This file describes how the skill systems works in the Merentha MUDlib. There are four (4) values associated with skills. They are your skill level, skill points, skill adjustment and skill adjustment points. Your skill level is simply the level at which your skill exists. So if your sword skill level is 25 and your knife skill level is 20 then you are better at swords then knives. Your skill points is a count of points until your skill improves to the next level. The skill daemon located at /daemon/skills.c has a function called formula() which will return the required number of points to raise a skill from its current level. Points are added via the add_skill_points() function in the living.c inheritable. However, there is also a use_skill() function. This is the function which should be used, the reason is described below. Now your skill adjustment is an adjustment on how many points are needed to raise your skill level. It is recorded as a percent. So for example if your skill adjustment is 10 for sword then however many points are needed to raise your sword skill 1 level is increased by 10%. If it is -10 then it is lowered by 10%. Skill adjustment is set for different skills based on your gender, race and class if you so chose to play a class. It is also set in character creation when you answer the profile questions. The skill adjustment points works similar to the skill points. The idea is the more a skill is used, not only the better do you get at the skill, but the easier it is for you to later learn more of that skill. This is why the use_skill() function should be used when a skill is in use. the use_skill() function will train both the skill and the adjustment value. By using this one call to the living (or player) object you can very easilly rebalance training of skills for your MUD by only editing the use_skill() function in living.c and the skills daemon instead of editing possibly hundreds of skills and commands. Like the skill points calculation, the skill adjusment point calculation is done in the skills daemon. By default the player's level is taken into effect when calculating the adjustment value of a skill. This is done so that as you advance in the game you must continually use a skill to keep current in its approvement value. By doing it this way skills which are used often not only increase quickly in level, but the adjustment value lowers, making future learning easier. Skills not used become harder to learn as time goes on, just like in reality. The reason I mention this is that if you wish to turn the Merentha Lib into a levelless MUD this calculation will need to change. By default levels in the Merentha Lib exist to give a standing amongst players. Players will advance automaticlly through levels and they do not cost money or experience points. I would recommend you not try to remove the levels from the game, but rather hide this information from players if your wish is a levelless MUD.