[MUD-Dev] A new MUD-standard

[Ben Chambers]

I agree that presentation is important.  What features are required
though.  Where do you stop?  I am thinking that instead of using the
current HTML standard, it would be simpler to have a MUD Client with
either a default library of graphics or a graphics package for your
MUD.  You then use commands to display this.  The problem that I see,
however, is that some people (including me) feel that graphics take
away from the imagination aspect of a text based MUD.  What I was
thinking is that if you define a standard for parsing inbound
messages, for example the server tells the client that it should have
four windows, a list, a scrolling box, a coordinate display (for maps)
and a stat box, then sends messages to these you would have a very
useful system.  the client of course could rearrange this, the server
simply sends a reccomendation.  I think that the only thing that would
be desirable is to have sounds.  You could use a sound package and
just tell the client <play_sound name = "hit" volume = "LOUD">.  I
think that what would be the *BEST* is if you had it so that the
client could provide support for graphics in how it parsed the server
code.  For example, if the server, when you enter combat, sends <msg
type = "combat" target="kobold" health = "100%"> You swing at the
kobold. </msg>

the client could say, hey you are in combat with a kobold.  I know
that I have a graphic for that, so it creates a little picture box,
and shows the kobold.  *BUT* if your client didn't support this, it
would just draw a percent bar and say "You swing at the kobold."

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