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View Full Version : You can play MUDs on your DS, a small guide.



crookedmouth
August 27th, 2008, 04:14
Don't know if anyone is interested, but I found it really cool that I could play my favorite MUD on my DS using DSlinux and it's telnet client. Furthermore once I had set up binds/aliases, it actually wasn't much of a hassle,of course long conversations are a sure way to a hand cramp but moving around and fighting actually can be faster in some respects. Plus I didn't need any RAM expansion like the Supercard or 3-in-1. You of course will need homebrew wi-fi connect ability.

I am using the Games N Music for this, but it should work on any DLDI compatible device.

If you don't know what a MUD is, you probably won't be interested but for those who don't, a MUD is a Multi-User-Dungeon, basically a text-only MMORPG, sort of.


I did a search around and found that there was no information about MUDs on the DS and decided to write this up.I did find a MUDClient for the PSP, wow that must be hard.

If you are already using dslinux and wi-fi, you may have thought of this already, or dismissed it as too annoying to be useful.I think that it's very playable but not everyone may think so.

For this rough How-to, some knowledge of DSOrganize would be useful. I use the hacked nintendo wi-fi usb dongle, but I believe any "softAP" capable wireless device will work in connecting your DS to your wi-fi.

First download the file below. It is a version of DSlinux that works with no ram expansion and DSOrganize_3_1129,which is used to alter a linux config file without corrupting it.(I also customized the Icons in DSO and this is last stable version.) I'd like to note I didn't compile this version of DSlinux, someone posted it on dslinux forum.

DSO and DSlinux
http://www.mediafire.com/?qptjkai2kj1


The reason we are using DSOrganize to edit DSlinux config files is that Windows notepad(or any windows/dos text editor) corrupts the .conf file rendering it useless in linux, plus around the web it tells you to use some linux text-editor that is hard to find and execute.


Extract the folder and place it's contents directly in the root of your card.The folders need to be in the root, I don't think the .nds files need to be but thats where I put them. DLDI patch DSlinux and DSOrganize.nds(unless by chance you use a GnM card).

Boot up your DS and then DSOrganize.nds.

Using the DSO browser, navigate to /linux/etc find rc.defaults, copy it somewhere(use shoulder buttons to alter DSO's functions). Rename rc.defaults to rc.conf.The rc.conf file needs to be in /linux/etc folder.

As far as I know the DS hates DCHP connection. If you are using the DS for homebrew, you will already know what your ip's,gateway's and mask's etc. are.If not You can open up your command prompt in windows and use ipconfig command to see your wireless networks IP and gateway

Open rc.conf with DSOrganize.

Plug in your essid,channel,wepkey,IP,Gatewaynetmask,broadcast, and dns1, make sure you enable network on boot.The quotes are needed.


enable_network_on_boot="YES"
essid="youressid"
wepkey="yourwepkey"
ip="your static DS IP"
gateway="your wireless connection's IP"
netmask="your Subnet Mask for your wireless connection"
broadcast="youressid"
dns1="your Wireless Network Connection's IP"

I don't use a WEP key, so don't know if using it screws something up.My DS hates security.

While still in /linux/etc .Open resolv.conf and plug in your wireless connections IP instead of the one below.(This can all be done inside DSOrganize.) Quotes are not needed here.
nameserver 192.168.1.1


If you can get all this crap figured out,then when you boot dslinuxNORAM2.nds, it will auto-connect you to your wireless.

Font Size
First, the tiny font will leave you with a massive headache so I've included some different font sizes.

Type the following exactly, consolechars -f font2
Use font3 to check if you like that better.(Simply press D-Pad up to cycle through whats been typed already for ease.) consolechars -f font2,whichever one you choose will need to be entered every time you start dslinux, before you start telnet.


Connecting to a MUD server.
(for this example I will use Wheel of Time MUD because it is my favorite and has PK)


type telnet to start Telnet.

Type telnet wotmud.org 2222

This will connect you to wotmud.org, but should work for any telnet MUD, I tested some others like Discworld.Type telnet discworld.atuin.net 23 that worked fine.So just leave out the ":".


A brief look at "aliases"
Once inside the MUD with your new character hopefull your favorite MUD will use binds or alias's.


For instance in WOTMUD, if I want to make a shortcut to allow me to "look in sack" I would type alias ls look in sack and then every time I type ls then enter, it would execute look in sack.


Luckily on the DS with telnet the A Button=Enter.The D-pad and the X and Y buttons create a string of characters when pushed.
Pressing D-pad UP creates the string ^[[A, the rest of the directions create something similar. The X-Button creates a group "^[[5" and the Y-Button creates "^[[6".


So by creating an alias of alias ^[[A north every time I press the D-Pad UP followed by the A-button, I go North. I usually assign the X-button to something I kill a lot. alias ^[[5 kill deer for example. Furthermore you can do double tap button binds, like alias ^[[5^[[5 kill stag, so pressing X-Button twice followed by the A-button will "kill stag".


Incredibly I found that with skillful binding and some quick fingers I was able to move around and kill quicker then on my computer(unless I am using Zmud). Player Killing Battles would seem easier to "spam" in too.

Hope that all made sense and is useful to someone.


List of MUDs
http://www.topmudsites.com/forums/mudlist.html

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shatteredhalo349
August 30th, 2008, 03:23
:O

you, good sir, have made my day.

shatteredhalo349
August 31st, 2008, 14:30
just a note for future users who want to get their MUD on:

I was only able to get DSLinux to work by using the stock 128 MB microSD card that came with the GnM, I could not get this to connect properly to the internet on my 2GB PNY microSD card.

Otherwise, totally awesome, I'd love to see someone develop a MUD client just for the DS. :D

Chijin
June 29th, 2010, 21:51
I think you, crookedmouth, should make the homebrew app for DS. That would be amazing!:thumbup:

crookedmouth
July 3rd, 2010, 02:42
I think you, crookedmouth, should make the homebrew app for DS. That would be amazing!:thumbup:

Sorry, I'm no coder and though I bet it would be cool I bet nothing like this will happen.

Do they make MUD clients for smart phones?

Either way I still use the DSLinux method flawlessly.