Creating a Mobile

This guide walks through creating a complete NPC from scratch using the Mobile Editor (medit). We’ll build a guard NPC with a shop and a greeting script.

Table of Contents

Prerequisites

  • Building access with an assigned widevnum range in your area.
  • Know your area’s UID (use aedit <area_name> and check the UID field, or use areas).

Step 1: Open the Mobile Editor

Use a widevnum in the format area_uid#vnum:

medit 5#200

If vnum 5#200 doesn’t exist, you’ll be asked to confirm creation. Type yes.

Step 2: Set Name and Keywords

Keywords are what players use to interact with the mob (kill guard, look guard):

name thornwood guard

Multiple keywords are separated by spaces.

Step 3: Set Short Description

The short description is shown inline in room descriptions and combat messages:

short a Thornwood guard

Example output: A Thornwood guard stands at attention here.

Step 4: Set Long Description

Shown when the mob is standing in a room (the room description line):

long A Thornwood guard stands at attention here.

Step 5: Write Examine Description

Shown when a player types look guard:

description
The guard is a tall human dressed in polished chainmail bearing the
Thornwood insignia — a silver oak leaf on a field of green. $e carries
a longsword at $s hip and watches every visitor carefully.
@

You can use $e, $s, $m pronouns in descriptions (he/she/it, his/her/its, him/her/it) — they adapt to the mob’s sex setting.

Step 6: Set Race and Sex 

race human
sex male

Race affects body parts, size, and some defaults. See the Flags Reference for all available races.

Step 7: Set Level 

level 15

Setting level automatically calculates default hit dice, mana dice, and movement.

Step 8: Set Alignment 

alignment 500

Ranges from -1000 (pure evil) to +1000 (pure good). 0 is neutral.

Step 9: Set Act Flags

Act flags control NPC behavior:

act sentinel
act protected
  • sentinel — NPC won’t wander from its starting room.
  • protected — Cannot be stolen from by players.

See Act Flags for all options.

Step 10: Set Combat Properties 

off kick parry

Offensive flags determine what combat techniques the NPC uses. See Offensive Flags.

For resistances and immunities:

immune charm
res weapon

Step 11: Set Damage Dice

If not using a weapon object, set raw damage dice:

damdice 2 8 4

Format: damdice <number> <sides> <bonus> = 2d8+4 damage per hit.

Step 12: Set Position 

position start standing
position default standing

Start position is where the mob begins. Default is where it returns to after combat.

Step 13: Add a Script

Attach a greeting mob prog (created separately with mpedit):

addmprog 5#300 greet 100

Format: addmprog <script_widevnum> <trigger> <percentage_or_phrase>

See Scripting Basics for creating scripts.

Step 14: Review 

show

Review all fields. Press Enter to see the show display without typing show.

Step 15: Save 

done

Complete Example 

medit 5#200
name thornwood guard
short a Thornwood guard
long A Thornwood guard stands at attention here.
description
The guard is a tall human dressed in polished chainmail bearing the
Thornwood insignia — a silver oak leaf on a field of green. $e carries
a longsword at $s hip and watches every visitor carefully.
@
race human
sex male
level 15
alignment 500
act sentinel protected
off kick parry
immune charm
res weapon
damdice 2 8 4
position start standing
position default standing
addmprog 5#300 greet 100
show
done

Adding a Shop

To make the NPC a shopkeeper, use the shop sub-command:

medit 5#200
act banker
shop open 6
shop close 20
shop profit 115 80
shop type weapon armor
shop list
done

See Shop Data for all shop commands and options.

Adding Quest Master Functionality 

medit 5#200
act questor
questor min 5
questor max 15
questor cooldown 30
done

See Questor Data for full details.

Next Steps