View source for Nordath 2013

Two posts, transcribed here in case of anything being useful.

POST 1:

----


Nordath is overdue for an update. :)

One of the main intended draws for the area was ranking: we needed an alternative to miners and chaja, and the skeletons and phantoms are copies of them statwise. But the Nordath EQ and aggro make them more dangerous, which was to be offset by the fact that they reload by progs so one doesn't have to wait for resets. 

But probably the biggest thing to get in the way of Nordath as a viable ranking alternative is the death curse. Exempting PCs from it would make Nordath ranking more viable, but at the loss (perhaps a very big loss) of atmosphere, distancing PCs from the dominant theme of the area.

One thought I've had is to keep a form of  death-curse but remove the harshest consequences-- a "The phantom of a slain adventurer" is created, rather than a reanimation of the corpse, so the corpse is handled normally and players can get their EQ back without needing to get help (which can be hard these days) in battling the reanimation.

I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Other items to look at for revision:
*slender pearl ring--people have complained about the danger of falling rocks to get this. The risk of the rocks was intended to balance the utility of the items. Anyway, one idea is to remove the rock-fall but relocate items further east, to a srryn skeleton room, so that the items can be gotten safely IF the char invests in or can find an invis potion.
*Check the curse-removal and curse-restoration quest functionality and flow, revise as needed (perhaps not require a reset or curse restoration for the removal quest to return?).
*Update quest xp rewards to match newer quest values
*fix boarhound or replace with xp
*Add some sort of benefit for positive standing with phantom knight &amp; skeletal srryn factions
*Adjust weapons to match the new weapon table values
*Tweak balance of phantoms (phantoms should be slightly easier--revisit their eq)
*add more lore detail for old Nordath

----

FOLLOWUP IN SAME THREAD

* The curse for a PC death has been removed.
* the phantoms are no longer MIA. They now appear on the battlements and in ruins as they used to
* the falling rocks in the ravine now do only 5-10pts damage
* the pearl ring was moved to small crevice on the east side of the valley, past the skeletal srryn
* curse removal and restoration now create a rumor for the player the first time they are done
* raised initial curse removal reward from 7k to 12k xp (subsequent removals give nothing). Curse removal gives faction bonus (+500) to both skeletons and phantoms
* raised initial curse restoration reward from 4k to 12k xp (subsequent restorations give 500xp). Curse restoration gives massive hit (-1000) to both skeleton and phantom factions
* added a FightFlavor obj - echoes and some other special effects for combat in different places in the area. - added a hint pointing to the secret lab in a room desc
* fixed the Ralle / Bearhound progs

I haven't had ideas for faction friend perks / bonuses. Maybe someday...

New/Revised Progs:
<pre>FightFlavor obj

prog delete rand_prog 25
prog add rand_prog 25
if inroom&#40;$o&#41; &gt; 23988
  if inroom&#40;$o&#41; &lt; 24151
    \* still in Nordath
    break
  endif
endif
\* Not in Nordath
mppurge self
\@

prog delete fight_prog 100
prog add fight_prog 100
//* Battlecry Compulsion
if rand&#40;1&#41;
  if isgood&#40;$o&#41;
    if rand&#40;50&#41;
      mpvalueset compulsion Enemies at hand! Defend the walls!
	else
	  mpvalueset compulsion The srryn come! Hold your ground!
	endif
    endif
    if isgood&#40;$o&#41;
      if rand&#40;50&#41;
        mpvalueset compulsion The walls WILL crumble!
      else
        mpvalueset compulsion Burn them! Bite them! Claw them down!
      endif
    endif
    if isneutral&#40;$o&#41;
      if rand&#40;50&#41;
        mpvalueset compulsion The eyes! It is watching! It is WATCHING!
      else
        mpvalueset compulsion Ice and fire in shadows, the trident and the flail! 
      endif
    endif
    mpechoat $o You feel a sudden deep compulsion overwhelming you&#46;  
    mpforce $o yell %compulsion
    break
  endif
endif
/
/
//* Crevice
if inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24047
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24048
  if rand&#40;50&#41;
    mpechoat $o $N presses forward, and you find yourself hedged in, your back against the crevice wall&#46;
    mpechoat $n Pressing forward suddenly, you trap $O for a moment against the crevice wall&#46;
    mplag $o 2
  else
    mpechoat $o Your weapon swings wide, catching a bat that was in the shadows and knocking it to the ground!
    mpechoaround $o $O&#39;s weapon swings wide, catching a bat hidden in shadow and knocking it to the ground!
    mpmload 24046
  endif
endif  
/
/
//* Wells
if inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24083
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24031
  mpechoat $o You circle around the old well, attempting to outposition your opponent&#46;
  mpechoaround $o $O circles around the old well&#46;
endif  
/
/
//* Battlements
if inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24110
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24103
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24104
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24059
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24060
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24061
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24062
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24063
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24064
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24065
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24066
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24052
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24053
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24049
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24051
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24057
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24058
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24066
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24067
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24068
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24069
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24070
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24071
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24072
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24073
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24107
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24106
  if isflying&#40;$o&#41;
    if rand&#40;50&#41;
      mpechoat $o You gracefully fly over the unsteady footing of the battlement wall&#46;
      mpechoaround $o $O gracefully flies over the unsteady footing of battlement wall&#46;
    else
      mpechoat $o You fly in a half-circle around your opponent, then press your attack&#46;
      mpechoaround $o $O attempts to fly a half-circle around $N, seeking an advantage&#46;
    endif
    break
  else
    if rand&#40;50&#41;
      mpechoat $o You dislodge a small stone, and it goes tumbling down into the moat&#46;
      mpechoaround $o $O dislodges a small stone, and it goes tumbling down into the moat&#46;
      mplag $o 1
    else
      mpechoat $o You feel the ancient mortar and worn stone begin to crumble underfoot&#46;
      mpechoaround $o $O glances down briefly, as if concerned about the stability of the wall&#46;
      mplag $o 2
    endif
  endif
endif
/
/
//* Courtyard Debris
if inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24073
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24074
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24075
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24076
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24078
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24079
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24080
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24081
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24084
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24085
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24086
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24087
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24088
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24089
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24090
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24091
or inroom&#40;$o&#41; == 24092
  mpvaluerand 0 1 10
  if value&#40;0&#41; &lt; 7
    mpvalueset glimmertype coppery
    mpvalueset cointype 24102	
  endif
  if value&#40;0&#41; == 7
  or value&#40;0&#41; == 8
  or value&#40;0&#41; == 9
    mpvalueset glimmertype silvery
    mpvalueset cointype 24034	
  endif
  if value&#40;0&#41; == 10
    mpvalueset glimmertype golden
    mpvalueset cointype 24081
  endif
  mpechoat $o As your battle disturbs the stone rubble and its overgrowth, you notice a %glimmertype metallic glimmer on the ground&#46;
  mpoload %cointype in room
endif
\@
 
 
 
on bat crevice room&#58;

prog add verb_prog sleep
mpforce $n trigger_sleep_fail
\@

prog add verb_prog sit
mpforce $n trigger_sleep_fail
\@

prog add verb_prog rest
mpforce $n trigger_sleep_fail
\@

prog delete verb_prog trigger_sleep_fail
prog add verb_prog trigger_sleep_fail
mpechoat $n You can&#39;t quite bring yourself to do that on the guano-spattered rubble&#46;
mpverbstop
\@


on Claude&#58;

prog delete trigger_prog 100
prog add trigger_prog 100
if iscarrying&#40;$n&#41; == 24101
  break
else
  if inroom&#40;$n&#41; &gt; 23988
    if inroom&#40;$n&#41; &lt; 24151
      mpoload 24101 on $n
    endif
  endif
endif
\@

prog delete rand_prog 15
prog add rand_prog 15
if isanypcarea&#40;&#41; 
  mpmasstrigger
endif
\@



on Serdon&#58;

prog delete give_prog heartstone stone heart Xichev&#39;Drologh Xichev Drologh
prog add give_prog heartstone stone heart Xichev&#39;Drologh Xichev Drologh
mpfaction $n 32 500 1
mpfaction $n 33 500 1
if isbitset&#40;$n&#41; == 24006
  mpechoat $n You feel a sense of great satisfaction in having helped the Knights again&#46;
else
  mpaddrumor &quot;$I&quot; If you need help breaking a curse, you should turn to $N&#46; They say $e has even helped put the undead of Nordath to rest!
  mpechoat $n You feel more experienced!
  mpbitset $n 24006 1
  mpxp $n 12000
endif
yell Come, brothers!  $N has recovered the stone!
mpseewizi
mpat nordathcursemon mpset mob nordathcursemon level 1
mpat nordathcursemon mpstring mob nordathcursemon long The cursebot says the curse is&#58; {GInactive{x
loop 1 to 24
  mpforce $v1&#46;cleanshavenundead mpecho The phantom knight looks up, and quickly fades from sight&#46;
  mptransfer $v1&#46;cleanshavenundead
  mpforce thinbonedsrryn mpecho Suddenly, the skeletal srryn shatters, and its bones sink back into the earth!
  mpforce thinbonedsrryn mppurge self
  mpforce nordathsrrynbot mppurge self
  mpforce nordathphantombot mppurge self
endloop
mpat choreographerbot mppurge choreographerbot
mpat Thensith mpecho Suddenly, Thensith shatters!  The bones sink back into the earth&#46;
mpat Thensith mppurge thensith
mpecho All around you, phantom knights begin to appear, their eyes shining a deep blue&#46;
mpsetdata curseend
if iscarrying&#40;$n&#41; == 24018
  mpforce $n Ibleedbuckets
endif
\@


on Cursebot&#58;

prog delete rand_prog 100
prog add rand_prog 100
$d
mpnextdata
if mobvalue&#40;8&#41; == 1
  mpvalueset 8 0
  mpfaction $f 32 -1000 1
  mpfaction $f 33 -1000 1
  if isbitset&#40;$f&#41; == 24009
    mpechoat $f You feel somewhat more experienced&#46; But not much&#46;
    mpxp $f 500
  else
    mpechoat $f You feel much more experienced!
    mpbitset $f 24009 1
    mpxp $f 12000
    mpaddrumor Nordath $F has worked to keep the dark curse of undeath on the poor souls of the srryn raiders and human knights trapped in Nordath&#46;
    pray The curse is back and your gonna be in trouble &#40;Hey la, Hey la, the curse back&#41;&#46;  Brought to you by Nordath, $F, and the number 13&#46;
    mpforget $f
  endif
endif
\@


on Ralle&#58;

prog delete give_prog skull srryn cracked srrynskull
prog add give_prog skull srryn cracked srrynskull
if isbitset&#40;$n&#41; == 24018
else
  mpechoat $N You gain 2500 XP for completing Ralle&#39;s Revenge!
  mpxp $n 2500
  mpbitset $n 24018 1
endif
tell $n Hah!  You got &#39;im!  Worth a bearhound, that is&#46;
emote whistles, and a large black hound comes scampering in&#46;
mpmload 24006
esay &#39;says to the hound&#39; This is yer new master&#46;  Follow $m now&#46;
tell $n You want &#39;im to attack a feller named Raliph, just say &quot;attack Raliph&quot; and the hound&#39;ll be after him, make some noise if you&#39;re close, and jump on him when you chase him down&#46;
tell $n You want &#39;im to relax, just say &quot;heel&quot; and he&#39;ll quiet right down&#46; 
pray $N just finished Ralle&#39;s quest&#46;  Release the hound!
if isevil&#40;$n&#41;
  mpechoat $n The bearhound snarls at you&#46;
  mpechoaround $n The bearhound snarls at $N&#46;
  say They say bearhounds is good judges of character&#46;
  shrug
endif
mpforce elvispresley follow $n
mpget mob elvispresley level 0
mpget char $n level 1
mpset char elvispresley level \$1
mpforce $n group elvispresley
mpset mob elvispresley level \$0
mpflag mob elvispresley aff + charm
mppurge srrynskull
\@


on bearhound&#58;

prog add speech_prog heel
if ismaster&#40;$n&#41;
  if isfocused&#40;$i&#41;
    mpecho $I growls a low growl&#46;
    mpunfocus
  else
    mpechoat $n $I gives you a puzzled look&#46;
	mpechoaround $n $I gives gives $N a puzzled look&#46;
  endif
endif
</pre>