Posts made by Kumakun

It is! We're still plugging away slowly. The team is really small but working hard! The updates are a little slow at the moment, but we do post them on our Discord channel as things happen. Come join!

I definitely think a new/improved client would be fantastic.
Mudrammer for iOS is pretty good, but has its flaws.
I don't think any of the Android clients out there are really all that great. I hear nothing but complaints about them. I used Mukluk when I had an Android and only because it was the least bad of the lot. I know on ChromeOS there is only Duck Client and I know people struggle with it to no end.

So in the arena of "mobile clients" for tablets/mobile devices, there is definitely something lacking and that makes approachability (I think that term vs. accessibility is probably preferable to help differentiate) difficult.

That's another topic I can search for and see what's started. Clients. What people expect/wish/want out of a client. When I first came back I tried to start-up my old SimpleMu Client that I used to love - which of course doesn't work anymore so I had to move to something else. I sure do miss some of those features!

@faraday said in MU* Server Technology/Features. What do you WANT, what do you SEE?:

I'm not aware of anyone doing a game in node.js. Part of what you need to consider is how people are going to extend your code with their own custom code, and I think a more approachable language like Python/Ruby helps a lot there.

I've been looking into Node more for an electron.js based client than a server because you're right, Python or Ruby is way more readable than JS. Plus I can't think of another language where creating a plugin architecture is as easy as Python. Not that I've used in recent memory anyways.

I think the "live" nature of MUSHing is a key ingredient that sets it apart from those other kinds of communities. I don't see it going full PbP, but I do see it shifting more towards chat clients like Slack and Discord in the way we interact with it. Especially on mobile.

I've noticed a trend in Discord discord since returning. I wonder if it's because the barrier of customization is too high? Or if it's the accessibility of the platform. I can imagine that 'chat server' RP is a bit more shorthand expressive than other mediums.

@auspice said in MU* Server Technology/Features. What do you WANT, what do you SEE?:

This is something that can get people very hot-headed, I admit (and I'm one of them >.>).

I am very much in the camp of liking where we're at because my experiences with forum RP and Storium haven't been very good. Not one single Storium game I've been in has ever gotten past the initial setup / "scene." Any forum RP I've been in has floundered or been very short-term. MU has been the only time I've ever been able to really engage in long-term stories.

It's also the only way to really get things done in a short period of time. If I need to wait days or weeks for people to reply, I'm gonna lose the thread/interest myself. I gdoc with people sometimes (when there's scheduling issues, for backscenes, etc.) and by and far, if more than 2-3 days pass between poses? The scene is considered dead.

The other thing there: accessibility, as you said. You need to think in the other definition. Not 'accessibility to a broader audience,' but accessibility to devices (a lot of forums, 'neat' websites, etc. scale very poorly to mobile phones, but I've known people to run WoD combat from a tablet!) and accessibility to the disabled community. MUs are accessible to blind users. I'm not sure other formats are. The last I used Storium for example, it was very image heavy and had a fairly complex interface. I'd hate to see MUs switch over just to maybe gain new blood, but lose some of our long-time players who are there because it's a form of gaming they can access.

The web-interface built into some of the new codebases like Ares I think is a great meeting of the two. You don't lose what we have and what works while bridging in some of the 'new.' And while you get that great web experience (web CG, being able to interact over the web, etc) on Ares... you can also do everything from within the classic telnet client itself without needing to go on the web portal (which makes it beautifully accessible to people who have to use screen readers!).

I didn't even take that accessibility to the disabled community into consideration, thank you! MU* has to be a dream for screen readers and related technology. As far as web integration that's pretty much what I'm talking about, accessing mail, jobs, character sheets, XP spends, etc - but they're all also activities that you can do on the server if you want as well. The last thing I want is for us to move to a platform like PbP or Storium because I agree. I lose interest if too much time passes between posts, and I've yet to play a Storium game to get much further than introduction and setup.

Followup question/thought! If we are to continue to bring new blood into the hobby, device accessibility is important too! Is it maybe the 'client' that needs improvement or needs improvement as well?

I've just come back into the hobby after taking a several year life/family/education hiatus, and boy have things changed!

I used to, and still currently code MUX, but as I get re-adjusted I see that more modern technologies (Python, Ruby - has anyone done anything significant with Node.js yet?) are being used as a basis for MU* servers. I think this is great! I had/have a bunch of ideas for shoehorning modern communication techniques into MUX, but as I re-equate I get the feeling that the technology is REALLY showing it's age/limitations, so I ask you this:

What do you feel is great about newer server technologies? What new 'features' do you really, like, and what do you wish to see? My big one is web service integration. Give me more ways to interact with, and stay connected to a game and it's community through JUST terminal time. Let me take care of some of the off-camera details ahead of time so that when I /can/ sit down to play, I can do just that and not worry about as much book-keeping.

Are we moving in a direction where we're going to have to figure out how to ditch the classic terminal and adopt something more accessible? What keeps us from becoming another PbP community, or Storium, or is that where we're headed?

@zombiegenesis said in What RPG SYSTEM do you want to play on a Mu*?:

I was this close (||) to creating a SW Rifts or Rifts-inspired game using the SW: Super Powers companion. My fear was it would be a decent amount of work for a game no one would play at.

Seems to be a general consensus for opening up new places these days. The user base just isn't big enough for being really experimental or so It's felt since I've come back into the MU* community fold, unfortunately. IMHO of course.

This conversation is really interesting to me because I /love/ building frameworks, and figuring out systems. I may start another topic (if I can't find it) on where people feel the future of 'modern' server tech is going, and combine it with this conversation of what would make a good MU* system translation.

@zombiegenesis said in What RPG SYSTEM do you want to play on a Mu*?:

@kumakun I think you could use the card system of Savage Worlds just fine on a MU. You'd just have to code it up as your initiative system. That said, Savage Worlds is incredibly hackable. You could do any number of things for initiative including something as simple as a D12 + Agility or something.

The problem most people have with SW is the swingy nature of their success system. The fact that PCs roll a D6 in addition to whatever else and that any dice explode on it's "maximum" side can leave you in situations where much less skill individuals gobsmack people. Even that can be hacked to make more playable, however.

In the end I'm a huge fan of SW and I'm quite shocked I've done nothing with it MU-wise.

I could see the d12 + agility. I loved Deadlands way back in the day, and I've seriously considered SW: Rifts. I think making an SW library would be interesting if some of the heavily TT inspired rules (The card system for instance) Where taken care of, which is kind of heart-breaking. The 'poker game' aspect of DL combat was one of the major draws for me, I just don't really know how well it would translate.

People have issues with the success rates of most exploding dice systems I've run into over the years. Someone always gets waaaay too lucky for someone else's tastes.

@bobotron said in WoD Alternatives:

@zombiegenesis

Cam Banks bought Cortex from MWP and has kickstarted Cortex Prime, which is a Cortex core book with details on how to do all kinds of stuff, using all the various variants of Cortex.

I've seen the kickstarter preview of the Prime rules, they look pretty promising!

On the topic of Savage Worlds - because it sounds like a popular suggestion! - Do you think the card initiative system would hold up well on a MU*?

@thenomain said in What RPG SYSTEM do you want to play on a Mu*?:

@kumakun

Why Cortex and not Savage Worlds?

Because I've been doing a lot of talking about Supernatural recently. Honestly, I haven't read Savage Worlds in years. If I remember correctly, it had a card-based combat system like Deadlands. I wasn't sure how well that would translate into MU* play. Savage Worlds: Rifts recently came across my radar though, which has been tempting me to read the system again to see how it's changed.

Zombie thread! I was about to post something similar and stumbled upon this topic!

I have shelves dedicated to systems that I thought might survive the RP heavy persistent world environment of a MU*. I've always been curious to see what people want to be translated onto online for their games to use as a code library or something.

I have a few systems that have been sitting on my back burner for a while now:

Cortex/Cortex+/Cortex Prime - The original Cortex is fun, but much more rules heavier than the later generations. I wonder though if +/prime are /too/ rules light for the community, which leads me into:

FATE Core/Accelerated - I really /really/ love the concept of Fate. I've heard though, through from a few people who've experienced MU* play with the system that it requires a pretty heavy Staff presence to keep the Fate Point economy going. I'm not sure if that's ideal for a game with a small staff and large player base if the game were to become popular.

Chaosium Basic RPG - I really like this system. The player exposed mechanics are simple, d100 skill resolution with 'training' based increases and a pretty simple to understand D&D standard-ish naming convention. Conflict resolution in the book happens in a 'resistance matrix table' (a simple formula basically), but that's easily coded and interfaced for end-user experience.

@griatch said in Potential Supernatural Game:

@kumakun said in Potential Supernatural Game:

@faraday Nice! Ares is in Ruby right? I've always been curious about language. I'm leaning towards Evennia, because Python! but I'd /really/ like to work with Python 3+

Ruby and Python are pretty similar conceptually; each has their ups and downs, strengths and weaknesses.

Evennia is currently using Python 2. Next version of Evennia (0.8) which is soon coming out will be the last one to use that. Evennia 0.9 will use Python 3. But to be honest - I use Python 3 daily in a professional capacity and it's not like it's a big fundamental difference to switch between the Python versions.
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Griatch

Very very true, and if it's moving to 3 soon it's even more reason to make the jump - and if you're not working with very many 3rd party packages you should be fine.

Right now I'm using Python to enhance my current MUX project. It'll be nice to not have to interface everything and use the same language from top to bottom.

@skew Haha, no worries. I've been curious for a little while if it'd be feasible to do. I've been putting a little thought process towards how I would implement, so I figured I would see if it was worth putting the extra cycles towards - or think of some other 'next' thing to work on. Besides, @BlackDahlia would kill me if I moved on without finishing.

@faraday Nice! Ares is in Ruby right? I've always been curious about language. I'm leaning towards Evennia, because Python! but I'd /really/ like to work with Python 3+

The mix between hunters and 'monsters' was something to really consider. The last thing I want is an all-out PvP fest - but I'd hope that as collaborative story builders we'd be able to figure out better answers than just actively seeking to off other players. Heck, even hunters have to make deals sometimes to best the bigger, badder thing they're after.

I have a small group that's been mulling about the idea of opening a game based on the Television Series, Supernatural. There hasn't been a whole lot planned yet, beyond possibly setting the game in Portland Oregon and the timeline begins at season 13.

Rules
The system would more than likely be cortex, but right now we're unsure which version of the cortex ruleset to use (Classic, or Action). Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I'd love to hear different opinions on which would work better in a persistent world setting.

Server
I'm a long time MUX coder, but I've been looking to learn other platforms. I'm pretty proficient with Python, so I've considered Evennia - or even possibly writing something in Node that uses MUX-like commands. Maybe that's a different topic of conversation altogether!

Setting
This is where I could really use a bit of discussion. The RPG describes the Pacific NW as a haven for monsters of all sorts - so having hunters there would be no problem. What I'm trying to figure out, is how to get Angels (maybe, since there are so few left) and Demons involved too. The original idea would have something to do with rifts being opened abnormally or some other cosmic event. Heck, maybe they could all just be there because they're there. Discuss!

Playable Characters Types
Hunters, of course, Demons, Angels maybe? And various other monster types that people have interest in playing (vampires, werewolves, Sasquatch, etc).

Anyways, let me know your thoughts! I'd love to get feedback/collaboration from the community. I'm a developer primarily, but I'd need all kinds of help if people are interested.

Hi all! I've been kicking around methods to read MUX DB info for web integration using python. I'm about to access the file using the dbm module, but the actual DB was made using encryption - which I can't seem to find any reference too in the source. I built a bot that queries the DB and turns it into API JSON response - but I'd rather access the DB directly if I can, and cut out the middleman.

It's been many moons since I've had to work in C so I'm pretty rusty. I figured I might find the encryption information in netmux source, but from what I can tell it comes pre-compiled.

Does anyone know where I can find the encryption info, or who I should talk to about it?

Thanks, everyone!

@auspice said in Setting up a builder Bit:

@thenomain said in Setting up a builder Bit:

This one can be a long discussion, and a lot of it has to do with what kind of builder bits and how much ability you want them to have over the database.

So, what do you or they want to be able to do? Build grid, build a specific project? Build a personal space?

What he said.

It's sort of an age-old question/concern.
People don't want to worry about that gosh darn building thang, but they also don't trust their builders (builders are so often seen as the "least" of the Staff totem pole) to have any power, so there has long been this cry of 'why can't my builder have access to everything they need..... without having access to anything of consequence?'

But building, by its nature, is a certain measure of coding as well if they're doing anything more than the most basic creation of rooms. If you want zones, locks, weather systems, places, etc... You need your builders to have a certain amount of access/power.

No doubt. I don't want to throttle my build staff, I just wanted to know if there was a protocol other then handing out staff bits - which I may just go with my grid builders now that I think about it

@thenomain I'm looking to set someone up to start working on the grid specifically.

I think I figured out the use of the 'building' power, after setting up access for building commands. That should probably take care of personal project builders I think.

That would be useful! MUX