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DNDBBS Edit Documentation Page 1 Table Of Contents Page 1.0 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.1 The Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.2 Entering *Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.3 How and When to Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.0 The Edit Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2.1 [A]ction Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2.1.1 [E]ncounter Monster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.2 [S]pells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.3 [M]onster Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.4 [L]evel entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [H]ighest level [L]owest level [E]nter room restrictions 2.1.5 [H]ealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [F]atigue [V]itality 2.1.6 [R]ate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [E]ncounter [H]ealth 2.1.7 [I]nventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 [W]eapon [S]hields [A]rmor [M]agic items 2.1.8 [F]umble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.9 [T]eleport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.10 [C]lear Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.11 [W]eapon Rusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.12 [O]bject Stealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.13 [N]ew room number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1.14 [D]isplay room actions . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.2 [E]mail Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x 2.3 [M]onster Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x 2.4 [O]bject Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x 2.5 [R]oom Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x 2.6 [S]pell Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x 2.7 [T]reasure Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x 2.8 [U]ser Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x DNDBBS Edit Documentation Page 2 1.0 Introduction ================= The *Edit program was developed for the DMs and Sysop so creative expansion could take place in the DNDBBS campaign. The options and features for editing are extensive enough to allow changing of most any part of any data file needing to be edited. This documentation is intended to be complete to the point where any single editing prompt or entry can be looked up in this text for explanation. 1.1 The Editor --------------- The editor is menu driven, and oriented around maintaining the DNDBBS database (files with extension .DAT). The DNDBBS files are organized around a random record scheme, each record containing many individual fields (or a value for a particular editable entry). Editing includes the ability to add single records to files, change individual records, search for certain records given certain conditions, and list file records from a file in page mode. 1.2 Entering *Edit ------------------- The editor (also known as *Edit) is contained in the program EDIT.EXE. This program loads from the DOS command prompt by typing EDIT. There are several ways to enter *Edit from the DNDBBS program. The editor can be entered under three conditions. One, from the opening screen which is displayed while waiting for a caller. Two, while the sysop is online and the modem is offhook. Three, while another user is online using the game and the modem. During the first condition only the sysop can enter *Edit from the console (the keyboard operating the DNDBBS) by pressing the F4 (function key number four). In the second condition only the sysop can enter *Edit from the console. During this time the sysop can enter the editor only if his character which is on- line the adventure is a dungeon master. Then the sysop can type *Edit, press return, or press the F1 (function key number one). In the third condition the sysop can enter the editor and edit interactively while the user is online by pressing the F1 key (function key number one). The user will not be shown the actual editing being done. Online users can also edit from remote (through the modem) if their character is a dungeon master. Then the remote user types *Edit. The EDIT.EXE program is considered an external program. This means the DNDBBS program calls the editor, which then loads as the currently operating program. When the editor is exited, DNDBBS is loaded as the current program. DNDBBS Edit Documentation Page 3 1.0 Introduction (cont.) ================= 1.3 How and When to Edit ------------------------- The editor's menu system is driven by hot keys. That means single key- strokes will guide you through the menus. When the editor is at the main menu then selection of sub menus are done by single keys without the need for pressing the return key. Submenus are displayed after the main menu selection and further submenus are selectable. Exiting back to the main menu is done by hitting Q (for quit) repeatedly. The main menu quits back to DOS (or the DNDBBS) with one final Q keystroke. The reason for editing is to alter and shape the game campaign. The editor allows the DM and Sysop to create new rooms and objects in the game. The reason for restricting editing to certain players or users such as dungeon masters and the sysop are because of two matters. One, the game is expandable. This means what new rooms or objects, etc. are created go into the files stored on disk. They are not temporary or exist in memory only. This also means that once a room or object is created then the file structure is expanded physically on the disk and that record (subdivision part of a file) cannot be deleted without reverting back to the original files as they come distributed. Two, the game itself is a careful balance of objects, treasure, monsters, and rooms. This means that editing must be done carefully in order to preserve the atmosphere of a medieval type game play. The campaign is custom built with the adherence to DnD game play. Your dungeon masters and assistant dungeon masters should be hired with some experience in owning a campaign or having spent time developing an adventure. Once users are hired as dungeon masters then they should be given full access to the edit functions and complete control of the campaign. This is because when the DM is hired then he is placed in a position which enables him to contribute to the game. What the DM does affects the play of the campaign. The DM works together with the Sysop even if the Sysop is too busy maintaining the main BBS (if DNDBBS is run as a door). The DM should be given rights by the Sysop to create the game as he chooses. This is the definition of being a dungeon master. One who operates the campaign and game play. The DM also works together with the user in creating and maintaining the adventure. For example, when the user requests spell chants in mail then the DM responds with some or all of the chants. Another example, when the DM creates a new area for adventuring then he instructs the users how to get to the new rooms in mail. Higher level characters can even contribute to the campaign by suggesting new room areas to make. Some adventures are also created by consulting on the phone in a voice chat between the users, dungeon masters, and the Sysop. This is especially useful for games that have extremely large room files (above 2,000 rooms) or ones that have a large amount of users (over 50 users). DNDBBS Edit Documentation Page 4 2.0 The Edit Menus =================== The first editing menu you will see when *Edit starts is shown here: Edit V2.9B [A]ction [E]mail [M]onster [O]bject [R]oom [S]pell [T]reasure [U]ser Edit Command(q to quit)? The available main menu selections are displayed for action, email, monster, object, room, spell, treasure, user, and quit. The prompt "Edit Command?" waits for one of the current menu selections to be entered. One keyboard character is required to be typed. The char- acter to input is one of the selection's first letters; the ones surrounded in brackets []. For example, since [A]ction is one of the selections displayed, you would press the A key to enter the action edit menu. 2.1 [A]ction Menu ------------------ The action menu is shown here: (selected by pressing A from the main menu) Edit Command? A Room #1. Triggers: [E]ncounter Monster [S]pells [M]onster Talk [L]evel entry Results: [H]ealth [R]ate [I]nventory [F]umble [T]eleport Other: [C]lear Room [W]eapon Rusting [O]bject Stealing [N]ew room number [D]isplay room actions Action Edit Command(q to quit)? Actions by definition have two parts: the trigger and the result. The action has then taken place when both conditions are filled. The four triggers are: 1)by defaults, if no triggers are set in the action edit menu, by entering a room; 2)encountering of a specific monster number; 3)cast a certain spell; and 4)talking to some monster when the monster trigger in (2) is set. The level entry option in triggers above does not have a result. This trigger is only set off with the result to restrict users from entering a room direction based on their character level. The four results are: 1)damage to health, the result could be hits for fatigue or vitality; 2)damage to inventory, the user's weapons, shields, armor, or magic items can break or discharge; 3)fumbling weapons; and 4)teleporting the user to another room. The rate result listed above does not have a trigger, instead the health update rate and monster encounter rate of a room can be set. Other selections include clearing the room of all actions, selecting a new room to edit actions, and to display the current room number actions. The last remaining two only set the rate for weapon rusting and object stealing, in number of rounds (user input prompts), by monster in a room. For rusting and stealing to work you must also edit the treasure rustable, rust percent, and stealable, steal percent for each specific treasure item. DNDBBS Edit Documentation Page 5 2.0 The Edit Menus (cont.) =================== 2.1.1 [E]ncounter Monster ------------------------- Enter monster name, or number? Monster trigger added to room. 2.1.2 [S]pells -------------- Enter spell name, or number? Spell trigger added to room. 2.1.3 [M]onster Talk -------------------- Enter monster name, or number? Monster talk trigger added to room. 2.1.4 [L]evel entry ------------------- [H]ighest level (at least) for entry to room [L]owest level (at most) for entry to room [E]nter room restrictions Enter option(q to quit)? Room restrictions: [N], [E], [S], [W], [O], [U], [D], [NE], [SE], [SW], [NW], [G]. Enter option(q to quit)? 2.1.5 [H]ealth -------------- [F]atigue [V]itality Enter option(q to quit)? Number of hits of fatigue(1-32767)? Room now hits for fatigue. Number of hits of vitality(1-32767)? Room now hits for vitality. 2.1.6 [R]ate ------------ [E]ncounter [H]ealth Enter option(q to quit)? Encounter rate(1-32767)? New encounter rate now in effect. Health rate(1-32767)? New health rate now in effect. 2.1.7 [I]nventory ----------------- [W]eapons [S]hields [A]rmor [M]agic items Enter option(q to quit)? Room now breaks weapons. Room now smashes shields. Room now wrecks armor. Room now drains magic items. 2.1.8 [F]umble -------------- Room now fumbles. 2.1.9 [T]eleport ---------------- Enter room number(1-x)? Room now teleports. 2.1.10 [C]lear room ------------------- Room cleared of actions. 2.1.11 [W]eapon rusting ----------------------- Rate for weapons to rust(# of action prompts)? Room now has rusting rate. 2.1.12 [O]bject stealing ------------------------ Rate for monsters to steal treasure(# of action prompts)? Room now has monster stealing rate. 2.1.13 [N]ew room number ------------------------ Enter room number(1-x)? 2.1.14 [D]isplay room actions ----------------------------- Room has no triggers or results. Monster trigger in effect for monster: <monstername>. Spell trigger in effect for spell: <spellname>. Monster talk trigger in effect for monster: <monstername>. Highest level user must be (at least) to enter room: <level>. Lowest level user must be (at most) to enter room: <level>. Restricted room directoins: <directionlist>. Room hits for <hitnumber> for <fatigue/vitality>. Encounter rate: <rate>. Health rate: <rate>. Room <breaks/smashes/wrecks/drains> <weapons/shields/armor/magic items>. Room fumbles. Room teleports to room <roomnumber>. Room has weapon rusting rate of <rate> action prompts. Room has monster stealing rate of <rate> action prompts.