Building Manual

Introduction.

This is a basic manual for introducing building on the talker. If you follow this set of steps you can't go wrong. Unlike some talkers, Snowplains allows you to create two rooms, one of which is created automatically when you first become a resident. OK, we shall start, O Construction Worker Penguin !

The Steps

Go to your home by typing the difficult command home. If this fails then a room hasn't been created for you and therefore ask a Penguin to help you.
The ID of a room is what it is known as internally, and is also the name of any exits leading to it. To change the ID of the room you have to think of a suitable exit name. I am basing my ideas around a home. The first room (home) will be called Wakko's Living Room. The ID has to be one word. To set the id you type the command room id <room id> ie in this case type: room id livingroom. This will respond with The id of the room is now Wakko.livingroom, unless you're not called Wakko.
The name of a room is what it is called both at the beginning of the description when you enter it or look, and on the listing for where. To change the name of the room you have to type the command room name <room name> ie in this case type: room name Wakko's Living Room. This will respond with The name of room Wakko.livingroom has been changed to ... Wakko's Living Room. The name can have spaces in it unlike the room id.
You need to set a brief description of the room. Name basic objects such as TVs, videos and fires. This is to give the room some atmosphere and a sense of reality. To use the editor to edit the description type room edit. If you need help during the editing and you need to talk to a Penguin you should remember that you must prefix any normal command with a slash (/). For example you could type /lsu to list the Penguins on and then /tell <name> I need help with the editor. Remember the / or the editor will think you are giving it part of your room description!
If you want others to be able to add an exit from your room to theirs you need to type the command room linkable.
An enter message is the message which appears (as an emote) to everyone in the room you left to come to this one. Everyone in this room will see your enter message. Setting an enter message is simple on Snowplains. First you need to think of an appropriate message, preferably not offensive otherwise we may be obliged to nuke you. So, you've thought of a nice comment for when people enter your room. Type the following command to set it: room entermsg <message>, eg room entermsg pops off to see Wakko. This will respond with The enter message for this room is now set to ... Someone pops off to see Wakko.
An auto message is some text which appears automatically at random intervals to everyone within your room. Adding auto messages is very simple too. The process consists of three stages:
1. Switching the autos on: type room autos on.
2. Setting the auto message: type room +auto <message> eg room +auto The fire crackles. This will respond saying New message added.
3. Setting the speed of auto messages. This is the maximum length of time between each time the message appears and is set by default to 30 seconds. eg room speed 45 will set the minimum time to 45 seconds.
You have now set up your main room. Every time you type home you will go here, or if some one types your name when in the village they will. A house isn't very much of a house with only one room so... to build another room you type the difficult command: room create. This will respond with the message: New room created with an id of <yourname>.room.1, eg in my case it will be Wakko.room.1.
First of all create a link between your two rooms so you can get to your new one. Type: room link followed by the ID you were given by Snowplains when creating the room eg room link wakko.room.1.
You need to move to this room, so simply type its ID (eg room.1).
You have now ended up in the second room however you have not set up its ID, name, description or the messages. Please repeat steps 3-8 but using the example of a kitchen to get to a similar stage with the second room.
Now you have two complete rooms but the link from your first one will now be dud because the second room's ID has changed. Go back to your first room by typing home and you should be told when listing the exits (which is automatic if you have showexits on, otherwise you have to type exits) that the link is dud. Remove the exit that you made before by typing room -exit wakko.room.1 (or whatever it was called), and add a correct one in with room +exit wakko.kitchen. Whenever a room changes ID the links to it will become dud and you must change them.

That's about it for this simple guide. Typing help room will give you information about all the room commands available.

Be imaginative with your rooms - you only have two. If you have a good idea for a set of rooms ask a Penguin and you may be granted up to five if we like your idea. If what you do is good enough, we may turn your rooms into system rooms so you can build some more new ones.