Changing the edit files

CunningGabe · March 31, 2012, 18:37

Here's an idle question: do you ever change or add to the edit files for any variant when you play? If so, how much do you change and why? If not, why not?

Derakon · March 31, 2012, 19:04

I occasionally make tweaks to eliminate irritations. For example, when I played ToME 2 I removed the ability to breed from early monsters -- in that game, almost all characters have lousy stealth especially early on because Stealth is a skill you can learn; combine that with the ability of insect breeders to fly over the trees that form the walls of the first dungeon and early levels routinely became unplayable.

In Vanilla I usually make the Trap Location rod immune to electricity when I'm playing a warrior. Back in the 3.0x days (pre-TMJ) these rods were a lot more common, such that you could expect to have one by 1000' at the very latest; these days you're lucky to have one by then and losing it to an electricity attack is extremely aggravating. It's telling that almost all of the rods that a non-warrior would care about are all electricity-proof.

ghengiz · March 31, 2012, 19:06

I usually don't, because I think there is a reason if the maintainer decided the things to be in a certain way. An edit would mean I'd get a variant of the variant.
But if you point a gun at my head, asking to change something or die, I'd purge the breeders, for they are just annoying.

Magnate · March 31, 2012, 21:38

When playing Sangband, I edit monster.txt to change the speed of lucksuckers, because I *hate* the "faster than you" mechanic. IMO monsters should not move at relative speeds but at absolute speeds.

In all variants that have them I sometimes edit magic mushroom patches to be either rarer or slower or both, depending on how grumpy I'm feeling.

Djabanete · April 1, 2012, 10:33

I play Chengband in Vanilla Town mode.

I change Angband so there are no rivers and make all the walls granite. And I let it generate caverns.

I change Cloaks of Protection so they grant resist shards.

I change monsters so that the wilderness only monsters can appear in the dungeon.

PowerWyrm · April 2, 2012, 13:07

When I play Vanilla, the first thing I do is to edit font-win.prf and change the color of permawalls from 4 to 7 because that red color is making my eyes BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!!!

CunningGabe · April 4, 2012, 17:18

Now that I've garnered a few answers, I'll let on to my other motive for asking. One of the projects on my todo list is to write up more information about the edit files -- for example, what the various monster flags mean. I'm trying to determine how much anyone (besides myself) would even care!

Derakon · April 4, 2012, 17:23

A lot of the flags are fairly self-explanatory. What's most important about the edit files is clarifying what the lines that are just sequences of numbers mean. E.g. being able to figure out "I:110:5:0:10:0" is basically impossible without good documentation.

Fortunately I think most of the documentation is accurate, but sometimes it gets out of sync (happened a few times with the new combat and evasion/absorption in v4) and it's very frustrating when it does.

March 31, 2012, 18:37	#1
CunningGabe Swordsman Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 250	Changing the edit files Here's an idle question: do you ever change or add to the edit files for any variant when you play? If so, how much do you change and why? If not, why not?

March 31, 2012, 21:38	#4
Magnate Angband Devteam member Join Date: May 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 5,060	When playing Sangband, I edit monster.txt to change the speed of lucksuckers, because I hate the "faster than you" mechanic. IMO monsters should not move at relative speeds but at absolute speeds. In all variants that have them I sometimes edit magic mushroom patches to be either rarer or slower or both, depending on how grumpy I'm feeling. __________________ "3.4 is much better than 3.1, 3.2 or 3.3. It still is easier than 3.0.9, but it is more convenient to play without being ridiculously easy, so it is my new favorite of the versions." - Timo Pietila

April 2, 2012, 13:07	#6
PowerWyrm Prophet Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,914	When I play Vanilla, the first thing I do is to edit font-win.prf and change the color of permawalls from 4 to 7 because that red color is making my eyes BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!!! __________________ PWMAngband variant maintainer - check http://powerwyrm.monsite-orange.fr (or http://www.mangband.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=9) to learn more about this new variant!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
question about ubuntu location of edit files	bill4935	Development	3	December 30, 2011 13:57
update edit files on oook	fizzix	Oook!	3	July 16, 2010 16:34
edit files?	tummychow	Vanilla	2	September 13, 2009 20:38
Editing lib/edit files	moonsdad	Vanilla	0	November 9, 2008 10:48
Changes to lib/edit files	Iemortal	Vanilla	1	September 23, 2007 05:26

March 31, 2012, 19:04	#2
Derakon Prophet Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 9,024	I occasionally make tweaks to eliminate irritations. For example, when I played ToME 2 I removed the ability to breed from early monsters -- in that game, almost all characters have lousy stealth especially early on because Stealth is a skill you can learn; combine that with the ability of insect breeders to fly over the trees that form the walls of the first dungeon and early levels routinely became unplayable. In Vanilla I usually make the Trap Location rod immune to electricity when I'm playing a warrior. Back in the 3.0x days (pre-TMJ) these rods were a lot more common, such that you could expect to have one by 1000' at the very latest; these days you're lucky to have one by then and losing it to an electricity attack is extremely aggravating. It's telling that almost all of the rods that a non-warrior would care about are all electricity-proof.

March 31, 2012, 19:06	#3
ghengiz Adept Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Roaming in Terry Pratchett's Discworld Posts: 178	I usually don't, because I think there is a reason if the maintainer decided the things to be in a certain way. An edit would mean I'd get a variant of the variant. But if you point a gun at my head, asking to change something or die, I'd purge the breeders, for they are just annoying.

April 1, 2012, 10:33	#5
Djabanete Knight Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 563	I play Chengband in Vanilla Town mode. I change Angband so there are no rivers and make all the walls granite. And I let it generate caverns. I change Cloaks of Protection so they grant resist shards. I change monsters so that the wilderness only monsters can appear in the dungeon.

April 4, 2012, 17:18	#7
CunningGabe Swordsman Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 250	Now that I've garnered a few answers, I'll let on to my other motive for asking. One of the projects on my todo list is to write up more information about the edit files -- for example, what the various monster flags mean. I'm trying to determine how much anyone (besides myself) would even care!

April 4, 2012, 17:23	#8
Derakon Prophet Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 9,024	A lot of the flags are fairly self-explanatory. What's most important about the edit files is clarifying what the lines that are just sequences of numbers mean. E.g. being able to figure out "I:110:5:0:10:0" is basically impossible without good documentation. Fortunately I think most of the documentation is accurate, but sometimes it gets out of sync (happened a few times with the new combat and evasion/absorption in v4) and it's very frustrating when it does.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)