Skills-Angband (Sangband)

[Leon Marrick]

lol, I just raised my weapon smiting to 31 and used my only chunk of copper to make a long sword. Guess what I got.

A vorpal longsword +6 +6 , I have no idea what vorpal effect does in this game but I am hoping it does something similar as in D&D (perhaps extra critical hits?)

[edit] A enemy that used to take 4 - 8 hits to kill now goes down in 1 or 2 hits [/edit]

My goodness. I did not realize vorpal swords could make such a difference. Looks like the RNG decided to stop tormenting you.

Leon, why is that btw? I would have thought that digging mineral veins would be an obvious way to add mineral chunks. Even if its on average 1-2 per level, it'd make the patience required to dig them out worthwhile.

And spending forever tunneling is a great way to regenerate monsters...p

I'm not sure I want to encourage endless digging. But I've added this to the ideas list anyway and will think about it.

[Chryana]

cannot run sdl version so far

I think the problem I have was mentioned once on rgra, but I didn't see any fix for it, so I'll mention it again. I can compile the sdl version of sangband, but I can't run it. It opens a black screen that fills the whole screen for a second, and then it ends, and makes no config.txt. I don't know why. My OS is Kubuntu, if this is any help. Any advice on how to fix this would be appreciated.

[CJNyfalt]

I think the problem I have was mentioned once on rgra, but I didn't see any fix for it, so I'll mention it again. I can compile the sdl version of sangband, but I can't run it. It opens a black screen that fills the whole screen for a second, and then it ends, and makes no config.txt. I don't know why. My OS is Kubuntu, if this is any help. Any advice on how to fix this would be appreciated.

Strange. Which version of SDL, SDL_ttf and Kubuntu?

[Chryana]

cannot run sdl version so far

Strange. Which version of SDL, SDL_ttf and Kubuntu?

I am using
libsdl1.2debian 1.2.11-7ubuntu1
libsdl1.2debian-alsa 1.2.11-7ubuntu1
libsdl-ttf1.2 version 1.2.2-7

and I am running Kubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn.

[CJNyfalt]

I am using
libsdl1.2debian 1.2.11-7ubuntu1
libsdl1.2debian-alsa 1.2.11-7ubuntu1
libsdl-ttf1.2 version 1.2.2-7

and I am running Kubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn.

Well, the only difference with my system is that I use libsdl-ttf2.0
Try to install:
libsdl-ttf2.0-0
libsdl-ttf2.0-dev
and rebuild

If that doesn't help, report the following:
- if you use a 3D desktop (Beryl or Compiz) or the normal KDE window manager.

[Chryana]

can run sdl version now

That fixed it! Thank you

[Fuma]

Hmm... It seems that either my display is strange, or the display code of Sangband needs some polishing.

New bugs I spotted:

- The 'Q' key just quits the game istead of commiting suicide.
- When you delete save files from the game ('C' and backspace to delete) the display doesn't refresh.


Now to the tests you asked me to do.
I make a clean install every time I try the new version. (Even did another one before bughunting today just to make sure) So unless Sangband uses some files outside the install folder, all the files are untouched and freshly extracted.
I think you meant "The Weapons Smith" but just to make sure I changed both. The glitch prevails. Although I noticed something else which is quite interesting.
It seems that if the "glitch line" is long enough for the player to stand in it (or anything else, for that matter) it's "ghost" is shown a few squares to the left.
Here are screenshots of it:
First thing I saw as I spawned - http://shrew.yi.org/~fuma/sangband/ohmy.jpg
After going all the way to the left, redrawing the screen (^R) and going up&down (to make my @ visible) - http://shrew.yi.org/~fuma/sangband/ohmy2.jpg
After going one step to the left and doing the same as above (even with a lit tourch the game just redraws the "black space" over my @ so I have to go up, then down for @ to be shown) - http://shrew.yi.org/~fuma/sangband/ohmy3.jpg
After going all the way to the right and doing the same as before - http://shrew.yi.org/~fuma/sangband/ohmy4.jpg
To be sure about whether the strange "ghost cloning" was caused by the change to visuals I made, I started a new character and it's not influenced by visuals changes - http://shrew.yi.org/~fuma/sangband/again.jpg

Also after some window is displayed over the "black space" the item weight stays shown in the "black space".

Seems like it's not the '3' to be the problem, as in the help files it's displayed properly.
Although the ascii *is* to blame, because after I choose 16x16 full graphics from User Interface which is further called Display & Multimedia Options, the problem was gone.

I am using Windows XP and the standard windows executable with sound 'n stuff.

Excuse me for the very long and chaotic post. Maybe we should discuss this with Leon in private messages.

[CJNyfalt]

Although the ascii *is* to blame, because after I choose 16x16 full graphics from User Interface which is further called Display & Multimedia Options, the problem was gone.

Does switching to another font helps?

[Fuma]

Does switching to another font helps?

Yes, the pure ASCII setting also fixes it.
Hmm.. font problem? I don't think that could be caused by me having installed support for japanese characters in my windows box?

[Leon Marrick]

The status screen does not properly display in the latest hotfix (the new window overlapping code didn't handle that particular case correctly). This will be fixed in the final v1 release.

[Seventh Holy Scripture]

I feel like voicing an opinion, although I don't know if you're interested in making drastic gameplay changes just after reaching 1.0 (I was a bit late with this ): the schools of magic ought to be polarized a lot more. Sorcery should be for utility, holy magic should be defensive, necromancy should be offensive, with very few exceptions beyond the newbie spellbooks. Druidism could focus on status and environment changes, perhaps, or remain the 'balanced' school.

The reasoning? Well, it would obviously make the schools more unique. I recently played a sorcerer, am now playing a necromancer, and they don't feel terribly different from one another. Break Curse is handy and saves me a scroll/essence/trip back to town, I miss having Wonder, a few other spells here and there... but nothing that really sets one spell-flinger apart from another for me. The other two schools are not quite so similar, having recovery spells, but still have that 'let's throw in some of everything' feel to my recollection.

Also, barring the event that one runs out of mana, I think that well-rounded spellcasting diminishes the utility of many other skills. Why put points into ranged weaponry when one has attack magic? Why master magical devices and waste valuable inventory slots on them when one's spellbooks can do most of the same things? It would be more interesting if each school of spellcasting had significant 'gaps' that would need to be compensated for by other skills, or just done without by the ironman.

Well, that's my rant. Sangband is great, but due to the nature of oaths and spellcasting, it sometimes feels more to me like flexible-classes Angband then skill Angband. Perhaps I should go do my own variant: Opinion Sangband.

[FV20X6]

Just to add my voice to the thread: I feel exactly the opposite way. Sangband is the only variant I can think of where a single school system allows you attack magic, defensive uses (which do vary quite a bit between styles), and utility with differing feels. It's quite different to go from fleeing angels in the depths with a necromancer and forging ever increasingly amazing armor to saving those same essences to power a dragon breath, or using them to churn out specialized ammunition for use with a buffed up priest.

I've never been able to play classes without some sort of use-abilities or spell-likes, but I've stuck with Sangband since I found it because of the sheer variety and flavor of the options, even at lower levels. Though I usually die before 3000 to inattentiveness, I far prefer the ability to mix and match any variety of skills to a more strict pigeonholing of magics. I still take ranged weapons, because I prefer holding my spells until I see what comes running from the noise, and it gives you a lot of breathing room compared to a failed spell and a teleport or worse yet being damaged. Magical Devices is probably the strongest skill in the game right from the beginning now that wands of spark are available, and even with oathed casters there's been times I've relied on that instead of the spellset. (Druids especially, since they get woeful offensive ability until skill level 40)


The funny thing is that I'd actually like Flexible Class Angband, because there's times I wish for a Smith's Oath with bonuses to forging but penalties to wielding non-self-made-items, a Wandslinger's oath that made you worse in heavy armor but more agile and possibly conserved charges, etc. I can do those things with the current system and some creativity, certainly, but I am addicted to shiny things like talents and oath-based bonuses.

Maybe it's time for yet another variant... I think it's only a credit to the game that people like different aspects and would consider it a base for their own personal vision, but I think I'll wait to start on mine until I actually beat the game. Only 4200' to go with my newest sorceror... sigh.

[Fuma]

Now that I started to play with the auto-haggle option off I've noticed something I think is a bug.
When you haggle and get close to each others offers, say 197 and 210, when you type 200 and the shopkeeper agrees, he says 197, not 200. He also pays you only 197. I'd think that if I said 200 and the shopkeeper agrees, he agrees to the 200, not his last offer.

Or maybe I'm missing something here?

[BDR]

I have an odd glitch happening. A couple of times, when I was spending a bit of time looking at one of the help files, the game just up and disappeared on me. No save, no warning, just went and blinked out of existence. It'd be like what happens when you use the Task Manager (ctrl-alt-delete) to shut it down, except I tried that (to try and get back a good hat I couldn't sell for more than 8 AU) and the game must have recognized the shutdown (because when I came back I found my stuff still owned by the shopkeeper, and I hadn't saved nor seen an autosave before going into any shops). This is really kind of annoying because apart from the autosaves (which if this continues I'll probably make happen more often) I don't save that much, and it sucks to lose progress. The game is either set on some kind of timer or the glitch is linked to the help files; those are the only two things I can think are linked to this. If you need more info, just ask (I'm not terribly sure what would help; my comp seems plenty capable of playing other roguelikes without issues).

[CJNyfalt]

I have an odd glitch happening. A couple of times, when I was spending a bit of time looking at one of the help files, the game just up and disappeared on me. No save, no warning, just went and blinked out of existence. It'd be like what happens when you use the Task Manager (ctrl-alt-delete) to shut it down, except I tried that (to try and get back a good hat I couldn't sell for more than 8 AU) and the game must have recognized the shutdown (because when I came back I found my stuff still owned by the shopkeeper, and I hadn't saved nor seen an autosave before going into any shops). This is really kind of annoying because apart from the autosaves (which if this continues I'll probably make happen more often) I don't save that much, and it sucks to lose progress. The game is either set on some kind of timer or the glitch is linked to the help files; those are the only two things I can think are linked to this. If you need more info, just ask (I'm not terribly sure what would help; my comp seems plenty capable of playing other roguelikes without issues).

It might be helpful if you told us your OS version. Vista? XP? 98? And which port are you using main-win or main-sdl? Do you have the same problem with both?