Level Feelings patch

[CunningGabe]

I've recently been thinking some about level feelings -- there's been some discussion here before, and some on the wiki, and I decided to seize on this little project and try to make level feelings interesting and relevant. See attached patch.

With this patch, level feelings are based entirely on the "real" value of everything on the floor. Out-of-depth monsters don't affect the feeling right now, though in the future I plan to either: a) Add a second message about how "dangerous" the level feels, b) Add a possible message if there are many monsters of one race on the floor, or c) both. Comments and suggestions about these future expansions are welcome.

As far as this patch is concerned, I'm interested in the following:
1) Is it clear which messages are better than others?
2) Is the number of different messages appropriate?
3) Are the messages themselves interesting, clear, and flavorful?
4) Are these new level feelings useful to you?

Finally, two notes. First of all, there are currently no "special" messages for when an artifact is on the dungeon level -- so if you're trying this patch, you might as well play with preserve mode on. (And on that note, _should_ there be a special message for artifacts?). Second, I added a debug mode command, ^AF, that shows you the total value of everything on the floor.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

[PaulBlay]

(And on that note, _should_ there be a special message for artifacts?).

With random artifacts being generated 'special messages' become less important, IMO. If you miss, and lose irrevocably, a certain artifact there is still the chance that you will find a random artifact that fills the gap adequately. That said I'm sure there are people who will complain bitterly if they play with preserve mode off and special messages are removed.

In conclusion I don't think it hurts anything to keep special messages in there.

[PaulBlay]

As far as this patch is concerned, I'm interested in the following:
1) Is it clear which messages are better than others?

Yes.

2) Is the number of different messages appropriate?

Maybe a couple too many?

3) Are the messages themselves interesting, clear, and flavorful?
4) Are these new level feelings useful to you?

The thing is that most of them aren't 'feelings' anymore. I don't like the ones that sound like some 'narrator' is talking to you.

[Malak Darkhunter]

Sangband already has something very similar to this- (You sense a horde of monsters)- (You sense a remarkable object). I find this type of level feelings very useful as I pretty much know right off the bat what to expect on that level. In Sang though level feelings depend on perception, the more perceptive the character is the more accurate is his level feeling.