KettleBuildingTips

CoffeeMUD
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=CoffeeMUD Builder Information=
Basics	Praetor     Player Support     Commands     Zapper Masks	Advanced	Races     Classes     Abilities     Socials     Scripting
Building	Behaviors     Properties     Areas     Rooms     Exits     Items     Mobs	Systems	Achievements     Crafting     Help Info     Ships     Planes of Existence     Quests     Triumphs

I tend to do most everything in game, using the command line, so the commands below all relate to this instead of the grinder.

Mob Notes

normal rejuv timers for a mob are 4 or 5 times the level in ticks (so level 90 would be 360-450 ticks / 30ish minutes)

MOB Wealth : $ <= L * 10, total equipment cost <= L * 100

players like mating with things. by default give mobs something covering waist and legs, make it non-removable if you don't want them to mate at all. if you want to quickly cloth a mob, use ORDER MOBNAME OUTFIT and that will generally cloth them in the default clothes for that race.

if the mob is undead, use create GenUndead instead of create GenMob, then set the race they used to be.

attack should be at least the level of the mob (will hit a mage regularly), double level (will hit a thief regularly) or 5 x level (will hit a fighter somewhat regularly)

when mobs have CombatAbilities or Fighterness or Mageness or similar they tend to spam their mana and movement abilities, so make sure they have appropriate movement and mana or set the min/max on the property (ie Min=2 mean they use an ability every other round). when you're using CombatAbilities to make them use specific skills, try to balance out their mana using moves with move using moves.

if you give a mob spells or skills, and they don't have a Classness (ie Fighterness) behaviour, you need to give them CombatAbilities for them to use their skills and abilities

if a mob is really hard to fight, use Prop_ModExperience to give the player a bit more xp for killing it. when you have a mob that gives high xp, use Prop_Uncampable on the room to stop it from respawning if the player is just sitting there waiting for it (mobs that have a Fighterness (or similar) are harder to take down - Prop_ModExperience with +10 to 20% XP for these)

XP is only one motivator: an achievement that you can get if you are below a certain level and kill the mob, mob has a highly unique item, mob has lots of money, mob provides a title if you kill it..

Prop_NewDeathMsg is great and should be used more.

Faithhelper with 0 mobs set will just change a mob's faith without making it help other mobs or players

the Amputation (body part) effect removes limbs from a mob

use ArtisanalFocus on mobs to give them a specific artisan class (so your farmer mobs can be farmers, your armorsmiths can be smiths) - choices are Farmer, Rancher, Smith, Tailor, Sculptor, Prospector, Chef, Carpenter, Architect or Artist.

the Mobile prop makes mobs randomly cruise around the area - if you want to set up an area within your area that they're going to be in you can either use the leash=# parameter (ie leash=3 means they only go three rooms from their start room) or you can make rooms with Prop_ReqNoMob that they can't get through to block them in somewhere. you can give them the opendoors parameter if you want them to open doors when they're moving around.

you can use the WanderHomeLater behavior on mobs to make them go back to their starting rooms once in a while (like for guards if they get pushed out of the room, or for mobile mobs, or any mob that is supposed to be in a room) any mob that has WIMPY set should also have WanderHomeLater

the Patroller prop is good for guards and any mob that you want to walk a set path instead of just randomly like with mobile

Prop_ClosedDayNight can be used to make a mob disappear during the day or night, or only appear during certain times

Aggressive (MISBEHAVE) can be used on animals, so that if they are charmed or made into a pet or follower they still attack the player

ranged mobs need ammo (for slingshots or bows), multiple weapons for thrown (adding the Returning spell is a nice effect, but these should be pretty rare), and a melee weapon for when they get out of ranged range.

Room Notes

"Pub", "Tavern", "Bar" are the words in a room title that make it so RP characters can logout there.

if something is mentioned in the description, you should use a GenWallpaper item in the room to make it so that players can look at it. when you longlook in the room, the name of the GenWallpaper will appear a different color - so if the words in the name have been used multiple times in the description they will all appear blue. if you NULL the display on the GenWallpaper it won't appear as an item and you can only see it's there from the different color room text in longlook. if you NULL out a display on an item it has the same affect but gives you an actual item to interact with. LONGLOOK in the room will display the blended object.

Prop_Roomview & Prop_Roomwatch can be used for exits, windows, portals, items, &c to give the player a view of another room. the roomview prop can be set for just longlook, for ranged attacks to work through the view (one way only - from player to viewed room), or with the OUT parameter so that it always views the room outside of the item (ie., like for transport).

you can make a room Prop_Hidden to stop WISHing into it if it's got Prop_NoTeleportIn

the ResourceOverride behavior on rooms lets you choose what resource players will get from gathering there (ie farms and fields)

Spell_GhostSound can make a room sound spooky easily.

Prop_RoomDark makes a room always dark, even if it's outside.

mazerooms are not good with having items in them. if you put mobile mobs in the first maze room they'll wander around the maze.

if there are tough and especially aggressive mobs in an area, the main entrances should have a GenReadable that explains this (usually in RP terms like "warning! pirates have been seen roaming the area! signed, the queen") + the first room should be Prop_ReqNoMOB so players can flee from the area if they want

the VARIES tag in room descriptions is great (ie <VARIES>You stand before the Dragon's Head on the blue cobblestones that give this street its name, <NIGHT>incredible smells wafting out from the east</NIGHT><ELSE>the door to the east shut up tight for the day</ELSE>)

having Prop_RoomUnmappable(NOEXPLORE) on a room means it doesn't count toward the 100% explore rate

Item Notes

a piece of gear should generally have a power level no more than twice the level of the item. if it's more powerful than that it should be hard to get (ie quest reward or hard boss fight)

super powerful / hard to get items could have Prop_ItemBinder(TO=CHARACTER MESSAGE='This is now bound to the owner!") so they can't be given away of shared. you can use TO=ACCOUNT to bind it to an account so they can share with other characters on their account list.

if you make a builder item just for you (ie gives you Pocket or Lore or anything for testing, or a giant bag for stuff) use the Prop_ItemBinder to bind it to you.

'colors in text?' when you use a color in a name make sure to use ^? to end the color tag, or it bleeds over into descriptions and the like. remember that most items that can be remade can also be coloured - so if you make a "yellow necklace" that an artisan can learn and remake, then it can end up as a "snow-white yellow necklace", which should be avoided. if you really want to make a colored item, make that item Prop_Nocraftability and possibly have a similar item nearby without the colour for an artisan to make if they want it.

for stuff you intend the player to take (especially keys) set a rejuv of around 300.

Prop_NoCraftability means a player can't learn an item even if they disenchant it.

if you make an item really heavy (fountains, walls, statues) then players will often scrap it for the resources, which will destroy the item. you can avoid this by giving the item Prop_AbilityImmunity(Scrapping).

if you don't want a player to know the details of a magic item, use Prop_AbilityImmunity(Thief_Lore;Spell_IdentifyObject).

for containers with food in them (including trees or plants), add Prop_Icebox to the container so the food doesn't go off (also make it ungettable so that players don't steal a food source and keep it in their inventory).

the GenFountain item doesn't have to be a fountain (ie water barrels, sinks, waterfalls, leaks, busted pipes, ponds, pools).

never give a piece of gear Prop_ModExperience (unless it LOWERS xp - in that case it should be pretty clear what it does).

any item that gives a player a skill or ability while worn should generally be either a reward from a really hard boss or sold for a QP by a merchant somewhere (especially for skills and spells over level 25).

resistance on gear (ie Prop_WearResister & Prop_HaveResister) adds a power level of around 3 levels per 5% - though doesn't appear on the actual power level of the item when you are trying to balance the item. giving an item magic resistance is a HUGELY MASSIVE bonus to have.

if there's a reward item for a quest, or an item that's needed to be worn for a quest, remember that a lot of player races don't have a BODY slot because they have wings.

capes should being worn on the BACK and cloaks should worn on the BODY.

all jewellery should have a base armor of 0.

if a piece of clothing is super fancy it can have the Spell_WellDressed effect.

'equipment layers?' normal clothing is all level -1. tattoos and piercings are -5 / hose, leotards and hairpieces are -4 / socks, all undergarmets, corsets, garder belts and jewelry are -3 / teeshirts, camise, nightshirts and collars are -2 / normal leather and *chain* armors and mitts are 0 (default layer) / normal *plate* armors, coats, jackets and boots are 1 / cloaks, robes, scarves, overcoats, trenchcoats and cowlsare 2 / sleeping bags, body bags, heaumes and golashes are 3.

clothing in adjacent layers can't be worn together (ie layer 1 clothing won't go over layer 0 clothing, but will over layer -1 clothing). multiwear means can be worn on the same layer or adjacent layers and seethru means you can see the layers underneath it.

the CLASS restrictions for gear only apply to the HEAD, ARMS, TORSO, WAIST and LEGS. keep that in mind when making gear in an area so that you make gear equally for cloth, leather, metal wearing classes.

potions, pills, and scrolls should be sold using a specific setup -- Potions and Pills : level = LOWEST qualifying level of ability + 5, FinalCost=QLevel*QLevel*PotionLevel*(0.9+0.1*Sips). for multiple effects = calculate each effect separately, add all costs together, multiply by total number of effects. Scrolls : level = LOWEST qualifying level of the ability, FinalCost=QLevel*QLevel*Level*Charges/10. multiple spells = add all costs together

when an item is on a mob, REJUV means percent chance the mob has that on load.

chests and doors

whenever something is lockable you always have to have a key code, even if there's no key available (in that case i use the room name or a description or what it is). if it has a blank key code then players can use Locksmithing to create a "blank" key that will open all items that don't have a code.

To make it harder to open, you can use Prop_AbilityImmunity(Play_Cymbals;Thief_Pick;Spell_Knock). often magic-proof locks can be picked by mundane means, and vice versa, but some items could definitely have all three. these kinds of items should always have a key available, or a way to get the lock open.

set the level on a door to the level of the area -- that way lower level thieves can't pick it. if you want to make it trickier for some reason you can give it the Spell_WizardLock effect on top of that.

if a mob has a key that drops to open something, give the GenKey item Prop_ItemNoRuin - otherwise there's a chance when you kill them it gets ruined so it can't be used.

a hidden door disposition implies deception, invisible implies magic.

Merchant Notes

price of -1 = CM prices it for you, -101 to -999 is QP, -1001 and further is XP.

merchants should generally be fightable. if you give them ProtectedCitizen then guards in the area can come and help them if they're being attacked - in this case, give them low damage and high health, so that the guards have time to come assist them before they die. (generally 40-44 hp modifier, double their default armor, half damage and lower attack)

always give merchants darkvision (for drows with the globe of darkness active). merchants should usually be able to see sneaking at least, so they can react to players buying stuff from them.

if a merchant is deaf you won't be able to buy from them. if a merchant is mute or has something covering their mouth, players won't be able to use the VIEW command to see item descriptions before they buy.

as a rule they should have Prop_NoCharm, Spell_Anchor, Spell_CharmWard, Spell_SummoningWard -- this stops them from being ordered around or moved from their shop.

if the merchant is in a tavern you can set up Bard Pubfinding XP in the room by having a non-mobile GenShopkeeper who sells beverages with the Poison_Liquor affect

does the merchant live somewhere? Prop_ClosedDayNight can be set up so they go back to their room. if there's a bed there, they will sleep if you have the SLEEP parameter, otherwise they could just go hang out somewhere (give them the SHOPMSG parameter then). remember that if they live far away they'll take a little while to walk to their store to open it in the morning.

resource selling

smelted metals shouldn't be sold by merchants. limited resources should have a 18000 tick rejuv rate (one mud-month) resources should be sold in either 10 or 100 stacks by a merchant

each area has a setup for what resources are common within it -- the area resource matrix. use this list to figure out what should be sold in your area (ie the normal priced resources) and what would be seen as rare for that area (ie limited quantities and more expensive than usual if it's being sold there).

Law Notes

areas with laws generally need: guards, a judge, an executioner (can be the judge), and jail cells.

if the area you are making has law then you can use the ProtectedCitizen prop to set up which npcs will be assisted by the guards if they're attacked. usually merchants will always have this (see the merchant note section) eg.. ProtectedCitizen(radius=20 MAXASSISTS=2;Help! Cavaliers, help!;,screams for protection!;I'm being assaulted! Assist me!)

for jailcells - Prop_NoRecall, Prop_NoTeleportOut, Spell_GhostSound (oo spooky), Prop_NoTeleport, Prop_NoSummon, Prop_PeaceMaker, Prop_NoChannel, Prop_AbilityImmunity(Spell_PassDoor) (and Prop_NoTell if you wanna be really mean).

Random Notes

always try to work out the purpose of an area before you start building, and what level range it is supposed to be for. it helps to have a drawn out map when both creating an from scratch and remaking an area.

take notes of where your mobs are (especially a MOBILE mob's starting room).

having an admin room in the area you're building really helps - one for testing stuff, and one for items and mobs that are scripted to be pulled into a room for players. these rooms should have Effects: Prop_NoTeleport, Prop_Hidden, Prop_RoomUnmappable(NOEXPLORE).

when you create your admin room, have something like a readable GenWallpaper to explain what the theme of the area is about, or any details another builder might need - think about what would happen if the area needs work and you're not around anymore.

for descriptions and mobs that talk with scripts, generally it's -- 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.