Help Design a MUD....

Okay, I got kind of bored and realised that it's about time that I start getting down to programming something. The usual problem is "I can't do everything on my own!" thats where this thread will hopefully come in.

I feel like putting together a MUD (Multi-User Domain), some game that everybody here gets the chance to put together as a form of Open-Source. Of course it means I'm going to have to brush my skills up (since they are pretty lapse)

The questions are:

What sort of game should be designed?
What language or Platform should it be aimed at?
If you've got any skills and some spare time where do we start?

Please post ideas here!

 

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You want someone with some free time, i got free time

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Man i have so much free time (well for this whole week atleast) that i have been doing assignments for people in summer school, just to pass up some of the free day time i have, so what ever it is you wanna do i can do some stuff for this whole week straight, and i wanna do alot more C++/C so what about we use VC++ and do it for windows, what kinda game did you want to do, games are hard but if you have an idea and you can allocate me some stuff to do (which is within my skill) then i'll be glad to do it.

 

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I won't have much free time this year at all, but I would love to get involved in such a project just to learn more programming stuff. If it all goes down through this BBS, I'll keep watching to learn what I can, and I'll try to think up some stuff to help now and then.

If this is like one of those game-thingies, I suggest swords and such instead of high-tech guns and all. Easier to work with. No ranges and fields of vision, just avatars encountering each other in specific locations.

 

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I've been trying to work out the best language to implimentate to create something. I realise that the simplest method is just using a database like SQL/MYSQL and the real question is the extent of the interfacing.

I've been looking to work out if I should develop something as an Application with the downside being the download, and the matters of the OS or looking at a cross platform enviroment, like Shockwave or JAVA. (Admittedly I could utilise CGI with C++ or something but I'm still working out what sort of "Power" I'll need behind the processing of the data.)

Other questioned lines of thought are:

Encrypting data exchanges to stop packet sniffing cheats.
Encryption for the database, so even if it's breached by an access due to insecurity it's still encrypted.
Possibly usage of an SSH tunneling method for security of a few features (Passwords, Personal Data, possible credit information if whats developed is Pay for play)

(Admittedly alot of us like free games, but are prepared to buy into something aslong as the best quality is a rule of production.)

Some would question what servers to house such a build on, but I'm already on the case. I have some advanced plans for a future network structure to deal with the database, backup and actual game connections.
But I know that will be in full flow if I put to use my development system which at the moment is serving a webpage or two.
(I still need to configure SQL on it, which is bound to take hours)

If anybody would like to put forwards a method of management for this potential project, then please do so. As it would aid myself and anyone else that wants to lend a hand in knowing how to pool together, rather than just thinking about a pipe dream.

 

StryderUnknown,

Put my name down. I spend most of my evening stuck in hotels with not a lot to do but read, work or watch telly.....boring or what!?

On the subject of architecture, it will obviously need to be client/server based, or P2P. Some form of data repository is needed to keep track of who's doing what, where and how. A lot of thought needs to go into this sort of project and I'll be happy to help out if you're interested.

Cheers,

Henrik

 

I volunteer to help with ideas or perhaps coding, time permitting. I have other software I am attempting to develop right now, but I'm the kind of person that simply can't stay out of things that could be fun like this.

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I would advise against using Java if you want it to run quickly. I've never used Shockwave, but I'm assuming that probably also wouldn't be the best. I don't know what kind of scale you're talking about here and how complicated this might get.

If you're talking about something complicated or you want it to run fast, I suggest C++, using the Qt library for GUI. Qt is cross-platform: compiles under various *nixes, Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, and Windows. Qt can do standard GUI and 2D and 3D graphics in OpenGL.

I'm sure source for most of that could be found online. If you end up using Qt and you are going to charge for the service, then you have to pay for the commercial version of Qt, I'm not sure how much that is. If you keep it free and open source then you can use Qt for free.

I suggest MySQL. Free, fast, and stable.

Rather than managing as a thread on sciforums, once you get things going it would probably be better to do some kind of mailing list or have a web page with current updates. I'm sure there's free/open source project management software out there, I'm just too lazy to look for it right now.

 

I think the idea of charging for people to use MUD is contrary to the concept of MUDs.....

Whether that's right or not, check out this link:

http://inetsolve.com/~snip/

Includes access to server source code for download (with it being open source)

Enjoy,


Henrik

 

Okay, I've taken what you've said into account.

I'm going to get a webpage sorted out to cover it, once it's done, I'll post that URL on here.

I have been trying to configure MySQL on the server, but I keep dropping CGI out, which is a real pain, but I know that the change of Perl Headers is what causes it.

 

I'm going to be away until the 20th, which means the MUD site is going to be a bit slow starting, but once I've got the time (after the 20th) I will set a site up.

I think the language I have choosen is PERL to utilise CGI and databases, of course this is going to leave the questions open about graphics and their manipulation.

I think PERL should work well for it's now (or soon to be, as according to what I've read PERL 5.006 is suppose to have MAC support) Cross-Platform and can utilise sockets.

I hope that seems good enough to everyone else.