#1411 Using World-Building Programs~ Various people have written programs to help builders create worlds offline without having to understand the complex details of the world file format. World-building programs are becoming more popular, especially the fancy graphical builders that run under Microsoft Windows. You may prefer to use one of them rather than trying to use a simple text editor to build offline and understanding the format on your own. New world-builders are constantly being written and released. The best I have yet to come across is CircEdit: @Chttp://ftp.m-l.org/pub/CircleMUD/contrib/olc/offline/@n Note : Very little help is available on how to use this program. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1412 D2 The main hallway with its many different topics is to the south. ~ ~ 0 0 1312 S #1412 Resources~ There are numerous resources out there for MUDs. Here are a few I have used in the past: Dictionaries: @Chttp://www.yourdictionary.com/ http://m-w.com/ @nOthers:@C http://msrp.com http://share1.esd105.wednet.edu/bishopcj/EYES_on_IKE/graph_templates.htm http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/areaswap http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/buildersclub http://Builder.listbot.com/ http://www.egroups.com/group/circle-newbies http://www.egroups.com/group/MUDbuilders http://dgscripts.listbot.com/ http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/warlocksrealm http://www.flatearth.com http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/codersclub Linux distribution with circleMUD, supposedly everything you need: @Chttp://mujweb.cz/www/vladon/@n ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1413 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1411 S #1413 Houses~ Some major misconceptions about houses. You do not set any flags for a house. Just use hcontrol to build the house, that is it. All the flags House, House_control and Atrium are for internal use only. When the house is created they will be set. Currently we do not use houses here. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1414 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1412 S #1414 Tips from Other Builders~ @CLance:@n When building, there are some things that separate a great builder from a weak builder. Items such as not using "you" in any descriptions, using Capitals in title (except for prepositions). For example, "Dracula's Room of Horrors" instead of "dracula's room of horrors." Some other common problems are: Not putting in Room Extra Descriptions (Command B) and not using /fi to format and indent after descriptions (in any of the edits and also in messages). To know the commands while writing a description, type /h. It will tell you what all the / commands do). @CSnowlock:@n Not everything present in my zone was in my original plan. I got a lot of ideas from everyday life, unexpectedly, rather than from a quest for a certain style or taste. The only thing significant that I think I've done, which most builders do not realize, is to keep my eyes open all the time, and look at ordinary things with a stranger's eyes, as if seeing them for the first time. Thus the descriptions do not end up as a list of boring details, but rather, exclamations of wonderful, magical, and perhaps even horrible things yet to be noticed. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1415 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1413 S #1415 Tips from Elaseth~ An in-depth document by Elaseth can be found under @RHELP STYLISTICS@n. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1416 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1414 S #1416 More Ideas~ When building rooms, try to allow characters some freedom of movement. Do not create paths and trails that force you to go a certain way without any choices. Try and let characters get from point A to point B in a number of different ways, if possible. One suggestion for this is to have one pathway through part of your area, using exit, extra, and room descriptions to show where the path lies. This way, observant players will be able to find the path easily, whereas those players that are not quite as observant will get lost much more easily. Such hints can be hidden two or three extra descriptions deep and be as small as a scrape on the side of a tree, a thread on a bush, or whatever. Remember that for working two-way doors, the rooms on each side must have matching door flags, doors, and zone commands to close them. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1420 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1415 S #1420 &)%#*@()$$ Typo's!!!~ I Have been noticing alot of typos. There is no excuse for this. Get a dictionary. Plain and simple, if you are going to build you will need one. Here are a few resources to help you with your typo's: From Manivo @Cwww.babylon.com@n Babylon is a dictionary containing many languages in it, and a LOT more available for download. I do mean a lot, they even have Klingon... The sweet thing about it is that you can right-click a word in your screen, and it will translate it automatically. You can also, of course, enter words manually. Once you download the program and a language pack, you can use it both on and offline, so it's great if you're on a dialup and are using some offline editor program. The downside though is that it's not freeware. Though in it's demo-state it WILL translate english, so it's still a 'good buy'. Another resource is @Cwww.dictionary.com@n - This one's like any other online dictionary, but its usefulness comes in the form of a typo- checker. When you suspect you didnt type a word in correctly, or your memory regarding the spelling of a word is a bit foggy, you can enter it there, and it will return all the words that are a close match to the spelling of what you entered. Useful! From Rumble @Cwww.m-w.com@n This is what I use. It is a web-based dictionary and thesaurus, so you do not have to download anything. Of course this means you cannot use it offline. It is only in english. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1313 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1416 S #1421 Hall of The Storytellers~ Welcome to those who would wish to write elegantly, and create wondrous places in the hearts and minds of mud players. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D0 ~ ~ 0 0 1422 D3 ~ ~ 0 0 1312 S #1422 Hall of The Storytellers~ Stories have captivated human beings for thousands of years. And mud players are human beings... So let's get with the program! ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D0 ~ ~ 0 0 1424 D2 ~ ~ 0 0 1421 S #1423 Welcome to The Builder's Academy~ Your first task is to apply for builder status at: http://welcor.n3.net/application.htm When you finish and submit the application tell anyone level 32 or higher and they will advance you to begin your training. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 S #1424 But You Promised!~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D0 ~ ~ 0 0 1429 D1 ~ ~ 0 0 1428 D2 ~ ~ 0 0 1422 D3 ~ ~ 0 0 1425 S #1425 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D1 ~ ~ 0 0 1424 D4 ~ ~ 0 0 1426 S #1426 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D1 ~ ~ 0 0 1427 D5 ~ ~ 0 0 1425 S #1427 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. @@@rr@YY@ @w@ @R@@@q ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D3 ~ ~ 0 0 1426 D5 ~ ~ 0 0 1428 S #1428 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D3 ~ ~ 0 0 1424 D4 ~ ~ 0 0 1427 S #1429 Beginnings, Middles and Endings~ <NULL>~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D0 ~ ~ 0 0 1430 D2 ~ ~ 0 0 1424 S #1430 Point of View~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D1 ~ ~ 0 0 1434 D2 ~ ~ 0 0 1429 D3 ~ ~ 0 0 1431 S #1431 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D1 ~ ~ 0 0 1430 D4 ~ ~ 0 0 1432 S #1432 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D1 ~ ~ 0 0 1433 D5 ~ ~ 0 0 1431 S #1433 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D3 ~ ~ 0 0 1432 D5 ~ ~ 0 0 1434 S #1434 New BuildWalk Room~ This unfinished room was created by Fyre. ~ 14 0 0 0 0 0 D3 ~ ~ 0 0 1430 D4 ~ ~ 0 0 1433 S #1435 A Quick Mob Quest Tutorial~ See: @RHELP TRIGEDIT-MOB-TUTORIAL@n @RSTAT QUESTMASTER@n. Notice the attached triggers. @RTSTAT 1400@n. ~ 14 de 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1437 D1 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1436 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1395 S #1436 A Quest Room~ In this room you may be able to finish the Mob Quest Tutorial. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D3 The questmaster awaits people to complete the example quest. ~ ~ 0 0 1435 S #1437 Advanced Trigedit Example~ Begin by @RSTAT GATEGUARD@n and then tstat each trigger individually to see what they do. This example follows the tutorial under @RHELP TRIGEDIT-ADVANCED-TUTORIAL@n. Including triggers 1404-1408. To pay the gateguard take the pile of coins, then: @RGIVE 10 COINS GUARD@n. ~ 14 de 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ gate~ 2 0 1439 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1435 S #1439 Another Example With Quest Variables~ These triggers are a little more complex. The complexity gives the builder more flexibility. By setting a variable on a player you can later call on these variables. The most basic usage is to set a quest as completed when the player is done. Another use would be to set something else like player_can_breathe_water and prevent a player from entering a certain room unless they have this variable set. To see what variables are set on a player simple stat that player. @RSTAT SELF@n. ~ 14 de 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1440 D1 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1441 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ gate~ 1 0 1437 S #1440 Trigger Help Files~ I have added extensive help files on every type of trigger. Please use them and give feedback. The easiest way to get to them all is through: @RHELP TRIGEDIT-MENU, HELP TRIGEDIT-TYPE@n ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1311 D1 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1442 D2 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1439 S #1441 Quest Variables Example~ I used triggers 1409 thru 1412 to setup this example. Simply tstat each to see what they do. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D3 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1439 S T 1412 #1442 Another Example~ A beautiful bed lays here with the ability to restore life to those who use it. Once again @RSTAT BED@n to see what triggers are attached and then tstat each trigger individually to see what it does. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D3 The tutorial hallway continues. ~ ~ 0 0 1440 S #1498 Welcome to The Builder's Academy~ A builder is a term usually used to describe a person who designs MUD zones for other characters to explore. Any player with motivation, ideas, and good writing style can be a builder as well as a player. As a Builder, your job is to create the virtual world in which players can roam around, solve puzzles, find treasures, and gain experience. A Builder creates the rooms, objects, mobs, shops, and triggers with which players will interact. If this is something you are interested in doing then you have come to the right place. Be warned, building is not easy and will require hard work, patience, and the ability to take constructive criticism. Your first task is to apply for builder status at: http://www.geocities.com/buildersacademy/application.htm When you finish and submit the application tell anyone level 32 or higher and they will advance you to begin your training. ~ 14 de 0 0 0 0 S #1499 The End of the Hallway~ You completed a hallway. Great Job!!! Hope you are not bored to death yet, this is just the beginning. Remember, if you don't understand something ask. Do not try to just figure it out on your own later through trial and error. Now, Quickly check your pulse to make sure you are still alive and then drive-on. Many more things yet to cover. Keep with me and keep on reading. Go north to return to the beginning of the academy and tackle another hallway. ~ 14 d 0 0 0 0 D0 ~ ~ 0 0 1300 S $~