INFO version4


Elven, version 4.0.1
====================

     Major code revisions/additions have taken place!  So many, in fact,
     that we are changing the version number on the code from this point
     to version 4.0.*, not that that likely means anything to most of you. ;)

     Here's what we have changed and/or written:

     A new command has been added, SetBounty!  Please see help setbounty for
     details.  For mortals, a companion to this command, ListBounty, has been
     added, as well.  Enjoy!

     All channels have been rewritten from scratch, and a new system of flags
     has been introduced.  TFlags now show which channels players are listening
     to.  If the TFlag is "up" (on), then the player in question can hear the
     channel in question.  The reverse is also true.  The commands to begin
     listening and stop listening to a given channel remain the same.  The
     code is simply a lot cleaner, is all.  Also, two new channels have been
     added.. SeniorWizard (SWiz) and MasterWizard (MWiz).  CommStats is being
     updated to reflect the changes.  CommStats and Invite/Boot have also
     been rewritten from scratch.  Please see info channels for a breakdown
     on the channels as of this time.

     LEVELS CHANGE:  A new immortal level has been added: SeniorWizard.  In
     addition, the requirements for each mortal level have been radically
     altered.  We have noted in recent months that runners in general seem
     to be greatly irritated with the proliferation of Quests upon Quests on
     a great many MUDs.  As of today, ElvenMUD breaks that trend.  The first
     two immortal levels after Apprentice, regular Wizard and SeniorWizard, do
     not require the completion of Quests to attain them.  Here is a breakdown
     of the new levels system requirements:

          Wizard: 400,000 points, regardless of Quest completions
         SWizard: 500,000 points, regardless of Quest completions
         MWizard: 600,000 points and completion of Required Quests (see qlist)
         GWizard: 600,000 points and completion of ALL Quests

     Note: All players who reached MasterWizard or GrandWizard prior to
           this change have been grandfathered in and retained at their
           levels earned in 1997.

     A further change that has been made to the overall system rewards all
     players for Quest completions.  When a player completes a Quest for
     the first time (for that player), he/she receives a Quest Completion
     Bonus of X points.  X is determined by a formula in the code which is
     based on the difficulty of the Quest.  Similarly, a bonus is awarded
     to a player completing a Quest after the first time he/she has completed
     said Quest receives a Quest Completion Bonus of X/2.  One thing to note:
     The Quest Completion Bonus varies according to your level.  In fact, in
     the end calculation, the QBC decreases as your level rises.  This is
     partially to encourage runners to complete new Quests, in order to allow
     players that have not completed a given Quest to have a go at it.  The
     other reason for this is two-fold: regarding the halving of the QBC, once
     a player has completed a Quest, future completions of said Quest should
     be fairly simple;  regarding the QBC dropping with level raises, Quests
     become easier to complete with experience, which is recorded in both
     levels and score.

     DEFROB/REFROB UPGRADE:  With the new Immortality System came the need to
     revamp the defrob/refrob commands.  This task was the sole domain of
     God, and we are eternally grateful to him for his efforts.
     Each player now has a new category in their stats.. AltScore.  In a
     nutshell, a player's AltScore is their Mortal Score while they're
     immortal, and their Immortal Score while they're mortal (via defrob).
     Basically what happens is these two scores get swapped whenever defrob
     or refrob is initiated.  This was done to save the progress as a
     mortal of each player, in the event that players may wish to defrob to
     run to a higher level of immortality.

     There are many, many other changes that have taken place to the MUD and
     the way it operates.  Most of those that have not been listed here,
     however, are either internal (players won't see any change in output) or
     consist of many small changes resulting in a cumulative change or
     effect.  For example, most of the code that displays who has done what
     to whom, things like slain messags, have been re-coded under the new
     TFlags System.  Another good example of this type of change is in the
     QPoint values for the various quests.  All values have been changed, but
     other than satisfying some curiosity, listing of the QPoint values is
     unnecessary, given the new Immortality System.  You get the idea..

     To conclude this already very long file, I would like to extend my
     sincere and extreme gratitude to those that have been helping me to
     re-train myself in the realm of coding.  Particular thanks here first
     and foremost to Stress at DreamScape for taking a chance and putting
     a little faith in me by taking me on as a Coder/Power there.  I dipped
     back into coding over on DreamScape, and it made me hungry to have
     ElvenMUD back.  So I guess that it could be said without Stress' good
     faith and integrity, ElvenMUD might not be up again.  Secondly, I
     would like to thank Sorisor for getting rid of that pesky CPU-rocketing
     bug that has been plaguing this MUD for a very long time.  (It's gone!)
     Lastly, I would like to heap as many thanks on top of God as
     I possibly can.  In a relatively short time, he has taught me a lot,
     either that I had known and had forgotten, or that I never would have
     guessed about without his help and patient guidance.  Rhad has worked
     on this code a great deal in the last week or so, and it shows.  

     From all of us here at ElvenMUD, we hope that these changes add to your
     enjoyment of this MUD!  The coders in particularly (God and
     myself) would love to hear any feedback you may have on any of the        
     changes that have been made to the game.  Our players are, after all,
     the driving forces behind our efforts to make this game as enjoyable
     as we can make it.  

                                                         Legolas

    
    
    



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