[3.30] good work

[Tibarius]

Good job everyone, who has contributed to this new version!

Cool improvements i noticed:
- stat modifier have <> brackets
- the extra race/class information in the birth process
- the [U] marker for uniques in the monster list
- enchant scrolls no longer available in stores, makes low-level rangers interesting again
- the target selection marker

A few questions tho:
- what are randarts? (randomized artefacts?)
- there is no help file for the character display screen, i think after pressing ? there could be a file that covers this section. (explaining the different damage types and how resistance and protection works, explaining the abreviations used there, what the device skill shows and some other stuff) [i would be willing to write such a file, if anyone wants one give me a wink]
- the windows main window says under help "Use the online help files instead". Which files are the online help files, the ones available in game via '?', or some others on the net?
- What was the intention for introducing labyrinth levels? I have encountered a handfull now and for me they feel somewhat out-of-place. They differ rather much from the standard dungeon style. Do they serve a certain goal or are they just good to see if the borg AI can find a way through them?

Cheers,
Tibarius

[Derakon]

Randarts are randomized artifacts, yes. Each of the standard artifacts has a computed power level based on its abilities, base item, and native depth, and a randomized artifact is calculated that aims to have approximately that power level. With the exception of jewelry and light sources, there's no restriction on item type, so e.g. the randart based on Ringil could be a shield or a Mace of Disruption instead of a longsword.

If you turn on randarts, then the only standard artifacts you get are the One Ring, Grond, and Morgoth's Iron Crown.

[fizzix]

If you turn on randarts, then the only standard artifacts you get are the One Ring, Grond, and Morgoth's Iron Crown.

Optimistic, are we?

[Magnate]

- there is no help file for the character display screen, i think after pressing ? there could be a file that covers this section. (explaining the different damage types and how resistance and protection works, explaining the abreviations used there, what the device skill shows and some other stuff) [i would be willing to write such a file, if anyone wants one give me a wink]

It would be really helpful if you were to write such a file. Just write it in plain text - have a look at the other text files in lib/help for an idea of layout (it's better if you use an editor that breaks lines properly instead of trying to be clever, but it's not critical). If you post it here for comments it's then easy for us to incorporate it into 3.4's development.

- the windows main window says under help "Use the online help files instead". Which files are the online help files, the ones available in game via '?', or some others on the net?

The ones available via '?' (don't forget that Angband pre-dates the www, so the use of 'online' is the old-fashioned one). This ought to be updated to point to the user manual at rephial.org as well though.

- What was the intention for introducing labyrinth levels? I have encountered a handfull now and for me they feel somewhat out-of-place. They differ rather much from the standard dungeon style. Do they serve a certain goal or are they just good to see if the borg AI can find a way through them?

The goal was to increase the variety of levels - labyrinths are not the only new type of level you'll find ...

Thanks for the feedback.

[Tibarius]

new help file for character description

I have attached a new help file for the character description modes. Feedback is welcomed as are Flames

The following questions are still open:
1. What is the difference between GameTurns and StandardTurns?
2. The player compact mode in a subwindow has a different order by class and title than in the main window. Feature?
3. How is a player suposed to find out the rod/stave/wand powerlevel to determine a possible power boost? (I would like if the inspect command would deliver the base damage of the item as well as the current with the actual character's device skill value.)
4. What is changing the name good for?
5. Should the status line abreviations should be included into this file? (Would make sense, since very close to the topics discussed under extra description.)
6. What is the secondary effect of chaos attacks? (I think i polymorphed some monsters, but can that also happen to the player?)
7. What effect gives 'Might'?
8. What is the difference between rFear and Fear?

Cheers,
Tibarius

[Derakon]

1) Game turns are simulation steps, during which each entity in the game is allocated energy. Standard turns are player actions, which happen whenever the player has at least 100 energy. At normal speed, there are 10 game turns to each standard turn.

3) Currently the only way to access object level is to look in object.txt. I would also like this to change. The simplest way would be to add a line to the 'I'nspection page saying "You have a damage multiplier of X with this item" for damage-dealing devices, since right now the damage numbers in each item's description are hard-coded.

4) Don't think I understand this question.

6) Chaos attacks can polymorph or confuse monsters. They can cause the player to hallucinate, become confused, and/or lose experience.

7) I suspect this is extra shot power, e.g. boosting a longbow from x3 to x4.

8) rFear (should really be pFear) is protection from the Afraid status ailment. Fear is permanent terror, as gotten from wearing a Ring of Escaping, and overrides rFear.

[Tibarius]

question nr 4

Thanks for the input Derakon, i will not update the file tonight anymore but tomorrow.

Question nr. 4 was about the sense of being able to change the characters name at the description command screen (available options: change name, char to file, toggle mode between basic and extra description, back to game).

Now that i know the difference between GameTurns and StandardTurns i wonder if the information about the number of standard turns would not be sufficient?

[Tiburon Silverflame]

On 7), yes, that's what it is. Got a light xbow of extra might, and Might is highlighted in column b, the bow slot.

On 4) I think he means the ['c' to change name,] option on the first character screen. Far as I can tell, it has no impact.

[Nomad]

Question nr. 4 was about the sense of being able to change the characters name at the description command screen (change name, to file, change mode, ESC).

It changes the character's name within the game, i.e. the one that will be shown on the high scores list, but doesn't affect the file name of the save game file. I guess it's mostly useful for flavour/role-playing purposes if you want to give your character a new nickname like 'Lucky' or 'Dragonslayer' based on something that happened during the game. Or if you started a new game from a save file and forgot to rename your guy from Frodo to Frodo II when you started.

[Nick]

It changes the character's name within the game, i.e. the one that will be shown on the high scores list, but doesn't affect the file name of the save game file. I guess it's mostly useful for flavour/role-playing purposes if you want to give your character a new nickname like 'Lucky' or 'Dragonslayer' based on something that happened during the game. Or if you started a new game from a save file and forgot to rename your guy from Frodo to Frodo II when you started.

It's really important for the competition, where everyone starts with the same savefile and you need to change name to avoid new characters overwriting your old ones on the ladder.

[Tibarius]

updated help for description

Thank you all for the swift and constructive input.

Updated help file is attached ...

Cheers,
Tibarius

[Tibarius]

pFear and Fear

Originally posted by Derakon
rFear (should really be pFear) is protection from the Afraid status ailment. Fear is permanent terror, as gotten from wearing a Ring of Escaping, and overrides rFear.

Using identical names is unlucky. Maybe leave pFear as is and call the other effect/status 'Panic' (Terror has six chars and therefore one too much).

[Tobias]

It's really important for the competition, where everyone starts with the same savefile and you need to change name to avoid new characters overwriting your old ones on the ladder.

It is also important on home based (unixlike) installs. There you only have one save file for all characters. So it is the only way to change your characters name.

[Nomad]

Using identical names is unlucky. Maybe leave pFear as is and call the other effect/status 'Panic' (Terror has six chars and therefore one too much).

I like this idea. Not least because the fact that Fear and ESP are too short compared to all the other five letter names really bugs me.

[Magnate]

Now that i know the difference between GameTurns and StandardTurns i wonder if the information about the number of standard turns would not be sufficient?

Eventually, yes - but there's still a very widely-held vocabulary about game length which uses game turns - "a sub-1M turn win", "500k turns" etc. Game turns have been unchanged since the game was created - Standard Turns are a much newer concept, designed to assist with competitive play. So I think they both need to stay in for the moment. (Ironically neither is actually the number of turns a player takes during the game, and it's quite difficult to explain why not, but it's all to do with +speed items.)

Many thanks for doing this so quickly - it's excellent. I'll make sure it gets into the first 3.4 dev version.