[Ilkidarios]

Hey, I've been searching for a good MUD client to use. I've been using my computer's TelNet for a while, but I want something that is easier to use and has a text entrance box, you know, where it has the main area where text is displayed and the box where you enter text in at the bottom that is a seperate area from the text display. A bit like the Iron Realms client that all their MUDs are played with.

[Gemini]

Well, I personally perfer MUSHclient. Its got what ya mentioned, plus all sorts of triggers and macros that are relatively to use, and my fave part, you can set the keypad to become hotkeys, very useful for quick moving and having spells ready in one key, no enter required even.

Sorry, dont seem to have link onhand, try googeling 'MUSHclient'

[Ilkidarios]

Alright, I'll check that out. Thanks.

[shadowfyr]

The link is:



Though for the absolute latest version, you have to go to the forums and find the download link for it. The current version is stable and seems to be without any sort of obvious bugs, but it does add a number of additional features not in the current 'major' version. This includes, I think, the addition of accelerator keys that let you map any key on the keyboard, while the prior versions only supported ones in the macro list.

[Raesanos]

Here are a few that I like. A good google search should lead you to a download site for any of these.

For Windows:

Zmud (Tons of features)
Gmud (Light but useable)

For Linux:

Kmud (Has a nice mapper)
TinTin++ (Standard issue)

Multiplatform (Windows, Linux, and MacOSX):

Ggmud (A SClient / TinTin++ hybrid)

[Brody]

For Windows:

SimpleMU. I love it.

[Ilkidarios]

Yeah, these all look pretty good, I'm going to have to try them all out and pick a really good one.

[shadowfyr]

Only thing Mushclient lacks that zMUD doesn't is a graphical mapper. We keep hoping someone will get around to designing a plugin for one though...

However, Mushclient is 'far' faster, tends to be more stable and the only real issue is muds that use MXP, but refuse to follow the standards in MXP for < and >. Mushclient has error checking functions that treat invalid tags as 'invalid'. zMUD takes the web browser approach and either tries its best to make them work, or simply displays them, even when they are illegal by its own specifications. Go figure..

The other windows ones mentioned are way behind on features, but for some people this is less of a problem than ease of use. Personally, I find that Mushclient isn't hard to use and since it supports nearly a dozen 'real' languages for scripting (if they are installed), its a lot easier for people to figure out if they have any skill at all, instead of trying to use one of several similar, but some what less straight forward (or in some cases actually working as described, though by now maybe zMUD fixed that) scripts.

I have no idea about the linux ones, but KMud seemed to be the most complete client, if still behind the curve compared to zMUD or Mushclient.

One thing to consider though is Mushclients ability to literally add plugins to extend functionality, which is not dependant on knowing C++ and using a toolkit, like the few others that support plugins at all. If you have combat triggers and code, drop them in a plugin. Something for healing and herbs, drop it in a plugin. Someone else wants the same, send them the XML file and in a few clicks, they have the same functionality. Other scripting systems can do this too, but only by feeding the commands into the client some how to add the whole set of features to the character file. There is no seperation of variables of means to stop parts of a new script from killing parts of others that just happen to use the same names for stuff.

[Murpe]

Dragonsong is a MUD Client written in C# for the .NET Platform. Many features were added in this release including multiple connections in the same window, a connection manager, macros, aliases, command history with autocomplete and more.

Website:

[nasredin]

A lot of ArcticMUD players use JMC (Jaba MUD Client) for Windows, developed by one of the players, Sergey Il'in (aka Jaba*). It's free and open source and was one of the first clients that supported Active Scripting. See


One other nice thing is that JMC scripts are compatible with Tintin for *nix.

There are just 2 widely acknowledged drawbacks:
- Jaba, being a group leader in a successful software company, no longer supports the product. However, since it's open source, you may contact one of the numerous MUD enthusiasts with programming skills that keep producing new versions of the client - or edit the code and compile it yourself.
- Jaba is a brilliant programmer, but a mediocre technical writer (and not a native English speaker). The help files are adequate, but the grammatical errors and style may look ugly.

You may download the JMC client from

(I would recommend using version 3.26 without hotfix, as I do myself).

You may find some simple (yet useful) JMC scripts at:

(Note: JMC was initially developed for ArcticMUD, but it is also a popular client for other MUDs, as this example shows.)

Finally, you're always welcome to ArcticMUD (Dragonlace theme, non-limited PK). Telnet (or better JMC ;--)    :
mud.arctic.org:2700

Enjoy
Nasredin

[prof1515]

Definitely prefer MUSHclient. Started using it back in 2002 when I got a computer that had Windows XP. The telnet on that 'puter was the crappiest I've ever seen so I started using MUSHclient. It's a good program, an easy download, and quite stable. As for mapping, I prefer to make my own maps by hand since it gives a bit of an "Old-World craftsmanship" touch to them (appropriate since I play a medieval-style MUD).

Take care,

Jason

[dawiaakasailorsea]

Are any of them free? Or do you know of any that are for free? I'm new to MUDs and I'd like a free MUDclinet thingy. (I like free stuff)

[Jazuela]

Mushclient will let you download its client free. They prefer for you to register it, and that costs I think $20, more or less. But as long as you don't mind a pop-up with a 30-second delay, reminding you that you can register - and as long as you don't mind not getting any support or upgraded bells and whistles, it's free.

Zmud lets you download their older version for free. Again, no support, no free upgrades. You'd have to pay for their current version if you decided you want it at a future date. Once you do pay for it, all upgrades are free and you get "customer service" support (from Zugg and his wife, who own the client).

GMud is free - not sure whether they ask you to pay/register or not, but it's free if that's how you want it.

[Splork]

Many of us are great fans of the Wintin.Net. This client is a free windows client and is an upgrade of the original wintin95.

Here are a few of the great features:

Communicate with any Mud as a first-class citizen

Wintin.Net is fast and responsive. It implements all the terminal display standards you will need for good communication with your mud. It will work with firewall proxies.

Respond quickly to events on your Mud

With Wintin.Net's scripts you can set up aliases and function keys to send commands quickly. You can also write scripts to respond to events automatically. Wintin.Net's script language implements all the Tintin++ commands, and introduces many new ones. More...

Use multiple windows to display information clearly and effectively

In Wintin.Net's windows you can display filtered and highlighted information from your Mud, as well as other information from the Web (maybe maps or stats for your game), and any information generated by scripts. Windows can either 'float', or tiled and tabbed using Wintin.Net's flexible Docking Manager. Screenshots...

Organise your Muds and Characters

Wintin.Net's Address Book lets you keep track of the games and characters you play. You can keep notes against each character, and you can configure Wintin.Net to log you in automatically when you select a particular game or character. You can specify a different set of scripts and a different window configuration for each character or mud.

Customise to meet your needs

If you're a programmer, you can add features to Wintin.Net by writing an Addin - Addins can be written in any .Net language and the whole functionality of the Wintin.Net code is available to them. Also, as the Wintin.Net source code is published, if there's something you don't like about it, you can change it!

This section will give you a brief summary of Wintin.Net's Script Language. A comprehensive Help File is provided with the software, which lists every script command and gives examples of their use.

Basic Commands

Basic commands are drawn from the Tintin++ scripting language. They include #alias, which sets up a shortcut for a lengthy mud command, and #action, which specifies a response to be sent to the mud whenever certain text is received. Other basic commands allow you to hide text from the mud that you don't want to see, highlight text you are particularly interested in, and to define variables that will track your hitpoints, mana and other status.

Script Debugging

Wintin.Net has a script debug window. This allows you to see the effect of scripts as they execute, and to see exactly what Wintin is sending to the mud.

Lists

Lists are a powerful feature of Wintin scripting. Script commands allow you to add or remove items from lists, to carry out actions on all items in lists, and to check whether a particular value is in a list.

Timers

Timers allow you to carry out specific script commands at a regular interval or at a specified time. 'One shot' timers will carry out an action once.

Windows

Window commands will create various types of windows and populate them. There are two basic kinds of window. Text windows display text from the mud, optionally filtered so that only certain lines are displayed. Html windows display text formatted by a browser: this can be a page from the web, or text created by script commands. Shortcuts exist to make it easy to display html tables from scripts, and to create clickable links that will send text tothe mud.

In the last month alone, MCCP, MM compatible chat, and the first phase of MXP has been added. Beta version 1.09 should be released relatively soon and will include major improvements in performance/speed, and MXP.

Enjoy,
Splork

SlothMUD III

[shadowfyr]

There is also something written in TCL/TK, which you can get Windows versions of, callled Trebuchet. It appears it may give Mushclient and others a run for there money *and* it has the advantage that plugins are loaded in as library modules in TCL, just like the program itself, while others use seperate, and not always common, at least outside the world of mud clients, script systems. I have no idea what the extent of its current features are, but given how user build stuff integrates and the versitility that provides, it could likely do things that even Mushclient and zMud would have some difficulties with.

As for free vs. pay. You still generally get what you pay for. Gmud and other free ones are 'not' designed to support many newer protocols and features. Or to put it another way, if muds are ever going to use any of those things, clients will have to support them. Netscape didn't become important because someone made a new client, the became important because people actually used the new features it supported, which mosaic didn't. By always going back to, "I want the free one, which doesn't do everything.", we are tieing the hands of people that might otherwise consider adding things to their mud, if not for the excuse, "But, while that would be interesting, the majority of clients don't support it." I am all for free too, but I want 'function' along with 'free', when possible. But the fact is, for the most part, the two don't co-exist with mud clients.

[Chayesh]

Perhaps I'm a bit old school but I still stand by my trusty GMud. What it lacks in some features, it more than makes up for by being stable and free shareware.

[Grumpy]

Al Client is a relatively unknow Mud Client which I have been using for many years, it has most of the functions you will find on most other major clients, its free and relative simple to use. Truely an underdog among the mud clients.

[bassy]

Don't forget about roaclient. Nice and simple and doesn't seem to suck on resources.

[shadowfyr]

Noticed this popped up again, so thought I would correct this issue. I have been a major contributor to ideas for improving the client *and* informing Nick Gammon of the occational bug, and most of that was done **before** I registered it. There is no 'support' in the sense of sending the developer an email or the like. All the support goes on with the forums and probably half the people on there don't have it registered. Everyone gets support if they ask for help.

In fact, often this presents a huge problem, as does having a fully functional client and no 30-day limit, since some features that require serious redesign may never appear in the client, not just do to the philosophical differences of the developer in having never intended them (several things have been added that initially he didn't consider important), but because probably less that 20% of the people that use it have the #$$@$ values to pay to help support it. I mean how the hell hard would it be for most of them to say, "Heh mom! Instead of buying me the new Pokemon cards, can I get $20 to pay for something I have basically been stealing for the last 2-3 years?" Well, not the last bit, but still... And the ones that are old enough they don't have parents around to give them $20 bucks... I am 'sure' if you wanted the latest DVD on the market you would 'somehow' find the money to buy it...

[Gabocha]

I use RoA client, and it seems to work nicely. I find myself using the built-in numpad support a lot, makes movement much easier, fully customizable too.