I decided a long time ago that I wanted to atleast attempt creating my own MUD. I have just started teaching myself programming, and I was wondering if there was any codebases out there that could suit my needs (something I could play with and piddle with on my own computer).

I would really prefer something in C++ that runs in Windows. So far, I have found only one (Mudcore), however I am having a great amount of difficulty getting that to run using Dev-C++, and I am unwilling to go out buy the more powerful required program for 100 dollars. If you have any information on this codebase and getting up to go in Dev-C++, I'd love to hear from you.

Whatever I decide on MUST be able to run in Windows XP. I have Cygwin, but I am unfamiliar with it and have no idea how to use it. At this point, I am slightly more willing to try something in C because C++ in so bloody rare, although I'll prolly end up confusing myself between C and C++ (but if I don't, all the more power to me for learning two programming languages).

No Smaug, please. x.x If I ever do get to run a MUD, it will be roleplay enforced, levelless and classless, and the furthest thing from any kind of diku-ish game as I can get it. I have very strict ideas about IC and OOC, originality, and realism that so far have never been entirely fulfilled by any other game out there (man, am I picky..).

Sooo...

If you have any suggestions, questions, comments, tutorials, codebases I might find of interest, CIA "connections", constructive critism, helpful offerings, or just the urge to email, AIM, PM, or contact in any other way someone with whom you have never met or feel some strange spiritual or mystical connection with, please contact me in the following ways:

a.) reply to this post
b.) email me:
c.) AIM: candidatuslupus

While I don't use smaug myself (I'm currently developing DG scripts for the CircleMud codebase), I don't see your point. How you want the 'feel' of your game is almost entirely independent on the codebase, and is more of a design choice.
Whether you use Smaug, Circle, Diku, LPC (MudOS), PennMUSH or a sixth codebase only decides how you implement your ideas on a practical level.
Not wanting your game to be like all those other games you've encountered, doesn't mean you should immideately dismiss the codebase they used. If your ideas and/or programming abilities differ from theirs, the end result will as well.

I hope you find a codebase that suits your needs,

Welcor

Hmm, well you see, not to diss on all those types of codebases out there, but I have not had an easy or enjoyable time while on games made with those codebases.

I usually have the most fun on custom codebases or well-made LP Muds. But like I said, I am just very picky.

Have you had a look at any of the LPMUD stuff out there?  It runs a rather nice interpreted language.

To get started with DGD, which is one of the various LPMUD descendants (sort of), I recommend ".  Of course, it's not surprising that I'd recommend that site...  I wrote nearly all of it.

There's a decent DGD tutorial currently posted at ".  It'll get you started on the basics of LPC.  It's not C++, but it's really quite nice to use, and it has some advantages for MUD work that you simply can't get in C++.