Zugg Software :: View topic

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:39 am

With the upcoming release of the iPad, I have been getting tons of email asking to see CMUD ported to the iPad and iPhone. Today I'm happy to announce a brand new MUD client called: iMUD
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iMUD is a tablet-based MUD client. It is based upon the hugely popular CMUD and zMUD clients developed by Zugg Software for the past 15 years. Zugg Software has performed extensive usability studies with test markets, and is making full use of this study in the iMUD product.

For example, our testing has shown that 90%+ of people playing MUDs do not actually roleplay. Roleplaying is soooo 1990s. Market research has shown that players don't want to type complicated text commands or anything that requires spelling. While some have suggested a "texting-based" interface to reward the modern skill of one-thumb typing, our research has shown that players infinitely prefer the Wii-like motion detection and iPhone-like gesture system.

So instead of typing commands, you use Gestures and 6-axis motion detection! No keyboard, no command line, no spelling! Now *anybody* can play!

In fact, our testing concluded that there were very few MUD commands actually used by most players. The most common commands were:

1) Movement, like north, south, nw, up, down, etc.
2) Kill XXX to kill a mob
3) Loot XXX to get the loot

That's really all there was to playing most MUDs (and many other games for that matter, but we aren't ready to announce our "universal game client" quite yet...maybe next year).

To support the above commands, iMUD implements the following gestures and motion detection:

1) To move, throw your tablet device in the direction you want to move. Using the built-in GPS feature, simply turn to face the direction you want to move, and then throw the tablet. Be sure to throw it at least several feet. To run in that direction, throw it harder, preferably against a very hard surface.

2) To kill a mob, simply bang your fist on top of the tablet. The amount of pressure you exert onto the screen of your tablet is used to determine the amount of damage done to the mob. Keep bashing on the tablet until the monster is dead. When the mob is dead, you'll hear the familiar "da-da-da" reward sound from Final Fantasy.

3) To loot the mob, shake the tablet vigorously. The more you shake, the more money you'll make! You'll hear the fond tinkling of coins as you gather your loot.

Finally, the old text-based MUD playing experience has moved into the 21st century! Now you can join the hype and do something useful with your new tablet computer/phone/netbook/whatever.

Stay tuned for future announcements of upgrades, such a pkilling by throwing your tablet at another tablet player!

Product available April 1st ;)

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:09 pm

I'm going to get an iPad just for this! Very Happy

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:36 pm

Hahaha... you had me going there for a bit... Then I realized what day it was...

Charneus

Wizard Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2320

New feature suggestions:

To talk to other members of your party, yell at the iPad. The louder you yell, the better they can hear you. For best effect, do this in a public place.

To eat food or drink potions, bite the iPad.

To swim, drop it in a bucket of water. To fly, throw it up in the air.

Wanderer Joined: 12 Jul 2002 Posts: 73

OK, I understand this is an April Fools thingie.

That said, I just cashed out a few bucks to get an iMUD app for the iPhone.
Pretty sure if you would make a light version, it could generate a nice little extra flow.

My copper.
K.

Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:19 pm

I Know this is old but given that everything is damn near on our cellphones, you might wanna re-think your plans for not making an app....could you imagine....

could be good :)

Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:57 pm

Had me going at first.... android/iWhatever could use a quality MUDing app though

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 2:01 pm

LOL, LOL and again LOL.
Also LOL for what Rahab piled up.

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:09 pm

Yeah, this was a fun one. I've actually looked into mobile development and there is some very interesting stuff there, but I doubt I'd ever do any sort of MUD client. I've got a DroidX and the idea of doing a text-based game interface just doesn't sound fun (to either develop or to use). But doing something more simplistic? Who knows. I wonder if any MUD servers have thought about this kind of stuff?

I still like the idea of iPad PVP where each person wields their iPad like a sword and then they battle it out in real time :) Who's ever iPad breaks first is the loser.

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:32 am

Can i play that game with a toughbook in tablet mode? should win every time

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:59 pm

Heh, I got all excited at the start, then I read how you operated it and checked the posting date. Rats.

I do actually MUD from my iPad, I have a bluetooth keyboard, and I SSH to a machine to run TF (TinyFugue). I would adore a product with CMud's ease of use in respect of scripts and triggers, I just can't get everything how I want it in TF. Ah well.

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 8:56 pm

I am pretty sure you can do an SSH tunnel to CMUD as well.