Boys' Dorm

Accessing the Boys' Dorm

Navigation:

• House Hall page (footer-clan hook)
• Link: "Boys' Dorm, [Location Name]"
• Location name displays: get_module_setting("boysdormloc") city name
• Example: "Boys' Dorm, Hogsmeade"

Access Requirements:

• Gender: Must be male (sex = SEX_MALE / 0)
• House Membership: Must be in a House (shown in House Hall)
• Daily Limit: Can only visit once per day (visitedtoday pref)
• Location: If boysdormall = 0, must be in boysdormloc city

Gender Restriction Message:

• If sex ≠ SEX_MALE:
• "`4You may not enter the `^Boys' Dorm`4.`0"
• Navigation blocked
• No access to dorm commentary or features

The Dorm Room

Entrance Description:

• "`@You walk into the `^boys' dormitory`@ of your House.`n"
• Simple entry message (no elaborate flavor text)
• visitedtoday pref set to 1 (marks daily visit)

Commentary System:

• Dedicated commentary section: "boysdorm" (moderate hook)
• Separate from main House commentary
• Only boys can post/view
• Standard commentary features: post, view, color codes
• Talkline: "says" (default commentary verb)

Navigation Options:

• Return to House Hall
• Commentary posting/viewing (if implemented)
• No special dorm-specific features (just location + commentary)

Daily Visit System

visitedtoday Preference:

• User pref: visitedtoday (int, default 0)
• Set to 1 when entering dorm
• Resets to 0 at newday (newday hook)
• Prevents multiple entries per day

Why Daily Limit Exists:

• Prevents boys from "hiding" in dorm all day
• Encourages participation in main House activities
• Limits dorm commentary spam
• Forces players to engage with broader game world
• Or. module just reuses common daily-limit pattern without deep thought

Already Visited Message:

• If visitedtoday = 1:
• Link still appears in House Hall
• Clicking shows: "You've already visited the Boys' Dorm today"
• Cannot enter again until newday
• Commentary not accessible (can't view old messages)

Location Configuration

Two Location Modes:

Mode 1: Single City (Default)

• Setting: boysdormall = 0 (disabled)
• boysdormloc: Specific city where dorm exists
• Access: Only when player is in boysdormloc city
• Example: Dorm only in Hogsmeade, not accessible from Diagon Alley
• Use Case: Flavor realism (dorm physically in one place)

Mode 2: All Cities

• Setting: boysdormall = 1 (enabled)
• Access: Available from any city
• Example: Can access dorm from Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Godric's Hollow, etc.
• Use Case: Convenience (magic portal dorms?), servers with many cities

Change Setting Hook:

• changesetting hook monitors boysdormloc changes
• If admin changes dorm location, system updates configuration
• Players in old location lose access, players in new location gain access
• No automatic teleportation (players must travel to new location)

Commentary Integration

moderate Hook:

• Adds "boysdorm" section to commentary system
• Section name: Depends on implementation (likely "Boys' Dorm" or House name variant)
• Viewable ONLY by boys who entered dorm today (visitedtoday = 1)
• Standard commentary features apply

Who Can Post:

• Male students (sex = SEX_MALE)
• Who visited dorm today (visitedtoday = 1)
• Who are in their House

Who CANNOT See:

• Female students (blocked at navigation level)
• Non-binary/other students (sex ≠ SEX_MALE)
• Boys who haven't visited today (no access without entry)
• Non-House members (navigation doesn't appear)

Content Possibilities:

• Boys-only discussions (strategy, events, roleplay)
• Coordination for House activities
• Social bonding separate from main commentary
• Or mostly just Quidditch arguments and homework complaints

Admin Configuration

Settings:

• boysdormall: Dorm exists in all cities? (bool, default 0)
• boysdormloc: Location of Boys' Dorm (location field, default: villagename)

User Preferences:

• visitedtoday: Has player visited dorm today (int, default 0, resets at newday)

Hooks Used:

• changesetting: Monitors location setting changes
• moderate: Adds commentary section
• newday: Resets visitedtoday to 0
• footer-clan: Adds navigation link in House Hall

Strategy & Usage

For Players

When to Visit:

• Once per day (only chance to access commentary)
• Check for announcements from other boys
• Post messages/coordinate activities
• Social roleplay with housemates

Daily Limit Workaround:

• None. You get one visit. Make it count.
• Read all commentary during visit (can't come back until tomorrow)
• Post anything important in one session

For House Leaders

Encouraging Usage:

• Announce dorm existence in House commentary
• Suggest boys check dorm daily for updates
• Use as supplementary communication channel
• Coordinate boys-specific House events

Limitations to Consider:

• Splits House communication (main commentary vs dorm commentary)
• Excludes non-male members from dorm discussions
• Daily limit prevents persistent access
• May see low usage if House is small or mostly one gender

For Admins

Location Decision:

• boysdormall = 0 (Single City):
  • Use if: Server has one main city, flavor realism important
  • boysdormloc: Set to primary village
  • Boys must be in that city to access
• boysdormall = 1 (All Cities):
  • Use if: Server has multiple active cities, convenience prioritized
  • Boys can access from anywhere
  • Flavor explanation: Magic portals? Dorm mirrors in each city? Don't overthink it.

Companion Module:

• Consider installing Girls' Dorm equivalent (if exists)
• Provides gender parity
• Female students get their own space
• Prevents accusations of favoritism

Companion: Girls' Dorm

If your server has a girls' dorm module (likely girlsdorm.php), it should function identically:

• Access restricted to sex = SEX_FEMALE (1)
• Same daily visit limit (visitedtoday pref)
• Separate commentary section
• Location settings: girlsdormall, girlsdormloc
• Parallel structure for female students

Why Separate Dorms:

• Hogwarts canon: Boys' and girls' dormitories are separate
• Magic stairs prevent boys from entering girls' dorms (enchantment)
• No equivalent enchantment on boys' dorms (plot hole? Gender bias? JK Rowling's choice.)
• Game replicates this structure for thematic consistency

Technical Details

Gender Check Logic:

if ($session['user']['sex'] != SEX_MALE) {
    output("`4You may not enter the `^Boys' Dorm`4.`0");
    // Block access
}

Daily Visit Logic:

// On entry:
if (get_module_pref("visitedtoday") == 0) {
    set_module_pref("visitedtoday", 1);
    output("`@You walk into the `^boys' dormitory`@ of your House.`n");
} else {
    output("You've already visited the Boys' Dorm today.");
}

// At newday:
set_module_pref("visitedtoday", 0);

Location Check (If boysdormall = 0):

if (!get_module_setting("boysdormall")) {
    if ($session['user']['location'] != get_module_setting("boysdormloc")) {
        // Hide navigation link (wrong city)
    }
}

Common Questions

Q: Why can't I enter the Boys' Dorm?
A: Three possibilities: 1) You're not male (sex ≠ SEX_MALE), 2) You already visited today (visitedtoday = 1), 3) You're in wrong city (if boysdormall = 0).

Q: Can I visit the dorm multiple times per day?
A: No. One visit per day. visitedtoday pref prevents re-entry until newday.

Q: Can girls see the Boys' Dorm commentary?
A: No. Navigation blocked for non-males. Cannot access commentary section.

Q: Is there a Girls' Dorm?
A: Check with your admin. May exist as separate module (girlsdorm.php) with parallel structure.

Q: What happens if I'm in the dorm when newday hits?
A: visitedtoday resets to 0. Next time you visit counts as new daily visit.

Q: Can I change my gender to access different dorm?
A: Gender change depends on server settings. Some servers allow transmutation potions, some don't. Check with admin.

Q: Why does the dorm appear in multiple cities (boysdormall = 1)?
A: Admin choice for convenience. Flavor explanation: Magic? Portals? Multiple dorm branches? Handwave it.

Q: Can non-House members access the dorm?
A: No. Navigation only appears in House Hall (footer-clan hook), requires House membership.

Limitations

• Binary Gender Only: Hardcoded sex = SEX_MALE check. No support for non-binary/other genders.
• Daily Visit Limit: One entry per day, no exceptions.
• No Persistent Commentary Access: Can't view dorm commentary after leaving (until next day).
• Location Dependency: If boysdormall = 0, must travel to specific city to access.
• Minimal Features: Just navigation + commentary. No special dorm activities/minigames.
• Gender Segregation: Creates separate male/female spaces, excludes cross-gender interaction in dorm context.