Town layout

[awldune]

Then use the competition approach: create the character and backup the savefile on turn 1. Then every time you die, the stores are in the same place. The only drawback is that the flavours/randarts don't change.

What I have done in the past is actually to tweak the code that generates the town. It's a pretty simple fix, at least the "doors facing the street" part.

I had wondered whether this was an improvement that would make the game better for everyone, but that does not seem to be the consensus. Which is fine.

[Philip]

After reviewing the excellent feedback provided by other members, I have made the following revisions:

#############
#############
##.........##    <--- Townspeople only spawn here
######:######    <--- Rubble prevents unnecessary disturbance
####.....####
####.623.####
####.1>4.####    <--- Ergonomically placed store entrances
####.785.####
####.....####    <--- Item spill-over area
#############
#############

I would like to thank Nick, PowerDiver, and HallucinationMushroom, who have helped make our dream become a reality.

Please do this.

[Atarlost]

If we remap the 5 store to 9 we can set them up to match the 10 key:

#############
#############
##.........##    <--- Townspeople only spawn here
######:######    <--- Rubble prevents unnecessary disturbance
####.....####
####.789.####
####.4>6.####    <--- Ergonomically placed store entrances
####.123.####
####.....####    <--- Item spill-over area
#############
#############

[Taha]

Is there any chance the whole generate stairs in the middle, have store entrances out front will be added sometime soon? Or does someone have an easy patch, I don't normally compile myself but might try it for this.

I know "adding it as an option" is frowned upon, but having some way to force it would be nice. until we get a consensus on love it or hate it. Hate starting the new character and finding the stairs on the back end of town and the shops in terrible places. Sometimes I just start over.

And I like MD's version, even though it would change the town's flavor.
________
College Girls live

[Derakon]

The town generation code is in generate.c starting from town_gen_hack(). It "tries" to place the store entrances towards the middle of the town, but does not enforce it; "annoying" doors are simply rerolled once. It would be fairly trivial to simply pick the entrance based on the location of the store. Similarly, the staircase location is randomly-selected, with the only constraint being that it must be 3 tiles from the edge and not placed inside a store. It could trivially be forced to the central portion of the town.

[Bandobras]

If we want a fixed town, TOME 2 has a pretty standard one that would fit nicely. As for me, I don't mind random town, but because of muscle memory I'd prefer doors on the same side. Also, it would be nice if the doors were all on the same 2 lines, so that I could run to all shops and I'd always be disturbed by the next door in line. Then the muscle memory is not so bad, assuming I want to visit all shops after each trip down.

[fph]

While we're reworking the town, I personally do not like the fact that Farmer Maggot is now a big 'get one good item free' ticket. If the guy is there just for flavor, have him drop nothing. If people really care about its drop, then make it less of a joke in combat.
(ok, I agree, it's another really minor nitpick).

[Derakon]

While we're reworking the town, I personally do not like the fact that Farmer Maggot is now a big 'get one good item free' ticket.

This has been true for all of Angband's history; it's nothing new. Personally I don't have a problem with it, but you obviously feel differently.

[nullfame]

Meh. He's not so common. If I start in town with Maggot it is a big win. If he is there the first time I recall I kill him. If I haven't killed him by about dl20 he isn't worth the hassle, unless he is in the way and bothering me.