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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.