Let's Play NetHack SPOILER FREE and die. Repeatedly. (Read first post) [Archive]

Melon

19 Jan 2009, 18:26

NetHack. You've probably heard of it. For those who haven't, it's what's called a Rougelike game. You adventure through randomly generated dungeons with everything out to kill you. That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger will likely blind you, turn you into stone, cripple you or set you on fire.

Supposedly.

See, I've never played this game before. I've heard about it, but I don't know very much about it at all, and supposedly that's the most fun way to play it. For those wondering how a Let's Play can be spoiler free, this thread isn't. What is spoiler free is me. I'm planning to play this game the hard way and let you point and laugh as I fall for single every obvious trap. If you've never played this game before and want to join in the spoiler free fun, then stop reading now and download the game for yourself (http://www.nethack.org/v343/downloads.html). It's only a measly 2MB.

For those who don't care or have played before, here's a general rule for posting in this thread to keep things spoiler free for me:

Hints and tips are appreciated provided they aren't spoilers. If you're not sure if it's a spoiler or not, then don't say it. The best thing to do is to wait until I've already made a dumb mistake before helping me avoid it in the future.

Let's be honest here, which would you rather see? Me going through half the dungeon semi-competently before dying at a tough fight, or me dying on the first level because I drank a potion without testing it first and it turned out to be acid? Which is funnier? Yeah, I thought so.

Finally, I'm expecting to die a lot and so I'll need names for pets and future adventurers. If you want to see yourself die in a hilarious way then why not suggest yourself as a name for a future attempt? If you want to do so, please provide me with the name of the adventurer and pet, as well as the class you want your adventurer to be. Just remember that I don't know what I'm doing, so choosing a really hard class might not let your story go on for very long.

So with all that out of the way, the game's guidebook in one hand and my keyboard underneath the other, let's get going!

My profile on nethack.alt.org (http://alt.org/nethack/plr.php?player=Melon)
Life 0 - Samurai - 326 points (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=683111#post683111) (Offline and not on nethack.alt.org)
Life 1 - Samurai - 3175 points (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=683350#post683350)
Life 2 - Knight - 812 points (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=683889#post683889)
Life 3 - Barbarian - 8191 points (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=684268#post684268)

Melon

19 Jan 2009, 18:27

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon001.png

This is the new game screen. You need to give your adventurer a name, as well as choose whether or not you'd like everything to be randomly generated. I'll choose no, because I want to see what's available.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon002.png

Here we choose my character's class. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what each class is like or plays like, so I'm going to have to go with what sounds cool. I don't think I want to play as a magic using class, because I imagine they would be quite difficult as they can be in other games. Similar, brute force characters don't tend to appeal to me either. The Tourist sounds hilarious but I bet he'd suck to play as, so I'm going to go for the Samurai, because that just sounds totally awesome and badass!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon003.png

Let's go!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon004.png

So here we are. I'm the @ symbol and the d symbol next to me is my pet dog. He has some rubbish name that sucks and I want to change it, but unfortunately I can't figure out how. If anyone could let me know how to do that it would be much appreciated. At the bottom of the screen is my stats, alignment, the current dungeon level, my money, my HP, my attack power, my armour class (a lower number is better), my current level and the number of turns spent.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon005.png

I've only taken a few steps and I've already come across my first enemy, who dies incredibly easily. Piece of cake! I thought this game was supposed to be tough!

Melon

19 Jan 2009, 18:28

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon007.png

It doesn't take very long until I find the staircase down to the next level, represented by the > symbol. I also find out how to open my inventory, so let's take a look and see what I've got. It doesn't seem too shabby. I won't be going down just yet though, there's still some exploring to do!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon009.png

This is where things start getting a bit more interesting. I come across a large box, which is locked unfortunately. I notice a command in the help file for forcing locked things open, so I decide to take a shot at it. Will it be booby trapped? I wouldn't put it past this game! I have no idea if this is a smart move or not. (Probably really stupid death incoming #1)

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon010.png

Well it seemed to work out OK as I still have all my limbs intact. Let's see what's inside.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon011.png

That must be one really huge scroll if that's the only thing in this stupid box. It had better be good seeing as I worked my butt off for it. Of course I have absolutely no idea what it does, so there's only one way to find out. I read it. (Probably really stupid death incoming #2)

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon012.png

I identify it as an identify scroll. How ironic*. Alas, I have nothing that I need identifying, so the scroll goes poof and I'm left no better off than when I started. Never mind.

(*may not be ironic).

Melon

19 Jan 2009, 18:29

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon013.png

So I'm walking around minding my own business and grabbing money off of the floor and killing rats when some jackal pops out of nowhere and kicks my ass. Fortunately, the game seems to regenerate your health as you walk around, but I was hoping to get further than this before losing a third of my health. Still, he left a tasty corpse behind, which I eat.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon014.png

Somehow, I make it all the way through the first level of the dungeon without dying. Either I'm really awesome at this game, or this game is easy, or I just got really lucky. I'll let you guess which it was. Next time, I take on level 2.

--------------------------------------

So, I have no idea what makes an interesting event in this game. It's all really new and quite exciting to me, but if there's something you want to see more of or less of, then let me know. As I get better I might go whole floors without many updates if nothing new happens, but all these scrolls and boxes and so on are pretty new to me now so that's why I covered them in this update. Non-spoilery feedback please!

yakuza

19 Jan 2009, 18:31

You should of played Falcon's Eye.
http://users.tkk.fi/jtpelto2/nethack.html

edit: I'm all for ascii over half assed efforts of graphically enhancing roguelikes, but Falcon's Eye does everything right, perhaps give it a try after you die in floor -5 because that's when you will die.

Melon

19 Jan 2009, 18:36

You should of played Falcon's Eye.
http://users.tkk.fi/jtpelto2/nethack.html
Oh hey that looks pretty cool. I was partially aware of things that make it look prettier, but I didn't really want to go searching the web for stuff about the game in case I run into spoilers. Anyway, this is the original full ASCII glory, and we've managed to put up with a Dwarf Fortress thread so I guess I might as well carry on as I'm going now. Unless of course, people really badly want me to swap out to a graphical version, but I'll carry on this life on this version at least.

Plasma

20 Jan 2009, 00:05

robowurmz

20 Jan 2009, 07:19

By the way, to name an animal or a monster something, press Shift-C. Then move the little blinking cursor over the animal/monster and press ".". Then type in the name, and push enter. Yay!

Also, <3 ASCII.

Melon

20 Jan 2009, 18:50

I AM VERY INTERESTED IN THIS THREAD!

Like I said on IM, you should use nethack.alt.org, as it automatically records, well, records. And also allows other people to watch your game and send you messages.
For example, here's the list of my 75 death records! (http://alt.org/nethack/player-top.php?player=Plasma)

Oh, and I say stick with ASCII.
I might move this over to the online version so people can track my stats if they want to (just a fun little addition). I'm not sure if that will prevent me from naming my adventurers something else though. I beleive it tracks them by the name of your adventurer.
By the way, to name an animal or a monster something, press Shift-C. Then move the little blinking cursor over the animal/monster and press ".". Then type in the name, and push enter. Yay!

Also, <3 ASCII.
Awesome. Thanks.

--------------------------------

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon015.png

Armed with my new found knowledge of naming things, let's name my pet to something more appropriate. Now we're a real team!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon016.png

Team Awesome heads down to the next level, and we're immediately faced with a lichen. There's also a morningstar nearby, but I won't be using it. I'll still take it though.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon018.png

Wait what? What in the world killed him? I'd only just named him and he's suddenly died? Why? WHHHYYYYYYYY!?!?!?!?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon019.png

Turns out it was a sneaky falling rock trap. I SHALL AVENGE YOU! Team awesome shall live again! Or I'll get a new pet and forget all about you. That works too.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon020.png

On a more positive note, looks who's an ass-kicking machine now! That lichen didn't know what hit him!

Melon

20 Jan 2009, 19:01

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon021.png

Armed with my new fearsome power I kick down a door only to find a zombie kobold staring me in the face, guarding a scroll (the ?). He also has some food nearby (the %). I go ahead and kill the zombie, and he leaves behind an edible corpse. Now according to the guidebook that comes with the game:
When you kill monsters, they usually leave corpses which are also `food.'' Many, but not all, of these are edible; some also give you special powers when you eat them. A good rule of thumb is ``you are what you eat.''
So this got me thinking. "I wonder if there's a special power you can get by eating the undead. It probably won't be good, but there's only one way to find out." You can probably tell where this is going....

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon022.png

In what was quite possibly the stupidest thing I'll ever do, I ate the corpse. Naturally, it's made of rotting flesh so I get food poisoning. I'm not sure what I was thinking. Clearly I'm not eating it's soul or anything so why would I get anything for it? Doh!

Never mind though eh? Maybe I'll find an antidote or something.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon024.png

Checking out the scroll, it's appears to be a weapon enhancing scroll. Awesome. They call me Monsoon Melon because I'm about to deliver a shower of pain.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon025.png

Oh. I guess food poisoning is fatal in this game. Who'd have thought something in this game would kill you easily?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/melon028.png

And so there ends my first ever attempt. Man, talk about a dumb move. I got killed a bit quicker than I was hoping, but I've learned from it. PROTIP: Don't eat zombies.

Next time, I take another shot at it and don't play so stupidly and recklessly.

robowurmz

20 Jan 2009, 19:28

I love how this thread is going. Keep it up, let's try to keep a record of your graves too!

Plasma

20 Jan 2009, 20:18

robowurmz

20 Jan 2009, 21:30

Melon

20 Jan 2009, 23:40

I feel like doing a "Tip o' the Life" series of tips for everytime you die, related to something in your life. Because without some sort of small tips, you really won't be going anywhere, fast! Mabye level 3, if you're lucky.
Plus, you miss a whole lot of the finer points in the game too.
This is probably a good idea. I guess if I go into the game without any clue whatsoever I'll still not have made it past dungeon level 2 in a few month's time. As long as you don't spoil anything, it should be fine I guess.

Anyway, I've decided to carry on playing the game using the nethack.alt.org server, which means you should be able to check out my progress on there. I can't rename my adventurer though, so if anyone wants to request any names it'll have to be pet names. Also, this means that I won't have the bones file for my first attempt, so how about we pretend that never happened? It'll be good to get away from the shame of eating a zombie.

It also means it looks slightly different. Sorry about that.

-----------------------------------

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian001.png

So here we are again. Melon the male human Samurai and his pet dog Durian decide to take on the perilous dungeons of doom. How will they fare?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian003.png

We come across a chest and I force it open. Inside are spoils for the taking. Being the smart adventurer that I am, I take the lot.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian005.png

It turns out that the scroll is an identify scroll, and it helps me identify one of the potions as a potion of oil. I then wander around the rest of the dungeon for a while and can't find the exit. Seriously. There's absolutely nowhere to go. All of the paths are dead ends and I can't find the way out. How ridiculous.

So seeing as I can't find my way out, I decide to try that other potion I found. Maybe it has the solution for getting out of here?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian006.png

Nope. Now I'm all confused. I might be staggering around dazed, but there aren't any enemies around, so what's the worst that could happen?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian007.png

OH GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!!

Melon

20 Jan 2009, 23:45

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian008.png

Nooooo.... Durian!!! Your blood is on my hands! I'm so sorry! We shall be together forever! I'll make sure of it!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian009.png

OM NOM NOM NOM! This is how I show my love to you!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian010.png

OK, maybe that wasn't such a good idea.....

Anyway, I check the guidebook and it seems that you can search for secret passages by pressing s. This helps me find the way out, so I'm no longer trapped. Hurrah!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian011.png

On the plus side, the experience gain from killing you has helped me reach new heights. Thanks Durian!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian013.png

Seriously new heights.

Melon

20 Jan 2009, 23:50

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian014.png

My levelling up leaves me at less than perfect health. I've played a couple of RPGs before and fountains are always glorious bringers of life, so I decide to take a drink.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian015.png

Well I certainly didn't need THAT much water. Useless fountain. It's left all these puddles everywhere now.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian016.png

Unbelievably deep puddles! WHAT??? That was solid ground a few seconds ago!!!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian017.png

Fortunately I manage to drag myself out, but this place is a mad house! I've had enough. I'm leaving this floor now before I get killed.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian018.png

Join me next time as I tackle dungeon level 2.

But seriously, those puddles. What?

franpa

21 Jan 2009, 00:28

I was gonna suggest 's', nethack plays fairly similar to "Castle of the Winds" except CotW has a more modern graphical interface even though it is waay older then nethack :P

Plasma

21 Jan 2009, 10:05

"Alas poor Durian, I ate ye well!"

Although in your defence, he was named durian!

Edit: there's something I didn't know about NAO: it fully records all games played (between loading/starting a game and saving/dying)! For example, here's the recordings of Melon's game (http://alt.org/nethack/browsettyrec.php?player=Melon).
You'll need to download one of the TTYREC viewers to watch them. The screenshots only show what happened at the start.
Oh, and here's mine too (http://alt.org/nethack/browsettyrec.php?player=Plasma). *cough*shamelessplug*ahem*

Edit again: for those interested, here's my longest game so far: [part1] (http://alt.org/nethack/ttyrecscreen.php?fname=http://alt.org/nethack/userdata/Plasma/ttyrec/2008-09-03.10:36:13.ttyrec.bz2) [part2] (http://alt.org/nethack/ttyrecscreen.php?fname=http://alt.org/nethack/userdata/Plasma/ttyrec/2008-09-03.12:47:27.ttyrec.bz2). At least, I think it is, I didn't watch them to make sure.

Vader

21 Jan 2009, 15:13

Sorry to go off-topic a bit, but I simply must exclaim my pleasure at finding such a useless tidbit of information.

Amaterasu Omikami is the Sun Goddess. I knew this but did some Googling nonetheless. During my clicks I found out the following:

EPONA

Ancient Celtic Goddess of Abundance who cared for all horses. She was the daughter of a mare and a man and was able to assume human or equine form. Her legend spread from Gaul throughout all the lands and was even adopted by the Romans. She is riding in front of a wall with an ancient stone carving of herself found in Beihingen, Germany.

Epona is your horse in Twilight Princess - I'd never made the connection.

Back on topic: I have a friend who loves NetHack but he'd cough up a lung if he saw Falcon's Eye. In a bad way. I think he likes Myst, too. :/

franpa

21 Jan 2009, 15:24

Epona is also your horse in Zelda Ocarina of Time, big whoop >.>

robowurmz

21 Jan 2009, 16:37

Epona is also your horse in Zelda Ocarina of Time, big whoop >.>

I think what he meant was he didn't notice the horse shares the same name as a god of abundance who likes HORSES.

Vader

21 Jan 2009, 16:39

I think what he meant was he didn't notice the horse shares the same name as a god of abundance who likes HORSES.

Exactly. Either that or the horse is the god, who can take the form of a human or a horse but just never assumes a human form in the games.

I haven't play Ocarina. :(

Metal Alex

21 Jan 2009, 18:29

Exactly. Either that or the horse is the god, who can take the form of a human or a horse but just never assumes a human form in the games.

I haven't play Ocarina. :(

Well, your horse can't die... Maybe that's the reason.

ALSO! I tried downloading, but didn't work D: Anyone cares sending it to me on msn or something? It's only 2Mb ;)

Plasma

21 Jan 2009, 18:38

ALSO! I tried downloading, but didn't work D: Anyone cares sending it to me on msn or something? It's only 2Mb ;)
Use Nethack.Alt.Org, the one that Melon's using. Doesn't require download.

Melon

21 Jan 2009, 19:31

Edit: there's something I didn't know about NAO: it fully records all games played (between loading/starting a game and saving/dying)! For example, here's the recordings of Melon's game (http://alt.org/nethack/browsettyrec.php?player=Melon).
Huh. How interesting. A warning to anyone who wants to watch my games, most of the time I'm checking out the list of commands or moving all over the place because I keep confusing which of J and K means up and which means down (no numpad on my laptop).

Metal Alex, the online version is cool. You can play it through java on the site itself, but it might be easier to get a telnet thingy if you can. I have no idea why you can't download it, but if you still have problems then I could just host the offline zip file for you. Do you use windows? It's the version I have.

------------------------------------

Anyway, onto dungeon floor 2! Not much happens in the beginning. I trigger a trap that drains my magical energy, but I have no idea what that means (I assume it funds spells) so it's no problem for me. There's also a hobbit statue in the room. The next room is far more interesting:

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian020.png

Why yes, I will have a lot of free stuff. I hope there's even more goodies in the box.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian021.png

There most certainly is. All those gems! I'm rich!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian022.png

Even better, the spellbook teaches me a nifty spell! Supposedly it currently has a 100% failure rate, so I guess I can't use it. Oh well. Maybe I'll get better at casting magic later on. That potion to the north of me is a milky potion, which is also begging to be adopted by a handsome adventurer such as myself.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian023.png

Hello? What's this? This just popped up when I walked onto that square. Some graffiti was on the floor. I think I can tell what it says. "They say that a potion of yoghurt is a cancelled potion of sickness". I have no idea if that's what it's supposed to say, but it sounds good and makes sense. I'll assume therefore that the milky potion is an antidote or something similar, so I'll hang onto it rather than chug it now.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian024.png

And so that is quite literally everything. I pushed a few boulders around but there was nothing in the rest of the dungeon. NOTHING. Not even a single fight! A bit of a boring floor, but it had some sweet loot, so I guess I can't complain too badly.

Next time: I tackle floor 3. Maybe I'll get to fight something this time.

Plasma

21 Jan 2009, 20:22

Magical energy/mana/power is indeed needed for spells, and is shown at the bottom by Pw.
Doesn't count as a spoiler considering it's in the manual. Or, at least, it should be. I never read the thing.

robowurmz

21 Jan 2009, 20:25

Also, you need intelligence to cast complicated spells: like protection, which is a very very handy one later on.

franpa

22 Jan 2009, 01:04

I'd be careful of that trap if it is anything like COTW.

Plasma

22 Jan 2009, 09:56

I'd be careful of that trap if it is anything like COTW.
There are three different games that have an acronym of COTW.

GrimOswald

22 Jan 2009, 10:00

There are three different games that have an acronym of COTW.

He is referring to Castle of the Winds. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_the_Winds)

Paul.Power

22 Jan 2009, 11:19

There are three different games that have an acronym of COTW.
That's nothing, I've lost count of the number of games that initialise to SC.

(SimCity, SimCopter, StarCraft, Supreme Commander, Soul Calibur, Splinter Cell, Star Control...)

GrimOswald

22 Jan 2009, 12:10

That's nothing, I've lost count of the number of games that initialise to SC.

(SimCity, SimCopter, StarCraft, Supreme Commander, Soul Calibur, Splinter Cell, Star Control...)

That is only two letters though, so that is not fair. :p

Paul.Power

22 Jan 2009, 13:13

That is only two letters though, so that is not fair. :p

I'd bet that all three COTW games have "of the" or "on the" in them, though :p

kikumbob

22 Jan 2009, 18:52

Kikumbob likes this thread.

Paul.Power

23 Jan 2009, 11:08

Yeah, it's good fun. I have been enjoying it, even though my only posts so far have been off-topic :p

Lushmoss

23 Jan 2009, 11:26

I've addicted myself to the game now.

Thanks a lot, Melon.

Plasma

23 Jan 2009, 11:39

I've addicted myself to the game now.
Thanks a lot, Melon.
As am I. At least, I was addicted to it a about twice before, so I knew I would be.

Also, new hi-score for me: 25,260. I had gotten the best weapon in the game (makes you near-invulnerable to most monsters if you use it right), but died because I spent too long looking for the down stairs!
And, like just about all my greater-than-level-5 deaths, it could've been prevented if I thought hard enough about it. Apparently, my most common cause of death is Stupidity.

Oh, and if anyone wants to talk to me 'bout Nethack, there's a good chance I'll be in the NAO IRC chat room. It's linked to on the front page of nethack.alt.org.

Oh again, the reason I'm not aking a general Nethack thread, although I want to, is because Melon's game will be a lot less fun for people who haven't played if there's also a spoiler-full thread showing everyone how to play in detail. Much more fun to learn how as it happens.

Metal Alex

23 Jan 2009, 14:45

Apparently, my most common cause of death is Stupidity.

I... Have to resist...

Melon

24 Jan 2009, 15:41

Aaaand... we're back! Dungeon level 3, go!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian025.png

We start things off by staring some freaky looking floating eyeball in the ...... eye. It must die. So it does. I'm a bit worried if eating the corpse is a good idea, seeing as it's an eyeball, but I go ahead and do it anyway. My quest for gastronomy knows no bounds.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian026.png

I'm guessing this is a good thing. I can't see anything being different though.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian027.png

Woo!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian028.png

Double Woo!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian029.png

Some guy thinks it's a good idea to set up shop in the middle of a dark dungeon teeming with monsters. He still appears to make some sort of profit though, because I sell him some spare armour I found lying around earlier for quick profits. I'm not sure whether or not most of the stuff in is shop is any good, and I can't really afford it anyway, so I leave him be.

Melon

24 Jan 2009, 15:48

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian030.png

I find some non-hostile hobbit wandering around. I speak to him and it turns out he's Frodo. Shouldn't he be going to Mt. Doom?

Anyway, it's time for a special double update. Two floors for the price of one!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian033.png

It's a bit of a weird looking floor too. I keep hearing this crunching sound as I walk around, I hope it's not anything dangerous.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian034.png

Apparently that crunching sound is me kicking ass!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian035.png

It turns out that the floor is a big excavation area which some dwarves are hacking away at, hence the noise. It was also full of phat loot that dropped from a whole heap of monsters. Check it out:

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian036.png
The second screen contains:
A potion of confusion
A brass lantern
3 white gems
A red gem
A blue gem
A grey stone.

I also pick up a blank scroll of paper off of some paper golem after taking the screenshot. I'm (probably) carrying a lot of valuable stuff here! Hopefully I'll come across a shop that wants to buy it all.

Next time: In the almost words of Buzz Lightyear, to Floor 5 and beyond!

robowurmz

24 Jan 2009, 17:07

Robowurmz's Guide to Quick Cuisine:
Eyeballs
Eyeballs are well known in legend to have strange and wonderful effects on the eater. We cannot ascertain this, but apparently blind people are much helped by eating eyeballs.

Nutritional Value:
(Per 100g)
Salt: Trace
Fat: Trace
Protein: 3g
Vitamin C: 12g

Metal Alex

24 Jan 2009, 17:48

I don't see as many deaths as the tytle suggests. I'm dissapointed.

Melon

24 Jan 2009, 18:59

I don't see as many deaths as the tytle suggests. I'm dissapointed.
I'm surprised too. But don't worry, I'm sure we'll see more death soon enough.

----------------------------------

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian038.png

I'm wondering along when all of a sudden, this happens. It turns out it's a trap and it blinds me, but what's this? I can suddenly see all of the enemies on the level. Is that what eating the eyeball did? If so, AWESOME! I'm a sightless ass-kicking machine!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian040.png

Oh hey, more awesome. This now lets me upgrade a skill.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian041.png

Not that I really had any choice. It let me choose between upgrading my long sword skill and... that's it. Extra skills at long swords it is then!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian042.png

I find a stone on the ground, pick it up and guess what? It's cursed and it won't let me drop it. I'm burdened under the weight of it too. I drop some stuff to help lighten the load but it doesn't really help much. Looks like I'll be burdened for life.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian043.png

It's not all bad though. Ass kick power ++

Melon

24 Jan 2009, 19:05

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian044.png

I read a scroll and nearly get flattened by a load of rocks. Supposedly it was a scroll of earth, although I can't tell if I got lucky by having the rocks miss or if it's supposed to be some sort of offensive skill.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian045.png

Whoopsie!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian046.png

Wait, what? Aw hell no! Now that's just a cheap kill! I was just wandering around and then BAM! Death. Bah!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/durian050.png

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. PROTIP: Don't land on poisoned spikes....

STATS

Your inventory
Weapons
a - a +0 katana (weapon in hand)
b - a blessed +0 wakizashi (alternate weapon; not wielded)
c - a +0 yumi
d - 31 +0 ya
q - a +0 bow
r - 6 cursed -1 arrows
Armor
e - an uncursed rustproof +0 splint mail (being worn)
p - an uncursed +0 dwarvish cloak (being worn)
Comestibles
k - 2 uncursed gunyoki
v - an uncursed tin of baby crocodile meat
A - 2 uncursed tripe rations
Scrolls
D - an uncursed scroll of blank paper
Spellbooks
h - an uncursed spellbook of protection
Potions
g - an uncursed diluted potion of oil
i - a cursed potion of invisibility named Anti anti antidote (maybe)
m - an uncursed potion of extra healing
w - an uncursed potion of confusion
B - an uncursed potion of hallucination
Tools
j - an uncursed blindfold
x - an uncursed brass lantern
Gems
l - an uncursed emerald
n - a cursed loadstone
s - an uncursed worthless piece of red glass
t - an uncursed worthless piece of blue glass
C - 3 uncursed worthless pieces of green glass

Final attributes
You were piously aligned
Your alignment was 20
You were telepathic
You aggravated monsters
You were fast
You are dead

Spells known in the end
Name Level Category Fail
a - protection 1 clerical 100%

Vanquished creatures
a rock mole
a shrieker
3 gnome lords
2 gnomish wizards
a gray ooze
a paper golem
a little dog
a floating eye
a kitten
2 dwarves
an orc zombie
a wererat
4 giant rats
15 gnomes
a gnome zombie
2 geckos
2 jackals
2 goblins
3 sewer rats
a grid bug
3 lichens
8 newts
57 creatures vanquished.

Voluntary challenges
You were an atheist
You never genocided any monsters
You never polymorphed an object
You never changed form
You used no wishes

Your skills at the end
Fighting Skills
martial arts [Basic]
Weapon Skills
short sword [Basic]
long sword [Skilled]
bow [Basic]
Spellcasting Skills
(none)

Next time on Let's Play NetHack SPOILER FREE, I start all over again! Any suggestions on what class I should choose?

Plasma

24 Jan 2009, 21:13

Tip o' the life #2: Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Dungeon
-At several points in the game, the dungeon will split into different paths. Generally speaking, the one that looks most like the levels you've gone through previously is the main path, while the others are comparable to sidequests. The first one you'll find is the Gnomish Mines, which generally starts off easy but can get pretty deadly, pretty fast. It is, however, an ideal source of daggers.

Also, so far, you've been killed by poisoning in 100% of your games. Methinks there's going to be a trend involved here.

Oh, and I've now got a hi-score table of forumers NetHack games in my sig. Melon, with a grand total of 1 NAO game and not using spoilers, still trumps everyone but veteran me.

robowurmz

25 Jan 2009, 18:06

You really should have had a drink of that hallucination potion... that would have made some very interesting reading. :P

I've got a score of 11,571 in my newest game :P

Melon

25 Jan 2009, 23:26

We're back and ready to dungeon! (Dungeon is now a verb)

I decide to go for the knight this time, as he also sounds pretty cool, and supposedly has some nice armour, so hopefully I'll be a destruction machine!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize001.png

We get a different opening screen for the knights, which is cool. I guess each class has a different reason for being in the dungeons, which makes sense.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize002.png

Unlike the samurai, knights start off with a load of food and lots of good armour, so I guess survivability is the name of the game here. I also get a horse, which I proudly name Sir Cumsize, as he too is a royal defender of Lugh!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize003.png

We start off by getting a scroll of light. Not sure what it does, it didn't really seem to light up any of the dark areas, so I suppose I'll have to figure that out later.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize004.png

After almost dieing at the hands of death puddles the last time I drank out a fountain, I decide to risk another drink. It turns out OK this time, which is cool.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize005.png

As does the next fountain. I guess fountains aren't so bad after all.

Melon

25 Jan 2009, 23:33

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize006.png

It seems Sir Cumsize can carry stuff around, and by carry stuff around I mean move it a bit before dropping it. What a scamp! Anyway, I guess it's a good thing he can move stuff around because most of the stuff I pick up burdens me. I suppose it's due to my heavy armour.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize007.png

Here's the usual floor overview when I finish it off. Onto the next floor!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize008.png

Another scroll, and it's another useful identify scroll, although I've not got anything worth identifying.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize009.png

Even more scrolls! Not sure what this one does, and it asks me to name it afterwards, so I name it "a vague scroll of glowing red hands thing". Descriptive!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize010.png

So there's this food ration that I pick up and it's really heavy, so I decide to eat it to lighten the load. WHEN WILL I LEARN?! Fortunately, this one isn't an insta-kill like my first death, and the blindness wears off after a few turns, but I've really got to stop eating everything I come across. It did say "food rations" and not "deadly rotten zombie corpse", so you can't blame me for trying it out, right?

Melon

25 Jan 2009, 23:40

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize011.png

Yet another floor completed. No time for dawdling though, we've got more exploring to do! Notice that there's too staircases down, so I decide I might as well go down this one, seeing as it was nearer to where I was at the time. Turns out it leads to the mines.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize012.png

Remember that red hands scroll I used earlier? Well it seems it passed the power of confusion onto my foes. This guy won't know what hit him. Literally.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize013.png

Sigh! Some gnome sneaks up behind Sir Cumsize and opens up a can of whoop-ass. At least I didn't kill him this time though. That's got to count as a plus point.

Oh, and after that, I'm fighting this gnome when he zaps a wand and a hole appears beneath him and he disappears. In his place he leaves some money, so I go up to it to pick it up and... well.... I should have seen what was coming.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize014.png

Wheee. I fall through the hole and land onto the next dungeon floor in the middle of nowhere.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize015.png

After kicking some gnome butt, I find this scroll. When I read it it teleported me across the room and where I used to stand there's these strange beasts. They make a charge at me but they can't be that tough, right?

Melon

25 Jan 2009, 23:44

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize016.png

Wrong. They tear me to shreds. Even with my sweet armour I didn't stand a chance.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/sircumsize017.png

What the heck is a rothe anyway? PROTIP: It seems not every scroll is safe. Maybe I shouldn't read every one I come across.

STATS

Your inventory
Weapons
a - a +1 long sword (weapon in hand)
b - a +1 lance
Armor
c - an uncursed +1 ring mail (being worn)
d - an uncursed +0 helmet (being worn)
e - an uncursed +0 small shield (being worn)
f - an uncursed +0 pair of leather gloves (being worn)
Comestibles
g - 10 uncursed apples
h - 11 uncursed carrots
j - an uncursed food ration
m - an uncursed apple
Potions
p - an uncursed potion of water
Wands
u - a wand of digging (0:7)
Gems
x - an uncursed jet stone
z - an uncursed worthless piece of white glass

Final attributes
You were fervently aligned
Your alignment was 13
You could jump
You are dead

You didn't know any spells.

Vanquished creatures
a pony
a gnome lord
a dwarf
7 gnomes
a jackal
a fox
a kobold
2 lichens
a kobold zombie
3 newts
19 creatures vanquished.

Voluntary challenges
You were an atheist
You never genocided any monsters
You never polymorphed an object
You never changed form
You used no wishes

Your skills at the end
Fighting Skills
riding [Basic]
Weapon Skills
long sword [Basic]
lance [Basic]
Spellcasting Skills
(none)

------------------------

Join me next time when I'll probably get killed by more things I've never heard of.

Plasma

26 Jan 2009, 01:54

Tip o' the Life #3: What to do When You're About to Die
-When you're one turn away from dying, the first thing you need to remember is not to panic. This isn't quake, you can take as long as you want thinking of how to get out of this one. Some methods of getting out of danger work better than others. Here's some reccomended ones:
Beg to your god, by typing #pray. If your god is feeling generous, he can cure you of your problems; if said problems are low health or food poisoning. This is a generally good way of getting health back, but it won't always work. Especially if your god doesn't like you right now.
Escape. Scrolls of teleporation, wands of digging (used downwards), spellbook of being-anywhere-but-here. Instantly relieviates you of danger, but may send you out of the fire and into the frying pan instead. Alternatively, you may wish to use the item on the enemy instead of yourself!
Using random potions, scrolls or other items. With luck, one of them may save your bacon! Best kept as a last-resort effort.
Engrave. Aka: where reading the guidebook actually pays off! That is to say, engraving normally takes two or three turns, and often fails.
Running away. A respectable option in any RPG. Just pray to Thoth that the enemy isn't faster than you are!

robowurmz

26 Jan 2009, 12:50

You can also write in the dust with your fingers; however, any movement will puff it out.

As for what you would write? Well, I'll leave you to discover what can help.

EDIT: Also, Plasma... could you update your sig? I do have that new highscore now...

Plasma

26 Jan 2009, 13:34

I know this is Melon's game, but there's something that I just cannot resist posting!
Mainly, this:

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2314/pic1qo4.png

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/7985/pic2nv2.png

Yes, I actually found Mjollnir in a shop, on level 2! And yes, 21332 is a ridiculous amount of gold! And yes, I didn't know what the scroll was until I read it, as a last-ditch attempt after the friggin' hammer welded itself to my hand!
I strongly suspect it was a Bones file, so I think I'll nab back there later to see what else I can grab.

You can also write in the dust with your fingers; however, any movement will puff it out.
Including moving your fingers to write it. You normally have to write it about 8 times for 1 to come out properly, and that's only if you don't want to be standing on it (aka: keeping monsters off items).

EDIT: Also, Plasma... could you update your sig? I do have that new highscore now...
Right, sorry.

robowurmz

26 Jan 2009, 14:10

Writing in the dust will work perfectly for anything up to 10 characters long, after which writing more will cause it to smudge.

Plasma

26 Jan 2009, 15:56

Actually, looked it up: We're both wrong. The odds of a letter smudging are far less thanwhat I said, and you're... just wrong outright.

Melon

29 Jan 2009, 17:51

You can also write in the dust with your fingers; however, any movement will puff it out.

As for what you would write? Well, I'll leave you to discover what can help.
The guidebook says it's "Elbereth" I need to engrave so I wouldn't class it as a spoiler, but I haven't tried it yet because I haven't had any need to. I've not yet really come up to a situation where having the time to fiddle with stuff in my inventory before deciding to attack is worth it, because I've not yet had anything too exciting saved up in my inventory.

-------------------------

Anyway, it's that time again!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan001.png

This time I've decided to be a barbarian with a kitty named Conan. It seems the introduction isn't any different to that of the Samurai's, but with different gods.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan002.png

I haven't even had time to move and I'm already told this ominous sounding message. What could it mean?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan003.png

A quick inventory check after picking up that potion and gold. My armour is a bit crappy as a barbarian but I imagine I lay the smackdown quite well.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan004.png

Hey, that's a pretty awesome potion to start off with! I'm liking the look of this dungeon already.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan005.png

A bit of exploring later and I find a room with an amulet and a potion of levitation. So much awesome free stuff! Not sure what the amulet is though, but I wear it anyway.

Melon

29 Jan 2009, 17:56

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan006.png

Wait, what? How can I be tired already?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan007.png

BAH! I can't even take the damn thing off now! Looks like I'm in for a huge turn count this run.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan008.png

Another ominous message. Also, the scroll was a scroll of light and the fountain was nothing special.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan009.png

With floor one done, we head to floor 2.

First thing I come across on floor 2 is a scroll. I read it when suddenly....

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan010.png

Whuh? It seems I went down another floor into a shop. Was it a scroll of "go down a floor" or a scroll of "go to the next shop" or something? Hmmm...

Melon

29 Jan 2009, 18:04

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan011.png

Excuse me Sir! Your merchandise just tried to kill me! Should I phone up the health and safety brigade or could you offer me a discount?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan012.png

Fortunately falling asleep in the middle of a fight wakes you up instantly, so I didn't get too bashed. The mimic left behind a corpse so I thought I'd eat it just to see the result.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan013.png

So the shopkeeper then picks me up and shoves me into a till where I stay for 5 years and die of starvation. The end.

Only joking. He did force me to buy the corpse though. "You bit it you bought it!" It's hardly fair, seeing as it bit me first. While I'm here I also buy a key, because if there's anything playing adventure games taught me, it's to grab every key I come across.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan014.png

I find my way back up to the previous floor, but Conan isn't anywhere to be found. I also can't go anywhere because I can't move that stupid boulder any further, so consider floor 2 finished, even though it only had 2 rooms and a scroll.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan015.png

That's floor 3 finished as well. Looks like I killed two floors with one scroll, or however the old saying goes.

Join me next time as I continue to take intermittent power naps. Look at that turn count though! Gah!

Plasma

29 Jan 2009, 21:23

Don't mean to interrupt your thread there Melon, but:

Plasma, Val-Hum-Mal-Ne,u killed by brainlessness (with the Amulet), S:1,696,734
Yeah, so I decided to try a Valkyrie instead of a Wizard. It went well, especially after I stole Mjollnir out of a shop on level2 (don't ask me what that was about, mabye Thor's shares bombed?). Everything was going fine and dandy until I got into the later levels. Getting down was a bother, but going back up was where I learned my most important lesson:

Genocide L!

Seriously, those buggers will completely mess you up! Not only do they keep teleporting in and out making them near-impossible to kill normally, but they'll also curse all of your stuff and bombard you with monsters!

Oh yeah, and my actual cause of death really is listed as killed by brainlessness. I think it may be trying to tell me something...

Paul.Power

30 Jan 2009, 12:09

"The time has come," said the Walrus, "to talk of many things"
I think that counts as spoilers.

(No, Plasma did not actually quote Alice in Wonderland)

Plasma

30 Jan 2009, 12:22

I think that counts as spoilers.

(No, Plasma did not actually quote Alice in Wonderland)
?
Oh right, forgot to mention; the chance that you'll actually get to that point in the game at your rate is about 1/very-very-high-number. As in, ridiculously high. To the point where I don't ever expect you to get there.

robowurmz

30 Jan 2009, 14:30

I think he means the fact you said what to do later on with a certain kind of scroll/spell and a certain type of monster...

Melon

30 Jan 2009, 23:00

Mega update!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan016.png

In my continued quest to find out what's safe to eat and what isn't, I find even more rotten food, but it doesn't seem to do anything too terrible. I'm beginning to get the feeling that as long as it's not seriously old rotting undead corpse flesh, it's probably not going to insta-kill me if I eat it, but certain corpses will randomly bestow brief bad effects. I guess I'd be better off sticking to food rations.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan017.png

Nothing terribly exciting happened on this floor in the end. I found a scroll of summon monster but it only summoned a measly caterpillar so it wasn't worth screen-capping it.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan018.png

Hey, guess what happens with the next corpse I eat? *sigh* I get briefly confused, but it's nothing major.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan019.png

Now THIS is an awesome scroll. More like this please! That small unconnected room in the corner is intriguing too.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan020.png

I decided to test out the many wands I picked up on some monster. They all seem pretty useful, although I need to remember to cast the speed one on myself next time...

Melon

30 Jan 2009, 23:06

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan021.png

Woah! Holy crap! I'd best go hide in the corridor so I only have to fight one of these guys at once. They don't look very happy. Also, you may be able to see where I shot the wand of digging, because I can see into the room on the far left.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan022.png

Hahaha! You wouldn't see me equipping cursed stuff! >_> <_<

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan023.png

The wand of striking turns out ot be very very useful. In addition to this screenshot I basically got 6 kills with 2 zaps. Funneling all of the monsters into a straight tunnel ftw!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan024.png

One of them throws a phial of sleep onto me! The jerk! Mind you, that does seem to be a pretty cool way of identifying potions. I'll have to remember that technique for later.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan025.png

It seems bugbear corpses increase my wisdom! Well.... this one did at least, there was another one and it did nothing.

Melon

30 Jan 2009, 23:10

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan026.png

I also get this ominous message, but I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan027.png

The next time I level up I get some sort of speed bonus, apparently. I'm certainly not complaining!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan029.png

Remember what I said about not being silly enough to equip cursed items? No? Good. Goodbye, decent AC. Hello, terrible AC.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan030.png

I attempt to learn a spell but it doesn't work. I do get prompted to name it though, so it gets named "threatening spell" for future reference.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan031.png

Now we're talking! Shame it's got a 100% failure rate though. Next time I'm choosing to be a cleric!

Melon

30 Jan 2009, 23:20

What happened next was slightly worrying. I was fighting a gnome when there's this sudden flash of yellow light and I become blinded. I try to rest it off but it doesn't seem to go away, and I begin to worry that I'll be blinded for life! Not cool. As a last ditch attempt, I have 4 potions in my inventory, maybe one of them will help? They'll probably kill me but I can't imagine survivng in this state anyway.

The first one was plain water.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan032.png

The second one was much nicer and healed me slightly. I assume it also would have healed some magic power, but I was full anyway.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan033.png

In an amazing stroke of luck, the third one was a potion of full healing, and the blindness disappears! I didn't bother checking the last potion as I didn't want to ruin such a glorious moment. PHEW!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan034.png

In the next room I fight off a spotted jelly, where I resorted to firing arrows and daggers at it because it was splashing acid back at me when I attacked it up close. I wasn't expecting it to leave a corpse, but it made me curious when it did. If I ate it, would I get acid resistance, or would I burn to death on the inside? Seeing as I have a bunch of cursed stuff equipped on me, I decided that I might as well take the risk and eat it. It's the only way to find out.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan035.png

I lost a bit of health to heartburn, but that was all. I probably won't eat them in future, but that could have been much worse.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan036.png

Well it seems everything's out to kill me lately. Maybe I should use keys in future?

Melon

30 Jan 2009, 23:26

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan037.png

I find some graffiti on the floor, and I assume it says "They say that going to heaven is just another way of escaping the dungeon." I think the dungeon is trying to tell me that it wants me dead.....

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan038.png

OK, I left sitting on this throne until last for a reason, because the game kept kept freezing every time I tried to sit on it before, so I thought I'd have one last attempt before finishing off, and fortunately it worked.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan039.png

On second thoughts, maybe I should have just left it alone. Ouch!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan040.png

Stupid throne! Why is it so tempting to sit on if it's only going to hurt me? Good riddance, and take your Hitchhiker's reference with you.

Never could find the way into that little room on the side, even after spending hundreds of turns searching the nearby walls. Oh well :(

------------------------

That finishes off this update. Join me next time as I continue to fall asleep all the time, and probably continue to get hurt by more inanimate objects.

robowurmz

31 Jan 2009, 14:05

That tiny room could be accessed by that awesome wand of digging you got there. Just be careful, because sealed-off rooms in dungeons have many surprises.

Melon

31 Jan 2009, 14:20

That tiny room could be accessed by that awesome wand of digging you got there. Just be careful, because sealed-off rooms in dungeons have many surprises.
Huh, it's funny you mention that right now. Guess what I thought of and was just about to show in this update...

-----------------------------------

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan041.png

No sooner have I begun exploring and looted 600 gold from a chest when I fall into a teleport trap! Where will it take me?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan042.png

This looks familiar.....

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan043.png

On my way back up I see that empty room again and come up with a brilliant plan to use my wand of digging to access it (and yes, I did consider this before robowurmz suggested it). It contains a stupidly large of money, over 1500 gold! I'm rich beyond my wildest dreams! I also become hungry and so eat some of the food rations I have on me, which both confuses AND stuns me. Cue a while of walking around all over the place in every direction whilst also falling asleep.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan044.png

My intermittent napping is really starting to become annoying now....

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan045.png

I read a scroll and it turns out to be a scroll of amnesia, and so my map disappears. I'm not sure what the Maud message is all about considering that the scroll name wasn't about Maud (but a different one I'd read earlier was). I assume it's some sort of reference to something. I'm not sure if the layouts of all the previous floors have been wiped too, but I'm not in any hurry to find out.

Melon

31 Jan 2009, 14:26

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan046.png

After a quick re-exploration of the entire level I'm ready to go. To the next level!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan047.png

I find a chaotic altar on the next floor, which is pretty cool. There's a command to offer things to altars, so I try it out but supposedly I need a sacrifice, which I'll assume means I need to carry a corpse there. Annoyingly, I don't get a corpse during the rest of my explorations of this level, so I might have to try out altars some other time.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan048.png

Another cool sounding spell, but yet again it has a 100% fail rate. Ho hum.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan049.png

I kept searching that little dead end near the first room and couldn't uncover anything, so I decided to use out my digging wand a few more times, but didn't actually find any other room. I cut a small amount of gold out of the wall though, but it wasn't very much. So with that floor fully explored, it's time to move onto the next.

---------------------------

Join me next time as I go even deeper through the dungeons. I've never made it this far before, so it should be somewhat entertaining. Hopefully.

Melon

1 Feb 2009, 18:10

What exciting adventures shall we encounter today? I'm sure this will be a huge update.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan050.png

Hello there Mr. Cute Soldier Ant. Would you like me to pet y.. ARRGH!! OH GOD OH GOD IT HURTS!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/conan051.png

Well that was quick. PROTIP: Soldier Ants hurt a lot.

Your inventory
Amulets
i - a cursed amulet of restful sleep (being worn)
Weapons
a - a +0 two-handed sword (weapon in hands)
b - a +0 axe (alternate weapon; not wielded)
d - 12 poisoned +0 orcish arrows
f - 6 +0 shuriken
y - a +0 sling
F - a +0 bow
G - 4 +0 arrows
Armor
c - an uncursed +0 ring mail (being worn)
r - a cursed -3 orcish cloak (being worn)
x - an uncursed +0 orcish helm (being worn)
A - a cursed -1 pair of iron shoes (being worn)
Comestibles
m - 4 uncursed tripe rations
n - an uncursed tin of gray ooze
Spellbooks
I - an uncursed spellbook of confuse monster
O - an uncursed spellbook of extra healing
Potions
k - an uncursed potion of acid
Q - an uncursed potion of fruit juice
Rings
j - an uncursed ring of cold resistance (on right hand)
Wands
e - a wand of digging (0:3)
o - a wand of digging (0:6)
q - a wand of speed monster (0:2)
s - a wand of magic missile (0:7)
D - a wand of striking (0:0)
P - a wand of striking (0:8)
Tools
l - an uncursed skeleton key
t - an uncursed skeleton key
C - an uncursed brass lantern
R - a +0 unicorn horn
Gems
u - an uncursed worthless piece of violet glass
w - an uncursed worthless piece of green glass

Final attributes
You were piously aligned
Your alignment was 31
You were cold resistant
You were poison resistant
You fell asleep
You aggravated monsters
You were fast
You are dead

Spells known in the end
Name Level Category Fail
a - confuse monster 2 enchantment 100%

Vanquished creatures
a small mimic
a chameleon
a spotted jelly
a gnome king
2 dogs
a dingo
a white unicorn
a plains centaur
2 bugbears
4 Uruk-hai
2 rock piercers
a yellow light
a shrieker
a violet fungus
2 kobold lords
7 hill orcs
a rabid rat
a centipede
an orc zombie
2 iguanas
a hobbit
2 large kobolds
2 hobgoblins
4 giant rats
a yellow mold
3 gnomes
a garter snake
2 geckos
3 jackals
a kobold
6 goblins
6 grid bugs
a bat
a lichen
a kobold zombie
4 newts
73 creatures vanquished.

Voluntary challenges
You were an atheist
You never genocided any monsters
You never polymorphed an object
You never changed form
You used no wishes

Your skills at the end
Fighting Skills
bare handed combat [Basic]
Weapon Skills
axe [Basic]
two-handed sword [Skilled]
Spellcasting Skills
(none)

----------------------

I'm intrigued. Somewhere along the line I got poison and cold resistance, but I have no idea how. Oh well. I guess I can't complain.

robowurmz

1 Feb 2009, 20:05

You scoffed a bunch of corpses, remember? :P

Plasma

1 Feb 2009, 20:30

Tip #4: Water Water Everywhere...
-Ahh, fountains. It's always hard to explain what the heck a fountain is doing in a dungeon, but at least it's not a duck. Generally speaking, it's not a good idea to drink from a fountain as, while it has a good chance of reducing your hunger slightly, it's far outweighed by the possible negative effects it can incur, such as summoning monsters that, if you're too weak to fight, spell insta-death. However, there's also a very slight chance [(20-DL)/3,000] that you can get a wish from it.
The fountain also has another effect for #dipping. If you have scrolls or spellbooks you want to blank out, dipping them in the fountain will make them lose all their ink. If you have a cursed item, dipping it has a reasonable chance of uncursing it. And best of all, if you're lawful and carrying a longsword, you can dip it with a good chance of it becoming an artifact weapon! If you know your mythology, you can guess which one. Note that #dipping also carries possible penalties, and will rust metal objects.
Oh, and I've noticed that you didn't realise you can take multiple quaffs and dips from a fountain, and each time it will have a different effect, until the fountain dries up.

Pickleworm

3 Feb 2009, 02:58

This is a fun thread that has gotten me back into playing Nethack again... and reminding me how brutally I suck at the game. Hopefully I can pick up a few tips here... even if they have to be from Plasma...:p

robowurmz

3 Feb 2009, 11:05

Well, Plasma currently has a score of over 1 million; I should think he's fully qualified to give advice :P

*Splinter*

3 Feb 2009, 13:43

I think melon has most points per game though

Plasma

3 Feb 2009, 14:01

I think melon has most points per game though
1,696,734 / 128 = 13,256. Meaning that even if you count every other score of mine, I've still got a much higher average than everyone else.

*Splinter*

3 Feb 2009, 15:02

1,696,734 / 128 = 13,256. Meaning that even if you count every other score of mine, I've still got a much higher average than everyone else.

Oh right, I missed a factor of 10...

Shirdel

5 Feb 2009, 08:10

Hey Melon, new update please?
As much as I do not want to play this, I do like seeing people epically fail at its Elite Randomness. Just not me.

Melon

10 Feb 2009, 00:19

Hey Melon, new update please?
As much as I do not want to play this, I do like seeing people epically fail at its Elite Randomness. Just not me.
So yeah... sorry about the week-long hiatus on this. I should have some free time tomorrow and Wednesday so I'll start up a new character and get back into this again a bit more. I don't want to keep people waiting for a ridiculous amount of time on this thread, but at the same time I might occasionally take a break if something pops up back in real life. Let's just hope this doesn't go the same way as some of my other projects. (Lol Plasma remember that Ducks level pack I was working on? That's been almost complete for.... 3 years now is it?)

Melon

12 Feb 2009, 02:10

I said I'd post an update, and post one I will!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/monke001.png

This time I'm trying out the monk class, and I have a dog with me that I called... Monk E. Look, I'm running out of funny names here and I'm already scraping the barrel after only 4 games. Anyway, it looks like we're off to a good start with loads of extra luck, whatever that does.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/monke002.png

A quick inventory check and it seems monks have some pretty cool stuff. The protection book might come in useful if I remember to use it. No idea what a magic marker does. The don't have any weapons, but the guidebook says that this class is really good unarmed, unlike every other class in the game which are appalling without weapons. Unfortunately I find out pretty quickly that the monk class must have really poor sight or something because the majority of the attacks I make seem to miss. I suppose I should try to find a weapon.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/monke003.png

I know you all only read this thread to see what crazy floor plans the game comes up with and you don't care about everything else, so here you go!

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/monke004.png

And again! Isn't this fun! I also had a try at throwing two potions I picked up along the way at enemies to try and identify them, but my monk is about as good at throwing accurately as he is punching, so they both miss and don't really tell me anything.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/monke005.png

Now for some scroll identifying! This one gave me absolutely no clues as to what it did, and a second one I found summoned a harmless gecko next to me, supposedly it was a monster summoning scroll, so that could have been worse. I should really remember to get a screenshot of this sort of thing.

Melon

12 Feb 2009, 02:17

So I pick up some leather armour and decide to try it on to see if it's any better than what I'm wearing at the moment. Unfortunately I can't move very well in it because monk classes are horrible and so I decide to take it off again. What's the worst thing that could happen when taking off a piece of armour?

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/monke006.png

Well, some coyote could walk up to me and bit me in the ass while I'm doing it. I didn't even have a chance to finish taking the damn thing off and retaliate.

http://www.kieranmillar.com/nethack/monke007.png

Quite possibly my quickest death ever. PROTIP: Monks suck.

STATS

Your inventory
Armor
a - an uncursed +2 pair of leather gloves (being worn)
b - an uncursed +1 robe
t - an uncursed +0 leather armor (being worn)
Comestibles
f - 3 uncursed food rations
g - 5 uncursed apples
h - 5 uncursed oranges
i - 4 uncursed fortune cookies
n - an uncursed food ration
Scrolls
d - an uncursed scroll of destroy armor
Spellbooks
c - a blessed spellbook of protection
Potions
e - 3 uncursed potions of healing
Tools
j - a magic marker (0:34)
Gems
l - an uncursed aquamarine stone
m - an uncursed worthless piece of red glass
q - an uncursed worthless piece of white glass

Final attributes
You were fervently aligned
Your alignment was 13
You were sleep resistant
You saw invisible
You were fast
You were lucky (1)
You are dead

Spells known in the end
Name Level Category Fail
a - protection 1 clerical 44%

Vanquished creatures
a yellow mold
a gecko
2 jackals
a fox
2 kobolds
a grid bug
2 lichens
a kobold zombie
11 creatures vanquished.

Voluntary challenges
You ate non-vegetarian food 1 time.
You were an atheist
You never hit with a wielded weapon
You never genocided any monsters
You never polymorphed an object
You never changed form
You used no wishes

Your skills at the end
Fighting Skills
martial arts [Basic]
Weapon Skills
(none)
Spellcasting Skills
healing spells [Basic]

-------------------

Join me next time as I try out some more classes and likely fail miserably because I don't know the best way to play as them, and give my pets atrocious names.

franpa

12 Feb 2009, 04:36

I think you were meant to use ranged attacks or spells or some such with monks... no clue if they start out with any.

Shirdel

12 Feb 2009, 08:11

Join me next time as I try out some more classes and likely fail miserably because I don't know the best way to play as them, and give my pets atrocious names.

Can you name your pet Shirdpet? For little old me? PLEASE?!

Plasma

12 Feb 2009, 09:50

Tip #5: Monk-ing Around!
-Ah, monks. Perhaps the most complex character to play as, but certainly not the hardest and is regarded as about the fifth easiest character to play as. At least, once you know how. Firstly, never wear body armour (leather armour, chain mail, plate mail, etc) or shields, or you'll never hit anything. Body armour gives a -20 to-hit penalty. Well, at the higher levels you could get away with it, because high up they can still hit just about anything perfectly. Secondly, Monks require a vegetarian conduct, and eating meat causes a slight alignment penalty. It's still worth eating something that gives special abilities though. Thirdly, perhaps to compliment the previous point, Monks get a whole bunch of special abilities as they level up. Fourthly, monks are the only class other than wizards that can achieve Basic skill in all magic types, so it's commonly worth practicing the magics. And finally, monks don't actually have a penalty against using weapons, but it's often advised not to as once they become sufficiently skilled in barehanded combat, they really do kick ass!

robowurmz

12 Feb 2009, 10:15

Also, magic markers allow you to write on stuff... including any blank scrolls you might find...

Zero72

14 Feb 2009, 01:31

Sorry I haven't been paying more attention to this thread. :p I've just started my first new game in a long time, too, also on alt.org, under the name Zeor, for whoever might be bored or something. If I catch you online, I'll be sure to send the mail demon after you. :)

Plasma

14 Feb 2009, 23:14

Game. Beaten.
With a score of 3,806,240.

Which is extremely awesome! And without engraving Elbereth either!

Here's the dumplog for those who want it. (http://alt.org/nethack/userdata/Plasma/dumplog/1234111287.nh343.txt)

Sorry I haven't been paying more attention to this thread. :p I've just started my first new game in a long time, too, also on alt.org, under the name Zeor, for whoever might be bored or something. If I catch you online, I'll be sure to send the mail demon after you. :)
Funny, considering you were the one that got me interested in the first place!
Anyway, added to the little list of hi-scores in my sig.

Zero72

15 Feb 2009, 07:52

You ascended?! 'Grats. You've achieved one of the hardest goals in all of gaming history.

I had a score much higher than that once, in excess of 50,000, as a monk, but it was in the offline version of the game. I'll try to remember to find the exact figure for you.

My last samurai run ended when I went back for my dumb cat and fell into a poisoned spike pit somewhere in the gnomish mines. Ah well. Had an uneventful run or two after that. Started a new samurai, gifted with a blessed wakizashi, haven't gone anywhere yet, though, because I'm on my laptop and I just can't do it without a number pad. I ordered a cheap USB number pad. Hey, then I'll get DF on this machine too.