[MUD-Dev] Multilevel server concept

[Brian Green]

Along these lines, one idea I was kicking around was using an in-between
server as a graphical-to-text translator for a game.

In brief, the main game server would be set up to handle graphical
client connections.  However, people could connect to an in-between
server with telnet.  This second server would then connect to the
primary server and act as a graphical client.  Any text input was parsed
by the second server and translated to the appropriate graphical client
packets; in the other direction, the second server would receive packets
intended for the graphical client, keep track of the current world state
that a graphical client would be interested in, and send appropriate
text messages to the text client as feedback.

An example:

In a graphical client, to approach a monster, I turn left 60 units, then
walk forward 30 paces.  The graphical client notifies the server of my
movement.

In a text client, I type "approach monster", and sends that off to the
second server.  The server parses the text, finds the monster in it's
local representation of the game world, and sends packets to the server
indicating the player turned 60 units left, went forward 30 paces (and
records the state change locally).  It might also send back feedback to
the text client such as "You turn and start walking toward the monster."

For a graphical client, when attacked by a monster, the server sends the
client packets indicating that the monster attacked (perhaps sending
frames of animation), and sends a packet indicating hit/miss/damage. 
The graphical client reads the packets apporpriately, playing the
correct frames of animation and reduces the health bar by the
appropraite amount.

For a text client, the game server would send these same packets to the
second server, which would translate the attack packet into a message
such as "The monster attacks you".  It would accept the hit/miss/damage
packet and perhaps add to the previous message " and ***OBLITERATES***
you with its claws" ;) while recording the local state change (IE, the
player's HPs).

Obviously, there are a lot of design hurdles and questions of bandwidth,
but that's the general idea.

Comments, questions, flames?

--
"And I now wait / to shake the hand of fate...."  -"Defender", Manowar
     Brian Green, brian at psychochild.org  aka  Psychochild
       |\      _,,,---,,_      *=* Morpheus, my kitten, says "Hi!" *=*
 ZZzz  /,`.-'`'    -.  ;-;;,_  
      |,4-  ) )-,_..;\ (  `'-'  "Ritalin Cures Next Picasso" 
     '---''(_/--'  `-'\_)               -The_Onion_, August 4th, 1999



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