Manual:Zone Manual/The DIL Section
Contents
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?
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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 http://www.valhalla.com 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 dil-request@valhalla.com or you can send a mail to whistler@valhalla.com. 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.
