Word of Destruction ideas

[buzzkill]

It doesn't matter if WoD is an escape or not; it doesn't matter if it can be "abused" or not; it doesn't even matter if its effect is epic or not, because that gets lost in repetition. What matters is if it leads to good game play.

"Good game play" is in the eye of the beholder. Just ask DOS350. IMO, if there's an element of that can be readily abused and said abuse unbalances the game, then tweaking that element is in the interest of good game play. Angband has a ton of these abusable mechanics, but that's not a reason not to fix just one, or fix just one at a time. It's not that destruction too "epic" in it's own right, it's just too much of a "no-brainier (repeat)", which leads to the sub-optimal policy of self-policing or just plain old boring choices.

I'm by no means an authority. I seldom reach a point where the benefits destruction outshine the less destructive nature of Teleport Other (which I have a tendency to use more than I'd like). Greater vaults and endgame uniques are things I read about more often than I encounter.

[Estie]

"Good game play" is in the eye of the beholder. Just ask DOS350. IMO, if there's an element of that can be readily abused and said abuse unbalances the game, then tweaking that element is in the interest of good game play. Angband has a ton of these abusable mechanics, but that's not a reason not to fix just one, or fix just one at a time. It's not that destruction too "epic" in it's own right, it's just too much of a "no-brainier (repeat)", which leads to the sub-optimal policy of self-policing or just plain old boring choices.

I'm by no means an authority. I seldom reach a point where the benefits destruction outshine the less destructive nature of Teleport Other (which I have a tendency to use more than I'd like). Greater vaults and endgame uniques are things I read about more often than I encounter.

Yes naturally "good" gameplay is a matter of preference; however, I am not worried if someone elses preferances are the standard as I trust the overlap to be big enough. Theres more than one way to make a good angband game.

The same is true for "abuse" btw; one persons abuse might well be anothers delightful use. You mentioned DOS350.

What inspired my original post was reading over a remark by Derakon where he lists luring out monsters and destructing them as one of the unwanted uses of WoD. Of course, thats too easy, you dont have to fight the monsters for the treasures, cheese.
Then it struck me that the few cases where I had done that myself had actually been more memorable ways of getting at the treasures than the one I routinely use, which is a mix of killing and teleporting other. And I would go so far to say that they were the best thing I have ever done with a WoD scroll or spell. Yes, if that kind of thing was done more often, then angband would be a better game (for me).

So my evaluation of WoD changed when I altered my pov: from asking "how is this abuseable" to "how does play look like if". And I maintain that the latter pov is the better one for making the good game.