CoffeeMUDifiedAreas(CoffeeMUD)

CoffeeMUD
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This page is for Loki to coordinate the modification of imported areas into unique zones that utilize the full CoffeeMUD toolset.

The CoffeeMUD Universe

There are multiple PLANET areas in CoffeeMUD. These areas make it extremely difficult to travel between, limiting summoning/teleporting. Some areas are their own planets because Loki does not feel they fit with the feel of CoffeeMUD, but may enjoy using the areas in the future.

AlraMidgaardia

This is the main plane of existence for the CoffeeMUD world. It is a FLAT PLANET, hundreds of miles thick and thousands of miles North-South and East-West. The sun orbits the planet in a west-to-east fashion.

Alramia

Alramia is the south-western most region of the western most continent on AlraMidgaadia. Alramian areas should have the feel of the civilized world. Most of the lands are explored, and many areas are settled and farmed. Humans are by far the most popular race in Alramian areas, with other races being viewed as outsiders. Alramian areas should be great for prostelitizing religions, researching magic, or stealing goods. Quests in Alramus often involve protecting goods/people from nefarious activities, defending from border raiders, or delivering cargo. Alramian areas should focus on Cleric, Mage, Bard and Fighter classes...although thieves would love to sink their hands on the riches that this august and ancient empire has amassed.

The Alramian Library is the -Library of Bella-, which has a max borrow 5, overdue 60 days, reclaim 120 days, overdue charge 20, daily charge .5.

Alram is the primary deity for the Alramia region.

Calinthia

Calinthia is the north-western most region of the western most continent on AlraMidgaardia. Calinthian areas should have the feel of an outpost on the edge of the world. The northern areas are often frigid wastelands, the southerly areas more temperate, but still unsettled. Calinthian areas would be ideal for rangers, barbarians, trappers and druids and should help gear these types of classes.

Cygnus is the primary deity for the Calinthia region.

Dark Continental

The continent to the east of AlraMidgaardia (continent) is referred to as the Dark Continent due to the seemingly primordial nature of the inhabitants there. Darkcontinentian areas are found on the eastern edge of the world. These areas are often lost civilizations or dark and twisted empires. These realms should have a feel of history or mystery, with plenty of evil adversaries, traps, and mysterious (read RANDOM) artifacts.

Kortamus is the primary deity for the Dark Continent.

Ven'rasyl

Ven'rasyl is the north-central section of the western most continent on AlraMidgaardia. Ven'rasyl areas should be focused on woodland creatures and elves. These forest extend from the frigid north of the continent to the temperate middle of the continent. Civilized areas are often beautiful testiments to coexistence with nature. Druids, Mages, Thieves and Rangers would find the most rewards from these areas.

Bella is the primary deity for the Ven'rasyl region.

Ocfollia

Ofcollia is the north-eastern section of the western most continent on AlraMidgaardia. Ofcollian areas are a war-stricken region where gangs of mobs run around in packs. These areas should focus on group tactics and have either ample population densities or quick refresh counters to give the feel of group warfare. Individuals may find it difficult to level in these areas due to the number of opponents, but groups should find the quantity and respawns a welcome reprise from the other areas of the world.

Malla is the primary deity for the Ofcollian region.

Thalosia

Thalosia is the south-eastern section of the western most continent on AlraMidgaardia. The Thalosian empire is one in decline, struggling to maintain its significance in the world. Mages, Thieves and Fighters will find the most reward in these areas. Players looking to maintain a GOOD alignment should look forward to the many EVIL inhabitants of these often corrupted areas, although a few bastions of good still remain.

Lorti is the primary deity for the Thalosian region.

NOTES: GenLibrarians in this region may be a part of the Thalosian Library (New and Old Thalos both have a branch).

Thera

Thera is the south-central section of the western most continent on AlraMidgaardia (that continent is also called AlraMidgaardia). Midgaard is the capitol of Thera. Theran areas should have the feel of old-school mudding. Areas are of a varied nature, and should try to provide challenges and gear for all classes equally.

Midgaard was a fledgling city when Thalos attempted to annex the lands of Thera almost 500 years ago. Midgaardians conspired with Goblins and Drow to sack Thalos, driving the Thalosians across the Sands of Sorrow to the east coast of the continent.

Paran is the primary deity for the Theran region.

Domhan Bol

The races that dwell beneath the surface are generically referred to as underworlders by the surface dwellers, who often fail to recognize the complex societies the exist without the sun. Domhan Bol areas should be subterrainian. Unlike the surface world, the Domhan Bol areas rarely form alliances greater than a single city, and often cities are at a constant civil war. Domhan Bol areas are best suited for races with darkvision, since light will rarely be provided. Delvers, fighters, clerics, mages and thieves are best suited for Domhan Bol areas.

Star Wars

This area should be remade for special events on 5/4 of each year.

Area Build Matrices

This section will be used to coordinate area development to ensure we have a consistent world and track some of the special features of the MUD. As you update your areas, check each of the following lists to see if they need modified.

• Player Recommended Areas Table - This is a player-centric sortable table.
• Area Completion Matrix - This matrix will show completion, levels, alignment
• Special Features Matrix - This matrix will show which areas advance key CoffeeMUD systems including: Conquest, Traps, Special Mobs, Ranged Mobs, Area Intro Quests, Quests, Unique items
• Regional Resources Matrix - This matrix shows which resources are closest to which cities, and available from resource vendors in those cities.
• Area Quests Matrix - This matrix shows which areas have quests of various sorts.

Guides

Loki's Keyword Color Guide

Whenever a room or MOB is informing characters of a MUD-specific detail, please use the following colors to indicate key words. Remember to end all color coding correctly, with a ^?.

Color	Code	Purpose
Cyan	^c	Commands and Abilities that you can find more information on in the HELP file
Yellow	^y	Special keywords to activate things, such as scripts, wands, or secret passages.
Green	^g	Adventure hooks and longer, important concepts (history/relationships/quest info).
Light Purple	^p	Item names/types
Dark Purple	^P	Currencies, Trains, Pracs, QPs, XP, etc.

• If you color-code a keyword, consider capitalizing the entire keyword as well, for users who don't use color, and to emphasize that word for users who use a screen-reader. Capitalizing a part of the word results in a strange pronunciation of the word.

Loki's Potion Guide

Potions and Pills (the edible potion) can provide players with temporary affects as if the ability from the potion were cast on the player by a caster of the potion's level. As such, the potion level does not need to be equal to the ability's qualifying level of a particular class, although the more powerful abilities should only be placed on higher level potions.

• The general rule of thumb is that a potion should be 5 levels higher than the LOWEST qualifying level of the ability it casts.
• The cost of a potion should be based on the ability's lowest qualifying level (Q), the potion's level (L) and sips available (S):
  • FinalCost=Q*Q*L*(0.9+0.1*S)
• For potions which cast multiple affects, calculate each affect separately, then add all costs together and multiply by the total number of affects.
• Keep in mind the final cost of the potion and how this affects the global economy as players will farm expensive items for resale.

Loki's Scroll Guide

Scrolls have a more limited use than potions since it requires an ability to use a scroll (and the scroll must be held), and as such, their price should reflect their utility.

• The general rule of thumb is that the level of a scroll should be at least the level of the LOWEST qualifying level of the ability it casts.
• The cost of a scroll is based on the abilty's lowest qualifying level (Q), the scroll's level (L) and the number of charges (C):
  • FinalCost=Q*Q*L*C/10
• For scrolls with multiple spells, simply add all the costs together.

Loki's Guide on MOB Wealth

In general, MOBs should not provide a huge amount of wealth to players, and money should not just be laying around waiting for players to take it.

• Most mobs should have money less than or equal to their level * 10.
• Most mobs should have a total equipment cost less than or equal to their level *100.

Loki's Guide on Item Power Level

Character classes are designed with the premise that players will have level-appropriate non-magical equipment in each available wear location as they level. Builder-created items can overcome the normal balance of MUD mechanics by modifying aspects of items to create very powerful items. This can have many detrimental effects to overall gameplay, despite players enjoying the added boost to their specific character:

• Player crafted items from Artisans, Arcanists and others become less valuable, and those classes cannot compete with other classes.
• Certain playstyles are encouraged (only using wands, for example) which limits the diversity of the MUDworld.

As such, items should maintain a balance while still striking a desirability of attaining better quality items.

Power Level Formula

When an armor or weapon is created, the MUD tries to balance the power level to be equal to the item level. This is attained in several ways:

• In command line, whenever the item level is changed from level 0 to the correct level, the MUD will automatically scale the items characteristics to a level-appropriate piece of gear based on Appendix C of the Archon's Guide.
• In the MUDGrinder, the RESCORE button next to the item's level will force this same check.

Other items should balance their utility based off of this concept. Potions and scrolls should limit their utility accordingly; low level wands should not be created with high-level spells; Rideables should balance any abilities they provide, etc. When in doubt of the power/benefit of a modifier, check the Archon's Guide Appendix C for some comparative values.

Item Distribution

Each area should contain level-appropriate items, meaning that the level of the items should be within the range of levels of the mobs. The power level of the items may vary somewhat, and more powerful items should have a limited distribution so that players are encouraged to explore ALL areas, not just areas with the best gear. The following table outlines the recommended distribution (as a percentage of total items in the area) for items of specific power levels. The abbreviations IL for item's level, and PL for the item's power level are used to make the table more readable.

Power Ranking	Power Level Formula	Maximum Distribution	Notes
Super Powerful	PL => 2.0 * IL	0.5%	Only use for IL<10 or IL=91
Extremely Powerful	1.6 * IL > PL => 1.8 * IL	1%
Very Powerful	1.4 * IL > PL => 1.6 * IL	5%
Highly Powerful	1.2 * IL > PL => 1.4 * IL	10%
Average Power	1.2 * IL > PL => 0.8 * IL	80%
Weak	PL < 0.8 * IL	90%

Very low level items (Items below level 10) may bump the Super Powerful category frequently, but need to be balanced very carefully. The expectation is that a player will want to replace each piece at least once every 10 levels. At end-game levels, Super Powerful items should have prop_itembinder to prevent them from being transferred to other characters. In this way, level 91 characters may still "progress" via item upgrades from tougher and tougher challenges.