I should have done this a while ago

[Therem Harth]

Stopped savescumming, that is.

My excuse of old was that I didn't have the time to deal with permadeath. In this statement is that tacit assumption that, if you use permadeath, you'll spend a lot of time dying.

But that is not actually the case! It turns out (for me anyway) that permadeath encourages a more cautious and thoughtful style of play. In T2 I usually suffer my first death fooling around with dragons in the wilderness. This last time, though, I played more cautiously... And didn't die until an OoD Mezzodaemon paralyzed me in the Maze.

I'd honestly forgotten how much more fun a non-savescummed game is. I think, now, that permadeath is what keeps a roguelike from being Yet Another Fantasy RPG; it makes you think more, and shifts the focus from "just winning the game" to developing your character and having a good time.

So yeah. Consider my opinion to have done a 180. I am now wholly opposed to removing permadeath in any way, shape, or form, and think the Cheat Death debug option should stay as is.