[MUD-Dev] Re: Why did it take years?

[Chris Gray]

[Cynbe ru Taren:]

[Much file listing deleted. I have a hard time even guessing what some of
them are actually for, even with the brief descriptions!]

 >Total:  About 200,000 lines of hand-generated files.

 >(PS:  I did a quick count of the number of source lines in
 >Golgotha:  About 250,000.
 >  On a quick scan, I see very little overlap between what the Muq
 >server does and what Golgotha does, so if you want an all-out
 >programmable distributed multimedia virtual world server/client, a
 >good quick estimate come from summing them: About 350,000 lines of
 >hardcode source and 500,000 total lines by the time you have a really
 >impressive softcode layer on top of it.

Well, to me this is making it look much harder than *I* think it has
to be. I won't even try to speculate why Muq is as large as it is,
but I'll just say, that based on my experience, that much source
isn't needed to get some good functionality. A lot of source is needed,
just not that much. I won't give any details (I'd have to invent the
brief descriptions!), but my multimedia MUD system is a *lot* smaller.
(I'll do the Amiga/Draco version, since the C/Linux version doesn't
have the bytecode yet, and there is no client yet):

    shared library:  9746 lines
    common headers:  1115 lines
    server	  : 32527 lines
    custom client : 17747 lines
    agent programs:  6559 lines
    misc          :  1453 lines
    main scenario : 35191 lines

This includes capabilities for graphics, sound, voice, on-disk caching
database, full structured programming language with interpreter,
bytecode, pretty-printer, etc, etc. So, about half the size of Muq,
and 1/5 of what is suggested for a multimedia MUD.

So, yes, its a lot of work, but not out of the question. Especially
when we have a bunch of people that can often directly contribute
sources that can be converted (not hacked!) to be part of the project.

P.S. My ToyMUD server (its on kanga.nu) has a full structured programming
language, online creation, programmable NPCs, etc., and it *totals* only
about 3500 lines. Its just a bit slow. :-)

--
Don't design inefficiency in - it'll happen in the implementation. - me

Chris Gray     cg at ami-cg.GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA