[Bug-3.5.1] Destructed artifacts appear as non-lost in character history

[ngoclong19]

Step to reproduce:

1. Drop the artifacts on the ground.
2. Use Staff of *Destruction*.
3. Leave the level.

The character history still shows those artifacts as non-LOST, as in my case the Long Sword 'Elvagil'. I think they should be LOST.
Character dump included.

[Tibarius]

re: *destruction*

Must not necessarily be a bug ... we already had a thread with the discussion where monsters end up if they get *destructed* (discussing if they count as dead / killed).

[ngoclong19]

Must not necessarily be a bug ... we already had a thread with the discussion where monsters end up if they get *destructed* (discussing if they count as dead / killed).

But I'm talking about artifacts here .
In my understanding, when destructed, monsters and items get deleted from the level, unique monster isn't count as killed and can be generated later. I'm fine with that.
Under normal circumstances, when you drop an identified artifact on the ground and leave the level, it'll be lost permanently, hence the note "Found the <...> (LOST)" in character history.
In my case, before leave the level, I used *Destruction* and the character history noted that "Found the <...>" (no Lost here), like I leave the level and took it with me .
In fact, I no longer have access to that artifact, so it should be notes as lost .
This necessarily be a bug .

[Tibarius]

re: items

Well, it could be the case that a *destructed* artifact can be generated again. Thus it is not necessarily (LOST).

[Estie]

But I'm talking about artifacts here .
In my understanding, when destructed, monsters and items get deleted from the level, unique monster isn't count as killed and can be generated later. I'm fine with that.
Under normal circumstances, when you drop an identified artifact on the ground and leave the level, it'll be lost permanently, hence the note "Found the <...> (LOST)" in character history.
In my case, before leave the level, I used *Destruction* and the character history noted that "Found the <...>" (no Lost here), like I leave the level and took it with me .
In fact, I no longer have access to that artifact, so it should be notes as lost .
This necessarily be a bug .

I believe the wanted behavior is to mark identified (at the least picked up, maybe fully identified ?) artifacts that get destructed as lost; unidentified ones not.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

When artifact was picked up it was automatically identified as an artifact. If it was dropped and then destructed, then you are correct, it should be [Lost]. We will have to see if the same problem exists in the 4.0 version. Thanks for the report.

[Derakon]

The intended behavior for artifacts is that once you pick them up once (and thus learn their name) you can never find the artifact again. Thus any artifact that has been picked up and is not a) on the current level, b) in your home, or c) on your body/in your inventory should be marked as LOST.

[ngoclong19]

I think this problem exists in version 4.0 (revision 6c27ede) too. I drop an artifact, use _Destruction at 50' and then return to town.
Maybe it's related to bug #1928, or not as #1928 overshadows it.

[AnonymousHero]

The intended behavior for artifacts is that once you pick them up once (and thus learn their name) you can never find the artifact again. Thus any artifact that has been picked up and is not a) on the current level, b) in your home, or c) on your body/in your inventory should be marked as LOST.

Hang on, I thought you had to actually identify it? (Not just learn its name)

[Derakon]

Hang on, I thought you had to actually identify it? (Not just learn its name)

Given that items can be partially identified, I'm pretty sure the knowledge that governs artifact "lostness" is whether or not you know their name. Otherwise there's theoretical perverse incentives to e.g. never get hit by a light-based attack when wielding Ringil (which grants light resistance) just in case it gets disenchanted and you want a fresh copy.

[Nick]

OK, bug verified, both in 3.5.1, and (in a different form) in 4.0beta. In 3.5.1 there is code to protect artifacts in earthquakes, but not from destruction; in 4.0beta there are, um, bigger problems

[AnonymousHero]

Otherwise there's theoretical perverse incentives to e.g. never get hit by a light-based attack when wielding Ringil (which grants light resistance) just in case it gets disenchanted and you want a fresh copy.

That's one hell of an edge case to "protect" against -- that wouldn't have occurred to me at all . (Though, I guess with current 3.5.x ID mechanics it's not really an issue.)

[Timo Pietilä]

OK, bug verified, both in 3.5.1, and (in a different form) in 4.0beta. In 3.5.1 there is code to protect artifacts in earthquakes, but not from destruction; in 4.0beta there are, um, bigger problems

That's not a bug IMO. Earthquake should not remove artifacts, destruction should.

The (LOST) -tag OTOH is a bug.

[Nick]

That's not a bug IMO. Earthquake should not remove artifacts, destruction should.

In fact, not just in your opinion - it was a deliberate change in 3.3. So, to recap, any artifacts in the *Destruction* zone are

• Removed, and able to be generated again, if they are unidentified and preserve is on
• Removed and LOST if identified or preserve is off.

So the bug in 3.5.1 is the absence of the LOST tag. Good to see I've caught up with everyone else for now.