faq.txt

=== Frequently Asked Questions ===

Most of these questions have been taken from the newsgroup
rec.games.roguelike.angband. If something isn't answered here
feel free to either post a question to the newsgroup or email
the mailing list unangband@yahoogroups.com. If you have any
suggestions for questions that should appear here, please
feel free to e-mail me suggestions at andrewdoull@hotmail.com.

Please put [Un] at the start of the subject so that people are
aware that this is a question about Unangband. Yahoo Groups
will automatically prepend this to e-mails you send to the
mailing list.

=== [Section 1] General/Development Questions ===

[Q1.1]   What is Unangband?

Unangband is a roguelike game based on Angband. For further
information about roguelikes, I can recommend the newsgroups
rec.games.roguelike.angband and rec.games.roguelike.developer.

Over the years Unangband has accumulated features from many
other variants of Angband. The credits screen at the opening of
the game should point you in the direction of other variants
which I have used features from. I highly recommend all of them.

Unangband features have been also picked up by other variants:
room descriptions in Eyangband, the visual edit mode and display
of unsafe grids in Hengband, terrain features in NPPAngband and
Hengband, clouds surrounding monsters in Sangband. I'm sure more
features will be picked up in the not so distant future.


[Q1.2]   Why write another variant of Angband?

Unangband is my variant. Its been around longer than many: it
predates NPPAngband and FAAngband for instance.

As for why I write it, I enjoy coding, particularly coding for
Angband.

It scratches an itch I have...

As for why you should play it, I'm not entirely sure. Some
people like the 'atmosphere' of Unangband. Some people like the
campaign mode, which is now why this is the default. Some
people like the underlying code...


[Q1.3]   Why don't you adopt (feature from variant-x)?

This is my biggest problem as a variant maintainer. I'm working
off an old Angband version (2.9.2), and I'm chasing the feature
tail on at least 3 variants (Sangband, NPPAngband and vanilla).
In addition, I have my own ideas to implement.

Feel free to implement the feature from that variant in a fork 
of https://github.com/DGoldDragon28/Unangband.git and send me 
a pull request. I mean, the source code is all there...


[Q1.4]   Why isn't there a compile of the latest release for
(platform-x)?

Why isn't there? I'd love for someone, maybe yourself, to go
ahead and compile a version for your platform. I haven't modified
the source files far from the Angband platform base, so its more
than likely the compile instructions for Angband will work. I'm
also good at minimising the number of compiler warnings generated
so I'd expect it not to be too painful a job. Only the main-win.c
file has been modified so you'll probably need to do some work if
you want to use the latest main-xxx.c file from Angband.

If you want isometric graphics, you'll need to spend a bit more
time working on things. You'll probably do a better job than me.


[Q1.5]   Where do you intend Unangband to end up?

Good question. Read the todo.txt file, which is a dumping ground
for ideas. I have plenty of those, but I know I need to work on
balancing the game better.  Since I'm too impatient to play
Unangband that much, since I always end up coming with more ideas,
I've instead been working on algorithmic balancing of the game,
such as using a monster power evaluation function.  The problem
with these kinds of functions, is that they tell you more about
issues with the function, than necessarily how well the game is
balanced.  That's why my favorite variant is Sangband, because
Leon Marrick has done such a good job getting the balance and
feature set right with it.


[Q1.6]   Why is (x) spelt wrong or formatted wrong?

I use Notepad in Windows for all my editting. It doesn't have a
spell checker or white space display of any kind.


[Q1.7]   Why does the game crash at point (x)?

Probably because I haven't initialised a global variable, and I
haven't adopted a debugger or automated testing yet.  Other
variant maintainers will frown at these kinds of comments.  Its
on a rather large to do list.

If you encounter a crasher bug, please report it on the website.
If possible, a save file right before the bug crash would be ideal.


[Q1.8]   Why don't you throw the code away and start off with
(more recent variant x)?

I end up thinking that on the bad days.  But then I've done a lot
of work on this code base.  And I kind of like it, even though it
can be a little funky in places...


=== [Section 2] Gameplay Questions ===

I highly recommend you don't spoil your knowledge of the game with
this section.  However, many veterans of other variants of Angband
have asked these, so I'll answer them here.

[Q2.1]   What are corpses for?

They are there for flavor. And some monsters deep in the dungeon
come back to life if you don't destroy their bodies in time. Next
version will see monsters animating the dead and feeding from corpses
to regain their strength. When I get the quest code working, you will
also occasionally have to collect trophies to complete quests. And
shopkeepers will restock items for you if you collect the body parts
of the appropriate monster.

When I get friendly monsters working, you'll be able to re-assemble
golems and have them fight on your side.


[Q2.2]   What are room descriptions for?

The biggest problem with room descriptions, and to a lesser extent
interesting rooms from Sangband, is that you usually come across said
room after it's emptied itself of the monsters that relate to the room,
and you get to go 'hmm... interesting, that's where the fast and highly
dangerous monster I just fought lives'.

I'm sure it would work much better if you entered the room, read the
description and went 'hmm... interesting. I need to look out a fast and
highly dangerous monster that happens to be immune to fire. I'll put
away my trusty fire brand sword and pull out my slightly less reliable
frost brand axe I've been saving for this occasion...'

Of course, coming up with a technical solution that allows this is
tricky. I am considering restricting the total number of different
monster races on a level, and making all room descriptions relate to
these monsters in some way.

That's why quests are so successful in many variants. You know what to
expect (Even if its just a name) and can mentally prepare yourself for
the challenge... even if it is fighting 15 of the toughest level 8
monsters on level 1.


[Q2.3]   What are instruments for?

Instruments with no abilities are useless unless you are a bard. But
they do come in ego-flavors, so it is possible to find a useful 
instrument if you are a spell caster or archer, that you would favour
over a weapon that provides less of a benefit.


[Q2.4]   Why do stat-potions only provide a temporary stat increase?

Using the current random algorithm, you'll end up with 'near-maximum'
stats of between 18/40 and 18/100. You can test this in wizard mode by
editting your experience to a high number and watching the stats
improve. The algorithm is weighted to choose stats prefers the least
improved stats over the most improved.

I wanted to make more than the Angband 'resistance-lock' the key to
winning the game, and was inspired by Quickband's choice to remove stat
potions completely (For admittedly what is a much shorter game).

It is easy enough to create permanent stat gain potions using the edit
files. Just create a gain stat potion without a duration...


[Q2.5]   What are altars / shrines / magic circles for?

Study at them and see.  In the next version, you'll also be able to
take away a copy of the spell(s) you've studied, as an object that
takes up 1 inventory slot per spell.

And trying applying a shrine to an item (y) or engraving it (^G)
(depending on your keyset). Shrines act just like runes, so they should
be able to improve your equipment in various ways (Or destroy it).


[Q2.6]   Why is identify so rare?

Its actually not, its more common.  Oh, you mean that ability to see
what an item is actually called.  Its still free - you just have to sell
your equipment to a store like you always did.

Seriously, I have been experimenting somewhat with the identify system
to see what impact it has on the game.  Its generally been derided,
except by Eddie Grove, and I've got a very sophisticated object lore
code in the game, so that tracks which equipment has abilites, which
does not, and deduces automatically for you when you can tell certain
equipment has an ability.  In the next version, classes will each have
their own sensing ability on items. For instance, shamans will be able
to read the runes on various objects, which should give you a clue to
both the objects nature, and the function of runes on known items.

And the variety of identify scrolls will be rationalised as a part of
the whole object rationalisation I intend for a future version.


[Q2.7]   Why do certain locations appear or disappear as travel options?

Because I've implemented the wilderness as a unidirectional graph.  It
is actually something I've meeting to improve the interface on - I think
I might just end up drawing an ascii map of the various paths you can
take through the locations and give it to you up front.

The best way to map the wilderness is the same way as drawing a map in
those old text games.  You know the ones, go north from the house to get
to the river, and then south from the river to get to the barn.

If someone does one for me, I'll include it in the game.


[Q2.8]   Why do the shop keepers rotate whenever I go to a new town
(Including places like Farmer Maggot's Farm)?

At the moment, I only allocate enough space for 8 stores (7 + your home).
As a result, any time you go to a new town (including towns with 1 store)
all the stores are reset, including new contents and new shopkeepers. So
it is possible to get infinite food from Farmer Maggot's Farm. This will
change in the next version, so that you will only get the initial amount
of food from the farm, and nothing more.

I will allocate enough space for all the stores in the next version of
Unangband (0.6.1). This will also allow me to potentially remove other
hacks in the campaign mode.


[Q2.9]   Why do forests and other surface locations keep hiding and
showing the map at random?

This is because you are stepping 'inside' and 'outside' the cover of tree
branches. Unangband displays the surface map two different ways when you
are on the surface, depending on whether you are inside or outside, which
is controlled by the type of terrain you are standing on.

When you are inside, the graphics are displayed exactly as if you were in
the dungeon. You see known locations, and unknown locations are either
displayed with a grey 'x' or an empty space, depending on what options you
have set.

When you are outside, a 'fake' terrain is displayed in unknown locations.
This is similar to how Angband lites the whole town during day time, but
allows you to discover paths and other interesting features by exploring,
without making them automatically visible. The fake terrain is usually
correct, but not always e.g. smoke is displayed in locations that are either
filled with smoke or on fire. When you discover that the particular location
is on fire the smoke graphic will be replaced with a fire graphic.

Terrain covered by tree branches is considered 'inside' for these purposes.
This allows an area which is heavily covered by tree branches to be treated
as a dungeon location - the sun will only light the edges of the branches,
for instance.

Prior to this release of Unangband, you would not see the tree branches at
all if you knew what the terrain underneath was. This has been changed to
help 'clarify' when this graphical update occurs.


[Q2.10]   Why can I not get back to Hobbiton after I travel to Bree or
Buckland?

This is a deliberate design decision. You can stay in Hobbiton and get a
very easy first dungeon, and a useful guardian to kill at the end of it.
Or you can travel to Bree and start the Book of Red March quest, which
involves the events from the Hobbit taking place (Such as encountering
stone trolls in Trollshaw forest, passing through the Misty Mountains and
so on).

If you do stay in Hobbiton, and complete the dungeon under Farmer Maggot's
farm, you will take a much harder path from then on, as you will be
travelling down the path that leads to the Lord of the Rings quests,
including encounters with Tom Bombadil, and some very early and probably
fatal encounters with Ring Wraiths.

It is possible to cross-over from the Book of Red March quest to the
Lord of the Rings quest by defeating the guardian at the end of the
Barrow downs. So this is not a one-time deal.  But you won't be getting
back to Hobbiton for a little while yet otherwise.

As of this version of Unangband, there is now a home in Bree for you to
pick up your stuff that you may have left behind in Hobbiton.


[Q2.11]   Where is the dungeon guardian for (any wilderness dungeon)?

Guardians for surface and towns on the surface will only appear at night.
To determine how long until sunset, you can use the new time of day command.
This is (^T) or (') in the roguelike keyset.


[Q2.12]   The quest screen says I have to talk to Farmer Maggot. How do I
do this?

Quests are not enabled yet.  You can still use the quest command, but its
only for testing purposes.  I expect to have quests implemented about
version 0.7.0.