Angband 4.2.4

[Nick]

Angband 4.2.4 is now available for Windows, macOS and as source. It can be downloaded from the official site.

This version contains a LOT of bug-fixing and code improvements, again mostly by backwardsEric.

There will be a 4.2.5 at some point, I should think, as there are still outstanding code improvements and minor bugs to fix; I wanted to get this out now, though, as I believe Single Combat may be finally bug-free and I really wanted that in the latest official version.

At some point we'll need to talk about what a version 4.3 would do; re-work of objects, especially ego items, is a possibility.

Summary of changes:

• use C99 types instead of the angband special types
• Single Combat maybe finally bug-free
• improvements to the birth process
• improvements to the NDS port
• many improvements to auto-building and all the front ends
• improvements to changing of background colours
• adding of a panic directory for panic saves
• new tests, and improvements to current ones
• re-organisation of effects code
• add a player argument to a lot of functions that needed it
• import a lot of historical documentation
• lots of tidying and neatening

As always, thanks to everyone who has contributed in any way to Angband development.

[swim]

Thanks Nick!

[smbhax]

Huzzah! Thanks everyone for all your contributions! : )

[Estie]

Awesome! Any game play changes ?

Edit: windows and mac links appear not to work.

[smbhax]

Awesome! Any game play changes ?

Edit: windows and mac links appear not to work.

Oop! The ones on rephial.org work at least : )

[Nick]

Awesome! Any game play changes ?

Pretty much not - a couple of minor things like quiver not counting as wielded for ID purposes.

Edit: windows and mac links appear not to work.

Fixed in the OP now. I think I grabbed them before the release was fully updated by Github.

[Estie]

Thanks Nick & Eric !

[Selkie]

Thanks to everybody involved in the development.

If single combat is finally bug free then it's a fine day.

[tom]

I think one gameplay change is that greater balrogs, Gothmog, and Lungorthin, no longer walk through walls.

[Nick]

I think one gameplay change is that greater balrogs, Gothmog, and Lungorthin, no longer walk through walls.

Yes, correct. Also some PASS_WALL monsters were made rarer.

[Pete Mack]

I thought you'd leave KILL_WALL for Gorhmog, but not the others. With all 3 swiss cheese dungeons happened too often. It should be OK with one of them.

[Egavactip]

Thank god!

[Selkie]

I'm playing a dwarf Paladin with the express intention of trying to break single combat.

I've just killed Beorn and he dropped a honey cake, which reminded me of his section in the Hobbit which I'd just read to my children. I remembered how kind he was and thought it was a real shame we have to kill him as an enemy in Angband. There are more than enough real enemies in the legendarium we could substitute him for.

And I think he's different to Farmer Maggot because he doesn't try to eat your face like Beorn does. He can chew your ear off, but is harmless.

Would anybody else like to see Beorn leave Angband in peace?

[Egavactip]

Would anybody else like to see Beorn leave Angband in peace?

Only if he takes all the trees with him. I'm so over them.

[Djabanete]

I could see replacing Beorn. The Tolkien atmosphere is not improved by having @ slay the good guys --- those who appreciate the Tolkien atmosphere can be happy with the replacement, and those who don't care, don't care.

Two like-for-like replacements could be Thrang the Ghoul-Bear (from "Mazirian the Magician" by Jack Vance) or The Erymanthian Boar (from the myth of the twelve labors of Hercules).