Writing a roguelike game

So, I'm thinking about writing a roguelike game. I know there are a shitton of threads about it, my question is different: is curses still a good choice? More modern alternatives? Should I go C or C++? Also, willing to listen to suggestions regarding the project.

>>24
Lua also performs tail call optimization, which is a nice feature. It's also super flexible with its OO, doesn't force you to think in just one way, and definitely doesn't FIOC. Generally, a great language to play around with. Seems perfect for this purpose. It's no Scheme, but then, what is? (Not even Scheme anymore.)

>>16,28
What do you recommend instead?