Improvement Ideas:

[fph]

Does it speed up the first few levels? Yes. Would it encourage new players to not explore every level completely? I think the jury is still out on that one

Good point --- huge first levels serve a purpose, and it's to teach that "sometimes it's better to take the first stairway down"; I hadn't considered that.

[Pete Mack]

There isn't much choice for the first few levels. If you find the stairs quickly, great. If you don't, you are stuck exploring. And at the very start, mapping scrolls are too expensive to afford in quantity.

[Huqhox]

For the experienced player it's great because you will soon find the stairs. Yes there's less loot and monsters because of the reduced floor space for them but as it's usual to head down as soon as possible it makes it about the same.

Perhaps for the novice we need some big flashing message telling them they don't need to explore every level completely...

Actually I'm sure there's been some discussion of a hints system before. That might be something else I can have a play with.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Actually I'm sure there's been some discussion of a hints system before. That might be something else I can have a play with.

The shopkeepers already give hints. Just add it to the list of their hints.

[bio_hazard]

So many other roguelikes have a tutorial mode, I feel like this is something Angband could aspire to. Shopkeeper hints are better than nothing, but not by much.

[Tibarius]

For the experienced player it's great because you will soon find the stairs. Yes there's less loot and monsters because of the reduced floor space for them but as it's usual to head down as soon as possible it makes it about the same.

Perhaps for the novice we need some big flashing message telling them they don't need to explore every level completely...

Actually I'm sure there's been some discussion of a hints system before. That might be something else I can have a play with.

In game help is surely fine but i think it is actually a lot easier to make a newbie how-to video and upload it to YouTube. Then a new player sees how an experienced player moves and has his live commentar to it.

[bio_hazard]

I think there's room for both. For me at least, I'd prefer the game to explain the basic systems and mechanics, and for videos to provide commentary and strategy.

I realize that for a lot of people YouTube and online videos are an essential part of gaming, but I'm just not one of those people.

[Pete Mack]

Quickband has a message that says something like 'you feel a need to go deeper' that comes up after too long at shallow depths. Any levels generated with that message will be boring (feeling 2 at best.)