3.1.0: Is it me?

[Big Al]

Maybe not an ideal framework for V (or at least not as the sole framework for V), but this could be the strong foundation for an excellent new variant.. "Angband Arena"... or something.

Called Nethack?

[Nick]

AngNetBandHack MegaArena 2000!

[Donald Jonker]

Called Nethack?

*shudders* I resent that!

No really, I think there are possibilities here other than a sort of Nethackish extinctionist conduct, where the constitutions of the non-persistent dungeons are in flux with direct dependence on how the player strategizes. In Nethack, once you clear an area, it basically remains clear (with a small amount of random respawning) for the rest of the game. In Angband Arena, it gets repopulated by those things you haven't yet killed.

[tigpup]

One thing that often puzzles me about Angband is that there are no random monsters.

One reason that diving works is that with (player) memory, it becomes easy to pick your battles, and (effectively) monster-scum the whole dungeon.

Introduce random monsters, and some of that goes away. That may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you decide to play.

Scrolls, potions, rings and-the-like are un-id'ed at birth, with player-memory, monsters are not. I advocate for having (at least some) monsters be random. Either from one game to the next, or from one monster manifestation to the next

What would you do if you saw a Purple Dragon?

-Neil

[pav]

What would you do if you saw a Purple Dragon?

Take a picture of it!

[Jungle_Boy]

What would you do if you saw a Purple Dragon?

-Neil

Attack it and see what happened.

[tigpup]

Attack it and see what happened.

YAY, a bold player - so might I. Or I might use a 'whatever' of probing (usually junk for experienced players).

Either way - the point is remove the unknown as much as possible.

But without that unknown existing, I might be tempted just to kill the same old stuff. Yet Another Boring Win.

-Neil

[Donald Jonker]

What would you do if you saw a Purple Dragon?

-Neil

First I'd check my monster memory, failing that I'd look for a spoiler. If that didn't pan out I'd ask on the forums. If in 24 hours I didn't get a reply,I'd charge on and get devastated by Barney's hyper-powerful rainbow breath.

[tigpup]

First I'd check my monster memory, failing that I'd look for a spoiler. If that didn't pan out I'd ask on the forums. If in 24 hours I didn't get a reply,I'd charge on and get devastated by Barney's hyper-powerful rainbow breath.

lol

Point is - there would be no monster-memory, spoilers or asking anywhere. Just like randarts.

> You attack the purple dragon
> The purple dragon sings a children's song at you (x4)
> You are confused
> The purple dragon smiles at you and asks for a hug
> Do you really want to comitt suicide (y/n)

-Neil

[Donald Jonker]

Point is - there would be no monster-memory, spoilers or asking anywhere. Just like randarts.

> You attack the purple dragon
> The purple dragon sings a children's song at you (x4)
> You are confused
> The purple dragon smiles at you and asks for a hug
> Do you really want to comitt suicide (y/n)

damn, how i love angband humor.

back on topic: Mangojuice has worked out random uniques for Z+ in the current version 032 (uniques with a monster base type but with random powers and attributes). Which is pretty interesting. They have a way of beating the living hell from you, though.

ISTR a variant called randomband having completely random monsters each time you loaded a new game.

[tigpup]

damn, how i love angband humor.

back on topic: Mangojuice has worked out random uniques for Z+ in the current version 032 (uniques with a monster base type but with random powers and attributes). Which is pretty interesting. They have a way of beating the living hell from you, though.

ISTR a variant called randomband having completely random monsters each time you loaded a new game.

Another example: NPP player ghosts.

You meet a former character (or Angband RL celebrity) in undead form. Dangerous, but deeper ones drop multiple themed chests.

> Alex Cutler the Nether Wraith hits you (x5)

(and that's not a made-up one)

-Neil