Z+Angband 0.3.2 stable release

[buzzkill]

Detect Aura

I've got two question about he spell, detect aura.

1. It recently failed to detect a dagger (+10,+110%) {cursed}, intentional or bug?

2. I would like to use detect aura to mass identify items as magic or not. However, with many visible, un-id'd items lying on the floor, which it typical after a large battle, the message "You sense the presence of magic objects!" is useless. I need to know which of the many visible objects are magical. Temporarily hiding the normal items, leaving only magic items visible, until a move is made, seems to be the easiest solution.

EDIT: Or simply inscribe detected items as {magical}.

[Mangojuice]

I've got two question about he spell, detect aura.

1. It recently failed to detect a dagger (+10,+110%) {cursed}, intentional or bug?

2. I would like to use detect aura to mass identify items as magic or not. However, with many visible, un-id'd items lying on the floor, which it typical after a large battle, the message "You sense the presence of magic objects!" is useless. I need to know which of the many visible objects are magical. Temporarily hiding the normal items, leaving only magic items visible, until a move is made, seems to be the easiest solution.

EDIT: Or simply inscribe detected items as {magical}.

You're asking for too much out of a low-level spell. It does have that level of power early in the game, though you may have to cast it many times and do some manual notekeeping. But later on, it's really more intended for scouting out items in unexplored areas.

[d64]

I think the random uniques were a great addition, but I think their placement still could use some work: I got a vault now at level 35 or so which had a few depth ~45-50 guys in it, and also two random uniques - however these were based on regular monsters of depth 15 or 20 or so, so they didn't pose much of a challenge. I think the randuniques should be in this situation at least based on some "contemporary" monster.

[buzzkill]

... and also two random uniques - however these were based on regular monsters of depth 15 or 20 or so, so they didn't pose much of a challenge....

I've been wanting to say a bit about the 'random uniques' for a while now.

Having played my current Skeleton/Monk character up to CL27 now, and running into quite a few RU's, both in quests and in the wilderness and dungeon, I've come to the following conclusion. RU's are overpopulated and underpowered. At first I was very careful approaching and fighting RU's. But the sad fact is, since I've become familiar with them, I give them no more respect than their non-unique counterparts, and less respect than known uniques. The only noticeable difference I see is that the RU's have more HP and better armor.

I know this is only my opinion, but since I'm not that great of a player and they pose little threat to me, I'm assuming they pose very little threat to anybody.

I'd like to see less of them because, quite frankly, they seem to be everywhere, which takes away a bit of the aura of mystery that should surround them. Secondly, I'd like them to be more powerful by having more special abilities (do they have any now?), and maybe a good chance to having at least a little extra speed (since the player often does). They should be FEARED, not... "Oh my, yet another random unique. Hmmm, should I even bother killing it."

It's a great concept, and this being it's very first version, I feel it could use some tweaking.

Mango, Is there a way to view the attributes of the RU's encountered in a game? Are they stored in a text file somewhere?

[RogerN]

Secondly, I'd like them to be more powerful by having more special abilities (do they have any now?), and maybe a good chance to having at least a little extra speed (since the player often does).

You've been lucky so far. Just look at some of my previous posts to see how nasty these guys can be. Yes, they can get extra speed *and* extra abilities. What can really be deadly is when the base monster type doesn't confuse/paralyze/etc... but the new random monster does.

I will admit, however, that the majority of random uniques (i.e. those without extra speed) don't pose much of a challenge, assuming your character can easily dispatch the base monster type.

It might be worthwhile change to make "easier" monsters less likely to yield random uniques. A unique snaga or icky thing just doesn't strike fear into the hearts of adventurers. On the other hand, an Ancient Red Dragon with some extra speed and more HP (nastier breath) deserves respect.

[buzzkill]

You've been lucky so far. Just look at some of my previous posts to see how nasty these guys can be. Yes, they can get extra speed *and* extra abilities. What can really be deadly is when the base monster type doesn't confuse/paralyze/etc... but the new random monster does.

Which is what I'm looking for, abilities that you wouldn't normally expect. Maybe drop the base monster descriptor in the case of extreme changes.

I will admit, however, that the majority of random uniques (i.e. those without extra speed) don't pose much of a challenge, assuming your character can easily dispatch the base monster type.

Exactly.

It might be worthwhile change to make "easier" monsters less likely to yield random uniques. A unique snaga or icky thing just doesn't strike fear into the hearts of adventurers. On the other hand, an Ancient Red Dragon with some extra speed and more HP (nastier breath) deserves respect.

That snaga or icky thing might get more respect if it moved like lightening and could cast a plasma bolt. At the very least, it would get my attention.

[Mangojuice]

I've been wanting to say a bit about the 'random uniques' for a while now.

Having played my current Skeleton/Monk character up to CL27 now, and running into quite a few RU's, both in quests and in the wilderness and dungeon, I've come to the following conclusion. RU's are overpopulated and underpowered. At first I was very careful approaching and fighting RU's. But the sad fact is, since I've become familiar with them, I give them no more respect than their non-unique counterparts, and less respect than known uniques. The only noticeable difference I see is that the RU's have more HP and better armor.

I know this is only my opinion, but since I'm not that great of a player and they pose little threat to me, I'm assuming they pose very little threat to anybody.

I'd like to see less of them because, quite frankly, they seem to be everywhere, which takes away a bit of the aura of mystery that should surround them. Secondly, I'd like them to be more powerful by having more special abilities (do they have any now?), and maybe a good chance to having at least a little extra speed (since the player often does). They should be FEARED, not... "Oh my, yet another random unique. Hmmm, should I even bother killing it."

It's a great concept, and this being it's very first version, I feel it could use some tweaking.

Mango, Is there a way to view the attributes of the RU's encountered in a game? Are they stored in a text file somewhere?

This is partly a measure of what kinds of random things you're fighting. At a certain stage, unique orcs or novice priests are not a threat because orcs and novice priests are so wimpy compared to you. But random uniques can be very nasty: it depends on what they're based on. But then you may come across a unique Master Lich or a unique Grandmaster Mystic, and be in all sorts of trouble.

As for viewing the attributes, they're stored in your savefile so you can't access them directly. Until a new random unique is generated in place of the previous one, you can go to a library and research them for a few hundred gold if you're curious.

[Mangojuice]

That snaga or icky thing might get more respect if it moved like lightening and could cast a plasma bolt. At the very least, it would get my attention.

Yeah, but that would be random in a dumb way. When you get to the stage where Lagduf, the Snaga is a piece of cake, every other unique Snaga should be a piece of cake too.

But it is a good idea to try to make dungeon-appearing random uniques less likely for monsters that are low level for the depth. So the ones you will find will tend to be unique versions of level-appropriate or even OOD monsters.

[buzzkill]

You know, that could very well be the problem. In other variants I tend to dive quickly and often get in over my head and I'm always expecting a tough fight wherever I go.

I haven't quite figured out how to dive quickly in Z+ and I'm therefore often playing at depths that are far too easy. I'll reconsider after more play. Nothing would make me happier (right now) than to be ruthlessly butchered by a random unique.

Mango, I've posted the DVG files on a file sharing site, emailed you the link, let me know if it works.

[Mangojuice]

Mango, I've posted the DVG files on a file sharing site, emailed you the link, let me know if it works.

That's great. It works, I've already put a link to it from the official page, so people can find the most recent version when they want to.

[PaulBlay]

The 0.3.2 regular release version of Z+Angband is now available from the website. I still consider this a beta release.

Would you consider putting up nightly/weekly builds or making the source code available under subversion / CVS or something?

Warning quest1.c: 815 assignment of pointer to char to pointer to pointer to char
Warning quest1.c: 818 assignment of pointer to char to pointer to pointer to char

strnfmt(buf1, 80, "%s %s of %s", dungeon_type_name(pl_ptr->dungeon->habitat), town_dir, describe_quest_location(town_dir, pl_ptr->x, pl_ptr->y, FALSE));
strnfmt(buf2, 80, "%s %s of %s", dungeon_type_name(pl_ptr2->dungeon->habitat), town_dir, describe_quest_location(town_dir, pl_ptr2->x, pl_ptr2->y, FALSE));

Should those two be "... describe_quest_location(&town_dir ..." ?

[Fenrir]

When you try taking arrows out of a quiver, the game crashes.

Was this bug already known?

[buzzkill]

When you try taking arrows out of a quiver, the game crashes.

Was this bug already known?

Quivers were still in the experimental stage, last time I checked. You'd be wise to save your game before trying anything unusual (other than firing) with them. However, I haven't experienced a quiver crash in a long time.

[Mangojuice]

When you try taking arrows out of a quiver, the game crashes.

Was this bug already known?

How were you taking them out? Via the 'O'rganize command? Or by 'd'ropping them? And are you playing 0.3.2 or 0.3.2pre1?

[Mangojuice]

Would you consider putting up nightly/weekly builds or making the source code available under subversion / CVS or something?

0.3.2, as it is on the website for the last several weeks, is the most recent build, except for some graphics updates thanks to buzzkill. I don't have much of a to-do list, certainly nothing I'm excited about.