GUI snippet version 3

There was a small update to the snippet on 13th June, to fix a cyclic TTYPE issue, add some extra MSSP variables, and add support for broken packets.  But this update (version 3) is somewhat bigger, primarily due to some changes that were made to the MSDP specification since the snippet was released:

• Added an AllocString() wrapper function, as strdup() isn't standard C.
• Added support for the new MSDP tables and arrays.
• Added support for the new UNREPORT and RESET MSDP commands.
• Added a new REPORTED_VARIABLES list, as described in the latest MSDP spec.
• Renamed VARIABLES to SENDABLE_VARIABLES as described in the latest MDSP spec.
• Cleaned up the code, adding consts and fixing -ansi and -pedantic warnings.
• Added support for the new Mudlet GUI autoinstaller.
• Added an MCCP flag to make integration with the snippet easier.
• Updated CopyoverGet() and CopyoverSet() to include TTYPE, MCCP and CHARSET.
• Added an MSDPFlush() function for variables that need to be sent immediately.
• ProtocolOutput() now lets you send tabs.
• The snippet now recognises that DecafMUD supports 256 colours.
• Updated the TBA instructions with a fix for strfrmt().
• Updated the Merc, SMAUG and TBA instructions to use MSDP tables.

You can download it from here: http://www.godwars2.org/download/protocol.tgz

If you're already using the snippet, the README.TXT has some information about updating.

The generic plugin has also been updated: http://www.godwars2.org/download/Generic_Plugin.zip

The plugin doesn't handle fully nested data, but it does handle basic tables and arrays, as used in the installation instructions.

4 Dimensions themed GUI

I've recently been helping 4 Dimensions get my protocol snippet working, and I decided to put together a simple Mudlet GUI to show it in action (and also because I wanted to test out the Mudlet autoinstaller on another mud).  As you can see, the layout is based on the God Wars II GUI, although I've replaced the graphics, recoloured the energy bars (to match 4D's prompt colours), and dropped the second map and bottom-left icons:

(click image to enlarge)

4 Dimensions already has a 'map' command that draws an ASCII map, so it was fairly straightforward to add the same data to an MSDP variable whenever the player changes room, and then I just threw together some basic graphical tiles for the client using Paint.

I decided to put together a MUSHclient version as well, and added some textured background and border graphics to make it feel a little less plain:

(click image to enlarge)

There's no information about your enemy, the spell icons are currently all the same, the avatar is fixed, and (as I recently discovered) there's an important 'stamina' value which will need a bar of its own.  But these were never intended to be final versions, just a way to demonstrate the protocol snippet, and an example of what you can throw together in an afternoon.

GamingHUD interview

I was recently interviewed by Dean of GamingHUD, where I took the opportunity to share my views on the state of MUDs, and where I see them going in the future.  You can read the interview here:

http://gaminghud.com/articles/meet-the-devs-kavir-of-god-wars-ii

GamingHUD covers mainstream video games as well as MUDs, so I'm hoping it may draw some attention from outside of the MUD community.