March 24, 2006
Mudclients
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of mud clients by any stretch, simply a short list of ones I use on a day-to-day basis (or, in the case of Gmud, ones I just like).
Windows
Gmud (Genewic MUD) GMUD offers features like separate input/output windows, multiple hosts in different windows, scroll-back buffer, sound events, macros, triggers, aliases, active host window, selectable fonts, logging, command stacking, speed walking and ANSI color support. And the interface is very friendly. Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated in over 10 years and does not support proxies. If (like me) you're behind a firewall that requires them, it wont work. Rumoured to be the client of choice for WebKittyns. Free.
Mushclient Gammon Software's excellent mud client, with many more features than Gmud. Highly configurable (I have mine set up to work with the same keys/shortcuts/behaviours as Gmud) and extendable (over 300 scripts available). It is shareware and does have a startup delay for non-registered versions (Registration is $20USD). This is one of the few pieces of shareware I've registered after less than an hour of use. It supports proxies.
Linux
TinyFugue
Text based (no gui), this is an excellent client, and the one I use when I'm running linux. The interface (again) is configurable (again, tweaked to act more-or-less like Gmud) and has excellent scripting support. Supports proxies. The commands are a little arcane, unfortunately.
It appears the source code for GMud has been released by the author (for various reasons including no longer mudding, MS changing the way the compiler worked, work, hardware problems and lack of registration).
Scrawled illegibly by Meathe at 11:18 AM
October 28, 2005
Online insanity?
I like online games. I even code for one. But some things, even I can't understand.
A virtual space resort being built in the online role-playing game, Project Entropia, has been snapped up for $100,000. Jon Jacobs, aka Neverdie, won the auction for the as yet unnamed resort in the game, which lets thousands of players interact with each other. Entropia also allows gamers to buy and sell virtual items using real cash.
The exchange rate is $1USD=10 Project Entropia Dollars. And, once deposited, can't be withdrawn. I have to think Mr Jacobs has been playing for a long, long time and built up a large amount of game money with a smaller initial investment. Either that or he's completely insane.
Congratulations on your binary haven, Mr Jacobs.
Scrawled illegibly by Meathe at 01:48 PM
August 16, 2005
Working around the system
At the request of one of the other Time of Darkness staff, I've been looking at ways to work around restrictive firewall rules. You know the ones - "I just plugged into the college network. I can surf the net, but they won't let me mud".
The telnet protocol is often used to hack into things, and colleges are rampant with that kind of thing, so it makes sense for them to block the protocol, stopping people logging in to servers directly, and inderectly, cutting off mud access, even though it's off-campus.
May you all forgive me, Dulthail is now back online.
There is a solution and it's called Tunnelling. Rather like digging under the fences, it wraps up the telnet data inside HTTP traffic, and masquerades it's way out to the internet, where it goes to an interim machine that unwraps it and sends it to where it was meant to go in the first place.
There are free ways to do this and commercial ways. The free way requires that you have a second computer outside, permenantly connected to translate back from HTPP to telnet, which, in this case, wasn't available.
The commercial solution is far simpler, and costs around $4 a month. Download a client, click the auto configure button and set up a proxy in your mud client and you're back online.
And that is it. Around 5 minutes later, he was on the mud and I was wondering what the hell I just did and whether I would be struck by lightning for doing it.
Scrawled illegibly by Meathe at 01:28 PM
July 14, 2005
Mud programming
All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer.IBM Maintenence Manual, 1925
For the last two weeks, I've been working on extending the mobile programs to also work for objects and rooms. By and large, Coyote had already completed the hard yards in Chuck, creating a brilliant system that allows them to run mobprogs without alteration by some very clever sleight of hand. Kudos!
Some repairs have been made to non-functioning mob triggers (exit, exall). Triggers have been extended and will restrict you to putting appropriate triggers on mobs/items/rooms (you can't put a 'use' trigger on a mob, or a bribe trigger on a room).
New commands have been added for immortals, all pertaining to programs:
alist | Ported from Chuck, coded by Coyote |
opstatrpstat | Function like mpstat for mobs. |
opdumprpdump | Aliases to mpdump, and are completely interchangeable. Added for the sake of completeness. |
proglist <area> | At Navarre's request, this command functions much like "list" in mpedit, listing all the progs in the current area. If you do not specify an area, it defaults to the one you're standing in. |
exarea <area> | Lists the exits and entrances to and from an area (not within it) - showing how it is attached to the world. This is in early stages of coding at the moment. It's something I found myself wanting as I was debugging code, and builders will hopefully find it of value. |
A small example would be something like this (these are bogus numbers and links)
exarea limbo
Area Dir Type Vnum Dir Area
1 (N) both 103 (S) Feline Village
5 (-) from 32234 (D) Isle of Misfit Toys
14 (E) to 32240 (-) Isle of Misfit Toys
This is still being plotted out, and is subject to change.
There are also a few bug fixes coming up:
Mprogs should no longer lock up and stop working. The problem was traced to a counter that was meant to measure the recursion depth and stop when it hit five. However, if it did hit five, it didn't decrement correctly. This will hopefully prevent a few frustration inspired feather plucking incidents.
Switch was responsible for a good many crashes. The code has been extended a little to stave these off.
Remaining: Item programs require another round of testing, as does the mob exit/exall trigger. Also extend out progs to allow them to block movement. Room programs are complete for OLC and nearing completion for play and thorough testing. Then it shall be time to enjoy the weather...
Scrawled illegibly by Meathe at 11:58 AM
June 24, 2005
Why seals?
Kermit: Uh, yeah well, we could have a seal act on the show.The Muppet Show, 1976
For the sake of convenience, lets include sea lions in there too. They're all pinnipeds, and all came from the same bear like ancestor aout 30 million years ago. There was some scientific debate, however, a 1986 study using mitochondrial DNA (not midi-chloran) found them to be closer related to each other than to any other species. And the pedants will note that some of the images scattered around here are actually sea lions. I don't care.
The short answer to the question is: Because Meathe's avatar is one.
Who is Meathe? Meathe is my character on the Time of Darkness MUD, an immortal, one of the characters who run the game (and write the code), all of whom have some floral or faunal totem. The guy puppeteering Meathe is an Australian who moved to New York, though this has little relevance to seals.
But why then, is Meathe's avatar a seal? There are many curious answers to that, none of which are correct.
The research team have discovered the first mention of seals in an message dating to 2002, and a further mention on March 14, 2004. No further information has been uncovered, though it is suspected Navarre has a penchant for clubbing.
Speculation, however, is rife. While some are possible others have been completely discounted.
It could be the guinness poster. This is the currently favoured theory. It may be because penguins compose 87% of their diet (Leopard Seals)This is one of the lamest theorums to date. And I like Tux.According certain shamanistic beliefs, the seal embodies contentment, lucid dreaming, protection from danger, creativity, listening to our inner voice, gentleness, adaptability, talkativeness and playfulness. One or more of these may even be accurate. A freak smelting accidentBitten by a radioactive sealBecause I have a pet sealJuggling and balancing beach balls is funAbducted by aliens who decided I would better off a sealBecause I smell like oneRandom mutationsI got drunk and went home walking like one Bitten by a wereseal/sea lionI came in late and seals were the only thing left in the pool They are somewhat protected.
It could also be that they're just cute animals. But then, so are otters.
Until someone actually remembers or finds some sort of annotation, your guess is as good as any, and quite likely better than most.
Arf.
Update: 1:46pm
Coyote knows. He has suggested that somehow it involves a PVC tunic. He is not, however, being more forthcoming than that and has refused to give any more details.Update: 1:48pm
I have a cunning plan.Update: 1:50pm
A bribe consisting of a large and juicy femur has broken his will, and he has divulged the whole sordid story.
You hold an elephant femur, full of juicy marrow in your hand.
Coyote drools all over himself -- making a TERRIBLE mess!
You say 'C'mon...'
Coyote gives you a PVC tunic.
You stop using an elephant femur, full of juicy marrow.
Coyote says 'Well, it came from a conversation that involved the PVC there.'
Coyote says 'Basically somewhere along the lines of you wore it and we were teasing you about it.'
Coyote says 'You of course were heavily resisting, and since PVC looks like seal skin....'
Coyote waves his hand in a magical fashion.
Coyote says '...and the seal was born.'
You say 'That's it?!'
You give an elephant femur, full of juicy marrow to Coyote.
You ponder the question
You say 'It was after one of those "dress up the link-dead and see how long it takes them to notice" things, wasn't it.'
Coyote says 'I'm fuzzy on that part.'
Coyote says 'Well, suppose I'm fuzzy in general.'
Coyote says 'Though who could resist the thought of a fuzzy cute coyote in full winter fur?'
Coyote says 'I think that's kind of funny. We forced the Treeman persona on Oaklore, and the seal on you. I'm not sure, but I'm one of the few that got to pick fully.'
Coyote happily gnaws on the femur.
Update: 9:50pm
Kali is not convinced of this sequence of events. Perhaps the mystery is destined to remain unsolved.
Scrawled illegibly by Meathe at 11:48 AM