You need help staring on ARCH? Come here!

[u:27deb][b:27deb]Getting Started on ARCH[/b:27deb][/u:27deb]

Have trouble getting started on ARCH? Can?t find a source on the site that goes over this well enough? Well look no further. In this tutorial we shall go over ARCH and how it?s written, as well as some other subjects not explained much in the tutorials. Now, let?s get started.

[u:27deb][b:27deb]Most Importantly[/b:27deb][/u:27deb]

Before you can even get started on ARCH, you need to know where to store the files at. The website hints at were to save it, but this section will go into more detail on this. This may not seem all that important, but without it, they would not work properly in Map Editor.

First off, go to [b:27deb]C:\games\mapedit[/b:27deb], which is were the Map Editor?s directory is located. Once you have done this, open the folder entitled wyvern. Once open, find the folder wiz and open this. You should now be in [b:27deb]C:\games\mapedit\wyvern\wiz[/b:27deb].

Now that you?re in this directory, create a new folder entitled with your chosen character?s name. For now, let?s just name it ?[b:27deb]johndoe[/b:27deb]?. Now let?s open the ?[b:27deb]johndoe[/b:27deb]? folder, and create another folder named ?[b:27deb]maps[/b:27deb]?. This is where you will store your .map files. I suggest you create sub-directories in this folder, so you can store your maps more orderly. For example, let?s say you have done all these steps correctly, you than open up the ?[b:27deb]maps[/b:27deb]? folder in your wiz directory, and create a new folder called ?[b:27deb]tansula city[/b:27deb]?. Now this is the folder you will save your maps for [b:27deb]Tansula City[/b:27deb]. Of course, you don?t have to name your maps this.

Now head back to your ?wiz? folder and create a folder entitled arch. This will be a good location for you to store your art work, and ARCH scripts. I suggest splitting your ?arch? folder into sub-directories to keep everything in an organized fashion.

[u:27deb][b:27deb]Starting ARCH[/b:27deb][/u:27deb]

Now you?re ready to begin writing ARCH scripts. Let?s look at a basic ARCH file.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[u:27deb][b:27deb]ARCH script for thief[/b:27deb][/u:27deb]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[b:27deb]
<arch class="wyvern.kernel.monsters.MonsterImpl"&gt ;
<image layer="500" path="npc/thief"/>
<string name="short" value="suspicious-looking person"/>
<int name="int" value="10"/>
<int name="str" value="14"/>
<boolean name="uses-weapons"/>
<string name="ai-temper" value="peaceful"/>
<weight value="145 lb"/>
<string name="***" value="male"/>
<int name="level" value="4"/>
<int name="align" value="-100"/>
<string name="default-response">The suspicious-looking person says: I have no idea what you're talking about.</string>
</arch>[/b:27deb]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is just a basic script. Notice the [b:27deb]<image layer="500" path="npc/thief"/>[/b:27deb] in the script. If your image has a picture in it, this is a must. But instead of ?npc/thief? you will type ?[b:27deb]wiz/johndoe/arch/monsters/cigar[/b:27deb]? Remember, the image must be a [b:27deb].gif[/b:27deb], and it must be in the folder you directed the path to. [b:27deb]Also, keep in mind that if you spelled your image?s name wrong[/b:27deb] (let?s say you spell ?[b:27deb]cigar[/b:27deb]? like ?[b:27deb]cigat[/b:27deb]?) than the Map Editor will show it as a ?[b:27deb]?[/b:27deb]? in the item select bar.

Now, since this tutorial is meant to get you started on ARCH, not teach it to you, we will not go over how to type ARCH. If you want to learn ARCH, than I suggest you look around in some of the scripts in the
"[b:27deb]C:\games\mapedit\wyvern\arch[/b:27deb]" folder.

PS- fixed some problems with former tutorial.

Make sure folder names don't have spaces like john doe <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->, use johndoe instead or the map editor will not save files and will yell at you about spaces in names <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->

Teshuvah

Ahh Nemoku you've progressed so well since I first helped you. <!-- s8) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="Cool" title="Cool" /><!-- s8) --> I can put together a Arch How-to Manual if any wizard would be kind enough to sticky it.

Eeekk..the _ between the folders must not have pasted right...meant to be "john_doe"

What's a good program to open the arch files with? to view them.

Notepad works fine and since it comes with windows so you should already have it (look under accessories).

thankyou, what are the boxes that are included in the arch file when it's opened on notepad, should those be ignored?

Quick question, Can I make the monster cast spells AND use weapons at the same time?

It's possible the arch file you were looking at was created on a *nix based system but viewing it on a Windows OS... and all the characters didn't work out because of how *nix does (for example) a "raw character" which translates to "start new line" within a file. If so you have but really a couple of options :

Manually edit the file, placing the cursor before the block and hit delete and then enter (this for our purpose removes the old way of doing a new line and puts in Windows version) ... for each place you see it. This is probably easy enough for small arch files but if it was 100k of web coding this method would get rather tedious.

Second you can find a program to do this for you. On *nix the common CLI program for the purpose is "unix2dos" and the opposite "dos2unix", there may be windows versions of these but you would probably have to fire up Windows CMD which most people barely know exists anymore. An easier cheat would be to open up a program which *does* understand these alternate codings and then simply copy/paste it happily to your new arch file. Back in the day I used MS Wordpad to open up garbled files then paste to Notepad. You could alternatively rename the file to a web document and probably have the same luck with Internet Explorer.

I hope this helps, if that wasn't the problem I just wasted a decent bit of time lol <!-- s8) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="Cool" title="Cool" /><!-- s8) -->

[Veroule]

I am wondering if there is a list anywhere that covers all the possible properties (ie bonus-ac, bonus-resistcold, armor, hp, etc) that are recognized by the server's code and what object types they descend from. I have seen a few looking around in the map editor, but I know there are likely to be many more that just don't have an example there. Proper documentation is key in 3rd party development, and I just can't seem to find anything close to the needed documentation.

98% of all possible props can be found on existing arch files that are either already in the mapeditor or can be downloaded off the archtype exchange - [url:0b2c6]http://wyvern.tvakatter.org/arch.html[/url:0b2c6] Generally when a prop is made it's done so with a specific task in mind so once it's coded it's put right to work. Thus you'll likely find that the only things you can't use are special things that wizards have coded for themselves or fellow wizards. In the future these things might have documentation on the site but right now we use our private forums to quickly show each other how they work.

I'm not sure if it's completely up to date, but if we're supposed to have access to it at all.. [url:9bf19]http://opal.cabochon.com/api/[/url:9bf19] might help, but to me it's somewhat an information overload.

The Wyvern API is open to us Pendalar, though the uses I have found for it are few and far inbetween. Like how I still can't understand how to make an arch for an teleporter that requires an object to work.

A teleporter that needs an objects is a keyed teleporter. I am not sure you have an example in the map editor though.

Here is one example from mine:
&lt;arch class="wyvern.lib.classes.construct.KeyedEntr ance"&gt;
&lt;image layer="-400" path="scenery/snow/cave_snow"/&gt;
&lt;size value="2x2"/&gt;
&lt;bean name="can-walk" class="PointList"&gt;
(0,1)(1,1)
&lt;/bean&gt;
&lt;bean name="destination" class="wyvern.lib.Location"&gt;
&lt;string name="map" value="wiz/teshuvah/fishing/ice/cavern1"/&gt;
&lt;int name="x" value="22"/&gt;
&lt;int name="y" value="29"/&gt;
&lt;/bean&gt;
&lt;string name="key-arch" value="wiz/teshuvah/fishing/arch/license"/&gt;
&lt;string name="short" value="Cavern Entrance"/&gt;
&lt;string name="no-key-msg" value="The shopkeeper says: 'Hey you! You need a fishing license!'"/&gt;
&lt;/arch&gt;

This one does not "take" the object. If you want it to "eat" the object you will use one like this:

&lt;arch class="wyvern.lib.classes.construct.KeyedEntr ance"&gt;
&lt;image layer="-400" path="wiz/legolas/arch/objects/portal"/&gt;
&lt;bean name="destination" class="wyvern.lib.Location"&gt;
&lt;string name="map" value="wiz/teshuvah/lq/scavenger/1"/&gt;
&lt;int name="x" value="0"/&gt;
&lt;int name="y" value="4"/&gt;
&lt;/bean&gt;
&lt;boolean name="break-key"/&gt;
&lt;string name="key-arch" value="magic/reagent/graveyard_dirt"/&gt;
&lt;string name="short" value="Scavenger Item Portal"/&gt;
&lt;string name="no-key-msg" value="You do not have the correct item."/&gt;
&lt;string name="break-key-msg" value="You have the last item and it disappears back into Wyvern as you pass onto the finish!"/&gt;
&lt;boolean name="break-key" value="true"/&gt;
&lt;/arch&gt;

Keep in mind for break-key (which takes the object) to work, send them to a per player map or a map that never unloads, or into the same map itself.


If you just need the general info:
use class KeyedEntrance
string key-arch is the path to the item
string no-key-msg is what's displayed if they don't have the item
boolean break-key is a boolean that makes the item disappear when used
string break-key-msg is the message they see when it disappears

If none of this makes sense, don't bother until you are a wiz already.

Teshuvah
Teshuvah

Thank you teshuvah, never would've guessed what the key prop would be.

This was special code written by a Wizard not normal game code. So you won't find this kind of thing just 'sitting around'.
I believe Legolas did this for us for quests etc.

Tesh

I can't seem to figure out for the life of me how to get firewalls to light up. In the game, I'm sure I've seen player-casted firewalls make light. Why won't they glow in my map editor?

The arch files you have is probably from long ago so open it up and add this to the XML file &lt;int name="luminous" value="2"/&gt; Then close your mapeditor, reopen it up, and you should see it light up in the mapeditor (note - the arch file on the server has this prop so changing it or not on your computer won't effect anything when and if your maps go live).

I'm trying to make a painting but don't know what type of ARCH it is.

Use StaticObject (put this in the first line of your arch file - &lt;arch class="StaticObject"&gt.