Nethack

[Ewan]

Well, I've downloaded Nethack onto my phone and I'm gonna give it a shot.

I've printed off a (non-spoiling) guide, wish me luck.

Just wondering if anyone here's played it and if anyone's completed it.

[Stabwound]

Well it's probably going to be a huge pain to play on a phone-- much easier on a computer.

Anyway, if you don't use a spoiler type guide, it's going to take you like, years and lots of frustrating restarts to finish the game. There are tons of ways you can die that aren't very obvious. Also if you die, your character is gone forever.

Well, anyway to go into bragging mode, I finished the game for the first time about 2 weeks after I started it. I think that is probably a record. Most people take years to finish it for the first time.

[Ewan]

The only pain about using a phone, is that I have to constantly change the keypad mapping.

The only reason I want it on my phone, is because I specifically want it for when I've not got access to a computer. Like when I am on a train or bus or something.

Btw, did you use spoilers?

[Stabwound]

Yeah, I used spoilers. I think the game would be wayyyyy too frustrating to play without spoilers, but that's just me.

For example, there is one level about halfway through the dungeon where there is a Medusa that you have to kill. The thing is, if you don't have some way to avoid the Medusa looking at you, you become petrified and die, meaning you have to start all over. It takes a long time to get to that point, and you don't really know that it will kill you instantly unless you spoiled yourself.

The cool thing is that the game gives you tons of ways to get past certain things. For example, you can use a blindfold on yourself so that Medusa can't stare into your eyes; then you can just go up and hack it. Also, you can use a mirror to reflect it's gaze back at itself to petrify it. You can also get a medallion that gives you petrification resistance.

Just an example of how open-ended the game is. There are usually multiple ways to get out of any situation. It is very unforgiving, though-- one mistake will usually kill you.

[Dealt]

seems.. aweful.

[Ewan]

i was aware of the potential frustratingness of the game when i downloaded it. so far i've enjoyed it, i've learnt not to attack gas spores and my latest death was kinda dumb, there was a bat sitting on a pit which i knew was there, i went to attack him and was blindly hitting left left left he died and i fell in, got out with two hp and got killed by a newt. so far i've gotten to lvl 4 with exp 6 which i think isn't bad after only a few hours playing and no spoilers, although i haven't really got to any spoilerish moments yet. Good night . oh btw i posted this from my phone.

[K2Grey]

I hate nethack, it has too many hacks in it (programming reference).

Angband / ADOM might be better

[Da1andonly]

wtf k2 I didn't know U used to play ADoM? It wtfpwns....when you have the time and motivation to win the game that is :P

[Jason]

what's adom?

[Miku19]

AnCiEnT dOmAiNs Of MyStErY o_O_o_O

It's another one of those ascii graphics RPGs.

[Stabwound]

I personally can't stand Angband. I didn't play it much, but it didn't really seem that great to me.

ADOM is pretty fun. The annoying thing about it is that there is a time limit, and you also are basically stuck at certain places (Tower of Eternal Flame, or saving that guy who's name I can't remember) unless you can find certain rare items that are a pain in the ass to find. I haven't played it in a long time, but I've only gotten really far once (bit past the casino level).

I still prefer Nethack, because you really can make it out of any situation with enough planning and strategy. In ADOM you don't have quite as many ways to get out of situations.