[net.games.rogue] Suggestions for rogue

mah@ihuxx.UUCP (05/31/83)

	I have once posted this to the net and have not received any sug-
gestions or replies.  Since the subject is arising again, here is my article
for the second time.

	This letter is directed towards ANYONE in netland who either has
opinions about my suggestions (hopefully good), a person in charge of up-
dating old versions of rogue, or any interested roguer.

	I've noticed lately that there have been several suggestions con-
cerning how the game of rogue could be changed making it more interesting
or more exciting.  I thought that I might as well voice an opinion about
the game and either it might be put to use in a later version (presently,
I am using Super Rogue 8.4.  Is there any better one?) or just enlighten
anyone interested.

Now, my idea:

	     Wouldn't it be great if someone playing rogue could, before
	the game started, input by himself which keyboard characters
	represented movements, commands, etc?

	     For example, if someone didn't like the idea of having to
	press the '.' for resting, he could change the character that
	invoked that command to something that would suit his/her taste.

	     Another good example could be a person who dislikes the
	keys (h,j,k,l) that are used to move about the dungeon.  This
	person could, then, change the characters that are used for
	moving.  The possibilities are ENDLESS.

	    This would not need to be a mandatory thing to do.  If some-
	one is satisfied with the present keys (surely some of us are),
	then he/she can still maintain using them.

	     Also, a file could be set up to keep your characters that
	you wanted for every particular command and whenever you played
	rogue, rogue would read from that file and use your pre-
	determined characters.

	If anyone thinks that these ideas are reasonable, please contact the
maker of rogue, if you know him, and ask if these can be made a part of the
next version.  I would also appreciate any of your suggestions or comments
pertaining to mine.


				Waiting for replies or comments,

				J. Harpalani  (ihuxx!mah)
				A Fellow Rouger

mark@cvl.UUCP (06/03/83)

I'm afraid I think that being able to customize the keys would add nothing
to the game.  After a few hundred games, your fingers know what to do
whatever the key bindings.

dwe@ncsu.UUCP (06/04/83)

References: ihuxx.429

	Wouldn't it be possible to use 'tr' to facilitate the command
	changes.  For example, if for some strange reason, you like
	capital letters, the move commands could be changed by invoking
	rogue with this command line:
		cat - |tr HJKLYUBN hjklyubn |/usr/games/rogue
	Of course the original H, J, K, L, Y, U, B, and N commands would
	have to be assigned to other keys if they are to be used.  I
	haven't tried it because games are no more on our system (sigh),
	but unless 'rogue' checks to make sure it's not reading from a
	pipe, it should work.

					David Easter
					N. C. State University