.  DoorMUD World Editor -- New v0.99 Features  .
  ============================================

This file describes some new World Editor features available if you are running
DoorMUD v0.99 along with the World Editor v0.99.

Contents:
  I. Class editing
 II. Race editing
III. Remote script compiling
 IV. Fresh game world option


Warning:  If you used dmbackup.bat in v0.98 to make a backup of your DoorMUD
files, do not use restore.bat in v0.99 to restore those v0.98 files.  Doing so
may cause file corruption due to version differences.  For a fix, please e-mail
RhythmNp@aol.com and be sure to specify which DoorMUD platform (16bit vs 32bit)
you are using.

An exception is if you are reseting the game, and use restore.bat prior to
doing a game reset.  In this case, no problems will be encountered.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


I. CLASS EDITING

The DoorMUD World Editor v0.99 now includes a class editor.  You can load the
class editor by using the ;editconfig command and selecting option 4.

The class editor starts on Class #1.  You can edit the stats of that class;
or, you can press <ENTER> to proceed to Class #2.  You can also (J)ump to a
specific class, or (Q)uit the editor.

The standard game has 12 "stock" classes, but the game actually supports having
up to 15 classes.  So, you can edit the 12 stock classes, as well as add up to
3 entirely new classes.

If you edit a class, all players who already selected that class WILL have
their stats adjusted to reflect the class's new abilties.  To avoid upsetting
players, you should probably avoid making major edits to the stock classes
unless you recently reset the game.

The more complex class statistics are explained here:
  2. Exp table base  --   Specifies the amount of experience needed to gain
                          levels; this is set to 100% for all of the game's
                          stock classes.  Higher values mean it would take 
                          longer to gain levels; this should be used as a
                          way to balance classes that have an excessive number
                          of abilities.  For example, a 200% table means it
                          would take the class TWICE as long to gain levels!
3-6. Max attributes  --   Sets the maximum health, strength, intellect, and
                          dexterity for players of this class.  Players cannot
                          raise their attributes beyond these maximums, unless
                          ALL four of their attributes have reached their
                          maximums.  Once all attributes are maxed, players can
                          proceed to raise any attribute past the maximum.
  7. Extra Swings    --   Influences how many extra swings a player can get
                          using a lower-level weapon at a higher level.  Set to
                          "poor" to severely limit bonus swings; "average" for
                          standard bonus swing formula; or "excellent" for a
                          small bonus to the swing formula.
  8. Crits Bonus     --   A permanent bonus to chance of getting a critical hit.
  9. Status          --   Enabled means that new playeys may select this class;
                          disabled means they cannot.  Status will show as 
                          "unbalanced" if the class is far too powerful or too
                          weak.
 10. Permanent Flags --   Use to assign this class PERMANENT condition flags,
                          such as "strong" (+2 dmg per hit), "Invisible", etc.
                          Use sparingly!
 11. Autogain skills --   Use to edit/add skills and spells that this class
                          gains automatically upon reaching a certain level.
                          (Level 0 autogain skills/spells are gained
                          immediately upon character creation!)
12-21. Abilities     --   Determines what weapon, armor, and spells the class
                          can use, as well as what special abilities the class
                          has. Each is ranked on a scale of 0 to 3.  For full
                          info, see SYSOP.TXT section VII.c, "skill system".
                          It is VERY IMPORTANT that you read that section
                          before adjusting these values.
 22. List spells     --   Lists all spells and skills that this class is
                          capable of casting.  Also displays the spell's
                          reference number (useful for using ;editspells), its
                          casting command, its level, and its ability
                          requirement.  Autogain spells/skills are listed with
                          "AG".

The game automatically calculates an estimate of how powerful a class is,
assigning it a recommended experience table range.  Normally, you MUST keep
the class's Exp Table Base within this range; if your set Exp Table Base is
outside of the recommended range, it will automatically be adjusted to be
within the range.  However, if you're using the "fresh game world" option
to create a new world from scratch, OR if you're using the stock world but
have made a large number of edits, this experience balance restriction is
waived.

IMPORTANT:  If you edit any classes, you will need to manually adjust the
class's help information in GAME.HLP to reflect its new abilities.  This
includes the class's help topic (for example, the ;warrior topic if you edited
the Warrior class), possibly the ;equipment topic, and also the ;classes topic.
You may also need to edit the ;classes topic in MISC.HLP.

If you CHANGE ANY CLASS'S NAME, or ADD A NEW CLASS, be sure to give it an 
appropriate help topic in GAME.HLP of the same name.  For example, if you
add a Gypsy class, be sure to add a help topic called ;gypsy which describes
the class's abilities.  This help topic is automatically displayed to players
when they select a class.


Recommendations on adding NEW classes:

* You can create new "hybrid" classes that combine abilities of other classes,
  but have higher experience tables.  For example, you could make a Gypsy class
  that combines the abilities of a Thief (backstab, thievery) and a Mage (magic,
  mage spells) but at lower ability levels and a higher experience table.

* You can create classes that use an entirely new set of spells/skills.  For
  example, you could make a Psionicist class with Psionic spells.  These spells
  could come from new spell scroll items flagged as requirement Class:Psionicist,
  or you could make these new spells be AutoGain spells at certain levels, all
  with the requirement Class:Psionicist.


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


II. RACE EDITING

The DoorMUD World Editor v0.99 now includes a race editor.  You can load the
class editor by using the ;editconfig command and selecting option 5.  Its
functionality is very similar to the class editor.

The standard game has 11 stock races, but the game actually supports having
up to 15 races; hence you can add up to 4 entirely new races if desired.

If you edit a race, all players who already selected that race will have SOME
of their stats adjusted to reflect the race's new statistics.  The players'
str/hea/dex/int will not be affected, nor will their Armor Class or Alignment.
All other changed racial stats WILL affect existing players though; to avoid
upsetting your players, don't make major edits to the stock races unless you
recently reset the game.

The more complex race statistics are explained here:
  6. Alignment       --   Specifies the race's STARTING alignment for new
                          players.  This also influences the min/max align
                          that the player can achieve, as displayed.
  7. Armor Bonus     --   This is a PERMANENT armor class bonus.
  8. Magic Res Bonus --   A permanent bonus to magic resistance.
  9. Resting Bonus   --   Adjusts how fast the race heals when using the Rest
                          command.  (Set to 0% for the standard rest rate; all
                          stock races have this set at 0%, except Troll which
                          has a 3% bonus)
 10. Fast Criminal   --   If set to "Yes", criminal penalties only last half as
                          long for this race.  
 11. Exp Table mod   --   A modifer to the class's experience table.  Higher
                          values mean it takes longer to gain levels; useful to
                          balance out other race abilities.
 12. Race Status     --   Enabled means the race may be selected by new players,
                          disabled means it cannot.  Status will show up as 
                          Unbalanced if the race is far too powerful or too 
                          weak.
 13. Permanent Flags --   Use to assign this class PERMANENT condition flags,
                          such as "strong" (+2 dmg per hit), "Invisible", etc.
                          Use sparingly!
 14. Autogain skills --   Use to edit/add skills that this class gains 
                          automatically, such as the Gnoll's "Head Butt" skill.
                          You can set these skills to Level 0 to have new 
                          characters start with them, or specify a level when 
                          the player can gain the skill automatically upon 
                          training.  NOTE -- In general, you should set Race-
                          based autogain skills to be 0 SP, since otherwise 
                          non-spellcasting classes will be unable to use them.


The game automatically calculates an estimate of how powerful a race is,
assigning it a recommended experience table range.  You MUST keep the 
race's Exp Table Modifier within this range; if your set Exp Table Mod is
outside of the recommended range, it will automatically be adjusted to be
within the range. 

IMPORTANT:  If you edit any race, you will need to manually adjust the
race's help information in GAME.HLP to reflect its new abilities.  This
includes the race's help topic (for example, the ;dwarf topic if you edited
the Dwarf race) as well as the ;races topic.  You may also want to edit the
;races topic in MISC.HLP.

If you CHANGE ANY RACE'S NAME, or ADD A NEW RACE, be sure to give it an 
appropriate help topic in GAME.HLP of the same name.  For example, if you
add a Ogre race, be sure to add a help topic called ;ogre which describes
the race's abilities.  This help topic is automatically displayed to players
when they select the race.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


III. REMOTE SCRIPT COMPILATION

In previous versions of the World Editor, the Script Compiler was a separate
program called DMSCRIPT.EXE.  In v0.99, the Script Compiler has now been 
integrated directly into the World Editor.  To recompile the script file, you
now use the ;editconfig command in the World Editor and select option #3.

As before, you must recompile the game's scripts any time you make changes to
the SCRI1.SCR script file.

The reason for this change is to aid in remote editing, if you have set the
World Editor up as a door.  Hence, if you have given Implementor access to
trusted users, they can recompile the script file themselves if they've made
changes to the scripts.

Also, a new auto-restore feature has been added to the Script Compiler.  If
the script compiler finds a syntax error in the script file, the compiler
will abort and the current compiled version of the scripts will remain
unchanged. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


IV. FRESH GAME WORLD OPTION

This option, available from ;editconfig (option 8), erases ALL DOORMUD DATA 
FILES.  Its purpose is to allow you to create a completely fresh game world 
from scratch.  This is a VERY ADVANCED OPTION as well as a huge time 
commitment.  It should only be used if you are extremely familiar with the 
World Editor and are capable of designing and implementing a new game world.

It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you run DMBACKUP.BAT, ie "dmbackup old",
prior to going through with this option!

You must be running the World Editor in Local Mode to use this option.

The full effects of this option are as follows:

- All data (*.dat) is deleted, except for CONFIG.DAT (game configuration and
  registration) and COMMAND.DAT (game command data).  In other words, all
  players, monsters, rooms, spells, etc will be DELETED, *WITHOUT* BACK-UPS 
  BEING MADE.  Please run dmbackup.bat FIRST if you want backups!

- A new room file (ROOM.DAT) is created, with 3 rooms auto-created.  Room 0
  is a reserved room for holding deleted players; do not edit it.  Room 1
  is a room for Implementors only; players in this room won't show up on the
  ranked player list.  Do not link the rest of the game world to this room.
  Room 2 is the start of your new game world, as well as the default room for
  new players.  Edit room 2 and branch your new game world from it.

- All monster, item, and room descriptions (CREA1.HLP, ITEM1.HLP, ROOM1.HLP)
  are deleted.  You must re-create new description files from scratch; be sure
  to use the same file names.  Backups of the old ones are made to OLD*.HLP so
  that you can refer to these files for examples.

- The compiled script file (SCRI1.HBS) is deleted, and the script source 
  (SCRI1.SCR) is deleted.  You must create a new script file from scratch; use
  the same file name SCRI1.SCR.  A backup of the source is made to SCRI1.OLD 
  so that you can refer to it for examples.  

- The daily log (DAILYLOG.HLP) and player ranking list (RANK.LST) are deleted.

- Some data files are re-initialized so that the World Editor can properly
  recreate them.

After this option is used, the World Editor exits.  You MUST re-enter the 
World Editor immediately after this in order for some files to be properly
re-created.

Again, this option is extremely advanced.  Only use it if you know exactly
what you're doing.

If you have questions, please e-mail RhythmNp@aol.com.


--- End of File ---
