::: Weapons document, August 1993 Angel :::
Weapons are just one of the many tools utilized by players in the
game. It is very important to understand the usage of them so
that global conformity can be maintained. All over it will mean
a better MUD, and better play for the players who visit.
void set_short(string short)
When a player sees an item first, in a room, or in a monsters
inventory this is what he sees. The short of the sword should
be simply the type of weapon it is, and perhaps a small amount
of description. EG - set_short("A golden shortsword");
void set_long(string long)
Simply put, this is what the player sees when he looks
at the weapon. This should be where the information about
what it looks like, its condition, etc is. HOWEVER, if the
weapon is magical in nature donot give away its properties
or its use in the long. This kind of information goes into
the set_info(string info). Hints, however, can be given. EG -
a longsword may have in its blade the word 'orc slayer' or
'demon bane' or 'dragon slayer' etched into the blade. The
exact nature of the item should only be granted through
the use of magics which give access to query_info()
void set_info(string info)
This contains the special player information within a weapon.
It should tell the player about magical command words for
special spells the weapon can cast, or special spells or
abilities is grants the wielder.
void set_type(string valid_type)
string query_type()
There are several weapon types, each giving mesages according
to the type of damage it deals out. If a valid_type is not set
then the attack messages given are those of hand to hand
combat.
Table 1. Table of valid weapon types.
-----------------------------------------------------
Name Descriptions
Thrust Spears, polearms, lance, etc
Crush Mace, flail, club
Slash Typical swords
Cleave Two handed swords, bastard swords
-----------------------------------------------------
string *set_attack_msg(string *msg)
string *query_attack_msg()
When you set the type, there are default weapon attack messages. If
however you wish to customise your own weapon attack messages, use
set_attack_msg(({ "missed", "",
"smashed", "with a mighty blow",
"devastated", "\b, almost severing a limb",
verb, clause,
verb2, clause2,
etc...
}));
Notes: The backspace char '\b' so the comma ends up in right position.
All sentences are appended automatically with ".\n"
The array can be any size with the format,
attacker +" "+ verb +" "+ victim +" "+ clause +".\n"
You should still set type of weapon.
void set_length(int i)
int query_length()
The length of a weapon is set in inches, and used in
conjunction with two-weapon use, and the persons race.
Those races under 5' (gnomes, dwarves, halfling, etc)
cannot employ weapons over 60" in length. When a player
tried to wield two weapons (if he has a skill in 2 weapon
use) both lengths are added and divided by 6. If the total
is equal to, or less than the 2 weapon skill, then he is
allowed to wield both weapons.
Note: I don't think the racial length restriction is used any more.
void set_name(string name)
void set_alias(string othername)
All players have access to certian weapons depending on the
classes that they are currently in. Fighters are allowed to
wield anything, thieves only weapons they can wield in one hand
like short swords, daggers, longswords, and not two handed
swords, etc. Clerics can only wield crushing weapons, and mages
can hardly wield any weapons at all, save the staff and dagger.
When the name of the weapon is set it should be one of the
following (c.f table 2) valid names, and not, for example,
given as 'a short sword' or 'a short sword of light and
darkness'. The name is simply the name, and nothing else.
void set_wc(int wc)
void set_weight(int weight)
void set_value(int amount)
Making weapons similar in nature is also imporant. Players like
to know that when they pick up a longsword it will be very like
any other longsword they find. The WC given is a guideline, but
can be modified in either of the following ways -
1) If the description says it looks old, or rusty or badly
treated in some way, the the WC can be lowered by as much
as 5.
2) If the weapon is magical, then for each 'plus' of the
weapon you may add 1 to the WC to a maximum of 5. The
only acception is a 'defender' or 'holy avenger' weapons
which may be up to +6.
3) With regards to hit functions they must not make the
weapon have a total WC of more than double its orriginal.
The only cases for hit functions are against the
following monsters -
a) Certain alignment.
b) Certain races.
c) Certain name.
d) Spell casters
e) Where certain monsters are immune to a spell type.
EG - A sword might be a +1 longsword, but be +3 against fire
immune creatures and be double damage against fire elementals,
while also giving the player immunity to fire. Such a sword is
a total of 16. It does, however return a total WC of 12x2 and
so is calculated on the value list as price somwhere between
1200 and 6700, with weight between 6 and 9. The lighter the
weapon is, then obviously, the more expensive the weapon will
be.
Such magical weapons, infact any weapon over WC 15 should be
RARE and SCARCE, either being UNIQUE, part of a quest, or on
a very hard monster (level 15+) who also wields the weapon, or
atleast guards the weapon. You should never have more than a
few such weapons in all your files and areas.
Table 2. Table of valid weapon names by length and wc
--------------------------------------------------------------
TYPE NAME LENGTH WC Classes
--------------------------------------------------------------
SLASH Sickle 24" 9
Dagger 15" 8 M,T
Knife 12" 6 M,T
Scimitar 36" 10 T
Sword,
Broad 42" 12 T
Long 45" 13 T
Short 24" 10 T
Falchion 38" 12 T
Khopesh 38" 11 T
Rapier 48" 12 T
Sabre 45" 10 T
Cutlas 36" 11 T
PIERCE Halberd 60" 13
Lance 120"-168" 10
Ranseur 96" 11
Spear 60"-156" 10
Trident 48"-96" 10
Javelin 60"-160" 10
THRUST Dirk M,T
CRUSH Club 36" 9 C
Mace 36" 12 C
Flail 48" 10 C
Hammer 24" 11 C
War Hammer
Staff 72"-96" 12 M,C
Rod 40"-75" 10 M
Sap 6" 8 C,T
CLEAVE Battle Axe 48" 12
Hand Axe 24" 8
Sword,
Two Handed 72" 14
Bastard 54" 13
Morning Star 24" 9
Claymore 72" 14
CUSTOMISE (yourself with set_attack_msg())
Blowgun & darts* 1000" 5 M,T
Sling & stones* 1000" 7 M,C
Garrot 1000" 8 T
Lasso 180" ? C
Bow & Arrows* 1000" 10
*Range weapons- very limited usage may be allow, use is limited
amount of ammunition. Ammunition can NOT be bought in
shops. (Thus it must sell destruct).
*1000" - set the length to a ridiculus number, 1000, to indicate
that the weapon requires 2 hands to wield, and thus the
player cannot use two weapons.
Classes - Fighters can use any weapons. Mages are restricted to
weapons name has been set to those marked with M, similarily,
T for Thief, and C for Cleric.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Note: When setting the name it is to be in lower case, and in the
example of a space in the name do the following -
'set_name("bastardsword")' or 'set_name("battleaxe")'
Table 3. Weapon class of weapon by weight and value.
----------------------------------------------------
WC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
------------------------------------------------------
3 20 16 12 10 - - - - -
4 40 32 25 20 - - - - -
5 ? 80 64 50 40 - - - -
6 ? 140 110 90 70 - - - -
7 ? 200 160 130 100 - - - -
8 ? 350 280 275 180 - - - -
9 ? 500 400 320 260 - - -
10 ? 800 650 520 420 - - -
11 ? 1200 960 770 620 - - -
12 ? 1700 1300 1100 870 - - -
13 ? 2300 1800 1500 1180 - -
14 ? 3100 2500 2000 1600 - -
15 ? 4000 3200 2600 2100 - -
16 ? 5000 4000 3300 2600 - -
17 ? 6200 4400 3800 3000 -
18 ? 7300 5900 5000 4100 -
19 ? 8500 7000 6300 5300 -
20 ? 10000 9000 7700 6600 -
21+ ? 12000 9600 8200 7600
-------------------------------------------------------
NOTES - ? Possible ONLY with permission from ELDER.
- Not possible WC for this weight.
void set_modified(status flag)
If you change the weapon from the way it was orriginally
coded then you must set this flag. This includes sharpenning
or even blessing the weapon, increasing or decreasing the WC
weight, or value by any ammount.
void set_enchanted(status flag)
If the weapon has a higher WC value than that suggested in
the table then it is obviously of fine quality, or magical
in some way. If this is true, or the weapon has some other
ability that it can use, or grant to the wielder then this
flag should be set.
void set_sell_destruct(stauts flag)
status query_sell_destruct()
All magical items, quest items, and the like should be
destructed when sold at the shop. If you wish a certain
item to do this, then this flag should be set. Note that
in some cases such items default to return true when
sell_destruct is queried.
set_hit_func(this_object())
int weapon_hit(target) { function(); }
This enables different things to happen while the players
is in combat with this weapon. An increase in the damage of
the weapon as given in the example above can be coded here.
Note:
Calling hit_player() in weapon_hit() { } function in the weapon
is ILLEGAL!! It has a potential of stopping the players heart beat.
Any weapons which have it are to be removed.
Angel, August 1993.