If you're a Windows user like me, you'll need a Winsock client to MUSH. A fantastic source ofthese clients is the MU* Client Page. In particular, be sure to check out 'SimpleMU', written by Kathleen McMahon, the maintainer of that site. SimpleMU will eventually be implementing script functions. This will (probably) make it competitive with UNIX-based MU* programs like Tinyfugue or TinTin.
***NEW 2009 ***
These pages have moved to my Google Sites Tinyfugue Wiki
One of the best client programs out there is a UNIX-based program known as Tinyfugue. With the release of better versions of the Cygnus Gnu compiler, 32-bit Windows versions of UNIX programs are now available. Andy Satori hammered out a port of version 4.0 stable 1 (unzip and then run the .exe to install). That features all the updates in the UNIX versions to that point. There's a handy README file that pops up during the install. I suggest you read it or you'll miss configuration information that you won't know to set, otherwise.
The home site is http://www.druware.com/tf/ . Andy has been working together with Ken Keyes for the 'semi-official' 32-bit ports late. Additionally, he has indicated (on his web page) that he will provide privately-written "add-ons" and configuring tips that will help 32-bit users take some advantage of Windows while running TF.
A somewhat older port was version 4.0 alpha 4 (self-Extractor file) by 'Sithriel' (Ryan Fitch-Davis) at http://www.oocities.org/SoHo/Studios/8949/tf.html. I personally liked this version quite a bit. However, Ryan went suspiciously quiet, and Andy's ports have the most updated features.
Tinyfugue has been compiled for many other OS's, including many flavors of Unix, OS2, etc. The main homepage has hypertext help files and more.
Windows Batch File
Setting up a tf.bat file is pretty darned useful (as least, I've found it to be so), for us Windoze users. Create a basic text file (Notepad works as an editor) and name it "tf.bat". Save it in the directory you've configured to be "home" to Tinyfugue. You do know where the home directory is, right? You *did* read the README that popped up during the install, right? Cut and paste the following text, and update it so the C:/Tinyfugue is replaced by the directory that the tf executable resides in. If you click on it every time you run Tinyfuge, or, link it to any Shortcuts you may want to provide that point to TF, you'll have a handy-dandy way to run the program.
@echo off
mode con: lines=50 cols=80
c:/Tinyfugue
tf.exe -n %1
exit
What does the tf.bat file do? It makes a "bigger" window for you than the default. It also allows you to run tf with command-line options. It's nifty. You'll like it, especially if you *don't* like the default window size when you run Tinyfugue!
Tinyfugue Macros
David Moore's TF page has some useful, if oldish, macros. A quick web search should turn up a comprehensive list of sites with information on Tinyfugue macro programming and customizing the program.
Marvin Pederson's Site was supposedly lost in the mists, but, there's still a Wayback archive of it. Some Tinyfugue client macros, as well as MUSH-based specific hardcode patches and a softcode multi-descer.
I have some collections of tinyfugue macros that may be of use to people. I've written some of these, but, mostly collected macros other people wrote (or, modified them to some degree or another). I've tried to keep scrupulous track of "who" wrote "what". I've commented the macros with 'help' where I could, but, it's up to you to actually figure out how to use them.
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My personal Hilite.txt file is a slightly edited version of my .tfrc (Tinyfuge configuration file), which includes MU* highlights (MUSH/MUX), and useful macros put together from other people's work. One of my personal favorites is an autologger, that starts or appends to an individual log for a world each real-time 'day' I connect to it.
- Along with generic macros, I have a collection of macros customized for the CrystalMUSH game. I have a seperate page for information on this game.
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A short file that just shows the auto-logger macros.
- A page with a fan-written patch that allows 256 xterm color support. http://www.cs.rice.edu/~scrosby/software/tf256color/
One of the great TF newbie-helpers was Andrew "Andy" Mortimer. While he disappeared off the web, I was able archive much of his publicly-accessable work. Presented below is a collection of files and macros he wrote.
TinyMUSH is just one of many types of virtual worlds you can explore. The tiny.txt file shows special configuration options either limited to (or at least most useful in) a TinyMUSH environment.
The ".tfrc" file is one of the most important and configurable documents associated withTinyfugue. Andy's sample tfrc.txt shows some of the wide variety of options you can configure.
Andy wrote a "Beginner's Guide to Tinyfugue" which explains the basics of configuring a '.tfrc' file and writing simple macros. You can take a look at the web version if you like.
In addition to Andy's contributions to Tinyfugue help, are the beginning and advanced programming guides written by Jason Gater.
Last is an outside basic tutorial I learned about through the TF mailing list, exact author unknown. I have mirrored the document here.
Updated: Thursday, February 14, 2002 11:06:08 PM