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The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

andrewzigler.com

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Re: The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

#21

Post by agentultra »

Building a MUD engine is quite an endeavour in itself. Let alone the game! A good way to test your skills in networking, parsing, databases, and data structures.

I’ve been chipping away at one on my stream using Haskell. Experimenting with Lua integration, parsing, networking, STM and concurrency… currently hacking on Entity Component Systems and unboxed vectors and all kinds of stuff.

Thing is you can start small. Start with a chat server. Add character registration. Add a mob. Add some commands to interact with the mob. Just keep adding things on.

There’s a community for mud coders too. There are dozens of us.

https://mudcoders.com/

Re: The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

#22

Post by flir »

mickeyp wrote: post #20

I miss MUDs. My old MUD went through a rename, a fork, and what have you --- but it's limping on, though with few playing it. The cost of hosting these things are so cheap today that you can just let it sit and mind its own business. Back in the 90s you needed a permanent internet connection (rare!) and fast enough to handle all the usually uncompressed text, so it had to be a - shocker - T1 or better. Then you neede…

I think one of the very first public demos for GPT was a text adventure game?

Re: The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

#24

Post by iFire »

Question to you all, muds tends to have a unix style interface, has anyone done a replacement for this uiux that fits … the class of 2019 first year computer science student that doesn’t understand files and needs a different uiux.

Re: The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

#25

Post by NoboruWataya »

Grombobulous wrote: post #14

MUDs are really cool, but for anyone looking for a narrative fantasy experience, my first recommendation is going to be The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, but more specifically the mod scene around that game as well as the OpenMW replacement game engine. Bethesda’s game was a gem that was full of rich lore, plenty of readying, and very flexible RPG systems (although being a magical glass cannon does tend to be the best…

My favourite game, and I agree that the new content added by the Tamriel Rebuilt is incredible. It is lacking in multiplayer which I expect is a large part of what makes MUDs special. TES3MP is an attempt at multiplayer Morrowind, and claims to be playable, though I haven't tried it so not sure how smooth it is or what the community is like. https://tes3mp.com/

Re: The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

#26

Post by kevstev »

iFire wrote: post #24

Question to you all, muds tends to have a unix style interface, has anyone done a replacement for this uiux that fits … the class of 2019 first year computer science student that doesn’t understand files and needs a different uiux.

I am not sure I understand your question- MUDs have a text interface, somewhat similar to a command line. It wouldn't be a proper MUD if it had a graphical interface- there are plenty of games out there that do this like Baldurs Gate. The files part of your comment I don't understand either.

Re: The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

#29

Post by beardedwizard »

kevstev wrote: post #26
iFire wrote: post #24

Question to you all, muds tends to have a unix style interface, has anyone done a replacement for this uiux that fits … the class of 2019 first year computer science student that doesn’t understand files and needs a different uiux.

I am not sure I understand your question- MUDs have a text interface, somewhat similar to a command line. It wouldn't be a proper MUD if it had a graphical interface- there are plenty of games out there that do this like Baldurs Gate. The files part of your comment I don't understand either.

Simply untrue.

There have been hundreds of MUD clients and many of them were not purely text based at all. Many had images and map screens built in.

Re: The case for MUDs in modern times (2018)

#30

Post by mentos »

agentultra wrote: post #21

Building a MUD engine is quite an endeavour in itself. Let alone the game! A good way to test your skills in networking, parsing, databases, and data structures. I’ve been chipping away at one on my stream using Haskell. Experimenting with Lua integration, parsing, networking, STM and concurrency… currently hacking on Entity Component Systems and unboxed vectors and all kinds of stuff. Thing is you can start small. S…

I’m a huge fan of UO which MUDs inspired.

Curious if in the spirit of

"Show me your [code] and conceal your [data structures], and I shall continue to be mystified. Show me your [data structures], and I won’t usually need your [code]; it’ll be obvious."

If you would share your data structures for your MUD?

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