Competition 123

[Atanvarno]

Here are my impressions based on a few runs with the competition character (only one of which got far). Of course the sample size is small, the character is bad, and I played very fast.

- I think I like the feel of this version. Item quality is closer to the old days. Are decent egos now too rare? I would need to play more to answer.

- I don't like radius-1 lights.

- As a general comment about the early game, I think that the character is a bit too vulnerable before getting staff of teleportation, but maybe I should just change my playing style (this is not just about this character, or just about this version).

- Stat potions seemed to be too rare. Fuzzy item detection might be one reason for that.

- I never saw scrolls of teleport level or deep descent (except possibly in the black market when I couldn't yet afford them). Also scrolls of teleportation were too rare.

- Some other consumables, like healing potions and wands of teleport other, were dropping at a reasonable rate.

- I never saw a single armour or shield of resistance (but I saw several armours of elvenkind in the deeper levels).

[Malak Darkhunter]

I'd vote for 2.4.frog-knows, but Magnate's suggestion is probably more instructive.

That would be fun but unless everybody uses doxbox, not sure if everybody could play it unless you could, and i think that would be awsome if you could compile somehow for windows.

Also for 2.4 you would have to edit the character dump to be read by the ladder,ex:
[angband 2.4 frog-knows character dump]

[fizzix]

Here are my impressions based on a few runs with the competition character (only one of which got far). Of course the sample size is small, the character is bad, and I played very fast.

- I think I like the feel of this version. Item quality is closer to the old days. Are decent egos now too rare? I would need to play more to answer.

Getting item drops closer to the old days was a goal.

- I don't like radius-1 lights.

I don't like them either. They're ok provided you aren't playing human or dunadan because of infravision. But they make those characters very tough early. Perhaps if "infra were sold in the magic shop, everything would be fine.

It's also possible that we will reverse this decision at some point.

- As a general comment about the early game, I think that the character is a bit too vulnerable before getting staff of teleportation, but maybe I should just change my playing style (this is not just about this character, or just about this version).

That's generally true. Removing needs of teleportation would require some fundamental changes (see the variant Sil for example).

- Stat potions seemed to be too rare. Fuzzy item detection might be one reason for that.

They are rarer, and fuzzy detection certainly doesn't help. There's certainly some improvements that can be done to stat gain. If you can survive to the bottom they start dropping more often.

- I never saw scrolls of teleport level or deep descent (except possibly in the black market when I couldn't yet afford them). Also scrolls of teleportation were too rare.

I tend to come across them in the dungeon. ?TL are the ultimate escape so they should be fairly rare. ?DD is a mixed-blessing item since it now drops you 5 levels after a delay. I'd be ok with selling ?teleport in town. It's something to consider for the future.

- Some other consumables, like healing potions and wands of teleport other, were dropping at a reasonable rate.

Healing potions are indeed more common. You likely got lucky with teleport other though!

- I never saw a single armour or shield of resistance (but I saw several armours of elvenkind in the deeper levels).

Chalk that up to RNG funkiness. AFAIK there were no changes to these allocations beyond the general ego lowering.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Derakon]

I don't like them either. They're ok provided you aren't playing human or dunadan because of infravision. But they make those characters very tough early. Perhaps if "infra were sold in the magic shop, everything would be fine.

Personally I really like that you pretty much have to start with a radius-1 light. It greatly increases that claustrophobic feeling in the early game, and makes your first lantern an exciting find.

They are rarer, and fuzzy detection certainly doesn't help. There's certainly some improvements that can be done to stat gain. If you can survive to the bottom they start dropping more often.

By the time you get to the bottom, stat gain potions are glorified stat restore potions. Stat gain should be basically common by 2000'.

[Malak Darkhunter]

By the time you get to the bottom, stat gain potions are glorified stat restore potions. Stat gain should be basically common by 2000'.

Wow, now that *would* make the game easy

[Nick]

Reiterating - or 'going on about' depending - that I would *like* to have the game harder, but will not be playing 3.4 with the current uncloseable-window-clutter interface.

Is there a reason for this? I would welcome explanation - grumble grumble :-/

Reported as ticket 1664. I don't think there's a reason, aside from the cocoa port is still fairly new.

If you can compile, you should be able to compile the carbon port, which should still be functional - just

make -f Makefile.crb dist

in the src directory.

[Derakon]

Wow, now that *would* make the game easy

Well, it depends on what's meant by "common", doesn't it? I mean that you should find probably about one or two potions per level at that depth. At least, I think that's about right.

[Malak Darkhunter]

Well, it depends on what's meant by "common", doesn't it? I mean that you should find probably about one or two potions per level at that depth. At least, I think that's about right.

LOL! nice save....actualy stat potions are common to find 1 or 2 per level from DL-30 to 40, normaly unless your really lucky or unlucky.

[Malak Darkhunter]

How about a good character but no artifacts? I'm playing one now and enjoying it.

[myshkin]

Reported as ticket 1664. I don't think there's a reason, aside from the cocoa port is still fairly new.

Indeed. I will see if I can get to that next week, if no one else beats me to it. It should be a fairly straightforward fix. You can definitely close the windows from the subwindow option menu (=, w, uncheck any flags associated with that subwindow, exit menu).

[myshkin]

Sorry, I'm not sure why I made a double post.

[Nick]

Indeed. I will see if I can get to that next week, if no one else beats me to it. It should be a fairly straightforward fix. You can definitely close the windows from the subwindow option menu (=, w, uncheck any flags associated with that subwindow, exit menu).

Oh, right, missed that. ewan, take note.

[PowerWyrm]

- I don't like radius-1 lights.

This recent change is giving me headaches for my variant. Since it's a multiplayer game and you're supposed to party, the dungeon generator has been altered to generate wide-2 corridors. Having a torch equipped on two characters playing together works well, but if you decide to soloplay, exploring the dungeon becomes a real pain. For that, I've re-added lanterns in the General Store... but with the new pricing system, they cost over 600 gold a piece. I could decide to give a lantern to starting characters... but what would be the point of having torches? In the old times, every starting character would go immediately to the General Store, buy a lantern and sell the starting torches (you remember the three steps of beating the game right? 1. Go to general store 2. Buy a lantern 3. Kill Morgoth). In fact, it's probably fine as it is now... if you want a lantern, you can pay for it or simply scum 250ft for one -- they should be common at that depth.

[fizzix]

Well, it depends on what's meant by "common", doesn't it? I mean that you should find probably about one or two potions per level at that depth. At least, I think that's about right.

On the ground, or after killing all the monsters? When I get home I'll check what stats say. I wouldn't be surprised if it was around 1 after clearing a level.