Sil-Q final beta release before 1.5.0

[Quirk]

Sleeping slaves cannot be awoken?

That is correct.

[HugoVirtuoso]

Why can't the slaves be awoken logistically? I know they can't by design. Also Rfe: Escaped slaves? Slave revolt? Or will be too much outside scope of Sil-q?

[Quirk]

Why can't the slaves be awoken logistically? I know they can't by design. Also Rfe: Escaped slaves? Slave revolt? Or will be too much outside scope of Sil-q?

Logistically, it was easier for me to begin with sleeping slaves and alert slaves than sleeping slaves, willfully unalert slaves and alert slaves.

It's possible I may seek to do more with them in future, but the Sil codebase is very old and hard to work with, and has no support for allied NPCs at present. This would need AI written from scratch. It's not a small undertaking, and not something I am going to attempt in the coming release or probably any minor 1.5 releases.

What is more likely is that interactions will be expanded with the few alert slaves and characters such as Gelmir may be added.

[HugoVirtuoso]

Is there any LOTR-specific-thematic reason why is Song of Silence now even +2 to STR instead of its formerly +1 to DEX? I'm not even half-complaining at all about the new change. I never had a problem with its former function either. Certainly, the now +2 to STR is a definite strong incentive for me to integrate it into my end-game repertoire. I'm curious about this from a canon perspective. Or give more insight of what 'Oath of Silence' is expected to mean in terms of more STR (now) vs. more DEX (previously)? Sorry man, I know I'm picking your brain here

Brainstorming down the road: player penalties should any slave get killed? -1 or -2 immediate penalty to player IF any companion slave killed at all be it because of the enemy or carelessness of the player...to punish players who goof around. heh heh

[Quirk]

Is there any LOTR-specific-thematic reason why is Song of Silence now even +2 to STR instead of its formerly +1 to DEX? I'm not even half-complaining at all about the new change. I never had a problem with its former function either. Certainly, the now +2 to STR is a definite strong incentive for me to integrate it into my end-game repertoire. I'm curious about this from a canon perspective. Or give more insight of what 'Oath of Silence' is expected to mean in terms of more STR (now) vs. more DEX (previously)? Sorry man, I know I'm picking your brain here

Not LOTR-specific I am afraid as the trope of "strong and silent" is much older than Tolkien, and heading back to early English source material you have the example of Robin Hood, dextrous archer and quick talker and his huge silent henchman, Little John. Tolkien's own usage is for me best exemplified by the laconic Ents, most physically powerful of all his races.

Why was it not this way before? Before Silence was competing with Honour, which also has a connection to strength c.f.

My strength is as the strength of ten
Because my heart is pure

and a nimble silent figure had its own thematic might.

With regard to freeing slaves it is most likely that this would be part of a triumphant exit, bearing Silmaril. Seeing them dejected and hopeless on the way down would set up an encounter with hopeful slaves at the surface on the return; probably this would require the player to kill Carcharoth to let them escape, which could result in additional score.

[Thraalbee]

Some notes after "(Oath: Silence)" entry get the "Silence" suffix, e.g. "(Indomitable: Silence) and (Keen Senses: Silence) but (Disguise) don't.

[Quirk]

Some notes after "(Oath: Silence)" entry get the "Silence" suffix, e.g. "(Indomitable: Silence) and (Keen Senses: Silence) but (Disguise) don't.

Thanks. Tracked this down quite quickly; it's caused by choosing other abilities after you choose Oath in the ability menu. Will be fixed for release.

[HugoVirtuoso]

Is Thraalbee's bug only cosmetic or one that actually affects gameplay?

Check this from Thraalbeast

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=24621

[Quirk]

Is Thraalbee's bug only cosmetic or one that actually affects gameplay?

Check this from Thraalbeast

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=24621

Cosmetic only. The only gameplay affecting bug I know this version so far is the (fixed, pending release) Oath of Iron issues.

[Svalbardcaretaker]

Feedback on new features:

- New 2xhealing glove ego is great. I like to wear it in the early/midgame and have smithed it.

- Appreciate the new Grace enchantments (eg. on helm).

- Oath of Silence - I already took that when it only gave STR+1, I will continue to take it with STR+2

- Oath of iron - minor tests only so far due to bug. Reaaally strong early on Edain, no lategame experience yet. Will report back once the bugfix is released.

[HugoVirtuoso]

Does Fear prevent one from singing or using staves? I haven't checked for it thoroughly, but they really should.

[bron]

I've been away from sil-q for quite awhile, but recently thought I'd look in on it again. Unfortunately for Quirk, Smithing has always been one of my favorite aspects of the game, and I am disappointed by the way Smithing has been increasingly gutted in sil-q, and 1.5 continues this trend. You can't reasonably build up a set a smithing gear - no forge gloves, no forge hammers, song of Aule is long gone. Simple buffs like Lesser Jewel of Grace, gone. Spear of the Vanyar loaded down with extra buffs to make its cost unreasonable. And so on. Plus, a lot of things I'd like to smith are gone (Bow of Nargothrond, armor of Resilience). I like the removal of Artistry, but the inability to increase the evasion bonus on a weapon (short of making an artifact) is a serious minus. Bitch, bitch, bitch.

Anyway, I'm not a fan. I'll probably stick with Sil 1.3

[Quirk]

I am disappointed by the way Smithing has been increasingly gutted in sil-q, and 1.5 continues this trend.

Opinions are going to differ on this of course, and I would suggest the Smithing middle game has been made a good deal smoother. You are quite right that I have toned down the Smithing stat-boost end game, though you are the first I think I have heard complain about no longer having to spend a lot of inventory space on smithing boosters. These changes will be to some tastes and not others clearly. I have high respect for your skills and think you probably found it easier to survive the difficult section of the old Smithing runs than many.

However, just to gently push back on a couple of your assertions, Resilience is still in the game on mithril armour and Defender weapons still exist.

I would also like to ask, if you don't mind, what it is that you enjoy about Smithing so I can see if it's possible to mold it closer to something you would enjoy without compromising balance. The old Smithing was from a game design perspective somewhat problematic; players would sacrifice a great deal of convenience and endure a punishing mid-game to get to an end-game where every worn item was a ludicrously high-end artifact, making it very hard to balance the game around both smiths and non-smiths. I have made some of the flashier items such as branded weapons cheaper already, and I am open to approaches that make having one really really nice item possible, but it rather depends what part of Smithing is fun for you.

[HugoVirtuoso]

I noticed no game turns are lost when going in 'right direction' into walls while confused . In FrogComposband, "game energy" is consumed when this circumstance happens regardless if the direction is correct or not. I feel that game turns should be consumed when players go in correct direction into wall while confused. iirc, confused player going 'in wrong direction' into wall already consumed game turn.

Rfe?: Chasms should cause more player injury the more weight you carry. Controversial idea, possibly.

[Quirk]

The replaced Oath was not to attack fleeing monsters, which turned out to be a bit of a hassle as this was very easy to do. Alert monsters only is by no means a bad idea, might be a bit easier to avoid and also fits Mercy as a concept.

Brief play-testing suggests that this is not very much of a restriction at all on most non-stealthy characters, which makes it into an almost-free Grace point. I'm not sure Grace builds need the help, but I'm open to being persuaded on this.