Volume Twelve Issue Ten
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............./ / THE LEGENDARY TIMES
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...../ Celebrating / /./ /./ /./ /.../ /./ /
..../ our 11th year /_/..\______/./_____/./__/.../__/./_______/ MUD
.../________________/ running on mud.legendmud.org 9999
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VOLUME TWELVE, NUMBER TEN May 10, 2005
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Editor's Note
RECENT UPDATES
Area Updates
Code Updates
Voting at the Forum Made Easier!
LEGENDITES
LTs of Times Passed
The Future - Upcoming Changes
CLAN NEWS
The Black Hand of Corruption Disbands
The Government Disbands
Clan Drunks Formed
Milano Famiglia Clan formed - a Reporter gets the Scoop!
A Message from the Seven Circles
Time to Move On
Who is Dak?
The Mighty Russian
The Way of God
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/__| The Editor's Note |__\
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We've finally reached the top 10 on Mud Connector! In fact I just
looked, and we are currently sliding in at a cozy #7 rank. Somar
informs me (with some quick math) that if we have just 1 more person
voting everyday we'd make it to 6th and 2 more people voting on a
daily basis would slide us into the top 5. So if you haven't been
voting at the forums, or just vote every once in awhile, think about
voting on a daily basis. It only takes five minutes and since we're
all nerds, you know how cool it is to be higher ranked, it.s the total
r0x0r.
I've also reprinted a huge post the Imp's made on the welcome board
regarding upcoming changes to the game. What you may not know is that
there is an even longer post on the discussion board regarding PKill
and its various forms and problems and such. I think there.s some
pretty
insightful stuff and that it.s definitely worth a read. I'd repost it
in the LT
except its far larger then the Upcoming Changes thing, so I will settle
for imploring you to go check out the discussion board which is ooc
then up.
Until next time!
Huma!
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/__| Recent Updates |__\
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CODE UPDATES
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GENERAL
o Objects that cast cure light will now have a higher minimum
amount healed.
o Damage to objects will be reinstated but the chances
of damage occurring has been reduced.
BUG
o When you get the message that you wake and stand from a stunned
position, you'll really stand now instead of rest.
AREA UPDATES
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Arabia:
Douban will now do what he's promised when he takes your money.
Dante's Inferno:
Shades won't attack each other, more improvements to Geryon.
Legends of the Past:
Crowe's hunt now has a small lag.
Where it made sense, inn/recall rooms were made LIGHT in:
Alhambra, Arabia, Aztecs, Medieval Andes, Nazca, Picts
Assorted minor fixes went in to: Alaska, St. Denis Abbey, Aztecs, Roman
Britain, Crusades, Dreamtime, F&I War, San Francisco, Ancient Ireland,
London Port, Malta, Sherwood, South Seas, Tortuga
Scavenging mobs now use a standard delay before eating items in:
Alhambra, San Francisco, Ancient Ireland, London Port, Sherwood,
Lima
The following in-progress areas had commits during the last week:
Black Forest
Vote For Legend!
------------------
Now it's even easier to vote for Legend on the various sites.
Just go to http://www.legendmud.org/forum and click on the links.
While you're there, if you're not yet a member, register! It takes
just a moment to register your character.
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/__| LEGENDITES: Information Regarding the People of Our World |__\
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LTs of times passed!
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Greetings and salutations, once again.
This week.s humble recommendation was published in July of
1996 (what were YOU doing then?) The issue is filled to the brim
with stuff. Lots of stuff.
A couple of high points include a list of and introduction to some
new immortals at the time (one of whom is now an implementer), and
what I'm really recommending this issue for: an article by a gentleman
named Farnsworth about newbies. Why? Because, being a newbie myself,
the subject is close to my heart. It's a great (though lengthy) read
for both newbies and those who care to help them out.
You can find this back issue here:
www.legendmud.org/Community/lt_indices/Vol3/LTv3n9.html
So check it out!
Your friendly neighborhood vagabond poet,
Dietric Silbermond, OTS
(Editors Note: This was posted on the news board, but I thought it was
something that people would enjoy, so I reprinted it here.)
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/__| The Future - Upcoming Changes |__\
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My last couple of posts have been vague and specifically non-committal
as we worked out a number of new ideas and got our bearings on what we
would like to get done in both the short term and the long term on the
building and coding fronts.
Well, now I have a few more definites and I figured I'd share those.
FAILED SAVES
The first thing you'll be seeing, which should go live very shortly, is
a change to the way that saving while over rent is handled. Instead of
losing all your equipment if you save over rent, you will lose a number
of the highest rent items based on your level. A level 50 can expect
to lose up to 10 high-rent items.
Very low-rent objects (trinkets, notes, often more 'sentimental' items)
will never be taken. Non-empty bags will never be taken (though empty
bags and items in bags are fair game). Boats and lights will not be
taken so people aren't completely without light and unable to move
around the mud.
When you fail a save, you will be given a list of the items you will
lose and their rent value along with a display of your maximum rent
value.
We will be implementing this on a trial basis for approximately 3
months. Since it is configurable at run time, we can change it back to
the 'old' way at any time, so if there are severe abuses to the system,
we will return to the old method.
NEW SPELLS
Perhaps you've noticed a few new lines in your 'attributes'. Though
the details of the spells are still being finalized, expect both create
and cause spells that increase regeneration affects to mana, movement
and hit points.
NEW AFFECTS
Items will also be able to grant regenerative abilities. Look for these
soon when the specs get finalized.
Both types of regeneration (item and spell based) are still a ways off,
but definitely coming reasonably soon.
BONDABLE OBJECTS
Bondable objects aren't foreign to multiplayer games, in fact, many of
the popular commercial games implement similar systems. They're coming
to Legend.
An object flagged as BONDABLE will not be able to be worn until it is
bonded to the character who intends to use it. Once an item is bonded
to a character, no other character may ever be able to wear that item.
They may continue to be dropped, junked, strung, whatever, but only
the person to which the item is bonded can wear or wield the item.
Expect BONDABLE items to slip into the game with stats a bit more
robust than the current, highest-level items in the game.
As a companion to bondable objects, you'll see increased ways to
determine the stats of an item prior to wearing it. Not all the
details are solidified yet, but we hope this will give builders
a wider ability to make equipment that fits into a different mold.
The code behind bondable objects is finished and will be in the game,
but the specs and the implementation into objects will be a while yet.
POST-50 GAME
Bored level 50's? Well, we're hoping to cure that. We're exploring a
couple different
angles, but we do have a bit of information to pass
along.
The first of the post-50 changes being examined and fleshed out is the
ability to earn experience separate from the normal track of
experience. We've titled this 'Era Experience'.
Once you are level 50, you as a player will have control over how much
experience goes to the normal experience (for redemption points, for
not permadying, etc) and how much goes to era experience.
Era experience is earned fighting and gaining experience in the era you
are fighting or questing in. As these total up, they will increase your
era 'level', basically a measure of prestige you've gained within that
era.
The higher era level you have, the more quests will unlock for you. The
rewards of these quests may be items, stats, practices... the door is
really wide open.
We recognize a disparity between things like 'run' areas between the
eras and we're looking at ways of balancing the reward system versus
what's available for content.
Many of the implementation details haven't been finalized, but this is
something a lot of us feel will be an enhancement to the high-end game.
Along with the currently planned post-50 changes, we're also looking
at fleshing out a tradeskill system (which would naturally affect all
levels, but we would include specific support for the post-50 game),
and exploring some ideas that reward player types other than achievers.
This is still a fair ways off, but we do have a solid base to move on.
NEW HOMETOWNS
In the not-too-distant future, we're looking at expanding our hometown
roster by one or two initially, and probably more as time goes on.
Aztecs is likely the first candidate for promotion to a hometown.
Adding hometowns will likely add a few new skills and a few new
combinations of skills.
NEW ITEM SPECS
LadyAce is working hard on re-evaluating many of the item specs. You
have likely already seen the change to low-quality weapons (which
now cost less), but expect a few more changes. I can't reveal anything
yet, but our major goal is not to unbalance the system completely, but
give a bit more latitude in the ability for builders to create items
of varying strengths and combinations.
LEVELS IN WHO
Probably one of the most controversial changes we've had approved here
lately is the reintroduction of levels in who and whoshort.
Again, we're still hammering out the implementation details, but every
character will have the ability to display their levels in who and
whoshort, or remain anonymous where the levels won't display.
When you are anonymous, everyone else displays as anonymous, meaning
no levels are shown to you. There will be limitations on how often you
can configure yourself into and out of anonymous mode to prevent you
from staying anonymous, quickly going non-anonymous and checking the
who list, then going anonymous again.
The failed save changes should be going in short term. Most of the rest
of these are a month or so out at least, with the post-50 game probably
down the road a ways further.
There are a number of other things we're currently discussing -- locks
in pkill, group and solo xp rewards, housing changes, pkill rewards,
a radical (but mostly behind the scenes) change to the skill table,
re-evaluation of shoot and combat affects like stun and such in pkill,
and various other things which are in the early stages of
brainstorming. We don't have much definite on those yet, but the
list above isn't everything that's going on.
Many of these items were based in part (small and large) on player
input. We encourage you to take advantage of the communication lines
that are open to you and continue to provide us with the awesome
feedback we've had to work from.
Rufus & Sandra
(Editors Note: This appeared originally on the welcome board)
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/__| Clan News |__\
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The Black Hand of Corruption Clan disbanded
due to low membership
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The Clan 'The Government' disbanded
due to low membership
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Clan Drunk formed on May 4, 2005.
Their purpose you might ask? Not surprisingly it reads:
To combat the spreading soberity[sic] currently
plauging[sic] the citizens of Legend.
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Milano Famiglia Clan formed on May 5, 2005.
(I was in pursuit of the scoop of scoops. This just so happen
to involve finding the Don of Dons. Maybe this guy was him.)
"Ciao! Ciao! Please come in. Yousa all wet. Come in.
Welcome to Cucina di Milano.
Ah yes! We a ave a special today! We ave a a very special
tiramisu a made justa for you. No? No tiramisu? Ah you no
like a da tiramisu? Of course! You lika da cannoli! Let me
fix you a cannoli, then. Er.... You...no lika da cannoli, too?
Cassata? Pizette? Bigne? Torta di Ricotta? Torta al Cappuccino?
Sfogliatelle? What isa you want?!......"
There was a long, silent pause.
"You wisha to speaka him?...."
The bushy-moustache waiter took a quick glance in both directions
and face the reporter again.
"He's in the backroom," the waiter nodded with the clarity of a true
Italian-American.
(Sure, I walked inside. And straight to the backroom. The good
thing about this job was the ability to get the interviews the coppers
couldn't get with my no-shoot reporter badge. I still had eyes
watching me like haunted museum...)
The air was thick, as usual, cloudy from cigar smoke. He was here.
And out of no were the waiter appeared again.
"Down the stairs... go on."
(Stairs were never my thing. After all, my badge was considered
no-shoot, not no-accidentally-fall. This better be worth it, or so help
me God, I'll go freelance.)
Approaching the stairs, with some guidance, the reporter felt a tug
on his arm. Both men stop walking. A dark shadow appeared
through the cigar mist. It was Straussy. The shadowed figure took
off his fedora hat and held it against this chest.
"You put this in your paper! The Don Straussy and the family will
continue to do business as usual. No one gets harmed as long as no
one gets in our way. The chief knows that, too. So here is your
scoop, friend... We have the best cannolis in town. But no one
is going to stop us from doing what we do best."
(That of course would be what, Straussy? Money, gambling...?
I knew I was in trouble... BIG trouble.... I was in a tight
situation... Everything depended on what I did next... How to
make this a headliner and keep my job...)
The reporter looks out at the red neon Cucina di Milano sign through
a stained window.
"Cannolis..."
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Citizens of Legend:
Are you trustworthy? Do you help old ladies cross the street? Do you
enjoy stamp collecting and fuzzy pajamas? Do you freely loan your
friends and family money without a thought of payback or interest?
Are you the square-jawed heroic type?
If you are, we don't want you. Go away.
If, on the other hand, you are devilishly handsome, have a love of
procrastination and warm days wandering the paths of Hell, the Seven
Circles invites you to join our ranks. We are especially looking for
miscreants, sycophants, fashion models, mimes, encyclopedia salesmen,
attorneys, devil worshippers, and other professional creatures of
the night.
The Seven Circles: Where it's Good to be Bad.
For more information, please contact me.
Infernally,
Joel
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Time to Move On
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As of this letter, I am no longer High Priestess of the Coven.
All coven matters should be addressed to Mitra, as she has
taken my place.
It has been an amusing, entertaining, and fun-filled 8 years
that I've held that position. But I want it no more.
May the sisterhood continue as it has for so long.
Should you want to contact me, I'm afraid you will be unable
to do so. So don't bother.
Always spiffily,
Malia
(Editors Note: This also appears on the News board, and has been
reprinted)
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There are currently 16 RP clans and 4 PK clans. This leaves open slots
for twelve (12) more clans to form. For more information, read
HELP CLAN and see the clan information list via the CLANS command
while logged into the game. For a basic handbook and reference guide
for players interested in starting and running a clan, we recommend
that before you even type FORM, you visit:
http://www.legendmud.org/Reference/gm.html.
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o O | Wonder what folks are |
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Who Is Dak?
=============
A lot of people claim to know me, a lot of people seem not to like
me at all, some truly know me, yet most prefer to ignore me.
I am writing this to inform you who I really am and what I came from
to make me the man I am today. If you do decide to judge me by
something, let it be by something you learn here and now
I am Dak. I have no last name nor do I need one. I am first
and foremost a Knight of Legend. I choose to take the criticism
from those who do not understand to defend what I believe is good
and right in this world. I have traveled this world for many years
before finding my purpose and this is it. I am a Knight of St.
John, and also a Ritter, the Knight of Klienstadt. I have lived
many years and fought many battles. I have won many, and lost
equally as many against friends and foes that were more worthy than
I. I have only ever loved one woman, Lady Zita, and I will be
faithful to her until the very end. I have made many friends over
the years, and lost quite a few to time, vengeance, and perma
death. I am strength fighter straight out of London and I will not
stand for evil.
I chose to live my life by the code of the Knights of
Legend and I plan on doing so until I can no longer live as Dak.
This is my story, short and sweet. Now you know enough about me to
know what and who I really am. Thank you for your patience.
-Dak
The Mighty Russian
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Tales originally sung by vagabond poets flow through the inns and
taverns of the wide world like so much ale! Yet another is on the
lips and minds of many folk!
He stood in the corner looking ever-so-fearsome.
His eyes were burning ever-so-bright.
Horribly scarred was this giant Russian
Clutching his axe, prepared for the fight.
He easily stood the height of two men!
His chest was as wide as a river!
The swing of his arm or the crush of his fist,
Enough to make bravest knights quiver!
And yet in his voice was something quite strange,
A voice without malice, a sound without rage:
Vidar am I, and my freedom I won,
by fighting in pits in the lands without sun.
A monstrous bear did I kill with my hands.
Scarred, yes, forever. But free to roam lands.
And roam them I did, from ocean to sea,
Before coming across a king and a queen,
Who did provide shelter, friendship, and dreams.
I offered my arm and my axe to their cause,
keeping them safe from the wicked one's maw.
Perhaps he is not so terrible a man.
He winks and shakes (and nearly breaks off) my hand.
The visage of Vidar may be marred by the world,
For the realms he did come from are violent and cold.
But perhaps there is more to this would-be foe.
In his heart, my dear friends, there just may be gold.
The Way of God
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
'As night is followed by day, so has the will of God brought
light to my dark ways and cleansed my soul. Whatever evil
possessed me has been cleared. I have found a new mission, the
mission to spread the word of God, convert non-believers and
destroy the infidels.'
A noble-looking knight arose, latest recruit of the Teutonic Order.
His eyes gleamed in the pale sunlight of the cold December morning.
An aura of confidence and courage about him as he murmured a prayer
in Latin and stood straight. His recently cleaned amour and long
hair shone as if he was a saint come to life from the illuminations
of a church.
The Teutonic Grand Master smiled, thinking he has done it
again. He had managed to light the fire of God in this
relatively young man, he would be idolized and be a perfect
specimen of a true servant of God. This was crucial, as more
and more were needed to spread God's word in the East. If
only all of his recruits were as strong and noble, he
thought, then soon all the lands would sing praises to the
one true Lord God.
'You will begin by taking 100 of my best men and representing us at the
Crusades,' said the Grand Master, 'Sir Delandel.'
He continued, 'You are to show no mercy to the infidels. If
they do not drop their weapons and vow to convert I want you
to cleanse their souls with the sharpest edge of your blade.
Remember, God Wills It!'
'God Wills It!' repeated Lord Delandel. He reveled in the
gazes of all the other Knights. He had become the favorite
of the Grand Master, and took an important role of this
exclusive Order.
The next morning Lord Delandel began preparing for his
journey to Jerusalem. He was eager to join his comrades in
battle, and he could not ask for more than to battle for
something he knew could not be wrong. There was nothing to
question, not like he used to in the past. This was clear,
this was simple, this was the way of God.
----
Since leaving the Infernals, Delandel no longer had a mission, he
questioned the way of the Knights, the way of the Infernals and had no
idea himself of what to do with his life. However, having met the
Knights of the Teutonic Order, he was shown that the true way was
the way of the God, and so he rides eagerly to join his comrades
in the Crusades to convert the infidels of the East and fight for
his God. There is nothing to question now. As such, Delandel will now
appear as:
Short: An adamant soldier of God.
Long: Guided by the light of God, a stoic crusader prepares to
convert the world.
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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.
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