EmlenMud Game Engine Revival Project: Utilities, News, and Source Code

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1/29/2007: Would this be helpful or not?

I would be willing to spend some time looking back through the old code and answering any questions people might have. In other words, I'm willing to work a bit with the old code if you need a little bit of help implementing something new or are just wondering why something isn't working right :) This benefits me as well; if I have to "re-learn" some of the old code, the newly created C# / VB.NET version is likely to look more familiar :)

I would find this useful
Don't bother

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1/29/2007: Game Engine Source Code Release

Download the Game Engine source code

1/29/2007: Instead of writing about a power.dat management program, I'll write a bit about the latest EmlenMud game engine release. There are several things you will notice:

I've put in a few functions in a "DB" module in anticipation of storing game data in a database - MySQL or MSSQL.
The engine has been split up into more logical components. For instance, a communication library now handles sending and receiving raw data from users (in any form -- via telnet or the web), and a DataClasses project defines the basic data structures used to create the game world. The game engine handles all the coordination tasks: Placing characters in a room, appropriately handling all user commands, and coordinating the interaction between characters, rooms, objects, mobiles, actions, timing and combat, and so on...
The DataClasses project can load and store data (including entire areas with mob prototypes, object prototypes, rooms, shops, etc). The game engine is no longer needed to create an editor of any kind.
The separation of Data and Function, along with loading and (now) SAVING areas in the "old format" are two huge leaps towards creating offline editors (and eventually, letting users or teams design their own cool graphical UI's that interface with the basic game engine).

I will finish off this short entry with the code for the "attack" command. Note how it doesn't need to know much about anything - each component handles its own "rules" and enforces them. I hope some of you will appreciate the simplicity of the code below (especially when compared to the original attack function!)

public static string do_attack(ICharacterData ch, string presetFirstArgument, string szUserArguments)
{
ICharacterData chToAttack = FindCharInRoomUsingDigitNameKeywordOrPrefix((ICharacterData)ch, szUserArguments);
if (chToAttack == null) return "Attack what or whom?";
if (ch.CanAttackChar(chToAttack) == false) return ch.ReasonCantAttackChar(chToAttack);
ch.AttackingCharacter = chToAttack;
return "You begin attacking " + chToAttack.MudInstance.ShortName(ch, chToAttack) + "!";
}

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1/24/2007: First attempt at a tutorial... old content

The first coding journey we will embark upon is going through how to build a slick-looking power.dat manager. Test out formulas, create characters and view how powerful they would be, while playing around with different power.dat settings.

The first thing to note is the sheer number of variables we have to deal with in the power.dat file. There is NO WAY we are going to code up a pretty form and manually set textboxes for each value, check their values, and arrange it all so it looks nice. There is an easier way using .NET reflection and attributes, which I will cover her when I get a chance. Here is a list of the variables associated with the power.dat file (!):

public class PowerData : IPowerData
{
 bool tps; /* Use travel point system? */
 bool evilGood;  /* Evil/Good conflict? */
 bool professions;  /* Professions used or disabled? */
 string good = "good"; // The names used for good and evil
 string evil = "evil";
 int[] initialHp = new int[2]; /* Initial HPCurrent points for newbies */
 int[] remortHP = new int[2];  /* Remort initial HPCurrent points */
 int[] initialMV = new int[2]; /* Initial MPCurrent points for newbies */
 int[,] remortMovegain = new int[10, 4]; /* Remort MPCurrent gains in a given level range */
 int[] remortMV = new int[2];  /* Remort initial MPCurrent points */
 int[,] hitgain = new int[10, 5]; /* Hit gains in a given level range */
 int[,] remortHitgain = new int[10, 5]; /* Remort HPCurrent gains in a given level range */
 int[,] movegain = new int[10, 4]; /* Move gains in a given level range */
 int remortLevel;  /* MinimumLevelToViewTopic you must be to remort */
 int maxRemorts;  /* Maximum remorts */
 bool addToStats;  /* Remorts add stats? */
 int mustBeInRoom; /* Must be in this currentRoom to remort */
 bool vaporizeInventory;  /* Vaporize inventory when remorting? */
 bool vaporizeAll;  /* Vaporize everything when remorting? */
 bool allowRecall;  /* Allow use of the recall command? */
 bool weather;  /* Weather effectsAffectedBy on/off */
 int beamsToRoom;  /* Jump to this currentRoom after remorting? */
 int raceChange;  /* Change races when remorting? */
 string gods = "";   /* Gods who run the place */
 int maxLevel = 90;  /* maximum level, cannot exceed 90 */
 bool canFightSelf = true; /* Can fight yourself? */
 int lootLevel = 0;  /* What level can you loot a corpse? */
 bool auctionLag = false;  /* PK Quit lag applied to auctions? */
 bool goodKillGood = true;
 bool evilKillEvil = true;
 int plagueChance = 15; /* Chance others in the currentRoom 
          will catch plague from you, if infected. */
 bool loginMenu;  /* Use login menu?  unused... */
 bool arenaOn;  /* Arena active? */
 bool arenaGoodEvil; /* Good/Evil fights in arena? */
 bool chooseEvilRaces; /* Choose evil races at newbie creation? */
 bool playerPrompt;  /* Player defined prompts? */
 bool skillLossOnMobDeath; /* skills lost on mob death? */
 int amountLostOnDeath;   /* Actual skill amount lost on death */
 bool skillLossOnPKDeath;  /* skills lost on pk death? */
 bool evilCanCast;  /* Evil can cast spells? */
 int practicePercent; /* Use to scale practices per level */
 int[] repairWeapons = new int[3]; /* Costs to repair weapons */
 int repairArmors; /* Costs to repair naturalArmor */
 int tinkerDiscount; /* Discount for tinker guild rgMemberNames */
 int resizeDivisor; /* Resize divisor for resize cost */
 int mpBonusResting; /* Move bonus for resting */
 int mpBonusSLeeping; /* Move bonus for sleeping */
 int meditationManaRegenBonus; /* Meditating regen for mana */    
 bool allowRerolls;  /* Allow rerolls in old creation method? */
 bool tackleWithWeapons; /* Allow tackling with a weapon? */
 int baseManaRegenBonus; /* Non-meditating regen for mana */
 bool tacklePersonWithWeapon; /* Allow tackling a person with a weapon? */
 int levelToSeeNumericStats; /* MinimumLevelToViewTopic to see 
           numeric stats, unused. */
 bool autoAuction;  /* Allow auto-auction? */
 ArrayList godNames = new ArrayList(1);  /* Holds the name of mudgods. */
 bool giveWhileFighting; /* Give objects while chAttacking? */
 bool scoreWhileFighting; /* Use score while chAttacking? */
 bool removeWhileFighting; /* Remove naturalArmor while chAttacking? */
 int groundfightStand; /* Chance of standing in a groundfight */
 bool equipInCombat; /* Equip naturalArmor in combat? */
 bool oldCreationMethod; /* Old question-based creation method? */
 bool allowWhoInLogin; /* Allow "who" in greeting screen. */
 int spaceNeeded;  /* Shared string space needed on bootup. */
 bool allowWhere;  /* Allow use of 'where' command? */
 ArrayList newbieObjs = new ArrayList(10); /* Newbies start with these objects */
 int maxPracSkills; /* Maximum skill percentage you can practice to */
 bool easierMoves;  /* Easier movement method */
 bool validation;  /* Validation system on/off */
 string emailTo;  /* Email to here for validation '*/
 bool oldAttack;  /* Old attack type? */
 int maxPracSpells; /* Maximum spell percentage you can practice to */
 int baseHPRegen; /* Base hp regen per heartbeat */
 int baseMPRegen; /* Base mp regen per heartbeat */
 int hpBonusResting; /* Hp regen bonus for resting */
 int prereq;  /* Minimum you must know a given skill for it
      to count as a satisfied prerequisite. */
 string expToLevel = ""; /* Interpretted experience to level. */
 ArrayList highRange = new ArrayList(10); /* Range for learned */
 ArrayList lowRange = new ArrayList(10); /* Range for learned */
 ArrayList learned = new ArrayList(10);  /* Description of how well 
               you know spells/skills */
 int hpBonusSleeping; /* Hp regen bonus for sleeping */
 int[] conApp = new int[30];
 int[] wisApp = new int[30];
 int[] intApp = new int[30];
 int flurryMPS;  /* Move point cost for flurry */
 ArrayList armorLevelWord = new ArrayList(10); /* Armor level range descriptions. */
 string mobExp = "";  /* Mob experience to level, interpretted. */
 ArrayList armorLevelMin = new ArrayList(10);/* Armor level range */
 ArrayList armorLevelMax = new ArrayList(10);/* Armor level range */
 bool restoreWhenLevel = true; /* Free restore when you level? */
 bool canSummonMobs = false; /* Does the game allow mob summoning? */
 bool mortsUseColorChat; /* Can morts use colors in channels? */
 bool showRaceSelectInfo; /* Shows race stats to newbies? */
 int fleeChance = 0;  /* Percent chance that fleeing will fail */
 bool bashSlipToTackle = true; /* Can a bash slip into a groundfight? */
 bool penalizeEvilInSun = true; /* Penalize evil in direct sunlight? */
 bool getFromCorpseWhileInCombat = true; /* Loot corpses while chAttacking? */
}

The first step is to expose and mark these as PROPERTIES of the class, and not simply just as variables. Turning these into properties is very easy using Visual Studio 2005. There is a "refactor" option which auto-creates the code for you. (Or, you can just use the code I have generated with VS2005). Below is an example property. You can also set attributes for properties, which describe the property (refferred to as metadata):

Property with no metadeta:		Property with metadata added:
Public bool AllowRecall { get { return allowRecall; } set { allowRecall = value; } }		[Category("Global Options"), DescriptionAttribute("If false, players will be unable to recall")] public bool AllowRecall { get { return allowRecall; } set { allowRecall = value; } }

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1/24/2007: Planned Page / Subsite Contents (click to expand)

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