Prompt before teleporting on no-cTele level

[danr]

I think this is a good idea and consisten with how the game will warn you in other situations, such as actions that might incur god penance.

[pratamawirya]

Yeah, but then... that "You sense a powerful magical force warping space" should be changed to something that clearly tell the player that ctele is currently impossible.

[danr]

Another good parallel is how it asks if you are sure you want to move while confused next to deep water.

[pratamawirya]

The thing is: the game can't be too spoilery.

"You sense a powerful magical force warping space" is good because it's flavorful and doesn't really spoil anything to the player. But if the game then tells the player that ctele doesn't work when he's about to teleport/blink, then that would be a bit spoilery and not good.

...One solution I just stumbled across is to not prompt when the player teleports/blinks for the 1st time, but instead the game should say something like "OOPS! Your control teleport failed! Something wrong must be going on around here!" Then, when the player tries to teleport the 2nd time, the game could ask "Your control teleport didn't work the last time, are you sure you want to teleport again?"

[hxy]

I recall getting a prompt when trying to read a blink or teleport scroll while wearing an amulet of stasis... (0.7 on CAO)

[galehar]

The thing is: the game can't be too spoilery.

Not being spoilery is exactly the opposite of what you are suggesting. Experienced (or spoiled) players know about the levels which are no ctele, because it isn't randomised. If the game isn't clear about the fact, then it encourage new players to read spoilers to learn about that fact. So a more explicit message would be an improvement.

I recall getting a prompt when trying to read a blink or teleport scroll while wearing an amulet of stasis... (0.7 on CAO)

I don't know about 0.7, but there's no prompt now. You just get a message about not being able to teleport and the action is cancelled.

Back on topic I'm not sure about a prompt, they tend to be annoying. Imagine having to confirm each teleport in Zot:5 will trying to tele-apport the orb. And if you have the prompt only for the first, then it doesn't solve anything. Branches end is about careful play anyway

[pratamawirya]

@galehar:
I think you misunderstood me.

Yes it has to be as clear as possible to new players, but it doesn't have to be accomplished via giving away informations which are out of character or not flavorful.

The game thus may tell the player that ctele is not working currently, but please don't do it via bland questions such as: "You cannot control your teleport right now! Are you sure you want to teleport?"

Instead, it can be: "You feel that some unknown force is interrupting your control over your teleport! Are you sure you want to teleport?"

You see? Don't just tell the player the hard, undisputed fact. That's what I was talking about.

[szanth]

It seems like quibbling, though. You're still for it having a message warning the player, which is what really matters.

[evktalo]

How about a -TELE status light? I think I put that up in the wiki too.

--Eino

[Kate]

Also, "you sense the presence of a powerful magical force warping space" should appear on every character, not just those with Translocations skill.

It does, now. Agree that maybe a -cTele status light would be good (at the very least it should show up on the % screen, I can't count the number of times I've scrolled through pages and pages of messages to remind myself whether the current Zig floor allows cTele or not).

[mageykun]

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to put an indicator on the % screen if you need to check if the current level allows ctele? Right now you get a green pip if you have ctele- have it change to a red x or something if it's inactive, like the rF and rC penalty indicators.