Is it just me....

[Fendell Orcbane]

I'm currently playing 3.1.2v2 because that is the latest version that my mac can seem to handle. It feels a bit different that 3.0.9. It feels well...easier. No more needing *identify* scrolls for artifacts and ego weapons. Also Ego and Artifact weapons seems a lot more common in this version.

Right now I'm at 1200or lvl 24. I've been playing a lot more aggressively this time around. Basically I'm heading for stairs and stopping to kill things that I can easily kill and that give good exp or drops. The only thing that bothers me is that I don't have a free action source yet. I've looked in all the shops when I recall, which I do often. But I am detecting a lot so that helps me avoid stuff I'd rather not fight. Well that and my TO wand.

Here is my dump:

[Angband 3.1.2v2 Character Dump]

Name Miryaril V Self RB CB EB Best
Sex Male Age 116 STR: 18 +1 +2 +2 18/50
Race High-Elf Height 99 INT: 13 +3 +2 +3 18/30
Class Ranger Weight 198 WIS: 11 -1 +0 +6 16
Title Courser Social Respected DEX: 16 +3 +1 +0 18/20
HP 124/134 Maximize Y CON: 12 +1 +1 +2 16
SP 31/31 CHR: 10 +5 +1 +3 18/10

Level 19 Armor [14,+31] Saving Throw 69%
Cur Exp 9097 Fight (+4,+3) Stealth Superb
Max Exp 9097 Melee (+16,+18) Fighting Superb
Adv Exp 10120 Shoot (+11,+3) Shooting Heroic
MaxDepth 1200' (L24) Blows 1/turn Disarming 52%
Game Turns 296372 Shots 1/turn Magic Device 74
Player Turns 30166 Infra 40 ft Perception 1 in 20
Active Turns 21562 Speed 3 Searching 27%
Gold 2821 Burden 127.9 lbs

You are the only child of a Vanyarin Warrior. You have light grey
eyes, wavy black hair, and a fair complexion.



rAcid:+......+..... rConf:.........+...
rElec:....+........ Sound:.............
rFire:+.......+.... Shard:.............
rCold:............. Nexus:.............
rPois:............. Nethr:.............
rFear:............. Chaos:.............
rLite:............+ Disen:.............
rDark:+............ S.Dig:.............
rBlnd:............. Feath:..+..........

Light:+............ Aggrv:.............
Regen:............. Stea.:.......+.....
ESP:............. Sear.:.............
Invis:............+ Infra:............+
FrAct:............. Tunn.:.............
HLife:............. Speed:.......+.....
ImpHP:............. Blows:.............
ImpSP:............. Shots:.............
Fear:............. Might:.............


[Character Equipment]

a) The Beaked Axe of Hurin (3d6) (+12,+15) (+2)
+2 strength, constitution.
Slays trolls, dragons.
*Slays* demons.
Branded with acid.
Provides resistance to acid, fire, dark.
Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.

When activated, it puts you in a berserker rage for d50+50 turns.
Takes 105 to 208 turns to recharge at your current speed.
Your chance of success is 94.1%

Combat info:
1 blow/round.
With an additional 2 strength and 0 dex you would get 2 blows
With an additional 0 strength and 5 dex you would get 2 blows
Average damage/hit: 52.9 vs. trolls, 52.9 vs. dragons, 52.9 vs.
creatures not resistant to acid, 75.3 vs. demons, and 30.4 vs.
others.

Radius 1 light.
b) a Long Bow (x3) (+7,+3)
c) a Ring of Feather Falling
Feather Falling.

d) (nothing)
e) an Amulet of Resist Lightning
Provides resistance to lightning.
Cannot be harmed by electricity.

f) The Phial of Galadriel
Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.

When activated, it lights up the surrounding area, hurting light-s
ensitive creatures.
Takes 14 to 26 turns to recharge at your current speed.
Your chance of success is 95.6%

Radius 3 light.
g) Soft Leather Armour [4,+6]
h) The Cloak 'Holcolleth' [1,+5] (+3)
+3 intelligence, wisdom, stealth, speed.
Provides resistance to acid.
Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.

When activated, it puts to sleep the monsters around you.
Takes 71 turns to recharge at your current speed.
Your chance of success is 95.6%

i) a Small Metal Shield of Resist Fire [4,+5]
Provides resistance to fire.
Cannot be harmed by fire.

j) The Metal Cap of Thengel [3,+12] (+3)
+3 wisdom, charisma.
Provides resistance to confusion.
Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.

k) (nothing)
l) a Pair of Leather Boots [2,+1]


[Character Quiver]

n) (nothing)
o) (nothing)
p) (nothing)
q) (nothing)
r) (nothing)
s) (nothing)
t) (nothing)
u) (nothing)
v) (nothing)
w) (nothing)


[Character Inventory]

a) 3 Books of Magic Spells [Magic for Beginners] {m1}
b) 2 Books of Magic Spells [Conjurings and Tricks] {m2}
c) 2 Books of Magic Spells [Incantations and Illusions]
d) 10 Potions of Cure Light Wounds

e) 6 Potions of Cure Serious Wounds

f) 16 Potions of Cure Critical Wounds

g) a Potion of Healing

h) 4 Potions of Speed
i) 5 Potions of Heroism
j) 4 Potions of Resist Poison
k) 21 Scrolls of Phase Door
l) 2 Scrolls of Treasure Detection
m) a Scroll of Identify
n) 3 Scrolls of Word of Recall
o) a Rod of Light
p) a Wand of Confuse Monster (5 charges)

q) a Wand of Sleep Monster (14 charges)

r) a Wand of Teleport Other (3 charges)

s) a Staff of Mapping (4 charges)

t) a Staff of Teleportation (7 charges)

u) The Dagger 'Nimthanc' (2d4) (+9,+12) [+10]
Branded with frost.
Provides resistance to cold.
Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.

When aimed, it creates a frost bolt with damage 6d8.
Takes 10 to 19 turns to recharge at your current speed.
Your chance of success is 95.9%

Combat info:
3 blows/round.
With an additional 3 strength and 0 dex you would get 4 blows
With an additional 2 strength and 3 dex you would get 4 blows
With an additional 0 strength and 5 dex you would get 4 blows
Average damage/hit: 30.5 vs. creatures not resistant to cold, and
20.3 vs. others.

v) 33 Arrows (1d4) (+1,+3)
Combat info:
Hits targets up to 120 feet away.
Average damage/hit: 25.7.
35% chance of breaking upon contact.

w) 51 Arrows (1d4) (+0,+0)
Combat info:
Hits targets up to 120 feet away.
Average damage/hit: 16.6.
35% chance of breaking upon contact.



[Home Inventory]

a) a Wand of Drain Life (0 charges)
b) a Staff of Identify (0 charges)
c) an Amulet of Resist Acid
Provides resistance to acid.
Cannot be harmed by acid.

d) 18 Arrows of Slay Demon (1d4) (+8,+5)
Slays demons.

Combat info:
Hits targets up to 120 feet away.
Average damage/hit: 95.4 vs. demons, and 31.8 vs. others.
35% chance of breaking upon contact.



================================================== ==========
CHAR.
| TURN | DEPTH |LEVEL| EVENT
================================================== ==========
1 0' 1 Began the quest to destroy Morgoth.
3913 100' 2 Reached level 2
9529 150' 3 Reached level 3
15873 200' 4 Reached level 4
23004 200' 5 Reached level 5
24368 200' 5 Killed Fang, Farmer Maggot's dog
32115 350' 6 Reached level 6
38026 350' 7 Reached level 7
50833 350' 8 Reached level 8
74246 450' 9 Reached level 9
88719 600' 10 Reached level 10
112822 750' 11 Reached level 11
140024 150' 11 Killed Grip, Farmer Maggot's dog
164468 400' 12 Reached level 12
169678 400' 12 Killed Smeagol
169743 400' 12 Found The Phial of Galadriel
187451 900' 12 Killed Brodda, the Easterling
191338 850' 13 Reached level 13
229554 950' 14 Reached level 14
239562 950' 14 Found The Dagger 'Nimthanc'
251587 950' 15 Reached level 15
256441 950' 16 Reached level 16
256960 0' 16 Killed Farmer Maggot
267699 950' 17 Reached level 17
268000 950' 17 Found The Cloak 'Holcolleth'
278261 1000' 18 Reached level 18
287032 1050' 18 Found The Beaked Axe of Hurin
292890 1150' 19 Reached level 19
294370 1150' 19 Found The Metal Cap of Thengel


[Options]

Maximize effect of race/class bonuses : yes (adult_maximize)
Randomize some of the artifacts (beta) : no (adult_randarts)
Restrict the use of stairs/recall : no (adult_ironman)
Restrict the use of stores/home : no (adult_no_stores)
Restrict creation of artifacts : no (adult_no_artifacts)
Don't stack objects on the floor : no (adult_no_stacking)
Lose artifacts when leaving level : no (adult_no_preserve)
Don't generate connected stairs : no (adult_no_stairs)
Adult: Monsters chase current location : yes (adult_ai_sound)
Adult: Monsters chase recent locations : yes (adult_ai_smell)
Adult: Monsters act smarter in groups : yes (adult_ai_packs)
Adult: Monsters learn from their mistakes : no (adult_ai_learn)
Adult: Monsters exploit players weaknesses : no (adult_ai_cheat)
Adult: Monsters behave more intelligently (broken): no (adult_ai_smart)
Score: Peek into object creation : no (score_peek)
Score: Peek into monster creation : no (score_hear)
Score: Peek into dungeon creation : no (score_room)
Score: Peek into something else : no (score_xtra)
Score: Know complete monster info : no (score_know)
Score: Allow player to avoid death : no (score_live)


P.S I'm using Nimthanc most of the time...I'd be dumb not to. Hurin is just a switch for dark hounds.

[PowerDiver]

I'm currently playing 3.1.2v2 because that is the latest version that my mac can seem to handle. It feels a bit different that 3.0.9. It feels well...easier.

It is easier. Much easier. For some reason, most people are in favor of changes that make things easier, and against changes that make things harder.

[Fendell Orcbane]

It is easier. Much easier. For some reason, most people are in favor of changes that make things easier, and against changes that make things harder.

Well I for one feel its kinda cheap to find Thengel on the floor...but on the other hand in my last game I played forever and I found ONE pair of speed boots. SO I feel like a balance is needed. Not too easy not to hard.

Having said all that I still died a bunch of times before I got this character to where he is. Angband is sort of realistic in that you only have one life. So ultimately the one time you slip up and don't correct your error will kill you. Hell you might not even get to correct your mistake.

And I have to say that I see why you are of the Dive! Dive! Dive! mentality. You just find better stuff quickly and its not that much riskier than clearing levels. I haven't even come close to clearing a single level since I started looking for stairs.

BTW what in your opinion is the best version of vanilla?

[PowerDiver]

BTW what in your opinion is the best version of vanilla?

I continues to improve overall despite getting easier, so I guess that means the latest nightly. Some day I will convince people to add some changes to make it harder, or maybe I'll have to write another patch.

I did some work on making 3.0.9 more to my liking, and DaJ took a substantial part of that work and went on with a lot of good ideas. I can't get over not being able to see monsters across a lit room, but if you can stomach that give it a try.

[Pete Mack]

There are two really big changes between 3.2.x and 3.0.9 that make the game easier:
* Better standard low-level artifacts. This means any artifact you find is likely to be useful, so you get a decent kit much easier.
* Healing proportional to wounds. This turns !CCW (and *CLW) into genuine healing spells that you can use for long-running fights vs powerful groups of monsters.

In comparison, removal of *ID* is just a lagniappe. It makes ironman significantly easier, but for regular play it just removes a whole lot of tedium.

[PowerDiver]

There are two really big changes between 3.2.x and 3.0.9 that make the game easier:
* Better standard low-level artifacts. This means any artifact you find is likely to be useful, so you get a decent kit much easier.
* Healing proportional to wounds. This turns !CCW (and *CLW) into genuine healing spells that you can use for long-running fights vs powerful groups of monsters.

In comparison, removal of *ID* is just a lagniappe. It makes ironman significantly easier, but for regular play it just removes a whole lot of tedium.

The quiver and CLW are even more significant boosts, except for warriors who don't get the cheap spell and also do enough damage in melee not to rely on launchers.

[Fendell Orcbane]

There are two really big changes between 3.2.x and 3.0.9 that make the game easier:
* Better standard low-level artifacts. This means any artifact you find is likely to be useful, so you get a decent kit much easier.
* Healing proportional to wounds. This turns !CCW (and *CLW) into genuine healing spells that you can use for long-running fights vs powerful groups of monsters.

In comparison, removal of *ID* is just a lagniappe. It makes ironman significantly easier, but for regular play it just removes a whole lot of tedium.

I guess I'm a better player from having dealt with 3.0.9 Honestly the only reason that I play 3.1.2 now is that you know how much damage weapons do and its more descriptive. Although I'm going to reserve my opinion until I finish the game.

[Fendell Orcbane]

The quiver and CLW are even more significant boosts, except for warriors who don't get the cheap spell and also do enough damage in melee not to rely on launchers.

The quiver is pretty nice... again I remember having to throw away a lot of ammo.

[LostTemplar]

Well, if you think the game is too easy (and it is indeed), play ironman.

[fizzix]

I *don't* think the game is easier. I just think it takes less time to complete. The change of CLW, CSW and CCW is a welcome change, although CLW can be toned down some. Scumming for healing potions is not fun and not necessarily *harder* just more boring.

Now there are two effects that make the game easier that I think are broken. Missile damage is overpowered, especially with extra shots. The quiver protects arrows from acid and fire. The second one is clearly a bug, but one that does make the game easier, and removes decision making.

That being said, if you find the game too easy, you aren't going down fast enough. I think, only Eddie can argue that the game is too easy, because I can't imagine him diving any faster than he currently is.

[Matthias]

That being said, if you find the game too easy, you aren't going down fast enough.

This would imply that the game gets harder by diving, which it doesn't

[fizzix]

overall difficulty? no. But it certainly is harder in an average-value difficulty.

In my mind it's the difference of making 10000 decisions that you only have 1 in 10000 chance of screwing up and making 100 decisions that you have a 1 in 100 chance of screwing up. Both have the same overall difficulty (about 36.7% of not screwing up over all decisions) but the individual decisions in the second case are harder.

Does that make any sense?

[bron]

One of the changes that I think made the game easier is that object generation has been changed so that the "level" of an object dropped by killing a monster is now max(dungeon level, monster level) whereas before is was ((dungeon level + monster level) / 2). This means that you no longer have to fight tough monsters to get good drops, instead you kill weak monsters at deep levels. It also means that the deep items/artifacts appear more often (since more deep objects are being generated in the first place).

[Fendell Orcbane]

One of the changes that I think made the game easier is that object generation has been changed so that the "level" of an object dropped by killing a monster is now max(dungeon level, monster level) whereas before is was ((dungeon level + monster level) / 2). This means that you no longer have to fight tough monsters to get good drops, instead you kill weak monsters at deep levels. It also means that the deep items/artifacts appear more often (since more deep objects are being generated in the first place).

See and that sounds kinda lame right? But in 3.0.9 I was busting my butt attacking Greater Balrogs and Great Wyrms for little reward most of the time. Hell most of the uniques would drop useless stuff. So I like having the chance to get some return for my effort. But I'm not that deep yet.

[Ycombinator]

But in 3.0.9 I was busting my butt attacking Greater Balrogs and Great Wyrms for little reward most of the time. Hell most of the uniques would drop useless stuff.

This is still true in 3.1.2. And I think you can't expect it to change: if you're that deep, your gear is already very good and only exceptional items can improve it.

Another thing that made low levels easier in 3.1.2 compared to 3.0.9 is that not all items with negative bonuses are cursed now. This makes ID by use much easier.