Identification Reform

[PowerDiver]

This is an interesting thought, but I think adequate squelch control would more than emulate this behavior.

</PowerDiver>

I'm waiting for 10 consecutive days to go by without a bug report on bitflags, and then I'll start on real squelch. I think I've figured out how to make it usable without assuming edit file spoilerage, though I haven't settled on a UI yet. The key is to be able to, e.g., mark slow descent on boots as equivalent to a curse. Life would be so much easier if we assumed the players had access to all of the rules ...

[Napsterbater]

How about a "wield everything" mode like auto-pickup that, when set, effectively has your character pick up and wield everything, then puts it back down. If you happen to walk over a cursed item, it gets stuck in your equipment and the item it would replace goes into your inventory. You could inscribe certain pieces of armor/rings/weapon that you don't want to be involved in this.

You could also have a "auto-id" mode that would, when walking over an item, immediately either cast the ID spell or use the properly inscribed item. This, I imagine would be trickier, involving an easily accessed menu or such so you can control which classes of items to auto-id.

[Derakon]

Equipping items and casting spells are both things that should not be done automatically. The former leaves you at risk of not having your expected gear loadout, and the latter costs mana that you may desperately need. They both also take time.

I don't really understand why characteristics that you can identify when you equip an item can't be identified when you pick up the item.

[Napsterbater]

Equipping items and casting spells are both things that should not be done automatically. The former leaves you at risk of not having your expected gear loadout, and the latter costs mana that you may desperately need. They both also take time.

I don't really understand why characteristics that you can identify when you equip an item can't be identified when you pick up the item.

Because of curses. I'm not saying that you should equip the item and leave it equipped. I'm talking about simplifying the process of:

"Prodo the Burgler managed to clear the vault through an inspired combination of magic, trickery and, when necessary. brute force. As he goes through the piles of treasure, he sheathes his sword and picks up every weapon and takes a few swings with it to test it's dweomer. He wasn't too concerned about curses as he had dutifully packed several magical scrolls against such foul magics. He tried on a number of caps and helms, flung cloaks round his shoulders, and even, after thoroughly checking the area, removed his mail shirt to examine a few suits of armor."

If you're worried about the brief time you're without your protections, you shouldn't be in the auto-try mode.

[Rizwan]

This is an interesting thought, but I think adequate squelch control would more than emulate this behavior.

</PowerDiver>

Hmm but wouldn't squelch work after it is id'd? If the item is not generated it would not need to be id'd and it would not need to be squelched?

[Magnate]

Um, the ID-by-use code was developed by Eddie on the principle of a "free wield" for each item found - so what you propose is already built into the system. I think.

[PowerDiver]

Um, the ID-by-use code was developed by Eddie on the principle of a "free wield" for each item found - so what you propose is already built into the system. I think.

I can build it however I like, but I don't get the final say. That's probably a good thing.

I originally coded assuming a free wield once you knew that the object was not cursed, but that didn't make it in. The current lack of a free wield should be evident by the fact that things pseudo as {ego} and then have to be wielded to differentiate {excellent} vs {splendid}.