Internet (Programming)

The HellMOO internet (aka The Matrix, Cyberspace) allows you to build hacking-oriented puzzles and provide content that could not otherwise exist in the 'real world'. The internet uses different room types, exits, and areas that the normal HellMOO world as behaves differently in many ways. The key thing to know about cyberspace is that nothing works properly there for players (or admins) unless they have jacked in through a cyberdeck, and hence their .cyberdeck property points to a valid object descended from $cyberdeck.

Matrix Objects

The following objects are very important to the HellMOO intarwebs:

Object Number	Name	Description
$matrix_hardware	Generic Matrix Hardware	The parent object for all cyberdecks and servers. Anything that can be booted up to create a host is one of these.
#1834	Generic Cyberdeck	The parent object for all cyberdecks.
#1411752	Server	The parent object for all servers (players cannot directly jack into these).
#1267977	NPC Server	The parent objects for all NPC servers (reset themselves on area_reset, can't be picked up or configured by players).
#3815	Cyberdeck Control Feature	This object holds all the verbs players can use to manipulate their cyberdecks when they are jacked in.
#1837	Generic Matrix Area	The type of $area that must be used to contain rooms in cyberspace.
#2089	Generic Host	A type of matrix area designed to hold a particular system (aka host).
#2178	Generic Matrix Exit	The parent of all exits used in the internet. Direct descendants are generally only used within a single area.
#548263	Generic Matrix Firewalled Exit	An exit that must be hacked to proceed. Can be protected by ICE.
#2124	Generic Network Hop	A type of matrix exit used to transition between areas in the internet.
#1835	Generic Matrix Room	The parent types for rooms you can visit in the internet.
#1829	Generic Network Interface	A device that allows cyberdecks to connect to the internet.
#579237	Generic Matrix Targetted ICE	ICE that targets a single player at a time.
#473624	Generic Matrix Pulsing ICE	ICE that deals damage to all players in the room.
#459036	Generic Matrix Corp Controllable Orb	A control box to allow corporations to take over things.
#199551	Generic Matrix Datacache	A datacache that gives money to whoever hacked it.

The arrangement of networks & hosts is very important for maximum player clarity - the absence of a map makes intuitive navigation in the matrix extremely important!

Players explore the matrix by jacking into a cyberneck & connecting to other systems (HOSTS & host nodes) through a linked NETWORK, comprised of network nodes. Hosts should generally be set up to connect exclusively to networks, unless there is a strong gameplay justification to have a direct connection to another system (hidden hops to represent backports or remote access for service systems, as examples).

Ideally, networks work as a hub and spoke system, with all relevant hosts connecting to a single network node that represents either a geographical area or a connection service. For the Freedom City Metro Net, this is represented by the TLDs - we have one for commerce, one for residential connections, one for non-commercial organizations, etc. For smaller networks this can represent floors of a building or departments of an organization. Finding unique and fun ways to limit or allow access based on the player's physical connection point is the main design principle for matrix areas until more challenge mechanics are implemented in the matrix.

Servers should be used for almost all non-player owned hardware - cyberdecks are intended to gradually gain heat & lose charge when used, and essentially function as a decker's "body" while they're in the matrix. Harm to their gear should be an implicit risk any time they dive a system. Servers, on the other hand, are designed to run indefinitely and should generally be set up with better stats than an equivalent cyberdeck.