-TO sends 'em all to one corner

bughunter · November 30, 2022, 09:28

Interesting phenomenon.

In the screenshot, notice the P (storm giant), G (phantom), g (colbran), and W (white wraith) are all in the same, extreme NE corner of the level.

I encountered them at my entrance to the level, in the bottom of the map, just left of center. Also there were a few other wee beasties, and Rogrog the troll, all in that little cluster of cloisters, kinda like a library but not with all the interesting reading.

Tactically, it sucked. They were crowding Rogrog, and I didn't want to have to deal with them all before taking on the big, stinky Troll (who dropped nothing useful, the lummox). So I -TO'ed them to mop up later and then tickled Rogrog to death with my rapier. (It's hard to distinguish troll laughter from troll howls of agony, anyway.)

Later, I discovered that his dismissed companions all wound up in the same corner of the map.

This is not the first time I've encountered such behavior from -TO, but it is the first time I've seen them all crowded into the same contiguous spaces...

I suspect, using occam's razor, that the Teleport mechanic is generating a distance, and trying to find an open space on the map that matches that distance. Failing to find such a space, it finds the next furthest unoccupied, open space and just goes with that.

In this case, the distance generated all four times was bigger than any available on the map, and that corner of that room provided a nice set of suitable spaces where none other existed on the map.

Is this a correct analysis?

If so, I'm not sure if one should call it a bug. Or even undesireable.

Unforseen consequence, maybe?

Nick · November 30, 2022, 10:55

You're right. Player teleportation has been adjusted so that it is more random, but teleport other tries to send the monster 100 grids.

bughunter · November 30, 2022, 20:33

Oh, it's a fixed distance?

So, unless the target is in the exact middle of the map, that leads to somewhat predictable results. Is that predictability desired?

I tell ya, my rogue must have spent 50 or more mana checking around every corner for that freaking Phantom, not knowing how far he got zapped. That was the only interesting thing on the level, other than the promise of Rogrog dropping something nice.

Well, that and the !Con that was three squares west of the stairs I came in on.

November 30, 2022, 09:28	#1
bughunter Adept Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Pasadena CA Posts: 141	-TO sends 'em all to one corner Interesting phenomenon. In the screenshot, notice the P (storm giant), G (phantom), g (colbran), and W (white wraith) are all in the same, extreme NE corner of the level. I encountered them at my entrance to the level, in the bottom of the map, just left of center. Also there were a few other wee beasties, and Rogrog the troll, all in that little cluster of cloisters, kinda like a library but not with all the interesting reading. Tactically, it sucked. They were crowding Rogrog, and I didn't want to have to deal with them all before taking on the big, stinky Troll (who dropped nothing useful, the lummox). So I -TO'ed them to mop up later and then tickled Rogrog to death with my rapier. (It's hard to distinguish troll laughter from troll howls of agony, anyway.) Later, I discovered that his dismissed companions all wound up in the same corner of the map. This is not the first time I've encountered such behavior from -TO, but it is the first time I've seen them all crowded into the same contiguous spaces... I suspect, using occam's razor, that the Teleport mechanic is generating a distance, and trying to find an open space on the map that matches that distance. Failing to find such a space, it finds the next furthest unoccupied, open space and just goes with that. In this case, the distance generated all four times was bigger than any available on the map, and that corner of that room provided a nice set of suitable spaces where none other existed on the map. Is this a correct analysis? If so, I'm not sure if one should call it a bug. Or even undesireable. Unforseen consequence, maybe?

November 30, 2022, 10:55	#2
Nick Vanilla maintainer Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Canberra, Australia Age: 57 Posts: 9,481 Donated: $60	You're right. Player teleportation has been adjusted so that it is more random, but teleport other tries to send the monster 100 grids. __________________ One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

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November 30, 2022, 20:33	#3
bughunter Adept Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Pasadena CA Posts: 141	Oh, it's a fixed distance? So, unless the target is in the exact middle of the map, that leads to somewhat predictable results. Is that predictability desired? I tell ya, my rogue must have spent 50 or more mana checking around every corner for that freaking Phantom, not knowing how far he got zapped. That was the only interesting thing on the level, other than the promise of Rogrog dropping something nice. Well, that and the !Con that was three squares west of the stairs I came in on.

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