txt3-wap/TODO.md

txt3 BBS - TODO and Improvement Ideas

This document tracks planned enhancements, bug fixes, and quality-of-life improvements for the txt3 BBS platform.

High Priority (User Experience)

1. Complete Admin Panel Documentation

Status: Partial - admin tools exist but lack guidance Impact: New admins can't manage users, forums, or moderation Action: Document all admin BBS commands (admin_menu, admin_users, admin_forums, etc.) in README + inline comments

2. Expand MUD Content and World

Status: Basic starter world (12 rooms, 5 monsters, 7 items) Impact: Current world feels sparse; deeper immersion needed Action:

• Add more rooms, NPC traders, dynamic events
• Increase monster variety with unique loot
• Add quests and RPG progression hooks
• Include environmental hazards and treasures

3. Create Web Games Page

Status: Games exist in BBS but no dedicated web interface Impact: Non-telnet users can't play Guess the Number, Quiz, or multiplayer games Action:

• Build /games.php with embedded game windows
• Mirror BBS game state (cross-play between web and telnet)
• Add leaderboards section on web

4. Improve WML UX

Status: Basic WML detection, some formatters Impact: WML clients still encounter rough edges Action:

• Better softkey handling for forms
• Improve truncation messages for long text
• Add WML-specific keyboard shortcuts
• Better error messages in WML

Medium Priority (Code Quality)

5. Consistent Error Handling

Status: Different patterns across PHP and Python Impact: Harder maintenance, inconsistent user experience Action: Standardize error types and user-facing messages

6. Add Input Validation

Status: Some basic validation, many gaps Impact: Security holes (XSS, SQL injection minimal but present) Action:

• PHP: Sanitize all form inputs, escape HTML properly
• Python: Validate username/password format, input length limits
• Rate limiting for login attempts

7. Mobile/Older Phone Optimization

Status: Works but could be smoother Impact: Better WML optimization = more modern phones can use it Action:

• Reduce WML page size further
• Optimize images for low-bandwidth
• Add offline capabilities for cached content

8. Accessibility Improvements

Status: Basic WML, limited XHTML accessibility Impact: Excludes users with assistive tech Action:

• ARIA labels in XHTML forms
• Better semantic markup
• Keyboard navigation in WML

Low Priority (Nice-to-Have)

9. Performance Optimizations

Status: Reasonable for scale, could be faster Impact: Faster response times for older hardware Action:

• SQLite query optimization
• Caching for frequently accessed data
• CDN for static assets

10. Advanced Features

Status: Core functionality complete Impact: More engagement, longer play time Action:

• Private messaging between MUD characters
• Guilds/alliances in MUD
• Trading post in MUD
• Advanced game statistics
• User-generated content (MUD scripts)

Documentation Gaps

11. Agent Workflow Documentation

Status: None - created by user request Impact: New maintainers can't follow established patterns Action:

• Document code conventions (naming, formatting)
• Agent workflow guidelines (testing, deployment)
• Knowledge base for common issues

12. Developer Quick Reference

Status: Only in code comments Impact: Hard to onboard new developers Action:

• API documentation for shared database tables
• Developer guide for both PHP and Python front-ends
• Contribution guidelines

Technical Debt

13. Code Cleanup

Status: Working but could be cleaner Impact: Long-term maintainability Action:

• Refactor repetitive code
• Improve variable naming
• Add type hints where appropriate

14. Logging and Monitoring

Status: BBS logs to file, limited web monitoring Impact: Harder to debug production issues Action:

• Structured logging (JSON format)
• Simple metrics/dashboard
• Error reporting setup

Infrastructure

15. Backup and Recovery

Status: No documented backup procedures Impact: Risk of data loss Action:

• Document database backup procedures
• File backup strategies
• Recovery testing procedures

16. Deployment Automation

Status: Manual systemd service management Impact: Harder to update across environments Action:

• Ansible/Chef playbook for deployment
• Database migration scripts
• Multi-environment support (dev/staging/prod)

Immediate Next Steps (Week 1)

1. Create README.md (COMPLETED)
2. Expand MUD world content with more rooms/monsters
3. Add web games interface (basic version)
4. Document admin commands
5. Improve input validation and error handling

Monthly Roadmap

• Month 1-2: Core features and bug fixes
• Month 3-4: Performance and UX improvements
• Month 5-6: Advanced features and documentation

How to Contribute

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Follow existing code style and conventions
4. Add tests for new functionality
5. Update documentation
6. Submit pull request

Known Issues

• Admin password reset broken in telnet BBS
• Some WML forms have poor keyboard navigation
• MUD shop mechanics could be clearer
• Web and telnet game state synchronization needs testing

Testing

• Manual testing required for BBS interactions
• Database schema migrations need testing
• Cross-front-end account sharing needs validation
• Performance testing on older hardware

---

Created to track project development and guide improvements Most items can be tackled incrementally - start with highest-impact features

Current Blockers

1. Limited time/resources for content expansion
2. Need to balance nostalgia with modern usability
3. Security audit needed for production deployment
4. Missing development environment setup documentation