Creation Law — Mobiles

You know classic Diku medit. Neo has no medit. Mobiles use the same three-layer idea as objects: npc_descr (strings) → npc_stats (numbers/flags) → npc (prototype that links them, plus maximum/proc).

Hub: Creation Law. Object to wield: Objects. Placement: Zones. Scripts: Script Law — Mobiles.

Same reason as objects: keep readable strings separate from combat/AI stats, then point a prototype at both. Saving @npc without description / stats links yields an empty mobile — @examine npc before every @save.

One open draft per workspace kind. @new npc while an npc draft exists errors until @save npc or @clear npc.

@npc_descr fields: general, keywords, proper, room.

> @find npc
> @new npc_descr 1210
Okay.
> @npc_descr keywords add watchman
Okay.
> @npc_descr proper
a quiet watchman
> @npc_descr room
A quiet watchman stands here.
> @npc_descr general
Weathered cloak, calm eyes, little to say.
> @examine npc_descr
> @save npc_descr
Okay.
>

Why before the prototype: level, position, acts flags, and attacks decide whether the mob stands still, fights, or wanders when you reset the zone.

@npc_stats fields: ac, alignment, attacks, attrs, flags, hitpoints.

• attrs classes — NPCType, Level, Gender, Size, Movement, Position, SpecNPC
• flags classes — Acts, Affects, Profession (Acts includes SENTINEL, AGGRESSIVE, STAY_ZONE, SHOPKEEPER, BANKER, …)
• attacks add <index> <type> <dice> — AttackType plus MDM dice string
• hitpoints — dice / MDM form accepted by the stats parser
• ac, alignment — integer ranges enforced in code

> @new npc_stats 1210
Okay.
> @npc_stats attrs level L5
Okay.
> @npc_stats attrs position standing
Okay.
> @npc_stats flags acts sentinel
Okay.
> @npc_stats ac 5
Okay.
> @npc_stats alignment 0
Okay.
> @npc_stats hitpoints 2d8+10
Okay.
> @npc_stats attacks add 0 hit 1d6+1
Okay.
> @examine npc_stats
> @save npc_stats
Okay.
>

Common miss: forgetting position standing (or similar) and wondering why the mobile looks wrong in-room; forgetting sentinel / stay_zone when you did not want a wanderer.

@npc fields: extras, stats, description, maximum, proc, reset.

> @new npc 1210
Okay.
> @npc description 1210
Okay.
> @npc stats 1210
Okay.
> @npc maximum 4
Okay.
> @examine npc
(confirm description + stats VIDs)
> @save npc
Okay.
>

> create npc 1210
You create a quiet watchman.
> purge watchman
>

create vs load follows the same stricter-vs-looser rules as items (your npc range; maximum interactions) — see Items for the detailed comparison; it applies to npc the same way. Prefer create on your own VIDs while learning.

Why: create npc only puts one copy next to you for testing. Players meet mobiles that zone resets load. Open the zone draft, add an npc reset line, save, then zone reset.

> @load zone 1299
Okay.
> @zone npc 1210 1200
Okay.
> @zone list
> @examine zone
> @save zone
Okay.
> zone reset
Okay.
>

Forgetting zone reset after @save zone is the usual “my mob never appears” bug. Full reset command vocabulary: Zones.

Build the object first (Objects), then the mobile, then zone equip / give:

> @new item_descr 4502
… edit strings …
> @save item_descr
> @new item_stats 4502
> @item_stats type weapon
> @item_stats flags wear take
> @item_stats flags wear wield
> @save item_stats
> @new item 4502
> @item description 4502
> @item stats 4502
> @examine item
> @save item
> @new npc_descr 4503
…
> @save npc_descr
> @new npc_stats 4503
…
> @save npc_stats
> @new npc 4503
> @npc description 4503
> @npc stats 4503
> @examine npc
> @save npc
> @load zone 4599
> @zone npc 4503 4500
Okay.
> @zone equip 4502 wield
Okay.
> @examine zone
> @save zone
Okay.
> zone reset
Okay.
> create npc 4503
>

@zone equip / give / put / follow run in reset-list order — put the npc line before equipment lines that assume that mobile exists. If the mob loads bare-handed, @zone list and confirm equip came after npc.

Create @proc npc first, index proc_npc to verify, then:

> @load npc 1210
Okay.
> @npc proc quiet_stretch
Okay.
> @examine npc
> @save npc
Okay.
> create npc 1210
>

Do not attach a name you have not created — Script mobiles. Compiled specials use SpecNPC on @npc_stats attrs, not the free-form proc name.

• No medit — @npc_descr / @npc_stats / @npc only.
• One draft per kind; save or clear before another @new.
• Description VIDs cannot be destroyed while still referenced by an npc prototype.
• create is stricter than load — read the echoes.
• Live placement needs zone reset lines and zone reset.
• maximum caps instance counts; raise/lower on @npc, then @save npc.

• Objects / Items — gear to equip
• Zones — npc/equip/give resets
• Script Law — Mobiles — Beanshell SpecProcs
• Creation Law — hub