RPMUD
RPMUD
0.3.74 (browser version) released
03/03/2009
RPMUD 0.3.74 postponed one week
This release is going to need another week (release 1st March) while I iron out some remaining bugs in the code re-organization. For those who have been asking for the ability to translate output (the most common feature-request for over a year now), build 74 will include a Messages.xml file in the RPMUD/Misc folder, to which you can add localised versions of system messages. You can edit this in a text editor (e.g. notepad) or an xml editor (e.g. XML pad), and it is simply a question of sticking to the existing pattern of marked-up text. This file collects about half the system messages - more will be included with each build. If you tranlate the messages, be sure to send me the translation, otherwise your work will simply be overwritten each time you upgrade RPMUD. By sending me the translation, you will ensure your translations are retained (and you'll get a mention in the credits, of course).
22/02/2009
RPMUD 0.3.74 release imminent
It's been almost a year since the preview of build 74 was announced. Various commitments meant I had to take a break from RPMUD, but I have now returned to the game and am able to dedicate a reasonable amount of time each week to its development. Since the beginning of February I've been ironing out bugs with build 74, and aim to release the browser version on Sunday 22nd February.
NOTICE
I am also able to offer the 24/7 test server as a general RPMUD test environment for anyone having problems getting their browser-version of RPMUD online. That is to say, I can import their data and make their game available online for the purposes of testing. So if you are having trouble accessing your RPMUD server remotely, you can take me up on this offer by contacting me at the sourceforge RPMUD site.
15/02/2009
RPMUD 0.3.74 browser version preview
The browser version of forthcoming release 0.3.74 is running on a 24/7 test server in advance of release. You can log in as a player at http://testserver.rpmud.org/. To coincide with this, a new client installer has been released that installs on a double-click. This dispenses with the previous .bat installer.
New features previewed in build 74 include:
- check & prompt with link to player installer when webpage loads
- buffering of content by the browser client - no more lost output
- improved handling and display of modifiers (e.g. spell effects)
- improved handling of encumbrance
- change to EXAMINE command to list weapon and equipment stats
- bug-fixes to critical hits in game mechanics
- changes to loading of maps and browser interface
30/3/2008
RPMUD 0.3.73 - browser version released
The browser release of build 73 is now available from Sourceforge.
This release fixes various bugs and annoyances as indicated below. The complete buglist is available here.
I anticipate there will be at least one more bug-fix release before work commences in earnest on Ximes. Build 74 will be released for telnet in Easter, and for browser in the weeks following.
One of the main improvements chalked for 74 will be a better system of modifiers. Rather than alter character attributes directly, the original attribute will remain unchanged and the 'live' attribute computed on the fly from a list of stored modifiers to the original value. This is how the players' armour class is currently calculated, and it turns out to be simpler and more dependable.
Further, more emphasis will be given to communicating modifiers, so that players are made aware of the factors currently affecting their performance in combat and other situations. Since modifiers are central to the game mechanics and player survival, it makes sense to reveal their workings.
RPMUD 0.3.73 - maintenance release
This release fixes various bugs and annoyances as indicated below. The complete buglist is available here. A browser build will follow within the next few weeks.
This build limits player carrying capacity to what can be held in their hands and held in worn containers.
For this reason MUD builders should make backpacks available in the game, perhaps adding them as buyable items.
Weapons no longer need to be wielded - if they are picked up they are potentially usable.
Note: the backpack item has been added to RPMUD XML as an integral item and is programmatically added to your existing data set.
Build 73 - due late January
This maintenance build is currently being tested and is due for release for the telnet version by the end of January. It contains over 60 bug-fixes including the following:
- live instances (groups, group members, items, containers, container contents) now update from changes made in the editors, as well as unspawned versions.
- npc combat responses are less erratic
- positive matches in player commands are now made against npc and item full names rather than short names
- new limits on the number of items a player may hold, forcing players to use worn containers (e.g. backpack) or to hold containers (e.g. sack) in order to carry items up to their full player encumbrance
Although this release won't include any new features, the player experience should be improved and world-builder tasks should be less frustrating.
RPMUD 0.3.72 - browser version: Out of dll hell
The browser version of RPMUD 0.3.72 is now available from Sourceforge. It includes a change to the game's interface in that the code which makes the webpage interactive and outputs the data sent to the socket is no longer held in a dll component, but instead is held in the HTML page itself as vbscript.
Testing has shown this to work in those testing platforms that the previous version failed on.
Although the dll component has been replaced, the socketwrench still needs registering on the player's computer, and this is available as a client installer from the sourceforge site. Since it is a signed component it does not present any security obstacles.
This represents an important step for the browser-client. I've also managed to send data from the socket using javascript, but I haven't found a way for javascript to access all the methods from the socket (a catalyst socketwrench). Needless to say, all the socket's methods are exposed to vbscript.
An improvement on this would be to use an alternative free socket which is fully compatible with javascript, if such a thing exists, to make the client platform-neutral. At the moment it requires Internet Explorer.
This release has an accompanying empty data set.
It includes all the fixes listed for the telnet version of 0.3.72.
The road to Ximes
The time spent on the browser version has meant that the Ximes release (0.4.xx) will be delayed into 2008. The plan is to release the features in piecemeal in Vyones builds that also include bug-fixes and interface improvements. The Ximes release will comprise of the remaining features that require changes to your XML structure.
12/12/2007
RPMUD 0.3.72 - telnet version
I'm pleased to report this build has been released on Sourceforge today, containing the fixes and map-pages mentioned in the item below. While working on the map-generator it occured to me that an interactive grid would be a good way to build MUD zones. These would then be transformed through xslt and pulled into the location editor as a set of interlinked locations, ready for adding detail to. A basic prototype using javascript embedded in a webpage shows this would be an effortless way to create a 'skeleton' of a MUD. This HTML zone-builder will be released in Ximes.
21/11/2007
Build 72 - due late November (telnet-client); December (browser-client)
This release will concentrate on reported bugs. It will also:
- improve the registration of ActiveX component
- provide better behaviour in the Location Editor
- improve the Dialogue Editor
The single new feature it will offer is the addition of maps to the website. These schematic maps are automatically generated from your game-data and are interactive, to the extent that hovering over a location listed in the key will highlight the corresponding location in the map, and vice-versa. A preview screenshot is available here.
When game-data is updated in Ximes, a flag on Zones (and individual Locations) will prevent web-publication as required.
The improved maps will also be generated for the live game in the browser-client, replacing the barely-formatted maps that currently display.
18/11/2007
RPMUD 0.3.71 - browser version
The browser access version of RPMUD Vyones build 71 has been released. This contains the bug-fixes listed below for the telnet release, along with dozens of improvements to the formatting of the HTML output.
Further, hovering over the SRD game mechanics will reveal the full names of the many statistics and modifiers that are output in abbreviated format in that pane.
Finally, acompanying the release is an installer for the client which registers the DHTML dll that provides the client-side coding for the game's interactive interface.
RPMUD 0.3.71 - telnet version
The installer version is postponed for the time being until I work out why some components won't install on Windows 2000.
In the meantime Build 71 has been released today for Telnet and contains the following fixes:
- Quick Item Creator working after the default item was updated.
- NPC dialogue is fixed.
- Groups respawning fixed.
- Other minor fixes.
- Improvements to the automated website - it now generates a homepage linking the various data-driven webpages (screenshot linked).
The Browser-build of 71 will be released in a week or so.
New builds for the Vyones release of RPMUD will continue despite progress on the next version of RPMUD (Ximes). Whatsmore, features being built into Ximes which do not require an update to the structure of your existing game data will be incorporated in Vyones. The aim here is to stabilise Vyones with bug-fixes while adding to the existing repertoire of skills, feats, spells and commands.
Work is underway to distribute RPMUD using Windows Installer. This "one-click install" will automatically register components, so that those wishing to run the server and build a MUD will no longer need to install the MSXML SDK (though anyone wishing to work on the source code using Visual Studio will need to install it). The aim here, for both of the RPMUD servers, is to return to the laudable MUD32 ethic of not requiring more than superficial computing knowledge to set up and run. Installers will be released early November.
From what I can determine, it will be possible to release both upgrades and clean installs from a single file, because with the right configuration Windows Installer will not overwrite more recent files - in other words your existing XML world-data.
21/10/2007
The browser version of RPMUD is now available - see the download page for the Sourceforge link to the server and client files..
07/10/2007
NOTE! The link on the download page still pointed to the old version of RPMUD. I have changed this today to link to the latest version (RPMUD_XML_Vyones.zip). You can tell you are running the latest version by checking the build number displayed by the console (should be 0.3.70). Apologies for the confusion!
25/09/2007
RPMUD 0.3.70
I'm aiming to provide a new version of the RPMUD server quarterly, and each will contain code to upgrade your XML data to work with the new features contained in the game server. Each Version-Release will be given a working-name for ease of reference, and will increment the minor version number.
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