doc/region-building
8/6/95
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SNARK'S RULES/EXPECTATIONS FOR PLANETARY REGIONS
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     Outside of Tanstaafl County, but still on Planet Holo, there are many
"outside-reality regions" in the northern hemisphere.  Feel free to fly 
around the planet exploring them.  You might, while flying, see below you a
region you would like to own and build to your heart's content.  Here's how 
to claim a region:
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1) If there is no 'land' exit from the airspace above the region, then you 
are free to claim it.
* Send mail to Snark describing what you wish to build there.
* If your request is approved, you will be notified and given a starting 
room (with a Parent Room) down from the air.
2) If there *is* a 'land' exit already present, then someone has already
claimed the area.  Ask the owner of that region if there is a section where
you can help build.
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     Once you own a planetary region, you can build almost anything you 
want.  Unlike in Tanstaafl County, it's OK to have magic or teleportation, 
for example.  Planetary regions are excellent places to build fantasy 
domains or quest-puzzles.  However, you ARE responsible for:
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* building realistic roads or paths which connect to the roads/paths of
adjacent regions.  (You merely have to build "up to the border" and let 
Snark know that you have done so; he'll handle the connections to the 
adjacent regions.  Visit the Arabian Desert region to see a clear example of
how to do this.)  A special case of "border connections": rivers from 
adjacent regions must connect realistically.
* building in accordance with the aerial description of your region.  For
example, if you're building in a region described as "short-grass steppe", 
you wouldn't build mountains, forests, and lots of lakes.
* making the "rules" of your region, whatever they are, internally self-
consistent and clearly marked to visitors.
* limiting yourself to the same database "size limits" and "quality rules" 
as are explained in "doc/lot-building".  In short, don't build more than you
need to in order to convey your concept-- go for quality not quantity.  
There's no need to build a ten-room-long path through the forest with every
room an identically described "Dark Forest".
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[For an email copy of this document, email 'snark@collatz.mcrcim.mcgill.edu'
requesting "doc/region-building"]