Yet another Distortion brand thread (sorry)

[tasonir]

FR: If multiple monsters come into view, and at least one has distortion, after the regular "comes into view" message, print an additional line listing which monsters have distortion.

So you have my apologies for creating yet another distortion brand thread, but it seems like the simplest solution is to just add one more message after the "comes into view" message. Sample output (note I'm not trying to match exact wording):

One monster: (no changes)

A goblin comes into view with a dagger of distortion.

Multiple monsters, no distortion weapons: (no changes)

A goblin, hobgoblin, and kobold come into view.

Multiple monsters, distortion weapons: (changed)

A goblin, hobgoblin, and kobold come into view.
The kobold is wielding a flail of distortion!
The goblin is wielding a dagger of distortion!

I'd personally go with one message for each monster with a distortion weapon, but an alternative is "The kobold and goblin are wielding weapons of distortion!" if you want to keep it on one line. The chances of multiple monsters with distortion coming into view at once is so low that I don't think this will be that spammy, especially compared to announcing the weapon on each hit.

Now the force_more_message rc file option people are using will -always- warn about distortion. You don't need to add an aura, come up with a separate console/tiles solution, etc.

For extreme bonus points, you could even add an rc file option "announced_brands" or similar which configures which brands get always announced. Defaults to distortion only.

[dynast]

Thats like starting World War 3, tasonir.

[Tiktacy]

What if the weapon brand a monster was wielding was displayed over the tile of the creature in the area where the monsters in LOS are listed? So lets say a kobold was wielding a whip of elec, you could instantly tell by looking over at the bottom right area of the screen and see that the brand he is wielding is elec since it would have the elec symbol over the kobold as though he was an item.

This would completely solve the entire issue without having to do anything complicated.

Spoiler: show

The only issue with this is that if there are too many creatures to have them all be listed, but this can probably be solved by adding a force more command that lists off all enemy brands in LOS if they are branded with elec/distortion/chaos.

I think this is easier to implement. I'm not sure though.

Honestly, I think both solutions should be implemented. They both solve different aspects of the same issue. With that said, either a dev or another coder would have to go through the trouble of actually writing the code and I'm not sure how high it is on the devs list of priorities.

Although, considering how many people have been bringing this up lately, it would seem natural to assume distortion would at least be on the list of things to do before the next stable version. Unlike some other issues, most players seem to agree that improving this aspect of the game is definitely worth it.

[tasonir]

I'd be all for an icon over the monster if their weapon is branded, it's just that it wouldn't work for console. It also has a bit more potential to be seen as spammy/annoy some players, but personally I'd be okay with it. This is a less intrusive idea that works for console as well, so I figured it'd be a less controversial improvement.

[sweetrabies]

For extreme bonus points, you could even add an rc file option "announced_brands" or similar which configures which brands get always announced. Defaults to distortion only.

I'd be in favor of this. Distortion isn't the only scary brand.

[Tiktacy]

I'd be all for an icon over the monster if their weapon is branded, it's just that it wouldn't work for console. It also has a bit more potential to be seen as spammy/annoy some players, but personally I'd be okay with it. This is a less intrusive idea that works for console as well, so I figured it'd be a less controversial improvement.

What makes you say it would be spammy/annoy players? It wouldn't take up any extra space. Wouldn't listing brands in the text be more spammy?

Either way, I'm pretty sure having a bit more text in the log a few times throughout an entire game is probably a lesser evil than the status quo. I definitely am in full support of your suggestion, and would love to see mine implemented as well.

[dpeg]

tasonir: That's a good idea! I am sure a patch would be accepted.

As far as icons go, I'd *love* if we console players could use unicode to adorn glyphs with diacritics, e.g. a single dot for brand A, double dots for brand B. Competent keep telling me (for years now), this won't work, but I put my hope on technological progress.

[bcadren]

For extreme bonus points, you could even add an rc file option "announced_brands" or similar which configures which brands get always announced. Defaults to distortion only.

Or defaults to that and things you are currently weak to (IE warned about flaming IF you currently have rF-).

[Chicken]

I don't get why people say there are other scary brands. I mean yeah, a mummy hit by a holy weapon or an elec- character hit by electrocution can get a nasty surprise, but the nasty surprise is generally just a minor HP loss, not near sure and certain death in the Abyss. Those things can't kill you unless the monster is powerful enough that you were paying attention to it to begin with.

[dpeg]

Chicken: And perhaps others don't understand why you are so concerned with the distortion brand. After all, banishment is not certain death, and for some less of an issue than strong damage brands.

Improving the interface for one party should also improve it for the other, so let's look beyond players' motivations and move onto the interface itself.

[WingedEspeon]

There are other scarry brands, but only (a) in the early game where there is a lot less popcorn to tab though and things are generally more dangerous anyway or (b) when the monster is dangerous on its own and adding a good brand makes it even scarier. A level 27 hill orc with randart +19 PDA and a nice randart +12 ex axe of speed doesn't care about a regular orc with a hand axe of elec. He might care about a regular orc with a hand axe of distortion because it could cost him lots of turns and real time running around the abyss looking for an exit.

I don't really mind distortion. I do mind the interface screw that I have to look at every weapon of every orc because the game won't just tell me when there is a distortion weapon.

[Hurkyl]

I don't get why people say there are other scary brands. I mean yeah, a mummy hit by a holy weapon or an elec- character hit by electrocution can get a nasty surprise, but the nasty surprise is generally just a minor HP loss, not near sure and certain death in the Abyss. Those things can't kill you unless the monster is powerful enough that you were paying attention to it to begin with.

It doesn't even have to be branded, or even enchanted to be scary. A hobgoblin wielding a club can hit for 8 damage. That's not a minor HP loss for a lvl 1 Felid with 7 HP!

[Quazifuji]

It doesn't even have to be branded, or even enchanted to be scary. A hobgoblin wielding a club can hit for 8 damage. That's not a minor HP loss for a lvl 1 Felid with 7 HP!

Although in tiles it's easy to see what enemies have weapons without any xv tedium.

[Hurkyl]

It doesn't even have to be branded, or even enchanted to be scary. A hobgoblin wielding a club can hit for 8 damage. That's not a minor HP loss for a lvl 1 Felid with 7 HP!

Although in tiles it's easy to see what enemies have weapons without any xv tedium.

Yep! That bit works.

Although... once upon a time, 'mundane' weapons could be positively enchanted. I've had spriggans OHKO'd by hobgoblins wielding +1 clubs (which prompted me to start avoiding them entirely at XL:1 except in dire situations), and even if he didn't have a wand Ilyj could give you a big surprise as he hits you with a +10 club. The change to make these blue was a big quality of life improvement for properly paranoid players.

[Sprucery]

What was fun was in some version of Linley's Dungeon Crawl where there was a bug which made monsters hit extra hard with negatively enchanted weapons. So when a kobold hit you with a short sword for 30 HP and you somehow survived, killed it and wielded the weapon with high hopes... it was cursed -1, -3.

[duvessa]

there was also that bug where getting banished would instantly kill you. i miss that bug so much

[lethediver]

I dunno about ya'll, but I just added to my config: force_more_message += of distortion.

Sure, sometimes I have to hit space when walking over a pile of weapons... But, small price to pay.

[HardboiledGargoyle]

after the regular "comes into view" message, print an additional line listing which monsters have distortion

don't forget about monsters SWAPPING TO a weapon of distortion!

I'd be all for an icon over the monster if their weapon is branded, it's just that it wouldn't work for console.

So? If everything had to work equally for console and tiles, we'd need to revert a whole load of tiles-exclusive UI conveniences. After all,

Honestly, I think both solutions should be implemented. They both solve different aspects of the same issue.

And

unicode to adorn glyphs with diacritics, e.g. a single dot for brand A

sounds pretty good. I'd suggest single dot for any brand and two dots for distortion, chaos, and whatever other brands you consider threatening enough that you add them to your rc file.

see that the brand he is wielding is elec since it would have the elec symbol over the kobold as though he was an item