I had an idea for an in-game tool for Ultima Online, called the “event tool”. This uniquely colored canvas, only superficially similar in function to Guildstones and Factions stones, would allow a number of guilds to collect their efforts into developing enhancements for player-driven events and activities.

All the Participants attached to the event tool would be able to “feed” the tool with such resources as logs, ingots, and gold, and these resources would automatically convert into “event tool points”. Event tool points would be used by the Director of the event tool to generate deeds for special Actors (superficially similar to player Vendors), house or “lawn” Ornaments, Props that can be carried, and even a limited amount of Adversaries.

Community leaders and Guildmasters which have groups split onto multiple Guildstones would be able to enhance play for their respective groups without conflicting with Guildwar or Faction wars mechanics. For example, a player-city could have an event stone that includes those characters on its Citizen Guildstone (which is not involved in any Guildwars or Faction Wars), its Guard Guildstone (which is involved in temporary Guildwars but not involved in Faction Wars), its Mage Guildstone (which is not involved in Guildwars but is involved in Factions Wars), and its Rangers Guildstone (a splinter of the Citizen and Guard Guildstones which maintains permanent Guildwars with role-playing groups but is not involved in Faction Wars). All these subgroups would be able to enjoy the benefits of the event tool.

Non-Participants would not be overly affected by the application of the event tool by any specific group, as event tool created entities will not be able block, attack, be blocked, or be attacked by non-Participants.

The complete event tool concept can be read at http://www.hurm.com/guild/ideas/eventtool/. Please feel free to make any comments on the BS&R message board at http://www.sitepowerup.com/mb/view.asp?BoardID=100433. (A zipped version of the current event tool documentation in RTF format, openable in most word processing programs, is available here. It is about 12k in size as a Zipped archive, and about 12 pages long.)

Purchase: Deeds are sold by an NPC “Stage Manager”.

• These NPCs are found in Theatres, such as the ones in Britain, Jhelom, and Nujel’m.
• The cost for these deeds could range from 60,000 gold to 90,000 gold. [Price is base on 4x to 6x Guildstone deed costs]
• Deeds appear as an open scroll, similar to like Guildstone deeds.
• Deeds are no-loot, no-steal, and will not degrade when locked down by players in their houses.
• Single-clicking a deed shows:

  an event tool deed

• Double-clicking a deed activates the deed (if possible, see below).

Placement: Double-clicking a deed will activate the deed and place the event tool, as per the placement rules, below.

• The deed may only be activated within a player-owned building, and only by the character which is the primary owner of that building. That character must also not be associated with another event tool (as manager or participant).
• The house must be public, not private.
  • If the house goes private while containing the event tool then that tool shall no longer be able to function: no Participant may access it, all deed generation will be paused, etc.
  • If the house remains private when any door within the house is opened then that event tool shall disappear.
  • If the event tool does not disappear, and the house is remade to be public, then the event tool will be accessible again, and continue on from where it left off.
• Only one event tool may be placed in any building; if an event tool already exists on a given building, then that deed will not activate.
• The event tool may be placed on any floor tile within the building, or on the front steps. It may not be placed in locations where a character may not stand, such as on a counter, on top of furniture, etc.
• A deed that cannot be activated will give a special announcement and cancel the placement.
  • If the character is not the primary home-owner the message shall be: “You cannot use that here, because you are not the primary home-owner.”
  • If there is another event tool already in that building the message shall be: “You cannot use that here, because there is another event tool in this building.”
  • If the character already is part of another event tool the message shall be: “You cannot use that here, because you are part of another event tool.”
  • If deed cannot be placed for any other reason the message shall be: “You cannot use that here.”
• Upon activation of the deed the player will be prompted for an event tool name.
  • The event tool name must be unique to that Shard.
  • The name may be up to 20 characters long.
  • The event tool Director may change the name later.
• The event tool will appear where the activating character is standing.
  • If yours is the first character to double-click a particular event tool, you will become the Director of that stone (although this may be changed later). Controlling the stone includes several Director-only event tool functions, including the ability to add official Guilds (i.e. Guilds that own a Guildstone) to a “member list.”
  • If yours is not the first character to double-click the event tool, but is set as a participant of that event tool, a special “members only” list of functions will appear.
  • If yours is not the first character to double-click the event tool, nor is considered a participant on that event tool, then you shall receive a message such as:

    You are not a participant on the event tool of The Freeborn

  • Once placed, the event tool may not be moved for one week.
  • Single-clicking the event tool shows incorporates the chosen name of the event tool. An example would be:

    The event tool for The Freeborn

• Recognizing an event tool: An event tool will appear as a uniquely colored canvas. The object would face the direction of the character that placed it at the time of the placing.

There are two primary ways to participate with an event tool: as a Guildmember of a listed participating Guild or as the Guildmaster of a listed participating Guild. A third type of participant is the event tool Director, himself.

• All event tool participants will be able to access certain menus of their respective event tool.
  • Members of participating Guilds will be able to access a special list of members functions by double-clicking the event tool.
  • Guildmasters of participating Guilds will be able to access a special list of Guildmaster functions by double-clicking the event tool. Event Guildmasters will also be allowed several text-based commands, usable during normal play.
  • The Director of the event tool will be able to access a special list of Director functions by double-clicking the event tool. Event Directors will also be allowed several text-based commands, usable during normal play.
• Participation in an event tool is controlled by membership on a guildstone. As such, an event tool and its primary guildstone will often be seen working in tandem.
  • Characters do not necessarily have to remove themselves from their Guild, faction, or party to participate on an event tool.

Members List: the following items appear on the event tool’s members only list. This menu is also the initial/default menu when a participant of that event tool double-clicks it.

• Event tool name: the name of the event tool will appear at the top of the members only menu. This will be followed by the name of the event tool Director. For example:

  The Freeborn (Director Nathan Harper)

• View current participants: a checkbox that allows the member to view a list of participating Guilds while accessing the event tool.
  • Each Guild listing will include the abbreviation of the Guild and name of the Guildmaster. For example:

    Freeborn [Fre] (Emissary Nathan Harper)
    Britannia Search & Rescue [BS&R] (Guildmaster Nobody)
    Ordo Cuius [OC] (Brother Huberty)

• View pending participants: this is similar to viewing the current participants list, except that it will be showing Guilds that have been suggested by event Guildmasters but have not yet been accepted by the event tool Director.
• Resign from the event tool
  • Guildmembers who are not Guildmasters who attempt to resign will not be able to do so directly. However, resigning from their Guild will also remove them as a participant of the event tool.
  • Guildmasters who resign from the Event tool will resign their entire Guild, and remove that Guild from the event tool’s participation list.
  • Directors who resign from an event tool will disband that event tool, and it shall cease to exist.
  • Characters who resign from an event tool may not rejoin that event tool, or join a new event tool, until after server-up the next day. [This is to prevent constant joining & rejoining of event tools, which would potentially tax the servers.] Note that this would affect a Guild trying to become a participant on a particular event tool while one member was flagged as unable to join until the next day.
• Check event tool points.
  • Choosing this option would cause a text message to appear to only the event tool Director. An example of this message would be:

    You have 8,000 out of 12,000 event tool points remaining.

  • Event tool points would be used to “buy” event tool Event Deeds (see below).
  • Event tool points do not generate automatically, but may be replenished through donations from participants. Participants of that event tool may donate gold and raw materials by dropping these items over the event tool. Upon successful dropping of such donations the message “Donation accepted” will appear.
    • 1 event tool point will be gained for every 500 gold pieces donated
    • 1 event tool point will be gained for every 100 gold piece value of raw materials donated (ore, ingots, logs, and planks) [This demotes straight gold collections and benefits those who choose to support events thought “physical efforts”. Optional resource additions could be food, leather, and cloth]
  • There will be a maximum amount of event tool points, equal to 20 times the number of participating players for that event tool. [An anticipated “typical” high population would be 1,000 participants, totaling 10,000 event tool points. The current highest guild population is 365. (365x10=3,650) x10 participating guilds=36,500 event tool points.]
• Access event Guildmaster functions: this will bring up a separate menu, accessible only by Guildmasters of Guilds listed as participants on that event tool.
• Access event Director functions: this will bring up a separate menu, accessible only by the Director of that event tool.

Guildmaster List: Clicking on the “Access Event Guildmaster Functions” option (located on the Members List) allows access to the special event tool Guildmaster menu for the appropriate characters.

• Sponsor another guild as a participant.
  • A targeting cursor will appear when this option is selected.
  • The targeting cursor may be cancelled by pressing “Escape”, and no effect will occur.
  • Left-clicking the targeting cursor at the guildmaster of a desired guild will prompt that particular guildmaster with a message similar to the following example:

    You have been invited to join the event tool of The Freeborn. If you wish your entire guild to join respond with “We wish to join”.

  • If the guildmaster does replies incorrectly or does not reply for 15 seconds, then that guild shall not be added to the “petitioning guild” list for that event tool.
  • If the guildmaster does successfully respond with “We wish to join” then that guild shall be added to the “petitioning guild” list.

Director List: Clicking on the “Access Event Director Functions” option (located on the Members List) allows access to the event tool’s “Director menu” for the appropriate characters.

• Set the event tool menu name.
  • The event tool name must be unique to that Shard.
  • The name may be up to 20 characters long.
  • Once the name is set it may not be changed for one week.
• Dismiss a participating guild.
  • Choosing this option will give the Director a list of all current participating guilds, in checkbox format.
  • The Director may select one guild from this list, then press a “dismiss” button to remove them from the event tool participation list. The Director will get one “Are you sure you want to dismiss (guild name)?” warning before that guild is dismissed from the participating guilds list.
• Accept a petitioning guild.
  • Maximum 10 guilds allowed per event tool.
  • Choosing this option will give the Director a list of all current petitioning guilds, in checkbox format.
  • The Director may select one guild from this list, then press an “accept” button to add them to the event tool participation list. The Director will get one “Are you sure you want to add (guild name)?” warning before that guild is added to the participating guilds list.
• Refuse a petitioning guild.
  • Choosing this option will give the Director a list of all current petitioning guilds, in checkbox format
  • The Director may select one guild from this list, then press a “refuse” button to remove them from the event tool petitioning guilds list. The Director will get one “Are you sure you want to refuse (guild name)?” warning before that guild is refused and removed from the petitioning guilds list.
• Generate Deed for Actor.
  • An Actor is an interactive Director-managed NPC that can be placed within the event tool house or anywhere outside the house but within the zone that extends 5 tiles south of that house. Its primary purpose is as a mild information source for Participants on that event tool.
  • The details for the Actor will be decided after that Deed’s activation. For more information, see the “Event tool Actors” description, below.
  • The cost of generating an Actor Deed is 5000 event tool points. [ex. 2 out of 10,000 points, or 7 possible out of 36,500 points.]
    • Upon accepting this option the Director will get a text message in the fashion of:

      5000 points have been spent for an Actor Deed. 2000 points remain.

  • The time required to generate an Actor Deed is one day (24 hours).
  • Single-clicking an Actor Deed will show the following message:

    an actor deed for The Freeborn

  • When the Director double-clicks the deed he will create an event tool Actor.
    • Event tool Actors may be placed on any floor tile within the event tool building, or on the front steps. An Actor may not be placed in locations where a character may not stand, such as on a counter, on top of furniture, etc. Actors may not be placed on top of other NPCs. In addition, event tool Actors may be able to be placed anywhere within any of the 5 tile “house placement buffer zone” just south of the event tool building.
    • Any number of Actors may be placed in valid locations for that event tool.
    • Once placed, an Actor cannot be moved once placed.
    • All event tool Actors will have blue names for those who are participants on that event tool. This will help differentiate them from other NPCs.
    • An Actor will remain in place for 4 days, at which time it will permanently disappear.
• Generate Deed for Ornament.
  • An Ornament is a location-themed object that can be placed within the event tool house or anywhere outside the house but within the zone that extends 5 tiles south of that house.
  • The cost of generating an Ornament Deed is 5000 event tool points. [ex. 2 out of 10,000 points, or 7 possible out of 36,500 points.]
    • Upon accepting this option the Director will get a text message in the fashion of:

      5,000 points have been spent for an Ornament Deed. 3,421 points remain.

  • The time required to generate an Ornament Deed is one day (24 hours).
  • Single-clicking an Actor Deed will show the following message:

    an ornament deed for The Freeborn

  • When the Director double-clicks the deed he will create an event tool Ornament.
    • A menu will appear upon double-clicking this deed. The Director will choose the nature of the Ornament from the list that appears. Some examples are shown below.
      • a book, open
      • a bookcase, broken (facing the direction of the placer as it is placed)
      • a brazier
      • a carrot patch
      • a fire pit
      • a firewall, one-tile, (facing the direction of the placer as it is placed)
      • a flower patch
      • a grave, fresh
      • a gravestone
      • a gruesome standard, (facing the direction of the placer as it is placed)
      • a sparkle, one-tile
      • a spider web, one-tile
      • a statue, large, male
      • a statue, large, female
      • a tattered banner, (facing the direction of the placer as it is placed)
    • Event tool Ornaments may be placed on any floor tile within the event tool building, or on the front steps. An Ornament may not be placed in locations where a character may not stand, such as on a counter, on top of furniture, etc. Ornaments may not be placed on top of NPCs. In addition, event tool Ornaments may be able to be placed anywhere within any of the 5 tile “house placement buffer zone” just south of the event tool building.
    • Any number of Ornaments may be placed in valid locations for that event tool.
    • Event tool Ornaments are unbreakable and unmovable. They will also not be able to block any character, nor be able to damage any character.
    • All event tool Ornaments will have blue names for those who are participants on that event tool. This will help differentiate them from mundane objects.
    • Once placed, an Ornament cannot be moved, and will remain in place for 4 days.
• Generate Deed for Temporary Prop.
  • A Temporary Prop is an object that can be carried by players—stored in their packs, banks, and sometimes in their hands. Props may also be locked down within houses.
  • The details for the Prop will be decided after that Deed’s activation.
  • The cost of generating a Temporary Prop Deed is 8000 event tool points. [ex. 1 out of 10,000 points, or 4 possible out of 36,500 points.]
    • Upon accepting this option the Director will get a text message in the fashion of:

      8,000 points have been spent for an Temporary Prop Deed. 2134 points remain.

  • The time required to generate a Temporary Prop Deed is one day (24 hours).
  • Single-clicking an Temporary Prop Deed will show the following message:

    a temporary prop deed for The Freeborn

  • When the Director double-clicks the deed he will create an event tool Temporary Prop.
    • A menu will appear upon double-clicking this deed. The Director will choose the nature of the Prop from the list that appears. Some examples are shown below.
      • armor, leather, chest
      • armor, leather, gloves
      • armor, leather, gorget
      • armor, leather, pants
      • armor, leather, sleeves
      • armor, plate, chest
      • armor, plate, gloves
      • armor, plate, gorget
      • armor, plate, pants
      • armor, plate, sleeves
      • a cloak
      • a dagger
      • a bracelet
      • a halberd
      • a lantern
      • a mace
      • a necklace
      • a pitchfork
      • shield, kite
      • shield, wooden
      • etc.
    • Once created, a Temporary Prop will remain in existence for 4 days.
    • All event tool (Temporary and Permanent) Props are generated with the event tool name. For example, a staff created by The Freeborn event tool would be labeled “a staff of The Freeborn”.
    • All event tool (Temporary and Permanent) Props will have blue names for those who are participants on that event tool. This will help differentiate them from mundane objects.
    • Aside from their name, no event tool Props have any special abilities. A lantern Prop would light up as a normal lantern, a cake Prop would be able to be eaten as a normal cake, a mace Prop would have the normal properties of a mace, etc.
    • Any event tool Props can be looted and stolen, but only by participants of that event tool.
    • Any event tool Props may be locked down in any player building.
    • Props may be dropped or handed off to any non-participant as related to that event tool. If this occurs the Prop becomes lootable and stealable by anyone.
    • Any number of Props may be generated at one time, limited by their cost and available event tool points.
    • After 4 days, Temporary Props will auto-delete themselves, no matter where they are located—even if they are in a characters backpack or bank, or are locked down.
• Generate Deed for Permanent Prop.
  • A Permanent Prop is an object that can be carried by players—stored in their packs, banks, and sometimes in their hands. Props may also be locked down within houses.
  • The details for the Prop will be decided after that Deed’s activation.
  • The cost of generating a Permanent Prop Deed is 20,000 event tool points. [ex. 0 out of 10,000 points, or 1 possible out of 36,500 points.]
    • Upon accepting this option the Director will get a text message in the fashion of:

      20,000 points have been spent for an Ornament Deed. 16,500 points remain.

  • The time required to generate a Permanent Prop Deed is one week.
  • Single-clicking an Permanent Prop Deed will show the following message:

    a permanent prop deed for The Freeborn

  • When the Director double-clicks the deed he will create an event tool Permanent Prop.
    • A menu will appear upon double-clicking this deed. The Director will choose the nature of the Prop from the list that appears. See the menu section on Temporary Props, above, for examples.
    • Once created, a Permanent Prop will remain in existence forever.
    • There can only be one Permanent Prop in existence for any one event tool; the existing Permanent Prop would have to be destroyed for a new one to begin generation. If the event tool decays or is removed, this Prop will also disappear.
    • All event tool (Temporary and Permanent) Props are generated with the event tool name. For example, a staff created by The Freeborn event tool would be labeled “a staff of The Freeborn”.
    • All event tool (Temporary and Permanent) Props will have blue names for those who are participants on that event tool. This will help differentiate them from mundane objects.
    • Aside from their name, no event tool Props have any special abilities. A lantern Prop would light up as a normal lantern, a cake Prop would be able to be eaten as a normal cake, a mace Prop would have the normal properties of a mace, etc.
    • Any event tool Props can be looted and stolen, but only by participants of that event tool.
    • Any event tool Props may be locked down in any player building.
    • Props may be dropped or handed off to any non-participant as related to that event tool. If this occurs the Prop becomes lootable and stealable by anyone.
• Generate Deed for Adversary.
  • An Adversary is an interactive Director-managed NPC that can be placed within the event tool house or anywhere outside the house but within the zone that extends 5 tiles south of that house. Its primary purpose is as a combatant for Participants on that event tool.
  • The details for the Adversary will be decided after that Deed’s activation.
  • The cost of generating an Adversary Deed is 1000 event tool points. [ex. 10 out of 10,000 points, or 36 possible out of 36,500 points.]
    • Upon accepting this option the Director will get a text message in the fashion of:

      1000 points have been spent for an Adversary Deed. 8576 points remain.

  • The time required to generate an Adversary Deed is one day (24 hours).
  • Single-clicking an Adversary Deed will show the following message:

    an adversary deed for The Freeborn

  • When the Director double-clicks the deed he will create an event tool Adversary.
    • A menu will appear upon double-clicking this deed. The Director will choose the nature of the Ornament from the list that appears. Some examples are shown below.
      • a Brigand
      • a Headless
      • a Lizardman
      • a Mongbat
      • an Orc
      • an Orc Captain
      • a rat, sewer
      • a rat, town
      • a Ratman
      • a Scorpion, giant
      • a Serpent, giant
      • a Skeleton
      • a slime
      • a snake
      • a Spectre
      • a Spider, giant
      • a Wraith
      • a Zombie
    • Event tool Adversary may be placed on any floor tile within the event tool building, or on the front steps. An Actor may not be placed in locations where a character may not stand, such as on a counter, on top of furniture, etc. Actors may not be placed on top of other NPCs. In addition, event tool Actors may be able to be placed anywhere within any of the 5 tile “house placement buffer zone” just south of the event tool building.
    • Any number of Adversaries may be placed in valid locations for that event tool.
    • The default behavior for Adversaries is “attack” (wherein creatures automatically attack). However, event tool Guildmasters and Directors will have the option to use a special phrase to alter that Adversary’s current behavior.

      Upon saying this phrase, the Guildmaster or Director will be given a targeting cursor. They may then target a particular Adversary and change its behavior. The valid behavior commands/types are listed below.

      • “set behavior attack” (wherein the Adversary automatically attacks any Participant in the area)
      • “set behavior guard” (wherein the Adversary do not fight unless attacked)
      • “set behavior stand” (wherein the Adversary does not attack or defend itself)
      • “set behavior flee” (wherein the Adversary will try to run away).
    • Once placed, an Adversary can move out of the creation area, if so inclined by his Director-set motivations and his AI.
    • All event tool Adversary will have red names for those whom are participants on that event tool.
    • Event tool Adversaries cannot interact in any way with a non-Participant. They will not attack non-Participants, non-participants cannot block them, and they cannot block non-Participants.
    • An Adversary will remain in play for as long as a normal monster, or until killed, or until “commanded” to leave with a special phrase by a participating guildmaster or the event tool Director. The special phrase would be:

      I command thee to begone

      Upon saying the phrase the speaker will be given a targeting cursor, which they may use to target and subsequently delete the targeted Adversary.

• Collect all finished Deeds.
  • Any and all deeds that have completed their generation time will appear in the event tool Director’s backpack.
  • All event tool Deeds are no-loot, no-steal, are and are non-transferable; only the event tool Director may hold such a Deed (in his backpack only).
• Teleport this event tool.
  • This can be done no more than once every week.
  • The Director will have an “event tool teleporter” in his pack, which is no-loot, no-steal, and will not degrade if locked down. This teleporter could appear as a uniquely colored paint pallet, of the same unique color as the event tool canvas.
  • Double-clicking the teleporter will engage the event tool participation protocols.
  • While the teleporter is active (and the event tool is being moved), its functions will not be accessible.
• Return to the main menu.

• Event tool Actors are invulnerable and immobile. They will also not be able to block any character.
• An event tool Actor is an NPC that initially looks like a generic player-Vendor.
• When the Director double-clicks the Actor he will get a special menu. This menu will list “Modify appearance”, “Modify script”, and “Cancel”.
  • Modify appearance: this modification menu is exactly the same as with player-Vendors.
  • Modify script: the Director would be presented with the option of choosing a single modifiable script sentence from several choices. Each element or phrase of these sentences would be a drop-down menu, each menu choosing several options. One script example is presented below.

    [I/my lord/these fools][beg of you to/ask of you/demand of you to][seek out/recover/destroy][a sword/a lantern/a staff] of [event tool name] located [nearby/at the nearest dungeon/at the closest city/at the closest Shrine] [before the hour is done/before the day is gone/before too much time passes.

    Below is an example of the sort of script that may be generated.

    I ask of you to destroy a staff of The Freeborn located at the closest Shrine before too much time passes.

    Anyone within one tile of the event tool Actor that mentions any of the words that comprise the final script sentence will compel that Actor to recite his script. (Some keywords related to the example, above, would be “you”, “freeborn”, “shrine”, and “time”.)

• Cancel: this will simply cancel this menu and any intended generation of an Actor Deed.