[btech-discussion] Minimal DB

[Greg T. <gt...@so...>]

For anyone interested in a side-project, I'm working on a minimal =
database (or more accurately, a game directory) that I will distribute =
on my SourceForge project which I have recently changed over to a sort =
of BattleTechMUX support project which provides some @decomps, =
documentation, and maybe eventually some hardcode patches amongst other =
things.=20

    I could use a softcoder or two to help me establish the basis of =
what a BTMux needs to run in a well equipped minimal db (a little bit of =
an oxymoron). Stuff like a BBS, a basic background infrastructure with =
some organization, some basic globals, etc. I'm making great progress =
because I've done this sort of thing quite a few times (I've helped =
quite a few admins with their BTMuxs only to see them flop and therefore =
have set up the infrastructure on quite a few games :)

    The basic idea I'm attempting is a database that is ready for a =
scenario pending some minor code work on the behalf of the staff such as =
establishing an actual econ, creating the factional code (if applicable) =
and other things such as that. That alone is pretty time consuming and =
will sort of "filter out the crap" so to speak. So I'm not really trying =
to create a ready to go game, I'm providing the foundation.

    The code used in this database will be either mine, code that is =
contributed from others, or open-sourced/shared code.=20

    If you are interested in joining up on this project, visit =
http://dott.sourceforge.net ( Note that the website doesn't have much as =
of yet, I've only started to release code a few days ago.) or telnet to:

Host: dott2.ath.cx
Port: 5555

    If anyone has anything they'd like to see included in this database, =
feel free to reply and give me some more ideas. A few things I had in =
mind:

- A slightly modified Myrddin's BBS with some BT-Specific customizations =
(The IC lock most games have, some additional admin commands, etc)
- A job tracker, courtesy of Anomaly TrekMUSH (It's a great tracker, has =
buckets and also handles bug reports. 3029 currently uses this)
- A MUSH cron system, likely the one included in SGP. I found it to be a =
little nicer than Myrddin's.
- Basic Parents (Room Desc, Mech Parent, etc.)
- A basic set of globals (+finger, @pl, some wiz commands like =
join/summon)
- A basic character generation system
- Sim Center Code
- Some sort of +viewref system (be it a "pod-rider" or a status -> =
attribute piper)
- Registration commands

    I plan on making code that I do for this DB available on the website =
in a text file for those who would like to just @decomp them in to their =
games. I realize that this will likely be of little use to the mature =
games out there, but hopefully we'll have some fledgling BTMuxs sometime =
down the road that can make use of them :)

    Sorry for the spam post, I've been wanting to do this for a very =
long time and I hope it will be of some benefit to the BTMux community. =
We all sorta share a collective playerbase and I'd love to see it grow. =
Some of you may be worried that this may result in a more spread out =
group, which may happen, but there's also an even greater chance it will =
result in more rapid growth due to the fact that there are more than 3-4 =
BTMuxs advertising and pulling in new players.

    Email me back if you have any questions.