/* ************************************************************************
* Copyright (C) 1990, 1991 - see 'license.doc' for complete information. *
************************************************************************* */
DATABASE DOCUMENTATION
"database.doc"
1. The world file:
==================
This file contains all the rooms, and is loaded once and for all at
boot-time. It follows the this format:
--------------------------------------------
#<virtual number>
<name>~
<description>~
<zone nr>
<room_flags>
<sector_type>
{<direction fields and extra descriptions>}
'S'
#<virtual number>
.
.
.
#<arbitrary number (is ignored)>
$~
Explanation of fields:
----------------------
<Direction fields> follow this format:
D<exit number>
<general description>~
<keyword list>~
<Door flag> <key number> <to_room>
Extra descriptions
------------------
Format:
'E'
<blank separated keyword list>~
<description>~
-----
NOTE:
All the text fields above may be left blank, but the '~' should always be
there.
On the 'virtual' number:
Since the rooms for this game are expected to be written by several people,
we have made it possible to number the rooms freely. Thus, it is possible to,
say, number the rooms in zone 0 from 0 to 1000, the rooms in zone 1 from 1000
to 2000, and so on. Rooms can then be added to the room file without
upsetting the various references to rooms. In the reset command-tables, as well
as in the exits, references to a given room are made via the virtual number
rather than the array index. At boot-time, these references are substituted
with the actual array indices in order to improve the game-time execution
speed. In such places (ie the special routines for mobs/objs/rooms) where
this substitution cannot take place, a function 'real_room', with prototype
int real_room(int virtual_number)
must be used. This functions performs a binary search on the array of rooms,
looking for a room with a given virtual number. If found, the function
returns the index to this room; if not, the game is halted.
Note: Since a binary search is used, the rooms MUST be sorted (in the
room-file) after their virtual number.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Objects and monsters
=======================
The objects and mobiles are stored in two separate files. They are loaded
once at boot-time, and then each time their zone is reset, according to the
information stored in the ZONE-FILE.
The world is split up into a number of zones that are updated independently.
The exact nature of these updates are defined by the contents of the ZONE-FILE.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.1. The Monster file:
======================
The format of this file is as follows:
#<virtual number>
<namelist>~
<short description>~
<long description>~
<description>~
<action flags> <affection flags> <alignment> <Detailed/Simple flag>
IF <Old/Simple flag> != 'S' {
<strength> <intelligence> <wisdom> <dexterity> <constitution>
<hit low> <hit high> <armour> <mana> <movement> <gold> <exp>
<position> <default> <sex> <class> <level> <age> <weight> <height>
<condition 0> <condition 1> <condition 2>
<savingthrow 0> <savingthrow 1> <savingthrow 2> <savingthrow 3> <savingthrow 4>
} else { /* Simple monsters flag is 'S' */
<Level> <Thac0> <AC> <Hit Points (format is xdy+z)> <Damage (as HP)>
<Gold> <Exp>
<position> <default position> <sex>
}
#<virtual number>
.
.
.
#<virtual number>
$~
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.3. The object file:
=====================
The format is as follows:
#<virtual number>
<namelist>~
<short description>~
<long description>~
<action description>~
<type flag> <extra flag> <wear flag>
<value 0> <value 1> <value 2> <value 3>
<weight> <value> <cost/day>
'E'
<keyword-list>~
<extra description>~
'E'
<keyword-list>~
<extra description>~
.
.
.
'E'
<keyword-list>~
<extra description>~
'A'
<location> <modifier>
.
.
'A'
<location> <modifier>
#<virtual number>
.
.
.
#<virtual number>
'$~'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.3. The zone-file
==================
The zone-file contains the following information for each zone:
a) The top room-number of the zone. A room belongs to a zone X if:
zone[X-1].top < virtual_room_number <= zone[X]
for X > 0. Rooms belong to zone 0 if their number is between 0 and the
top of zone 0.
b) The LIFESPAN of the zone. When the age of the zone (measured in minutes
after last reset) reaches this number, the zone is queued for reset. The
zone is then reset as soon as possible (more or less), depending on the
value of the RESET_MODE-variable.
c) The RESET_MODE. This may take on of three values:
0: Don't reset the zone at all. In this case, the age of the zone is never
updated, and it will never be queued for reset. Thus, the value of the
lifespan-field is effectively ignored.
1: Reset the zone as soon as it is deserted, ie as soon as there are no
players located within the zone.
2: Reset the zone no matter who or what is in it.
d) The COMMAND TABLE. This is a series of commands to execute at reset. The
table is terminated by the pseudo-command 'S', and thus follows the
following format:
<command>
<command>
.
.
.
<command>
'S'
Each command consists of a letter, identifying the command-type, followed
by three or four arguments. The first argument, common to all the commands,
is called the 'if-flag'. If it is true (nonzero), the command is executed
ONLY if the preceding command was executed. If it is false (zero), the
command is executed anyway.
The commands:
M (load a mobile):
Format: 'M' <if-flag> <mobile nr> <max existing> <room nr>
mobile nr and room nr should be self-explanatory. The 'max
existing' parameter specifies the maximum permissible number of
existing units. In other words: If you only want one manifestation
of a given monster, you just specify the number '1'. If the max
number is about to be exceeded, the command won't be executed.
O (load an object):
Format: 'O' <if-flag> <object nr> <max existing> <room nr>
Load an object and place it in a room. (NOT -1)
G (give object to mobile):
Format: 'G' <if-flag> <object nr> <max existing>
Loads an object, and gives it to the last monster referenced (ie. by the
M-command).
Of course, this command doesn't make sense if a new mobile+object
pair has not just been created, which is where the if-flag comes
in handy. :)
E (object to equipment list of mobile)
Format: 'E' <if-flag> <object nr> <max existing> <equipment position>
Loads object and places it in the Equipment list of the last monster
referenced.
Note that it is NOT necessary to precede this command with a 'G' command.
Equipment position is one of:
WEAR_LIGHT 0
WEAR_FINGER_R 1
WEAR_FINGER_L 2
WEAR_NECK_1 3
WEAR_NECK_2 4
WEAR_BODY 5
WEAR_HEAD 6
WEAR_LEGS 7
WEAR_FEET 8
WEAR_HANDS 9
WEAR_ARMS 10
WEAR_SHIELD 11
WEAR_ABOUT 12
WEAR_WAISTE 13
WEAR_WRIST_R 14
WEAR_WRIST_L 15
WIELD 16
HOLD 17
P (put object in object):
Format: 'P' <if-flag> <object_nr1> <max existing> <object nr2>
Loads object1 and places it in object2.
D (set state of door)
Format: 'D' <if-flag> <room nr> <exit nr> <state>
State being one of:
0: Open.
1: Closed.
2: Closed and locked.
R (remove object from room)
Format: 'R' <if-flag> <room_nr> <object_nr>
More commands will probably be needed, and will be added as required.
Format of the zone-file:
---------------------------------------
#<arbitrary number (ignored)>
<name>~
<top of zone>
<lifespan>
<reset mode>
<command>
<command>
.
.
.
<command>
'S'
#<arbitrary number>
.
.
.
#<arbitrary number>
$~
2.2. The monster file:
----------------------
The format of this file is as follows:
----------------------------------------------
#<virtual number>
<namelist>~
<short description>~
<long description>~
<description>~
<action flags> <affection flags> <Detailed/Simple flag>
IF <Old/Simple flag> != 'S' {
<strength> <intelligence> <wisdom> <dexterity> <constitution>
<hit low> <hit high> <armour> <mana> <movement> <gold> <exp>
<position> <default> <sex> <class> <level> <age> <weight> <height>
<condition 0> <condition 1> <condition 2>
<savingthrow 0> <savingthrow 1> <savingthrow 2> <savingthrow 3> <savingthrow 4>
} else { /* Simple monsters flag should be 'D' */
<Level> <Thac0> <AC> <Hit Points (format is xdy+z)> <Damage (as HP)>
<Gold> <Exp>
<position> <default position> <sex>
}
#<virtual number>
.
.
.
#<virtual number>
$~
----------------------------------------------
On the skill fields:
Format:
--------------
S<skill number>
<learned> <affected by> <duration> <recognize>
--------------
On the virtual numbers:
This number may be considered the 'label' of the mobile, for use in eg. the
zonefile (see also the text about the roomfile format). When the mobile is to
be referenced from within the code itself, the function real_mobile
(real_object for objects) can be used to find indices to the file-index tables
(this is only of use when writing special routines). These functions are
automatically called from read_object/read_mobile, depending on their 'type'
parameter (see db.doc).