The Turf Area Guide
Written by: Saomik, Hiero, and Cera
>>>NOTE: Before you begin talk to the area developer to make sure that you
to not create an area which someone else has already submitted.
Ask about the level range, as there may be a preferred one. You
can also request a 'vnum' (Turf Number) for your area instead of
starting with 01.
=== Description Writing Guidelines (thanks to Saomik)
Typographical:
Put two spaces between sentences.
Put one space before and after ellipses. Not this... but ... this.
Put double quotes around titles, explicit says, etc. For example,
The book "Idylls of the King" is on a shelf.
The siren sings "Bali Hai ... may call you."
Stylistic:
There are exceptions to all the following rules. Please adhere to
them unless there is an excellent reason for doing otherwise.
Avoid descriptions that repeat the room name. For example, the
following is redundant and needs editing.
Saomik's Room
You are in Saomik's Room ...
Avoid descriptions that impart emotions and actions to the player.
Don't do this:
You are filled with bliss as you bend over and pick some
of the beautiful flowers growing near your feet. You
frolic happily amongst them for a while, then you look
around in embarrassment and decide to move on.
Avoid room descriptions that imply a certain direction of travel.
Don't do this:
Behind you stretches the path you just followed. In front
of you loom the mountains, which you haven't visited yet.
Avoid room descriptions that describe the weather.
Not like this:
The hot sun bakes you to the bone as you struggle across
the desert sands.
Avoid mobile descriptions and actions that only make sense in some
environments. These are bad:
A large spider is here, dangling from a corner of the window.
Bullwinkle falls off a cliff.
Avoid the words "seem" and "appear". Something like this gets very
irritating:
This room seems to belong to someone who seems to be very
messy. There seem to be books and magazines scattered all
over the floor, and there appears to have been a huge party
recently.
This is better:
This room belongs to a very messy person. Books and
magazines are scattered all over the floor, and there was
recently a huge party here.
and this is better yet:
The owner of this room has left it in a terrible mess. Books
and magazines are scattered all over the floor. Piles of
empty bottles and mounds of cigarette butts attest to a huge
party in the recent past.
Avoid the words "boring" and "uninteresting". When a player reads
these words, s/he thinks "Hmmm, the author couldn't think of a good
description." Don't write this:
You are in the long-lost temple of Ooji-Wooji. It's really
boring - why don't you move on?
If the room is boring - leave it out.
I am sure you get the gist.
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=== General Guidelines for Rooms
Capitalise the room title.
ie. The Temple of Mudgaards,
The Ice-Rink
room = Describes the type of room. Dark, sound-proof (no communication
to channels), no mobiles, indoors, no teleport, private (no more
than two in the room), safe (no fighting), no recall. Pick as
many as are applicable.
terrain = This should relate to the room description. Inside, city, field,
forest, hills, mountain, water (no boat or fly), water (fly or boat
needed), air, desert, underwater. Pick one.
Mtf went to the effort to code 10 directions, don't just use 4.
The available directions are:
north - n
east - e
south - s
west - w
up - u
down - d
northeast - ne
southeast - se
southwest - sw
northwest - nw
A few doors in the area always go down well, but don't overdue it. Doors
can be locked or not, though too many locked doors can be annoying. One
door for every set of 10 (or more) rooms. In a small sized area of 40 rooms
you should not have more than 4 doors.
Doors are part of rooms and NOT objects. If you want a door then follow the
example below for rooms. Use exits are not doors, they ARE objects. Try
not to confuse the two.
unlocked open
unlocked closed
locked
locked pick proof (open only with key)
Remember that if the door is locked, it will need a key.
Try to avoid making corridors, they are very tedious. Most rooms should
have three exits or more. If you make an area with corridors you may find
your area re-mapped or returned for re-mapping.
When you are making your area, make a map for yourself on paper. Marking
out what each room is and its number so you do not get confused on where
one room connects to another. It is always helpful if a map is provided
with the area when submitted. Most people have scanners or use an graphic
program to make their maps. Providing a map is not required, just merely
makes putting the area in faster and easier to check.
Room descriptions should be, on average, 4 or 5 lines long. One and two
liners will not be accepted! Rooms can also have extra examine descriptions,
this feature is used for doors but can also be used to add depth to the room.
Like if you write in the room description that the room filled with pictures
and that the pictures are of flowers, trees, and lakes. You can add an extra
description for the room. So if you examine flowers, you get a description
to read and if you examine trees you will get another description to read
and so on. Extra room descriptions are NOT a requirement. Just a feature
for use if you wish it.
Room descriptions should differ unless a maze is being done. Even
with mazes no more than 5 rooms should have the same description. One
maze per 40 rooms will be allowed, but no more. This of course means that
if you have an 80 room area you may have two different mazes.
Areas should be at least 35 - 40 rooms and mapped on a grid. (If your area
does not have the required number of rooms and you are out of ideas. Then
email the area developer to discuss options.)
Rooms, like mobiles and objects which follow, can do special things. Some of
these things you may have noticed while playing Turf. Rooms, mobiles, and
objects that talk, cause damage, cast spells, display different descriptions
or change what they appeared to be just to name a few. I have offered some
ideas for special things in the examples. If you have an idea for a special
things for your room, mobile or object. Write it out and if reasonable it will
be considered to go in with your area.
Suggested example format :
If you have not asked for a Turf 'vnum' number then start with 01, then the
next room would be 02 and the next 03.
Room:
[R 01] (This means room 1)
name: Pac Man's House
desc: This is a house only if you believe a house to consist of a single room.
Certainly the inhabitant has few rooms to clean. There are sheets hung
on the walls in much the same way that some people hang the heads of
stuffed animals. A photograph on the wall shows a strange ball shaped man
wearing a top hat and carrying a cane.
room: inside
terrain: inside
special: 'You are hit by a unknown force.' message with hitpoint damage
[M 01] Pacman (Mobile 1 in this room)
[E 01] (Equip with object 1)
[O 01] a pair of gloves (This is object 1 in this room on the floor)
[R 02] N (Exit from this room is north to room 2.)
[R 03] E Door (Another exit with a door from this room to east room 3.)
Door is closed and locked. When examined read 'You see a dark
black door with a brass knocker' (Door descriptions are not
a requirement, just an extra you can have).
extra: examine sheets - You see covering which resemble skin. They are in
many different colours though all one size. Hung
on the wall with care and pride, could this house
be that of a hunter?
----------------------------------------------
=== General Guidelines for Mobiles
Mobiles:
a) Need name, ie the monster, the fish, Mary, etc.
b) Need a long desc, ie A monster is here looking scary. A
fish is here swimming about. Mary is here singing to herself.
c) Need an examine desc, ie the response to 'examine monster'
'examine fish, examine mary, etc.
At this time there is no plural sex for mobiles, so to avoid confusion
Turf asks that you avoid mobiles like:
A group of monsters are here.
or
A large committee of men are here.
Yes there are plural mobiles in the game now and it has not been decided
whether they will be changed to a set sex or if plural sex might be considered
for some time in the future. (For those that think having a plural sex would
be nice and are thinking of suggesting it, remember that it would be a major
change that will take a lot of coding. That is why it has not been done in
the past and for now might be better left alone.)
Mobiles need a level, sex, alignment, (1000 = very good, -1000 = very evil),
act parameters, and affect parameters.
level = Should be between the level range suggested for the area. If
suggested level range is { 5 15} then all mobiles should fall in
that range. Shopkeepers can be given a higher level to keep them
from constant death.
sex = Should be male = m, female = f, or neutral = n.
align = Should be between the numbers -1000 through to 1000.
act = Should pick from: sentinel (does not wander), scavenger (picks up
objects), aggressive (fights lower level players), stay area (does
not leave area), wimpy (flees when hurt), pet (for a pet shop),
no summon (cannot be summoned), and maddened (will attack all
players). Other parameters are possibly available upon request.
affect = Should pick from: blind, invisible, detect evil, detect invis,
detect magic, detect hidden, sanctuary, faerie fire, infrared,
curse, poison, protect, sneak, hide, sleep, charm, flying, pass
door, and marine (can move through water).
You can select more than one for the act and affect parameters.
Mobiles can also have simple if ... then type programs to control them.
If you would like your mobile (or object) to do something special please
detail what you want. Emotes, tells, and says are required for most
of the mobiles you send in. Detail these in the following manner:
say I will see you tomorrow.
tell Will you be able to do this?
emote sits on the floor and watches tv.
Mobiles should count for at least half of the numbers of rooms in the area.
A 40 room area should have no less then 20 mobiles.
You can list spells or skills you wish the mobiles to do. These should match
with the level of the area. If you wish these things to be picked by the area
developer then just mark the mobiles as easy, regular, hard.
Suggested example format:
If you have not asked for a Turf 'vnum' number then start with 01, then the
next mobile would be 02 and the next 03.
Mobiles:
[M 01] (This is the number of the mobile.)
name: Pacman
long desc: Pacman is here demonstrating how big his mouth is.
examine desc: This happy looking soul has no teeth and arms which just pop out
of the side of his head. A closer inspection also reveals that he is short of
a body and as such his legs also protrude from his somewhat large spherical
head.
level: 5 easy
sex: male
align: 800
act: sentinel, stay area
affect: detect invis, sneak
special: When he sees ghosts he attacks them.
special: enter message 'Pacman enters the room chomping at everything in sight.'
tell: Welcome to Pixel, watch out for Inky and Pinky!
[E 01] a pair of white gloves (equip with this object)
[R 01] (Set to be in room 1)
--------------------------------------------
=== General Guidelines for Objects
Objects :
a) Need name, ie a green potion, a long sword,
a cart, etc.
b) Need an long desc, ie A green potion has been
left here, A long sword lies here forgotten, A cart
is here awaiting use. (The cart desc is only for non-pick
up ojects), etc.
c) Need an examine desc, ie the response to
'examine potion', 'examine sword', 'examine cart',
etc.
Objects have types, wear, and affect parameters.
types = Should be one of the following: light, scroll, wand, staff,
weapon, treasure, armour, potion, furniture, trash, container,
drink container, key, food, money, boat, fountain, pill, bomb
(both armed and unarmed).
wear = Should be one of the following: finger, neck, body, head, legs
feet, hands, arms, shield, about, waist, wrist, wield, hold.
affect = An object can have the following (but do not go overboard):
glow, hum, evil, invis, magic, no drop, bless, anti good, anti
evil, anti neutral, and no remove (for once you wear it).
If you want objects to apply stats, then you can suggest something
like: +2 to str when using this weapon, -10 movement when you wear these
shoes, etc. Turf will consider your suggestion if it is reasonable.
apply :
none = no effects (putting nothing for the apply is also acceptable)
str = strength
dex = dexterity
int = intelligence
wis = wisdom
con = constitution
sex = change of sex (lets be sure this is applicable)
mana = mana for spells
hit = hitpoints for fighting
move = movement
ac = armour class
hitroll = hitroll
damroll = damroll
Objects get the level of the mobile they are given to, random level if in
a shopkeepers hold, or a level within the level range of your area, if they
are just to be lying about. (This is because of the way objects are loaded
in when the game resets.) If you you wish to set the level of an object then
discuss your reasons with the Area Developer.
Doors are NOT objects, refer back to rooms.
Remember that objects like mobiles can do special things too.
Objects should also count as half the number of rooms in an area. If there
are 40 rooms then there should be at least 20 objects.
Note when you are making the long description that you do not use the
follow words unless the object is non-takable: floor, ground, etc. You have
to remember that just because 'A cap is here lying on the floor.' is right
when in a room with a floor. If some picks up that cap and drops it in the
sea or on the ground then it is now wrong. Try to keep to the following:
'A cap is here discarded.', 'A cap is lying here forgotten.', 'Someone has
left a cap here.', 'A cap has been left here.', etc.
Suggested example format:
If you have not asked for a Turf 'vnum' number then start with 01, then the
next object would be 02 and the next 03.
Object:
[O 01] (This is the number of the object.)
name: a pair of white gloves
long desc: A pair of large white gloves are lying discarded here.
examine desc: These large white gloves probably fit any size so long as you
have 4 fingers, but for now if there is nothing better then maybe they could
be of some use.
type: armour
wear: hands
affect: no drop
apply: con +2
special: 'The white gloves make your hands dance.' random message when worn.
[M 01] (Equip or give to mobile 01, ie Pacman)
[R 01] (Set to the floor in room 01)
----------------------------------
=== Quests for Areas
Turf now has more options for quests besides quest boxes. If you would like
to have a quest in your area which fits in with the theme your area has
then detail it in the an email or text file when you submit your area.
Quests can include most things which would be expected of them. Like only
being able to do them once and having a prize or treasure at the end.
Though quests are nice it would be best to limit them to about one per a
40 room area. Some exception will apply. If you want more than one, take
it up with the Turf developer.
-----------------------------------
=== Clan Location
The general guidelines for rooms, mobiles, and objects as detailed above
also apply to Clan Locations.
The Clan Location area is for Turf registered clans. A clan should talk
over ideas for their part in this area with each clan member so everyone
likes what is put in.
Each clan is allowed to have 20 rooms or less, a healer, and a
storage bin. Clans can also pick wearable objects one for clansman,
clanhero, and subchief. (These objects can be rings, badges, etc.)
Remember it is better to have one clan room than no clan room.
--------------------------------
The developer will format and implement all areas submitted into a file Turf
will understand. So you needn't worry about sending things in MUD area format.
The example formats show what the developer will need to put the area together
in the fastest possible way. You can leave out the name: and other words
before the : they are there to show you. I hope that these examples
will help.
If you do not give all the information shown in the example format, your area
might take longer to code. If it is in a very poor format it will be returned.
Of course, any layouts close to the example format and with the needed
information will be accepted. Please send your areas by email in plain text
format.
If you have any questions ask or note me. Good Luck!
-Cera
***** The Turf Official Disclaimer *****
1) Turf can use or discard your areas as they see fit.
2) Turf can make alterations to your descriptions so long as they do not
detract from the spirit of the area.
3) Turf offers NO reward for area production.
4) Turf has total possession of your area after submission. You cannot
withdraw your efforts, although alterations will be considered.
5) Turf will always use the area credited to the name chosen by the author.
Turf Administrators.
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