Mudlet listing

[Brytta Léofa]

Mudlet offered to put Arm on the start-up screen as a default option, but staff refused.

Was their a cost associated with this? If not what was the reasoning?

Bonus points question: Do we have a staff member in charge of raising awareness of our game? (if not, have you considered doing this?)

Mansa linked this in the Discord:

• 
  Get in touch with us to let us know you'll be working on this: we'll help guide you through the process.
• 
  Ensure your MUD enables GA by default for Mudlet players - this means that the N: field bottom-right will be filled in with a number. This is important because a very useful function for making Mudlet scripts, isPrompt(), relies on that working.
  Send IAC GA at the end of every prompt, or whenever you're done sending data, to do this (LPC example).
• 
  Ensure that the Mudlet mapper works with your MUD. As every MUD is different, the built-in mapper needs help with tracking the player and recognising rooms. We recommend adapting the Generic Mapper Script for your MUD which is designed to work both cases where room numbers are available to players (easiest for tracking where you are) and also for cases where they aren't.
  Include a map of the newbie area at minimum. We understand that there is adventure to be had in exploration, so of course you don't need to provide a map of the whole world - but new players must have the lowest entry bar possible to your game, and having a mapped out newbie area is one way to achieve that. You can get a map into Mudlet either via MMP or via downloadFile() + loadMap().
• 
  Include an interface that tracks the players vital stats (health, mana, ...) at minimum and has the Mudlet mapper included. Some ideas for getting started are Geyser UI Template or the Drag and Drop framework (link).
  Optionally, include a tabbed chat for your MUD. Players find it very helpful when communications are separately available in a window as text often scrolls off the screen.
  Lastly, ensure your scripts get installed, and stays updated, by utilising the GMCP extension Mudlet makes use of.

So, that's kind of a lot. My questions are:

(1) Are any of these absolute non-starters? ("For ideological reasons we will never send telnet command characters!" )

(2) How much likely value is there to Arm in being listed in Mudlet's default MUD list?

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Reading through those requirements, I think that #1 is the ONLY one that absolutely requires a change to the game engine. #3 would require a policy change to allow providing some kind of limited map up front. For the rest, the arm-mudlet extension would need additional work but isn't super far from being viable.

[mansa]

There's a philosophical question that needs to be answered.

Do we want players to jump into the game with no knowledge of the game world, and who don't know that the website/forums exist, and get them up and running inside the game?

Do we have the facility to teach players what sort of game this is, inside the game?

[Brytta Léofa]

Do we want players to jump into the game with no knowledge of the game world, and who don't know that the website/forums exist, and get them up and running inside the game?

Do we have the facility to teach players what sort of game this is, inside the game?

I don't think the Mudlet listing requirements would force us to let people play without going the full account + character creation process. I'm generally opposed to letting anybody in IC areas without character vetting.

So if the answer to those is "no, and we don't have to", the question becomes more: Is it worthwhile to get some number of prospective players knocking on our front door and being immediately frustrated? (They cannot jump right into the game and have to go read a bunch of stuff.)

[Fredd]

There's a philosophical question that needs to be answered.

Do we want players to jump into the game with no knowledge of the game world, and who don't know that the website/forums exist, and get them up and running inside the game?

Do we have the facility to teach players what sort of game this is, inside the game?

Honestly, Most new players know very little when they start. even if they have skimmed the website.

I remember I read the old website through like ten times before I made my first person (deciding to play here or not) and I still knew very very little. I knew to ask to join the tzai byn that's really about it.

And guess what? 2 mins after walking into the Gaj I was told, IC, that I should join the Byn.

So my point is, yeah, I don't have much issue with it.

[Brytta Léofa]

I think there's a lot that could be done to make Arm Onboarding smoother, but for the sake of sticking to Just the Mudlet Question, let's assume that we would ONLY make the minimum required changes to the game.

What is the minimum viable thing that lets us list with Mudlet?

I think the minimum list of changes is:
- Arm staff agree that they actually want to list with Mudlet.
- Arm coders add GA characters to the prompt.
- Arm staff review the login sequence and ensure that it presents the right documentation links in the right places.
  - This might include some kind of a one-page quick-start for character creation.
- The Arm-mudlet extension gets forked/adopted by staff - i.e. it lives and downloads from a staff-owned github even if its active developers aren't on staff, so that staff have ultimate control.
- Arm coders add the GMCP sequence to tell Mudlet where to find the Arm extension.
- Arm-mudlet mapping support improves by one notch. (IMO it does not have to work perfectly everywhere. I've been using it for a year with some modifications; it's just not trouble-free yet.)
- Arm-mudlet includes a prebuilt map of the newbie area ("point newbie").

Is it worth it?

I think those are all basically good changes for the game, but IDK what level of publicity boost to actually expect from it. Would be interesting to hear the experience of other MUDs that have done this.

[Barsook]

Love the idea along with what homework needs to be done.

[Fredd]

Would be interesting to hear the experience of other MUDs that have done this.

I would also be interested in this. But it would be a START.

We need to do a lot more then just this, but this would be a good start at least.

Another would be to get some official social media accounts and start engaging with other rpg games of all makes.

Another would be to have a staff member coordinate with other muds to work together collectively to raise awareness of MUDS in general.

[Ulga]

Anything to get more players in here. Thats probably my main concern. I havent been around long, but this is the most enjoyable MUD I've ever played. I couldnt even imagine what it would be like if every location was popping with PCs.

[Fredd]

So, it seems like Halaster is pretty open to it. the problem is the homework.

Which is what i suspected. All this would take hours of work, i'm sure.

So I guess we need to keep poking them until they do it.

They sidestepped my Ad Staff question, notably.

[Delirium]

So, it seems like Halaster is pretty open to it. the problem is the homework.

Which is what i suspected. All this would take hours of work, i'm sure.

So I guess we need to keep poking them until they do it.

This is where trusted player volunteers come in, if someone has the bandwidth and know-how to take it on.

(I don't, sadly. I'm volunteering at an animal shelter with potential for an official staff gig they're eyeing me for.)

[Fredd]

So, it seems like Halaster is pretty open to it. the problem is the homework.

Which is what i suspected. All this would take hours of work, i'm sure.

So I guess we need to keep poking them until they do it.

This is where trusted player volunteers come in, if someone has the bandwidth and know-how to take it on.

(I don't, sadly. I'm volunteering at an animal shelter with potential for an official staff gig they're eyeing me for.)

I am very computer stupid. I kinda wish I wasn't now. I'de totally offer to help with this.