Lucky Dip

Location & Access

Where:

• Village navigation hook
• Location: Configurable (luckydiploc setting, default villagename)
• Link: "Lucky Dip" (runmodule.php?module=luckydip)
• Stand operator: Elias

Daily Limit:

• Configurable tries per day (tryallowed setting, default 3)
• Preference: trytoday (int, tracks attempts)
• Reset at newday: trytoday → 0
• If trytoday >= tryallowed: Refused

Refusal Messages:

• Limit reached: "`7Much as you'd like to play again, Elias scowls at you and turns to the child beside you."
• Too poor: "`7Much as you'd like to play, your purse doesn't yield enough to pay for the privilege."
• Both: Navigation = [Leave] village.php only

The Two Bins

Initial Description:

• "`7You begin to approach the Lucky Dip, peering into the bins with interest."
• "You dimly make out small colored packages in the darkness."
• "Elias stands behind the brightly-colored bins.`n`n"

Elias' Pitch:

• "`&\"Hello traveler!"
• "So you think yourself lucky?"
• "There are many treasures in these boxes!\"`n`n"
• "`7He motions to the smaller box, and then to the larger one."
• "`&\"%s gold for the small, %s for the large." (cost, lcost)
• "Who knows what you will find?\""

Bin Options:

• Small Bin:
  • Cost: Configurable (cost setting, default 2 gold)
  • Colors: Blue and white box
  • Rare odds: e_rand(1, 50) = 2% chance (1/50)
• Large Bin:
  • Cost: Configurable (lcost setting, default 5 gold)
  • Colors: Red and white box
  • Rare odds: e_rand(1, 25) = 4% chance (1/25)
  • Requires gold >= lcost to select

Playing the Game

Selection Sequence:

• Navigation: [Small (X gold)] or [Large (Y gold)] or [Leave]
• If select large but gold < lcost: Error message (see below)
• Otherwise: Deduct gold, increment trytoday, roll dice

Insufficient Gold for Large:

• "Elias looks at you with annoyance.`n`n"
• "`&\"I told you!"
• "That box costs %s to play!\"`n`n" (lcost)
• Navigation: [Leave] only (kicked out)

Opening Package:

• Small: "`7You hand Elias your %s gold, and reach one arm into the blue and white box.`n"
• Large: "`7You hand Elias your %s gold, and reach one arm into the red and white box.`n"
• "Dragging a package out, you unwrap it with excitement.`n"
• "Elias smiles.`n`n"
• "`&\"So you see, a treasure!" (always optimistic)

Prize System

Two-Stage Roll:

• Stage 1: Rare check (dipchance)
  • Small: e_rand(1, 50)
  • Large: e_rand(1, 25)
  • If result = 1: Calle shell (skip stage 2)
• Stage 2: Common prize (gift)
  • e_rand(1, 4)
  • 4 outcomes, 25% each

Rare Prize: Calle Shell

Trigger:

• dipchance = 1
• Small bin: 2% (1 in 50)
• Large bin: 4% (1 in 25)
• Large bin 2× better odds

Message:

• "`&\"A treasure indeed!"
• "I hope you shall keep it safe, noble warrior!\"`n`n"
• "`7In your hands is a `6calle shell`7!"
• "`7You're rather amazed to find such a treasure in a simple lucky dip!"

Reward:

• +1 calle shell (callecount pref from calletrader module)
• Requires calletrader module active
• Calle shells = rare currency for highcity/special shops
• Very valuable prize

Common Prizes

Prize 1: Gem (gift = 4, 25%):

• "`&\"I hope you shall keep it safe, noble warrior!\"`n`n"
• "`7In your hands is a `5gem`7!"
• Reward: +1 gem
• Good prize (gems valuable)

Prize 2: Gold (gift = 3, 25%):

• "`&\"I hope you shall spend it wisely!\"`n`n"
• "`7You look down to find `^10 gold`7."
• Reward: +10 gold
• Profit if small bin (2 gold → 10 gold = +8 net)
• Break-even if large bin (5 gold → 10 gold = +5 net)

Prize 3: Toy (gift = 2, 25%):

• "`&\"You shall have hours of joy playing with such a treasure!\"`n`n"
• "`7You look down to find a cheap children's toy.`n`n"
• "`7You frown in annoyance, before handing it to the nearest small child, who is delighted."
• Reward: NOTHING (toy worthless)
• Loss (paid gold for garbage)
• At least child happy (consolation)

Prize 4: Cookie (gift = 1, 25%):

• "`&\"I hope you enjoy it!\"`n`n"
• "`7You look down to find a small iced cookie.`n`n"
• "`^You bite into it with joy!"
• Healing:
  • If HP ≤ 110% of max HP: HP × 1.05 (+5% heal)
  • Message: "`@You feel healthy!"
  • Caps at 110% max HP (prevents overheal)
• Bonus Turn Chance:
  • addturn = e_rand(1, 4)
  • If addturn = 1 (25%): +1 turn
  • Message: "`@You feel `@vigorous!"
• Moderate prize (heal + 25% turn chance)

Probability Tables

Small Bin (2 gold, 50:1 odds):

Prize	Probability	Value
Calle Shell	2% (1/50)	Very High (rare currency)
Gem	24.5% (98% × 25%)	High
10 Gold	24.5%	+8 gold profit
Cookie (heal + 25% turn)	24.5%	Moderate
Toy (nothing)	24.5%	-2 gold loss

Large Bin (5 gold, 25:1 odds):

Prize	Probability	Value
Calle Shell	4% (1/25)	Very High (2× better odds!)
Gem	24% (96% × 25%)	High
10 Gold	24%	+5 gold profit
Cookie (heal + 25% turn)	24%	Moderate
Toy (nothing)	24%	-5 gold loss

Expected Value Analysis

Small Bin (2 gold cost):

• Calle shell: 2% × [very high value, assume 100+ gold equivalent] ≈ 2+ gold
• Gem: 24.5% × [~5-10 gold] ≈ 1.5-2.5 gold
• 10 gold: 24.5% × 10 = 2.45 gold
• Cookie: 24.5% × [heal + 25% turn] ≈ 1-2 gold value
• Toy: 24.5% × 0 = 0 gold
• Expected value: ~7-10 gold (profit!)

Large Bin (5 gold cost):

• Calle shell: 4% × [100+ gold] ≈ 4+ gold
• Gem: 24% × 7.5 ≈ 1.8 gold
• 10 gold: 24% × 10 = 2.4 gold
• Cookie: 24% × 1.5 ≈ 0.36 gold
• Toy: 24% × 0 = 0 gold
• Expected value: ~8-10 gold (profit!)

Recommendation:

• Both bins +EV (expected profit)
• Large bin: 2× better calle shell odds (worth extra 3 gold if hunting rare)
• Small bin: Better gold profit ratio (2 → ~10 = 5× return)
• Use all 3 daily tries (free money long-term)

Admin Configuration

Settings:

• tryallowed: How many tries may the player have? (int, default 3)
• cost: Price to play small (int, default 2)
• lcost: Price to play large (int, default 5)
• luckydiploc: Where does the stand appear (location, default villagename)

Balancing:

• More tries (5-10): More profitable for players
• Fewer tries (1): Limited gambling, less exploitable
• Higher cost (small 5, large 10): Less profitable, harder to farm
• Lower cost (small 1, large 2): Very profitable, easy money

Strategy Guide

Always Use All Tries:

• 3 daily tries (default) = free expected profit
• Even toy outcomes (24.5% loss) outweighed by other prizes
• Calle shell jackpot makes it worth

Small vs Large?:

• Small bin: Better gold efficiency (2 cost, ~10 EV = 5× return)
• Large bin: 2× better calle shell odds (4% vs 2%)
• Hunting calle shells: Large bin worth it (rare prize priority)
• Low gold: Small bin safer (less loss if toy)

Calle Shell Farming:

• 3 tries/day × large bin (5 gold each) = 15 gold daily
• 4% per try = ~12% chance at least one shell/day (3 tries)
• Long-term: Expect calle shell every ~8 days
• Worth it if calle shells valuable on server

Limitations

• Daily Limit: 3 tries default (can't spam indefinitely)
• Gold Gate: Requires 2-5 gold per try (poor players struggle)
• RNG Prizes: 24-25% chance of worthless toy (frustrating)
• Calletrader Dependency: Calle shell prize useless without calletrader module
• Location Locked: Only appears in configured location
• Elias Scowls: After limit, no way to play more (strict enforcement)