Creature Pool

The Creature Pool defines the kinds and respective maximum numbers of creatures that can join the match through a Portal or Scavenger Room.
== Dungeon Keeper ==
In Dungeon Keeper, the script lines for handling the pool content are in the simple text files \LEVELS\MAPxxxxx.TXT.
 ADD_CREATURE_TO_POOL(BILE_DEMON,10)
 
 CREATURE_AVAILABLE(PLAYER0,BILE_DEMON,1,1)
Unearth, UnDed, and ADiKtEd have the ability to generate a creature pool via their interface. The official editor cannot do this; the mapmaker must manually create it in the script in a text editor, such as Notepad.
E.g., if the pool for Bile Demons is set to 10 for a specific level it means that a total of 10 can show up on the map, in addition to any that are already present at game start. The Scavenger Room will target any Bile Demons already on the map first, and when these are exhausted it will then target the ones in the Creature Pool. The Portal only draws the ones in the pool, of course. The Creature Pool is no longer accessible by either of these rooms when that Keeper's Creature Limit is reached.
=== Creature Deaths ===
Anything besides Imps that perishes on the map is added to the Creature Pool. This includes not just evil creature species, but the hero classes as well. This can be turned off in a map's text file by setting DEAD_CREATURES_RETURN_TO_POOL to 0.
=== Portal Requirements ===
There are several requirements for attracting a creature through the Portal:
# The level script needs to add some number of the creature to the pool (the first script line above), or a preexisting one needs to die.
# The level script needs to define that creature as being available to the Keeper (the second script line above).
# The Keeper needs to own at least one Portal.
# The Keeper needs to be under his Creature Limit.
# The Keeper needs to have the rooms required by that creature.
# The Keeper needs enough gold on the spot to cover the creature's first Payday. Nothing is deducted at this point; this is just a requirement.
The second requirement is often the hidden catch. The levels often define certain creatures as being available to one Keeper and not to another, whereupon they would need to be captured. That requirement is also why, if the player kills a pack of Archers or loses Skeletons in battle for instance, he doesn't get the pooled Archers or Skeletons pouring in through the Portal while fulfilling the other requirements. They are usually not defined as available.
=== Scavenger Room Requirements ===
The Keeper needs to have one such creature already at work in the Scavenger Room, which will accrue points towards scavenging that species.
From this point, there just needs to be a creature of that kind afield that is not warded by a Temple. Or in the pool, if the Keeper is under the Creature Limit.
=== Resurrect Creature ===
Creatures that have been slain are added to the pool. However, the Dungeon Special Resurrect Creature does not decrement the pool. It can effectively increase the number of such creatures available on the map by 1. When an allied creature is lost, the Special can be deployed, and another instance of the creature can be scavenged from the Creature Pool.
=== Trivia ===
*The ADD_CREATURE_TO_POOL command seems to have been originally called CREATURE_INBY. Inby is a Scottish and Northern English word meaning 'near the house'. The scripts for level 107, level 108, and level 109 (last modified on 30 September-1 October 1996) contain this command.
== Dungeon Keeper 2 ==
In Dungeon Keeper 2, each player has their own discrete creature pool.
The Dungeon Keeper 2 Editor can edit the creature pool by selecting the desired player's tab and selecting "Edit Properties", a new window will pop up, allowing to edit individual creature pool (ex:Goblin) and starting gold.
This can be used to solve the bug in the official 1.7 version, where certain creatures not appearing in the campaign, as the creature pool of Goblins, Fireflies. Rogues, Black Knights, and Dark Angels were set to 0, thus making them unavailable.
== References ==