The Rogue Game Competition

[sachmo71]

Simp,

I had to chase him down and kill him. The first time he attacked me, it took my by surprise. I thought I could beat him, but he disappeared. I figured he would show up again, and I would hit him with some spells or something. I threw a potion of confusion at him, and a potion of sleep, and used a staff of sleep monster, some poison, and a ton of other stuff. He shrugged it all off. So finally I moved up and engaged him. When he took off, I ran around until I found him again, and killed him this way. Maybe something more powerful would have knocked him out, but I had to do it the hard way.

[mrsimperless]

You can throw potions at monstors and they will be affected?? :O

I have been throwing away all of the "bad" potions that I have been finding! I will have to start keeping them.

Also, what does "phase door" do?

[sachmo71]

Yes, you can throw them, but so far they have only affected weak creatures for me. I just drop them...now.

Phase door teleports you a short distance from your current location. It can save your butt when you are surrounded by critters.

[mrsimperless]

OK, more questions I haven't found the answers to online.

On my character screen, which stats are real? I see "Self" and "best". Also, after best there are some more numbers in yellow? What means what? Is there a thorough description of this screen somewhere, because I have a few other questions as well. (What are RB, CB and EB, etc.)

[mrsimperless]

Dola

Another major dilemma. I go back to town and no scrolls of identify! So I decide to rest for a while and see if the store restocks. 15 rations and 10 scrolls of satisfy hunger later & still no restock!! And now they are out of food too. This will suck if I die in town. How else can I identify items? Thanks!

[Thomkal]

The "Best" scores are your current scores and the one you see on the main town/dungeon page. Self scores are the base scores your character has before any bonuses during character generation for racial and class bonusses (RB and CB on that screen, EB is equipment bonuses I believe) There are some in-game help pages if you do a ? in game, not sure that info is in there or not.

As for Smeagol, he can be tough for a low level char, because he's so quick and can teleport away, but the good news is that you probably won't have much money when you meet up with him anyway, so it doesn't hurt too bad when he takes your cash.
Probably the best way to handle him is to try to keep him at a distance and use a missile weapon on him-you'll likely need one with a bonus to hit or damage (or on the missiles themselves). Phase Door scrolls are good for this-when he gets too close, phase door away (hopefully). If you can find a wand of stinking cloud or wonder, you can sometimes get some damage attacks on him. Beware the wand of wonder though-its powers are all random.

As for the no identity scrolls in town problem, this is another reason I prefer the variants to the original Angband. It's a pain in the butt when this happens with identity scrolls, word of recall, and lighting items. What I do is stock up on scrolls of satisfy hunger, make sure you read one before going down to 50'. Once there make sure there's nothing around you that's going to interrupt your rest, then sit on the stairs, and rest for 1000 turns at a time until the game tells you you are hungry again. Read a scroll or two, lather rinse repeat. I normally hang out down there for 5000 turns as I seem to recall this advice back when I played this version, but it may take less.

Normally you'll find whatever it is you are looking for upon your return. If not, either go back to store un ID'ed items in your home and go back to killing things for a little bit and try the stores again, or repeat the satisfy hunger method again for 5000 turns. If you have the money, you can use a staff of perception to identify things too, so keep that in mind.

[sachmo71]

I used a Wand of Wonder on a Cave Ork...and he turned into a Baby(thankfully) Blue Dragon! SweeT!

[mrsimperless]

One last ID-10T question here.

I am 450' down now and I got a special feeling. (My second one. The first one yielded an orc lair (or was it a vault?) and I got out of there just barely with a holy avenger sword.) However on this one I could not find anything. Finally I used a magic mapping scroll and I saw a "weird" area in the middle of the map. The best way to describe it is 3 "hallway-like" rooms all on top of each other. I used an object detection scroll and saw that the 3 hallways were loaded with items. I was finally able to tunnel my way into the middle hallway and there were a bunch of items, but nothing excellent. However, all both of the other hallways appear to be surrounded by permanent rock. I'm guessing there's an artifact or something coo' in one of the other hallways, but I can't get in!! Anyone seen this situation before?

[Thomkal]

Hmmm,

Can't picture the vault you are describing, but did you dig all the non-permanent walls around the entire vault and any ones in the vault itself? Sometimes you have to dig through the walls to get to the non-permanent wall on the other side of it. You can also examine every block of the wall. I use the roguelike commands which means I use the letter x, then it gives you a bunch of other keys you can hit. I use p, that lets me search (with the arrow or your movement keys) every block of wall that surrounds the vault. There should be at least one non-permanent wall there you can access to get into the rest of the vault. Did you search for secret doors in the areas of the vault you can't get into?

The vault I just died in-see the dynasty thread-had a situation somewhat like this-There were two corridors that ended in permanent rock-I knew there was a vault above it because I could see the traps and such above it. I had to dig into the corridor wall to the left of the permanent wall (the corridor was running to the north when it ended at the wall). I kept digging to the left when the permanent wall continued to the north...kept digging until the one square that was not permanent was revealed. Then I died soon thereafter.

Does this help any?

[mrsimperless]

OH NO!!! I finally got in there by tunelling all around. It took forever, as I had to set up a bunch of tunneling macros. Once inside I kept getting confused by something and it was using psionic powers on me. I kept running away and healing myself when it would get me down to around 50hps. On the third time I battled it I wasn't so fortunate and it ended up taking me out. Oh well. I played this stupid game ALL DAY LONG and now I have nothing to show for it. Time for some NCAA2004.

Here is my dump.


Name Mr. Simperless Self RB CB EB Best
Sex Male Age 30 STR: 17 +4 +5 +0 18/80
Race Half-Troll Height 73 INT: 11 -4 -2 +0 5
Class Warrior Weight 252 WIS: 14 -2 -2 +4 14
Title Swashbuckler Status 1 DEX: 10 -4 +2 +0 8
HP -40/247 Maximize Y Con: 17 +3 +2 +0 18/40 18/30
SP 0/0 Preserve N CHR: 9 -6 -1 +0 3

Level 19 Armor [24,+20] Saving Throw Good
Cur Exp 4483 Fight (+1,+5) Stealth Bad
Max Exp 4483 Melee (+8,+11) Fighting Heroic
Adv Exp 5280 Shoot (+11,+19) Shooting Superb
Blows 2/turn Disarming Fair
Gold 5451 Shots 1/turn Magic Device Fair
Perception Bad
Burden 146.8 lbs Infra 30 ft Searching Poor

Your father was a Stone-Troll Warrior. You have slime-green eyes,
mangy sea-weed green hair, and blue leprous skin.



[Last Messages]

> Your mind is blasted by psionic energy.
> You are confused!
> You are confused.
> You miss it.
> You hit it.
> You feel something focusing on your mind.
> You resist the effects!
> You are confused.
> There is a wall in the way!
> It hits you. <3x>
> Your eyes feel less sensitive.
> You are confused.
> There is a wall in the way!
> It mumbles.
> You die.


[Character Equipment]

a) a Small Sword (Holy Avenger) (1d6) (+7,+6) [+1] (+4)
It increases your wisdom by 4. It slays demons, undead, and all evil
creatures. It provides resistance to fear. It sustains your charisma.
It is blessed by the gods. It grants you the ability to see invisible
things.
b) a Short Bow of Power (x2) (+10,+19)
c) a Marble Ring of Resist Fire
It provides resistance to fire. It cannot be harmed by fire.
d) a Quartz Ring of Slow Digestion
It slows your metabolism.
e) (nothing)
f) a Brass Lantern (with 6245 turns of light)
It cannot be harmed by fire.
g) Chain Mail (-2) [14,-1]
h) a Cloak [1,+2]
i) a Small Leather Shield [2,+4]
j) a Hard Leather Cap [2,+5]
k) a Set of Gauntlets [2,+7]
l) a Pair of Hard Leather Boots [3,+2]


[Character Inventory]

a) 14 Flasks of oil
b) a Purple Potion of Detect Invisible
c) 2 Oily Yellow Potions of Neutralize Poison
d) 2 Scrolls titled "poso blurol" of Phase Door
e) 4 Scrolls titled "ur cosro" of Word of Recall
f) 3 Scrolls titled "oxy alabek" of Trap Detection
g) 2 Scrolls titled "pluapp ingther" of Detect Invisible
h) 18 Scrolls titled "prokag ashbar" of Satisfy Hunger
i) a Scroll titled "ox dalfklis od" of Monster Confusion
j) a Titanium Wand of Slow Monster (12 charges)
k) a Gold Wand of Magic Missile (8 charges)
l) a Maple Staff of Perception (5 charges)
m) a Rosewood Staff of Object Location (13 charges)
n) a Sycamore Staff of Trap Location (9 charges)
o) an Adamantite Ring of Feather Falling
It makes you fall like a feather.
p) Soft Leather Armour [4,+3]
q) a Set of Gauntlets [2,+0]
r) a Sabre (1d7) (+5,+1)
s) a Spear (1d6) (+5,+2)
t) a Beaked Axe (2d6) (+4,+4)
u) 45 Arrows (1d4) (+0,+0)


[Home Inventory]

a) 5 Violet Speckled Potions of Boldness
b) 3 Coagulated Crimson Potions of Resist Heat
c) 3 Indigo Potions of Resist Cold
d) 2 Smoky Potions of Heroism
e) a Scroll titled "absta cretue" of Object Detection


[Options]

Adult: Allow purchase of stats using points : no (adult_point_based)
Adult: Allow specification of minimal stats : yes (adult_auto_roller)
Adult: Maximize effect of race/class bonuses : yes (adult_maximize)
Adult: Preserve artifacts when leaving level : no (adult_preserve)
Adult: Restrict the use of stairs/recall : no (adult_ironman)
Adult: Restrict the use of stores/home : no (adult_no_stores)
Adult: Restrict creation of artifacts : no (adult_no_artifacts)
Adult: Randomize some of the artifacts (beta): no (adult_rand_artifacts)
Adult: Don't stack objects on the floor : no (adult_no_stacking)
Score: Peek into object creation : no (score_peek)
Score: Peek into monster creation : no (score_hear)
Score: Peek into dungeon creation : no (score_room)
Score: Peek into something else : no (score_xtra)
Score: Know complete monster info : no (score_know)
Score: Allow player to avoid death : no (score_live)

[Airhog]

mrsimperless: that is how it goes for Rogue games. You can put alot of work into the character only to have it get killed. What was it that killed you? Also, Greater vaults are no joke, even at 450'.

You really should carry a wand of teleport other around if you happen to run into one of those vaults. Just teleport the bad stuff out and snatch all the good stuff.

[Thomkal]

Sadly it will be the first of many roguelike deaths. There are just so many things that can kill a character no matter how careful you are and how much planning you do, you need a bit of luck to make it all the way to the end. But you learn from each death, and helps you in the long run when you really get a serious character.

[mrsimperless]

Originally posted by Airhog
What was it that killed you?

Mr. Simperless the Half-Troll Warrior, Level 19
Killed by Nar, the Dwarf on dungeon level 9

[mrsimperless]

Dola.

Another question from something I ran across in the dynasty thread. What is a phial? I dont think I have ever run across one.

And what does being blessed by the gods do for an item?

And how do I enchant stuff?

And...

heh, so much stuff I don't know about this game.

[sachmo71]

The phial is a light source. It was in the movie...

[Airhog]

The Phial is an artifact. At least I have never seen a non-arftifact Phial.

Blessed by the gods means a priest can wield it without edged weapon
penalties.

You can enchant weapons and armour by reading scrolls of enchant armor, and enchant weapon to hit or enchant weapon to damage. 9 is about the highest you cna enchant armor and weapons.

[mrsimperless]

Originally posted by Airhog
Greater vaults are no joke, even at 450'.

Are vaults (both greater and lesser) usually only reachable by digging? I'm on a "special" level right now, but I can't find anything special. There is one area of the dungeon I can't see, but I have no mapping scroll and I have searched everywhere for secret doors.

[Airhog]

Greater Vaults are always surrounded by Permanent rock, with only a few non permanent rock places. I havent seen one that required you to tunnel half way across the map.

Lesser vaults do not have the permanent rock.

If your one a special level, and there isnt a pit, or a vault, then there is probably an artifact. just pick up every weapon and armor piece and see if you get a special feeling from it.

[mrsimperless]

So how do you know if you should start digging around for a vault? Do you usually care scrolls to help you find it, or is there some other way you know?

And thanks for all the tips and advice. It is really helpful!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally posted by Airhog
Lesser vaults do not have the permanent rock.

That used to be the case but no more in this most recent version. I came across a lesser vault with permanent rock. But it was real small.

-Anxiety

[Airhog]

ahhhh, I hadnt seen one yet. I just thought that all GV had permanent rock, even if they were small

[Thomkal]

Most of the time you'll know there's a vault, because either:

1) You'll run into a dead end with permament rock facing you. Depending on what graphics you are using, it should look different than the regular room/corridor rock. You normally won't find a secret door leading into vaults with permament rock.

2) Via various detection methods, you spot an abnormal number of traps, monster, and/or objects next to each other.

If you have no means of detecting try looking for permament rock around the unexplored area using the method I described above. Likely though you have an artifact that you haven't got a feeling for yet or ID'ed.

[Abe Sargent]

bump casue it's due tomorrow

-Anxiety

[Airhog]

dont forget to send in your files tonight. I will try and process them tomorrow morning and post the results.

[Abe Sargent]

I died again on my last delving, so i'm out.

-Anxiety

[Thomkal]

Sadly I won't be sending one in-After my first guy died, I had a second one die fairly quickly, and the third one I'm working on is too young to have a chance to win. Ah well.

[Airhog]

well no-one sent in a character. Looks like my guy wins by default

SO what should the next challenge be folks? Give me your ideas, and we shall see

[Bee]

ToME is a good roguelike.

[Thomkal]

Hmmm,

Is it too late to send in my char then? Nobody sent one in?

TOME is good, I like Hengband a lot, and I suppose some consideration should be given to ADOM, though I suck at that one.

[Celeval]

Damn! My killing of Grip would have won!

[Celeval]

Dola...

I think the biggest problem with not getting entries was the fact you had to be living to submit. Whichever we do for a competition next, let us submit dead characters, you'll get more entries.

Kevin

[sachmo71]

Could we judge by score?

Oh, and I vote for ADOM, but I'll have no problem playing another Angband variant. And there is always Nethack...

[Bee]

Here's some ideas about the goal for the next competition:

Best Score
Most Experience Points
Most Money
Most Monsters killed
Most monsters killed of one type (for example, most molds killed)
Most of 1 item collected (For example, most potions of water - probably best if it's something not sold in the stores)


Just a few ideas.

[JAG]

Originally posted by Bee
Here's some ideas about the goal for the next competition:

Best Score
Most Experience Points
Most Money
Most Monsters killed
Most monsters killed of one type (for example, most molds killed)
Most of 1 item collected (For example, most potions of water - probably best if it's something not sold in the stores)


Just a few ideas.

I like these ideas. For most monsters killed, I assume you meant most different kinds of that type (killing a yellow and seven brown molds would be a score of 2 for example). Of them, I'd probably vote for score, most exp, most money, and the most of one type.

As far as what type of variation/character to play next, I don't really have a preference, I'm game for anything.

[Syrinx]

According to the first post:

You have until 11:59 PM on August the 5th to send in your character to me.

That means tonight, not last night.... Right? I have a character file to send you.

[Vince]

Hey, if you're still accepting entries I'll keep going with my newer guy. Somehow he's at level 12 (I think only about 300' down) and hasn't killed a unique (not even farmer maggot's dogs).

[Abe Sargent]

If I had won, here was what I was going to choose:


Zangband. You may create your own character (I hated seeing every dump with Nuglof, made it hard to create a sense of self). You must, however, be a Beastman and Chaos Warrior.

Different Chaos Warriors would have different Chaos Patrons, leading to different Chaos gifts. Add the Beastman mutations and you'd have radically different characters all with the same premise.

Then I was looking at deepest artifact, most artifacts, most Cthulian uniques killed, most Amberites killed, etc. But I ultimately had decided that we use quests, and create quests in the dungeons every so many feet. And whoever clears the lowest quest wins.

Anyways, that was my thought on the matter. Might be some good ideas in there for you to think about.

-Anxiety

[JAG]

Originally posted by Anxiety
If I had won, here was what I was going to choose:


Zangband. You may create your own character (I hated seeing every dump with Nuglof, made it hard to create a sense of self). You must, however, be a Beastman and Chaos Warrior.

Different Chaos Warriors would have different Chaos Patrons, leading to different Chaos gifts. Add the Beastman mutations and you'd have radically different characters all with the same premise.

Then I was looking at deepest artifact, most artifacts, most Cthulian uniques killed, most Amberites killed, etc. But I ultimately had decided that we use quests, and create quests in the dungeons every so many feet. And whoever clears the lowest quest wins.

Anyways, that was my thought on the matter. Might be some good ideas in there for you to think about.

-Anxiety

I know I said I liked most of Bee's ideas, but this could be really entertaining. Good thought Anxiety.

[Airhog]

okay, sorry for the mixup.... I could have sworn that I said the 4th. So anyone that wishes to send in your last minute entry go right ahead....



Anxiety: I like some of those ideas, but Im really shooting for a devious challenge