MUD Coding

gutterzombie · 10-14-2003, 08:22 PM

I never coded and i want to learn any one want to give me a try...or any sugestions on what i should do??

gutterzombie · 10-14-2003, 08:56 PM

heh ok i see

gutterzombie · 10-15-2003, 12:11 PM

Brody · 10-15-2003, 12:26 PM

Uh...we get it. You want to code, and you'll be as annoying as your little hypercaffeinated self must be to maintain any form of attention acquisition for yourself.

This doesn't bode well for anyone who considers hiring you, I'm afraid.

Moridian · 10-15-2003, 12:47 PM

Best bet for learning to code and being able to code for a mud is to buy a few books on the C programming language and read them cover to cover. Also, taking a class on programming is a good bet. Most colleges have plenty of them. Also being a responsible/respectful player on a mud for a few years (5+) is a good start as well.

I doubt that anyone out there will just say "Sure, here's my code" to someone that they don't know and can't trust.

Again, best bet: Read, take a class, etc.

-Moridian

gutterzombie · 10-15-2003, 12:54 PM

thanks any sugestions on what books?

wedsaz · 10-15-2003, 03:04 PM

"C Primer Plus" By Stephen Prata

You may also want to get knoppix at so you can use a free compiler and learn by yourself.

As for a coder job, keep an eye out on these forums for new muds looking for a coder. They obviously can't expect you to have played there for 5+ years.

Word of warning: learning to code will take months even if that's what you do all day every day. If you go to school and have some kind of social life, then it may take years.

Ike · 10-15-2003, 03:27 PM

C for Dummies Vol 1 and 2 are two of the best books I have ever purchased. I recommend them.

the_logos · 10-15-2003, 03:44 PM

Delerak · 10-15-2003, 09:06 PM

Get your hands on some code, and look at it. Examine it, rip it apart with your thirst for knowledge. You want to know what a certain thing does THEN go to your books. The way I always learned was by looking at it, trying to figure out why. And some people will tell you don't do that, just accept it and keep learning the commands, which is fine, but I always learned by looking at other people's work and figuring out what that did by reading C books, and stuff.

-Delerak

gutterzombie · 10-16-2003, 10:09 AM

heh yea thats how i learn best also but no one would let me get near code not that i would not blame them donno if i would want a n00b messing with code from my mu* though i think there are ways to limit what one could code... but yea

Eagleon · 10-16-2003, 02:30 PM

You can download your own codebase, you don't need to code on someone else's MUD. Not to make a playable MUD, but just to be able to do what you want with it. You'll need something that you can compile, first off, and hopefully something you're familiar with. Look around.

visko · 11-12-2003, 10:29 AM

karlan · 11-13-2003, 02:52 AM

Depending on the codebase you do not need to do the linux thing... DO NOT get me wrong I prefer linux, and would recommend a *NIX box for if you open it, but if you are interested in seeing and experimenting for yourself, do it on an OS you are comfortable with, with tools you are comfortable with. Don't try and learn, C, linux, how makefiles work, what arguments are needed with gnu cpp and the rest. No matter what OS you are working on the MU provides the same (kind of) services.

It is a TCP server application, supporting multiple clients, and maintaining a database. If you are keen to learn linux as well, go for it, if you aren't ready yet, stick to what you know until you are. If you are planning on later opening it to the world, then you can learn to write platform independant code at the same time.

have a look at it has links to a few codebases, choose one, download it, and as said before, modify, test, modify test... and so on.

Iluvatar · 11-13-2003, 08:02 AM

Gets a premonition this guy will be the master coder for The_Logos in 2 years.

Spazmatic · 11-14-2003, 12:08 AM

Advantages to Delerak's technique:
-> You start being able to do basic things a lot faster.
-> You learn real, applicable things.
-> You get used to real styles.
-> You get experienced with mud code, in particular, at the same time as you're learning about code in general.
-> You don't have to read as much long, long text, often obfsucated and dull.
-> Raw experience.
-> You learn hacks.

Disadvantages:
-> You learn hacks.
-> You often miss critical information about things... There are a LOT of details out there, no one in the world remembers them all.
-> You get next to no theory, something that is vital to creative generation (especially of algorithms).
-> You're heavily rooted to one codebase, one language.
-> You miss out on good programming style, software engineering techniques, etc...
-> You learn the original coders problems/deficiencies.

It's hard to say which is the better approach... Some people propose that everyone learns to code in a language like Scheme, which is clean, algorithmically purty, and hard to create hacks with, but is also fast, and completely unlike any popular language. Some people say everyone should learn C, C, and C. Some people recommend all book learning. Some people recommend reading code, hacking at it, and using other sources as support.

Your choice of book will be strongly influenced by choices like that...

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10-14-2003, 08:22 PM	#1
gutterzombie Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbia MO Posts: 43	I never coded and i want to learn any one want to give me a try...or any sugestions on what i should do??

10-14-2003, 08:56 PM	#2
gutterzombie Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbia MO Posts: 43	heh ok i see

10-15-2003, 12:11 PM	#3
gutterzombie Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbia MO Posts: 43

10-15-2003, 12:26 PM	#4
Brody Legend Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: North Carolina Home MUD: OtherSpace Posts: 1,599	Uh...we get it. You want to code, and you'll be as annoying as your little hypercaffeinated self must be to maintain any form of attention acquisition for yourself. This doesn't bode well for anyone who considers hiring you, I'm afraid.

10-15-2003, 12:47 PM	#5
Moridian New Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 21	Best bet for learning to code and being able to code for a mud is to buy a few books on the C programming language and read them cover to cover. Also, taking a class on programming is a good bet. Most colleges have plenty of them. Also being a responsible/respectful player on a mud for a few years (5+) is a good start as well. I doubt that anyone out there will just say "Sure, here's my code" to someone that they don't know and can't trust. Again, best bet: Read, take a class, etc. -Moridian

10-15-2003, 12:54 PM	#6
gutterzombie Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbia MO Posts: 43	thanks any sugestions on what books?

10-15-2003, 03:04 PM	#7
wedsaz New Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 15	"C Primer Plus" By Stephen Prata You may also want to get knoppix at so you can use a free compiler and learn by yourself. As for a coder job, keep an eye out on these forums for new muds looking for a coder. They obviously can't expect you to have played there for 5+ years. Word of warning: learning to code will take months even if that's what you do all day every day. If you go to school and have some kind of social life, then it may take years.

10-15-2003, 03:27 PM	#8
Ike Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Georgia Posts: 62	C for Dummies Vol 1 and 2 are two of the best books I have ever purchased. I recommend them.

10-15-2003, 03:44 PM	#9
the_logos Legend Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mill Valley, California Posts: 2,305

10-15-2003, 09:06 PM	#10
Delerak Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Name: Dan Location: New York Posts: 716	Get your hands on some code, and look at it. Examine it, rip it apart with your thirst for knowledge. You want to know what a certain thing does THEN go to your books. The way I always learned was by looking at it, trying to figure out why. And some people will tell you don't do that, just accept it and keep learning the commands, which is fine, but I always learned by looking at other people's work and figuring out what that did by reading C books, and stuff. -Delerak

11-12-2003, 10:29 AM	#13
visko Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 98

10-16-2003, 10:09 AM	#11
gutterzombie Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Columbia MO Posts: 43	heh yea thats how i learn best also but no one would let me get near code not that i would not blame them donno if i would want a n00b messing with code from my mu* though i think there are ways to limit what one could code... but yea

10-16-2003, 02:30 PM	#12
Eagleon Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 147	You can download your own codebase, you don't need to code on someone else's MUD. Not to make a playable MUD, but just to be able to do what you want with it. You'll need something that you can compile, first off, and hopefully something you're familiar with. Look around.

11-13-2003, 02:52 AM	#14
karlan Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 74	Depending on the codebase you do not need to do the linux thing... DO NOT get me wrong I prefer linux, and would recommend a *NIX box for if you open it, but if you are interested in seeing and experimenting for yourself, do it on an OS you are comfortable with, with tools you are comfortable with. Don't try and learn, C, linux, how makefiles work, what arguments are needed with gnu cpp and the rest. No matter what OS you are working on the MU provides the same (kind of) services. It is a TCP server application, supporting multiple clients, and maintaining a database. If you are keen to learn linux as well, go for it, if you aren't ready yet, stick to what you know until you are. If you are planning on later opening it to the world, then you can learn to write platform independant code at the same time. have a look at it has links to a few codebases, choose one, download it, and as said before, modify, test, modify test... and so on.

11-13-2003, 08:02 AM	#15
Iluvatar Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Mississippi USA Posts: 142	Gets a premonition this guy will be the master coder for The_Logos in 2 years.

11-14-2003, 12:08 AM	#16
Spazmatic Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 103	Advantages to Delerak's technique: -> You start being able to do basic things a lot faster. -> You learn real, applicable things. -> You get used to real styles. -> You get experienced with mud code, in particular, at the same time as you're learning about code in general. -> You don't have to read as much long, long text, often obfsucated and dull. -> Raw experience. -> You learn hacks. Disadvantages: -> You learn hacks. -> You often miss critical information about things... There are a LOT of details out there, no one in the world remembers them all. -> You get next to no theory, something that is vital to creative generation (especially of algorithms). -> You're heavily rooted to one codebase, one language. -> You miss out on good programming style, software engineering techniques, etc... -> You learn the original coders problems/deficiencies. It's hard to say which is the better approach... Some people propose that everyone learns to code in a language like Scheme, which is clean, algorithmically purty, and hard to create hacks with, but is also fast, and completely unlike any popular language. Some people say everyone should learn C, C, and C. Some people recommend all book learning. Some people recommend reading code, hacking at it, and using other sources as support. Your choice of book will be strongly influenced by choices like that...

MUD Coding

I wanna code