reading books, another idea I am working on

[Brian Thomas <thomas@chaupher.gsfc.nasa.gov>]

	Hey all, 

	I would like to passby everyone an idea that I am 
	working on -- development of the "READABLE" hack.

	Because I expect some of the idea will be controversial
	I have segmented it into parts of increasingly acceptablity.
	(I, of course, think its all reasonable :).


	Main Idea -- books for players

	One thing, I think, that will go a long way to improving th e
	atmosphere of the game is to create code that will support the
	development of non-magical reading material, which for lack of 
	a better (singular) word I will refer to as "books". 

	As of the current code, the only non-magical books are those 
	specifically created on maps. Why not have several types of 
	(general and specific) information be available in shops and/or
	monster treasure hoards? Examples of things that I would 
	put into books:

	-> Compendiums on monsters/racial groups. Their powers/abilities
	    and how to kill them.	
	-> Compendiums of spells/prayers in a given level. Rare spells
	   (bookchance==0) might have a chance of appearing.
	-> "Bibles" -- properties/characteristics of a God/religon
	-> Compendiums explaining the powers of 2-3 artifacts
	-> Alchemical Formulae (err..refers to another hack I am working 
		on, sorry!)
	-> Random information drawn from a file in lib/. This would 
	   give mapmakers an easy way to make "teaser" info available 
	   in areas outside of their own maps! Plus server specific info 
	   could easily be made available here too. 

	Clearly some of this information is already available in the spoiler.
	But, with the ability of a given server maintainer to have different
	archetypes/gods/spells/etc, the spoiler can sometimes be useless. A
	vehicle through which to impart *server specific* information is also
	needed. But that wouldnt even be the main value of such a system, 
	the enchancement to the atmosphere of the game (I think) is the main
	point.

 
	Susequent Idea -- modification of the writing skill. 

	I would like to propose that the writing skill be expanded to 
	allow players to write messages/keep notes in "books". This 
	would be (err, actually, "is") very easy to do. 
	
	Secondarily, I can't see why players should be able to write if 
	they cant read! I propose that the Literacy skil be required 
	for a player to use "writing".


	Susequent Idea -- modification of the literacy skill. 


	I would like to further propose that the literacy skill be modified.
	Why allow players to read books if they arent literate! Ditto 
	for spellbooks. 

	I would further propose that reading skill be adopted. If a 
	player's literacy level is less than the level of the book (I 
	wont explain how that's assigned) and/or the level of the 
	spell/prayer in the book, then they get the "gibberish" message.

	Allow a nominal amound of xp to be awarded for translation of 
	a book (based on the readers level and the level of the book of 
	course). 



	Well.. Thats it. I expect to be working on the (acceptable) 
	parts of this code between now and christmas. Ideas/comments?


						b.t.