How to use randarts

[DaviddesJ]

I turned on randarts in my config file and I confirmed in the game that it's set. But in the dungeon I'm still finding the standard artifacts, not randomized ones. Is there a way to make sure it actually takes effect? And any way to check that I'm really going to get random artifacts in the game, other than waiting until I see my first one?

[Timo Pietilä]

I turned on randarts in my config file and I confirmed in the game that it's set. But in the dungeon I'm still finding the standard artifacts, not randomized ones. Is there a way to make sure it actually takes effect? And any way to check that I'm really going to get random artifacts in the game, other than waiting until I see my first one?

Make backup copy of your char, enter debug-mode, generate artifact spoilers. Restore backup copy.

I wonder, if you set "keep previous artifacts" does that apply if it is set when you switch from standard artifacts to randarts? Then result would be standard artifacts even with randarts checked.

[Derakon]

Just to be clear, you set the option while you were creating the character, correct? This isn't one of those options that you can change after the game has started.

[DaviddesJ]

Yes, I turned on randarts and turned off save_randarts in the config file, then I created the character, then I checked in the options screen for that character that randarts is on (and that other options are also as I set them in the config file). But I still am getting the standard artifacts once they start showing up.

I'm probably going to continue this game because it's going well, but I was looking forward to the random artifacts. And I'd like to make sure it works next time. Since it takes a while for the first artifact to show up, it's hard to know for sure if they have been randomized.

BTW I'm on a Mac and I'm editing the config file inside the .pkg for the game because I couldn't figure out how to get it to read my own config files from my user space.

[Timo Pietilä]

Yes, I turned on randarts and turned off save_randarts in the config file, then I created the character

You can change settings at any point during character creation without editing any files. Just press "=" to get to options screen.

[fph]

You can change settings at any point during character creation without editing any files. Just press "=" to get to options screen.

That's probably the issue. I guess these config files are read only once when the game loads, so changing it afterwards had no effect. "=" is the proper way to change options in-game.

[DaviddesJ]

You can change settings at any point during character creation without editing any files. Just press "=" to get to options screen.

Oh, you can change settings during character creation? I never thought to try the = key at start. Anyway, this still doesn't help or answer my question. I had randarts turned on before I ever launched the game and yet still I'm getting standard artifacts in the game itself. I wish I knew how to be sure to generate a character with random artifacts. It would be nice if there were some way from within the game to know whether the game is using random or standard artifacts, without waiting until I find the first one.

[Nick]

It would be nice if there were some way from within the game to know whether the game is using random or standard artifacts, without waiting until I find the first one.

There is. Use 'C' to go to the character screen, then 'f' to make a character dump; scroll to the bottom of the dump file, and all the options will be listed out. The one you want is birth_randarts, the first one under [Birth].

[Derakon]

Oh, you can change settings during character creation? I never thought to try the = key at start.

Thus confirming my long-held suspicion that the birth options ought to be one of the pages shown to the user during character creation.

[Timo Pietilä]

Thus confirming my long-held suspicion that the birth options ought to be one of the pages shown to the user during character creation.

I concur. I always wondered why this is not the case, and thought that no-one simply had time to fix that minor issue. It seems obvious to me that they should be shown during char creation.

[DaviddesJ]

I concur. I always wondered why this is not the case, and thought that no-one simply had time to fix that minor issue. It seems obvious to me that they should be shown during char creation.

Great, but I did set the birth options before character creation to specify randarts and I still got the original artifacts. Any suggestions on how to deal with that? I'm not complaining, just looking for ideas.

[Derakon]

If the option is set prior to birth and you're still getting standarts, then something's gone wrong. Dunno how to help you there; sounds like a bug.

[Timo Pietilä]

Great, but I did set the birth options before character creation to specify randarts and I still got the original artifacts. Any suggestions on how to deal with that? I'm not complaining, just looking for ideas.

I think those options are stored in the savegame, so if you used old savegame it doesn't matter if you set it in config-file.

Your only option I see is to quit and start a new char with setting set during char creation.

[Pete Mack]

I concur. I always wondered why this is not the case, and thought that no-one simply had time to fix that minor issue. It seems obvious to me that they should be shown during char creation.

Yep. V needs to steal this feature from NPP.

[Timo Pietilä]

If the option is set prior to birth and you're still getting standarts, then something's gone wrong. Dunno how to help you there; sounds like a bug.

Just tested, setting those options in pref-file in Win7 angband 3.4.1 works for [whateveryourcharnameis].prf -file saved in \lib\user (as long as you start new char of that name with that in there)

Setting for randart is Y:birth_randarts

If it doesn't work on Mac, then there is bug in mac port of the game.