The mud2pj - a client for MUD2

Version 0.9d released 29th June 03

I strongly suggest you read through all of "Using mud2pj" so that you know how to make use of all the features I'm not currently working on new features for mud2pj, but I'm still interested in any suggestions..

INSTALLATION / USING MUD2PJ

Quick features overview

  • Repeating the last command quickly (ENTER)
  • Additional prompts (TAB)
  • The chart and the F1 function key
  • Shortcuts - functions bound to places (F1 too)
  • The Score graph overlay
  • The FES status bar
  • Snoop windows (hehe)
  • Dream word function key (CTRL D)
  • Inventory highlighting
  • Reattack function keys (F2 & F3)
  • Player name completion (CTRL SPACE)
  • Tearoom auto-reroll (CTRL R)
  • Colour HTML logging (reset based - excludes snoops)

Screenshots

Note the FES status bar along the top, and the score graph in the top right. These screenshots are a little out of date now.


Using scroll back, shows CTRL D being used for the dreamword
Using the F3 reattck key on the coot.

Installation

If you want to risk cutting corners, then go straight to downloading mud2pj here - won't work if java's not setup correctly, for that you should read through the java secions

Downloading java

Download java (version 1.4) here:

Checking if you already have java

It's possible you already have it installed (maybe allowing you to skip downloading java anew). To check open up a DOS prompt and enter JAVA -VERSION. If java is installed then you should see something like this: 
C:\>java -version
java version "1.4.0" <---- this is the important bit
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.0-b92)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.0-b92, mixed mode)
C:\>
If you get anything else, then you probably need to download it. This is what Windows 2000 says: 
C:\>java -version
'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
The example I showed about was for version is 1.4.0. If you've got version 1.4 or higher you're fine.

If you have a version older than 1.4 then, sorry, you need to download it.

Downloading mud2pj

Download mud2pj.zip here. Unzip it to a folder on you computer (I suggest to C:\Program Files\mud2pj). If you don't have a program installed that can open ZIP files, then go get something like WinZip here. If java's installed correclty, then double-clicking the mudii.bat should connect you directly to mudii.co.uk.

Sorry, there's no nice installation procedure at the moment.

Problems getting it to work

If you've any difficulty getting it to run, then mudmail Hamster for an email address to send:
  • the java version (as stated by JAVA -VERSION)
  • the mud2pj_XXXXXX_raw.log (check your mud2pj folder)
  • a copy of the output in the DOS window (perhaps it will show an exception listing)

    Using mud2pj

    The main text area and the prompt

    The main area of the program is MUD2's text output. Underneath this is a 'command-line' prompt. Anything you type will be entered into this prompt. It's equivalent to 'line mode' in a normal Telnet application; that means that everything you type is held on your computer and only send to MUD2 when you press return.

    Line mode, not character mode

    The main benefit of a command-line prompt is that you don't have to wait for what you type to be send to MUD2 and back to you over the internet before it is displayed. It also means that you can use the mouse (or the cursor keys in conjunction with SHIFT) to select and type-over (or copy to the clipboard) portions of the text.

    Command history

    The command-line prompt also has other niceties. Your command history is stored locally, allowing you to use the UP and DOWN arrows on your keyboard to scroll through command history.

    Repeating the last command quickly

    As a must for some and an irritant to others is the feature that: after pressing ENTER and sending your command to MUD2, the command remains in the command-line prompt, but fully selected. This has the effect of allowing you to keep hitting ENTER to keep repeating the command. If you don't want to repeat the command, then simply typing something else will overwrite the entire command in the command-line prompt. Fantastic!

    Additional prompts

    Ok, on to other features. Imagine you're in the middle of typing in a long TELL to someone in the game, and along comes something you have to react to fast. You can create another command-line prompt temporarily by pressing TAB. Once the panic is over you can return to your previous prompt by pressing TAB again.

    The chart and the F1 function key

    If you've already tried out this client, then you'll have noticed it doing something fancy after reading the chart. Going to either the place known as 'Small bay' or to 'Vicious rocks' will display a set of directions inside {} brackets after the name of the place. This is the client letting you know that for this place, the function key F1 is bound to those directions. Nice eh?

    Shortcuts - functions bound to places

    There's more. If you look in the file called SHORTCUTS.TXT then you'll find a list of place names and function keys assigned. Yes, this does mean that you can assign a bunch of place-dependent function keys. They'll all be assigned to the F1 key, just as with the chart.

    The Score graph overlay

    Another thing you'll notice straight away, is that when you enter the game a score graph will by overlayed in the top right hand corner of the screen. This graph keeps track of your score through the FES commands that are sent by the client in the background. The far left of the graph is the beginning of the reset, and the far right of the graph the end of the reset. This should give you a better indication of you progress and how much the various mistakes cost you in relation to your various gains.

    The FES status bar

    If you've used a client like Clio, then you'll recognise this bar straight away. All the information from the FES commands send by the client is displayed here. This feature still doesn't stop me from typing QS over and over like there's no tomorrow!

    Snoop windows

    If you get as far in the game as meddling with the SNOOP spell, then you'll love this feature. Once the spell is successful the main text area will be split into two, and the program will automatically direct output to the correct window. I won't say any more on this, give it a try..

    Dream word function key

    Yes, if you dream, this program will note the word in you dream. Pressing CTRL D thereafter (just as in Clio) will speak the word. If you don't know what it means to do this then it's time overdue to experiment!

    Inventory highlighting

    If you look in the file HIGHLIGHTS.TXT you'll find a list of object names. If you come across this objects inside a container, in your inventory, carried by another player or a mobile, on a QUICKSCAN, etc.; then the object will be displayed black on white by the program. The hope being that'll you're really going to notice. Useful for keeping track of items that are often stolen from you, or that are important enough that you want to notice fast when someone else has it in their kit.

    Reattack function keys

    Sometimes you can't stop the fox from running away from the fight. It's annoying having to follow it about and reattack. Well, with this program, when something flees from you, you'll be shown bindings to both F2 and F3. Pressing F2 will take the direction your opponent took and reattack. F3 will do the same except it will reattack using your besdt weapon. Here's an example for the dragonfly: {F2=nw,attack dragonfly}{F3=nw,attack dragonfly with best weapon}.

    Player name completion

    Frustrating typing in player names sometimes right? Well, try using CTRL SPACE to auto-complete them! So if I'm playing as Havoc and I'm the only person on starting with the letter H then "h" and CTRL SPACE will complete to "havoc ". Handy for tells or syns. If there's someone else called Helga playing, then you would need to type "ha" and CTRL SPACE before it would complete to "havoc ". Give it a try.. Note: you need to use QW for the program to know that a player exists.

    Tearoom auto-reroll

    Like to reroll in the tearoom for exactly 50 stam? Too much bother to keep typing reroll? Use CTRL R then! It'll keep rerolling until your stam hits 50. To stop it rerolling, just hit CTRL R again.

    Colour HTML logs

    HTML logs are now generated in colour, without style sheets. Furthermore a log isn't created until you actually start playing. All game log text relating to a particular reset number is then stored in the same HTML file. The format for the filename is __03:56, November the 21st, 2009. A log file is always generated at the moment. There will be an option to turn it off later. The raw log file is not to be confused with the HTML log file. The raw log file is what enables me to reproduce bugs if anyone encounters one.

    Feedback

    If you have feedback on this webpage or the program, then MUDmail Hamster on mudii.co.uk. If you use this program then I'd love to hear from you! I've invested a lot of time in this project and it'd be nice to know if people are using it or not.

    Havoc the iternal non-wiz