> Though I have grown used to it over the years, I'm working on balance
> for my own realm now, and the fact that stock allows a mob to cast
> anything from one to five (the max I've seen so far) spells per round,
> can throw that balance way off. I have tried putting in a wait state in
> a few places, each returning undesired effects. Was wondering if anyone
> might have a suggestion on how to null this problem out of existence.
>
At one point in time, I had whipped up a wait-state for mobs
slightly different than standard wait-state. Originally, it was primarily
for stun/hold/paralyze type skills, but I altered it so that mobs
performing certain actions (like cast, etc) caused a wait-state upon
themselves as well (though depending on the 'type' of wait state, could
attack,flee, move, etc or not). During this period, there was a command
queue that got built up, nearly identical to a players queue (so that
commands would still eventually trickle out). Of course, I had a single
global queue, so I didn't have to search every mob each pulse, just had to
run down the list of pending events.
It's pretty easy, just a few modifications to command interpreter
and some changes to the mob-required structures, and an execution pulse
(prolly a new function like mobile_activity, called each pulse, from
heartbeat() - i if you're using some sort of online scripting to cast the
spells. Also a function in 'extract_mob' to purge any events owned by
that mob.
Because it stayed in command form (ie, save the command string,
instead of target/etc), it was executed as a command, and aside from the
mob's existance, there was no additional checking needed, since the
command interpreter would do it.
> Also, a question tossed out to those using and maintaining Oasis, it
> has come to my attention that the way it does zone permissions is
> inadequate for my current needs. I was wondering if there was a reason
> for saving zone permission in the player file, rather than saving them
> into the zone file. There have been a few times recently that I have
> needed to have a player balance another zone, while they are working on
> a new zone. Currently, Oasis allows for one zone at a time, unless
> giving a higher level which will in turn give access to all zones.
Every oasis system i've used has either had altered zone
permissions, or i've been asked to write up a new way to save zone perms.
Every system i've been on also has flaws which these zone perms should
have theoretically put limits on (location/stat taking/
acquisition/destruction/alteration of things outside the listed zone)
My favorite system of assignment was just a string with space or
dash delineated numbers (ie, 30-100, 186, etc). Worked pretty good, saved
on characters.
What bothers me is that alot of people want tight control on their
builders without questioning why. For the most part, builders are there
to build - they're there to help. They like the game so much, they want
to be part of it.
Yet, it seems that they're treated like criminals. They're given
deadlines (as if they were paid employees), not trusted to do anything
beyond a small range of building-related activities (Do not talk to
mortals, never go invis, do not have your players test your zone, etc,
etc). The only thing they're promised is severe penalities (deletion of
imm, and character, and life-ban).
As far as I've ever seen, if you treat someone like that, they're
going to act out - specially with the age groups and mentality of those
who frequent muds.
I think perhaps that people should focus more on hiring
trustworthy people, and make sure to keep them happy. It's a lot less
effort, and seems more sure to work than highly restrictive controls and
negative attitudes. Why would you give someone potentially damaging
influence if you didn't think you could trust them with it?
>
> Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, and I'm not sure if this is
> stock Oasis, or something I inadvertently created, but it would seem
> those without their OLC set, and who have access to the builder commands
> (of course), are able to edit zone 0. I use this for coded items
> (starting eq, waybread, springs) and mobs (clones, spirits, servants),
> so them editing this file could be untimely.
Seems to happen to me alot too, I'd guess it's a stock bug, but
I'm not sure.
PjD
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