Crafting Guide
From FiranMUX
Contents |
INTRO
This informational guide is taken almost entirely from the help files on FiranMUX which were created by the owners and maintainers of FiranMUX
I started on Firan at the end of October 2002. The character was suggested to me by a close friend and the character happened to be a smith by trade. Being new to both Firan and the code was pretty frustrating in the beginning. I was lucky in that Ishani had her own forge and I could make things without an audience watching. I received a lot of commissions within my first week of playing. The help files are incredible, but I didn't know what to charge for things, where to buy supplies, etc. I've never played table top games nor had a clue what people meant when they were talking about 'rolls' and dice... Add to that a mask fiasco an hour before a Masked Ball and...well :) Now that I've got some experience under my belt I have a bit more confidence and hopefully can give a little insight to those who may find themselves in the same situation. I just tried to condense the basics here for beginners. If you happen to notice a discrepancy or something I've explained incorrectly, please @mail me (Ishani) on Firan :) - And please read this next section as it is really important. I thought here would be the best place:
The first thing any crafter should read is 'news ornamenting' - it has very important theme details that you must know. Here's the file as quoted from FiranMUX:
- Due to the level of technology in the Firan realms, the ornamenting of objects with precious metals and gems is limited to surfaces that can stand up to the rigorous process of attaching them, such as wood, metal and ceramics. Some examples are: ceramic objects such as cups, pots, pitchers, and amphorae; wooden furniture, chests, fancy boxes; metal platters, weapons, (metal) armor and vases.
- A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that precious metals and stones are rare and should be reserved for very special objects. Firans do not have the technology to attach such ornaments to clothing, nor would it be done for reasons of practicality and cost effectiveness. That is why brooches and other forms of jewelry are so popular.
You can not add gems to soft things, period. While you can add gems to iron or bronze armor, you can NOT add them to leather armor. Along those lines, neither can you add them to masks as masks are made from leather.
SKILLS/ROLLS
You can determine your character's skills and attributes (their levels of ability in various areas) by typing @sheet/stats - we'll use Ishani's, without denoting levels, as an example. I've also included the explanations from 'help attribute system' and 'help skills' beneath the respective items:
@SHEET FOR ISHANI TANELISH
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attributes:
size memory feeling connectedness mana
muscle reason passion command creativity
endurance willpower courage sociability faith
agility intuition maturity allure luck
coordination attention insight shrewdness devotion
reflex perception reaction mobility favor
health sanity self-esteem reputation communion
ATTRIBUTE SYSTEM
FiranMUX uses 35 attributes (seven categories in five different realms).
Each attribute is rated from 1-5 with 3 indicating average or typical
adult human ability. Ratings greater than 5 are possible, but represent human
achievement of mythical proportion.
Skills:
app/armor app/luxury app/weapon armoring
begging brewing bsdetect comb/brawl
comb/knife cooking dancing economics
lang/firan leatherwrk lit/firan locksmithing
negotiate prayer propaganda ropemaking
singing smelting smith/brnz smith/iron
smith/prec streetwise teaching weapnsmith
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 - It is average to have no ability in this skill
1 - Novice
2 - Professional
3 - Expert
4 - Fantastic
5 - Extraordinary
6 - Legendary
What products you can make and how well will be determined by your level of attributes and skills. For example, Ishani has a 3 in leatherwrk which puts her at an expert level. For more insight into your own skills, type 'help skill list' for a listing and then 'help <skill name from skill list>' - for example, 'help leatherworking' gives you the following:
LEATHERWORKING SKILL: Skill in making all kinds of items out of leather.
In game terms, this will allow you to produce items such as: saddles,
leather armor, belts, pouches and purses, hats, jackets, and so on.
This assumes, however, that you have the raw leather, already tanned and
cured, as well as the necessary tools.
Difficulty also plays a role. A quick tangent off into difficulty levels. From 'help difficulty':
DIFFICULTY CHART
Below is the difficulty chart for @checks giving you a rough idea of what
you should be rolling against depending on your actions. Six should always
be used unless there is a good reason why a lower or higher difficulty is
more appropriate.
3 - Easy 4 - Mundane 5 - Straightforward 6 - Standard
7 - Challenging 8 - Difficult 9 - Extremely Difficult
10 - Almost Impossible 11 - Impossible
As noted in the intro, I've never played tabletop or with dice, so if my explanations here are lacking, I apologize. It was explained to me that the combination of the needed attribute + skill at the levels equates to number of dice one has to roll. For example, let's say we want to make a backpack. By typing @products backpack, we discover what is needed:
PRODUCT: Backpack
Customizable: yes (see 'help customizing')
Energy Cost: 2
Required Skill: Leatherworking
Related Attribute: Coordination
Difficulty: 5
Ingredients: leather=10
Produces: backpacks=1
Each Backpack weighs: 2
Each has a volume of: 18
Each has a capacity of: 30
Where to Assemble Ingredients: hold them
Any other required things: leatherworker's tools
Comments: A large sack made of stitched leather panels closed by a
drawstring and an overflap to keep the contents of the bag dry. It has
two sturdy shoulder loops for wearing.
We'll get into @products later. For now, though, notice that we need to have the skill of Leatherworking and the attribute of Coordination to even attempt to create the product backpack. The level of difficulty is 5.
Say Ishani has Leatherworking at 3 and Coordination at 3. Since the product is not a difficult one and Ishani has sufficient skills in which to make it, we will likely succeed or get a success at the roll of the dice when we make it. It is as though Ishani has 6 dice. We can do a few test rolls to see what the outcome likely will be. Check out help @check on the game. I'm just going to use one of the commands available here. The form is: @check [/quiet] <attribute> + <skill> at <difficulty>
If you include the 'quiet' only you will see the result. So let's roll. I'd type :
@check coordination + leatherworking at 5
This is what I got on the game with three rolls:
<OOC: ROLL> Ishani rolls her Coordination + Leatherworking at difficulty 5 and gets 1 success. <OOC: ROLL> Ishani rolls her Coordination + Leatherworking at difficulty 5 and gets 3 successes. <OOC: ROLL> Ishani rolls her Coordination + Leatherworking at difficulty 5 and gets 4 successes.
So it seems that Ishani can make a backpack with little concern about success. She can still botch or fail, but the odds are more in her favor not to. Every @product will tell you what you need in order to create it and, thus, you can get a rough idea about your chances of success or failure by using the 'check' command.
@PRODUCTS/MAKE
If you are a crafter, @products is your friend :) In all seriousness, @products tells you exactly what you need and where to put it in order to make things. Taken from FiranMUX's help @products:
COMMAND: @products
Syntax: @products
@products/<skill>
@products <product name>
@products/all
@products/search <term>
The first syntax of this command displays a list of products that
can be made by players on FiranMUX. The use of @products/<skill> will
display the list of products you can make if you have that <skill>.
If you type @products <product name> you will get more detailed
information about each product such as which ingredients are required,
which skills are important, and how much energy it takes to make.
@products/all will list all available products on FiranMUX;
@products/search will search for all products containing a particular
term.
If you're not sure what kinds of things you can make, @products/<skill> is extremely handy. For example, one of Ishani's listed skills is 'smith/bronze' which shows in help skill list as Smithing/Bronze. Using @products/smithing/bronze yields:
FIRANMUX PRODUCT LIST FOR SKILL: smithing/bronze
butcher's tools carpenter's tools cooking utensils
flasks furrier's tools glassworker's tools
horns keyrings leatherworker's tools
mason's tools measuring scales miner's tools
nails permit seals plows
sculptor's tools shearing tools smith's tools
tanner's tools
You need the exact name to create something. You can't just make a 'sword' - there are a variety of types and specifications. Typing @products sword gets you the following generic info:
PRODUCT: Sword Customizable: yes (see 'help customizing') Energy Cost: 1 Required Skill: Related Attribute: Difficulty: Ingredients: Produces: Each Sword weighs: 0 Each has a volume of: 0 Each has a capacity of: N/A Where to Assemble Ingredients: hold them Any other required things: Comments: The generic sword, which comes in either long or short varieties. Please see: @products bronze short sword, @products bronze long sword, @products iron short sword or @products iron long sword for more information. Two swords may be worn, provided a sword belt is worn first. This represents putting the sword in the sword belt.
We discover that we can't just make 'sword' - we have to specify the length and metal used. If you are unsure of a name, use @products/search <term> - For example, typing @products/search sword gets you the following:
Searching all products for: sword
Generic Iron Long Sword (#1510) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic Wooden Sword (#1649) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic Iron Short Sword (#2922) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic Bronze Short Sword (#3663) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic Tamir Stick (#3772) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic Bronze Long Sword (#3911) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic Sword Belt (#4502) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic Silver Dagger (#5911) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Generic General Insignia (#8084) has 'sword' in it somewhere.
Done Searching.
It's always good to role-play the whole commission process for customizable products. Let's say Ishani has rp'd with Jia about making an iron long sword ICly. Ishani agrees and thus starts the OOC procedure of making it. Most people have an idea of what they want in regards to ANSI colors, name and even descriptions. You should always ask OOCly what, if any, specifications they have in mind. If they don't have an exact idea, offer some suggestions. Jia wanted a sword for Payudos. Yasha helped me come up with a name, which I checked with Jia on: Strength of the Hydra Iron Long Sword. We'll go into ANSI colors later, but you can use them in the names as well as descriptions. And speaking of descriptions, each customizable @product comes with a generic one which you can either leave as is, edit a bit or just create your own. Juleesa requested a full set of iron armor for which she provided everything - names, descrips, ANSI... Just be certain that you are clear on what the person wants OOCly, though it is not necessary to have all of the information before creating the customized product in most cases. Let's move on to the 'make' command.
Make is, obviously, the command used in order to make actual objects. We need @products to show us what we need in order to actually use the 'make' command. For example, let's continue to use the iron sword. Typing @products iron long sword yields:
PRODUCT: Iron long sword
Customizable: yes (see 'help customizing')
Energy Cost: 15
Required Skill: weaponsmithing
Related Attribute: muscle
Difficulty: 8
Ingredients: iron ingots=3|heat=8
Produces: iron long swords=1
Each Iron long sword weighs: 6
Each has a volume of: 1
Each has a capacity of: N/A
Where to Assemble Ingredients: inside forge
Any other required things: smith's tools
Comments: Iron long swords are one of the newer breakthroughs in Firan weapon technology.
They have only been around for the past fifteen years, and thus are still uncommon in society.
The technology has been stolen from the Shamibelians, in an attempt to further equalize the
constant struggle against these warlike neighbors. Firan long swords are heavy hacking weapons,
with a two-foot long, double-edged blade with a rounded tip. Two hands are required to wield these
swords to to their awkward heft.
So, before we can 'make iron long sword' (already assuming we have the skills in which to do so), we have to have 3 iron ingots, heat of 8, a forge in which to assemble the ingredients and smith's tools. There are public forge's available in most of the cities and details about forges are on a separate webpage. Iron ingots, logs and flint (so you can make a fire in a forge) and tools are usually available for sale in the markets. Once we have everything and it is where it needs to be, we can make iron long sword. From 'help make':
COMMAND: make
Syntax: make <product>
This will be used by artisans and craftspersons to create objects that
they can sell. To find out which products can be made, use @products.
If you've assembled the correct ingredients and tools in the correct
place, the specified <product> will be automatically created with a
quality commensurate with your skill and success level. You will need
energy and the appropriate skill to make an item.
make silver necklace
> You start looking for the stuff you need to make: silver necklace.
> Located silver.
> You start making your product.
> You succeeded!
> Deducting 2 energy.
> You fashion a lovely silver necklace!
If you succeed, you will have 'Unfinished iron long sword' and can move onto the naming and describing process since it is a customizable product. This is simple:
1) type: name unfinished=Strength of the Hydra Iron Long Sword.
2) type: describe sword
3) When you are prompted, enter the description.
Please note that described items have a total line length of 70 characters. If you make a fancy border that is more than that, it will run over to the next line. You probably have described items in your inventory. Look at one - notice how it only fills up part of the screen? The 70 character thing is why. It is a really good idea to put your character's mark on customized items they create. For example, this is a sword that Ishani made for Jalil years and years ago when she was still a commoner crafter. If you look at the bottom of the lower border, that's what I used to use as Ishani's mark.
/\ Forged from strong, pure iron, the long sword is
//\\ is a nearly daunting piece. The pommel is the
//__\\ standard shape, however tapered at the very end
\\__// for a unique look. It has been balanced against
[ ] the whole of the weapon, from the feel, with
[[]] meticulous care. The tang of the blade has been
/) [[]] (\ surrounded by supple yet durable leather dyed a
//\__[ ]__/\\ shade of thundercloud gray. In addition, the
))___||__||___(( hilt has been adorned with two flawless rubies
<_/ [ \/ ] \_> inlaid deep into the leather so as not to inter-
|| }{ || fere with the wielder's grasp. The crossguards
|| || have had little customization away from the
|| }{ || standards seen on most, though the ends do have
|| || a distinctive style to them. A broad, double-
|| }{ || edged blade gleams with both promise and fury,
|| || it having been polished to a mirrored shine.
|| }{ || Along the fuller of the blade are detailed
|| || etchings which have been filled with thin layers
|| }{ || of pure silver. Close inspection would reveal
|| || them to be in the image of dragon wings, the
|| }{ || powerful sails unfurled to their regal and
|| || intimidating length. Overall, this is a unique
\\ }{ // sword and one fashioned specifically for its
\\ // owner by the look. Not only handsome, it will
\\// serve the one who wields it well.
\/ ~*it*~
Now - notes on 'finishing' - from help finish:
COMMAND: finish
Syntax: finish <item>
This command should be used by players to finalize the name,
description, and ornamentation that he/she has put into a customizable
object. Once an item is 'finished' it may not be further altered.
Example:
finish silver necklace
> You finish the intricate silver necklace.
As long as your product remains unfinished, you can rename and re-describe it as many times as you'd like. I always show/send unfinished items to the eventual owner before finishing them, for their approval. Sometimes I miss a typo, or perhaps they don't like how it ended up and want some changes. Fixing a description or name is extremely easy - making a new product from scratch because you finished something and the recipient didn't like it is a huge waste - for both parties. So, my advise? NEVER finish a product until you are absolutely positively sure it's complete and approved.
Note that not all products are customizable and, therefore, you may not always be able to name/describe them. From 'help customizing':
CUSTOMIZING
If an item is customizable, that means that when a player uses the
'make' command to create the item, he or she can then use other
commands to rename, redescribe and/or ornament the new item.
Before using the 'ornament' command when customizing any objects, PLEASE
read 'news ornamenting'. It provides important thematic information about
how things can be ornamented in keeping with the setting of Firan.
An example of the order in which you should use your customization
commands:
name Unfinished silver necklace=intricate silver necklace
*Do NOT put unfinished in the new name unless it is intentional*
> Renamed to Unfinished intricate silver necklace.
ornament silver necklace with diamond
> You ornament Unfinished intricate silver necklace with diamond.
describe silver necklace (you will be prompted for the description)
> Described new object.
finish silver necklace
> You finish the intricate silver necklace.
An example of an un-customizable product, @products plow:
PRODUCT: Plow
Customizable: no
Energy Cost: 6
Required Skill: smithing/iron
Related Attribute: muscle
Difficulty: 5
Ingredients: iron ingots=6|lumber=3|heat=7
Produces: plows=1
Each Plow weighs: 40
Each has a volume of: 28
Each has a capacity of: N/A
Where to Assemble Ingredients: inside forge
Any other required things:
Comments: A standard farm plow, make of two wooden handles attacked to an iron blade in the shape of a deeply creased shield.
MASKS
Masks - they are like making any other item except that there are a few extra steps. The help file on firan itself was updated sometime in 2005 and is pretty detailed and easy to follow - I'll c&p it below. From @products mask:
PRODUCT: Mask
Customizable: yes (see 'help customizing')
Energy Cost: 10
Required Skill: leatherworking
Related Attribute: creativity
Difficulty: 7
Ingredients: leather=2
Produces: masks=1
Each Mask weighs: 1
Each has a volume of: 0.25
Each has a capacity of: N/A
Where to Assemble Ingredients: in the same room
Any other required things: leatherworker's tools
Comments: Usually made of leather, this mask can cover the full face or
only half of it, and is often decorated with paint, feathers, beads, cloth
or any number of other items. NOTE: Masks are now make able by players.
Here is 'help making masks':
MAKING MASKS
Making a mask is different than making some other items. There
is an extra step when making a mask and it is the most important.
During the make process, you will be asked to specify a 'short name'
and then 'short description' for the mask. Here's a good example
of how to make a short name:
You have a mask that you would like to name Ladybug Mask.
At the prompt, you'd specify 'a bug mask'. If a woman wears
the mask her name would read, "Lady in a bug mask."
NOTE: All short names must be 13 characters long or less. You may
NOT USE ANSI color code in the short name or the short
description.
The code will then prompt for a short description of the mask to
replace a character's features. You are limited to 30 characters.
You will be prompted IMMEDIATELY for both the short name and
short description once the mask has been created. BE CAREFUL.
Once you enter at the prompts, you CAN NOT edit them like other
customizable products. If you make a mistake (typed incorrectly,
your idle-timer went off, etc), staff will not correct either
the short name or short description. You should have these
decided upon before making the mask to avoid problems. You can
not use a mask name that is currently in use by another mask.
Use the @mask/checkname command to be sure the name you wish to
use is actually available.
As a final reminder, masks will only allowed to be made every four
weeks. If you create a mask, then one right after, the mask will
crumble and be zapped. You can check when you can next make a mask
with the @mask/check command.
Easy enough, right? Well - there's a bit more to it than this. Masks can only be made once every RL month.
You can see when you can next make a mask with the @mask/check command. For example, I'm writing this on 02/09/2003. I know I made a mask not that long ago, but has it been four weeks? Not sure. On Firan I enter the @mask/check command and get:
You can make a mask now.
Yay! So I can make one. If it hadn't been four weeks, the message I would have gotten would have told me on which date I could make another mask.
Additionally, you must have at least 3 in leatherworking to make a mask. Let's go ahead and look at help making masks:
You will be prompted IMMEDIATELY for both the short name and short description once the mask has been created and once you enter them, that's it - you CAN NOT edit these. You should have these ready/decided upon before even making the mask. You can not use a mask name that has been used before, either. How to know whether or not the name you're thinking of using is already in use? Use the @mask/checkname command:
COMMAND: @mask/namecheck
Syntax: @mask/name check <shortname>
This command will tell you if the short name you intend to use is
currently available before you make the mask.
Ishani has a 'crystal mask' - so if I run the @mask/namecheck crystal mask, I get:
That short name is already in use.
This is HUGE. Why? Because if you do your make mask command and intend to use 'crystal mask' and then get a message that says it's in use...you're sort of stuck. You can log in a guest and page the customer about a new name...if they're online. You can't type as your mask-making character unless you're putting in the name. So...very important to have the short name not only decided upon before even making the mask but also being sure that the name is one you can use.
Masks, essentially, have two names and two descriptions. The short name and short description and then the ansi-ok item name and ansi-ok item description. The shorts are for the features of the wearer while the ansi-ok secondaries are for when someone is looking at the object itself. Let's take Ishani's crystal mask and see how it works as far as the secondary ones go:
crystal mask
This carved crystal mask is delicate and has white ribbons to accent its beauty. The edges are dipped in silver.'
While ansi was not used in this secondary description, it could have been. These are what you see what you look at the mask object. The secondary name doesn't have to be the same as the short name, either. For example, I had made 'A Prowling Lioness Mask' for a secondary name while the mask's short name was simply 'lioness mask'
Here's a c&p of the last mask I made as it appeared on the game. Note that things prefixed with > are emits from the game. Hence, those without > in front of them are things I typed:
make mask > You start looking for the stuff you need to make: mask. > Found more than one object with leather on it. Choosing the nearest item: 3 leather #147007. > You start making your product. > You succeeded! > Deducting 10 energy. > Ishani makes: Unfinished mask. > Please enter a short name for this mask. For example, Brave Lion Mask might be a lion mask. You have to include the term 'mask' in the name. red rose mask > Are you sure you wish to use red rose mask as short name for your mask?Please enter yes or no. yes > You give the mask the short name: red rose mask. Now enter a short description for this mask. Bear in mind, this will replace a characters feature while they wear the mask. a lovely red rose mask with black accents > Descriptions must be less than 30 characters. a rose mask with black accents > You set the short description as: a rose mask with black accents
Now, let's see where the short name and description come into play.
Here's Ishani's normal description:
Ishani
A middle aged woman with vivacious demeanor, Ishani has brown eyes, long raven black hair and olive skin. Ishani appears to weigh about 150 pounds and stands about 5'6" tall. This woman has an unusual build in that she is muscular and solid; even her long hands are strong and firm. Still, she has suffered no loss of feminine qualities, managing to keep a quiet beauty about her. Her temperment is almost always pleasant and cheerful, and she usually appears quite energetic.
Now, here's Ishani's description while she is wearing her mask.
Lady in crystal mask
A middle aged woman with a delicate crystal mask with white ribbons, Lady in crystal mask has brown eyes, long raven black hair and olive skin. Lady in crystal mask appears to weigh about 150 pounds and stands about 5'6" tall. This woman has an unusual build in that she is muscular and solid; even her long hands are strong and firm. Still, she has suffered no loss of feminine qualities, managing to keep a quiet beauty about her. Her temperment is almost always pleasant and cheerful, and she usually appears quite energetic.
See how it changes the character's features? The short name is, obviously, 'crystal mask' while the short description is 'a delicate carved crystal mask with white ribbons.' You only see these when the person is actually wearing the mask.
FORGE USE
Let's jump right to the Firan help files! help forges:
FORGES: "How do I make a forge work for me?" The forge is a funny thing. It needs to be lit. It needs to be stoked. This calls for separate commands. Let's assume you're a smith and have never used a forge before. Your first step is to find one, if you haven't already. Most established smiths have their own forges; some use the state smithy, called Kamnestra's Smithy, down by the docks. You are responsible for providing your own heat and ingredients there, and making sure they don't get stolen. * To light a fire in a forge, you must have a flammable object; logs are preferable. See 'help light fire' and use the second syntax. 'help light fire':
COMMAND: light fire Syntax: light fire with <flammable object> light fire in <container> with <flammable object>
With flint, and a flammable object of any sort, you'll be able to start
fires. The first form of the command will light a fire in your location.
The second form of the command will light a fire in a container. When
lighting a fire in a container, the materials, such as logs and flint,
should be in your inventory. Please remember that if you start a fire
with something it _will_ burn up and be destroyed.
Examples: light fire with log
> Garen lights a fire.
light fire in forge with log
> Throg lights starts a fire in the forge.
* To keep the fire fed: see 'help stoke fire' and use the second
syntax. Keep in mind that a fire cannot be put out; neither can the heat
level go higher than 10, so you may want to feed it one object (log) at
a time.
COMMAND: stoke fire
Syntax: stoke fire with <name of flammable object>
stoke fire in <container> with <flammable object>
Using this command, you will be able to make your fire hotter by adding
objects to it to burn. If your fire is contained in a forge or fireplace
or other type of container, you can use the second form of this command.
Examples: stoke fire with log
> You put a log on the fire.
stoke fire in fireplace with log
> You add a log to the fire in the fireplace.
Please note that whatever you stoke the fire with will burn and be destroyed.
Also, fires cannot be stoked to a heat level higher than 10.
What if you try to make something, and the code tells you "X heat must
be in the room with you"? This means it's not looking for a fire in the
forge. It's looking for a fire in the room itself. You can usually
light a fire in the room itself, but be careful.. you may end up burning
the wrong thing for fuel.
I found these files incredibly easy to follow when I first started and hopefully you will as well :) You can burn just about anything to make a fire in your forge. I once made 1887 iron wood axes for the Eagle Clan and was provided with a huge variety of things to burn in order to make them. Bones, broccoli, fur pelts, pumpkins, logs... Logs, obviously, are not the only things you can use to fuel your fire. Personally I prefer bones because they are cheap. You can buy your fuel from the marketplaces on Firan. Each fuel type yields a different amount of heat, however, which is important to remember. For instance:
light fire in forge with pumpkin - This will yield 10 heat.
light fire in forge with bone - This will yield 0.5 heat.
Let's say we have a big stack of 100 bones and we want to make an iron breastplate. Typing '@products iron breastplate' gives us:
PRODUCT: Iron breastplate
Customizable: yes (see 'help customizing')
Energy Cost: 8
Required Skill: armoring
Related Attribute: muscle
Difficulty: 8
Ingredients: iron ingots=6|heat=5
Produces: iron breastplates=1
Each Iron breastplate weighs: 10
Each has a volume of: 0.44
Each has a capacity of: N/A
Where to Assemble Ingredients: inside forge
Any other required things: smith's tools
Comments: Iron breastplates are made to cover the wearer's upper torso from
shoulders to waist, leaving the arms free to move with ease. They are usually
buckled on. Often a companion iron backplate is made.
In our list of ingredients, it notes that we need 5 heat. In order to achieve 5 heat I know that I need 10 bones (since 1 bones yields 1/2 heat). So this is what I do:
separate 10 from 100 bones (see 'help separate' on Firan)
take 10 bones, take flint (you need a flint to start a fire, but not to stoke it)
light fire in forge with bones
Ishani lights a fire inside the forge.
10 bones has left.
Tah dah! I now have 5 heat and assuming I have 3 iron ingots in the forge, I can make my iron breastplate.
Once you have started a fire, you can put away your flint. Even after we've used all 5 heat in the example above, we still have a fire in our forge. The fire, however, has 0 (zero) heat. As long as the fire is there, we can stoke it in the same manner that we lit it, except using the 'stoke' command instead of 'light' - If you use 'light' again, you're going to have two fires in the forge. A good safety for yourself is to put away your flint once you've already created the fire. You can also 'look forge' to see if there is a fire in it. So let's say now I want to make another iron breastplate...
separate 10 from 90 bones (we took 10 from the 100 for the first one) take 10 bones stoke fire in forge with bones
This will stoke the fire up and give us 5 new heat with which to make a second breastplate.
How do you know how much heat you might have in your forge? This is easy. Just 'look forge's fire' and it will tell you:
The fire is reduced to smoldering embers surrounded by ashes.
(OOC Note: This fire has 0.5 heat units.)
What happens if you have heat left in your forge but nothing else you need to make to use it up? A command is run every day to 'put out' fires that have been left burning, even with 0 (zero) heat. You'll see a game emit something like "A breeze blows across the lands that make fires everywhere flicker." If you still had a fire in your forge, it will go away. Fire's inside of things, such as our forge, will not spread. You can not 'douse' or 'smother' a fire inside of something. However, since we are on the topics of fire, let's look at both 'help douse' and 'help smother' - which do the same thing for fires in your room/immediate area:
COMMAND: douse Syntax: douse <object> This command is used exclusively for fires. When it is applied to a fire, about half of its heat units are dissipated. With one or more applications of this command on a fire, the fire may be extinguished.
OMMAND: smother Syntax: smother <object> This command is used exclusively for fires. When it is applied to a fire, about half of its heat units are dissipated. With one or more applications of this command on a fire, the fire may be extinguished.
ANSI
First off, the help ANSI() files:
ANSI(<codes>,<string>)
This allows you to highlight a string using ANSI terminal effects. The
string is terminated with a "return to normal" code, and the codes are
utilized in the order they are specified. The codes are:
f - flash i - inverse
h - hilite n - normal
x - black foreground X - black background
r - red foreground R - red background
g - green foreground G - green background
y - yellow foreground Y - yellow background
b - blue foreground B - blue background
m - magenta foreground M - magenta background
c - cyan foreground C - cyan background
w - white foreground W - white background
For example, "ANSI(fc, Test)" would hilight "Test" in flashing cyan.
The percent substitution %x<color code> can be used instead of
ansi(), and is more efficient.
For example, the equivalent to [ansi(rBf,Color!)] would be: %xr%xB%xfColor!%xn
The %xn (to return to normal) is not necessary, but if it is not specified the ansi color codes will continue to the end of the string.
%x is preferred, however %c may also be used. They are equivalent.
That's pretty much all you need to know about coding ANSI. You can use it in the names and descriptions to make the product look "nicer" or whatever.
As Firan is best viewed on a dark background, it is good to keep in mind that many people use solid black or extremely dark backgrounds. Personally, I never use normal-black colored ANSI because, I would assume, it will be lost in other people's dark backgrounds. Leather products allow you to "dye" them a certain color or none at all. If you use the dye option, that color will be prevalent unless you use ANSI to override it.
I use SimpleMU and it has an option where you can convert text to include the %r (carriage returns) and %b (spaces). This basically means that I can draw a picture in text and use SimpleMU to convert it into something I can actually use on Firan. Not everyone likes the whole floofy pictures thing, so be sure to ask. If you use \ or { } or [ ] or % in your picture descrips, you will have to use a \ in front of the character or it won't show up. Ansi and the picture art can be as detailed or as simply as you and the 'customer' want it to be. Below is an example of one of my more elaborate pieces:
=====================================================================
[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]
Crafted from powerful iron and
enameled a majestic shade of
pure white, this breastplate is
just a sight to behold. The hue ,/ _,---._
is that of truth and honesty. , _,'/| ,-' `.
Iron proves the ultimate in \.__,-' // `./ ____ \
royal strength, it being the \\ // `. ,'\__/`. \
most rare and monarchial metals \\ // `.,' `./`. `.
known in the realms. There is ||// `-. `.'| \
an aura of power somehow when / ,`,===========:=- |-| \
these features combine. As a ,' )\,_ ,-' | | `
striking touch to the piece, \,/)/ \\\ /' /`-|
a silver dragon has been etched / ' /,\\ ,/ |`-,'
over the heart of the wearer. _/ , ,'~ \\| |--|
Brilliant rubies glare out with |' ,',' )' `._,\
promise upon any who glance \/_/ / `.-\
over them. Enveloped with true
symbolism as well as strength,
the piece should protect its
wearer for many years to come.
[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]=[<>]
=====================================================================
Zoey's old player has a website that gives great instruction on ansi/ascii - Check it out: Zoey's Ansi Guide Webpage
A really great site that has just tons of pictures on it is Ansi Art Webpage (Though I have problems getting it to load some of the time.)
Lastly, a fairly recent link for the A2A software (I prefer to hand-code): A2A Software Webpage
PRICING
- Please note - I wrote the things below three or four years ago. Obviously in that time, prices on a LOT of things have changed! As have sponsor tithes and the like. A set of iron armor now goes for about 5 to 7 million stenis, while the ERP costs for jewelry are between 60 and 100. Gems have fluctuated over the years as well. Market value is still a decent determination for pricing out a large number of things, which is why I left the example below -- as well as for nostalgia ;)
- Another point I want to make is that if someone provides you with the expensive materials (silk, iron) with which to make the item, they deserve a discounted price. While it is your labor and description work, charging full price ICly when they have given you the part that makes the item so expensive is just bad business practice. The only time I don't take that into effect is jewelry - what make jewelry so expensive is the ERP cost in addition to the materials.
So you have these great skills to make things people want. What do you charge them? That was the biggest question I had when I started, especially because one of my first commissions was a full set of iron armor. Again, let me state my newness to the game here - what follows is what I've discovered thus far and not the be all to end all.
One thing you can do is check with other players who sell items that you are able to. How do they determine their prices? What have they charged for this or that? Having a bench mark to start from is a really big help. For example, when I made the suit of armor, I asked Razaq for some help. He told me what he believed Lasanna charged for one so I used about that.
The first thing to remember, though, is that making something costs you. Not only in materials, but also in energy as well as time. You certainly want to at least cover your costs and labor. Currently, it seems the average going rate for one ERP is 100 stenis. Let's do an example. Typing @products iron long sword yields:
PRODUCT: Iron long sword
Customizable: yes (see 'help customizing')
Energy Cost: 15
Required Skill: weaponsmithing
Related Attribute: muscle
Difficulty: 8
Ingredients: iron ingots=3|heat=8
Produces: iron long swords=1
Each Iron long sword weighs: 6
Each has a volume of: 1
Each has a capacity of: N/A
Where to Assemble Ingredients: inside forge
Any other required things: smith's tools
The cost to you to make the sword are 15 energy x 100 stenis, 3 iron ingots x 749 stenis and 8 heat which can cost you differently depending on what type of fuel you burn to get to 8 heat in your forge. We'll assume bones for this example - 16 bones will get you to 8 heat so 16 bones x 3 stenis. That's a grand total of $1500 for labor (energy) + $1123.50 for iron + $48 for fuel = $2671.50. Now - you may be asking how I knew what the iron and bones cost. If you have the economics skill, 'value' is a really wonderful tool. From Firan's 'help value'
COMMAND: value Syntax: value <commodity>
If you have a skill in economics, you may use this command to find out what the going market value is of a given commodity. This will help you determine if a merchant is trying to stiff you or if you're getting a good deal. Be warned, however, that if you botch your roll, your character's estimate of the going market value may be wildly wrong. If you do very well, your character may be able to find out both the market price and the approximate cost of making the item. Note you must specify the ENTIRE proper name of the commodity. There is a small energy cost associated with the use of this command, so please don't be a twink and use it wisely. You cannot type, for example: 'value apple'. You must type: 'value apples'.
example:
value raisins
> The going rate for raisins is: 1 steni(s) per unit.
By typing 'value iron ingots' I was able to get the approximate going rate. You can also use 'value' to determine what something you make seems to be worth on the market. For example, 'value iron long swords' yields:
The going rate for iron long swords is: 14141.42418 steni(s) per unit.
One person told me that s/he generally takes the market value and multiplies by 2.5 to get the rate they will charge for something. After all, the items that can be bought on the market are not customizable - the buyer will simply get 'an iron long sword' with the general description. We crafters can make a sword with much more detail, colors, and even inset gems if the buyer desires, so charging above market is more than justified. Another person who I've come to truly value told me s/he appraises and then multiplies that by 2.5x's. So...obviously there are a variety of options by which you can determine your prices. Should you not have the appraisal skill, the market is likely your best benchmark.
Other things to take into consideration are the availability of items. For example, iron is a rare commodity and relatively new on the Firan scene. Since supplies are limited, a crafter will likely charge a bit more as they are parting with something very valuable. Also - if you add gems to an item, a sword in this case, the value of the gem should be added into your final prices. Say we take the market x 2.5 for the iron sword. That gives us an asking price of approximately $35,500 stenis. If the purchaser wants a ruby set into the hilt or handle and we provide the gem, we must factor that into the prices. Using my economics skill, I know that rubies are going for about $17,000 stenis. I would likely add $20,000 to the price of the sword for setting one that I have in my stock. Sometimes people will provide you with a gem, however.
Overall - pricing can be fairly objective and one never wants to be unfair. Overcharging for items may leave you short a returning customer :) You do, however, want to get a fair market value for your item - covering your tithes, costs and labor as well as any other factors such as gems or the limited quantity of a material you are using to create the item. When in doubt, check with your fellow crafters for some insight as well - they've been in this boat at some point, too, likely.
