Manual:GMCP Extensions

Automatic package installation

Mudlet supports automatic download and setup of Mudlet packages should the MUD server offer it. These packages could consist of graphical additions to your game or anything else you'd like your players to have loaded on their Mudlet profiles by default. This setup is automatic and carefree on part of the user, and handles package updates in a transparent manner as well.

setup

After GMCP is negotiated, the server should send a string in the format of:

 Client.GUI <package version>\n<url>

And Mudlet will make it happen. If the user does not have a package, it will be downloaded and installed from the <url>, and if they do, but of an older version - it'll be upgraded. If they're already on the latest, nothing happens.

demonstration

Enable GMCP in settings, connect to Midnight Sun 2 (midnightsun2.org on port 3000) and create a character. A GUI will automatically install over GMCP once you finish character creation, and an overview of it is available here - a good idea to consider to make your MUD more visually appealing.

For an ATCP demo, connect to godwars2.org on port 3000. Mudlet will download the GW2 interface and set it up automatically.

Sample string sent by GodWars 2:

 "Client.GUI 1\nhttp://www.godwars2.org/download/mudlet/GW2_GUI.mpackage"

updating

If you change the package version to any other text than what it previously was, Mudlet will consider it an update - it'll uninstall the old package and install the new package. This happens without prompting the user (since it can be kind of tricky if they decline), thus any modifications they would have done would be wiped - encourage users to make any modifications outside of the package and provide hooks for doing so.