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+## Tips
+
+1. **Use player flags for quest progress, world flags for environmental state.** If a bridge is repaired, that's world state. If a player has read a sign, that's player state.
+
+2. **Conditions on enter scripts** make rooms feel alive. A guard who only barks the first time, a room that changes after a quest completes.
+
+3. **Hidden objects** keep room descriptions clean. Mention them in the room's description text instead of auto-listing them.
+
+4. **Drop tables** are shareable. The `gem_table` is used by copper rocks AND mob loot. Define once, reference everywhere.
+
+5. **Objects are for fixtures, mobs are for living things.** If it has HP and can die, it's a mob. If it's a rock, lever, door, or crafting station, it's an object. Both can have behaviors.
+
+6. **The `talk` field on mobs** lets you talk to them directly — `talk guard` finds the guard mob, no duplicate object entry needed.
+
+7. **Exits accept both `int` and `map` formats.** `north: 2` is shorthand for `north: {room: 2}`. Add `condition` and `blocked_message` only when needed. Mob room entries accept both `"man"` and `{id: man, ...}`.
+
+8. **Live editing works.** Room, item, mob, object, and behavior YAML files are read from disk on each access. Change a room description or dialog and it takes effect immediately — no restart needed.
+
+9. **Shared depletion vs per-drop depletion.** Use `deplete_timer` for trees — the timer counts down while being chopped and regens when left alone. Use `depletes: true` on individual drops for rocks — they deplete on first successful gather.
+
+10. **Mob wander config goes in the room YAML**, not the mob definition. This lets the same `man` wander differently in different rooms.