[FA] FAangband development

[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]

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]

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]

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 ).

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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

[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...

[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.

[CJNyfalt]

Well, it's both, I guess. It started with the idea that needing to have the book to cast the spell just seems a little odd (although there are plenty of other odd things I might have picked on, too). So I started thinking about the gameplay implications of making books unnecessary. Being able to cast when blind was a natural outcome, and I've been thinking for a while about allowing some kind of casting when confused.

Well, amnesia could quickly mean a dead spellcaster, if they don't carry books.
So, if you want both, you have to think long and har about how to avoid making amnesia too troublesome.
BTW, how about some new specialty tied to bookless casting?

[Nick]

Pondering the issue some more and reading replies, I think that there needs to be made clear what's more wanted for future discussion.
Is it:
A) The ability to sometimes cast spells even if afflicted by negative effects?
or
B) The ability to free up inventory slots at the cost of spell reliability?

Well, it's both, I guess. It started with the idea that needing to have the book to cast the spell just seems a little odd (although there are plenty of other odd things I might have picked on, too). So I started thinking about the gameplay implications of making books unnecessary. Being able to cast when blind was a natural outcome, and I've been thinking for a while about allowing some kind of casting when confused.

I also have to warn against micro-management, having to choose if to cast from memory or from book every time when casting is a very bad idea.

Agreed, and I like UnAndrew's solution of using the book when you have it.

Another evil plan would be to give a small chance that when blind/confused, you use the wrong potion/rod/etc...
(although that's really going to put people off carrying !ofDetontations)

One can of worms at a time, I think

Erk- amnesia's already nasty (well, annoying, anyhoo) - I'd restrict the number of mid-level monsters that cast it, in that case...

Yes, but at the moment it's really just an annoyance without major gameplay implications. It would become a very dangerous attack, and probably would have to be pushed a bit deeper.

I don't think mana should increase, just fail rate. Casting blind should have the same penalty as bookless casting generally. It should be possible to bring the fail rates for bookless casting for the early spells down to as low as they are with books.

I was actually more in favour of increasing mana than increasing failrates, although maybe I think both should happen a little. I agree about blind=bookless, and probably about early spell bookless failrates/mana use getting down to ordinary levels. It might be, for example, that a spellcaster would only carry the books with spells that were more critical to get right, and just live with penalties on utility spells.

I'd also remove amnesia (grr to micromanagement).

See my comments above - the having-to-re-identify-everything would become a trivial side-effect of amnesia

The reason I suggest 'from memory' as opposed to 'bookless' is that the book selection UI will differ from other 'object selection' UIs.

This is a really good point that I hadn't thought of. Maybe I won't ever bother with this because of the mess it makes of the UI

[andrewdoull]

Pondering the issue some more and reading replies, I think that there needs to be made clear what's more wanted for future discussion.
Is it:
A) The ability to sometimes cast spells even if afflicted by negative effects?
or
B) The ability to free up inventory slots at the cost of spell reliability?

I also have to warn against micro-management, having to choose if to cast from memory or from book every time when casting is a very bad idea.

Definitely want to make this as intuitive as possible e.g. from book where ever permitted.

I'll have a working implementation of my suggestion in Unangband wip6 for the curious...

[andrewdoull]

I did a rough version of this already:

http://angband.rogueforge.net/trac/changeset/158

It might be a bit nasty as it stands, though.

Couple of comments:

a) I think amnesia should cause 100% reliable failure of casting spells.

b) I was suggesting that amnesia prevent you activating e.g. dragon armour, rings, artifacts, on the basis that you need to have identified (remembered) these items before being able to use them, as opposed to rods, staffs, wands, which are already affected by confusion.

Other than that, looks great. Like how you've compacted amnesia and confusion together. Maybe make them separate for big screen users?

Andrew

[CJNyfalt]

Bookless spellcasting. Here's how it would work:

- Once you've learnt a spell, you don't need the book to cast it
- Casting bookless will come at a penalty of more mana and/or increased fail rate
- You would have a small chance of getting it wrong, and getting some other effect
- You would be able to cast blind, probably with a greater penalty than just bookless
- You would be able to cast confused, but with a big chance of the wrong spell
- Amnesia attacks would eliminate your bookless casting ability - you would have to relearn the spells

I don't know if I like it, but it's fun to think about.

Pondering the issue some more and reading replies, I think that there needs to be made clear what's more wanted for future discussion.
Is it:
A) The ability to sometimes cast spells even if afflicted by negative effects?
or
B) The ability to free up inventory slots at the cost of spell reliability?

I also have to warn against micro-management, having to choose if to cast from memory or from book every time when casting is a very bad idea.