[MUD-Dev] Logical MUD Areas

[Triem]

Thursday, May 03, 2001 12:41 AM, Scion Altera wrote:

> Ditch the human built areas and go for generated ones. Seperate the
> mobs from the areas entirely:

This is the approach I am taking on my current MUD design.  Let's take
it from your approach, and add on to it.  Let's separate the mobs from
the areas and the objects from the mobs.  98% of the areas are
generated by a Random Dungeon Generator (RDG).  2% of the areas are
pre-built special zones and the town you start in.

The areas are completely(OK, perhaps it is more like 75%) randomly
created the moment the first player steps into the zone.  If it is
outdoors, it follows the rules set forth for outdoor areas (i.e.,
forests, rivers, hills, etc).  If it is indoors it set's forth rules
for indoor areas (dungeons, castles, etc).  While the rooms are being
created sub-elements are applied.  (I.e. Where are there doors, are
the doors secret, are they locked, etc.)

Once the dungeon or castle has been generated, we now must select the
mobile elements within (I.e. creatures, moveable areas, etc.).  I have
about 900 pre-built mobiles.  How do you determine the creature to
load?  One could use an epicenter formula.  That is what I am
currently using, but am not restricted to.  Basically, the farther
away from your starting location, the tougher the creatures are.  Your
creatures are pre-built for the most part, but again, you do not have
to be restricted to pre-built creatures or NPC's as they can be
upgraded or downgraded.

Now we need to place the objects in the area.  I have about 700 basic
objects.  I determine the "possible" greatness of an item the same way
I do the toughness of a creature.  The object will go through a random
generator to determine if the object is magical, and what magical
attributes to attach to it.  This exact same design is used when a
creature is killed to determine what objects it may drop.

There are many determining variables in-between these processes that
help mold the creature or object to where they are being loaded.  But
what you have done is taken the human built areas out, and you have
removed the droning, scripting player that runs out to kill the goblin
king for his 1000 Rupee's and his shining weapon.

Needless to say, this process happens seamlessly.  The player doesn't
even know what just happened.  The basis for my development comes from
the Angband series (http://thangorodrim.angband.org/).  Taking a
single-player turn-based game's concepts and building them in a MUD
code base.  This has been very educational and I look forward to
making public my results.  I believe in building a game I would want
to play.  I can only hope others will enjoy this as I have.  The game
is to open to the public beginning of 3rd quarter.

Brad
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