how does dungeon generation work?

[alastair]

how does dungeon generation work? Does it make sure that there are a certain amount and type of monsters and items on each floor? Or are all enemy and item amounts etc. all random?

[dpeg]

Everything is random, but monsters have a natural depth. That is taken into account during monster generation, although there can be spikes (OOD monsters).

[alastair]

Thanks! So that means its possible to have a floor of just items? Or just boss types?

[dpeg]

No, some monsters are always placed. I am not the best person to answer, though. Someone else will take over!

[galehar]

All levels will always have some items and some monsters (except in some branches). Uniques are handled separately from monsters.

[alastair]

I haven't really read code like that before but I think understood how it works. Thanks!

[galehar]

Well, this code is easy enough to read and well commented. Some explanations:
roll_dice(x, y) means roll x dices with y sides each, add the results.
random2(x) returns a random number between 0 and x -1.
random2avg(x, y) does random2(x) y times and averages the results. This is similar to rolling several dices (middle values are more likely).

[Happy Corner]

While we're on the subject, I've read that once you've "cleared" a level, monster generation slows down dramatically. (In accordance with the game's anti-grinding philosophy and whatnot.)

How does the game decide when you've cleared a level? When you've uncovered the whole map for it? When you've killed X percent of the monsters present? Or what?

[jpeg]

While we're on the subject, I've read that once you've "cleared" a level, monster generation slows down dramatically. (In accordance with the game's anti-grinding philosophy and whatnot.)

How does the game decide when you've cleared a level? When you've uncovered the whole map for it? When you've killed X percent of the monsters present? Or what?

Actually, it's not about "clearing" a level but about time spent there (including over several visits). I don't know the numbers, but once you spent a certain number of turns on a level (whether fighting, exploring, resting or grinding spells doesn't matter) monster generation gets more likely to create seriously out of depth monsters to force the player to continue downwards. Some time later, monster generation on that level will come to a halt altogether.

[Yet Another Stupid Noob]

In a pointlessly scummy way, does this mean that you could go 10-15 levels shallower and hang out to get proper depth mobs to nom on?

[Stormfox]

In theory, yes, but only for a while. There's a second timer after the OOD timer that completely halts monster generation to prevent that sort of thing.