WULF - Web-based Ultima-Like Framework

WULF is a project that intends to create a framework based on open web technology that would allow easy creation of Ultima-like browser games.

🛑 STATUS 🛑

This repo is no longer being worked on.

♻️ The project has been re-started (2025) here: https://github.com/morph-games/WULF

Old Repos

• Server code: https://github.com/rocket-boots/WULF-server
• Client code: https://github.com/rocket-boots/WULF-client

Philosophy

• Open, interactive, simulated world
  • Go anywhere
  • Time always passes
• Persistant, living characters
  • PCs become NPCs when their player is offline
  • NPC schedules
  • Bot-friendly (BPC)
  • Aging and mortality
• Everything happens in the fiction/simulation
  • Nothing should be indestructible or immortal, except by in-game mechanics
  • World-building is done by entities (gods, wizards)
• Framework needs to be easy to enhance
  • Modular components
  • Keep an eye towards future additions; don't prevent modification
  • JavaScript is a language that many developers know and that can be learned online
  • Open source
• Online-capable
  • Server-Client architecture
• Top-down 2D is sufficient
  • Simple graphics

What Works Now

• Run client with a separate server (e.g. Fenix) at an address like http://localhost/WULF-client/.
• Create characters on server based on user
• Create character at random x,y
• Load simple map into server
• Send map to client
• Client display map
• Send characters to clients and display
• Basic game loop in server
• Click for movement to x, y
• Pass movement commands to server
• Bring in Coords
• Fix movement on server
• Move character on client
• Terrain types / Advanced map data
• Display as scroll-o-sprites graphics
• Detect clicks on Pixi display
• Remove text map
• Clean-up Pixi Display code
• Roguelike pixel font
• Enter to focus chat
• Switch server to ES6 modules
• Pass terrain/item data to client
• Different objects for items, blocks, terrain, characters
• Merge in the entity types and add tile property with key
• Tell client about items/blocks
• Obstacle detection on server-side
• Tell display about characters separately from terrain
• Display characters on sub-tile format and hide covered tile

TO DO

• Info about what actions can be done on which entities

• Smart click so that trees can be auto-chopped

• Actions row 1-9

• Right-click for simple actions menu

• Action: Pick up item

• KB input for movement (similar to rote?)

• Action: Pick up flower from sack

• Action: Place flower down

• Action: Pick up water

• Action: Drop water on flower to mix --> make dough

• Action: Drop dough in oven

• Oven cook dough to bread

• Action: chop tree

• Update map's passable array when there are updates to terrain, blocks, items, etc.

• Action: Plant seed

• Chat bubbles

• Tell client when map content has changed rather than constantly

• Server send moves to client for animation

• A-star on server-side - https://github.com/bgrins/javascript-astar

• Switch characters into NPC mode when player leaves

• Save Player data in client

• Save Player data and reload on restart

• Save character data and reload on restart

• Save map data and reload on restart

• Scroll to zoom

• Efficiency in redrawing sprites

• Clean up client/servamo chat

• Import RocketBoots modules properly

• Move pixi display to its own library

• Move sevamo, usernaming, etc. to their own libraries

• Combine server and client together in WULF package for testing (i.e., run client from browser at http://localhost:5000)

• Add nvm

• Convert server so it can run in the browser

• U4 option for tiles https://github.com/jahshuwaa/u4graphics

• Pixel fonts? https://github.com/byackley/pixelfonts

Wishlist (TBD)

• Items:
  • 1-2 - hands
  • 3-4 - body (requires shirt)
  • 5-6 - legs/belt (requires pants or belt)
  • 7,8,9,0 - back (requires backpack)
• Clothing:
  • 1 - gloves
  • 2 - rings
  • 3 - arms (bracers)
  • 4 - torso
  • 5 - pants
  • 6 - shoes
  • 7 - back
  • 8 - head

• Map builder
• Load map by height map and terrain grid
• ...TBD...

New Project Britannia Wishlist from SSSH podcast #15 (2015)

• Multiple magic systems
• Mana-based magic
• Spells, item-based spellcasting
• Modular sky-dome
• Multiple camera views
• Character creation system
• Skill system - effected by class
• Moongates, including different types
• Vehicle controls - carts, horses, boats
• Regional maps
• Mono-scale and dual-scale maps
• Mono-scale and dual-scale transportation
• Conversation systems - keyword vs free text
• Quest triggers
• Journal
• Annotated map
• Buy/sell system
• Banking
• Containers of items
• NPC inventories
• NPC ownership / theft
• NPC schedules
• Virtures/karma tracking for PCs
• Readable Books, scrolls
• Spellbook
• Rune pouch
• Paperdoll in inventory
• Item interactivity
• Item volume and weight