Zugg Software :: View topic

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:52 pm

Consider this a preview of the 2008 "New Year's Letter". I thought I'd mention the direction that I'm going with CMUD and some upcoming projects. I'd like to start collecting some feedback on these ideas. NOTE: Everything in this topic is subject to change. Any timescales given are approximate "wishes" and do not necessarily reflect reality. Nothing discussed in this thread is a "promise".

OK, disclaimers out of the way, here we go...

MYMUDS.COM Project

This past year, I acquired the MYMUDS.COM domain. I plan to use this to create my own "portal" for CMUD users. With CMUD 2.0x, you can now save your settings in a readable XML format. My plan is to give everyone who has purchased CMUD an "account" on MyMuds.com. In fact, it will be tied to your existing Forum account here on zuggsoft.com (same username and password). Everyone that has purchased CMUD will be allowed to store the XML settings of a single session to their MyMuds account. A future version of CMUD will be able to read/write your settings to your MyMuds account.

This will allow you to access your script settings from any computer on the Internet. You wouldn't need to have your settings stored on a local computer (although you can still keep a local copy for performance or backup reasons). For example, do you like to MUD from both Home and Work? Is it a pain to keep your CMUD settings in sync between multiple computers? Maybe you use a USB flash drive to keep your settings with you. Well, what if you could just log into your MyMuds.com account and click on your saved MUD session in your web browser? This would open CMUD and would automatically load your settings stored in your MyMuds.com account. Then, when you exit CMUD (or manually save), the current settings would be saved back to your MyMuds account. You'd also be able to access your MyMuds account directly from within CMUD if you want to do that instead of using your web browser.

By default, each person who has purchased CMUD would be able to store a single session in their MyMuds account. We will also offer an inexpensive subscription that will allow you to store more sessions to your MyMuds account. I'm not sure of pricing yet, but something cheap like a buck a month is what I have in mind (but paid on a yearly basis to keep billing overhead low). And perhaps a higher "tier" of service that would even let you edit your XML settings via the web browser.

The Free CMUDLite Project

Of course, being able to access your settings from any computer is great, but it can still be a pain to license CMUD on all of the computers that you might want to use. So, I'm planning a free CMUDLite version that you could use on *any* computer without a license which would let you access your settings stored in your MyMuds.com account. Of course, you need to buy at least one copy of the full version of CMUD in order to get your MyMuds.com account in the first place.

I'm still determining what features will be available in CMUDLite, and what won't. The intent of CMUDLite is to let you play a MUD with existing settings, but not to include the full CMUD GUI. So certainly CMUDLite will *not* have the automapper, database module, or even the settings editor. Think about your typical free Java-based MUD client...CMUDLite would have the main MUD output, the command line, and any of your various chat windows. But you'd need to do everything from the command line. No GUI settings editor, no script editor, no compatibility report or wizard. It's just a bare-bones CMUD client for running your *existing* settings (either from a *.PKG file locally, or via your MyMuds account sessions). CMUDLite would support the full zScript language, and would probably even still have Lua and WSH scripting support. All of your triggers, aliases, buttons, status bar, etc would all still work. All of the protocols like MSP, MXP, MCCP, etc would all still be supported. Just the mapper stuff would be missing (which I know is a big deal for some people).

I'm walking a fine edge here. I want to provide a free version of CMUD that is useful enough to play with, but I don't want it to cut into CMUD sales. If anything, CMUDLite should fuel additional sales as people learn to like CMUD and want the additional features that you get with the full version. But there are lots of people that will never buy *any* MUD client, and getting them scripting with CMUD helps them interact better with their clans and guilds that might be using zMUD/CMUD scripts.

CMUDLite will be released at about the same time as our TeSSH client. Both of these clients use the same core CMUD engine but just strip out various features. For example, TeSSH contains the SSH code and still has the settings editor, but it strips out the "MUD game related" stuff like the mapper, the MUD listing, etc, so that it can be sold to more of a business SSH market. CMUDLite uses the same conditional compilation to strip out other features like the settings editor. Both of these will be released after the 2.0x version of CMUD is stable and in Public release status. My guess is that I'll be able to do this before Christmas.

What's Next?

So after TeSSH, CMUDLite, and MyMuds.com, what's next? I have run a couple of surveys over the past few months and have talked with people and tried to listen to what customers are saying on our forums. The choices for the "next big thing" have been: improved mapper, SQL database module, zApp scriptable forms, integrated chat system.

The top choice turns out to be pretty easy to guess. The majority of people want the mapper in CMUD fixed and improved. So this will be the major focus of the beginning of 2008. Along with removing the annoying Microsoft ADO/MDAC database code and replacing it with SQLite (which is the database used in the rest of CMUD), I have a *lot* of fun ideas for improving the mapper. Part of these improvements will come in a new version of zMapper (cMapper?) that will be able to read and edit the new SQLite map databases. But other improvements include graphical tile-based mapping which would be built into CMUD and *not* require cMapper. In addition, I want to tackle the ability to import/export zones like I used to do in old versions of zMUD. Also, XML storage of maps, so that maps can be stored on a server and eventually be integrated with the MyMuds.com account would be part of the plan.

The mapper rewrite will be a very large and time consuming project. I expect the first beta version to take several months. So I'm not going to start this until CMUD 2.0x itself is stable enough for Public release and has as many bugs fixed as possible. Also, I need to finish a lot of new documentation of CMUD before the mapper, along with some additional tutorials. The goal is to have CMUD to the point where people can really use it instead of zMUD and start getting their scripts converted so that when the new mapper comes out, everyone will be all ready for it.

Conclusion

So, that's a look ahead at what I have planned. As some of you know, I recently started playing MUDs a lot more myself. Even though I have played almost every graphical MMO (and some very seriously), I still found myself getting easily addicted to MUDs again. The fact that I'm actively playing MUDs again is probably the best thing to happen to CMUD in a long time. Chiara and I have decided that *this* is our life, for better or for worse. The MUD market is where we want to be, even if it means going broke. But I don't think that will happen. My recent playing experiences have convinced me that MUDs are still very much alive and well and just need my attention more than ever. Other people can write clients as their hobby, or some MUDs can write their own proprietary clients to try and keep players on their own games. But I am here to try and grow the player base for *all* MUDs by focusing on making the best client possible, and to continue providing the top-notch support that Zugg Software has been known for for 12 years now. The best is still yet to come!

Wizard Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269

Sounds good. One or two ideas for CMUDLite: allow Maps to be viewed but not edited or extended. It would make CMUDLite more useful for CMUD owners who use a map. Possible downside is that does mean that someone could set-up a mate with a map and some settings and the mate wouldn't have to pay for CMUD, but on the other hand, this might be another good way of getting them into CMUD - when they want to make map changes. In the same vein, maybe you could provide the Package Editor but not allow any changes to be made through it. So it would be read-only, and like a demo of what is available in the real thing. Of course, it won't be so Lite in terms of installation size with these though. Hmm how about CMUDle (light edition), pronounced C-muddle, or possibly C-muddel for you Americans. Nice ring to it.

Wizard Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269

A couple more thoughts:
1. If you did go with my idea and put the mapper and package editor into CMUDLite, you probably ought to try and get the conditional compilation to work so that all the saving routines for these are not compiled into it, as if they were and there was just a flag somewhere that disabled them, I imagine it might be fairly easy for pro to crack.
2. And I think it would be a great selling-point (as it were) if CMUDLite didn't need to touch the windows registry at all. The benefits: even Guest users can install it (temporarily) on a machine; restricted users can certainly install it - useful in universities and schools; and it would work under Wine easily (I imagine). The drawback: couldn't use COM scripting on CMUD, but I imagine that might be a restriction you would want to impose on the Lite version anyway.

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:57 am

1) One idea I have had for the maps is to wait for the new mapper that has the XML format and then allow CMUDLite to display the maps stored in your MyMud account. Since the MyMud account requires that you have purchased the full version of CMUD, it would allow customers to use their maps on other computers (even allowing new rooms to be added/edited) without giving everything away for free. I think I understand these issues...I couldn't play any of my MUDs without my maps. And if I'm playing on another computer and exploring a new area in the MUD, I'd want my map updates to be available on other computers. And yes, this is *all* going to be done with conditional compilation. There won't be any way to "hack" CMUDlite to turn on these features because they won't be in the code at all.

2) Yes, definitely. Certainly without the copy protection CMUDLite isn't going to use the registry for that. The only other thing I use the registry for is to save the install locations, datafile locations, etc. But that is easily removed. The goal is to make CMUDLite something that you could run on a school machine without admin access. This also means that CMUDLite won't have any of the COM server stuff (the stuff that allows external programs to access CMUD). Again, not a big deal for a lite version, and this prevents the COM registration stuff in the installer that also touches the registry. You'd still be able to do COM scripting with other external objects, but yes, any script that relied upon the %cmud, %session, or %map variables would break in CMUDlite. This probably also means that WSH scripting access might be limited. But Lua scripting should still be ok since it doesn't depend upon any COM stuff. Also, without the mapper, CMUDLite just uses SQLite and none of the ADO/MDAC stuff. So again, an easier install. It would still require DirectX for the sounds playing of MP3 files (MSP stuff), but that shouldn't be an issue since CMUD doesn't need to install any of it these days.

Apprentice Joined: 13 Aug 2007 Posts: 166

I got 2 comments/questions.

1. What I'd wish with CMUDLite is that it should be possible to copy/paste the program and for example run it from a USB memory.

2. What muds do the two of you play, Zugg? :P

D

Apprentice Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 113

You mentioned the free java clients some MUDs offer. In my experience they're terrible and about as wieldy as a block of wood. I suppose my main concern would be Cmud lite being a copy for them, basically. Also, there are some changes that you may want to the PKG *immediately*. (Often happens to me, I'll think of something and want to do it while I remember it.) Would it be possible to allow editing the PKG on the website or leaving comments on the website for the next time you load the PKG?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:12 pm

If you want to do that stuff, Asilient, you might as well use vanilla CMUD. The idea of CMUDlite is that it's simple so you can use it in places you couldn't otherwise. That notes thing sounds nifty, though.

Apprentice Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 113

It's not so much me wanting to do that stuff so much as if something unexpected occurs (Loop, etc.) you wouldn't be able to fix it on Cmudlite. You'd need a way to either terminate the faulty script or fix it. As much as I test my scripts when I first write them, they have a tendency to just fall apart under specific circumstances that I did not anticipate, etc. There needs to be -some- method of fixing the various problems that may come up. (Even if it's just the option of loading map with blank settings, even if that could be *more* annoying.)

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:34 pm

You can still use the command line in CMUDLite to change or delete settings. Or use the #T- command to disable settings in a class that cause a problem. But Fang is correct...the intent is to use the full version of CMUD most of the time and only use CMUDLite with stored settings that are already debugged and working. You'll still be able to install multiple copies of the full version of CMUD just like now, so CMUDLite is meant for situation where you don't have access to your main CMUD program or are on a computer where you couldn't normally install CMUD.

Also, as I mentioned above, there will probably be an enhanced subscription for MyMuds.com that will allow you to edit your settings on the website. For Notes, remember that there is a Note section in your session...select Edit Session and go to the Notes tab. That data will be saved to MyMuds along with the rest of the session data, so that's the place to leave yourself a note.

DanteX: It should definitely be possible to just run CMUDLite from a USB drive. Since it won't touch the registry or need any special installation, it should just run.

Wizard Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:36 pm

I love it. I'm planning travel later next year, of a sort that will (if all preparations turn out well) be a combination of business and pleasure. Whiling away time on a computer during travel is not what I intend, but there will be times when I'm left with nothing to do but pass time, and it might be nice to drop in and catch up with old friends, maybe get into a fight or three. If I could stick a thumb drive into a cafe computer and go from there - perfect. I'm pretty sure that with the time I have put into it so far, that I could make minor adjustments (new/changed affliction patterns, priority adjustments to cure order) from the command line.

I'm also keen to see cMapper, or whatever it gets called in the end. I'll probably be away and unable to use it, but I have these maps written for Imapper (mudbot, third party mapper) and the information is written into a text file. The maps are pretty complete, but I believe it should be possible, with the right triggers set up, to generate a map in cmapper just by reading that text file. I admit though, I'm more interested in that project for the challenge of it Rolling Eyes

hehe. Sometimes I think I should have done comp science at uni.

Wizard Joined: 14 Oct 2000 Posts: 1368

Wizard Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 1113 Location: USA

It would be cool if we could make our own cMapper plugins that translate file formats and distribute those plugins to people who play our games. It would take off some of the load for Zugg to make a dozen different import functions and allow us flexibility in our formats and distribution.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:00 pm

I'm loving all of these ideas... especially a plug-in importer. My guess it shouldn't be too hard. Worst case you could do it as a CMUD plugin that did the import for you. If you're really a glutton for punishment you could probably get it done using stander zScript/Lua commands and the API for the mapper.

It'll be Zugg's call but an editable mapper would be temptation to sharing a MyMuds account with friends, especially if only one in the group is adept at zScripting, you could also view it as free advertising though, and may not happen because you're friend basically has control of your mud character.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:44 pm

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:38 pm

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

Actually, I could probably write a full script to do it. My existing complete mapper override scripts already handle collision and xyz placement. Making a script to completely build out the map becomes sort of an issue of delaying some rooms until you know where to place them. For example from the little snippet you provided the map would start at room 1 then delay 2-8 and put room 9 to the southeast of room 1. It would probably be an interesting problem to do, and not really something I want to tackle right now.

Wizard Joined: 14 Oct 2000 Posts: 1368

It is very simple to generate a map from a textual description. I did it like this for my own mapper. First you just start at first room. Enter all neighbour rooms and their coordinates in a queue. Then pop room from queue, and add its neighbours to the queue and repeat until done. Special care for non connected rooms needed. So it is like a graph search with the goal condition that all nodes have been visited.

Wanderer Joined: 03 Aug 2005 Posts: 84

Ive never used the mapper, though one nice feature (should it not already exist) would be to be able to export the map as an ascii map. This format is excellent if you are sharing maps with users of other clients because they can read it without special exuipment (just notepad) and ctrl+f to find rooms they are looking for. Since you are apparently making graphical maps, this shouldn't be too hard. If it is already possible, id love to know how.

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:38 am

Edited out.

It occurred to me that with cmapper using the same sql database as the rest of cmud, it would be a very simple set of triggers to capture the information in that text file to the database.. and that is the end of it. No need to control the mapper through api commands or write a plugin to create the rooms with the commands that form the mapper module, just fill up the database directly?

I don't know how well or even if the mapper could then display these rooms visually though?

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 5:30 pm

No, just modifying the mapper database directly won't be enough. You'd have to close and re-open the map to get it to display in the mapper window. The whole point of the API is to provide ways to modify the map *and* properly update the screen display and the internal cache. The mapper isn't drawn directly from the SQL...that is too slow. The database is always cached in memory, just like with the settings database for the normal CMUD settings editor.

As far as generating an ASCII map from the mapper, that is *very* difficult. The mapper in zMUD/CMUD/zMapper allows for a much more complex map structure than you can represent with simple ASCII maps. So, yes, this would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, unless you were just dealing with a simple euclidean zone.

But please, let's not hijack this thread. This thread is about the MyMuds.Com project. If you want to discuss the mapper in more detail, please create a new post to talk about it.

Wizard Joined: 14 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269

Just briefly then, I think Caled would be OK with building his map offline, with the mapper closed. So I reckon it would be possible to do it via the database, but you'd need a good understanding of how that works first, and that's going to take some digging around, experimentation, and, I expect, false starts.