evennia/docs/sphinx/source/wiki/EvenniaIntroduction.rst

"*A MUD (originally Multi-User Dungeon, with later variants Multi-User
Dimension and Multi-User Domain), pronounced /ˈmʌd/, is a multiplayer
real-time virtual world described primarily in text. MUDs combine
elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player,
interactive fiction, and online chat. Players can read or view
descriptions of rooms, objects, other players, non-player characters,
and actions performed in the virtual world. Players typically interact
with each other and the world by typing commands that resemble a natural
language.*" - `Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD>`_

Evennia introduction
====================

If you are reading this, it's quite likely you are dreaming of creating
and running a text-based massively-multiplayer game
(`MUD/MUX/MU <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu%3Cstrong%3E>`_ etc) of
your very own. You might just be starting to think about it, or you
might have lugged around that *perfect* game in your mind for years ...
you know *just* how good it would be, if you could only make it come to
reality. We know how you feel. That is, after all why Evennia came to
be.

Evennia is in principle a MUD-building system: a bare-bones Python
codebase and server intended to be highly extendable for any style of
game. "Bare-bones" in this context means that we try to impose as few
game-specific things on you as possible. So whereas we for convenience
offer basic building blocks like objects, characters, rooms, default
commands for building and administration etc, we don't prescribe any
combat rules, mob AI, races, skills, character classes or other things
that will be different from game to game anyway. It is possible that we
will offer some such systems as contributions in the future, but these
will in that case all be optional.

What we *do* however, is to provide a solid foundation for all the
boring database, networking, and behind-the-scenes administration stuff
that all online games need whether they like it or not. Evennia is by
default *fully persistent*, that means things you drop on the ground
somewhere will still be there a dozen server reboots later. Through
Django, we support a large variety of different database systems (the
default of which is created for you automatically).

Using the full power of Python throughout the server offers some
distinct advantages. All your coding, from object definitions and custom
commands to AI scripts and economic systems are done in normal Python
modules rather than some ad-hoc scripting language. The fact that you
script the game in the same high-level language that you code it in
allows for very powerful and custom game implementations indeed.

The server ships with a default set of player commands that are similar
to the MUX command set. We *do not* aim specifically to be a MUX server,
but we had to pick some default to go with (see `this <SoftCode.html>`_
for more about our original motivations). It's easy to remove or add
commands, or to have the command syntax mimic other systems, like Diku,
LP, MOO and so on. Or why not create a new and better command system of
your own design.

There is already a default django website as well as an ajax web client
shipping with Evennia. You can also edit the database from the browser
using the admin interface. Apart from telnet, SSH, SSL and web
connections, you can connect e.g. IRC and IMC2 channels to evennia's
in-game channels so that your players can chat with people "outside" the
game. If you didn't see it before, there is a
`screenshot <Screenshot.html>`_ of Evennia running that shows some of
the connections in action.

What you need to know to work with Evennia
==========================================

Assuming you have Evennia working (see the `quick start
instructions <GettingStarted.html>`_) and have gotten as far as to start
the server and connect to it with the client of your choice, here's what
you need to know depending on your skills and needs.

I don't know (or don't want to do) any programming - I just want to run
a game!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evennia comes with a default set of commands for the Python newbies and
for those who need to get a game running *now*. Stock Evennia is enough
for running a simple 'Talker'-type game - you can build and describe
rooms and basic objects, have chat channels, do emotes and other things
suitable for a social or free-form MU``*``. Combat, mobs and other game
elements are not included, so you'll have a very basic game indeed if
you are not willing to do at least *some* coding.

I know basic Python, or am willing to learn
-------------------------------------------

Evennia's source code is extensively documented and `viewable
online <http://code.google.com/p/evennia/source/browse/trunk>`_. We also
have a comprehensive `online
manual <http://code.google.com/p/evennia/wiki/Index>`_ with lots of
examples. But while Python is a relatively easy programming language, it
still represents a learning curve if you are new to programming. You
should probably sit down with a Python beginner's
`tutorial <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/tutorial>`_ (there are plenty
of them on the web if you look around) so you at least know know what
you are seeing. To efficiently code your dream game in Evennia you don't
need to be a Python guru, but you do need to be able to read example
code containing at least these basic Python features:

-  Importing python modules
-  Using variables, `conditional
   statements <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/controlflow.html#if-statements>`_,
   `loops <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/controlflow.html#for-statements>`_
   and
   `functions <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/controlflow.html#defining-functions>`_
-  Using `lists, dictionaries and list
   comprehensions <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/datastructures.html>`_
-  Doing `string handling and
   formatting <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/introduction.html#strings>`_
-  Using `Classes <http://docs.python.org/tutorial/classes.html>`_,
   their methods and properties

Obviously, the more things you feel comfortable with, the easier time
you'll have to find your way. With just basic knowledge you should be
able to define your own `Commands <Commands.html>`_, create custom
`Objects <Objects.html>`_ as well as make your world come alive with
basic `Scripts <Scripts.html>`_. You can definitely build a whole
advanced and customized game from extending Evennia's examples only.

I know my Python stuff and am willing to use it!
------------------------------------------------

Even if you started out as a Python beginner, you will likely get to
this point after working on your game for a while. With more general
knowledge in Python the full power of Evennia opens up for you. Apart
from modifying commands, objects and scripts, you can develop everything
from advanced mob AI and economic systems, through sophisticated combat
and social minigames, to redefining how commands, players, rooms or
channels themselves work. Since you code your game by importing normal
Python modules, there are few limits to what you can accomplish.

If you *also* happen to know some web programming (HTML, CSS,
Javascript) there is also a web presence (a website and an mud web
client) to play around with ...

From here you can continue to the `Index <Index.html>`_ to find more
info about Evennia.