HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com (Predecrement David)
Subject: Re: Annoying critters
Organization: Tomobiki-cho
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 20:28:50 GMT

mtbb134@ms.uky.edu (Darrell Epperson) writes:
> 
>	Is there anyway (in Nethack 3.0 for the PC) to get rid of
>	the dumb cat or dog? Some poeple might find them useful, but 
>	I think they're just annoying...

Aha!  Another case for the "smart pets" patch!  Rather than losing your
pet, get a smart one!  My pets avoid stepping onto the square that is
in your direct path.  That makes traversing corridors much, much simpler.
It's surprising what a big difference this simple change makes...

File "dogmove.c"; Line 278
	for(i=0; i<cnt; i++){
		nx = poss[i].x;
		ny = poss[i].y;
=>		if (u.umoved && (nx == (u.ux + u.dx) && ny == (u.uy + u.dy)))
=>			goto nxti;

Add the two lines preceded with the => signs.

--David
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| David Blume            | "These games aren't meant to be fun,         |
| dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com | "They're meant to be *played!*" Phil Requist |
+-finger acct. for prefs------------------------------------------------+
From: scythe@byron.u.washington.edu (The Grim Reaper)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Polypiling
Date: 15 Oct 92 17:53:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Oct15.175346.491
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Oct15.171546.22581@wdl.loral.com> dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com (Predecrement David) writes:
>tom@soda.berkeley.edu (Tom Holub) writes:
>>dif@bhprtc.scpd.oz.au (David Faulkner) writes:
>>
>>If you don't polypile (I usually don't), the wand is useful.  All you
>>really need to win is the following (newbies take note)
>>
>>-15 AC
>>+6 or better Excalibur, Mjollnir, Fire or Frost Brand, maybe even Stormy.
>>Teleport Control
>>Levitation
>>Poison Resistance
>>Magic Resistance
>
>That's misleading.  
>
>I've never won with AC better than -8. 
>  (I only like temple priests for their spellbooks.) 
>I've almost never had a +6 weapon. 
>  (Good strength makes up for the damage bonus.)
>
>You also *need* fire resistance.
>You are better off with telepathy. (blindfold & mirror, too.)
>You don't *need* magic resistance.  (But you're better off with it.)
>You don't *need* levitation, either. (But you're better off with it.)
>  (The only time levitation comes in handy is on the way back up in
>   the corridor in the strong-hold.  And there are ways around this.)
>  (All the other barriers are water, and usually only one square big.)          
>
>My personal list of additional things I like before I get too deep:
>+ A rustproof primary weapon.  (Otherwise, a unicorn horn will do.)
>+ Some kind of cloak or reflection to spare my armor from bad breath.
>+ Speed. (Marginal is ok, but speed boots are preferable.)
>+ Ring of conflict. ("Destroy the thief,...")
>
>--David
>+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
>| David Blume            | "These games aren't meant to be fun,         |
>| dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com | "They're meant to be *played!*" Phil Requist |
>+-finger acct. for prefs------------------------------------------------+
Unicorn horn.  Getting sick or losing ability scores bites.
I like magic resistance.... keeps them from using finger of death, doesn't it?
Also keeps level teleporters from throwing you around everywhere.
A pick-axe is nice also.


--------------------+-------------------------+
HIC IACET ARTVRVS   + The Grim Reaper         + 
IN INSVLA AVALONIA  + SCYTHE@U.WASHINGTON.EDU +
REX QVONDAM REXQVE  + ----------------------- +
FVTVRVS             +                         +
--------------------+-------------------------+
Lines: 18
Date: Fri,  9 Oct 92 12:10:22 MDT
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Polypiling
Organization: Brigham Young University, Provo UT USA
From: zimms@gecko.ee.byu.edu (Stephen H. Zimmerman)

In article <9OCT199211411159@elroy.uh.edu> elee8zr@elroy.uh.edu (Rit, Vincent) writes:
>I have a wand of polymorph (and a scroll of recharging :) ), hence I'd like
>to polypile and *zap* get new stuff.
>
>Question:do the polymorphed objects keep their cursed/uncursed status?
>
>Thanks.
>

I have used this trick often and I think it is the best way to get great
stuff--especially if you can get a polymorph spell and an identify spell.
Then you just pile up as much stuff as you want and then identify it.  If
you don't like what it turns into, just do it again!! Try
it on EVERYTHING you find (hint, hint).

In answer to your question, the curse/uncursed/blessed status remains but
the type of object changes (though it stays in its same class--i.e. weapons
only polymorph into weapons).
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: bmk@box.ssd.loral.com (Bruce Krawetz)
Subject: Re: More obscure messages
Organization: Space Systems/Loral, Palo Alto, CA  USA
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 19:28:57 GMT

Try this:

	"The bat hits (or whatever) the rock mole."

Nether monster was tamed, and I did NOT have a ring-o-conflict.
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: ernieh@boi.hp.com (ernest hawes)
Subject: hp9000/700 executable
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 14:45:03 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard / Boise, Idaho
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]


Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: bill@snoopy (Bill Poitras)
Subject: Re: Cool message
Reply-To: bill@msi.com
Organization: Molecular Simulations, Inc.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 04:13:51 GMT

Fantom (s913578@yallara.cs.rmit.OZ.AU) wrote:
: Check it out, died and this is what it said
: 
: Fell on a sink!
: 
: The only notso cool thing was, i didn't fall on a sink that i know of, had cursed lev. boots on and walked above a sink, but i didn't take em off so how did it happen?

Simple, you sank.  The resulting fall killed you.

--
+-----------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------+
| Bill Poitras    | Molecular Simulations Inc.    | Tel (408)522-9229       |
| (bill)          | Sunnyvale, CA USA             |                         | 
|                 | FAX (408)732-0831             | bill@msi.com            |
+-----------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------+
From: daly@ecs.umass.edu (Bryon Daly, ECE dept, UMass, Amherst)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Another obscure message
Date: 9 Oct 92 23:13:30 GMT

In article <1992Oct9.190100.26496@wdl.loral.com>, dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com (Predecrement David) writes:
> "The disoriented creature's eyes slowly glaze over."

My guess: 

In Wizard mode, you used M-g to summon a monster, and summoned something
like a shopkeeper or the oracle person or a temple priestess.  The poor thing 
is out of place and becomes a human zombie....

-Bryon
From: turnerm@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (M. L. T.)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Eggs & Armor
Date: 7 Oct 92 16:22:17 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

There was talk a week or so ago about eggs and their effects in Hell.
I know that cocatrice eggs will kill whenever eaten but what about other 
eggs in Hell

Also what is the benifit of blessed armor besides that it takes longer to
curse when attacked by monsters that curse items
Organization: Sophomore, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Date: Fri,  9 Oct 1992 01:33:10 -0400 
From: Joshua John Buergel <jbbb+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: felis envy

>anyway, i'm wandering through the dungeon, and a little dog attacks me.
>i gave him some food, that calmed him down, and i named him dawg.
>well, no sooner do i have a new pet than woof gets jealous, and attacks
>and defeats dawg and makes a nice meal out of him.  i didn't get the
>'you feel sad' message, just noises in the distance.

You didn't actually tame the new dog, just made him non-hostile (I
forget the actual game term).  The new dog wouldn't attack you, but he
wasn't your pet either.  However, your dog couldn't care whether
something is non-hostile or hostile, it will attack it anyway (if it is
a lower level).  What you need to do is toss food at the new dog until
it is 'tame' (which you can tell by looking at it with '/').  Then your
dogs will cooperate.

Getting lots and lots of pets is not always good, as it can be a real
pain to go down stairs when you've got lots.

Joshua Buergel      | Every time she slit her wrists
allroy+@cmu.edu     | I wish she hit instead of missed.
jbbb@andrew.cmu.edu | Every secret family crime
                    | All my love a waste of time.
                    |    - ALL, Scary Sad
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: mtc@henry.ece.cmu.edu (Magnetic Technology Center)
Subject: Re: Kinky message in a fortune cookie
Keywords: That cat should not be here when your mother is not!
Organization: The Fish in the Pot
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 05:27:36 GMT

[bandu@acsu.buffalo.edu (Jagath Samarabandu) writes:]
[] ...
[] They say that you should never introduce a rope golem to a succubus.
[]
[] Does that mean what I think it means?

what do you think it means?

  -Vooom-

"They say that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar"
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: gregs@polari.online.com
Subject: Re: Floating Eye Confirm
Organization: Seattle Online Public Access Unix.  (206) 328-4944 (all lines telebit-equipped)
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 04:24:30 GMT

stud05@cc4.kuleuven.ac.be (Ton Hospel) writes:

>I think the floating eye/moat confirm is an excellent idea. I am not convinced
>by the classical answer that you should stay alert. A good game can easily
>take a very long time, and one will be tired near the end. If you want to
>punish playing on then, why not remove the confirmation question from the
>quit command, when you run in to a shopkeeper, when you are eating too much
>etc. The only property that should be transferred from the real player to
>the game character is wether he acts stupidly or not. That keeps the game
>interesting and hard enough.

How about you get a confirm-eye-attack only after you've already been
frozen by one previously in the same game?

Or perhaps there should be a "friendly" list in your Options, ie,
friends=floatingeye,acidblob,greenmold.... etc. That way you'll get
a confirm-attack if you walk into one.

I'm pretty strict on myself about cheating, and I would not consider
either of the above a cheat at all.

-- 
Gregory Sumner                        ::
gregs@polari.online.com               ::               Go Dawgs! 
Seattle, Wa                           :: 5-0
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: claudius@leland.Stanford.EDU (Nelson Lu)
Subject: Re: Shop generation question
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 92 19:16:52 GMT

In article <1992Oct13.175144.16453@bmers95.bnr.ca> snelling@bnr.ca (Peter Snelling) writes:

>Quality Apparel and Accessories: 3% (I've never seen one)

This is a wand shop, that also occasionally carries cloaks and similar objects.

The Rabbit of Seville hits! -more-
You feel perplexed. -more-
You feel vexed. -more-
You feel next. -more-
The Rabbit cuts your mop. -more-
The Rabbit shaves your crop. -more-
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: wolff@kjemi.unit.no (Erik Wolff . Kjemiteknikk)
Subject: Re: Shop generation question
Organization: Dept. of Chem.Eng, Norwegian Inst. of Tech.
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 92 10:25:11 GMT

P. Snelling writes:
"Also, if the shop is "big", it is not allowed to be a wand shop or a
 book shop -- these are turned into general stores."

I recently encountered a wand-shop that was app. 3-by-9 (e.g. 27 wands)
I wonder if you could define more precisely what 'big' is?

BTW, I just walked around the shop looking for a *very* expensive wand. Sure
enough, there it was. Turned out to be 'just what the doctor ordered'...

Erik
From: hymowitz@whatever.cs.jhu.edu (Hymie!)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: outta the way, you dumb mutt!
Summary: get the dog to stay out of the way
Date: 16 Oct 92 06:24:35 GMT
Reply-To: hymowitz@cs.jhu.edu (Hymie!)
Organization: Creative Sensualities dept, Jacquie's House of Underwear

hello...

a while ago, somebody posted a fix to dogmove.c(?) so that the dog
wouldn't stand in your way.  a couple questins, since my machine
has lost that article already...

(1) it includes cats too, right?
(2) it doesn't affect the dog getting close enough to go downstairs?
(3) can you repost it?

thanx in advance.

--hymie
hymowitz@cs.jhu.edu                                         hymie@jhuvms.bitnet
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
you must be as tall as this .sig to read this letter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: s913578@yallara.cs.rmit.OZ.AU (Fantom)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Cool message
Date: 14 Oct 92 03:20:55 GMT

Check it out, died and this is what it said

Fell on a sink!

The only notso cool thing was, i didn't fall on a sink that i know of, had cursed lev. boots on and walked above a sink, but i didn't take em off so how did it happen?

Fantom the Knight
From: dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com (Predecrement David)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: new allignment needed
Date: 10 Oct 92 02:28:23 GMT
Organization: Tomobiki-cho

dashiell@NADC.NADC.NAVY.MIL (A. Kaniss) writes:
>Having played the number of games of nethack that I
>on that a new
>allignment is needed.  Specifically atheist.
>This allignment could be gotten in one of two ways.
>ead a scroll of
>that's cursed.  In this case all three gods would
>be angry with you and what might happen from that point i leave to
>[rest deleted]

I thought that once having played nethack a number of times, one would
naturally learn a few typing skills.

--David
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| David Blume            | "These games aren't meant to be fun,         |
| dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com | "They're meant to be *played!*" Phil Requist |
+-finger acct. for prefs------------------------------------------------+
From: rmh@itd.dsto.gov.au (Roger Helbig)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: You know you've been NEThacking too long when...
Date: 15 Oct 92 21:31:53 GMT
Reply-To: rmh@itd.dsto.gov.au
Organization: Defence Science & Technology Organisation


You know you've been NEThacking too long when...
...you hit "i" to list the files in your directory
From: elee8zr@elroy.uh.edu (Rit, Vincent)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Polypiling
Date: 9 Oct 92 16:41:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: elroy.9OCT199211411159
Organization: University of Houston
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

I have a wand of polymorph (and a scroll of recharging :) ), hence I'd like
to polypile and *zap* get new stuff.

Question:do the polymorphed objects keep their cursed/uncursed status?

Thanks.
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com (Predecrement David)
Subject: Re: outta the way, you dumb mutt!
Organization: Tomobiki-cho
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 15:58:57 GMT

hymowitz@cs.jhu.edu (Hymie!) writes:
>hello...
Hello.

>a while ago, somebody posted a fix to dogmove.c(?) so that the dog
>wouldn't stand in your way.  a couple questins, since my machine
>has lost that article already...
>
>(1) it includes cats too, right?
It includes all tame critters.

>(2) it doesn't affect the dog getting close enough to go downstairs?
The only place the pet won't go is directly into your path.  If you hit
'.' you don't move, so your pet may approach any adjacent square.  (Otherwise
robbing shops would be too hard.)  The main benefit is exploring pathways.

>(3) can you repost it?
Sure.

File "dogmove.c"; Line 281

	for(i=0; i<cnt; i++){
		nx = poss[i].x;
		ny = poss[i].y;
->#ifdef DCBHACK	/* smart pets */ /* be sure to #define me */
->		if (u.umoved && (nx == (u.ux + u.dx) && ny == (u.uy + u.dy)))
->			goto nxti;
->#endif
#ifdef WALKIES
		/* if leashed, we drag him along. */
		if(dist(nx, ny) > 4 && mtmp->mleashed) continue;
#endif

The line preceeded by the '->' are the ones needed to be inserted...

--David
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| David Blume            | "These games aren't meant to be fun,         |
| dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com | "They're meant to be *played!*" Phil Requist |
+-finger acct. for prefs------------------------------------------------+

Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: ernieh@boi.hp.com (ernest hawes)
Subject: hp9000/700 executable
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 13:52:40 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard / Boise, Idaho
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]


Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: tommy@nevada.edu (Greg Hjelstrom)
Subject: Re: Ring of Conflict (Was: Polypiling)
Organization: University of Nevada System Computing Services
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 18:56:09 GMT

In article <1992Oct13.204538.21151@wdl.loral.com> dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com (Predecrement David) writes:
>tom@soda.berkeley.edu (Tom Holub) writes:
>We can't be tempted to continuously modify the game to suit the expert's
>needs.  Tom is evidently already aware of a lot of the tricks of NetHack.
>And therefore, he is bored with the game because he can consistenly win.
>We _could_ make the game harder to suit Tom, so that he could continue to
>enjoy the game.

>I think we should keep NetHack at the same level of playability.

Same here!  I just started playing this game again, (I used to play it about
six or seven years ago) and the degree of difficulty is definitely high enough.
I'm not really a novice because I know some of the tricks and I've played a
LOT on the old versions of this game but I'm haveing a hard time.  

btw, How does one cure lycanthropy?
From: mehr@oskar.uchicago.edu (David Mehringer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: is there a server yet?
Date: 14 Oct 92 17:54:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Sorry if this has been raised recently, but I don't have time to scan
through the 300+ articles that I haven't read.  Is there a nethack
server somewhere?  Please respond via email.


--
Dave Mehringer              | 
dmehring@smaug.aoc.nrao.edu |  "Resistance is futile." 
National Radio Astronomy    |     --Borg pickup line
Observatory, Socorro, NM    |
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: akuma@netcom.com (Steven E Barnes)
Subject: Re: Polymorphing Self
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 08:13:24 GMT


When using polymorph control, you can only polymorph into monsters
you have seen before.  A good trick is to drink a potion of halucenation,
so you can 'see' many types of powerfull monsters.

-steve
From: rji@nyquist.cs.nott.ac.uk (Rob Ingram)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Nymphs/Leprachauns
Date: 13 Oct 92 10:42:52 GMT
Organization: Communications Research Group

In article <1992Oct13.060306.5901@nevada.edu>, funky@nevada.edu (MATTHEW KAPHAN) writes:
|> What is the method to keep nymphs from stealing things from me, and 
|> lepracauns also?  I just started playing the game, and I'm having a lot
|> of trouble staying alive unless i'm in exploratory mode.  Any hints to help
|> me out?
|>  

Well you could always drop everything :-)
But seriously, I believe nymphs will always steal a mirror first if you are
carrying one. As for lepracauns, I think the only solution is to drop all your
money and try to make sure he doesn't run away.

			Rob.

-- 
_______________________________________________________________________________
|                       | Rob Ingram                                          |
|  "Hang loose kid!"    | University of Nottingham                            |
|                       | Department of Computer Science                      |
|                       | Nottingham, UK.                                     |
|_______________________|_____________________________________________________|
|                       |      "Women: Can't live with 'em, can't get them    |
|  rji@cs.nott.ac.uk    |       to dress in skimpy leather Nazi outfits"      |
|_______________________|_____________________________________________________|
From: tung@acsu.buffalo.edu (The Hammer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Another Newbie FAQ
Date: 7 Oct 92 05:22:08 GMT
Organization: UB


	I need any hints on the original version of hack, not nethack. If there
is any sort of compilation I would be greatful if any of you could point me in
the right direction. Also I would like to know if there is a version of nethack
for the Unix. Thanks for any help....

						-Lyndon



-- 
-------------------------------------------------
| Lyndon aka The Hammer |  tung@acsu.buffalo.edu| 
-------------------------------------------------
Thought:
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: piiro01@convex.zdv.uni-tuebingen.de (Dave Rodriguez)
Subject: Re: Polypiling
Organization: Comp. Center (ZDV) U of Tuebingen, FRG
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 19:51:28 GMT

>bill@snoopy (Bill Poitras)writes:
 
 >IMHO the most important factor in game design is fun factor.  I don't
 >care who gets the highest score, I like the game to be fun. Variety is 
 >the spice of life.  Making the game with various "tricks" might give a 
 >gamer more various ways to win some fun aspect of the game.  

   Well said. I wish that as much effort was spent making NetHack fun as
   is spent removing exploitable bugs, loopholes and generally attempting to
   make the game more difficult. I consider polypiling to be one of the 
   most fun features of the game. NetHack tends to generate an enormous 
   amount of junk items. It's immensely satisfying to turn all those black
   caps and mummy wrappings into something useful. There are already natural
   limits to polypiling. The most obvious being that one needs a lot of items
   to polypile. If one simply must restrict polypiling the best approach in my 
   mind would be to disallow polypiling wands into wands of polymorph.


				David Rodriguez 

Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: snelling@bnr.ca (Peter Snelling)
Subject: What happened to my max hp?
Reply-To: snelling@bnr.ca (Peter Snelling)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 92 21:51:41 GMT

Here's the scenario:

I find the wizard on level 46.  I kill him, but have very low
hit points left , and I haven't found the up stairs yet.

So...I put on my ring of regeneration, to try to recover 
before he reappears.

After a few turns, he reappears, and kills me.  My amulet of life
saving brings me back, and I kill him again.

A few turns later, he reappears, and I look at my hit points.

I have 10(10).  A while back my max hit points were 95 or so.
Anyone have any idea what happened?  

I'm not sure exactly when it changed, but when I put on my ring of
regeneration, I'm pretty sure it was 15(95) or so.

-- 
Peter Snelling
From: bill@snoopy (Bill Poitras)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Polypiling
Date: 11 Oct 92 20:34:40 GMT
Reply-To: bill@msi.com
Organization: Molecular Simulations, Inc.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

John C. Tennyson (ranger@titan.ucc.umass.edu) wrote:
: :   Don't count on this trick (ed. Polypiling) working in 3.1... 
: Is it going to be disabled in 3.1????  Are they going to disable the `zap the
: Dragon corpse with a wand of polymorph and get dragon scale mail' or `zap the
: other corpses and get food' (the only two uses of polymorph wands on objects
: I find legitimite and even neccessary)?

This goes back to the old discussion: Does having a game feature
availible to gamers make the game too easy?  What if a person just
chooses not to use it?  Does that mean it should remain for all others to
use if they want?

My take on the discussion is that certain "tricks" of the game should be
left in.  If someone doesn't think its right, then they shouldn't use the
trick.

--
+-----------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------+
| Bill Poitras    | Molecular Simulations Inc.    | Tel (408)522-9229       |
| (bill)          | Sunnyvale, CA USA             |                         | 
|                 | FAX (408)732-0831             | bill@msi.com            |
+-----------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------+