Guidance

[Morfus]

Question: Are there any manuals/articles in game or out that explain the current system of; PK rules? Lvl tables? class features/skills? administrating the users? perhaps a global user list?

I have been reading manuals after manuals and exploring all over what is in the stock DS game. No one likes to start from scratch the first time and I just need to know how some things have been coded in order to make a choice about using what is there, or altering it, or starting something completely new.

This is the first time I have ventured out to code a MUD let alone code anything of this nature. Some direction, if there is any, would be fantastic.

Thanks.

[cratylus]

Question: Are there any manuals/articles in game or out that explain the current system of; PK rules? Lvl tables? class features/skills? administrating the users? perhaps a global user list?

Aside from the ingame stuff, these links are often helpful:

http://dead-souls.net/ds-creator-faq.html

http://dead-souls.net/ds-admin-faq.html

If you haven't read it aleady, the admin guide is also
of some help:

http://dead-souls.net/doc/guide/

Your question involves a lot of stuff. I'd suggest going over the
links I've provided here, and then if you have a *specific*
question not answered there, you could try posting it.

-Crat

[Morfus]

This is excellent! Thank you.

I have read through the Admin manual, about 3/4 of it, and was looking for some sections related to the topics I listed. Hopefully will start modding the DS environment soon.

[Morfus]

So...maybe I have to look through the code, but I never found a section in any manual explaining how PK works, or levels for classes.

While I understand that this is a template and we are to code our own MUD, being a n00b to coding in general and LPC, I do not want to undertake coding these things from scratch. I would like and explanation of what is there so I can alter it or use it as a guide. Does this make sense?

[cratylus]

I never found a section in any manual explaining how PK works

http://dead-souls.net/ds-admin-faq.html#114

levels for classes

Classes don't have levels.

I would like and explanation of what is there so I can alter it or use it as a guide. Does this make sense?

You are at the very beginning of a steep learning curve. It's a tough spot, and
I sympathize. It's the awkward point where you're not sure you even know
enough to ask questions that make sense.

What I suggest is to simply plow into the docs and the code, and don't be
afraid to reinvent the wheel, and don't be afraid to "waste your time" or
make mistakes. When you're starting from zero, wasting time and making errors
is going to be about 90% of what you do. The sooner you get it over with,
the sooner you can figure out what direction to take, and you will stop
flailing and start building.

Also, ask questions on the <ds> channel. That's what it's there for.

-Crat

[detah]

levels for classes

Classes don't have levels.
-Crat

Classes, as they are currently written, do not have levels. But it is a moderately simple matter to create a new gxp variable (which would be added right next to all the AddExperiencePoints functions) and a new glevel variable (which would be added to the player file). As always, you can place AddExperiencePoint and AddGXP (guild/class experience point) functions for any task you wish. There is no reason it needs to be restricted to killing monsters. You can give gxp for talking with certain npcs about a certain topic or for discovering a hidden artifact that is important to your guild/class. This is easy. But I strongly suggest that you become familiar with the lib first. There are implications to adding even simple things to the lib. I would suggest the following order for progressing: 1) carefully plot out the design for your whole mud first, 2) peruse the ds lib thoroughly, learning the structure and location of key things, like where HP and MaxHP are computed, etc [some people find that delving right in and coding a simple object is helpful in this regard.] 3) create something simple first. I would not recommend rewriting combat or making a new spell server as your first task. I think you should write a new Help File or make a new torch object first. These things will help you not only learn the location of important files, but also help you understand how the mud works. 4) tackle something a bit harder like making a new spell or modifying an existing guild to have one new function. Turning on full PK might fit into this heading. You can follow the instructions, which Cratylus gave you, pretty easily. But understanding all the changes is a bit harder. How would you go about making PK optional? All good questions. And they are easy to solve by looking at the appropriate sections of code.

After you have done these 4 things, I think you should be able to handle something like adding levels to classes/guilds.

Best of luck.

Detah@Arcania

[Editor's note: this post was edited to correct a formatting problem. No content was modified, only bbcode. Please remember the new forum policy on edits, folks! http://lpmuds.net/forum/index.php?topic=407.0 -Crat]

[Morfus]

First off, thank you for trying to understand and giving me answers. I appreciate it.

The section that Crat gave for the PK I thoughly read. But let me add this. You can go into the standard DS lib and type the command:

PK on

This brings up a message stating if you really to want to be PK on, to type the same command again. This is the option for turning it on and off in game. This gives players an option to PK or not. While I am a huge advocate of full PvP servers, I want to eventually give the option. So my question stems from this option that is in there.

• What are the "rules" to that switch?
• Is there a level restriction?
• Is there a death limit?

As you can guess, this could go one and on, and maybe the answer is: You have to code it yourself you monkey.

As I said before, being a complete n00b to coding in general, I understand that this will be painful at first and get easier as I learn. I plan on trying out simple things first and I am still going through all of DS and looking at the code to better familiarize myself. Also trying to do what the manual says and complete the Orc Slayer Quest.

Crat: I currently have the DS channel stuff off while I better get acquainted with DS. I fully plan on turning this on after I have some basic skills down.

[Morfus]

FYI: I neglected to spell check that.

[cratylus]

This stuff ought to be more clear in the docs than it is. Blame it on me not
thinking too much of pvp muds. Anyway, here are the answers to the specific
questions you asked (and thank you for being specific):

What are the "rules" to that switch?

If you set the mud to be 100% pk, then there are no rules.

Otherwise, the following apply:

• The attacking player must be PK
• The victim must be PK
• The room must be PK enabled ( SetPlayerKill(1); )
• The mud must have PK enabled ( mudconfig pk yes )

It's a lot of safeguards to override, yes. This is because I feel that
players killing each other is something that should be enabled
by an admin who is *sure* that's what she wants, and is *certain*
she knows what she's doing.

Is there a level restriction?

No.

Is there a death limit?

No.

-Crat

[Morfus]

Bah...I don't blame you at all. This is why I asked and low and behold you gave me answers that  not only make sense, I completely understand them.

Hopefully in the next coming months, I will can ask more intelligent questions.

[daelaskai]

Morfus,

As a recent noobie to coding and DS, I can assure you that you will certainly be able to formulate more intelligent questions as you become more familiar with DS.  I've been looking through the mudlib for quite a while now and I can tell you it has been frustrating.  I've started out with smaller things such as simple commands and object and progressed to some more detailed ones.  I haven't gotten around to experimenting with verbs yet, though that is on my list of things to do eventually.  Anyway, I just wanted to say good luck and the DS channel is where I learned most of what I know and it is there as a tool and as a stress reliever when you're frustrated and simply want to talk on the dchat line to get away from things.

Daelas@Neverland

[Morfus]

Morfus,

As a recent noobie to coding and DS, I can assure you that you will certainly be able to formulate more intelligent questions as you become more familiar with DS.  I've been looking through the mudlib for quite a while now and I can tell you it has been frustrating.  I've started out with smaller things such as simple commands and object and progressed to some more detailed ones.  I haven't gotten around to experimenting with verbs yet, though that is on my list of things to do eventually.  Anyway, I just wanted to say good luck and the DS channel is where I learned most of what I know and it is there as a tool and as a stress reliever when you're frustrated and simply want to talk on the dchat line to get away from things.

Daelas@Neverland

Excellent to hear and also encouraging. I certainly plan on turning the intermud DS channel back on when I have some more info in my head about wtf is going on.

I do have good things to say, in that Crat and Detah have both been kind and receptive to my questions. I fully expected taunts and to be teased. Being a large forum troll, I know how it goes. I want to model my code around a couple of muds I have played. Arena, on a very old BBS I used to play on, Tsunami, a MUD I played for nearly two years, and DarkeMUD which I have never played, but read a lot about.