3.1.1 r1229: Ugly walls and floor

[perost]

So, after killing my latest character I thought I'd try the latest SVN, since it seemed to have some interesting new features. However, when starting on my new character I immediately noticed that the walls where solid blocks instead of #, and that the floor where made up of smaller rectangles instead of dots. I immediately started looking for some option to turn it back to how it should be (replacing the holy #-symbol? Blasphemy!), and when I didn't find an option for that I started looking at the configuration files. I found a new font-gcu.prf in the lib/pref-folder that wasn't included in the 3.1.0-version, and when I removed that file the game reverted back to normal.

Is this just a bug, or are you really trying to change the way walls and floors look? In my opinion it looked rather ugly, and the extra white was much more straining for the eyes. I'm using the ncurses frontend on 64-bit linux btw.

Edit: Cool, you fixed the bug that you always have to press escape twice in the ncurses frontend. Thanks for that! Now I just have to teach myself to not double-tap escape all the time :P

[konijn_]

With regards to escape,

the OSX build does exit the shop when pressing escape and I cant quit the game in a normal fashion, needing a Force Quit at that point.

I assume this is related ?

T.

[Pete Mack]

Try a complete rebuild. I was having really weird OSX problems when I synced to the latest rev. A clean build fixed it.

[Magnate]

So, after killing my latest character I thought I'd try the latest SVN, since it seemed to have some interesting new features. However, when starting on my new character I immediately noticed that the walls where solid blocks instead of #, and that the floor where made up of smaller rectangles instead of dots. I immediately started looking for some option to turn it back to how it should be (replacing the holy #-symbol? Blasphemy!), and when I didn't find an option for that I started looking at the configuration files. I found a new font-gcu.prf in the lib/pref-folder that wasn't included in the 3.1.0-version, and when I removed that file the game reverted back to normal.

Is this just a bug, or are you really trying to change the way walls and floors look? In my opinion it looked rather ugly, and the extra white was much more straining for the eyes. I'm using the ncurses frontend on 64-bit linux btw.

I also use the ncurses frontend on Linux, and I cannot see how anyone can prefer #s to solid blocks, and I'm really glad that solid blocks are the default.

If you don't like them, go to the options and "interact with visuals" and "change feature attr/chars". You can change all the wall symbols back to #s, and change the colours at the same time if you like, and then dump the whole lot to user.prf so that your changes will get loaded every time you start the game.

You can change the open floor character in the same way.

Best,

CC

[bebo]

i must admit that i'm also partial to #'s , don't know why , they just feel more "right" to me for whatever reason

[Pete Mack]

I agree that '#' is better than a solid white block. But CC has it right--it is really easy to change. Go into "knowledge menu" with '~', and select (e) features. Then select the wall symbols and change them using the 'v' command.

In particular, you can change the color of permawalls to tan or grey.

[Atarlost]

I agree that '#' is better than a solid white block. But CC has it right--it is really easy to change. Go into "knowledge menu" with '~', and select (e) features. Then select the wall symbols and change them using the 'v' command.

In particular, you can change the color of permawalls to tan or grey.

I hate them.

'#' are a symbol designed to fit in with other text. The solid blocks aren't. It's critical to be able to tell background from text in Angband because text can kill you. Walls, not so much.

[konijn_]

Try a complete rebuild. I was having really weird OSX problems when I synced to the latest rev. A clean build fixed it.

I used the download, I didnt actually compile it myself.
As it stands the current angband release for OSX is not playable for me.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 , Intel.

T.

[Magnate]

I hate them.

'#' are a symbol designed to fit in with other text. The solid blocks aren't. It's critical to be able to tell background from text in Angband because text can kill you. Walls, not so much.

I'm with you, though I think this kind of depends on whether or not you played rogue and/or nethack before angband. If you did, #s would certainly feel right.

But this whole issue is a pale shadow of the ACSII vs tiles debate anyway. ASCII lovers unite!

CC

[Lebannen]

I used the download, I didnt actually compile it myself.
As it stands the current angband release for OSX is not playable for me.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 , Intel.

T.

Uh-oh

Is this with the downloads from http://beent.je/macangbandnightly/ ? They do a clean build every time, so there shouldn't be any partial build issues. I've tried r1225 and r1229 and neither has an escape key issue for me.

A few questions:
- Does the escape key work anywhere else - inventory/equipment/other menus?
- What's your keyboard layout - laptop? Desktop - Apple/third-party?
- What input language are you using?

I'll see if I can replicate with those details.

[perost]

I'm with you, though I think this kind of depends on whether or not you played rogue and/or nethack before angband. If you did, #s would certainly feel right.

But this whole issue is a pale shadow of the ACSII vs tiles debate anyway. ASCII lovers unite!

CC

I was a nethack-player before I discovered Angband, so you might be on to something there. Solid blocks for walls just feels wrong to me. Oh well, I guess I have to see if I can do something with knowledge menu the next time I update. Setting things in the knowledge menu is permanent, right?

And yeah, ASCII is the one true way of playing rogue-likes. Graphical tiles are only supporting wheels for your imagination

[Magnate]

I was a nethack-player before I discovered Angband, so you might be on to something there. Solid blocks for walls just feels wrong to me. Oh well, I guess I have to see if I can do something with knowledge menu the next time I update. Setting things in the knowledge menu is permanent, right?

Not sure. To be on the safe side, go to Options, "interact with visuals", then "dump feature attr/chars" - save them in user.prf (once you're happy with them) and they should get loaded every game.

CC

[buzzkill]

And yeah, ASCII is the one true way of playing rogue-likes. Graphical tiles are only supporting wheels for your imagination

That must be why television never really caught on. Who need pictures when you have a radio signal and the power of.... ahhh-magination!