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From: eric@osiris.UUCP (Eric Bergan)
Newsgroups: net.games.hack
Subject: Re: Even More Hack Suggestions
Message-ID: <163@osiris.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Mar-85 09:07:58 EST
Article-I.D.: osiris.163
Posted: Tue Mar  5 09:07:58 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Mar-85 09:02:47 EST
References: <4129@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Organization: Johns Hopkins Hospital
Lines: 49

> (3) I think a major change that should be made to hack (and rogue) is to have
> monsters with levels, and wearing and wielding armor and goods just like the
> rogue.  This would seem to involve two major pieces of code:
> 
> First, the monster creation routine has to be modified to roll up a monster's
> level and possessions when he is created.  This shouldn't be too difficult,
> just a matter of changing the monster data to indicate the possible range of
> levels for each monster and thinking up a reasonable algorithm (so that 14th
> level hobgoblins don't show up on level 2).  I think it would be reasonable
> to let the monster know what it had (i.e., staff of fire) but not how
> many charges, whether or not it was cursed, etc.
> 
> Secondly, the routine that decides a monster's actions has to be modified so
> that the monster will make use of the goods that he has.  I suggest a set
> number of strategies, one of which will be picked for each monster as created,
> though some might always have one strategy or the other:
> 
> (a) Mean.  This type always uses the best weapon it has (i.e., staff of
> fire, missile weapons, etc.), always tries to make best use of what it is
> carrying (wears all its armor, ring of + damage, etc.).
> 
> (b) Cautious.  This type acts like a normal monster (i.e., hand to hand
> attack) until things become desperate, at which point it might try its
> wands, etc.
> 
> (c) Random.  Picks randomly between its options (which should include
> reading scrolls:  "You hit.  The hobgoblin's sword glows green.").
> 
> (d) Wimp.  Runs away, only fights when cornered, but then fights as
> "Mean" above.  Might drop its treasures as it runs away to distract you.
> (This might be a good tactic for the rogue as well, dropping things that
> the monsters will pause to pick up.)
> 
> You might want to pick between the strategies based on the monster's relative
> level.  That is, a 10th level hobgoblin on level 5 of the dungeon might be
> Mean, whereas a 3rd level hobgoblin on level 10 would be a wimp, etc.  Note
> that these only apply to "intelligent" monsters: CDeGhHiIJKmnQTUVYZz.  I
> leave out monsters that already have special behaviors: LNOdEaI.
> 
> 
> 						-- Scott Turner

	Actually, this might be fairly easy. Just steal the appropriate code
out of rog-o-matic. Of course, it will triple the size of the game!

-- 

					eric
					...!seismo!umcp-cs!aplvax!osiris!eric