Finding the Right MUD Client

It's eminently possible to find a decent MUD client by Googling MUD client [your OS], but doing this can be time-consuming and frustrating. This page aims to recommend some clients, and talk you through setting them up to join ifMUD.

This page is incomplete - we've only covered what we know exists, and only have detailed instructions for things we've used. If you could supply instructions for clients without them, or recommend good clients we haven't mentioned, that would be really helpful.

Windows | OS X | OS 9 - | Unix

Windows Clients

MUSHclient
MUSHclient is now a freeware client.

Once you've downloaded and installed the client, go to FILE / NEW WORLD. On the left, under General, click on "IP address" (it'll probably already be selected) and enter the following information:

World Name: ifMUD TCP/IP Address: ifmud.port4000.com Port number: 4000 Proxy server: None

Check the box below that stuff that says "Save world automatically on close."

Then, on the left, under General, select "Connecting." Put your username and password in the appropriate spots, and under "Connect," select "MUSH/MOO (Connect name password)"

Under that you'll see a box for "Connect text." If you want, you can put a command on each line in this box and those commands will execute automatically when you log into ifMUD. For example, if you put this in the box:

names bb * @newc @listc -recent lounge

then when you log on you'll automatically see the names of everyone logged in, all new bulletin board messages, any new channels that have been created since the last time you logged in, and the last few channels on which people have been talking. You'll also automatically end up in the lounge.

When you log off or close the client after doing all this, MUSHclient will save all these settings, provided you checked the little box under General/IP address that says "Save world automatically on close." Or you can save the details yourself at any time by going to FILE / SAVE WORLD DETAILS.

Once you've logged off that first time and it's saved your world settings, you might want to go to to FILE / GLOBAL PREFERENCES / WORLDS. You can add the settings you just saved so that ifMUD will automatically open whenever you start the client. Note that it will load your settings, but not automatically log you on. If you want it to also log you on, go to FILE / GLOBAL PREFERENCES / GENERAL and check the box for 'Auto connect to world on open.'

Pueblo
Pueblo is freeware but no longer supported.

simpleMU
simpleMU is shareware.

zMUD
zMUD is shareware.

TinyFugue
TinyFugue is a powerful and versatile MUD client, but can be quite difficult to set up if you're not familiar with the command-line.

OS X Clients

MudWalker
MudWalker is an unfinished (but functional) open-source MUD client.

Start MudWalker. A dialogue box should appear - if not, go to File --> New Connection. Enter ifmud.port4000.com:4000
You're connected to the MUD! Type connect yourname password as usual to log in.
To save your settings, go to File --> Save. Next time you use the program, ignore the dialogue box and go to File --> Open Recent to reload your settings. When you open a window this way, it doesn't automatically connect - you'll have to hit the green Connect button in the top-left of the window.

Cantrip
Cantrip, similarly, has not reached v1.0 yet, but is still pretty functional.

Run the program and go to File -> New World. This will open a window.
Go to World -> Connect. A box will appear with Address and Port fields:
address: ifmud.port4000.com
port: 4000
Now you can type connect yourname password as usual and connect.
So that you don't have to enter the address every time, you can go to File -> Save to save this world, and then next time you'll be able to find it in File -> Open Recent.

Most preferences - for instance, the colour of your text - can be changed by going to World -> Settings. In particular, you can get it to log you in automatically.

TinyFugue
TinyFugue is a powerful and versatile MUD client, but can be quite difficult to set up if you're not familiar with the command-line.

Savitar
Savitar is a shareware MUD client.

Mac OS 9 and Below

Savitar
Savitar is a shareware MUD client.

Rapscallion
Rapscallion is a shareware MUD client.

Unix

First of all, if you're running Unix, what are you doing asking for our help? Secondly, these come without recommendations or instructions, for the fairly simple reason that nobody's given us any.

kildclient
kildclient is still being updated as of March '09, and comes recommended.

dirt
dirt is a text-based Linux client.

mcl
mcl is another text-based client, best under Linux but usable under any Unix system.

kmc
"kmc is a mud client for KDE that aims to be powerful yet easy to use and comfortable to spend time in."

Kmud
Kmud is another graphical KDE client.

TinyFugue
TinyFugue is a powerful and versatile MUD client, but can be quite difficult to set up if you're not familiar with the command-line.

Appendix A: Getting a Client

Appendix B: Glossary

Appendix C: Index

This client guide was assembled by Storme Winfield (Storme) and Sam Kabo Ashwell (maga), with contributions from Jacqueline Lott (Jacqueline) and YOUR NAME HERE YOU LAZY BASTARDS.