LIMITS - the Builder Guidelines
Version 4.1 (May 8th, 1997)
Author:
Palio [Kathy Perry]
HTML by
Eirinn
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Quick Reference Index
- Introduction
- Document History
- Craftsmanship and Magical Modifiers
- Ability Bonuses
- Skill Bonuses
- Item Restrictions
- Equipment Rent
- Money, and its use for Mobs and Items
- Slayer and weapon types
- Exceptions and other considerations
- Dil Damage
- Zone levels and mobiles
- More or less Experience (exp)
NOTE: If there is something you feel is missing in these docs
feel free to email
palio@blinksoft.com and I will
see about including it.
And if you see a hiccup in the HTML, please scream at
Eirinn. I recommend Netscape 3+ for
viewing this document, but MSIE 3+ should also handle it adequately.
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1. Introduction
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The following is a set of guidelines for zone builders on allocating
equipment bonuses. Remember it is your responsibility as a builder for the
balance of the mud. What balance is, is open to interpretation by each
individual person. That is why these guide lines where made. To bring the
balance into some sort of standard. There guide lines are not perfect,
we are working every day to make them better. But remember some important
points about the game and balance.
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- Most of the time players do not like to be given hordes of high
powered stuff with no challenge to getting them. That is why they
are here playing, for the challenge.
- Players do not like to go to a zone intended for their levels and
find it filled with mobiles so high they can't fight there, or such a
diverse level of mobiles that there is no level they can kill in your
zone and ever really feel safe. If your zone is intended for levels
20-30 don't put in a bunch of level 199 mobiles.
- Players like to earn stuff they can use in the level they are
fighting in. If your zone is level 20-30 make stuff a level 20-30 can
use. All too many builders want the very best in the game and the
players loose out.
- Each zone must be balanced to the rest of the game. Every builder
wants people to come to their zone (after all thats why you built it)
and tend to make their rewards and items bigger, better and stronger
than the rest. This creates a 'my stuff is better than your stuff'
war and the whole mud loses.
- A zone should be built with balance in mind from the start. It is not
a good idea to put in over powered items and see how players do with
them. When they have to be slimed and reinstated into the game. The
players get angry that the item was 'weakened' and/or taken away from
them. Where as it is looked upon happily if an item is raised in stats.
- A zone should be built to the regulations in this file and not based
on other items on the mud. If you find something on the mud you do
not feel is within these guide lines please inform an admin.
- Please note that Valhalla likes to have UNIQUE zones. If the zone is
on another mud please do not submit it here. When you create an area
for use with Valhalla, you give to us the right to use it and modify
it on a permanent basis, because of the large effort required by us to
help you build the zone. We retain the right to use (or not use) any
such area; you naturally retain the
copyright. We will not give your area away without your permission
first and we kindly ask that you do the same for us. You should be
aware that the zones are used on a 'pay mud' in Denmark. If and when
the pay mud makes money we may offer you a payment for your zone.
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To Index
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2. Document History
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- (May 8th, 1997) - Added the Money section from
money.txt and this history section.
- (May 7th, 1997) - Converted the new limits.txt to HTML.
- (May 1st, 1997) - Major revision of limits.txt from version 3.1 - introduction of
zone maxes on bonuses, and an overall reduction of allowed bonuses by 2/3.
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To Index
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3. Craftsmanship [-25..+25] and Magical
Modifiers [-25..+25]
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Below is a table showing the MAXIMUM craftsmanship permitted
for zones of various level. You are allowed a zone max and you
may distribute this in any way you choose in the zone. For example if
your zone max is 20. You may give 20 items a +1 craftsmanship or 1
item a +20 craftsmanship or 2 items a +10 craftsmanship and so on. It
is up to you how you distribute the modifier in your zone but the zone
total may never go over your max. If your zone is an odd number (ie
level 7-17) round it DOWN to fit into one of the following categories.
Craftsmanship is how well an item is made. Consider the lives of the
occupants of your zone. If they are supposed to be good working in one
medium (i.e. leather) give that medium a little higher of a
craftsmanship bonus. If they tend to be sloppy and/or not to bright
in working with their hands, etc, give them a lower craftsmanship.
Please use logic when assigning this value. You will be asked to
explain why you gave the modifier when your zone is checked.
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Zone/Mob Level
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Craftsmanship
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1 - 10
10 - 30
30 - 40
40 - 50
50 - 60
60 - 70
70 - 80
80 - 90
90 - 100
100 - 110
110 - 120
120 - 130
130 - 140
140 - 150
150 - 160
160 - 170
170 - 180
180 - 190
190 - 199
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
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Take note that armor type and material must also be taken into
consideration. As spelled out in
objects.txt, craftsmanship is
a function of workmanship and material of the item. Material
rating for wood is -15, and even with good workmanship (of +5)
its craftsmanship can be only -10. A wooden sword of -5/0 is
thus considered a RARE item for its excellent workmanship!
Armor can be divided into 5 categories: cloth, leather, hard
leather, chain and plate. A low level mobile, for instance
should not be wearing a plate, no matter what its craftsmanship.
The following tables apply:
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Level
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Armor no better than
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1 - 10
10 - 25
25 - 40
40 and up
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leather
hard leather
chain
plate
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Material
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Quality
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Wood
Bone
Ebony
Gold
Stone
Silver
Bronze
Iron
Steel
Mithril
Diamond
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-15%
-14%
-13%
-11%
-8%
-10%
-5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
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Weapons and armors having magical modifiers greater than 0 are
considered magical items. Magical modifiers for a zone are give
in a max for the zone. For example if your zone max is 20. You may
give 20 items a +1 magical modifier or 1 item a +20 magical modifier
or 2 items a +10 magical modifier and so on. It is up to you how you
distribute the modifier in your zone but the zone total may never go
over your max.
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Zone Level
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Magical Modifier
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1 - 10
10 - 30
30 - 40
40 - 50
50 - 60
60 - 70
70 - 80
80 - 90
90 - 100
100 - 110
110 - 120
120 - 130
130 - 140
140 - 150
150 - 160
160 - 170
170 - 180
180 - 190
190 - 199
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
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To Index
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4. Ability Bonuses
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The maximum ability bonus on any magical equipment is limited
according to the tables below. There is a max number of abilities
that you may have in a zone and the max number of abilities you may
have on an item.
- Note exceptions listed below. Each item that gives a penalty MUST
have a drawback of some form. If you give a bonus to Str then you
should give a detriment to Dex or something similar.
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Mob Max
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Total Ability Bonus
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0 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 50
51 - 60
61 - 70
71 - 80
81 - 90
91 - 100
101 - 125
126 - 150
151 - 175
176 - 199
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+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+4
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Zone Max
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Total Ability Bonus
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1 - 10
10 - 30
30 - 40
40 - 50
50 - 60
60 - 70
70 - 80
80 - 90
90 - 100
100 - 110
110 - 120
120 - 130
130 - 140
140 - 150
150 - 160
160 - 170
170 - 180
180 - 190
190 - 199
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1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
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Please note that ability penalties DO NOT offset the maximum
ability bonus. A magical ring eligible for a +3 STR bonus, cannot be
allocated more than +3 even if penalties are imposed.
[Historical note: Stormbringer (noop) always loved to make items
that were both good and bad. For example, he made the healing
potion contain a poison spell too.]
Cursed Items
For item with a greater negative then -10
STR and DEX must take at a min 80% of its negative off of CON
MAG and DIV must take at a min 80% of its negative off of CHA
EG An item that give -100 STR must also give -80 CON
or An item that give -100 DIV must also give -80 CHA
Because an item has the cursed flag on it does not mean you can make it
better then normally allowed. Remove curse easily takes away this flag.
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5. Skill Bonuses
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This applies to weapons, spells and skills bonuses. Skill bonuses
for a zone are given a max for the zone. For example if your zone
max is 20. You may give 20 items a +1 skill bonus, 1 item a +20
skill bonus, 2 items a +10 skill bonus, and so on. It is up to you
how you distribute the modifier in your zone but the zone total may
never go over your max.
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Zone Level
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Skill Max
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1 - 10
10 - 30
30 - 40
40 - 50
50 - 60
60 - 70
70 - 80
80 - 90
90 - 100
100 - 110
110 - 120
120 - 130
130 - 140
140 - 150
150 - 160
160 - 170
170 - 180
180 - 190
190 - 199
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3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
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To Index
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6. Item Restrictions
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All magical equipment *MUST* be restricted. Magical items
should be given ability restrictions as much as possible.
Where restricting through abilities is inappropriate, level
restrictions can be applied instead (i.e. you see a level 30 wearing a
ring you intended for level 45+).
A good example is magical armor where STR restriction best
applies. This has the effect of allowing fighting-type classes
to use the armor at a lower level than a spell-casting type.
As a rule, restrictions on abilities should be made equal to
3/4 the mob's level. Thus a magical helmet with +3 ability bonus
(level 100-124) on a level 100 mobile should be restricted
with at least 75 STR.
Level restrictions can be made in a similar way. The only
difference being that restrictions imposed are at 3/4 the
item's level (To a max of 50). In other words, a level 50 item
should be restricted as level 37.
If an item is specifically being made for a group of players lower
then the what would normally kill the mob (i.e. a sword meant for
players level 1-20 and on a level 80 mob) the item should be given
the stats relevant of the level of the players the item is intended for.
In all other instances the level of the mob or zone will be used to
determine stats.
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7. Equipment Rent
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All magical equipment must be accompanied by rent. Weapons and
armor having no statistical bonuses are considered magical if
they have a magical modifier greater than 0.
Here are the guidelines for rent determination:
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Bonuses
Ability Bonus
Skill/Spl/Wpn Bonus
Allows Detection
Allows hide/sneak, etc
Slayer properties
Does DIL damage
Other DIL effects
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Base rent
25 ip/point
8 ip/point
25 ip/detect
25 ip/type
50 ip
variable (50-500 ip)
variable (25-100 ip)
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Magical Modifier (1 - 6)
(6 -10)
(11-15)
(16-20)
(21-25)
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4 ip/point
8 ip/point
12 ip/point
16 ip/point
20 ip/point
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Please note rent and cost can be put into the zones solely in iron
pieces. The game will convert it when doing rent and selling/buying
the item.
Cost of a magical item is computed as 2 times its rent.
EXAMPLE
slayer
names {"sword named slayer","sword","slayer"}
title "A sword named 'Slayer'"
descr "A very evil looking sword has been dropped on the ground."
flags {UNIT_FL_MAGIC}
manipulate {MANIPULATE_TAKE,MANIPULATE_WIELD}
WEAPON_DEF(WPN_LONG_SWORD, +16, +23)
WEAPON_SLAYER(RACE_HUMAN)
STR_TRANSFER(+4)
DEX_TRANSFER(+2)
WEAPON_TRANSFER(WPN_LONG_SWORD, +15)
cost 15 PLATINUM_PIECE 1 GOLD_PIECE, 7 COPPER_PIECE
rent 1 PLATINUM_PIECE 4 GOLD_PIECE, 1 SILVER_PIECE, 4 COPPER_PIECE
weight 20
special SFUN_OBJ_EVIL_ONLY
special SFUN_RESTRICT_OBJ "Level = 33 Dex = 20"
end
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Sword Named Slayer Rent
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Ability Bonus
Ability Bonus
Skill/Spl/Wpn Bonus
Allows Detection
(such as detect invisible)
Allows hide/sneak, etc
Slayer properties
Does DIL damage
Other DIL effects
Magical Modifier (21-25)
Total Rent Due
Cost
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25 * 2
25 * 4
8 * 15
25 * 0
25 * 0
50 * 1
50-500
25-100
20 * 23
2 * rent
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50
100
120
0
0
50
0
0
460
780 Iron Pieces
1560 Iron Pieces
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To Index
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8. Money - Mobs, Items and Conversion
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Money on Mobs/Items
The max allowed on mobs is listed below please ensure your mobs have the
correct amount of money on them and remember not every mob in your zone
needs money on it. As it stands now the compiler will now complain if
you let mobiles have too much money on them. The following maxes are
listed out in iron pieces we ask you to use the table below this to
convert it to the appropriate money value.
The follow is the max allowed on the mobs for money:
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Levels
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Iron Pieces
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1 - 20
21 - 100
101 - 150
151 - 200
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5 per level
10 per level
15 per level
20 per level
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Thus a level 200 with a max amount of coins should have 4000 iron pieces
or 6.25 gold. There should never be a mob with a platinum piece on it
without permission of the game administrators.
If the mobs in the game continue to have too much money
on them we will handle it in a couple of ways:
- Mobs with excess money on them will be slimed.
- We will see about having the compiler reject files with
excess money. We would prefer to not do this because with
everything exceptions may be allowed to the money max with
admin approval.
When items have money in them the max allowed should be based on the max
allowed to the highest natural mob in your zone (In other words do not
include mobs made for quests, etc, that you have given extra levels to.
For example, you have a zone with mobs level 20-30 and you have a level 199
mob that is used for quests. You would base your item max money on the
level 30 not the level 199.
When loading money into an object such as a chest or bowl you must create
a money object in your zone then load the object into the item you want
the money in.
The object would be as follows.
coins
MONEY(IRON_PIECE, 40)
end
When writing a zone please make sure you are using the most current money
system.
The following are out of date and should be changed as soon as
possible:
cost 10
cost 12*SILVER_MULT
When using money in your zones please use the following:
1 IRON_PIECE
1 COPPER_PIECE
1 GOLD_PIECE
1 PLATINUM_PIECE
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Here are the conversion values for currency:
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10 old gold
8 iron
8 copper
8 silver
8 gold
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=
=
=
=
=
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1 iron
1 copper
1 silver
1 gold
1 plat
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To Index
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9. Slayer and weapon types
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Weapons deemed to be 'too strong' for the mud include ones
with super strong dil hits, more then one slayer type on a
single weapon, or a weapon that changes from one powerful
weapon to another. Weapons that change from one type of
weapon to another or from one slayer race to another on
command are strongly discouraged and will not be allowed in
the game.
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To Index
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10. Exceptions and other considerations
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- Quest items
Quest items or rewards can be slightly better than what the
general rule permits. Exceptions such as +4 ability bonus
given to it instead of a +3 are allowed provided the difficultly
of the quest justifies it. As a rule of thumb, a quest item
given in a zone can be treated as 15% above its level. Quest
items will be examined on a case by case basis. All quest items
shall be restricted to those with the quest flag. Quest items are
not counted into your zone max but MUST be OK-ed by the admin of
game.
- Guild items
Guild items that are given free and without restriction on
levels should be designed to outlive their usefulness as the
player advances in level. It ends the player's quest to find
better equipment for him/herself. Guild items that are meant for
all levels should perform differently on every player depending
on their levels and skills. They should not be designed as the
best item of its kind in the game.
Bonuses for guild items should be awarded as appropriate to
the lowest level character using them.
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11. Dil Damage
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When using cast_spell the following limitations will be in effect.
Dil Damage Rules
- Only single wielded weapons may have dil damage.
*NO* dil damage on the following:
- Items held
- Dual wielded weapons (unless the dil does not work in the 2nd
position)
- Worn Items (plate, boots, sleeves etc)
- Dil damage will trigger on a keyword or event and have charges.
- The charges should not be unlimited. This means they should be
able to run out of energy at some stage and force the player to
either wait or do some task to help their weapon charge.
- Limitations on different types of weapons made with dil.
- First level spells (i.e cause_wounds_1)
- Weapons having a first level spell have a max of 12 charges total.
The weapon can have no more than 12 charges per 12 mud hours.
This means you can charge a weapon once every 12 hours for 10
charge or you could charge the weapon 12 times over 12 mud
hours for 1 charge each time.
- Spell power should be set according to level of player intended
to use the weapon the following is the levels and the spell power
allowed:
- level (1-20) 1-25
- level (21-45) 26-50
- level (45-up) 50-75 max
- Should activate only on command. For example thunder hammer
might activate when wielder types crack.
- Can have more than one level one spell but must not cast more
than one at once and has to take one charge per spell cast.
Therefore if you had a sword that both healed and harmed the
player might have to type "salomyheal" for the heal and salomy
harm for the harm and both would take a charge.
- Second level spell damage maxes (i. e. cause_wounds_2)
- These weapons are going to be only very special and very rare.
Can only have a max of 1 charge.
Can only charge once per mud day.
- Spell power should be set according to level of player intended
to use the weapon the following is the levels and the spell power
allowed:
- level (1-20) 1-10
- level (20-40) 10-22
- level (45-50) -25% max spell power
- Should activate only on command. For example thunder hammer might
activate when wielder types crack.
- Can only have 1 spell on the weapon no more.
- Third level spell damage max
- max charges 1.
- max charge 1 per mud week.
- The following is the level and the max spell power.
- level (1-20) 1-4
- level (20-45) 4-8
- level (45-50) up to 10 max spell power
- Should activate only on command. For example thunder hammer might
activate when wielder types crack.
- can only have one spell on the weapon.
- These might even be a one time use weapon.
- Meleeattack
- This weapons are complicated to make and should have a lot of
thought put into them. The Meleeatack requires the builder to
set the attack type of the wielder of the weapon and set it back
after the attack. For example if you have a mace that has a
spring loaded dagger that jumps out when it hits its opponent you
would set the attack type to dagger from mace and then called the
meleeattack function. After that you would return the type to
the mace. The following are the guidelines that have been
thought up these could change as builders use meleeattack more.
- When using melee attack on weapons only one shot of equal attack
type extra per combat. For example if you have a war hammer
you can only do a melee attack with war hammer once max per
combat. And it should take one of the hammers charges.
- If your melee attack is less than your normal weapon then you may
have a max of 12 charges per 12 hours as in spells. For example
If your main weapon is long sword and your meleeattack is dagger
you can have it work 12 times per 12 mud hours.
- A command word should be used to cause the damage for example if
you wanted a wood pecker to pop out of your hammer the command
might be "peck him".
- These weapons like spell weapons must be approved by admin and
will be watched since the true power of this function is not
known yet.
- Setting hit points and dil slayers
- Setting hit points and/or slaying players or mobs in dil is not
allowed except in the case when an victim is already below 10
hit points. This allows you to put in special death acts like
"You smash his head through the ground."
- All dil weapons will have to be OK-ed by admin before going into the mud.
- Dil damage on items you can wear or hold
- These are very limited and will have to be dealt with on a per
item basis. On dil damage items such as staves that you can hold,
dil wands or orbs should use the staff and wand functions
- Dil defensive items
- These are items include armor/items that heal a player or items that
cure players. Such as cure blind gloves or breast plate of protection.
- Due to the power of these spells when used on objects the max you
will be allowed to use is first level spells with a max spell
power of 50. The following are the guidelines:
- Max of 12 charges on the item.
- Max of 12 recharges per 12 mud hours. These charges are not
accumulative.
- Spell power should be set one per level of the player using the
item. for example a an item with a level 50 restriction would be
allowed spell 50.
- Item may have more than one cure or remove type spell but each must
take 1 charge from the item.
- Cursed weapons and items in dil
Cursed weapons and armor and even items fall under these rules.
You are allowed to do anything to the wielder or user that you
want to do to hurt them. This means setting hit points on the
user is allowed to hurt them but not to help them a good example
would be The helmet in hades6 that crushes your head or the
sword in garden that takes your hit points and gives it to your
opponent. Also death rooms and death items are allowed and we do
not have a problem with killing of players. It is nice however
to leave them with some of their equipment except in extreme death
traps.
Thank you I realise these are tough guidelines to follow and
still be creative but it is the only way the mud can retain its
balance. Remember the alternative to following these guidelines
is you don't need dil weapons or items in your zone that do
damage. While a dil quest is required for your zone a dil item
or weapon is not. You may feel free to make items that ACT but do
*NO* DAMAGE, in fact it is highly encouraged that for each dil
damage item you made that you make 1 or more non-damage dil item.
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Rules for dil/slay weapons
Quest Items may be chosen but it must be a one time choice. Ie the
quest items in tower.zon where the quester must choice between
leggings, pendant, sleeves. The choice is made before the item is
given. Old flame tongue change dil is illegal and will be changed.
Quest items may be re-gotten but We highly suggest you do this
through another quest. For armor and weapons we insist that a
second quest be required to replace the item.
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To Index
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12. Zone levels and mobiles
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Builder will assign their zones a 10 level span and all items will be
with in that level. A bases of 10 level span per zone will be
used unless special permission is given. Zones over level 100 may
have a wider spread of levels.
Note: Zones may if the builder desires have other higher level mobs but
their weapon and armor will have the stats of the zone level not
the mob.
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To Index
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13. More or less Experience (exp)
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By default a monster gives the amount of experience it is worth
(which depends on the level of the monster). If you create a
particular powerful monster or a very weak monster, you may wish
to raise or lower the amount of experience given to the player.
This can be done by specifying an experience percentage
modification. You may want to modify the standard amount (of 100)
when you create non-standard monsters. The default amount is
not always the correct amount, for example an aggressive invisible
10th level dragon with breath weapon and spells, should give more
exp than a blind, thieves-friendly dragon. The way I suggest you to
calculate the monsters experience value should be adding the
following amplifiers: Note that if the monster is using wands,
scrolls, staffs or magical items this should not increase the exp
amount, since the item value should be more than enough reward for
the players! See example application later in this document.
Amplifiers:
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Ability / Skill
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Bonus
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Examples
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Breath weapon
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+50
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Usually a Dragon or Gorgon
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Special fighting routine
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+20
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Example : The Evil Iggy remembers who he is fighting with.
When he gets below 50% hits he casts "random teleport".
Later (when he has full hp) he summons
the player he has been fighting with
and THEN tries to kill the player. This
routine is highly dangerous for groups.
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Monster stings (poison)
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+20
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Player can die even after a successful kill
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Monster is invisible
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+15
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Players can not attack, and player's group will not be able to help, unless
they can see invisible.
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Monster is hiding
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+5
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A thief.
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Monster can see invisible
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+5
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This is only dangerous if the monster is aggressive, and this amplifier
should only be used in such a case.
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Monster is team working
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+5
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The guards helps the Captain and each other.
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Monster is being rescued
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+5
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The king is hard to kill, you have to kill his lifeguards first.
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Monster is aggressive
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+5
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Monster will hit first and increase chance of a kill.
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Monster is ambushing
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+10
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The monster is using the special function SFUN_RAN_ATTACK
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To Index
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