HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: water@david.wheaton.edu (Paul Waterman)
Subject: Re: what does a guy have to do?
Organization: Wheaton College
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 02:15:16 GMT

In article <1723@grivel.une.edu.au> scavanag@neumann.une.edu.au (Steven Cavanagh) writes:
>I've just cleaned out the castle level and am now trying to level
>teleport to level 50. I've been back through all the levels
>looking for a level teleport trap with no success (I'm SURE there
>was at least one there somewhere).

If I recall correctly, most level teleport traps disappear after they've
been used once.  You need to find it and not use it in order to be able
to use it effectively later.  Another hint:  Try searching for secret
doors where you find random scribblings near a wall in a room.

>I've tried using my wand
>of teleport on myself when I'm confused, but the wand just does
>strange things.

Wands do absolutely nothing different when you're confused (although what
you see or the message it gives may be slightly different).  Scrolls are
what act totally different when you're confused ("Being confused, you
mispronounce the words on this scroll.").

>I've even tried zapping that last charge out of my
>wand of wishing and wishing for a scroll of teleport, and the damn
>thing gives me fire or identify or some rubbish. How come some
>people wish for scrolls of recharging and get it? I've tried that
>and it doesn't work. I'm pretty sure the wand's not cursed, too.

Sounds like you're having a problem with exact wording.  You need to wish
for exactly what the item is.  I believe that a scroll of teleport is
a "scroll of teleportation," or more properly in this situation, a
"cursed scroll of teleportation" (since a cursed one will level teleport
you).  Also, it's a "scroll of charging," not a "scroll of recharging."

>So how do I get down? and if you give me some "It's in the FAQ list"
>(which it's not) or "figure it out" then I'll sell everything I've
>got, hunt you down, wherever you are in the world, and brutally
>slay you in broad daylight with a garlic squeezer.

I heartily recommend getting a hold of a copy of the WCST Spoiler file.  
It contains complete information such as what the exact name of scrolls
and other items are, as well as complete information about what they
do.

I must also say that I thoroughly enjoyed your threat, and sincerely
hope that somebody does give you that type of a reply.  Please send me
an invitation to watch the slaying once you've found them - it could
be quite unique.

Hmmm... perhaps this could be a new weapon in v3.1? 

What do you wish for?  a blessed +26 garlic squeezer named Death

          - Paul
From: izchak@linc.cis.upenn.edu (Izchak Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Progress report
Date: 25 Aug 92 16:47:31 GMT
Distribution: rec.games.hack
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

Paul is right, it is time for a sign of life.

The development team, and the porting sub-groups, have been working
intensively on the development of version 3.1.  There is no slack, and
there is no lull in the teams' activities.

NetHack 3.1 is radically different from 3.0, and it involved major re-writes
of large sections of the code.  The amount of time required to finish it is
dictated primarily by the number, nature, and scope of problems encountered
along the way.  The team has been working on it, literally, day-in and 
day-out for the last year and a half.

We understand the impatience, but we don't think it will be wise for us to
commit ourselves to a date of release until we are fairly certain that we
can deliver.  We are not at such a point yet.  All we can say at this point
is that NetHack 3.1 exists, and that it is worth waiting for its completion.
It would be easy to say "soon", but the truth is that we can't exactly say
yet how soon is "soon."  Please be patient with us a while longer.

For the development team,

-Izchak
From: dpn2@po.CWRU.Edu (Damien P. Neil)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Newbie questions
Date: 4 Sep 1992 15:17:56 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: dpn2@po.CWRU.Edu (Damien P. Neil)
NNTP-Posting-Host: thor.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, nwang@black.clarku.edu (Anonymous) says:

>
>Just curious, what is the importance of pray, and how do you sell an
>item to a shopkeeper, why throw rings down the sink and how do you find
>banks anyway?
>
>Thanks in advance
>

Spoilers follow...

Pray: I use this to prevent starvation. When you are fainting, <p>ray and
your stomach will be filled. I think that there are several other uses of
pray. Essentially, use it in tight situations. (But don't pray too often!)

Selling items: <d>rop them.

Rings and sinks: Dropping a ring in a sink may give you a clue as to the
nature of the ring. However, you will almost certainly lose the ring.

Banks: On a level where there is a bank ("You hear someone counting
money."), there will be a secret door in one of the rooms. Engraved on the
floor before the door are the words "ad astra". Behind this door is a
teleport to the bank. The hard part is getting out again...

             - Damien

<This sig under construction>
From: yucao@sampson.ccsf.caltech.edu (Yu Cao)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Please post the FAQ
Date: 27 Aug 92 17:29:32 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

In article <1992Aug27.151754.19631@seq.uncwil.edu> brant@seq.uncwil.edu (AT-Dreamer) writes:
>Coould someone post the FAQ for this News Group.
>

It's coming. Our cluster went through an upgrade and apparently my crontab
entry was lost. It's only one day late anyway.

--Yu
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: cwh@gtech.com (Charles W. Harwell)
Subject: Re: moon
Organization: GTECH Corporation, West Greenwich, RI
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 19:13:58 GMT

trav@wixer.cactus.org (traveller) wrote:
>Well, again at the new moon, i think this thing about the phases is
>bogus. I just started a game with a barbarian, in the room where i
>started was an alter to morrigan. I sacrifice a jackal, have a hopeful
>feeling. 10 moves later i sacrifice a sewer rat and get stormbringer.
>With bad luck like that, I'll take a new moon anyday
>
>Trav
>
>-- 
>
>trav@wixer.cactus.org  |   In Austin, Tx:
>     The Traveller     |      The city that made being a slacker an
>                       |      acceptable alternative lifestyle.


Heh!  I've noticed the same thing.  I seem to get MUCH better games
during a new moon than during a full.  In fact, I had a similar situation;
I went in as a barbarian and by level 2 I *found* Stormbringer!  I later
sacrificed two corpses (one one an Gnone, the other a ???) and at my
feet was an axe named Cleaver.

+--------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+
|  G  T  E  C  H                     C  O  R  P  O  R  A  T  I  O  N  |
+--------------------+--------------------+---------------------------|
| Charles Harwell    |                    | Email: cwh@soft.gtech.com |
| 55 Technology Way  |                    | Voice: (401)-392-1000     |
| West Greenwich, RI |                    |   Fax: (401)-392-0476     |
+--------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: cuffell@spot.Colorado.EDU (CUFFELL TIMOTHY MICH)
Subject: Re: Graphics based hacks
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 18:52:17 GMT

In article <1992Aug27.091304.24558@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> paoletti@cps.msu.edu (David R. Paoletti) writes:
>In article <1992Aug23.023418.1003@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu> tswingle@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Tom Swingle) writes:
>>
>>I thought that it would be even nicer, though, if everything could be redefined
>>to be represented by different characters--you, monsters, objects, etc.  Then,
>>you could have everything changed by a program like this to look different by
>>using some otherwise unused character to represent them (usually the ones above
>>chr(127)).
>
>I think that this is a great idea also.  I know that it would
>only take some mods to the wonderful CHRHACK by Mike Marcelais
>to support redifining characters on the PC version.
>
>I'm a user and programmer under X/Open Windows, but was unable
>to answer the question about how easy it would be to have an
>alternative character set for the UNIX version.  At the very
>least, the program would have to know about X and fonts, plus
>have its own special "symbol" set...
>
>
>      David Paoletti       |    Never underestimate the power of
>   paoletti@cps.msu.edu    |            human stupidity.
>

I saw an old Amiga version that did this.  Doesn't work very well.  A character
is just to small a space to convey enough visual information to distinguish
a couple hundred different monsters.  I spent all of my time indentifying the
same monsters over and over.  Letters might be artificial, but there 
mnemonic qualities make them a better alternative.  And besides, that is one of the things that gives nethack its character.
From: angus@hardy.u.washington.edu (Angus the Demonchild)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Djinni's
Keywords: glowing potions
Date: 23 Aug 92 20:15:00 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Aug23.024850.2051@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu> 
tswingle@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Tom Swingle) writes:

...stuff deleted...

>Can you wish for 3 blessed glowing potions and get a djinni out of
>any (or all) of them?  I don't know the probability of getting a
>djinni from a glowing potion, but such freaks of chance could happen
>that you could get a djinni out of more than one of them.  The dev
>team seems to have eliminated other ways of getting wishes from
>wishes by making wands of wishing and magic lamps obtained from
>wishes useless.  I was wondering if they had eliminated this
>possibility too.

It is possible, but unless a glowing potion is something worthy of
wishing for anyway, it's not really worth the trouble.  I experimented
with it in Explore mode, wishing three times for 3 blessed glowing
potions.  I got seven total, and only two wishes.  That's a net loss,
there.  Even so, I think subsequent versions might be rigged so that a
djinni *never* emerges from a potion that has been wished for.

-- 
>"The problem you are experiencing is  |  "To be sure of hitting the target, 
>not with the network nor with the     |  shoot first and, whatever you hit, 
>station.  Please adjust your set."    |  call it the target." 
>More ramblings from: tswingle@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu/tswingle@bigbird.cs.ohiou.edu

Disclaimer:  I could be wrong.  It wouldn't be the first time.

another fine product from the house of angst
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: jwk3@po.CWRU.Edu (John W. Kale)
Subject: Re: what does a guy have to do?
Reply-To: jwk3@po.CWRU.Edu (John W. Kale)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 02:48:34 GMT


In a previous article, scavanag@neumann.une.edu.au (Steven Cavanagh) says:

>I've just cleaned out the castle level and am now trying to level
>teleport to level 50. I've been back through all the levels
>looking for a level teleport trap with no success (I'm SURE there
>was at least one there somewhere). I've tried using my wand
>of teleport on myself when I'm confused, but the wand just does
>strange things. I've even tried zapping that last charge out of my
>wand of wishing and wishing for a scroll of teleport, and the damn
>thing gives me fire or identify or some rubbish. How come some
>people wish for scrolls of recharging and get it? I've tried that
>and it doesn't work. I'm pretty sure the wand's not cursed, too

	Obviously, to get to Hell, you must have teleport control.
Once you have that, you can level-teleport by 1) using a level
teleport trap, 2) using an uncursed or blessed scroll of teleportation
(the game is awfully picky about spellings when wishing; I don't
think wishing for a "scroll of teleport" will cut it) when you are
confused; and 3) using a cursed scroll of teleportation.
	As far as I know, that's it. If you can't do one of those
things, you may be stuck. Keep in mind that scrolls of teleportation
are randomly generated. Kill enough nasties, and maybe you'll get
lucky. 

>So how do I get down? and if you give me some "It's in the FAQ list"
>(which it's not) or "figure it out" then I'll sell everything I've
>got, hunt you down, wherever you are in the world, and brutally
>slay you in broad daylight with a garlic squeezer.

	Steven swings his Ronco Garlic Squeezer! -more-
	Steven hits! -more-
	You are being squeezed! -more-
	Now how much would you pay? -more-
	Don't answer yet! -more-

	So, how much damage does, say, a "blessed +1 garlic squeezer" do?

-- 
Looking down the barrel of a loaded gun  |       John Kale          ''''
Just to see where the bullets come from! |   jwk3@po.cwru.edu       -o-o
        -Screaming Blue Messiahs         |                   ---UUU---U--UUU--
   --->SUSPICION BREEDS CONFIDENCE - Dept. of Records' Motto, "Brazil"<---
From: estokien@jarthur.claremont.edu (Eric Stokien)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Request for Spoilers
Date: 26 Aug 92 01:11:35 GMT
Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711

I'm interested in getting a listing of what advantages are given by all the
different artifacts available in nethack.  I'll look at posts if I can get to
them before the automatic delete does or you could send me e-mail at
estokien@jarthur.claremont.edu

thanks.
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: gdoherty@unix1.tcd.ie (Eru)
Subject: Re: Need Sage Advice!
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 18:51:41 GMT

In <22AUG199214233702@zeus.tamu.edu> ess3791@zeus.tamu.edu (Storm) writes:

>In article <1992Aug21.000531.22897@polari>, gregs@polari.online.com writes...
>>After that, make as much holy water and you can and dip like crazy into
>>fountains. 

>How do you "make" holy water?
Drop a clear potion on a lawful altar.

>-Storm

	Gavin.

--
"What is a finite automaton?"         / Gavin Doherty
"Deterministic or nondeterministic?" / Computer Science
"I don't know"                      / Trinity College Dublin 
"AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"         / gdoherty@unix1.tcd.ie 
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: Buck Godot <bgodot@halcyon.com>
Subject: Re: Additional Intrinsics
Originator: bbs@halcyon.com
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 20:25:56 GMT

> 
> Possible ways to get these "intrinsics":
> - Eat a unicorn -> chance of gaining identify gem ability
> - Eat a monster which kicks -> chance of gaining kicking bonus
> - Eat a temple priest/priestess -> chance of gaining better prayer time out,
>       chance of gaining blessed/uncursed/cursed identification
>       (but also get aggravate monster). 
> 
> What does everyone else think?
> -- 
> Peter Snelling

 
 I think there should be "Skills" in addition to intrinsics, a short 
list like:
  
   Indentify gems
   Indentify X (Weapons, armor, tools, wands, etc)
    which can be taught to you by the approprate shopkeeper
   Swimming (water nymph, or such)
   Mining (faster pick-axe use)
   Armor making (from raw materials, i.e. turn a Gray Dragon into GDSM)
   Throwing
   Engraving (lasts longer)
   Haggling (better prices)
 
 of coarse, you can lose these to Maud scrolls...

Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: gregs@polari.online.com
Subject: Re: Ideas for 3.1
Organization: Seattle Online Public Access Unix.  (206) 328-4944 (all lines telebit-equipped)
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 21:15:15 GMT

<KJA102@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:

>As I have now read, 3.1 is not scheduled for release "soon".  So while you're
>at it, Dev Team, here's a suggestion.  How about a potion of see-in-the-dark?
>(nods to Rogue).  Also, cans of dog and cat food ("You succeed in opening the
>tin- It smells like Alpo- Eat it?- Drop it on the floor for your pet?")

I agree.  That would be really handy.  Maybe they should be available only
on Rogue levels?  Plus mangos - yum!

-- 
Gregory Sumner ~ Seattle, Washington  :: Up, down, turn around
gregs@polari.online.com               :: Please don't let me hit the ground.
:::"Go Dawgs!":::::::::::::::::::::::::::N.O.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
From: agrimm@slate.mines.colorado.edu (Snarf)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Admin question...
Date: 28 Aug 92 00:33:57 GMT
Organization: Colorado School of Mines

In article <xeno.714943720@pv34ad.vincent.iastate.edu> xeno@iastate.edu (Gary L Snethen) writes:
>Hello...
>
>   Let's say I am interested in putting nethack up on my UNIX system for
>all users to share and play.  This is a secure system and I can't allow
>world write access to the games directory, for fear someone will either
>wreak havoc or store their dirty GIFs there... ;)
>
>   Is this possible?  How do I handle the bones files so that people can
>stumble across each others' piles?  nethack tries to erase the bones files,
>correct?  It can't if the person has no write access...
>
>How is this typically handled by games administrators?  What are my options?
>
>Thanks,
>
>   Xeno (Gary) Snethen

	Luckily, it's really easy.  What you need to do is set the
executable as SUID.  The command should be something like "chmod u+s
nethack" depending on your system.  This causes all files accessed or generated
by the program to think that the user is you.  Of course, the executable
and its directory must be publicly readable.
-- 
Snarf (alias Andy Grimm)                         agrimm@slate.mines.colorado.edu
"And if I refuse?"                                  |Cheery thought for the day:
"If you refuse, you die, she dies, EVERYBODY dies." |  Jump off a cliff, 20,000
"Sounded reasonable to me!"            -Heavy Metal |  lemmings can't be wrong!
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: Buck Godot <bgodot@halcyon.com>
Subject: Re: ! (or How the Shell Command Became Funny)
Originator: bbs@halcyon.com
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 03:28:34 GMT

richard@iesd.auc.dk (Richard Flamsholt S0rensen) writes:

> 
> >>>>> On 28 Aug 92 14:39:44 GMT, dashiell@NADC.NADC.NAVY.MIL (A. Kaniss) said
> dashiell> Right nethack has a shell command.
> 
>   This reminds me of an old idea, which would be typically nethackish.
> When using the shell-command, there should be some percentage chance
> of getting a real shell -- that is, one in the *game*, which you could
> a)pply.
>   It should only be possible to get a shell once in each game and
> after some unsuccessful N random attemts (shelling out) you should
> loose your chance of getting it at all, all to prevent misuse
> (otherwise you'd have an unlimited source of shells). The overall
> chance of getting one should be, say, 10% +/- whatever depending on
> whatever (luck, time since last attempted shell-command etc).
>   Now, what good could a shell be?  Naturally, you would apply it to
> your ear and listen to it.  An uncursed shell might just reveal some
> noises from monsters nearby ("Your hear an enchanting snore", when a
> nymph is taking a nap around the corner etc) and a blessed shell might
> even when applied (i.e. momentarily) convey the positions of monsters,
> much like a helmet of telepathy.  Cursed shells, on the other hand,
> might do damage to your ears so you (until "Your ears feel better")
> don't hear anything -- no mumblings about shoplifters, no water
> falling on coins, noone couting money etc.
>   So, what do you think?  I think this would definitely add a funny
> (and, as I said, very nethackish) twist to the shell command.
> Naturally, it should not be documented anywhere ...
> 
>   Richard
> 
> --
> Richard Flamsholt
> richard@iesd.auc.dk

Don't forget the "Van Gogh" effect :), and a shell COULD be made into a 
musical intusment... :)

Xref: sparky rec.games.hack:5834 rec.games.moria:3778 rec.games.misc:17022
From: duchon@cytise.ens.fr (Philippe Duchon)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack,rec.games.moria,rec.games.misc
Subject: Re: Omega
Date: 28 Aug 92 12:53:28 GMT
Organization: Ecole Normale Superieure, PARIS, France


>
>
>  My beef with Omega is that it does NOT balance---a player can easily get a
>munchkin (WAY too powerful) character.  I have one character running around
>with:
>
>
>Experience Level: 600
>HP:  15000
>Mana:  25000
>Vorpal Sword:  +128
>ALL spells at 1 Mana to cast.
>

Yes, sure, but once you've made it to Adept status you're supposed to
retire, aren't you ? No point in going on.

What I don't like in Omega is a few bugs (you can get the big bonus at 
the end of the castle as many times as you like, you can become a
High Priest of every God (one after another), and the Hall of Fame has
a problem, at least on my site). Great game, anyway. And the end is
nice.


---

	Philippe
From: lcl@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Lisa C. Lewis)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: prayer and gods are pleased
Date: 3 Sep 92 23:12:36 GMT
Reply-To: lcl@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: College of Engineering, Northeastern University
In-reply-to: dashiell@NADC.NAVY.MIL's message of 1 Sep 92 19:58:14 GMT

In article <9209011958.AA05851@NADC.NADC.NAVY.MIL> dashiell@NADC.NAVY.MIL (A. Kaniss) writes:

   someone suggested that when a player prays and the deity is
   pleased and the blue glow surron  surrounds the player that
   cursed inventory items should become uncursed and uncursed items shoud
   should be become blessed.
   I would like to add an additional suee  suggestion to this one.
   Blessed items should have to roll for point gains or losses in the case of 
   armor.
   So if the player has a blessed +1 long sword and the deity is pleased
   there should be a chance that the long sword could change to
   a blessed +2 long sword.

An excellent idea!  But by the same token, if you pray too quickly and
anger your deity, there should be a roll for the items to lose points -
that +1 long sword becomes a +0 long sword.  Or should that only be true
for cursed items, to ensure symmetry?

-Lisa Caroline

--
Lisa Caroline Lewis   		    Our country, right or wrong.  
lcl@csa.bu.edu      -or-	    When right, to be kept right; 
lcl@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu     when wrong, to be put right.
                  	             - Carl Schurz, January 17, 1872
From: ralf@ark.abg.sub.org (Ralf Stephan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
Subject: Re: Recording Level Numbers
Date: 27 Aug 92 10:35
Organization: Private Coherent 4.0.1 site Augsburg/Bavaria/Germany

snelling@bnr.ca (Peter Snelling) writes:
> Many nethackers record the levels where they find important
> things (alters, shops, etc.).  Maybe it would be good if the
> game did this for us.  It could do this whenever you enter
> any important room.

Umoria also keeps track of all monster characteristics you encounter
(but only those!). Of course, with the spoilers on the knees you don't
need it, but something like that online is really nice...

  "You see a Balrog. Recall the details? (y/n)" y
  "This monster has been killed at least 4 times by your character.
   It usually appears around level 34 and yields 1234 points on average.
   It was one time eaten and had the intrinsic of ... It can hit and
   crush with 1d4 and 2d3 resp... There is a chance that it bears gold."

--ralf
Newsgroups: rec.games.hack
From: dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com (David C Blume)
Subject: Re: Spellbook question (repeated)
Organization: Loral Western Development Labs
Distribution: rec.games.hack
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 16:42:00 GMT

lcl@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu writes:
>
>Can you memorize a pile of spellbooks all at once, or do you have to use
>them up one by one to get the maximum number of casts out of them?  Does
>anyone know the code on this?
>

Memorizing spells is an additive function.  (Does that make sense?)  Go
ahead and read both those "magic mapping" spellbooks now, you'll be able 
to cast twice as many of that spell.

>(ps Once you evaporate a weapon, it's gone forever, right?  It would be a
>wasted wish to try to get it back again?)

For artifacts, that's true.  (If you vaporize Excalibur, don't bother 
#dipping or wishing for Excalibur again.)

--David
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| David Blume            | "I got killed by monsters."                  |
| dcb@wdl1.wdl.loral.com | -- Why my roommate screamed out of nowhere.  |
+-finger acct. for prefs------------------------------------------------+

Newsgroups: rec.games.hack