Volume Twelve Issue Seventeen
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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= .............._______ ............./ / THE LEGENDARY TIMES ............/ / http://www.legendmud.org/ .........../ /.....______.._____.....______.._____.......____ ........../ /...../ /./ \.../ /./ \...../ \ ........./ /...../ ___/./ ____/../ ___/./ __ \.../ /\ \ ......../ /...../ /_.../ /....../ /_.../ /..\ >./ /./ / ......./ /...../ __/../ /____../ __/../ /.../ /./ /./ / ....../ /_____/__/__../ \_\ /./ /__../ /.../ /./ /_/ / ...../ Celebrating / /./ /./ /./ /.../ /./ / ..../ our 11th year /_/..\______/./_____/./__/.../__/./_______/ MUD .../________________/ running on mud.legendmud.org 9999 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= VOLUME TWELVE, NUMBER SEVENTEEN October 21, 2005 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= TABLE OF CONTENTS The Editor's Note LegendMUD Calendar of Events RECENT UPDATES Area Updates Housing Changes Code Updates Mutterings from the Imps? New LT Column: Ask the Imps! A Wonderful Wedding ___ ___ \ |-------------------------------------------------------------| / /__| The Editor's Note |__\ '-------------------------------------------------------------' Howdy folks, just wanted to highlight a couple things available to you as a player. First, ever sitting at work wishing you could log on but certain your boss would fire you if he saw even one prompt on your screen? Well why not read up on some back Q&A's for your Legend fix while at work, I know I do. Their location is: http://www.legendmud.org/Community/lectures/QandA/QA_index.html Also, back by popular demand, I will be running trivia for you crazy folks come November time, so warm up your brains for some really obscure fact finding and your fingers for google. Please, don't forget to vote for LegendMUD at the various mud sites so we can get some more Newbies at www.legendmud.org/forum Thanks a lot and I'll catch ya on the flipside! -Huma ___ ___ \ |-------------------------------------------------------------| / /__| LegendMUD Calendar of Events |__\ '-------------------------------------------------------------' October Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Sunday, October 23rd, 7:00 pm Complete the Sentence with Chaykin Wednesday, October 26th, 7:30 pm Q&A in the OOC Auditorium Monday, October 31st, all day Halloween ___ ___ \ |-------------------------------------------------------------| / /__| Recent Updates |__\ '-------------------------------------------------------------' Area Updates -------------- Alhambra: You'll now have a chance to 'dodge' the bandits' trip act. Greece: - Hydra no longer drop coins on death - Teiresias will stay around longer when summoned - Cockatrice will no longer turn her friends to stone - Pytheas will now be quicker in making lockpicks - You dont become an enemy of Thebes by fighting the king (only by killing him). However fighting him still removes his friendship - Lotus eater won't anymore count brews as done when he fails one or destroys a plant Malta: Mobs with arrival acts will use them less often. The strip of silk quest now has a whois (which will show up automatically for everyone who has already done the quest) so that you can tell if you've done it. Medieval Andes: the merchant quest should be quicker to do. Romania: The midwife should now be able to do what she promises. Tartarus: The minimum entrance level has been dropped, but acts to target lower-level characters have been added. Proceed with caution! Typo fixes and small enhancements went in to: Ancient Seas, Aztecs, Generic Birds, Carthage, San Francisco, Klein, Dante's Inferno, Romania, South Seas The following in-progress areas saw commits this week: Dartmoor, Mongols, Silk Road A new area is on our "in progress" list this week: Medieval Japan. This area is a joint project between Nestor and Chaykin, and takes advantage of some old unused work Nestor did in the past. Housing Changes -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As part of an overall evaluation of what little economy Legend has as compared to the game system, we're going to eventually try and work out better ways for money to flow through the game and not let the crutch rest entirely on Housing to extract the bulk of the gold. And recognizing the fact that merely owning a house shouldn't require someone to spend an inordinate amount of time doing a single activity (money running), we're reducing the rent cost per day of housing. Initial prices of houses will remain the same. Also note -- we may adjust this number up or down as we see its affects on the game. So as of today: o Housing rent is now a weekly sum. However since the mechanics already existed for taking it out nightly, your nightly rent is now 1/7th of what it was previously. It will still be removed with the nightly housing update. - Ruf Code Updates -------------- GENERAL o Slight increase in the healing amount of first aid. o Resting now gives the same regeneration speed as sleeping. Sleeping is still an option for those quests/area effects that still require it, but all regeneration bonuses given by sleeping are now part of the resting position. o Perma raged people should now wake up properly when stunned. o Note about stat of 123456 not being a good char removed from the char creation process. o config gtellafk will send gtells to your afk buffer. o Notes posted to boards will remain in the inventory of the poster o For players who can see their stats, any stats in flux in 'attributes' will see an asterisk by the current stat: Strength [30] [100]* [78] o Heals that are truncated for PK dam are still charged old mana value. o cc line for notes will now be 240 characters. o Posting a note will still leave a copy in your inventory. BUG o Parry should give the correct messages now. o Hush should now work on channels. o Backstab will no longer give messages about dead people being less alert. o You can't use socials on channels to show a character's disguise. o Crashing bug fixed. o gtells will only be sent to afk if the person receiving the message is afk. ___ ___ \ |-------------------------------------------------------------| / /__| Mutterings from the Imps? |__\ '-------------------------------------------------------------' We interrupt the usual "Mutterings from the Imps" to address a frequent question -- What's with the Delay? Obviously, we have a lot of balls juggling in the air at the moment: Era Experience, pkill damage code, clans discussion, PKOK discussion, hit table/ac/hitroll/damroll discussion, etc. We've been asked a number of times, knowing that some of these things are getting close, when they'll be implemented exactly and what is with the delay? For this update, we'll cover only the new pkill damage code. First off, we want to do things right the first time without having to 'nerf' things into oblivion down the road. As we all know that doesn't work to well most of the time, we do want to at least step out on the right foot. There are a number of tricky balance things within the pkill damage code that we think we've worked out to the best of our abilities. It is about 99% ready to go in, with just a few small tweaks remaining. However, as the timid architect of many of the changes, I (Rufus) would like to be able to be around to watch the initial implementation and work on collecting data and correcting problems immediately. Right now, I'm unavailable to do that and will be for the next week or so as work issues sort themselves out. We're in a crunch time here at the old publishing house and I can't devote enough time to make sure that the transition to the new code goes smoothly. We have tentatively targetted 10/28 as the install date for the pkill damage code changes. If this changes, a notice will be posted on the welcome board. So what's going to happen? I'm going to be honest -- chances are it's going to be broken in a few crucial and/or critical ways. We've tested this, you have tested this on testmuds, we've done our best, but every bit of code has bugs and we will always have balance issues. This pkill damage code change does not solve any of PKill's problems. What it does is attenuate some of the most detrimental effects in the game and make fights longer, which will allow us to get a bigger picture view of the balance problems with pkill. I As I have said, it's a first step. Heck, it might not even be a GOOD step but it's the best we've got right now. Once we let this settle for a few weeks, we'll start taking a look at what other code needs to be changed or modified. We will try our best to leave the system untouched while players and imms alike evaluate its overall effects, but again, I promise nothing other than most all fights will take longer. I encourage people to try it out and comment on it objectively... This will not fix create mages' ability in pkill -- don't expect it to, it won't fix sniper's rather uncanny ability to stun frequently, it won't fix the fact that many factors of ac and hitroll can be completely undermined by a lucky special attack, and it won't fix the fact that damroll is by all intents and purposes a bit wacky when it comes to balance. We appreciate any and all feedback, of course. Were it not for players' suggestions and comments, we wouldn't have been able to make this step, let alone any others. Give it a shot, give us some info we can work with. Yes, it will suck, at first. We promise to make it better. Thank you, Rufus and Sandra ___ ___ \ |-------------------------------------------------------------| / /__| LEGENDITES: Information Regarding the People of Our World |__\ '-------------------------------------------------------------' New LT Column: Ask the Imps! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ever have a burning question that you want answered and want answered out in the open but don't feel like attaching your name to it? Unable to make a Q&A session? Well, now's your chance! As of the next LT (provided we have any questions, of course), we will start a new column: Ask the Imps! Every LT we will pick a few questions and answer them as completely as we can. Send any questions you have to [email protected]! _______________________ / \ o O | Wonder what folks are | `\|||/ | doing over at LegendMUD?| (o o) \_______________________/ ooO_(_)_Ooo__________________________________________________________ _____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|___ __|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____| A Wonderful Wedding -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I, a servant of the House of Chamberlain, am pleased to announce that Lord Terrance Charles Archibald Chamberlain III and Lady Zqviimia Schilderknaddargeres were wed on this day, Sunday, the Ninth Day of October, the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five. For those of you who were unable to make it, Mister and Misses Chamberlain have provided a transcript of the event for you: (Editors Note: This Log has been edited for content and length and has been formatted to fit your TV Screen.) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 'Okay, we ready to start this party?' Friar Chaykin says. Terrance nod anxiously. Zqviimia, the matchmaker nods solemnly. Henslin is rip red roaring to PAR-TAY! The Mysterious Krista, the assassin giggles. Zqviimia, the matchmaker throws her head back and cackles gleefully! Terrance takes a slow, deep breath ... 'Okay, then let's begin,' Friar Chaykin says. 'I'd like to request that everyone please remain perfectly quiet and remain from unnecessary spam.' Friar Chaykin says, 'Er, refrain, that is.' Zqviimia, the matchmaker throws her head back and cackles gleefully! Friar Chaykin clears his throat gruffly. 'We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Terrance and Zqviimia,' Friar Chaykin says. 'For them, this marriage is more than an exclamation of love. It is a desire to unite their hopes and dreams and live together as one.' 'Today we celebrate not only the union of Terrance and Zqviimia, but the ties to one another as a community,' Friar Chaykin says. 'As Terrance and Zqviimia take their vows, let us re-affirm our bonds to our friends and neighbors.' Out of the corner of your eye you notice a very upset, and very dead, zombie quietly file into one of the pews in the back. He appears to be dressed as a taxi driver. 'It is only appropriate that you, the community, participate in this sacred ceremony,' Friar Chaykin adds. 'The love, trust, and devotion these two bring to their marriage have roots in the love, trust, and devotion which you have nurtured in them.' 'Will you, the community, stand behind Terrance and Zqviimia?' Friar Chaykin says. The Mysterious Krista, the assassin nods solemnly. 'Yes indeed,' Gwangali says. Henslin nods solemnly. Meffrid says gently, 'Aye.' Friar Chaykin nods solemnly. 'Well then--,' Friar Chaykin says. Suddenly the zombie stands up and blurts out with a great show of tears, 'Noooooooo! I love you! No, Terrance! I love you!' Terrance looks angry. Terrance glares at the zombie ... Terrance composes himself. 'Ah hem. I am a gentleman ... you are a zombie of a -taxi driver-, and surely you know it was a -tip- I gave you?!' Terrance says angrily. 'WHAT?! A TIP?!' cries the distraught undead cabbie. 'You call -that- a TIP?! That was -more- than just a tip, you insensitive ass!' A zombie of a taxi driver wails uncontrollably. Terrance glares at the zombie ... 'Not only are you of the lowest of the lower classes, you dwell now six feet below them!' Terrance says, red-faced with anger. 'Be gone!' 'That didn't stop YOU, did it?!' sobs the zombie. Terrance scowls heatedly. In a flash, the Phantom of the Opera appears! After glancing at the zombie of a taxi driver, he is overwhelmed by passionate stirrings! Friar Chaykin peers around intently. Terrance raises an eyebrow furiously. The Phantom and the zombie of a taxi driver meet each other's gaze, and you suddenly get the sense that you are intruding on something private and really, really disturbing. The two twisted forms meet, and begin to dance! Not taking their eyes off each other for a moment, they parade out to a flying limousine, and outside the church you see it take off, soaring over the rainbow. Gwangali shows his approval by clapping his hands together. '...wow,' Zqviimia, the matchmaker says. The bunnies sing, the bears prance about, and they live happily ever after. Zqviimia, the matchmaker blinks. Terrance blinks. Terrance looks relieved. The Mysterious Krista, the assassin giggles. 'Hmm, all right,' Friar Chaykin says. 'Well...if there are er...no other objections...let's continue?' Zqviimia, the matchmaker nods her agreement with Friar Chaykin. Terrance nod agreement with him. Friar Chaykin states, 'Will you, the community, continue to stand behind Terrance and Zqviimia? Please nod now.' Henslin nods solemnly. The Mysterious Krista, the assassin nods solemnly. Gwangali nods solemnly. Meffrid nods gently. 'Terrance and Zqviimia, we, the community of Legend, stand behind your decision to wed,' Friar Chaykin says. 'Do you, Zqviimia, take Terrance to be your husband and partner eternal?' Friar Chaykin says. 'Do you vow to protect him, counsel him, assist him, and devote yourself wholly to his well-being, even in trying times?' 'I do,' Zqviimia, the matchmaker says. 'Please present him with his ring, the token of your bond,' Friar Chaykin says to Zqviimia, the matchmaker. Zqviimia, the matchmaker gives Terrance a hand-crafted platinum wedding band. Terrance wears a hand-crafted platinum wedding band on your left ring finger. Count Drakkon leaps in from the north, prepared to climb any mountain. 'Wear this ring proudly, Terrance, as it symbolizes your union,' Friar Chaykin says. 'May it never dull or tarnish.' 'Do you, Terrance, take Zqviimia to be your wife and partner eternal?' Friar Chaykin says. 'Do you vow to protect her, counsel her, assist her, and devote yourself wholly to her well-being, even in trying times?' 'I do,' Terrance says, sighing with relief. Friar Chaykin says, 'Please present her with her ring, the token of your bond.' Terrance gives a platinum princess-cut diamond ring to Zqviimia, the matchmaker. Zqviimia, the matchmaker wears a platinum princess-cut diamond ring on her left ring finger. 'Wear this ring proudly, Zqviimia, as it symbolizes your union,' Friar Chaykin says. 'May it never dull or tarnish.' Zqviimia, the matchmaker giggles. As an immortal of the Legend community, I hereby announce that Terrance and Zqviimia have entered into wedlock. (You hear the clink of that wedlock snapping shut.) Gwangali cheers wildly! Zqviimia, the matchmaker cheers wildly! The Mysterious Krista, the assassin cheers wildly! Everyone tell Zqviimia to kiss her new husband! Henslin shows his approval by clapping his hands together. Zqviimia, the matchmaker kisses Terrance. Nadia grins evilly. Meffrid gives a round of applause. Terrances pulls Zqviimia close to him and gives her a tender kiss. Zqviimia, the matchmaker blushes bright red. The Mysterious Krista, the assassin hugs Zqviimia, the matchmaker. Friar Chaykin says, 'May I present.' The Mysterious Krista, the assassin hugs Terrance. Count Drakkon shows his approval by clapping his hands together. 'Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain,' Friar Chaykin says. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The Legendary Times is published by the immortals of LegendMUD. Please send replies, additions, or corrections to [email protected] for inclusion in the next issue. All subscription options are handled at: www.legendmud.org/lists/listinfo/legendarytimes and submissions at: www.legendmud.org/Community/ltsubmission.php. For RP submissions, copyright ownership remains with the author. We do reserve the right to moderate the forum and edit or reject any submission. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=