[FA] FAangband development

[Fuma]

I think that casting while blinded should have a small chance of the player missing his target. Just like with throwing in Sangband when you don't have the skills.
It's easy to aim a little, or even quite off the place you wanted, when you can't see the place.

[Seany C]

On a different note, could the next version pretty please let a char know what effect an *IDed* artifact staff/wand has? I've got the Staff of Starfire which must be decent damage - but I've no idea if it does 100 or 300...

[Nick]

On a different note, could the next version pretty please let a char know what effect an *IDed* artifact staff/wand has? I've got the Staff of Starfire which must be decent damage - but I've no idea if it does 100 or 300...

Currently you should get more info after using it a few times. The whole ID system needs a rethink - I'm thinking of adding more sensing properties through experience, a bit like the UnAngband system. I don't know though.

I now think bookless casting is a silly idea, too

[Nick]

Does anyone play with preserve off? I'm thinking seriously of getting rid of birth options altogether (rolling options will all be done on the birth screen). I'm also playing with the idea of removing the cheat options as such and combining them all under wizard mode.

Opinions?

[CJNyfalt]

Does anyone play with preserve off? I'm thinking seriously of getting rid of birth options altogether (rolling options will all be done on the birth screen). I'm also playing with the idea of removing the cheat options as such and combining them all under wizard mode.

Opinions?

Wizard mode is too annoying to use, and I use cheat_live until I'm familiar with a variant.

[DinthKSC]

ive downloaded Windows CE binaries, but when i try to run it on my Ipaq h4150 w/ WM03 and PXA255, nothing happens. Nothing.
Please fix it, it would be superb to play good roguelike on my PPC.

[Nick]

ive downloaded Windows CE binaries, but when i try to run it on my Ipaq h4150 w/ WM03 and PXA255, nothing happens. Nothing.
Please fix it, it would be superb to play good roguelike on my PPC.

Yes, there's a problem with the current binary. This thread has instructions for where to get 0.2.2 (as well as a promise from me to get 0.2.3 in usable form ).

[Psi]

Yes, there's a problem with the current binary.

Just a thought... is it definitely the binary - seems odd that it worked for me if it is. I wonder if 023 works if copied over a working 022 installation (as that is effectively what both of us would have done).

I'm afraid I can't test as I haven't replaced my dead PDA

[Nick]

Just a thought... is it definitely the binary - seems odd that it worked for me if it is. I wonder if 023 works if copied over a working 022 installation (as that is effectively what both of us would have done).

Hmm. It must be a problem before the splash screen, too (which rules out things like problems finding edit files). Some sort of directory issue, maybe? Not just the lib folder missing, because that gives an immediate error.

I've got it running in My Documents\FAangbandCE\FAangband, and that contains just the .exe and the lib folder.

[Psi]

Hmm. It must be a problem before the splash screen, too (which rules out things like problems finding edit files). Some sort of directory issue, maybe? Not just the lib folder missing, because that gives an immediate error.

The registry settings perhaps?

What we'd need is for someone who could not get 023 to work, to install 022 and then try 023 and see if that fixes it...

Another thing could be Windows CE versions - but I can't believe we've added any incompatible features between 022 and 023 (I don't think I made any changes at all did I?).

Si

[Nick]

The registry settings perhaps?

That's a thought. Or the .ini file.

What we'd need is for someone who could not get 023 to work, to install 022 and then try 023 and see if that fixes it...

Good idea. Any volunteers?

Another thing could be Windows CE versions - but I can't believe we've added any incompatible features between 022 and 023 (I don't think I made any changes at all did I?).

OK, I've just had a trawl back through the newsgroup, and someone had a problem with the 0.2.2 binary that I compiled. So it looks like it's something to do with my compilation setup

[Psi]

That's a thought. Or the .ini file.

The WinCE version uses the registry instead of the .ini file - not sure why though (AngbandCE did it so I kept it like that).

OK, I've just had a trawl back through the newsgroup, and someone had a problem with the 0.2.2 binary that I compiled. So it looks like it's something to do with my compilation setup

I still find that hard to believe as your .exe works on both of our devices

[Psi]

Apologies for the long post, but here are some more ideas...

- One of the big holes left by the elven rings is sustains. At the moment the only viable way of protecting yourself is via the Shield of the Swan (Anarion). Robes of Permanance and sustain rings (honestly what is the point of those) will have long been swapped for better kit. Possible solutions:
o Cloaks/Shields/Amulets of Permanance
o A randart jewelry theme which grants some/all sustains
o More sustains on existing artifacts
o Could make partial sustains on Athletics & Clarity into full sustains.

- So far Rangers and Druids are the only classes not to have won FA. From experience a Ranger should be able to do it (especially with rapid fire), however Druids seem tough. They are supposed to be able to fight effectively bare-handed - however they are barely better than a necro at combat and they don't get an attack spell until CL4 which mages and necros do at CL1. Potential changes:
o An additional thn bonus when unarmed to make combat more viable (and prevent them from just using weapons).
o Maybe increase thn with the Powerstrike speciality too

- I'd like to be able to customise/specialise my characters further and the obvious way to do this is through the specialities. Here are some thoughts on what we have and what could happen:
o Mana Burn is awesome. No other speciality I've tried compares to it.
o Unlight (for Rogues and Assassins), Rapid Fire, Soul Siphon and Heighten Magic are all brilliant. I would be tempted to add small shooting bonuses to SPEED_GOOD launchers (in the same way but less than SPEED_GREAT) and in that way open up rapid fire to non-bows for rangers and maybe to warriors and rogues too.
o Trap Setting and Martial Arts are fairly unique in offering a new dimension to play. It would be nice to see these open to more classes - particularly martial arts (which could be available to most classes).
o Armsman, Athletics, Clarity, Extra Trap, Fury, Marksmanship, Meditation, Piercing Shot, Power Strike and Regeneration are all good (though see comments on Powerstrike above).
o Channeling sounds appealing but by the time you have cast all of your buffing up spells you have lost a lot of the benefits!
o Armor Proficiency and Evasion are both great concepts but in practice the limits are too limiting for me to waste a speciality slot on.
o Shield Mastery is an interesting one. I think that shield masters would actually have a higher chance of bashing and less of a chance of stumbling - neither of which they get at the moment.
o Beguile sounds interesting, but I'm not sure how effective it is - I rarely use the applicable spells to make use of it and most high level monsters get NO_CONF and NO_SLEEP anyway. Therefore slowing is the one this would be useful for - does anyone have any experience of how effective slowing is with this speciality?
o I've not used Fast Attacking, Holy Light or Power Siphon to be able to comment on their usefulness.
o Armor Mastery, Enhance Magic, Fast Casting, Harmony, Magic Resistance, Mighty Throw and Phasewalking. Of these I have only tried Fast Casting however I'm not convinced there is anything in any of them worthy of taking them over the other specialities and I would be tempted to remove them or upgrade them in some way.
o I'd like to see melee boost and bow boost specialities which increases thn and thb respectively (with level) - probably at the expense of INT & WIS (and maybe a boost to STR?). Would be nice to allow semi-casters and full-casters a better shot at melee or shooting - with a trade off of course. This would also benefit weaker races.
o There could be an item lore speciality that gives fast and heavy pseudo-id and increases magic device skill.
o I'm sure there is plenty of scope for other specialities!

- Some races seem very weak in comparison. Some suggestions:
o Dark elves to get RES_DARK
o Hobbits to get SUST_CON and maybe HOLD_LIFE. There should at least be better ego slings to make their sling bonus worthwhile.
o Why would anyone play a Dwarf over a Longbeard? They get better starting armour but that is it. Dwarves need another bonus (not sure what though) or Longbeards need another penalty.
o Green Elves seem a bit weak next to Grey Elves too.

[Bandobras]

Reasonable remarks. I'd add to them the usual advice to look and steal from Vanilla O.

> Enhance Magic

This is one of the best specialties for every class, IMHO. E.g. the increased combat bonuses from potions are very useful for melee-users even in the end-game.

> Mighty Throw

This is only useful for people intending to focus on throwing (like me, usually) and this is not a problem. The problem is the specialty is a bit bland and does not even allow the use of throwing in every situation missiles or spells may be used (still quite limited range). Perhaps steal Trick Throw from Un to make this more interesting? Or steal throw inaccuracy from S, but then give unlimited range?

[Nick]

Apologies for the long post, but here are some more ideas...

OK, here are some brief answers

Sustains: Yes, I see the point. Along with the planned shakeup of resistance generally (which will require changes to artifacts and egos) I'm planning changes to randarts (particularly including jewelry) and bigger changes to egos; I'll bear the sustain issue in mind for that.

Druids: I usually haven't had much trouble starting one - I usually just kill them in the 20s. I think maybe they're just underplayed rather than underpowered

Specialties: Some good ideas there - I particularly like the idea of extending Trap Setting to other classes. I think the only new one in O since FA forked is Attunement, and I'm not sure how that went - something with devices would be good, though.

Another idea is to enable the player to switch specialties on killing the 3rd and 4th guardians.

Races: They're not all meant to be equal. In particular, Maiar are intended as an easy race, and Longbeards were meant to be kind of half-easy, too - kind of uber-dwarves. Green Elves get an easier start than Grey, and the stealth bonus is supposed to be the hook for Dark Elves. HOLD_LIFE for Hobbits sounds like a good plan. I probably should revisit all their stat and other bonuses, too, as I haven't looked at that for a while.

At the moment I'm doing the much less interesting task of code cleanup and UI improvement