4.1 Creating a new mobileIf the mobile you want to create doesn't already exist, create it with the @NEW MOBILE command. Creating a new mobile will also set it as the mobile you are working on. Please use your virtual numbers assigned to you in order. Don't leave large gaps between used virtual numbers.
4.2 Loading an existing mobile to be edittedIf you want to edit an existing mobile, use the @LOAD MOB command. Switching between mobiles to edit does not lose unsaved changes.
4.3 Examining mobilesThe mobile is created with default descriptions and stats and is loaded into your modification buffer. You can see the mobile's status with the @EXAMINE MOBILE command:
4.4 Describing mobilesWe are going to create a gate guard for the citadel. We will need to describe how this mobile will appear during the different parts of game play such as appearing in a room, moving around and combat.The first thing we will need to do is provide the mobile with keywords. These keywords are what players use to interact with the mobile with commands like "look", "kill" or "steal". Do not capitalize keywords. Even if the mobile has a proper name such as "Quenyarhun", you would give the mobile at least the keyword "quenyarhun". Multiple keywords as separated by a single space. These keywords are usually found in the other descriptive texts for the mobile such as their long name. Using the @NAME MOBILE command we will give the guard some keywords such as "guard" and "man". Next, we will set the short name of the mobile with the @SHORT MOBILE command. This is the string used by the game to display the actions of the mobile during events such as combat or spell casting. The short name is not a complete sentence and can be a proper name. Examples include "an orc", or "the fearsome lava beast". If the mobile has a proper name go ahead and capitalize it, like "Quenyarhun". The long name of the mobile is used by the game to display the mobile in the contents of a room. Long names are complete sentences with capitalization and punctuation. They are typically one sentence in length and fit inside 80 character columns. It is helpful to have at least one of the keywords in the mobile's long name appear in the mobile's keyword list. The @LONG MOBILE opens up the multi-line editor. Enter the long name and then enter an "@" on a line by itself to leave the editor. Finally we will enter the mobile's description with the @DESCRIBE MOBILE command which opens up the multi-line editor. Enter the description and then enter an "@" on a line by itself to leave the editor. Mobile descriptions are blocks of text that are one or more complete sentences that are not indented. End your lines before column 80 so it doesn't wrap in terminals. Please your descriptions short and to the point. 3 to 5 sentences is enough to get your point across. After you've entered in your strings, don't forget to check your spelling with the @SPELL MOBILE command.
4.5 Level and default combat statsOur guard is going into an area designed for levels 10 through 15. We are going to make this guard level 11 with the @MOB LEVEL command. Then we set his default stats with the @MOB DEFAULT command which sets the mobile's armor class (AC), to hit armor class zero (THAC0), and bare-hand damage dice. The default settings are used to set the mobile's power in combat for balance purposes. We want all of level 11 mobiles in the game to be roughly the same difficulty.
4.6 Tweaking level and combat statsAlthough it is highly recommended to use the default combat stats for a mobile's level, you can change them individually.
Armor Class (AC)Armor Class (AC) is the mobile's rating of how much armor and spell protection it has for melee combat. Someone wearing a flanel shirt is much less protected than someone wearnig a suit of chain mail armor. The lower the AC, the better their protection is. AC ranges from -10 to 10. In the game, this number is reflected as a multiple of 10 (-100 to 100). AC is used in combat to determing if they get hit at each round of melee combat. Use the @MOB AC command to change the mobile's Armor Class.
To Hit AC 0 (THAC0)To Hit AC 0 (THACO) reflects the base chance a mobile has of hitting in melee combat. The opponent AC and the mobile THAC0 are used in calculating the mobile's chance of hitting. The lower the THAC0, the better chance the mobile has of hitting its opponent. THAC0 ranges from 0 to 20. Use the @MOB THACO command to change the mobile's THAC0.
HitpointsHitpoints is a dice roll to determine how much health a mobile will start out with when loaded in the game. Hitpoints have a current and max value. When the current value of a mobile's hitpoints reaches 0, it is stunned. When it reaches -10, it is dead. The higher the hitpoints a mobile has, the more difficult it is to kill. Use the @MOB HITPOINTS command to set the mobile's hitpoints.
Bare-hand damageBare-hand damage is a dice roll to determine how much damage a mobile will inflict on a succesful melee combat hit. Bare-hand damage is not used it a mobile is wielding a weapon, instead the damage dice for the weapon object is used. The higher the bare-hand damage average roll value, the more powerful the mobile is. Use the @MOB DAMAGE command to set the mobile's bare-hand damage. The bare-hand damage type shows up as a "hit" in command. If you wish to have your mobile use a different bare-hand attack type, use the @CREATE MOB_ATTACK command to create custom attack type with associated damage dice. If you do use a custom attack, be sure to zero out the bare-hand attack setting so it doesn't show up in combat.
4.7 AlignmentThe gate guard is guarding the citadel which is a fortress of protection against evil. He is one of the "good guys" so we'll give him a high alignment with the @MOB ALIGN command setting to 1000. Remember that alignment is broken down roughly into three groups: good (1000 to 350), neutral (349 to -349), and evil (-350 to -1000). Alignment modification of players is a function of the difference in alignment and difference of levels for the two opponents in combat. In nutshell, killing good aligned mobiles close to your level will make you evil, and vice-versa.Mobiles of polar alignments can be affected by align-specific spells. The clerical spells "dispel good", "detect good" and "projection from good" only works against mobiles that are of good alignment. Objects that are anti-good cannot he equipped by mobiles that are of good alignment. Good aligned mobiles are given a "blue aura", evil mobiles appear with a "red aura".
4.8 ClassThe gate guard is human so we'll set his class to humanoid with the @MOB CLASS command. The class of a mobile determines whether or not their corpse is edible.
Currently available mobile classes:
4.9 GoldSince civilized humans tend to carry around a bit of gold from time to time, we'll have him load with 30 coins using the @MOB GOLD command. Gold should be relative to level of the mobile. The balance matrix should be consulted first before setting gold on a mobile. Also, gold should be realistic in the sense that a dog or a lizard is probably not going to be carrying any gold around. In other words, don't give gold to mobiles that wouldn't normally be carrying gold. Use the value 0 to have the mobile loaded without any gold.
4.10 Position and default positionMost gate guards spend their time standing. At least they should be standing. However, you can customize the position they are loaded into the game by setting their position and default position with the commands @MOB POSITION and @MOB DEFAULT_POS respectively. The difference is that the games uses the position placeholder for in-game position. The default position is a setting for how the mobile loads into the game what they revert back to should they find themselves in another position (affected by mage "sleep" spell). If you want your mobile to enter and stay in the game in a position other than standing, change them both to the desired position.
4.11 GenderAlso, the guard is a male human so we'll set his sex with the @MOB SEX command. Sex has no direct impact on any game functions other than pronoun usage in mobile actions.
4.12 SizeHumans have a height that is typically taller than that of the default mob size. Use the @MOB SIZE command to set his size to 6. Size impacts combat in ways such that the number of relatively large creatures is lower when attacking relatively small creatures. For example, fewer humans can attack a dog at the same time but more humans can attack a dragon. Relative size also determines whether or not warriors can kick or bash an opponent. Size also determines ability to move around in a tunnel room. Smaller creatures may not be restricted in movement direction in a line inside a room flagged as tunnel.
4.13 MoveWhen a mobile travels from room to room it displays their movement type. The default is walking, however some mobiles such as snakes and birds don't exactly walk when they move around. A custom movement type can be set using the @MOB MOVE command. A mobile can only have one movement type assigned to it. Please use mobile movement types that are geographically (fish swim in water) and physically (fish don't walk).
4.14 Custom attack typesBy default, mobiles are given bare-hand damage dice. This attack type shows up as "hit" in combat. However, some mobiles such as wolves and bees have a different attack type. Using the @CREATE MOB_ATTACK command you can assign one or more attack types and their respective damage dice. Adding additional attack types does not automatically replace the existing bare-hand attack type. If you wish to have the new attack type(s) added replace the existing bare-hand attack you will need to zero it out by setting the damage dice values to 0 using the @MOB DAMAGE command. You can get a list of available custom attack types by typig "wizhelp @create mob_attack."
Currently available mobile custom attack types:
4.15 Assigning action flagsDifferent mobiles should behave different depending on what they are, where they are and who they are interacting with. Using the @FLAG ACT command we can assign action flags to customize the mobile behavior and attributes.
4.16 Action flags explainedMobile behavior can be set using one or more of the mobile action flags set with the @FLAG ACT command. Mobiles can have more than one action flag. Unwanted action flags can be removed by calling the @FLAG ACT command with an "!" placed in front of the flag to be removed. The more enhancing action flags a mobile has, the more experience points it is worth.
4.17 Assigning affection flagsMobiles that would affected by certain spells and/or skills can be set using the @FLAG AFFECT command. The spell affects of these flags are permanent in nature, unless the mobile becomes affected by something like the mage spell "dispel magic". The more enhancing affection flags a mobile has, the more experience points it is worth.
4.18 Affection flags explainedMobile affections can be set using the @FLAG AFFECT command. These affect flags are similar to being affected by certain spells. Mobiles can have more than one affection flag. Unwanted flags can be removed by calling the @FLAG AFFECT command with an "!" placed in front of the flag to be removed.
4.19 Assigning resistance flagsMobiles that would not be affected by certain spells and combat types can be set using the @FLAG RESISTANCE command. The resistance affects of these flags are permanent in nature. The more resistance flags a mobile has, the more experience points it is worth.
4.20 Resistance flags explainedMobile resistances can be set using the @FLAG RESISTANCE command. Mobiles can have more than one resistance flag. Unwanted flags can be removed by calling the @FLAG RESISTANCE command with an "!" placed in front of the flag to be removed.
4.21 Finding unused mobilesSometimes when creating large areas, the virtual number you left off at can become lost. You can find unused mobile virtual numbers with the @FIND command.
4.22 Executing commands across multiple mobilesUse the @NUMBERS MOBILE command to execute a single command across multiple mobiles. This is useful when forgetting an action flag that needs to placed in all mobiles in a given section of your area. A command response will be returned for each command executed.
4.23 Scripting mobile commandsMobiles can be made to execute action commands as if their were "forced" to do them. Use the @SCRIPT command open a line editor to enter in individual commands for the mobile to execute. The commands will be executed as if the mobile typed them. The commands will be executed at random and at limited interval. If you wish to have an action performed more than others, include it more than once in the list.
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< O:-1 M:-1 R:14002 > @save mobile Saving mobile index to file. < O:-1 M:-1 R:14002 > |