[MUD-Dev] Flexible Perl MUD-like Server Project

[Lars Duening]

Luke Parrish wrote:

> I've just started a sourceforge project to try and make a more
> flexible, idealistic MUD-like server. The idea is to let you use
> features from existing MUD servers, but make them all
> optional. So, say, you could use the Diku combat system and a more
> LP-like quest >system, with a MUSH-like building interface if you
> liked.

Call me a cynic mud hacker, but this sounds to me like yet another
attempt at The Ultimate Mudlib(tm), except this time it's based on
Perl instead of one of the generic mud drivers.

While it is probably possible to structure the framework of a mud so
that things like command parsing are put into neat exchangeable
modules, I don't see a reasonable way to treat the actual meat of
the game this way - ie.  combat system, quest system, spatial
handling, social mechanisms, world organization. You can write a
mudlib which implements a certain class of Muds, but if you want
really original game you're again back to writing your own code -
and then the Uebermudlib just gets in the way.

By the way: it is a basic mistake to attribute game features like
'combat system', 'quest system', or 'building interface' to Mud
servers. While there are traditions within the libs for the server
families, they are by no means cast into stone. For example: if
there really were only 'Diku combat', 'LP combat', and 'Mush
combat', then the intended Mudlib might even be possible. But in
reality there are, among others, 'turn based combat', 'narrative
combat', and 'real time combat', and within these groups there are
further subdivisions (limb-based combat vs.  single-HP-based combat,
for example) - combining them is just asking for trouble.

> Come over and post on the Sourceforge Open Discussion forum for
> the project if you have any ideas/criticisms. I haven't written
> one line of code for this yet, so get your opinions in while you
> can.

>  http://sourceforge.net/projects/perlworld/

Web-only forums are the wrong tool for a discussion.

--
Lars Duening; lars at bearnip.com
PGP Key: http://www.bearnip.com/lars/pgp-lars.asc

_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev