HowToAddMapsServerStendhal

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Of course you have already read:

• HowToUseTiledToCreateStendhalMaps
• HowToUseTiledToCreateStendhalMaps2

Ok, and I assume that you can write or at least read xml.

Modify world.tmx

Now make sure if your map is new that world.tmx shows it by adding a new tileset with your map image. This step is just for your mental wellness. Stendhal doesn't use world.tmx.

Create a map file

If you are adding a zone for a new major area, create the file data/conf/zones/<area>.xml with the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<zones>
 <!--
   ** Load zones. Written from left to right and from top to bottom.
   ** Please respect it!
   -->

</zones>

Then edit the file data/conf/zones.xml and add a relevant entry (in alphabetical order for normal areas):

 <zone-group uri="zones/<area>.xml"/>

To enable a zone in the server, edit the file data/conf/zones/<area>.xml and add an entry (in the appropriate level/top-down/left-right order), giving it the zone name and map tmx file to use:

 <zone name="int_myarea_mylocation" file="interiors/myarea/mylocation.tmx"/>
 <zone name="0_myarea_mylocation" level="0" x="100000" y="200000" file="Level 0/myarea/mylocation.tmx">

In the case of non-interior zones, the level and x/y coordinate should also be included in the <zone> element (setting them in the tmx file has been deprecated). For interior zones, the level xml attribute should not be set (for now). The coordinate starts at the top-left corner, and should align against (but never overlap) other zones in the same level.

Most zones can be configured just using this xml file. However, there are currently some things, such as NPC's that need special handling. If you need to do custom zone configuration, create one or more new java source file(s) at src/games/stendhal/server/maps/<area>/<base-location>/<entity>.java. The <area>/<base-location> path would essentially be the same as your .tmx file uses. In case where locations have been split due to size (like _nw, _ne, _s, _n, etc), only the base location name is used.

Ideally this would be one file per independant entity created (so they can be enabled/disabled separately).

Some (ficticious) examples for the new convention of tmx path to java filename are:

interiors/orril/old_cabin.tmx -> .../maps/orril/old_cabin/HermitNPC.java
Level 0/ados/rock.tmx -> .../maps/ados/rock/NomadNPC.java
Level -1/ados/caves_e.tmx -> .../maps/ados/caves/CaveinTrigger.java
Level 0/nalwor/river_se.tmx -> .../maps/nalwor/river/FishermanNPC.java
Level 0/nalwor/river_se.tmx -> .../maps/nalwor/river/AdventurerNPC.java
Level 0/nalwor/river_sw.tmx -> .../maps/nalwor/river/CamperNPC.java
Level 0/semos/forest_n.tmx -> .../maps/semos/forest/LumberjackNPC.java

Open the file and make sure that it looks like this:

package games.stendhal.server.maps.myarea.mylocation;

import java.util.Map;
import games.stendhal.server.StendhalRPZone;
import games.stendhal.server.config.ZoneConfigurator;

public class MyEntity implements ZoneConfigurator
{
        /**
         * Configure a zone.
         *
         * @param       zone            The zone to be configured.
         * @param       attributes      Configuration attributes.
         */
        public void configureZone(StendhalRPZone zone, Map<String, String> attributes) {
                // Add/configure entity to "zone", using optional configuration "attributes"
        }
}

For each custom configuration code class, add appropriate "<configurator>" entries in your "<zone>" element, using the fully qualified package/class name of your java classes:

 <zone name="int_myarea_mylocation" file="interiors/myarea/mylocation.tmx">
  <configurator class-name="games.stendhal.server.maps.myarea.mylocation.MyEntity"/>
 </zone>

Now once it is added, test the result by starting server.

Populating zones

Now open again the MyEntity.java file and let's start adding code to configureZone(), or a method called by it. Most usual things we are going to add to a zone are NPC, and special items.

Adding Items

See How to add items to Stendhal and How to know graphics specifications

Adding Portals

A portal is a door to another place. It can be used to go up and down stairs, or to teleport player to other places or simply to enter a building. Whenever you encounter something that engine challenges you about how to do ( for example cross under a brigde or pass under a castle door ) you can solve it using portals.

There are several types of portals:

• Portal
• One way portal
• Stairs portals
• House Door portals.

A portal is just the generic portal. It works for almost everything you can imagine.

Portals are created by adding a entries to your zone in zones.xml. For example creating a portal to an internal building entrance which is at 1 12 inside the building (and the outer entrance to go in is at 10 15) might look like:

 <zone name="int_myarea_mylocation" file="interiors/myarea/mylocation.tmx">
    <portal x="1" y="12" ref="entrance">
     <destination zone="0_myarea_city" ref="mylocation_entrance"/>
    </portal>
 </zone>

 <zone name="0_myarea_city" Level="0" x="500000" y="500000" file="Level 0/myarea/city.tmx">
    <portal x="10" y="15" ref="mylocation_entrance">
     <destination zone="int_myarea_location" ref="entrance"/>
    </portal>
 </zone>

The ref attribute of a portal should be a name unique to the zone it is in (and meaningful). This value has a corresponding reference via the <destination> ref name. You are responsible for correctly assigning the ref names of each portal.

A one way portal is a portal that only exists as endpoint, so none can use the portal to move back to the origin. For one way portals, there is no <destination> sub-element, as they don't go anywhere. Also, you need to provide a non-default implementation:

  <portal x="11" y="44" ref="my_exit">
   <implementation class-name="games.stendhal.server.entity.portal.OneWayPortalDestination"/>
  </portal>

The House door portal is a special type of portal that automatically creates all the portals and areas needed to add a house to that zone with its entrance on point where the portal is.

Finally the stairs portals also automate the creation of stairs between two areas. It is very important that the portals ( both ends ) are exactly on the same position but on different levels. Position means absolute position. Also, due to current implementation, be careful not to place omni-directional stair portals at the same exact location between adjacent levels if they're not meant to be linked, as they might inadvertantly be linked. Directional stairs are safer and only link with the level they go toward.

Adding NPCs

Usually we add NPCs (non-player characters) to make world more alive and to use them in Quests. It is because of that reason, that is so important that you add NPC on the zone they are.

The java way

This is how NPCs should be added to the world. The downside of this is that you need a lot of Java code. But at least all the NPC-specific stuff is in one file. And the java is not so hard, as you'll see.

SpeakerNPC npc = new SpeakerNPC() { ... } creates a new NPC. When added to a zone, NPCs are added it to a global list so next time you need to get the NPC for participating in a quest, or if you want to teleportto it, you can call it by its name using NPCList.get().get(name).

SpeakerNPC npc = new SpeakerNPC("name") {
    /...
    });

An example is:

    SpeakerNPC npc = new SpeakerNPC("Mr Healer") {
        protected void createPath() {
            List<Node> nodes=new LinkedList<Node>();
            nodes.add(new Path.Node(9,5));
            nodes.add(new Path.Node(14,5));
            setPath(nodes,true);
        }

        protected void createDialog() {
            // Lets the NPC reply with "Hallo" when a player greets him
            addGreeting();
            // Lets the NPC reply when a player says "job"
            addJob("I have healing abilities and I heal wounded players. I also sell potions and antidotes.");
            // Lets the NPC reply when a player asks for help
            addHelp("Ask me to #heal you and I will help you or ask me #offer and I will show my shop's stuff.");
            // Makes the NPC sell potions and antidote
            addSeller(new SellerBehaviour(shops.get("healing")));
            // Lets the NPC heal players for free
            addHealer(0);
            addGoodbye();
        }
    });

    zone.assignRPObjectID(npc);
    // This determines how the NPC will look like.
    npc.setEntityClass("welcomernpc");
    // Set the initial position to be the first node on the Path you defined above.
    npc.setPosition(9, 5);
    npc.initHP(100);

    zone.add(npc);    

The NPC is added to a list of NPC from where you can later obtain it for adding more dialogues for quests. So, it is very important to make sure the name you give to your NPC is unique.

It is a good idea to create a path that the NPC will follow on that area. Just used your tiled map or walk around in game and check coordinates to choose your nodes. You can also make the NPC stand still by using this instead:

protected void createPath() {
      // NPC does not move
            setPath(null);
        }

Your NPC will stand still at whatever point you set as the initial position with npc.setPosition(x, y);.

And then create a dialog. Dialogs and such are explained in Quest sections, but you should find the exmaple above covers most options and the options like addHelp are quite self-explanatory.

We set its outfit either by:

• setting its class to a PNG image that exists at data/sprites/npc
• setting its outfit with setOutfit method.

See How to know player's outfits specifications

Finally set its initial position and its HP. Don't worry for your NPC. It can't be attacked nor killed.

Once that is done add the NPC to zone using zone.add() method.

We need to tell the zone to load this configuration class file. The NPC in the example lives in the ados area, so the information is stored in data/conf/zones/ados.xml. The map she's on is called int_ados_magician_house, so the information is inside the <zone name="int_ados_magician_house" file="interiors/ados/magician_house.tmx"> </zone> section. To load the java class file you created just add the line

 <configurator class-name="games.stendhal.server.maps.ados.magician_house.WizardNPC" />

right after the <zone ... tmx"> Check the location of the file matches the path set in the class name!

The mixed xml-java way

If you're editing files for use in Stendhal, please don't use this. Use the all java way above. This way you have to edit two files to keep track of your NPC! We don't want that. For your own game, do as you like :) This is another way of adding NPCs. It requires less Java coding skills; Java code is only required for the dialog and for special behaviour, everything else is defined in XML. But it's messy as you end up with half of the NPC information in one file and half in another.

First, you need to create a Java file for the dialog. You should put it in a subpackage of games.stendhal.server.maps; the package describes where NPC is located.

For example, here is the Java code for a simple NPC on Athor island:

package games.stendhal.server.maps.athor.holiday_area;

import games.stendhal.server.entity.npc.SpeakerNPC;
import games.stendhal.server.entity.npc.SpeakerNPCFactory;


public class SwimmerNPC extends SpeakerNPCFactory {

    @Override
    protected void createDialog(SpeakerNPC npc) {
        npc.addGreeting("Don't disturb me, I'm trying to establish a record!");
        npc.addQuest("I don't have a task for you, I'm too busy.");
        npc.addJob("I am a swimmer!");
        npc.addHelp("Try the diving board! It's fun!");
        npc.addGoodbye("Bye!");
    };
}

This will make the NPC react to typical words that players might say to him, e.g. "hi", "help", and "bye". This Java class is stored in the file /src/games/stendhal/server/maps/athor/holiday_area/SwimmerNPC.java. Of course this is just a simple example, and more sophisticated dialogs and behaviours are possible with more complex Java code.

Next, we need place the NPC and set the name and some other attributes. The NPC in the example lives on Athor island, so the information is stored in data/conf/zones/athor.xml. The map he's on is called 0_athor_island, so the information is inside the <zone name="0_athor_island"...> ... </zone> tag:

      <entity x="67" y="63">
        <implementation class-name="games.stendhal.server.maps.athor.holiday_area.SwimmerNPC">
          <parameter name="name">Enrique</parameter>
          <parameter name="node0">67,68</parameter>
          <parameter name="node1">67,63</parameter>
        </implementation>

        <attribute name="class">swimmer3npc</attribute>
      </entity>

• The first line says that the NPC should initially be placed at the point (67, 63).
• The second line tells the server where we stored our Java file with the dialog.
• The third line says that our NPC should be called Enrique.
• The fourth and fifth lines define the path along which Enrique should walk/swim. He will first visit the point (67, 68), then return to his start position (67, 63), and continue like this infinitely. You can of course create NPCs with more than 2 nodes, but:
  • keep in mind that counting starts with 0
  • make sure that you don't forget a node number, e.g. if you have node6, you must also have node5, node4 etc.

• The 'class' attribute defines how the NPC should look like. In this case, the graphics from the file data/sprites/npc/swimmer3npc.png will be used.

If you don't want your NPC to walk around, just leave out the node parameters. Instead, you should add a parameter that defines in which direction the NPC should look on server startup (left, right, up, down), e.g.:

          <parameter name="direction">down</parameter>

Other attributes you can use:

          <attribute name="hp">50</attribute>

This will make the NPC look wounded (the health bar will be at the middle). Note that, as NPCs cannot be killed, this is only for decoration. If you leave this parameter out, the hitpoints will be set to 100, which means full health.

          <attribute name="level">10</attribute>

This sets the NPC's level of experience. Again, this is only for decoration, as NPCs don't fight or die.

Congrats you have populated your new zone.

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