Angband 4.0 beta release

[Ingwe Ingweron]

No to those who are calling for backward savefile compatability. This is a major new version and major code change here. It was made explicit that there would not be backward compatability, nor do I recall previous major version changes having it either. Start a new savefile. Plus, it's Beta anyway.

Nick, you're doing a great job!

[Nick]

No to those who are calling for backward savefile compatability.

I'm not sure if anyone is calling for backwards compatibility - if they are then never fear, it will be fruitless

My understanding is that the chief reason for keeping savefile compatibility is maintaining monster memory, and that has basically gone away now that monster memory is no longer in the savefile.

[wobbly]

That's been happening with C*W potions all along in 4.0, I think. I'm not sure I'd really consider it a bug - actually, I'd be in favour of having all non-obvious 'curing' potions (boldness, cure poison, restore mana) always auto-ID on quaffing rather than making it a bit of a tedious extra ID minigame where an experienced player will be almost certain what potion it is already but still have to wait for the right status ailment to prove it. It only affects a small percentage of potions, most of which are trivially cheap and plentiful in the early dungeon anyway, and I'm not sure it's adding anything to the game - the player's already taken the risk by quaffing an unidentified potion, and having to jump through extra hoops after that just seems like unnecessary faffing about.

(I'd argue the same for scrolls of Detect Invisible and Trap/Door Destruction, actually. Everybody who's played Angband for any length of time of time already knows that stack of {tried} scrolls they picked up in the early dungeon is Detect Invisible, so is there really any purpose being served by making the player go and find a Clear Icky Thing to stand next to when they read them before the ID is officially confirmed?)

I'd prefer all the basic shop consumables starting ided, so I don't have to pla the
buy 1 of each game. I noticed npp had something like this. Loved it.

[Carnivean]

I'd prefer all the basic shop consumables starting ided, so I don't have to pla the
buy 1 of each game. I noticed npp had something like this. Loved it.

Yes, this.

[takkaria]

That's been happening with C*W potions all along in 4.0, I think. I'm not sure I'd really consider it a bug - actually, I'd be in favour of having all non-obvious 'curing' potions (boldness, cure poison, restore mana) always auto-ID on quaffing rather than making it a bit of a tedious extra ID minigame where an experienced player will be almost certain what potion it is already but still have to wait for the right status ailment to prove it. It only affects a small percentage of potions, most of which are trivially cheap and plentiful in the early dungeon anyway, and I'm not sure it's adding anything to the game - the player's already taken the risk by quaffing an unidentified potion, and having to jump through extra hoops after that just seems like unnecessary faffing about.

(I'd argue the same for scrolls of Detect Invisible and Trap/Door Destruction, actually. Everybody who's played Angband for any length of time of time already knows that stack of {tried} scrolls they picked up in the early dungeon is Detect Invisible, so is there really any purpose being served by making the player go and find a Clear Icky Thing to stand next to when they read them before the ID is officially confirmed?)

Yup, totally agree with this! +1

[Nick]

Update a910411 fixes

• Automatic ID of healing potions (making it as for 3.5.1, regardless of desirability)
• Flasks of oil needing ID (the same fix made the slay obvious for Maces of Disruption )
• Temple buying sharp weapons
• Making a disarm attempt when stopping running at a trap
• {magical} items having ?s in 'C' flags screen
• Amulets of inertia having no speed penalty (this was actually fixed yesterday, but they now display and combine properly)

There's also been a fix to pack combining that may partially fix some of the silly dropping issues (but not the "take off one item, drop another" business).

Now under 50 items left on the current bug page.

[AnonymousHero]

Angband 3.x went to extraordinary lengths to preserve savefile compatibility. That explicitly went right out the window with 4.0 because the changes to the codebase are simply too huge for it to be worth the effort -- it easily could have added a month or more (in terms of hobbyist-level time commitment) just to maintain backwards compatibility.

I can see the argument for not having 4.0 trounce 3.x's settings, but 4.0 shouldn't be able to read 3.x files. On the other hand, ideally 4.7.9, if/when we get there, should ideally be able to read 4.0 files.

Obviously, but that's emphatically not what I'm asking for. I'm simply asking that 4.x use a different directory for prefs/files so that both games can be run in parallel. Given that this is probably a smale change (a #define somewhere?), I don't understand why this would be a big deal to implement. *Shrugs and wanders off*.

[Derakon]

Obviously, but that's emphatically not what I'm asking for. I'm simply asking that 4.x use a different directory for prefs/files so that both games can be run in parallel. Given that this is probably a smale change (a #define somewhere?), I don't understand why this would be a big deal to implement. *Shrugs and wanders off*.

Ah, okay. Sorry for misunderstanding you / putting words in your mouth.

[Nomad]

Ego items are now spontaneously identifying themselves when pseudo ID kicks in:

You feel the Pair of Leather Sandals of Free Action (l) you are wearing on your feet is excellent...

I quite like it, actually, it saves a lot of time and effort wield-testing things. But somehow I don't think you intended it.

[MattB]

Yes, the allocation line is commented out in 3.5.

Oh. Must have missed that. Why?

[Derakon]

Oh. Must have missed that. Why?

Players didn't like that it had taken the Arkenstone's enlightenment activation (leaving the Arkenstone just activating for Detection, if I recall correctly). That in turn meant that if they wanted the enlightenment activation, then they had to use the Palantir, which aggravates.

Note that the "traditional" game only had the Phial/Star/Arkenstone artifact lights; the Palantir was added for, uh, 3.0? So most players around here were used to there not being a Palantir.

[MattB]

Players didn't like that it had taken the Arkenstone's enlightenment activation (leaving the Arkenstone just activating for Detection, if I recall correctly). That in turn meant that if they wanted the enlightenment activation, then they had to use the Palantir, which aggravates.

Note that the "traditional" game only had the Phial/Star/Arkenstone artifact lights; the Palantir was added for, uh, 3.0? So most players around here were used to there not being a Palantir.

Well, if it's the will of the majority, then fair enough. I miss it though [looks wistful].

[MattB]

Nick, you're doing a great job!

+1 for that!

(Love the new town, btw.)

[Nomad]

+1 for that!

(Love the new town, btw.)

The best thing about the new town layout is how much easier it is to trap Farmer Maggot in a corner. Much less fruitless chasing along the outer walls.

[Nomad]

Is the flickering light still happening?

Still occurring in a910411, I'm afraid - just had my torch flicker out and got the "You have no light to read by" message.