Welcome to the Land Of Devastation external editor utility. This program allows you to configure various elements of the current game in progress, such as editing the user file. g
A seperate utility, CUSTOM.EXE, is provided to assist you in generating your own custom LOD datasets.
Menus may be selected by using Alt-Z where Z is the first letter of the menu you wish to select. For example, ALT-C would select the Utilities
Menu. The
menu is access by pressing Alt-Space. a
This utility uses the TAB and SHIFT-TAB keys extensively to move back and forth through fields. l
Alt-X may be used to exit the LOD Configuration Utility. Further help is available on the following menus:
Info - LOD/Editor utility information
Utilities - Various utility programs
Editors - Editors for players, terrain, map, etc
Messages - Message read/write
Window - Window options
Options - Editor Options
Press ESC to put this help screen away.
(Info) menu
(Alt-Spacebar)
The Info menu appears on the far left of the menu bar and is represented by the
symbol. (
When you pull down the
menu, you see
About
PARENT: Root
About
When you choose the About command from the
(System) menu, a dialog box appears, showing copyright and version information. G
To close the box, press Esc, Space, or Enter, or click the OK button.
PARENT:
Menu
Utilities Menu
The utilities menu includes a variety of little utility features that may assist you in operating your copy of LOD. They include rankings viewers, log file viewers, etc. 7
Here is a listing of the available utility functions: 2
Rankings
ViewLog
Advancement
Objects
PARENT: Root
Display Current Rankings
This utility will display the current player rankings. The Rankings will be immediately calculated, sorted, and displayed. Each user will be listed as well as his scores in six categories:
Worth: This is how much money the player is worth. It includes the value of the equipment he is carrying, bases he owns, money, etc. G
Level: This is the characters level. Levels are based on expericence.
Exper: The players experience varies with how much combat the player has been involved in and what special quests he has completed.
Brave: Bravery is calculated based on how often the player fights in a combat situation versus how often he runs and surrenders. X
Accur: Accurracy is how often the player hits compared to how often the player misses. .
Total: The average of the above five scores.
PARENT: Utilities
Menu
View Log File
The ViewLog utility will display the current log file if it is available. (Note: If nobody has played, then the log file will either be unavailable or empty)
PARENT: Utilities
Menu
Advancement
The advancement table displays a table of the various experience requirements for each level in LOD. These values are calculated based on the values defined under Setup:Exper. m
This utility is useful for viewing what effects changes to the Setup:Exper variables will have on the game.
PARENT: Utilities
Menu
Object Listing
The object listing will list the positions of all of the objects that are laying about on the wastelands. This utility is primarily used by me for debugging program errors, but some of you may find it useful as well.
PARENT: Utilities
Menu
Editors Menu
The editors menu includes editors for editing players, terrain, maps, etc. 6
Here is a listing of the available editor functions: +
Users
Fortress
Clone
Puritron
PARENT: Root
User Editor
The User Editor is the primary tool for editing players in LOD. You may edit almost every aspect of a players character.
The format of the user edit screen is a bit nonstandard and may be slightly confusing. The screen is divided into four sections:
-----------------
: : : :
: : : :
: 1 : : :
: : 3 : 4 :
:-------: : :
: 2 : : :
-----------------
Section #1 is the editing window. In here, the user's parameters are displayed. You may tab up and down and change what you wish.
Section #2 contains three buttons which will allow you to browse through the userbase. <Next> goes to the next user, <Previous> to the previous user, and <Done> will exit the editor.
Section #3 contains several buttons which will select what data you wish to edit. Whenver you push a button in this area, the editing screen in section #1 will change to show the appropriate data.
Section #4 contains a scrollable list of all the users in the game. You may use this list to quickly move from one user to another. The name and number of the user you are editing is highlighted. c
By using the buttons in section #4, you are able to select any one of the following data screens: "
<Personal> Personal information
Real
Alias
Alive
Sex
<Stats> Player attributes and characteristics
Strength
Dexterity
Agility
Maximum
Current
Level
Experience
<Finances> Player financial parameters
Normal
Account
Game
Account
Loan
Money
Accumulated
<Combat> Combat related parameters
Hits
Misses
Total
Combat
Kills
Times
Fleed
Times
Surrendered
<Prefs> Preferences
Forced
color
Colored
Enhanced
Expert
Enh
Sheet
Store
Colors
Combat
<Misc> Miscellanious
X-Coordinate
Y-Coordinate
Z-Coordinate
Last
Message
Hunger
<Quests> Special Quests
Quest
Toggles
<Equip> Equipment display
Equipment
listing
<Inv> Inventory listing
Inventory
listing
PARENT: Editor
Menu &
Real Name
This is the user's real name. It is supplied by the bbs software and should not need to be modified.
PARENT: User
Editor
Alias
This is the user's alias which he chooses when he creates his character. If possible, then this variable should not be altered as it can be confusing to other players.
PARENT: User
Editor
Alive
The box may be checked either "yes" or "no" depending on whether or not the user is alive.
You may use this field to manually ressurect a user at full stats, but the user's inventory will have been dropped to the location that he/she died at.
PARENT: User
Editor
This box may be checked either male, female, or other (!). The effects of this parameter are largely cosmetic - in graphics mode a female picture will be displayed for female players rather than the usual male picture.
PARENT: User
Editor
Attributes
There are three basic attributes in LOD which control a player's skills and abilities. These are STRENGTH, DEXTERITY, and AGILITY. By default, the player is allocated 21 points in each one of these fields. When the player goes up a level, he is able to allocate additional points. You may alter these as you wish without any adverse effects. ;
Below is a short description of what each attribute does: }
STRENGTH: Increases damage in close combat.
AGILITY: Running away, avioding hits.
DEXTERITY: Ability to hit with weapon.
PARENT: User
Editor
Hit Points
Hit Points (also referred to as Health) specify how much damage the user can take before dying. The "Current Hit Points" is the counter of how many hit points the user has at the moment. When it reaches zero, the user dies.
"Maximum hit points" specifies the maximum amount of hit points that the "Current hit points" variable can attain. The user regenerates his hit points using medical kits. G
The user may increase his "maximum hit points" when he rises a level.
PARENT: User
Editor
Level/Experience
A user generates experience by fighting monster and accomplishing certain special quests. One the user attains a certain amount of experience, he will "go up a level" and be allowed to upgrade his attributes as he wishes.
The "experience" variable is simply a raw count of how much experience the user has. This experience is gained during combat and by accomplishing special quests.
The "level" variable is semi-dependent upon the experience variable. Once the user gets enough experience, he rises one or more levels and this variable is incremented accordingly.
The amount of experience required for each level is determined by the values set up in the Setup:Exper menu. The current experience table may be viewed in the Utitlies:Exper menu.
PARENT: User
Editor
Normal Account
The normal account is one of the many bank accounts in LOD. A user may place money in this account and earn 10% (by default) additional each day.
PARENT: User
Editor
Game Account
The game account is one of the many bank accounts in LOD. A user may place money in this account and earn 20% (by default) additional each day. However, this added gain is not without risks. Other players may "challenge" the user to a game for up to half of what is in this account. If the challenger wins, he gets the money. If not, then the player gets the additional money.
PARENT: User
Editor
Loan
Users may take out a loan up to a certain percentage of their worth. Each night, additional interest will be added on to this loan until the user pays up. V
This value is the current outstanding balance on the loan and it will go up nightly.
Currently, there is no penalty for not paying your loan off. The only thing it hurts is that the user may not be able to take out a loan at another time when he really needs the money.
PARENT: User
Editor
Money on Hand
This variable stores how much money the user currently is carrying on his person.
PARENT: User
Editor
Accumulated Rent
When high-level players stay within a city, they may accumulate rent. If their rent is not payed off in a timely manner, then they be refused entrance to the cities.
PARENT: User
Editor
Hits/Misses
A running statistic is kept on how many times the user HITS a monster compared to how many times a user MISSES a monster. These two variables are then used to compute the user's accuracy in the rankings display.
PARENT: User
Editor
Bravery Statistics
A group of statistical variables are kept on how well the user does in combat. Since these directly effect the "bravery" reading in the rankings display, I have dubbed them the bravery statistics: S
Total Combat: This is how many times the user has enterred combat with a monster. R
Kills: This is how many times the user has succeeded in killing hostile monster. d
Times Fleed: This is how many times the user has successfully "ran away" from a monster in combat. \
Times Surrendered: This is how many times the user has surrendered to a monster in combat. l
The sum of (kills+flees+surrenders) should be less than or equal to the total number of combat encounters.
PARENT: User
Editor
Force ANSI color
If the FORCE-ANSI preference is turned on, then ANSI color codes will be enabled for the use no matter what the bbs says his capabilities are. This is useful if a player has ANSI shut off within the BBS, but wishes the added benefits of ANSI during LOD game play.
PARENT: User
Editor
Colored Map
If colored map is enabled, then the wastelands map will be displayed to the user in color. This color does slow down the display for users with slow modems, so the option is given to shut off color for those who wish it. F
NOTE #1: Colored Map only pertains to users who are not using GTERM.
NOTE #2: For a colored map display, the user must either have ANSI capability by default or have the FORCE ANSI option toggled on.
PARENT: User
Editor
Enhanced ANSI Map Display
For ANSI users, the enhanced ansi map display looks much nicer than the normal map display. However, this display may operate a bit slower than the normal one. So the option is provided to "degrade" the map display down to the lower method if the user wishes. L
NOTE #1: Enhanced ANSI map only pertains to users who are not using GTERM.
NOTE #2: For an enhanced map display, the user must either have ANSI capability by default or have the FORCE ANSI option toggled on.
PARENT: User
Editor
Expert Toggle
If expert is toggled ON, then all of the menu displays in LOD will be turned off. This is useful for users who know the game well and do not wish to see the menus over and over again. `
At any time, the user may display a menu by hitting "?", even if his Expert mode is turned on.
PARENT: User
Editor
Enh Char Sheet
For ansi capable users, the enhanced character sheet is default. Players may wish to disable it if they dislike the format or are using a slow modem.
PARENT: User
Editor
Store Colors
By default, users will see items they can afford in lightgray and items they cannot afford in dark gray. Disabling store colors will display all items in the same color.
PARENT: User
Editor
Combat Mode
The combat mode is used to determine how the user will fight in close combat. There are three choices:
Statistical: The user fights solely by his statistics. If he has a high dexterity, he'll hit a lot. If he has a low dexterity, then he'll miss a lot.
Alpha-Key: The user's ability is based on how fast he can hit a certain key on the keyboard. This is in effect, a "typing tutor". G
Reflex-Action: The user's reflexes control whether or not he can hit.
PARENT: User
Editor
Coordinates
The location of a user is determined by three coordinates: Z,X,Y. The X and Y coordinates are usually the user's X,Y position on the main map (this is when Z=1). There are two exceptions: <
Z=0: The user is in a city; the number is determined by X. <
Z=255: The user is in a base; base number determined by X. W
Right now, there is only one real map level (Z=1), but that may change in the future.
You should not alter the user's coordinates as you may place him in the middle of an unpassable mountain or something similar that he could get "stuck" in.
PARENT: User
Editor
Last Message Pointer
The last message pointer indicates the number of the last message that the user has read in the LOD message base. You should not need to alter it.
PARENT: User
Editor
Hunger Points
Hunger points are used internally by LOD to determine how hungry a user is. You should not need to alter them.
PARENT: User
Editor
Special Quests
There are several "special quests" in LOD which the user can complete for added experience. You should not need to modify these.
PARENT: User
Editor
Equip Listing
The equipment listing shows the names of the weapons, armor, etc that the user has equipped. X
You may edit these items although caution is suggested. When typing in a new name, you must specify it _EXACTLY_ as it appears in the master listing of devices. If there is a "/" parameter (i.e. "Medkit/25"), then the parameter must match the device. You may not for example, enter "Medkit/23" because there is no device called a "Medkit/23".
PARENT: User
Editor
Inventory Listing
The inventory listing shows the names of the items that the user is carring in his inventory. X
You may edit these items although caution is suggested. When typing in a new name, you must specify it _EXACTLY_ as it appears in the master listing of devices. If there is a "/" parameter (i.e. "Medkit/25"), then the parameter must match the device. You may not for example, enter "Medkit/23" because there is no device called a "Medkit/23".
PARENT: User
Editor
Fortress Editor
PARENT: Editor
Menu
Clone Editor
PARENT: Editor
Menu
Puritron Editor
PARENT: Editor
Menu
Window
(Alt-W)
The Window menu contains commands to close, move and perform other window-management commands.
Most of the windows in this program have all the standard window elements, including scroll bars, a close box, and zoom icons. >
For more about windows and their elements, refer to windows. :
Window-management commands
Size/Move Zoom
Tile Cascade
Next Previous
Close
PARENT: Root
Window
Size/Move
(Ctrl-F5)
Choose this command to change the size or position of the active window.
Size
If you press Shift while you use the arrow keys, you can change the size of the active window. Once you've adjusted its size or position, press Enter. Q
If a window has a Resize corner, you can drag that corner to resize the window.
Move
When you choose Window
Size/Move, the active window moves in response to the arrow keys. Once you've moved the window to where you want it, press Enter. F
You can also move a window by dragging its title bar with the mouse.
PARENT: Windows
Menu
Window
Zoom
(F5)
Choose Zoom to resize the active window to the maximum size. If the window is already zoomed, you can choose this command to restore it to its previous size. {
You can also double-click anywhere on the window's title bar (except where an icon appears) to zoom or unzoom the window.
PARENT: Windows
Menu
Window
Tile
Choose Window
Tile to tile all file viewers on the desktop. L
Tiled Windows
PARENT: Windows
Menu
Window
Cascade
Choose Window
Cascade to stack all file viewers on the desktop. A
Cascaded Windows
PARENT: Windows
Menu
Window
Next
Choose Next to cycle forwards through the windows on the desktop.
PARENT: Windows
Menu
Window
Previous
Choose Previous to cycle backwards through the windows on the desktop.
PARENT: Windows
Menu
Window
Close
(Alt-F3)
Choose Close to close the active window. O
You can also click the Close box in the upper right corner to close a window.
PARENT: Windows
Menu
Message Menu
The Message Menu contains various services for reading and writing messages in the LOD message base. The following commands are available: f
Read
Messages: Read in the LOD message base
Write
Message: Write a message in the LOD message base
PARENT: Root
Read Messages
The read message command will allow you to browse through the message base and read whatever messages you wish. There are three command buttons: NEXT, PREVIOUS, and DONE. These are pretty self-explanatory. The up/down arrows will allow you to scroll up and down within a particular message if it is longer than one screen.
PARENT: Message
Menu
Write Message
This feature is not completed yet, but should be soon. When finished, it will allow you to enter a message into the LOD Message Base.
PARENT: Message
Menu
Options Menu
The options menu includes a few things to tailor the LOD external editor to your preferences. Things such as screen size, color, etc, can be modified.
(.txt)