Zugg Software :: View topic - Support in zMud (or cMud?) for muds with custom graphical maps?

Newbie Joined: 09 Sep 2002 Posts: 7

Is it possible to configure [zc]MUD to support display of custom maps supplied by the MUD itself (i.e., NOT using the automapper facility)? Perhaps an extension of MXP or some other way to handle the out of band data transfers. The MUD currently supports transmitting a code with a unique room ID every time the player moves around, and if it's a room the client doesn't yet have a map image for, the client can do something with a special command or via another port to retrieve the map data file and display it.

Is this even possible today? If so, where should I look to get started implementing it? There's some room for flexibility on the MUD side if we just know what we're needing to support client-side.

More details, in case that helps:
The map is divided into "pages" (realms or parts of realms), and the room map fragments consist of some simple vector objects (boxes, lines, text, arcs, filled areas, polygons) and bitmaps. The page itself may specify a background of those same elements which the room fragments overlay. So the client would need to flip to the right map page as the player traveled between rooms.

Thanks, this would be awesome if it can be made to work.

GURU Joined: 23 Dec 2000 Posts: 4834 Location: USA

Yes, it's possible.

Newbie Joined: 09 Sep 2002 Posts: 7

Just configuring what's out of the box, or are we talking about developing a whole plugin?

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:08 pm

Well, I'd say "Yes and No". Yes, with the MXP IMAGE tag the MUD could send a custom graphic image to zMUD or CMUD each time you went into a different room. Either in a popup window, or within the main text window. But this can only be a simple bitmap. There isn't any way to handle vectors or anything fancier.

Phase 3 of the CMUD mapper update intends to create a new graphical mapping protocol for client-server communication of more extensive maps. But that's probably a year away at this point.

Newbie Joined: 09 Sep 2002 Posts: 7

Thanks, Zugg. That's what I needed to know. I'll have to wait and see what the mapping protocol looks like. Sending a simple bitmap isn't going to work, though. I need the client to know when it needs a new bitmap, and there needs to be some intelligence on the client side about where to place the image and some management that needs to go into tracking them.

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:18 pm

Send me an email to zugg@zuggsoft.com and reference this post and I'll add your email to my mailing list about the graphical map protocol. I'm looking for MUD implementers, coders, etc who might be interested in working together on this.

As I said though...it will be a while. My to-do list is just huge right now. But graphical mapping is one of my big passions and something that I really want to do more of in the future.