Let's get rid of hunger

[AnonymousHero]

+1 to removing hunger. Outside of the very few first games, I don't think I've ever died to it. (I have once or twice in T2, but that was due to forgetfulness, having a full inventory and try to lug a 15000lbs corpse around the wilderness... Not an issue in vanilla.)

(I'd also argue for removing all the "boring" food which doesn't have any side effects when eaten.)

[Pete Mack]

Yes! Solve hunger forever. Also, world peace!

[fizzix]

Originally Posted by Pete Mack

Yes! Solve hunger forever. Also, world peace!

The alternate reading of the title was not lost on me

[Sky]

Originally Posted by Derakon

...hm, what if we still had a food clock, but you couldn't starve? Just make Weak apply some substantial debuffs (a flat -5 to all stats, maybe), but ditch the HP damage and periodic paralysis. It'd still be something you'd always want to avoid if at all possible, but running out wouldn't be an immediate death sentence. That would also open up space to play with how common food is, or how quickly the food clock runs down.

I do agree that having monsters that drain your food level is also worth exploring. Green Glutton Ghosts at minimum, Vampires too (gotta replenish that lost blood!), but possibly any monster/effect that drains XP could also make you hungrier.

A very reasonable request. Starvation should be only there when you dig through rock at 500turns/square.

Different races (troll,hobbit) would react differently to hunger.

[Rydel]

Since hunger doesn't have much impact on non-ironman play due to ease of getting food, scrolls, and spells, but does affect ironman since those are less available, would it be possible for hunger and items that only affect hunger to only be there when playing ironman?

[mrfy]

Originally Posted by Rydel

Since hunger doesn't have much impact on non-ironman play due to ease of getting food, scrolls, and spells, but does affect ironman since those are less available, would it be possible for hunger and items that only affect hunger to only be there when playing ironman?

I find it does affect the early parts of the game, what with limited gold, rarity of food items in the shallow levels, etc. I'm all for keeping it like it is, or making it more interesting, with different items. Why can't I find pints of ale in the dungeon or flasks of whiskey?

[Pete Mack]

I agree with mrfy. It's a useful lesson for newbies: always keep sufficient consumables. And it's a lot less subtle than cure wounds and phase door.

[Huqhox]

Originally Posted by Pete Mack

I agree with mrfy. It's a useful lesson for newbies: always keep sufficient consumables. And it's a lot less subtle than cure wounds and phase door.

Agreed. It is a useful object lesson to those learning the game that keeping an eye on consumables is a vital part of the game. And it's hardly tedious to manage.

[Grotug]

I've been playing a lot of ironman games these days and often die to hunger (HT/Warrior and all). I keep forgetting that it's not just glutton ghosts I need to be careful of. I've died numerous times because I forget that rot jellies eat food. A couple hours ago I had a nice start with 5 !speed, a decent weapon and an amulet of magi and then I starved to death. I cursed food in that game as a stupid mechanic that ruins good starts. And then I remembered how I used to curse traps and acid up and down as so annoying and aggravating that they surely made the game less fun. But I now feel that these annoyances are sort of a necessary evil to keeping the game from becoming boring/too easy. So, I can't say I support removal of hunger from the game.

I wouldn't be opposed to hunger having a longer period of affecting @ before he dies. Not sure that weak should affect all stats equally, but probably should hit STR the hardest. Not sure I agree that you shouldn't be able to starve, but make the transition from weak to starvation a little more drawn out (and dangerous with debuffs). Please don't remove the periodical paralysis; this is one of the greatest things about starvation!

[Voovus]

Hence the request to make no-hunger a birth option.

I switched from Moria to Angband about three years ago, and for me the top selling points were: (i) no selling (no pun intended), (ii) shops always stocked CLW/PhaseDoor/Light/WoR and (iii) removal of cursed equipment. These are things that were fun in Moria for a little while and added some atmosphere, but quickly became tedious (does anyone remember bargaining for a price?). I feel the some way about hunger. I have already drunk salt water and eaten a mushroom of purging while not having food in my inventory. Keeping track of food has now become a pretty mindless chore for me, which I'd like to have the option to switch off.