Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site osiris.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!aplvax!osiris!eric 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