disenor@utcsrgv.UUCP (Donald Isenor) (08/28/83)
This is the last straw! After countless futile attempts at total-winner-ship I finally had a great game going. I had more magic stuff than I could carry, super strength, and 115 hit points at experience level 11 (nice eh?) courtesy of a level 22 treasure room which I had just cleaned out. Right after I had finished off the last purple worm, my experience level went to 12 and my hit points to 124 or 125. Feeling great, I strolled out, healing as I went (the P had taken me to 90 or so), when BANG!!! instead of healing to 125, I went suddenly to -125!!! As I continued healing, my hp increased TOWARD ZERO! Feeling not so great, I encountered another P, which promptly killed me with one swell foop (I still had -90 hp). Aaaaauuuugggghhhhh!!!! What happened? Ken? (This is version 5.2)
disenor@utcsrgv.UUCP (Donald Isenor) (08/29/83)
Version 5.2 uses a signed byte to keep track of hit points (-128 to 127), presumably because no-one is supposed to get more than 127 hp. Well, I did, and as a result ruined a great game. This is a new one on me, and I can't remember seeing it mentioned in this newsgroup before, so be warned! If you find yourself approaching 127 hp, let a Vampire suck some out of your neck.