Writing a Zone File

The zone file contains many essential facts that the game needs in order to load a zone and the monsters, doors and objects in it correctly. The zone file begins by listing the general information the game needs to assign status for autoexits, reset time and how large the zone is and ends with a far more extensive list which details where everything loads, when and how often.

Zone Creation Fields

<Zone number>

Every zone has a unique zone number associated with it. The zone number is used with many immortal commands inside the running game.

<Top room of the zone>

The game actually needs the top room number of each zone to start correctly.

<Zone lifespan>

The zone lifespan is the length of time the zone will be active between resets. When the lifespan elapses it will be queued to reset at the earliest opportunity.

<Reset mode>

The zone's reset mode will determine the conditions under which a zone will reset when its lifespan has elapsed. Chose a reset mode from the following table:

<Autoexits status>

An interesting feature of the JediMUD code is the ability to turn off the autoexits command by zone. When autoexits are disabled, players are forced to slow down and be more careful when they initially explore a zone than might be the case otherwise. If this value is 0, then autoexits will not work in the zone. If the value in this field is a 1, then autoexits will function.

The Command Table

The command table is the list of commands that the game will attempt to execute every time the zone is reset. Each command consists of a letter, which identifies the command type, followed by three or four fields.

<Command type>

Each command type has a unique letter associated with it. Chose the appropriate command type from the table below:

<If flag>

The first field is common to all commands. It is called the If flag and will tell the game specific conditions that must be met for the command on that line to execute. The following If commands are available on JediMUD:

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How to use each type of load command

The following section lists the format for each type of load command. If flags are listed in the previous section.

 

M- Load a monster and place it into a room

Format: M <if flag> <monster number> <maximum existing> <room number>

• Monster number is the virtual number of the monster that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this monster that can be in the game at any one time. Unique monsters should have a one in this field.
• Room number is the number for the room in which this command is going to load the monster.

W- Percentile load a monster and place it into a room

Format: W <if flag> <monster number> <maximum existing> <room number> <probability>

• Monster number is the virtual number of the monster that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this monster that can be in the game at any one time. Unique monsters should have a one in this field.
• Room number is the number for the room in which this command is going to load the monster.
• Probability is the percent chance that the command will execute successfully.

O- Load an object and place it into a room

Format: O <if flag> <object number> <maximum existing> <room number>

• Object number is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.
• Room number is the number for the room in which this command is going to load the object.

X- Percentile load an object and place it into a room

Format: X <if flag> <object number> <maximum existing> <room number> <probability>

• Object number is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.
• Room number is the number for the room in which this command is going to load the object.
• Probability is the percent chance that the command will execute successfully.

G- Load an object and give it to the last monster loaded

Format: G <if flag> <object number> <maximum existing>

• Object number is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.

Y- Percentile load an object and give it to the last monster loaded

Format: Y <if flag> <object number> <maximum existing> <probability>

• Object number is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.
• Probability is the percent chance that the command will execute successfully.

   

E- Load an object into the equipment list of the last monster loaded

Format: E <if flag> <object number> <maximum existing> <equipment position>

• Object number is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.
• Equipment position is the body location where the item will be worn by the monster. Chose this value from the following table:

Z- Percetile load an object into the equipment list of the last monster loaded

Format: Z <if flag> <object number> <maximum existing> <equipment position> <probability>

• Object number is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.
• Equipment position is the body location where the item will be worn by the monster. Chose this value from the following table:

• Probability is the percent chance that the command will execute successfully.

P- Load an object and place it into another object

Format: P <if flag> <object one> <max existing> <object two>

• Object one is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.
• Object two is the virtual number of the object object one is to be put into.

Q- Percentile load an object and place it into another object

Format: Q <if flag> <object one> <maximum existing> <object two> <probability>

• Object one is the virtual number of the object that is to be loaded.
• Maximum existing is the absolute maximum number of this object that can be in the game at any one time. Unique objects should have a one in this field.
• Object two is the virtual number of the object object one is to be put into.
• Probability is the percent chance that the command will execute successfully.

D- Loading a door into a room

Format: D <if flag> <room number> <exit number> <state>

• Room number is the room that the door is located in.
• Exit number refers to the number associated with the direction that the door is supposed to block. Use the same values for this number as you would for a world file.
• The state can be one of the following:

Questions? Send mail to the Build Team: areas@jedi.america.net