IM Server

[Ian]

Here's an out there idea that just whacked me in the head.? Often people want to be able to chat in MUD without actively playing, or without needing to watch the data scroll by in mega.? Also the convo window is sorely lacking in some areas.

How about if the MUD server acted as an IM server also (using some sort of open-source protocol that many different clients could connect to).? Players see the messages appear as gos, and chatters see the gos appear as messages.? You would be able to log into the chat server using your player (or server) ID/password.? If you wanted to be able to use the chat client whilst scripting, there'd need to be some way to distinguish between the two connections, and you'd have to make sure the chat client couldn't send game commands (or rather, they would be ignored and not parsed).

I'm loving the idea of it, and it doesn't seem too hard at all.? If others (particularly Vitoc) like the sounds of this idea, I'll do some research into open-source IM protocols.? Hell, eventually you could even extend it to VoIP

Edit: Some thought would need to go into whether to allow other forms of messaging such as telepaths, gangpaths and auctions.  Off the top of my head I can't see why not.

[Raybdbomb]

i like it, but it seems... out of scope.

[DeathCow]

IM by telnet?

[Locke Cole]

IM by telnet?

He's talking about the server hosting another service that can interact with gossips/auctions. Like an IRC server or maybe Jabber. Then you can sign in with Trillian and chat when you're not online.

[DeathCow]

ooooooooo

[Ian]

He's talking about the server hosting another service that can interact with gossips/auctions. Like an IRC server or maybe Jabber. Then you can sign in with Trillian and chat when you're not online.

That's exactly it.  It would be a piece of piss to implement, and would be SO handy.  Of course it would have to wait a while until the server engine is finished, and the upgrades start getting put in.

But I think it would be awesome to just have a chat window open while my char is scripting.  And not having to worry about mega filtering reroll/suicide from my conversations.

[Vitoc]

It sounds like an interesting idea.

If these client programs can all telnet into the same predetermined port we can fairly easily strip all their commands down to gossips, broadcasts, gangpaths (when they're implemented), and telepaths.? I'd be worried about abuse, like spamming or like when someone is being hunted they can just hang up, but still talk smack.

[Valentine]

This seems like a perfectly reasonable place to mention implementing an ignore command.

[The Crazy Animal]

Spotted this today and thought it might work for this:

Multi-User Chat Client and Server
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1314.asp