LPMuds.net

For having an npc that can perform more than one action each at different chances per heartbeat. Having more than one SetAction() function in an NPC or SENTIENT doesn't seem to work or, of course, I'm missing something. Nothing really special here - more or less copying and pasting code from room.c.

Modified file: ds3.6/lib/lib/npc.c

At line 45 added function prototypes:

private mapping ActionsMap = ([]);
private int tick_resolution = 5;
Inserted at line 119 in static void init()

if((Action && (sizeof(Action) || functionp(Action)))
            || sizeof(ActionsMap)){
        set_heart_beat(tick_resolution);
    }
Inserted at line 139 in static void heartbeat()

if( !GetInCombat() && sizeof(ActionsMap)){
        foreach(mixed key, mixed val in ActionsMap){
            if( val > random(100) ){
                if(functionp(key)) evaluate(key);
                else eventPrint(key);
            }
        }
    }
Inserted at line 632 in /lib/npc.c data functions section

mapping SetActionsMap(mapping ActMap){
    if(ActMap && sizeof(ActMap)) ActionsMap = ActMap;
    return copy(ActionsMap);
}

mapping GetActionsMap(){
    return copy(ActionsMap);
}
Example npc - a thief that has a chance to steal and pick up stuff as it goes along. I varied the values in SetActionsMap and the functions were called as expected for the SetActionsMap() value. Included is the function CheckNpc() to make sure this guy doesn't bash on other loaded npc's.

// Based on Diku MUD Alfa.  Program and Concept created by
// Sebastian Hammer, Michael Seifert, Hans Henrik Staerfeldt,
// Tom Madsen, and Katja Nyboe.
// http://www.dikumud.com
//
// Modified by Lash (Christopher Coker) for use with:
//
// The Dead Souls Mud Library version 2
// developed by Cratylus
// http://www.dead-souls.net

#include <lib.h>

inherit LIB_SENTIENT;

void CheckNPC();
void NpcSteal(object ob);
void Scavenge();

static void create() {
    sentient::create();

    SetKeyName("the thief");
    SetId( ({"thief"}) );
    SetAdjectives(({"non-player", "evil", "tricky"}));
    SetShort("A thief, all dressed in black");
    SetLong("Well, COUNT your money..!");
    SetRace("human");
    SetClass("thief");
    SetLevel(8);
    SetMelee(1);
    SetCanBite(0);
    SetGender("male");
    SetMorality(250); //?
    AddCurrency("gold", 100);
    SetActionsMap( ([
                     ( :Scavenge: ) : 10,
                     ( :NpcSteal: ) : 5,
                   ]) );
    SetWander(5);
    SetInventory( ([
         "/domains/diku-alfa/room/41.zon/meals/4103_slime" :1,
         "/domains/diku-alfa/room/41.zon/meals/4104_slime_poison" :1,
       ]) );
}

void init(){
    ::init();
}

/*Do not attack other NPC's*/
void CheckNPC(object ob){
 
    object env=environment(this_object());
    if(ob && !inherits(LIB_NPC, ob)){
        eventForce("kill " +ob->GetKeyName());
 }
}

void NpcSteal(object ob){

    object env = environment(this_object());
    object *potvictims;
    int n1, n2, gold, level;
    level = this_object()->GetLevel();

    potvictims = filter(get_livings(env), ( :living($1) && $1 != this_object() && playerp($1):) );
   
    foreach(object target in potvictims){
        if(playerp(target)){
            n1 = random(level);
            if(n1 ==0){
                tell_object(target, "You notice " + capitalize(this_object()->GetKeyName()) + " trying to steal from you!");
                break;
            }
       
            if(n1 > 0){
                n2 = random(level)+1;
                gold = target->GetCurrency("gold") * n2 /100;
                this_object()->AddCurrency("gold", gold);
                target->AddCurrency("gold", -gold);
            }
        }
    }
}

void Scavenge(){

    object env = environment(this_object());
    object *item, *cost;
    int s;
   
    item = filter(all_inventory(env), (: !living($1) && (inherits(LIB_ITEM, $1) || inherits(LIB_ARMOR, $1)):) );
    cost = sort_array(item->GetBaseCost(), -1);
    s = sizeof(cost);
    if(s>0){
        foreach(object thing in item){
            if(thing->GetBaseCost() == cost[0]){
                eventForce("get "+thing->GetKeyName());
                break;
            }
        }
    }
}

I was messing around with creating a set time for an npc to have an action and came across some weirdness.

The library DS2.8.4 is set with a default hours per day of 20 in config.h under lib/secure/include (#define DAY_LENGTH) .

When the mudtime goes from 19 hours and 59 minutes (9:59 pm mudtime) to 0 hours 0 minutes the mudtime comes back as 10:00 am and thus there are two 10 am's .

ticktock with no argument comes back as 12:00 am at this time.

It looks like what is happening is that mudtime is reporting time based on the number of hours and subtracting 10 based on a 20 hour day after the halfway point (as defined in mudtime.c as DAY_LENGTH/2 for determining "am" and "pm" under lib/secure/cmds/creators ).  When time goes into double digits mudtime gets screwey. The mud day looks like this:

Hour      Mudtime         Ticktock
0           10am               12am
1 -10     1am - 10am     1am-10am
11-19    1pm - 9 pm      11am-7pm

Weirdly, setting the hours per day in config.h to 24 gives the "expected normal" output. Mudtime and ticktock give the same time based on a 24 hour day. I just wanted to report on these findings in case someone else might find this useful. The relationship between mudtime and hours/day has to be played with to get a consistent output if left at the default setting of 20. I haven't found that code yet but will look into this more.

I guess this isn't a problem since mudtime is a creator command and a set time function based on hours in the mud will execute. It just got confusing waiting for my npc to do something at 11:00 am when "11:00 am" turned out to be 1:00pm instead

Here's the code I used for the npc I was building:

set_heart_beat(1);

heart beat function:

void heart_beat(){

    ::heart_beat();

    wander();

}

wander function:

int wander(){
int hour, minutes;       

    int *time_of_day;



    time_of_day = SEASONS_D->GetMudTime();

    hour = time_of_day[0];

    minutes = time_of_day[1];

    eventForce("say hour "+hour+"; minutes "+minutes+".");

other stuff

}

Lash

Two concepts that really turned me on to Dead Souls are the use of genetics and infectious diseases.

I was interested in expanded these ideas. If this has been done or discussed elsewhere please point me in the right direction.

As far as genetics, I would like to get some input about the idea of inserting "code" into the player object that determines physical appearance as well as abilities. Specifically, I was thinking along the lines of having actual "genetic material" in the form of DNA that when "read" would determine the appearance of eye color, for instance.

The player object would include code for eye color such as:

ATG GCC CCT AGA GGT GAG CGC ATA CTA TTT TAG which determines the corresponding amino acid sequence:

MAPRGERILF*

One gene (33 nucleotides) coding for a ten amino acid protein that determines grey eyes.

Deviations from the nucleotide sequence could result in shades of grey. Furthermore, since the genetic code has some redundancy, changes at the DNA level may not affect grey color at all since the amino acid sequence would be identical. For example,

ATG GAC CCT AGA GGT GAG CGC ATA CTA TTT TAG would still result in the MAPRGERILF* aa sequence

however

ATG GAC C CCT AGA GGT GAG CGC ATA CTA TTT TAG would result in the MDPRGERILF* aa sequence and have an affect on the shade of grey.

The above is critical because ultimately changes in DNA sequence may result in a change to the protein or not. Functionality of the protein could be affected from minor to the point of being nonfunctional. For instance, if a stop codon in the DNA (TAG in this example) is introduced in the middle of the protein the creature may very well become blind.

These are simple examples to illustrate a point. A major omission is the role of RNA in the translation process of DNA to protein and may not be relevant in a MUD universe.

When a player develops a character at login they are able to choose phenotypic traits such that the DNA sequence defining those traits are included in their player object. Other traits would be hidden from the player, such as those that determine stats and abilities.  A drawback would be that one would have to design a gene for each trait specified and has the potential to become quite cumbersome. But the neat thing is that one could develop certain programming rules that result in phenotypic changes based on  random DNA sequence changes. That might be a pretty big database.

Now, if this is possible, imagine the use of infectious agents, such as a retrovirus, that could infect a player and alter the genetic sequence resulting in phenotypic change. Or, better yet, players developing technology to change their own, or others, DNA sequences.

Thoughts appreciated.

Lash