Ephemeral: So You Want To Make An Item?

by Sullivan

Introduction: What is Ephemeral?
It’s an World of Warcraft Addon that lets users create user-defined objects that can be used in personal role-playing as props and as RP quest items. These can be shared by others using the addon.

This makes it very cool to use if you can get enough folks using it, which seems to be the hardest part. Some started to use it before it was broken after a path some time ago (as addons can/may eventually do). Recently, it’s been revived and trying to make a comeback.

Many thanks to Fethas for the ephemeral primer you are about to read. Thanks also to the original author of Ephemeral: Slaighe and to Safirio for reviving it.

Further Information and Links will be at the end of the article - Sullivan

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So you want to make an item?
by Fethas <Netherbane>, Earthen Ring

Long ago there was a mod named Ephemeral, it let you create and share items, for a time this mod was abandoned…

…now after switching hands from Ruftarian (currently maintaining the mod Lore) to Sarfirio, Ephemeral now is fully working with the current wow and has some nice new features do it.

In this article I will overview some features of what it can do and maybe some examples.

This is the current site for the mod:
http://ephemeral-addon.blogspot.com/

Now features of this mod include:

Creating Items

Books

Containers

Keys

Instruments

Props

Sending Items to other Ephemeral users

Creating Items: To create an item click Create on your Ephemeral backpack.

Moving on we have…

Books: Books are just that, you can write a journal, transcribe an in game lore book, or write you own lore book. You can also transcribe letters and quest items (notes) that allow it.

Containers: Are again just that - a container… you can put items in it, lock it if you want then send it to another player, however if you lock it you must have a…

Key: Keys unlock chests/containers to lock and unlock an container first like click the key then the container. DO NOT LOCK THE KEY IN THE CONTAINER.

Instruments: Instruments are customizable items that can make the user say/emote anything either in order or randomly using /say or /emote.

Props: Props might be for advanced users as if can handle some advanced LUA scripting, though it can handle simple things.

New in the props api are some wrappers:

Say() works like /say or /s
Example: Say("Moo!")

Emote() works like /emote or /me or /e
Example: Emote("Moos.")

Here’s some of the advanced and fun stuff.

Action()
Action supports three arguments:
1) A description of the action (what happened)
2) A true or false, if true will broadcast the action to your screen if false it won’t and
3) “Zone”, Target or Player, Zone will broadcast the action to the zone your are in (but only to Ephemeral users), to your currently targed player (if they have ephemeral) or a player you specify.

Example: Action("you hear a moo in the distance", true, "Zone")

Sound() and Music()
sound() and music() both work in the same manner but one is for sounds and one is for music and the sound files must be in the wow .mpqs (you can find lists on wowwiki)

Examples:
Sound("Sound\\interface\\iDrinking1.wav")
Sound("Sound\\Creature\\Ashbringer\\ASH_SPEAK_01.wav", true, "Zone")
Music("Sound\\Creature\\Voidwalker_VoidWraith\\VoidWalkerLoop.wav", false, "Zone")

Now some examples of props in action from the Ephemeral addon page:

Example 1: A Poisoned Beer.
local playerName = UnitName("player"); Emote(playerName.." is slowly drinking a beer, but seems to be shaking."); Sound("Sound\\interface\\iDrinking1.wav"); Say("What the..."); Action(playerName.." has been poisoned and has fallen on the ground.", true, "Zone");

Example 2: A Corrupted Sword.
local playerName = UnitName("player");
(We get the name of the player)
Sound("Sound\\Creature\\Ashbringer\\ASH_SPEAK_01.wav", true, "Zone") Music("Sound\\Creature\\Voidwalker_VoidWraith\\VoidWalkerLoop.wav", false, "Zone")

local resist = math.random(100)
(Test to see if the player is mentally strong enough.)
if resist > 80 then
(The player has 20% chance to have the sword obey him.)
Say("Shut up, cursed sword. You WILL obey me.") else
(game over :) )
Emote(playerName.." is looking at the runesword, slowly smiling as he feels its unholy power flowing in his veins") Say("Yes... I will kill them all... One - by - one." ) end

Sending Items: To send an item click Explore after opening your Ephemeral backpack then right click the item, you should see an option to send it to friends, party members or other people. Also to note you can move an item from or to your own characters or into a “stash”.

If the item is in your back pack you must shift-right click it or else you will use the item, shift-left click to edit it.

Thats it, look around the mod, Be creative, have fun… just try not to make things to over powered or godly… or TOO epic…

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Notes and Considerations - Sullivan:

Ephemeral: e·phem·er·al, pronounced [i-fem-er-uhl], meaning “a markedly short-lived thing”.

Basic vs Scripted items: You may want to start or stay with the basic items first. Scripted items do require some knowledge of the LUA scripting language.

Testing special items: Also, may be good to “test” scripted or items with /say and /emote coded into them in remote places or in an instance. It’ll save you some possible embarrassment later.

Sample items that can be created: Tavern menus, diaries, guild rulebooks, newspapers, flyers (leaflets), merchant invoices, gifts, guild badges or insignias, inscribed items, locked chests/boxes with “goodies” - many more can come from your imagination.

God-Moded Items: Limit or think beforehand using items that override player actions or give players no reaction options. Forcing such is frowned upon unless agreed to by all parties.

A -Must- have? While it’s not a required must-have, it is a “nice have” addition for your role-playing group, guild or friends. Some role-players swear by it as a wonderful RP tool.