[rec.games.hack] overcoming bordom

pell@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Anthony Pelletier) (08/06/87)

we have been playing version 1.0.3.   Let's face it, escaping with the
Amulet is just not all that hard. I won one game yesterday and two the day
before.  A friend in the lab won twice yesterday.
Making your character invincible is not hard.  Once that is done, running
up a score in the many millions is shear tedium--255 of all gems, cursed and
un etc., none of the monsters are tough at that point.

So we have taken a slightly different approach.  Instead of trying to run up
points, our new goal is to get to hell, get the Amulet, and get out
with as few points as possible.  I took a wizard out last night with 25
hit points, strength 13, experience 4.  
The point total was 35,000 or so.  I thought that would
be the score to beat; but less than an hour later, tom got out after a trip
to hell for the Amulet with 15 hp experience level 1, total points: ~28,000.
It seems that a trip to hell and back is worth about 20K no matter what, so the
lower limit is around there.

A side benifit is that we spend (waste) less time playing.  My win yesterday
took less than an hour and tom's took less than 15 minutes.
And it is more fun when one is playing "on the edge."

Another way to relieve the tedium is to restrict yourself, 
as one person has already suggested, no genocide, no wishes.

There was also talk a while back of making the game harder after the first
few levels.  Is that being pursued?  One thing that might be good is if you
could not teleport back from hell and all the monsters were tougher on the way
back up.  

Happy hacking

tony

P.S.  once when I was really bored with an invincible character, I took off
all my clthes and ran around naked, killing and eating everything in site until
I choked on my food.  I guess I always wanted to do that.  I wonder what
the analysts in soc.(wo)men would have to say about such fantasy.

czei@osupyr.UUCP (Michael S Czeiszperger) (08/08/87)

In article <1788@sigi.Colorado.EDU> pell@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Anthony Pelletier) writes:
>we have been playing version 1.0.3.   Let's face it, escaping with the
>Amulet is just not all that hard. I won one game yesterday and two the day
>before.  A friend in the lab won twice yesterday.


You have to be using wizard mode to do that well.  There is no way on
earth anyone can win at hack that easy, at least on the Unix versions.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael S. Czeiszperger           | Disclaimer: "Sorry, I'm all out of pith" 
Sound Synthesis Studios           | Snail: Room 406 Baker     Phone: (614)
College of the Arts Computer Lab  |        1971 Neil Avenue            292-
The Ohio State University         |        Columbus, OH 43210           0895
UUCP : {decvax,ucbvax}!cbosgd!osupyr!czei

stevem@sco.UUCP (Stephen Marino) (08/09/87)

>>we have been playing version 1.0.3.   Let's face it, escaping with the
>>Amulet is just not all that hard. I won one game yesterday and two the day
>>before.  A friend in the lab won twice yesterday.
>
>You have to be using wizard mode to do that well.  There is no way on
>earth anyone can win at hack that easy, at least on the Unix versions.
>
A lot of people don't realize that the wizard mode is for debugging
purposes only, not a character class.  I'm not sure it's stated anywhere
in the doc.  Speaking of not stated anywhere, could someone please post
a listing of what all the bizarre weapons are?  I haven't the slightest
idea what a katana, shriuken or morningstar is and how effective they
are against monsters.  Has anyone a collection of hack hints out there?

Stephen Marino (decvax!microsoft!sco!stevem)

rwhite@nu3b2.UUCP (Robert C. White Jr.) (08/10/87)

In article <200@sco>, stevem@sco.UUCP (Stephen Marino) writes:
> I haven't the slightest
> idea what a katana, shriuken or morningstar is and how effective they
> are against monsters.

	The Weapons:
1) Katana:  The medimum length Samuri Sword, Unbreakable when use edge on
	but shatters like glass if hit on the flat.  Never corrodes or
	needs sharpening.

2) Shriuken: "Ninja throwing star"  Very nasty.  Properly thrown they are
	deadly and then some.

3) Morning Star:  Take 12" of lead pipe, attach 5" of heavy chain to one
	end, attach a 3lb. spiked ball to the other end of the chain.
	In general it can also mean a spiked mace [i.e. delete the chain]

NEITHER 1 or 2 are implemented properly, in my opinion.  A katana should
have the damage capability of a two handed sword [or better] but no shields
allowed.  I would also add no throwing one wepon while weilding another.

Robert.

mike@genat.UUCP (Mike Stephenson) (08/10/87)

In article <1136@nu3b2.UUCP> rwhite@nu3b2.UUCP (Robert C. White Jr.) writes:

>	The Weapons:
>1) Katana:  The medimum length Samuri Sword, Unbreakable when use edge on
>	     .....

>2) Shriuken: "Ninja throwing star"  Very nasty.  Properly thrown they are
>	      .....

>NEITHER 1 or 2 are implemented properly, in my opinion.  A katana should
>have the damage capability of a two handed sword [or better] but no shields
>allowed.  I would also add no throwing one wepon while weilding another.

	The damage on the Katana is approximated out of some D&D notes I have
(I think from The Dragon).  The Shuriken is even more deadly than you think.

	As for throwing items while wielding a sword, I don't see any problem
at all.  Imagine, if you will, an average Ninja, holding a Katana in one hand
while throwing a few Shurikens at some offending beastie.  Quite realistic.

-- 
						Mike Stephenson

Mail:	Genamation Inc.		Phone:	(416) 475-9434
	351 Steelcase Rd. W
	Markham, Ontario.	UUCP:	{uunet, utzoo}!mnetor!genat!mike
	Canada   L3R 3W1

baron@uhccux.UUCP (Baron Fujimoto) (08/12/87)

In article <200@sco> stevem@sco.UUCP (Stephen Marino) writes:
>
>A lot of people don't realize that the wizard mode is for debugging
>purposes only, not a character class.  I'm not sure it's stated anywhere
>in the doc.  Speaking of not stated anywhere, could someone please post
>a listing of what all the bizarre weapons are?  I haven't the slightest
>idea what a katana, shriuken or morningstar is and how effective they
>are against monsters.  Has anyone a collection of hack hints out there?
>
>Stephen Marino (decvax!microsoft!sco!stevem)

a katana is a long, slightly curved, single edged sword.  a "samurai sword"

a shuriken is a throwing weapon, like a disk with points or spikes on it, also
referres to as a "throwing star"

I believe a morning star is like a flail with weighted and spiked balls on
the ends of the chain.



-- 

  UUCP: {backbone}!sdcvax!nosc!uhccux!baron          
  INTERNET: baron@uhccux.UHCC.HAWAII.EDU                                
  ICBM: 21 19 N,  157 52 W