Personally, I don't really care either way, as I have never been too interested in the zone. Code would be fine, but I certainly wouldn't want to see a rule get added for a specific zone just to have special pets there or not. We already have well over 100 rules, and I think we should try to have some restraint when adding them. I would be fine with this going into the code, but I am still sure that it could be handled in perl very close to as well as it would be in the code. The race change thing where it can't change it at spawn time kinda sucks, but I don't think it is all that bad.
One thing that could probably stop you from having to create dozens of script files or blocked spell entries would be to simply use a default.pl in there and have it check the race and texture of the NPC when it spawns. If it is one of the pet classes that shouldn't be allowed, it can just depop it and echo the message you want. I never really did PoAir much on Live, so I don't know if there are NPCs that are pet classes that might summon those same pet races that players aren't allowed to summon. If so, then that would be bad, because it would be depoping NPC's pets. But, if players can't use them, I think it is unlikely that NPCs would there.
That should be a very simple script and would probably cover most or all scenarios. Then, the only problem left is that you see a normal air pet for a second before it changes it's race.
I am sure there are probably more advanced ways to handle this through perl without having to do much more work than adding the source. I am just thinking simple.
Again, I don't really care either way, but I do think perl could handle this fairly well.
poair/default.pl
Code:
sub EVENT_SPAWN {
#75 Elemental
#209 Earth Elemental
#210 Air Elemental
#211 Water Elemental
#212 Fire Elemental
if ($race == 75 && $texture != 3 || $race == 209 || $race == 211 || $race == 212)
quest::echo(15,"You can only summon Air pets here");
quest::depop();
}
if ($race == 75 && $texture == 3 || $race == 210) {
#set your timer and do the race change stuff
}
}