NOTE! The following images are actual screen grabs from Windows 95 and zMud. It will be easier for you if you simply print this page. To save toner, turn images off, but be sure you copy off the information in the two screen grabs denoted by the little pickle-guy you'll see floating to the right of each.

Use Windows Explorer to create a folder called 'zdown' on your C: drive

Select Drive C: in explorer

Then menu item File|New|Folder

While the new folder name is highlighted and the cursor is flashing, type the name zdown, then press the enter key

Point your browser at:
      http://jazz_band.tripod.com/download.htm Look for "ZMud -- The greatest mudding proggie I've ever used."

IMPORTANT NOTE: This link was active as of September 7th, 2000. But the net being as it is, should you get a file-not-found error message, simply enter the word 'zMud' and "16 bit" into my favourite search engine (Google-below) and you will be presented with many pages that offer you an option to download this software. The older versions (both 16 and 32 bit) are quite adequate and are (even better) free!

and select the appropriate FREEWARE download link (16 bit for Windows 3.x or 32 bit for Windows 95, 98 or NT)

When prompted for what to do with a 'zip' file, tell your browser to save it. When asked where tell it the 'zdown folder' on drive C:

Press the Save or OK button and wait for it the file to download

Once downloaded, go back into Windows Explorer, and open the 'zdown' folder on drive C:

Double-click on the file zmud32f, this should open WinZip (if you have it - if you don't you'll have to download and install it first).

Select the extract button and fill in the dialog that appears as shown below

Now press the Extract button on the dialog

Once extracted, go back to Windows Explorer and select the zmud32f file. Press the delete key and say yes when asked if you want to send the file to the recycle bin.

Now select the file zmud.exe and drag it onto a blank area on your desk top (you may first have to make the Windows Explorer window small enough to see your desktop).

Close Windows Explorer

You should now have an icon on your desktop entitled Shortcut to zmud.exe

Double click on the icon and you should be presented with the zMud startup screen. Press the Char Database button.

A new dialog will appear, and we need to make some settings applicable to MOOs which we can use for all MOOs we want to connect to. Press the Empty button.

A dialog will appear, displaying a tip; just press OK.

A blank screen and more menu options will appear. Select menu item Settings | Load...

Select the file default.mud, and press the Open button.

Select the menu item Settings | Parse (this will turn the tick off)

Select the menu item Settings | Save as...

Type the filename moo.mud in the Save As dialog box that appears. Press the Save button.

Close the blank (black window) window.

Now we need to set up the connection details for 2 different MOOS. We will use one as a training ground - it has a great walkthrough tutorial (I know, I wrote it)! The other is the one that hosts the bipolar support community.

Select the menu option File | Another Char...

First, our training MOO.

This time click the New button

Fill in the boxes on the right hand side as shown below:

Now on the left side of the window, click the row AFTER the selected one

The details you just filled in should now show in the list (as follows).

Now for the support MOO...

Press the New button again (as before), but this time fill in the information on the right hand side of the screen as follows:

Now on the left hand side of the window, click the blank row at the bottom

Your full list of character should now look like this:

From now on, you can connect to either of these 2 MOOs by selecting one in this window, then pressing the Connect button

In future, to actually bring up this window either press the Char Database button when you first start Zmud

or (if you're already in Zmud) by selecting the menu item File | Another Char...

As we already have the connect window up, we may as well go ahead and try to connect to AussieMOO (where the tutorial is).

Note:

If you are not already connected to the net, do so now.

Ok, you should have AussieMOO selected on the left side of the window - if not, select it now.

Press the Connect button

If all works, you should see the following:

Don't be put off by the overwhelming amount of rubbish that is assualting your eyes, the front screen of AussieMOO is just ugly - but it's nicer inside :)

The actual instructions are listed on the screen, but to save you looking, I'll tell you waht you need to type :)

Everything you type on the MOO should be entered in the box at the bottom. So type in:

co guest

As you can see, MOOs are entirely text based environments but are really nowhere as intimidating as they look. They have basic commands for speaking, moving, hugging, picking up and droppin objects etc.

To learn these basic commands, you should do the tutorial. To do so enter:

tut

@hint

To disconnect from the MOO at any time, enter

@quit