TinyMUX

MSSP Protocol

Hardcode

Overview

TinyMUX supports the Mud Server Status Protocol (MSSP), a telnet option (option 70) that provides structured server metadata to MU* directory crawlers. MSSP allows directory sites to automatically collect and display up-to-date information about a game without requiring manual registration updates.

How It Works

MSSP is negotiated as a standard telnet option. When a directory crawler connects and requests MSSP data, the server responds with a set of key-value pairs encoded in the MSSP subnegotiation format. The crawler reads the data, records it, and disconnects. This process is automatic and requires no intervention from game administrators.

MSSP Fields

The following fields are reported by TinyMUX via MSSP:

  • NAME – The name of the game, taken from the mud_name configuration parameter.
  • PLAYERS – The current number of connected players.
  • UPTIME – The Unix timestamp of when the server was last started.
  • PORT – The port number the server is listening on.
  • CODEBASE – The server codebase identifier (e.g., TinyMUX 2.14).
  • FAMILY – The server family (TinyMUX).

Directory Integration

MU* directory sites such as MudConnector use automated crawlers that periodically connect to registered games and request MSSP data. By supporting MSSP, a TinyMUX game ensures that its listing on these directories reflects accurate, current information – player counts, uptime, and codebase version – without the game’s administrators needing to manually update directory entries.

Telnet, Network Layer.