Development version of PWMAngband 1.1.12 released for testing

[PowerWyrm]

So far iam at my 6th attempt to get to the barrow-downs dungeon (the one with the lowest min level) with a dunadan necromancer. I already began to increase con and str stats instead of the spellcasting skills. Everytime I died not even reaching the dungeon (I have no problem with dying...) but having to rebuy all the standard stuff to prepare (phase doors, potions, inscriptions, some armor or weapon) and walking through the wilderness is a bit discouraging. The monsters that appear there kill the character on the spot with lowish chances of even running away.

Gonna do a little walkthrough with a necromancer to celebrate the new 1.1.12 version

And it's here: http://angband.oook.cz/forum/showthread.php?t=8466

[PowerWyrm]

The good news: everything's now done for beta 1. The bad news: no idea when I broke that, but ranged attacks instantly crash the game when they succeed due to an uninitialized variable. This is now fixed, so beta 1 should be out this week.

[PowerWyrm]

New monster and feature themes have been added for the extra dungeons, making them... more colorful. I just need to add some tiles for the new terrain features and beta 1 should be out soon.

[Acenoid]

Updated!

[PowerWyrm]

Finally ported everything I wanted from the 4.1 release (this doesn't include the new monster pathfinding, which would require much more thinking to port it for multiplayer). Probably my last development release, as the last thing I want to add is themes for the wilderness dungeons. Then the beta testing will start...

List of changes:

- Make vortices resist poison, silver jellies not hurt by light
- Forget destructed and earthquaked terrain
- Revert "Write less detail to savefiles for dead players"
- Exclude healers from warrior pits
- Make lava behave as expected
- Generalise lava damage to damaging terrain
- Improve ranged_helper()
- Stop ID info leaking when inspecting
- Fix message when an object modifier is identified by use
- Bring back trap detection status
- Fix some string_append() copy/paste errors
- Forget los-blocking grids between player and monster they can see
- Fix opening/closing a known door not updating the visuals while in the dark
- Make disabled traps and TMD_TRAPSAFE work sensibly
- Make treacherous weapon curse use the correct killer
- Refactor flavored death message code
- Fix crash in manual vault creation
- Make monsters in lava take damage (PWMAngband: extend to all damaging terrain)
- Make separate locations for list monsters in and out of los
- More charges for status-effect wands
- Fix ethereal hounds never trying to swarm the player
- Make group monsters only try to surround the player when in los
- Allow chests to be specifically generated in vaults
- Update help

Files updated: binaries and source code.
Files are available for download at the usual location: http://powerwyrm.monsite-orange.fr

[PowerWyrm]

This reminds me, there was a bug in V (fixed in ace98060) where scatter() could pick illegal grids - I don't know if yours has that problem.

Nope. The problem is that build_vault() in dungeon generation is always called with invalid parameters so that it triggers "find_space" to place the vault correctly, so it never checks for vault boundaries; in PWMAngband, when generating a vault manually, I pass the correct coordinates for the center of the vault, so if the vault is too big, it triggers an out of bounds error. I had to add extra checks to fix that.

[Nick]

And you are right. Function build_vault() doesn't check for level boundaries because it's usually called inside dungeon generation with valid parameters. When building a vault manually, only the position of the center of the vault is checked: player position + half the vault dimensions. If the center is in bounds but either the right side or bottom side is out of bounds, the game crashes. This will be fixed in the next release.

This reminds me, there was a bug in V (fixed in ace98060) where scatter() could pick illegal grids - I don't know if yours has that problem.

[PowerWyrm]

I added and adapted some of my vault creations for PWMangband. When scumming with the DM I see that they show up and seem to work fine. Creating them manually is difficult often nothing happens or the game crashes. I tried creating a "walls only level" and there the generation works fine for a few vaults. After a few vaults I see this message:
150617 232131 Exception 0xC0000005 at 0x438073

I suspect it has something to do if the vault would exceed the level boundaries?

And you are right. Function build_vault() doesn't check for level boundaries because it's usually called inside dungeon generation with valid parameters. When building a vault manually, only the position of the center of the vault is checked: player position + half the vault dimensions. If the center is in bounds but either the right side or bottom side is out of bounds, the game crashes. This will be fixed in the next release.

[PowerWyrm]

Thanks for the update! Installed it right away and trying it out. Including some modifications. Sound is working now.

Low prio bug?
I added and adapted some of my vault creations for PWMangband. When scumming with the DM I see that they show up and seem to work fine. Creating them manually is difficult often nothing happens or the game crashes. I tried creating a "walls only level" and there the generation works fine for a few vaults. After a few vaults I see this message:
150617 232131 Exception 0xC0000005 at 0x438073

I suspect it has something to do if the vault would exceed the level boundaries?

Some Questions:
- Does the default preservation mode "3" mean that an artefact may be sold and later be found again in the dungeon? What's the difference to setting 4?

- I tried to add a dungeon (into dungeons.txt) and a new boss (into monster.txt) in beta 0 in Hobbiton. Then I noticed that it is also necessary to add a down staircase as DM. Is there a better way to do it?

- Is it possible to set more parameters for a new dungeon e.g. force labyrinth / cavern like levels only? Only found a flag for the dungeon to be accessible for winners.

I'll look up at the problem with manual vaults.

PRESERVE=3 means that any artifact you sell in shops won't be generated again with the character. To find sold artifacts again, set PRESERVE=4

When you add a dungeon in the wilderness, a staircase is automatically generated on the surface level. It is not the case if you add a dungeon in a town because towns have their own layout. Adding a dungeon in one of the extra towns should be easy: modify town_feat.txt to add the "down staircase" as a possible feature in towns, then add your staircase manually where you want in the corresponding town_xxx.txt. This will not work for Hobbiton and Carn Dum, as these towns are already linked to a dungeon (Training Cave + Angband). The Angband dungeon in Carn Dum should never be modified, as it would break the game. The dungeon in Hobbiton can be easily modified. So instead of adding your dungeon, simply modify the existing one (The Training Cave) in dungeon.txt: you can change the name, min depth and max depth. To add your boss, set force-location:The Training Cave (or the new name) in the monster entry.

Currently you cannot set other parameters for dungeons. I plan to add more of them before the actual release of 1.1.12, especially themed monsters/features.

[Acenoid]

Thanks for the update! Installed it right away and trying it out. Including some modifications. Sound is working now.

Low prio bug?
I added and adapted some of my vault creations for PWMangband. When scumming with the DM I see that they show up and seem to work fine. Creating them manually is difficult often nothing happens or the game crashes. I tried creating a "walls only level" and there the generation works fine for a few vaults. After a few vaults I see this message:
150617 232131 Exception 0xC0000005 at 0x438073

I suspect it has something to do if the vault would exceed the level boundaries?

Some Questions:
- Does the default preservation mode "3" mean that an artefact may be sold and later be found again in the dungeon? What's the difference to setting 4?

- I tried to add a dungeon (into dungeons.txt) and a new boss (into monster.txt) in beta 0 in Hobbiton. Then I noticed that it is also necessary to add a down staircase as DM. Is there a better way to do it?

- Is it possible to set more parameters for a new dungeon e.g. force labyrinth / cavern like levels only? Only found a flag for the dungeon to be accessible for winners.

[PowerWyrm]

New update with some stuff from V, especially the "assign spellbooks tags 1-9 based on sval" feature, removing the need to inscribe books @m1-9 to cast spells from keymaps (using m4c will always cast Haste whatever books you have in your inventory as long as you carry a copy of MB4). Also this fixes the problem with sounds and adds a 100ft deep Training Cave in Hobbiton for starters.

List of changes:

- ZLIB upgraded to version 1.2.11
- LIBPNG upgraded to version 1.6.29
- FREETYPE upgraded to version 2.8
- PYTHON upgraded to 32-bit version 2.7.13
- Fix some typos in user manual
- Write error diagnosis file on object pile error
- Allow monster pathing through passable rubble
- Remove unknown curses from removal menu
- Buff breaths
- Switch out 'suicide' for 'kill character'
- Stop HOLY_ORB destroying cursed items
- Tweak =Searching again, explain permanent curses better
- Fix remove curse bugs
- Massive buff to probing
- Amend interesting room Hourglass
- Fix laxity in scatter(), find_nearby_grid(), and vault_monsters()
- Make donation rules the same as selling rules
- Learn runes of innate properties at birth
- Stop giving away ego names when looking at items in the home
- Remove vestigial pseudo-id stuff, add sound for learning a rune
- Fix sound effects not activated in the Win and SDL clients
- Add "The Training Cave" (depth 50' to 100') in Hobbiton
- Add back lore colors for charge drain, eat food and light
- Bounds checking and other fixes in dungeon generation
- Make some runes easier to learn
- Automatically assign spellbooks tags 1-9 based on sval

Files updated: binaries and source code.
Files are available for download at the usual location: http://powerwyrm.monsite-orange.fr

[PowerWyrm]

Concerning sound, I'm facing a strange issue... When I compile the client with my C++ Builder IDE, I get the sound effects. When I compile the client using the client.bat file (which is what I do for the releases), I get no sound. I'll have to investigate.

I'm a dumbass...

The client.bat file compiles all three clients (Win, SDL, GCU) with different #define variables (USE_GCU for GCU, USE_SDL for SDL, nothing for Win), but doesn't force recompile of the source files in which they appear, so only the .exe are regenerated. Since GCU is done first and has no sound, all three clients are generated without sound. Deleting the corresponding .obj files (in particular sound-core.obj) fixes the sound problem... and probably many other hidden problems.

Next release will have that fixed (I also added a Training Tower in Hobbiton to level up to 5 easily before moving out of the starting town and avoid lots of permature deaths).

[PowerWyrm]

Necromancer/Stunning: Will the class be reworked? Let me know if you would like to hear specifics (battles encounters ecetera) or if it's better just to ignore the class for now.

Noticed one more thing: I have enabled sound (works also in MAngband) but I have yet to hear some fx in pwmangband. Win10 64bit onboard card (VIA)

I don't think I'll rework Necromancer, it's way too powerful already in the endgame... so a rough start is ok.

Concerning sound, I'm facing a strange issue... When I compile the client with my C++ Builder IDE, I get the sound effects. When I compile the client using the client.bat file (which is what I do for the releases), I get no sound. I'll have to investigate.

[Acenoid]

Hey Powerwyrm!

Thanks for the response! Great feedback.

Birth options: Damn, I did not see it. Tried to change the options on the news screen and right after "birth" in the tavern. So this one was easy to solve!

Wilderness/Training Tower: I did some workaround by editing the dungeons.txt and adding downstairs in Hobbiton, to get a new 250ft. deep dungeon added. It seems, that it works. Still dying with the necromancer, but at least I see the end of the tunnel. But I will try the regular route that you recommended as well.

Necromancer/Stunning: Will the class be reworked? Let me know if you would like to hear specifics (battles encounters ecetera) or if it's better just to ignore the class for now.

Noticed one more thing: I have enabled sound (works also in MAngband) but I have yet to hear some fx in pwmangband. Win10 64bit onboard card (VIA)

In case you still use IRC and need specifics, I can usually be found in the #mangband channel.

Thanks again.

[PowerWyrm]

Ok I guess I'll have to put back the Training Tower from TomeNET if navigating through the wilderness is too hard for some classes. Usually, I have no trouble: I take the character east into the suburb area then north to (-19,21) to cross the Brandywine Bridge then east to Bree; by the time I reach the second town the character is usually level 8 or 9 and has no trouble reaching the Barrow Downs.

About your questions:
- the Home (store "0") is for non-wilderness servers to be able to store your items (just like regular Angband) because no regular houses will be generated
- the deed of property allows any starting character to buy a house (limited to a value of 10k -- usually 2x2 or 2x3 squares), it will be used instead of money when pressing ctrl-e to buy the house; to extend a house, buy house foundation stones and a scroll of house creation in the General Store
- to change birth options, press '=' during character creation (same as Angband)

Necromancer is really hard now because of change in the "stunning" effect. The old effect was similar to paralysis, so you could punch stuff to death without them retaliating. Now it's just "stunning".