NWE Help: MOO: Autobuilder

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The first time you create objects in MOOville, you'll want to use the Autobuilder tool, which helps you learn the somewhat arcane digging commands experienced MOO builders used.

To use the autobuilder, just type @autobuilder and follow the prompts. The autobuilder will help you make the object or room you choose. As it does so, the autobuilder will display the commands you can run to edit your objects later -- or make them 'from scratch' without the autobuilder if you desire.

Ask if you want to make a room or an object. Choose the appropriate option.

Making a room

If you choose room, here's what will happen: (If you choose object, select this link to skip ahead to the object section).

The autobuilder will check to see if you have the right permissions for the realm you're currently in. If you're not in a room you own, the autobuilder will make sure you really want to build there.

Then the autobuilder will take this information:

• the name of the room you're going to make
• the name of the connection between the room you are in now and the new room
• the name of the connection between the new room and the room you are in now

The autobuilder checks to make sure your entrance and exit names are OK with MOO naming guidelines. If not, you have to enter them in again.

If everything looks good after information is collected, the autobuilder makes the rooms for you, displaying the short command you can use to dig a room, and then exits. You can then customize your new rooms as you see fit. Take a look at the other sections of this digging help, especially the help on messages, to see some ideas for making your rooms most believable.

Making an object

If you've chosen "object" from the first autobuilder menu, the autobuilder displays the list of generic object types, and asks you the kind of object you'd like to make. This is a very important choice. You should select an object based on the properties and verbs available for each generic. A list is available here.

The autobuilder then collects the following information, regardless of the object type you're creating.

Name	The full name of the object, without any articles or possessives attached.
Proper name	If you choose "yes", your object will be displayed in the MOO without the use of articles (the, a) -- as if it were a proper name. If you choose "no", your object will be displayed with articles.
Unique	If you choose "yes", your object will be referred to as "the object", not "a object".
Alias	Short names for your object. You can have as many as you want. Separate them by commas. (More help on aliases.)
Description	What players see when they look at your object. Make this descriptive but not too long. (More help on descriptions.)

(See our help on MOO names for more on the way the proper name, unique name, and other name issues work.)

Customizing your object

After you've entered the five data listed above, the MOO makes the object you requested and puts it in your inventory. Then the autobuilder asks you if you want to customize your object even further. Depending on the type of object you have, you can set the messages displayed when your object is:

• placed in a room (not carried by you or another player)
• taken or dropped by you or another player

You can also set things like:

• for furniture, the number of seats
• for openable containers, if your object is see-through

We suggest you look at the help for the particular generic you are working with (start here) as well as the help on naming and messages to learn more about the ways you can customize your MOO objects.

The autobuilder is continually being improved. Please let us know if you have suggestions for making it work better.