Halls of Mist is here!

[getter77]

As expected:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7LC0LZeOI&

Should be a good window into the reckonings of a new player into the game that had only touched on a bit of Angband before but a good many other Roguelikes outright.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Actually there are just two artifacts books in the game: The Necronomicon and Mathemagical Calculations. I *Identified* them, and both reveal their rituals when inspected.

I see two possibilities:

Perhaps the third artifact book that I've commented out in the artifact.txt, The Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, is still getting generated somehow.

Or perhaps you tried to Analyse Item for *Identification* but failed the Perception skill roll?

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I've no idea... It wasn't with my last char I found it.

Ok! I'll check every artifact book then. Thanks for finding another bug.

[Arjen]

I've no idea... It wasn't with my last char I found it.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I did *id* it once, but it only gave me "it resists the elements" description. I didn't had a clue what to do with those books.

That's a bug. *Id* should reveal the ritual. What was the name of the book?

[Arjen]

It's an artefact book, so you might have to *identify* it first.

I did *id* it once, but it only gave me "it resists the elements" description. I didn't had a clue what to do with those books.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I'm glad you like the game. Good to see that The Duke is actually killable. I haven't ever won the game myself.

Thanks for the very useful comments. I've collected lots of good player feedback for the upcoming rebalancing work.

My suggestion: why not have multiple proficiencies based on stats? WIS+MEM = either +saving throw or identify. STR+CON = berserk or resist/cure disease. DEX+PRE = +ac or intimidation. Since this variant is all about the stats, it would keep the player focused on increasing them, and making careful balancing decisions, at all times.

I've actually considered something like this. But I'm afraid that keeping track of the combined score of two stats isn't actually that much fun. I'd rather move in the opposite direction really...

In future versions I'm planning to experiment with identifying objects with successful Alchemy skill checks. Everybody has two attempts (Identify points) per dungeon level. In a Circle of Knowledge you may instead try to (i)dentify pack or to (f)ully identify an object, both requiring Alchemy checks -- one for each identified item.

Some details are still open, like Alertness and the Templar's proficiencies. Perhaps they would use the same points -- we could call them Mind points -- and require Perception checks?

[Aiel117]

Killed the Duke

I killed the Thin White Duke. But, I only did it by having multiple saves. I died three times on the way, so I won't upload the character.

What I can say is that it is possible to kill him, given the right luck. Speed items are incredibly important, and finding a weapon with light brand helps, because almost all monsters will become blind. I used a double flail of day from level 15 to 42.

It was a little frustrating to get almost no artifacts until the end. I'd prefer a steady pace of artifacts from level 1 to the end, rather than going from 0 to competing artifacts for the same slot.

Agreed that the early levels are a bit tedious. I'd spice it up with more monsters, or tougher mid-range monsters. Even beating the game, I was only level 40, and I played a human ranger. There's no way some of the other classes will come close to level 50 and using their end game spells. So, either experience needs to be much easier to get, especially late game, or the spell levels need to be lowered so as to be useful at some point.

Only reasons I could survive in the end game: Absorb Hit and boots of speed +8.

Archery, sadly, was mostly underwhelming. There was a short period with a long bow and silver/iron arrows that it was decent, but then the real hurt items, seeker arrows or hunter's lore branded arrows, came way too late. Could there perhaps be a ritual that would yield arrows?

Also, WIS+MEM greater than 40+ never happened. I would imagine it almost never does.

My suggestion: why not have multiple proficiencies based on stats? WIS+MEM = either +saving throw or identify. STR+CON = berserk or resist/cure disease. DEX+PRE = +ac or intimidation. Since this variant is all about the stats, it would keep the player focused on increasing them, and making careful balancing decisions, at all times.

Going to try again without cheating. Still one of the best variants I've played, and really looking forward to where it's going!

[nppangband]

In terms of interface, where does NPP stack? I've a feeling it's up there with v4, V3.4 and FA.

I'd like to play them all. Apart from interface ideas, I'm hunting for interesting monsters.

It should have almost everything V3.4 has in terms of user interface. NPP does not yet have UTF-8 characters or the shockbolt (64x64) tileset, and it still have old-style macros, but other than that the interface should be similar with the current V.

[Satyr]

I just got an Ancient Tome, and I'm guessing it's a left over from EyAngband? Should it have a ritual associated with it like other magic books?

It's an artefact book, so you might have to *identify* it first.

[Aiel117]

An Ancient Tome?

First, awesome variant. I've played quite a few, and this is one of the first real tactical and strategic games in a while

Second, I just got an Ancient Tome, and I'm guessing it's a left over from EyAngband? Should it have a ritual associated with it like other magic books?

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Yeah, the angry townfolk lose thier bite pretty quickly. Do they ever scale up?

Not at the moment.

[buzzkill]

Highborn isn't a race, it's a social class. Most persons from Skultgard are humans.

Yeah, fire/ice bolts would be more interesting...

Yeah, the angry townfolk lose thier bite pretty quickly. Do they ever scale up?

[buzzkill]

Maybe Alertness shouldn't grant AC bonus at all, but bigger bonuses to trap detection and saving throw. I'd like it more if it was an option for special situations, not an automatic play.

Agreed. I'll tune it down.

Really. Has it changed since Fay? I'll agree that getting diseased and not being able to cure it sucks, but the potion only cost like 30 GP. Even my terminally impoverished templar can afford that. I know that I would always have a means of cure disease with me in Fay. That's just the way it was.

I'd much rather see a potion of cure disease in the home of every CL1 character (as a hint) than see disease get nerfed. The whole disease mechanic is very cool and can be very serious (though not fatal) or very trivial depending on your preparation. I think it plays well that way.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Might be an interesting use of lore points for the rogue to either auto-master a single lock/trap/rune... or to 'reset' his opportunities to master those things throughout the level.

It might easily get too good compared to Identify. Finding more stuff is to me much more important than identifying an item.