Wing Commander: New Horizon MUSH

Complete source code from an up-and-running sci-fi MUSH, including extensive MongoDB-backed systems coded in Ruby.

Questions / need help? Connect to the support MUSH at wcmush.com 2199

Introduction

This page indexes the public source for Wing Commander: New Horizon MUSH, a text-based online storytelling game set in the Wing Commander video game universe. The game is no longer running as a "real" game, but you can connect to wcmush.com 2199 if you want to see it up and running. The code and basic database has been made available, for you to use as you wish.

This codebase contains a number of unusual customizations to PennMUSH - principally among them, a complete implementation of a JSON API that allows for the connection of external processes to exchange data in real-time with the MUSH process (including support for asynchronous callbacks). There is a complete implementation provided in Ruby, with many detailed coded systems suitable for a sci-fi game, but the PennMUSH side of the JSON system could also be used to connect to other platforms.

The systems code is a fusion of all-Ruby systems (that have very basic softcode hooks to initiate them) and a few all-softcode systems that were written before the Ruby layer was finished. All the Ruby systems rely on MongoDB for data storage.

Features

It's a complete and full codebase from an up and running game - most of the code has been thoroughly tested, debugged, etc. Very little of the code is theme-specific - the parts that are could either be unused or replaced.

Included in this codebase are complete and fully-implemented systems for:

• Multi-racial chargen (softcoded) - loosely based on the FUDGE system
• MongoDB-backed bulletin boards, following the familiar Myrddin command scheme
• Event calendars
• Hand-to-hand combat, with weapons, detailed damage modeling based on race, etc
• IC communications via 'subspace' (instant channels) and 'tightbeam' (message-based/IC mail)
• Contracts system for creating TPs in an IC way
• Economy, with banks and personal accounts
• Ship cargo mission system, with generated missions based on a basic commodity supply & demand model
• Full "semi/virtual" item system for creating items with MongoDB attributes attached
• Full RP (pose, say, etc) logging system, for player 'scrollback', automated XP awards, and admin review
• Basic space system (softcoded) with ship movement, classes, etc. Ship combat is not supported.
• Faction/organization system (softcoded)
• Basic globals (+finger, who, etc)
• Room parents, exit parents, etc.

Getting Started

The easiest way to take a look at the full code in action is to connect to the 'support' MUSH at wcmush.com 2199. This is the full game up and running, and the developers and I are usually idling there and may be able to help give you a quick tour.

For development purposes, I highly recommend using Vagrant. I've provided a Vagrantfile in the repository to get you up and running quickly.

1. Install Ruby if you don't already have it. See ruby-lang.org for information, since this wildly depends on what platform you are using.
2. Install virtualbox from virtualbox.org.
3. Run gem install vagrant
4. Clone this repository: git clone git://git@github.com/tkrajcar/wcnh.git
5. Run cd wcnh
6. Run gem install vagrant
7. Run vagrant up
8. Wait while Vagrant does a lot of hard work for you.
9. Run vagrant ssh
10. Run sh /vagrant/game/restart
11. On your host (not the VM), connect to localhost, port 2199. The default #1 password is: ggAioK187yx4cD5q

Setting up an actual server to run the game will vary depending on your choice of Linux distribution. If you can use Ubuntu 12.04, see the README.WCNH.SERVER file for step-by-step instructions.

Creating A New System

If you're interested in adding new Ruby code/systems, there's a wiki page that walks you through a simple example.

Other Repositories

There are two other repositories that might interest you:

• wcnh_web - the Rails source of wcmush.com
• pennjson - a "reference implementation" of vanilla PennMUSH + JSON + Ruby without any WCNH systems or code

Support

This is technically offered as-is, with no warranty of its suitability for any purpose. I am happy to accept pull requests for bugs and will offer support via either issues or email as best as I can.

If you end up using this, please let me know! I'd love to check out what you do with it. :)

You can email me at allegro@conmolto.org, I'm usually on Freenode as tkrajcar, and you can connect to wcmush.com 2199 to poke around the "real" game that this code came out of - I (Rince) usually am idling on there.

Credits

In addition to myself (@tkrajcar, known on MU*s as Rince), the following people helped create this project, and deserve thanks:

• The PennMUSH->JSON and 'reference' Ruby-> JSON implementation were developed by kymoon.
• nevern02 collaborated throughout the development and wrote several complete systems.
• feemjmeem contributed patches and features.
• capelio designed the initial specifications for the space system, and did the visual design of wcmush.com.