Object generation in 3.1.2

[PowerWyrm]

Seems to me that object generation in 3.1.2 has gone totally crazy...
Looking at the code (apply_magic), a character has now 100% chance of generating a "good" item and 40% chance of generating a "great" item at 1600ft (this becomes 50% at 2000ft and maxes out after that). Maybe this is ok when diving (well if you consider finding 10 egos items at 1600ft on each "feeling a little lucky" level reasonable that is...), but in shops it has become totally overpowered.
Let's see how object level is calculated for objects sold in regular shops... Items generated in shops have a minimum level of 1 and a maximum level of 5 if character max depth is lower than 20 and max_depth - 15 if character max depth is higher than 20 (with a limit of 70). Characters diving at 2350ft will generate items up to a level of 32, giving the same result as objects generated at 1600ft...
Last time I checked in the armoury with a character diving at 2350ft, there were the following items:
- one +0 regular item
- seven "good" items
- three junk ego items
- a crown of telepathy
- two pairs of speed boots (!)
Err... what's the point of having a black market now???

[fizzix]

Err... what's the point of having a black market now???

for stat potions?

And they're still too damn rare in the dungeon.

[PowerDiver]

Seems to me that object generation in 3.1.2 has gone totally crazy...

Err... what's the point of having a black market now???

It's part of the attack on TMJ. You are supposed to be comparing to 3.0. Let me make up some numbers. If 1/5 as many wieldables are produced and 1/2 of them are egos, that compares to a 1/10 chance for generated wieldables to have been egos in 3.0. The goal was same amount of useful stuff with much of the junk never produced.

I'm not saying those numbers have anything to do with the current code, but that is how you need to make the comparison.

The black market is for flavors more than egos. In my current game my notes say

       691      0'    1   ?descent market
     70584      0'   11   =FA black market
    123834      0'   18   !INT market
    163054      0'   24   gloves power(+4) market despite mana penalty

My previous game

     45725      0'   13   -dObj market
    104549      0'   20   =reckless(+3,+4) market
    141407      0'   26   !CON market
    141407      0'   26   =dex+3 market
    169040      0'   28   =FA market
    185223      0'   29   =dam+10 market
    220534      0'   32   _destruct[2] market

Also I often get !speed or ?telLevel from the market and the occasional mushroom.

[PowerWyrm]

It's part of the attack on TMJ. You are supposed to be comparing to 3.0. Let me make up some numbers. If 1/5 as many wieldables are produced and 1/2 of them are egos, that compares to a 1/10 chance for generated wieldables to have been egos in 3.0. The goal was same amount of useful stuff with much of the junk never produced.

The only problem I see concerns shops 2 and 3. With the new system, a midlevel character will have almost any wieldable ego item available from shops 2 and 3. Rarities put on highly valuable egos (boots of speed, crowns of telepathy, ...) only increase the time you need to scum those shops, but you will eventually find such items in shops... and faster than you think. Of course, you will still need to dive to get the cash for those items

[Nemesis]

The only problem I see concerns shops 2 and 3. With the new system, a midlevel character will have almost any wieldable ego item available from shops 2 and 3. Rarities put on highly valuable egos (boots of speed, crowns of telepathy, ...) only increase the time you need to scum those shops, but you will eventually find such items in shops... and faster than you think. Of course, you will still need to dive to get the cash for those items

Well, as you say yourself, diving deep that early in the game and having to collect money at those depths comes with its fair share of risks. I think you deserve to be offered nice goods for doing so. While I think playing safe and slow always should be an option in non-Iron Man Angband (that's what differs the game from Rogue and non-Mummy Crawl), those taking risks should be rewarded with faster progress.