Difference between revisions of "Sandpit"

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Line 197: Line 197:
 
what strange example.  First we will start by showing you a very basic
 
what strange example.  First we will start by showing you a very basic
 
line you will see time and time again in rooms.
 
line you will see time and time again in rooms.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "this is a title"
 
+
</nowiki>
title "this is a title"
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This is a title it will show up in everything from rooms, to objects
 
This is a title it will show up in everything from rooms, to objects
 
and even NPCs.  Now lets see what a commented line would look like.
 
and even NPCs.  Now lets see what a commented line would look like.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//I am going to make a title now
 
 
//I am going to make a title now
 
 
title /* I put the keyword
 
title /* I put the keyword
 
first*/ "this is a title/*then the title*/
 
first*/ "this is a title/*then the title*/
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
This of course is very ugly but the point is not to be pretty it is
 
This of course is very ugly but the point is not to be pretty it is
Line 218: Line 214:
 
before the compiler ever gets it.  A better use of a comment in a
 
before the compiler ever gets it.  A better use of a comment in a
 
zone however would be something like this:
 
zone however would be something like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
/*
 
 
/*
 
 
The following ten rooms are the vineyards,
 
The following ten rooms are the vineyards,
 
there are 97 rooms in the zone.
 
there are 97 rooms in the zone.
Line 227: Line 221:
  
 
//Zone first created 1994
 
//Zone first created 1994
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You will find comments will make coding large zones much easier
 
You will find comments will make coding large zones much easier
Line 249: Line 243:
 
fifty rooms and you knew they would all be the same.  You could type
 
fifty rooms and you knew they would all be the same.  You could type
 
the following line 50 times.
 
the following line 50 times.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY}
 
+
</nowiki>
flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY}
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
With the macros however you could make this much easier by just doing
 
With the macros however you could make this much easier by just doing
 
the following at the beginning of your zone.
 
the following at the beginning of your zone.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY}
 
+
</nowiki>
#define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY}
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Then where ever you want the flags you just type DIRTFLOOR.  You are
 
Then where ever you want the flags you just type DIRTFLOOR.  You are
Line 268: Line 258:
 
wanted to also make these 50 rooms no teleport.  All you would have
 
wanted to also make these 50 rooms no teleport.  All you would have
 
to change is the define like this:
 
to change is the define like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER,UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY,UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT}
 
+
</nowiki>
#define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER,UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY,UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT}
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Now when you recompile all 50 rooms are changed and you didn't even
 
Now when you recompile all 50 rooms are changed and you didn't even
 
have to do a search and replace.
 
have to do a search and replace.
Line 282: Line 270:
 
want to use in 50 swamp rooms because heck everything looks the same
 
want to use in 50 swamp rooms because heck everything looks the same
 
in a swamp when you look one direction to the next.
 
in a swamp when you look one direction to the next.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
east to swamp1 descr
 
 
east to swamp1 descr
 
 
"You see the swamp stretch out for miles";
 
"You see the swamp stretch out for miles";
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
This could be made into a macro like:
 
This could be made into a macro like:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define sexit(direction, place) direction to place descr \
 
 
#define sexit(direction, place) direction to place descr \
 
 
"You see the swamp stretch out for miles.";
 
"You see the swamp stretch out for miles.";
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Then all you need to use it is:
 
Then all you need to use it is:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
SEXIT(east,swamp1)
 
 
SEXIT(east,swamp1)
 
 
SEXIT(north,swamp2)
 
SEXIT(north,swamp2)
 
SEXIT(south,swamp3)
 
SEXIT(south,swamp3)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>There is no space between 'SEXIT' and '(' that is
 
<blockquote>There is no space between 'SEXIT' and '(' that is
Line 315: Line 297:
 
You can also combine macros together so you have a set
 
You can also combine macros together so you have a set
 
of macros like:
 
of macros like:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER,UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY,UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT}
 
 
#define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER,UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY,UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT}
 
 
#define DIRTSECT  movement SECT_INSIDE \
 
#define DIRTSECT  movement SECT_INSIDE \
 
DIRTFLOOR
 
DIRTFLOOR
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You may have noticed I capitalize all macros.  This is not a must but it is
 
You may have noticed I capitalize all macros.  This is not a must but it is
Line 348: Line 328:
 
wanted to make it so the higher level an NPC was the heavier he
 
wanted to make it so the higher level an NPC was the heavier he
 
was and the taller he was.  This would be simple with a macro.
 
was and the taller he was.  This would be simple with a macro.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define MLEVEL(lvl) \
 
 
#define MLEVEL(lvl) \
 
 
level lvl \
 
level lvl \
 
height lvl+72 \
 
height lvl+72 \
 
weight lvl*9
 
weight lvl*9
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
This macro would increase the height and weight depending on what
 
This macro would increase the height and weight depending on what
Line 401: Line 379:
 
data you want the compiler to be able to recognize.  These data
 
data you want the compiler to be able to recognize.  These data
 
definitions take the basic form:
 
definitions take the basic form:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
field value
 
+
</nowiki>
field value
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Where field is the name of a data field, and value is some value.
 
Where field is the name of a data field, and value is some value.
Line 418: Line 394:
 
one line
 
one line
 
as it would in a description.
 
as it would in a description.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "The dark dragon altar"
 
 
title "The dark dragon altar"
 
 
descr
 
descr
 
"There are many things you can see and there are many things that
 
"There are many things you can see and there are many things that
 
can't be seen but this is still a description none the less."
 
can't be seen but this is still a description none the less."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;stringlist
 
;stringlist
 
: A set of strings, it can be a single string or multiple depending on your needs.
 
: A set of strings, it can be a single string or multiple depending on your needs.
Line 431: Line 405:
 
defined later in their respective places.  These are defined in the following
 
defined later in their respective places.  These are defined in the following
 
manor.
 
manor.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
&lt;fieldname&gt;    {"string1","string2","string3", ...}
 
+
</nowiki>
&lt;fieldname&gt;    {"string1","string2","string3", ...}
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;intlist
 
;intlist
 
: A list of numbers which can be used with an extra.  This type works like the
 
: A list of numbers which can be used with an extra.  This type works like the
 
stringlist but doesn't need the quotes.
 
stringlist but doesn't need the quotes.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"mynumberlist"} {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,...}
 
 
extra {"mynumberlist"} {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,...}
 
 
"This is a number list attached to an extra"
 
"This is a number list attached to an extra"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;flags
 
;flags
 
: Like the Intlist the flag is defined with a list of numbers.  The list of numbers
 
: Like the Intlist the flag is defined with a list of numbers.  The list of numbers
Line 451: Line 421:
 
takes some getting used to.  These types are used for Manipulation, flags,
 
takes some getting used to.  These types are used for Manipulation, flags,
 
and positions.
 
and positions.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
flags {2,8}
 
 
flags {2,8}
 
 
manipulate {8}
 
manipulate {8}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
In the previous example the 'flags' value after this zone compiles
 
In the previous example the 'flags' value after this zone compiles
Line 463: Line 431:
 
you use will have defines if I used the defines found in
 
you use will have defines if I used the defines found in
 
''vme.h'' the previous example would look like this:
 
''vme.h'' the previous example would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
flags {UNIT_FL_INVISIBILE,UNIT_FL_BURIED}
 
 
flags {UNIT_FL_INVISIBILE,UNIT_FL_BURIED}
 
 
manipulate {WEAR_BODY}
 
manipulate {WEAR_BODY}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
We will cover this more in-depth later but it was necessary to give
 
We will cover this more in-depth later but it was necessary to give
Line 479: Line 445:
 
are clear so the Administrators of the mud know what each item
 
are clear so the Administrators of the mud know what each item
 
is when using the online administration commands.
 
is when using the online administration commands.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dark_sword /*good symbol*/
 
 
dark_sword /*good symbol*/
 
 
rm_5892 /*Bad symbol*/
 
rm_5892 /*Bad symbol*/
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
When loading items online the zone symbol and the item symbol are
 
When loading items online the zone symbol and the item symbol are
Line 601: Line 565:
 
call it a zone name.  The following are three legal examples of a Zone information header.  You be the judge of
 
call it a zone name.  The following are three legal examples of a Zone information header.  You be the judge of
 
which is more informative.
 
which is more informative.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
/*very bad*/
 
 
/*very bad*/
 
 
%zone
 
%zone
  
Line 624: Line 586:
 
weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning
 
weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning
 
sulfur."
 
sulfur."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you felt like it you could add a '%end' to the proceeding
 
If you felt like it you could add a '%end' to the proceeding
Line 650: Line 612:
 
end.  The following would be a legal definition of any
 
end.  The following would be a legal definition of any
 
unit type:
 
unit type:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
symbol_name
 
 
symbol_name
 
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you define a unit like this when it loads it will be blank, while
 
If you define a unit like this when it loads it will be blank, while
Line 701: Line 661:
 
title or a NPC title do not normally need to be capitalized. this is
 
title or a NPC title do not normally need to be capitalized. this is
 
best explained by some examples.
 
best explained by some examples.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "The dragons in."/*good*/
 
 
title "The dragons in."/*good*/
 
 
title "a big bull dog."/*bad has a period at the end*/
 
title "a big bull dog."/*bad has a period at the end*/
 
title "Bill the destroyer"/*good*/
 
title "Bill the destroyer"/*good*/
 
title "A long dagger"/*bad capital 'a'*/
 
title "A long dagger"/*bad capital 'a'*/
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now to show why some of those are good we will demonstrate by some
 
Now to show why some of those are good we will demonstrate by some
Line 748: Line 706:
 
to use all combinations of the object or NPCs title so a
 
to use all combinations of the object or NPCs title so a
 
player will know exactly what to type to use the item for example:
 
player will know exactly what to type to use the item for example:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
bad_obj
 
 
bad_obj
 
 
title a small dog"
 
title a small dog"
 
names{"small dog","small","dog"}
 
names{"small dog","small","dog"}
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
It is up to you as a builder if you want to use names like 'small'
 
It is up to you as a builder if you want to use names like 'small'
Line 763: Line 719:
 
command interpreter handles names of things.  For example if you had
 
command interpreter handles names of things.  For example if you had
 
the following names:
 
the following names:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
small_item
 
 
small_item
 
 
title "a small item"
 
title "a small item"
 
names {"small","item","small item"}
 
names {"small","item","small item"}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
When you try to <command>give small item Bill</command>.  The interpreter
 
When you try to <command>give small item Bill</command>.  The interpreter
Line 803: Line 757:
 
NPC you may not want to since it is the description shown when you
 
NPC you may not want to since it is the description shown when you
 
walk into the room.  The following would be some examples of room descriptions.
 
walk into the room.  The following would be some examples of room descriptions.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
descr
 
 
descr
 
 
"this is how you would define a room descr and as you can see it can
 
"this is how you would define a room descr and as you can see it can
 
be much longer than a line if you like."
 
be much longer than a line if you like."
Line 820: Line 772:
 
east to bathroom descr
 
east to bathroom descr
 
"You see one big toilet!";
 
"You see one big toilet!";
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;extra fields
 
;extra fields
 
: The extra field is the work horse for the builder.  It is the
 
: The extra field is the work horse for the builder.  It is the
Line 838: Line 790:
 
Intlist, and the final one is the extra description field.  If the extra
 
Intlist, and the final one is the extra description field.  If the extra
 
had all the fields it would look like this:
 
had all the fields it would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"small chair","chair"} {1,2,3,4,5} "Its a chair."
 
+
</nowiki>
extra {"small chair","chair"} {1,2,3,4,5} "Its a chair."
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If the previous wasn't an example we
 
If the previous wasn't an example we
Line 851: Line 801:
 
to make the extra the default description when the object, room, or
 
to make the extra the default description when the object, room, or
 
NPC is being looked at, like this:
 
NPC is being looked at, like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {}
 
 
extra {}
 
 
"This would be what you see when you look at any of the names in the
 
"This would be what you see when you look at any of the names in the
 
names list."
 
names list."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
We will go more in-depth into why you want to do this in the
 
We will go more in-depth into why you want to do this in the
Line 958: Line 906:
 
your preference the compiler will not complain if you add punctuation
 
your preference the compiler will not complain if you add punctuation
 
at the end.  The following are good examples of a room title.
 
at the end.  The following are good examples of a room title.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "The Post Office"
 
 
title "The Post Office"
 
 
title "The deep dark jungle floor:"
 
title "The deep dark jungle floor:"
 
title "The Dragon Station control room"
 
title "The Dragon Station control room"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
It is really up to you weather you want to use punctuation or not, it
 
It is really up to you weather you want to use punctuation or not, it
Line 978: Line 924:
 
to teleport to.  A few good examples of names on a room would look as
 
to teleport to.  A few good examples of names on a room would look as
 
follows.
 
follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "The Post Office"
 
 
title "The Post Office"
 
 
Names {"post office","office"}
 
Names {"post office","office"}
  
 
title "the thrown room"
 
title "the thrown room"
 
names {"thrown room","thrown"}
 
names {"thrown room","thrown"}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;descr
 
;descr
 
: The description field is what the player sees when walking into the room or
 
: The description field is what the player sees when walking into the room or
Line 995: Line 939:
 
another room and called a barrel this would be the description that
 
another room and called a barrel this would be the description that
 
lets the character know it is a barrel.  An example would be like:
 
lets the character know it is a barrel.  An example would be like:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
outside_descr "a big old barrel is laying here on its side."
 
+
</nowiki>
outside_descr "a big old barrel is laying here on its side."
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This allows a builder to make a room that looks like an object
 
This allows a builder to make a room that looks like an object
Line 1,074: Line 1,016:
 
followed by the type of sector you desire.  For example a few
 
followed by the type of sector you desire.  For example a few
 
movement fields would look as follows:
 
movement fields would look as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
movement SECT_FOREST
 
 
movement SECT_FOREST
 
 
movement SECT_HILLS
 
movement SECT_HILLS
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>Only one movement is needed for a room if you put more than one
 
<blockquote>Only one movement is needed for a room if you put more than one
Line 1,136: Line 1,076:
 
extra descriptions on rooms.  The first job for an extra was to hold extra description information
 
extra descriptions on rooms.  The first job for an extra was to hold extra description information
 
on a room.  For example if you had a computer room and you described it might look something like this:
 
on a room.  For example if you had a computer room and you described it might look something like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
descr
 
 
descr
 
 
"This small room houses the computer power of the VME development team.
 
"This small room houses the computer power of the VME development team.
 
All four walls are lined with various pieces of computer equipment old pizza
 
All four walls are lined with various pieces of computer equipment old pizza
 
boxes and plenty of empty soda cans."
 
boxes and plenty of empty soda cans."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The problem is as a player if you saw this description you might want to know what kind
 
The problem is as a player if you saw this description you might want to know what kind
Line 1,150: Line 1,088:
 
do this by adding extra descriptions to the room.  In this case the builder of the zone
 
do this by adding extra descriptions to the room.  In this case the builder of the zone
 
may do something like this:
 
may do something like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
descr
 
 
descr
 
 
"This small room houses the computer power of the VME development team.
 
"This small room houses the computer power of the VME development team.
 
All four walls are lined with various pieces of computer equipment old pizza
 
All four walls are lined with various pieces of computer equipment old pizza
Line 1,176: Line 1,112:
 
extra {"xt"}
 
extra {"xt"}
 
"Its a hunk of junk really!"
 
"Its a hunk of junk really!"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
There is a lot to notice in the previous examples.  First we will start with
 
There is a lot to notice in the previous examples.  First we will start with
Line 1,196: Line 1,132:
 
players eyes.  Here are some
 
players eyes.  Here are some
 
examples of special extras.
 
examples of special extras.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"$rockcount"}
 
 
extra {"$rockcount"}
 
 
"5"
 
"5"
  
Line 1,207: Line 1,141:
 
extra {"$coke","$milk","$water"}{1,5,10}
 
extra {"$coke","$milk","$water"}{1,5,10}
 
"Drinks and amounts"
 
"Drinks and amounts"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
These extras all have the '$' sign appended to the front of
 
These extras all have the '$' sign appended to the front of
Line 1,232: Line 1,166:
 
describe in an example than in words so the following would be a good
 
describe in an example than in words so the following would be a good
 
example.:
 
example.:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"$get", "statues", "statue"}
 
 
extra {"$get", "statues", "statue"}
 
 
"You attempt to pick up a statue but quickly discover your feeble
 
"You attempt to pick up a statue but quickly discover your feeble
 
attempts will never work."
 
attempts will never work."
Line 1,242: Line 1,174:
 
"You bend down to pick a rose, but then decide to leave the beautiful
 
"You bend down to pick a rose, but then decide to leave the beautiful
 
flower to itself."
 
flower to itself."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
With this one special extra we have made it so you don't need to
 
With this one special extra we have made it so you don't need to
Line 1,252: Line 1,184:
 
enable mobile use of these commands, you must specify these exits as outlined
 
enable mobile use of these commands, you must specify these exits as outlined
 
below:
 
below:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
exit &lt;direction&gt; [to &lt;destination&gt;] [open {&lt;infoflags&gt;}]
 
 
exit &lt;direction&gt; [to &lt;destination&gt;] [open {&lt;infoflags&gt;}]
 
 
[key &lt;keyname&gt;] [keyword {&lt;keywords&gt;}] descr &lt;description&gt; ;
 
[key &lt;keyname&gt;] [keyword {&lt;keywords&gt;}] descr &lt;description&gt; ;
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
;exit &lt;directions&gt;
 
;exit &lt;directions&gt;
Line 1,267: Line 1,197:
 
  to lead to. If you reference a room within another zone, post pend the name
 
  to lead to. If you reference a room within another zone, post pend the name
 
  with @&lt;zone name&gt;
 
  with @&lt;zone name&gt;
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
to myotherroom
 
 
  to myotherroom
 
  
 
  to hisotherroom@hiszone
 
  to hisotherroom@hiszone
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
; open &lt;info flags&gt;
 
; open &lt;info flags&gt;
 
*  
 
*  
Line 1,301: Line 1,229:
 
;key &lt;keyname&gt;
 
;key &lt;keyname&gt;
 
: The symbolic name of a key object used for unlocking this exit.
 
: The symbolic name of a key object used for unlocking this exit.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
key mykey@myzone
 
+
</nowiki>
key mykey@myzone
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;keyword { &lt;stringlist&gt; }
 
;keyword { &lt;stringlist&gt; }
 
: This stringlist holds all the names of the exit,
 
: This stringlist holds all the names of the exit,
 
you specify to manipulate the exit. If the exit is
 
you specify to manipulate the exit. If the exit is
 
  hidden exit, these are the keywords the mobile can search for.
 
  hidden exit, these are the keywords the mobile can search for.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
keyword {"wooden door","door"}
 
 
keyword {"wooden door","door"}
 
  
 
keyword {"hidden door","door","hatch","floor"}
 
keyword {"hidden door","door","hatch","floor"}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;descr &lt;description&gt;
 
;descr &lt;description&gt;
 
: This string is the description of what you see if you look in
 
: This string is the description of what you see if you look in
Line 1,328: Line 1,252:
 
descriptions of the direction.
 
descriptions of the direction.
 
</blockquote>
 
</blockquote>
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
exit north descr "An unsurmountable mountain blocks your way.";
 
+
</nowiki>
      exit north descr "An unsurmountable mountain blocks your way.";
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;minv
 
;minv
 
: This field is rarely used on rooms.  It could however be used to
 
: This field is rarely used on rooms.  It could however be used to
Line 1,340: Line 1,262:
 
you don't want it visible the following would make it invisible to all
 
you don't want it visible the following would make it invisible to all
 
players below the level of 20.
 
players below the level of 20.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
minv 20
 
+
</nowiki>
minv 20
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;key
 
;key
 
: This field is not used normally on a room.  It is a string that
 
: This field is not used normally on a room.  It is a string that
Line 1,406: Line 1,326:
 
the macro or the light and value on a line in the room and your all
 
the macro or the light and value on a line in the room and your all
 
done.
 
done.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//To Set always light with macro
 
 
//To Set always light with macro
 
 
ALWAYS_LIGHT
 
ALWAYS_LIGHT
  
 
//To set Always light with out macro
 
//To set Always light with out macro
 
light 1
 
light 1
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You can decide which is easiest for you.
 
You can decide which is easiest for you.
Line 1,441: Line 1,359:
 
function requires.  The following is what you would find in the
 
function requires.  The following is what you would find in the
 
''function.zon'' for death room.
 
''function.zon'' for death room.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
/* Death room DIL
 
 
/* Death room DIL
 
 
*tick is in 4th's of seconds
 
*tick is in 4th's of seconds
 
* Damage is damage done per tick
 
* Damage is damage done per tick
Line 1,497: Line 1,413:
  
 
dilend
 
dilend
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to
 
If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to
Line 1,503: Line 1,419:
 
damage, and act.  So you could use this in a room definition like
 
damage, and act.  So you could use this in a room definition like
 
this:
 
this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy death@function (60,25,"Flames shoot from the floor burning
 
+
your rear.");
dilcopy death@function (60,25,"Flames shoot from the floor burning
+
</nowiki>
your rear.");
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This says to copy the DIL from zone function with the arguments 60
 
This says to copy the DIL from zone function with the arguments 60
Line 1,544: Line 1,458:
 
</command>
 
</command>
 
You will get  the following:
 
You will get  the following:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
List of rooms in zone Dragon:
 
 
List of rooms in zone Dragon:
 
 
chamber portal office
 
chamber portal office
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you didn't make it clear what the rooms were by the symbolic name
 
If you didn't make it clear what the rooms were by the symbolic name
 
it might look like this:
 
it might look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
List of rooms in zone Dragon:
 
 
List of rooms in zone Dragon:
 
 
st_rm1 st_rm2 st_rm3
 
st_rm1 st_rm2 st_rm3
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to
 
While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to
Line 1,564: Line 1,474:
  
 
The first room we will create will be a simple chamber with nothing special.  We can build on to it later if we need to.
 
The first room we will create will be a simple chamber with nothing special.  We can build on to it later if we need to.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
chamber
 
 
chamber
 
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Pretty easy so far.  Now lets add some life to it.  The room
 
Pretty easy so far.  Now lets add some life to it.  The room
Line 1,580: Line 1,488:
 
advice.  He would want to know everything about the room you
 
advice.  He would want to know everything about the room you
 
can see so he could give you good advice.
 
can see so he could give you good advice.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
chamber
 
 
chamber
 
 
title "The middle chamber of the station"
 
title "The middle chamber of the station"
 
descr
 
descr
Line 1,594: Line 1,500:
 
."
 
."
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
It is a matter of taste if you want the descriptions of the
 
It is a matter of taste if you want the descriptions of the
Line 1,602: Line 1,508:
 
look like so we better take care of that by adding some extras to
 
look like so we better take care of that by adding some extras to
 
our little room.
 
our little room.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"chairs","chair"}
 
 
extra {"chairs","chair"}
 
 
"The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered
 
"The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered
 
with some kind of dragon."
 
with some kind of dragon."
Line 1,615: Line 1,519:
 
extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"}
 
extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"}
 
"An intelligent looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you."
 
"An intelligent looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
Normally we could put a movement type for the amount of
 
Normally we could put a movement type for the amount of
 
endurance lost when a person is moving through the area but we will
 
endurance lost when a person is moving through the area but we will
Line 1,622: Line 1,526:
 
sector types availible.  The last thing we need to finish our room
 
sector types availible.  The last thing we need to finish our room
 
is the two exits leading to the other rooms.
 
is the two exits leading to the other rooms.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
west to portal descr "You see a small room.";
 
 
west to portal descr "You see a small room.";
 
  
 
east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office.";
 
east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office.";
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Thats it that is all there is to making a room.  In the next
 
Thats it that is all there is to making a room.  In the next
Line 1,635: Line 1,537:
 
rooms but if you understand everything so far your going to have no
 
rooms but if you understand everything so far your going to have no
 
problem.  Lets take a look at our entire finished first room
 
problem.  Lets take a look at our entire finished first room
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
chamber
 
 
chamber
 
 
title "The middle chamber of the station"
 
title "The middle chamber of the station"
 
descr
 
descr
Line 1,663: Line 1,563:
 
east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office.";
 
east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office.";
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Compiling and debugging your first room ===
 
=== Compiling and debugging your first room ===
  
Line 1,688: Line 1,588:
 
room and the header information for the zone so lets put it together
 
room and the header information for the zone so lets put it together
 
now and try and compile it.
 
now and try and compile it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include composed.h>
 
 
#include composed.h>
 
 
%zone dragonst
 
%zone dragonst
 
lifespan 20
 
lifespan 20
Line 1,735: Line 1,633:
  
 
%end
 
%end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
We added the %room tag to our zone header stuck our room in
 
We added the %room tag to our zone header stuck our room in
 
and now its ready to be compiled and put into the VME server for
 
and now its ready to be compiled and put into the VME server for
Line 1,749: Line 1,647:
 
Here is what we get when we first try and
 
Here is what we get when we first try and
 
compile the zone.
 
compile the zone.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [Apr 28 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [Apr 28 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 2: Bad include argument
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 2: Bad include argument
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 48: Token too long
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 48: Token too long
 
Fatal error compiling in preprocessor stage in file 'debug_rm.zon'.
 
Fatal error compiling in preprocessor stage in file 'debug_rm.zon'.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Don't worry if this looks scary, it really is much easier to read than it looks like.
 
Don't worry if this looks scary, it really is much easier to read than it looks like.
Line 1,771: Line 1,667:
 
Lets take the first error with this in mind.  The first error
 
Lets take the first error with this in mind.  The first error
 
shows up on line three of the error file it says:
 
shows up on line three of the error file it says:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 2: Bad include argument
 
+
</nowiki>
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 2: Bad include argument
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This line is not really cryptic reading it in a more english form
 
This line is not really cryptic reading it in a more english form
Line 1,784: Line 1,678:
 
you will find, we forgot to put in the '&lt;' symbol.  If you fix
 
you will find, we forgot to put in the '&lt;' symbol.  If you fix
 
the line to look like:
 
the line to look like:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
+
</nowiki>
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Then recompile you will have fixed your first error and get a whole new
 
Then recompile you will have fixed your first error and get a whole new
 
set to play with.  The following is the errors we got after fixing line
 
set to play with.  The following is the errors we got after fixing line
 
two:
 
two:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 47: EOF in string
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 47: EOF in string
Line 1,807: Line 1,697:
 
  Token: '.'
 
  Token: '.'
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_rm.zon'.
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_rm.zon'.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now this looks to be a much more interesting error file than the
 
Now this looks to be a much more interesting error file than the
Line 1,825: Line 1,715:
 
see what the errors look like.  With that line fixed the following is
 
see what the errors look like.  With that line fixed the following is
 
the errors we get.
 
the errors we get.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 47: EOF in string
 
&lt;debug_rm.zon&gt; @ 47: EOF in string
Line 1,839: Line 1,727:
 
  Token: '.'
 
  Token: '.'
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_rm.zon'.
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_rm.zon'.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Again we must figure out which error message we should deal with
 
Again we must figure out which error message we should deal with
Line 1,854: Line 1,742:
 
get you close.  Now if we add the '"' we are missing and recompile
 
get you close.  Now if we add the '"' we are missing and recompile
 
the following is the output we get.
 
the following is the output we get.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_rm.zon'
 
VMC Done.
 
VMC Done.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means
 
Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means
Line 1,875: Line 1,761:
 
with  three extra files. the files will have the same filename as your zone
 
with  three extra files. the files will have the same filename as your zone
 
with a new extension in this case you should have the following.
 
with a new extension in this case you should have the following.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
debug_rm.data
 
 
debug_rm.data
 
 
debug_rm.err
 
debug_rm.err
 
debug_rm.reset
 
debug_rm.reset
 
debug_rm.zon
 
debug_rm.zon
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you have all of these you are all set to go.  If not then there
 
If you have all of these you are all set to go.  If not then there
Line 1,916: Line 1,800:
 
works just how to use it so with that in mind the following is the
 
works just how to use it so with that in mind the following is the
 
functions header.
 
functions header.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//In function.zon
 
 
//In function.zon
 
 
dilbegin death_room(tick: integer, damage: integer, act_s: string);
 
dilbegin death_room(tick: integer, damage: integer, act_s: string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
As with any function all you have to do is 'dilcopy' the function
 
As with any function all you have to do is 'dilcopy' the function
 
onto your room with the correct zone name and arguments and it will do
 
onto your room with the correct zone name and arguments and it will do
Line 1,932: Line 1,814:
 
Finally is the act shown to the character as a string in quotes.  So a
 
Finally is the act shown to the character as a string in quotes.  So a
 
finished death room on your room would look like this.
 
finished death room on your room would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy death_room@function(4*60,60,
 
 
dilcopy death_room@function(4*60,60,
 
 
"Flames shoot up from the floor burning your butt.");
 
"Flames shoot up from the floor burning your butt.");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Climb
 
;Climb
 
: This special DIL is used for the climb skill and should be set on
 
: This special DIL is used for the climb skill and should be set on
Line 1,951: Line 1,831:
 
With all this in mind the following is the DIL definition and
 
With all this in mind the following is the DIL definition and
 
an example use of it.
 
an example use of it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//DIL definition
 
 
//DIL definition
 
 
dilbegin climb(destination:string, difficulty:integer,
 
dilbegin climb(destination:string, difficulty:integer,
 
                damage:integer,direction:integer);
 
                damage:integer,direction:integer);
Line 1,960: Line 1,838:
 
//Example use of Climb
 
//Example use of Climb
 
dilcopy climb@function("deck@ship", 17, 20, "up");
 
dilcopy climb@function("deck@ship", 17, 20, "up");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
We should note here, if you wanted the person to have to climb
 
We should note here, if you wanted the person to have to climb
Line 1,973: Line 1,851:
  
 
The following is the definition of the force move DIL
 
The following is the definition of the force move DIL
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin force_move (tick: integer, strings: string, random: integer);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin force_move (tick: integer, strings: string, random: integer);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
The 'tick' parameter is how fast you want the force move to be
 
The 'tick' parameter is how fast you want the force move to be
Line 1,989: Line 1,865:
  
 
The following is what the force move would look like if you wanted it to trigger every 30 seconds and give acts of a river.
 
The following is what the force move would look like if you wanted it to trigger every 30 seconds and give acts of a river.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy force_move@function(4*30,{"river2@riverzon","You float down the river."},0);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy force_move@function(4*30,{"river2@riverzon","You float down the river."},0);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Safe room
 
;Safe room
 
: This function creates a safe room where combat is not allowed.
 
: This function creates a safe room where combat is not allowed.
 
The following is the definition and an example of how to use it.
 
The following is the definition and an example of how to use it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//Safe room DIL definition
 
 
//Safe room DIL definition
 
 
dilbegin safe_room ();
 
dilbegin safe_room ();
  
 
//Example use of Safe room
 
//Example use of Safe room
 
dilcopy safe_room@function ();
 
dilcopy safe_room@function ();
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
=== A more complex set of rooms ===
 
=== A more complex set of rooms ===
Line 2,023: Line 1,895:
 
linked together with a door.  There is no new information you have
 
linked together with a door.  There is no new information you have
 
not already encountered so we will start with an example.
 
not already encountered so we will start with an example.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
hallway
 
 
hallway
 
 
title "Module tunnel"
 
title "Module tunnel"
 
descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from
 
descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from
Line 2,059: Line 1,929:
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED};
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED};
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
One important thing you should notice is, whatever you put as a
 
One important thing you should notice is, whatever you put as a
Line 2,082: Line 1,952:
 
on a lock.  If you set the lock with out this macro it will default to
 
on a lock.  If you set the lock with out this macro it will default to
 
0 and thus be easy to pick.
 
0 and thus be easy to pick.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define DOOR_LOCK_DEF(north_lock, east_lock, south_lock, west_lock,\
 
 
#define DOOR_LOCK_DEF(north_lock, east_lock, south_lock, west_lock,\
 
 
up_lock, down_lock, northeast_lock, northwest_lock, southeast_lock,\
 
up_lock, down_lock, northeast_lock, northwest_lock, southeast_lock,\
 
southwest_lock)
 
southwest_lock)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
When using this macro you only set the value of the exit you want
 
When using this macro you only set the value of the exit you want
 
to add the difficulty to, you can leave the rest of the exits '0'.  Only
 
to add the difficulty to, you can leave the rest of the exits '0'.  Only
Line 2,095: Line 1,963:
 
north that is locked and you want it to have a difficulty of 50% the
 
north that is locked and you want it to have a difficulty of 50% the
 
following would be the line you would add to your room
 
following would be the line you would add to your room
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
DOOR_LOCK_DEF(50, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0)
 
+
</nowiki>
DOOR_LOCK_DEF(50, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0)
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Now lets add the macro and the locked flag to the exits and create
 
Now lets add the macro and the locked flag to the exits and create
 
the room.
 
the room.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
hallway
 
 
hallway
 
 
title "Module tunnel"
 
title "Module tunnel"
 
descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from
 
descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from
Line 2,142: Line 2,006:
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED};
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED};
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The only thing you may be wondering about in this example is the
 
The only thing you may be wondering about in this example is the
Line 2,155: Line 2,019:
 
not want to lock the door but you might want to hide it.  You can do
 
not want to lock the door but you might want to hide it.  You can do
 
both or either with the following macro added to your exit.
 
both or either with the following macro added to your exit.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(DIR, SKILL) \
 
 
#define SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(DIR, SKILL) \
 
 
extra{SECRET_DOOR} {DIR, SKILL}\
 
extra{SECRET_DOOR} {DIR, SKILL}\
 
""
 
""
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
So if you wanted a door or just a passage to the north hidden you
 
So if you wanted a door or just a passage to the north hidden you
 
would add this before or after your exits.
 
would add this before or after your exits.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(NORTH, 50)
 
+
</nowiki>
SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(NORTH, 50)
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Now lets put it all together and link two rooms together with a
 
Now lets put it all together and link two rooms together with a
 
hidden door.
 
hidden door.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
office
 
 
office
 
 
title "The station office"
 
title "The station office"
 
descr
 
descr
Line 2,216: Line 2,074:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Rooms inside of rooms ====
 
==== Rooms inside of rooms ====
  
Line 2,231: Line 2,089:
 
room you are linking the current room into. There is no need for a
 
room you are linking the current room into. There is no need for a
 
semi-colon.  The following is what the line would look like.
 
semi-colon.  The following is what the line would look like.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
in &lt;room that room is in&gt;
 
+
</nowiki>
in &lt;room that room is in&gt;
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Not too hard.  The following are two rooms one in the other.
 
Not too hard.  The following are two rooms one in the other.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
portal_room
 
 
portal_room
 
 
title "Green field room"
 
title "Green field room"
 
descr
 
descr
Line 2,277: Line 2,131:
 
in portal_room
 
in portal_room
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>
 
<blockquote>
Line 2,292: Line 2,146:
 
the force move DIL, explained in the previous section.  Here we
 
the force move DIL, explained in the previous section.  Here we
 
have built two rooms linked only by a forced move.
 
have built two rooms linked only by a forced move.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
portal_room
 
 
portal_room
 
 
title "Green field room"
 
title "Green field room"
 
descr
 
descr
Line 2,342: Line 2,194:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
</sect2
 
</sect2
 
==== A death room ====
 
==== A death room ====
Line 2,349: Line 2,201:
 
room that will kill a player instantly.  I will use the DIL function
 
room that will kill a player instantly.  I will use the DIL function
 
Death room and the room would simply look as follows.
 
Death room and the room would simply look as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
deathspace
 
 
deathspace
 
 
title"Open space"
 
title"Open space"
 
descr
 
descr
Line 2,370: Line 2,220:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Putting the rooms together ===
 
=== Putting the rooms together ===
  
Line 2,377: Line 2,227:
 
secret rooms and traps..  The full zone all together looks like
 
secret rooms and traps..  The full zone all together looks like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
%zone dragonst
 
%zone dragonst
 
lifespan 20
 
lifespan 20
Line 2,679: Line 2,527:
  
 
%end
 
%end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Suggested room exercises ===
 
=== Suggested room exercises ===
  
Line 2,829: Line 2,677:
 
that the VMC thinks you should it will give you a warning when you
 
that the VMC thinks you should it will give you a warning when you
 
compile.
 
compile.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "a small dog"
 
 
title "a small dog"
 
 
title "Hansen"
 
title "Hansen"
 
title "a black dragon"
 
title "a black dragon"
 
title "Drako"
 
title "Drako"
 
title "an elephant"
 
title "an elephant"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
; descr
 
; descr
 
*  
 
*  
Line 2,845: Line 2,691:
 
show up when the NPC is in the standing position.  All other positions
 
show up when the NPC is in the standing position.  All other positions
 
will show the title and the position they are in.
 
will show the title and the position they are in.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
descr
 
 
descr
 
 
"a small fluffy dog is chasing its tail here."
 
"a small fluffy dog is chasing its tail here."
 
descr
 
descr
 
"Hansen is standing here sorting the mail."
 
"Hansen is standing here sorting the mail."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;names
 
;names
 
: The NPC name field is much more important then the room name field.  It
 
: The NPC name field is much more important then the room name field.  It
Line 2,859: Line 2,703:
 
        NPC.  The names should match the title and the descr fields and
 
        NPC.  The names should match the title and the descr fields and
 
        have all normal combinations of each.
 
        have all normal combinations of each.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "a baby black dragon"
 
 
title "a baby black dragon"
 
 
descr "a tiny baby black dragon is here playing."
 
descr "a tiny baby black dragon is here playing."
 
names {"tiny baby black dragon", "tiny black dragon",
 
names {"tiny baby black dragon", "tiny black dragon",
Line 2,871: Line 2,713:
 
descr "Hansen the post man is standing here sorting mail."
 
descr "Hansen the post man is standing here sorting mail."
 
names{"postman","hansen"}
 
names{"postman","hansen"}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The idea of course is to make any combination that a player may
 
The idea of course is to make any combination that a player may
Line 2,881: Line 2,723:
 
NPC.  This could be used to show the player its stomach or if on a mount
 
NPC.  This could be used to show the player its stomach or if on a mount
 
it could be used to show the back of the horse.
 
it could be used to show the back of the horse.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
inside_descr
 
 
inside_descr
 
 
"The lining of this stomach looks indestructible.  Looks like you are in
 
"The lining of this stomach looks indestructible.  Looks like you are in
 
for a long digestion cycle."
 
for a long digestion cycle."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;extra
 
;extra
 
: The extra's on the NPC can be used to do many things.  It can be
 
: The extra's on the NPC can be used to do many things.  It can be
Line 2,898: Line 2,738:
 
with no names list it will become the NPCs description when you look at
 
with no names list it will become the NPCs description when you look at
 
any of the names on the NPC.
 
any of the names on the NPC.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {}
 
 
extra {}
 
 
"The green furry hamster seems to be glowing and it doesn't seem very
 
"The green furry hamster seems to be glowing and it doesn't seem very
 
happy."
 
happy."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You can also use extras to show parts of the NPC.
 
You can also use extras to show parts of the NPC.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"hamster head","head"}
 
 
extra {"hamster head","head"}
 
 
"This human like head is covered with a lot of green fur and it looks
 
"This human like head is covered with a lot of green fur and it looks
 
really  upset."
 
really  upset."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You can also use the extras to give more detailed and vivid
 
You can also use the extras to give more detailed and vivid
Line 2,949: Line 2,785:
 
In the following example, $1n is the activator and $2n is the
 
In the following example, $1n is the activator and $2n is the
 
unit in question.  Assume you are defining a familiar.
 
unit in question.  Assume you are defining a familiar.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"$get_s"}
 
 
extra {"$get_s"}
 
 
"You pick up the $2n it is very warm and cuddles right up to you."
 
"You pick up the $2n it is very warm and cuddles right up to you."
  
 
extra {"$get_o"}
 
extra {"$get_o"}
 
"$1n picks up the $2n and you see them cuddle together."
 
"$1n picks up the $2n and you see them cuddle together."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Finally you can use extras to store information for DIL programs.
 
Finally you can use extras to store information for DIL programs.
Line 2,970: Line 2,804:
 
so a fat player can jump on.  The following is how you set the
 
so a fat player can jump on.  The following is how you set the
 
manipulate flag.
 
manipulate flag.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//Make a  NPC takable.
 
 
//Make a  NPC takable.
 
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE}
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE}
  
 
//Make a NPC takable and able to be entered
 
//Make a NPC takable and able to be entered
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE|MANIPULATE_ENTER}
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE|MANIPULATE_ENTER}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;flags
 
;flags
 
: This field on a NPC is used to set special attributes in order to make
 
: This field on a NPC is used to set special attributes in order to make
Line 3,044: Line 2,876:
 
If you wanted to make a NPC that a player can carry around but can
 
If you wanted to make a NPC that a player can carry around but can
 
not save you would set the manipulate and flags as follows.
 
not save you would set the manipulate and flags as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE}
 
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE}
 
 
flags {UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE}
 
flags {UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;romflags
 
;romflags
 
: Like flags these are just integer values that are used to change
 
: Like flags these are just integer values that are used to change
Line 3,115: Line 2,945:
 
These flags are set in the same way as other flags in rooms NPCs
 
These flags are set in the same way as other flags in rooms NPCs
 
and objects.  The following are a few examples.
 
and objects.  The following are a few examples.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//wimpy and hidden
 
 
//wimpy and hidden
 
 
romflags {CHAR_HIDDEN, CHAR_WIMPY}
 
romflags {CHAR_HIDDEN, CHAR_WIMPY}
  
 
//NPC can see invisible
 
//NPC can see invisible
 
romflags {CHAR_DETECT_INVISIBLE}
 
romflags {CHAR_DETECT_INVISIBLE}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;weight
 
;weight
 
: The weight is the weight of the NPC in pounds.  In the future we
 
: The weight is the weight of the NPC in pounds.  In the future we
Line 3,132: Line 2,960:
 
To use this you just enter the 'weight' keyword and then the
 
To use this you just enter the 'weight' keyword and then the
 
value.
 
value.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
/80 lbs.
 
 
/80 lbs.
 
 
weight 80
 
weight 80
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>The weight affects the NPCs natural attack damage.
 
<blockquote>The weight affects the NPCs natural attack damage.
Line 3,148: Line 2,974:
 
that link the objects directly into the NPC.  To set the capacity you
 
that link the objects directly into the NPC.  To set the capacity you
 
just put the keyword and the amount in your NPC.
 
just put the keyword and the amount in your NPC.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
capacity  300
 
+
</nowiki>
capacity  300
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;height
 
;height
 
: The height field is the size of the NPC in centimeters.  This determines
 
: The height field is the size of the NPC in centimeters.  This determines
Line 3,159: Line 2,983:
 
makes your NPC the right or wrong size.  To set the 'height' you just
 
makes your NPC the right or wrong size.  To set the 'height' you just
 
put the 'height' keyword followed by the number of centimeters.
 
put the 'height' keyword followed by the number of centimeters.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//6 feet tall since 1 inch equals 2.54
 
 
//6 feet tall since 1 inch equals 2.54
 
 
height 183
 
height 183
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;dilbegin or dilcopy
 
;dilbegin or dilcopy
 
: The DIL functions are what give VME servers the edge over all other muds.
 
: The DIL functions are what give VME servers the edge over all other muds.
Line 3,196: Line 3,018:
 
function require.  The following is what you would find in the
 
function require.  The following is what you would find in the
 
''function.zon'' for evaluate.
 
''function.zon'' for evaluate.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
/* Evaluate DIL. amt is the cost of evaluation in iron pieces.
 
 
/* Evaluate DIL. amt is the cost of evaluation in iron pieces.
 
 
  Note: not to be confused with <function>evaluate@commands</function>, which
 
  Note: not to be confused with <function>evaluate@commands</function>, which
 
  is a command.
 
  is a command.
Line 3,307: Line 3,127:
  
 
dilend
 
dilend
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to
 
If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to
Line 3,314: Line 3,134:
 
person evaluates their stuff.  So to use this function it would look
 
person evaluates their stuff.  So to use this function it would look
 
like this on an NPC.
 
like this on an NPC.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy evaluate@function (5*GOLD_PIECE);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy evaluate@function (5*GOLD_PIECE);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
this tells the evaluate DIL to charge 5 gold pieces each time a player
 
this tells the evaluate DIL to charge 5 gold pieces each time a player
Line 3,349: Line 3,167:
 
its max.  The following definition would make an NPC with only 100 mana
 
its max.  The following definition would make an NPC with only 100 mana
 
points no matter what level.
 
points no matter what level.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
mana 100
 
+
</nowiki>
mana 100
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;hit
 
;hit
 
: This sets the NPC max hit points.  Using this field you can create
 
: This sets the NPC max hit points.  Using this field you can create
Line 3,363: Line 3,179:
 
its max.  The following definition would make an NPC with only 100 hit
 
its max.  The following definition would make an NPC with only 100 hit
 
points no matter what level.
 
points no matter what level.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
hit 100
 
+
</nowiki>
hit 100
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;money
 
;money
 
: The money field is how you give your NPC money to have while going
 
: The money field is how you give your NPC money to have while going
Line 3,375: Line 3,189:
 
we have provided.  For example to put 5 gold on an NPC you would have to
 
we have provided.  For example to put 5 gold on an NPC you would have to
 
use the following on your NPC.
 
use the following on your NPC.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
money 25600
 
+
</nowiki>
money 25600
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
I of course am not sure this will make 5 gold pieces since I did
 
I of course am not sure this will make 5 gold pieces since I did
Line 3,386: Line 3,198:
 
we have added some macros to help that are rather self
 
we have added some macros to help that are rather self
 
explanatory.
 
explanatory.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
IRON_PIECE
 
 
IRON_PIECE
 
 
COPPER_PIECE
 
COPPER_PIECE
 
SILVER_PIECE
 
SILVER_PIECE
 
GOLD_PIECE
 
GOLD_PIECE
 
PLATINUM_PIECE
 
PLATINUM_PIECE
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now if we wanted to make a NPC carrying five gold it would be as
 
Now if we wanted to make a NPC carrying five gold it would be as
 
simple as this:
 
simple as this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
money 5*GOLD_PIECE
 
+
</nowiki>
money 5*GOLD_PIECE
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
the macro method also gains you the ability to tell the VME what
 
the macro method also gains you the ability to tell the VME what
 
amount of each coin you want on the NPC.  If you set it using a single
 
amount of each coin you want on the NPC.  If you set it using a single
Line 3,409: Line 3,217:
 
however you like.  So setting more than one coin is as simple as adding
 
however you like.  So setting more than one coin is as simple as adding
 
a comma between the first and second coin.
 
a comma between the first and second coin.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE
 
+
</nowiki>
money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;exp
 
;exp
 
: By default a monster gives 100% of the experience it is worth.
 
: By default a monster gives 100% of the experience it is worth.
Line 3,425: Line 3,231:
 
will take experience away when it is killed.  If you want the default of
 
will take experience away when it is killed.  If you want the default of
 
100% you do not even need to place this field in your NPC.
 
100% you do not even need to place this field in your NPC.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//add 50% to the experience gained
 
 
//add 50% to the experience gained
 
 
exp 150
 
exp 150
  
 
/subtract 150% from the experience gained
 
/subtract 150% from the experience gained
 
exp -50
 
exp -50
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;sex
 
;sex
 
: Gender, one of these:
 
: Gender, one of these:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
SEX_NEUTRAL
 
 
SEX_NEUTRAL
 
 
SEX_MALE
 
SEX_MALE
 
SEX_FEMALE
 
SEX_FEMALE
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
the values are pretty obvious which is which gender so all we will
 
the values are pretty obvious which is which gender so all we will
 
show here is how to set it.
 
show here is how to set it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//Setting a male NPC
 
 
//Setting a male NPC
 
 
sex SEX_MALE
 
sex SEX_MALE
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;level
 
;level
 
: When  creating a NPC it must be between level 0 and  199.  The
 
: When  creating a NPC it must be between level 0 and  199.  The
Line 3,459: Line 3,259:
 
the 'level' keyword and then follow it by the level you are
 
the 'level' keyword and then follow it by the level you are
 
setting.
 
setting.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//set a NPC to level 50
 
 
//set a NPC to level 50
 
 
level 50
 
level 50
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;race
 
;race
 
: The 'race' keyword is what you use to set the characters race.
 
: The 'race' keyword is what you use to set the characters race.
Line 3,473: Line 3,271:
 
you can look at the short list below taken from the over all
 
you can look at the short list below taken from the over all
 
race list.
 
race list.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define RACE_RAT            1102
 
 
#define RACE_RAT            1102
 
 
#define RACE_HORSE          1103
 
#define RACE_HORSE          1103
 
#define RACE_BADGER        1104
 
#define RACE_BADGER        1104
Line 3,487: Line 3,283:
 
#define RACE_CAMEL          1113
 
#define RACE_CAMEL          1113
 
#define RACE_FERRET        1114
 
#define RACE_FERRET        1114
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If for example you wanted to make a monkey you could simply put
 
If for example you wanted to make a monkey you could simply put
 
the 'race' keyword and follow it by the monkey define like this:
 
the 'race' keyword and follow it by the monkey define like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
race RACE_MONKEY
 
+
</nowiki>
race RACE_MONKEY
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
If the race your looking for doesn't exist in the
 
If the race your looking for doesn't exist in the
 
''values.h'' list, you can either add one buy picking a
 
''values.h'' list, you can either add one buy picking a
Line 3,503: Line 3,297:
 
wants to use it.  You could also just set it using a number.  The
 
wants to use it.  You could also just set it using a number.  The
 
following two methods would act the same.
 
following two methods would act the same.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//add define to values.h and use in your zone
//add define to values.h and use in your zone
 
 
#define RACE_SPACE_TROLL  5059
 
#define RACE_SPACE_TROLL  5059
 
race RACE_SPACE_TROLL
 
race RACE_SPACE_TROLL
Line 3,511: Line 3,304:
 
//Just plug in a number
 
//Just plug in a number
 
race 5059
 
race 5059
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you don't use the macros things can get confusing really fast with
 
If you don't use the macros things can get confusing really fast with
Line 3,530: Line 3,323:
 
mainly added so DIL can adjust speed.  The lower the number the
 
mainly added so DIL can adjust speed.  The lower the number the
 
faster the NPC speed.
 
faster the NPC speed.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//fastest speed.
 
 
//fastest speed.
 
 
speed 0
 
speed 0
  
 
//slowest speed
 
//slowest speed
 
speed 12
 
speed 12
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;position
 
;position
 
: This field sets the position that the NPC will be in when it is
 
: This field sets the position that the NPC will be in when it is
 
first loaded.  The following positions are recognized by the
 
first loaded.  The following positions are recognized by the
 
compiler.
 
compiler.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
POSITION_DEAD
 
 
POSITION_DEAD
 
 
POSITION_MORTALLYW
 
POSITION_MORTALLYW
 
POSITION_INCAP
 
POSITION_INCAP
Line 3,555: Line 3,344:
 
POSITION_FIGHTING
 
POSITION_FIGHTING
 
POSITION_STANDING
 
POSITION_STANDING
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Some of these positions make no sense you would not load a
 
Some of these positions make no sense you would not load a
Line 3,562: Line 3,351:
 
  manuals to find out what you would want those for.  For now the
 
  manuals to find out what you would want those for.  For now the
 
  following are enough.
 
  following are enough.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
POSITION_SLEEPING
 
 
  POSITION_SLEEPING
 
 
POSITION_RESTING
 
POSITION_RESTING
 
POSITION_SITTING
 
POSITION_SITTING
 
POSITION_STANDING
 
POSITION_STANDING
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The position combined with the default position determines what
 
The position combined with the default position determines what
Line 3,579: Line 3,366:
 
To set the position like with other fields you type the 'position'
 
To set the position like with other fields you type the 'position'
 
keyword first and follow it by the position you are setting.
 
keyword first and follow it by the position you are setting.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
position POSITION_SITTING
 
+
</nowiki>
position POSITION_SITTING
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;default
 
;default
 
: The default position along with the position determines what is
 
: The default position along with the position determines what is
Line 3,591: Line 3,376:
 
'default' is not set it defaults to 'POSITION_STANDING'.  The following
 
'default' is not set it defaults to 'POSITION_STANDING'.  The following
 
are possible default positions.
 
are possible default positions.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
POSITION_DEAD
 
 
    POSITION_DEAD
 
 
POSITION_MORTALLYW
 
POSITION_MORTALLYW
 
POSITION_INCAP
 
POSITION_INCAP
Line 3,603: Line 3,386:
 
POSITION_FIGHTING
 
POSITION_FIGHTING
 
POSITION_STANDING
 
POSITION_STANDING
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Setting the default field is exactly like setting the 'position'
 
Setting the default field is exactly like setting the 'position'
 
field you place the 'default' keyword first and then the position you
 
field you place the 'default' keyword first and then the position you
 
want to be default like this:
 
want to be default like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
default POSITION_RESTING
 
+
</nowiki>
default POSITION_RESTING
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;ability
 
;ability
 
: this field is used to set each of the NPCs abilities.
 
: this field is used to set each of the NPCs abilities.
Line 3,632: Line 3,413:
 
'light' keyword first and then the value you want to add to the current
 
'light' keyword first and then the value you want to add to the current
 
light.
 
light.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//add one to light in room
 
 
//add one to light in room
 
 
light 1
 
light 1
  
Line 3,643: Line 3,422:
 
//take one away
 
//take one away
 
light -1
 
light -1
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;alignment
 
;alignment
 
: This field  is  a  value between -1000 and +1000,  where  -1000  is
 
: This field  is  a  value between -1000 and +1000,  where  -1000  is
Line 3,650: Line 3,429:
 
from  +349..-349 and evil is any value from -350..-1000. Any value
 
from  +349..-349 and evil is any value from -350..-1000. Any value
 
in between can also be used.
 
in between can also be used.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
// Quite evil, maybe a Ghoul
 
 
// Quite evil, maybe a Ghoul
 
 
alignment -750
 
alignment -750
  
Line 3,661: Line 3,438:
 
//barely good
 
//barely good
 
alignment 350
 
alignment 350
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;minv
 
;minv
 
: This field is the administrator invisible level of the NPC it is
 
: This field is the administrator invisible level of the NPC it is
Line 3,669: Line 3,446:
 
visible when they attack.  In order for the 'minv' to be removed an
 
visible when they attack.  In order for the 'minv' to be removed an
 
administrator or a DIL function must change it.
 
administrator or a DIL function must change it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
minv 239
 
+
</nowiki>
minv 239
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;key
 
;key
 
: Currently this field is not used in the VME 2.0 release.  It was
 
: Currently this field is not used in the VME 2.0 release.  It was
Line 3,680: Line 3,455:
 
you first place the 'key' keyword and then add the symbolic name of the
 
you first place the 'key' keyword and then add the symbolic name of the
 
key.
 
key.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//if the key is in your zone
 
 
//if the key is in your zone
 
 
key mynpckey
 
key mynpckey
  
 
//if the key is in some other zone
 
//if the key is in some other zone
 
key someoneelses@keyzone
 
key someoneelses@keyzone
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;open
 
;open
 
: this field is not used yet in the VME 2.0 release.  The field was
 
: this field is not used yet in the VME 2.0 release.  The field was
Line 3,707: Line 3,480:
 
macro is defined in ''wmacros.h'' and looks like
 
macro is defined in ''wmacros.h'' and looks like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define NATURAL_DEF(weapon_category, armour_category) \
 
 
#define NATURAL_DEF(weapon_category, armour_category) \
 
 
  armour armour_category \
 
  armour armour_category \
 
  attack weapon_category
 
  attack weapon_category
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The word natural can sometimes be a little confusing since you can
 
The word natural can sometimes be a little confusing since you can
Line 3,722: Line 3,493:
 
<xref linkend="app-d"> or in the ''values.h'' of your mud
 
<xref linkend="app-d"> or in the ''values.h'' of your mud
 
just in case you have added some weapon types.
 
just in case you have added some weapon types.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define WPN_FIST        34
 
 
#define WPN_FIST        34
 
 
#define WPN_KICK        35
 
#define WPN_KICK        35
 
#define WPN_BITE        36
 
#define WPN_BITE        36
Line 3,731: Line 3,500:
 
#define WPN_CLAW        38
 
#define WPN_CLAW        38
 
#define WPN_CRUSH        39
 
#define WPN_CRUSH        39
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Again you don't have to use leather for dogs as we have already
 
Again you don't have to use leather for dogs as we have already
Line 3,739: Line 3,508:
 
that the list is exactly the same as the list you will find later when
 
that the list is exactly the same as the list you will find later when
 
making armour.
 
making armour.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define ARM_CLOTHES  0  /*Same as a Human in jeans and a T-shirt*/
 
 
#define ARM_CLOTHES  0  /*Same as a Human in jeans and a T-shirt*/
 
 
#define ARM_LEATHER  1  /* A soft flexible leather base armour  */
 
#define ARM_LEATHER  1  /* A soft flexible leather base armour  */
 
#define ARM_HLEATHER 2  /* A hard un flexible leather base armour */
 
#define ARM_HLEATHER 2  /* A hard un flexible leather base armour */
 
#define ARM_CHAIN    3  /* A flexible armour composed of interlocking rings */
 
#define ARM_CHAIN    3  /* A flexible armour composed of interlocking rings */
 
#define ARM_PLATE    4  /* An un flexible plate armour. */
 
#define ARM_PLATE    4  /* An un flexible plate armour. */
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now that you have the defines to work with we will return to our
 
Now that you have the defines to work with we will return to our
 
metal cat and normal dog.  The definitions for them would look something
 
metal cat and normal dog.  The definitions for them would look something
 
like this.
 
like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//Metal Cat
 
 
//Metal Cat
 
 
NATURAL_DEF(WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE)
 
NATURAL_DEF(WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE)
  
 
//normal dog
 
//normal dog
 
NATURAL_DEF(WPN_BITE, ARM_LEATHER)
 
NATURAL_DEF(WPN_BITE, ARM_LEATHER)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You  should  know  that the weight of the monster  determines  the
 
You  should  know  that the weight of the monster  determines  the
Line 3,797: Line 3,562:
 
the defense the harder it will be for people to hit your NPC.  The
 
the defense the harder it will be for people to hit your NPC.  The
 
following macro allows you to set both the offense and defense.
 
following macro allows you to set both the offense and defense.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define ATTACK_DEFENSE(attack, defense) \
 
 
#define ATTACK_DEFENSE(attack, defense) \
 
 
offensive attack \
 
offensive attack \
 
defensive defense
 
defensive defense
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Using this macro is rather easy you just put the value you want
 
Using this macro is rather easy you just put the value you want
 
for each and your all done
 
for each and your all done
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//a really hard hitting hard to kill NPC
 
 
//a really hard hitting hard to kill NPC
 
 
ATTACK_DEFENSE( 1000, 1000)
 
ATTACK_DEFENSE( 1000, 1000)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== The NPc abilities macro ====
 
==== The NPc abilities macro ====
  
Line 3,822: Line 3,583:
 
according  to  the  specified level.  The  'MSET_ABILITY'  macro  is
 
according  to  the  specified level.  The  'MSET_ABILITY'  macro  is
 
available for this purpose, and is defined as:
 
available for this purpose, and is defined as:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define MSET_ABILITY(str,dex,con,hpp,bra,cha,mag,div)  \
 
 
#define MSET_ABILITY(str,dex,con,hpp,bra,cha,mag,div)  \
 
 
ability[ABIL_STR]  str  \
 
ability[ABIL_STR]  str  \
 
  ability[ABIL_DEX]  dex  \
 
  ability[ABIL_DEX]  dex  \
Line 3,834: Line 3,593:
 
  ability[ABIL_DIV]  div  \
 
  ability[ABIL_DIV]  div  \
 
  ability[ABIL_CHA]  cha
 
  ability[ABIL_CHA]  cha
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>
 
<blockquote>
 
Note the sum of the ability values must be 100%. This is thus
 
Note the sum of the ability values must be 100%. This is thus
 
an example of an ability distribution:
 
an example of an ability distribution:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
MSET_ABILITY(25,15,10,15,10,5,10,0)  /* Sum is 100% */
 
+
</nowiki></blockquote>
    MSET_ABILITY(25,15,10,15,10,5,10,0)  /* Sum is 100% */
 
\</nowiki></blockquote>
 
  
 
The  amount of points distributed depends directly upon the  level
 
The  amount of points distributed depends directly upon the  level
Line 3,865: Line 3,622:
 
define these as percentages, and the program automatically distributes
 
define these as percentages, and the program automatically distributes
 
the points. Use the pre-defined macros:
 
the points. Use the pre-defined macros:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define MSET_WEAPON(axe_ham, sword, club_mace, pole, unarmed, special)  \
 
 
#define MSET_WEAPON(axe_ham, sword, club_mace, pole, unarmed, special)  \
 
 
weapon[WPN_AXE_HAM]    axe_ham  \
 
weapon[WPN_AXE_HAM]    axe_ham  \
 
weapon[WPN_SWORD]      sword      \
 
weapon[WPN_SWORD]      sword      \
Line 3,875: Line 3,630:
 
weapon[WPN_UNARMED]    unarmed    \
 
weapon[WPN_UNARMED]    unarmed    \
 
weapon[WPN_SPECIAL]    special
 
weapon[WPN_SPECIAL]    special
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
{|
 
{|
 
|+MSET_WEAPON arguments
 
|+MSET_WEAPON arguments
Line 3,901: Line 3,656:
 
|}
 
|}
 
<nowiki>
 
<nowiki>
 
+
#define MSET_SPELL(div, pro, det, sum, cre, min, hea, col, cel, int, ext)  \
#define MSET_SPELL(div, pro, det, sum, cre, min, hea, col, cel, int, ext)  \
 
 
spell[SPL_DIVINE]      div  \
 
spell[SPL_DIVINE]      div  \
 
spell[SPL_PROTECTION]  pro  \
 
spell[SPL_PROTECTION]  pro  \
Line 3,914: Line 3,668:
 
spell[SPL_INTERNAL]    int  \
 
spell[SPL_INTERNAL]    int  \
 
spell[SPL_EXTERNAL]    ext
 
spell[SPL_EXTERNAL]    ext
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
{|
 
{|
 
|+MSET_SPELL arguments
 
|+MSET_SPELL arguments
Line 3,961: Line 3,715:
 
skills must be 100%. For example, the following would be a legal
 
skills must be 100%. For example, the following would be a legal
 
setting of weapons and spells.
 
setting of weapons and spells.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//  75%  Total,  Club/Mace  is primary
 
 
//  75%  Total,  Club/Mace  is primary
 
 
      MSET_WEAPON(10,10,20,5,15,5)
 
      MSET_WEAPON(10,10,20,5,15,5)
  
 
//  25%  Total,  Fire  is primary
 
//  25%  Total,  Fire  is primary
 
      MSET_SPELL(8,0,0,3,0,3,2,3,3,3,3)
 
      MSET_SPELL(8,0,0,3,0,3,2,3,3,3,3)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
  Remember that the groups define both attack and defence.  Thus  if
 
  Remember that the groups define both attack and defence.  Thus  if
Line 4,021: Line 3,773:
 
list of the NPCs by symbolic name for example if you type <command>
 
list of the NPCs by symbolic name for example if you type <command>
 
wstat zone dragon mobiles </command> You will get the following:
 
wstat zone dragon mobiles </command> You will get the following:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
List of mobiles in zone Dragon:
 
 
List of mobiles in zone Dragon:
 
 
dragon clerk trashman
 
dragon clerk trashman
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
If you didn't make it clear what the NPC was by the symbolic name
 
If you didn't make it clear what the NPC was by the symbolic name
 
it might look like this:
 
it might look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
List of mobiles in zone Dragon:
 
 
List of mobiles in zone Dragon:
 
 
npc1 npc2 npc3
 
npc1 npc2 npc3
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to
 
While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to
 
remember each NPC if you have over 30 of them.
 
remember each NPC if you have over 30 of them.
  
 
Now lets get started with our dragon.  As with the rooms all that is required to make a NPC is the symbolic and end fields.  That of course will make a NPC with all defaults.
 
Now lets get started with our dragon.  As with the rooms all that is required to make a NPC is the symbolic and end fields.  That of course will make a NPC with all defaults.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
bldragon
 
 
bldragon
 
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
Thats it for that dragon right?  Nope not quite that makes a NPC
 
Thats it for that dragon right?  Nope not quite that makes a NPC
 
with all defaults.  That means this will probably be a very wimpy human
 
with all defaults.  That means this will probably be a very wimpy human
Line 4,057: Line 3,803:
 
description fields so if you wanted to kill them you can easily
 
description fields so if you wanted to kill them you can easily
 
know what to type.
 
know what to type.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
bldragon
 
 
bldragon
 
  
 
title "a black dragon"
 
title "a black dragon"
Line 4,068: Line 3,812:
 
...
 
...
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The names, title and description shouldn't be to hard so I don't
 
The names, title and description shouldn't be to hard so I don't
Line 4,078: Line 3,822:
 
names list of the NPC.  So a description of a NPC would look something
 
names list of the NPC.  So a description of a NPC would look something
 
like this.
 
like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {}
 
 
extra {}
 
 
"The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been
 
"The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been
 
polished for years by water.  He has a large neck and huge bat like
 
polished for years by water.  He has a large neck and huge bat like
Line 4,087: Line 3,829:
 
tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for
 
tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for
 
something."
 
something."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now that you have a main description for the NPC you need to make
 
Now that you have a main description for the NPC you need to make
Line 4,093: Line 3,835:
 
In this case the dragon eyes and claw would be good things to describe
 
In this case the dragon eyes and claw would be good things to describe
 
and maybe a few other things just for humor.
 
and maybe a few other things just for humor.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"eyes","eye"}
 
 
extra {"eyes","eye"}
 
 
"The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room
 
"The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room
 
nothing seems to escape the dragons attention."
 
nothing seems to escape the dragons attention."
Line 4,112: Line 3,852:
 
"The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a
 
"The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a
 
wind blast."
 
wind blast."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now that we have the NPC all described we should start setting
 
Now that we have the NPC all described we should start setting
Line 4,120: Line 3,860:
 
    the list in <xref linkend="app-c"> and I have searched for dragon
 
    the list in <xref linkend="app-c"> and I have searched for dragon
 
    and found the race I want it is as follows.
 
    and found the race I want it is as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
race RACE_DRAGON_BLACK
 
+
</nowiki>
race RACE_DRAGON_BLACK
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If you don't think there is any difference in dragons you can
 
If you don't think there is any difference in dragons you can
Line 4,133: Line 3,871:
 
descriptions match what you pick.  It would be pretty weird to have a
 
descriptions match what you pick.  It would be pretty weird to have a
 
female dragon and have the descriptions say 'he, him, or his'
 
female dragon and have the descriptions say 'he, him, or his'
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
sex SEX_MALE
 
+
</nowiki>
    sex SEX_MALE
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Now lets set the height and weight.  Remember you set the height
 
Now lets set the height and weight.  Remember you set the height
 
in centimeters and the weight in pounds.  In the future the VME will
 
in centimeters and the weight in pounds.  In the future the VME will
 
standardize to one or the other but for now we have to play the
 
standardize to one or the other but for now we have to play the
 
conversion game.
 
conversion game.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//20 feet  (1 inch = 2.54 cm
//20 feet  (1 inch = 2.54 cm
 
 
height 625
 
height 625
  
 
//566 KG (1 lb. = .45359 kg)
 
//566 KG (1 lb. = .45359 kg)
 
weight 1250
 
weight 1250
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now that we have the size of the dragon we can pick a level.
 
Now that we have the size of the dragon we can pick a level.
 
My dragon is only 20 feet tall and 1250 pounds so I think maybe he
 
My dragon is only 20 feet tall and 1250 pounds so I think maybe he
 
is a bit young and will make his level around 70.
 
is a bit young and will make his level around 70.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
level 70
 
+
</nowiki>
level 70
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
The dragon may not wear armour but by default a dragon should
 
The dragon may not wear armour but by default a dragon should
 
have an armour equal to someone wearing plate mail.  Not only that
 
have an armour equal to someone wearing plate mail.  Not only that
Line 4,164: Line 3,897:
 
and he sure can't punch with those big claws so we need to set his
 
and he sure can't punch with those big claws so we need to set his
 
attack type to claw.
 
attack type to claw.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
NATURAL_DEF(WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE)
 
+
</nowiki>
NATURAL_DEF(WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE)
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Not many black dragons are good so I will pick almost totally
 
Not many black dragons are good so I will pick almost totally
 
evil, since totally evil is -1000 I will set it as follows.
 
evil, since totally evil is -1000 I will set it as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
alignment -900
 
+
</nowiki>
alignment -900
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Finally we get to the hard part.  Many people have trouble
 
Finally we get to the hard part.  Many people have trouble
 
setting the NPC abilities, weapons, and spells.  There really is nothing
 
setting the NPC abilities, weapons, and spells.  There really is nothing
Line 4,187: Line 3,916:
 
dragon the following would be what the abilities, weapons, and spells
 
dragon the following would be what the abilities, weapons, and spells
 
would look like.
 
would look like.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//big strong and magical most ability points on str and mag
 
 
//big strong and magical most ability points on str and mag
 
 
MSET_ABILITY(20,12,12,12,12,12,20,0)
 
MSET_ABILITY(20,12,12,12,12,12,20,0)
  
Line 4,198: Line 3,925:
 
//black dragons have natural defense from acid set it highest
 
//black dragons have natural defense from acid set it highest
 
MSET_SPELL(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,30)
 
MSET_SPELL(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,30)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
That is all you need to make a basic dragon.  True this dragon
 
That is all you need to make a basic dragon.  True this dragon
Line 4,205: Line 3,932:
 
some special DIL functions.  For now lets take a look at our finished
 
some special DIL functions.  For now lets take a look at our finished
 
product.
 
product.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
bldragon
 
 
bldragon
 
  
 
title "a black dragon"
 
title "a black dragon"
Line 4,251: Line 3,976:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As you can see there is a bit more to building an NPC than a room
 
As you can see there is a bit more to building an NPC than a room
Line 4,265: Line 3,990:
 
removed them and only have the '%mobiles' section.  The following is
 
removed them and only have the '%mobiles' section.  The following is
 
what the zone looks like when it has only one NPC in it.
 
what the zone looks like when it has only one NPC in it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
%zone dragonst
 
%zone dragonst
 
lifespan 20
 
lifespan 20
Line 4,330: Line 4,053:
  
 
%end
 
%end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
I removed the '%rooms' section added a '%mobiles' section and
 
I removed the '%rooms' section added a '%mobiles' section and
Line 4,345: Line 4,068:
 
Here is what we get when we first try and
 
Here is what we get when we first try and
 
compile the zone.
 
compile the zone.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_npc.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_npc.zon'
 
debug_npc.zon: 32: parse error
 
debug_npc.zon: 32: parse error
Line 4,354: Line 4,075:
 
debug_npc.zon: 55: parse error
 
debug_npc.zon: 55: parse error
 
  Token: 'alignment'
 
  Token: 'alignment'
Compilation aborted.\</nowiki>
+
Compilation aborted.</nowiki>
  
 
This error file doesn't look any harder than the last one we dealt
 
This error file doesn't look any harder than the last one we dealt
Line 4,368: Line 4,089:
 
recompile so go to line '56' and fix that.  Now with those two errors
 
recompile so go to line '56' and fix that.  Now with those two errors
 
fixed we can recompile and this is what we get:
 
fixed we can recompile and this is what we get:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_npc.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_npc.zon'
 
FATAL: Abilities in 'bldragon' sums up to 101,and not 100.
 
FATAL: Abilities in 'bldragon' sums up to 101,and not 100.
 
FATAL: Spells&amp;weapons in 'bldragon' sums up to 101, and not 100.
 
FATAL: Spells&amp;weapons in 'bldragon' sums up to 101, and not 100.
 
WARNING: Fatal errors in zone.
 
WARNING: Fatal errors in zone.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As we have said before you have to make sure that abilities add up
 
As we have said before you have to make sure that abilities add up
Line 4,387: Line 4,106:
 
abilities and one from either the spells or weapons the following is the
 
abilities and one from either the spells or weapons the following is the
 
error file I get.
 
error file I get.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_npc.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_npc.zon'
 
VMC Done.
 
VMC Done.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means that
 
Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means that
Line 4,407: Line 4,124:
 
with  three extra files. the files will have the same filename as your zone
 
with  three extra files. the files will have the same filename as your zone
 
with a new extension in this case you should have the following.
 
with a new extension in this case you should have the following.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
debug_npc.data
 
 
debug_npc.data
 
 
debug_npc.err
 
debug_npc.err
 
debug_npc.reset
 
debug_npc.reset
 
debug_rm.zon
 
debug_rm.zon
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you have all of these you are all set to go.  If not then there
 
If you have all of these you are all set to go.  If not then there
Line 4,450: Line 4,165:
 
arguments.  the following is the function definition found in
 
arguments.  the following is the function definition found in
 
''function.zon'':
 
''function.zon'':
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin mercenary_hire();
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin mercenary_hire();
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
To use it you simply dilcopy it to your NPC as follows:
 
To use it you simply dilcopy it to your NPC as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy mercenary_hire@function();
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy mercenary_hire@function();
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Obey
 
;Obey
 
: This function when dilcopied on the NPC will make it obey there master.  And
 
: This function when dilcopied on the NPC will make it obey there master.  And
Line 4,470: Line 4,181:
 
no arguments.  The following is the definition found in
 
no arguments.  The following is the definition found in
 
''function.zon'':
 
''function.zon'':
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
dilbegin obey();
dilbegin obey();
+
</nowiki>
\</nowiki>
 
 
To use this function simply dilcopy it to the NPC you want to be a
 
To use this function simply dilcopy it to the NPC you want to be a
 
mercenary like so:
 
mercenary like so:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy obey@function();
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy obey@function();
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Evaluate
 
;Evaluate
 
: This function when placed on an NPC allows it to evaluate items
 
: This function when placed on an NPC allows it to evaluate items
 
for a fee.  The function definition looks as follows:
 
for a fee.  The function definition looks as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin evaluate (amt:integer);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin evaluate (amt:integer);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
The function has one argument 'amt' that lets you set the cost of
 
The function has one argument 'amt' that lets you set the cost of
 
the evaluation of items.  If you wanted to set the value to four gold it
 
the evaluation of items.  If you wanted to set the value to four gold it
 
would work just like when setting the money field and look as
 
would work just like when setting the money field and look as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy evaluate@function(4*GOLD_PIECE);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy evaluate@function(4*GOLD_PIECE);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Guard Direction
 
;Guard Direction
 
: This is an enhanced version of the Guard Way Function. It will allow both
 
: This is an enhanced version of the Guard Way Function. It will allow both
Line 4,504: Line 4,208:
 
arguments, the activator and the direction.  The following is the
 
arguments, the activator and the direction.  The following is the
 
function definition:
 
function definition:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin guard_dir(direction : string, excludepc : stringlist,
 
 
dilbegin guard_dir(direction : string, excludepc : stringlist,
 
 
                  excludenpc : stringlist, stopdil : string);
 
                  excludenpc : stringlist, stopdil : string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
This function is dilcopied onto the mob in the room that the mob is initially
 
This function is dilcopied onto the mob in the room that the mob is initially
 
loaded. Thus is the mob is summoned or commanded away it will not block the
 
loaded. Thus is the mob is summoned or commanded away it will not block the
Line 4,524: Line 4,226:
 
manual covers.  The following would be a valid dilcopy for this
 
manual covers.  The following would be a valid dilcopy for this
 
function:
 
function:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy guard_dir@function("south", {"papi",
 
 
dilcopy guard_dir@function("south", {"papi",
 
 
{"rejji"}, null, null);
 
{"rejji"}, null, null);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Combat magic
 
;Combat magic
 
: This function when placed on a mobile allows it to use any of the
 
: This function when placed on a mobile allows it to use any of the
 
combat spells.  The function definition is as follows: It also allows
 
combat spells.  The function definition is as follows: It also allows
 
the NPC to cast heal during combat on itself.
 
the NPC to cast heal during combat on itself.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin combat_mag(atk_spl : string, def_spl : string,
 
 
dilbegin combat_mag(atk_spl : string, def_spl : string,
 
 
                    def_pct:integer, spd: integer);
 
                    def_pct:integer, spd: integer);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
{|
 
{|
 
|+Combat magic arguments
 
|+Combat magic arguments
Line 4,570: Line 4,268:
 
need a healing.  The following would be an example of what you would put
 
need a healing.  The following would be an example of what you would put
 
on your NPC:
 
on your NPC:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy combat_mag@function ("harm", "heal", 25, 2);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy combat_mag@function ("harm", "heal", 25, 2);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Fido
 
;Fido
 
: This function turns the NPC into a corpse eating mobile.  The
 
: This function turns the NPC into a corpse eating mobile.  The
 
following is the functions definition:
 
following is the functions definition:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin fido(txt1:string,txt2:string);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin fido(txt1:string,txt2:string);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
{|
 
{|
 
|+Fido arguments
 
|+Fido arguments
Line 4,613: Line 4,307:
 
An example of the 'fido' function on an NPC would look as
 
An example of the 'fido' function on an NPC would look as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy fido@function("$1n slowly devours $2n, crunching the bones.",
 
 
dilcopy fido@function("$1n slowly devours $2n, crunching the bones.",
 
 
                      "$1n grabs $2n and hungrily munches it.");
 
                      "$1n grabs $2n and hungrily munches it.");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Wander zone
 
;Wander zone
 
: This function allows a mob to wander around more than one zone, but not all zones.
 
: This function allows a mob to wander around more than one zone, but not all zones.
Line 4,624: Line 4,316:
 
the opening and closing of doors.  The following is the function
 
the opening and closing of doors.  The following is the function
 
definition:
 
definition:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin wander_zones(zones : string, spd : integer, doors : integer,
 
 
dilbegin wander_zones(zones : string, spd : integer, doors : integer,
 
 
                      lckd_doors : integer);
 
                      lckd_doors : integer);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
{|
 
{|
 
|+Zone wander arguments
 
|+Zone wander arguments
Line 4,656: Line 4,346:
 
The options are not too hard so we will show how to use it and
 
The options are not too hard so we will show how to use it and
 
leave it at that
 
leave it at that
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy wander_zones@function ("halfzon haon_dor", 5, 1);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy wander_zones@function ("halfzon haon_dor", 5, 1);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
<blockquote>@loadzone option which is used by inputting @loadzone
 
<blockquote>@loadzone option which is used by inputting @loadzone
 
somewhere in the zones string will replace it by the zone the mob is
 
somewhere in the zones string will replace it by the zone the mob is
 
loaded in like this:
 
loaded in like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy wander_zones@function ("halfzon haon_dor @loadzone", 5, 1);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy wander_zones@function ("halfzon haon_dor @loadzone", 5, 1);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
</blockquote>
 
</blockquote>
 
;Global wander
 
;Global wander
Line 4,674: Line 4,360:
 
which requires no zones argument since it moves in all zones.  The
 
which requires no zones argument since it moves in all zones.  The
 
following is the function definition:
 
following is the function definition:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin global_wander(spd : integer, doors : integer,
 
 
dilbegin global_wander(spd : integer, doors : integer,
 
 
                      lckd_doors :integer);
 
                      lckd_doors :integer);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
{|
 
{|
Line 4,702: Line 4,386:
 
The options are not to hard so we will show how to use it and
 
The options are not to hard so we will show how to use it and
 
leave it at that
 
leave it at that
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy global_wander@function (60, 1, 1);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy global_wander@function (60, 1, 1);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Team work
 
;Team work
 
: This function when placed on a mob, located in the same room as another mob,
 
: This function when placed on a mob, located in the same room as another mob,
 
will allow the mobile to assist the other in combat.  The following is
 
will allow the mobile to assist the other in combat.  The following is
 
the function definition:
 
the function definition:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin aware teamwork(lst: string);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin aware teamwork(lst: string);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This function takes one argument which is a string of the mobiles it is
 
This function takes one argument which is a string of the mobiles it is
 
to protect. So if we wanted a NPC to protect both Jesper and Enver the
 
to protect. So if we wanted a NPC to protect both Jesper and Enver the
 
dilcopy would look as follows:
 
dilcopy would look as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy teamwork@function("jesper/enver");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy teamwork@function("jesper/enver");
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
<blockquote>For this to work both mobs must be in the same room or following
 
<blockquote>For this to work both mobs must be in the same room or following
Line 4,732: Line 4,410:
 
will allow the mobile to rescue the other mob if it is attacked.  The
 
will allow the mobile to rescue the other mob if it is attacked.  The
 
function is as follows:
 
function is as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin aware rescue(lst: string);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin aware rescue(lst: string);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This function takes one argument, a string of those mobiles
 
This function takes one argument, a string of those mobiles
Line 4,748: Line 4,424:
 
we wanted an NPC to protect them and come to their aid the following
 
we wanted an NPC to protect them and come to their aid the following
 
would be the dilcopy:
 
would be the dilcopy:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy teamwork@function("jesper/enver");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy teamwork@function("jesper/enver");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Agressive
 
;Agressive
 
: This function makes a Mob hostile to person(s) in the room with it, under
 
: This function makes a Mob hostile to person(s) in the room with it, under
Line 4,758: Line 4,432:
 
In short, the all-singing, all-dancing aggression DIL.  The following is
 
In short, the all-singing, all-dancing aggression DIL.  The following is
 
this functions definition:
 
this functions definition:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin aggressive (sx : integer, rce : integer, opp : integer,
 
 
dilbegin aggressive (sx : integer, rce : integer, opp : integer,
 
 
                    levl : integer, sanc : integer, tme : integer,
 
                    levl : integer, sanc : integer, tme : integer,
 
                    tar : integer, align : string, attack :
 
                    tar : integer, align : string, attack :
 
                    stringlist);
 
                    stringlist);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
{|
 
{|
 
|+Agressive arguments
 
|+Agressive arguments
Line 4,878: Line 4,550:
  
 
Here's what the function call would look like:
 
Here's what the function call would look like:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy aggressive (3, 2, 1, 20, 2, PULSE_SEC*10, 0, "EVIL",
 
 
dilcopy aggressive (3, 2, 1, 20, 2, PULSE_SEC*10, 0, "EVIL",
 
 
                    {"$1n savagely attacks $3n with his big axe!",
 
                    {"$1n savagely attacks $3n with his big axe!",
 
                    "$1n attacks you!"});
 
                    "$1n attacks you!"});
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
In this example, 3 (attack females), 2 (attack dwarves), 1 (just dwarves),
 
In this example, 3 (attack females), 2 (attack dwarves), 1 (just dwarves),
Line 4,897: Line 4,567:
 
You must also supply the wander_zone DIL for this to work correctly.
 
You must also supply the wander_zone DIL for this to work correctly.
 
The definition for the janitor function is as follows:
 
The definition for the janitor function is as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin janitors(rate: integer);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin janitors(rate: integer);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
The Janitor function only takes one argument and that determines
 
The Janitor function only takes one argument and that determines
 
how fast the janitor will pick up stuff in seconds.
 
how fast the janitor will pick up stuff in seconds.
Line 4,907: Line 4,575:
 
To make a Janitor that will pick up stuff every thirty seconds the
 
To make a Janitor that will pick up stuff every thirty seconds the
 
following would be the dilcopy:
 
following would be the dilcopy:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy janitor@function(30);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy janitor@function(30);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Shop Keeper
 
;Shop Keeper
 
: This is one of the more complex dilcopies and considered by some to be
 
: This is one of the more complex dilcopies and considered by some to be
Line 4,917: Line 4,583:
 
and the application of this DIL using defines to hopefully simplify the
 
and the application of this DIL using defines to hopefully simplify the
 
use of this function.  The function is defined as:
 
use of this function.  The function is defined as:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin aware shopkeeper(prod: stringlist, custom_acts : stringlist,
 
 
dilbegin aware shopkeeper(prod: stringlist, custom_acts : stringlist,
 
 
                            opentimes : stringlist, itemtype: string,
 
                            opentimes : stringlist, itemtype: string,
 
sellprofit : integer,buyprofit: integer,
 
sellprofit : integer,buyprofit: integer,
 
maxcash : integer,closedil : string,
 
maxcash : integer,closedil : string,
 
dilparams : string );
 
dilparams : string );
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
;Step 1
 
;Step 1
Line 4,934: Line 4,598:
 
you would commonly find in a pub, tavern, or bar.
 
you would commonly find in a pub, tavern, or bar.
 
His list of items (their symbolic names at which zone) are:
 
His list of items (their symbolic names at which zone) are:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
grain_alcohol@gobtown1
 
 
grain_alcohol@gobtown1
 
 
pretzels@gobtown1
 
pretzels@gobtown1
 
beer_nuts@gobtown1
 
beer_nuts@gobtown1
 
rum_coke@gobtown1
 
rum_coke@gobtown1
 
tuborg@udgaard
 
tuborg@udgaard
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now, since I use defines, I make a define for Hogan's products.  I called
 
Now, since I use defines, I make a define for Hogan's products.  I called
Line 4,948: Line 4,610:
 
and just stick the names of your items in where his items are.
 
and just stick the names of your items in where his items are.
 
Each item will have a setup like this:
 
Each item will have a setup like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
"tuborg@udgaard 15 20"
 
+
</nowiki>
"tuborg@udgaard 15 20"
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
A symbolic name followed by two numbers, with the entire thing in
 
A symbolic name followed by two numbers, with the entire thing in
Line 4,967: Line 4,627:
 
Next we place all this info into the define we created above, which would look
 
Next we place all this info into the define we created above, which would look
 
like this:
 
like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_PROD \
 
 
#define TAVERN_PROD \
 
 
{"grain_alcohol@gobtown1 15 20", \
 
{"grain_alcohol@gobtown1 15 20", \
 
"pretzels@gobtown1 10 15", \
 
"pretzels@gobtown1 10 15", \
Line 4,976: Line 4,634:
 
"rum_coke@gobtown1 10 15", \
 
"rum_coke@gobtown1 10 15", \
 
"tuborg@udgaard 15 20"}
 
"tuborg@udgaard 15 20"}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The above is my define for Hogan's products that he sells.  Each one is in
 
The above is my define for Hogan's products that he sells.  Each one is in
Line 5,033: Line 4,691:
 
to the item being sold, bought, etc.. and $3n refers to the person dealing
 
to the item being sold, bought, etc.. and $3n refers to the person dealing
 
with the shopkeeper.</blockquote>
 
with the shopkeeper.</blockquote>
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_MSG \
 
 
#define TAVERN_MSG \
 
 
{"$1n says, 'This is a tavern, I don't sell such an item as that!'", \
 
{"$1n says, 'This is a tavern, I don't sell such an item as that!'", \
 
"$1n says, '$3n, you don't even have that!'", \
 
"$1n says, '$3n, you don't even have that!'", \
Line 5,047: Line 4,703:
 
"$1n says, 'I haven't got a use for $2n.'", \
 
"$1n says, 'I haven't got a use for $2n.'", \
 
"$1n says, 'I'd like to buy it, but I can't afford it, sorry.'"} \
 
"$1n says, 'I'd like to buy it, but I can't afford it, sorry.'"} \
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Just like with the items, the responses are in quotes, and are separated
 
Just like with the items, the responses are in quotes, and are separated
Line 5,062: Line 4,718:
 
And my define for this I named TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES (for when the tavern is
 
And my define for this I named TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES (for when the tavern is
 
open) and I used the following setup:
 
open) and I used the following setup:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES {"12","18"}
 
+
</nowiki>
#define TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES {"12","18"}
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
You just have to make your define and stick your times in quotes and
 
You just have to make your define and stick your times in quotes and
Line 5,073: Line 4,727:
 
You may also add multiple open and close times as per the following
 
You may also add multiple open and close times as per the following
 
example:
 
example:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES {"1","12","16","20"}
 
+
</nowiki>
#define TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES {"1","12","16","20"}
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Step 4
 
;Step 4
 
: For this step you get to choose your shopkeeper's trade types.  And what
 
: For this step you get to choose your shopkeeper's trade types.  And what
Line 5,160: Line 4,812:
 
define TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE (for our tavern's type of items) using the
 
define TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE (for our tavern's type of items) using the
 
following setup:
 
following setup:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE "19"
 
+
</nowiki>
#define TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE "19"
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
Now, if we had a magic shop, and wanted to sell potions and scrolls, I
 
Now, if we had a magic shop, and wanted to sell potions and scrolls, I
 
would make a define called for example MAGIC_ITEM_TYPE and make it like
 
would make a define called for example MAGIC_ITEM_TYPE and make it like
 
this:
 
this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define MAGIC_ITEM_TYPE "2 10"
 
+
</nowiki>
#define MAGIC_ITEM_TYPE "2 10"
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
The 2 was our number corresponding to the scrolls, and the 10
 
The 2 was our number corresponding to the scrolls, and the 10
 
corresponded to the potions.  That is how you make your shopkeeper
 
corresponded to the potions.  That is how you make your shopkeeper
Line 5,183: Line 4,831:
 
would make a define called TAVERN_MAX_CASH (for the maximum amount of
 
would make a define called TAVERN_MAX_CASH (for the maximum amount of
 
money our shopkeeper gets) and use the following setup:
 
money our shopkeeper gets) and use the following setup:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_MAX_CASH 81920
 
+
</nowiki>
#define TAVERN_MAX_CASH 81920
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
I got 81920 by multiplying the 40960 (one platinum) by 2
 
I got 81920 by multiplying the 40960 (one platinum) by 2
 
;Step 6
 
;Step 6
Line 5,198: Line 4,844:
 
when he sells things) and gave him 110% selling profit, and used the
 
when he sells things) and gave him 110% selling profit, and used the
 
following setup:
 
following setup:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT 110
 
+
</nowiki>
#define TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT 110
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Step 7
 
;Step 7
 
: This last define is almost exactly like our selling profit, but now, we're
 
: This last define is almost exactly like our selling profit, but now, we're
Line 5,210: Line 4,854:
 
to buy items for half its cost.  So I would make his buying profit 50,
 
to buy items for half its cost.  So I would make his buying profit 50,
 
and use the following setup.
 
and use the following setup.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT 50
 
+
</nowiki>
#define TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT 50
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
All of the previous  defines you can place anywhere in the zone.  I like
 
All of the previous  defines you can place anywhere in the zone.  I like
Line 5,226: Line 4,868:
 
using all of those cute little defines you just made.  The syntax for the
 
using all of those cute little defines you just made.  The syntax for the
 
DIL is:
 
DIL is:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy shopkeeper@function(products, responses, opentimes,
 
 
  dilcopy shopkeeper@function(products, responses, opentimes,
 
 
                            tradetypes, sellprofit, buyprofit,
 
                            tradetypes, sellprofit, buyprofit,
 
                            maxcash, closedil, dilparams);
 
                            maxcash, closedil, dilparams);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
Take your defines from above the defines that you made are
 
Take your defines from above the defines that you made are
 
called:
 
called:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
TAVERN_PROD, TAVERN_MSG, TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES, TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE,
 
 
TAVERN_PROD, TAVERN_MSG, TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES, TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE,
 
 
TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT, TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, and TAVERN_MAX_CASH.
 
TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT, TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, and TAVERN_MAX_CASH.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
Now all you have to do is place them in the syntax where they belong like
 
Now all you have to do is place them in the syntax where they belong like
 
in the below example.
 
in the below example.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy shopkeeper@function(TAVERN_PROD, TAVERN_MSG, TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES,
 
 
dilcopy shopkeeper@function(TAVERN_PROD, TAVERN_MSG, TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES,
 
 
                            TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE, TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT,
 
                            TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE, TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT,
 
                            TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, TAVERN_MAX_CASH, "", "");
 
                            TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, TAVERN_MAX_CASH, "", "");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
For the last two fields, I just put "", "" because I don't make my own
 
For the last two fields, I just put "", "" because I don't make my own
 
unique DIL for those.  By just putting and empty set of quotes for each,
 
unique DIL for those.  By just putting and empty set of quotes for each,
Line 5,261: Line 4,897:
 
Just to make sure I've completely beaten a very dead horse, this is
 
Just to make sure I've completely beaten a very dead horse, this is
 
what it would look like in the end.
 
what it would look like in the end.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
%zone sample_zon
 
 
%zone sample_zon
 
  
 
#define TAVERN_PROD \
 
#define TAVERN_PROD \
Line 5,308: Line 4,942:
 
                            TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, TAVERN_MAX_CASH, "", "");
 
                            TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, TAVERN_MAX_CASH, "", "");
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
=== A more complex set of NPCs ===
 
=== A more complex set of NPCs ===
Line 5,335: Line 4,969:
 
NPC as we defined it before hasn't changed so the following would be the
 
NPC as we defined it before hasn't changed so the following would be the
 
entire dragon with the combat magic function.
 
entire dragon with the combat magic function.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
bldragon
 
 
bldragon
 
  
 
title "a black dragon"
 
title "a black dragon"
Line 5,384: Line 5,016:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
That is all there is to it.  If you are wondering where I got the
 
That is all there is to it.  If you are wondering where I got the
Line 5,394: Line 5,026:
 
''composed.h'' and the 'M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD' macro.  If
 
''composed.h'' and the 'M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD' macro.  If
 
we use the macro the dragon would look like this
 
we use the macro the dragon would look like this
 +
<nowiki>
 +
bldragon
  
<nowiki>
+
title "a black dragon"
 
 
bldragon
 
 
 
title "a black dragon"
 
 
descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here."
 
descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here."
 
names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon",
 
names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon",
Line 5,430: Line 5,060:
 
M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD(SEX_MALE)
 
M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD(SEX_MALE)
  
end\</nowiki>
+
end</nowiki>
  
 
As you can see with the second way the dragon was a lot easier to
 
As you can see with the second way the dragon was a lot easier to
Line 5,442: Line 5,072:
 
think we will leave that up to a hobgoblin.  the following would be the
 
think we will leave that up to a hobgoblin.  the following would be the
 
definition of a hobgoblin wandering Janitor.
 
definition of a hobgoblin wandering Janitor.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
janitor
 
 
janitor
 
 
names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"}
 
names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"}
 
title "an ugly janitor"
 
title "an ugly janitor"
Line 5,476: Line 5,104:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Like with the dragon if we wanted to create this NPC easier we
 
Like with the dragon if we wanted to create this NPC easier we
Line 5,482: Line 5,110:
 
don't have to fill out all the information.  If we did this it would
 
don't have to fill out all the information.  If we did this it would
 
simply look as follows:
 
simply look as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
janitor
 
 
janitor
 
 
names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"}
 
names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"}
 
title "an ugly janitor"
 
title "an ugly janitor"
Line 5,508: Line 5,134:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As you can see you can combine the DIL functions you learned in
 
As you can see you can combine the DIL functions you learned in
Line 5,542: Line 5,168:
 
however we need to use them for the for mentioned purposes.  The format
 
however we need to use them for the for mentioned purposes.  The format
 
for a special function is as follows:
 
for a special function is as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special &lt;Function define&gt; &lt;function arguments&gt;
 
+
</nowiki>
special &lt;Function define&gt; &lt;function arguments&gt;
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
For teachers the function definition is 'SFUN_TEACH_INIT' and the
 
For teachers the function definition is 'SFUN_TEACH_INIT' and the
 
arguments range from who can join, what the acts of the teacher are,
 
arguments range from who can join, what the acts of the teacher are,
Line 5,556: Line 5,180:
 
in double quotes.  So a teacher with nothing at all in it would look
 
in double quotes.  So a teacher with nothing at all in it would look
 
like this:
 
like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT "&lt;arguments go here&gt;"
 
+
</nowiki>
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT "&lt;arguments go here&gt;"
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
After the opening double quote ("), the first thing necessary
 
After the opening double quote ("), the first thing necessary
Line 5,575: Line 5,197:
 
* weapons
 
* weapons
 
The first two lines of the SFUN_TEACH_INIT looks like this:
 
The first two lines of the SFUN_TEACH_INIT looks like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT
 
 
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT
 
 
"&amp;labilities;0;
 
"&amp;labilities;0;
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>The '0;' is the end of field marker that will be used
 
<blockquote>The '0;' is the end of field marker that will be used
Line 5,619: Line 5,239:
 
Now we can add the acts to our example it would look as
 
Now we can add the acts to our example it would look as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT
 
 
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT
 
 
"&amp;labilities;0;
 
"&amp;labilities;0;
 
$1n tells you, 'I have never heard of such an ability.'; $1n
 
$1n tells you, 'I have never heard of such an ability.'; $1n
Line 5,630: Line 5,248:
 
'You must be unaffected by magic, else I can't teach you.'; $1n tells
 
'You must be unaffected by magic, else I can't teach you.'; $1n tells
 
you, 'Remove all equipment, please.';
 
you, 'Remove all equipment, please.';
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>
 
<blockquote>
Line 5,652: Line 5,270:
  
 
Here is an example of a GTD:
 
Here is an example of a GTD:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
0;  100; scan                          ;  9;  9000;  7;          0;
 
+
</nowiki>
  0;  100; scan                          ;  9;  9000;  7;          0;
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Note that it has a lot of white space in it. It is really not necessary,
 
Note that it has a lot of white space in it. It is really not necessary,
 
as the field terminators are the semicolons. This means that you could just
 
as the field terminators are the semicolons. This means that you could just
 
as easily write:
 
as easily write:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
0;100;scan;9;9000;7;0;
 
+
</nowiki>
0;100;scan;9;9000;7;0;
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
When making teachers most people prefer to put the white space in
 
When making teachers most people prefer to put the white space in
 
  to make it easier to read and find errors.  A larger example would
 
  to make it easier to read and find errors.  A larger example would
 
  look as follows:
 
  look as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
0;  100; scan                          ;  9;  9000;  7;          0;
 
 
  0;  100; scan                          ;  9;  9000;  7;          0;
 
 
  0;  90; consider                      ;  4;  4000;  5; 10;      0;
 
  0;  90; consider                      ;  4;  4000;  5; 10;      0;
 
  0;  100; appraisal                    ;  9;  4000;  5;          0;
 
  0;  100; appraisal                    ;  9;  4000;  5;          0;
 
  0;  100; fleeing                      ;  9;  9000;  6; 12;      0;
 
  0;  100; fleeing                      ;  9;  9000;  6; 12;      0;
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Each part of the GTD separated by a semicolon is called a
 
Each part of the GTD separated by a semicolon is called a
Line 5,754: Line 5,366:
  
 
An example of this would look as follows:
 
An example of this would look as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
0;  90; consider                      ;  4;  4000;  5; 10;      0;
 
+
</nowiki>
  0;  90; consider                      ;  4;  4000;  5; 10;      0;
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This example has consider being practiced at guild level 0 up to 90%,
 
This example has consider being practiced at guild level 0 up to 90%,
Line 5,806: Line 5,416:
 
A finished teacher of ability function would look like
 
A finished teacher of ability function would look like
 
this:
 
this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT
 
 
special SFUN_TEACH_INIT
 
 
"&amp;labilities;0;
 
"&amp;labilities;0;
 
$1n tells you, 'I have never heard of such an ability.';
 
$1n tells you, 'I have never heard of such an ability.';
Line 5,827: Line 5,435:
 
  4;  80; Charisma                      ;  18; 18000;  14;      0;
 
  4;  80; Charisma                      ;  18; 18000;  14;      0;
 
"
 
"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
There are two other easy to use specials that you will want to use
 
There are two other easy to use specials that you will want to use
Line 5,836: Line 5,444:
 
: This initializes the teacher and the only argument is the guild
 
: This initializes the teacher and the only argument is the guild
 
name
 
name
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_GUILD_BASIS "Udgaard Fighter"
 
+
</nowiki>
special SFUN_GUILD_BASIS "Udgaard Fighter"
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY
 
;SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY
 
: This simply blocks anyone who is not in the guild from
 
: This simply blocks anyone who is not in the guild from
 
practicing This means the argument is the guild name. and the act
 
practicing This means the argument is the guild name. and the act
 
separated by a '#', an example would look as follows:
 
separated by a '#', an example would look as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY "Udgaard fighter#$1n says, 'Buggar ye off, $3n.'"
 
+
</nowiki>
special SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY "Udgaard fighter#$1n says, 'Buggar ye off, $3n.'"
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Finally we will show you what a full teacher would look like with
 
Finally we will show you what a full teacher would look like with
 
the entire specials and the NPC definition.
 
the entire specials and the NPC definition.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
jones
 
 
jones
 
  
 
names {"blacksmith", "smith", "Jones"}
 
names {"blacksmith", "smith", "Jones"}
Line 5,894: Line 5,496:
 
  4;  80; Charisma                      ;  18; 18000;  14;      0;
 
  4;  80; Charisma                      ;  18; 18000;  14;      0;
 
"
 
"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Guild master functions ====
 
==== Guild master functions ====
  
Line 5,906: Line 5,508:
 
: This initializes the master and the only argument is the guild
 
: This initializes the master and the only argument is the guild
 
name
 
name
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_GUILD_BASIS "Udgaard Fighter"
 
+
</nowiki>
special SFUN_GUILD_BASIS "Udgaard Fighter"
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;SFUN_GUILD_MASTER
 
;SFUN_GUILD_MASTER
 
: The guild master function takes 6 arguments.  Like the teacher
 
: The guild master function takes 6 arguments.  Like the teacher
Line 5,922: Line 5,522:
 
mess with the formatting of the string when the guild master is
 
mess with the formatting of the string when the guild master is
 
compiled.
 
compiled.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
&amp;lGuild = ~Udgaard fighter~
 
+
</nowiki>
&amp;lGuild = ~Udgaard fighter~
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
; Line 2
 
; Line 2
 
*  
 
*  
 
This argument is what quest needs to be done before the character
 
This argument is what quest needs to be done before the character
 
can enter the guild.
 
can enter the guild.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
Guild Enter Quest = ~Fighter Proven~
 
+
</nowiki>
Guild Enter Quest = ~Fighter Proven~
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
; Line 3
 
; Line 3
 
*  
 
*  
 
  This argument is the amount it costs to enter the guild in old
 
  This argument is the amount it costs to enter the guild in old
 
  gold pieces.
 
  gold pieces.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
Guild Enter Cost = 640
 
+
</nowiki>
Guild Enter Cost = 640
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
; Line 4
 
; Line 4
 
*  
 
*  
Line 5,950: Line 5,544:
 
  guild.  If the player has not completed this quest the guild master
 
  guild.  If the player has not completed this quest the guild master
 
  will not let the player leave.
 
  will not let the player leave.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
Guild Leave Quest = ~Wimp proven~
 
+
</nowiki>
Guild Leave Quest = ~Wimp proven~
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
; Line 5
 
; Line 5
 
*  
 
*  
Line 5,960: Line 5,552:
 
the guild.  If the player doesn't have enough money the guild master
 
the guild.  If the player doesn't have enough money the guild master
 
will not let the player join.
 
will not let the player join.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
Guild Leave Cost = 3200
 
+
</nowiki>
Guild Leave Cost = 3200
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
; Line 6
 
; Line 6
 
*  
 
*  
Line 5,970: Line 5,560:
 
players from.  For example the following will make it so no Thief can
 
players from.  For example the following will make it so no Thief can
 
be in the fighter guild.
 
be in the fighter guild.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
Guild Exclude Quest = ~Udgaard Thief Quitter~
 
+
</nowiki>
Guild Exclude Quest = ~Udgaard Thief Quitter~
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
<blockquote>When we refer to old gold pieces they represent the
 
<blockquote>When we refer to old gold pieces they represent the
Line 5,982: Line 5,570:
 
The following is what a full 'SFUN_GUILD_MASTER'
 
The following is what a full 'SFUN_GUILD_MASTER'
 
function would look like
 
function would look like
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_GUILD_MASTER
 
 
special SFUN_GUILD_MASTER
 
 
"&amp;lGuild              = ~Udgaard fighter~
 
"&amp;lGuild              = ~Udgaard fighter~
 
Guild Enter Quest    = ~Fighter Proven~
 
Guild Enter Quest    = ~Fighter Proven~
Line 5,992: Line 5,578:
 
Guild Leave Cost    = 3200
 
Guild Leave Cost    = 3200
 
Guild Exclude Quest  = ~Udgaard Fighter Quitter~"
 
Guild Exclude Quest  = ~Udgaard Fighter Quitter~"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;SFUN_GUILD_TITLES
 
;SFUN_GUILD_TITLES
 
: This function allows the player to request a title at the guild
 
: This function allows the player to request a title at the guild
Line 6,004: Line 5,590:
 
Then you put the guild name.  Finally you follow it by the list of 40
 
Then you put the guild name.  Finally you follow it by the list of 40
 
titles.  The following is the fighter guilds title list
 
titles.  The following is the fighter guilds title list
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_GUILD_TITLES
 
 
special SFUN_GUILD_TITLES
 
 
"&amp;lUdgaard fighter
 
"&amp;lUdgaard fighter
 
the %s Swordpupil
 
the %s Swordpupil
Line 6,049: Line 5,633:
 
the %s Knight
 
the %s Knight
 
the %s Lady Knight"
 
the %s Lady Knight"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Put all three of these functions on your NPC and your all set you
 
Put all three of these functions on your NPC and your all set you
Line 6,057: Line 5,641:
 
The banker function is the easiest 'special' function there is to
 
The banker function is the easiest 'special' function there is to
 
use.  The following placed on an NPC will make a banker:
 
use.  The following placed on an NPC will make a banker:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
special SFUN_BANK
 
+
</nowiki>
special SFUN_BANK
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
As you see its very simple, so we will just show you a completed banker
 
As you see its very simple, so we will just show you a completed banker
 
and leave it at that.
 
and leave it at that.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
bob
 
 
bob
 
  
 
names {"Bob"}
 
names {"Bob"}
Line 6,086: Line 5,666:
 
special SFUN_BANK
 
special SFUN_BANK
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Dragon station with rooms and NPCs ===
 
=== Dragon station with rooms and NPCs ===
  
Line 6,094: Line 5,674:
 
are no objects.  These will be added as you progress through this
 
are no objects.  These will be added as you progress through this
 
manual.  The following is the source file so far.
 
manual.  The following is the source file so far.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
%zone dragonst
 
%zone dragonst
 
lifespan 20
 
lifespan 20
Line 6,478: Line 6,056:
  
 
%end
 
%end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Suggested NPC exercises ===
 
=== Suggested NPC exercises ===
  
Line 6,603: Line 6,181:
 
give you a warning when you compile. The following are good examples of
 
give you a warning when you compile. The following are good examples of
 
an object title.
 
an object title.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "a big rock"
 
 
title "a big rock"
 
 
title "the flame tongue"
 
title "the flame tongue"
 
title "a lap top"
 
title "a lap top"
 
title "a garbage bag"
 
title "a garbage bag"
 
title "an oval hover car"
 
title "an oval hover car"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
; descr
 
; descr
 
*  
 
*  
Line 6,620: Line 6,196:
 
Some examples of the object description field would be as
 
Some examples of the object description field would be as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
descr
 
 
descr
 
 
"a green bloody sword is laying here."
 
"a green bloody sword is laying here."
  
Line 6,631: Line 6,205:
 
descr
 
descr
 
"a funny looking hammer is laying here."
 
"a funny looking hammer is laying here."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;names
 
;names
 
: The object names are as important as the NPC names.  They are what
 
: The object names are as important as the NPC names.  They are what
Line 6,645: Line 6,219:
 
The following is some examples of good 'names' fields with respect to
 
The following is some examples of good 'names' fields with respect to
 
        their 'title' and 'descr'.
 
        their 'title' and 'descr'.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
title "a big rock"
 
 
title "a big rock"
 
 
descr "a big rock is here blocking the road."
 
descr "a big rock is here blocking the road."
 
names {"big rock","rock"}
 
names {"big rock","rock"}
Line 6,655: Line 6,227:
 
descr "An old twisted staff has been discarded here."
 
descr "An old twisted staff has been discarded here."
 
names{"old twisted staff","twisted staff","old staff","staff"}
 
names{"old twisted staff","twisted staff","old staff","staff"}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The idea of course is to make any combination that a player may
 
The idea of course is to make any combination that a player may
Line 6,667: Line 6,239:
 
the normal description is but you can make it as many lines as you want
 
the normal description is but you can make it as many lines as you want
 
like you would with a room description.
 
like you would with a room description.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
inside_descr
 
 
                                      inside_descr
 
 
"You are inside a black coffin with a red velvet padding - scary!"
 
"You are inside a black coffin with a red velvet padding - scary!"
  
Line 6,676: Line 6,246:
 
"You are inside the pink time machine.  a small control panel is on the
 
"You are inside the pink time machine.  a small control panel is on the
 
floor and seems to be operated by stepping on it."
 
floor and seems to be operated by stepping on it."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;extra
 
;extra
 
: The extra's on the object like the NPC, can be used to do many things.  It can be
 
: The extra's on the object like the NPC, can be used to do many things.  It can be
Line 6,688: Line 6,258:
 
with no names list it will become the object's description when you look at
 
with no names list it will become the object's description when you look at
 
any of the names on it.
 
any of the names on it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {}
 
 
extra {}
 
 
"Its just a rock nothing special about it."
 
"Its just a rock nothing special about it."
  
Line 6,698: Line 6,266:
 
melting slightly but waiting for it to finish would be sort of like
 
melting slightly but waiting for it to finish would be sort of like
 
waiting for the ice age to end."
 
waiting for the ice age to end."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You can also use extras to show parts of the object.
 
You can also use extras to show parts of the object.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"crack"}
 
 
extra {"crack"}
 
 
"There is a big crack in the side of the ice cube.  Maybe if you mess
 
"There is a big crack in the side of the ice cube.  Maybe if you mess
 
with the crack you will be able to open it or something."
 
with the crack you will be able to open it or something."
Line 6,711: Line 6,277:
 
"Its a big gold bed post don't you wish you could get this sucker off it
 
"Its a big gold bed post don't you wish you could get this sucker off it
 
would make you a rich adventurer indeed."
 
would make you a rich adventurer indeed."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You can also use the extras to give more detailed and vivid
 
You can also use the extras to give more detailed and vivid
Line 6,760: Line 6,326:
 
In the following example of an ice cube, 1n is the activator and
 
In the following example of an ice cube, 1n is the activator and
 
$2n is the unit in question.
 
$2n is the unit in question.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"$get_s"}
 
 
extra {"$get_s"}
 
 
"You pick up the $2N, it is very cold and begins to melt in your hands."
 
"You pick up the $2N, it is very cold and begins to melt in your hands."
  
Line 6,769: Line 6,333:
 
"$1n picks up the $2N, you notice that a drop of water hits the ground as
 
"$1n picks up the $2N, you notice that a drop of water hits the ground as
 
it begins to melt in $1s hand."
 
it begins to melt in $1s hand."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Finally you can use extras to store information for DIL programs.
 
Finally you can use extras to store information for DIL programs.
Line 6,824: Line 6,388:
 
position or just one or the other.  Some legal examples of combinations
 
position or just one or the other.  Some legal examples of combinations
 
are as follows:
 
are as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//An earring
 
 
//An earring
 
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR}
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR}
  
Line 6,835: Line 6,397:
 
//strange true but its legal an earring pack
 
//strange true but its legal an earring pack
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_ENTER, MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR}
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_ENTER, MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;flags
 
;flags
 
: This field on an object is used to set special attributes in order to make
 
: This field on an object is used to set special attributes in order to make
Line 6,899: Line 6,461:
 
If you wanted to make an object that a player can carry around but can
 
If you wanted to make an object that a player can carry around but can
 
not save you would set the manipulate and flags as follows.
 
not save you would set the manipulate and flags as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE}
 
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE}
 
 
flags {UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE}
 
flags {UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;type
 
;type
 
: This field is what you use to set the objects type.  The type
 
: This field is what you use to set the objects type.  The type
Line 7,018: Line 6,578:
 
on an object at a time.  The format for the 'type' field is simply the
 
on an object at a time.  The format for the 'type' field is simply the
 
keyword followed by the value as follows:
 
keyword followed by the value as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
type ITEM_BOARD
 
+
</nowiki>
type ITEM_BOARD
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;weight
 
;weight
 
: The weight is the weight of the object in pounds.  In the future we
 
: The weight is the weight of the object in pounds.  In the future we
Line 7,031: Line 6,589:
 
To use this you just enter the 'weight' keyword and then the
 
To use this you just enter the 'weight' keyword and then the
 
value.
 
value.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
/80 lbs.
 
 
/80 lbs.
 
 
weight 80
 
weight 80
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;capacity
 
;capacity
 
: This field sets the size of a container object.  If the object does not have the manipulate enter flag set then this field doesn't have to be set.  The capacity is currently by pounds since the weight of objects is set in pounds.  In the future we may take into account size and weight but right now it goes only by weight.  The following line of code would set an item to carry 600 pounds of stuff.
 
: This field sets the size of a container object.  If the object does not have the manipulate enter flag set then this field doesn't have to be set.  The capacity is currently by pounds since the weight of objects is set in pounds.  In the future we may take into account size and weight but right now it goes only by weight.  The following line of code would set an item to carry 600 pounds of stuff.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
capacity 600
 
+
</nowiki>
capacity 600
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;key
 
;key
 
: The key field sets the key name of the key that will open the item.  This field should be set to the symbolic name of the key that opens the item it is on.  If the item is in the same zone as the key then you do not need to put the zone extension on the key name.  The following are the three possible examples of using the key field.
 
: The key field sets the key name of the key that will open the item.  This field should be set to the symbolic name of the key that opens the item it is on.  If the item is in the same zone as the key then you do not need to put the zone extension on the key name.  The following are the three possible examples of using the key field.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//if object and key are in same zone.
 
 
//if object and key are in same zone.
 
 
key brasskey
 
key brasskey
  
Line 7,057: Line 6,609:
 
//if key and object are not in same zone
 
//if key and object are not in same zone
 
key brasskey@otherzonename
 
key brasskey@otherzonename
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Notice you can put the zone name on it if the key is in the same
 
Notice you can put the zone name on it if the key is in the same
Line 7,069: Line 6,621:
 
number but it would not be easy to understand.  For example 5 gold
 
number but it would not be easy to understand.  For example 5 gold
 
pieces would be something like:
 
pieces would be something like:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
money 25600
 
+
</nowiki>
money 25600
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
I am no more sure this will make five gold pieces than I was when
 
I am no more sure this will make five gold pieces than I was when
Line 7,080: Line 6,630:
 
easier to use the defined money types to set exactly what you want as
 
easier to use the defined money types to set exactly what you want as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
IRON_PIECE
 
 
IRON_PIECE
 
 
COPPER_PIECE
 
COPPER_PIECE
 
SILVER_PIECE
 
SILVER_PIECE
 
GOLD_PIECE
 
GOLD_PIECE
 
PLATINUM_PIECE
 
PLATINUM_PIECE
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now if we wanted to make an object costing five gold it would be as
 
Now if we wanted to make an object costing five gold it would be as
 
simple as this:
 
simple as this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
money 5*GOLD_PIECE
 
+
</nowiki>
money 5*GOLD_PIECE
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
the define method also gains you the ability to tell the VME what
 
the define method also gains you the ability to tell the VME what
 
amount of each coin you want on the NPC.  If you set it using a single
 
amount of each coin you want on the NPC.  If you set it using a single
Line 7,103: Line 6,649:
 
however you like.  So setting more than one coin is as simple as adding
 
however you like.  So setting more than one coin is as simple as adding
 
a comma between the first and second coin.
 
a comma between the first and second coin.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE
 
+
</nowiki>
money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;rent
 
;rent
 
: This field tells how much it costs you to keep an item while your
 
: This field tells how much it costs you to keep an item while your
Line 7,116: Line 6,660:
 
of the rent then what you set will be taken.  To set this field you do
 
of the rent then what you set will be taken.  To set this field you do
 
the same as you do with the cost field.
 
the same as you do with the cost field.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE
 
+
</nowiki>
money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;minv
 
;minv
 
: This field is the administrator invisible level of the object it is
 
: This field is the administrator invisible level of the object it is
Line 7,129: Line 6,671:
 
In order for the 'minv' to be removed an
 
In order for the 'minv' to be removed an
 
administrator or a DIL function must change it.
 
administrator or a DIL function must change it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
minv 239
 
+
</nowiki>
minv 239
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;alignment
 
;alignment
 
: The object alignment is not currently used.  It is an integer
 
: The object alignment is not currently used.  It is an integer
Line 7,140: Line 6,680:
 
wield an item.  The value is set by placing the 'alignment' keyword
 
wield an item.  The value is set by placing the 'alignment' keyword
 
first followed by the alignment desired from -1000 to +1000.
 
first followed by the alignment desired from -1000 to +1000.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
alignment -250
 
+
</nowiki>
alignment -250
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;open
 
;open
 
: The open field is used if you want to give your object the ability
 
: The open field is used if you want to give your object the ability
Line 7,173: Line 6,711:
 
and closes.  A coffin for example would have its flags set as
 
and closes.  A coffin for example would have its flags set as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE}
 
+
</nowiki>
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE}
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If you wanted to set an object that is locked and closed and
 
If you wanted to set an object that is locked and closed and
 
having a brass key that can open it, when it is loaded.  It would look as follows.
 
having a brass key that can open it, when it is loaded.  It would look as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED, EX_LOCKED}
 
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED, EX_LOCKED}
 
 
key brass_key
 
key brass_key
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
You would have to define the key in the object section as well and
 
You would have to define the key in the object section as well and
Line 7,196: Line 6,730:
 
fail almost all the time.  To set this field it would look as
 
fail almost all the time.  To set this field it would look as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//Spell resistance at 150%
//Spell resistance at 150%
 
 
spell 150
 
spell 150
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;value
 
;value
 
: The object values are used for just about any special item from
 
: The object values are used for just about any special item from
Line 7,212: Line 6,745:
 
If you find you need to set the values there are a total of five
 
If you find you need to set the values there are a total of five
 
of them and they can be set to any integer value as follows:
 
of them and they can be set to any integer value as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
value[0]  5
 
 
  value[0]  5
 
 
  value[1] 16
 
  value[1] 16
 
  value[2] -2
 
  value[2] -2
 
  value[3] -10
 
  value[3] -10
 
  value[4] 12
 
  value[4] 12
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;affect
 
;affect
 
: The affect field should not be set directly, instead you should
 
: The affect field should not be set directly, instead you should
Line 7,259: Line 6,790:
 
function requires.  The following is what you would find in the
 
function requires.  The following is what you would find in the
 
''function.zon'' for tuborgs.
 
''function.zon'' for tuborgs.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin tuborg(s:string);
 
 
dilbegin tuborg(s:string);
 
 
external
 
external
 
sub_drink_info@commands(d:unitptr);
 
sub_drink_info@commands(d:unitptr);
Line 7,319: Line 6,848:
 
}
 
}
 
dilend
 
dilend
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to
 
If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to
Line 7,327: Line 6,856:
 
that matter.  So if you wanted to make a tuborg in the game you would
 
that matter.  So if you wanted to make a tuborg in the game you would
 
just add this to your drink container.
 
just add this to your drink container.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy tuborg@function ("");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy tuborg@function ("");
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
All of the above listed DIL object functions are described in
 
All of the above listed DIL object functions are described in
Line 7,436: Line 6,963:
 
type all you need to do is pick from one of the following macros and
 
type all you need to do is pick from one of the following macros and
 
insert your numbers.
 
insert your numbers.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define WEAPONSZ_DEF(weapon_category, craftsmanship, magic_bonus, hgt)  \
 
 
#define WEAPONSZ_DEF(weapon_category, craftsmanship, magic_bonus, hgt)  \
 
 
  WEAPON_DEF(weapon_category, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)\
 
  WEAPON_DEF(weapon_category, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)\
 
  height hgt
 
  height hgt
Line 7,449: Line 6,974:
 
  value[1] craftsmanship      \
 
  value[1] craftsmanship      \
 
  value[2] magic_bonus
 
  value[2] magic_bonus
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As you can see the first macro uses the second macro so the only
 
As you can see the first macro uses the second macro so the only
Line 7,460: Line 6,985:
 
A  flail (two handed) of non-pure iron (-3%), a little better than
 
A  flail (two handed) of non-pure iron (-3%), a little better than
 
average craftsmanship (5%) and no magic bonuses would have:
 
average craftsmanship (5%) and no magic bonuses would have:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
WEAPON_DEF(WPN_FLAIL, +2, 0)
    WEAPON_DEF(WPN_FLAIL, +2, 0)
+
</nowiki>
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
A  rusty  (-5%) mean sacrificial dagger by a skilled smithy  (+5%)
 
A  rusty  (-5%) mean sacrificial dagger by a skilled smithy  (+5%)
 
and magically enchanted might be:
 
and magically enchanted might be:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}
 
 
    flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}
 
 
    WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 0, +5)
 
    WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 0, +5)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
An old shaky wooden stick made for a 400 cm tall person could
 
An old shaky wooden stick made for a 400 cm tall person could
 
    be:
 
    be:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
WEAPONSZ_DEF(WPN_CLUB, -5, 0,400)
 
+
</nowiki>
WEAPONSZ_DEF(WPN_CLUB, -5, 0,400)
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
A wooden bastard sword would have considerable less craftsmanship
 
A wooden bastard sword would have considerable less craftsmanship
Line 7,486: Line 7,006:
 
non-sense to apply better than average craftsmanship in this
 
non-sense to apply better than average craftsmanship in this
 
case.
 
case.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
WEAPON_DEF(WPN_BROAD_SWORD, -15, 0)
 
+
</nowiki>
    WEAPON_DEF(WPN_BROAD_SWORD, -15, 0)
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
==== Setting armour fields ====
 
==== Setting armour fields ====
  
Line 7,507: Line 7,025:
 
The armours macros are almost the same as the weapons macro it looks
 
The armours macros are almost the same as the weapons macro it looks
 
as follows.
 
as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define ARMOUR_DEF(atype, craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \
 
 
#define ARMOUR_DEF(atype, craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \
 
 
  manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} \
 
  manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} \
 
  type ITEM_ARMOR              \
 
  type ITEM_ARMOR              \
Line 7,520: Line 7,036:
 
  ARMOUR_DEF(atype,craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \
 
  ARMOUR_DEF(atype,craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \
 
  height hgt
 
  height hgt
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The craftsmanship and magical modifier fields have already been
 
The craftsmanship and magical modifier fields have already been
Line 7,542: Line 7,058:
 
it.  The rest will be covered in <xref linkend="objarmour"> For now an
 
it.  The rest will be covered in <xref linkend="objarmour"> For now an
 
example use of the armour define would be as follows:
 
example use of the armour define would be as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}
 
 
flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}
 
 
ARMOR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,+15,+5)
 
ARMOR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,+15,+5)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Setting shield fields ====
 
==== Setting shield fields ====
  
 
We have tried to keep the interface of making armours, weapons, and shields the same.  If you have already looked through the defines for weapons and armours you will find that there is very little difference here.  The following is the define for the macro that sets the shield values.
 
We have tried to keep the interface of making armours, weapons, and shields the same.  If you have already looked through the defines for weapons and armours you will find that there is very little difference here.  The following is the define for the macro that sets the shield values.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define SHIELD_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)  \
 
 
#define SHIELD_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)  \
 
 
  manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_SHIELD} \
 
  manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_SHIELD} \
 
  type ITEM_SHIELD            \
 
  type ITEM_SHIELD            \
Line 7,564: Line 7,076:
 
  SHIELD_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)\
 
  SHIELD_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)\
 
  height hgt
 
  height hgt
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
  You have already seen the craftsmanship and magical modifiers
 
  You have already seen the craftsmanship and magical modifiers
Line 7,582: Line 7,094:
  
 
A small magical wooden shield could be assigned:
 
A small magical wooden shield could be assigned:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}
 
 
    flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}
 
 
    SHIELD_DEF(SHIELD_SMALL, 0, +5)
 
    SHIELD_DEF(SHIELD_SMALL, 0, +5)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Setting material types ====
 
==== Setting material types ====
  
Line 7,598: Line 7,108:
 
you would find in ''wmacros.h'' of in the VME 2.0
 
you would find in ''wmacros.h'' of in the VME 2.0
 
release.
 
release.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define MATERIAL_WOOD(DESCR)    extra {"$material", "$mat_wood"} DESCR
 
 
#define MATERIAL_WOOD(DESCR)    extra {"$material", "$mat_wood"} DESCR
 
 
#define MATERIAL_METAL(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_metal"} DESCR
 
#define MATERIAL_METAL(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_metal"} DESCR
 
#define MATERIAL_STONE(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_stone"} DESCR
 
#define MATERIAL_STONE(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_stone"} DESCR
Line 7,613: Line 7,121:
 
#define MATERIAL_EARTH(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_earth"} DESCR
 
#define MATERIAL_EARTH(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_earth"} DESCR
 
#define MATERIAL_MAGIC(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_magic"} DESCR
 
#define MATERIAL_MAGIC(DESCR)  extra {"$material", "$mat_magic"} DESCR
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
Therefore if you had a wooden staff you could add the following to
 
Therefore if you had a wooden staff you could add the following to
 
your weapon so spells would know what it was made out of.
 
your weapon so spells would know what it was made out of.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
MATERIAL_WOOD("a hard oak")
 
+
</nowiki>
MATERIAL_WOOD("a hard oak")
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
==== Drink container macros ====
 
==== Drink container macros ====
  
Line 7,631: Line 7,137:
 
''liquid.h'' for a full listing see
 
''liquid.h'' for a full listing see
 
<xref linkend="app-e">.
 
<xref linkend="app-e">.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define LIQ_WATER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
 
#define LIQ_WATER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
 
LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,10,1,0,POISON)
 
LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,10,1,0,POISON)
 
#define LIQ_BEER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
#define LIQ_BEER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
Line 7,642: Line 7,146:
 
#define LIQ_COFFEE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
#define LIQ_COFFEE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
LIQ_DEF("black", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 6, 1, 0,POISON)
 
LIQ_DEF("black", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 6, 1, 0,POISON)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
To use these macros the arguments are pretty simple.
 
To use these macros the arguments are pretty simple.
Line 7,681: Line 7,185:
 
So if you wanted to make a simple small glass of water you would
 
So if you wanted to make a simple small glass of water you would
 
use the water macro and it would look like this:
 
use the water macro and it would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
LIQ_WATER(1,2,2,0)
 
+
</nowiki>
LIQ_WATER(1,2,2,0)
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
You are probably wondering what it takes to fill a player from
 
You are probably wondering what it takes to fill a player from
Line 7,702: Line 7,204:
 
                          have to make one yourself or use the more
 
                          have to make one yourself or use the more
 
                          complex macro.
 
                          complex macro.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define LIQ_DEF(color, wgt, max_cap, inside,thirst,full,drunk,poison) \
 
 
#define LIQ_DEF(color, wgt, max_cap, inside,thirst,full,drunk,poison) \
 
 
  type ITEM_DRINKCON          \
 
  type ITEM_DRINKCON          \
 
  weight (wgt)+(inside) \
 
  weight (wgt)+(inside) \
Line 7,715: Line 7,215:
 
  extra {"$drink_full"} #full \
 
  extra {"$drink_full"} #full \
 
  extra {"$drink_drunk"} #drunk
 
  extra {"$drink_drunk"} #drunk
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As you can see this define has much more information you need to
 
As you can see this define has much more information you need to
Line 7,785: Line 7,285:
 
show what it would look like using the hard macro then what the new
 
show what it would look like using the hard macro then what the new
 
easy macro that you could create would look like.
 
easy macro that you could create would look like.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
LIQ_DEF("blue",5,10,10,5,1,0,0)
 
+
</nowiki>
LIQ_DEF("blue",5,10,10,5,1,0,0)
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Now if you want to make this a liquid your going to use a lot
 
Now if you want to make this a liquid your going to use a lot
 
you would define your own easier macro like this.
 
you would define your own easier macro like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define LIQ_SILICONE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
 
#define LIQ_SILICONE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
 
LIQ_DEF("blue", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,1,0,POISON)
 
LIQ_DEF("blue", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,1,0,POISON)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
That covers the use of the macros but for more information on the
 
That covers the use of the macros but for more information on the
Line 7,812: Line 7,308:
 
amount of fullness and the poison factor if there is any.  The following
 
amount of fullness and the poison factor if there is any.  The following
 
is what the define for food looks like.
 
is what the define for food looks like.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define FOOD_DEF(food_amount, poison_factor)  \
 
 
#define FOOD_DEF(food_amount, poison_factor)  \
 
 
  type ITEM_FOOD        \
 
  type ITEM_FOOD        \
 
  value[0] food_amount  \
 
  value[0] food_amount  \
 
  value[3] poison_factor
 
  value[3] poison_factor
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
  Therefore if you wanted to make sure that only one of your
 
  Therefore if you wanted to make sure that only one of your
 
foods that you were creating would fill a player entirely in one bite
 
foods that you were creating would fill a player entirely in one bite
 
you would set it like this:
 
you would set it like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
FOOD_DEF(50,0)
 
+
</nowiki>
FOOD_DEF(50,0)
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
It is recommended that you only set the value between 1 and 10 so
 
It is recommended that you only set the value between 1 and 10 so
Line 7,838: Line 7,330:
 
duration and brightness of light.  The macro is defined as
 
duration and brightness of light.  The macro is defined as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define LIGHT_DEF(hours, how_bright)  \
 
 
#define LIGHT_DEF(hours, how_bright)  \
 
 
  type ITEM_LIGHT    \
 
  type ITEM_LIGHT    \
 
  value[0] hours      \
 
  value[0] hours      \
 
  value[1] how_bright
 
  value[1] how_bright
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The first argument is the duration in mud hours which is about 5
 
The first argument is the duration in mud hours which is about 5
Line 7,862: Line 7,352:
 
that has a capacity of 230 to fit the corpse in it.  The following is
 
that has a capacity of 230 to fit the corpse in it.  The following is
 
the macros definition as found in ''wmacros.h'':
 
the macros definition as found in ''wmacros.h'':
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define CONTAINER_DEF(max_capacity)  \
 
 
#define CONTAINER_DEF(max_capacity)  \
 
 
  type ITEM_CONTAINER              \
 
  type ITEM_CONTAINER              \
 
  capacity max_capacity
 
  capacity max_capacity
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you wanted to create a coffin that could carry any normal human
 
If you wanted to create a coffin that could carry any normal human
 
  corpse you could set it something like this:
 
  corpse you could set it something like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
container_def(300)
 
+
</nowiki>
container_def(300)
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
==== Money macro ====
 
==== Money macro ====
  
Line 7,882: Line 7,368:
 
server.  With this macro all you need is the symbolic before the macro
 
server.  With this macro all you need is the symbolic before the macro
 
and the end keyword after the macro and you have 1 piece of money or a whole pile.  The macro is defined in the ''wmacros.h'' and looks exactly as follows:
 
and the end keyword after the macro and you have 1 piece of money or a whole pile.  The macro is defined in the ''wmacros.h'' and looks exactly as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define MONEY(coin_type, coins) \
 
 
#define MONEY(coin_type, coins) \
 
 
  type ITEM_MONEY \
 
  type ITEM_MONEY \
 
  manipulate MANIPULATE_TAKE \
 
  manipulate MANIPULATE_TAKE \
 
  title coin_type \
 
  title coin_type \
 
  value[0] coins
 
  value[0] coins
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
  The arguments are simple the first argument is the type of money the five possible values are:
 
  The arguments are simple the first argument is the type of money the five possible values are:
Line 7,901: Line 7,385:
 
zero then it will still make exactly 1 of the coins.  The following
 
zero then it will still make exactly 1 of the coins.  The following
 
would be what one platinum piece would be like in a zone file.
 
would be what one platinum piece would be like in a zone file.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
platinum_piece
 
 
platinum_piece
 
  
 
MONEY(PLATINUM_PIECE, 0)
 
MONEY(PLATINUM_PIECE, 0)
Line 7,910: Line 7,392:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now if you want to make a whole pile of money it would look like this:
 
Now if you want to make a whole pile of money it would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
platinum_pile
 
 
platinum_pile
 
  
 
MONEY(PLATINUM_PIECE, 80)
 
MONEY(PLATINUM_PIECE, 80)
Line 7,924: Line 7,404:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Cursed objects macro ====
 
==== Cursed objects macro ====
  
Line 7,931: Line 7,411:
 
this is a simple thing.  The cursed object macro is defined in
 
this is a simple thing.  The cursed object macro is defined in
 
''wmacros.h'' and looks as follows:
 
''wmacros.h'' and looks as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define CURSED_OBJECT \
 
 
#define CURSED_OBJECT \
 
 
affect \
 
affect \
 
  id ID_CURSE \
 
  id ID_CURSE \
Line 7,943: Line 7,421:
 
  applyf APF_MOD_OBJ_FLAGS \
 
  applyf APF_MOD_OBJ_FLAGS \
 
  data[0] OBJ_NO_UNEQUIP;
 
  data[0] OBJ_NO_UNEQUIP;
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
      to use this macro it is simply a matter of putting the define
 
      to use this macro it is simply a matter of putting the define
 
in your object like this:
 
in your object like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
CURSED_OBJECT
 
+
</nowiki>
CURSED_OBJECT
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
When you set this macro on an object it adds an affect that can
 
When you set this macro on an object it adds an affect that can
Line 7,964: Line 7,440:
 
used once.  The following are the macros
 
used once.  The following are the macros
 
for all four as found in ''wmacros.h''.
 
for all four as found in ''wmacros.h''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define POTION_DEF(power,spell1,spell2,spell3)  \
 
 
#define POTION_DEF(power,spell1,spell2,spell3)  \
 
 
  manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD} \
 
  manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD} \
 
  flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \
 
  flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \
Line 8,008: Line 7,482:
 
  value[3] spell2  \
 
  value[3] spell2  \
 
  value[4] charge  /* The max charge */
 
  value[4] charge  /* The max charge */
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The arguments are as follows for the macros.
 
The arguments are as follows for the macros.
Line 8,087: Line 7,561:
 
list of the objects by symbolic name for example if you type <command>
 
list of the objects by symbolic name for example if you type <command>
 
wstat zone dragon objects</command> You will get the following:
 
wstat zone dragon objects</command> You will get the following:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
List of objects in zone Dragon:
 
 
List of objects in zone Dragon:
 
 
claw info_board dragon_head
 
claw info_board dragon_head
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
If you didn't make it clear what the object was by the symbolic name
 
If you didn't make it clear what the object was by the symbolic name
 
it might look like this:
 
it might look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
List of objects in zone Dragon:
 
 
List of objects in zone Dragon:
 
 
obj1 a_obj2 o3
 
obj1 a_obj2 o3
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to
 
While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to
 
remember each object if you have over 30 of them.
 
remember each object if you have over 30 of them.
Line 8,107: Line 7,577:
 
npcs all that is required to make an object is the symbolic and end fields.
 
npcs all that is required to make an object is the symbolic and end fields.
 
That of course will make a NPC with all defaults.
 
That of course will make a NPC with all defaults.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dragon_head
 
 
dragon_head
 
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Thats it for that dragon head right?  Nope not quite, like before
 
Thats it for that dragon head right?  Nope not quite, like before
Line 8,131: Line 7,599:
 
the object up or wear it will be easy to figure out what the names
 
the object up or wear it will be easy to figure out what the names
 
are.
 
are.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dragon_head
 
 
dragon_head
 
  
 
title "a gold dragon head"
 
title "a gold dragon head"
Line 8,145: Line 7,611:
 
...
 
...
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The names, title and description shouldn't be to hard so I don't
 
The names, title and description shouldn't be to hard so I don't
Line 8,155: Line 7,621:
 
names list of the object.  So a description of an object would look something
 
names list of the object.  So a description of an object would look something
 
like this.
 
like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {}
 
 
extra {}
 
 
"The head is large and beautiful, at least as beautiful as a dead
 
"The head is large and beautiful, at least as beautiful as a dead
 
dragon head can be.  There is an extreme look of sorrow on the dragons
 
dragon head can be.  There is an extreme look of sorrow on the dragons
 
face and it seems to be for much more than its own death."
 
face and it seems to be for much more than its own death."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now that you have a main description for the object you need to make
 
Now that you have a main description for the object you need to make
Line 8,168: Line 7,632:
 
In this case it may be good to give some secret information if the
 
In this case it may be good to give some secret information if the
 
player looks at the face of the head directly.
 
player looks at the face of the head directly.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"gold dragon head face","dragon head face","head face","face"}
 
 
extra {"gold dragon head face","dragon head face","head face","face"}
 
 
"Looking into the dragons face your eyes are drawn to the eyes of the
 
"Looking into the dragons face your eyes are drawn to the eyes of the
 
dead dragon.  Could there be something there?"
 
dead dragon.  Could there be something there?"
Line 8,178: Line 7,640:
 
"A world of blue skies and no storms is visible through the eyes and it
 
"A world of blue skies and no storms is visible through the eyes and it
 
seems to be moving as if you were watching the world from space."
 
seems to be moving as if you were watching the world from space."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now that we have the object all described we only need to give the
 
Now that we have the object all described we only need to give the
Line 8,189: Line 7,651:
 
player really needs to be able to do with it is pick it up and maybe
 
player really needs to be able to do with it is pick it up and maybe
 
hold it if you want and I do.  The flags would then be as follows:
 
hold it if you want and I do.  The flags would then be as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE,MANIPULATE_HOLD}
 
+
</nowiki>
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE,MANIPULATE_HOLD}
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If you were feeling a little weird you could even make the
 
If you were feeling a little weird you could even make the
Line 8,204: Line 7,664:
 
standardize to one or the other but for now we have to play the
 
standardize to one or the other but for now we have to play the
 
conversion game.
 
conversion game.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//20 feet  (1 inch = 2.54 cm
 
 
//20 feet  (1 inch = 2.54 cm
 
 
height 33
 
height 33
  
 
//566 KG (1 lb. = .45359 kg)
 
//566 KG (1 lb. = .45359 kg)
 
weight 50
 
weight 50
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The final touch to our little dragon head is some cute acts
 
The final touch to our little dragon head is some cute acts
Line 8,218: Line 7,676:
 
fields in <xref linkend="objfielddescr">, there are some special extras
 
fields in <xref linkend="objfielddescr">, there are some special extras
 
that are made just for this purpose.
 
that are made just for this purpose.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
extra {"$get_s"}
 
 
extra {"$get_s"}
 
 
"You suddenly feel very sad for a world that you don't even know."
 
"You suddenly feel very sad for a world that you don't even know."
  
Line 8,232: Line 7,688:
 
extra {"drop_o"}
 
extra {"drop_o"}
 
"$1n seems to cheer up a bit."
 
"$1n seems to cheer up a bit."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
There are other things we could add to this item but I want to
 
There are other things we could add to this item but I want to
 
keep this first object simple.  The finished head would then look like
 
keep this first object simple.  The finished head would then look like
 
this:
 
this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dragon_head
 
 
dragon_head
 
  
 
title "a gold dragon head"
 
title "a gold dragon head"
Line 8,281: Line 7,735:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Thats all there is to making regular items.  The rest is just
 
Thats all there is to making regular items.  The rest is just
Line 8,297: Line 7,751:
 
'%objects' section.  The following is what the zone looks like when it
 
'%objects' section.  The following is what the zone looks like when it
 
has only one object in it.
 
has only one object in it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
%zone dragonst
 
%zone dragonst
 
lifespan 20
 
lifespan 20
Line 8,360: Line 7,812:
  
 
%end
 
%end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
I removed the '%rooms' and '%mobiles' sections added a '%objects' section and
 
I removed the '%rooms' and '%mobiles' sections added a '%objects' section and
Line 8,375: Line 7,827:
 
Here is what we get when we first try and
 
Here is what we get when we first try and
 
compile the zone.
 
compile the zone.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
&lt;debug_obj.zon&gt; @ 65: EOF in string
 
&lt;debug_obj.zon&gt; @ 65: EOF in string
Line 8,386: Line 7,836:
 
  Token: 'golden'
 
  Token: 'golden'
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_obj.zon'.
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_obj.zon'.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
This error file doesn't look any harder than the last one we dealt
 
This error file doesn't look any harder than the last one we dealt
Line 8,395: Line 7,845:
 
the compiler got confused because I forgot 's' at the end of 'creators'.
 
the compiler got confused because I forgot 's' at the end of 'creators'.
 
If we fix line five and recompile this is what we get:
 
If we fix line five and recompile this is what we get:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
&lt;debug_obj.zon&gt; @ 65: EOF in string
 
&lt;debug_obj.zon&gt; @ 65: EOF in string
Line 8,404: Line 7,852:
 
  Token: 'golden'
 
  Token: 'golden'
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_obj.zon'.
 
Grave errors in file 'debug_obj.zon'.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now we have come to another one of those weird errors.  If you
 
Now we have come to another one of those weird errors.  If you
Line 8,415: Line 7,863:
 
just before the ending comma on line 24 and recompile you will get the
 
just before the ending comma on line 24 and recompile you will get the
 
following:
 
following:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
debug_obj.zon: 42: parse error
 
debug_obj.zon: 42: parse error
 
  Token: ','
 
  Token: ','
 
Compilation aborted.
 
Compilation aborted.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
This error is a little tricky.  It seems to be pointing at the ','
 
This error is a little tricky.  It seems to be pointing at the ','
Line 8,432: Line 7,878:
 
symbols.  Fixing these and recompiling results in the following message
 
symbols.  Fixing these and recompiling results in the following message
 
from the compiler.
 
from the compiler.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May  9 2001]
 
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
Compiling 'debug_obj.zon'
 
VMC Done.
 
VMC Done.
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means that
 
Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means that
Line 8,487: Line 7,931:
 
of the restrict and the first argument changes.  The format for the
 
of the restrict and the first argument changes.  The format for the
 
restrict functions is as follows.
 
restrict functions is as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy &lt;function name&gt; (arg 1, &lt;max damage&gt;,
 
 
dilcopy &lt;function name&gt; (arg 1, &lt;max damage&gt;,
 
 
    &lt;percentage&gt;,&lt;Optional DIL&gt;);
 
    &lt;percentage&gt;,&lt;Optional DIL&gt;);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
We will skip the function name and the first argument and get back
 
We will skip the function name and the first argument and get back
Line 8,554: Line 7,996:
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin guild_restrict
 
 
dilbegin guild_restrict
 
 
(guilds:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(guilds:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist.  This
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist.  This
Line 8,566: Line 8,006:
 
an item that only Paladins and sorcerers could wear it would look like
 
an item that only Paladins and sorcerers could wear it would look like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy guild_restrict@function ({"Midgaard Paladin",
 
 
dilcopy guild_restrict@function ({"Midgaard Paladin",
 
 
                        "Midgaard Sorcerer"},0,25,"");
 
                        "Midgaard Sorcerer"},0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Anti-guild Restrict
 
;Anti-guild Restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players not in a certain
 
: This function restricts an object to players not in a certain
Line 8,579: Line 8,017:
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin anti_guild_restrict
 
 
dilbegin anti_guild_restrict
 
 
(guilds:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(guilds:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist.  This
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist.  This
Line 8,591: Line 8,027:
 
an item that only Paladins and sorcerers could not wear it would look like
 
an item that only Paladins and sorcerers could not wear it would look like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy anti_guild_restrict@function ({"Midgaard Paladin",
 
 
dilcopy anti_guild_restrict@function ({"Midgaard Paladin",
 
 
                              "Midgaard Sorcerer"},0,25,"");
 
                              "Midgaard Sorcerer"},0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Quest Restrict
 
;Quest Restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players who have done a
 
: This function restricts an object to players who have done a
Line 8,605: Line 8,039:
 
the definition of the DIL as found in
 
the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin quest_restrict
 
 
dilbegin quest_restrict
 
 
(qst:string,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(qst:string,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a string.  The
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a string.  The
Line 8,617: Line 8,049:
 
another dilcopy to it.  The following Would be an object
 
another dilcopy to it.  The following Would be an object
 
restricted to one quest.
 
restricted to one quest.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy quest_restrict@function ("Eagles quest complete",0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy quest_restrict@function ("Eagles quest complete",0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Quests Restrict
 
;Quests Restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players who have a certain
 
: This function restricts an object to players who have a certain
Line 8,629: Line 8,059:
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin quests_restrict
 
 
dilbegin quests_restrict
 
 
(qsts:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(qsts:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist.  This
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist.  This
Line 8,642: Line 8,070:
 
the 'Eagles quest complete' and the 'Feather fall quest complete' could
 
the 'Eagles quest complete' and the 'Feather fall quest complete' could
 
wear.  It would look like this.
 
wear.  It would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy quests_restrict@function ({"Eagles quest complete",
 
 
dilcopy quests_restrict@function ({"Eagles quest complete",
 
 
                          "Feather fall quest complete"},0,25,"");
 
                          "Feather fall quest complete"},0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Alignment Restrict
 
;Alignment Restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players with a certain
 
: This function restricts an object to players with a certain
Line 8,662: Line 8,088:
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin ali_restrict
 
 
dilbegin ali_restrict
 
 
(max:integer,min:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(max:integer,min:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
Line 8,673: Line 8,097:
 
object and the second is the minimum alignment.  So if we wanted to
 
object and the second is the minimum alignment.  So if we wanted to
 
restrict an item to only good players it would look like this.
 
restrict an item to only good players it would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy ali_restrict@function (1000,350,0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy ali_restrict@function (1000,350,0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Level restrict
 
;Level restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players above or equal to
 
: This function restricts an object to players above or equal to
Line 8,690: Line 8,112:
 
than level fifty for players you need to use the 'vlevel' restrict.  The
 
than level fifty for players you need to use the 'vlevel' restrict.  The
 
following is the definition of the DIL as found in ''function.zon''.
 
following is the definition of the DIL as found in ''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin level_restrict
 
 
dilbegin level_restrict
 
 
(lvl:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(lvl:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
Line 8,701: Line 8,121:
 
wanted to make an object that only administrator could wear or use it would
 
wanted to make an object that only administrator could wear or use it would
 
look like this
 
look like this
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy level_restrict@function (51, 0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy level_restrict@function (51, 0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Virtual Level Restrict
 
;Virtual Level Restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players above or equal to
 
: This function restricts an object to players above or equal to
Line 8,714: Line 8,132:
 
the new level system from one to infinity.
 
the new level system from one to infinity.
 
The following is the definition of the DIL as found in ''function.zon''.
 
The following is the definition of the DIL as found in ''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin vlevel_restrict
 
 
dilbegin vlevel_restrict
 
 
(lvl:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(lvl:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
Line 8,725: Line 8,141:
 
wanted to make an object that only players that have reached the level
 
wanted to make an object that only players that have reached the level
 
of 5000 could wear or use, it would look like this.
 
of 5000 could wear or use, it would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy vlevel_restrict@function (5000, 0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy vlevel_restrict@function (5000, 0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Race restrict
 
;Race restrict
 
: This function restricts an object from players of a certain
 
: This function restricts an object from players of a certain
Line 8,737: Line 8,151:
 
in their inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found
 
in their inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found
 
in ''function.zon''.
 
in ''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin race_restrict
 
 
dilbegin race_restrict
 
 
(rc:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(rc:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
Line 8,750: Line 8,162:
 
races in ''values.h''.  If we wanted to restrict an
 
races in ''values.h''.  If we wanted to restrict an
 
object from humans the following is what it would look like.
 
object from humans the following is what it would look like.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy race_restrict@function (RACE_HUMAN,0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy race_restrict@function (RACE_HUMAN,0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Gender restrict
 
;Gender restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players of a certain
 
: This function restricts an object to players of a certain
Line 8,762: Line 8,172:
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
inventory.  The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin sex_restrict
 
 
dilbegin sex_restrict
 
 
(sx:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(sx:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer.  The
 
integer you should pass in is one of the defines from
 
integer you should pass in is one of the defines from
 
''vme.h''.  The gender defines are as follows.
 
''vme.h''.  The gender defines are as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define SEX_NEUTRAL  0
 
 
#define SEX_NEUTRAL  0
 
 
#define SEX_MALE      1
 
#define SEX_MALE      1
 
#define SEX_FEMALE    2
 
#define SEX_FEMALE    2
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If we wanted to make an item that could only be worn by a female
 
If we wanted to make an item that could only be worn by a female
 
player, it would look like this.
 
player, it would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy sex_restrict (SEX_FEMALE,0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy sex_restrict (SEX_FEMALE,0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Player restrict
 
;Player restrict
 
: This function restricts an object to players who have a
 
: This function restricts an object to players who have a
Line 8,794: Line 8,198:
 
the definition of the DIL as found in
 
the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin ply_restrict
 
 
dilbegin ply_restrict
 
 
(pname:string,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(pname:string,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a string.  The
 
As the definition indicates the first argument is a string.  The
Line 8,811: Line 8,213:
 
player at compile time of your zone it would look something like
 
player at compile time of your zone it would look something like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy ply_restrict@function ("Whistler",0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy ply_restrict@function ("Whistler",0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
;Ability restrict
 
;Ability restrict
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
Line 8,830: Line 8,230:
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin abi_restrict
 
 
dilbegin abi_restrict
 
 
(abi:integer,min_abi:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(abi:integer,min_abi:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
Line 8,842: Line 8,240:
 
item.  the ability types can be found in ''vme.h'' and
 
item.  the ability types can be found in ''vme.h'' and
 
are listed here for convenience.
 
are listed here for convenience.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define ABIL_MAG              0
 
 
#define ABIL_MAG              0
 
 
#define ABIL_DIV              1
 
#define ABIL_DIV              1
 
#define ABIL_STR              2
 
#define ABIL_STR              2
Line 8,853: Line 8,249:
 
#define ABIL_BRA              6
 
#define ABIL_BRA              6
 
#define ABIL_HP                7
 
#define ABIL_HP                7
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
strength it would look like this:
 
strength it would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_STR,50,0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_STR,50,0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one ability you
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one ability you
Line 8,867: Line 8,261:
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
divine and 30% brain.  The item would have these two lines.
 
divine and 30% brain.  The item would have these two lines.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DIV,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DIV,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_BRA,30,0,25,"");
 
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_BRA,30,0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Skill restrict
 
;Skill restrict
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
Line 8,887: Line 8,279:
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin ski_restrict
 
 
dilbegin ski_restrict
 
 
(ski:integer,min_ski:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(ski:integer,min_ski:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
Line 8,900: Line 8,290:
 
''values.h''. We have also included the first five skills
 
''values.h''. We have also included the first five skills
 
here for convenience in explaining how the function works.
 
here for convenience in explaining how the function works.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define SKI_TURN_UNDEAD        0
 
 
#define SKI_TURN_UNDEAD        0
 
 
#define SKI_SCROLL_USE        1
 
#define SKI_SCROLL_USE        1
 
#define SKI_WAND_USE          2
 
#define SKI_WAND_USE          2
 
#define SKI_CONSIDER          3
 
#define SKI_CONSIDER          3
 
#define SKI_DIAGNOSTICS        4
 
#define SKI_DIAGNOSTICS        4
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
'turn undead' it would look like this:
 
'turn undead' it would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy ski_restrict@function (ASKI_TURN_UNDEAD,50,0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy ski_restrict@function (ASKI_TURN_UNDEAD,50,0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one skill you
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one skill you
Line 8,922: Line 8,308:
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
in 'turn undead' and 30% in 'scroll use'.  The item would have these two lines.
 
in 'turn undead' and 30% in 'scroll use'.  The item would have these two lines.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy ski_restrict@function (SKI_TURN_UNDEAD,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy ski_restrict@function (SKI_TURN_UNDEAD,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy ski_restrict@function (SKI_SCROLL_USE,30,0,25,"");
 
dilcopy ski_restrict@function (SKI_SCROLL_USE,30,0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Spell restrict
 
;Spell restrict
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
Line 8,942: Line 8,326:
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin sp_restrict
 
 
dilbegin sp_restrict
 
 
(spl:integer,min_sp:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(spl:integer,min_sp:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
Line 8,955: Line 8,337:
 
''values.h''. We have also included the first five
 
''values.h''. We have also included the first five
 
spells here for convenience in explaining how the function works.
 
spells here for convenience in explaining how the function works.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define SPL_LOCK              52
 
 
#define SPL_LOCK              52
 
 
#define SPL_UNLOCK            53
 
#define SPL_UNLOCK            53
 
#define SPL_DROWSE            54
 
#define SPL_DROWSE            54
 
#define SPL_SLOW              55
 
#define SPL_SLOW              55
 
#define SPL_DUST_DEVIL        56
 
#define SPL_DUST_DEVIL        56
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
'lock' spell, it would look like this:
 
'lock' spell, it would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy sp_restrict@function (ASPL_LOCK,50,0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy sp_restrict@function (ASPL_LOCK,50,0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one spell you
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one spell you
Line 8,977: Line 8,355:
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
in 'lock' and 30% in 'unlock' spells.  The item would have these two lines.
 
in 'lock' and 30% in 'unlock' spells.  The item would have these two lines.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy sp_restrict@function (SPL_LOCK,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy sp_restrict@function (SPL_LOCK,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy SPL_restrict@function (SPL_LOCK,30,0,25,"");
 
dilcopy SPL_restrict@function (SPL_LOCK,30,0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;Weapon restrict
 
;Weapon restrict
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
 
: This function restricts an object from a player with less than
Line 8,997: Line 8,373:
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in
 
''function.zon''.
 
''function.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin weap_restrict
 
 
dilbegin weap_restrict
 
 
(wpn:integer,min_wpn:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
 
(wpn:integer,min_wpn:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
 
As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two
Line 9,010: Line 8,384:
 
''values.h''. We have also included the first five
 
''values.h''. We have also included the first five
 
weapons here for convenience in explaining how the function works.
 
weapons here for convenience in explaining how the function works.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define WPN_BATTLE_AXE    7  /* Two Handed */
 
 
#define WPN_BATTLE_AXE    7  /* Two Handed */
 
 
#define WPN_HAND_AXE      8
 
#define WPN_HAND_AXE      8
 
#define WPN_WAR_MATTOCK  9  /* Two Handed */
 
#define WPN_WAR_MATTOCK  9  /* Two Handed */
 
#define WPN_WAR_HAMMER  10
 
#define WPN_WAR_HAMMER  10
 
#define WPN_GREAT_SWORD  11  /* Two Handed */
 
#define WPN_GREAT_SWORD  11  /* Two Handed */
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50%
 
'battle axe', it would look like this:
 
'battle axe', it would look like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_BATTLE_AXE,50,0,25,"");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_BATTLE_AXE,50,0,25,"");
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one weapon you
 
If you want to restrict an object to more than one weapon you
Line 9,032: Line 8,402:
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50%
 
in 'hand axe' and 30% in 'battle axe' spells.  The item would have these two lines.
 
in 'hand axe' and 30% in 'battle axe' spells.  The item would have these two lines.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_HAND_AXE,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_HAND_AXE,50,0,25,"");
 
 
dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_BATTLE_AXE,30,0,25,"");
 
dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_BATTLE_AXE,30,0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
==== Tuborg function ====
 
==== Tuborg function ====
Line 9,045: Line 8,413:
 
endurance and health when drank.  The function is defined in
 
endurance and health when drank.  The function is defined in
 
''function.zon'' as follows:
 
''function.zon'' as follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin tuborg (s:string);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilbegin tuborg (s:string);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
As the definition indicates the tuborg function only has one
 
As the definition indicates the tuborg function only has one
Line 9,060: Line 8,426:
 
To create a tuborg you just add the following line to your drink
 
To create a tuborg you just add the following line to your drink
 
container.
 
container.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy tuborg@function ("");
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy tuborg@function ("");
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
==== Message board ====
 
==== Message board ====
  
Line 9,072: Line 8,436:
 
all you want them to do.  The board function is defined in
 
all you want them to do.  The board function is defined in
 
''boards.zon'' as follows.
 
''boards.zon'' as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilbegin board
 
 
dilbegin board
 
 
(idxfile:string,l_res:string,r_res:string,p_res:string,bmax:integer);
 
(idxfile:string,l_res:string,r_res:string,p_res:string,bmax:integer);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
This looks pretty hard I know but to make a normal board we have
 
This looks pretty hard I know but to make a normal board we have
Line 9,096: Line 8,458:
 
some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the
 
some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the
 
''boards.zon''.
 
''boards.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//used to restrict players access to a board
 
 
//used to restrict players access to a board
 
 
dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr);
 
dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr);
  
 
//used to restrict non-admin from removing posts
 
//used to restrict non-admin from removing posts
 
dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);
 
dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
So with the 'admin_res' you could do something like
 
So with the 'admin_res' you could do something like
 
this:
 
this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy board@boards ("wizbrd","admin_res@boards"...);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy board@boards ("wizbrd","admin_res@boards"...);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Putting the 'admin_res' function in the second argument would make
 
Putting the 'admin_res' function in the second argument would make
Line 9,123: Line 8,481:
 
some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the
 
some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the
 
''boards.zon''
 
''boards.zon''
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//used to restrict players access to a board
 
 
//used to restrict players access to a board
 
 
dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr);
 
dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr);
  
 
//used to restrict non-admin from removing posts
 
//used to restrict non-admin from removing posts
 
dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);
 
dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
So with the 'rem_res' you could do something like
 
So with the 'rem_res' you could do something like
 
this:
 
this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy board@boards ("citizen","","rem_res@boards",...);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy board@boards ("citizen","","rem_res@boards",...);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
With the 'rem_res' in the third argument only administrators can
 
With the 'rem_res' in the third argument only administrators can
Line 9,150: Line 8,504:
 
some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the
 
some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the
 
''boards.zon''.
 
''boards.zon''.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//used to restrict players access to a board
 
 
//used to restrict players access to a board
 
 
dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr);
 
dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr);
  
 
//used to restrict non-admin from removing posts
 
//used to restrict non-admin from removing posts
 
dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);
 
dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
As you can see we haven't made a post restriction DIL because as of
 
As you can see we haven't made a post restriction DIL because as of
Line 9,165: Line 8,517:
 
find it is really easy to make.  We want to allow anyone to post so our
 
find it is really easy to make.  We want to allow anyone to post so our
 
dilcopy looks like this:
 
dilcopy looks like this:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy board@boards ("citizen","","rem_res@boards","",...);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy board@boards ("citizen","","rem_res@boards","",...);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
With the 'rem_res' in the third argument only administrators can
 
With the 'rem_res' in the third argument only administrators can
Line 9,182: Line 8,532:
 
posts, look at what posts are on the board, and have a max of 50 posts it would simply be as
 
posts, look at what posts are on the board, and have a max of 50 posts it would simply be as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy board@boards("citizen","","","",50);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy board@boards("citizen","","","",50);
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
When making a board for players to post concerns to the
 
When making a board for players to post concerns to the
Line 9,192: Line 8,540:
 
wile still allowing everyone to read them it would look like
 
wile still allowing everyone to read them it would look like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
dilcopy board@boards("citizen","","rem_res@boards","",100);
 
+
</nowiki>
dilcopy board@boards("citizen","","rem_res@boards","",100);
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
=== More complex objects ===
 
=== More complex objects ===
  
Line 9,215: Line 8,561:
 
is to have a complete example zone for you.  The boards symbolic, names, title,
 
is to have a complete example zone for you.  The boards symbolic, names, title,
 
description and extra turned out like this.
 
description and extra turned out like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
info_board
 
 
info_board
 
  
 
title "a merchant information board"
 
title "a merchant information board"
Line 9,227: Line 8,571:
  
 
extra {} "A large flashy black steal board."
 
extra {} "A large flashy black steal board."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Just incase the VME server we have has a spell that can damage
 
Just incase the VME server we have has a spell that can damage
 
inanimate objects we will give this board a material type.
 
inanimate objects we will give this board a material type.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality black steel")
 
+
</nowiki>
MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality black steel")
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Now for the special stuff for the board.  We need to give the
 
Now for the special stuff for the board.  We need to give the
 
board a type and copy the board DIL to it.
 
board a type and copy the board DIL to it.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
type ITEM_BOARD
 
 
type ITEM_BOARD
 
 
dilcopy board@boards("info","","rem_res@boards","",100);
 
dilcopy board@boards("info","","rem_res@boards","",100);
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
There you go nothing to it you have just created your first board.
 
There you go nothing to it you have just created your first board.
 
Now lets bring it all together and tag on an end symbol and we are all
 
Now lets bring it all together and tag on an end symbol and we are all
 
finished.
 
finished.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
info_board
 
 
info_board
 
 
title "a merchant information board"
 
title "a merchant information board"
 
descr "A merchant information Board is mounted on a wall here."
 
descr "A merchant information Board is mounted on a wall here."
Line 9,266: Line 8,604:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Making a container ====
 
==== Making a container ====
  
Line 9,278: Line 8,616:
 
There is nothing new here so we will just show it to you and go
 
There is nothing new here so we will just show it to you and go
 
on.
 
on.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
wpn_locker
 
 
wpn_locker
 
  
 
title "a weapons locker"
 
title "a weapons locker"
Line 9,291: Line 8,627:
 
"It is an ordinary weapons locker that looks like it holds any illegal
 
"It is an ordinary weapons locker that looks like it holds any illegal
 
weapons that are taken on the station."
 
weapons that are taken on the station."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now we need to put in all the information that makes this item a
 
Now we need to put in all the information that makes this item a
 
container that can't be taken but it can be opened and it is
 
container that can't be taken but it can be opened and it is
 
locked.
 
locked.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
manipulate {MANIPULATE_ENTER}
 
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_ENTER}
 
 
CONTAINER_DEF(500)
 
CONTAINER_DEF(500)
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
key black_key
 
key black_key
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Notice we didn't make the item 'MANIPULATE_TAKE' because
 
Notice we didn't make the item 'MANIPULATE_TAKE' because
Line 9,311: Line 8,645:
 
can tell if you can do anything with them.  So with our material added
 
can tell if you can do anything with them.  So with our material added
 
in the full locker would look like this.
 
in the full locker would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
wpn_locker
 
 
wpn_locker
 
  
 
title "a weapons locker"
 
title "a weapons locker"
Line 9,332: Line 8,664:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Creating drinks ====
 
==== Creating drinks ====
  
Line 9,348: Line 8,680:
 
water..  Our symbolic, title, and description would then look like
 
water..  Our symbolic, title, and description would then look like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
liq_ration
 
 
liq_ration
 
  
 
title "a red bag"
 
title "a red bag"
 
descr "A red bag has been gently placed here."
 
descr "A red bag has been gently placed here."
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The names on the other hand MUST have the drink name as the last
 
The names on the other hand MUST have the drink name as the last
Line 9,363: Line 8,693:
 
last name.  The bag we are making is full of wine so our names list would
 
last name.  The bag we are making is full of wine so our names list would
 
look like this.
 
look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"}
 
+
</nowiki>
names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"}
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Now we add the liquid define for wine
 
Now we add the liquid define for wine
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
LIQ_WINE(1,2,2,0)
 
+
</nowiki>
LIQ_WINE(1,2,2,0)
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Finally we add the material type for the bag, the cost to buy the
 
Finally we add the material type for the bag, the cost to buy the
Line 9,381: Line 8,707:
 
bag they will se it.  with all that added The finished drink container
 
bag they will se it.  with all that added The finished drink container
 
looks like this.
 
looks like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
liq_ration
 
 
liq_ration
 
 
names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"}
 
names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"}
 
title "a red bag"
 
title "a red bag"
Line 9,402: Line 8,726:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Creating food ====
 
==== Creating food ====
  
Line 9,413: Line 8,737:
 
add the 'FOOD_DEF(...)' and your all set.  here is a basic food that you
 
add the 'FOOD_DEF(...)' and your all set.  here is a basic food that you
 
might find laying around a space station.
 
might find laying around a space station.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
beef_stick
 
 
beef_stick
 
  
 
title "a tough leathery stick"
 
title "a tough leathery stick"
Line 9,433: Line 8,755:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Making a weapon ====
 
==== Making a weapon ====
  
Line 9,446: Line 8,768:
 
symbolic, names, title, description, object extra, and material type.  this is no
 
symbolic, names, title, description, object extra, and material type.  this is no
 
different from any other object so here is what we ended up with
 
different from any other object so here is what we ended up with
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
w_stiletto
 
 
w_stiletto
 
 
title "a stiletto"
 
title "a stiletto"
 
names {"stiletto", "dagger"}
 
names {"stiletto", "dagger"}
Line 9,459: Line 8,779:
  
 
MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel")
 
MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel")
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now lets add the defines and DIL functions that make this a special weapon
 
Now lets add the defines and DIL functions that make this a special weapon
Line 9,465: Line 8,785:
 
it a bonus in magic and good craftsmanship along with a plus in
 
it a bonus in magic and good craftsmanship along with a plus in
 
backstab for all those assassins on the game.
 
backstab for all those assassins on the game.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WIELD}
 
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WIELD}
 
 
WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 1, 2)
 
WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 1, 2)
 
SKILL_TRANSFER(SKI_BACKSTAB, 2)
 
SKILL_TRANSFER(SKI_BACKSTAB, 2)
 
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DEX,10,0,25,"");
 
dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DEX,10,0,25,"");
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
to finish it off we will give the weapon a cost, rent, and finally
 
to finish it off we will give the weapon a cost, rent, and finally
 
two identifies for the two identify spells.  Now that we have it all
 
two identifies for the two identify spells.  Now that we have it all
 
defined we pull it together and it looks like this.
 
defined we pull it together and it looks like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
w_stiletto
 
 
w_stiletto
 
 
title "a stiletto"
 
title "a stiletto"
 
names {"deadly looking stiletto","deadly stiletto","stiletto", "dagger"}
 
names {"deadly looking stiletto","deadly stiletto","stiletto", "dagger"}
Line 9,509: Line 8,825:
  
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Making armour ====
 
==== Making armour ====
  
Line 9,555: Line 8,871:
 
First we do the same as we have for every other item, pick the
 
First we do the same as we have for every other item, pick the
 
symbolic, title, description, extra description, and material type for the plate.
 
symbolic, title, description, extra description, and material type for the plate.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
pol_plate
 
 
pol_plate
 
 
names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"}
 
names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"}
 
title "a polished breast plate"
 
title "a polished breast plate"
 
descr "A polished breast plate has been left here."
 
descr "A polished breast plate has been left here."
 
MATERIAL_METAL("A high luster silver colored metal")
 
MATERIAL_METAL("A high luster silver colored metal")
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now we pick the armour type in this case I want it to be made like
 
Now we pick the armour type in this case I want it to be made like
Line 9,569: Line 8,883:
 
craftsmanship.  Obviously since this is a plate we will pick the body
 
craftsmanship.  Obviously since this is a plate we will pick the body
 
position.
 
position.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY}
 
 
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY}
 
 
ARMOUR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,5,9)
 
ARMOUR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,5,9)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
All that is left is to add the cost, rent, the identify extras,
 
All that is left is to add the cost, rent, the identify extras,
Line 9,580: Line 8,892:
 
all that added together we finish up with the following piece of
 
all that added together we finish up with the following piece of
 
armour.
 
armour.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
pol_plate
 
 
pol_plate
 
 
names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"}
 
names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"}
 
title "a polished breast plate"
 
title "a polished breast plate"
Line 9,608: Line 8,918:
 
+9.  You need 40% in strength to be able to wear it."
 
+9.  You need 40% in strength to be able to wear it."
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== Making non-armour worn objects ====
 
==== Making non-armour worn objects ====
  
Line 9,658: Line 8,968:
 
always liked it.  I know, I am a lush but this way I don't have to write
 
always liked it.  I know, I am a lush but this way I don't have to write
 
an example.
 
an example.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
maskwa
 
 
  maskwa
 
  
 
names {"maskwa platinum ring", "platinum ring","maskwa ring","maskwa","ring"}
 
names {"maskwa platinum ring", "platinum ring","maskwa ring","maskwa","ring"}
Line 9,678: Line 8,986:
 
STR_TRANSFER(+1)
 
STR_TRANSFER(+1)
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>One last thing I forgot to mention.  The item type also
 
<blockquote>One last thing I forgot to mention.  The item type also
Line 9,693: Line 9,001:
 
will finally have a finished zone.  The following is the source file so
 
will finally have a finished zone.  The following is the source file so
 
far.
 
far.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
%zone dragonst
 
%zone dragonst
 
lifespan 20
 
lifespan 20
Line 10,219: Line 9,525:
  
 
%end
 
%end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Suggested object exercises ===
 
=== Suggested object exercises ===
  
Line 10,274: Line 9,580:
 
used.  After boot up time the reset section is where the VME gets its
 
used.  After boot up time the reset section is where the VME gets its
 
information about what to do with the door.
 
information about what to do with the door.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
hallway
 
 
hallway
 
 
title "Module tunnel"
 
title "Module tunnel"
 
descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from
 
descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from
Line 10,310: Line 9,614:
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED};
 
open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED};
 
end
 
end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now that we have two rooms lets define the reset command and how
 
Now that we have two rooms lets define the reset command and how
Line 10,318: Line 9,622:
 
location, and what you want to do with the door.  The command looks like
 
location, and what you want to do with the door.  The command looks like
 
this.
 
this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
door &lt;room symbol&gt; &lt;Direction number&gt; {&lt;door flags&gt;}
 
+
</nowiki>
door &lt;room symbol&gt; &lt;Direction number&gt; {&lt;door flags&gt;}
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
==== Door argument explanation ====
 
==== Door argument explanation ====
 
;room symbolic
 
;room symbolic
Line 10,329: Line 9,631:
 
command is in you will need to use a full symbolic name with the zone
 
command is in you will need to use a full symbolic name with the zone
 
extension.  The following would be two valid examples.
 
extension.  The following would be two valid examples.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//room symbolic in  this zone
 
 
//room symbolic in  this zone
 
 
door myroom ...
 
door myroom ...
  
 
//room symbolic in another zone
 
//room symbolic in another zone
 
door out_room@frogwart ...
 
door out_room@frogwart ...
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;direction number
 
;direction number
 
: The direction number can be one of the pre-defined direction
 
: The direction number can be one of the pre-defined direction
 
numbers in the file ''vme.h''.  shown here so you don't
 
numbers in the file ''vme.h''.  shown here so you don't
 
have to go flipping file to file.
 
have to go flipping file to file.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define NORTH 0
 
 
#define NORTH 0
 
 
#define EAST  1
 
#define EAST  1
 
#define SOUTH 2
 
#define SOUTH 2
Line 10,355: Line 9,653:
 
#define SOUTHEAST 8
 
#define SOUTHEAST 8
 
#define SOUTHWEST 9
 
#define SOUTHWEST 9
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;door flags
 
;door flags
 
: These flags, surrounded by '{}', describe the state of the door after the reset.  The following is the
 
: These flags, surrounded by '{}', describe the state of the door after the reset.  The following is the
Line 10,382: Line 9,680:
 
after the reset time expires.  For our two rooms the door reset would
 
after the reset time expires.  For our two rooms the door reset would
 
look like this.
 
look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}
 
 
door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}
 
 
door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}
 
door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>As you can see from the example it is very important to
 
<blockquote>As you can see from the example it is very important to
Line 10,399: Line 9,695:
 
however we wanted to change the door to a locked door we could do that
 
however we wanted to change the door to a locked door we could do that
 
by adding the locked flag like this.
 
by adding the locked flag like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
 
door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
 
door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Loading objects and NPCs ===
 
=== Loading objects and NPCs ===
  
Line 10,416: Line 9,710:
 
The command to load an object or an NPC into a room is as
 
The command to load an object or an NPC into a room is as
 
follows:
 
follows:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load &lt;object or NPC&gt; [into] [&lt;room&lt;] [&lt;load amount&gt;]
 
 
load &lt;object or NPC&gt; [into] [&lt;room&lt;] [&lt;load amount&gt;]
 
 
  [{Other loads and equip commands}]
 
  [{Other loads and equip commands}]
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
;object or NPC
 
;object or NPC
Line 10,464: Line 9,756:
 
more clear as some examples are explained.  Lets take a look at the
 
more clear as some examples are explained.  Lets take a look at the
 
following example and see if we can't make this much more clear.
 
following example and see if we can't make this much more clear.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1
 
+
</nowiki>
load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This example is pretty simple it says load the fido into the
 
This example is pretty simple it says load the fido into the
 
temple only if there isn't already 1 in the world.  Now lets get a bit
 
temple only if there isn't already 1 in the world.  Now lets get a bit
 
more complicated.
 
more complicated.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1
 
 
load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1
 
 
{
 
{
 
  load bone
 
  load bone
 
  load excrement into midgaard/temple
 
  load excrement into midgaard/temple
 
}
 
}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Now we have said again load the fido into the temple if there is
 
Now we have said again load the fido into the temple if there is
Line 10,489: Line 9,777:
 
We can get even more complicated but still just using the load
 
We can get even more complicated but still just using the load
 
commands by doing the following
 
commands by doing the following
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1
 
 
load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1
 
 
{
 
{
 
  load bone
 
  load bone
Line 10,501: Line 9,787:
 
  }
 
  }
 
}
 
}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
now we still have the fido loading if there isn't one already in
 
now we still have the fido loading if there isn't one already in
Line 10,513: Line 9,799:
 
'equip' command works a lot like load but has much simpler arguments.
 
'equip' command works a lot like load but has much simpler arguments.
 
The 'equip' command is as follows.
 
The 'equip' command is as follows.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
equip &lt;symbol&gt; position [load amount &lt;num&gt;]
 
+
</nowiki>
equip &lt;symbol&gt; position [load amount &lt;num&gt;]
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
;symbol
 
;symbol
Line 10,612: Line 9,896:
 
and ready for battle.  The 'load' and 'equip' commands are not the
 
and ready for battle.  The 'load' and 'equip' commands are not the
 
easiest though so lets go through some simple examples.
 
easiest though so lets go through some simple examples.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load guard into jail
 
 
load guard into jail
 
 
  {
 
  {
 
  equip helmet WEAR_HEAD
 
  equip helmet WEAR_HEAD
Line 10,623: Line 9,905:
 
  load brass_key
 
  load brass_key
 
  }
 
  }
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
This is how you would equip a NPC with all items from the current
 
This is how you would equip a NPC with all items from the current
 
zone.  As you can see we didn't need full symbolics because the server
 
zone.  As you can see we didn't need full symbolics because the server
 
knows to grab the items from the zone the resets are in.
 
knows to grab the items from the zone the resets are in.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load guard into safe_room max 2
 
 
load guard into safe_room max 2
 
 
{
 
{
 
equip plate WEAR_BODY
 
equip plate WEAR_BODY
Line 10,639: Line 9,919:
 
  }
 
  }
 
}
 
}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
In this example we only load the silver pile if the guard loads
 
In this example we only load the silver pile if the guard loads
Line 10,668: Line 9,948:
 
of a 'load or 'equip' command, the unit is only loaded in case all immediate commands inside
 
of a 'load or 'equip' command, the unit is only loaded in case all immediate commands inside
 
its nesting are executed successfully.  For example:
 
its nesting are executed successfully.  For example:
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load captain into jail_room complete
 
 
load captain into jail_room complete
 
 
{
 
{
 
  equip magic_sword position WEAR_WIELD max 1
 
  equip magic_sword position WEAR_WIELD max 1
Line 10,679: Line 9,957:
 
  }
 
  }
 
}
 
}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
In this case the captain is only loaded if the objects magic_sword
 
In this case the captain is only loaded if the objects magic_sword
Line 10,692: Line 9,970:
 
  That is what the 'follow' command is for.  The following is the format
 
  That is what the 'follow' command is for.  The following is the format
 
  of the 'follow' command
 
  of the 'follow' command
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
follow &lt;symbol&gt; &lt;load amount #&gt; &lt;complete&gt;
 
+
</nowiki>
  follow &lt;symbol&gt; &lt;load amount #&gt; &lt;complete&gt;
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
;symbol
 
;symbol
Line 10,732: Line 10,008:
 
grouping.  The following would be a correct use of the follow
 
grouping.  The following would be a correct use of the follow
 
command.
 
command.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load captain into jail
 
 
load captain into jail
 
 
  {
 
  {
 
  follow guard max 4
 
  follow guard max 4
Line 10,752: Line 10,026:
 
}
 
}
 
  }
 
  }
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
  This example would load two guards that are fully dressed and
 
  This example would load two guards that are fully dressed and
Line 10,761: Line 10,035:
 
done very easy by using the <command>purge</command>.  The following is
 
done very easy by using the <command>purge</command>.  The following is
 
the format of the purge command.
 
the format of the purge command.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
purge &lt;symbol&gt;
 
+
</nowiki>
purge &lt;symbol&gt;
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
This command doesn't take much description.  The symbol is the
 
This command doesn't take much description.  The symbol is the
Line 10,771: Line 10,043:
 
rid of all objects and NPCs from a room with the symbolic name of jail
 
rid of all objects and NPCs from a room with the symbolic name of jail
 
it would look like this.
 
it would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
purge jail
 
+
</nowiki>
purge jail
 
\</nowiki>
 
 
==== The random command ====
 
==== The random command ====
  
Line 10,782: Line 10,052:
 
the percentage of the time that the item will load.  The random command
 
the percentage of the time that the item will load.  The random command
 
has the following format.
 
has the following format.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
random &lt;num&gt;
 
 
random &lt;num&gt;
 
 
  {group or single set of resets}
 
  {group or single set of resets}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
  It is important to point out this is done by a random percentage
 
  It is important to point out this is done by a random percentage
Line 10,793: Line 10,061:
 
the time would be all the time.  If we wanted to load a group of things
 
the time would be all the time.  If we wanted to load a group of things
 
only 80% of the time it would look like this.
 
only 80% of the time it would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
random 80
 
 
random 80
 
 
  {
 
  {
 
  load captain into jail_room complete
 
  load captain into jail_room complete
Line 10,807: Line 10,073:
 
    }
 
    }
 
}
 
}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
==== The remove command ====
 
==== The remove command ====
  
Line 10,817: Line 10,083:
 
what the <command>remove</command> command is for.  The following is the
 
what the <command>remove</command> command is for.  The following is the
 
format of the remove command.
 
format of the remove command.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
remove &lt;symbol1&gt; in &lt;symbol2&gt;
 
+
</nowiki>
remove &lt;symbol1&gt; in &lt;symbol2&gt;
 
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
Again the remove command is a simple command and it only has two
 
Again the remove command is a simple command and it only has two
Line 10,827: Line 10,091:
 
wanted to have a cabinet that at every reset it would have a knife and a
 
wanted to have a cabinet that at every reset it would have a knife and a
 
bag of sugar in it would look like this.
 
bag of sugar in it would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
remove cabinet in kitchen
 
 
remove cabinet in kitchen
 
 
load cabinet into kitchen
 
load cabinet into kitchen
 
{
 
{
Line 10,836: Line 10,098:
 
load knife
 
load knife
 
}
 
}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
=== Reset walk through ===
 
=== Reset walk through ===
  
Line 10,853: Line 10,115:
 
if you want to you can see the rooms in <xref linkend="finishedzone">.
 
if you want to you can see the rooms in <xref linkend="finishedzone">.
 
the resets for these doors would look like this.
 
the resets for these doors would look like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
//Office door reset
 
 
//Office door reset
 
 
door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
Line 10,863: Line 10,123:
 
door office SOUTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN}
 
door office SOUTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN}
 
door portal_room  NORTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
 
door portal_room  NORTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
<blockquote>Both sides of the door don't have to have the exact same
 
<blockquote>Both sides of the door don't have to have the exact same
Line 10,874: Line 10,134:
 
just going to stick the board in the main chamber and the weapons locker
 
just going to stick the board in the main chamber and the weapons locker
 
in the office.  The reset for these two items looks like this.
 
in the office.  The reset for these two items looks like this.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load info_board into chamber
 
 
load info_board into chamber
 
  
 
load wpn_locker into office
 
load wpn_locker into office
Line 10,883: Line 10,141:
 
  load w_stiletto
 
  load w_stiletto
 
  }
 
  }
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Notice we also loaded a stiletto into the weapons locker and it will
 
Notice we also loaded a stiletto into the weapons locker and it will
Line 10,895: Line 10,153:
 
can get to cleaning it up.  Finally I will load Bob into the office so
 
can get to cleaning it up.  Finally I will load Bob into the office so
 
he can sit and count his money.
 
he can sit and count his money.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
load bob into office
 
 
load bob into office
 
 
  {
 
  {
 
  equip pol_plate WEAR_BODY
 
  equip pol_plate WEAR_BODY
Line 10,915: Line 10,171:
 
  }
 
  }
 
  }
 
  }
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
Only a couple final things to point out.  It doesn't matter if you
 
Only a couple final things to point out.  It doesn't matter if you
Line 10,926: Line 10,182:
 
all together with the zone and complete our dragon station.
 
all together with the zone and complete our dragon station.
 
=== The complete dragon station ===
 
=== The complete dragon station ===
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
#include &lt;composed.h&gt;
 
 
%zone dragonst
 
%zone dragonst
 
lifespan 20
 
lifespan 20
Line 11,486: Line 10,740:
  
 
%end
 
%end
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
== Color and formatting codes ==
 
== Color and formatting codes ==
  
Line 11,500: Line 10,754:
 
which is the '&amp;' character.  Thus all formatting and color commands
 
which is the '&amp;' character.  Thus all formatting and color commands
 
would look as follows:
 
would look as follows:
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
&amp;&lt;color or formating command&gt;
&amp;&lt;color or formating command&gt;
+
</nowiki>
\</nowiki>
 
 
=== Formatting codes ===
 
=== Formatting codes ===
  
Line 11,595: Line 10,848:
 
code.  Everything after the '&amp;l' will be shown exactly as you put it
 
code.  Everything after the '&amp;l' will be shown exactly as you put it
 
in the string.
 
in the string.
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
&amp;l
&amp;l
 
 
*    *
 
*    *
 
*  *
 
*  *
Line 11,605: Line 10,857:
 
*  *
 
*  *
 
*    *
 
*    *
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;&amp;f
 
;&amp;f
 
: The formatted text as we have already said is default.  If you
 
: The formatted text as we have already said is default.  If you
Line 11,611: Line 10,863:
 
have to use the '&amp;f' code.  The following is an example of some
 
have to use the '&amp;f' code.  The following is an example of some
 
literal text followed by a short bit of formatted text.
 
literal text followed by a short bit of formatted text.
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
&amp;l
&amp;l
 
 
*    *
 
*    *
 
*  *
 
*  *
Line 11,623: Line 10,874:
  
 
&amp;fThe X marks the spot!
 
&amp;fThe X marks the spot!
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;&amp;s&lt;#&gt;
 
;&amp;s&lt;#&gt;
 
: If you want to input extra spaces in a sentence with out using the
 
: If you want to input extra spaces in a sentence with out using the
 
'&amp;l' you can add them one at a time or multiple by using the
 
'&amp;l' you can add them one at a time or multiple by using the
 
'&amp;s' code.
 
'&amp;s' code.
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
This sentence has 10 spaces&amp;s10before the first word before.
This sentence has 10 spaces&amp;s10before the first word before.
+
</nowiki>
\</nowiki>
 
 
;&amp;n
 
;&amp;n
 
: If you want to input some blank lines with out using the literal
 
: If you want to input some blank lines with out using the literal
 
code you can add a '&amp;n'for each line you want.
 
code you can add a '&amp;n'for each line you want.
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
This sentence&amp;n&amp;n&amp;n would look like this:
This sentence&amp;n&amp;n&amp;n would look like this:
 
  
 
This sentence
 
This sentence
  
 
would look like this:
 
would look like this:
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
;&amp;x
 
;&amp;x
 
: The line break is made for use with the DIL language.  You will
 
: The line break is made for use with the DIL language.  You will
Line 11,649: Line 10,898:
 
don't understand the following example don't worry it is explained more
 
don't understand the following example don't worry it is explained more
 
in the DIL reference.
 
in the DIL reference.
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
mystrlist:=split(string,"&amp;");
mystrlist:=split(string,"&amp;");
+
</nowiki>
\</nowiki>
 
 
;&amp;h
 
;&amp;h
 
: On terminals that can handle it the '&amp;h' will clear the
 
: On terminals that can handle it the '&amp;h' will clear the
 
screen.  If you wanted a sign that would clear the screen before
 
screen.  If you wanted a sign that would clear the screen before
 
displaying when a character looked at it would look like this.
 
displaying when a character looked at it would look like this.
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
&amp;h&amp;l
&amp;h&amp;l
 
 
*    *
 
*    *
 
*  *
 
*  *
Line 11,669: Line 10,916:
  
 
&amp;fThe X marks the spot!
 
&amp;fThe X marks the spot!
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
=== Color code descriptions and examples ===
 
=== Color code descriptions and examples ===
Line 11,679: Line 10,926:
 
arguments depending on brightness, while the '&amp;b' s only used with
 
arguments depending on brightness, while the '&amp;b' s only used with
 
one because it has only one brightness.  They both have the forms as follows:
 
one because it has only one brightness.  They both have the forms as follows:
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
&amp;c&lt;bright&gt;&lt;color&gt;
&amp;c&lt;bright&gt;&lt;color&gt;
 
 
&amp;b&lt;color&gt;
 
&amp;b&lt;color&gt;
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
It is important to set both the foreground and background color
 
It is important to set both the foreground and background color
Line 11,690: Line 10,936:
 
player.  It is also important to set the colors back to the default
 
player.  It is also important to set the colors back to the default
 
color when done.  this is done by using the following command:
 
color when done.  this is done by using the following command:
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
&amp;[default]
&amp;[default]
+
</nowiki>
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
<blockquote>The '&amp;[default]' command will be described in the next
 
<blockquote>The '&amp;[default]' command will be described in the next
Line 11,830: Line 11,075:
  
 
To use these colors all you have to do is use the following formatting command:
 
To use these colors all you have to do is use the following formatting command:
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
&amp;[color]
&amp;[color]
+
</nowiki>
\</nowiki>
 
  
 
The color that will be shown is the color that the player has set
 
The color that will be shown is the color that the player has set
Line 11,839: Line 11,083:
 
'death' color set to bright red with a black background and you have a
 
'death' color set to bright red with a black background and you have a
 
description as follows:
 
description as follows:
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
descr
descr
 
 
"This is a &amp;[death]death&amp;[room_descr]room"
 
"This is a &amp;[death]death&amp;[room_descr]room"
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
The description would be in the players 'room_descr' color while
 
The description would be in the players 'room_descr' color while
Line 12,074: Line 11,317:
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
''values.h''
 
''values.h''
<nowiki>
+
<nowiki>
 
+
#define RACE_HUMAN          0    /* PC race */
#define RACE_HUMAN          0    /* PC race */
 
 
#define RACE_ELF            1    /* PC race */
 
#define RACE_ELF            1    /* PC race */
 
#define RACE_DWARF          2    /* PC race */
 
#define RACE_DWARF          2    /* PC race */
Line 12,273: Line 11,515:
 
#define RACE_FISH          7998
 
#define RACE_FISH          7998
 
#define RACE_OTHER_MARINE  7999
 
#define RACE_OTHER_MARINE  7999
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
</appendix>
 
</appendix>
Line 12,280: Line 11,522:
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
''values.h''
 
''values.h''
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define WPN_BATTLE_AXE    7  /* Two Handed */
 
 
#define WPN_BATTLE_AXE    7  /* Two Handed */
 
 
#define WPN_HAND_AXE      8
 
#define WPN_HAND_AXE      8
 
#define WPN_WAR_MATTOCK  9  /* Two Handed */
 
#define WPN_WAR_MATTOCK  9  /* Two Handed */
Line 12,330: Line 11,570:
 
#define WPN_GREAT_AXE    52
 
#define WPN_GREAT_AXE    52
 
#define WPN_BATTLE_SWORD 53
 
#define WPN_BATTLE_SWORD 53
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
</appendix>
 
</appendix>
Line 12,337: Line 11,577:
 
==== Liquid macros file ====
 
==== Liquid macros file ====
 
<nowiki>
 
<nowiki>
 
+
#define LIQ_WATER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
#define LIQ_WATER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
 
LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,10,1,0,POISON)
 
LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,10,1,0,POISON)
 
#define LIQ_BEER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
#define LIQ_BEER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
Line 12,380: Line 11,619:
 
#define LIQ_BRANDY(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
#define LIQ_BRANDY(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \
 
LIQ_DEF("golden", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,4,1,6,POISON)
 
LIQ_DEF("golden", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,4,1,6,POISON)
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
  
 
</appendix>
 
</appendix>
Line 12,390: Line 11,629:
 
check the macros file to make sure you have the most up to date
 
check the macros file to make sure you have the most up to date
 
macros.
 
macros.
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define CHAR_FLAG_TRANSFER(_MFLAGS) \
 
 
#define CHAR_FLAG_TRANSFER(_MFLAGS) \
 
 
flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}      \
 
flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}      \
 
affect                            \
 
affect                            \
Line 12,560: Line 11,797:
 
  lastf  TIF_SPEED_BETTER  \
 
  lastf  TIF_SPEED_BETTER  \
 
  applyf  APF_SPEED;
 
  applyf  APF_SPEED;
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
</appendix>
 
</appendix>
  
Line 12,567: Line 11,804:
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
''values.h''
 
''values.h''
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define SKI_TURN_UNDEAD        0
 
 
#define SKI_TURN_UNDEAD        0
 
 
#define SKI_SCROLL_USE        1
 
#define SKI_SCROLL_USE        1
 
#define SKI_WAND_USE          2
 
#define SKI_WAND_USE          2
Line 12,630: Line 11,865:
 
#define SKI_PUNCH            58
 
#define SKI_PUNCH            58
 
#define SKI_GLANCE            59
 
#define SKI_GLANCE            59
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
</appendix>
 
</appendix>
  
Line 12,637: Line 11,872:
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
The following list was extracted from the
 
''values.h''
 
''values.h''
 
+
<nowiki>
<nowiki>
+
#define SPL_CALL_LIGHTNING    12  /* Cell Group  */
 
 
#define SPL_CALL_LIGHTNING    12  /* Cell Group  */
 
 
#define SPL_BLESS            13  /* D I V I N E */
 
#define SPL_BLESS            13  /* D I V I N E */
 
#define SPL_CURSE            14
 
#define SPL_CURSE            14
Line 12,799: Line 12,032:
 
#define SPL_TOTAL_RECALL    164
 
#define SPL_TOTAL_RECALL    164
 
#define LAST_SPELL          165
 
#define LAST_SPELL          165
\</nowiki>
+
</nowiki>
 
        </appendix>
 
        </appendix>
 
</book>
 
</book>

Revision as of 11:52, 25 May 2020

<!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V3.1//EN"> <BOOK ID="basiczone"><?dbhtml filename="index.html"> <bookinfo>

Contents

VME basic zone writing manual

<author> <firstname>Ken</firstname> <surname>Perry</surname> </author> <copyright><year>2001</year><holder>Ken Perry</holder></copyright> </bookinfo>

Introduction

Giving credit where credit is due!

The, basic zone writing manual, you are reading now, didn't just come flying out of this authors head. In fact it is a conglomeration of several old texts which are no longer used. I had first thought about quoting and giving credit to each person who had ever modified or created portions of the first documentation but because of the nature of the way they were built it was impossible to know who did what. I therefore have decided to create a list here of everyone who has ever worked on or had a hand in the development of the basic zone writing documentation and references. I will also give a short summary for each. I would also like to thank those listed below for their contribution to the development of one of the best mud servers on the internet today.

<VARIABLELIST id="var-credits">

Original DIKU coding Team
  • Hans Henrik Staerfeldt
  • Sebastian Hammer
  • Michael Seifert
  • Katja Nyboe
  • Tom Madsen
  • Lars Balker Rasmussen

You should all know these people they are not only the original DIKU mud developers but a few of them designed and developed the new VME server. One or more of the previous mentioned people were the authors of the following texts that have been swallowed up by this book.

  • abilities.txt
  • guild.txt
  • monster.txt
  • objects.txt
  • rooms.txt
  • vmc.txt
Andrew Cowan
One of the original administrators of Valhalla mud and now the administrator of the

mud connector. Andrew created the first zone tutorial, which was later included into the vmc.txt to clear up some things missing in the old vmc.txt. Again my thanks go out to Andrew for his contributions not only to this document but to the growth of the DIL programming language.

Ryan Holliday
Made major updates to the tutorial.txt created by Andrew

Cowan, which became version two of the tutorial.

Peter Ryskin
Wrote the original explanation of how to define exits.
John Clare
Made major updates to the tutorial.txt created by Andrew

Cowan and updated by Ryan Holliday, which became version three of the tutorial.

Marc Bellemare
An editor and an author Marc combined and revised the tutorial

and the vmc.txt into one document making it less Valhalla specific and more for any mud running the VME server.

Jennifer Garuba
Created the first document on how to create shop keepers. She also was

one of the first builders to have the insite and to make it clear that a manual like this was needed.

Brian Spanton
Converted the original vmc.txt into HTMl, while at the same

time fixing many inconsistencies and typos in it.

Kathy Perry
Wrote the original compiler howto to make it easier for new builders

to compile their zone. She was also the first builder to open my eyes to the fact we needed a true manual on how to build.

Mark Pringle
Main editor, which spell checked and looked over my major grammer

mistakes. I am sure he didn't catch them all but at least the ugly ones were caught.

Morgan Shafer
Wrote the guild definition primer which explained teachers.

Who should read this book?

This book was designed to be read by anyone who is thinking of writing areas for a VME server. If you have wrote for other mud servers you will still need to at least skim every chapter because the VME is like no other mud engine and has some very interesting differences.

What does this book cover?

The topics covered in this book are everything to do with writing an area for the VME server. While we do cover using DIL functions to make your monsters, Rooms, and objects better and smarter we do not cover how to write the DIL functions covered in the DIL manual. The following are topics covered by this book.

  • compiling and debugging
  • Macros using the CPP
  • Overall Zone structure
  • Writing rooms
  • Writing Objects
  • Writing Monsters
  • Doing the resets

General compiler information

In order to get your zone onto a valhalla Mud Engine (VME) server you must convert your zone from readable english text to binary form the server can understand. The way you do this is with a compiler. No don't freak out you don't have to be a skilled programmer to use a compiler. The only thing you have to do is format your rooms, objects, and Non-player characters (NPC) in a form which the compiler can understand. The great thing about the VME is you can do all your zone writing in your favorite editor with out having to log on to code. For those of you who have coded for other mud servers and are used to coding online this may be a new experience to you but you will find you can plan out better and more well designed areas offline than you can on line.

In the future the VME coding team is thinking of adding an online coding module for those mud administrators that can not live with out it. If you are one of these make sure you write <email>whistler@valhalla.com</email> and express your desires so you can be counted.

This chapter will mainly cover the Valhalla Mud Compiler (VMC), how it works, and the Valhalla Mud pre processor (VMC -p) works. We will also throw in some debugging hints but debugging will be covered more as you begin creating parts of your areas in the following chapters.

The compiler

VMC is the Valhalla Mud Engine Compiler. for VME servers. A compiler takes a source file or better described as your areas input file and converts it to a binary file the server can then load and use online. In the VME we call areas you build 'zones', therefore the source file for a zone has the extension 'zon'. In order to make this more clear we will start with our first example.

Lets say you were making a Zone of dragons. You may want to call the file something resembling its contents like, dragon.zon. Notice we have appended the '.zon' extension. The compiler requires all zones to end in '.zon' in order for it to know this is a zone source file.

Now lets say we have completed writing our first zone and want to compile it. The command is simply: <command> VMC> dragon.zon </command> If the zone compiles correctly it will indicate success by printing a message to the screen and outputting two files both with the same root name as the original zone source file but with different extensions. In this case there would be the following:

dragon.data
The file holding the binary version of the zone
dragon.reset
The file containing the reset information for the

zone.

If the zone doesn't compile correctly and you have errors it will print a list of the errors and the location where they can be found so you can fix them. The debugging process will be explained more as you learn how to create rooms, monsters, and objects.

The VMC pre-processor

The VMC Pre-Processor (VMC -p) can be thought of as a powerful search and replace tool used by the compiler before it converts the zone to its binary form. This tool gives you the builder the ability to add comments, create short hand expressions for repeated items, include other files in your zone, and even to do some minor calculations when necessary.

If you have coded in C or c++ before the Pre Processor the

VMC uses is no different and you can skip this section.

Commenting your zone

The practice of adding comments to your zone is a good thing to get into so the administrators and other builders can help you with your zone and know what you were trying to do if there are problems. Comments aren't as important when writing the zone as they will be when you start writing your own special DIL functions but it is important to know how comments work and that you can use them if you need to. A comment is a block of text the compiler will never see and is there only for you and who ever reads the file. In order to make it so the compiler will not see the block of text you must surround it by a set of symbols that tell the CPP to strip it out before passing the zone on to the compiler. These symbols are the '/*' and the '*/' symbols or the '//' symbols together in front of a single line.

In order to best explain how comments work we will give you a some what strange example. First we will start by showing you a very basic line you will see time and time again in rooms. title "this is a title"

This is a title it will show up in everything from rooms, to objects and even NPCs. Now lets see what a commented line would look like. //I am going to make a title now title /* I put the keyword first*/ "this is a title/*then the title*/

This of course is very ugly but the point is not to be pretty it is to show you both the first way and the second way will look exactly the same to the compiler because all comments are removed before the compiler ever gets it. A better use of a comment in a zone however would be something like this: /* The following ten rooms are the vineyards, there are 97 rooms in the zone. */ //Zone first created 1994

You will find comments will make coding large zones much easier because you can add text meant just for the builders eyes.

You will have to decide if you want a multi-line comment or a single line comment and use the '//' or the '/**/' respectively. The rule of thumb is if the comment is longer than 1 line it is easier to put the '/**/' around the comment than to comment each individual line.

Macros and what they can do for you

When making a zone you will find there are things you use more than once. In fact you may find things you want others to use or things you want to use in multiple zones. Its true you could block and copy and stick them everywhere. in fact that is what I did when I first started building. I soon found my zone file was extremely large and hard to upkeep. With a few minor changes and a lot of deleting I used short hand or better known in the world of coding as macros to make my zone readable.

Lets say you had some flags you were going to set in fifty rooms and you knew they would all be the same. You could type the following line 50 times. flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY}

With the macros however you could make this much easier by just doing the following at the beginning of your zone. #define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY}

Then where ever you want the flags you just type DIRTFLOOR. You are probably thinking, yeah big deal I can do that with block and copy. True but there is another benefit to this. Lets say later you wanted to also make these 50 rooms no teleport. All you would have to change is the define like this: #define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER,UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY,UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT} Now when you recompile all 50 rooms are changed and you didn't even have to do a search and replace.

You can also make macros that take arguments. The ability to take arguments is where macros take a leap and a bound out in front of your favorite editor to allow you to do things you can not do easily with search and replace. Lets say you have an exit descr you want to use in 50 swamp rooms because heck everything looks the same in a swamp when you look one direction to the next. east to swamp1 descr "You see the swamp stretch out for miles";

This could be made into a macro like: #define sexit(direction, place) direction to place descr \ "You see the swamp stretch out for miles.";

Then all you need to use it is: SEXIT(east,swamp1) SEXIT(north,swamp2) SEXIT(south,swamp3)

There is no space between 'SEXIT' and '(' that is

important because the CPP sees 'SEXIT(' and 'SEXIT (' as two different things. It is also important to notice all defines must start at the beginning of the line and be either one line long or have a '\' telling the Pre Processor that it should continue with the next line as if it was

this line.

You can also combine macros together so you have a set of macros like: #define DIRTFLOOR flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER,UNIT_FL_CAN_BURY,UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT} #define DIRTSECT movement SECT_INSIDE \ DIRTFLOOR

You may have noticed I capitalize all macros. This is not a must but it is suggested so you can easily tell what is a macro and what is not.

Including other files in your zone

Another function of the VMC Pre Processor, '#include', allows you to include other files in your zone file. The VME comes with some basic include files you can use the macros out of and use as examples on how to make your own include files. These files are the composed.h,, vme.h, values.h, base.h, liquid.h, and wmacros.h. Including composed.h will include all the rest of the include files into your zone because it has include statements that use all the others.

You will want to include the files at the beginning of

your zone file because all defines you use must be defined before

you use them.

Doing minor calculations

You can also do minor calculations in a macro. Lets say you wanted to make it so the higher level an NPC was the heavier he was and the taller he was. This would be simple with a macro. #define MLEVEL(lvl) \ level lvl \ height lvl+72 \ weight lvl*9

This macro would increase the height and weight depending on what level you made the NPC pretty simple. There is much more a macro can do for you but the Pre Processor and all its uses go far beyond the scope of this manual. If you are really interested in all the neat things it can do type the following command at the '$' prompt on your Linux box. <command>man cpp</command> The C-Pre Processor is what the VMC Pre Processor is based on and most if not all functions of the CPP work in the VMC.

Zone source file

In this chapter we will define all the sections of a zone file and go in-depth on the zone info section. Once complete with this chapter you should be able to create an empty yet compilable zone.

A zone source file is split up into 6 sections. A zone-declaration section, a mobile (NPC) section, an object section, a room section, a reset section, and the DIL section. The zone section is the only section that has to be in the file, and they may appear in any order.

Each section is preceded by a section header. These are the six possible headers:

  • %zone
  • %rooms
  • %mobiles
  • %objects
  • %reset
  • %DIL

The first four sections may be considered lists of definitions. The reset section can be considered a program in a simple programming language. And the DIL section is a bit special - it includes the zone templates (DIL functions that can be used from any zone, on anything, as opposed to "specialized" DIL functions placed inside a unit's definitions). After all sections you are using are defined you must tell the compiler you are done the special symbol '%end' must be placed at the end of the zone for this reason.

Definition types

When creating your zone there are six main building blocks. We call these definition types. Each type represents some kind of data you want the compiler to be able to recognize. These data definitions take the basic form: field value

Where field is the name of a data field, and value is some value. Values are of one of 6 types:

integer
A whole number or if you are in practice of using Hex you can

use the C style hex numbers in either upper or lower case (i.e 0X0f3 0x0f3)

string
Text enclosed in Double Quotes. The string can span more than

one line as it would in a description. title "The dark dragon altar" descr "There are many things you can see and there are many things that can't be seen but this is still a description none the less."

stringlist
A set of strings, it can be a single string or multiple depending on your needs.

These are used in names, extras, creators, and special keywords all to be defined later in their respective places. These are defined in the following manor. <fieldname> {"string1","string2","string3", ...}

intlist
A list of numbers which can be used with an extra. This type works like the

stringlist but doesn't need the quotes. extra {"mynumberlist"} {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,...} "This is a number list attached to an extra"

flags
Like the Intlist the flag is defined with a list of numbers. The list of numbers

is not taken literally however it is combined to create one number by binary oring the number list together. If that confuses you don't worry, it takes some getting used to. These types are used for Manipulation, flags, and positions. flags {2,8} manipulate {8}

In the previous example the 'flags' value after this zone compiles would be 10 because binary oring the two flags together is a lot like adding. The two numbers probably make no sense so most flags you use will have defines if I used the defines found in vme.h the previous example would look like this: flags {UNIT_FL_INVISIBILE,UNIT_FL_BURIED} manipulate {WEAR_BODY}

We will cover this more in-depth later but it was necessary to give a good overview so you understand this field type enough to recognize what it is when you see it.

symbol
A label you reference from other parts in your zones. Every

unit (room,object,room) and even the zone itself has a unique label that can be referenced. It is important to make symbol names that are clear so the Administrators of the mud know what each item is when using the online administration commands. dark_sword /*good symbol*/ rm_5892 /*Bad symbol*/

When loading items online the zone symbol and the item symbol are combined to create a reference to the item. For example if our zone name was 'dragon' and our item was 'dark_sword' the symbolic name for this item would be 'dark_sword@dragon'. Using symbols will be covered more in the DIL manual and in the administration manuals for loading objects online. For now it is enough to understand symbols must follow the following rules when being defined.

  • The first letter of the

symbol must be a letter of the alphabet or a '_' character

  • Characters following the first can be numbers, alphabet

letters, and '_' characters

  • The name can be no longer than

15 characters

  • No reserved keywords can be used as a name

<XREF LINKEND="app-b">

the end tag that ends all unit definitions is also considered a symbol it is just a symbol that must be included with

There are two other field types that can not be defined as a regular field type. These are the function reference and the Structure. The function reference can be either a reference to a DIL function or a special function called from the base code.

Special functions are being replaced with

DIL for better performance and should only be used when no DIL functions exist to replace

them

The Structure field types are a combination of other field types to make a special field type for the unit being defined. A good example of this is a 'exit' for a room. The exit has everything from flag, string, stringlist, and even description fields. The exit field will be defined much more in-depth in the chapter on rooms but it is important to know some fields are considered Structure fields because they can have many values. The only two Structure fields are the exit and extra fields which will both be defined more later because they can be used differently depending on what you are using them for.

Zone information section

The zone information section is the only section that must exist in the source file of your area. With out this section the compiler is unable to create the zone because frankly it doesn't know what to call it. It is also the easiest of the sections to learn because there is only a few possible fields. The Zone-section defines the global parameters for the current zone. It is usually wise to place this section in the top of the source file to make it easy to find the zone information when editing the file.

Zone section field descriptions
Field Type Description
creators Stringlist This field is where you place the creators of the zone. With

this field filled out the Administrators and builders can easily find out who the zone was written by and be able to contact them if there are problems.

lifespan Number This defines the interval between resets for this zone, in minutes.

Default is 60 if this field is left out of the information section.

notes String This is a plain text description of the zone for administrators and builders.

It is often a good idea to include your e-mail address in the notes so you can be reached easily by the administrators.

reset Number This combined with 'lifespan' defines if the zone will be reset. This

field gives the condition that must be met to reset the zones you should use the defines in the vme.h, RESET_NOT, RESET_IFEMPTY, and RESET_ANYHOW. Default is RESET_ANYHOW, which means, the zone will be reset even if players are present within it.

title String This is the title of the zone, for example Dragons Nest, Dark

station, and creators hide out. It is used mainly for the areas command so players can get a list of all the areas in the game. It can however be accessed by the 'zoneptr' variable type in DIL. If you have a zone that spans across multiple source files you only need to define the title once. If you put the title in all source files it will show up multiple times in the area listing. You would also leave this blank if the zone should not be on the areas list like an administration zone.

weather Integer This field sets the humidity level of the zone. If for example you want

a hot desert like zone you would want to set this to its highest value. The range of this field is 1000 to -1000. This is an optional field and will not be covered else where because it is simple to use.

%zone Symbol This entry defines the name of the

zone. Default is the preceding component of the current filename, minus the trailing ".zon". Note, the symbol should be added after the %zone tag, which should always be put, even if you do not add a symbol after it.

The only field that must exist when you go to create the zone information section is the '%zone'. Leaving the '%zone' field out will cause an error when you try to compile it. We suggest you not only put the '%zone' field but you also add a symbol or as I call it a zone name. The following are three legal examples of a Zone information header. You be the judge of which is more informative. /*very bad*/ %zone /*bad but better than nothing*/ %zone bug_planet /*The way it should be done!*/ %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOW creators {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur."

If you felt like it you could add a '%end' to the proceeding examples and compile them. They would create an empty zone so wouldn't be very exciting but at least its possible. We will not go into any compiling until we have at least one unit type to compile because it is pretty useless to do. the next chapters will define the basic unit building blocks you will use for rooms, objects, and NPCs and start you off on compiling.

Unit building blocks

When creating your zone you will find some basic structures are used in all three unit types rooms, objects, and NPCs. In this chapter we will define the main building blocks of all units along with some helpful hints

No matter which unit type you are dealing with there is a simple basic structure that lets the compiler know not only what unit type it is dealing with but where one unit begins and where it ends. The way the compiler tells what unit type it is dealing with is by the section header '%rooms', '%objects', and '%mobiles'. All rooms must be defined under the '%rooms' header and likewise objects and NPCS under their respective headers. Each unit starts with a symbolic name called the unit symbol and ends with the keyword end. The following would be a legal definition of any unit type: symbol_name end

If you define a unit like this when it loads it will be blank, while this is not extremely useful it is good to know you can leave out any field you don't feel you need.

Unit building blocks

symbol field
In the last chapter we defined the different field types and

the rules you must follow when defining a symbol. It is important enough to relist these rules here so you do not run into problems when creating your units.

  • The first letter of the

symbol must be a letter of the alphabet or a '_' character

  • Characters following the first can be numbers, alphabet

letters, and '_' characters

  • The symbol can be no longer than

15 characters

  • No reserved keywords can be used as a symbol<XREF LINKEND="app-b">

It is also important to know currently it is hard to deal with units

having capital letters in them, this may be fixed in the future but it is good practice to use all lower case characters in the

symbols.

Another thing you should think about when defining your symbol names is to be clear about what the unit is. When you list units on the VME server with <command>wstat</command> the symbolic names are shown if you were to see the list: <computeroutput> i6853 b2419 l1854 </computeroutput> You would have no idea what those three items were unless you personally built them recently, therefore it is a much better coding practice to name things what they are like: <computeroutput> long_sword healer_hut dog </computeroutput>

title field
The title field is probably the easiest field on all units it

is what is shown on the first line of a room when you enter and it is the name shown when you get an object or attack a NPC. There is only two important things to look at when defining titles one is punctuation and the other is capitalization. Room titles need to be capitalized and so do proper names but the first letter of an object title or a NPC title do not normally need to be capitalized. this is best explained by some examples. title "The dragons in."/*good*/ title "a big bull dog."/*bad has a period at the end*/ title "Bill the destroyer"/*good*/ title "A long dagger"/*bad capital 'a'*/

Now to show why some of those are good we will demonstrate by some sample output in the game. <computeroutput>

prompt: l The Dragons Inn You are standing in a moldy inn.

prompt: get A long dagger You get A long dagger.

prompt kick dog You kick a bull dog. in the head. </computeroutput> Notice the 'A' and the extra period do not really look right where they end up appearing in the game. These may be minor nit picky details but if you do it right the first time you won't have to deal with the english major that just happens to be playing on your mud.

names field
The 'names' field defines the names everything in the game can

use to interact with your unit. For rooms the names are used as teleport or goto points for characters and NPCs or they are sometimes used for special DIL functions on objects to trigger in certain rooms. On NPCs and objects names can be used for anything from poking a player to giving a player an object. The names field is very flexible it has even been used to store what a container is holding in order to have quick access to the names in the container. it

When making rooms it is not necessary to put room names. In fact it is a good way of making sure players can't teleport to certain rooms because if the room doesn't have a name the person can't teleport to it. Objects and NPCs must have names because if you leave names off of them you can not pick them up or kill them depending on which you are dealing with. It is also good practice to use all combinations of the object or NPCs title so a player will know exactly what to type to use the item for example: bad_obj title a small dog" names{"small dog","small","dog"} end

It is up to you as a builder if you want to use names like 'small' in your names list since you would not 'get small' in real life it may not have to be added to the names list. It is important however to define your extras from big to small because of how the VME command interpreter handles names of things. For example if you had the following names: small_item title "a small item" names {"small","item","small item"}

When you try to <command>give small item Bill</command>. The interpreter would try to give small to item and that would not be what you wanted to do. Don't worry the compiler will catch this and give you an error something like: <computeroutput>

Fatal name ordering on line ###.

</computeroutput>

descr field
The description building block is used in many places. You will find

description fields on extras, exits, rooms, NPCs, objects, and as you have already seen the help and the notes field of the zone information section are also description fields.

Depending on what you are working on description fields can mean totally different things to the person looking in the room. A description field on a room can be the inside or outside of the rooms description. A description on extras can be an NPCs descr or an extra description on the room like if you looked at a 'rug' or a 'chair'. On an exit the descr field describes what you see when you look in that direction from the room you are in. The important thing right now is no matter where you use them they all work the same.

description fields like the title field have a tag or unlike the title field can have a set of tags before them like in extras or exits but like titles they are just a string surrounded by quotes. You can make multiple line descriptions if the description is on a NPC you may not want to since it is the description shown when you walk into the room. The following would be some examples of room descriptions. descr "this is how you would define a room descr and as you can see it can be much longer than a line if you like." extra {"basic extra"} "This is a description field on an extra." extra{"more advanced","extra"}{1,2,3,4,5,6} "This is still the description field. Like the room description or any description field for that matter this can be longer than a line." east to bathroom descr "You see one big toilet!";

extra fields
The extra field is the work horse for the builder. It is the

building block that most brings your zone to life. You can use it to describe body parts or items in a room. When you use DIL you will use extras to store information like quest information or special information you need later. Extras also store the main description on NPCs since the descr field on NPCs is really the long title shown in the room which will be explained later in <xref linkend="ch-05">.

The extra Is the first structure definition you have run into so it may take some playing with to figure it out. The extra has actually 4 fields three of them must be there in some form. The first is the identifier that tells the compiler that this is an extra, the second is a stringlist, the third is an Optional Intlist, and the final one is the extra description field. If the extra had all the fields it would look like this: extra {"small chair","chair"} {1,2,3,4,5} "Its a chair."

If the previous wasn't an example we would have left out the Intlist because it is not necessary to put the Intlist on a chair unless you want it there for some special DIL you are creating. the Intlist is the only field that can be totally left out but you can leave the string list blank when you want to make the extra the default description when the object, room, or NPC is being looked at, like this: extra {} "This would be what you see when you look at any of the names in the names list."

We will go more in-depth into why you want to do this in the following chapters.

You are now ready to put these building blocks to work. You have only to learn how to put these fields to work for each of the three unit types and you will be off and running.

The room section

The previous chapter gave you the basic building blocks that will be used all through creating rooms, NPCs, and objects. If you jumped straight to this chapter without reading about the general building blocks you might want to return to <XREF LINKEND="ch-03"> first. This chapter will deal with all the fields of rooms what they are and how to use them but with out the previous chapter you may get lost.

In order to get started building rooms you should first be aware of the room fields you can use. The <xref linkend="rmfields"> shows a full listing of all the room fields and their types as defined in <xref linkend="ch-03">.

Room fields and types listing
Field Type Field Type
symbolic name Symbol manipulate Integer
names Stringlist alignment Integer
title String flags Integer
descr String weight Integer
outside_descr String capacity Integer
extra Structure light Integer
minv Integer exit Structure
key string movement Integer
spell Integer end Symbol
dilbegin or dilcopy Function pointer

As you can see there is not a whole lot of fields you have to learn in order to make a room. In fact as you will see shortly some of these fields are not even used on rooms. In <xref linkend=" rmfielddescr"> we will expand your knowledge from just knowing what the field types are to how to set them as well.

Description of room fields

<variablelist id="var-rmfields">

symbolic name
The rules of the symbols has been explained in <XREF

LINKEND="ch-03">, if you didn't read them yet you may want to review. The important thing to realize with the room symbol is it is always good practice to give the room a symbol resembling the title so administrators and builders can use the <command>goto</command> and the <command>wstat</command> to easily goto the room in question.

title
The room title field should start with a capital and depending on

your preference the compiler will not complain if you add punctuation at the end. The following are good examples of a room title. title "The Post Office" title "The deep dark jungle floor:" title "The Dragon Station control room"

It is really up to you weather you want to use punctuation or not, it is more administrator personal opinion than anything.

names
The names field on the rooms are not that important and only should be

used if the builder wishes the room to be accessed by the players by a teleport command. If the room has no names no one will be able to teleport to it. On some muds there will be no teleport spell so the only use for this field will be for DIL functions the administrator creates. If a builder wants the room to be accessible by teleport then the names should match the title since that is what the player will try to teleport to. A few good examples of names on a room would look as follows. title "The Post Office" Names {"post office","office"} title "the thrown room" names {"thrown room","thrown"}

descr
The description field is what the player sees when walking into the room or

when looking with no arguments.

outside_descr
This field is what is shown to a char if the room is loaded inside

another room. For example if you had a room linked inside another room and called a barrel this would be the description that lets the character know it is a barrel. An example would be like: outside_descr "a big old barrel is laying here on its side."

This allows a builder to make a room that looks like an object inside another room.

movement
The movement field defines the endurance cost to a character when moving through

this room. In the future these fields will be adjustable by the use of a define file. Currently all movement fields are constants and are defined in the vme.h The following is the movement sector types and their values.

Sector movement values
Symbol Name Endurance Cost
SECT_INSIDE inside 1
SECT_CITY city 1
SECT_FIELD field 2
SECT_FOREST forest 3
SECT_HILLS hills 4
SECT_MOUNTAIN mountain 6
SECT_DESERT desert 8
SECT_SWAMP swamp 8
SECT_WATER_SWIM water-swim 4
SECT_WATER_SAIL water-sail 50
SECT_UNDER_WATER under-water 8
SECT_SNOW snow 8
SECT_SLUSH slush 6
SECT_ICE ice 10

The movement is simply defined by placing the 'movement' keyword first followed by the type of sector you desire. For example a few movement fields would look as follows: movement SECT_FOREST movement SECT_HILLS

Only one movement is needed for a room if you put more than one the last one added will be the one used.

flags
This field on a room is used to set special attributes in order to make the room

private or no-teleportable and many others. The following is the list of possible already defined flags. Extras can also be used to create special room flags.

Room unit flag affects
Flag Description
UNIT_FL_PRIVATE When this flag is set on a room it marks it as a private room. Commands

that honor the private flag will not let more than 2 players into this room. Commands like <command>goto</command> and direction commands are a few commands that do honor this flag.

UNIT_FL_INVISIBLE Makes unit invisible
UNIT_FL_NO_BURY Makes a hard floor so items can't be buried.
UNIT_FL_BURIED Makes unit buried when loaded
UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT makes unit so no one can teleport to it
UNIT_FL_NO_MOB Makes it so no mobile will enter the unit
UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER keeps weather and natural light out of unit
UNIT_FL_INDOORS Makes unit inside and doesn't affect weather
UNIT_FL_TRANS Makes unit transparent
UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE Makes it so you can't save with unit
UNIT_FL_SACRED Makes unit a double gain unit
UNIT_FL_MAGIC Marks a unit to be magic
extra
Extras are the work horse of the VME. Extras are used in everything from DIL to just normal

extra descriptions on rooms. The first job for an extra was to hold extra description information on a room. For example if you had a computer room and you described it might look something like this: descr "This small room houses the computer power of the VME development team. All four walls are lined with various pieces of computer equipment old pizza boxes and plenty of empty soda cans."

The problem is as a player if you saw this description you might want to know what kind of pizza we eat or maybe you would want to see what kind of soda we drink. Or heaven forbid you might want to know what kinds of computer equipment is scattered about the room. In the VME servers we do this by adding extra descriptions to the room. In this case the builder of the zone may do something like this: descr "This small room houses the computer power of the VME development team. All four walls are lined with various pieces of computer equipment old pizza boxes and plenty of empty soda cans." extra {"soda cans", "cans", "soda", "can"} "These cans are all Canadian blue. Maybe the Valhalla team hates American beer. Strange all of them look to have strange indentations." extra {"strange indentations", "strange indentation","indentation"} "They are human bite marks. Is this what happens when code doesn't work right?" extra {"pizza boxes","pizza","boxes","box"} "Dominos could make a fortune from all these boxes and probably already have from the VME team. you notice all the boxes are empty at least they finish what they start." extra {"computer pieces","computer parts", "equipment","hardware", "pieces", "parts"} "I bet you thought you would see what we have running. Yeah right you might come over and rob us if we told you that. All you see is an old XT." extra {"xt"} "Its a hunk of junk really!"

There is a lot to notice in the previous examples. First we will start with extras when defined on rooms, NPC, and objects must be in length order for the names. There are a few reasons for this but lets just say the most important reason is we wanted it this way. If you don't put them in order the VMC will give you a fatal error and will not compile your zone.

The next thing you should notice is we have used an extra to describe something in another extra. We actually did this twice once for the beer cans and once for the computer parts. That way you can actually give quest information but make the person really have to explore your rooms descriptions to find it.

The previous example is what we consider normal extras in a room. There are also extras that hold information for DIL functions. These special extras can have extra fields and they can be hidden to the players eyes. Here are some examples of special extras. extra {"$rockcount"} "5" extra {"$playerkill"} "0" extra {"$coke","$milk","$water"}{1,5,10} "Drinks and amounts"

These extras all have the '$' sign appended to the front of the names in order to tell the look command the player shouldn't be able to look at the extra. If you have not already seen DIL coding you may not understand why you would want extras players can't see. The DIL language can manipulate these extras by reading and writing them in order to change the way a command or another function works. For example the last DIL could be used for a shopkeeper to tell how many of each type of drink he has. Notice the drink extra also has something you haven't seen yet, an added integer list after the namelist. all extras can have these but only extras being used with DIL functions really need them.

Some of these special functions are supported already in the code and the ones that affect the rooms are as follows. In the following $1n is the activator and $2n is the unit in question.

There is only one special extra already supported for rooms and that would be the '$get'. As we have previously mentioned the extras that start with a dollar sign are not seen by the players. This one however is shown to the player when the person types get on the other names in the extras list. This easier to describe in an example than in words so the following would be a good example.: extra {"$get", "statues", "statue"} "You attempt to pick up a statue but quickly discover your feeble attempts will never work." {"$get", "red roses", "roses"} "You bend down to pick a rose, but then decide to leave the beautiful flower to itself."

With this one special extra we have made it so you don't need to make millions of items so the person can act upon them. You can just make the acts as if the items were in the room.

Exits
Every room has ten possible exits; North, East, South, West, Northeast,

Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Up and Down. To enable mobile use of these commands, you must specify these exits as outlined below: exit <direction> [to <destination>] [open {<infoflags>}] [key <keyname>] [keyword {<keywords>}] descr <description> ;

exit <directions>
Is the direction the exit leads, ie. one of north, south ..

up, down.

to <destinations>

The symbolic reference to the room, you want this exit to lead to. If you reference a room within another zone, post pend the name with @<zone name> to myotherroom to hisotherroom@hiszone

open <info flags>

These flags describe the state of the door. The following is the list of possible door flags.

EX_OPEN_CLOSE
Set this if you can open and close this exit, be it a door, gate or

otherwise.

EX_CLOSED
Set this if you want the exit to be closed at boot time.
EX_LOCKED
Set this if you want the exit to be clocked at boot time.

An interesting aspect is, if you do not specify a key, you can only unlock this door with the 'pick' skill, 'unlock' spell or from DIL with UnSet();

EX_PICK_PROOF
Using this flag renders the 'pick' skill and 'unlock' spell un useable on the

lock of this exit.

EX_HIDDEN
If this bit is set, the exit is hidden until the mobile has successfully

searched for it, using the 'search'-command.

key <keyname>
The symbolic name of a key object used for unlocking this exit.

key mykey@myzone

keyword { <stringlist> }
This stringlist holds all the names of the exit,

you specify to manipulate the exit. If the exit is hidden exit, these are the keywords the mobile can search for. keyword {"wooden door","door"} keyword {"hidden door","door","hatch","floor"}

descr <description>
This string is the description of what you see if you look in

the direction of the exit.

Every exit statement needs to be terminated with a semi-colon.

General notes

Even though you do not need an exit in all directions, you can use it to place descriptions of the direction.

exit north descr "An unsurmountable mountain blocks your way.";

minv
This field is rarely used on rooms. It could however be used to

make a room invisible inside another room. Or it could be used to store numbered values on a room. The reason this field is on a room is it is part of the base object which all objects are derived from. If the room is going to be inside another room and you don't want it visible the following would make it invisible to all players below the level of 20. minv 20

key
This field is not used normally on a room. It is a string that

can be used for anything you desire. The reason it exists on rooms is it is a part of the base object all unitptrs (unit pointers like, rooms, objects, and NPCs) are derived from.

manipulate
This field is not used normally on a room. It is an integer that can be

used for anything you desire. The reason it exists on rooms is it is a part of the base object all unitptrs are derived from.

alignment
This field is not used normally on a room. It is an integer that can be

used for anything you desire. The reason it exists on rooms is it is a part of the base object all unitptrs are derived from.

weight
This field is not used normally on a room. It is an integer that can be

used for anything you desire. The reason it exists on rooms is it is a part of the base object all unitptrs are derived from.

capacity
This field is not used normally on a room. It is an integer that can be

used for anything you desire. The reason it exists on rooms is it is a part of the base object all unitptrs are derived from.

light
This field sets the light on a room. Normally this is not done

directly, instead it is set using macros defined in wmacros.h.

Light defines
Define Light Value Affect
ALWAYS_LIGHT 1 Room is always light no matter time of day
IN_ALWAYS_DARK
When an inside room is always dark - both inside and outside
OUT_DARK_NON_NOON
Always a dark room, except when it is high noon
OUT_ALWAYS_DARK
Always a Dark room, no matter the time of day

To set natural light that changes depending on the type of day nothing is needed to be put in the light field the compiler will default to '0'. If you for some reason want to set the light to default lighting you can do so but you don't need to. You will also notice there are two macros that set the light to the exact same value. This is for compatibility with older code base and if you wish to combine these two macros or only use one it would not change the way the mud works.

This is probably one of the simplest fields you will have to deal with in the rooms. In order to set it all that is needed is to place the macro or the light and value on a line in the room and your all done. //To Set always light with macro ALWAYS_LIGHT //To set Always light with out macro light 1

You can decide which is easiest for you.

link
spell
dilbegin or dilcopy
The DIL functions are what give VME servers the edge over all other muds.

We will only give some examples here and leave it up to the DIL manual to teach you how to create your own functions that will make your rooms, NPC, and objects more than special.

There are only currently three room functions that come standard with a VME in the function.zon. There are much more in the zones released with the VME but you will have to hunt for those. The three that come standard are Safe room, Death room, and forced move. The safe room makes it impossible for players to kill each other, the death room is a function that lets you make things like rock slides and quick sand, and the forced move lets you make an easy river.

Since these are just DIL's written by builders for the Valhalla mud all you have to do is use the dilcopy keyword in the room with the function name you want to use and the arguments the function requires. The following is what you would find in the function.zon for death room. /* Death room DIL *tick is in 4th's of seconds * Damage is damage done per tick *act_s is string shown to damaged player. */ dilbegin death_room(tick: integer, damage: integer, act_s: string); var ext: extraptr; u : unitptr; i : integer; code { if (tick < 12) tick := 12; heartbeat := tick; if (damage < 0) damage := -damage; if ("$death room for mobs" in self.extra) i := UNIT_ST_PC|UNIT_ST_NPC; else i := UNIT_ST_PC; while (TRUE) { wait (SFB_TICK, TRUE); foreach (i, u) { if (u.level >= IMMORTAL_LEVEL) continue; if (("$no death room" in u.extra) and (u.type == UNIT_ST_NPC)) continue; // Don't allow pcs to get this flag if (act_s != "") act ("&[hit_me]"+act_s, A_ALWAYS, u, null, null, TO_CHAR); else act ("&[hit_me]You bleed from your wounds.", A_ALWAYS, u, null, null, TO_CHAR); u.hp := u.hp - damage; position_update (u); } } } dilend

If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to understand or adjust it you just have to use it. In this function it requires a time, damage, and act. So you could use this in a room definition like this: dilcopy death@function (60,25,"Flames shoot from the floor burning your rear.");

This says to copy the DIL from zone function with the arguments 60 seconds, damage 25% and act as shown. Pretty simple eh?

All released DIL room functions are described in <XREF LINKEND="rmdilfunc">. Then we put some to work so you can see how to use them in <XREF LINKEND="rmcomplex">

Building your first room

Now you are ready! With all you have learned about room fields you are now ready to build your first room. I personally like dragons and I like space so I have chosen to make a dragon station. We will first do a simple room and build on to it in the next sections. In this section we will walk you through creating a basic room and why we choose what we do where we do.

When making rooms you create the zone source file first as shown in <xref linkend="ch-02">. If you only have rooms you do not need the %reset, %objects, and %mobiles. For the examples in this chapter we will use the zone we created in <xref linkend="ch-02"> and add the %room tag where we will put all the rooms. At the end of the chapter we will have the entire zone so you can see it all together.

The first part of all rooms is the symbolic name it is good to always pick a name that will match the title so you can use the administrator command <command>goto</command> to easily get to the room. The reason is when you use the command <command>wstat</command> it will only show you a list of the rooms by symbolic name for example if you type <command> wstat zone dragon room </command> You will get the following: List of rooms in zone Dragon: chamber portal office

If you didn't make it clear what the rooms were by the symbolic name it might look like this: List of rooms in zone Dragon: st_rm1 st_rm2 st_rm3

While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to remember what all one hundred rooms are.

The first room we will create will be a simple chamber with nothing special. We can build on to it later if we need to. chamber end

Pretty easy so far. Now lets add some life to it. The room will need a title and a description. The title should be a one line description of a room sort of like if you were walking someone around your house and telling them what each room was like this is 'My houses big bathroom' or maybe this is 'The computer room'. The description should be something you would tell an interior decorator you were talking to on the phone and asking for advice. He would want to know everything about the room you can see so he could give you good advice. chamber title "The middle chamber of the station" descr "This chamber seems to have the entire station rotating around it. Small human size ornate chairs with dragon designs scrawled on the arms and back are arranged in a triangle like setting with one large chair at the front. This must be where all station meetings are held. large pictures cover the walls depicting dragons in all kinds of situations. Small passages lead of to the west and the east. ." end

It is a matter of taste if you want the descriptions of the exits in your description or not but I like them so I put them. Now if you were reading this description to someone the person might ask you what is on the pictures or maybe even what exactly do the chairs look like so we better take care of that by adding some extras to our little room. extra {"chairs","chair"} "The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered with some kind of dragon." extra {"dragon picture","picture"} "Thousands of dragons dot the skies of this rather life like picture. In the center you see something move. It looks to be a little green dragon." extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"} "An intelligent looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you." Normally we could put a movement type for the amount of endurance lost when a person is moving through the area but we will leave it blank and go with the default which is SECT_CITY since with the fake gravity that is the closest we could come with the sector types availible. The last thing we need to finish our room is the two exits leading to the other rooms. west to portal descr "You see a small room."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office.";

Thats it that is all there is to making a room. In the next couple of sections we are going to add some more rooms with more advanced features and give some debugging hints for compiling your rooms but if you understand everything so far your going to have no problem. Lets take a look at our entire finished first room chamber title "The middle chamber of the station" descr "This chamber seems to have the entire station rotating around it. Small human size ornate chairs with dragon designs scrawled on the arms and back are arranged in a triangle like setting with one large chair at the front. This must be where all station meetings are held. large pictures cover the walls depicting dragons in all kinds of situations. Small passages lead of to the west and the east. ." extra {"chairs","chair"} "The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered with some kind of dragon." extra {"dragon picture","picture"} "Thousands of dragons dot the skies of this rather life like picture. In the center you see something move. It looks to be a little green dragon." extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"} "An intelligent looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you." west to portal descr "You see a small room."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office."; end

Compiling and debugging your first room

It is time we put the zone header information together with your first zone and compile it into a format the VME server can use. This is done by using the VMC compiler. Depending on if you are doing this on your own Linux server or if you are building for a VME already set up you will have to use the compiler access method they have defined. No matter if you are compiling by email, ftp, or at the command line with VMC the error messages will all be the same. Since I have no idea how your particular set up is designed I will explain the errors that the compiler will return and you will have to ask your system administrator how to access the compiler. The rest of this section is written as if you have your own VME running on your own Linux box using the VMC at the command line.

When you are working on your first zone it is always a good idea to start with one or two rooms and compile them instead of writing all the rooms and then trying to compile. The reason is the more rooms you have the more confused you can make the compiler if you have a lot of errors and you may not be able to figure out where your first mistake was easily. In our case we only have our first room and the header information for the zone so lets put it together now and try and compile it. #include composed.h> %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOw creators {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur." %rooms chamber title "The middle chamber of the station descr "This chamber seems to have the entire station rotating around it. Small human size ornate chairs with dragon designs scrawled on the arms and back are arranged in a triangle like setting with one large chair at the front. This must be where all station meetings are held. large pictures cover the walls depicting dragons in all kinds of situations. Small passages lead of to the west and the east. ." extra {"chair","chairs"} "The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered with some kind of dragon." extra {"dragon picture","picture"} "Thousands of dragons dot the skies of this rather life like picture. In the center you see something move. It looks to be a little green dragon." extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"} "An intelligent looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you." west to portal descr "You see a small room."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office."; end %end We added the %room tag to our zone header stuck our room in and now its ready to be compiled and put into the VME server for you to be able to look at it in the game. If you downloaded our example zones for this document you can compile this zone along with us and fix the errors as we do for practice. The filename is debug_rm.zon. Just so you know the errors in this zone are intentional so please don't write me an email telling me there are errors in it.

The command to compile the zone is <command>VMC debug_rm.zon</command>. Here is what we get when we first try and compile the zone. VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [Apr 28 2001] Compiling 'debug_rm.zon' <debug_rm.zon> @ 2: Bad include argument <debug_rm.zon> @ 48: Token too long Fatal error compiling in preprocessor stage in file 'debug_rm.zon'.

Don't worry if this looks scary, it really is much easier to read than it looks like. The first thing you need to realize about compiling is always fix one error and compile again because it might fix two or three errors after with one fix. The reason is once a compiler hits something it doesn't understand it gets confused with the rest of the file. It is sort of like if you thought the word 'water' meant 'fire' and you tried to read a book it would get confusing really fast. So you have to correct the definition of 'water' to understand the rest of the book.

Lets take the first error with this in mind. The first error shows up on line three of the error file it says: <debug_rm.zon> @ 2: Bad include argument

This line is not really cryptic reading it in a more english form would sound like: In file 'debug_rm.zon' you have an error at line 2, the argument to the include statement is not correct. Not all errors will be this clear but the compiler does its best to get you close to the error. Now if you look at line two in debug_rm.zon, you will find, we forgot to put in the '<' symbol. If you fix the line to look like: #include <composed.h> Then recompile you will have fixed your first error and get a whole new set to play with. The following is the errors we got after fixing line two: VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_rm.zon' <debug_rm.zon> @ 47: EOF in string debug_rm.zon: 4: parse error Token: 'RESET_ANYHOw' debug_rm.zon: 21: parse error Token: 'This' debug_rm.zon: 26: parse error Token: 'and' debug_rm.zon: 26: parse error Token: '.' Grave errors in file 'debug_rm.zon'.

Now this looks to be a much more interesting error file than the previous one. Remember we mentioned you should always fix the first error first so the compiler doesn't get confused. In this error file the first line is not the first error we need to fix. We have to do some logical reasoning here. The first error the compiler came across was the one on line 4 that shows up around line 4 of the error file. The lines before it are letting you know somewhere else in the file there is a missing quote. If we clean up the first error however we might be able to find this missing quote much easier. So lets do that lets start by looking at line 4 which is saying the compiler doesn't understand what the token 'RESET_ANYHOw' is. This makes sense the token should be 'RESET_ANYHOW' and the compiler is case sensitive. So all we need to do to fix this one is capitalize the 'w' and the error should be cleared up lets try that and recompile and see what the errors look like. With that line fixed the following is the errors we get. VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_rm.zon' <debug_rm.zon> @ 47: EOF in string debug_rm.zon: 21: parse error Token: 'This' debug_rm.zon: 26: parse error Token: 'and' debug_rm.zon: 26: pars e error Token: '.' Grave errors in file 'debug_rm.zon'.

Again we must figure out which error message we should deal with first. As before we need to deal with the lowest number error. The error we need to fix first then is the one on line '21'. If you go to line '21' you will notice the line looks fine. When you run into an error like this where the error is not exactly on the line scroll up to the field before the one in question and you should find the problem. In this case we forgot a '"' on the 'title' line and confused the compiler because it thought the ending quote was the one after the 'descr' field. Therefore the compiler didn't understand the 'This' as a field. This is one of the harder errors to find but once you get used to it will come naturally and the compiler does try to get you close. Now if we add the '"' we are missing and recompile the following is the output we get. VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_rm.zon' VMC Done.

Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means you have now successfully compiled the zone. I want you to look at the last error file and the fact that we only changed a quote to go from it to no errors. This is why you always deal with one error at a time. Sometimes fixing one error can fix a lot of the weird errors that make no sense. In fact I have seen one quote cause as much as 50 errors so if you jump around trying to fix errors that look like they make sense you may end up making more work for yourself.

Now that you have a compiled zone you should check and make sure all the files are there. When you compile a zone you will end up with three extra files. the files will have the same filename as your zone with a new extension in this case you should have the following. debug_rm.data debug_rm.err debug_rm.reset debug_rm.zon

If you have all of these you are all set to go. If not then there is something seriously wrong and you may want to write the VME staff for help. To get your new zone in the mud all that is needed is to make sure your zone is in the zonelist in the VME etc directory and copy these files into your zone directory. Then reboot the mud. You should be able to log on your builder character and goto your zone by typing, <command>goto chamber@dragonst</command>.

There you go you have now compiled your first zone. Its not much to look at but with what you already know you could make a full zone of very basic rooms. The next few sections will teach you some of the more interesting things you can do when making your rooms.

DIL functions for rooms

The DIL language is the language a builder can use to make his own special functions on rooms, NPCs, objects, PCs, and much more. This manual is for basic zone writing and therefore will not go into how to write your own DIL functions. The VME however is released with many functions for you as an Administrator and your builders to use to make special rooms, NPCs, and objects. The following is a list of all room functions released with the VME 2.0 server.

<variablelist id="var-roomfunc">

Death room
This function is a simple function that allows you to create a

room to do damage to a player. The death_room can kill them slowly like a fire cave would or it can kill them quickly as if you stuck them in a microwave it is all up to how you set the arguments. It also lets you see the acts the players see so this function can be used on any number of death style rooms. There is no need to understand how the function works just how to use it so with that in mind the following is the functions header. //In function.zon dilbegin death_room(tick: integer, damage: integer, act_s: string); As with any function all you have to do is 'dilcopy' the function onto your room with the correct zone name and arguments and it will do the rest. In this DIL you have three arguments to pass The first is the 'tick' or time which in this DIL is broken down into 'ticks' which are 4 ticks per second. Thus if you wanted to get something to do damage every minute you would put '60*4' in that spot. The next is the amount of damage you want done per your time. If for example you want '60' hit +points damage done each round you just put '60' as that argument. Finally is the act shown to the character as a string in quotes. So a finished death room on your room would look like this. dilcopy death_room@function(4*60,60, "Flames shoot up from the floor burning your butt.");

Climb
This special DIL is used for the climb skill and should be set on

stationary objects (stationary mast, robe, tree, wall, etc). The 'difficulty' is the skill-amount required to climb. A skill of 100 would be a 50% chance for the expert thief / climber. The 'damage' is how much damage is given if you fail to climb the object. When you fail, you "fall" to the 'destination', so you can make gravity work correctly. The destination can be the same room in which you started but it doesn't have to be. The 'direction' is the direction in which you want the person to have to climb enclosed in quotes.

With all this in mind the following is the DIL definition and an example use of it. //DIL definition dilbegin climb(destination:string, difficulty:integer, damage:integer,direction:integer); //Example use of Climb dilcopy climb@function("deck@ship", 17, 20, "up");

We should note here, if you wanted the person to have to climb back down you will need to put a climb DIL on the room you are climbing too that has the "down" directory as an argument. This DIL also allows you to link two rooms not linked by normal directions but we suggest you should think before doing this because it may not make sense to not have a link between the two places.

Force move
This function allows you to move a player or NPC from a room to another

room with out having the player or NPC type or do anything.

The following is the definition of the force move DIL dilbegin force_move (tick: integer, strings: string, random: integer);

The 'tick' parameter is how fast you want the force move to be triggered. The 'tick' is in 1/4 second increments so to get a one second wait you would place a four. The second parameter is two strings the first being the symbolic name of the room you are forcing the character to. The second string is the act you want shown to the player or NPC when it is moved. The final parameter is either a one or a zero. The one stands for true and it would make the timer trigger randomly fifty percent of the time, while a zero would make it not random.

The following is what the force move would look like if you wanted it to trigger every 30 seconds and give acts of a river. dilcopy force_move@function(4*30,{"river2@riverzon","You float down the river."},0);

Safe room
This function creates a safe room where combat is not allowed.

The following is the definition and an example of how to use it. //Safe room DIL definition dilbegin safe_room (); //Example use of Safe room dilcopy safe_room@function ();

A more complex set of rooms

In the last section you learned to make basic rooms. In this section we will build on what you already know to allow you to make much more fancy rooms. IN this section we will give a much better view of the exits and what can be done with them including doors, hidden doors and rooms inside other rooms. We will also show some examples of the room DIL functions being used that were described in the previous section. Finally we will pull it all together in a completed zone for you to compile and play with.

Exits with doors

When we first defined exits we included the 'keyword' and 'open' fields on a door. In this section we will give an example of two rooms linked together with a door. There is no new information you have not already encountered so we will start with an example. hallway title "Module tunnel" descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from side to side and top to bottom...." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to chamber descr "The hallway opens up into a chamber."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station...." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end

One important thing you should notice is, whatever you put as a keyword, along with the direction, is what a person must use to open the door. To make sure the door closes at reset time you will have to add the doors reset to the '%reset' section. The door resets will be explained in <xref LINKEND="ch-07">. Notice also in this example we have a direction both in the room you are going to and the room you came from. This means you need a 'west' direction for every 'east' direction leading to it. If you do not put both you will end up with a one way direction.

Locked exits

Now that you have making a door down, you may find that it is not safe to leave your doors unlocked. Well the VME is ready for you. You have already seen the 'keyword' and 'open' sections and what you can set in them. Now lets use the 'EX_LOCKED field with them and introduce a new macro to allow you to set the difficulty to unlock the lock with out a key.

First lets look at the macro that allows you to set a difficulty on a lock. If you set the lock with out this macro it will default to 0 and thus be easy to pick. #define DOOR_LOCK_DEF(north_lock, east_lock, south_lock, west_lock,\ up_lock, down_lock, northeast_lock, northwest_lock, southeast_lock,\ southwest_lock) When using this macro you only set the value of the exit you want to add the difficulty to, you can leave the rest of the exits '0'. Only one of these macros are needed on a room no matter how many exits because each of the exits are included.. If you have an exit to the north that is locked and you want it to have a difficulty of 50% the following would be the line you would add to your room DOOR_LOCK_DEF(50, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0) Now lets add the macro and the locked flag to the exits and create the room. hallway title "Module tunnel" descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from side to side and top to bottom...." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to chamber descr "The hallway opens up into a chamber."; DOOR_LOCK_DEF(0, 50, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0) east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; end office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station...." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} DOOR_LOCK_DEF(0, 0, 0, 50, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0) west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; end

The only thing you may be wondering about in this example is the 'key' field. I have picked 'nokey' as my value of the key. There is no key in this zone so all this does is create a key hole. If you leave the 'key' field out totally the only way you can open the lock is by a magical spell. It is also important that you read about resets of door locks in <xref LINKEND="ch-07">.

Hidden exits

Locking the doors may not be enough. In fact sometimes you may not want to lock the door but you might want to hide it. You can do both or either with the following macro added to your exit. #define SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(DIR, SKILL) \ extra{SECRET_DOOR} {DIR, SKILL}\ "" So if you wanted a door or just a passage to the north hidden you would add this before or after your exits. SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(NORTH, 50) Now lets put it all together and link two rooms together with a hidden door. office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station..." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(SOUTH, 50) south to portal_room descr "You see what looks to be a portal room." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","staff","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN}; end portal_room title "Green field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a green field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the north." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} north to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; end

Rooms inside of rooms

Now that you have normal exits down its time to take a look at something a bit different. Lets say you wanted to put a barrel in a room that is also a room that has exits to other rooms. Or maybe in my case I want to put a transporter pad in the room that is also a room so you can exit back into the room you came from. In the case of the teleporter I could use an object but as you will find it is much easier to deal with a room for this than an object.

To put a room in a room it is much different than using the normal exit fields. The only thing needed is the 'in' keyword and the room you are linking the current room into. There is no need for a semi-colon. The following is what the line would look like. in <room that room is in> Not too hard. The following are two rooms one in the other. portal_room title "Green field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a green field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the north." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"green field","field"} "The field looks to be a green fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." north to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; //A link to the portal is also here end room_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in portal_room end

After adding a room in a room you should note the room in the description or put an 'outside_descr' on the room inside it. In our example we have chosen to add the description into the room instead

of using the 'outside_descr'. Also doors and locks work the same way as before you can even hide this exit.

A room using force move.

Sometimes you will want to help players along their path. This could be for a river that flows strongly enough to force a players raft down stream or maybe for a room of quick sand that sucks the player into another room. In these situations we need to use the force move DIL, explained in the previous section. Here we have built two rooms linked only by a forced move. portal_room title "Green field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a green field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the north." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"green field","field"} "The field looks to be a green fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." north to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; //A link to the portal is also here end ship_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in ship dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "portal_room@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&nYou appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end </sect2

A death room

As a final touch to my little example zone I want to create a room that will kill a player instantly. I will use the DIL function Death room and the room would simply look as follows. deathspace title"Open space" descr "You see the ship and the station far off in the distance and you are in Space!" movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy death_room@function ( //how often is damage done 4 would be 1 second 4, //damage 400, //act for the damage. "You realize to late that was the trash disposal transporter and you feel your lungs explode."); end

Putting the rooms together

Using all you have learned so far and putting it all together into one zone. You end up with a very interesting space station with some secret rooms and traps.. The full zone all together looks like this. #include <composed.h> %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOW creators {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur." %rooms chamber title "The middle chamber of the station" descr "This chamber seems to have the entire station rotating around it. It is unbelievably large the ceiling seems to be a good 200 meeters high and the room is perfectly cubic. Small human size ornate chairs with dragon designs scrawled on the arms and back are arranged in a triangle like setting with one large chair at the front. This must be where all station meetings are held. large pictures cover the walls depicting dragons in all kinds of situations. large passages lead of to the west and the east.." extra {"chair","chairs"} "The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered with some kind of dragon." extra {"dragon picture","picture"} "Thousands of dragons dot the skies of this rather life like picture. In the center you see something move. It looks to be a little green dragon." extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"} "An intellegence looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to disposal_room descr "You see a small room."; east to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway."; end hallway title "Module tunnel" descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from side to side and top to bottom. The hallway seems to be dust free. The walls and the floors seem to be made out of the same sterile metal-plastic that all space agencies uses. There are large plate glass windows that open up into space. The hallway is filled with a dim light that seems to come from everywhere yet no where all at once. You notice a glimmer of bright light coming from the windows. To the east you see an air lock and to the west the hallway opens up into a larger room." extra {"windows","window"} "Your eyes are drawn to a large ship lit up with running lights sitting about 1 kilometer from the station." extra{"floor","walls","wall"} "Well what can be said it looks to be in perfect condition. what else would you want to know?" extra {"large ship" ,"ship"} "The ship looks really big and is shaped like a dragon. The scales sparkle and seem to be multiple colors." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to chamber descr "The hallway opens up into a chamber."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station. The room is as large as the other rooms big enough for Dragons to lounge while still having a desk in one corner small enough for a humanoid. The floor along the north wall is lined with some kind of fabric and seems very soft to walk on, it may be some kind of dragon lounge judging by how large an area it covers. There is a passage to the west." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"paintings","painting"} "The paintings are of many dragons and riders in all kinds of tasks from combat to look out. All the figures seem to be staring at a staff being held by a depiction of a wizard on the south wall." extra {"wizard","staff"} "The wizard has his hand stretched out and it seems there is a place you can almost grab the staff. Maybe if you searched the staff you would find it." extra {"desk"} "Its a desk alright but there doesn't seem to be any drawers and it seems totally empty." extra{"fabric"} "Wussshhhhh you bound across the comfortable floor wasn't that fun." west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(SOUTH, 50) south to portal_room descr "You see what looks to be a portal room." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","staff","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN}; end portal_room title "Green field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a green field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the north." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"green field","field"} "The field looks to be a green fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." north to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; //A link to the portal is also here from room_port end ship_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in ship dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "portal_room@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&nYou appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end room_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in portal_room dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "ship@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&nYou appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end disposal_room title "Red field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a red field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the east." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"red field","field"} "The field looks to be a red fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." east to chamber descr "You see the main chamber."; //A link to the portal is also here from dis_port end dis_port names {"red field","field"} title "Red field" descr "Red Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy force_move@function( //how fast to force move in seconds 4, //room to force move to and act "deathspace@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.", //true or false random move or not 0); in disposal_room end ship title "War dragon" descr "Blue light softly glows from con duets that line the walls of this ship. The floors beside the east and west wall have what looks to be soft fabric covering. The south wall has small controls that seem to be made for humanoids with two small chairs that look to be pilot seats. view portals are about 50 meters up the side of the ship on the west and east wall and some kind of electronic screen covers the south wall. The ship seems to be a one room ship but there is a green field by the north wall." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"view port"} "Sorry your not 50 meters tall maybe it is made for a dragon?" extra {"view screen","screen"} "It seems to be the pilots view screen but you can't seem to see a way to turn it on." extra {"controls","control"} "The controls are in some weird language and your afraid if you start pushing buttons you might rocket in to the station or worse slam into a planet." extra {"soft fabric","fabric"} "It looks to be a dragon lounge area." //A link to the portal is also here from ship_port end deathspace title"Open space" descr "You see the ship and the station far off in the distance and you are in Space!" movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy death_room@function ( //how often is damage done 4 would be 1 second 4, //damage 400, //act for the damage. "You realize to late that was the trash disposal transporter and you feel your lungs explode."); end %end

Suggested room exercises

1. Create a door between the Disposal room and the main chamber of the station. Make the new door pick-proof and magic-proof.

2. Create another hallway to the south of the main chamber that leads to a ship attached by an airlock. You will need a door before the hallway and before the ship so no one gets sucked out in space. You will need two more rooms for this one for the hallway and one for the ship.

3. Using the Dragon station zone as a guide create your own zone with eight rooms. Don't worry to much about descriptions and extras. Link all eight of the rooms to each of the other rooms. This means each room should have seven exits. If you were to map this it would look like a cube marked with 'X' on the sides.

4.Make a 3 room cliff that uses the climb DIL function to climb from the bottom to top.

The NPC section

Now that you have rooms down it is time to start filling your area with some life. The NPC is the Non-player Character or mobile. These are the things players will hunt and interact with

In order to get started building NPCs you should first be aware of the NPC fields you can use. The <xref linkend="npcfields"> shows a full listing of all the NPC fields and their types as defined in <xref linkend="ch-03">.

NPC fields and types
Field Type Field Type
Symbolic name Symbol level Integer
names Stringlist height Integer
title String race Integer
descr String attack Integer
inside_descr String armour Integer
extra Structure speed Integer
manipulate Integer position Integer
flags Integer default Integer
weight Integer ability two Integers
capacity Integer weapon two Integers
dilbegin or dilcopy Function pointer spell two Integers
defensive Integer romflags Integer
offensive Integer light Integer
mana Integer alignment Integer
hit Integer minv Integer
money Integer key String
exp Integer open Integer
sex Integer end tag Symbol

Many of the same fields you found in rooms, as you can see from <xref linkend="npcfields">, can also be found in NPCs. The fields do not always have exactly the same use when coding rooms, NPCs, and objects but they are normally set in the same manor. It is very important that you read and understand the differences of each field as they pertains to rooms and or NPCs.

Description of NPC fields

<variablelist id="var-npcfields">

symbolic name
The rules of the symbols has been explained in <XREF LINKEND="ch-03">, if you didn't read them yet you may want to review.

The important thing to realize with the NPC symbol is it is always good practice to give the NPC a symbol that resembles the title so that administrators and builders can use the <command>load</command> and the <command>wstat</command> to easily locate, examine, and load the NPC in question.

title
The NPC title is what is shown if the NPC is being attacked or talking.

It is also what is shown if the NPC can be picked up. there should be no punctuation in the NPC title because of how it is used in the VME server. If you add punctuation or forget to capitalize something that the VMC thinks you should it will give you a warning when you compile. title "a small dog" title "Hansen" title "a black dragon" title "Drako" title "an elephant"

descr

The description field is what the player sees when walking into the room or when looking with no arguments. The description on a NPC will only show up when the NPC is in the standing position. All other positions will show the title and the position they are in. descr "a small fluffy dog is chasing its tail here." descr "Hansen is standing here sorting the mail."

names
The NPC name field is much more important then the room name field. It

is what is used when players are hunting and killing and even for administrators who are trying to use their administrator commands on a NPC. The names should match the title and the descr fields and have all normal combinations of each. title "a baby black dragon" descr "a tiny baby black dragon is here playing." names {"tiny baby black dragon", "tiny black dragon", "baby black dragon", "black dragon", "tiny dragon", "baby dragon","dragon"} title "Hansen" descr "Hansen the post man is standing here sorting mail." names{"postman","hansen"}

The idea of course is to make any combination that a player may type to try and act upon your NPC. You would not want to describe and title your NPC with an entirely different theme than you created its names with because a player would not know what it is called.

inside_descr
The inside description is what a player sees if it is inside the

NPC. This could be used to show the player its stomach or if on a mount it could be used to show the back of the horse. inside_descr "The lining of this stomach looks indestructible. Looks like you are in for a long digestion cycle."

extra
The extra's on the NPC can be used to do many things. It can be

used to store information for DIL programs or it can be used to show a part of the NPC like the room extras show a part of the room. There is also a special extra, the NPCs description when you look at it with the look <NPC> command.

Lets show the NPC description extra first. If you use an extra with no names list it will become the NPCs description when you look at any of the names on the NPC. extra {} "The green furry hamster seems to be glowing and it doesn't seem very happy."

You can also use extras to show parts of the NPC. extra {"hamster head","head"} "This human like head is covered with a lot of green fur and it looks really upset."

You can also use the extras to give more detailed and vivid descriptions when the NPC is acted upon.

NPC special action extras
Extra Description
$get_s A message shown to activator when getting a NPC.
$get_o A message shown to others when getting a NPC.
$drop_s a message shown to activator when dropping a NPC.
$drop_o A message shown to others when dropping an NPC.
$enter_s A message shown to activator When mounting
$enter_o A message shown to others when mounting.
$exit_s A message shown to others when dismounting
$exit_o a message shown to others when dismounting

In the following example, $1n is the activator and $2n is the unit in question. Assume you are defining a familiar. extra {"$get_s"} "You pick up the $2n it is very warm and cuddles right up to you." extra {"$get_o"} "$1n picks up the $2n and you see them cuddle together."

Finally you can use extras to store information for DIL programs. We will not cover this because it is a topic covered in-depth in the DIL documentation.

manipulate
The manipulate filed only has two values for NPCs The two values

are 'MANIPULATE_TAKE' and 'MANIPULATE_ENTER'. The 'MANIPULATE_TAKE' makes it possible for a NPC to be picked up this would be good for something like a familiar. The 'MANIPULATE_ENTER' is used for things like mounts when making a mount you will also have to set the capacity so a fat player can jump on. The following is how you set the manipulate flag. //Make a NPC takable. manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} //Make a NPC takable and able to be entered manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE|MANIPULATE_ENTER}

flags
This field on a NPC is used to set special attributes in order to make

the NPC able to be buried or not or no-teleportable and many others. The NPC flag list uses the UNIT_FL_* variables that both the objects and the rooms also use, therefore while you can set some flags on an NPC it may not have any affect unless you as a builder or administrator adds the functionality. You can also add extras on an NPC that can be used as a special flag which you will learn as you learn to use DIL. The following is a full list of all unit flags and how they affect NPC, if they do.

NPC unit flag affects
Flag Description
UNIT_FL_PRIVATE Currently has no affect on a NPC.
UNIT_FL_INVISIBLE Makes unit invisible
UNIT_FL_NO_BURY Makes it so you can create NPC that can be taken like familiars or

pets that can not be buried. This flag is not needed on every NPC because the bury command will not allow you to bury an NPC outside of your inventory.

UNIT_FL_BURIED Makes unit buried when loaded
UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT Makes it so you can not summon the NPC with this flag and the NPC with

this flag can not teleport. You can still teleport to NPC with this flag the current way teleport is written. Remember all spells are in DIL and you can modify them in spells.zon

UNIT_FL_NO_MOB Currently has no affect on a NPC.
UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER Currently has no affect on a NPC.
UNIT_FL_INDOORS Currently has no affect on NPC.
UNIT_FL_TRANS Makes unit transparent If the Unit is transparent you will be able

to see any other NPCs that it is carrying. For example if a NPC was carrying a familiar you would see that as you walked into the room. It also is used in mounts so the PC can see outside its mount. If the flag is not set on its mount the player will not see what is in the room.

UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE Makes it so a PC can't save with unit
UNIT_FL_SACRED Currently has no affect on a NPC.
UNIT_FL_MAGIC Currently has no affect on a NPC.

If you wanted to make a NPC that a player can carry around but can not save you would set the manipulate and flags as follows. manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} flags {UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE}

romflags
Like flags these are just integer values that are used to change

how the NPC interacts with its environment.

Room flags for NPCs
Flag Description
CHAR_PROTECTED Set this flag if the character is protected by the law-system.
CHAR_LEGAL_TARGET This flag is used by the law system and should not be set unless you are re-writing your law system.
CHAR_OUTLAW This flag is used by the law system and should not be set unless you are re-writing your law system.
CHAR_GROUP This is used by the follow and group commands and should not be set unless you are re-writing your, movement, status, and combat systems.
CHAR_BLIND Set this if the character is blinded.
CHAR_HIDE Set flag if character is hidden.
CHAR_MUTE Set flag if character is mute.
CHAR_SNEAK Set flag if character is in sneaking mode.
CHAR_DETECT_ALIGN No actual effect on NPCs.
CHAR_DETECT_INVISIBLE Set flag if character can see invisible units.
CHAR_DETECT_MAGIC No actual effect on NPCs.
CHAR_DETECT_POISON No actual effect on NPCs.
CHAR_DETECT_UNDEAD No actual effect on NPCs.
CHAR_DETECT_CURSE No actual effect on NPCs.
CHAR_DETECT_LIFE No actual effect on NPCs.
CHAR_WIMPY Set flag if character if wimpy. Wimpy characters flee when they are

low on hit points, and they gain less experience when killing others. If a character is both wimpy and aggressive (NPC_AGGRESSIVE) it will only attack sleeping players.

CHAR_SELF_DEFENCE This is an internal combat flag set this only if you create your own combat system.

These flags are set in the same way as other flags in rooms NPCs and objects. The following are a few examples. //wimpy and hidden romflags {CHAR_HIDDEN, CHAR_WIMPY} //NPC can see invisible romflags {CHAR_DETECT_INVISIBLE}

weight
The weight is the weight of the NPC in pounds. In the future we

may adjust this to allow you to make things lighter for example you could set it in ounces or grams. Right now however all we have is pounds so we have some pretty heavy feathers out there.

To use this you just enter the 'weight' keyword and then the value. /80 lbs. weight 80

The weight affects the NPCs natural attack damage.

capacity
This field along with the NPCs strength and dexterity decides how

much a NPC can carry. If you set the capacity to 300 lbs. the NPC will only be able to carry that much depending if it has the strength and dexterity to carry that much. This of course doesn't affect DIL programs that link the objects directly into the NPC. To set the capacity you just put the keyword and the amount in your NPC. capacity 300

height
The height field is the size of the NPC in centimeters. This determines

the size of the equipment the NPC is wearing. You will learn more about size and height in the object section but for now just understand this makes your NPC the right or wrong size. To set the 'height' you just put the 'height' keyword followed by the number of centimeters. //6 feet tall since 1 inch equals 2.54 height 183

dilbegin or dilcopy
The DIL functions are what give VME servers the edge over all other muds.

We will only give some examples here and leave it up to the DIL manual to teach you how to create your own functions that will make your rooms, NPC, and objects more than special.

There are several NPC functions that come standard with the VME 2.0. The following is a list of the functions.

  • Mercenary
  • obey
  • evaluate
  • guard direction
  • shop keeper
  • combat magic
  • fido
  • zone wander
  • global wander
  • team work
  • rescue
  • agressive

These are the only NPC functions currently documented in the VME 2.0 release but if you go through the zones that are released with the VME you are sure to find many more. Hopefully with the descriptions in <XREF LINKEND="npcdilfunc">. You will be able to use the functions listed here and figure out ones that are not.

Since these are just DIL's written by builders for the Valhalla mud all you have to do is use the dilcopy keyword in the NPC with the function name you want to use and the arguments that function require. The following is what you would find in the function.zon for evaluate. /* Evaluate DIL. amt is the cost of evaluation in iron pieces. Note: not to be confused with <function>evaluate@commands</function>, which is a command. */ dilbegin aware evaluate (amt: integer); var u1 : unitptr; arg: string; buf: string; cur: integer; craft: integer; category: integer; pc : unitptr; pcn: string; arm_text : stringlist; shi_text : stringlist; craft_text: stringlist; code { craft_text:= {"horrible","very bad","bad","worse than average","average", "a little better than average","better than average","good","very good", "supreme"}; arm_text:= {"clothes", "leather", "hard leather", "chain", "plate"}; shi_text:= {"small", "medium", "large"}; heartbeat:= PULSE_SEC*3; :start: arg:= ""; u1:= null; wait (SFB_CMD, command("evaluate")); if (visible(pc, self) == FALSE) goto start; // Pc is just trying to evaluate using the command block; pc:= activator; if (pc.type == UNIT_ST_PC) pcn := pc.name; else pcn := pc.title; arg:= argument; if (visible(self, pc) == FALSE) { exec ("say I don't do business with people I can't see.", self); goto start; } if (arg == "") { exec ("say Which item do you wish to evaluate, "+pcn+"?", self); goto start; } u1:= findunit (pc, arg, FIND_UNIT_IN_ME, null); if (not u1) { exec ("say You do not have such an item, "+pcn+".", self); goto start; } if ((u1.type != UNIT_ST_OBJ) or ( (u1.objecttype != ITEM_WEAPON) and (u1.objecttype != ITEM_ARMOR) and (u1.objecttype != ITEM_SHIELD) )) { exec ("say The "+u1.name+" is neither a sword, shield nor armor!", self); goto start; } // Currency, skip for now if (not transfermoney (pc, null, amt * IRON_MULT)) { exec ("say The cost is merely "+moneystring(amt*IRON_MULT, TRUE)+ ", get them first.", self); goto start; } category:= u1.value[0]; craft:= u1.value[1] / 5 + 4; // / 5 + 4 is to get corresponding craft_text val if (craft < 0) craft := 0; if (craft > 9) craft := 9; // Change the following to use skill_text(craft) instead of itoa(craft) if (u1.objecttype == ITEM_WEAPON) buf := "say The "+u1.name+" is a "+weapon_name(category)+" of "+ craft_text.[craft]+" craftmanship and material."; if (u1.objecttype == ITEM_ARMOR) buf := "say The "+u1.name+" is made of "+arm_text.[category]+" and is of "+ craft_text.[craft]+" craftmanship and material."; if (u1.objecttype == ITEM_SHIELD) buf := "say The "+u1.name+" is a "+shi_text.[category]+" shield of "+ craft_text.[craft]+" craftmanship and material."; exec (buf, self); goto start; } dilend

If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to understand it or adjust it you only have to use it. In fact this is a really easy DIL to use. It only has one argument which is 'amt', the integer value of money you want the evaluator to charge when a person evaluates their stuff. So to use this function it would look like this on an NPC. dilcopy evaluate@function (5*GOLD_PIECE);

this tells the evaluate DIL to charge 5 gold pieces each time a player evaluates something. For more information on the money see the money field.

All released DIL NPC functions are described in <XREF LINKEND="npcdilfunc">. Then we put some to work so you can see how to use them in <XREF LINKEND="npccomplex">

defensive
This field sets the NPC natural defense. The defense is a natural

bonus the NPC gets when being attacked. If this value is set high enough the NPC becomes almost indestructible. You should use the macro to set the NPC natural attack and defense in <xref LINKEND="npcmacroattdef">.

offensive
This field sets the NPC natural offense. The offense is a natural

bonus the NPC gets when being attacked. If this value is set high enough the NPC can do some serious damage when attacking. You should use the macro to set the NPC natural attack and defense in <xref LINKEND="npcmacroattdef">.

mana
This sets the NPC max mana points. Using this field you can create

special NPCs that have more or less mana points than the VME server would normally give when a NPC is loaded.

this field is simple all you have to do to set it is put the 'mana' keyword followed by the amount of mana points you want the NPC to have as its max. The following definition would make an NPC with only 100 mana points no matter what level. mana 100

hit
This sets the NPC max hit points. Using this field you can create

special NPCs that have more or less hit points than the VME server would normally give when a NPC is loaded.

this field is simple all you have to do to set it is put the 'hit' keyword followed by the amount of hit points you want the NPC to have as its max. The following definition would make an NPC with only 100 hit points no matter what level. hit 100

money
The money field is how you give your NPC money to have while going

along its marry way through your world. The money field is an integer that tells the VME how much money the NPC is carrying. It would however be hard to calculate the amount you want on an NPC with out the macros we have provided. For example to put 5 gold on an NPC you would have to use the following on your NPC. money 25600

I of course am not sure this will make 5 gold pieces since I did the math in my head and with all this righting I am doing my math mind doesn't seem to be working right. So to make life easier for you and me we have added some macros to help that are rather self explanatory. IRON_PIECE COPPER_PIECE SILVER_PIECE GOLD_PIECE PLATINUM_PIECE

Now if we wanted to make a NPC carrying five gold it would be as simple as this: money 5*GOLD_PIECE the macro method also gains you the ability to tell the VME what amount of each coin you want on the NPC. If you set it using a single integer the compiler would pick how many of each coin. This of course is not what is desired in fact you want to be able to set your money however you like. So setting more than one coin is as simple as adding a comma between the first and second coin. money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE

exp
By default a monster gives 100% of the experience it is worth.

This amount is calculated according to the level of the NPC verses the level of the person fighting it. Sometimes the amount of experience is not right since the NPC is really hard to kill for example a dragon with breath weapon and heal at the same level as a merchant with a dagger. These should of course give different experience. The 'exp' field is designed to do just that. The possible range for the 'exp' field is -500% to 500%. If you put the NPC at a negative experience value it will take experience away when it is killed. If you want the default of 100% you do not even need to place this field in your NPC. //add 50% to the experience gained exp 150 /subtract 150% from the experience gained exp -50

sex
Gender, one of these:

SEX_NEUTRAL SEX_MALE SEX_FEMALE

the values are pretty obvious which is which gender so all we will show here is how to set it. //Setting a male NPC sex SEX_MALE

level
When creating a NPC it must be between level 0 and 199. The

level of the NPC decides how many skill points and ability points the NPC has. It, along with the 'exp' percentage, determines the amount of experience gained when the NPC is killed. To set the level of the NPC you use the 'level' keyword and then follow it by the level you are setting. //set a NPC to level 50 level 50

race
The 'race' keyword is what you use to set the characters race.

Races in VME are defined by using an integer that lets the spells and skills act differently for each specific type. The VME comes standard with many races defined in the values.h. For ease in access we have provided them in <xref linkend="app-c">. For now you can look at the short list below taken from the over all race list. #define RACE_RAT 1102 #define RACE_HORSE 1103 #define RACE_BADGER 1104 #define RACE_SKUNK 1105 #define RACE_BOAR 1106 #define RACE_MOUSE 1107 #define RACE_MONKEY 1108 #define RACE_PORCUPINE 1110 #define RACE_ELEPHANT 1112 #define RACE_CAMEL 1113 #define RACE_FERRET 1114

If for example you wanted to make a monkey you could simply put the 'race' keyword and follow it by the monkey define like this: race RACE_MONKEY If the race your looking for doesn't exist in the values.h list, you can either add one buy picking a number not already used and creating your own define in the values.h or by adding the define to your zone. Defines added to a single zone will not be accessible if another builder wants to use it. You could also just set it using a number. The following two methods would act the same. //add define to values.h and use in your zone #define RACE_SPACE_TROLL 5059 race RACE_SPACE_TROLL //Just plug in a number race 5059

If you don't use the macros things can get confusing really fast with the amount of races there are.

attack
This field sets the NPCs natural attack type. Do not use this

field directly instead use the macro described in <xref linkend="npcmacroattarm">

armour
This field sets the NPCs natural armour type. Do not use this

field directly instead use the macro described in <xref linkend="npcmacroattarm">

speed
Speed determines the NPCs speed. The range is one to twelve. You

should not set this when compiling an NPC since the result is really undefined. If you have a special NPC that you want to try to make move faster and hit faster then you could try setting this. This field is mainly added so DIL can adjust speed. The lower the number the faster the NPC speed. //fastest speed. speed 0 //slowest speed speed 12

position
This field sets the position that the NPC will be in when it is

first loaded. The following positions are recognized by the compiler. POSITION_DEAD POSITION_MORTALLYW POSITION_INCAP POSITION_STUNNED POSITION_SLEEPING POSITION_RESTING POSITION_SITTING POSITION_FIGHTING POSITION_STANDING

Some of these positions make no sense you would not load a NPC into a fight or you would not load an NPC that is already dead. The positions are availible for DIL and you will need to read the DIL manuals to find out what you would want those for. For now the following are enough. POSITION_SLEEPING POSITION_RESTING POSITION_SITTING POSITION_STANDING

The position combined with the default position determines what will be shown when a player looks in the room. If the position of the NPC matches its default position the NPC description will be shown. If it doesn't match the NPCs title and position will be shown. The default value for both 'position' and 'default' is 'POSITION_STANDING'

To set the position like with other fields you type the 'position' keyword first and follow it by the position you are setting. position POSITION_SITTING

default
The default position along with the position determines what is

shown when a NPC is in each position. If the position and default positions match the 'descr' field is shown. If they do not match the NPC title is shown along with the current position information. If 'default' is not set it defaults to 'POSITION_STANDING'. The following are possible default positions. POSITION_DEAD POSITION_MORTALLYW POSITION_INCAP POSITION_STUNNED POSITION_SLEEPING POSITION_RESTING POSITION_SITTING POSITION_FIGHTING POSITION_STANDING

Setting the default field is exactly like setting the 'position' field you place the 'default' keyword first and then the position you want to be default like this: default POSITION_RESTING

ability
this field is used to set each of the NPCs abilities.

It should not be used directly but instead set through the macro described in <xref linkend="npcmacroability">

weapon
this field is used to set each of the NPCs weapon proficiencies.

It should not be used directly but instead set through the macro described in <xref linkend="npcmacroweapspl">

spell
this field is used to set each of the NPCs spells.

It should not be used directly but instead set through the macro described in <xref linkend="npcmacroweapspl">

light
The light field on NPC is not normally set. If however you have a

strange creature like a 'light bug' you can set a light value on a NPC. The default light is set to 0 which means it neither adds or subtracts from the rooms light. To set the light value on a NPC you just put the 'light' keyword first and then the value you want to add to the current light. //add one to light in room light 1 //default light 0 //take one away light -1

alignment
This field is a value between -1000 and +1000, where -1000 is

ultimate evil, 0 is neutral and +1000 is ultimate good. Good is per definition any value from +1000..+350, neutral is any value from +349..-349 and evil is any value from -350..-1000. Any value in between can also be used. // Quite evil, maybe a Ghoul alignment -750 // Barely evil. alignment -350 //barely good alignment 350

minv
This field is the administrator invisible level of the NPC it is

set on. This means that if you set the 'minv' to two hundred it will make it so the NPC can not be seen by anyone below the administrator level of two hundred. This is good for hiding ghosts that only come visible when they attack. In order for the 'minv' to be removed an administrator or a DIL function must change it. minv 239

key
Currently this field is not used in the VME 2.0 release. It was

added so in the future you wanted to add keys to a NPC for some weird reason like a living trunk then you can. In order to set the key you first place the 'key' keyword and then add the symbolic name of the key. //if the key is in your zone key mynpckey //if the key is in some other zone key someoneelses@keyzone

open
this field is not used yet in the VME 2.0 release. The field was

added so you could make a NPC that can be opened, closed, locked, and everything else that a room or an object can have set on it. For now we will not document this but if you are interested in how you could use it study the open fields on objects or rooms.

NPC macros

The attack and armour macro

The natural attack and armour fields allow you to set the NPC to do damage like a certain type of weapons and to defend like a certain type of armour respectively. Lets say you had a metal cougar it would have an attack type of claw and an armour type of plate while a normal dog would have an armour type of leather and an attack type of bite. The 'NATURAL_DEF' macro is what allows you to set these fields. This macro is defined in wmacros.h and looks like this. #define NATURAL_DEF(weapon_category, armour_category) \ armour armour_category \ attack weapon_category

The word natural can sometimes be a little confusing since you can set any of the weapons types you like on the NPC. It doesn't exactly make sense to have a dog that attacks as if it uses a long sword but if you wish it you can do it. The following is a short list of just the natural weapon types but you can find a full list in <xref linkend="app-d"> or in the values.h of your mud just in case you have added some weapon types. #define WPN_FIST 34 #define WPN_KICK 35 #define WPN_BITE 36 #define WPN_STING 37 #define WPN_CLAW 38 #define WPN_CRUSH 39

Again you don't have to use leather for dogs as we have already mentioned with our metal cat idea you could make a cloth dragon if you really want but its up to you to keep some sanity on your VME. The following is the list of armour types that can be set. You will see that the list is exactly the same as the list you will find later when making armour. #define ARM_CLOTHES 0 /*Same as a Human in jeans and a T-shirt*/ #define ARM_LEATHER 1 /* A soft flexible leather base armour */ #define ARM_HLEATHER 2 /* A hard un flexible leather base armour */ #define ARM_CHAIN 3 /* A flexible armour composed of interlocking rings */ #define ARM_PLATE 4 /* An un flexible plate armour. */

Now that you have the defines to work with we will return to our metal cat and normal dog. The definitions for them would look something like this. //Metal Cat NATURAL_DEF(WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE) //normal dog NATURAL_DEF(WPN_BITE, ARM_LEATHER)

You should know that the weight of the monster determines the maximum amount of damage it can give when using a natural attack. The weight is categorized as follows:

Weight size chart
LBS Size
0 - 5 Tiny
6 - 40 Small
41 - 160 Medium
161 - 500 Large
500 and up Huge

By default monsters are medium. So make sure you take this into account when you are creating your NPC.

The defense and offense bonus macro

There comes a time when you may want to make your NPC super naturally powerful. It is for those times that the offense and defense fields are available for you to set. Normally they default to 0 but you can set them from 0 to 5000. The higher you set the offense number the harder you will hit people you a re in combat with. The higher you set the defense the harder it will be for people to hit your NPC. The following macro allows you to set both the offense and defense. #define ATTACK_DEFENSE(attack, defense) \ offensive attack \ defensive defense

Using this macro is rather easy you just put the value you want for each and your all done //a really hard hitting hard to kill NPC ATTACK_DEFENSE( 1000, 1000)

The NPc abilities macro

All abilities are in the range [1..200]. Players usually have a maximum of 150, modified by magic... 200 is considered divine. When creating a monster you can not directly specify the size of the abilities, instead you specify a percentage distribution of points. The amount of points are then distributed by the computer according to the specified level. The 'MSET_ABILITY' macro is available for this purpose, and is defined as: #define MSET_ABILITY(str,dex,con,hpp,bra,cha,mag,div) \ ability[ABIL_STR] str \ ability[ABIL_DEX] dex \ ability[ABIL_CON] con \ ability[ABIL_HP] hpp \ ability[ABIL_BRA] bra \ ability[ABIL_MAG] mag \ ability[ABIL_DIV] div \ ability[ABIL_CHA] cha

Note the sum of the ability values must be 100%. This is thus an example of an ability distribution:

MSET_ABILITY(25,15,10,15,10,5,10,0) /* Sum is 100% */

The amount of points distributed depends directly upon the level of the monster and the percentage. If the percentage is too high and the level is also set High some ability points may be lost since a NPC gets all abilities over 255 cut off. For example a level 199 monster with an ability percentage a bit above 20% will make an ability above the 255 points maximum. In the current combat system in the VME 2.0 it is not necessary to spend points on both 'mag' and 'div' on the NPC since only one or the other is ever used depending on which is higher.

The NPc weapon and spell macros

NPCs know about weapons and spells but not at the same detailed level as the player. For NPCs the spell and weapon group are used. Thus the Axe hammer category defines all defence and all attack for all kinds of axes and hammers, whereas the player would have to train individually in each axe and hammer type. The same is true for spells. Thus if a monster has 25 points in the weapon sword category it will fight (and defend) with all sword-like weapons at skill 25. When you define weapon and spell skills (monsters have no skill skills) you also define these as percentages, and the program automatically distributes the points. Use the pre-defined macros: #define MSET_WEAPON(axe_ham, sword, club_mace, pole, unarmed, special) \ weapon[WPN_AXE_HAM] axe_ham \ weapon[WPN_SWORD] sword \ weapon[WPN_CLUB_MACE] club_mace \ weapon[WPN_POLEARM] pole \ weapon[WPN_UNARMED] unarmed \ weapon[WPN_SPECIAL] special

MSET_WEAPON arguments
Argument Description
axe_ham any hammer or axe
sword any sword like weapon, including dagger and rapier, etc.
club_mace any club or mace like weapon, flails, morning star, etc.
polearm any spear or pole like weapon: spear, trident, sickle, scythe etc.
unarmed Is any bite, claw, sting or other natural attack.
special any very peculiar weapon, currently only whip.

#define MSET_SPELL(div, pro, det, sum, cre, min, hea, col, cel, int, ext) \ spell[SPL_DIVINE] div \ spell[SPL_PROTECTION] pro \ spell[SPL_DETECTION] det \ spell[SPL_SUMMONING] sum \ spell[SPL_CREATION] cre \ spell[SPL_MIND] min \ spell[SPL_HEAT] hea \ spell[SPL_COLD] col \ spell[SPL_CELL] cel \ spell[SPL_INTERNAL] int \ spell[SPL_EXTERNAL] ext

MSET_SPELL arguments
Argument Description
div Covers all divine sphere spell.
pro Covers all protection sphere spells.
det Covers all detection sphere spells.
sum Covers all summoning spells.
Cre Covers all creation spells.
min Covers all mind spells.
hea Covers all heat spells (fireball, etc.)
col Covers all cold spells (frostball, etc.)
cel Covers all cell (electricity) spells (lightning bolt, etc.)
int Covers all internal (poison) spells (toxicate, etc.)
ext Covers all external (acid) spells (acid ball etc).

If your not sure what your weapon or spell is categorized as

you can look in the weapons.def or the spells.def for that you are using for your VME

server.

The sum of all spell and weapon skills must be 100%. For example, the following would be a legal setting of weapons and spells. // 75% Total, Club/Mace is primary MSET_WEAPON(10,10,20,5,15,5) // 25% Total, Fire is primary MSET_SPELL(8,0,0,3,0,3,2,3,3,3,3)

Remember that the groups define both attack and defence. Thus if you make an Orc which has 0% in the flail group it can only use its dexterity to defend itself. Likewise with spell groups. For this reason the groups are both "resistance" as well as attack groups.

Using the composed.h

The file composed.h contains many standard monsters. It is a good idea to study these definitions, as they form the basis of many different monsters. Note that the definitions by no means are perfect, but we are hoping to make a more or less complete monster compendium. If you create certain (general) monsters, please design it as a macro so it can be incorporated in the file. The more monsters created by using these macros the easier it will be for your builders to create NPCs. If you think you have a really all inclusive Composed.h and want to share it with the rest of the VME servers running out there on the internet. Feel free to submit it to the VME staff and we will put it in the contribution directories on our release site.

For more information on how to use the composed.h when building your NPC see <xref linkend="npcbasic">.

Building your first NPC

Now that you have built your first zone with rooms its time to populate it with Non playing characters for your players to hunt, kill, and or interact with. In the last couple of sections you have looked through the fields. In this section we are going to make a nice easy NPC and then show how to use the composed.h to make your NPC building easier. As I have previously stated in the section on room building I like dragons so the first NPC your going to learn to build is a big bad ugly dragon. Don't worry if you hate dragons or you just want to build a normal world you will learn plenty from my dragon example to be able to adjust it to whatever you want.

When making NPCs you create the zone source file first as shown in <xref linkend="ch-02">. If you only have NPCS you do not need the %reset, %objects, and %rooms fields. For the examples in this chapter we will use the zone we created in <xref linkend="ch-04"> and add the %mobiles section where we will put all the NPC definitions. At the end of this chapter, in <xref linkend="roomnpczone">, we will bring it all together with the rooms we have already defined and our NPCs.

The first part of all NPC definitions is the symbolic name it is good to always pick a name that will match the name of the NPC so it will be easy to load the NPC. The reason the symbolic and name should match is when you use the command <command>wstat</command> it will only show you a list of the NPCs by symbolic name for example if you type <command> wstat zone dragon mobiles </command> You will get the following: List of mobiles in zone Dragon: dragon clerk trashman If you didn't make it clear what the NPC was by the symbolic name it might look like this: List of mobiles in zone Dragon: npc1 npc2 npc3 While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to remember each NPC if you have over 30 of them.

Now lets get started with our dragon. As with the rooms all that is required to make a NPC is the symbolic and end fields. That of course will make a NPC with all defaults. bldragon end Thats it for that dragon right? Nope not quite that makes a NPC with all defaults. That means this will probably be a very wimpy human with a symbolic name of dragon and no description, in short it will be a blank when you load it. Now lets start putting the Dragon together.

The first three things we need are the dragons title, description and names. The description should be what you see when you do a 'look' in the room. The title should be what you see when the NPC is talking or fighting. Finally the names should cover everything in the title and description fields so if you wanted to kill them you can easily know what to type. bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} ... end

The names, title and description shouldn't be to hard so I don't think its necessary to go into any more description on the subject. Lets move on. Now we have to take care of what a player sees when he or she looks at a NPC. to make the main description of an NPC you place an extra on the NPC with no names in the list. The blank extra is a special extra that will be shown every time you look at anything in the names list of the NPC. So a description of a NPC would look something like this. extra {} "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something."

Now that you have a main description for the NPC you need to make any smaller descriptions that you want the player to be able to look at. In this case the dragon eyes and claw would be good things to describe and maybe a few other things just for humor. extra {"eyes","eye"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast."

Now that we have the NPC all described we should start setting things like race, gender, level, height, weight, defense, offense, alignment, abilities, and finally skills and spells. First we will pick a race. Normally the list of races are in your values.h. We have the list in <xref linkend="app-c"> and I have searched for dragon and found the race I want it is as follows. race RACE_DRAGON_BLACK

If you don't think there is any difference in dragons you can set them all to one race like you could define a race called 'RACE_DRAGON' or something like that.

Now we should chose the gender of our dragon. Make sure your descriptions match what you pick. It would be pretty weird to have a female dragon and have the descriptions say 'he, him, or his' sex SEX_MALE Now lets set the height and weight. Remember you set the height in centimeters and the weight in pounds. In the future the VME will standardize to one or the other but for now we have to play the conversion game. //20 feet (1 inch = 2.54 cm height 625 //566 KG (1 lb. = .45359 kg) weight 1250

Now that we have the size of the dragon we can pick a level. My dragon is only 20 feet tall and 1250 pounds so I think maybe he is a bit young and will make his level around 70. level 70 The dragon may not wear armour but by default a dragon should have an armour equal to someone wearing plate mail. Not only that but my dragon doesn't like to use his mouth as his natural attack and he sure can't punch with those big claws so we need to set his attack type to claw. NATURAL_DEF(WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE)

Not many black dragons are good so I will pick almost totally evil, since totally evil is -1000 I will set it as follows. alignment -900 Finally we get to the hard part. Many people have trouble setting the NPC abilities, weapons, and spells. There really is nothing to it if you have read <xref linkend="npcmacroability"> and <xref linkend="npcmacroweapspl">. The only thing you have to remember is the numbers you are putting are not the actual amount but a percentage of the skill points you want the game to use on your NPC when having your NPC practice as it loads and all amounts of abilities must add up to 100% as well as all weapons and spells must add up to 100%. For the dragon the following would be what the abilities, weapons, and spells would look like. //big strong and magical most ability points on str and mag MSET_ABILITY(20,12,12,12,12,12,20,0) //Set natural attack highest of weapons because he fights with claws MSET_WEAPON(10,10,10,5,30,5) //black dragons have natural defense from acid set it highest MSET_SPELL(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,30)

That is all you need to make a basic dragon. True this dragon will not do anything but claw you to death if you attack it but in <xref linkend="npccomplex"> we will give the dragon some more abilities with some special DIL functions. For now lets take a look at our finished product. bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} extra {} "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something." extra {"eyes","eye"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast." race RACE_DRAGON_BLACK sex SEX_MALE height 625 weight 1250 level 70 NATURAL_DEF(WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE) alignment -900 MSET_ABILITY(20,12,12,12,12,12,20,0) MSET_WEAPON(10,10,10,5,30,5) MSET_SPELL(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,30) end

As you can see there is a bit more to building an NPC than a room but its really not that much harder. Try changing some stuff and make sure to practice debugging your errors the more compiling you do the better you will get.

Compiling and debugging your first NPC

As we have previously mentioned in <xref linkend="rmdebug"> it is always a good idea to build one or two things and then compile to make finding errors easy. In this case we have one NPC to compile and rather than having all the rooms get in my way while compiling it I have removed them and only have the '%mobiles' section. The following is what the zone looks like when it has only one NPC in it. #include <composed.h> %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOW creators {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur." %mobiles bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} extra "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something." extra {"eye","eyes"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast." race RACE_DRAGON_BLACK sex SEX_MALE height 625 weight 1250 level 70 NATURAL_DEF (WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE) alignment -900 MSET_ABILITY(21,12,12,12,12,12,20,0) MSET_WEAPON(10,10,10,5,30,5) MSET_SPELL(0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,30) end %end

I removed the '%rooms' section added a '%mobiles' section and stuck the dragon in and now its ready to be compiled and put into the VME server for you to be able to look at it in the game. If you downloaded our example zones for this document you can compile this zone along with us and fix the errors as we do for practice. The filename is debug_npc.zon. Just so you know the errors in this zone are intentional so please don't write me an email telling me that there are errors in it.

The command to compile the zone is <command>VMC debug_npc.zon</command>. Here is what we get when we first try and compile the zone. VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_npc.zon' debug_npc.zon: 32: parse error Token: 'extra' debug_npc.zon: 55: parse error Token: 'alignment' Compilation aborted.

This error file doesn't look any harder than the last one we dealt with when compiling our first room. The problem is when we go to line '32' and look for an error we don't find one. This normally means that the error was hard for the compiler to figure out. The best way to deal with an error like this is to start at the line it gives you and go up and look for an error. When we do this we notice that the extra right above the line that the error is on is missing '{}' so we will add them back in. Most of the time you want to do one error and recompile but sometimes you can shorten the process for example in this error file the word 'alignment has been spelled wrong so we can fix that before we recompile so go to line '56' and fix that. Now with those two errors fixed we can recompile and this is what we get: VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_npc.zon' FATAL: Abilities in 'bldragon' sums up to 101,and not 100. FATAL: Spells&weapons in 'bldragon' sums up to 101, and not 100. WARNING: Fatal errors in zone.

As we have said before you have to make sure that abilities add up to 100 percent this error is telling us that my math sucks and that I have added 1 extra percent to the abilities. Not only that but again if we look at both errors I have also put 1 extra on weapons and spells. So we can fix both of these at once. Notice it doesn't give a line number but that is not a problem because you can search for 'MSET_ABIL' and it will take you right to the problems. After I subtract one from the abilities and one from either the spells or weapons the following is the error file I get. VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_npc.zon' VMC Done.

Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means that you have now successfully compiled the zone. The main thing I want to point out is that you can sometimes fix more than one error at a time but be carefull when doing this if you try to fix some errors before fixing the first you will be trying to fix things that are not broken. The safest way to compile stuff is still fix one error at a time.

Now that you have a compiled zone you should check and make sure that all the files are there. When you compile a zone you will end up with three extra files. the files will have the same filename as your zone with a new extension in this case you should have the following. debug_npc.data debug_npc.err debug_npc.reset debug_rm.zon

If you have all of these you are all set to go. If not then there is something seriously wrong and you may want to write the VME staff for help.

To get your new zone in the mud all that is needed is to make sure your zone is in the zonelist in the VME etc directory and copy these files into your zone directory. Then reboot the mud. You should be able to log on your builder character and load your NPC by typing <command>load bldragon@dragonst</command> and you can list your zones NPCs by typing <command>wstat zone dragonst mobiles</command>.

There you go you have now compiled your first NPC. As you can see with as little as you have learned so far you can already make a variety of monsters and NPCs of any kind. The next section will cover the DIL functions you can use with a NPC and then we will get right into some more complex examples.

DIL functions for NPCs

The DIL language is the language a builder can use to make his own special functions on rooms, NPCs, objects, PCs, and much more. This manual is for basic zone writing and therefore will not go into how to write your own DIL functions. The VME however is released with many functions for you as an Administrator and your builders to use to make special rooms, NPCs, and objects. The following is a list of all NPC functions released with the VME 2.0 server.

<variablelist id="var-npcfunc">

Mercenary
This function allows you to make an NPC hireable by players in the game. You

simply dilcopy this unto a mob and the player can then type 'contract <character name> and the mob will hunt that char for a fee. This function takes no special arguments. the following is the function definition found in function.zon: dilbegin mercenary_hire();

To use it you simply dilcopy it to your NPC as follows: dilcopy mercenary_hire@function();

Obey
This function when dilcopied on the NPC will make it obey there master. And

example mobile of this is the familiar. Upon completing a small quest a Mage receives a familiar that will obey that player and that player only. The player can simply type <command>Tell <familiar name> cast heal <player name></command> and it will carry out the command. This function takes no arguments. The following is the definition found in function.zon: dilbegin obey(); To use this function simply dilcopy it to the NPC you want to be a mercenary like so: dilcopy obey@function();

Evaluate
This function when placed on an NPC allows it to evaluate items

for a fee. The function definition looks as follows: dilbegin evaluate (amt:integer); The function has one argument 'amt' that lets you set the cost of the evaluation of items. If you wanted to set the value to four gold it would work just like when setting the money field and look as follows: dilcopy evaluate@function(4*GOLD_PIECE);

Guard Direction
This is an enhanced version of the Guard Way Function. It will allow both

certain players to enter as well as certain mobs. An optional stop DIL can be supplied if you wish to do something special. It takes two arguments, the activator and the direction. The following is the function definition: dilbegin guard_dir(direction : string, excludepc : stringlist, excludenpc : stringlist, stopdil : string); This function is dilcopied onto the mob in the room that the mob is initially loaded. Thus is the mob is summoned or commanded away it will not block the directions until it is back to where it was first created. This DIL takes four arguments. The first is the direction to block. The second arguments is for those PC's you wish to allow to pass in that direction without being stopped. The next for the NPCs you wish to allow to pass. The last is the 'act you wish the blocking mob to display to the PC's that are blocked from proceeding in the selected direction. The third and forth arguments may be 'null', this will pass the defaults to the dilcopy. The third argument is a stringlist that tells which players or NPCs are excluded from the guard. The forth is a DIL you can pass in to do something special to people who are stopped. We will not show how to use the forth argument because it takes more DIL knowledge than this manual covers. The following would be a valid dilcopy for this function: dilcopy guard_dir@function("south", {"papi", {"rejji"}, null, null);

Combat magic
This function when placed on a mobile allows it to use any of the

combat spells. The function definition is as follows: It also allows the NPC to cast heal during combat on itself. dilbegin combat_mag(atk_spl : string, def_spl : string, def_pct:integer, spd: integer);

Combat magic arguments
argument Type description
atk_spl string Attack spell ie "fireball" or "" for none
def_spl string Defense Spell ie "heal" or "" for none
def_pct integer At what % of hitpoints defense spell will be cast
spd integer speed at which mob will uses its attack magic, 1 for all

at once (every round) to 5 for every 5 rounds. I suggest 2.

Defense spells take priority when the hit points fall below the % specified, after (if) the hits have been restored above that number attack magic will resume. If def_spl is used, function automatically makes sure that it retains enough mana for at least one healing, ie it will attack 4 times if it don't need a healing. The following would be an example of what you would put on your NPC: dilcopy combat_mag@function ("harm", "heal", 25, 2);

Fido
This function turns the NPC into a corpse eating mobile. The

following is the functions definition: dilbegin fido(txt1:string,txt2:string);

Fido arguments
Argument Type description
txt1 string The text shown when mob finds and eats corpses, default:

'XXX savagely devours a corpse.' will be shown if txt1 is set to "". If txt1 is set to "stop", the mob will NOT devour corpses (convenient if you want your dogs to only eat food leftovers but not corpses).

txt2 string The text shown when mob finds and eats ITEM_FOOD, default:

'XXX hungrily devours YYY.' will be shown if txt2 is set to "". If txt2 is set to "stop", the mob will NOT devour ITEM_FOOD (convenient if you want to make a corpse-eating ghoul, who'd choke on normal food, etc).

In both cases $1n is the mob itself, $2n is the title of the item devoured.

An example of the 'fido' function on an NPC would look as follows: dilcopy fido@function("$1n slowly devours $2n, crunching the bones.", "$1n grabs $2n and hungrily munches it.");

Wander zone
This function allows a mob to wander around more than one zone, but not all zones.

You specify what zones the mob can wander. Has optional intelligence which allows the opening and closing of doors. The following is the function definition: dilbegin wander_zones(zones : string, spd : integer, doors : integer, lckd_doors : integer);

Zone wander arguments
argument Type description
zones string A string of zone names separated by spaces.
spd integer The speed (in seconds) at which the mob wanders.

Minimum = 5 secs (for process time).

doors integer Can open/close doors (0 = false, 1 = true)
lckd_doors integer Can open/closed locked doors (0=false, 1=true)

The options are not too hard so we will show how to use it and leave it at that dilcopy wander_zones@function ("halfzon haon_dor", 5, 1);

@loadzone option which is used by inputting @loadzone

somewhere in the zones string will replace it by the zone the mob is loaded in like this: dilcopy wander_zones@function ("halfzon haon_dor @loadzone", 5, 1);

Global wander
This is similar to wander_zones because it's just a modified version of it,

which requires no zones argument since it moves in all zones. The following is the function definition: dilbegin global_wander(spd : integer, doors : integer, lckd_doors :integer);

Global wander arguments
Argument Type Description
spd integer The speed (in seconds) at which the mob wanders. Minimum = 5 seconds (for process time).
doors integer Can open/close doors (0 = false, 1 = true)
lckd_doors integer Can open/closed locked doors (0=false, 1=true)

The options are not to hard so we will show how to use it and leave it at that dilcopy global_wander@function (60, 1, 1);

Team work
This function when placed on a mob, located in the same room as another mob,

will allow the mobile to assist the other in combat. The following is the function definition: dilbegin aware teamwork(lst: string);

This function takes one argument which is a string of the mobiles it is to protect. So if we wanted a NPC to protect both Jesper and Enver the dilcopy would look as follows: dilcopy teamwork@function("jesper/enver");

For this to work both mobs must be in the same room or following each other.

Rescue
This function when placed on a mob, located in the same room as another mob,

will allow the mobile to rescue the other mob if it is attacked. The function is as follows: dilbegin aware rescue(lst: string);

This function takes one argument, a string of those mobiles you wish this NPC to assist should they be attacked.

For this to work both NPCs must be in the same room or following

each other.

Again we will use our test subjects Jesper and Enver and if we wanted an NPC to protect them and come to their aid the following would be the dilcopy: dilcopy teamwork@function("jesper/enver");

Agressive
This function makes a Mob hostile to person(s) in the room with it, under

certain conditions which are provided as arguments. In short, the all-singing, all-dancing aggression DIL. The following is this functions definition: dilbegin aggressive (sx : integer, rce : integer, opp : integer, levl : integer, sanc : integer, tme : integer, tar : integer, align : string, attack : stringlist);

Agressive arguments
argument Type description
sx integer NOTE: not the sex values in values.h.

This decides the sex of your mob's victim. 0 - Sex doesn't matter, 1 - Attack opposite sex to self (if not neutral!), 2 - Attack SEX_MALE, 3 - Attack SEX_FEMALE, 4 - Attack SEX_NEUTRAL.

rce integer Any of the PC races from 0 to 14. A value

of -1 means we don't care about the victim's race.

opp integer 0 - Non race specific (same as rce := -1)

1 - Attack the specified rce, 2 - Attack any pc race _but_ the specified rce.

levl integer Allow level specific aggression.

A value of 30 would make the mob hostile to all pcs level 30 and above. A value of -30 (note the -) would make the mob hostile to all pcs level 30 or below. A value of 0 means level doesn't matter.

sanc integer Does this mob obey the sanc/soothe rules?

(ie, if someone has cast sanctuary on themselves, will this mob recognize it, and not attack, or attack anyway). 0 - Doesn't obey sanc or soothe 1 - Obeys only sanc 2 - Obeys only soothe 3 - Obeys both sanc and soothe (SOOTHE is a new spell for ranger's guild)

tme integer Time in ticks to wait before attacking (is

automatically put to RANTIME, ie, time variance of time-time/2 to time+time/2). Values accepted are from 0 to 400 (that's 0 - 100 seconds. Can be specified using PULSE_SEC).

tar integer This is a special value which determines

which of the eligible victims we pick. -2 - Last eligible victim to into the room. -1 - Weakest eligible victim in room. 0 - Random eligible victim. +1 - Strongest eligible victim in room. +2 - First eligible victim into the room.

align string The desired alignment of the victim.

"ANY" - We don't care about the alignment. "GOOD" - Attack only good alignment. "EVIL" - Attack only evil alignment. "NEUTRAL " - Attack only neutral alignment. "OPPOSITE" - Attack opposite alignment to self (provided self isn't neutral). "SALIGN" - Attack same alignment as self. "DALIGN" - Attack any alignment different to self.

attack stringlist This is a 2 string stringlist. These are

the messages sent to the people in the room except the victim, and the victim itself, in that order. If the second (victim) string is "", the first string will be shown to the victim, as if they were anyone else in the room. You can leave both blank if you wish. $1n is the mob name (self), $3n is the victim's name. NOTE: the $ values only apply if you supply BOTH string 1 and 2.

The argument descriptions pretty much explain everything there is to know about the agressive function and what it was so we will finish off by giving an example of a dilcopy that will create a NPC that fits the following description

Let's say our mob is a level 40 Goblin who doesn't like dwarves. He's very particular in that he doesn't like evil female dwarves who are level 20 and above. He does recognize the sanctuary spell, but he doesn't recognize soothe, and he'll wait 10 seconds on average before he attacks. The 2 messages sent are: "$1n savagely attacks $3n with his big axe!" and "$1n attacks you!"

Here's what the function call would look like: dilcopy aggressive (3, 2, 1, 20, 2, PULSE_SEC*10, 0, "EVIL", {"$1n savagely attacks $3n with his big axe!", "$1n attacks you!"});

In this example, 3 (attack females), 2 (attack dwarves), 1 (just dwarves), 20 (Level 20+ victims), 2 (obey only soothe), PULSE_SEC*10 (wait around 10 seconds before attacking), EVIL (attack only evil), and the strings in the stringlist are displayed to the victim and the room, in that order.

Janitors
This function turns the NPC into a janitor that will pick up items left

lying around and will also tell new players. those under level 20, where there corpse is if they come across it in there wanderings. You must also supply the wander_zone DIL for this to work correctly. The definition for the janitor function is as follows: dilbegin janitors(rate: integer); The Janitor function only takes one argument and that determines how fast the janitor will pick up stuff in seconds.

To make a Janitor that will pick up stuff every thirty seconds the following would be the dilcopy: dilcopy janitor@function(30);

Shop Keeper
This is one of the more complex dilcopies and considered by some to be

confusing. Below I will step you through the creation of the mobile, and the application of this DIL using defines to hopefully simplify the use of this function. The function is defined as: dilbegin aware shopkeeper(prod: stringlist, custom_acts : stringlist, opentimes : stringlist, itemtype: string, sellprofit : integer,buyprofit: integer, maxcash : integer,closedil : string, dilparams : string );

Step 1
First, figure out what you want your shopkeeper to sell. He can sell

pretty much any item from any zone, as long as you know its symbolic name. For Hogan (our example shopkeeper), he is a bartender, so he sells things you would commonly find in a pub, tavern, or bar. His list of items (their symbolic names at which zone) are: grain_alcohol@gobtown1 pretzels@gobtown1 beer_nuts@gobtown1 rum_coke@gobtown1 tuborg@udgaard

Now, since I use defines, I make a define for Hogan's products. I called it TAVERN_PROD (for tavern's products). And use the following setup and just stick the names of your items in where his items are. Each item will have a setup like this: "tuborg@udgaard 15 20"

A symbolic name followed by two numbers, with the entire thing in quotes. Where :

  • The "tuborg@udgaard" is your item's symbolic name
  • The 15 (our first number in the string) is the number of that item that

will load into your shop daily

  • The 20 (our second number in the string) is the limit available of that

item in the shop ever So this shop would sell tuborgs.. and every mudday, 15 tuborgs will load into our shop to replenish our stock.. and the maximum tuborgs we can have at any given time is 20.

Next we place all this info into the define we created above, which would look like this: #define TAVERN_PROD \ {"grain_alcohol@gobtown1 15 20", \ "pretzels@gobtown1 10 15", \ "beer_nuts@gobtown1 15 20", \ "rum_coke@gobtown1 10 15", \ "tuborg@udgaard 15 20"}

The above is my define for Hogan's products that he sells. Each one is in quotes and they have commas separating them. If you put each item on its own separate line, you need to put a space and then a back slash after the comma which separates the items, like it shows above. The entire define is enclosed in curly brackets, {}. Now we are finished with the items he sells.

Step 2
Now you must decide what kind of dialogue you would like your

shopkeeper to say. There are ten separate responses you can make for your shopkeeper. They do go in a specific order and I will list what each do.

Response 1
The first response will be used if the shopkeeper doesn't have the

particular item you're trying to buy in stock, or if he doesn't sell that item at all.

Response 2
The second response is used when the player is trying to sell the

shopkeeper something which the player does not have in his inventory. Items worn by the player can not be sold until removed from there worn position.

Response 3
The third response is used when the player is trying to sell the shopkeeper

something that is not one of those of his trade types. (This will be more clear when we get to the trade type part below. Such as a player trying to sell our bartender a canoe. =)

Response 4
The fourth response is used when the player tries to buy something from the

shopkeeper, but doesn't have enough money to buy it.

Response 5
The fifth response is used when the sale was successful and the player

buys something from the shopkeeper.

Response 6
The sixth response is again used when the sale was successful, but this

time it's for when the player successfully sells something to the shopkeeper.

Response 7
The seventh response is used when the shopkeeper doesn't have enough of the

item to sell as the player requests. Such as someone trying to buy 10 tuborgs, but our bartender only has 9.

Response 8
The eighth response is Used when the shop is closed and a player tries to

buy something from or sell something to the shopkeeper.

Response 9
The ninth response is used when the player tries to sell an item to the

shopkeeper that the shopkeeper doesn't trade that item.

Response 10
The tenth (and last!) response is for when the shopkeeper has run out of

money and can't afford to buy what the player is trying to sell him.

Now. again, I made a define called TAVERN_MSG (for tavern messages) and I placed all my responses in it. Don't forget, they do go in that specific order! And below is our setup with responses in it.

In the responses below, $1n refers to the shopkeeper, $2n refers

to the item being sold, bought, etc.. and $3n refers to the person dealing

with the shopkeeper.

#define TAVERN_MSG \ {"$1n says, 'This is a tavern, I don't sell such an item as that!'", \ "$1n says, '$3n, you don't even have that!'", \ "$1n says, 'I don't trade with things such as $2n! Just buy a beer!'", \ "$1n says, '$3n, you can't afford $2n.'", \ "$1n says, 'Thank you, $3n, here are %s for $2n.'", \ "$1n says, 'Thank you, $3n.'", \ "$1n says, 'I don't have that many $2ns in stock.'", \ "$1n says, 'I'm on break, come back later.'", \ "$1n says, 'I haven't got a use for $2n.'", \ "$1n says, 'I'd like to buy it, but I can't afford it, sorry.'"} \

Just like with the items, the responses are in quotes, and are separated with commas. Since I put each on their own separate lines (for neatness sake), I put a space and a back slash, \, after each. The entire define is enclosed in curly braces,{}. And then you're done with your shopkeeper's messages! Don't worry, it gets simpler from here.

Step 3
Now we get to decide when we want our shop to be open. We get to use

military time, so 1 refers to 1am, 6 refers to 6am, 12 refers to 12pm (noon), 18 refers to 6pm, and both 0 and 24 refer to 12am (midnight).. etc.. =) And my define for this I named TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES (for when the tavern is open) and I used the following setup: #define TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES {"12","18"}

You just have to make your define and stick your times in quotes and enclose them in curly braces. So Hogan will be opened from 1am ("1") until 11pm ("23"). He will close after 11pm and reopen again at 1am. You may also add multiple open and close times as per the following example: #define TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES {"1","12","16","20"}

Step 4
For this step you get to choose your shopkeeper's trade types. And what

you pick all depends on what kinds of things you want your shopkeeper to sell and buy. You can find the item types in values.h, but I'll also list them below.

Sale types
Value Type Value Type
1 ITEM_LIGHT 14 ITEM_TRAP
2 ITEM_SCROLL 15 ITEM_CONTAINER
3 ITEM_WAND 16 ITEM_NOTE
4 ITEM_STAFF 17 ITEM_DRINKCON
5 ITEM_WEAPON 18 ITEM_KEY
6 ITEM_FIREWEAPON 19 ITEM_FOOD
7 ITEM_MISSILE 20 ITEM_MONEY
8 ITEM_TREASURE 21 ITEM_PEN
9 ITEM_ARMOR 22 ITEM_BOAT
10 ITEM_POTION 23 ITEM_SPELL
11 ITEM_WORN 24 ITEM_BOOK
12 ITEM_OTHER 25 ITEM_SHIELD
13 ITEM_TRASH

We are making a bartender, so he should sell food and drinks. So I selected ITEM_FOOD, and it's corresponding number is 19. So I made my define TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE (for our tavern's type of items) using the following setup: #define TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE "19" Now, if we had a magic shop, and wanted to sell potions and scrolls, I would make a define called for example MAGIC_ITEM_TYPE and make it like this: #define MAGIC_ITEM_TYPE "2 10" The 2 was our number corresponding to the scrolls, and the 10 corresponded to the potions. That is how you make your shopkeeper sell more than one item type, just stick the corresponding numbers inside quotes with a space separating them.

Step 5
Now you get to decide how much money your shopkeeper gets to have

to buy things with. One platinum piece is equal to 40960. So if I wanted him to have two platinum pieces to spend on buying things from players, I would make a define called TAVERN_MAX_CASH (for the maximum amount of money our shopkeeper gets) and use the following setup: #define TAVERN_MAX_CASH 81920 I got 81920 by multiplying the 40960 (one platinum) by 2

Step 6
The sixth thing we get to do is to decide how much profit does our

shopkeeper get when he sells his items. Items should have a cost to them already tagged on them, so their whatever their cost is, that is equal to 100%. Now, if your shopkeeper wants to take an extra 10% on the items he's selling so he can support his family, then you would make his selling profit 110. So I made a define called TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT (for his profit when he sells things) and gave him 110% selling profit, and used the following setup: #define TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT 110

Step 7
This last define is almost exactly like our selling profit, but now, we're

doing our buying profit... when a player sells an item to the shopkeeper, he doesn't want to pay full price because it must be used since a player has it. Now the item's cost is 100%, and maybe the shopkeeper only wants to buy items for half its cost. So I would make his buying profit 50, and use the following setup. #define TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT 50

All of the previous defines you can place anywhere in the zone. I like to place mine before the %DIL section just to keep them somewhere where I know they all are. You can place each one on the mob itself, but I think that looks cluttered so's why I put them where I put them. And you're going to have a dilcopy placed on your mob also, which I'll explain in step 8.

Step 8
Okay one last step. Now you get to place the DIL on your shopkeeper mob

using all of those cute little defines you just made. The syntax for the DIL is: dilcopy shopkeeper@function(products, responses, opentimes, tradetypes, sellprofit, buyprofit, maxcash, closedil, dilparams); Take your defines from above the defines that you made are called: TAVERN_PROD, TAVERN_MSG, TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES, TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE, TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT, TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, and TAVERN_MAX_CASH. Now all you have to do is place them in the syntax where they belong like in the below example. dilcopy shopkeeper@function(TAVERN_PROD, TAVERN_MSG, TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES, TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE, TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT, TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, TAVERN_MAX_CASH, "", ""); For the last two fields, I just put "", "" because I don't make my own unique DIL for those. By just putting and empty set of quotes for each, it makes it go to the default. And make sure you don't forget that semicolon at the end either.

You are pretty much done now. All you have to do is place your defines either up before %DIL or somewhere in %mob if you'd like, and place the dilcopy onto your mob.

Just to make sure I've completely beaten a very dead horse, this is what it would look like in the end. %zone sample_zon #define TAVERN_PROD \ {"grain_alcohol@gobtown1 15 20", \ "pretzels@gobtown1 10 15", \ "beer_nuts@gobtown1 15 20", \ "rum_coke@gobtown1 10 15", \ "tuborg@udgaard 15 20"} #define TAVERN_MSG \ {"$1n says, 'This is a tavern, I don't sell such an item as that!'", \ "$1n says, '$3n, you don't even have that!'", \ "$1n says, 'I don't trade with things such as $2n! Just buy a beer!'", \ "$1n says, '$3n, you can't afford $2n.'", \ "$1n says, 'Thank you, $3n, here are %s for $2n.'", \ "$1n says, 'Thank you, $3n.'", \ "$1n says, 'I don't have that many $2ns in stock.'", \ "$1n says, 'I'm on break, come back later.'", \ "$1n says, 'I haven't got a use for $2n.'", \ "$1n says, 'I'd like to buy it, but I can't afford it, sorry.'"} \ #define TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES {"1","23"} #define TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE "19" #define TAVERN_MAX_CASH 81920 #define TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT 110 #define TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT 50 %mobiles bartender names {"hogan","goblin","bartender"} title "Hogan" descr "Hogan stands behind the bar waiting to take your order." extra {} "He looks back at you, patiently waiting for your order." M_AVG_GOBLIN(76,SEX_MALE) alignment -1000 exp 100 money 2 SILVER_PIECE, 2 COPPER_PIECE dilcopy shopkeeper@function(TAVERN_PROD, TAVERN_MSG, TAVERN_OPEN_TIMES, TAVERN_ITEM_TYPE,TAVERN_SELL_PROFIT, TAVERN_BUY_PROFIT, TAVERN_MAX_CASH, "", ""); end

A more complex set of NPCs

In the last sections you learned all the fields and how to make a basic NPC. In this section we will use the information from the last sections to create some more unique NPCs for our dragon station zone There is not a lot of new information here we will be using the DIL functions from the previous section and adding some flags to the NPCs to make them act different.

Magic casting NPC

The basic Dragon we made in the <xref linkend="npcbasic"> looks like a real dragon but it is a bit boring when you fight a dragon and don't get toasted by an acid or fire spell or two. in <xref linkend="npcdilfunc"> the 'combat_magic' function was described. This is the function you use to make all NPCs cast magic while in combat. With that in mind lets take a look at how we can make our dragon a bit more interesting g.

Well lets see a black dragon is supposed to have the ability to either cast fire breath or acid breath depending on who you talk to. Once you learn DIL you could even make fire breath be a skill not a spell but for now we will stick with what we know. I like the acts of the acid breath spell so we will use that as the spell of choice. The NPC as we defined it before hasn't changed so the following would be the entire dragon with the combat magic function. bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} extra {} "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something." extra {"eye","eyes"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast." race RACE_DRAGON_BLACK sex SEX_MALE height 625 weight 1250 level 70 NATURAL_DEF (WPN_CLAW, ARM_PLATE) alignment -900 MSET_ABILITY(20,12,12,12,12,12,20,0) MSET_WEAPON(10,10,10,5,30,5) MSET_SPELL(0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,30) //Combat Magic added. dilcopy combat_mag@function("acid breath", "", 25, 2); end

That is all there is to it. If you are wondering where I got the 'acid breath' part of the DIL copy all the spells names are in the spells.def or you can just pick a spell by what you would type if you wanted to cast it yourself in the game. Now if this still looks like a lot to do to make a dragon the dragon above could have been created with exactly the same information by using the composed.h and the 'M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD' macro. If we use the macro the dragon would look like this bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} extra {} "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something." extra {"eye","eyes"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast." M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD(SEX_MALE) end

As you can see with the second way the dragon was a lot easier to make because we let the macro set all the other values we just described the NPC and set the macro.

A wandering janitor

Our space station is nice but we wouldn't want a lot of people coming to visit if we didn't have a janitor to walk around cleaning up. Dragons most likely wouldn't be low life enough to be Janitors so I think we will leave that up to a hobgoblin. the following would be the definition of a hobgoblin wandering Janitor. janitor names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"} title "an ugly janitor" descr "an ugly janitor is walking around, cleaning up." extra{} "This ugly green thing looks more goblin than hobgoblin but he seems intent on cleaning everything around him." race RACE_HOBGOBLIN level 6 sex SEX_MALE height 130 /* cm */ weight 120 /* Pounds */ // he is sort of good for cleaning so much alignment 900 NATURAL_DEF(WPN_FIST, ARM_LEATHER) MSET_ABILITY(10,10,10,23,15,22,10,0) \ MSET_WEAPON(10,10,10,10,10,10) /* Average in everything, any wpn */ MSET_SPELL(4,2,2,2,2,2,2,6,6,6,6) /* Resistances */ //give him some money money 5 IRON_PIECE dilcopy janitors@function(15); // only want him cleaning the station dilcopy wander_zones@function("dragonst", 20, 1, 1); end

Like with the dragon if we wanted to create this NPC easier we would use the Hobgoblin defines in composed.h so we don't have to fill out all the information. If we did this it would simply look as follows: janitor names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"} title "an ugly janitor" descr "an ugly janitor is walking around, cleaning up." extra{} "This ugly green thing looks more goblin than hobgoblin but he seems intent on cleaning everything around him." M_AVG_HOBGOBLIN(6, SEX_MALE) // he is sort of good for cleaning so much alignment 900 //give him some money money 5 IRON_PIECE dilcopy janitors@function(15); // only want him cleaning the station dilcopy wander_zones@function("dragonst", 20, 1, 1); end

As you can see you can combine the DIL functions you learned in <xref linkend="npcdilfunc"> to make your NPC do more than one thing.

Creating a teacher

Setting up teachers on valhalla is harder and more strict formed than most things in the game. The reason is the way you set them up is to use an old form of functions called special. In the future guilds will be in DIL like everything else but for now the teachers that are released with the VME are base code. Even though the teachers are base code they still allow for you to adjust many things. The truth is you don't have to use our teachers you could code your own in DIL but many find this easier.

Guild teacher definitions are actually less complex than people think they are. There really are no big, mysterious secrets. The key is simply to understand the numbers and how the balance is achieved. (From here on in, GTD will refer to "guild teacher definition", and "entity" will be used to refer to the ability/spell/skill/weapon being offered by the GTD.)

Using TAB characters in GTDs is a very bad idea! It will have extremely

adverse effects, including causing the mud to crash.

We need to tart first and explain that to use the teacher special functions you need to use a field not described anywhere else in the NPC descriptions. The field is called a 'special'. The reason the 'special' field was not included in the field descriptions is because it is being removed from the VME as soon as banks and teachers have been replaced by DIL there will be no more special functions. For now however we need to use them for the for mentioned purposes. The format for a special function is as follows: special <Function define> <function arguments> For teachers the function definition is 'SFUN_TEACH_INIT' and the arguments range from who can join, what the acts of the teacher are, and what the teacher teaches.

In the first part of a SFUN_TEACH_INIT definition, there are several pieces of important information which allow the mud to know what you are trying to provide to players. The entire set of arguments are enclosed in double quotes. So a teacher with nothing at all in it would look like this: special SFUN_TEACH_INIT "<arguments go here>"

After the opening double quote ("), the first thing necessary is the text formatting code '&l', which tells the compiler to ignore the standard text formatting protocols for the rest of the string or until the '&f' code is given.

Immediately following the '&l' code, with no spaces at all, the type of entity the function will teach is defined. It is one of the following types:

  • abilities
  • spells
  • skills
  • weapons

The first two lines of the SFUN_TEACH_INIT looks like this: special SFUN_TEACH_INIT "&labilities;0;

The '0;' is the end of field marker that will be used through out the teacher fields

The next set of arguments to the teacher function is the acts the teacher will use when a person is trying to train. There are seven acts total and they are as follows:

Teacher acts

Line 1
This line is displayed when the player makes a mistake in typing

the name of an entity, whether or not it is actually offered at the teacher.

Line 2
This line is similar to the first, but is usually evident of

attempting to practice an entity not offered at this particular teacher.

Line 3
This is the act displayed when the player has insufficient funds

to practice the desired entity.

Line 4
This is displayed when the player has not got enough ability or

skill practice points to learn the desired entity.

Line 5
Simply put, the player has exceeded the teacher's expertise in the

offered entity and must go elsewhere to learn more, if at all possible.

Line 6
This line is displayed when the player is either wearing magical,

stat-modifying equipment or is affected by spells/skills which modify stats.

Line 7
This line is what is shown when your armour affects you using

special functions in base code. This is rare and may never be seen. In the future when the teachers are made in DIL this act may not be necessary.

Now we can add the acts to our example it would look as follows: special SFUN_TEACH_INIT "&labilities;0; $1n tells you, 'I have never heard of such an ability.'; $1n tells you, 'I do not know how to teach this ability.'; $1n tells you, 'You haven't got %s for me.'; $1n tells you, 'You haven't got %d ability points.'; $1n tells you, 'I can not teach you any more.'; $1n tells you, 'You must be unaffected by magic, else I can't teach you.'; $1n tells you, 'Remove all equipment, please.';

$1n is the substitution variable for the teacher's title (see the DIL document for more details).

%s is the amount of money the teacher requires to teach the entity in question.

%d is the amount of ability or skill practice points required to practice the given entity.

The standard GTD termination character, a semicolon (;) ends each act

about the actual GTDs, or the lines that actually define what the teachers teach and everything to do about how expensive and how high they teach it. A GTD is a single line, composed of several fields. The data contained in these fields determines how a particular entity is practiced.

Here is an example of a GTD: 0; 100; scan ; 9; 9000; 7; 0;

Note that it has a lot of white space in it. It is really not necessary, as the field terminators are the semicolons. This means that you could just as easily write: 0;100;scan;9;9000;7;0;

When making teachers most people prefer to put the white space in to make it easier to read and find errors. A larger example would look as follows: 0; 100; scan ; 9; 9000; 7; 0; 0; 90; consider ; 4; 4000; 5; 10; 0; 0; 100; appraisal ; 9; 4000; 5; 0; 0; 100; fleeing ; 9; 9000; 6; 12; 0;

Each part of the GTD separated by a semicolon is called a field. The following is the fields and their definitions.

Field 1
Field 1 is the guild level. It is simply the level at which one is

allowed to practice the particular entity in the guild. A level of 0 indicates that one can practice it from the beginning.

Field 2
This is the maximum percentage one is allowed to practice the

particular entity. It can be anywhere from 1 to 200. For abilities, it should be in increments of 2 (or divisible by 2), and for spells, skills, or weapons, in increments of 5 (or divisible by 5). This means that the effective minimum depends on whether the entity is an ability or a spell, skill or weapon.

Therefore, the minimums for abilities is 2, and the minimum for spells, skills or weapons is 5. Anything less will be automatically practiced to the effective minimum. This also means that putting an odd number for abilities will result in the player practicing an additional point, and for spells, skills or weapons, practicing up to the nearest 5.

For example: Percentage maximum for an ability is set for 95%. Player practices the ability, which then becomes 96%. Player then decides to practice a weapon skill. It is set to 77% maximum. After practicing, the player has 80% in the weapon. It is better to simply make the ability 96% and the weapon 80% maximum instead.

Field 3
Name of Entity
Field 4
This is the practice cost minimum in Old gold pieces. Anything less than 10 here

will simply be translated as 1 iron piece. Anything other than a number divisible by 10 is rounded up to the nearest iron piece.

Field 5
This is the practice cost maximum in old gold pieces. It is generally defined as

being 1000 times what Field 4 is defined as:

The reason for this is because there is a scale related to the current practice percentage of the entity. The practice minimum is what the entity costs when it is at 0%, and the practice maximum is what it costs to practice it to maximum percentage.

It is not necessary to multiply the minimum by 1000 to define the maximum. It can be any number, as long as the maximum exceeds the minimum. Failure to do so will result in the mud crashing. It is unknown what will happen if the fields have 0 entered in them. I warn that it could be rather unpredictable.

Setting the maximum too high will only serve to dissuade players from practicing and indeed even playing. This is not to say you cannot make a truly powerful entity very expensive. Just make sure that the entity is worth the cost.

Field 6
This is the only necessary practice points field. It allows one to use

their skill or ability practice points to increase their character's powers. This number is generally determined by the desire of the builder to make the entity easier or harder to practice, based upon the logical consideration of how this class would learn/use the entity.

For instance, a Fighter class would find practicing "fist" to be exceedingly easy, so they may only need 4 points to practice this skill, but on the other hand, a Mage class would not have such an experience so it may cost them 15 points to practice.

Don't go overboard, making this field an outrageous number will mean that no one is likely to practice the entity, mainly because of lack of points. However, like in the cost fields, it can be made expensive to reflect the power of the entity.

Field 7 - X
You can repeat field 6 as many times as you want the player to be

able to practice in one level so you can set a point cost each time. This is so each time they practice at a level you can make it more expensive.

An example of this would look as follows: 0; 90; consider ; 4; 4000; 5; 10; 0;

This example has consider being practiced at guild level 0 up to 90%, costing 4 old gold pieces minimum, 4000 old gold pieces maximum, 5 practice points for the first practice per level and 10 for the second.

For 15 points a level, the player can practice consider twice. It is actually quite nice to be able to do this, and generally easier entities take advantage of this more often.

Each additional field is followed by a semicolon

Field X
This is the termination field for the GTD. It tells the compiler

that the GTD is finished. In fact, if you set a practice point field to 0, it would consider that Field X, and end the GTD.

Every GTD line must have an end of field marker!

When we refer to old gold pieces they represent the VME money system as follows:

Old to new money conversions.
Old gold piece New money
10 1 Iron Piece (IP)
80 1 copper piece (CP)
640 1 silver piece (SP)
5120 1 gold piece (GP)
40960 1 platinum piece (PP)

Of course, to finish up the entire SFUN_TEACH_INIT, you must include a closing double quotation mark ("). Failure to do so will cause no end of problems for you.

A finished teacher of ability function would look like this: special SFUN_TEACH_INIT "&labilities;0; $1n tells you, 'I have never heard of such an ability.'; $1n tells you, 'I do not know how to teach this ability.'; $1n tells you, 'You haven't got %s for me.'; $1n tells you, 'You haven't got %d ability points.'; $1n tells you, 'I can not teach you any more'; $1n tells you, 'You must be unaffected by magic, otherwise I can't teach you.'; $1n tells you, 'Remove all equipment, please.'; 0; 100; Strength ; 4; 4000; 8; 0; 0; 90; Dexterity ; 14; 14000; 12; 0; 0; 90; Constitution ; 14; 14000; 9; 0; 0; 100; Hitpoints ; 4; 4000; 11; 0; 2; 60; Brain ; 23; 23000; 14; 0; 4; 80; Charisma ; 18; 18000; 14; 0; "

There are two other easy to use specials that you will want to use with your teacher. they are 'SFUN_GUILD_BASIS' and 'SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY'.

SFUN_GUILD_BASIS
This initializes the teacher and the only argument is the guild

name special SFUN_GUILD_BASIS "Udgaard Fighter"

SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY
This simply blocks anyone who is not in the guild from

practicing This means the argument is the guild name. and the act separated by a '#', an example would look as follows: special SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY "Udgaard fighter#$1n says, 'Buggar ye off, $3n.'"

Finally we will show you what a full teacher would look like with the entire specials and the NPC definition. jones names {"blacksmith", "smith", "Jones"} title "Jones the blacksmith" descr "The venerable Jones Blacksmith is here." extra {} "The smith is old but his arms still retain the strength of his youth. He looks as if he has retired, but he can still put you through the drills of physical training." flags {UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT} romflags {CHAR_PROTECTED} //Define from composed.h M_HUMAN_WARRIOR_AXE(80, SEX_MALE) //negative exp to discourage killing teacher exp -100 special SFUN_GUILD_BASIS GUILD_UDG_FIGHTER special SFUN_MEMBERS_ONLY GUILD_UDG_FIGHTER+"#$1n says, 'Buggar ye off, $3n.'" special SFUN_TEACH_INIT "&labilities;0; $1n tells you, 'I have never heard of such an ability.'; $1n tells you, 'I do not know how to teach this ability.'; $1n tells you, 'You haven't got %s for me.'; $1n tells you, 'You haven't got %d ability points.'; $1n tells you, 'I can not teach you any more'; $1n tells you, 'You must be unaffected by magic, otherwise I can't teach you.'; $1n tells you, 'Remove all equipment, please.'; 0; 100; Strength ; 4; 4000; 8; 0; 0; 90; Dexterity ; 14; 14000; 12; 0; 0; 90; Constitution ; 14; 14000; 9; 0; 0; 100; Hitpoints ; 4; 4000; 11; 0; 2; 60; Brain ; 23; 23000; 14; 0; 4; 80; Charisma ; 18; 18000; 14; 0; "

Guild master functions

When you make a guild you have to make a guild master for it. This NPC will let people join and leave the guild and it also gives titles. To create a guild master you need to use three 'special' functions. The functions you need are 'SFUN_GUILD_BASIS', 'SFUN_GUILD_MASTER', and 'SFUN_GUILD_TITLES'.

SFUN_GUILD_BASIS
This initializes the master and the only argument is the guild

name special SFUN_GUILD_BASIS "Udgaard Fighter"

SFUN_GUILD_MASTER
The guild master function takes 6 arguments. Like the teacher

function the arguments must be surrounded by double quotes. The strings in the arguments must be surrounded by tilde marks (~). The following is a description of the arguments and what they do.

Line1
The first argument on is what the guild name is. As in the

teacher you need to pre-pend the '&l' symbol so the VME doesn't mess with the formatting of the string when the guild master is compiled. &lGuild = ~Udgaard fighter~

Line 2

This argument is what quest needs to be done before the character can enter the guild. Guild Enter Quest = ~Fighter Proven~

Line 3

This argument is the amount it costs to enter the guild in old gold pieces. Guild Enter Cost = 640

Line 4

this argument is the quest the player must do before leaving the guild. If the player has not completed this quest the guild master will not let the player leave. Guild Leave Quest = ~Wimp proven~

Line 5

This argument is how much old gold pieces it will cost to quit the guild. If the player doesn't have enough money the guild master will not let the player join. Guild Leave Cost = 3200

Line 6

This argument is what guild the guild master will not accept players from. For example the following will make it so no Thief can be in the fighter guild. Guild Exclude Quest = ~Udgaard Thief Quitter~

When we refer to old gold pieces they represent the

VME money system as shown in <xref

linkend="oldgold">

The following is what a full 'SFUN_GUILD_MASTER' function would look like special SFUN_GUILD_MASTER "&lGuild = ~Udgaard fighter~ Guild Enter Quest = ~Fighter Proven~ Guild Enter Cost = 640 Guild Leave Quest = ~Wimp proven~ Guild Leave Cost = 3200 Guild Exclude Quest = ~Udgaard Fighter Quitter~"

SFUN_GUILD_TITLES
This function allows the player to request a title at the guild

master. A title will be given every 5 levels up to level 100 so you have 20 titles you can set. The title function takes one title for male chars and one title for female chars so you have to set 40 titles.

The arguments of this function are easy. The first thing you do is the normal '&l' to let the VME know not to mess with this string. Then you put the guild name. Finally you follow it by the list of 40 titles. The following is the fighter guilds title list special SFUN_GUILD_TITLES "&lUdgaard fighter the %s Swordpupil the %s Swordpupil the %s Recruit the %s Recruit the %s Sentry the %s Sentress the %s Fighter the %s Fighter the %s Soldier the %s Soldier the %s Warrior the %s Warrior the %s Veteran the %s Veteran the %s Swordsman the %s Swordswoman the %s Fencer the %s Fenceress the %s Combatant the %s Combatess the %s Hero the %s Heroine the %s Myrmidon the %s Myrmidon the %s Swashbuckler the %s Swashbuckleress the %s Mercenary the %s Mercenaress the %s Swordmaster the %s Swordmistress the %s Lieutenant the %s Lieutenant the %s Champion the %s Lady Champion the %s Dragoon the %s Lady Dragoon the %s Cavalier the %s Cavalier the %s Knight the %s Lady Knight"

Put all three of these functions on your NPC and your all set you have a guild master.

NPC banker

The banker function is the easiest 'special' function there is to use. The following placed on an NPC will make a banker: special SFUN_BANK

As you see its very simple, so we will just show you a completed banker and leave it at that. bob names {"Bob"} title "Bob" descr "Bob the Banker is here, sitting behind the counter." extra {} "He has a very serious look on his face." // define from composed.h M_SHOP_KEEPER(4, SEX_MALE, RACE_HUMAN) //discourage people from killing banker exp -500 flags {UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT} special SFUN_BANK end

Dragon station with rooms and NPCs

Now we will add the NPCs we have built to the zone from the previous chapter. This is still not complete while it does compile and you can log into your zone, you still have to load your NPCs and there are no objects. These will be added as you progress through this manual. The following is the source file so far. #include <composed.h> %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOW creators {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur." %rooms chamber title "The middle chamber of the station" descr "This chamber seems to have the entire station rotating around it. It is unbelievably large the ceiling seems to be a good 200 meeters high and the room is perfectly cubic. Small human size ornate chairs with dragon designs scrawled on the arms and back are arranged in a triangle like setting with one large chair at the front. This must be where all station meetings are held. large pictures cover the walls depicting dragons in all kinds of situations. large passages lead of to the west and the east.." extra {"chair","chairs"} "The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered with some kind of dragon." extra {"dragon picture","picture"} "Thousands of dragons dot the skies of this rather life like picture. In the center you see something move. It looks to be a little green dragon." extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"} "An intellegence looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to disposal_room descr "You see a small room."; east to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway."; end hallway title "Module tunnel" descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from side to side and top to bottom. The hallway seems to be dust free. The walls and the floors seem to be made out of the same sterile metal-plastic that all space agencies uses. There are large plate glass windows that open up into space. The hallway is filled with a dim light that seems to come from everywhere yet no where all at once. You notice a glimmer of bright light coming from the windows. To the east you see an air lock and to the west the hallway opens up into a larger room." extra {"windows","window"} "Your eyes are drawn to a large ship lit up with running lights sitting about 1 kilometer from the station." extra{"floor","walls","wall"} "Well what can be said it looks to be in perfect condition. What else would you want to know?" extra {"large ship" ,"ship"} "The ship looks really big and is shaped like a dragon. The scales sparkle and seem to be multiple colors." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to chamber descr "The hallway opens up into a chamber."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station. The room is as large as the other rooms big enough for Dragons to lounge while still having a desk in one corner small enough for a humanoid. The floor along the north wall is lined with some kind of fabric and seems very soft to walk on, it may be some kind of dragon lounge judging by how large an area it covers. There is a passage to the west." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"paintings","painting"} "The paintings are of many dragons and riders in all kinds of tasks from combat to look out. All the figures seem to be staring at a staff being held by a depiction of a wizard on the south wall." extra {"wizard","staff"} "The wizard has his hand stretched out and it seems there is a place you can almost grab the staff. Maybe if you searched the staff you would find it." extra {"desk"} "Its a desk alright but there doesn't seem to be any drawers and it seems totally empty." extra{"fabric"} "Wussshhhhh you bound across the comfortable floor wasn't that fun." west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(SOUTH, 50) south to portal_room descr "You see what looks to be a portal room." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","staff","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN}; end portal_room title "Green field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a green field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the north." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"green field","field"} "The field looks to be a green fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." north to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; //A link to the portal is also here from room_port end ship_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in ship dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "portal_room@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&nYou appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end room_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in portal_room dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "ship@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&nYou appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end disposal_room title "Red field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a red field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the east." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"red field","field"} "The field looks to be a red fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." east to chamber descr "You see the main chamber."; //A link to the portal is also here from dis_port end dis_port names {"red field","field"} title "Red field" descr "Red Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy force_move@function( //how fast to force move in seconds 4, //room to force move to and act "deathspace@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.", //true or false random move or not 0); in disposal_room end ship title "War dragon" descr "Blue light softly glows from con duets that line the walls of this ship. The floors beside the east and west wall have what looks to be soft fabric covering. The south wall has small controls that seem to be made for humanoids with two small chairs that look to be pilot seats. view portals are about 50 meters up the side of the ship on the west and east wall and some kind of electronic screen covers the south wall. The ship seems to be a one room ship but there is a green field by the north wall." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"view port"} "Sorry your not 50 meters tall maybe it is made for a dragon?" extra {"view screen","screen"} "It seems to be the pilots view screen but you can't seem to see a way to turn it on." extra {"controls","control"} "The controls are in some weird language and your afraid if you start pushing buttons you might rocket in to the station or worse slam into a planet." extra {"soft fabric","fabric"} "It looks to be a dragon lounge area." //A link to the portal is also here from ship_port end deathspace title"Open space" descr "You see the ship and the station far off in the distance and you are in Space!" movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy death_room@function ( //how often is damage done 4 would be 1 second 4, //damage 400, //act for the damage. "You realize to late that was the trash disposal transporter and you feel your lungs explode."); end %mobiles bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} extra {} "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something." extra {"eye","eyes"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast." M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD(SEX_MALE) end janitor names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"} title "an ugly janitor" descr "an ugly janitor is walking around, cleaning up." extra{} "This ugly green thing looks more goblin than hobgoblin but he seems intent on cleaning everything around him." M_AVG_HOBGOBLIN(6, SEX_MALE) // he is sort of good for cleaning so much alignment 900 //give him some money money 5 IRON_PIECE dilcopy janitors@function(15); // only want him cleaning the station dilcopy wander_zones@function("dragonst", 20, 1, 1); end bob names {"Bob"} title "Bob" descr "Bob the Banker is here, sitting behind the counter." extra {} "He has a very serious look on his face." // define from composed.h M_SHOP_KEEPER(4, SEX_MALE, RACE_HUMAN) //discourage people from killing banker exp -500 flags {UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT} special SFUN_BANK end %end

Suggested NPC exercises

1. Using the DIL function for team work found in <xref linkend="npcdilfunc"> create a guard that will help all other guards.

2. Using the DIL function for rescue found in <xref linkend="npcdilfunc"> add to your guard from exercise one and make it so will now rescue as well as help.

3. Using the shop keeper function from <xref linkend="npcdilfunc">; make a shop keeper that sells two types of food. The shop keeper should make 5 of them a day and it should only buy items of the food type. For all other arguments be creative.

4. Using the shop keeper you created from exercise three, turn your shop keeper into a global wondering sales person.

5. Using the DIL function for agressive found in <xref linkend="npcdilfunc"> create a Dwarf agressive to any Orc that walks into the room.

The objects section

The previous chapters would be enough for you to create an entire game of nudists with no technology and no items of any kind. This of corse would be a very boring game of naked people fighting with no weapons. don't worry the VME has a solution to this you can build objects to dress up the NPCs and to fill the rooms with cluttered junk.

In order to get started building objects you should first be aware of the object fields you can use. The <xref linkend="objfields"> shows a full listing of all the object fields and their types as defined in <xref linkend="ch-03">.

Object fields and types
Field Type Field Type
symbolic name Symbol affect affect function
names Stringlist dilbegin or dilcopy function pointer
title String key String
descr String open Integer
inside_descr String manipulate Integer
extra Structure spell Integer
minv Integer value Integer
alignment Integer cost Integer
flags Integer rent Integer
weight Integer type Integer
capacity Integer end tag Symbol
light Integer

Many of the same fields you found in rooms and NPCs, as you can see from <xref linkend="objfields">, can also be found in objects. The fields do not always have exactly the same use when coding rooms, NPCs, and objects but they are normally set in the same manor. It is very important that you read and understand the differences of each field as they pertains to rooms, objects, and or NPCs.

Description of object fields

<variablelist id="var-objfields">

symbolic name
The rules of the symbols has been explained in

<XREF LINKEND="ch-03">, if you didn't read them yet you may want to review. The important thing to realize with the object symbol is it is always good practice to give the object a symbol that resembles the title and description so administrators and builders can use the <command>load</command> and the <command>wstat</command> to easily locate, examine, and load the object in question.

title
The object title is what is shown if the object is being picked

up, dropped, given to someone, when you do the inventory command, , or being used in combat. there should be no punctuation in the object title because of how it is used in the VME server. If you add punctuation or forget to capitalize something that the VMC thinks you should it will give you a warning when you compile. The following are good examples of an object title. title "a big rock" title "the flame tongue" title "a lap top" title "a garbage bag" title "an oval hover car"

descr

The description field is what the player sees when walking into the room or when looking with no arguments. It is good practice to make this no longer than one line not counting the 'descr' tag.

Some examples of the object description field would be as follows: descr "a green bloody sword is laying here." descr "A massive wooden round table sits here." descr "a funny looking hammer is laying here."

names
The object names are as important as the NPC names. They are what

you act on when picking the object up, dropping it, throwing it, just about anything you do to objects use these name fields. On drink containers you add the liquid name at the end, so people can drink the liquid. You always need to make sure you put every possible name that the player may use to examine or take your item. The rule of thumb is if it is in the title or description it should be in the names list. conversely if it is not in the title or description it shouldn't be in the names list because the players will not use it if they don't know about it.

The following is some examples of good 'names' fields with respect to their 'title' and 'descr'. title "a big rock" descr "a big rock is here blocking the road." names {"big rock","rock"} title "an old twisted staff" descr "An old twisted staff has been discarded here." names{"old twisted staff","twisted staff","old staff","staff"}

The idea of course is to make any combination that a player may type to try and act upon your object. You would not want to describe and title your object with an entirely different theme than you created its names with because a player would not know what it is called.

inside_descr
The inside description is what a player sees if it is inside the

object. This is used for things like Coffins or boxes or boats that a player can climb inside. The inside description is defined the same way the normal description is but you can make it as many lines as you want like you would with a room description. inside_descr "You are inside a black coffin with a red velvet padding - scary!" inside_descr "You are inside the pink time machine. a small control panel is on the floor and seems to be operated by stepping on it."

extra
The extra's on the object like the NPC, can be used to do many things. It can be

used to store information for DIL programs or it can be used to show a part of the object like the room extras show a part of the room. They can even be used to create new acts when a person picks the item up, drops, or enters it.There is also a special extra that is the object's description when you look at it with the look <object> command.

Lets go over the object description extra first. If you use an extra with no names list it will become the object's description when you look at any of the names on it. extra {} "Its just a rock nothing special about it." extra {} "The ice cube is about 40 meters perfectly cubed. It seems to be melting slightly but waiting for it to finish would be sort of like waiting for the ice age to end."

You can also use extras to show parts of the object. extra {"crack"} "There is a big crack in the side of the ice cube. Maybe if you mess with the crack you will be able to open it or something." extra {"bed post","post"} "Its a big gold bed post don't you wish you could get this sucker off it would make you a rich adventurer indeed."

You can also use the extras to give more detailed and vivid descriptions when the object is acted upon.

Object special action extras
Extra Description
$wear_s A message shown to activator when wearing (+wield/grab/hold) an

item.

$wear_o A message shown to others when wearing an item.
$rem_s A message shown to activator when removing worn stuff.
$rem_o A message shown to others when removing an item.
$get_s A message shown to activator when getting an item.
$get_o A message shown to others when getting an item.
$drop_s A message shown to activator when dropping an item.
$drop_o A message shown to other when dropping an object.
$enter_s A message shown to activator when entering an item.
$enter_o A message shown to other when entering an item.
$exit_s A message shown to activator when leaving an item.
$exit_o A message shown to other when leaving an item.

In the following example of an ice cube, 1n is the activator and $2n is the unit in question. extra {"$get_s"} "You pick up the $2N, it is very cold and begins to melt in your hands." extra {"$get_o"} "$1n picks up the $2N, you notice that a drop of water hits the ground as it begins to melt in $1s hand."

Finally you can use extras to store information for DIL programs. We will not cover this because it is a topic covered in-depth in the DIL documentation.

manipulate
This field is what defines the things that can be done to the

object. For example a piece of armour should be able to be taken and worn, while a fountain should be able to be entered but not taken unless its some magical portable fountain. There are two sets of manipulate flags even though you can use them together. We separate them because the first two are flags that tell you if you can take or enter something while the rest of the manipulate flags are for worn positions.

First the two flags for taking and entering are:

Take and enter flags
Manipulate Description
MANIPULATE_TAKE Set this flag if the unit can be taken

(picked up/moved about).

MANIPULATE_ENTER Set this flag if it is possible to

enter a unit, ie set it in a coffin if you want players to be able to enter the coffin.

These flags are set to indicate on what body positions a particular object can be worn:

  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_FINGER
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_NECK
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_HEAD
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_LEGS
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_FEET
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_HANDS
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_ARMS
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_SHIELD
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_ABOUT
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_WAIST
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_WRIST
  • MANIPULATE_WIELD
  • MANIPULATE_HOLD
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_BACK
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_CHEST
  • MANIPULATE_WEAR_ANKLE

Currently you can only set one of the worn positions flags on an item at a time. You can set both enter and take on an item with a position or just one or the other. Some legal examples of combinations are as follows: //An earring manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR} //A backpack manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_ENTER, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BACK} //strange true but its legal an earring pack manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_ENTER, MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR}

flags
This field on an object is used to set special attributes in order to make

the object able to be buried or not or no-teleportable and many others. The object flag list uses the UNIT_FL_* variables that both the NPCs and the rooms also use, therefore while you can set some flags on an object it may not have any affect unless you as a builder or administrator adds the functionality. You can also add extras on an object that can be used as a special flag which you will learn as you learn to use DIL. The following is a full list of all unit flags and how they affect objects, if they do.

Object unit flag affects
Flag Description
UNIT_FL_PRIVATE Currently has no affect on a NPC.
UNIT_FL_INVISIBLE Makes unit invisible
UNIT_FL_NO_BURY Makes it so you can create objects that

can not be buried for example a weapon that for some reason shouldn't be buried.

UNIT_FL_BURIED Makes

unit buried when loaded

UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT Makes it so you can not teleport into this object. This flag only

works on containers.

UNIT_FL_NO_MOB Currently has no affect on an object.
UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER Currently has no affect on a NPC.
UNIT_FL_INDOORS Currently has no affect on an object.
UNIT_FL_TRANS Makes unit transparent If the Unit is

transparent you will be able to see any NPCs that it is carrying. For example if a canoe was carrying a familiar you would see that as you walked into the room. If this flag is not set and you are in a canoe you will not see outside the canoe and no one will see in.

UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE Makes it so a PC can't save with

unit

UNIT_FL_SACRED Currently has no affect on an object.
UNIT_FL_MAGIC This flag is used by spells to tell if the object is magic.

If you wanted to make an object that a player can carry around but can not save you would set the manipulate and flags as follows. manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} flags {UNIT_FL_NO_SAVE}

type
This field is what you use to set the objects type. The type

field is used when spells are cast or commands are executed on the object. You can add your own item types but they will not change the actions of base code commands. The following is the list of item types and what they mean when you set them. Some are not supported with the current code but you can add support for them if you like by making DIL commands, which is covered in another manual.

Item types
Type Description
ITEM_LIGHT Items of this type can be lighted and extinguished.
ITEM_SCROLL Items of this type can be read as a magical scroll.
ITEM_WAND Items of this type can be used with the <command>use</command>

command.

ITEM_STAFF Items of this type can be used with the <command>tap</command>

command as a magical staff

ITEM_WEAPON Items of this type are used as weapons.
ITEM_FIREWEAPON Currently not supported but could be used to classify a special type

of weapon.

ITEM_MISSILE Currently not supported but could be used to classify a special type

of weapon.

ITEM_TREASURE Items of this type are of some great value to sell but nothing else

like a Gem or a block of gold.

ITEM_ARMOR Items of this type can be worn or used as armour.
ITEM_POTION Items of this type can be used with the <command>quaff</command> as

a position.

ITEM_WORN Items of this type can be worn but not normally used for armour it

is more for clothing.

ITEM_OTHER This item type is for items that don't fit any other type. Now

that you can make your own commands with the VME 2.0 you should just make your own item type instead of using this value.

ITEM_TRASH Items of this type are usually junk or broken equipment.
ITEM_TRAP Not currently supported but could be used to make a trap command by

creating a trap item

ITEM_CONTAINER Items that can be used as containers.
ITEM_NOTE Items of this type can be used to write on like paper or

slates.

ITEM_DRINKCON Items of this type can carry liquids.
ITEM_KEY Items of this type can be used as a key.
ITEM_FOOD Items of this type can be eaten
ITEM_MONEY Items of this type can be spent as currency
ITEM_PEN No longer supported but could be used to force people to have a

writing instrument before writing a message.

ITEM_BOAT Items of this type can be used as a water craft
ITEM_SPELL Not currently supported but it could be used to make a page in a spell book
ITEM_BOOK Not currently supported but could be used to make

regular and spell books.

ITEM_SHIELD Items of this type can be used as a shield.
ITEM_SKIN Not currently supported in the release but could be used to make the

skin command and create skins of animals

ITEM_BOARD Items of this type are used for public communications in the form

of boards that can be read from and written to.

Unlike flags and manipulate fields only one item type can be set on an object at a time. The format for the 'type' field is simply the keyword followed by the value as follows: type ITEM_BOARD

weight
The weight is the weight of the object in pounds. In the future we

may adjust this to allow you to make things lighter for example you could set it in ounces or grams. Right now however all we have is pounds so we have some pretty heavy feathers out there.

To use this you just enter the 'weight' keyword and then the value. /80 lbs. weight 80

capacity
This field sets the size of a container object. If the object does not have the manipulate enter flag set then this field doesn't have to be set. The capacity is currently by pounds since the weight of objects is set in pounds. In the future we may take into account size and weight but right now it goes only by weight. The following line of code would set an item to carry 600 pounds of stuff.

capacity 600

key
The key field sets the key name of the key that will open the item. This field should be set to the symbolic name of the key that opens the item it is on. If the item is in the same zone as the key then you do not need to put the zone extension on the key name. The following are the three possible examples of using the key field.

//if object and key are in same zone. key brasskey //if key and object are in same zone key brasskey@zonename //if key and object are not in same zone key brasskey@otherzonename

Notice you can put the zone name on it if the key is in the same zone but if the key is not in the same zone you must put the zone name on it.

cost
This is the field you set to add a cost to your object. If you

leave this field out it will default to no cost and will not be able to be sold at stores. The system for setting cost on an item is the same as setting money on a NPC. As with a NPC we could set it using a single number but it would not be easy to understand. For example 5 gold pieces would be something like: money 25600

I am no more sure this will make five gold pieces than I was when I used this same example with the money field in NPC. The problem is I just did the math in my head so its not very accurate. It is much easier to use the defined money types to set exactly what you want as follows: IRON_PIECE COPPER_PIECE SILVER_PIECE GOLD_PIECE PLATINUM_PIECE

Now if we wanted to make an object costing five gold it would be as simple as this: money 5*GOLD_PIECE the define method also gains you the ability to tell the VME what amount of each coin you want on the NPC. If you set it using a single integer the compiler would pick how many of each coin. This of course is not what is desired in fact you want to be able to set your cost however you like. So setting more than one coin is as simple as adding a comma between the first and second coin. money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE

rent
This field tells how much it costs you to keep an item while your

offline. The rent is not always taken if the VME server is set up to not take any rent then it will not matter if you set this or not. Also the VME can be set up to take a percentage of this field so it may not take the exact amount you et. If the VME server is set up to take 100% of the rent then what you set will be taken. To set this field you do the same as you do with the cost field. money 5*GOLD_PIECE, 20*IRON_PIECE

minv
This field is the administrator invisible level of the object it is

set on. This means that if you set the 'minv' to two hundred it will make it so the object can not be seen by anyone below the administrator level of two hundred. This is good for hiding objects that you need for administrators but you don't want players to see. In order for the 'minv' to be removed an administrator or a DIL function must change it. minv 239

alignment
The object alignment is not currently used. It is an integer

value that can be set on an object to be used with any DIL functions. In the future it will be what determines if a good or evil person can wield an item. The value is set by placing the 'alignment' keyword first followed by the alignment desired from -1000 to +1000. alignment -250

open
The open field is used if you want to give your object the ability

to be opened, closed, and or locked. If you add the open flags you need to also add a key field which has already been explained. The following are all the possible open flags and what they are used for.

EX_OPEN_CLOSE
Set this if you can open and close this object.
EX_CLOSED
Set this if you want the object to be closed when loaded.
EX_LOCKED
Set this if you want the object to be locked when loaded.

An interesting aspect is that if you do not specify a key, you can only unlock this door with the 'pick' skill, 'unlock' spell or from DIL with UnSet();

EX_PICK_PROOF
Using this flag renders the 'pick' skill and 'unlock' spell un useable on the

lock of this object.

EX_INSIDE_OPEN
Usable on container objects only, this enables the mobile to 'open' and

'lock' from the inside.

The simplest use of this field is to make an object that opens and closes. A coffin for example would have its flags set as follows: open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE}

If you wanted to set an object that is locked and closed and having a brass key that can open it, when it is loaded. It would look as follows. open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED, EX_LOCKED} key brass_key

You would have to define the key in the object section as well and the symbolic name for that key would be 'brass_key'

spell
The spell field is the power of the objects defense against

spells. You can set it from zero which is just not setting the field all the way to 200% which means a person who has 100% in a spell will fail almost all the time. To set this field it would look as follows: //Spell resistance at 150% spell 150

value
The object values are used for just about any special item from

armour to drink containers. They should not be set directly unless you have a reason to do so, like a special DIL command that checks a value on an item. You also have to be carefull not to over write what a value is already used for example value one is already used on weapons and armours for craftsman ship that will be explained later in <xref linkend="objmacros">.

If you find you need to set the values there are a total of five of them and they can be set to any integer value as follows: value[0] 5 value[1] 16 value[2] -2 value[3] -10 value[4] 12

affect
The affect field should not be set directly, instead you should

use the macros defined in <xref linkend="objmacros">.

dilbegin or dilcopy
As has been mentioned in previous sections the DIL functions are what give VME servers the edge over all other muds.

We will only give some examples here and leave it up to the DIL manual to teach you how to create your own functions that will make your rooms, NPC, and objects more than special.

There are several object functions that come standard with the VME 2.0. The following is a list of those functions.

  • Guild restrict
  • Anti-guild restrict
  • Quest restrict
  • Quests restrict
  • Alignment restrict
  • Level restrict
  • Virtual level restrict
  • Race restrict
  • Ability restrict
  • Skill restrict
  • Spell restrict
  • Weapon restrict
  • Gender restrict
  • Player restrict
  • boards
  • tuborg/dilbegin

These are the only object functions currently documented in the VME 2.0 release but if you go through the zones that are released with the VME you are sure to find many more. Hopefully with the descriptions in <XREF LINKEND="objdilfunc">. You will be able to use the functions listed here and figure out ones that are not.

Since these are just DIL's written by builders for the Valhalla mud all you have to do is use the dilcopy keyword in the NPC with the function name you want to use and the arguments that function requires. The following is what you would find in the function.zon for tuborgs. dilbegin tuborg(s:string); external sub_drink_info@commands(d:unitptr); var u : unitptr; code { :start: wait(SFB_CMD, ( (command("drink")) or (command("sip")) or (command("taste")) ) ); u := activator; secure (u,start); if (findunit (activator,argument,FIND_UNIT_INVEN|FIND_UNIT_SURRO,null)!=self) goto start; if ( command("sip") or command("taste") ) { block; act("$1n tastes $2n enjoying every drop.", A_HIDEINV, u, self, null, TO_ROOM); act("The taste of the $2N is nothing less than divine.", A_HIDEINV, u, self, null, TO_CHAR); goto start; } if ( u.thirst >20 ) { block; act("Your not thirsty.", A_HIDEINV, u, null, null, TO_CHAR); goto start; } block; act ("You drink $2n and it makes you feel more energetic!", A_HIDEINV, u, self, null, TO_CHAR); act ("$1n drinks $2n and looks more energetic!", A_HIDEINV, u, self, null, TO_ROOM); u.thirst := u.thirst + 10; u.full := u.full + 10; if (u.thirst > 24) { u.thirst := 24; } if (u.full > 24) { u.full := 24; } u.endurance := u.endurance+50; if (u.endurance > u.max_endurance) { u.endurance := u.max_endurance; } sub_drink_info@commands(self); quit; } dilend

If this DIL function scares you don't worry you don't have to understand it or adjust it you only have to use it. In fact this is a really easy DIL to use. The argument on the tuborg function is not used yet so all you have to do is pass in a blank string or any string for that matter. So if you wanted to make a tuborg in the game you would just add this to your drink container. dilcopy tuborg@function ("");

All of the above listed DIL object functions are described in <XREF LINKEND="objdilfunc">. Then we put some to work so you can see how to use them in <XREF LINKEND="objcomplex">

Object macros

To make the creation of some objects easier we have provided a set of Macros. The macros range from general armour and weapons macros to macros that help you create special affects on all items. We will first cover what craftsmanship and magical modifiers are in <xref linkend="objcraft"> and <xref linkend="objmag"> respectively. After which we will show the use of craftsmanship and magical modifiers in <xref linkend="objmacroweapon"> and <xref linkend="objmacroarmour">.

Weapon and armour craftsmanship

The craftsmanship is a way of expressing the overall quality of a piece of armour or weapon. The quality on the VME servers currently means the amount of hit points given to an item. The craftsmanship ranges from 25 to -25 and the hit points range from 125 to 6000. The craftsmanship can be looked at as how tough or good the armour or weapon is. The following table should help you in deciding how tough your armour or weapon should be.

Approximate hit points verses craftsmanship
Craftsmanship Hit points
25 6000
20 5000
15 4000
10 3000
5 2000
0 1000
875
650
425
300
125

It is suggested the higher the craftsmanship the higher the cost of the weapon should be. This is not a must but it goes with out saying the quality of an item should be represented in the cost of it. Of corse there is the time you would want to sell your players poor quality items at a high cost just to make them think they are getting something cool.

Magical modifier

The magical modifier can be said to modify damage done to an opponent. In a combat the damage is calculated and then the magical bonuses on armour or weapons is added in. This is best explained by an example.

Lets say that you were about to give 25 hit points of damage to a person. Your sword has a plus 25% in magical bonus. The bonus is added to your damage to make it a total of 50 hit points of damage. The player you are hitting however has a +25% magical bonus on his armour that you are about to hit him on. That will reduce the damage back to its 25% hit points originally done. This is just a nice way to add a bit of damage for a special weapon.

The magical modifier ranges from 25 to -25. It affects both the damage being given to a player and the damage being given to a weapon or a piece of armour.

It is suggested that you modify the costs of your objects to fit the amount of magical bonus along with adding the magical flag tot he objects flag list so an identify spell can pick up that there is magic about the object. This is not a must but your players will love you for it.

Setting weapon fields

To create a weapon you only need three pieces of information. The weapons craftsmanship and magical modifiers defined in <xref linkend="objcraft"> and <xref linkend="objmag"> and the weapon type. You have seen the weapon types before when defining a NPCs natural attack type in <xref linkend="npcmacroattarm">. The full list of weapon types that are released with the VME 2.0 can be found in <xref linkend="app-d">. With craftsmanship, magical modifier and the weapon type all you need to do is pick from one of the following macros and insert your numbers. #define WEAPONSZ_DEF(weapon_category, craftsmanship, magic_bonus, hgt) \ WEAPON_DEF(weapon_category, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)\ height hgt #define SHIELD_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \ manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_SHIELD} \ type ITEM_SHIELD \ value[0] shield_type \ value[1] craftsmanship \ value[2] magic_bonus

As you can see the first macro uses the second macro so the only difference between them is the first one sets the height field. Using the first macro will force your weapon to be a certain size when loaded. While not setting the height field by using the second macro would let the VME server set the size of the weapon by what NPC it is loaded on.

A flail (two handed) of non-pure iron (-3%), a little better than average craftsmanship (5%) and no magic bonuses would have: WEAPON_DEF(WPN_FLAIL, +2, 0)

A rusty (-5%) mean sacrificial dagger by a skilled smithy (+5%) and magically enchanted might be: flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 0, +5)

An old shaky wooden stick made for a 400 cm tall person could be: WEAPONSZ_DEF(WPN_CLUB, -5, 0,400)

A wooden bastard sword would have considerable less craftsmanship than listed since wood prevents the slashing effect, also it would be non-sense to apply better than average craftsmanship in this case. WEAPON_DEF(WPN_BROAD_SWORD, -15, 0)

Setting armour fields

When designing armour it is no more difficult then when designing weapons. There is five main armour types. The types don't define the material type for example if you wanted to create a wooden pair of armour that protected like plate armour you could do this by defining the armour type as plate and then adding the material as defined in <xref linkend="objmacromattype">. The five armour types are as follows:

  • Clothes
  • Leather
  • Hard leather
  • Chain
  • Plate

The armours macros are almost the same as the weapons macro it looks as follows. #define ARMOUR_DEF(atype, craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \ manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} \ type ITEM_ARMOR \ value[0] atype value[1] craftsmanship \ value[2] magic_bonus #define ARMOURSZ_DEF(atype, craftsmanship, magic_bonus, hgt)\ ARMOUR_DEF(atype,craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \ height hgt

The craftsmanship and magical modifier fields have already been explained so the only thing new that you need to pass into these macros is the 'atype' which stands for armour type. As we have mentioned there are five different armour types. The following are the defines for each:

  • ARMOUR_CLOTHES
  • ARMOUR_LEATHER
  • ARMOUR_HLEATHER
  • ARMOUR_CHAIN
  • ARMOUR_PLATE

The armour type defines how different weapons and spells are defended against for example plate would be better against acid maybe and worse against electricity. You as a VME administrator will have to decide which armours are better at what by changing your weapons.def and spells.def

This explains the entire armour define but there is some more to it. The rest will be covered in <xref linkend="objarmour"> For now an example use of the armour define would be as follows: flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} ARMOR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,+15,+5)

Setting shield fields

We have tried to keep the interface of making armours, weapons, and shields the same. If you have already looked through the defines for weapons and armours you will find that there is very little difference here. The following is the define for the macro that sets the shield values. #define SHIELD_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus) \ manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_SHIELD} \ type ITEM_SHIELD \ value[0] shield_type \ value[1] craftsmanship \ value[2] magic_bonus #define SHIELDSZ_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus, hgt) \ SHIELD_DEF(shield_type, craftsmanship, magic_bonus)\ height hgt

You have already seen the craftsmanship and magical modifiers in <xref linkend="objcraft"> and <xref linkend="objmag">, so the only thing different here is the shield type. There are three shield types available in the current combat system and they are categorized by size. the three sizes are small, medium, and large. to set the type you use the defines from vme.h which define the following:

  • SHIELD_SMALL
  • SHIELD_MEDIUM
  • SHIELD_LARGE

the larger the shield the better chance of blocking an attack. You may want to remember to add weight as you add size to your shield so players are weighted down and can not carry the best of everything but that is up to the administrator of the VME server.

A small magical wooden shield could be assigned: flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} SHIELD_DEF(SHIELD_SMALL, 0, +5)

Setting material types

Currently Material types are not used greatly in spells or skills but in the future we hope to add more functionality for materials. For example in the future if you are hit by an acid spell we want your armour to be damaged depending on the material it is. The material doesn't have any affect on damage given or taken it is just a way you can check in DIL what the weapon is made out of. The following is the list you would find in wmacros.h of in the VME 2.0 release. #define MATERIAL_WOOD(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_wood"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_METAL(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_metal"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_STONE(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_stone"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_CLOTH(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_cloth"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_LEATHER(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_leather"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_SKIN(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_skin"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_ORGANIC(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_organic"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_GLASS(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_glass"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_FIRE(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_fire"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_WATER(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_water"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_EARTH(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_earth"} DESCR #define MATERIAL_MAGIC(DESCR) extra {"$material", "$mat_magic"} DESCR Therefore if you had a wooden staff you could add the following to your weapon so spells would know what it was made out of. MATERIAL_WOOD("a hard oak")

Drink container macros

There are two different kinds of macros for drink containers. The one you use depends on the need at the time. The harder macro is made so you can create a drink of any kind. If however you want normal drinks like water, beer, or even lemonade there are more simple macros already defined for you to use in liquid.h. The following is a couple of the macros from the liquid.h for a full listing see <xref linkend="app-e">. #define LIQ_WATER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,10,1,0,POISON) #define LIQ_BEER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("brown", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,2,3,POISON) #define LIQ_WINE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("red", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,2,5,POISON) #define LIQ_COFFEE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("black", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 6, 1, 0,POISON)

To use these macros the arguments are pretty simple.

weight
The first argument just says how heavy your drink container is when

empty. Like a barrel might be 15 pounds and a glass might be 1 pound. You may be thinking there is no way the glasses in your kitchen are one pound. The truth is if we had less than a pound then we would set the glass to less but currently all units are measured in pounds so the least we can make it is a pound. In the future of the VME we will be converting to smaller measurements like grams or ounces.

capacity

The second argument is what your container can carry weight wise. So if your barrel is 15 pounds and your barrel can carry 35 pounds of a liquid then the total weight when full would be 50 pounds, if my math is working today. To make a container with infinity liquid like a fountain you just set capacity to '-1'.

Making capacities ridiculously large can cause weight bugs.

If your going to allow ridiculous amounts you might just want to give them the infinite amount or really work on your drink and pour

functions

inside

The third argument is how much liquid by weight your container has inside. This value should not be greater than the capacity but if you mess up it will be fixed when the player tries to drink from it. The total weight of the drink container and the liquid it contains will be the weight added to this value.

poison

the forth argument is the amount of poison in your drink. There is no limit on the amount of poison but understand that a value of ten would be a very high poison value.

So if you wanted to make a simple small glass of water you would use the water macro and it would look like this: LIQ_WATER(1,2,2,0)

You are probably wondering what it takes to fill a player from empty. The players thirst ranges from -24 which is dieing of thirst all the way to positive 24 which is full. So if you have a barrel that can hold 24 capacity one full barrel can take a person from zero thirst to full.

Now lets say you want to make something more exotic. All the normal drinks are made or at least a great number of them are in the liquid.h but what if you had a race from outer space that drank nothing but silicone oil. This obviously is not covered in our liquid file so you would have to make one yourself or use the more complex macro. #define LIQ_DEF(color, wgt, max_cap, inside,thirst,full,drunk,poison) \ type ITEM_DRINKCON \ weight (wgt)+(inside) \ capacity max_cap \ value[0] inside \ value[3] poison \ extra {"$drink_color"}color \ extra {"$drink_thirst"} #thirst \ extra {"$drink_full"} #full \ extra {"$drink_drunk"} #drunk

As you can see this define has much more information you need to pass it but it really is not that hard. The following are the arguments and what they do.

color
the first argument is the color of the liquid. this color will be

shown when you look at the liquid in the container.

wgt
The second argument is the weight of the container as in the last

macros. It is what the container would weigh empty.

max_cap
The third argument is the maximum capacity of the container. If

the value is set to 15 and the container is fulled it will contain 15 pounds of liquid which adds to the base weight to get the total weight of the container. If you want a container to have unlimited contents then you set the capacity to '-1' and the weight will be that of the 'wgt' field.

inside
The forth argument is the amount of liquid the container starts

with. This amount should not be greater than the 'max_cap' field, but if it is it will be corrected when the player takes a drink or acts on the container.

thirst
The fifth field is how much thirst this gives per pound of liquid

consumed. For example if you have a glass of water and it only has a capacity of 1 with 1 inside. this value will be added once to the players thirst field.

this can be a bit confusing so lets first explain that the thirst field can be anything from 0 to 10 or even greater but we suggest only 10 max. With that in mind know that we set water at 10 because it is one of the best thirst quenchers known to man. Therefore a glass with 1 capacity and 1 quantity inside will give a player +10 to his thirst so if the player was down to zero thirst value one drink will give them 10. remember that a players thirst ranges from -24 to +24 so with three drinks of water a person could fill his thirst need entirely.

With that in mind when setting this field you have to think what kind of thirst quencher is my drink. If for example it is vodka it would have little to know thirst quenching power so you would set this field to 0 or 1.

full
The sixth field like the thirst field sets how the drink will

affect the chars fullness. The chars fullness field is normally set when a player is eating but as you know drinking some drinks will also give you the feeling of being full. One drink like this would be milk. The chars fullness field ranges from -24 to 24 like the thirst field and the argument you are setting on this field should range from 0 to 10 unless you have a pro teen drink that fills them like food. Milk might have a fullness of something like 5.

drunk
the seventh field like thirst and full deals with the Drunkenness of

a character. A character can range from 0 (not drunk) all the way up to 24 (smashed). The drunk field on this macro sets how much drunk is added for each quantity of the liquid is consumed. Therefore something like vodka should have a value of 10 while something like water should be down at 0 unless you have some weird race that gets drunk from water.

poison
The eighth and final field is again like the last macro we looked

at it sets the poison factor of a liquid. The value ranges from 0 (no poison) to whatever you want but understand that 10 is an extreme poison factor and a player drinking this will most likely die quickly.

So with the definitions of each arguments in mind lets return to the example of making a silicone oil based liquid. We will first show what it would look like using the hard macro then what the new easy macro that you could create would look like. LIQ_DEF("blue",5,10,10,5,1,0,0)

Now if you want to make this a liquid your going to use a lot you would define your own easier macro like this. #define LIQ_SILICONE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("blue", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,1,0,POISON)

That covers the use of the macros but for more information on the drink containers see <xref linkend="objdrink">.

The food macros

The food macro is much easier than that of the drink macro so if you have drink containers down you will have no problem making food to go with your beverage. The players fullness value ranges from -24 to 24 as we have already learned when making drink containers and in the current food system on the VME server we do not allow thirst to be modified by food. Therefore the only thing you have to set is the amount of fullness and the poison factor if there is any. The following is what the define for food looks like. #define FOOD_DEF(food_amount, poison_factor) \ type ITEM_FOOD \ value[0] food_amount \ value[3] poison_factor

Therefore if you wanted to make sure that only one of your foods that you were creating would fill a player entirely in one bite you would set it like this: FOOD_DEF(50,0)

It is recommended that you only set the value between 1 and 10 so that players have to eat a bit as if they were eating in the real world.

Light object macro

The light macro is very simply to use it only has two values duration and brightness of light. The macro is defined as follows: #define LIGHT_DEF(hours, how_bright) \ type ITEM_LIGHT \ value[0] hours \ value[1] how_bright

The first argument is the duration in mud hours which is about 5 minutes per mud hour. The second argument is how bright the object is 0 would be stupid cause it would give off no light but you never know maybe you want to do something like that. One, two, and three would be small torch, large torch, and lantern respectively. You could set a brightness greater than 3 but you should be carefull not to over light your characters or you may cause light bugs.

Container macro

The container macro is a simple macro that just sets two fields. The only information you have to give it is the capacity of the container. Remember that capacity of an item is in weight not size. Therefore if some ones corpse weighs 230 pounds you will need a container that has a capacity of 230 to fit the corpse in it. The following is the macros definition as found in wmacros.h: #define CONTAINER_DEF(max_capacity) \ type ITEM_CONTAINER \ capacity max_capacity

If you wanted to create a coffin that could carry any normal human corpse you could set it something like this: container_def(300)

Money macro

Money is one of the simplest objects you can make on the VME server. With this macro all you need is the symbolic before the macro and the end keyword after the macro and you have 1 piece of money or a whole pile. The macro is defined in the wmacros.h and looks exactly as follows: #define MONEY(coin_type, coins) \ type ITEM_MONEY \ manipulate MANIPULATE_TAKE \ title coin_type \ value[0] coins

The arguments are simple the first argument is the type of money the five possible values are:

  • IRON_PIECE
  • COPPER_PIECE
  • SILVER_PIECE
  • GOLD_PIECE
  • PLATINUM_PIECE

The second argument is the amount of coins. If you set it to zero then it will still make exactly 1 of the coins. The following would be what one platinum piece would be like in a zone file. platinum_piece MONEY(PLATINUM_PIECE, 0) /* Rest of values are inserted at runtime */ end

Now if you want to make a whole pile of money it would look like this: platinum_pile MONEY(PLATINUM_PIECE, 80) /* Rest of values are inserted at runtime */ extra {} "Holy cow thats a stash." end

Cursed objects macro

Sometimes when making special objects you want to make an item that a person can wear but can't remove. With the cursed object macro this is a simple thing. The cursed object macro is defined in wmacros.h and looks as follows: #define CURSED_OBJECT \ affect \ id ID_CURSE \ duration -1 \ firstf TIF_NONE \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_NONE \ applyf APF_MOD_OBJ_FLAGS \ data[0] OBJ_NO_UNEQUIP;

to use this macro it is simply a matter of putting the define in your object like this: CURSED_OBJECT

When you set this macro on an object it adds an affect that can only be removed by the 'set' command or by the 'remove curse spell'.

Potion, wand, and staff macros

The macros for potions, scrolls, wands, and staffs are almost the same. In fact there is only two differences. The first is the potions and scrolls can cast three spells while wands can only cast two, The second is wands and staffs have multiple charges possible while scrolls and potions only can be used once. The following are the macros for all four as found in wmacros.h. #define POTION_DEF(power,spell1,spell2,spell3) \ manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD} \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ spell power \ type ITEM_POTION \ value[0] power \ value[1] spell1 \ value[2] spell2 \ value[3] spell3 #define SCROLL_DEF(power,spell1,spell2,spell3) \ manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD} \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ spell power \ type ITEM_SCROLL \ value[0] power \ value[1] spell1 \ value[2] spell2 \ value[3] spell3 #define WAND_DEF(power,charge,spell1,spell2) \ manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD} \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ spell power \ type ITEM_WAND \ value[0] power \ value[1] charge \ value[2] spell1 \ value[3] spell2 \ value[4] charge /* The max charge */ #define STAFF_DEF(power,charge,spell1,spell2) \ manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD} \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ spell power \ type ITEM_STAFF \ value[0] power \ value[1] charge \ value[2] spell1 \ value[3] spell2 \ value[4] charge /* The max charge */

The arguments are as follows for the macros.

power
The first argument on potions, scrolls, wands, and staff is the

power the spell will be cast at. You can have the power set in the range 1-200. The spell power works the same as a player training in the spell. The higher the number the more powerfull the cast.

charge
The second argument on the staffs and wands is how many charges it

has.

spell#
On potions and scrolls you can set up to 2 spells you do not have

to set them both the one you don't want set to 0. On staffs and wands you can set three spells. Again if you want only one or two you can leave the one you do not want set to 0.

Magical transfer macros

There are times when you want to give a player a bonus in a ability, weapon, skill, and or weapon. There is even times when you want to adjust a characters speed or add a flag to a player when they wear an item. The following macros are what you would use to do any of those when a person uses an item.

  • CHAR_FLAG_TRANSFER(_MFLAGS)
  • SKILL_TRANSFER(skill, amount)
  • WEAPON_TRANSFER(weapon, amount)
  • SPELL_TRANSFER(spell, amount)
  • STR_TRANSFER(amount)
  • DEX_TRANSFER(amount)
  • CON_TRANSFER(amount)
  • CHA_TRANSFER(amount)
  • BRA_TRANSFER(amount)
  • MAG_TRANSFER(amount)
  • DIV_TRANSFER(amount)
  • HIT_TRANSFER(amount)
  • SPEED_TRANSFER(newspeed)
  • SLOW_TRANSFER(amount)

For the full definitions of the transfer macros see <xref linkend="app-f"> or the header file wmacros.h.

The transfer macros can be broken down into three groups those which transfer percentage, flags, and speed. The skill, weapons, spells, and ability macros transfer the amount of percentage you put. If you give a negative percentage it will take that much away from the player or NPC in that catagory. The character flag transfer actually adds the flag to the player while the player is using the item. The speed transfer macros add or subtract the amount of speed you give them. The range for speed is from zero to twelve with twelve being the slowest.

Building your first object

Now that you have learned how to make rooms and NPCs its time to make the objects for your little world. In the last couple of sections you have looked through the fields. In this section we are going to make a nice easy object. There is really not that much new from what you have learned with rooms and NPCs so this should be a real quick section. As always we will start with something I like which as you remember is dragons. So the first object we will make is a dragon head. I didn't say I liked them alive now did I? Anyway this will be a nice simple object that your player can pick up and carry around.

When making objects you create the zone source file first as shown in <xref linkend="ch-02">. If you only have objects you do not need the %reset, %mobiles, and %rooms fields. For the examples in this chapter we will use the zone we created in <xref linkend="ch-04"> and add the %objects section where we will put all the object definitions. At the end of this chapter, in <xref linkend="roomnpcobjzone">, we will bring it all together with the rooms and NPCs we have defined already.

The first part of all object definitions is the symbolic name it is good to always pick a name that will match the name of the object so it will be easy to load the object. The reason the symbolic and name should match is when you use the command <command>wstat</command> it will only show you a list of the objects by symbolic name for example if you type <command> wstat zone dragon objects</command> You will get the following: List of objects in zone Dragon: claw info_board dragon_head If you didn't make it clear what the object was by the symbolic name it might look like this: List of objects in zone Dragon: obj1 a_obj2 o3 While this might be great when you first start imagine trying to remember each object if you have over 30 of them.

Now lets get started with our dragon head. As with the rooms and npcs all that is required to make an object is the symbolic and end fields. That of course will make a NPC with all defaults. dragon_head end

Thats it for that dragon head right? Nope not quite, like before with NPCs, that makes an object with all defaults. That means this will probably be a very blank spot on the screen with no names and no way your players can interact with it. Now lets start putting the Dragon heads other more interesting fields on.

Like with rooms and NPCs, the first three things we need are the dragon heads title, description and names. The description should be what you see when you do a 'look' in the room. The title should be what you see when the object is in your inventory or you are whacking someone over the head with it. Since we are not making a weapon though the title is what will be shown when you are picking up or dropping the object. Finally the names should cover everything in the title and description fields so if your player wants to pick the object up or wear it will be easy to figure out what the names are. dragon_head title "a gold dragon head" descr "A large golden dragon head is laying here looking sad." names {"large golden dragon head","large gold dragon head", "golden dragon head","large dragon head","gold dragon head", "dragon head","large head", "sad head","head"} ... end

The names, title and description shouldn't be to hard so I don't think its necessary to go into any more description on the subject. Lets move on. Now we have to take care of what a player sees when he or she looks at an object. to make the main description of an NPC you place an extra on the NPC with no names in the list. The blank extra is a special extra that will be shown every time you look at anything in the names list of the object. So a description of an object would look something like this. extra {} "The head is large and beautiful, at least as beautiful as a dead dragon head can be. There is an extreme look of sorrow on the dragons face and it seems to be for much more than its own death."

Now that you have a main description for the object you need to make any smaller descriptions that you want the player to be able to look at. In this case it may be good to give some secret information if the player looks at the face of the head directly. extra {"gold dragon head face","dragon head face","head face","face"} "Looking into the dragons face your eyes are drawn to the eyes of the dead dragon. Could there be something there?" extra {"eyes","eye"} "A world of blue skies and no storms is visible through the eyes and it seems to be moving as if you were watching the world from space."

Now that we have the object all described we only need to give the object the manipulate flags it needs, weight, height, and maybe some extras that will make some cool acts when a player picks it up or drops it.

First thing to do though is pick the manipulate flags you want on the object. This is not a weapon or armour so all the player really needs to be able to do with it is pick it up and maybe hold it if you want and I do. The flags would then be as follows: manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE,MANIPULATE_HOLD}

If you were feeling a little weird you could even make the person be able to wear the dragon head on his head but that would just be strange. of course its always good to know you have options.

Now lets set the height and weight. Remember you set the height in centimeters and the weight in pounds. In the future the VME will standardize to one or the other but for now we have to play the conversion game. //20 feet (1 inch = 2.54 cm height 33 //566 KG (1 lb. = .45359 kg) weight 50

The final touch to our little dragon head is some cute acts when the player picks it up or drops it. If you remember from the extra fields in <xref linkend="objfielddescr">, there are some special extras that are made just for this purpose. extra {"$get_s"} "You suddenly feel very sad for a world that you don't even know." extra {"$get_o"} "A strange look of sadness crosses $1ns face." extra {"$drop_s"} "You feel much happier but you remember a feeling of great sorrow." extra {"drop_o"} "$1n seems to cheer up a bit."

There are other things we could add to this item but I want to keep this first object simple. The finished head would then look like this: dragon_head title "a gold dragon head" descr "A large golden dragon head is laying here looking sad." names {"large golden dragon head","large gold dragon head", "golden dragon head","large dragon head","gold dragon head", "dragon head","large head", "sad head","head"} extra {} "The head is large and beautiful, at least as beautiful as a dead dragon head can be. There is an extreme look of sorrow on the dragons face and it seems to be for much more than its own death." extra {"gold dragon head face","dragon head face","head face","face"} "Looking into the dragons face your eyes are drawn to the eyes of the dead dragon. Could there be something there?" extra {"eyes","eye"} "A world of blue skies and no storms is visible through the eyes and it seems to be moving as if you were watching the world from space." manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE,MANIPULATE_HOLD} height 33 weight 50 extra {"$get_s"} "You suddenly feel very sad for a world that you don't even know." extra {"$get_o"} "A strange look of sadness crosses $1ns face." extra {"$drop_s"} "You feel much happier but you remember a feeling of great sorrow." extra {"drop_o"} "$1n seems to cheer up a bit." end

Thats all there is to making regular items. The rest is just adding functionality to what you already know. We will get much deeper into what you can do with items in <xref linkend="objcomplex"> but first we will go over a debugging example and then all the special DIL functions made for objects.

Compiling and Debugging your first object

As we have previously mentioned in <xref linkend="rmdebug"> and <xref linkend="npcdebug"> it is always a good idea to build one or two things and then compile to make finding errors easy. In this case we have one object to compile and rather than having all the rooms and NPCS get in my way while compiling it I have removed them and only have the '%objects' section. The following is what the zone looks like when it has only one object in it. #include <composed.h> %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOW creator {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur." %objects dragon_head title "a gold dragon head" descr "A large golden dragon head is laying here looking sad." names {"large golden dragon head","large gold dragon head, "golden dragon head","large dragon head","gold dragon head", "dragon head","large head", "sad head","head"} extra {} "The head is large and beautiful, at least as beautiful as a dead dragon head can be. There is an extreme look of sorrow on the dragons face and it seems to be for much more than its own death." extra {"gold dragon head face","dragon head face","head face","face"} "Looking into the dragons face your eyes are drawn to the eyes of the dead dragon. Could there be something there?" extra {"eyes","eye"} "A world of blue skies and no storms is visible through the eyes and it seems to be moving as if you were watching the world from space." manipulate MANIPULATE_TAKE,MANIPULATE_HOLD height 33 weight 50 extra {"$get_s"} "You suddenly feel very sad for a world that you don't even know." extra {"$get_o"} "A strange look of sadness crosses $1ns face." extra {"$drop_s"} "You feel much happier but you remember a feeling of great sorrow." extra {"drop_o"} "$1n seems to cheer up a bit." end %end

I removed the '%rooms' and '%mobiles' sections added a '%objects' section and stuck the dragon head in and now its ready to be compiled and put into the VME server for you to be able to look at it in the game. If you downloaded our example zones for this document you can compile this zone along with us and fix the errors as we do for practice. The filename is debug_obj.zon. Just so you know the errors in this zone are intentional so please don't write me an email telling me that there are errors in it.

The command to compile the zone is <command>VMC debug_obj.zon</command>. Here is what we get when we first try and compile the zone. VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_obj.zon' <debug_obj.zon> @ 65: EOF in string debug_obj.zon: 5: parse error Token: '{' debug_obj.zon: 25: parse error Token: 'golden' Grave errors in file 'debug_obj.zon'.

This error file doesn't look any harder than the last one we dealt with when compiling our first room or NPC. We can not stress enough always fix the smallest numbered error first. In this case the lowest numbered error shows up in line five of the zone. The error says something is wrong with the '{' but looking at the line it is obvious the compiler got confused because I forgot 's' at the end of 'creators'. If we fix line five and recompile this is what we get: VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_obj.zon' <debug_obj.zon> @ 65: EOF in string debug_obj.zon: 25: parse error Token: 'golden' Grave errors in file 'debug_obj.zon'.

Now we have come to another one of those weird errors. If you look at line 25 you will find that the line looks like it is correct. As we have said before when you find an error like this it most likely means that you are missing a quote or a '{}'. The only way to find the problem is start at the quote or '{}' before the word in the error and go backwards through the file till you find a missing one. Lucky for us the missing one is in the very next string. If you add a double quote just before the ending comma on line 24 and recompile you will get the following: VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_obj.zon' debug_obj.zon: 42: parse error Token: ',' Compilation aborted.

This error is a little tricky. It seems to be pointing at the ',' as the problem. If you look at the line though and remember what you need for a manipulate field you will notice that the surrounding '{}' are missing. The reason the compiler is pointing at the comma is because it doesn't understand what to do with the comma with out the '{}' grouping symbols. Fixing these and recompiling results in the following message from the compiler. VMC v2.0 Copyright (C) 2001 by Valhalla [May 9 2001] Compiling 'debug_obj.zon' VMC Done.

Notice there are no errors and it says 'VMC done', this means that you have now successfully compiled the zone. This is the last debugging walk through in the manual. If you still have a lot of trouble figuring out errors don't stress compiling is an art the more you do it the easier it will get. We suggest you take the zones we have provided in our release and create errors so you can get used to the messages you will see when you are making your own zones. Never be afraid to ask for help from someone else sometimes a bug is so simple you will over look it and sometimes it just takes a second person a single glance to find it. Another trick to finding errors if you have been looking for more than 5 minutes take a break and come back in 10 minutes sometimes that short relaxing time will help you find the problem.

You have now compiled your first object. The steps are the same to get it into the game as it was for the rooms and NPCs. We will not go over them again except to say copy your files that the compiler made over into the zone directory of your mud and reboot. From there log on and you should be able to <command>wstat</command> and <command>load</command> your object by using its full symbolic name. It would be a good idea to try and get this zone into your server and lay with the object a bit so when you get to <xref linkend="objcomplex"> you will be ready for anything.

DIL functions for objects

The DIL language is the language a builder can use to make his own special functions on rooms, NPCs, objects, PCs, and much more. This manual is for basic zone writing and therefore will not go into how to write your own DIL functions. The VME however is released with many functions for you as an Administrator and your builders to use to make special rooms, NPCs, and objects. The following sections contain a full list of all object functions released with the VME 2.0 server.

Restriction functions

The desire to have different equipment comes from every players desire to be different. The restrict functions were designed to help make this a reality by only allowing certain groups of players to wear some items. The restrict functions can be used alone or together to make a greater restricted item. for example you could make an item, restricted to only females or you could make an item, restricted to females that had a strength greater than 20 and who have done a certain quest.

All restrict functions have a name that describes what the restriction function is for and four other arguments. the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th argument is the exact same for all restrict functions only the name of the restrict and the first argument changes. The format for the restrict functions is as follows. dilcopy <function name> (arg 1, <max damage>, <percentage>,<Optional DIL>);

We will skip the function name and the first argument and get back to them later.

max damage and percentage
The second and third arguments set the damage done when the wrong player

wears an object. The reason we are explaining them together is they can work together or separately depending on how you set them. The second argument is the max damage the third argument is the percentage damage.

When both arguments are set to 0 no damage will be done when the item is illegally worn. When the second argument is set to a number like 100 and the third argument is set to 0, exactly 100 damage will be done to the player no matter how many hit points he/she has. So by setting the second argument to a number and setting the third to 0 you could possibly kill your victim since it will remove the amount specified no matter how much the player has.

If you do not want to possibly kill your victim the Third argument should be used. If you set the second argument to 0 and the third argument to a number it will do a percent of damage to the player. for example if The third argument was set to 25 it would do 25 % damage to a player.

You can also use the second and third argument together if you want to set a max amount of damage without possibly killing them. for example if you set the second argument to 100 and third to 25. The item will do 25% damage up to 100 hit points of damage. This all might be a bit confusing so let me show you a few examples and tell you what they would do.

second= 0 third = 25
This would

do 25% damage to a player. second =100 third = 0 this would do 100 damage to a player no matter his amount of hit points.

second = 25 third = 25
This would do 25 % damage to a player up to 25 hit points.

So if a player had 150 hit points the max that could be removed is 25 hit points.

optional DIL
All restrict DIL functions have a default set of acts. If you want to make

your own set of acts you have to create your own DIL that does nothing more than act. If you don't understand how this works. You may want to look in the DIL manual about passing DIL functions as arguments.

Now we should get back to the first argument and function name since they are what control the restricts. The function name has been chosen so you can easily tell what the restrict was created for while the first argument changes depending on which restrict you use. The following are what each function restricts name is and what the function name and first argument are.

Guild Restrict

This function restricts an object to players in a certain guild or guilds. Anyone not in the guild or guilds, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin guild_restrict (guilds:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist. This means you can restrict this item to more than one guild. All guilds in the string list will be able to wear this object. If we wanted to make an item that only Paladins and sorcerers could wear it would look like this. dilcopy guild_restrict@function ({"Midgaard Paladin", "Midgaard Sorcerer"},0,25,"");

Anti-guild Restrict
This function restricts an object to players not in a certain

guild or guilds. Anyone not in the guild or guilds listed, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin anti_guild_restrict (guilds:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist. This means you can restrict this item from more than one guild. All guilds in the string list will not be able to wear this object. If we wanted to make an item that only Paladins and sorcerers could not wear it would look like this. dilcopy anti_guild_restrict@function ({"Midgaard Paladin", "Midgaard Sorcerer"},0,25,"");

Quest Restrict
This function restricts an object to players who have done a

certain quest. Any player who has not done the quest, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin quest_restrict (qst:string,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is a string. The quest restrict is only made to restrict the by one quest at a time. If you want the item to have multiple quests restrictions you just add another dilcopy to it. The following Would be an object restricted to one quest. dilcopy quest_restrict@function ("Eagles quest complete",0,25,"");

Quests Restrict
This function restricts an object to players who have a certain

quest or quests. Anyone not having all quests in the list of quests, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin quests_restrict (qsts:stringlist,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is a stringlist. This means you can restrict this item to more than one quest. Players that have not done every quest will not be able to use the object. If we wanted to make an item that only players that have finished both the 'Eagles quest complete' and the 'Feather fall quest complete' could wear. It would look like this. dilcopy quests_restrict@function ({"Eagles quest complete", "Feather fall quest complete"},0,25,"");

Alignment Restrict
This function restricts an object to players with a certain

alignment range. Anyone not in the alignment range, will have the damage done as set in the 3nd and 4th arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory.

We said at the beginning of this section that all restricts have only 4 arguments. This was a bit of a lie since this restrict has five arguments. The reason we didn't count this one is because the first and second argument in the alignment restrict function are used together and thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin ali_restrict (max:integer,min:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two integers. the first is the max alignment that can wear or use this object and the second is the minimum alignment. So if we wanted to restrict an item to only good players it would look like this. dilcopy ali_restrict@function (1000,350,0,25,"");

Level restrict
This function restricts an object to players above or equal to

a certain level. Any player not at least the level or higher, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. This restrict works in the old level system from one to fifty which means if the level restrict is set higher than fifty no player will be able to wear or use this object. This is good if you have objects that only your administrators should be able to use. If you want to restrict an object to greater than level fifty for players you need to use the 'vlevel' restrict. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin level_restrict (lvl:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer. The integer for the level restrict can range from 1 to 255. Thus if we wanted to make an object that only administrator could wear or use it would look like this dilcopy level_restrict@function (51, 0,25,"");

Virtual Level Restrict
This function restricts an object to players above or equal to

a certain level. Any player not at least the level or higher, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. This restrict works in the new level system from one to infinity. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin vlevel_restrict (lvl:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer. The integer for the level restrict can range from 1 to infinite. Thus if we wanted to make an object that only players that have reached the level of 5000 could wear or use, it would look like this. dilcopy vlevel_restrict@function (5000, 0,25,"");

Race restrict
This function restricts an object from players of a certain

race. Any player not of the selected race, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin race_restrict (rc:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer. The integer being passed in should be the race you want to restrict the object from. You can pass in the defines as listed in <xref linkend="app-c"> or if you have added races you will find the list of races in values.h. If we wanted to restrict an object from humans the following is what it would look like. dilcopy race_restrict@function (RACE_HUMAN,0,25,"");

Gender restrict
This function restricts an object to players of a certain

gender. Anyone not of the gender, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin sex_restrict (sx:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is an integer. The integer you should pass in is one of the defines from vme.h. The gender defines are as follows. #define SEX_NEUTRAL 0 #define SEX_MALE 1 #define SEX_FEMALE 2

If we wanted to make an item that could only be worn by a female player, it would look like this. dilcopy sex_restrict (SEX_FEMALE,0,25,"");

Player restrict
This function restricts an object to players who have a

specific name. Any player of the wrong name, will have the damage done as set in the 2nd and 3rd arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin ply_restrict (pname:string,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first argument is a string. The quest restrict is only made to restrict the quest to one person at a time. While this DIL was designed to be put on when a player receives a quest item and thus was made to be dilcopied in a DIL you can still put it on when you first create the object if you are making special items for administrators or players that you know in advance. If you want more information about copying a DIL from with in another DIL you will have to read the DIL manual If however you want to restrict this to a single player at compile time of your zone it would look something like this. dilcopy ply_restrict@function ("Whistler",0,25,"");

Ability restrict
This function restricts an object from a player with less than

a certain amount of a certain ability. Any player not having the correct amount of a certain ability, will have the damage done as set in the 3nd and 4th arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory.

We said at the beginning of this section that all restricts have only 4 arguments. This was a bit of a lie since this restrict has five arguments. The reason we didn't count this one is because the first and second argument in the ability restrict function are used together and thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin abi_restrict (abi:integer,min_abi:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two integers. the first is the ability type and the second is the amount of that ability the player needs to have or greater to wear or use the item. the ability types can be found in vme.h and are listed here for convenience. #define ABIL_MAG 0 #define ABIL_DIV 1 #define ABIL_STR 2 #define ABIL_DEX 3 #define ABIL_CON 4 #define ABIL_CHA 5 #define ABIL_BRA 6 #define ABIL_HP 7

If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50% strength it would look like this: dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_STR,50,0,25,"");

If you want to restrict an object to more than one ability you only need to add another restrict to the item. For example if you wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50% divine and 30% brain. The item would have these two lines. dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DIV,50,0,25,""); dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_BRA,30,0,25,"");

Skill restrict
This function restricts an object from a player with less than

a certain amount of a certain skill. Any player not having the correct amount of a certain skill, will have the damage done as set in the 3nd and 4th arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory.

We said at the beginning of this section that all restricts have only 4 arguments. This was a bit of a lie since this restrict has five arguments. The reason we didn't count this one is because the first and second argument in the skill restrict function are used together and thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin ski_restrict (ski:integer,min_ski:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two integers. the first is the skill and the second is the amount of that skill the player needs to have or greater to wear or use the item. the skills can be found in <xref linkend="app-g"> and values.h. We have also included the first five skills here for convenience in explaining how the function works. #define SKI_TURN_UNDEAD 0 #define SKI_SCROLL_USE 1 #define SKI_WAND_USE 2 #define SKI_CONSIDER 3 #define SKI_DIAGNOSTICS 4

If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50% 'turn undead' it would look like this: dilcopy ski_restrict@function (ASKI_TURN_UNDEAD,50,0,25,"");

If you want to restrict an object to more than one skill you only need to add another restrict to the item. For example if you wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50% in 'turn undead' and 30% in 'scroll use'. The item would have these two lines. dilcopy ski_restrict@function (SKI_TURN_UNDEAD,50,0,25,""); dilcopy ski_restrict@function (SKI_SCROLL_USE,30,0,25,"");

Spell restrict
This function restricts an object from a player with less than

a certain amount of a certain spell. Any player not having the correct amount of a certain spell, will have the damage done as set in the 3nd and 4th arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory.

We said at the beginning of this section that all restricts have only 4 arguments. This was a bit of a lie since this restrict has five arguments. The reason we didn't count this one is because the first and second argument in the spell restrict function are used together and thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin sp_restrict (spl:integer,min_sp:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two integers. the first is the spell and the second is the amount of that spell the player needs to have or greater to wear or use the item. the spells can be found in <xref linkend="app-h"> and values.h. We have also included the first five spells here for convenience in explaining how the function works. #define SPL_LOCK 52 #define SPL_UNLOCK 53 #define SPL_DROWSE 54 #define SPL_SLOW 55 #define SPL_DUST_DEVIL 56

If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50% 'lock' spell, it would look like this: dilcopy sp_restrict@function (ASPL_LOCK,50,0,25,"");

If you want to restrict an object to more than one spell you only need to add another restrict to the item. For example if you wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50% in 'lock' and 30% in 'unlock' spells. The item would have these two lines. dilcopy sp_restrict@function (SPL_LOCK,50,0,25,""); dilcopy SPL_restrict@function (SPL_LOCK,30,0,25,"");

Weapon restrict
This function restricts an object from a player with less than

a certain amount of a certain weapon. Any player not having the correct amount of a certain weapon, will have the damage done as set in the 3nd and 4th arguments unless none is set. Even if no damage is set the object will be removed off of the players equipment and placed in their inventory.

We said at the beginning of this section that all restricts have only 4 arguments. This was a bit of a lie since this restrict has five arguments. The reason we didn't count this one is because the first and second argument in the weapon restrict function are used together and thus are only really one argument. The following is the definition of the DIL as found in function.zon. dilbegin weap_restrict (wpn:integer,min_wpn:integer,damage:integer,percent:integer,action:string);

As the definition indicates the first and second arguments are two integers. the first is the weapon and the second is the amount of that weapon the player needs to have or greater to wear or use the item. the weapons can be found in <xref linkend="app-d"> and values.h. We have also included the first five weapons here for convenience in explaining how the function works. #define WPN_BATTLE_AXE 7 /* Two Handed */ #define WPN_HAND_AXE 8 #define WPN_WAR_MATTOCK 9 /* Two Handed */ #define WPN_WAR_HAMMER 10 #define WPN_GREAT_SWORD 11 /* Two Handed */

If you wanted to restrict an object to people having more than 50% 'battle axe', it would look like this: dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_BATTLE_AXE,50,0,25,"");

If you want to restrict an object to more than one weapon you only need to add another restrict to the item. For example if you wanted to restrict it to people having greater than or equal to 50% in 'hand axe' and 30% in 'battle axe' spells. The item would have these two lines. dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_HAND_AXE,50,0,25,""); dilcopy weap_restrict@function (WPN_BATTLE_AXE,30,0,25,"");

Tuborg function

What game would be complete with out the Denmark water! With that in mind the VME 2.0 has a tuborg function that makes a drink give endurance and health when drank. The function is defined in function.zon as follows: dilbegin tuborg (s:string);

As the definition indicates the tuborg function only has one argument. The real surprise is that the argument is not used yet in the DIL so no matter what you set it to it doesn't matter. In the future this argument is going to allow different kinds of tuborgs to be made but for now its just a place holder and all that is needed is a set of double quotes.

To create a tuborg you just add the following line to your drink container. dilcopy tuborg@function ("");

Message board

Every game needs a way for Administrators and players to exchange ideas. The message boards have been designed for this purpose. The boards function can be easy to use or more difficult depending on what all you want them to do. The board function is defined in boards.zon as follows. dilbegin board (idxfile:string,l_res:string,r_res:string,p_res:string,bmax:integer);

This looks pretty hard I know but to make a normal board we have made it as simple as possible while allowing for the boards to be used in almost any situation. After you make your first board it is pretty much block and copy and change the first argument. The arguments are as follows:

idxfile
The first argument is the board index filename. It tells the

board DIL what name to store the board under so if you create more boards with the same name they will all be pointing to the same messages. You can put any legal symbolic name in this string and it will work with no problems.

l_res
the second argument is a DIL you pass in that does any checks to

see if the player looking at the board is allowed to. This requires some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the boards.zon. //used to restrict players access to a board dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr); //used to restrict non-admin from removing posts dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);

So with the 'admin_res' you could do something like this: dilcopy board@boards ("wizbrd","admin_res@boards"...);

Putting the 'admin_res' function in the second argument would make it so only administrators could look at the board. If you put an empty string or two double quotes as the argument it will let anyone look at the board.

r_res
the third argument is a DIL you pass in that does any checks to

see if the player trying to remove a post at the board is allowed to. This requires some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the boards.zon //used to restrict players access to a board dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr); //used to restrict non-admin from removing posts dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);

So with the 'rem_res' you could do something like this: dilcopy board@boards ("citizen","","rem_res@boards",...);

With the 'rem_res' in the third argument only administrators can now remove from this board but anyone can look at it because of the empty string in the second argument. Putting an empty string in the third argument will make it so anyone can remove from this board.

p_res
the forth argument is a DIL you pass in that does any checks to

see if the player trying to post at the board is allowed to. This requires some knowledge in DIL but we have given some example DIL functions in the boards.zon. //used to restrict players access to a board dilbegin string admin_res (u:unitptr,v:unitptr); //used to restrict non-admin from removing posts dilbegin string rem_res (u:unitptr, v:unitptr);

As you can see we haven't made a post restriction DIL because as of yet we haven't found a need for one. If you have a need for one just look over the two restrict DIL functions we have already mentioned and you will find it is really easy to make. We want to allow anyone to post so our dilcopy looks like this: dilcopy board@boards ("citizen","","rem_res@boards","",...);

With the 'rem_res' in the third argument only administrators can now remove from this board but anyone can post to it because of the empty string in the forth argument. The empty string again in the second argument also allows everyone to look at the board.

max
The fifth argument is simply the amount of posts that you want to

allow to be posted before the board is full.

To make a free for all board where everyone can post, remove posts, look at what posts are on the board, and have a max of 50 posts it would simply be as follows: dilcopy board@boards("citizen","","","",50);

When making a board for players to post concerns to the administrators and only have the administrators be able to remove them, wile still allowing everyone to read them it would look like this. dilcopy board@boards("citizen","","rem_res@boards","",100);

More complex objects

In the last sections you learned all the fields and how to make a basic object. In this section we will use the information from the last sections to create some more unique objects for our dragon station zone There is not a lot of new information here we will be using the DIL functions, fields, and flags to make objects we have only mentioned before.

Making a communication board

In <xref linkend="objdilboard"> you learned all there you need to know about the boards DIL to create a board. In this small section we are going to show you the rest of a board and what a finished one looks like.

As with all objects the first step is to fully describe and name your board. We will stick with the space station theme since our goal is to have a complete example zone for you. The boards symbolic, names, title, description and extra turned out like this. info_board title "a merchant information board" descr "A merchant information Board is mounted on a wall here." names {"merchant information board","information board","merchant board","board"} extra {} "A large flashy black steal board."

Just incase the VME server we have has a spell that can damage inanimate objects we will give this board a material type. MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality black steel")

Now for the special stuff for the board. We need to give the board a type and copy the board DIL to it. type ITEM_BOARD dilcopy board@boards("info","","rem_res@boards","",100);

There you go nothing to it you have just created your first board. Now lets bring it all together and tag on an end symbol and we are all finished. info_board title "a merchant information board" descr "A merchant information Board is mounted on a wall here." names {"merchant information board","information board","merchant board","board"} extra {} "A large flashy black steal board." MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality black steel") type ITEM_BOARD dilcopy board@boards("info","","rem_res@boards","",100); end

Making a container

I thought it would be cool to have a small weapons locker on the space station not to mention event hough we went over the container macro in <xref linkend="objmacrocontainer">, we didn't cover everything you need in fact the macro eaves a few things out because you may or may not want to set them.

As with all objects we start right off by describing the item. There is nothing new here so we will just show it to you and go on. wpn_locker title "a weapons locker" names {"weapons locker","weapon locker","locker"} descr "a small weapons locker hangs on the wall here." extra {} "It is an ordinary weapons locker that looks like it holds any illegal weapons that are taken on the station."

Now we need to put in all the information that makes this item a container that can't be taken but it can be opened and it is locked. manipulate {MANIPULATE_ENTER} CONTAINER_DEF(500) open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} key black_key

Notice we didn't make the item 'MANIPULATE_TAKE' because we don't want people to be able to walk off with our weapons locker. One final touch and we are all finished with the weapons locker. It is always nice to put a material type on your items so a spell or a skill can tell if you can do anything with them. So with our material added in the full locker would look like this. wpn_locker title "a weapons locker" names {"weapons locker","weapon locker","locker"} descr "a small weapons locker hangs on the wall here." extra {} "It is an ordinary weapons locker that looks like it holds any illegal weapons that are taken on the station." MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel") manipulate {MANIPULATE_ENTER} CONTAINER_DEF(500) open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} key black_key end

Creating drinks

In <xref linkend="objmacroliqcont">, we covered how to set the size and weight of the container and its content but now we need to talk about some other special things about a drink container verses other objects.

The drink container is one of the few objects that has rules on how you set the title, description and names fields. The title and description fields should ot have anything to do with the liquid inside the container. This means if you have a barrel full of water you do not put the word water in the title or the description. In our case we have a bag full of wine so we do not put wine in either the title or description. The reason for this is if the player drinks the bag empty and then fills it with water and we had put wine in the title or description it would still be there but the bag would now be full of water.. Our symbolic, title, and description would then look like this. liq_ration title "a red bag" descr "A red bag has been gently placed here."

The names on the other hand MUST have the drink name as the last name in the name list. The reason it must be the last one is when a player drinks or pours out the liquid the name is removed. If a player then refills the container the name of the new liquid is added to the last name. The bag we are making is full of wine so our names list would look like this. names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"}

Now we add the liquid define for wine LIQ_WINE(1,2,2,0)

Finally we add the material type for the bag, the cost to buy the container, an extra players can look at, and finally an identify extra so if a player casts either the identify or improved identify spell on the bag they will se it. with all that added The finished drink container looks like this. liq_ration names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"} title "a red bag" descr "A red bag has been gently placed here." extra {} "A small label reads Tassel Grove's finest. Year 321" MATERIAL_ORGANIC("a soft plastic") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} LIQ_WINE(1,2,2,0) cost 2 IRON_PIECE extra {"$identify"} "Its the special wine from Tassel grove a small halfling village on the planet Valhalla. It seems like a great vintage wine." end

Creating food

The food is very simple to make its just a regular item with the macros you learned in <xref linkend="objmacrofood">. In fact making food is so simple we almost left it out. I am only adding this to show how simple it is to change a regular item like the dragon head we showed you in <xref linkend="objbasic"> into a food item. Now only a sick person would make a dragon head into food but if you wanted to you just add the 'FOOD_DEF(...)' and your all set. here is a basic food that you might find laying around a space station. beef_stick title "a tough leathery stick" descr "A tough leathery looking stick is laying here." names {"tough leathery stick","tough leather stick","leathery stick", "leather stick","tough stick","stick"} extra {} "This has the word BEEF burnt into it." manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} FOOD_DEF(5,0) weight 1 cost 1 COPPER_PIECE MATERIAL_ORGANIC("tough beef") end

Making a weapon

Whats a game with out some kind of weapon to chop or bash things into little pieces. We examined how to set the weapon fields in <xref linkend="objmacroweapon">, the object transfers in <xref linkend="objmacrotransfers">, and the restriction DIL functions in <xref linkend="objdilrestrict">. Now we will pull all we have learned together and make a pretty nifty little stiletto.

The first part as with all our example objects is to set up the symbolic, names, title, description, object extra, and material type. this is no different from any other object so here is what we ended up with w_stiletto title "a stiletto" names {"stiletto", "dagger"} descr "A deadly looking stiletto has been left here." extra{} "This looks like a thieves dream come true. " MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel")

Now lets add the defines and DIL functions that make this a special weapon along with the manipulate flags that makes it able to be wielded. We will give it a bonus in magic and good craftsmanship along with a plus in backstab for all those assassins on the game. manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WIELD} WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 1, 2) SKILL_TRANSFER(SKI_BACKSTAB, 2) dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DEX,10,0,25,"");

to finish it off we will give the weapon a cost, rent, and finally two identifies for the two identify spells. Now that we have it all defined we pull it together and it looks like this. w_stiletto title "a stiletto" names {"deadly looking stiletto","deadly stiletto","stiletto", "dagger"} descr "A deadly looking stiletto has been left here." extra{} "This looks like a thieves dream come true. " MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WIELD} WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 1, 2) SKILL_TRANSFER(SKI_BACKSTAB, 2) dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DEX,10,0,25,""); weight 2 cost 2 GOLD_PIECE rent 1 COPPER_PIECE extra {"$identify"} "The stiletto looks magical in nature and seems really sharp. You can tell if you wield it you would be able to backstab someone really easy." extra{"$improved identify"} "The stiletto gives you a magical bonus of +1 and has a quality of +2. It also raises your back stabbing skill by 2%. You have to have at least 10% in dex before you can wield this magical weapon." end

Making armour

In <xref linkend="objmacroarmour"> we explained how to set the armour fields now we will finish off by adding some more important information about armour in general.

The most important thing to realize is that not all wear positions on the VME server are armour positions. In fact only seven of the wear positions count as armour the rest are non-armour positions which we will cover next in <xref linkend="objnon-armour">. The following are the armour positions and their defines.

Armour positions
Position Define
head MANIPULATE_WEAR_HEAD
hands MANIPULATE_WEAR_HANDS
arms MANIPULATE_WEAR_ARMS
body MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY
legs MANIPULATE_WEAR_LEGS
feet MANIPULATE_WEAR_FEET
cloak MANIPULATE_WEAR_ABOUT

There is one more field that works as armour, 'MANIPULATE_WEAR_SHIELD' but since that uses another define it is not

shown here. We will leave that for an exercise for you to do

later.

First we do the same as we have for every other item, pick the symbolic, title, description, extra description, and material type for the plate. pol_plate names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"} title "a polished breast plate" descr "A polished breast plate has been left here." MATERIAL_METAL("A high luster silver colored metal")

Now we pick the armour type in this case I want it to be made like plate mail and I want it to have a magical bonus and a high craftsmanship. Obviously since this is a plate we will pick the body position. manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY} ARMOUR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,5,9)

All that is left is to add the cost, rent, the identify extras, and I felt like putting a 40% strength restriction on the armour. With all that added together we finish up with the following piece of armour. pol_plate names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"} title "a polished breast plate" descr "A polished breast plate has been left here." extra{} "This is one shiny plate it seems to be made out of one perfect piece of metal. There doesn't even seem to be any markings of owner ship." MATERIAL_METAL("A high luster silver colored metal") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY} ARMOUR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,5,9) dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_STR,40,0,25,""); cost 2 GOLD_PIECE rent 3 COPPER_PIECE weight 25 extra{"$identify"} "This is a high quality plate with a magical feeling." extra{"$improved identify"} "The plate has a magical bonus to your defence of a +5 and a quality of +9. You need 40% in strength to be able to wear it." end

Making non-armour worn objects

In the previous section we defined armour that actually protects the char in combat. Here we will learn how to make the clothing and jewelery that may not do anything directly to combat but it can give your characters bonuses that help in combat in the long run. We will start by listing all the non-armour worn positions and their manipulate defines and then we will give a simple ring object.

Non-armour positions
Position define
ear MANIPULATE_WEAR_EAR
neck MANIPULATE_WEAR_NECK
wrist MANIPULATE_WEAR_WRIST
finger MANIPULATE_WEAR_FINGER
chest MANIPULATE_WEAR_CHEST
back MANIPULATE_WEAR_BACK
waist MANIPULATE_WEAR_WAIST
ankle MANIPULATE_WEAR_ANKLE

When giving ability, skill, weapon, or spell bonuses make

sure you realize that positions like ear, neck, wrist, and ankle can all have two on a player. This means any bonuses you give can be doubled if

the player gets two of them

I don't want to beat a dead horse so since I have already explained armour in <xref linkend="objarmour"> the only difference here is there is no 'ARMOUR_DEF' everything else is the same. The following was one of the first items my wife made as a new builder and I have always liked it. I know, I am a lush but this way I don't have to write an example. maskwa names {"maskwa platinum ring", "platinum ring","maskwa ring","maskwa","ring"} title "a Maskwa ring" descr "A Maskwa platinum ring is laying here." MATERIAL_METAL("Platinum, and other precious metals") extra {} "The ring has a large bear head. Could this be the legendary head of Maskwa? Any thing formed with its head on it is said to strengthen the wearer." type ITEM_WORN manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD, MANIPULATE_WEAR_FINGER} cost 100 COPPER_PIECE rent 50 IRON_PIECE weight 1 STR_TRANSFER(+1) end

One last thing I forgot to mention. The item type also

changes but then that is not hard to understand since this is not armour it should be some other thing. In the case of non-armour worn items the

item type is 'ITEM_WORN'.

Dragon station with rooms, NPCs, and objects

Now we will add the objects we have built to the zone from the previous chapter. This is still not complete while it does compile and you can log into your zone, you still have to load your NPCs and objects but they do not load themselves and they are not dressed with their armour. This will be taken care of in <xref linkend="ch-07"> and you will finally have a finished zone. The following is the source file so far. #include <composed.h> %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOW creators {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur." %rooms chamber title "The middle chamber of the station" descr "This chamber seems to have the entire station rotating around it. It is unbelievably large the ceiling seems to be a good 200 meeters high and the room is perfectly cubic. Small human size ornate chairs with dragon designs scrawled on the arms and back are arranged in a triangle like setting with one large chair at the front. This must be where all station meetings are held. large pictures cover the walls depicting dragons in all kinds of situations. large passages lead of to the west and the east.." extra {"chair","chairs"} "The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered with some kind of dragon." extra {"dragon picture","picture"} "Thousands of dragons dot the skies of this rather life like picture. In the center you see something move. It looks to be a little green dragon." extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"} "An intellegence looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to disposal_room descr "You see a small room."; east to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway."; end hallway title "Module tunnel" descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from side to side and top to bottom. The hallway seems to be dust free. The walls and the floors seem to be made out of the same sterile metal-plastic that all space agencies uses. There are large plate glass windows that open up into space. The hallway is filled with a dim light that seems to come from everywhere yet no where all at once. You notice a glimmer of bright light coming from the windows. To the east you see an air lock and to the west the hallway opens up into a larger room." extra {"windows","window"} "Your eyes are drawn to a large ship lit up with running lights sitting about 1 kilometer from the station." extra{"floor","walls","wall"} "Well what can be said it looks to be in perfect condition. what else would you want to know?" extra {"large ship" ,"ship"} "The ship looks really big and is shaped like a dragon. The scales sparkle and seem to be multiple colors." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to chamber descr "The hallway opens up into a chamber."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station. The room is as large as the other rooms big enough for Dragons to lounge while still having a desk in one corner small enough for a humanoid. The floor along the north wall is lined with some kind of fabric and seems very soft to walk on, it may be some kind of dragon lounge judging by how large an area it covers. There is a passage to the west." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"paintings","painting"} "The paintings are of many dragons and riders in all kinds of tasks from combat to look out. All the figures seem to be staring at a staff being held by a depiction of a wizard on the south wall." extra {"wizard","staff"} "The wizard has his hand stretched out and it seems there is a place you can almost grab the staff. Maybe if you searched the staff you would find it." extra {"desk"} "Its a desk alright but there doesn't seem to be any drawers and it seems totally empty." extra{"fabric"} "Wussshhhhh you bound across the comfortable floor wasn't that fun." west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(SOUTH, 50) south to portal_room descr "You see what looks to be a portal room." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","staff","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN}; end portal_room title "Green field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a green field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the north." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"green field","field"} "The field looks to be a green fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." north to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; //A link to the portal is also here from room_port end ship_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in ship dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "portal_room@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&nYou appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end room_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in portal_room dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "ship@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&nYou appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end disposal_room title "Red field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a red field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the east." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"red field","field"} "The field looks to be a red fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." east to chamber descr "You see the main chamber."; //A link to the portal is also here from dis_port end dis_port names {"red field","field"} title "Red field" descr "Red Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy force_move@function( //how fast to force move in seconds 4, //room to force move to and act "deathspace@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.", //true or false random move or not 0); in disposal_room end ship title "War dragon" descr "Blue light softly glows from con duets that line the walls of this ship. The floors beside the east and west wall have what looks to be soft fabric covering. The south wall has small controls that seem to be made for humanoids with two small chairs that look to be pilot seats. view portals are about 50 meters up the side of the ship on the west and east wall and some kind of electronic screen covers the south wall. The ship seems to be a one room ship but there is a green field by the north wall." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"view port"} "Sorry your not 50 meters tall maybe it is made for a dragon?" extra {"view screen","screen"} "It seems to be the pilots view screen but you can't seem to see a way to turn it on." extra {"controls","control"} "The controls are in some weird language and your afraid if you start pushing buttons you might rocket in to the station or worse slam into a planet." extra {"soft fabric","fabric"} "It looks to be a dragon lounge area." //A link to the portal is also here from ship_port end deathspace title"Open space" descr "You see the ship and the station far off in the distance and you are in Space!" movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy death_room@function ( //how often is damage done 4 would be 1 second 4, //damage 400, //act for the damage. "You realize to late that was the trash disposal transporter and you feel your lungs explode."); end %mobiles bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} extra {} "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something." extra {"eye","eyes"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast." M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD(SEX_MALE) end janitor names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"} title "an ugly janitor" descr "an ugly janitor is walking around, cleaning up." extra{} "This ugly green thing looks more goblin than hobgoblin but he seems intent on cleaning everything around him." M_AVG_HOBGOBLIN(6, SEX_MALE) // he is sort of good for cleaning so much alignment 900 //give him some money money 5 IRON_PIECE dilcopy janitors@function(15); // only want him cleaning the station dilcopy wander_zones@function("dragonst", 20, 1, 1); end bob names {"Bob"} title "Bob" descr "Bob the Banker is here, sitting behind the counter." extra {} "He has a very serious look on his face." // define from composed.h M_SHOP_KEEPER(4, SEX_MALE, RACE_HUMAN) //discourage people from killing banker exp -500 flags {UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT} special SFUN_BANK end %objects info_board title "a merchant information board" descr "A merchant information Board is mounted on a wall here." names {"merchant information board","information board","merchant board","board"} extra {} "A large flashy black steal board." MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality black steel") type ITEM_BOARD dilcopy board@boards("info","","rem_res@boards","",100); end w_stiletto title "a stiletto" names {"deadly looking stiletto","deadly stiletto","stiletto", "dagger"} descr "A deadly looking stiletto has been left here." MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WIELD} WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 1, 2) weight 2 cost 2 GOLD_PIECE rent 1 COPPER_PIECE SKILL_TRANSFER(SKI_BACKSTAB, 2) dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DEX,10,0,25,""); extra{} "This looks like a thief dream come true. " extra {"$identify"} "The stiletto looks magical in nature and seems really sharp. You can tell if you wield it you would be able to backstab someone really easy." extra{"$improved identify"} "The stiletto gives you a magic bonus of +1 and has a quality of +2. It also raises your back stabbing skill by 2%. You have to have at least 10% in dex before you can wield this magical weapon." end wpn_locker title "a weapons locker" names {"weapons locker","weapon locker","locker"} descr "a small weapons locker hangs on the wall here." manipulate {MANIPULATE_ENTER} CONTAINER_DEF(500) open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} weight 400 MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel") extra {} "It is an ordinary weapons locker that looks like it holds any illegal weapons that are taken on the station." end pol_plate names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"} title "a polished breast plate" descr "A polished breast plate has been left here." extra{} "This is one shiny plate it seems to be made out of one perfect piece of metal. There doesn't even seem to be any markings of owner ship." manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY} ARMOUR_PLATE(5,9) MATERIAL_METAL("A high luster silver colored metal") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY} ARMOUR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,5,9) dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_STR,40,0,25,""); cost 2 GOLD_PIECE rent 3 COPPER_PIECE weight 25 extra{"$identify"} "This is a high quality plate with a magical feeling." extra{"$improved identify"} "The plate has a magical bonus to your defence of a +5 and a quality of +9. You need 40% in strength to be able to wear it." end liq_ration names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"} title "a red bag" descr "A red bag has been gently placed here." MATERIAL_ORGANIC("a soft plastic") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} LIQ_WINE(1,2,2,0) cost 2 IRON_PIECE extra {} "A small label reads Tassel Grove's finest. Year 321" extra {"$identify"} "Its the special wine from Tassel grove a small halfling village on the planet Valhalla. It seems like a great vintage wine." end beef_stick title "a tough leathery stick" descr "A tough leathery looking stick is laying here." names {"tough leathery stick","tough leather stick","leathery stick", "leather stick","tough stick","stick"} extra {} "This has the word BEEF burnt into it." manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} FOOD_DEF(5,0) weight 1 cost 1 COPPER_PIECE MATERIAL_ORGANIC("tough beef") end maskwa names {"maskwa platinum ring", "platinum ring","maskwa ring","maskwa","ring"} title "a Maskwa ring" descr "A Maskwa platinum ring is laying here." MATERIAL_METAL("Platinum, and other precious metals") extra {} "The ring has a large bear head. Could this be the legendary head of Maskwa? Any thing formed with its head on it is said to strengthen the wearer." type ITEM_WORN manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD, MANIPULATE_WEAR_FINGER} cost 100 COPPER_PIECE rent 50 IRON_PIECE weight 1 STR_TRANSFER(+1) end %end

Suggested object exercises

1. Using information you learned in <xref linkend="objcraft">, <xref linkend="objmag">, <xref linkend="objmacroshield">, and <xref linkend="objarmour"> create a large shield.

2. Using information you learned in <xref linkend="objnon-armour"> and <xref linkend="objmacrotransfers"> create a ring that gives a person 5% strength bonus and removes 5% magic ability.

3. Using information you learned from <xref linkend="objmacroliqcont"> and <xref linkend="objdrink"> create a beer or soda from your local area.

4. Using information you learned in <xref linkend="objmacrolight">; make an object that gives off a bright light and will never run out.

5. Using the macros found in <xref linkend="objmacroliqcont">, <xref linkend="objmacrofood">, <xref linkend="objmacromoney">, and <xref linkend="objmacrocontainer"> along with information found in <xref linkend="objfood"> and <xref linkend="objdrink">; create a chest that can be locked that contains food, drink, a pile of silver pieces, and a pile of iron pieces.

The reset section

Once you have learned to build rooms, objects and NPCs, you will find one main missing thing, while you have created NPCs and objects they don't exist in the game unless you load them. When developing the VME we found that logging on and loading everything for the players to interact with, became a very difficult thing to do when we got over 30 items. After many seconds of thought we came up with the idea of a reset section that would do all of this work for us. In fact the reset takes care of closing doors after players have opened them, loading NPCs and their equipment, loading objects by themselves in rooms or even loaded objects in objects.

Everything inside the reset section activates once at boot time and then again when the reset time is up and the reset flag is true. These two fields were described in <xref linkend="zoneinfo"> and are included in the zone header. The reset section is denoted by the symbol '%reset' and can placed anywhere but we try to keep it at the end of our zone files. There is no set order you must reset your doors, objects, and NPCs in but I like to do doors first, special reset commands second, objects in rooms third, objects with objects in them forth, NPCs fifth, and finally NPCs. You may find that you have a better way of sorting them and again it is up to you.

Door resets

To show how the door resets work we will revisit an old room example from <xref linkend="rmdoorexits">. The following two rooms are linked with a door and at boot time they are reset to closed. When the mud boots the door flags set on the room are the door flags that are used. After boot up time the reset section is where the VME gets its information about what to do with the door. hallway title "Module tunnel" descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from side to side and top to bottom...." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to chamber descr "The hallway opens up into a chamber."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station...." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end

Now that we have two rooms lets define the reset command and how it works. All reset commands have a keyword and then a set of arguments. The door reset command is simply 'door' followed by a set of arguments that tell the VME where the door is, which door in that location, and what you want to do with the door. The command looks like this. door <room symbol> <Direction number> {<door flags>}

Door argument explanation

room symbolic
As the name indicates this is the room that the door is located

in. If you are resetting a door not in the zone the reset command is in you will need to use a full symbolic name with the zone extension. The following would be two valid examples. //room symbolic in this zone door myroom ... //room symbolic in another zone door out_room@frogwart ...

direction number
The direction number can be one of the pre-defined direction

numbers in the file vme.h. shown here so you don't have to go flipping file to file. #define NORTH 0 #define EAST 1 #define SOUTH 2 #define WEST 3 #define UP 4 #define DOWN 5 #define NORTHEAST 6 #define NORTHWEST 7 #define SOUTHEAST 8 #define SOUTHWEST 9

door flags
These flags, surrounded by '{}', describe the state of the door after the reset. The following is the

list of possible door flags.

EX_OPEN_CLOSE
Set this if you can open and close this exit, be it a door, gate or

otherwise.

EX_CLOSED
Set this if you want the exit to be closed at reset time.
EX_LOCKED
Set this if you want the exit to be locked at reset time.

An interesting aspect is that if you do not specify a key, you can only unlock this door with the 'pick' skill, 'unlock' spell or from DIL with UnSet();

EX_PICK_PROOF
Using this flag renders the 'pick' skill and 'unlock' spell un useable on the

lock of this exit.

EX_HIDDEN
If this bit is set, the exit is hidden until the mobile has successfully

searched for it, using the 'search'-command.

Now that we have all the information we need we can close the door after the reset time expires. For our two rooms the door reset would look like this. door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED} door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}

As you can see from the example it is very important to

close both sides of the door. If you do not close both sides you will get very weird and undefined errors when players are trying to open and

close them

Another thing that you can do with the door reset command is change the doors status. In our previous example we reset the door to its status that it has when it first is loaded into the game. If however we wanted to change the door to a locked door we could do that by adding the locked flag like this. door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}

Loading objects and NPCs

Time to start loading your zone with its life and all the other strange things you have built. There is two commands that do all the loading and equipping of objects. Oddly enough the commands are called 'load' and 'equip'. The format of the commands are almost the same but equip must be used inside a NPC grouping. With that in mind lets start with simple loads and work our way up.

The command to load an object or an NPC into a room is as follows: load <object or NPC> [into] [<room<] [<load amount>] [{Other loads and equip commands}]

object or NPC
The first argument to the load command is the object or NPC

symbolic name that you want to load. The first argument is the only one that must be included in all load commands.

into
This is just a symbol that tells the reset that we are loading the

object or NPC into some other unit.

object, NPC, and room
The third argument is the symbolic name of the place where you are loading the object

and the NPC.

load amount
the fourth argument is an optional argument that tells the reset

how many of the objects are allowed in the world, zone, or locally. The possible values for this field are as follows:

max <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the entire world is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

local <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the location of which the unit is to be loaded into is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

zonemax <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the entire zone being reset is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

Optional grouping
Any reset command may be followed by a pair of curly brackets {}

containing more reset commands. The commands inside the brackets will only be executed in case the associated command was successful.

Don't be alarmed if this sounds a bit hard. It all gets much more clear as some examples are explained. Lets take a look at the following example and see if we can't make this much more clear. load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1

This example is pretty simple it says load the fido into the temple only if there isn't already 1 in the world. Now lets get a bit more complicated. load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1 { load bone load excrement into midgaard/temple }

Now we have said again load the fido into the temple if there is not already one in the world. Then if fido loads fill his inventory with a bone and load excrement into the temple as well.

We can get even more complicated but still just using the load commands by doing the following load udgaard/fido into midgaard/temple max 1 { load bone load excrement into midgaard/temple load bag { load apple max 1 } }

now we still have the fido loading if there isn't one already in the world then the bone and the excrement and finally we load a bag. If there isn't an apple already in the world we load the bag with a apple in it other wise the bag will be empty.

Well that should be enough load examples for now but we will get right back to them in a bit. Now we should introduce another reset command called the 'equip' command that we have already mentioned. The 'equip' command works a lot like load but has much simpler arguments. The 'equip' command is as follows. equip <symbol> position [load amount <num>]

symbol
The first argument is just the symbolic name of the item

being worn by the NPC.

position
The position is any of the positions available in the

vme.h. The following are all the positions along side there defines as found in the vme.h.

Wear positions
Position Define(s)
head WEAR_HEAD
hands WEAR_HANDS
arms WEAR_ARMS
body WEAR_BODY
legs WEAR_LEGS
feet WEAR_FEET
cloak WEAR_ABOUT
shield WEAR_SHIELD
hold WEAR_HOLD
wield WEAR_WIELD
ear WEAR_EAR_R and WEAR_EAR_L
neck WEAR_NECK_1 and WEAR_NECK_2
wrist WEAR_WRIST_R and WEAR_WRIST_L
finger WEAR_FINGER_R and WEAR_FINGER_L
chest MANIPULATE_WEAR_CHEST
back MANIPULATE_WEAR_BACK
waist MANIPULATE_WEAR_WAIST
ankle WEAR_ANKLE_R and WEAR_ANKLE_L
load amount
the fourth argument is an optional argument that tells the reset

how many of the objects are allowed in the world, zone, or locally. The possible values for this field are as follows:

max <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the entire world is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

local <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the location of which the unit is to be loaded into is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

zonemax <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the entire zone being reset is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

Now with the equipment command you can now get your NPCs dressed and ready for battle. The 'load' and 'equip' commands are not the easiest though so lets go through some simple examples. load guard into jail { equip helmet WEAR_HEAD equip plate WEAR_BODY equip pants WEAR_LEGS equip specialsword max 1 load brass_key }

This is how you would equip a NPC with all items from the current zone. As you can see we didn't need full symbolics because the server knows to grab the items from the zone the resets are in. load guard into safe_room max 2 { equip plate WEAR_BODY load powersword max1 { load silver_pile into safe_room } }

In this example we only load the silver pile if the guard loads and if the power sword loads which may or may not happen since there is only a max of one sword allowed while there is a max of 2 guards allowed. What will happen in this case is at the first reset there will be one guard and one pile of silver. The next reset there will still only be one pile of silver but now there will be two guards.

Hopefully you have got the basic resets down. If not don't worry there are plenty more examples to come and we still have to make the resets for our dragon station zone.

Special reset functions

Now that we have gone over the basic load and equip commands we have some special commands that you can add to them to make them do more interesting things. Sometimes when doing resets you don't always want items or NPCs to load or sometimes you want them to load but only if a certain amount of other things correctly load. There are also times you want to clear the rooms or reload an entire object after removing the old one. All these things and more can be accomplished with the reset section.

The complete directive.

The 'load' and 'equip' commands have one more argument that can be placed at the end of them to make them act a bit different.the complete directive. In the case where this directive is placed at the end of a 'load or 'equip' command, the unit is only loaded in case all immediate commands inside its nesting are executed successfully. For example: load captain into jail_room complete { equip magic_sword position WEAR_WIELD max 1 load bag { load ruby_ring max 1 } }

In this case the captain is only loaded if the objects magic_sword and bag are successfully loaded. if the ruby_ring is not loaded, it will have no effect on the complete directive. To make the ruby_ring affect to captains complete directive, the bag must also have specified a complete directive (because the bag would then not be complete, and thus the captain would not be complete).

The follow command

Once you load a NPC you may want that NPC to follow another NPC. That is what the 'follow' command is for. The following is the format of the 'follow' command follow <symbol> <load amount #> <complete>

symbol
The first argument to the follow command is the symbolic name of

the NPC to follow the NPC of the outer grouping.

load amount
the second argument is an optional argument that tells the reset

how many of the NPC followers of this type are allowed in the world, zone, or locally. The possible values for this field are as follows:

max <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the entire world is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

local <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the location of which the unit is to be loaded into is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

zonemax <num>
This command is always part of another reset command (load,

equip, etc.). At reset time the entire zone being reset is scanned for occurences of the loaded unit - only if the currently existing number is less than <num> will the command be executed.

complete
This only makes the NPC follow if all the other things in the

grouping finishes completely. For a better description of how this directive works see <xref linkend="resetcomplete">.

The follow command is always used nested inside a loaded NPC to force the NPC <symbol> to follow the NPC of the outer grouping. The following would be a correct use of the follow command. load captain into jail { follow guard max 4 { equip guard_helmet WEAR_HEAD equip guard_plate WEAR_BODY equip guard_legs WEAR_LEGS equip guard_boots WEAR_FEET } follow guard max 4 { equip guard_helmet WEAR_HEAD equip guard_plate WEAR_BODY equip guard_legs WEAR_LEGS equip guard_boots WEAR_FEET } }

This example would load two guards that are fully dressed and they would start following the captain which is also loaded.

The purge command

There are times when you want to clean up a room. This can be done very easy by using the <command>purge</command>. The following is the format of the purge command. purge <symbol>

This command doesn't take much description. The symbol is the room you want to empty of all objects and NPCs. If you wanted to get rid of all objects and NPCs from a room with the symbolic name of jail it would look like this. purge jail

The random command

If you ever want to load something only some of the time. There is a built in <command>random</command> command that allows you to pick the percentage of the time that the item will load. The random command has the following format. random <num> {group or single set of resets}

It is important to point out this is done by a random percentage chance where as 1% of the time would be almost not at all and 100% of the time would be all the time. If we wanted to load a group of things only 80% of the time it would look like this. random 80 { load captain into jail_room complete { equip magic_sword position WEAR_WIELD max 1 load bag { load ruby_ring max 1 } } }

The remove command

Many times players take items out of containers like chests or steal items from your NPCs and leave them naked. If the NPC is not dead the resets don't reload them therefore your NPCs will stand there empty and so will your chests. This is fine if that is what you want but sometimes you want them to get dressed or refilled again at reset time. that is what the <command>remove</command> command is for. The following is the format of the remove command. remove <symbol1> in <symbol2>

Again the remove command is a simple command and it only has two arguments, the item and where it is to remove it from. If you wanted to have a cabinet that at every reset it would have a knife and a bag of sugar in it would look like this. remove cabinet in kitchen load cabinet into kitchen { load sugarbag load knife }

Reset walk through

The dragon station is almost finished. All you have to do now is create the resets for it. We don't have a lot of stuff in the zone but we have enough to make a decent example of how the resets work. As I mentioned at the start of the chapter on resets I like to do the doors first, the objects in rooms second, then the NPCs. again this is nothing we force you to do but I find it helps me keep track of my items and NPCs.

With that in mind we will start by resetting our doors. In the zone there is two doors. One is a regular door that is closed when the mud reboots and the other is a hidden and locked door when the mud reboots. We will not block the rooms in and show you them again but if you want to you can see the rooms in <xref linkend="finishedzone">. the resets for these doors would look like this. //Office door reset door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} //secret door reset door office SOUTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN} door portal_room NORTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}

Both sides of the door don't have to have the exact same

flags the door in the office is hidden but the one on the ship is

not.

The next thing to build resets for is the two items we are loading directly into rooms and their contents if they have any. The two items we are loading into rooms are the board and the weapons locker. I am just going to stick the board in the main chamber and the weapons locker in the office. The reset for these two items looks like this. load info_board into chamber load wpn_locker into office { load w_stiletto }

Notice we also loaded a stiletto into the weapons locker and it will only load once a reboot since the cabinet will never be removed and unless the cabinet reloads the stiletto will not reload.

finally we get to the NPcs and their equipment. We only have 3 NPCs in our zone so it shouldn't be any problem especially since we don't have that much close. I am going to load the dragon into the ship on a percentage chance basis and then load the Janitor into the station so he can get to cleaning it up. Finally I will load Bob into the office so he can sit and count his money. load bob into office { equip pol_plate WEAR_BODY } load janitor into chamber { equip pol_plate WEAR_BODY } random 50 { load bldragon { load maskwa } }

Only a couple final things to point out. It doesn't matter if you load the same type of plate or same type of clothing on every NPC. It would look pretty silly if everyone was wearing the same clothes but I wanted to make sure you understood you didn't have to make one set for everyone. Also you don't have to equip wearable things you can load them into the inventory like we did with the ring on the dragon. That about covers it all. The resets are now done and we can now put them all together with the zone and complete our dragon station.

The complete dragon station

#include <composed.h> %zone dragonst lifespan 20 reset RESET_ANYHOW creators {"whistler"} notes "This is the dragon station I shortened it to dragonst for ease in loading. If you have any questions email me at whistler@valhalla.com" help "Not sure what could help you now. You are stuck on one of the weirdest space stations you have ever seen and you smell burning sulfur." %rooms chamber title "The middle chamber of the station" descr "This chamber seems to have the entire station rotating around it. It is unbelievably large the ceiling seems to be a good 200 meeters high and the room is perfectly cubic. Small human size ornate chairs with dragon designs scrawled on the arms and back are arranged in a triangle like setting with one large chair at the front. This must be where all station meetings are held. large pictures cover the walls depicting dragons in all kinds of situations. large passages lead of to the west and the east.." extra {"chair","chairs"} "The chairs are made of some metal you don't recognize and every inch is covered with some kind of dragon." extra {"dragon picture","picture"} "Thousands of dragons dot the skies of this rather life like picture. In the center you see something move. It looks to be a little green dragon." extra{"green dragon","dragon","green"} "An intellegence looking dragon is sitting perched on a large chair watching you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to disposal_room descr "You see a small room."; east to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway."; end hallway title "Module tunnel" descr "The hallway is about 50 meters long and around 100 meters from side to side and top to bottom. The hallway seems to be dust free. The walls and the floors seem to be made out of the same sterile metal-plastic that all space agencies uses. There are large plate glass windows that open up into space. The hallway is filled with a dim light that seems to come from everywhere yet no where all at once. You notice a glimmer of bright light coming from the windows. To the east you see an air lock and to the west the hallway opens up into a larger room." extra {"windows","window"} "Your eyes are drawn to a large ship lit up with running lights sitting about 1 kilometer from the station." extra{"floor","walls","wall"} "Well what can be said it looks to be in perfect condition. What else would you want to know?" extra {"large ship" ,"ship"} "The ship looks really big and is shaped like a dragon. The scales sparkle and seem to be multiple colors." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} west to chamber descr "The hallway opens up into a chamber."; east to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; end office title "The station office" descr "Large paintings fill the walls of this part of the station. The room is as large as the other rooms big enough for Dragons to lounge while still having a desk in one corner small enough for a humanoid. The floor along the north wall is lined with some kind of fabric and seems very soft to walk on, it may be some kind of dragon lounge judging by how large an area it covers. There is a passage to the west." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"paintings","painting"} "The paintings are of many dragons and riders in all kinds of tasks from combat to look out. All the figures seem to be staring at a staff being held by a depiction of a wizard on the south wall." extra {"wizard","staff"} "The wizard has his hand stretched out and it seems there is a place you can almost grab the staff. Maybe if you searched the staff you would find it." extra {"desk"} "Its a desk alright but there doesn't seem to be any drawers and it seems totally empty." extra{"fabric"} "Wussshhhhh you bound across the comfortable floor wasn't that fun." west to hallway descr "You see what looks to be a hallway." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED}; SECRET_DOOR_DIFFICULTY(SOUTH, 50) south to portal_room descr "You see what looks to be a portal room." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","staff","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN}; end portal_room title "Green field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a green field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the north." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"green field","field"} "The field looks to be a green fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." north to office descr "You see what looks to be an office." keyword {"air lock door","air lock","door"} key nokey open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED}; //A link to the portal is also here from room_port end ship_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in ship dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "portal_room@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&You appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end room_port names{"green field", "field"} title "Green field" descr "Green Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} in portal_room dilcopy force_move@function( //Time to activation 4, //room and act "ship@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.&You appear on the deck of a ship.", //True or False for randomizing or not FALSE); end disposal_room title "Red field room" descr "Like the other rooms on the station this one is large enough for dragons to comfortably fit in. The strange thing about this room though is it is totally empty except for a red field right in the center. there is a door that leads to another room to the east." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"red field","field"} "The field looks to be a red fog shifting and churning as you watch. if you are nuts you could probably enter it." east to chamber descr "You see the main chamber."; //A link to the portal is also here from dis_port end dis_port names {"red field","field"} title "Red field" descr "Red Mist swirls about you." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy force_move@function( //how fast to force move in seconds 4, //room to force move to and act "deathspace@dragonst!You feel your body dissolving for lack of a better description.", //true or false random move or not 0); in disposal_room end ship title "War dragon" descr "Blue light softly glows from con duets that line the walls of this ship. The floors beside the east and west wall have what looks to be soft fabric covering. The south wall has small controls that seem to be made for humanoids with two small chairs that look to be pilot seats. view portals are about 50 meters up the side of the ship on the west and east wall and some kind of electronic screen covers the south wall. The ship seems to be a one room ship but there is a green field by the north wall." movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} extra {"view port"} "Sorry your not 50 meters tall maybe it is made for a dragon?" extra {"view screen","screen"} "It seems to be the pilots view screen but you can't seem to see a way to turn it on." extra {"controls","control"} "The controls are in some weird language and your afraid if you start pushing buttons you might rocket in to the station or worse slam into a planet." extra {"soft fabric","fabric"} "It looks to be a dragon lounge area." //A link to the portal is also here from ship_port end deathspace title"Open space" descr "You see the ship and the station far off in the distance and you are in Space!" movement SECT_INSIDE ALWAYS_LIGHT flags {UNIT_FL_NO_WEATHER, UNIT_FL_INDOORS} dilcopy death_room@function ( //how often is damage done 4 would be 1 second 4, //damage 400, //act for the damage. "You realize to late that was the trash disposal transporter and you feel your lungs explode."); end %mobiles bldragon title "a black dragon" descr "A big ugly black dragon is clawing the ground here." names {"big ugly black dragon","ugly black dragon","big black dragon", "black dragon","dragon"} extra {} "The black dragons scales glitter like black granite that has been polished for years by water. He has a large neck and huge bat like wings. his eyes watch you as you stand before him. One claw seems to be tapping slightly on the ground as if the dragon is waiting for something." extra {"eye","eyes"} "The dragons eyes seem to follow you no matter where you go in the room nothing seems to escape the dragons attention." extra {"claws","claw"} "The claw is big black and it looks very deadly. It seems like the dragon has two sets of 4 large claws and 2 sets of 4 smaller claws which to say means the claws are about the size of short swords and long swords." extra {"scales","scale"} "Its a scale! Haven't you ever seen a dragon before!" extra {"bat wings","wings"} "The dragon sees you looking and flaps his wings creating one heck of a wind blast." M_DRAGON_BLACK_OLD(SEX_MALE) end janitor names {"ugly janitor", "janitor", "hobgoblin"} title "an ugly janitor" descr "an ugly janitor is walking around, cleaning up." extra{} "This ugly green thing looks more goblin than hobgoblin but he seems intent on cleaning everything around him." M_AVG_HOBGOBLIN(6, SEX_MALE) // he is sort of good for cleaning so much alignment 900 //give him some money money 5 IRON_PIECE dilcopy janitors@function(15); // only want him cleaning the station dilcopy wander_zones@function("dragonst", 20, 1, 1); end bob names {"Bob"} title "Bob" descr "Bob the Banker is here, sitting behind the counter." extra {} "He has a very serious look on his face." // define from composed.h M_SHOP_KEEPER(4, SEX_MALE, RACE_HUMAN) //discourage people from killing banker exp -500 flags {UNIT_FL_NO_TELEPORT} special SFUN_BANK end %objects info_board title "a merchant information board" descr "A merchant information Board is mounted on a wall here." names {"merchant information board","information board","merchant board","board"} extra {} "A large flashy black steal board." MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality black steel") type ITEM_BOARD dilcopy board@boards("info","","rem_res@boards","",100); end w_stiletto title "a stiletto" names {"deadly looking stiletto","deadly stiletto","stiletto", "dagger"} descr "A deadly looking stiletto has been left here." MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WIELD} WEAPON_DEF(WPN_DAGGER, 1, 2) weight 2 cost 2 GOLD_PIECE rent 1 COPPER_PIECE SKILL_TRANSFER(SKI_BACKSTAB, 2) dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_DEX,10,0,25,""); extra{} "This looks like a thieves dream come true. " extra {"$identify"} "The stiletto looks magical in nature and seems really sharp. You can tell if you wield it you would be able to backstab someone really easy." extra{"$improved identify"} "The stiletto gives you a magical bonus of +1 and has a quality of +2. It also raises your back stabbing skill by 2%. You have to have at least 10% in dex before you can wield this magical weapon." end wpn_locker title "a weapons locker" names {"weapons locker","weapon locker","locker"} descr "a small weapons locker hangs on the wall here." manipulate {MANIPULATE_ENTER} CONTAINER_DEF(500) open {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} weight 400 MATERIAL_METAL("A very fine quality steel") extra {} "It is an ordinary weapons locker that looks like it holds any illegal weapons that are taken on the station." end pol_plate names {"polished breast plate","polished plate","breast plate","plate"} title "a polished breast plate" descr "A polished breast plate has been left here." extra{} "This is one shiny plate it seems to be made out of one perfect piece of metal. There doesn't even seem to be any markings of owner ship." manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY} ARMOUR_PLATE(5,9) MATERIAL_METAL("A high luster silver colored metal") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_WEAR_BODY} ARMOUR_DEF(ARM_PLATE,5,9) dilcopy abi_restrict@function (ABIL_STR,40,0,25,""); cost 2 GOLD_PIECE rent 3 COPPER_PIECE weight 25 extra{"$identify"} "This is a high quality plate with a magical feeling." extra{"$improved identify"} "The plate has a magical bonus to your defence of a +5 and a quality of +9. You need 40% in strength to be able to wear it." end liq_ration names {"red bag", "bag", "wine"} title "a red bag" descr "A red bag has been gently placed here." MATERIAL_ORGANIC("a soft plastic") manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} LIQ_WINE(1,2,2,0) cost 2 IRON_PIECE extra {} "A small label reads Tassel Grove's finest. Year 321" extra {"$identify"} "Its the special wine from Tassel grove a small halfling village on the planet Valhalla. It seems like a great vintage wine." end beef_stick title "a tough leathery stick" descr "A tough leathery looking stick is laying here." names {"tough leathery stick","tough leather stick","leathery stick", "leather stick","tough stick","stick"} extra {} "This has the word BEEF burnt into it." manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE} FOOD_DEF(5,0) weight 1 cost 1 COPPER_PIECE MATERIAL_ORGANIC("tough beef") end maskwa names {"maskwa platinum ring", "platinum ring","maskwa ring","maskwa","ring"} title "a Maskwa ring" descr "A Maskwa platinum ring is laying here." MATERIAL_METAL("Platinum, and other precious metals") extra {} "The ring has a large bear head. Could this be the legendary head of Maskwa? Any thing formed with its head on it is said to strengthen the wearer." type ITEM_WORN manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE, MANIPULATE_HOLD, MANIPULATE_WEAR_FINGER} cost 100 COPPER_PIECE rent 50 IRON_PIECE weight 1 STR_TRANSFER(+1) end %reset //Office door reset door hallway EAST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} door office WEST {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} //secret door reset door office SOUTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED,EX_HIDDEN} door portal_room NORTH {EX_OPEN_CLOSE, EX_CLOSED,EX_LOCKED} load info_board into chamber load wpn_locker into office { load w_stiletto } load bob into office { equip pol_plate WEAR_BODY } load janitor into chamber { equip pol_plate WEAR_BODY } random 50 { load bldragon { load maskwa } } %end

Color and formatting codes

Now that you have got a handle on how to build rooms, objects, and NPCs, we will now give you the ability to format text the way you want it formatted and color it as well. Currently the VME doesn't support all the ASCII characters but if we get enough people wanting this ability it will be added.

The escape character

When working with colors or formatting there are always two parts to a formatting command. The first part we call the escape character which is the '&' character. Thus all formatting and color commands would look as follows: &<color or formating command>

Formatting codes

As you may have noticed the string fields on the VME are formatted in an english paragraph style. What that means is all text is formatted with he following rules:

All leading blanks are stripped away. For room descriptions 3 leading spaces are added. This way we ensure a consistent formatting of the displayed room descriptions.

Spaces and blanks (newlines) are contracted to single spaces yielding a correctly 'wrapped' text for any sentence.

If a '.' is encountered followed by a blank, a total of two spaces are inserted after the '.'. These formatting rules are great for normal descriptions and extras but what if you want to make a sign or a map. You don't always want the text to be rapped, if the server rapped your sign it would turn out looking like a jumble of punctuation in the form of a paragraph. <xref linkend="formattable"> contains a list of all formatting characters and a short description of them. <xref linkend="formatdescr"> contains a more in depth discussion of each format command with examples and <xref linkend="colordescr"> deals with the color commands.

Formatting and color codes
Code Description
& Used to make an & character instead of an escape code.
l Text from this point forward will not be formatted. It will

be interpreted literally with newlines, spaces, etc. Useful when making a sign or a map.

f Text from this point forward will be formatted. This option

is the reverse of &l and is default on any section of text.

s<#> Force a singe space character (or <#> if specified, may

come in handy, instead of having to toggle formatting).

n Force a new line, very handy instead of toggling the &l

formatting switch.

h Clears the screen if the terminal of the user supports it.
x A file new line used for split so that you can split a file into lines
c<color> Set the foreground color.
b<color> Set the background color.
[<color>] Set a preset foreground and background color.

Formatting code descriptions and examples

&&
If you want a single '&' you must let the VME

know that you don't want a formatting or a color code. You do this by doubling the '&' sign. The following is a couple examples:

<INFORMALTABLE frame=all> |- |text |Result |- |&& |& |- |&&&& |&& |- |&&&&&& |&&& </INFORMALTABLE>

&l
When you want to turn off the formatting you use this formatting

code. Everything after the '&l' will be shown exactly as you put it in the string. &l * * * * * * * * * * * * *

&f
The formatted text as we have already said is default. If you

want to turn the formatted text back on after some literal text you will have to use the '&f' code. The following is an example of some literal text followed by a short bit of formatted text. &l * * * * * * * * * * * * * &fThe X marks the spot!

&s<#>
If you want to input extra spaces in a sentence with out using the

'&l' you can add them one at a time or multiple by using the '&s' code. This sentence has 10 spaces&s10before the first word before.

&n
If you want to input some blank lines with out using the literal

code you can add a '&n'for each line you want. This sentence&n&n&n would look like this: This sentence would look like this:

&x
The line break is made for use with the DIL language. You will

not need it to do regular text formatting. It was added so a DIL could split a string that is loaded from a file. If you don't understand the following example don't worry it is explained more in the DIL reference. mystrlist:=split(string,"&");

&h
On terminals that can handle it the '&h' will clear the

screen. If you wanted a sign that would clear the screen before displaying when a character looked at it would look like this. &h&l * * * * * * * * * * * * * &fThe X marks the spot!

Color code descriptions and examples

&c and &b
In order to allow you to change the colors there are two codes. One is

for the foreground color (&c) and the other is for the background color (&b). '&c' is used with one or two arguments depending on brightness, while the '&b' s only used with one because it has only one brightness. They both have the forms as follows: &c<bright><color> &b<color>

It is important to set both the foreground and background color because if a player has his default background color set to blue and you use blue as a foreground color it will make the letters invisible to the player. It is also important to set the colors back to the default color when done. this is done by using the following command: &[default]

The '&[default]' command will be described in the next

section. It is enough to know for now that it will return the players

colors to their default colors.

Before we give some color examples we should now define the symbols for brightness and the symbols for each color and what they are.

Colors
Code Color
n Black
r Red
g Green
y Yellow
b Blue
m Magenta
c Cyan
w White
Sample Color codes
Code Resulting Colors
&cb&bw
&+g&bn
&c+w&r
&c+w&bn
&[<color>]

As we have said in the previous section if you are not careful you can make your text not visible by the player by setting the foreground to the same color as the background. In order to make it possible for you to easily change how the color looks and to even match it with the way players have their colors set already we have created colors that the players can set. and you can use. The VME comes with a default list of colors which can be added to by either the color.def or even by a DIL program on line. The default colors are as follows: <INFORMALTABLE frame=all> |- |death |default |exit |- |group |hit_me |hit_opponent |- |hit_other |immort_descr |immort_title |- |log |miss_me |miss_opponent |- |miss_other |nodam_me |nodam_opponent |- |nodam_other |npc_descr |npc_title |- |obj_descr |obj_title |pc_descr |- |pc_title |prompt |respond |- |room_descr |broom_title |say_other |- |say_self |shield_me |shield_opponent |- |shield_other |shout_other |shout_self |- |social_other |social_self |spells |- |tell_other |tell_self |time |- |weather |whisper |who |- |who_guild |who_inv |who_name |- |who_title |wiz |xpgain </informaltable>

To use these colors all you have to do is use the following formatting command: &[color]

The color that will be shown is the color that the player has set for the color in question. If for example the player has his or her 'death' color set to bright red with a black background and you have a description as follows: descr "This is a &[death]death&[room_descr]room"

The description would be in the players 'room_descr' color while the word death would be in his or hers 'death' color. You should note we had to set the color back to the room description color so that the rest of the description was not in the 'death' color.

To change the players color to the default out put color which is the color that is used when no color is specified by the server then you use 'default'. You probably won't use this in normal zone building but it is very important to know it exists when you start making spells, skills, and commands with DIL

The DIL section

When I first thought of writing this manual I had planned to leave DIL totally out of it. The DIL language always confuses new Builders and complicates teaching simple rooms, objects, and NPCs. It became clear to me though that DIL is such a part of the server that I at least had to mention it hear so builders would know where to look and what DIL could do for them when they got to the point where they were ready to use it.

What is DIL?

DIL is short for, Data-based instructional language. Not to be confused with Database since DIL is nothing like a database. Data-based means that the language works on a fixed set of units like objects, NPCS, and rooms and is designed to give them a life of their own. Unlike on many of the mud servers on the internet DIL is not an interpreted language it is a compiled language which gives you the user much more safe guards against crashes and slow code.

DIL also provides a full set of data types to allow you to do calculations or store information from players. The DIL language can even deal with file access and it can add fields and information to the players if needed. In short the VME server has its own internal functional language that will allow you to do just about anything you want to.

What can DIL be used for?

...

It is hard to explain what all DIL can be used for with out just writing a list of things that have already been done in DIL so here is the list.

  • All spells
  • 60% of the commands and skills and growing
  • Administrator commands
  • Movement commands
  • look commands
  • 200+ quests and growing
  • Message

boards

  • Mail system
  • Clan system
  • Automated

Newbie guides

  • object

restrictions

  • Death

Sequence

  • Magical combat

system

  • NPC agressive

functions

  • personalized

Familiars

  • personalized

pets

  • Deck of cards
  • Chess board
  • dice
  • online AD&D game playing system
  • Communication channels
  • automated wedding chapel

Realize this is only a small list of things that can be done in DIL. In the future we hope to be able to add the ability to easily change combat and all the character update features using DIL. These things can be currently done with DIL but it takes a lot of knowledge and work which we hope to simplify.

Where do I get more information on DIL

The online DIL reference guide is the most authoritative guide currently for DIL. It can be found at <ulink url="http://www.valhalla.com">http://www.valhalla.com</ulink> and follow the builders links.

In the near future we hope to have an entire new DIL manual that will teach, a person who has never coded all the way to people who are already professional coders, to use DIL. For now if you can not find what you need in the DIL reference manual you can join the DIL email list at <email>dil-request@valhalla.com</email> or you can send a mail to <email>whistler@valhalla.com</email>. Until and even after the new DIL manual is written we will always try to help you as much as possible while you are getting started. It is important that you at least try and look through the DIL reference before asking a lot of questions because many of the questions may be answered already. <appendix id="app-a">

VMC command line options

The argument string is processed from left to right. Options may appear between filenames, but it should be noted that an option only takes effect when it is encountered. In most cases, options should be placed to the left of the filename arguments.

<INFORMALTABLE frame=none pgwide=1> |- |Option |Description |- |-m |The location of the money file. Normally etc/money. |- |-v |Verbose compiler output shows much more information about objects and NPC |- |-M |Make option. Only compile source files if they have been modified more recently than the corresponding output files. |- |-p |Pre process the file only |- |-s |Suppress the generation of output files. </informaltable>

These options are not available to the email or FTP compiler, but normally you should not bother with them - they are probably set automatically.

</appendix>

<appendix id="app-b">

Reserved keyword listing

<informaltable frame=none pgwide=1> |- |ability |affect |alignment |applyf |armour |attack |bits |bright |- |capacity |complete |cost |creators |data |default |defensive |descr |- |dilcopy |door |duration |end |equip |exit |exp |extra |- |firstf |flags |follow |height |help |hit |id |in |- |inside_descr |into |key |keyword |lastf |level |lifespan |light |- |link |load |local |mana |manipulate |max |minv |money |- |movement |names |nop |notes |npcflags |offensive |open |outside_descr |- |position |purge |race |random |remove |rent |reset |romflags |- |sex |special |speed |spell |string |tickf |time |title |- |to |type |value |weapon |weather |weight |zonemax | </informaltable>

</appendix>

<appendix id="app-c">

Race Definitions in values.h

The following list was extracted from the values.h #define RACE_HUMAN 0 /* PC race */ #define RACE_ELF 1 /* PC race */ #define RACE_DWARF 2 /* PC race */ #define RACE_HALFLING 3 /* PC race */ #define RACE_GNOME 4 /* PC race */ #define RACE_HALF_ORC 5 #define RACE_HALF_OGRE 6 #define RACE_HALF_ELF 7 #define RACE_BROWNIE 8 #define RACE_GROLL 9 #define RACE_DARK_ELF 10 #define RACE_SKAVEN 120 #define RACE_GNOLL 121 #define RACE_GOBLIN 122 #define RACE_HOBGOBLIN 123 #define RACE_KOBOLD 124 #define RACE_NIXIE 125 #define RACE_NYMPH 126 #define RACE_OGRE 127 #define RACE_ORC 128 #define RACE_SATYR 129 #define RACE_FAUN 130 #define RACE_SPRITE 131 #define RACE_DRYAD 132 #define RACE_LEPRECHAUN 133 #define RACE_PIXIE 134 #define RACE_SYLPH 135 #define RACE_HERMIT 136 #define RACE_SHARGUGH 137 #define RACE_GIANT 138 #define RACE_WARDEN 139 /* Warden??? */ #define RACE_TROLL 140 #define RACE_NORSE_GOD 142 /* Hmmmm. probably need better categories */ #define RACE_MERMAID 145 #define RACE_SIREN 146 #define RACE_NAIAD 147 #define RACE_MERMAN 148 #define RACE_MINOTAUR 149 #define RACE_YETI 150 #define RACE_OTHER_HUMANOID 999 #define RACE_BEAR 1000 #define RACE_DOG 1001 #define RACE_WOLF 1002 #define RACE_FOX 1003 #define RACE_CAT 1004 #define RACE_RABBIT 1005 #define RACE_DEER 1006 #define RACE_COW 1007 #define RACE_HARE 1008 #define RACE_GOAT 1009 #define RACE_EAGLE 1010 #define RACE_PIG 1011 #define RACE_DUCK 1100 /* This will interest the biologists... */ #define RACE_BIRD 1101 /* This will interest the biologists... */ #define RACE_RAT 1102 #define RACE_HORSE 1103 #define RACE_BADGER 1104 #define RACE_SKUNK 1105 #define RACE_BOAR 1106 #define RACE_MOUSE 1107 #define RACE_MONKEY 1108 #define RACE_PORCUPINE 1110 #define RACE_ELEPHANT 1112 #define RACE_CAMEL 1113 #define RACE_FERRET 1114 #define RACE_VULTURE 1115 #define RACE_SQUIRREL 1116 #define RACE_OWL 1117 #define RACE_LEMURE 1118 /* Half-monkey (Makier) */ #define RACE_ELK 1119 /* Larger deer (Whapiti-deer) */ #define RACE_LION 1120 #define RACE_TIGER 1121 #define RACE_LEOPARD 1122 #define RACE_OTHER_MAMMAL 1999 #define RACE_TREE 2000 #define RACE_VINE 2001 #define RACE_FLOWER 2002 #define RACE_SEAWEED 2003 #define RACE_CACTUS 2004 #define RACE_OTHER_PLANT 2999 #define RACE_MAGGOT 3000 #define RACE_BEETLE 3001 #define RACE_SPIDER 3002 #define RACE_COCKROACH 3003 #define RACE_BUTTERFLY 3004 #define RACE_ANT 3005 #define RACE_WORM 3006 #define RACE_LEECH 3008 #define RACE_DRAGONFLY 3009 #define RACE_MOSQUITO 3010 #define RACE_OTHER_INSECT 3999 #define RACE_LIZARD 4000 #define RACE_SNAKE 4001 #define RACE_FROG 4002 #define RACE_ALLIGATOR 4004 #define RACE_DINOSAUR 4005 #define RACE_CHAMELEON 4006 #define RACE_SCORPION 4007 #define RACE_TURTLE 4008 #define RACE_BAT 4009 #define RACE_TOAD 4010 #define RACE_OTHER_REPTILE 4999 #define RACE_CAVE_WIGHT 5001 /* Some kind a creature... */ #define RACE_UR_VILE 5002 /* Some kind a creature... */ #define RACE_STONE_RENDER 5003 /* Some kind a creature... */ #define RACE_VAMPIRE 5005 #define RACE_SLIME 5006 #define RACE_WYRM 5007 #define RACE_AUTOMATON 5008 #define RACE_UNICORN 5009 #define RACE_DRAGON_MIN 5010 /* For use with special object */ #define RACE_DRAGON_BLACK 5010 #define RACE_DRAGON_BLUE 5011 #define RACE_DRAGON_GREEN 5012 #define RACE_DRAGON_RED 5013 #define RACE_DRAGON_WHITE 5014 #define RACE_DRAGON_SILVER 5015 #define RACE_DRAGON_TURTLE 5016 #define RACE_DRAGON_LAVA 5017 #define RACE_DRAGON_SHADOW 5018 #define RACE_DRAGON_LIZARD 5019 #define RACE_DRAGON_MAX 5020 /* For use with special object */ #define RACE_LESSER_DEMON 5020 /* Approx. Level < 100 */ #define RACE_GREATER_DEMON 5021 /* Approx. Level > 100 */ #define RACE_SERVANT_DEMON 5022 /* Approx. < level 20 */ #define RACE_PRINCE_DEMON 5023 /* Almost god, max level 149 (no more!) */ #define RACE_LESSER_DEVIL 5025 /* Approx. Level < 100 */ #define RACE_GREATER_DEVIL 5026 /* Approx. Level > 100 */ #define RACE_SHADOW_DEVIL 5027 #define RACE_ARCH_DEVIL 5028 #define RACE_MEDUSA 5030 #define RACE_WINGED_HORSE 5031 #define RACE_GARGOYLE 5033 #define RACE_GOLEM 5034 #define RACE_YOGOLOTH 5035 #define RACE_MIST_DWELLER 5036 #define RACE_WEREWOLF 5037 #define RACE_WERERAT 5038 #define RACE_ELEMENTAL_AIR 5040 #define RACE_ELEMENTAL_EARTH 5041 #define RACE_ELEMENTAL_FIRE 5042 #define RACE_ELEMENTAL_FROST 5043 #define RACE_ELEMENTAL_WATER 5044 #define RACE_ELEMENTAL_LIGHT 5045 #define RACE_DEVOURER 5600 #define RACE_DANALEK 5601 #define RACE_FAMILIAR 5900 /* Weirdo race... */ #define RACE_OTHER_CREATURE 5999 #define RACE_ZOMBIE 6000 #define RACE_LICH 6001 #define RACE_GHOUL 6002 #define RACE_SKELETON 6003 #define RACE_GHOST 6004 #define RACE_SPIRIT 6005 #define RACE_MUMMIE 6006 #define RACE_BANSHEE 6007 #define RACE_NAGA_SOUL 6008 #define RACE_OTHER_UNDEAD 6999 #define RACE_CRAB 7000 #define RACE_SAND_SPIDER 7002 #define RACE_RIVER_LEECH 7003 #define RACE_SAND_CRAWLER 7004 #define RACE_SEA_HORSE 7005 #define RACE_SHARK 7006 #define RACE_LAMPREY 7007 #define RACE_MANTA_RAY 7008 #define RACE_CLIFF_HUGGER 7009 #define RACE_ALGAE_MAN 7010 #define RACE_WHELK 7011 #define RACE_OYSTER 7012 #define RACE_KRAKEN 7013 #define RACE_CAVE_FISHER 7014 /* Tiamat: lobster / spider breed */ #define RACE_OCTOPUS 7015 #define RACE_WHALE 7016 #define RACE_DOLPHIN 7017 #define RACE_EEL 7018 #define RACE_FISH 7998 #define RACE_OTHER_MARINE 7999

</appendix> <appendix id="app-d">

weapon definitions in values.h

The following list was extracted from the values.h #define WPN_BATTLE_AXE 7 /* Two Handed */ #define WPN_HAND_AXE 8 #define WPN_WAR_MATTOCK 9 /* Two Handed */ #define WPN_WAR_HAMMER 10 #define WPN_GREAT_SWORD 11 /* Two Handed */ #define WPN_SCIMITAR 12 #define WPN_KATANA 13 #define WPN_FALCHION 14 #define WPN_KOPESH 15 #define WPN_BROAD_SWORD 16 #define WPN_LONG_SWORD 17 #define WPN_RAPIER 18 #define WPN_SHORT_SWORD 19 #define WPN_DAGGER 20 #define WPN_BATTLE_MACE 21 /* Two Handed */ #define WPN_MACE 22 #define WPN_BATTLE_CLUB 23 /* Two handed */ #define WPN_CLUB 24 #define WPN_MORNING_STAR 25 #define WPN_FLAIL 26 #define WPN_QUARTERSTAFF 27 #define WPN_SPEAR 28 #define WPN_HALBERD 29 #define WPN_BARDICHE 30 #define WPN_SICKLE 31 #define WPN_SCYTHE 32 /* Two handed */ #define WPN_TRIDENT 33 #define WPN_FIST 34 #define WPN_KICK 35 #define WPN_BITE 36 #define WPN_STING 37 #define WPN_CLAW 38 #define WPN_CRUSH 39 #define WPN_WHIP 40 #define WPN_WAKIZASHI 41 #define WPN_BOW 42 /* Here down to Staff are Rangers Guild Jan 98 */ #define WPN_CROSSBOW 43 #define WPN_SLING 44 #define WPN_FIGHTING_STAFF 45 /* Two handed */ #define WPN_SABER 46 #define WPN_CUTLASS 47 #define WPN_MACHETE 48 #define WPN_LANCE 49 #define WPN_SHOCK_LANCE 50 #define WPN_PIKE 51 #define WPN_GREAT_AXE 52 #define WPN_BATTLE_SWORD 53

</appendix>

<appendix id="app-e">

Liquid macros file

#define LIQ_WATER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,10,1,0,POISON) #define LIQ_BEER(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("brown", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,2,3,POISON) #define LIQ_WINE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,2,5,POISON) #define LIQ_ALE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("brown", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,2,2,POISON) #define LIQ_DARK_ALE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("dark brown", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,5,2,1,POISON) #define LIQ_WISKEY(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("golden",WEIGHT ,CAPACITY,INSIDE,4,1,6,POISON) #define LIQ_WHISKY(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("golden",WEIGHT ,CAPACITY,INSIDE,4,1,6,POISON) #define LIQ_LEMONADE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("red", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 8, 1, 0,POISON) #define LIQ_FIREBRT(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("green", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,0,0,10,POISON) #define LIQ_LOCALSPC(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 3, 3, 3,POISON) #define LIQ_SLIME(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("light green", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,8,4,0,POISON) #define LIQ_MILK(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("white", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 6, 3, 0,POISON) #define LIQ_TEA(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("brown", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 6, 1, 0,POISON) #define LIQ_COFFEE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("black", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 6, 1, 0,POISON) #define LIQ_COFFE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("black", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 6, 1, 0,POISON) #define LIQ_BLOOD(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("red", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, -1, 2, 0, POISON) #define LIQ_SALTWAT(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 2, 1, 0, POISON) #define LIQ_COKE(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("black", WEIGHT, CAPACITY, INSIDE, 5, 1, 0,POISON) #define LIQ_VODKA(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("clear", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,0,0,10,POISON) #define LIQ_BRANDY(WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,POISON) \ LIQ_DEF("golden", WEIGHT,CAPACITY,INSIDE,4,1,6,POISON)

</appendix>

<appendix id="app-f">

Complete magical transfers macros listing

This listing of macros was taken from wmacros.h. When building your objects you should check the macros file to make sure you have the most up to date macros. #define CHAR_FLAG_TRANSFER(_MFLAGS) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_CHARFLAGS \ duration -1 \ data[0] _MFLAGS \ firstf TIF_EYES_TINGLE \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_EYES_TINGLE \ applyf APF_MOD_CHAR_FLAGS; /* skill MUST be one of SKI_XXX, amount in -10 to +10 */ #define SKILL_TRANSFER(skill, amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_SKILL_TRANSFER \ duration -1 \ data[0] skill \ data[1] amount \ firstf TIF_SKI_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_SKI_DEC \ applyf APF_SKILL_ADJ; /* weapon MUST be one of WPN_XXX, amount in -10 to +10 */ #define WEAPON_TRANSFER(weapon, amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_WEAPON_TRANSFER \ duration -1 \ data[0] weapon \ data[1] amount \ firstf TIF_WPN_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_WPN_DEC \ applyf APF_WEAPON_ADJ; /* spell MUST be one of SPL_XXX, amount in -10 to +10 */ #define SPELL_TRANSFER(spell, amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_SPELL_TRANSFER \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] spell /* It is a spell SPL_XXX transfer */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better spell skill */ \ firstf TIF_SPL_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_SPL_DEC \ applyf APF_SPELL_ADJ; #define STR_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_STR \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_STR /* It is a strength function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better strength */ \ firstf TIF_STR_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_STR_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define DEX_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_DEX \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_DEX /* It is a dex function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better dex */ \ firstf TIF_DEX_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_DEX_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define CON_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_CON \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_CON /* It is a con function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better con */ \ firstf TIF_CON_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_CON_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define CHA_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_CHA \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_CHA /* It is a cha function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better cha */ \ firstf TIF_CHA_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_CHA_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define BRA_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_BRA \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_BRA /* It is a bra function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better bra */ \ firstf TIF_BRA_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_BRA_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define MAG_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_MAG \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_MAG /* It is a mag function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better mag */ \ firstf TIF_MAG_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_MAG_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define DIV_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_DIV \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_DIV /* It is a div function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better div */ \ firstf TIF_DIV_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_DIV_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define HIT_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_HPP \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] ABIL_HP /* It is a hit point function */ \ data[1] amount /* Amount of better strength */ \ firstf TIF_HIT_INC \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_HIT_DEC \ applyf APF_ABILITY; #define SPEED_TRANSFER(newspeed) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_SPEED \ duration -1 /* Must be permanent in the object */ \ data[0] newspeed \ firstf TIF_SPEED_BETTER \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_SPEED_WORSE \ applyf APF_SPEED; #define SLOW_TRANSFER(amount) \ flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC} \ affect \ id ID_TRANSFER_SPEED \ duration -1 \ data[0] newspeed \ firstf TIF_SPEED_WORSE \ tickf TIF_NONE \ lastf TIF_SPEED_BETTER \ applyf APF_SPEED; </appendix>

<appendix id="app-g">

Skill definitions in values.h

The following list was extracted from the values.h #define SKI_TURN_UNDEAD 0 #define SKI_SCROLL_USE 1 #define SKI_WAND_USE 2 #define SKI_CONSIDER 3 #define SKI_DIAGNOSTICS 4 #define SKI_APPRAISAL 5 #define SKI_VENTRILOQUATE 6 #define SKI_WEATHER_WATCH 7 #define SKI_FLEE 8 #define SKI_SNEAK 9 #define SKI_BACKSTAB 10 #define SKI_HIDE 11 #define SKI_FIRST_AID 12 #define SKI_PICK_LOCK 13 #define SKI_STEAL 14 #define SKI_RESCUE 15 #define SKI_SEARCH 16 #define SKI_LEADERSHIP 17 #define SKI_KICK 18 #define SKI_SWIMMING 19 #define SKI_BASH 20 #define SKI_CLIMB 21 #define SKI_SHIELD 22 #define SKI_TRIP 23 #define SKI_DUAL_WIELD 24 #define SKI_CUFF 25 #define SKI_RESIZE_CLOTHES 26 #define SKI_RESIZE_LEATHER 27 #define SKI_RESIZE_METAL 28 #define SKI_EVALUATE 29 /* "Fake skill to simulate combinations */ #define SKI_PEEK 30 #define SKI_PICK_POCKETS 31 #define SKI_FILCH 32 #define SKI_DISARM 33 #define SKI_SKIN 34 #define SKI_SHELTER 35 #define SKI_SOOTHE 36 #define SKI_AMBUSH 37 #define SKI_CURARE 38 #define SKI_FASHION 39 #define SKI_BUTCHER 40 #define SKI_LAY_TRAP 41 #define SKI_SHOOT 42 #define SKI_HERBS 43 #define SKI_FORAGE 44 #define SKI_DOWSE 45 #define SKI_TRACK 46 #define SKI_HUNT 47 #define SKI_THROW 48 #define SKI_COOK 49 #define SKI_SCAN 50 #define SKI_SLIP 51 #define SKI_PALM 52 #define SKI_PLANT 53 #define SKI_STALK 54 #define SKI_KNEE 55 #define SKI_ELBOW 56 #define SKI_HIT 57 #define SKI_PUNCH 58 #define SKI_GLANCE 59 </appendix>

<appendix id="app-h">

Spell definitions in values.h

The following list was extracted from the values.h #define SPL_CALL_LIGHTNING 12 /* Cell Group */ #define SPL_BLESS 13 /* D I V I N E */ #define SPL_CURSE 14 #define SPL_REMOVE_CURSE 15 #define SPL_CURE_WOUNDS_1 16 #define SPL_CURE_WOUNDS_2 17 #define SPL_CURE_WOUNDS_3 18 #define SPL_CAUSE_WOUNDS_1 19 #define SPL_CAUSE_WOUNDS_2 20 #define SPL_CAUSE_WOUNDS_3 21 #define SPL_DISPEL_EVIL 22 #define SPL_REPEL_UNDEAD_1 23 #define SPL_REPEL_UNDEAD_2 24 #define SPL_BLIND 25 #define SPL_CURE_BLIND 26 #define SPL_LOCATE_OBJECT 27 #define SPL_LOCATE_CHAR 28 #define SPL_RAISE_MAG 29 /* P R O T E C T I O N */ #define SPL_RAISE_DIV 30 #define SPL_RAISE_STR 31 #define SPL_RAISE_DEX 32 #define SPL_RAISE_CON 33 #define SPL_RAISE_CHA 34 #define SPL_RAISE_BRA 35 #define SPL_SUN_RAY 36 #define SPL_DIVINE_RESIST 37 #define SPL_QUICKEN 38 #define SPL_HASTE 39 #define SPL_RAISE_SUMMONING 40 #define SPL_AWAKEN 41 #define SPL_MIND_SHIELD 42 #define SPL_HEAT_RESI 43 #define SPL_COLD_RESI 44 #define SPL_ELECTRICITY_RESI 45 #define SPL_POISON_RESI 46 #define SPL_ACID_RESI 47 #define SPL_PRO_EVIL 48 #define SPL_SANCTUARY 49 #define SPL_DISPEL_MAGIC 50 #define SPL_SUSTAIN 51 #define SPL_LOCK 52 #define SPL_UNLOCK 53 #define SPL_DROWSE 54 #define SPL_SLOW 55 #define SPL_DUST_DEVIL 56 #define SPL_DET_ALIGN 57 /* D E T E C T I O N */ #define SPL_DET_INVISIBLE 58 #define SPL_DET_MAGIC 59 #define SPL_DET_POISON 60 #define SPL_DET_UNDEAD 61 #define SPL_DET_CURSE 62 #define SPL_SENSE_LIFE 63 #define SPL_IDENTIFY_1 64 #define SPL_IDENTIFY_2 65 #define SPL_RANDOM_TELEPORT 66 /* S U M M O N I N G */ #define SPL_CLEAR_SKIES 67 #define SPL_STORM_CALL 68 #define SPL_WORD_OF_RECALL 69 #define SPL_CONTROL_TELEPORT 70 #define SPL_MINOR_GATE 71 #define SPL_GATE 72 #define SPL_CREATE_FOOD 73 /* C R E A T I O N */ #define SPL_CREATE_WATER 74 #define SPL_LIGHT_1 75 #define SPL_LIGHT_2 76 #define SPL_DARKNESS_1 77 #define SPL_DARKNESS_2 78 #define SPL_STUN 79 #define SPL_HOLD 80 #define SPL_ANIMATE_DEAD 81 #define SPL_LEATHER_SKIN 82 #define SPL_BARK_SKIN 83 #define SPL_CONTROL_UNDEAD 84 #define SPL_BONE_SKIN 85 #define SPL_STONE_SKIN 86 #define SPL_AID 87 #define SPL_COLOURSPRAY_1 88 /* M I N D */ #define SPL_COLOURSPRAY_2 89 #define SPL_COLOURSPRAY_3 90 #define SPL_INVISIBILITY 91 #define SPL_WIZARD_EYE 92 #define SPL_FEAR 93 #define SPL_CONFUSION 94 #define SPL_SLEEP 95 #define SPL_XRAY_VISION 96 #define SPL_SUMMER_RAIN 97 #define SPL_COMMAND 98 #define SPL_LEAVING 99 #define SPL_FIREBALL_1 100 /* H E A T */ #define SPL_FIREBALL_2 101 #define SPL_FIREBALL_3 102 #define SPL_FROSTBALL_1 103 /* C O L D */ #define SPL_FROSTBALL_2 104 #define SPL_FROSTBALL_3 105 #define SPL_LIGHTNING_1 106 /* C E L L */ #define SPL_LIGHTNING_2 107 #define SPL_LIGHTNING_3 108 #define SPL_STINKING_CLOUD_1 109 /* I N T E R N A L */ #define SPL_STINKING_CLOUD_2 110 #define SPL_STINKING_CLOUD_3 111 #define SPL_POISON 112 #define SPL_REMOVE_POISON 113 #define SPL_ENERGY_DRAIN 114 #define SPL_DISEASE_1 115 #define SPL_DISEASE_2 116 #define SPL_REM_DISEASE 117 #define SPL_ACIDBALL_1 118 /* E X T E R N A L */ #define SPL_ACIDBALL_2 119 #define SPL_ACIDBALL_3 120 #define SPL_FIND_PATH 121 /* Divine */ #define SPL_DISPEL_GOOD 122 #define SPL_PRO_GOOD 123 #define SPL_TRANSPORT 124 #define SPL_FIRE_BREATH 125 #define SPL_FROST_BREATH 126 #define SPL_LIGHTNING_BREATH 127 #define SPL_ACID_BREATH 128 #define SPL_GAS_BREATH 129 #define SPL_LIGHT_BREATH 130 #define SPL_HOLD_MONSTER 131 #define SPL_HOLD_UNDEAD 132 #define SPL_RAISE_DEAD 133 #define SPL_RESURRECTION 134 #define SPL_UNDEAD_DOOR 135 #define SPL_LIFE_PROTECTION 136 #define SPL_ENERGY_BOLT 137 #define SPL_CLENCHED_FIST 138 #define SPL_METEOR_SHOWER 139 #define SPL_SUN_BEAM 140 #define SPL_SOLAR_FLARE 141 #define SPL_SUMMON_DEVIL 142 #define SPL_SUMMON_DEMON 143 #define SPL_SUMMON_FIRE 144 #define SPL_SUMMON_WATER 145 #define SPL_SUMMON_AIR 146 #define SPL_SUMMON_EARTH 147 #define SPL_CHARGE_WAND 148 #define SPL_CHARGE_STAFF 149 #define SPL_MENDING 150 #define SPL_REPAIR 151 #define SPL_RECONSTRUCT 152 #define SPL_SENDING 153 #define SPL_REFIT 154 #define SPL_FIND_WANTED 155 #define SPL_LOCATE_WANTED 156 #define SPL_SUN_GLOBE 157 #define SPL_MAGIC_CANDLE 158 #define SPL_SONIC_BREATH 159 #define SPL_SHARD_BREATH 160 #define SPL_CONE_SHARD 161 #define SPL_RAISE_HPP 162 #define SPL_MANA_BOOST 163 /* Creation */ #define SPL_TOTAL_RECALL 164 #define LAST_SPELL 165 </appendix> </book>