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From: George Reese <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: news.answers,rec.answers,rec.games.mud.announce,rec.games.mud.lp
Subject: FAQ: [lpmud] rec.games.mud.lp and LPMuds
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Date: Thu, 01 Oct 1998 05:31:54 GMT
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Archive-name: games/mud-faq/lp
Last modified: 98/10/01
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                                  LPMud FAQ

                          Last Modified 98/09/15

  The LPMud FAQ was originally authored 7 November 1994 by George Reese.
  It could not, however, have been completed on the efforts of a single
  person. See the credits section for a full list of contributors. To
  make comments or suggestions on this FAQ, mail [email protected].

  Copyright (c) 1994-1998 George Reese.
    _________________________________________________________________

  This is a list of Frequently Asked Questions asked about LPMuds and
  the newsgroup devoted to them, rec.games.mud.lp. This FAQ is posted
  twice a month to rec.games.mud.lp, rec.games.mud.announce,
  news.answers, and rec.answers. All readers are strongly advised to
  read this FAQ before posting questions to the LPMud news group, as
  your question may already be answered in here.

  This FAQ is not intended to be a substitute for the general 3 part mud
  FAQ's. I strongly recommend people new to muds read those first. This
  FAQ deals with a particular class of muds known as LPMuds, and
  therefore does not even attempt to cover information important to
  other classes of muds.
    _________________________________________________________________

  The LPMud FAQ is divided into four sections:

  * Section I: Introduction

  * Section II: Playing LPMuds

  * Section III: Coding on an LPMud

  * Section IV: Starting Your Own LPMud

    _________________________________________________________________

                                Section I

                               Introduction

   Contents

   1. What sort of posts belong in rec.games.mud.lp?
   2. I disagree with something in the FAQ. How do I get the FAQ
      changed?
   3. What is an LPMud?
   4. Isn't Amylaar an LPMud?
   5. Which is the real LPMud?
   6. How did LPMuds get started?
   7. What is the difference between LPMud and Dikus?
   8. What do the terms "alpha testing", "beta testing", and "fully
      open" mean?
   9. Where are some ftp sites with LPMud stuff?
  10. Is there anything about muds on WWW?
  11. What are some mud related mailing lists?

    _________________________________________________________________

   What sort of posts belong in rec.games.mud.lp?

  From the rec.games.mud.lp charter of 23 October 1991:

  _"The charter of this newsgroup is to discuss topics related to the
  LPMUD variant of MUD. LPMUD is a particular "brand" of MUD that was
  written by Lars Penji and has gained some populatity among MUD players
  in general, Discussions here should be confined to the following
  topics. Briefly, LPMUD uses a "parser" to interpret a 'C' like
  language (called LPC) which defines the actual game being played. Thus
  the various topics of discussion break down like so:
    * Player and 'Wizard' issues
    * Ongoing LPMUD campaigns
    * Parser programming issues and bug fixes
    * LPC (LP 'C" code) programming
    * LPC source code posting
    * LPMUD administrativia and announcements

  Topics of discussion which should NOT include this newsgroup are:
    * "LPMUD is (better,worse) than..." flames
    * Non-LPMUD campaigns
    * Non-LPMUD issues or programming"

  _Specifically, rec.games.mud.lp supports _almost_ anything dealing
  with LPMuds. The primary rule is that the topic of your posts must
  someway affect the LPMud community. We do not care about Dikus and
  MOOs and so on. They may be very nice servers, but if we wanted to be
  reading about them, we would be reading rec.games.mud.diku and so on.

  Beyond that, the charter is a little unclear and out of date. What
  sort of LPMud related posts belong in the newsgroup generally falls
  into anything of general interest to the LPMud community in general or
  one-time administrative announcements for specific muds. This would
  include announcements of downtime, but exclude queries into why a
  particular mud is down.

  In particular, the following questions are definitely _not_ welcome in
  rec.games.mud.lp:

  * FascistMUD's admins are such jerks!!! They ...
         Why would you post this? I guarantee you will accomplish
         nothing by this. First of all, ALL mud admins have bad days
         where they may do something very unfair. It is the nature of
         things. So you may be the unfortunate victim of a rare set of
         circumstances rather than of a mean admin. Secondly, even if
         the mud admin is a jerk, no one on this newsgroup cares. People
         will play such muds either because the admin is damn good at
         creating a game or because the players are other jerks who like
         the atmosphere of lawlessness. Players like you may login from
         time to time, but eventually they will figure it out.

  * Do not post mudsex sessions
         An individual's sexual activities are not matters for public
         derision. How people choose to express themselves sexually is a
         private issue as long as only consenting adults are involved.

  * Where is CheeseMUD? I have not been able to connect all day!
         If it is going to be down a long time, the admins should post
         to rec.games.mud.announce. Otherwise, it is either a short
         connection loss or it is just your problem. _Do not post these
         questions here or anywhere!!!_

  * Advertisements for muds
         These belong in the newsgroup rec.games.mud.announce.

  In the event someone does post improperly to the newsgroup, readers
  should quietly inform the poster of the misstep via email. In the
  past, violations of the Charter or FAQ have erupted in
  counter-productive flame wars. By emailing the offender, you
  accomplish both the tasks of informing the person and of keeping the
  newsgroup free of pointless arguments.

    _________________________________________________________________

   I disagree with something in the FAQ. How do I get the FAQ changed?

  You should email the maintainer of the FAQ. Change requests fall into
  three different categories. I handle the requests differently based on
  the category into which a given request falls. The three categories
  are:
   1. Matters of fact
   2. Matters of opinion
   3. Matters of consensus

  The first kind of issue are matters of fact--i.e. the status of mud
  software, the email address of a mailing list, etc.--then I will
  simply add that to the FAQ. If you are not directly responsible for
  the issue in question, I might request an email from the person who
  is.

  Matters of opinion will likely not replace existing passages, but
  instead appear alongside them. For example, the FAQ might state that
  capturing player emails is a good idea. Someone who disagreed strongly
  and presented an argument could email that argument to me. Since this
  is a matter of opinion, the new opinion would be added as an opposing
  opinion. In other words, it would not replace the existing clause.

  Certain issues, such as the interpretation of the Charter, are neither
  matters of fact nor matters of opinion--they are matters of consensus.
  These are parts of the FAQ for which only one point of view can be
  right, yet a certain minority of people may nevertheless disagree
  with.

  The FAQ has been around for a long time and represents the consensus
  of the newsgroup. Consensus does sometimes change, and the FAQ needs
  to be able to adjust with changes in consensus. For matters of
  consensus, I will ask anyone making a request to provide evidence that
  the consensus of the group has changed. Because the FAQ is established
  as the consensus of the newsgroup, the burden of proof is entirely on
  the requester. The nature of that proof is naturally dependent on the
  issue at hand.

    _________________________________________________________________

   What is an LPMud?

  An LPMud is one of many classes of muds, or multi-user domains. A
  multi-user domain is defined solely with respect to its ability to
  allow multiple real individuals to come together in some sort of
  environment. Although the most common environment is a gaming
  environment, muds need not be games. In fact, among other uses of MUDs
  that I know of, there are virtual colleges, a mud where victims of
  abuse can come together in a productive environment, and muds designed
  to bring students with disabilities into social contact with one
  another and others. The single defining theme for mud is therefore
  being a virtual environment where multiple people come in contact.

  An LPMud specifically allows the users to manipulate the environment
  through a language called LPC. LPMuds are computer programs which
  listens to the internet for people attempting to connect, reads LPC
  files, and acts upon those LPC files according to the rules of the LPC
  language to create the virtual environment. Currently, I know of 6
  major LPMud servers:

  * CD

  * DGD

  * LPC4

  * LPMud

  * MudOS

  * Shattered World

  With most other mud games, users do not have access to create in the
  language used by the mud. LPC is used not only to give users such an
  ability, but it is also designed with both ease and power in mind.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Isn't Amylaar an LPMud?

  Amylaar is a person, not an LPMud. He is the primary author and torch
  bearer of the LPMud name. Given the generic sound of the term "LPMud"
  these days, people often refer to LPMud 3.2 as the Amylaar driver.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Which is the real LPMud?

  LPMud 3.2 is the official continuation of the original LPMud server,
  however, all servers listed above are equally real. All have two
  traits that make a mud an LPMud:
   1. The environment is created through files written in LPC.
   2. The environment can change as new files are added and old ones
      changes, even while the game is running.

    _________________________________________________________________

   How did LPMuds get started?

  I am not the greatest historian, and may be wrong on some important
  facts here, but this is the first shot at the FAQ, so here goes...
  Once upon a time, there was Lars Pensj� (the � being an o with two
  dots over it... to an American, that is roughly pronounced "Penscha"),
  who wrote the original LPMud coming from an AberMUD background. If you
  play current LPMud's of the LPMud type, you won't really notice much
  of a difference from the original. From the coders' point of view
  however, LPC is nothing like it was with the original. For a long
  time, there was only LPMud run by Lars with patches by everyone under
  the sun. The original LPMud run by Lars was called Genesis. Its base
  town called Larstown was taken mostly from AberMUD.

  Eventually, others got tired of waiting to see their patches added to
  Lars' driver, and Lars was working on version 3.0 of his driver as he
  was gradually losing interest in the project altogether. Version 3.0
  turned out to be buggy as hell, and generally unworkable for a real
  LPMud. CD, LPC4, LPMud, and MudOS, all derive from this server as
  people saw good things in it and began creating working versions of
  LPMud 3.0 after their own concepts of mud server design.

  Unlike the others, DGD was created from scratch. It therefore is
  missing a lot of the baggage which has come down from the beginning of
  time in the other drivers. Shattered Worlds, on the otherhand, derives
  from LPMud 2.4.5.
    _________________________________________________________________

   What is the difference between LPMud and Dikus?

  This section is almost entirely quoted from a post by Tim Hollebeek:
  The main difference between Dikus and LPs is that a Diku server
  provides a game, while an LP server provides a language in which to
  write a game. This means that an LPMud server is more like your perl
  or python binaries than a Diku binary. An LPMud has an extra layer in
  which the game is written, called the mudlib or object library. The
  advantage Diku enjoys is that it can be more efficient since the game
  is more low-level. The other edge of this sword, however, is that it
  is very hard to make changes to a Diku and it requires a high level of
  technical knowledge.

  An LPMud, on the other hand, is extremely flexible and requires a
  minimal amount of technical knowledge in order to build the same
  things (or even more complex things) as exist on Dikus. As a
  consequence, LPmuds tend to be more widespread and reflect a greater
  diversity of imagination.

  The truth about LP's is that it is virtually impossible for a player
  to know they are on an LP; the driver is simply too far removed for it
  to make any difference to the player in terms of look and feel. Many
  LP's, however, do have a common look and feel because they share the
  same mudlibs.

    _________________________________________________________________

   What do the terms "alpha testing", "beta testing", and "fully open" mean?

  Generally, a mud goes through three basic stages. The first stage,
  "alpha testing", is a developmental mode in which players are rarely
  allowed access to the mud. Things are in such a disarray or in a
  flurry of changes that playing a consistent game is impossible. In the
  "beta testing" stage, a mud is generally opened to players solely for
  the sake of testing that the mud works. Without actual play testing,
  it is impossible to determine if a mud can handle being fully open.
  muds in either of the above stages generally will not compensate
  players for mishaps due to bugs in the game, and they will often even
  purge players from the mud. The purging is done either because old
  player objects are no longer compatible with new ones or because the
  mud needs to be re-balanced to fit new code.

  In the final stage, "fully open", a mud is just that, fully open. That
  means you can expect certain standards from the mud, including such
  things as not dying from bugs. Nothing is ever bug free, so generally
  fully open muds will compensate players for mishaps which occur
  because of a bug. On the flip side, these muds usually also smite
  players who gain from bugs in the system.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Where are some ftp sites with LPMud stuff?

  See Section IV: Where can I find all of this stuff?
    _________________________________________________________________

   Is there anything about muds on WWW?

  The following is a list of LPMud related WWW URL's, a few of which are
  even written in the mud programming language LPC:

  * http://www.bat.org
         The BatMUD WWW Server

  * http://www.lostsouls.org
         The Lost Souls WWW Server

  * http://www.imaginary.com
         The Imaginary WWW Server

  * http://www.pvv.unit.no/viking
         The Viking mud WWW Server

    _________________________________________________________________

   What are some mud related mailing lists?

  The following lists use the Mailman mailing list software. Click on
  the link to subscribe to those lists:

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/foundation-mudlib
         The Foundation Object Library Mailing List

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/intermud
         The Intermud Protocols Mailing List

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/lima-mudlib
         The LIMA Mudlib Mailing List

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/lpc-language
         The LPC Language Mailing List

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/mudos
         The MudOS General Discussion Mailing List

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/mudos-bugs
         The MudOS Bug Reporting List

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/mudos-develop
         The MudOS Developers' Mailing List

  * http://list.imaginary.com/mailman/listinfo/mudos-patches
         The MudOS Patch Distribution List

  The following lists use the majordomo software. To subscribe, mail
  majordomo at the sites mentioned with "subscribe list-name" in the
  body of your mail. To get more information on the lists below, mail
  majordomo at the site mentioned with "info list-name" in the body of
  the mail. Naturally, list-name should be replaced with the appropriate
  list name.

  For example, to subscribe to the lpc-language mailing list
  [email protected], you do the following:
   1. mail [email protected]
   2. subject is irrelevant, body says "subscribe lpc-language"
   3. the list will then confirm you have been added by mail

  To mail a post to the mailing list, simply mail
  [email protected] and proceed as you would as if you were
  mailing a single person.

  * [email protected]
         The LPMud 3.2 and 3.2.1 Users Mailing List

  In addition, the TMI-2 mailing list uses different mailing list
  software which can be subscribed to by visiting the list page at
  http://www.mudlib.org/mailman/listinfo/tmi-2.

  Individual muds may have their own mailing lists as well. Check with
  your LPMud for details. For people running lists with an audience
  beyond a single mud, please let me know of your list. If you use list
  software not listed, I need the name of the list, how to subscribe,
  and how to get more information.

    _________________________________________________________________

                                Section II

                              Playing LPMuds

   Contents

   1. How do I play an LPMud?
   2. But I am using windows!
   3. How do I get a list of LPMuds?
   4. Are all LPMuds in English?
   5. Ok, the mud is asking me for a name, what do I do?
   6. They told me I had to register!
   7. Name and password set, what next?
   8. I don't want anyone knowing my email address!
   9. Is it asking me for my gender?
  10. What does it mean by race?
  11. What is a class? What is a guild?
  12. I am in the mud, what do I do?
  13. What are some common commands?
  14. What is an alias?
  15. Why is the mud admin ignoring me?
  16. The admins are being unfair, don't I have rights?
  17. What about freedom of speech?
  18. What else is there?

    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I play an LPMud?

  You must first find the internet address of the mud you wish to play.
  Once you find the address, most often people use the "telnet" program
  to connect to this address. The mud FAQ has an excellent section on
  MUD clients, which are alternatives to the plain vanilla "telnet"
  program. However, generally speaking, with "telnet", you can access
  the mud of your choice by issuing the command:

       telnet address port

  For example (% is considered your prompt):
       % telnet nightmare.imaginary.com 1701
       % telnet 129.10.114.86 5555

  And so on. Some telnet programs do not allow you to pass arguments at
  the command line. Instead, you get something like this:

       % telnet
       telnet> open
       (to) nightmare.imaginary.com 1701

  Once you succeed, you will get a welcoming screen which should say the
  name of the LPMud and ask you for a name. A common error people will
  make is leaving off the number at the end. If you do that, the telnet
  program assumes you mean to go to port 23, and it will give you a
  login prompt to the host machine.

  In addition, _some_ VMS telnet programs use the following syntax:
       telnet 198.174.169.120/port=1701

    _________________________________________________________________

   But I am using windows!

  The telnet program that comes with Windows95 and Windows NT is
  extremely anemic and not much good for anything. Other versions of
  Windows do not even come with a telnet program. To connect to a mud
  using the default Windows95/NT telnet, go to the 'Start' menu and
  click on the 'Run' menu item. In the text field, enter:

       telnet nightmare.imaginary.com 1701

  Of course, you should use the proper address for your mud as described
  in the telnet section. This will connect you to the mud, but it may be
  a bit confusing. The first thing you need to do is turn echo on so
  that you can see what you are typing. Go to the 'Terminal' menu and
  click 'Preferences'. Check the 'Local Echo' check box. You may also
  want to resize the window so there are no scroll bars.

  You will not be able to stand playing a mud this way for very long. It
  is highly recommended you download a Windows mud client ASAP before
  you go insane. In the least, you might want to grab a useable telnet
  program like EWAN or CRT.

    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I get a list of LPMuds?

  I know of no place that lists ONLY LPMud's, however, there is Doran's
  Mudlist, which is produced semi-regularly and lists muds by type. You
  thus have all your LPMuds grouped together. You can find it posted to
  rec.games.mud.announce.

  MUDs connected to the Intermud generally have mudlists which they
  maintain dynamically based on which muds they are currently talking
  to:

  * http://ie.imaginary.com:7885/gateways/mudlist
         The Idea Exchange Dynamic Intermud Mudlist

  Keep in mind, however, these dynamic lists hold only LPMuds which
  support intermud communication. They are by no means full lists. You
  will also find that many muds on this list are in some sort of
  developmental stage.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Are all LPMuds in English?

  No. To provide a list of such muds is beyond the scope of this FAQ.
  Check the mudlists for a full and current listing. However, I would
  like to know about other languages which might be supported in the
  LPMud world, so please mail me if you have a mud in a language in
  other than English, German, or Swedish. Known languages:

  * Chinese

  * Dutch

  * English

  * German

  * Hungarian

  * Polish

  * Swedish

    _________________________________________________________________

   Ok, the mud is asking me for a name, what do I do?

  Make up a name. Avoid using your real name or common names, real and
  mythical. You want not only to give character to your persona, but you
  also do not want everyone saying "Hey! Aren't you Bob from
  JustAnotherMUD"? I chose the name Descartes, because I was a
  philosophy major in college. In general, it is safe to assume any name
  consisting only of more than two characters and less than ten (a to z)
  is acceptable on any mud. Some muds allow really long names with
  spaces, apostrophes, hyphens, and other marks. Others are in between
  the extremes. Try the name you want. If the mud will not allow it, it
  will tell you, and it should tell you why.

  After making up a name, one of two things will happen. Either you will
  be prompted for a password, meaning you have picked a name someone
  else is using, or it will ask you to create a password, meaning you
  are a new character. If the first thing happens, just try again with
  another name. If the second happens, you are in good shape.

  To create passwords, make up one different than the one you use to
  access computers. Although muds encrypt passwords for storage, nothing
  prevents an unscrupulous mud admin from intercepting that password and
  using it for unethical purposes. It is also recommended that you use a
  password with numbers and mixed upper and lower case letters in it.
    _________________________________________________________________

   They told me I had to register!

  Some muds require all their players to register before being allowed
  to play. Also, it may be the case that someone from the same place as
  you has been causing trouble, so the admins of the mud in question
  have decided to require only people from that site to register. If
  this is the case with the mud you wish to play, simply follow the
  instructions they give. In most cases they will give you an email
  address where you should send your registration.

    _________________________________________________________________

   Name and password set, what next?

  This is where you get to see why there is so little in common among
  LPMuds from the player's point of view. Some LPMud's will ask you a
  series of questions about who you are and what sort of character you
  would like. Others ask nothing more. Among the questions you might be
  asked are: what is your email address? what is your real name? what
  gender would you like to play? what race would you like to be? what
  class would you like to be? etc.
    _________________________________________________________________

   I don't want anyone knowing my email address!

  MUD Administrators have a legitimate need to know your email address.
  No one else does. If a mud requires you to give your email address it
  should either offer you the option of keeping it private, or it should
  automatically keep the email private. If they do not keep your email
  private and you desire privacy, do not play the mud. Do not complain,
  however, that they ask for it.

  _Note:_
  There seems to be some difference of opinion on this one, so I decided
  to quote one of the comments:

    "Well, I have to disagree with this section: E-mail addresses are
    very difficult to verify in bulk, and really not worth the trouble
    unless you perform site registration. I believe the only people you
    have a legitimate need for an email address from is your wizards.
    Other than that, knowing the ip they log in from should be more
    than sufficient." -Rust (John Viega)

    _________________________________________________________________

   Is it asking me for _my_ gender?

  No. The game wants to know what gender you would like your _character_
  to be. This means you can play a character of the opposite gender,
  your own gender, or one of the alternate gender types which might be
  offered. The other side of the coin to this, however, is that you
  should _never_ count on other people in real life being the gender of
  the character they play.
    _________________________________________________________________

   What does it mean by race?

  Many LPMuds have a feature called character races. The term "race" in
  these instances is not the same as the term used in modern society. In
  fact, the LPMud term race would more correctly be referred to as
  species. In fantasy type LPMuds, you will often see a selection of
  "races" like human, orc, artrell, gnome, etc. When you are asked to
  choose a race, a list of possible races should be provided for you.
    _________________________________________________________________

   What is a class? What is a guild?

  In general, a class is a grouping of players with common abilities. A
  guild as well can be said to have the same definition. Many muds, if
  they use either of these concepts at all, add some very individual
  nuances. To muds which do not have classes or guilds, the concepts are
  naturally irrelevant. Those which have one or the other are often
  using the terms in an interchangeable fashion. Finally, those muds
  which have both often define class in a more generic manner than
  guild. For example, on Nightmare, a class is like a profession and the
  guild like a particular job. You might have people in the fighter
  class who are in the templars guild, and others who are in the rangers
  guild. In short, the guild is a way of specializing your class
  abilities.

  Other muds allow "multi-classing", which may mean joining multiple
  guilds, classes, or both. It is always best to check out the "help
  guild" and "help class" command on any given mud to see how it defines
  these terms.
    _________________________________________________________________

   I am in the mud, what do I do?

  There is no one answer to this question, as the answer will vary from
  MUD to mud. No matter what, however, you should see if the mud has a
  "faq" command to get a listing of that mud's frequently asked
  questions. In addition, you should learn how to use the "help" command
  as well as find out about the rules governing that mud.
    _________________________________________________________________

   What are some common commands?

  The following commands exist on virtually all LPMuds. () around part
  of a command indicate that that part is optional. [] indicates that
  the text should not be taken literally. These commands naturally are
  not likely to be found on non-English muds.

  * help ([topic])
         Gives you help. If you specify a topic, you get help on that
         topic. If you just type help, you will either get help on where
         to find other help, or you will be put into a help menu.

  * tell [player] [message]
         Sends the string [message] to the player whose name is [player]
         anywhere on the mud. Some LPMuds do not allow players to tell
         to one another as it is viewed unrealistic.

  * say [message]
         Sends [message] to everyone who is in the same mud room as you.
         This command is almost always aliased to "'", such that "'hi!"
         is the same thing as typing "say hi!".

  * who
         Gives you a list of everyone connected to that mud.

  * look
         Gives you a description of the mud room in which you are in.

  * look at [object]
         Gives you a description of the object in question.

    _________________________________________________________________

   What is an alias?

  As with UNIX, most LPMuds provide some sort of method for creating
  "aliases". An alias is simply a way in which you can have a easy to
  type command represent another command. For example, you will often
  want to type the phrase "get all from corpse" on any LPMud. It is much
  easier to make an alias so that whenever you type "gac", the LPMud
  interprets that as "get all from corpse".

  In order to create aliases, you need to know how your particular mud
  handles aliasing. Older muds use a device called a quicktyper. Newer
  MUDs have alias commands built in. Try issuing "help alias" and "help
  quicktyper" commands in order to find out how aliases are handled on
  your mud. If your mud uses quicktypers, you will have to go find the
  quicktyper object before you can create aliases. Ask any other player
  on such a mud where there quicktyper can be found.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Why is the mud admin ignoring me?

  Admins in particular are prone to a mud disease called "idling". This
  means that the lights are on, but nobody is home. An idle person is
  simply someone logged in to the game, but who is perhaps not actually
  at their computer terminal. That person is thus not really ignoring
  your question, since the person is never actually seeing it.

  If the admin is not idling, chances are that person is being
  overwhelmed with questions or is actually coding online. Many LPMuds
  will tell you that the person to whom you are talking is "idle" or
  "editing". If you get that response to a tell, do not expect an answer
  back right away. In addition, if it says the admin is editing (or
  anyone else for that matter), then it is generally considered rude to
  continue telling to that person as it makes it difficult for the
  person to edit.

  Many people these days have the ability to be on several muds at the
  same time. It is therefore entirely possible that the person to whom
  you are trying to talk is in fact looking at another window. To get
  that person's attention, it may be ok to "beep" them (by sending a
  control-G in a say or tell). Some people do not like others to do this
  to them, however, so be careful about doing it too much.
    _________________________________________________________________

   The admins are being unfair, don't I have rights?

  The short answer is yes, you have the right not to play the game. The
  long answer is much more complex. First off, any reasonable set of
  admins who wish to create a game which people will enjoy will
  enumerate the sorts of behaviour you can expect from them. In other
  words, admins on fun muds will state the rules of the game ahead of
  time and will not deviate from those rules. That way you know what to
  expect. In addition, if you do not like the rules, you don't get
  involved with playing the game.

  What prevents an admin from breaking their own rules? Absolutely
  nothing. In one sense, a mud is like someone else's swimming pool. You
  have absolutely no right to swim there, and they have the right to
  throw you out just because you talk funny or say things they don't
  like. Fortunately, there are plenty of muds out there with civil
  administrations to make this nothing more than a passing nuisance.

  A common misconception is that mud admins administrate muds for power,
  and that arbitrary behaviour is a way of exercising that power. Though
  there may be a few misguided individuals out there who do in fact
  administrate muds for the sake of power, the fact is that no mud
  administrator has any power over you. Remember, the worst thing any
  admin can do to you is make you go play somewhere else.

  A final thing to remember is that muds evolve and rules evolve with
  the mud. Just because rules change does not mean the admins are being
  arbitrary. Arbitrariness is reflected in sometimes applying rules and
  sometimes ignoring them, not in creating new rules to fit unforseen
  situations.

    _________________________________________________________________

   What about freedom of speech?

  No, not even freedom of speech. Again, reasonable admins will clarify
  in publically available rules what sort of speech (hate speech,
  offensive language, or whatever) is not acceptable on that mud. You
  may or may not agree with those rules or the political beliefs those
  rules represent, but at least you do know where you stand on the mud.
  It is thus up to you to decide if you can play under those rules or
  not. In the event you encounter an unreasonable mud, there is nothing
  much you can do but decide to leave. If it is a commercial mud,
  however, deciding to leave can be some sort of leverage.

  A common source of friction between players and admins is where
  players decide to criticize admins. Most often, the players are not
  really trying to criticize the admins so much as inspire positive
  changes to make a game they love even better. In those cases, it is
  always good to remember that the admin is a real human who is closely
  involved with what the mud is. If you keep that in mind, you can often
  help bring positive changes to the mud you play without
  unintentionally striking a hidden chord in a sensitive admin.

    _________________________________________________________________

   What else is there?

  Explore the mud! Most gaming muds have places called "newbie" areas
  which are simplistic places for people new to the game to go and get
  the hang of things. When you first log in to a new mud, you should ask
  the others where the newbie area is. Also, read the login screen and
  news which scrolls across your screen at login time, as they contain
  important information about characteristics unique to the mud you are
  playing.

  Ask people questions. Just make sure you have read the help files
  first, or you will be sure to annoy someone. In addition, try not to
  choose a single person for your queries. Constantly being asked
  questions by the same person can often annoy people as easily as
  stupid questions.
    _________________________________________________________________

                               Section III

                            Coding on an LPMud

   Contents

   1. What is coding?
   2. What is LPC?
   3. How do I get to code on an LPMud?
   4. How do I learn to code?
   5. What is The Idea Exchange?
   6. How do I learn to code a room/monster/weapon/armou...?
   7. But you said that all LPMuds use LPC!
   8. My code is not working! How do I fix it?
   9. What is an efun? an lfun? a kfun? a sefun?...
  10. Can I take my area from LPMud X to LPMud Y?
  11. Can I code offline?
  12. Why does the mud use ed? Why not have the mud use vi/emacs...?
  13. How do I put my code into the game?

    _________________________________________________________________

   What is coding?

  Coding is writing files for the computer to read. In the case of
  LPMuds, this means writing files in a computer language called LPC.
  The LPMud server reads these files and interprets what those files are
  telling the computer to do when certain player actions occur. Often
  that means things like displaying a description of a room when you
  enter it and so on. The LPC files which make up the backbone of any
  mud are called the mudlib. Coders use the mudlib code in such a way as
  not to have to rewrite many of the most common instructions over and
  over again. With most good mudlibs, therefore, there is more creation
  involved than coding.
    _________________________________________________________________

   What is LPC?

  LPC is an object building language created by the author of the
  original LPMud server, standing for Lars Pensj� C. Structurally, it is
  much like the more popular programming language C. Designed with LPMud
  object building specifically in mind, it puts the power of game
  building in the hand of the general user.
    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I get to code on an LPMud?

  Policies vary from mud to mud. Some muds require you to make a certain
  player level before being allowed to code. Others require you to pass
  a test or fillout an application. Still others just let anyone come on
  and code. If you really want to get in on things, the best thing to do
  is either to talk to the admins of the mud you are playing, or go to
  The Idea Exchange (ie.imaginary.com 7890) The Idea Exchange has a
  newsgroup for coders looking to code and another for muds looking for
  coders. Keep in mind that many muds which are open to players already
  have more coders than they need.
    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I learn to code?

  There are two parts to learning how to code on your mud:
   1. Learning LPC
   2. Learning your mud's object library (mudlib)

  Each mud should have detailed documentation on part 2. Two LPC
  textbooks, a beginner and an intermediate, exist to take care of part
  1. You can get the textbooks via ftp at
  ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/doc. Documentation, however, will not
  really do anything without looking at examples, practicing, and
  talking to more experienced coders. Examples should be everywhere on
  your mud (though they are not necessarily good examples). Practicing
  is simply just copying code you do not understand, making small
  changes to it to see what they do, and learning from what happens. To
  learn more about how to code from others, talk to more experienced
  coders on your own mud or visit The Idea Exchange which is designed to
  help people learn LPC.
    _________________________________________________________________

   What is The Idea Exchange?

  The Idea Exchange is centered around the advancement of LPMud
  technology and the promotion of its use. On The Idea Exchange you will
  find many of the people responsible for the software commonly used to
  build LPMud environments, including the authors of drivers and
  mudlibs. It is an excellent place for learning about LPC and
  discussing new ideas.
    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I code a monster/room/weapon/armour...?

  Read your mud's documentation, as this varies greatly from mud to mud.

    "Also, questions like that are almost impossible to answer in any
    other way than showing an example. Thus, a much better question is:
    'Where can I find an example of how to create a XXX?' or 'I don't
    quite understand this part of the example on how to...'" -Drevreck
    (Lars Syrstad)

    _________________________________________________________________

   But you said all LPMuds use LPC!

  Yes, they do. However, they do not all use the same mudlib. The mudlib
  is the basic LPC files you make use of then you write your LPC files.
  The LPMud server in turn interprets your files and stores them in
  memory. Two muds using different mudlibs therefore can be wildly
  different from one another. And since the mudlibs are so different,
  the files you will write will be equally different.

  An analogy might be that of a human dialect. Quebecois French and
  Continental French often use different words and such in order to
  express ideas. In spite of this, the language structure is the same.
  So, both are still French even though you sometimes need to say
  different things in order to mean the same thing.

  In writing an object in LPC, you are almost always using the mudlib's
  LPC files rather than totally writing files from scratch. You do this
  through something called inheritances. Inherited code which exists on
  one mud may not exist on your mud, or may exist differently. Therefore
  when you try to use that code, it will not work as you expect even
  though both are in LPC.
    _________________________________________________________________

   My code is not working! How do I fix it?

  First, determine if the problem is with...
    * the object failing to load
    * the code causing an error when it runs
    * no errors, it is just the expected things do not happen

  Now that you know what "type" of error you have, you need to isolate
  it. Isolating it depends on the type of bug...

  _the object fails to load_
         You have the bug isolated for you you in your error file. The
         location of the error log depends on the file name of the
         object with the error. It also depends on the way your mudlib
         logs such errors. Nightmare, for example, logs compile errors
         to /log/errors/std for obejcts in /std, etc, and
         /log/errors/descartes for objects from /realms/descartes. TMI-2
         would log my errors to /u/d/descartes/log and mudlib errors to
         /log/* with sensitive logging going to /log/adm/*. _know_ with
         MudOSthe driver does isolate the error for you to a useful
         degree of certainty. More on this later.
         For LPMud 3.2.1, you can use the: #pragma verbose_errors
         preprocessor directive to make compile time errors include a
         bit of context in error messages. Some mudlibs turn this
         #pragma on by default.

  _an error occurs during execution_
         These are logged in the mud's runtime error logged, and they
         ALWAYS reflect the exact line where something happened. On
         MudOS muds before 0.9.20, the system runtime log was
         /log/debug.log. The mudlib in later versions has the option of
         naming it whatever.

    "Brought over from LPMud 3.[01].x , LPMud 3.2 uses
    /`hostname`/debug.log. LPMud 3.2.1 allows you to pass the option
    --debug_file to change this default. If there is a triple fault
    (i.e. an error while the master was processing an error in error
    processing), and you compiled the driver with the TRACE_CODE
    option, there will also be a trace of the last instructions
    executed. Moreover, if the driver is not out of memory, and there
    is no triple fault, the apply runtime_error() is called in the
    master, with the error message, file name, object name and line
    number as arguments." -Amylaar

         Note that for drivers which can compile LPC code to C and then
         link it into the driver, no line number information will exist
         to help you in debugging. You should therefore debug your LPC
         code thoroughly before compiling it to C.

  _no errors, you just do not get expected results_
         These are the hardest to debug. You need to go through the code
         and test

        1. Which code is being executed
        2. The values of the variables in the executed code

         How do you do this? Take the following code with a priveledges
         bug...


/* from /cmds/adm/_rid.c */

int cmd_rid(string str) {
   if(!archp(previous_object())) return 0;
   if(!str || !user_exists(str = lower_case(str))) return 0;
   if(!((int)USERS_D->rid_user(str))) return 0;
   message("system", "You rid "+capitalize(str)+".", previous_object());
   return 1;
}

/* EOF */

/* /secure/daemon/users.c */

int rid_user(string str) {
   return rm(DIR_USERS+"/"+str[0..0]+"/"+str+SAVE_EXTENSION);
}

/* OTHER CODE DELETED FOR BREVITY */

  This is not real code (as a lot more should exist in such an
         operation). However it does serve the point. This code will
         load fine and execute without error. However, it will not
         delete the save file of any user. If anyone executes it, the
         following will happen:


> rid weenieplayer
What?
>

  So what do you know? You know you typed "rid weenieplayer", and you
         know you got 0 returned. One of the following things happened:

        1. The "rid" command never got executed
        2. The archp() returned false for the person executing the
           command
        3. For some reason, str was equal to 0
        4. rid_user() in users.c returned 0 to the command

         How do you know if 1 is the problem? put the line... write("rid
         command executed") as the first line of the cmd_rid() function
         in the rid command. If the rid command is executed, you will
         see that it is executed before you see "What?". If it is not,
         you will just see "What?". If you do not see that line in
         write(), then you know your bug is with you whatever calls the
         "rid" command. If you do, then you know you must proceed
         further.

  Do the same after each line which returns 0. Make sure each write()
  string is unique so you know *which* line is being written out. This
  will tell you exactly *which* line is returning 0 in the rid command.

  In this case, it is #4 which is the problem. The users daemon is
  returning 0 for for rid_user(). This means that rm() is definitely
  returning 0. rm() only returns 0 when an rm fails. rm() only fails
  when an object does not have proper access. Therefore, in this case,
  you need to fix the bug in your security.

  If for some reason you cannot go editing the files in question (i.e.
  they are in the base lib files to which you have no access, changing
  them would be even more troublesome, etc), you should consider the
  efuns trace() and traceprefix().

  Do you need to go through all of these tedious steps? No, you can
  generally make good guesses as to where to look the more familiar you
  become with the code. For example, in this case you pretty much could
  have elimited step 1 if that command is an old command which used to
  work. After all, it is highly unlikely that the mud would suddenly
  stop executing that one command!

  Furthermore, if you had just made a change to the security system, you
  would immediately suspect that rm() failed and thus would have checked
  that first.

  This is why presenting me with your entier rid command would have been
  useless to me. I would have looked at it and said it *looks* ok. But I
  have no idea what changes you have recently made to your mud, nor do I
  know from looking at the code which of those lines is returning 0. I
  can only basically tell you that one of those lines is failing.

  However, if you were to tell me that for some reason your user object
  was returning 0 in trying to rm() the user file during the rid
  command, I could tell you details about the relevant parts of the
  Nightmare LPC Library security to this daemon. And then you could use
  that information to debug further and ultimately fix the bug.
    _________________________________________________________________

   What is an efun? an lfun? a kfun? an sefun?...

  For any function in LPC, there are three distinct parts...
   1. the prototype
   2. the call
   3. the definition

  Whate differentiates all of these different types of functions is
  _where_ they are defined. The definition of the function is the part
  which says what it does.

  afun (auto function, DGD only)
         the function is defined in the auto object and behaves like and
         efun from other drivers. This function is really very special
         type of lfun.

  apply
         a function defined in the mudlib designed to be called only by
         the driver. All applies are also lfuns. Most of the functions
         in the DGD's driver object and other's master object are
         applies. In addition, the functions create(), init(), and
         reset() are also applies for LPMud 3.2 (not 3.2.1), MudOS, and
         CD.

  efun (external function)
         this type of function is defined external with respect to the
         mudlib. In other words, in the driver. Since it is defined
         inside the driver, it is faster, but the mudlib is left with
         little control over what it does.

  kfun (kernel function, DGD only)
         This type of function is much like an efun in that it is
         defined external to the mudlib in the driver kernel. There are
         some ways beyond the scope of this FAQ in which kfuns differ
         from efuns, ways which have little bearing to daily coding.

  lfun (local function)
         Any function defined inside an object in the mudlib. The
         functions you write (like create() or reset()) are lfuns.

  sefun (simulated external function)
         lfuns defined in an object known as the simul efun object. Any
         object in the mudlib is allowed to use these functions as if
         they were efuns (treat them like local calls).

  You might also want to keep in mind the difference between a local
  call and a call_other. A local call is a call to a function defined in
  your object or to one of the objects it inherits. A call other is a
  call to a function defined in another object. Efuns and simul efuns,
  though not defined in your object, act like local calls. Afuns and
  kfuns are in fact local calls, since all objects inherit the auto
  object to which they are local.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Can I take my area from LPMud X to LPMud Y?

  Can you? If they use the same mudlib, yes. May you? Often muds have
  restrictions against importing code in order to keep the mud unique.
  Talk to the administration of both muds for local details.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Can I code offline?

  There are many different methods of coding offline, and which one is
  available to you depends on your mud. The methods are:
   1. ange-ftp
   2. your favourite editor + ftp
   3. cut-and-paste

  Editing offline allows you a faster response time, the ability to
  multitask, and the ability not to be bothered by incoming tells
  screwing up your edit window. It also allows you to make use of
  editing environments which may be much more robust than standard mud
  ed.

  ange-ftp is an emacs mode which allows you to edit files in emacs and
  have them automatically ftp'ed to your mud and back. ange-ftp
  requires:
    * emacs with ange-ftp mode
    * an FTP server which gives access to host mud files

  Using a local editor and ftp allows you free choice of which editors
  you use, but you have to manually transfer each file. If going from a
  DOS environment, you also need to watch for carriage-return/line-feed
  translation. FTP requires:
    * An FTP server which gives you access to your mud files

  Cut and paste requires no file transfer and allows you to use any
  editor which has immediate access to your mud files. For example, you
  can edit on your home computer using Notepad, then cut that from
  Notepad and paste to your mud window which is likely in ed. Cut and
  paste requires:
    * The ability to cut and paste from editor to mud window.

    _________________________________________________________________

   Why does the mud use ed? Why not have the mud use vi/emacs...?

  See Section IV: How do I get my mud to use vi/emacs instead of ed?
    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I put my code into the game?

  A file is considered "in the game" if another file already visible to
  players references it. So, to put your stuff in the game, you need to
  change code already in the game to reference your code. This action
  normally requires the action of mud administrator. Most muds have some
  sort of quality control policies which state rules for having your
  code reviewed.
    _________________________________________________________________

                                Section IV

                         Starting Your Own LPMud

   Contents

   1. How do I start my own LPMud?
   2. How do I find a site?
   3. Can I charge players to play my mud?
   4. Why can't I use any of the other servers or mudlibs?
   5. Our system needs upgrading, can't I get donations?
   6. I have a site, now how do I choose a server/library?
   7. What about Nightmare?
   8. What copyright issues are involved with using someone else's code?
   9. Where can I find all this stuff?
  10. Help! I can't get my driver to compile, what should I do?
  11. I have applied patch XXX, and now nothing works any more
  12. How do I do ANSI colours?
  13. Why not just hard code the colours?
  14. How to I make the mud use vi/emacs instead of ed?
  15. Is it possible to connect multiple muds together?
  16. Can a mud server run on DOS?
  17. Can a mud run under AmigaOS? OS2? Windows NT? etc...?

    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I start my own LPMud?

   1. Come up with a unique and interesting idea
   2. Find a site
   3. And do:
        1. Choose a server
        2. Choose an object library
      Or:
        1. Choose an object library
        2. Choose a server
      Or:
        1. Choose a server
        2. Write your own object library
      Or:
        1. Write your own server
        2. Write your own object library
   4. Define administrative policies
   5. Find people to code areas for the mud
   6. Get some areas completed
   7. Open to players (with a beta test stage recommended

    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I find a site?

  The most common method is to talk to the administrator of the machine
  from which you access muds and the rest of the Internet. If the
  resources are available, they will often allow you to run your mud
  server unless something political like a no-games policy is preventing
  it. If you are not running a mud as a game, however, this is not
  relevant.

  Never run a mud without talking to your system administrator. LPMuds
  take up a lot of system resources, and many places simply cannot spare
  those resources on a single project, especially if the project is
  non-essential to the functioning of the entity running the machine.
  Not only is it just plain wrong to run a mud without permission, it
  also predisposes sysadmins to saying no to people who ask them when
  the resources are free.

  If you cannot run it on your local machine, post a note to the
  ie.sites.wanted newsgroup on The Idea Exchange. Do not post to USENET
  newsgroups unless you have a working mud. It does not need to be
  complete, but posting notes saying "I have a cool idea, will someone
  give me a site" is inappropriate, unless that idea is completely
  fleshed out with some sweat in the form of work on paper and such.

  Another avenue of finding a site is talking to local internet access
  providers. Often, they have extra small machines on which a mud could
  be run (sometimes for a fee). The most expensive route is to buy your
  own machine and your own Internet hookup.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Can I charge players to play my mud?

  If you write the server from scratch AND you wrote your mudlib from
  scratch and you have agreements with the coders who wrote areas on
  your mud, the answer, of course, is yes. The above will take roughly
  3-5 years of full-time work to accomplish as well.

  If you do not wish to go through all of that time to write your own
  server and object library, then you may only user DGD. Of course, you
  will have to get express permission from Dworkin. The only object
  library you may use for such purposes is LPMoo.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Why can't I use any of the other servers or mudlibs?

  They all come with some variation of the same copyright. Since all
  drivers except DGD were derived from LPMud 3.0, they all require a
  copyright at least as strict as that one, which basically states that
  you can use the server as you like, so long as you do not make a
  profit off of its use. Most current servers have much more strict and
  explicitly copyrights. On top of that, many of the mudlibs which exist
  also have similar copyrights. To require money of your players is
  therefore a violation of international copyright laws. DGD requires
  licensing through a third party company.

    _________________________________________________________________

   Our system needs upgrading, can't I get donations?

  Yes, you can request that your players donate money as long as the end
  of that money is to run the mud and donations are not a prerequisite
  for play on the mud. In other words, they must be donations, not fees.

  _Note:_
  I am not a lawyer, nor am I the author of all the mud code out
  there... Therefore, keep in mind that what I am saying about
  copyrights is my interpretation and not binding upon ANY of the server
  or mudlib authors out there. For reference to what is binding with
  respect to my code, see the copyright notice which accompanies it.
    _________________________________________________________________

   I have a site, now how do I choose a server/library?

  Some people have a favourite mudlib, and therefore go at building
  their own mud from the angle of using that mudlib. Others have a
  favourite server and start from that angle. Others simply want to
  start a mud fast, while others want to really tinker with it and make
  it their own. The following is a rough guide to what is out there:

  _Note:_
  Also, I only publish software which the authors have somehow made
  known to me to be available, or in fact are widely known to be
  available. I will not publish information about software which I have
  no such verification, since being on a public ftp site is not the same
  as being publically available.

                                 Servers

  CD
         Generally considered a slow driver, however it is designed to
         work very closely with the CD-lib. Therefore tests showing the
         CD driver to be slower are not necessrily fair as sole factors
         since they are mudlib-independent tests. The CD-lib is
         considered a well designed lib which is often a factor which
         leads people to choose this server. To see a CD server mud,
         visit Genesis.

  DGD
         DGD is built on the belief that small is good. This is absent
         of much of the extra baggage which exists in all other drivers
         since it was created from scratch. There currently exist only a
         few, small native mudlibs for DGD, one of which is a MOO
         simulation. DGD's documentation is sparse. It includes dynamic
         object version updating amd supports compile time LPC->C
         compiling, meaning that when you compile the driver you can
         have some of your LPC files converted to C and compiled with
         the driver. In addition, unlike other LPMud servers, it is
         disk-based, meaning you can run a huge mud on virtually no RAM.
         You therefore never need to reboot or save objects. Dark has
         written a TCP/IP socket support for DGD which can be gotten
         separately from the driver. Erwin Harte is managing a network
         package for the driver.

  LPC4
         Maintained by Profezzorn, it supports a scripting feature that
         allows you to execute LPC files as atomic programs without
         running the mud in the traditional sense. In addition it
         features lambda closure types which are actually understandable
         to most people. It is designed for speed through the philosophy
         of creating large numbers of efuns to perform CPU intensive
         work. I know of no muds using this driver in practice. LPC4
         also has socket efuns with TCP support.

  LPMud
         Once the fastest of all the drivers, it has lost this crown to
         MudOS. Nevertheless, it is an extremely fast driver which
         supports the old LPMud 2.4.5 Mudlib. It also supports closures,
         though its closure syntax is beyond general ease of
         comprehension. There is only one mudlib in wide release which
         is native to this server.

  MudOS
         The fastest and most feature-filled of the LPMud drivers, this
         one comes with TCP support for mudlib objects allowing you
         things like WWW, finger, SMTP, USENET, and other such access to
         Internet resources from inside the mud. It also comes with a
         choice of well-developed mudlibs native to the server. MudOS
         allows you to choose between UID support and no-UID support,
         which makes it easy to hack a LPMud 2.4.5 mud to work with
         MudOS if that is your cup of tea. MudOS supports a new function
         pointer syntax which is as functional as LPMud's closures
         without LPMud's obscure closure syntax.

  Shattered World
         Developed by one of the original LPMuds. I believe this driver
         originated from one of the first LPMud releases and has been
         heavily customized in such a way as not to be recognizable as
         such.

                             Object Libraries

  CD-lib
         I am told this is a very well-designed mudlib. Some features of
         it are an enhanced sense of reality through player recognition
         (you must make the acquaintance of players before knowing who
         they are) and UDP intermud communications.
         Runs under: CD (native)

  Dead Souls
         A public domain version of the former Nightmare mudlib. It
         contains a complete mudlib from which to build a world, but is
         very difficult to set up.
         Runs under: MudOS v21b25 (native)

  DGD Kernel Library
         A minimal development library that can be used as a basis for
         both continuous and non-continuous systems. It comes included
         with the DGD 1.1 release. Runs under: DGD 1.1 (native)

  Discworld
         Advanced command parsing system and user interface, as well as
         many concepts you will not see in other mudlibs for any server.
         Too many frogs and wombles.
         Runs under: MudOS 0.9.20 (native)

  Final Realms
         A modernized version of the Discworld mudlib.
         Runs under: MudOS

  Foundation IIr1.1
         A basic mudlib with nothing extra for people who want a solid
         design base from which to design a unique mudlib. No combat or
         anything else fancy is included. Nothing about it is
         pre-disposed towards fantasy or even game playing for that
         matter. On the positive side, there is nothing to deconstruct
         in order to build your own mudlib and there is more of a solid
         base to work from than something like Lil. The downside is that
         you will have to put in a lot of work to make a playable game
         from this.
         Runs under: MudOS v21.7b23 (native)

  Heaven 7
         A mudlib that essentially extends LPMud 2.4.5 with all the
         player features you always wanted such as classes, skills, and
         unlimited levels. It is well-suited to LPMud 3.2, but poorly
         suited to the other drivers under which it runs.
         Runs under: LPMud 3.2 (native)

  Lil
         A small, essentials only mudlib. Designed basically to give you
         examples of files as they must minimally be for the MudOS
         driver to run. Only useful if you plan really to write
         something totally from scratch.
         Runs under: MudOS (native)

  LIMA 1.0a5
         This is a brand new library, featuring the new MudOS natural
         language parsing package and a UNIX-like wizard shell with
         output redirection and command piping. In addition, it is a
         very modular, object-oriented mudlib with stack-based security.

         Runs under: MudOS v22.1b4 (native)

  LPMoo
         A MOO simulation using LPC. This library allows you to work and
         play exactly as if you were using MOO instead of LPC.
         Runs under: DGD (native)

  LPMud 2.4.5
         The most well-known mudlib in existence. It is rather simple,
         not the best design, but if you know it, it is useful. Also,
         the widest range of drivers support it. Good for putting up and
         running a mud quickly. It is very ancient and inferior in
         design, flexibility, and functionality to modern mudlibs.
         Runs under: DGD (non-native), LPMud 3.2 (non-native), LPC4
         (non-native)

  Melville
         Extremely minimalist mudlib for DGD. Documentation is sparse
         and it has few features. According to Dworkin, "Unfortunately
         it was never finished and today it is rather out of date. It
         does not work with recent versions of DGD."
         Runs under: DGD (native)

  Shattered World
         Mudlib to go with the Shattered World driver. It supposedly has
         a system for doing detailed economic and predictive analysis
         and is a distant descendant of the LPMud 2.4.5 mudlib. Other
         than that, I know absolutely nothing about it.
         Runs under: Shattered World (native)

  TMI-2 1.4
         Generic, designed for those who want to tinker around with
         their mudlib rather than get a mud up in no-time flat. Designed
         to be easily modified and comes with a full-range of intermud
         support as well WWW support. Features include the ability to
         take over monster bodies. Downside is its poor design and
         performance.
         Runs under: MudOS v21 (native)

  TubMUD
         Very intricate, and, according to Rust, "it is beautiful if you
         can figure it out." Intended more for Tub wizards to run at
         home than for wide-release.
         Runs under: LPMud 3.2 (native)

  If I have missed a lib, or stated something incorrect about your
  server or mudlib, or simply ommitted something, don't go flaming me.
  Email me the correct information so I can include it in the FAQ. I did
  my best to be fair in this, but in simply undertaking this task I have
  opened myself up to flames from anyone who I might have gotten wrong
  or simply does not like what I said. So please be gentle, and
  understand I mean no malice or ill-will anywhere in there!
    _________________________________________________________________

   What about _Nightmare_?

  _Nightmare_ was removed from distribution by its author. No new muds
  may be built using this software. The Dead Souls mudlib, however, is a
  public domain version of the last available release of the Nightmare
  mudlib in a less user-friendly format.

    _________________________________________________________________

   What copyright issues are involved with using someone else's code?

  Some of the software listed above was written by a single person.
  Other works are collaborative efforts. Of all of these, I know of only
  Dead Souls as being in the public domain. In other words, the authors
  have retained the copyrights on their code or assigned them to a
  larger group, yet thay have decided to allow others to use their code
  for free.

  Because these works are protected by copyright just like any other
  software you use, you may only use the software as long as you are not
  in violation of its licensing restrictions. The most common licensing
  restriction is to prevent commercial use without paying the developers
  a licensing fee. You need to read the licensing agreement of the
  software package you chose to determine if you can live with whatever
  restrictions it imposes.

    _________________________________________________________________

   But I have changed their code!/I don't see any copyright!

  There are two points to be made to anyone making these statements. The
  first is moral, the second legal.

  First of all, you used the original author's software. You did not
  have to use it, and they did not have to let you use it. Playing legal
  games based on legal technicalities (real or imagined) is slimey and
  unethical. The author of any code you use deserves your respect for
  their wishes regarding that code.

  Of course, there are people out there who cannot be bothered with
  issues of ethics. The question in their minds is, "Can I get away with
  it?" The answer is that you don't have a legal leg to stand on. Let's
  deal with the last question first. Any work--software, poetry, books,
  plays, films, etc.--is copyrighted from the moment it is created. No
  action is required by the author of the work in order for it to be
  protected. Certain actions (or lack of action) can weaken the
  protection an author has, but only two things can end that protection
  altogether:
    * The author assigns, in writing, ownership of the work to another
      person or entity.
    * The author places the work, in writing, into the public domain.

  Note that in either case, the author has to take a very specific
  action and has to do it in a very formal legal sense in order to end
  copyright protection for themselves. _Copyright laws do not require
  the author to register the work with any organization or government
  agency_.

  While you may think the fact that you live in a different country from
  the original author is protection enough for you, guess again.
  Copyright laws in most countries, while not identical, derive from a
  treaty signed by most countries. The net effect of this treaty is that
  copyright laws are very similar from one country to the next.

  As I stated earlier, there are things an author can do to weaken or
  strengthen their case in the event of a copyright violation. The
  degrees of strength of protection exist because there is a mild
  defense against copyright violation: ignorance. If a person can prove
  that they had no way of knowing a work was copyrighted (they believed
  it to be in the public domain because they believed either the author
  had placed it there or because the work was so old that copyright
  protection had lapsed). In this case, a person is limited in the
  damages they can suffer. The simplest action an author can take to
  protect against ignorance is placing a � along with their name and the
  date of the work's creation in a prominent location within the work.
  If it says it is copyrighted on its cover with a date within the last
  75 years, a defendent cannot possibly claim to believe the work was in
  the public domain.

  Of course, the other approach is to claim that the original author is
  not in fact the original author. This is where registering a work
  comes into play. By registering a work with an appropriate entity
  (like the Library of Congress in the United States), an author can
  prove that a given work is associated with them at a given time. If
  someone else wants to claim authorship of that work, they will have to
  prove the existence of the work in question prior to the date it was
  registered. There are even simpler ways of proving a work's
  authorship, such as mailing yourself a copy of your work without
  opening the envelope. Note, however, that such tricks are less
  authoratative than registering with an appropriate entity.

  So you are convinced you cannot claim the work is not copyrighted.
  What about works that have been changed? You are still out of luck. A
  work based on another work is considered a derivative work and thus
  subject to two copyrights: the author of the original work and the
  author of the modified portions of the new work.

  With respect to a derivative work, the first question is: do you even
  have the right to create a derivative work? Since the original author
  has a copyright on the original work, that person gets to specify the
  conditions under which you may use the original work. It is therefore
  possible that you are not even allowed to change any of the original.
  I do not know of any LP-related open distributions that prevent
  derivative works. Some works do, however, restrict what you may do
  with a derivative work (the GPL is a good example of a license that
  places restrictions on derivative works).

    _________________________________________________________________

   Where can I find all this stuff?

  These first set of sites are generic "goto" sites when looking for
  LPMud stuff:

  * ftp.bat.org

  * ftp-na.imaginary.com (North America)

  * ftp-eu.imaginary.com (Europe)

  * ftp.imaginary.com (General)

  * ftp.lysator.liu.se

  In addition, the primary site for individual pieces of software:

  * CD (server and library)
         ftp://ftp.cd.chalmers.se/pub/lpmud/cdlib

  * DGD (server)
         ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/servers/DGD

  * Discworld (library)
         ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/lib/Discworld

  * Final Realms (library)
         ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/lib/FinalRealms

  * Foundation (library)
         ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/lib/Foundation

  * Heaven 7 (library)
         http://www.dialnet.net/users/mud1/dload.htm

  * Lil (library)
         ftp://ftp.actlab.utexas.edu

  * LIMA (library)
         ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/lib/LIMA

  * LPC4 (server)
         ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/lpmud/drivers/profezzorn

  * LPMud 2.4.5 (library)
         ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se

  * LPMoo (library)
         ftp://ftp.ccs.neu.edu/pub/mud/mudlibs/lpmoo

  * LPMud 3.2 (server)
         ftp://ftp.nightfall.org/pub/games/lpmud

  * MacMUD (server)
         http://www.eden.com/~hsoi/mud

  * Melville (library)
         ftp://ftp.ccs.neu.edu

  * MudOS (server)
         ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/servers/MudOS

  * Shattered World (server)
         ftp://moo.cs.rmit.edu.au/pub

  * TMI-2 (library)
         ftp://ftp.imaginary.com/pub/LPC/lib/TMI-2

    _________________________________________________________________

   Help! I can't get my driver to compile, what should I do?

  Thanks to Rust for putting together an answer for this question.

  First of all, learn how to redirect stderror to a file if you don't
  already know how, or at least find a computer where you can cut and
  paste. Then, you have 3 options for getting these errors to a more
  experienced driver person:

  * You can try The Idea Exchange a mud dedicated to mud development,
         where people who may be able to solve your problem, or at the
         very least you can post it to your target driver's newsgroup on
         The Idea Exchange, where they will be seen by knowlegeable
         people fairly quickly. In addition, for Lima specific compile
         problems, you can visit its support site Lima Bean
         (telnet://lima.imaginary.com:7878).

  * You can post it to rec.games.mud.lp, but don't cross post, and it
         probably wastes a lot more bandwidth on this newsgroup than on
         The Idea Exchange.

  * You can mail the maintainers of your driver:

         + CD: [email protected]
         + LPC4: [email protected]
         + LPMud 3.2: [email protected]
         + MudOS: [email protected]

  For MudOS or DGD help, you are most likely to get a timely response by
  posting to the proper newsgroup on The Idea Exchange (ie.imaginary.com
  7890). For LPC4, your best bet is direct mail, for CD, either direct
  mail or visiting Genesis (hamal2.cs.chalmers.se 3011) and mailing
  Tintin et al.
    _________________________________________________________________

   I have applied patch XXX, and now nothing works any more.

  _Answer from Joern Rennecke (Amylaar)_
  Have you supplied the proper -p option to patch? If not, you might end
  up with a patch applied to the wrong file. Check with the appropriate
  man page to "patch" for more details.
    _________________________________________________________________

   How do I do ANSI colours?

  There are several misconceptions about colours. The first
  misconception is that all of the world is an IBM PC using ANSI style
  colours. In fact, there are many different sets of escape sequences
  which have the same effects depending on terminal emulation. If your
  goal is providing colour support to players, then limiting yourself to
  just ANSI support is very similar to saying "Only people with IBM
  compat's can play my mud." Well, maybe not quite that drastic, but you
  get the point.

  Also, you should keep in mind that the term ANSI has nothing to do
  with colours. ANSI is a standards organization, and one of the zillion
  things for which they have standards is escape sequences and what they
  do. Keep in mind that your goal is to have colours.

  Finally, about giving your mud colour support. The Discworld Mudlib
  has developed a protocol now supported by at least Dead Souls,
  Foundation, Lima, and TMI-2. There is no reason, however, that other
  libs cannot add support this protocol. It enables creators to code to
  a single set of codes and have those codes dynamically interpreted
  into colours proper to the terminal emulation being used by a given
  player. If a certain player has no colour support, that person does
  not see the colour codes. For more information on this protocol, stop
  by The Idea Exchange at ie.imaginary.com 7890.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Why not just hard code the colours?

  There are multiple colour escape sequence protocols. Some players
  cannot support colour escape sequences at all. Sending colour escape
  sequences to people who cannot handle them, or to people who use
  different protocols can mess up their displays severely, making the
  game unplayable.
    _________________________________________________________________

   How to I make the mud use vi/emacs instead of ed?

  This question gets asked constantly. When you come around to ask it,
  think about what exactly you want. Do you want to have vi or emacs on
  your mud? Or is it that you really want to have a convenient way of
  editing mud files (which ed certainly is not)? In truth, the real
  problem is the need for something more convenient than the very
  inconvenient ed which muds use. The kneejerk response to this need is
  the belief that your UNIX editing tools will solve this need. The fact
  is, however, there are better ways to accomplish this goal which are
  listed in Section III: Can I code offline?

  Not convinced? There are the technical reasons that people often give,
  such as the fact that any visual editor will require character mode,
  which is non-trivial in the current batch of muds and very network
  intensive. The bottom line as to why this is not generally done is
  that it provides nothing, yet costs a lot.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Is it possible to connect multiple muds together?

  Is it possible? Yes.

  Why do you want to connect muds? There are two common meanings behind
  this:
   1. Distributed mudding
   2. Connecting multiple muds

  Distributed mudding is basically a single mud whose resources are
  spread across multiple servers. Distributed anything is generally
  required of resource intensive, mission-critical applications. muds
  are not, in the scheme of things, resource intensive and they
  generally are not mission-critical applications. Distributed computing
  basically gives you the ability to expand horizontally rather than
  vertically. That means instead of buying yourself a sparc 20 to run
  your mud, you can architect it in such a way that two sparc 2
  computers will give the same performance.

  The fact of the matter, however, is that no mud currently in existence
  uses the resources which require this kind of scalability. In
  addition, most MUDs have a hard enough time finding one site, much
  less getting two.

  More commonly, however, people are thinking of the ability to connect
  multiple MUDs together. Before deciding this is a good thing, you
  should define the problem you want solved by connecting muds. As of
  yet, I have not heard a problem which connecting muds solves. The most
  vocal reason is to allow a person to have the same character across
  multiple muds. At that point, however, you have to define _what it is
  to be that person_. Most people will quickly say that what defines
  their character is that they control it. If that is the case, then
  connecting muds does not solve this problem. A client which allows the
  person to login to multiple muds is what solves this problem.

  The response then might be to have the same level/skills/whatever
  across the multiple muds. At this point, however, they cease to be
  multiple muds connected, but instead one huge distributed mud. This
  would be a poor way to design a distributed mud, and would also lead
  to political headaches and a huge waste of creative talent.
    _________________________________________________________________

   Can a mud server run on DOS?

  Yes, most of the servers have DOS binaries available. In addition,
  most of the mudlibs have had their files arranged and ported so they
  fit in the FAT 8.3 naming scheme. If you wish to allow others access
  to the mud over modem lines, be sure to get the comdrv17.com file with
  your server and mudlib. For those who choose mudlibs with colours in
  them, the current batch of drivers was compiled in such a way that the
  drivers do not send output through ANSI.SYS (thus no colour).
    _________________________________________________________________

   Can a mud run under AmigaOS? OS/2? Windows NT? etc...?

  These are the ports of which I am aware:

  AmigaOS
         DGD, LPMud 3.2, 3.2.1, MudOS

  Atari
         DGD, LPMud 3.2, 3.2.1

  BeOS
         DGD

  System 6
         MacMUD (which is LPMud 3.1.2), DGD

  MacOS
         MacMUD, DGD

  OS/2
         DGD, LPMud 3.2, 3.2.1, MudOS

  Windows 95
         DGD, MudOS

  Windows NT
         DGD, MudOS

    _________________________________________________________________

Credits

  Credits for information in this FAQ beyond the information provided by
  the author:

  Abigail, Stig Bakken, Jose Corrales, Felix Croes, Joshua P. Dady, Lars
  Duening, Paul Gregg, Monique Girgis, Erwin Harte, Tim Hollebeek, Pelle
  Johansson, Andru Luvisi, Joern Rennecke, Danne A Solli, Christina
  Sterman-Hack, Lars Syrstad, Pekka Timonen, Linus Tolke, John Viega,
  Petri Virkkula
    _________________________________________________________________

  Copyright (c) 1994-1998 George Reese
  This document may not be reproduced outside of USENET newsgroups, ftp
  archives, electronic mailings, and other similar not for-profit
  endeavors without the express written consent of George Reese.
    _________________________________________________________________


   This FAQ is maintained by George Reese, [email protected]

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