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Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 17:34
by edgefigaro
Just a question. There is alot of gold in hells, tomb and such, but shops stop spawning after depths. Why is this a game feature? Just for zin and gozag?

Merchants like setting up shops in

Dungeon
Orc
Elf
Shoals
Vaults
Depths
Snake

But not
Lair
Swamp
Spider
Crypt
Tomb
Hells/Vestibule
Pan*
Abyss
Zot*

Clearly, the defining feature of shops is humanoid zones. However, both zot and pan have plenty of humanoids (draconians, demonspawn).

I'm curious is this is for flavor, for lack of shop vaults for other zones, or is there is more general design decision?

Re: Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 20:13
by daggaz
I would also like to see more shops. They are fun and gold is otherwise nearly useless.

Re: Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 20:23
by TehDruid
I believe it's for the sake of flavour, which is the most important part of the Crawl philosophy.

Re: Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 20:27
by ZipZipskins
Yeah I mean, I love shops.

There's definitely enough useless crap in the game just lying around on the floor or being toted around without more shops, but shops are enjoyable.

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 21:12
by Turukano
edgefigaro wrote:Clearly, the defining feature of shops is humanoid zones.

You are right. I'll show you why it is like this.

  • HuFi enters general store in D:8.
    HuFi: "Good morning."
    Human shopkeeper: "Good morning."
    HuFi: "I'd like to buy these two scrolls of teleportation and these three scrolls of identify."
    Shopkeeper: "Here they are. That'll cost 150 gold."
    HuFi: "Alright." (pays)
    Shopkeeper: "Thank you, sir. Have a nice day."
    HuFi: "Good bye."

  • HuFi enters general store in Lair:3.
    HuFi: "Good morning."
    Frog shopkeeper: (croaks)
    HuFi: "I'd like to buy these two scrolls of teleportation and these three scrolls of identify."
    Shopkeeper: (croaks)
    HuFi: "Do you sell them?"
    Shopkeeper: (croaks)
    HuFi: "Do you understand me?"
    Shopkeeper: (croaks)
    HuFi: (leaves the shop)

  • HuFi enters general store in Swamp:3.
    HuFi: "Good morning."
    Swamp dragon shopkeeper: "Roar!"
    HuFi: "I'd like to buy these two scrolls of teleportation and these three scrolls of identify."
    Shopkeeper: "Rooaarrr!!"
    HuFi: "Do you sell them?"
    Shopkeeper: "RRROOOAAAARRRRRR!!!"
    HuFi: (tries to leave the shop)
    Shopkeeper: (eats the HuFi)

Do you see why it works in the dungeon while it fails in lair and swamp?

Re: Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 21:30
by ydeve
Lair and Swamp both have spriggans.

Re: Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 22:05
by TeshiAlair
Stupid idea: Demonic shops in the hell branches. Always excellent items, but they cost both gold and 1-5% max HP

PostPosted: Thursday, 18th February 2016, 22:15
by crate
Turukano wrote:Do you see why it works in the dungeon while it fails in lair and swamp?

I'm pretty sure vending machines work everywhere, so I'm not sure what the problem is.

Re: Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Friday, 19th February 2016, 01:12
by Blade
honestly my biggest irritation with shops is the spawning in shoals/snake but not swamp/spider, but that's mostly because it gives another irritation attached to the lair branch roulette

Re: Why Do Shops Stop Spawning after Depths

PostPosted: Friday, 19th February 2016, 06:52
by Sprucery
Blade wrote:honestly my biggest irritation with shops is the spawning in shoals/snake but not swamp/spider, but that's mostly because it gives another irritation attached to the lair branch roulette

OTOH, personally I consider Shoals/Snake harder than Swamp/Spider on the average, so I try to think that it kind of balances things.