MACRO ENGINEERING
- or - Macro's, the warrior's best friend.  
A macro is a shortcut in a MUD-game used to perform an action without having to type out long command strings.
There are two ways to program macros. One, the macro-bar, is discussed in the "Understanding the Bar" section. The other is the assigning of macros to individual letters or words.
First we will concern ourselves with fully mastering the macro-bar.
Programming your macro-bar:
When you are ready leave the game, from the "welcome area" (the place you enter upon signing in but before you actually enter the gameworld) type @menu. From the menu that pops up choose and enter P for preferences.
From this next menu enter X to toggle the Macro-Bar. When you return to the game you will find that the macro-bar has changed. It no longer display pictures to indicate it's assigned command, it now holds consecutive roman numerals from I to XV. To assign one of these "blank" buttons a command just click it. The game will ask you to enter the command string so simply type what you want the button to represent as if you were actually doing it. For example, to assign "wield quarterstave" to button number I, just click the button and then, when prompted, type wield quarterstave and enter. Now, whenever you click button number #1you will wield whatever quarterstave you are holding. 
 
 
 
 

Deleting or changing macros on your macro bar:
To remove or change a macro that you have entered on the macro-bar use the command @macro to bring up the macro menu. You will have the option of (A)dding, (D)eleting or (L)isting.
Adding a macro to the macro-bar: The buttons on the macro-bar have a special designation beginning with "fe". For example, button number one is recognized as "fe1" by the macro-menu. When you choose the option "A" from the menu it will ask you to enter the "shorthand macro-string", enter the code for the macro-bar button you are trying to program (button #1=fe1; button #2=fe2, etc.)
The menu will then ask you to enter the command string, type the command or command string that you would like that button to represent. For example, "wield quarterstave"
Use this same procedure to change the macro-string as well, as any existing macro-string is deleted automatically by this procedure. For example, if had "fe1" programmed as "wield quarterstave" but wanted to change it to "wield gladius", just program "fe1" as if it did not already have a macro-string. The "wield quarterstave" string will automatically be removed.
Deleting a macro from the macro-bar: Should you wish to remove a macro from the macro-bar you will have to delete it. Choose the (D)elete option from the menu. You will be asked which macro you wished removed, enter the code for the button you want deleted.
Listing your macros: The (L)ist option simply lists all the macros that you have programmed (not just those on the macro-bar).   
Examples macro-bar settings for warriors and hunters:
Button one (fe1) - get <weapon>
Button two (fe2) - wield <weapon>
Button three (fe3) - put <weapon> in my <container>
Button four (fe4) - drop <torch/lantern>
Button five (fe5) - retreat
Button six (fe6) - get shield
Button seven (fe7) - wield shield
Button eight (fe8) - put shield in my <container>
Button nine (fe9) - get <torch/lantern>
Button ten (fe10) - look
Button eleven (fe11) - <preferred first attack> <critter #1>
Button twelve (fe12) - <preferred first attack> <critter #2>
Button thirteen (fe13) - <preferred first attack> <critter #3>
Button fourteen (fe14) - <preferred first attack> <critter #4>
Button fifteen (fe15) - <preferred first attack> <critter #5>
These settings will allow you to:
1- get your weapon, wield it, approach and attack a critter in less than two seconds, assuring the first (and possibly even the second) strike.
2 - to quickly recover and re-wield fumbled weapons.
3 - to retreat, recover your torch or lantern (many stave and spear wielders must drop them to fight) and leave the area quickly.
4 - rapidly get and wield a shield (if you use one) when needed,
5 - look at each area as you enter without tediously typing "look" over and over.   
Programming letters, words and phrases as macros:
In addition to the button on your macro-bar you can also program individual letters, words or word-strings to trigger a macro when entered. However, for new players this isn't really necessary or even all that helpful so you might want to consider going over it later, once your player is well established.
*To program a macro use the @macro command to open the macro-menu.
*Choose the (A)dd option.
*Enter the letter or word you would like to trigger your new macro.
*Enter the command string you want to make a macro for.
*Choose the (L)ist option to verify that your new macro was entered, is spelled correctly and has the right trigger.
*Type "x" to exit the macro-menu.
*To delete your macro use the same procedure described above concerning the macro-bar.
 
 
 
 

Other suggested keyboard macros:
Here are some commands and command strings you might want to consider programming a macro for.
*Combat postures (berserk, aggressive, normal, wary, defensive. Also consider passive and practice)
*Disband
*Toggle-think
*Group all corpse
*Group all <pelt/feather/etc>
*Get knife / put <knife/dagger> in my <container>
*Skin <pelt/hide/etc.> from <corpse/2 corpse/3 corpse/etc>
Non-warrior classes will want to consider other macros as well that fit their individual skills.