Using ZMUD for aesthetic customization

Do you and the friends you roleplay with have pictures of your characters you’ve drawn or just like to use to reference your character?

In ZMUD, the #image command can show a picture in your ZMUD directory within your ZMUD window while in LOTJ when specific parameters merit it. It’s very simple to link a #image command to the first line of someone’s description, or even the command to look at someone you’ve already dubbed or have been greeted by.

Likewise, through the use of triggers you can have a smaller, headshot picture of a character show up at the beginning of a given character’s dialouge.

For instance if I had a small picture of Raffe, I’d set triggers for…
"Raffe says,", etc to execute the command (in affix so it shows up before the text and before "raffe says") with #Image raffeheadshot.jpeg, or whatever the name of the picture is in my ZMUD directory.

The outcome is a classic RPG feel many of us have experienced. For those who enjoy this sort of thing, I’d reccomend it. It’s very nostalgic of roleplaying games where each character has a small portrait everytime they speak. Granted that these pictures aren’t enormous and are of a light file type (such as JPEG), this can operate seamlessly within LOTJ and ZMUD’s normal functions, adding no increase in lag whatsoever.

Alternatively, you can also add atmospheric pictures to the names of rooms, such as a base lobby you frequent often.

Note that, also like many oldschool roleplaying games, you can have multiple or different ‘headshot’ pictures for when certain characters give dialouge in different tones (help tonelist).

Next week I’ll define a simple process for linking atmospheric music and ambience in the form of .wav or .mp3 files to play wile in certain areas and situations in the game.