[MUD-Dev] On socialization and convenience

[rayzam]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian Collyer" <ian.collyer at i12.com>
To: <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 11:19 AM
Subject: RE: [MUD-Dev] On socialization and convenience

> J C Lawrence wrote:
>> On Sat, 23 Jun 2001 02:48:51 +0100
>> Ian Collyer <ian.collyer at i12.com> wrote:

>>> Write a pseudo-POP3 server that can be queried by any POP3
>>> compliant email client but is in fact just a method for giving
>>> external visibility to in-game personal messaging and message
>>> boards.

>> While this is the approach I prefer, it leaves the same problem
>> of having to store that content on your systems rather than being
>> able to offload it to the user or something he's paid for.

>> Quota limits for MUD-Mail accounts?

<SNIP>

>> This requires them to configured their email clients to poll your
>> POP3 service.  While not a technical problem on your end, most
>> common mail clients do not have the capability to poll and suck
>> mail from multiple POP servers.

> I know MUD players have a different profile than email users as a
> whole, but I'd be amazed if Outlook/Outlook Express wasn't the
> most popular client by some distance. Both of these have the
> capability to poll multiple POP servers.

>> Worse is properly handing From: address mapping back into the
>> game world systems.  Big uglies fast there.

> Yeah, I'd insist on replies coming from the dummy
> <charactername>@mymud.com address.

> Not a big problem for Outlook users as replies default to the
> account the original mail was received through. Bit more of a
> problem for new mail as that will default to your usual 'from'
> address, but even there you have the option to send from any of
> the configured accounts.

> I can't speak for other clients, info anyone?

I'd like to question the necessity of it being POP3. Breaking it down:

  - in-game persistent messaging, i.e. mud-mail.
  - ability to access from outside of game, to keep aware.

This is nowhere near the implementation requiring the use of POP3.

  1) users who want to get their mail out-of-game, can register an
  email address. Any mudmail sent to them can get emailed
  off/forwarded to that address. Return replies are refused or just
  binned.

     - there is no necessity to have a POP3 running for users to log
     in and collect their mail.

     - there is no need for a user to set up multiple accounts on
     their email client.

     - the forwarding address is known by the admin.

     - the forwarding address is invisible/kept secret from other
     users.

     - the mud then does not have to be responsible for POP3
     passwords vs game passwords, hacking POP3 accounts, hacking the
     server to find out info on that rival guild, etc.

    I'd call this the fire-and-forget method. The email is sent,
    just like any other email is sent.

  2) web-based. Yes, the average 'net user may not be able to set up
  multiple accounts, or the average email program can't handle
  it. But again, minimize headaches [and some responsibilities]. The
  point of it is to allow the player to check for in-game persistent
  messages, and that alone, really.

     - the average 'net user can use a web browser.

     - use ssl?

     - mudmail visible on web pages

     - web-based email has been around, people are used to it.

     - if you want, allow sending mudmail back to other players
     in-game.  Since it is all web-based, with login, it's not an
     abuse-vector like mycharname at mymud.org would be. You're only
     allowing players of your game to mudmail others on the game,
     not the general public.

     - It may increase the disk usage for this tho, to keep access
     to the game files and the web files separate, by using copies,
     or somesuch. I'm not fluent in security-speak.

Problems, comments, criticisms on either of these systems?  What's
the advantage of setting up POP3 over either of these?

rayzam



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