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Newbie Joined: 28 Aug 2002 Posts: 2 Location: Sweden

I use zMUD Automapper alot. I am looking forward to the release of zMapper since I know that the Automapper has a whole lot of bugs. But when I read about zMapper, i get confused. Is it all about creating pretty images to your room, or can you use it just like the old fasioned Automapper too? All I want is mapper that works just like zMUD Automapper that is completely debugged... By the way, I still go with zMUD 5.x since I don't like the 6.x very much, will you be able to use zMapper with zMUD 5.x too?

///Finey

GURU Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 4379 Location: USA

zMapper is a product to "enhance" your maps. You may also create new maps from scratch with zMapper, but it doesn't have any knowledge of MUDs so it cannot automatically create rooms as you walk along in your MUD. Basically, it is a whole separate program from zMUD.

zMUD has its own mapper. The mapper in zMUD works along zMUD's other feautures to recognize rooms. This allows zMUD to capture room information as you move and pass it along to its mapper so that it can create new rooms. This mapper, however, won't display zMapper enhanced maps.

Now, zMapper also ties in with zMUD. When you have zMapper installed, you will see a plugin available, which is zMapper. This only happens in zMUD 6.32+ (so no, no zMUD 5.x.) When the plugin is enabled the display object in zMUD's mapper (not the whole mapper) gets replaced with the display object of zMapper. This means that you will be able to see zMapper enhanced maps from withing zMUD while still retaining the capabilities of zMUD's mapper, such as the AI that allows automatic recognition of rooms. Another thing that the plugin adds is a bunch of functions that allows to manipulate your map in many different ways such as selecting/deselecting rooms, creating new rooms, creating new links, creating new labels, etc.

It is important that this distinction is clear, because then you know exactly what to expect and what not to expect from zMapper. Oh, and you shouldn't ever expect to have a completely debugged program because such a thing does not exist.

Kjata

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

quote:

zMapper is a product to "enhance" your maps. You may also create new maps from scratch with zMapper, but it doesn't have any knowledge of MUDs so it cannot automatically create rooms as you walk along in your MUD. Basically, it is a whole separate program from zMUD.

zMUD has its own mapper. The mapper in zMUD works along zMUD's other feautures to recognize rooms. This allows zMUD to capture room information as you move and pass it along to its mapper so that it can create new rooms. This mapper, however, won't display zMapper enhanced maps.

Now, zMapper also ties in with zMUD. When you have zMapper installed, you will see a plugin available, which is zMapper. This only happens in zMUD 6.32+ (so no, no zMUD 5.x.) When the plugin is enabled the display object in zMUD's mapper (not the whole mapper) gets replaced with the display object of zMapper. This means that you will be able to see zMapper enhanced maps from withing zMUD while still retaining the capabilities of zMUD's mapper, such as the AI that allows automatic recognition of rooms. Another thing that the plugin adds is a bunch of functions that allows to manipulate your map in many different ways such as selecting/deselecting rooms, creating new rooms, creating new links, creating new labels, etc.

It is important that this distinction is clear, because then you know exactly what to expect and what not to expect from zMapper. Oh, and you shouldn't ever expect to have a completely debugged program because such a thing does not exist.

Kjata

Sure it does, but then the author can't leave well enough alone and he destroys his perfect creation

. Also, I have tons of simple utilities related to mudding that are 100% bug-free...

Matt, killing more helpless electrons

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2002 8:39 am

Prove it :)

'A finished programm is a dead programm'

Lady C.

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

A perfectly debugged program.

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>

int main(void) {
fprintf(stdout,"Hello world.");
return (0);
}

GURU Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 4379 Location: USA

Bah, you know what I mean.

Kjata

Newbie Joined: 28 Aug 2002 Posts: 2 Location: Sweden

Allrite, I get the point, and the point sounds good this far. You've explained to me that the program will work with zMUD 6.34 like the Automapper does (I assume that when you say it's a producet to "enhance" your maps, you mean it will work just like the old mapper with extra functions added), which is a good thing. Now I have a reason to upgrade! Oh and by the way, of course I meant PARTLY debugged. zMUD Automapper has TONS of bugs, like speedwalking between areas for example, it doesn't work very often (contact me if you would like more examples), and that would be very nice if it worked...

///Finey

GURU Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 4379 Location: USA

Well, you will be glad to know that the newer versions of zMUD fully support speedwalking across zones.

Also, you should know that when I say "enhancing" you maps, I am talking about making the look prettier and stuff. If you want, you can download zMapper anyway. It is free to try for 30 days. After that, if you like it, you may then buy it.

Kjata