[net.games.rogue] 'f' key etc.

tims@mako.UUCP (Tim Stoehr) (07/15/84)

Given the great number of monsters you have to fight in rogue, there should
be a command that fights automatically but stops before you die.  "Aha," you
say, that's the 'f' key, everybody knows that.  But NOOO, I was just at level
20, with a +4, +2 two-handed sword, 70(70) Hp, 20(20) strength and 10/whatever
experience, and did an 'f' against a black unicorn, and, you guessed it,
there I was pushing up daisies.  The explanation of the 'f' command is
fight til death or near death.  How stupid!  The 'F' key is for fight til
death, why couldn't the author(s) of rogue put in one that would guarentee
survival?  How many of you have been reamed by this too?  And rogue is
often named as the best 'UNIX' game, and it can't do a simple thing like this.
Not only that, but the whole damn thing is nothing but a random number
generator.  Oh, sure, you learn a bunch of neat tricks to help you along, but
after that, and it doesn't take all that long, it's ALL luck.  A good game
is then determined by the items you find which is nothing but luck.  Even
your Hp's are given by a random number generator, as is every fight, treasure
find, food etc. etc. etc.  Face it, those of you out there striving to win
rogue are just waiting for a fantasically astronomical amount of pure, raw,
luck, nothing more.  For that, and only that, will allow you to win, and
even then, you can still get screwed by the nymph bug, or the save bug.
Why didn't the rogue author(s) put some time into fixing bugs that kill
you instead of those that help you?  Do they really consider this a reasonable
game, that just throws monster after monster after monster at you until you
have no defense left?  It's a load of shit, that's all!  A complete and
total ream job.  It sucks dragon dumplings.  I know what you're thinking,
you're wondering if this is the way I really feel, then why do I play?
That's the worst part about it, it's addicting!  That's the only thing that
gives this game any popularity, it's as addicting as a cigarette habit.
And there's no end in sight, no big win at the end of the tunnel, it just
keeps on reaming, it never gets tired, it never stops, never gives you a
break, it just keeps on sticking it to you until finally crack under the
pressure, and your mind turns to mush, and you start posting flames to
net.games.rogue, and the sentences seem to run on forever, and ...

kel@ea.UUCP (07/21/84)

#R:mako:-21000:ea:3900004:000:397
ea!kel    Jul 21 15:52:00 1984

[ritual offering]

The 'f' key is a great time saver on easy monsters, but it is
no substitute for skillful melee play, and is exceptionally
dangerous on the first encounter with a new monster, as I
suspect you discovered.  If you want to introduce an element
of finesse into rogue play, start playing more carefully and
quit expecting the machine to play both sides of the game for
you.

			Ken

marka@uo-vax1.UUCP (marka) (07/28/84)

Sounds like `sour grapes' to me!!