egos with missing powers

On 2008-01-12 21:30:57, Eddie Grove <eddiegrove.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

> It is possible to get a weapon "of Gondolin" whose
> extra power is Lite or SI or FA, but since it comes
> with Lite and SI and FA as base powers 3/8 of the
> time the effect is that there is no extra power.
>
> Are there any other cases like that?

I dont know, but it should be fairly easy to fix the code to check whether these
powers are already assigned. Hmmmm, I think I will do this for Hellband.

> Eddie
>
>

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 >> Stay informed about: egos with missing powers 

konijn_ <konijn.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> writes:

> On 2008-01-12 21:30:57, Eddie Grove <eddiegrove.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > It is possible to get a weapon "of Gondolin" whose
> > extra power is Lite or SI or FA, but since it comes
> > with Lite and SI and FA as base powers 3/8 of the
> > time the effect is that there is no extra power.
> >
> > Are there any other cases like that?
>
> I dont know, but it should be fairly easy to fix the code to check whether these
> powers are already assigned. Hmmmm, I think I will do this for Hellband.

Do you want to increase the chance of ESP from 1/8 to 1/5 for "of Gondolin"?
I can see arguments both ways.

The reason I posted is because I am listing items with their powers, if the
power is obvious or the item is or *IDed, e.g.

g) a Filthy Rag of Elvenkind { rConfusion } [1,+10] (+1 to stealth)
h) a Cloak of the Magi { SI } [1,+10] (+1)

Some pieces of code get noticeably messier dealing with possibly missing
powers. If multiple egos in multiple variants are like this, I guess I might
as well do it right, so that more people can snarf my code if they like.
OTOH, perhaps I should follow your viewpoint and change the item generation.
I can't make up my mind.

Hmm -- I wouldn't be surprised if NPP allows for multiple powers some day.
If the number of powers could be more than 1, I guess I should allow for 0.


Eddie
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On 2008-01-16 01:24:01, Eddie Grove <eddiegrove RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote:

> konijn_ writes:
>
> > On 2008-01-12 21:30:57, Eddie Grove wrote:
> >
> > > It is possible to get a weapon "of Gondolin" whose
> > > extra power is Lite or SI or FA, but since it comes
> > > with Lite and SI and FA as base powers 3/8 of the
> > > time the effect is that there is no extra power.
> > >
> > > Are there any other cases like that?
> >
> > I dont know, but it should be fairly easy to fix the code to check whether these
> > powers are already assigned. Hmmmm, I think I will do this for Hellband.
>
> Do you want to increase the chance of ESP from 1/8 to 1/5 for "of Gondolin"?
> I can see arguments both ways.

Until I can win Hellband I will slightly tweak it to be easier in the late game.
People will tell me if it becomes too easy.

> The reason I posted is because I am listing items with their powers, if the
> power is obvious or the item is or *IDed, e.g.
>
> g) a Filthy Rag of Elvenkind { rConfusion } [1,+10] (+1 to stealth)
> h) a Cloak of the Magi { SI } [1,+10] (+1)
>
> Some pieces of code get noticeably messier dealing with possibly missing
> powers. If multiple egos in multiple variants are like this, I guess I might
> as well do it right, so that more people can snarf my code if they like.
> OTOH, perhaps I should follow your viewpoint and change the item generation.
> I can't make up my mind.


Well, it would make Gondolin items less junk further in the game, and greater
finds earlier in the game.

>
> Hmm -- I wouldn't be surprised if NPP allows for multiple powers some day.
> If the number of powers could be more than 1, I guess I should allow for 0.
>
>
> Eddie
>
>

--
* Go to Hell (http://hellband.googlepages.com/index.html), now version 0.8.6! *
 >> Stay informed about: egos with missing powers 

konijn_ <konijn.RemoveThis@gmail.com> writes:

> On 2008-01-16 01:24:01, Eddie Grove <eddiegrove.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

> > Do you want to increase the chance of ESP from 1/8 to 1/5 for "of Gondolin"?
> > I can see arguments both ways.
>
> Until I can win Hellband I will slightly tweak it to be easier in the late game.
> People will tell me if it becomes too easy.

For the most part, a "random ability" is just a 1/8 lottery ticket for ESP.
It is possible for SI or FA to be useful enough to make the difference to
wield a blessed weapon, but those cases are rare.

The question is whether to try to make them useful [even 1/5 of ESP is not
enough] or an ESP lottery. If you actually want random abilities to be
useful, the first step is to remove FF and S.Dig. Perhaps the abilities
should be ordered from wimpy to strong, and an item dropped at dLevel L should
never get the first log_2 L abilities.


Eddie
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On 2008-01-16 17:31:58, Eddie Grove <eddiegrove.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:

> The question is whether to try to make them useful [even 1/5 of ESP is not
> enough] or an ESP lottery. If you actually want random abilities to be
> useful, the first step is to remove FF and S.Dig. Perhaps the abilities
> should be ordered from wimpy to strong, and an item dropped at dLevel L should
> never get the first log_2 L abilities.

This idea is a bit like the direction I'm moving in FAangband, which is to have
less egos, but make them vary more in quality with depth. So "of Resist Acid"
etc have all gone, and "of Resistance" is now a bit like "of Resists" in NPP;
possibly multiple resists, with the chance of more and high resists increasing
as you go deeper.

Nick.
--
"You are judging by social rules, and finding crime. I am considering an
elemental struggle, and finding no crime, just grim, primeval danger." - The
Midwich Cuckoos, John Wyndham
 >> Stay informed about: egos with missing powers 

Eddie Grove wrote:
> Some pieces of code get noticeably messier dealing with possibly missing
> powers. If multiple egos in multiple variants are like this, I guess I might
> as well do it right, so that more people can snarf my code if they like.
> OTOH, perhaps I should follow your viewpoint and change the item generation.
> I can't make up my mind.

I'd go for the change of item generation, myself. It sounds like it
might be a change for the better.

Andrew Sidwell
 >> Stay informed about: egos with missing powers 

Andrew Sidwell <takkaria.RemoveThis@gmail.com> writes:

> Eddie Grove wrote:
> > Some pieces of code get noticeably messier dealing with possibly missing
> > powers. If multiple egos in multiple variants are like this, I guess I might
> > as well do it right, so that more people can snarf my code if they like.
> > OTOH, perhaps I should follow your viewpoint and change the item generation.
> > I can't make up my mind.
>
> I'd go for the change of item generation, myself. It sounds like it might be
> a change for the better.

I consider that a request I am happy to fulfill. I guess I am doing both.

The change isn't hard, but I haven't tested it yet. It will probably be at
least a month until I am ready for the next release of my patch, so anyone who
wants it sooner should send me mail.


Eddie
 >> Stay informed about: egos with missing powers