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28539: RE: [MUD-Dev] Web vs. Java client
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From: "Torgny Bjers" <artovil@arcanerealms.org>
Newsgroups: nu.kanga.list.mud-dev
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 09:09:26 +0200
References: [1]
Organization: Kanga.Nu
From: Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes
> The MUD engine I'm working on is client-agnostic internally
> (though it does require images, sounds, fonts, and colored text to
> be possible). I've so far been using it with a web interface
> running on Tomcat, but I'm facing enough hassles with that
> environment that I'm reconsidering it now.
> My current options are:
> 1) Pure web browser. The current model I'm using.
Personally I don't really believe in this for a multi-user game
platform. It sort of feels like settling for the second best or
something, if you pardon.
> 2) Java applet shown with the Java plug-in.
> Pro: attractive, updates nigh-instantly, no installation
> unless the user has to click to get the Java plug-in.
> Con: more work to develop and maintain (not really a problem
> for me, but it's time that could be better spent on the
> server), slow initial download if it gets big, some people
> (but how many?) don't like to use Java applets. Java Web
> Start has the same virtues and flaws.
I'd actually prefer Java Web Start over an inline web page java
plugin. Would it be possible to just have the client as a
downloadable applet instead?
> 3) Other? Are there any good cross-platform (a must) clients
> that already support everything I need?
Flash could be a possibility. It has streaming XML socket support,
which you could run against Swocket if you have Python on your
machine. That way you'd get instant updates as well, as opposed to
a pure web browser. I'd say that almost every computer around has a
Flash plugin these days, and if not, it's very easy to obtain.
> How much interface installation are players of a free MUD willing
> to put up with? How much when it goes to subscription?
I'd say that they're willing to put up with a bit of
installation. Look at most new subscription games, they come with at
least one whole CD. ;)
Warm Regards,
Torgny Bjers
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