From: dif@bhprtc.scpd.oz.au (David Faulkner)
Subject: Re: Robbing shops spoiler
Organization: BHP Steel, Sheet & Coil, Research & Technology Centre
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 01:44:47 GMT

gregs@polari.online.com writes:

>>>-spoiler alert-

>But if you can dig, why not just use the two-hole method and kick the
>booty out of the shop?  This works for everything except potions, which
>you can buy later after selling him back his own stolen merchandise.
>
>For those who don't know about the two-hole method -- well, I won't go
>through it.  It's well documented in the spoilers.  But it's easily the
>best way to rob a shop.  Dwarves are fairly common creatures and almost
>always carry a pickaxe.
>
>For those confused by this: The two-hole method involves digging out two
>areas of a shop and standing in one of them.  You then kick all of the
>stuff out of a shop through the second hole.  So you're kicking items
>out of a shop while not technically inside the shop.  I hope this is
>removed in the next version because it really makes the game too easy.
>
>And if the dual shopkeeper dilemma is in effect, where is the aborted
>shopkeeper's money and key?  Do they vanish?  You would think they still
>existed somewhere on the next lowest level.  

I don't quite agree that it is the best method. As well as having
inadvertently kicked potions, mirrors, lamps, etc, in the past, I have
found it quite easy to walk out of the shop accidentally carrying unpaid
merchandise. I don't know why, it just happens sometimes. Or I've even
died doing things as dumb as selling everything I own to the shopkeeper,
and then being caught weaponless by a passing orc or something because
I've just kicked everything out the door. I'm sure I've been killed a lot
more times making mistakes using this method.

I'm not saying it isn't a good method; it is. But I would think safety,
and particularly not being attacked by the dreaded shopkeeper, is the
prime consideration. You can't get any safer than jumping down a trapdoor
immediately outside the shop.

As for the dual shopkeeper dilemma, I have no idea what happens, or if
it happens. I was hoping someone could tell me. Where are all the source
code experts when you need them?

I wouldn't like to see the two-hole method removed for the next version.
There are already a zillion ways to rob a shop, so it really wouldn't
make much difference removing it. In fact, I don't understand why
everyone wants to see all these tricks and features removed anyway.
I say, "Leave polypiling, the infinite gold trick, the bag of holding/
infinite carrying capacity thing, and all the rest of them, right where
they are". Once an addict has played Nethack a thousand times, it's
exploring all these things and trying to find new ones that makes the
game still fun.

Anyway....
A couple of minor miscellaneous shop related hints....

If you like digging trapdoors to steal stuff, when you are exploring the
level with the shop, and you find the down stairs, go down and and back
up them. This way, later when you dig the trap door and fall through,
you can find your way to the up stairs quickly and easily, since you can
see where they are. (In fact, do this generally anyway, in case you fall
down a trapdoor).

If you are in a store and find a two-handed sword or a large runed
knife, pick it up and #name it, (Orcrist or Sting), then sell it back to
the shopkeeper. Easy money.

  -dif-


-- 
Dave Faulkner, Research Engineer                    (dif@bhprtc.scpd.oz.au)
BHP Coated Products Division, Research and Technology Centre
Port Kembla, New South Wales, Australia.