Z+Angband 0.3.2 stable release

[RogerN]

I was using a combination of Arrows (1d10) and Orcish Arrows (1d8). It was about 50/50. Both stacks of ammo were average.

I'm sure that I was using the (f)ire command rather than throw (v). My ammo is inscribed with @f1=g to make life easier for me, so it wouldn't work if I was pressing the throw key (v).

I was actually wondering if the quest monsters (ie the random uniques) received any bonuses to armor class, and if the bonus might be very high. If not, though, I can live with the fact that I just suck with a bow.

[buzzkill]

I was actually wondering if the quest monsters (ie the random uniques) received any bonuses to armor class, and if the bonus might be very high. If not, though, I can live with the fact that I just suck with a bow.

I'm not 100% sure of any of this so be warned...

As I understand it, 'quest monsters' and 'random uniques' are two entirely different things, unless of course the quest monster turns out to be a random unique.

Quest monsters are of the ordinary sort.

Random uniques are have boosted stats as well as new powers. Better AC is a definite possibility.

[Mangojuice]

It's definitely happened to me several times on standard dungeon levels. I think I've seen it happen once or twice on quest levels, but I'm not sure.

<complaint_mode>

Okay, I just started a new Dark-Elf Ranger. He's currently level 15, and I'm on a quest to kill a pseudo dragon. I'm wielding a Long Bow (x3) (+7,+40%). My character sheet says that my skill with bows is Good. Dark elves, according to the help file, are the 2nd best archers, surpassed only by high elves.

Why, oh why, can I not hit this stupid pseudo dragon? I have literally fired more than 200 arrows at the beast (yes, I'm having to pick them back up off the ground). My best guess is that I've hit him maybe 10 times out of 200. He regains health faster than I can damage him simply because I miss so often.

No, I'm not wearing any unidentified equipment that might be affecting my accuracy... Apparently my character just sucks.

</complaint_mode>

Actually it doesn't surprise me that much. The algorithm guarantees about a 5% automatic success rate (which is approximately 10 out of 200). Otherwise, the game picks a random number from 1 to your hit chance (your "good" rating places that around 50), and compares it to the monster's AC. Unique dragons tend to have relatively large AC bonuses, and a pseudo dragon starts with 30 AC, so I would guess the monster's AC is about 40. Your hit chance is also reduced by the distance to the target. So if you are shooting from, say, 10 spaces away, you have no chance to pass that test so you're left with the 5% success rate.

Part of this is that pseudo-dragons are unusually heavily armored: the idea is that they have armored skin and are also small and hard to hit.. and unique ones are even tougher. And another part of it is that your bow skill isn't that fantastic; if you had just +5 ammo (or about 4 more levels), your hit rate at 10 spaces would be about 3 times as good as it is now.

Trying to attack from a closer distance would probably help, but it can be difficult to make that feasible.

[RogerN]

Your hit chance is also reduced by the distance to the target. So if you are shooting from, say, 10 spaces away, you have no chance to pass that test so you're left with the 5% success rate.

Thanks for the explanation. I guess I should rely more on melee with rangers until I get to a higher level (or just avoid pseudo dragons). I knew that distance affected accuracy, I just didn't realize how much it mattered in this case.

[Pete Mack]

Scrolls of bless are cheap. So are potions of heroism, in most variants. Always carry at least one stack, especially for quests.

[RogerN]

Scrolls of bless are cheap. So are potions of heroism, in most variants. Always carry at least one stack, especially for quests.

Trust me, I visited three different towns in the hopes of buying these items. Everyone was out of stock

[RogerN]

I've just lost two characters (low-level) in a row to random uniques that were based off of ghosts of some sort. Normally low-level ghosts are just a nuisance since they do very little damage and their moves are slightly random. But it feels like the random uniques no longer move randomly like the rest of their kind, or maybe their attacks are just vastly improved, making them extremely deadly due to their speed.

My most recent death, in fact, was to a random unique based off of a moaning spirit. He killed me, from 120 hp to 0, in literally *three* player turns. The first time he attacked me I knew I was in trouble, and I immediately ?Phase to escape. The ?Phase moved me a bit closer to the nearest staircase. Before I got another move, however, the moaning spirit was already doing damage to me again. I took one more step and died from a barrage of attacks from the spirit.

I'm not sure what the best way to address this is. It just feels very unfair; on top of being invisible, these guys are usually +20 speed and now they hit like a sledgehammer. It wouldn't be so bad if they occurred deeper, but by the time you encounter your first ghosts (dl 6?) most characters can never hope to escape one of these (Priests and characters with Detect Invisible would be an exception).

[buzzkill]

One should fear random uniques just as you do 'normal "unknown" uniques'. Approach with great caution and flee at the first sign of trouble. Even then, you may be outmatched and subject to death.

I think that many are regarding these 'random uniques' as 'leader-types' and not true uniques. Do so at your peril!!!

[Pete Mack]

In NPP, player ghosts are announced when you enter a level. It behooves you to change levels immediately unless you are extremely tough for your dl. I really wouldn't want to find one of these without some reliable escape. (?phase doesn't count. Even
Teleportation is risky.)

[RogerN]

More random unique woes!

I noticed today that the game generated a random unique monster who was classified as an Amberite. Surely that particular monster flag ought to be restricted to those characters that are actually based on the Amber books? Anyway, it was very unsettling to be hit with a terrible blood curse from killing a random unique... I hadn't read the monster description yet, and didn't realize that this random Mystic was actually an Amberite.

Fortunately the curse didn't summon Cyberdemons this time.

[Mangojuice]

More random unique woes!

I noticed today that the game generated a random unique monster who was classified as an Amberite. Surely that particular monster flag ought to be restricted to those characters that are actually based on the Amber books? Anyway, it was very unsettling to be hit with a terrible blood curse from killing a random unique... I hadn't read the monster description yet, and didn't realize that this random Mystic was actually an Amberite.

Fortunately the curse didn't summon Cyberdemons this time.

Hm. I suppose those ought to be clear to the player. I'm thinking they should be called like "Joe the Amberite Mystic" rather than just "Joe the Mystic".

[RogerN]

Why would anyone ever want to go into a Planar dungeon? They seem to be filled with all of the monster obnoxious monster types, including an abundance of hounds, vortexes, and chain-summoning angels.

I realize that the Planar dungeon type was implemented before Z+ came about. I was just curious if anyone ever used them.

[APWhite]

Anyone able to get it to compile in Visual Studio yet?

I am using VS2008 and can't seem to alter the solution properties enough to get it to work. I can compile all the source but the link fails with script.obj with an unresolved external symbol _tolua_field_open referenced in _script_init. There are about 5 _tolua_ errors related to script_init.

[Mangojuice]

Why would anyone ever want to go into a Planar dungeon? They seem to be filled with all of the monster obnoxious monster types, including an abundance of hounds, vortexes, and chain-summoning angels.

I realize that the Planar dungeon type was implemented before Z+ came about. I was just curious if anyone ever used them.

Planar dungeons are tough, but they have lots of vaults and their treasure distributions are weighted towards potions.

So if you have good resists, they can be one of the best ways to look for potions. Plus, there are probably some wilderness maps where planar dungeons are the most convenient.

[RogerN]

Anyone able to get it to compile in Visual Studio yet?

I've compiled ZAngband (but not Z+) in Visual Studio. I remember having to link to the lua stuff, but I don't know the exact details of what was required. I would look examine the other makefiles for assistance.

I also remember that some of the source files had to be generated with the included lua tool. I don't know if this is still a required step.