Starting a new offline shard?

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:47 pm

Hello everybody!
I got a kind of problem I hope you can try to fix : I am willing to make a "private shard". I am a senior member of a Role Playing Game Club in Milano, Italy, and I started a project of making an UO shard acesible only to the club members. BTW, we are a no-profit organization, so the shard is absolutely free. I am a complete ignorant about the "serious side" of UO but, googleing around the Net I came across UOX3. I downloaded it, made some basic settings then installed UO-AoS-3D and I get into the game as GM. Everything's fine but... The world is completely empty! No NPC's, no monster, no doors... A big empty world. I got a couple of questions (guess what!):
1 - how can I fill the world with creatures/people/useful objects?
2 - how can I then put my brand new world on a server?

I don't want gorgeous stuffs, just the standard shard from where I can start to make some modifications... I fear I have to script everething from scratch and it could be a serious problem. Is there a "ready-made" solution, noob-proof from where I can start? I am searching but if some of you can lend me a hand, quickening my job, could be really appreciated!

Well... While I am waiting, I keep on searching... Thanks in advance!

Andrew

Post by **Xuri** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:38 pm

You can fill the world with NPCs and useful objects in a few different ways. One way is to edit UOX3\DFNDATA\SPAWN\SPAWN.dfn - where you can setup "spawn regions" for NPCs by following the example spawn region listed in the file.

Or you can place ingame "item-based" spawners, available from the ADD menu, which you access simply by typing 'ADD and press enter.

Same with items, you basically have to decorate your server on your own. Here's something to get you started though: http://www.xoduz.org/files/uox3/worldfile006.zip . Just unzip it to your UOX3\SHARED folder (while UOX3 isn't running).

That file includes doors, signs and basic decorations for all the towns on "mainland Britannia". Eventually I'll make a complete "starting world" including NPCs, but haven't gotten that far yet.

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 10:03 am

Well, Xuri! You gave me a good boost! Thank you very much! Just a question: once I log as GM, I type the .ADD command and a user-friendly menu pop up. I choose a wall lamp and it appeared in my inventory... How can I move it to the wall? Generically speaking: how can I drop the items made with .ADD on the floor? They do not want to exit my bag!!! Guess it must be very comfortable........

Have a good day!

Andrew

Post by **Xuri** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 10:30 am

Hehe. Try using the .ALLMOVE ON command.

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 12:15 pm

I am reading your pages at http://homefree.sensewave.com/~s107293/uoxguide/
There are some things that seems not to work properly, but I'll manage to get some and then I'll ask. Wonderful job anyway!!

BTW: I am using UO - AoS - 3D client on a win2k machine. I hope this will make no problem...

Post by **Xuri** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:13 pm

That guide was written for a much earlier version of UOX3, so parts of it are unfortunately rather outdated - though those parts should still give some hints of how to do stuff. Might just have to check up the commands against the updated command list ;P

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 7:45 pm

Yeah right! Some works, some doesn't... For istance: how can I use the .SET command on the 2-words skills?
.SET MAGERY 500 works fine
.SET EVALUATING INTELLIGENCE 500 return an error message: doesn't recognise EVALUATING command...

If I .ADD an object (example: a chair) and .ALLMOVE ON and then put the chair on the floor, it will disappera within some minutes... What did/didn't make?

Your world files are excellent!! More than I could hope!

Post by **Xuri** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:41 pm

I think Evaluating Intelligence uses "evalint" as keyword. So try 'SET EVALINT 500

The reason why the objects you add from the add-menu vanish when you put them on the ground, is because they are set to automatically decay after a specific period of time has passed. So when adding items to the world which you want to stay even if they aren't in someone's backpack/any other containers, use 'SET DECAYABLE 0 on them.

To do this for multiple items at once, use 'AREACOMMAND SET DECAYABLE 0, then target a square of items you want to set that property for.

Another way of doing it, is by using a slightly different command altogether. By using 'ADD 0x#### (hex-id, gotten from InsideUO or from the ID= tag in the scripts) you can add "raw" to the world directly without going through UOX3's DFN-scriptfiles. This way the items get no default properties, including no DECAY=1 tag - so they won't decay!

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 4:01 pm

Is there a way for me or other folks to help you updating your pages abut UOX3 (i.e. a wikypedia)? I think it could be very helpful...

Post by **Xuri** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 4:16 pm

Well, I actually have a Wiki for UOX3 setup at https://www.uox3.org/wiki hehe

But I'm not a very wiki-competent person, so the only page I've actually edited is the "About" page. :O

Feel free to do something with the Wiki if you want

I'm in the process of updating my old UOX3 guide myself. Done with section 1, and half ways through section 2 currently. Hopefully I'll have it fully updated & compatible with current UOX3 in the near future.

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:31 am

Hello Xuri!
The more I get into spawning/building/decorating/etc. etc. the more I appreciate your job and the work of all the scripters/builders of all the good shards... It's really a kinda effort! It should be well rewarded!!

Actually I am searching for some "guide" to help this poor fool in understanding the basics of the tech side of uo. If I find out something really useful, I will put it here. The wiki project will be something like "UO for dummies", to cover the worst difficulties I've been through..

Beside...

I feel a kinda "sense of almightiness"... Thinking of me as a dreadfully powerful PG pking and looting all over the land...

&

Did you ever get into this "delyrium of omnipotence" too? D'ya think it's normal? Got a cure?

Have a good day!

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:33 am

For istance... This could be a very interesting site: it's written in italian but I think everybody can handle it... Have a look!

http://uoidn.uoevolution.sm/

Gosh... Let it be... I see now that it is not updated since 2003......

What a bum....

Post by **Xuri** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:56 am

Hm. When you say "the tech side of UO", do you mean stuff like file formats and packet guides then?

If so, here are a few links to sites which cover stuff like that:
UO Packet Guides:
http://www.hartte.de/uopro/index.html.gz
http://uopackets.emuresource.com/packets.php

File Formats:
http://doc.wpdev.org/formats/
http://uo.stratics.com/heptazane/fileformats.shtml

If not, what exactly do you mean? hehe =)

Andrew_Offlined · Post by **Andrew_Offlined** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 5:26 pm

Too bad the project has been rejected. Nobody gave a precise and clear explanation of this decision. There will no be a club-shard and this makes me rageous!!! I have no more intention to invest energy and time on it... If I will calm myself, maybe I will consider to open my own shard but till then...

Thank you very much Xuri for your valuable support and patience. I wish you good luck and all the best.

Sincerely,

Andrew

Ultima Offline eXperiment 3 forums

Starting a new offline shard?

Starting a new offline shard?