Next competition

[Nick]

I suggest Human Spellsword.

I think it would be most fun if everybody rolled their own characters.

High STR for a two-handed sword and charge attacks? Or DEX 14 for three blows with a Broad Sword?

Or maybe you should instead try a spellcasting/wand blasting build with high Memory and Presence? With only 11 STR and 9 DEX you get two blows with a Long Sword, which is not half bad...

That's a good idea. I almost feel as if someone has suggested it to me before, perhaps in a PM

[buzzkill]

That's a good idea. I almost feel as if someone has suggested it to me before, perhaps in a PM

To create a better basis for a competition (rather than roll your own), how about supplying three different characters, roughly as outlined by Mikko, with three different names. We can them just jam them all into the same comp ladder.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

To create a better basis for a competition (rather than roll your own), how about supplying three different characters, roughly as outlined by Mikko, with three different names. We can them just jam them all into the same comp ladder.

Why would that be preferable to rolling your own? All character have exactly 66 points in stats anyway.

[buzzkill]

Why would that be preferable to rolling your own? All character have exactly 66 points in stats anyway.

Because I have no interest in character creation being part of the comp (and it traditionally isn't). If an advantage is to be gained at character creation, I'm going to miss out, because I'm just not at all into allocating stats and/or re-rolling.

I also get annoyed when characters start in town and I have to shop them before entering the dungeon, so maybe it's just me.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Okay. Me, I like rolling characters and killing town people. I don't think the advantages in stat allocation are huge.

Let's have a quick vote. My vote doesn't count, because I'm not planning to play in the comp myself. Roll your own, or three pre-generated characters to choose from?

If more people like pre-generated characters that have already cleared the town and bought equipment, I'll send them to Nick tomorrow after announcing the bugfix release. Ties are resolved by a coin flip.

[Scatha]

I don't know if I'll play in the competition, but I wanted to mention a reason to have three or even just one pre-generated character: unless, you've changed it, I think different characters with the same stats will get different numbers of hitpoints on levelling, but with the same savefile you'll get the same numbers.

I admit I've never understood the attraction of this mechanic. It seems like a substantial component of character power level is fixed at the start but also opaque to the player until they have used the savefile.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Thanks for this insight! Eytan had added an option for "generate hitpoints randomly". I'll switch it permanently off in tomorrow's bugfix release. I don't like it either.

[ewan]

I'd rather do my own shopping, not a big deal but a preference; but I definitely would want a pre-rolled char w/ savefile for a comp.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I just sent Nick three Human Spellsword savefiles. All the dangerous town people are still alive, and the player gets to do some shopping with 50 gp.

[Nick]

Received; new comp should be up on the weekend. So still time for a new Sil winner

[Nick]

Current plan for upcoming competitions is

1. FAangband 1.3.1 (probably Easterling or Dark-Elf Ranger, opinions welcome) followed by
2. NPPAngband 0.6.0 (just in time for Christmas, and I think Jeff has presents).

[Seany C]

Current plan for upcoming competitions is[LIST=1][*]FAangband 1.3.1 (probably Easterling or Dark-Elf Ranger, opinions welcome)

I'd be more tempted by the former, I think - Easterling is an underplayed race (only 5 chardumps) and an Easterling Ranger is a challenge without being near-impossible (Hobbit Priest, anyone?). By contrast, a Dark-Elf Ranger just feels a bit like a vanilla assassin with better shooting than usual...

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I've an idea for a competition. Vanilla mage or ranger, with the game modified so that there's no targeting interface. You'd have to choose a direction for spells or arrows, just like in the Moria days. That might result in some interesting tactical play -- or maybe it would be just dumb.

[Nick]

Obvious choices seem to me to be

• Neoband, if it's ready
• Halls of Mist 1.3.2
• Angband 3.4.1 (with or without Mikko's dumb idea )

Any preferences, or other suggestions?

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Halls of Mist still needs some balancing. Better wait until the next version.