--- title: Building rooms summary: Every zone is a connected graph of rooms. This guide walks you through redit, the sector and flag systems, exits and doors, extra descriptions, and motion text. order: 10 updated: 2026-05-18 --- # Building rooms Rooms are the foundation of every zone. A room has a **name**, a **description**, a **sector** (what kind of place it is), **flags** (what behaviors it has), and **exits** to other rooms. You build them with `redit`. ## Open the editor Stand in the room you want to edit (or create a new vnum that falls in your assigned range): ``` redit Edit the room you're standing in redit 3045 Edit room vnum 3045 ``` New vnums prompt to create. The editor opens on the main menu. ## Main menu ``` -- Room number : [3045] Room zone: [30] 1) Name : The Temple of Midgaard 2) Description : 3) Room flags : indoors nomob peaceful 4) Sector type : inside 5) Exit north : 3046 6) Exit east : -1 7) Exit south : 3044 8) Exit west : -1 … X) Extra descriptions menu M) Motion text S) Script P) Spec procs Q) Quit ``` ## Name — keep it tight The room name appears every time a player enters or `look`s. It's the headline. - Good: `The Temple of Midgaard`, `A Narrow Mountain Pass`, `Inside the Watchtower` - Avoid: `Room 5`, `north of fountain`, `here` Capitalize like a title. Don't end with a period. ## Description — paint the picture Hit `2` to open the description in the multi-line editor. Conventions: - 2-6 lines is typical. Long descriptions don't get read. - First sentence sets the scene; later sentences give one or two memorable details. - Refer to things the player can interact with — `look ribbon` makes more sense if the description mentioned a ribbon. - Avoid second-person ("you stand in"). The MUD's perspective is "you are here" implicitly. - No color overload — one or two `\ty` highlights at most. Save bright color for live action. Inside the multi-line editor: type lines, end with `/s` to save, `/h` for help. ## Sector types Sector is one of: | Sector | Effect | |---|---| | `inside` | Indoor; no weather; sun has no effect. | | `city` | Outdoor; weather; usually well-lit. | | `field` | Outdoor; weather; movement cost typical. | | `forest` | Outdoor; weather; higher move cost; participates in wildfire/forest weather events. | | `hills` | Outdoor; moderate movement cost. | | `mountain` | Outdoor; highest movement cost; participates in avalanche/ice-storm events. | | `water_swim` | Players need swim ability or boat. | | `water_noswim` | Boat required. | | `underwater` | Players need ability to breathe water. | | `flying` | Players need to fly to enter. | | `desert` | Outdoor; weather; sandstorm/dust devil eligible. | | `cave` | Indoor; no weather; dark by default. | Sector interacts with the zone's terrain flags for weather purposes — see [Building zones](/builders/zones). ## Room flags Toggle by typing the flag number (or name) at the flag menu. Common ones: | Flag | Meaning | |---|---| | `DARK` | No light; requires a torch / infravision. | | `DEATH` | Death trap — kills player on entry. Use sparingly and with warnings. | | `NOMOB` | Mobs can't walk in. | | `INDOORS` | Indoor; no weather; immune to several outdoor effects. | | `PEACEFUL` | No violence allowed. | | `SOUNDPROOF` | No room-echo from adjacent rooms. | | `NOTRACK` | Track skill can't enter or trace through. | | `NOMAGIC` | Spells fail. | | `TUNNEL` | Max one character at a time. | | `PRIVATE` | Max two characters. | | `GODROOM` | Immortals only. | | `NOSUMMON` | Summon spells fail toward this room. | | `NOTELE` | Teleport spells fail toward this room. | | `ATRIUM` | Counts as outdoor for movement / weather. | | `OLC` | This room is being edited (auto-set, don't toggle). | ## Exits Each direction (`5`-`8` for cardinals, `B`-`E` for diagonals if enabled, `U`/`D` for up/down) opens a sub-menu: ``` 1) Description : You see a narrow corridor leading north. 2) Door keyword: door 3) Key vnum : 3120 4) Destination : 3046 5) Door flags : closed locked pickproof ``` ### Exit description Shown when the player types `look ` from the current room. Optional — leave blank for "You see nothing special." ### Door keyword The name a player uses to `open `, `close `, `unlock ` etc. Required for any door. ### Key vnum The object vnum that unlocks a locked door. `-1` for no key (only relevant if locked). ### Destination The target room vnum. `-1` means "no exit." If you set it and clear flags, the exit reappears. ### Door flags | Flag | Meaning | |---|---| | `ISDOOR` | The exit has a door (closeable). | | `CLOSED` | Door is currently closed. | | `LOCKED` | Door is locked (needs key or `pick`). | | `PICKPROOF` | Pick-locks can't open it. | | `SECRET` | Door is hidden — `look` won't show the exit until found. | **Always set ISDOOR if any of the others apply.** Same-direction door from both sides needs setting on both rooms (the engine doesn't auto-mirror). ## Extra descriptions `X` from main menu — these are keyword-triggered `look` text bits. ``` look ribbon → "A red ribbon flutters from a nail." look writing → "The writing reads: 'No mortals beyond this line.'" ``` Add as many as the room benefits from. Keep keywords short — players type these. ## Motion text `M` — passive ambient lines that fire on a heartbeat. Useful for "a bird flits across the clearing" type ambiance. Multiple motion entries with weighted probabilities. Don't overdo motion text — three quiet lines beats ten spammy ones. ## Scripts (DG triggers) `S` attaches a DG trigger by vnum. The trigger must already exist (created via `trigedit`). World-attached triggers (`WTRIG_*`) fire on enter/leave/command/say etc. See [Triggers](/builders/triggers). ## Spec procs `P` attaches a C-side spec proc. Rare for rooms — used for special-purpose rooms (heal rooms, restore rooms, train stations). Most rooms don't have any. ## Common patterns ### A traveler's rest stop - Sector: `inside` - Flags: `INDOORS PEACEFUL` - Several extra descriptions for furniture, fireplace, sign - A motion text or two ### A wild path - Sector: `forest` or `hills` - No special flags - Description references the surrounding terrain ### A locked dungeon door - Set the exit's destination to the dungeon room - Add door keyword (e.g. `iron door`) - Set ISDOOR + CLOSED + LOCKED - Set key vnum to the unlocking object - Mirror the exit on the other side ### A death trap - Add the `DEATH` flag - Use the room description to **warn** the player before they enter - Often paired with `NOMAGIC` (to prevent escape) ## Saving + testing `Q` → `y` saves to memory immediately. If `CONFIG_OLC_SAVE` is on for this MUD, it also writes the `.wld` file for the zone. Walk into the room you edited to verify; `redit show` re-displays the main menu. If a room looks broken in-game but right in the editor: that's a sign the zone hasn't been reloaded or the file write failed. Ask staff to `force reboot` or to manually check the `lib/world/wld/.wld` file. ## See also - [Building zones](/builders/zones) — bind rooms together with reset commands. - [Building objects](/builders/objects) — put loot in your rooms. - [Building mobiles](/builders/mobiles) — populate them with NPCs. - [Building triggers](/builders/triggers) — scripted reactions to room events.