Zugg Software :: View topic

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2002 11:01 pm

I decided to cross post this from the beta forum since general users might also be interested in the upcoming plans for zMUD:

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I'm finally feeling better after being sick for about 2 weeks. Because of the lost programming time and the upcoming holidays, I'm revising my schedule a bit (shown at the end of this message).

I also need your help.

While I enjoy working on zMUD, I also have a family to support and bills to pay. So, it's important that my products continue to sell. Sales of zMUD have dropped this year. There are a number of possible reasons for this:

a) The bad economy. I have several friends who have been out of work for several months. MUD games are not a big priority when you've lost your job.

b) No public version of zMUD in 2 years. Lots of people don't like to buy BETA software. Even though long-timers know that I'll have a public version out and they understand the value of free upgrades forever, some new users might not trust this.

c) Fewer people playing MUDs. Less people might be playing MUDs given all of the gaming options available these days on both the PC and on consoles.

My guess is that it's a combination of all of these reasons. Of course, reason (b) will be fixed soon since a public version is expected in early December. And I have no control over (a) or (c).

But regardless of the reason, if zMUD sales continue to fall, then I'll be forced to spend my valuable programming time on other projects. I've moved in this direction already with the zMapper and zExplorer projects. zExplorer (and AC Explorer) in particular have been good sellers.

So, I have a dilema. If zExplorer sales continue to improve and zMUD sales continue to decline, then that's an obvious message to me telling me to work more on zExplorer and less on zMUD. As a zMUD user, you'd probably rather see me work more on zMUD. There are still plenty of things to improve in zMUD, but I only have a fixed amount of time to program.

You can change this situation! If zMUD sales start to increase again, then I'll be able to spend more time continuing to work on zMUD. It's as simple as that: money talks.

So, this holiday season, here are some ideas on how to improve zMUD sales so that I continue to spend my time working on zMUD improvements:

Teach your friends how to play a MUD (with zMUD of course). Show them that MUDs are still fun, even without the fancy graphics of other games.

Talk to the other players in your MUD game, guild, etc and find out what MUD client they are using. If they are on a PC and not using zMUD, find out why (and email me and tell me). I can't think of any reason why they wouldn't want to use zMUD (unless they are cheap), but, of course, I'm biased :)

Take a look at zMapper. zMapper and zMUD really go hand-in-hand. I have lots of ideas on how to improve the interaction between zMapper and zMUD, and you'll see some of that *very* soon. Also, I will be updating the web site later today for zMapper to give people more information on what zMapper can do to enhance their MUD playing.

Buy a second license for zMUD. Yes, upgrades are always free and I'm never going to force anyone to pay for upgrades. But if you have been using zMUD for many many years and gotten many hours of enjoyment out of it and want to see it continue to improve, buying another reg code is a good way to donate and help improve sales.

OK, that's enough of the holiday plea. Now, on to the schedule. Here is my revised schedule for working on zMUD for the next couple of months:

November: gone during Thanksgiving, but I hope to have the next beta version done before I leave.

December: gone the last 2 weeks of December. Wish Chiara a Happy Birthday on December 5th! Before I leave for Christmas break, you should get a PUBLIC VERSION OF zMUD!!! Yes, that's right! Possibly another beta before that, and possibly a quick update after that. But before I go away for Christmas, you'll have a new stable version of zMUD to replace the old v6.16.

January: I'll be programming all month, so it should be very productive. I am under contract with Simutronics to add support to zMUD for their games (Gemstone, etc) by Feb 1st. This includes GRAPHIC support for the ingame art of Simutronics games, which also means that the <IMAGE> MXP tag will be implemented as well. By Feb 1st, 2003, you'll have a new public version of zMUD with full Simutronics support.

That's what I committed to right now. It's a lot of work, but 6.37 is looking stable enough that I believe it's possible. As you can see, there is some good stuff coming for the future. In addition to Simutronics support, you can also look forward to FTP support and other editor enhancements.

In terms of other Zuggsoft products, I also plan to add additional game support to zExplorer. Currently at the top of the list is Dark Age of Camelot. Next on the list is Earth & Beyond. Supporting these games means I'll need to write some server code to support remote map databases. This might also interest zMUD users. However, this project will take secondary priority to zMUD until I have added the contracted Simutronics support to zMUD.

That's the latest plan for the next couple of months. Please pass the word around and let's get more people playing MUDs!!!

Thanks for your continued support!

Adept Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 224 Location: USA

Great job zugg. I have been using zmud for nearly 3 years now, and NOTHING compares to it. I started out with 3.16 (old freebie), moved to 5.55, which I was hesitant to leave, and now I am on 6.16 and have 6.37 installed. Zmud, for gaming, is the MOST useful thing I have puchased in a long, long time...other then my operating system...for obvious reasons :):)

I am an avid mudder, immortal, and all around lover of your program. Heck, my program knowledge is limited in some aspects, but I have started using zmud to make a self updating website for a mud I play...I will gladly post link when it's done. I have used zmud for everything from telnetting to stuff (some better results then others) and inserting a text file in the command line to have it capture where I can save it as an xml file and import it into access.

Your program is very flexible and I encourage EVERYONE to buy it. Personally, I am getting my second computer back up and running, and I will be purchasing a second liscence, in case any friends come over. I will continue to supports zMUD as long as I can, and keep getting as many people to buy it as I can.

On the gemstone thing...I have never really played the game but I have heard about it. If zmud starts to support it, I may give it a shot.

Keep up the wonderful work Zugg! You make text based games more enjoyable!

Evangelist/Pernius
www.phidar.com/phidar.html

Beginner Joined: 01 Nov 2001 Posts: 21 Location: USA

Hey Zugg,
Actually im big on Zmud have used it for several years and believe ppl should pay for it and not pirate it. The biggest obstacle ive encountered trying to get ppl to switch to Zmud was just the difficulty of converting there files to Zmud. For instance, I have several friends of mine that are Gmud users... Yeah i know it really sucks but since they started with that how ever many years ago, and have built up their files so much there is no ease of converting so they just keep using crappy programs. If there were some sort of conversion programs (not sure on legalities of this), to convert gmud files and possibly other clients into Zmud i think that would help other hard core mudders that use other crappy programs to convert over to Zmud. I have tried to explain the benefits and even show them but some ppls mud files are just plain huge with alot of work in, and maybe there is some way to convert and i just don't know about it, but if not might be something worth looking into.

Drakus of Aardwolf
aardwolfmud.org 4000
Happy 5th Birthday Aard!

Newbie Joined: 17 Jun 2002 Posts: 5

Ah, Hell zugg just buy out all the mud programs and you would be set :)

Novice Joined: 16 May 2002 Posts: 48 Location: USA

yup a really good product. I use it to play a game called tw2000, im using a proxy so I can use another helper with zmud. I have tried to get people in the tw community to take a look and this fine product and I will continue to do so. Thanks

GURU Joined: 23 Dec 2000 Posts: 4834 Location: USA

quote:

Hey Zugg,
Actually im big on Zmud have used it for several years and believe ppl should pay for it and not pirate it. The biggest obstacle ive encountered trying to get ppl to switch to Zmud was just the difficulty of converting there files to Zmud. For instance, I have several friends of mine that are Gmud users... Yeah i know it really sucks but since they started with that how ever many years ago, and have built up their files so much there is no ease of converting so they just keep using crappy programs. If there were some sort of conversion programs (not sure on legalities of this), to convert gmud files and possibly other clients into Zmud i think that would help other hard core mudders that use other crappy programs to convert over to Zmud. I have tried to explain the benefits and even show them but some ppls mud files are just plain huge with alot of work in, and maybe there is some way to convert and i just don't know about it, but if not might be something worth looking into.

Drakus of Aardwolf
aardwolfmud.org 4000
Happy 5th Birthday Aard!

If these files are all in an MSS-compatible scripting language (and not something proprietary like Zscript), then it should be no problem at all to do the conversion themselves. All it would take is learning the Zscript format, figuring out what phrases to use and how to capture them with triggers and such, and then copying the correct code into those triggers. All of this should be a piece of cake for anyone smart enough to write their own Javascript or VBScript files. This functionality is currently only found in the beta versions, though, so it won't really take off until the new public version comes out.

li'l shmoe of Dragon's Gate MUD

Newbie Joined: 24 Nov 2002 Posts: 1

Suggestion.
Is there anyway you could add a donate what you can option? Kind of like buying a new license. That way we could send in a little something when we can. May not be a lot but I am sure it could help. I know I would send in money more often. Just an idea.

GURU Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 4379 Location: USA

You can already do this. It is not so easy to find though. You need to click on Buy Now and then click on zMUD as if you were going to purchase another license. In the order page that comes up, there is an option to make a donation instead of buying a product.

Kjata

Beginner Joined: 01 Nov 2002 Posts: 24 Location: Sweden

I used the freeware version a while and later moving on to TT++, yTin, TF etc. I think that I can say that I've tried most of the clients that are out there both for Linux and Windows.

As Zugg said about hesitation, no doubt that many hesitates to BUY beta software, after all beta is beta no matter which way you look on it. Then not to forget the competition, there's alot of really good clients out there. I think that some of them match zMUD in capabilities, but NOT in ease to use... doesn't even come close.

What actually made me buy Zugg (and even get a VISA so I could do it ;P), was the automapper (which I think needs some work). Even though I'm reluctant to buy "non-stable" software, I don't think that 239 SEK (Swedish currency) is that much to fuzz about.

One of the problems that as I see it, is that zMUD is getting bloated. I don't mind having all that fun stuff in there, but some maybe don't want the <enter feature>. I think that a way to get around that problem is to make modules, alas putting most features in modules, that can be downloaded and (un)installed upon need, like the mapper.

The other problem is that most people that I know is that when (as most of my mudding friends) you've used your client since the start even though it is inferior, you're so used to it that you don't want to swap to another.

Third problem, Linux, for short.
80% of all that I know that's into computers, uses Linux in their everyday life, I do too, but not at the moment - due to the lack of a decent mud client ;P.

/scobie

ps.
This was written before my brain had woken up, so if you want me to clarify something, just ask.
ds.

zMUD 6.16 - scobie@linux.se

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2002 9:30 am

I'll have to agree with you on the bloat factor.. I've been trying out various versions recently to help some mud tests on telnet options and see what works where.. I have zmud 4.62, 5.55, 6.16 and the new beta versions on my Win2k VMWare machine, and I have to say, theres a big difference between the speed of starting 6.16 and that of 6.37, the 4.62 is even faster of course. (Hmm, how about a new speed benchmark, Zugg?)
With the linux problem the best thing you can do is go help the WINE people and try to get zMUD in the list of priorities :) It works pretty well now with Wine, would be nice if it were perfect :) (Hmm, anyone tried it on Lindows yet??)

Otherwise, Im implementing my own small perl client for linux purposes, no GUI, just plain xterm/console, with modules to add/remove functionality.. (I hope I dont get ex-Gurued for saying that ;)

Anyway, I'll treat myself to a second zmud licence for christmas, and try to convince more people to actually buy one. :)
(The other day someone said to me: 'you're the zmud person arent you?', answer 'yes', 'I've got a problem with a zmud crack ...' -> 'Too bad, I dont help anyone with cracked versions!'..)
(I should of asked which one and where from though, damn)

Lady C.

Newbie Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Posts: 1 Location: USA

Well,
I don't think muds are dying out. There's new ones evey day. As I see it you have several other reasons there are problems here.

1-
I've tried every major step in this program from v3 to v6, the further they go the worse they get. Its like using Windows. More function but less control and slower to move around in every version.

2-
Zmuds being cracked left and right. You know there are other pay clients out there but you can't find cracks for them by just typing their name into google anmd watching a thousand results pop up. This is because Zmud is popular, but mostly it seems a challenge. I mean, you constantly update you encryption so its not like they crack it once and its "been there done that" its a new ballgame every time.
Then to top it all off I've repeatedly seen you boast on your website about how hard it is to crack. Come on thats asking for trouble. You never brag about how uncrackable your shareware is unless you have an uncle at the NSA.

3-
There also are a lot of really good clients out now. A lot of them can go toe to toe with the big Z and hold their own, even automappers are improving rapidly. Granted their not as flashy but hey they also are only about 1mb in size and don't chew on resources the way Zmud does. I've read the FAQ on how win98 only allows 128k mem and yeah ok, but I also can run any one of a dozen other clients (I seem to collect them) that boast almost as many features as Zmud with several other apps under 98 with no problem, I get lag but not massive errors.

4-
This registration thing has just gone too far. I still use Zmud, occasionally but when I do I use v3 two reasons one I'm a psycho and like dos, I don't know maybe I have a degenerative mental illness. And two No crazy registration rituals. I don't have to re-apply every 3 months or whatever, you know I don't even know how it works any more, but I'll tell you this any time you have to have an FAQ as long as you do on how to register a product as easily replaceable as this, and as many people having as many problems as they do with your licensing system, yeah their gonna get tired of it. I could buy the new version and put it on the one box I have that runs 98 or upgade v3 to the 16 bit 4.62 but I'd rather just use another client and avoid the frustration. If I payed once got a code put it in then locked it in my desk drawer that'd be okay I guess but the programs not good enough to go though the hassle for.

In closing I'd have to say,
Would I buy a new copy of Zmud no. I don't feel it's worth the money or the headache. Programs too bloated and cranky and there's other things out there that can do nearly the same job.

I know most people I've seen on this forum praise you inccesantly and I'm sure I'll be flamed as a heretic for this post. But I call it like I see it. Zuggsoft and its products are becoming a tad microsoft-ish for my taste I'd rather just say thanks for a decent 16 bit client, thanks for making it freeware. But no thanks on this newer stuff.
I'd buy v4.62 but the only real diff to me is the mapper and frankly its too buggy in that version. I'd like v5+ mapper in 16 bit without all the other bloat maybe I don't know.
Sorry man but thats too much to put up with for a mud client.

With regards,
Jacob Crow

> END OF LINE_

Adept Joined: 30 Dec 2001 Posts: 220 Location: Canada

Agreed... but just like Microsoft products, I'm a slave to Zugg

Apprentice Joined: 27 Dec 2001 Posts: 105 Location: USA

While I wouldn't go THAT far at all, I think it would be nice to have a Lite version that I could run on slower systems like my laptop. I've read Zugg's posts on this idea, and realize it is unlikely to happen, but that's okay. I love the program the way it is, in all its new incarnations. I have bought 4 sets of licenses (3 for my personal use and 1 for some friends), and I plan to buy 2 more licenses before the holidays. I count it well worth the money. I've been playing my MUD for 5 years, and have logged countless hours in zMUD. $100/$150 is very little, when compared to the $50 you could pay for some console game that you play for 45 minutes and then forget about.
In summation, I too would like a scaled-down version, but I'm perfectly happy with what I have.

Fat Tony

Adept Joined: 09 Nov 2000 Posts: 222 Location: USA

quote:

While I wouldn't go THAT far at all, I think it would be nice to have a Lite version that I could run on slower systems like my laptop. I've read Zugg's posts on this idea, and realize it is unlikely to happen, but that's okay. I love the program the way it is, in all its new incarnations. I have bought 4 sets of licenses (3 for my personal use and 1 for some friends), and I plan to buy 2 more licenses before the holidays. I count it well worth the money. I've been playing my MUD for 5 years, and have logged countless hours in zMUD. $100/$150 is very little, when compared to the $50 you could pay for some console game that you play for 45 minutes and then forget about.
In summation, I too would like a scaled-down version, but I'm perfectly happy with what I have.

Fat Tony

*points towards the 3.62 version of zMud available for download* zMud lite! *shrug*

Wizard Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 1551 Location: Australia

Perhaps also, you should be considering which zmud runs best with your computer.

I mean, you don't go installing windows 2000 or xp on a pentium2-300. Just the same way as you don't play unreal tournament 2003 on a p3-500.

Or rather, if you do either of the above, you don't get the desired results and end up getting pretty frustrated.

So. If your computer can't handle the latest version of zmud, use the trusty old version that you've got archived somewhere.

I've got copies of all the public releases and a few of the beta releases.. and if I was going to put zmud on my old pentium 200, I'd put on 4.62 or maybe 5.55.

I think eLisence was the best thing Zugg could have done for the registration process - it meant that us (the paying users) got our new features without having Zugg racing against the hackers to keep his product sellable.

You have to activate the new Microsoft products (XP, Office, etc) so I see nothing wrong with the same happening for Zmud. It's the way the software industry has to go, in order to protect their livelyhood.

-- Rainchild

Adept Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 224 Location: USA

zMUD is getting too bulky? What, everyone doesn't have a broadband connection and 80GB harddrives?

Joking, would be neat to uninstall some parts

Evangelist/Pernius
www.phidar.com/phidar.html

Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2002 9:36 am

I do go installing Windows 2000 on a P2-300 *g* (and thats in vmware emulation as well ;)

Lady C.
(was just comparing 6.16 to 6.3X load-time, on the same machine...)

Newbie Joined: 03 Dec 2002 Posts: 4

quote:

You have to activate the new Microsoft products (XP, Office, etc) so I see nothing wrong with the same happening for Zmud. It's the way the software industry has to go, in order to protect their livelyhood.

-- Rainchild

Which is precisely why I stopped buying Microsoft operating systems. I still use Windows 2000 on a few computers, but the whole activation thing was way over my limit. I also wish more people would stand up and realize that this is not an acceptable trend they're starting, but whatever.

That being said, zMUD is a different thing entirely. It's not an operating system, and it's not even a big-budget retail product. I'm still not thrilled about the central licensing bit, but I know it's a decent enough move on Zugg's part, and I'm ok with it.

But compare it to Microsoft again and you might talk me out of my complacency :)

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2002 1:18 am

Yes, there is a *big* difference between the way zMUD is licensed and the way WinXP is licensed. zMUD gives you THREE licenses, WinXP and OfficeXP give you ONE!

I'm with you cryllius...I've stopped upgrading Microsoft Office and only upgraded ONE of my machines to WinXP so that I'd have a test system. I have NO plans to install any more WinXP or to even use the new version of OfficeXP. I think it is completely UNreasonable to expect me to buy a second copy of OfficeXP just so I can run it both on my main computer and my laptop.

I give 3 licenses for zMUD for: Home, Work, Laptop. That covers most situations. Also, $25 for 3 licenses is a LOT different than hundreds of dollars for ONE OfficeXP license.

I agree that Microsoft is pricing themselves out of business with the new licensing for Office. (WinXP is less of an issue since it usually comes preinstalled on new computers).

I think the similarity that Rainchild was talking about is the fact that both Microsoft and zMUD verify your reg code with a remote server database. This ensures that someone doesn't just publish their reg code to the Internet for everyone to use, and pretty much MUST be done these days to prevent casual stealing of software. Sad, but necessary.

Newbie Joined: 26 Dec 2002 Posts: 1

I have used zMud for several years and believe it to be the best client out, but (gotta hate those buts) now windows is no longer allowed on the network, so no vmware.
Wine is ok but i've had no luck in getting zMud to work with wine. On to the point...
If thier was a way for zMud to work in linux I would be more than happy to reregister and pay for another copy.

Novice Joined: 22 Nov 2000 Posts: 40 Location: USA

Points A, B, and C are all pretty much dead on.

I'll toss in the already beaten to death argument over eLicense. I'm sure enough people already know where I stand with it. But since you brought up XP etc....

With Windows XP, I need only input my code once at install time. It doesn't nag me about it again 90 days later. If I have to reinstall it 6 months down the road, that's another thing. But outside of a hardware failure the only other reason I had to do so was because of eLicense.

If Microsoft is pricing themselves out of business, and you're *ahem* following in their example, then exactly what kind of a result were you hoping to see?

The bloat argument is much less of a worry for me. I've got plenty of things that are bloated, there's no avoiding it with Windows software.

The Linux argument has been mentioned before - several times. I even voted for it in the last poll or whatever. Personally I think you're ignoring a growing segment of the market by not supporting it. WINE produces mixed results, though most folks I know who try it don't get far, including myself. Seems eLicense isn't WINE friendly. Hell, I'd fork over $25 for a brand spanking new license if I had a Linux copy of Zmud. Someone else pointed out that the lack of decent Linux mud clients keep them from switching. It's one of the main reasons I haven't as well. Check out Kmuddy though. Shows promise.

As for OfficeXP, never used it. Never will. I did just fine with Wordpad and EditPad Lite before Open Office came along :)

Newbie Joined: 23 Dec 2002 Posts: 4

Right. So I'm sitting here, pondering the meaning of existance, when I decide to re-check the forums. After taking a nice, long glance over them, one word comes to mind. And that word is.. fucktard. Yes, that's right.. fucktard.

Fucktard is a compressed version of 'fucking retard', see, and was originally spewed out by my friend Shelley, and is by far the coolest insult ever. So please, feel honored that the word has been used when referring to the zMUDders. For one has to be a fucktard to use zMUD. I praise you, Zugg, oh high commanding fucktard of the fucktards.

Actually, my main bitch with zMUD is it's look. It bothers me that on my small monitor, I have all these buttons and scrollbars and more buttons and etc that aren't removable, and are useless to me. Then there's the bug where the output window won't 'scroll down', meaning I can't see it, even when the output screen box is checked. I have to waste my time messing around with zMUD and resizing and options, closing and restarting the program and the whole mess, just to get it to work properly. Then there's the whole 'split screen' window when scrolling up, which is just as annoying, because you can't hit enter to remove it, oh no. You have to use the mouse to scroll back down. What about those poor mouseless people, huh? Or the completely lazy people? What about them? There's also the fact that I would never, ever pay for a program that does nothing my normal client doesn't already do, aside from making my computer run slower. So once I saw that the trial period ended, I uninstalled zMUD. Glad to see the uninstaller isn't bloated and full of bugs. Good job.

Adjani

GURU Joined: 10 Oct 2000 Posts: 4379 Location: USA

Heh, it's great talking without knowing the facts.

quote:

It bothers me that on my small monitor, I have all these buttons and scrollbars and more buttons and etc that aren't removable, and are useless to me.

In a newly created connection to whatever MUD I choose, I hit the maximize button of the MUD window and the MUD output window covers the whole screen. The only things remaining are the window's titlebar, zMUD's status line and the command line.

quote:

Then there's the bug where the output window won't 'scroll down', meaning I can't see it, even when the output screen box is checked. I have to waste my time messing around with zMUD and resizing and options, closing and restarting the program and the whole mess, just to get it to work properly.

What bug where the window won't 'scroll down'? Where have you mentioned it before? Describe what the bug looks like and how to reproduce it and it will get fixed.

quote:

Then there's the whole 'split screen' window when scrolling up, which is just as annoying, because you can't hit enter to remove it, oh no. You have to use the mouse to scroll back down. What about those poor mouseless people, huh? Or the completely lazy people? What about them?

Hit Scroll Lock to toggle the split screen.

quote:

There's also the fact that I would never, ever pay for a program that does nothing my normal client doesn't already do, aside from making my computer run slower.

zMUD also has the best automapper available, it lets you use any scripting you wish to use in it as long as the Windows Scripting Host supports it, it has State Triggers, MXP support, MSP support, MCCP support, integrated database, free upgrades for life, great customer support, and much more. All of this is included without compromising speed. In fact, newer versions are even faster than previous ones.

Kjata

Newbie Joined: 23 Dec 2002 Posts: 4

Oh, thank you, Kjata, mighty queen of the fucktards, for showing me the error of my ways! *smirks*

Knowing the facts.. right. And what are these you speak of, these facts I do not know, again? The zmud window IS cluttered. It has the text toolbar, the button toolbar, the status bar, the scroll-status bar, the command window.. etc.

quote:
zMUD also has the best automapper available, it lets you use any scripting you wish to use in it as long as the Windows Scripting Host supports it, it has State Triggers, MXP support, MSP support, MCCP support, integrated database, free upgrades for life, great customer support, and much more. All of this is included without compromising speed. In fact, newer versions are even faster than previous ones.

Who the hell are you trying to fool? Me, or yourself? zMUD hasn't done anything but gotten slower to load with time. And what if I don't want to use scripting? What if I don't need state triggers? What if MSP isn't available on the mud I play on? Bloated. Overcomplicated. Messy. Those are a few words that come to mind.

Novice Joined: 22 Nov 2000 Posts: 40 Location: USA

quote:

zMUD also has the best automapper available, it lets you use any scripting you wish to use in it as long as the Windows Scripting Host supports it, it has State Triggers, MXP support, MSP support, MCCP support, integrated database, free upgrades for life, great customer support, and much more. All of this is included without compromising speed. In fact, newer versions are even faster than previous ones.

All of which contribute to this: http://www.alsherok.net/Samson/zmud.jpg

Note in there that SimpleMU, which is a closely comparable client including MCCP support is 1/4 the resource hog. Plans for MSP and MXP are close at hand as well. And if she keeps with the current state of it being less of a hog the MSP and MXP support argument is less relevent.

As for the automapper. If it's the best, I'd hate to run into the worst. It's never really been all that useful to me. May not be all that useful to the folks on my mud either. The overland/wilderness style of game we have problably doesn't go well with the automapper. Besides. It's also contributing to the bloat factor. If it were a plugin, all sides would be satisfied on that angle. Those who didn't want it could just not load it.

Apoligies for the quality of the image link btw, jpg files suck for that. :)