Official creature design guidelines
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Messaging template
Standard messaging
At a minimum, you need messaging for:
- Do Nothing: 3 "idle" messages that the creature does when not attacking or moving from room to room. More is better
- Run: Messaging when a creature: 1 is the minimum, possible to have more. This is three messages, one for each of the following:
- Leaves a room (messages the room)
- Arrives in a room (messages the room)
- Tries to leave a room, but fails (messages the room)
- Die: message when the creatures dies. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more
- IsDead: message when the creature decays away after being searched. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more
The following are suggested, but not "required":
- Sleep: message when the creature is unconscious. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more
- Immobile: message when the creature is immobile for some reason. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more
- Stunned: message when the creature is stunned for some reason. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more (Do not need if the creature is unstunable)
- Webbed: message when the creature is webbed for some reason. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more.
- Noattack: when the creature is hypnotized for some reason. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more.
- Run: messaging when the creature tries to flee the room for some reason. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more. This is three messages, one for each of the following:
- Leaves a room (messages the room)
- Arrives in a room (messages the room)
- Tries to leave a room, but fails (messages the room)
- Swimmove: messaging when the creature is in a water room and tries to leave the room. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more. This is three messages, one for each of the following:
- Leaves a room (messages the room)
- Arrives in a room (messages the room)
- Tries to leave a room, but fails (messages the room)
- Swimrun: messaging when the creature is in a water room and tries to flee the room. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more. This is three messages, one for each of the following:
- Leaves a room (messages the room)
- Arrives in a room (messages the room)
- Tries to leave a room, but fails (messages the room)
- Losearm: messaging when the creature loses an arm (if they have them) for whatever reason. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more.
- Fall: messaging when the creature falls to the ground (Knockdown) for whatever reason (if the creature can). 1 is the minimum, possible to have more.
- Safehaven: messaging when the creature is in a safehaven room for whatever reason. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more.
- Stand: messaging when the creature tries to stand up. 1 is the minimum, possible to have more. This is three messages, one for each of the following:
- Tries to stand and does well (messages the room)
- Tries to stand and just barely makes it (messages the room)
- Tries to stand, but fails (messages the room)
The next ones are allowed, but not often used:
- Messaging for when the creature searches the room
- Messaging when the creature is stalked
- Messaging when the creature chases/pursues someone
- Messaging when the creature spots someone in the room
- Messaging when the creature is attacked
- Messaging when the creature is thrown at
- Messaging when the creature is aimed at
- Messaging when the creature is fired at
- Messaging when the creature has a spell cast at it
- Messaging when the creature has an area effect spell cast at it
Attack messaging
- If the creature has "natural attacks" like claws, bites, charges, you need messaging for that also.
- Messaging for when it's advancing or retreating
- What creatures/players/classes/etc the creature hates
Creation of creature
You need the following also:
- A description message, including what they look like when dead.
- Bardic recall messaging, at least one, but more is better.
- Messaging when the creature is created/genned.
- Any special equipment the creature has.
- Whether the creature is undead, and if so, what type
- Whether the creature is a construct