Re: The CircleMUD with it all

From: Mattias Larsson (ml@eniac.campus.luth.se)
Date: 08/01/95


On Tue, 1 Aug 1995, Lincoln Chan wrote:

> Ephraim J. Lindquist writes:
> 
> > Ok you CircleMUD Imps.  If you want to see all the best of circleMUD
> > including aliases, autoloot, autogold, autokill, great utilitys, great
> > worlds, MOBPrograms (meaning a special MOB setup so you can easily add in
> > special proc without the hassle, just go on and poke the guard or smile at
> > some mobs), seriously hacked code, and one of the best God staff availible
> > come and check out AnotherWorld.
> >
> > AnotherWorld
> > eniac.campus.luth.se Port 4000
> > Rating: ****

> HAH!  You mean to tell me you haven't put in autoplayer yet?

Well.. Ephraim J. Lindquist doesnt have anything to do with the MUD, so 
dont ask him.

I'm the Implementor on AnotherWorld and I do all the code. I didnt write 
the message you are responding to, but I would like to explain my MUD 
before I get more "HAH!" comments ;)

Why the autos?

Because my goal is to make sure that people without clients doesnt get 
disadvantages against players with fast links and clients. 

Things like autorecall have saved many overseas players with slow links, 
whereas a swedish player with a fast link and a client would always have 
survived. I dont think there is anything wrong with putting client 
features directly into the MUD.

autokill, I didnt know I implemented that. Maybe he is referring to the 
fact that you finish off mobs rather then let them lie on the ground 
bleeding? (Which is, as you all know, standard in Circle). I've changed 
it so that mobiles stop pounding on players when they reach POS_STUNNED 
or lower, to give the clerics a chance to save them.

--------- To all who are interested in what I *have* implemented -------
(and also a bit about what my MUD is about :)

COMBAT: The combat system is built upon certain weapontypes, that you can 
train. The speed of your weapon depends on you own strenght, how much you 
have practiced it, and how heavy the weapon is. The combat system itself 
is dynamic, there is no such thing as fight turns, you can hit at any 
time. A mobile with a 50% speed on one attacktype, would hit once every 
second (the speed is relative to a standard fighttick of 2 seconds). All 
waitstates have been removed, and have been replaced with a transparent 
waitstate, that allows the user to continue typing other commands. Spells 
have been rebalanced according to the DIKU standard, but this time also 
including spell speed (doesnt make sense that a mage can cast 15 spells 
per fightturn. Should rather do more damage, and be casted slower). The 
exp gain system uses a new formula. The perfect group is considered to be 
a group of 4, one from each "base" class (I'll explain this later), and 
one from each class. The members in such a group actually gain MORE 
experience when someone going solo (mainly because my MUD is aimed 
towards RPG and socializing, not the MERC style 
whack-everything-you-see). The mobs also remembers everyone who hit them, 
so the exp is split between the TOTAL number of players hitting the mob, 
not just the ones involved in the kill (including their levels, even if 
they leave the game). The higher levels get more exp than the lower 
levels in a group, so there is no way to "cheat" your way to fast exp.

LEVELS: I'm not a fan of lots of levels. If I were to decide, 20 levels 
would have been enough. I think a massive of amount of levels makes the 
game messy and less enjoyable. Anyway, the MUD uses the standard 30 
levels plus 5 immo levels. Going immortal is optional, and in the future 
you will be able to "buy" certain things with exp.

CLASSES: The MUD is based on the 4 base classes. I dont think there are 
anymore base classes, Rangers, Paladins etc are just variations. However, 
each class has a number of directions, or specializations, that you can 
chose at lvl-10. Clerics for example has one defensive and one offensive 
sub-class (Healer and Crusader) as well as the standard cleric. They are 
still the same base class, and share the same THAC0, etc. I'm not mixing 
classes either, I think that discourages grouping, so the sub-classes are 
still "clean" classes, not mixes of different ones. The same !CLASS flags 
etc also applies to the different subclasses. The skill/spell system has 
been changed so that all classes can use all skills and spells 
(determined by the prac level). This allows for imps or quest mobiles to 
set certain spells/skills on player. For example, high-level players can 
get the armor spell from a certain mob as a reward.

RACES: Has been implemented, but now I kinda regret that I did :)

MOBILES: I've extended the MUD with several new formats and fields. It's 
very easy to define more attacks (check the combat system part), mobiles 
can be equipped directly in the mob file. The system also allows 
randomized equipment, useful for mobiles that exist in many copies (like 
cityguards, if you want them all to be a bit different). Mobiles also 
have built-in action fields (so they can say random things, emote 
feelings etc.. adds a little extra spice). You can also pass arguments to 
spec_procs via the mob file. Mobprograms are also implemented, based on 
the mobprog patch from 2.20, but I've most of the bugs (I wonder how it 
every could work). All mobs also have sizes, races and classes. Size is 
used to determine damage done, the hitroll etc (hitting a fly should be 
harder than hitting a dinosaur). Races and classes are used for certain 
spells (turn undead for example). The system is can of course also read 
all the circlemud files without problems. 

OBJECTS: Objects are basically the same, except that a material field has 
been added. Every object is made of a material, to make it possible to 
restrict mages to leather armor only etc. Weapons are changed as well, 
they are defined with a weapon type. Objects supports permanent affects 
and can pass arguments to spec_procs. Other than that, it's basically the 
same. An ACTD system has been implemented to make objects more alive. The 
Action descriptions can be defined just like a social. Makes breads, 
staffs, wands, fountains, potions much more alive. A QIC system to 
control the number of items in the game (including rent) has been 
implemented. A certain sword can only exist in 3 copies and does only 
repop if there is less than 3 in the whole game+rent.

SPEC PROCS: Apart from the mobprograms, the spec_proc handler has been 
revamped. It supports a number of different kinds of spec_procs, or 
combinations. A spec_proc can be triggered by certain events, like a 
mobile tick, a gametick, someone enters the room, by commands or as 
"standard" to provide backwards support. This in combination with the 
possibility to pass arguments to spec_procs form obj/mob files opens up 
alot of possibilities, like the melting icecube, or the blade that bursts 
into tears now and then. All kinds of spec_procs can be connected to all 
types, even a room can have a mobile tick.


GOD POWERS: Alot of work has been put into the god powers. All commands 
can be controlled by flags, and can both be denied and approved for 
certain players. Certain zones are restricted, and it's possible to flag 
players to stay out of certain zones (Yes, I've had major problems with 
cheating immos). All players have personal logs, that keeps track of what 
that player has done 7 days back in time. Very useful for checking up on 
a player who claims he/she rented out when it actually was a DT etc. The 
syslog system has been changed, so that it is based on channels. There 
are 28 channels that you can toggle on and off as you wish, and almost 
everything is logged (most of it only to the screen though, to save 
diskspace). There are edit commands for rooms/mobiles/objects, both a 
prototype level and at string level. An OLC has also been implemented.
Well, I've made so many changes here, that I've forgotten about most of 
them. Feel free to pop by if you want to know more :)

PLAYER: Autoloot, autogold, autoexit, etc exists. In fact, there are 
commands that makes a client obsolete. Since I cant forbid clients to be 
used, it decided to give non-client players the same advantages (aliases 
are of course saved :) The auction channel has been replaced by an 
automated auctioneer. The game itself is filled with life, the mobiles in 
all areas created specifically for AnotherWorld almost all uses 
mobprograms and Action fields. I've also tried to consider the ones with 
bad links, and implemented things like autorecall to make sure people 
with good links doesnt get advantages over other players.

WORLD: The world creation has not really started yet. We have a new 
Midgaard (called Garathrom) and about 12-15 areas created specifically 
for AnotherWorld. Our goal is to remove all the old circle/diku areas. 
(If there is something that makes me puke when I enter a new MUD, it's 
the Temple of Midgaard). The aggressive routines has been heavily 
modified, and much more realistic. The aggro part is triggered when you 
enter the room, and if you manage to escape before the mob tick, the mob 
will hunt you, at a very high speed. Suddenly, thieves with sneak were 
useful! :)

SPELLS/SKILLS: I'm very restrictive with implementing new spells and 
skills, because I want a good balance between all classes. They should 
all have certain weaknesses and advantages that makes it more appealing 
to group. Because of that I dont include every spell that might be 
"cool", because it might make a class less or more powerful in some way.

I feel that the problem with most new MUDs today is that they care about 
a couple of things:

MANY levels, MANY classes, MANY skills, MANY spells, MANY areas, but they 
dont give a damned about quality or balance.

This is probably only 50% of what I've implemented, but if you want to 
see for yourself, drop by and talk to me (if I have time).

Traveller@AnotherWorld



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