging goings on in which they are
involved, or which they witness (I don't want to re-launch this debate in
another guise though). This seems a particularly useful tool for RPers who
like to keep records.

Multiple-world connections are something I use (I tend to connect to three
servers most of the time; M*U*S*H, IdeaExchange and Caffeine's test-site,
and occasionally one or two others), and something many others also make
use of. Interestingly I have decided that the client<>server protocol
layer (working name: Spud) will provide a mechanism for the server to
determine if someone is trying to connect to that server multiple times
from the same client.

Macros I do not personally use, but to an extent I can see the use in
having them when the game server does not provide features along these
lines.
 
> > I'm interesting in hearing not only which software you folks use,
> > but also *why you use it* - what does the software have that you
> > like? What is missing? Personally I use tf since it is
> > straightforward to use and has a nice, uncluttered display
> > (something I will strive to recreate!).
> 
> Per George Reese I am a craven dinosaur.  I use raw telnet.

Okay, this interests me, and I have a few questions (some more useful than
others):

Why?
What do you like about the telnet command particularly?
What do you dislike about the telnet command particularly?
 
> > On the protocol side, one thing in my mind is to allow my mud to
> > communicate its menus (currently done using the input_to() features
> > of MudOS/LPC) to the client so that they appear in 'pop-up' windows
> > which are clickable, and easy control of features, such as a 'spell
> > selection window' for using special skills and magic, but again,
> > considering this in a general fashion is harder:
> 
> Idea:
> 
>   Have a generically configurable feature in your client that allows
> commands to be constructed and entered in the MUD via GUI selections.

Yes; this is in the running for part of Spud! Its something I very much
want to be able to do for things such as text editors, mail and such
online.
 
>   Now allow that same construction to be user configurable.  
> 
> Whazzat?

Ok you did lose me here. :)

> Imagine RMB clicking on your client window to have a menu of various
> preset command that you have selected appear in a GUI menu.  Selecting
> an entry sends that command to the MUD (configurable if it hits ENTER
> or not to allow subsequent editing).  

This I like! I may be mis-interpreting though - something along the lines
of an easy to use macro/alias selection window?
 
> Now extend that concept such that menu entries change dynamically
> based on parsing of the current world context.  ie you can pick
> objects from your local environ to add to the current command under
> construction.

Something more complex on the above that selects appropriate ones based on
your environment?
 
> Next allow certain entries to pop-up basic dialog boxes with simple
> radio buttons and selection lists (keyed off the environment again) to
> construct more tailored commands.

I definitely want to allow 'easily constructable' complex macros when I go
in for this - without the need to really learn a programming language or
some kind (as TF vaguely requires you to do).
 
> Make the entire thing based of a user-written text file ala the .rc
> for your root window menu under X (just done right instead).

Good idea.

Regards,
	-Matt Chatterley
	ICQ: 5580107
"We can recode it; we have the technology."