Dragon generator doesn´t work (DMute)

[Lunever]

I´m just beginning with DMute, so I wanted to try out some simple things first like changing the rats generator in the rats level into a dragon generator so training characters would become less boring (for I prefer characters who were truly played to get their levels before edited ones).
Yet all the dragon generator creates when triggered is a pile of dragon steaks (nice food replicator though), and if I change it back, in DMute I´ve only got the option to create a single rat when triggered, allthough in the original level there were multiple rats created (at least 2).

So how do I get a living, fighting dragon?

[beowuuf]

DM only supports a few monster types per level. So when you add the dragon, without removing a previous monster type, all of the dragons will cease to be (leaving dragon steaks) the second they are created.
What you need to do is get rid of all monsters/generators of another monster type first (the rat, small scorpion, etc). Add at least one dragon, then (the important bit) check level integrity (misc menu at the top).
Dmute should come back with 'level ok', but the important thing is it has updated the creature list. If you missed a creature, then the level check will tell you 'too many monster types' and you will need to hunt down anything you missed, then recheck.

For creating more monsters, the simplest way is as follows:

Create a generator of the type you want. Check its object hex, (without changing it) and note the 3rd and 4th bytes (bottom left corner). It will be 6/86 x (for example scorpions are 6 0).
Change the generator (using normal dmute) to a creature type that supports the numbers you want (so to get 4 gigglers, change to screamer, to get 2 rats, change it to purple worms). Edit to the numbers you want. NOW hex edit the generator, and convert the hex in the 3rd and 4th bytes back to the two numbers you noted...voila, you will get back to say a rat generator, but you will have the numbers you wanted.

You can do this with existing monster groups too, but this time you only need to note and change one byte (the 5th I seem to recall).

Note that this is also the most stable way to get invisible creatures...if you create a situation where monster size is too large for the group number, you get all the monsters, but they don't have graphics (so four invisible dragons on the same square..fun!)

I have a hex manual (not updated nor edited yet!) available at http://www.dmjump.net/hextut.zip which you might like to read over, it will give you hex right away for things liek this, and also has a troubleshooting guide.

lol, long reply over : )

[Lunever]

Thanks for your support. You know, presently I have 60-hours-of-working week, but when I have some weeks off soon, I'll take the time to get into DMute fully, first reading the hex guide and all entries of the forum and then experimenting a lot. It´s great to be not the only one still hooked on Dungeon Master after all these years!

[beowuuf]

level affects the generated monsters...but you can alter the 7th byte of the generator to make the health higher..anythign from 0 (normal for that level) to ff (tough)..there is a formula behind it all actually

the colouring is always fiddly, the red of the dragon usually overrides everythign else, unusual...have you deleted more than one monster type? if you have, and the level is underfilled type wise, then the colour pallettes aren't re-assigned, i believe...

[Sphenx]

I just want to say that the "few monster types per level" number allowed in DM is 15 at its max... not that few...

[beowuuf]

True, use DMEdit and you can get round this annoying problem and simply up type limit inherent in the original dungeon set up : ) Depends if you are altering a saved game or not, and if you want to be able to hack stats too...if not, DMEdit much better for .