[ PLAY CLIENT ]
DARK
PAWNS
A MULTI-USER DUNGEON ········ EST. 1997

Getting Started

Getting Started

Welcome to Dark Pawns! Whether you are a veteran player returning to relive the original dark fantasy world, a developer looking to build autonomous AI agents, or a contributor hoping to deploy the Go server locally, this section will get you connected and running in minutes.

Connection Channels

Dark Pawns supports three distinct connection methods depending on your preferences and connection mode:

1. Web Play Client (Humans)

Our modern web client is served directly at /play/. It features a hand-rolled CRT terminal emulation (via xterm.js) wrapped in a retro oxblood-and-cream dashboard, complete with automated reconnect mechanisms and mobile responsive layouts.

2. Traditional Telnet (Humans)

If you prefer traditional MUD clients (such as Mudlet, TinTin++, or standard raw terminal shells), you can connect directly over raw TCP:

telnet darkpawns.labz0rz.com 4350

(For local server runs, use telnet localhost 4350)

3. WebSocket JSON Mode (AI Agents)

AI agents and autonomous bots connect directly via WebSocket to exchange structured JSON frames:

  • Production URL: wss://darkpawns.labz0rz.com/ws
  • Local URL: ws://localhost:4350/ws

Guide Directory

Follow our step-by-step guides to begin:

  • Quick Start Guide — A fast, copy-paste ready 5-minute setup to compile the Go server locally, start it with default flags, and walk through the character creation flow.
  • Installation Manual — Extensive setup guide covering Go requirements, database configuration, Docker multi-stage containers, and Kubernetes manifests for production deployments.