E
elDiablo
Guest
For those that don't know, Nethack is a rogue-like, console/command prompt based D&D type of game. It looks pretty basic (though colour is not in my version!), and takes a little getting used to, especially if you haven't been gaming as long as some of the golden oldies on THN (you know who you are 
).
However, it is awesome. I used to play this a fair amount (and sucked), and have only recently got back into it (which is a bad thing due to the amount of work I need to do), and thought some of you might like it. It's very, very good, and has been described as "the most elaborate role-playing environment ever invented". The developers have thought of it before. That's what most people associate with Nethack. If you think, while playing, "What if I could get X and use it to do Y?", then you probably can. There are very few limitations.
For example, just now, I broke a magical wand (in frustration at not being able to find the stairs down to the next dungeon). The resulting magical explosion blow a hole in the floor, through which I dropped, into the next dungeon! Lost most of my health, but still, made me laugh.
Oh, and I've never won this game. To "win", you have to the Amulet of Yendor, an object that your god has sent you into the dungeons to find. I haven't found it yet. But the game is still fun! If you die, the game saves your equipment in a special file, which it then randomly reads next time you play. So you come across your dead body with some or all of the items you were carrying! It's not as easy as it sounds though, as each game is randomly generated. And when you find an item, it can be cursed, neutral or blessed. But you won't know until you use it or use a scroll of identity on it. And you can't tell which scrolls do what, until you try or use of scroll of identity on them (they're uses are randomly generated each game). And there are mini-challenges within the game, such as trying to finish the game as a vegetarian (without eating any animals). And... Well, the list goes on and on.
If anyone feels like playing a very different style of game, I would try this. The BBC has an article on it, and there is the official guidebook, as well as lots of unofficial ones. It's well worth reading.
And most of it, it's fun! But hard (though, if you must, there are "cheats"). Anyway, enjoy! Maybe we could even start a mini-tournament to see who does the best, something along the lines of this, but a little less serious.
).However, it is awesome. I used to play this a fair amount (and sucked), and have only recently got back into it (which is a bad thing due to the amount of work I need to do), and thought some of you might like it. It's very, very good, and has been described as "the most elaborate role-playing environment ever invented". The developers have thought of it before. That's what most people associate with Nethack. If you think, while playing, "What if I could get X and use it to do Y?", then you probably can. There are very few limitations.
For example, just now, I broke a magical wand (in frustration at not being able to find the stairs down to the next dungeon). The resulting magical explosion blow a hole in the floor, through which I dropped, into the next dungeon! Lost most of my health, but still, made me laugh.
Oh, and I've never won this game. To "win", you have to the Amulet of Yendor, an object that your god has sent you into the dungeons to find. I haven't found it yet. But the game is still fun! If you die, the game saves your equipment in a special file, which it then randomly reads next time you play. So you come across your dead body with some or all of the items you were carrying! It's not as easy as it sounds though, as each game is randomly generated. And when you find an item, it can be cursed, neutral or blessed. But you won't know until you use it or use a scroll of identity on it. And you can't tell which scrolls do what, until you try or use of scroll of identity on them (they're uses are randomly generated each game). And there are mini-challenges within the game, such as trying to finish the game as a vegetarian (without eating any animals). And... Well, the list goes on and on.
If anyone feels like playing a very different style of game, I would try this. The BBC has an article on it, and there is the official guidebook, as well as lots of unofficial ones. It's well worth reading.
And most of it, it's fun! But hard (though, if you must, there are "cheats"). Anyway, enjoy! Maybe we could even start a mini-tournament to see who does the best, something along the lines of this, but a little less serious.
