In TFS 1.2 (however i don't think that this changed much in newer tfs'es, so..), in
item.cpp in function
Item::getDescription
you have this piece of code (at nearly ending of function), this code is responsible for description of normal items that aren't signs and other hardcoded things (correct me if i wrong)
so far as I can see in sources there are few hardcoded things, all you need is to edit "lookDistance" in this piece of code, for example change lookDistance <= 1 to lookDistance <= 5 and compile.. why you not reading server sources tho?
C++:
// line 1384 or so.. (i have custom modifications but it should be somewhere near ending of function)
if (item) {
const std::string& specialDescription = item->getSpecialDescription();
if (!specialDescription.empty()) {
s << std::endl << specialDescription;
} else if (lookDistance <= 1 && !it.description.empty()) { // here lookDistance <= 5 for testing purposes
s << std::endl << it.description;
}
} else if (lookDistance <= 1 && !it.description.empty()) { // here lookDistance <= 5 for testing purposes
s << std::endl << it.description;
}
// ...
Voila, all you have to do it's to follow the damn Sources, CJ.
About attributes and other things you have to search for piece of code where "showAttributes" is handled, read it and change as you like.. there are many things in TFS done in different way, pretty much most common way, however, it's open sourced so you have possibility to edit everything, so...
In new TFS, if you wan't to do it in LUA way, you should look in
lib/core/item.lua or in
onLook (in player probably) in
data/events but remember - LUA is just an C++ "overlay", so you will overwrite existing things from C++.