feature/monster

[Nick]

Latest builds for Windows and macOS now up on the builds page (source is here) with the following changes:

• Allow monster.txt to be copied to lore.txt for full monster memory (this had been broken)
• Rework spiders:
  • Spider webs can now be woven by some spiders. They take a turn to clear if you walk into one, also a turn to clear for most monsters, although some (insects etc) just get stuck in them
  • Driders and brown ticks removed
  • Scorpions nastier (especially black, formerly grey)
  • Araneas and elder araneas replaced by abyss spiders (from O) and ancient spiders (idea from Sil)
  • Added spiders of Gorgoroth, which are similar to Shelob but deeper (a bit like children of Ungoliant in FA)
  • Mirkwood spiders and phase spiders moved deeper because of buffing (webs and teleport to respectively)

I'm pretty happy with this generally, but webs may be a bit OP - interested to hear comments. At some point I plan to introduce Slay Spider; the obvious artifacts will get it (Sting, Gothmog) and maybe some egos.

A couple of general comments about the progress of this branch:

• It's gone much faster than I expected
• But that's mainly because I've been on holiday, which stops tomorrow
• I'm inclined fairly soon (a week or two) to just pull it into master and continue development there - if anyone can see a problem with that, let me know.

More generally, please do give feedback on any aspect of this branch; so far the lack of negative feedback is encouraging me to be creative, which is something of a double-edged sword

[Derakon]

Phase Spiders now sound like reskinned Blink Dogs. I'm also a little sad that we're losing driders and both kinds of aranea, which means there's no proper "magical spider" aside from Phase Spiders who are kind of one-trick ponies. What was the reason for their removal?

[Nick]

Phase Spiders now sound like reskinned Blink Dogs. I'm also a little sad that we're losing driders and both kinds of aranea, which means there's no proper "magical spider" aside from Phase Spiders who are kind of one-trick ponies. What was the reason for their removal?

Phase spiders were already reskinned blink dogs Adding the extra spell actually makes them different, unless I give it to blink dogs as well...

Driders and araneas are pure D&D monsters; I'm not planning a crusade against D&D dark elves, but mixing a spider with one seems like the most non-thematic thing possible. I feel like there are plenty of spellcasters, and Tolkienian spiders are brutal and aggressive, but not magical. That said, the >DL30 spiders do have spells, but they are more things like slowing, paralyzing, etc rather than fire bolts.

[Voovus]

More generally, please do give feedback on any aspect of this branch; so far the lack of negative feedback is encouraging me to be creative, which is something of a double-edged sword

Ok, some general, highly subjective feedback here. I'm happy with most of the technical gameplay changes and with the additions - fewer spellbooks, introduction of totally new spells / classes, tweaks to old spells. Many need fine-tuning (shapeshifting, stealing, several spells), but otherwise seem good. Not convinced with the change to shooting, but haven't played with it much since the change. I'm less ok with changes that make the game look less like Moria. There haven't been many of these, the main one being the change to the Mage: I wouldn't mind if the effects of the Mage's spells had been fiddled with, but because the spell list has been totally redone I now find that the classical character from my childhood has simply evaporated, and I will never be able to play the old character again *sob*. Haven't had time to try out the new monsters.

[Nick]

I'm less ok with changes that make the game look less like Moria. There haven't been many of these, the main one being the change to the Mage: I wouldn't mind if the effects of the Mage's spells had been fiddled with, but because the spell list has been totally redone I now find that the classical character from my childhood has simply evaporated, and I will never be able to play the old character again *sob*.

You'll note that there is also an old_class.txt shipped with the game, which is like it says on the tin.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

More generally, please do give feedback on any aspect of this branch; so far the lack of negative feedback is encouraging me to be creative, which is something of a double-edged sword

So far I'm liking it, even though my last @ just died stuck in a web, surrounded by Mirkwood Spiders. I thought it was pretty cool even though I have to start over. Haven't gotten to the Big Demon depths, which as I've said before, if I understand your changes, scares the Hell (he he he) out of me.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Latest builds ....More generally, please do give feedback on any aspect of this branch...

There's still a nasty crash bug. On DL32, @ activated Dethanc down a hallway at a Forest Wight and immediately behind it an unseen Q (invisible, but known to be there due to a ?Detect Invisible used a couple turns before rounding the corner to the hallway). Game immediately crashed and restart dumps @ back at the beginning of the level.

[Nick]

There's still a nasty crash bug. On DL32, @ activated Dethanc down a hallway at a Forest Wight and immediately behind it an unseen Q (invisible, but known to be there due to a ?Detect Invisible used a couple turns before rounding the corner to the hallway). Game immediately crashed and restart dumps @ back at the beginning of the level.

Hm, no idea what that one's about. Do you have a savefile?

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Hm, no idea what that one's about. Do you have a savefile?

It wasn't duplicatable, since I had to start the level over again and didn't make the exact same key-strokes over the exploration, melee, etc. I am trying to reinculcate my old habit of paranoid saving when I was play-testing every single aspect from way back when you were making the initial code-base changes. If I can get a duplicate with moves close to a savefile, I will send it.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Hm, no idea what that one's about. Do you have a savefile?

Okay, I have a savefile for you of a similar CRASH bug. Try melee with the Enchantress. It may take a couple attempts, but you will most likely get a crash quite quickly. Neleg.zip

[MattB]

I’m happy/excited/impressed by most of the changes. But here’s a few preliminary worries...

Whip sounded awesome, until I realised you’d sneakily buffed Balrogs. I bloody HATE Balrogs! Then I read further and you buffed then again!! Argh!!!

On resistances, I reckon most of my deaths in the lower half of the dungeon come from taking a higher than expected hit from a resisted higher element. And I think that’s probably a good thing.

I will miss Driders. They were always one of the more interesting shallow monsters.

But I haven’t played yet. I will as soon as this Dwarf Paladin dies. Probably to a 5/6 damage nether breath...

[Nick]

Okay, I have a savefile for you of a similar CRASH bug. Try melee with the Enchantress. It may take a couple attempts, but you will most likely get a crash quite quickly. [ATTACH]1681[/ATTACH]

Excellent, thanks.

[Nick]

New Windows and macOS builds now up on the builds page (source is here). Changes are:

• Fixed crash bug caused by failed monster shapechanges
• Added the ability for monsters who are too far away to sense the player to follow monsters in their group who can sense the player

That last one is in preparation for the orc update which will be landing soon.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Haven't yet made it to the Greater Demon depths, where I suspect the Balrogs are seriously overpowered. So far, though, the dungeon is certainly more dangerous, but I think appropriately so. I've had @'s die several times as I adjust to the new balance. For those who have complained that the game had been nerfed too much, the pendulum is swinging back. Great job, Nick!

[Nick]

Haven't yet made it to the Greater Demon depths, where I suspect the Balrogs are seriously overpowered. So far, though, the dungeon is certainly more dangerous, but I think appropriately so. I've had @'s die several times as I adjust to the new balance. For those who have complained that the game had been nerfed too much, the pendulum is swinging back. Great job, Nick!

We'll have to see how it is when I've upgraded the other nine tenths of the monsters