Additional gold sink

[Estie]

The current scoring system is decent for evaluating games that dont get won. Once winning occurs, it breaks down. The only commonly used system that can handle won games is the turncounter, in the competitions.

Playing to minimize turncounts is, however, a special way of playing that not everyone likes (me included). I suspect that other measuring systems will also lead to "weird" play when the player optimizes into it.

Personally, I would be interested in a competition type that only allows one attempt. That is, play the character till (s)he dies, post the dump and see who got farthest.

[Carnivean]

Just crank up the difficulty levels. Not using forced descent or no preserve or the other options. A straight up multiplier on monsters HP and damage levels, and opposite reduction in player saves, etc.

If a player can win when Morgoth has 100,000 HP and casts manastorm for 2000hp, then they're probably a very good player.

[Timo Pietilä]

There is a lot of value added by ladders with a sensible scoring system.

First you would need to invent some sensible scoring system for angband before it could be incorporated to ladder. There isn't one for angband.

[mushroom patch]

Just crank up the difficulty levels. Not using forced descent or no preserve or the other options. A straight up multiplier on monsters HP and damage levels, and opposite reduction in player saves, etc.

If a player can win when Morgoth has 100,000 HP and casts manastorm for 2000hp, then they're probably a very good player.

Anyone can do this. Hockeysticks.

Also, re: "no sensible scoring system exists," the suggestions above would lead to a good scoring system immediately. re: "weird play," I find it weird that people can maintain interest in a game without any sporting element. Angband is nowhere near hard enough for leisurely games to have sustained interest, imo.

[Timo Pietilä]

Anyone can do this. Hockeysticks.

Long hockey sticks is a bug IMO. Targetting should follow same rule as seeing, so that a) is possible but b) isn't.

a)     b)
            
###.#  ###x# 
#.x.#  #...#
#.###  #.###
#@#    #@#

[Carnivean]

Anyone can do this. Hockeysticks.

How do you indefinitely hockeystick a wall eater?

[mushroom patch]

How do you indefinitely hockeystick a wall eater?

You use teleport other. There are youtube videos of it, you can check it out.

[Derakon]

How do you indefinitely hockeystick a wall eater?

Find a long horizontal corridor, lure Morgoth to one tile above that corridor, let him walk "straight" towards you. When he reaches you, teleport him away and set it up again. This is a lot easier in variants where you get a targeted teleport spell, though. I once beat the Serpent of Chaos in ZAngband with a Mindcrafter this way, though instead of using projectiles I used the Mindcrafter's LOS-attack spell (basically like Dispel Evil except it affected anything with a mind). The Serpent never got a non-movement turn.