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Tiny Mud Server (tinymudserver)
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Author: Nick Gammon
Date:   27th July 2004
Web:    http://www.gammon.com.au/

Post questions, comments, bug reports to the forum at:

  http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/

COPYRIGHT

 (C) Copyright Nick Gammon 2004. Permission to copy, use, modify, sell and
distribute this software is granted provided this copyright notice appears
in all copies.

 You may use it as a starting point for writing your own MUD server.

CREDIT

 I would appreciated being credited in the event that you use this code.

NO WARRANTY

 This software is provided "as is" without express or implied
warranty, and with no claim as to its suitability for any purpose.
 
INSTALLATION

 The simplest way to compile the program is to type "make". This should use the
 enclosed "Makefile" to compile and link. If this doesn't work, to compile without
 using the makefile:

   gcc tinymudserver.cpp -o tinymudserver -g -Wall

EXECUTION

 Run the server like this:

  ./tinymudserver &

CONNECTING

 The default behaviour is to listen for connections on port 4000 (change a constant in 
 the code to alter this). To test the server you could connect to it like this:

  telnet localhost 4000
  
  There is an existing player file supplied, name "Nick" password "password". 
  This player can use the goto, transfer, setflag, clearflag, and shutdown commands.

DESCRIPTION

 This program demonstrates a simple MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) server - in a single file. 

 It does the following:

 * Accepts multiple connections from players
 * Maintains a list of connected players
 * Asks players for a name and password 
 * Saves player files to disk (name, password, current room, player flags)
 * Implements the commands: quit, look, say, tell, help, goto, transfer, shutdown, setflag, clearflag
 * Implements movement commands (eg. n, s, e, w)
 * Illustrates sending messages to a single player (eg. a tell) or all players
   (eg. a say)
 * Handles players disconnecting or quitting
 * Illustrates a "connection dialog" - players get asked their name, then their password.
 * Allows new players to create a character by specifying a name and password.
 * Demonstrates using the Standard Template Library for lists, strings, vectors, maps and sets.
 * Illustrates periodic messages using a timer (at present it just shows a message every
   60 seconds)
 * Illustrates rudimentary player control (eg. gagging players from talking)
 * Loads room descriptions and exits from a disk file
 * Loads messages from a disk file
 * Loads control parameters from a disk file
 
WHAT YOU COULD ADD

 As it stands the program is too simple to be used for a full MUD, however it could be the
 basis for writing your own. You would want to add things like this:

 * Objects (eg. swords), taking/dropping things, etc.
 * Fighting (if required)
 * Building/extending online
 * Logging events (eg. connections, disconnections, faults)
 * Colour
 * MCCP (compression)
 * MXP  (MUD Extension Protocol)
 * Telnet negotiation