TMI Mudlib
Encyclopedia
The TMI Mudlib from The Mud Institute was an attempt to create a framework driven mudlib
for the MudOS
LPMud
driver. It consisted of many contributors to MudOS as well as people who became influential in the LPMud community. When TMI began work in 1992, a mudlib was generally packaged with both an LPMud driver and a complete world built on top of the mudlib. As a framework-driven mudlib, the goal of the TMI mudlib was to provide only examples for world objects and place the burden of building a working world on the game developers using TMI.
TMI implemented the first InterMUD
communications network, when MudOS
added network socket support in 1992.
TMI never realized its vision and shut down. It was quickly followed, however, by TMI-2. Unlike TMI, TMI-2 was somewhat independent of the driver team. It leveraged elements of the original TMI mudlib and eventually released a somewhat workable product. Though it never achieved the success of its sibling the Nightmare Mudlib
(also based on the original TMI mudlib), it did influence many developers, and the lessons learned with TMI-2 led to the successes of the Lima Mudlib
.
In 1992, MIRE, a multi-user information system producing customised newspapers was built based on a modified TMI driver.
In 1993, the TMI-2 mudlib was used to create PangaeaMud, an academic research project designed as an interactive geologic database tool.
Though Lima leveraged learnings from TMI-2, Lima is a completely independent codebase.
TMI-2 is still available, and often used as a learning tool, but not typically used today for new LPMud development.
Notable MUDs based on TMI-derived mudlibs include The Two Towers
and Threshold
.
Mudlib
A mudlib, short for mud library, is a library of code forming part of the technical infrastructure of a MUD. Though different varieties of MUD may be considered to have mudlibs, the term is most often used with LPMuds. In an LPMud, the mudlib consists of interpreted code written in the LPC...
for the MudOS
MudOS
MudOS is a major family of LPMud server software, implementing its own variant of the LPC programming language. It first came into being on February 18, 1992. It pioneered important technical innovations in MUDs, including the network socket support that made InterMUD communications possible and...
LPMud
LPMud
LPMud, abbreviated LP, is a family of MUD server software. Its first instance, the original LPMud game driver, was developed in 1989 by Lars Pensjö...
driver. It consisted of many contributors to MudOS as well as people who became influential in the LPMud community. When TMI began work in 1992, a mudlib was generally packaged with both an LPMud driver and a complete world built on top of the mudlib. As a framework-driven mudlib, the goal of the TMI mudlib was to provide only examples for world objects and place the burden of building a working world on the game developers using TMI.
TMI implemented the first InterMUD
InterMUD
InterMUD or interMU* communications is the commonly accepted terminology for different methods of allowing MUDs to communicate with each other. Some of the more common of these methods are custom protocols over the internet, IPC messages, and bots. The custom protocol method, which is by far the...
communications network, when MudOS
MudOS
MudOS is a major family of LPMud server software, implementing its own variant of the LPC programming language. It first came into being on February 18, 1992. It pioneered important technical innovations in MUDs, including the network socket support that made InterMUD communications possible and...
added network socket support in 1992.
TMI never realized its vision and shut down. It was quickly followed, however, by TMI-2. Unlike TMI, TMI-2 was somewhat independent of the driver team. It leveraged elements of the original TMI mudlib and eventually released a somewhat workable product. Though it never achieved the success of its sibling the Nightmare Mudlib
Nightmare Mudlib
The Nightmare Mudlib is a set of LPC programming language frameworks created by George Reese for building multi-user role playing games using the MudOS LPMud driver...
(also based on the original TMI mudlib), it did influence many developers, and the lessons learned with TMI-2 led to the successes of the Lima Mudlib
Lima Mudlib
The Lima Mudlib is an LPC framework for building multi-user role playing games. It was originally written for the MudOS game driver by Zachary "Zakk" Girouard, Tim "Beek" Hollebeek, Greg "Deathblade" Stein, and John "Rust" Viega...
.
In 1992, MIRE, a multi-user information system producing customised newspapers was built based on a modified TMI driver.
In 1993, the TMI-2 mudlib was used to create PangaeaMud, an academic research project designed as an interactive geologic database tool.
Though Lima leveraged learnings from TMI-2, Lima is a completely independent codebase.
TMI-2 is still available, and often used as a learning tool, but not typically used today for new LPMud development.
Notable MUDs based on TMI-derived mudlibs include The Two Towers
The Two Towers (MUD)
The Two Towers, or T2T, is an MUD, a text-based multiplayer online role-playing game, set in Tolkien’s universe at the time of events in the third volume of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.-Description:...
and Threshold
Threshold (online game)
Threshold is a roleplaying enforced MUD that has been in operation since June 1996. Its focus is on providing a place for roleplaying in addition to traditional MMO/MUD style gameplay. It has as many as 70-100 players online at any given time. Owned and operated by Frogdice, Inc...
.
External links
- The LPmuds.net downloads page has a driver-bundled version of TMI-2 that's "easy-ish" to install.