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[ Last update by Eric R. Smith Sept.11, 1988 ] [ Original file for ST HACK 1.03 by Rodney Black ] /-\ |@| You are being digested by a mysterious monster --More-- \-/ Welcome to .... ST NetHack version 2.3 for Atari ST computers Introduction NetHack is a display oriented dungeons and dragons type game. It is similar in style to ROGUE played on UNIX(tm) systems but NetHack is much richer in character. NetHack has many more monsters and highly varied magic. The motivation in NetHack is to descend through the dungeon to find the Amulet of Yendor, then return to the surface. As you travel you will meet various creatures (most of them nasty), find objects (some having magical proper- ties), and experience many hazards in the dungeon itself. ST NetHack is the Atari ST version of UNIX NetHack which was originally written by several people at the Stichting Mathematisch Centrum in Amsterdam, and has since been improved upon by many people on USENET. For all those who have played NetHack on UNIX, this is a complete version 2.3 with a few enhancements: 1) You can specify the characters used to draw the dungeon instead of the -|+#. See the GRAPHICS variable below. 2) The numeric keypad can be used for moving as well as the usual "yuhjklbn" keys. 3) Floppy, HardDisk and RAMdisk support. Protection from disk full problems. 4) Anti Crash protection: if your game is interrupted by a crash, you can (usually) recover it. 5) Extended "Look" command; lets you look at monsts to see what kind of monster they are (e.g. a 'G' can be either a Gnome or a Gremlin). This is mapped to the ';' key. Note: NetHack uses time and date information in the game. You should set the time and date when you boot up TOS. System requirements To play ST NetHack you need the following: 1) Atari 1040 ST computer (of course, a Mega ST will do!). The display must be in medium or high resolution. 2) 2-virtual disk drives (a virtual disk drive is a real single sided drive or a RAM disk. A double sided drive is roughly 2 virtual disks and a hard disk is many virtual disks). Configuration of NetHack for your ST computer. The configuration of NetHack is controlled by the configuration file, NETHACK.CNF. Place it and the support files in the same directory as the program file (NETHACK.TTP). The support files are: HELP A description of commands and options. HH An abridged version of the above. DATA Information about monsters and objects in the game. RECORD The score file (it may be empty, but it should exist). The top score for each name and player class are saved, but only the top 100 scores are kept. RUMORS Fortune cookie messages (some are true, some are not). NETHACK.CNF The ST NetHack configuration file. Configuration comes from the NETHACK.CNF file. Look at this file for some sample configurations for both a 2 floppy system and a hard disk system. The important variables in the NETHACK.CNF file are: LEVELS This is the directory where some of the level files get left as bones files (a description of previous games). Also, if the RAMDISK variable is not set, this is the directory where temporary level files are made. example: LEVELS=C:\games\hack default: the HACKDIR directory SAVE This is the directory where any saved games will be kept. example: SAVE=c:\games\hack default: the HACKDIR directory If your player name is JOE, and the SAVE variable is C:\games\hack, then your saved game will be in C:\games\hack\joe.sav. The path can be absolute or relative to the HACKDIR directory. If you append ";noprompt" or just ";n" to the name of the save path, the program won't prompt you to insert the diskette used for saving. This is useful if you have a hard disk. example: SAVE=;n RAMDISK This is the directory where your RAMdisk is. example: RAMDISK=D: default: none Before starting NetHack, the bones files from previous games are copied from LEVELS to RAM. After finishing NetHack, the bones files are copied back. Since ST NetHack checks the free disk space on the RAMdisk (and on the LEVEL disk), and warns you when you're running out, you should play with a RAMdisk if you have the extra memory. Even a RAMdisk as small as 100K bytes is very effective in speeding up the game. To override the RAMDISK variable, use the -R command line option. GRAPHICS Rather than use -, |, +, #, and the other "standard" characters for drawing the dungeon you can use any characters from the printablecharacter set (hexadecimal 20 to FF). The GRAPHICS variable has arguments that describe the the rooms and corridors. The arguments are all integers in the range from 0 to 255 and correspond to the ASCII values of the characters you want to use. The order of the variables is listed in NETHACK.CNF. The NETHACK.CNF file has an example of the use of this variable for drawing the dungeon in ST graphics characters. Check the BASIC manual pages E-1,2,3 for a complete list of the character set and their ASCII values. OPTIONS Determines many smaller aspects of the game. There are two kinds of options: 1) boolean, which can be either TRUE or FALSE 2) compound, which has a value or several values. Options can be set before the game in the NETHACK.CNF file or in the environment variable HACKOPTIONS, and can be modified during the game with the 'O' command. You can change several options at a time by separating the options with commas. As an example, a boolean option is "sortpack". To turn it ON, do 'O sortpack' while playing or have an "OPTIONS=sortpack" line in your NETHACK.CNF file. To turn it OFF, do 'O !sortpack' while playing or have "OPTIONS=!sortpack" in your NETHACK.CNF file. Generally, 4 characters are sufficient to identify the option, so 'O sort' is the same as 'O sortpack'. An example of a compound option is "packorder". To change the ordering of the pack when it is displayed in an inventory, you might do 'O pack:%)!?'. Alternatively, have an "OPTIONS=pack:%)!?" line in your NETHACK.CNF file. The compound option "name" can only be set in your NETHACK.CNF file. Also, "name" should not have any spaces in it and will be truncated to 10 characters in the RECORD file. When playing, type 'O help<RETURN>' to get a little help on these options. The HELP file has a short description of all options. NetHack options: fixinv Whenever possible, once an object has a particular inventory letter (ie. you've had it in your pack), it keeps that letter even if you put it down and pick it up again. By default, TRUE confirm Whether you want confirmation before hitting tame monsters. This can be very helpful if you have the problem that you hit your dog and the shopkeepers by accident. If you are blind or confused, though, you don't get this protection! By default, TRUE. silent If this is TRUE, the bell doesn't ring when you make an input error. By default, FALSE. sortpack Whether your pack should be ordered by object class when listed in an inventory. By default, TRUE. packorder The order to display your inventory in. By default, ")[%?/=!(*0 To change the order, use 'O pack:<new order>' where <new order> is a set of characters representing the various object types. For example, if you do 'O pack:)[/=' then when you do an inventory with the 'i' command your pack will be displayed with weapons ')' first, then armor '[', then wands '/' then rings '='. Note that the default packorder has more letters than the example given here. As in this example, if you don't give a letter for each object type, the other object types are automatically filled in. Thus the next objects in your pack will be amulets '"', then food '%', then scrolls '?', potions '!', etc. pickup Whether you pick up things you step on. If pickup is FALSE, you can look at things you step on without picking them up. This option can be toggled between TRUE and FALSE with the '@' command. By default, TRUE. BIOSok If TRUE, you will be able to use the numeric pad for movement. The translation from numeric pad keys to keyboard keys is: Numeric Pad Keyboard 7 8 9 y k u \ | / \ | / 4 -5- 6 to h -.- l / | \ / | \ 1 2 3 b j n The '7' on the numeric pad is translated to a 'y', which is the keyboard key for moving diagonally up and left. Control modifies the translation like this: Numeric Pad: 7 8 9 4 5 6 1 2 3 no Control: y k u h . l b j n Shift Y K U H : L B J N Control: ^Y ^K ^U ^H . ^L ^B ^J ^N '^' means control, so '^H' is control-H. By default, FALSE. NOTE: In ST NetHack 2.3, the keypad may be used regardless of the setting of BIOSok, so this option is really not necessary (it's still there for compatibility with older versions of Hack, though). To play the "exact" UNIX version your options should be: OPTIONS=!confirm,!sortpack Sample configurations Hard disk system: SAVE=;n (;n -- no prompt required) RAMDISK=d: OPTIONS=name:Bert-C, silent - notice that no LEVELS variable was set. ST NetHack will then default to the same directory as NETHACK.TTP. Bert-C means your name is "Bert" and you'll play as a cave-person. Two floppy systems: SAVE=a:\ LEVELS=b:\ RAMDISK=c: OPTIONS=name:Gerty-T, female, silent, time With the above 2 floppy configuration, if you put NETHACK.TTP and its support files on one disk, then use it in drive A whenever you want to play NetHack. The savefile will then also be on drive A and the level files will be on drive B. You will be prompted to put in the disk with the savefile on it at the appropriate moments. When the game starts, it will copy the bones files from drive B (the LEVELS directory) onto the RAMdisk, then use the RAMdisk for the temporary level files. If you have just a single drive and a RAMdisk and are going to play several games in a row, you can speed things up by copying the LEVELS disk to the RAMdisk before beginning, turn off the RAMdisk option, and desginate the RAMdisk drive as the LEVELS disk. Just remember to copy the BONES files to the real disk when you are done. It is possible to use the same diskette for storing bones files and for saving games since ST NetHack checks if there is enough room in the SAVE directory before trying to write out the saved game. If there is not enough room, you can change diskettes. However, if you have to change diskettes, the diskette you're removing MUST NOT have the level files on it! In order to save a game, ST NetHack must have access to the save file and all the level files at the same time. This means that if you are using a RAMdisk for the level files it is safe for you to use the same diskette for both bones and saved games since even if the saved game would be too big for this diskette you can change to another diskette. The advantage of using the same diskette is that you won't have to keep swapping diskettes whenever NetHack tries to find a save file. If you want to try this, your NETHACK.CNF file should look something like: LEVELS=b:\ SAVE=b:\ (perhaps with ;n for no prompting) RAMDISK=c: (You MUST have a RAMdisk) OPTIONS=whatever If you don't have enough extra memory for a RAMdisk, or you want to keep several saved games on several floppies, please use separate floppies for the game diskette (NETHACK.TTP and support files), for the levels and bones diskette, and for the save diskette. Start with: GAME DISK: NETHACK.TTP, NETHACK.CNF, RUMORS, DATA, HELP, HH, RECORD others (e.g. GULAM or some other shell program) LEVELS DISK: empty (or with previous bones files) SAVE DISK: empty NOTES for all systems: Games are saved in the SAVE directory with filename NAME.sav where NAME refers to name you are using to play. Thus it is possible to have several games saved under different names provided you have enough disk space. Since ST NetHack checks how much memory is available on a disk before trying to write to it, even a relatively small RAMdisk can be used to greatly speed up the game. A reasonable size might be: (size of all bones files) + about 100K This will let you get to about level 10 in the dungeon. ST NetHack will warn you when it's running out of disk space (which happens if you get deep into the dungeon). At this time you should save the game, then restart with the -R command line option which tells ST NetHack not to use the RAMdisk. How to play NetHack -- command line options ST NetHack v2.3 has several command line options: -u name Specifies the name to use other than the value of the OPTIONS name. ex: A> nethack -uTerminator or A> nethack -u Terminator You can append -C, -W, -S, -F, -K, etc. to the name to select the type of character you want to be (see below for a complete list). ex: A> nethack -uTerminator-K This means you will play with the name Terminator and you will be a Knight. -A, -T, -B, -K, -C, -S, -N, -P, -V, -E, -H, -W Select the character you will be playing as. This option should be upper case. Thus: A> nethack -T means get your name from the OPTIONS line in the NETHACK.CNF file, and play as a tourist. If ST NetHack can't get your name from the NETHACK.CNF file, you will be asked "Who are you?". -s [name] List the scores of the person with this name. If the name is not given, uses the value of the OPTIONS name. If the name is "all", list all scores in the record file. You can erase the contents of the record file if you wish, but there must be a record file in your directory if you want ST NetHack to keep track of scores. -R This tells ST NetHack to ignore the RAMDISK variable in NETHACK.CNF. This option is useful for restarting a saved game after ST NetHack warned you it was running out of disk space and you saved the game. ex: A> nethack -uFuzzy -R means let my name be "Fuzzy" and play without using a RAMdisk. Once you have started ST NetHack, type a '?' to get help on the available commands. Long help will show you the HELP file, short help will show you the HH file. You can also print the HELP file and keep it for a handy reference. Other useful commands are '/' which describes the things you see on the screen, and '\' which shows you which objects have been discovered so far. Scoring When the game ends, either by your death, when you quit, or if you escape from the caves, NetHack will give you (a fragment of) the list of top scorers. The scoring is based on many aspects of your behavior but a rough estimate is obtained by taking the amount of gold you've found in the cave plus four times your (real) experience. Precious gems may be worth a lot of gold when brought to the exit. There is a 10% penalty for getting yourself killed. Hints for beginner NetHackers NetHack is a Dungeons and Dragons like game where the object is to descend into a dungeon to retrieve the Amulet of Yendor and return to the surface. Along the way you will find many items and monsters and you will have to learn how to deal with each thing. Your character You can be one of several character classes when you start the game. Each character starts with different attributes (strength, hit points) and a different inventory of items (armor, weapons, etc). You should try the different classes to see which is best for you. The class most likely to survive the first few dungeon levels is probably the cave-person. However, each class has its strong and weak points so you should try them all. The status line At the bottom of the screen is displayed information about your state of being. You see the dungeon level you are on, how many hit points you have now (and will have when fully recovered), what your armor class is (the lower the better), your strength, experience level and the state of your stomach. If you have the "time" option ON, you will also see the number of moves you have taken. The little dog You start out being accompanied by a little dog (nameable with the 'C' command) who can be very useful to you -- try not to kill him! Your dog will follow you to some extent -- if you carry tripe rations, he will follow you even better. Sometimes he gets in your way. Either move around him, or wait (with the '.' command) until he moves. If you want him to follow you to the next dungeon level, he must be on a square next to you when you descend or ascend the stairs. Sometimes he gets hungry and confused and hits you. You can feed him by throwing food at him with the 't' command. Your dog may get mad at you if you move to a different dungeon level without taking him with you. Although he may not hit you, he won't help you either. You'll have to appease him somehow. Your dog is useful for his fighting ability and because he can pick up and carry objects. Of course, your dog might be a female, so change all "he" and "him" to "she" and "her". The dungeon The dungeon is an interconnected system of rooms and corridors. The rooms have doors that lead to the corridors. You must walk straight through a door -- no diagonals allowed. Some doors (and some corridors) are hidden and you must search for them (with the 's' command). Usually you must search several times, so use a repeat count (eg '5s'). Some rooms are special and have no doors or connecting corridors. There is a way to get in, though, but you will have to experiment. Some rooms have special contents -- some are shops (but be aware that the shopkeeper expects payment (the 'p' command) for the items you get there) and some are zoos, full of interesting monsters. Some rooms are lit and you can see the entire room, and some rooms are dark so you can see only the floor near you. Monsters To fight monsters, move to occupy the same square they are in. You can also throw things at them, or zap them with wands. It is best to leave some monsters alone. Objects The objects you find may be enchanted (that's good) or cursed (that's bad) or normal. Cursed items are generally less effective than normal and also, once you have them on your body they are impossible to remove unless you remove their curse. You use different objects in different ways: ) WEAPONS are wielded ('w') or thrown ('t') Some weapons are more effective when used together. For example, you get more effect by wielding a bow before throwing arrows. 'w-' means to wield nothing; ie. be barehanded [ ARMOR is worn ('W') and taken off ('T') You can wear more than 1 piece of armor, but there are some restrictions on the combinations. For example, you can only wear 1 SUIT of armor, but you can always wear an elven cloak. ! POTIONS are quaffed ('q') = RINGS are put on ('P') and removed ('R') You only can only wear 2 rings at a time, one on each hand. Also, wearing rings makes you to use up more food, so use them sparingly. / WANDS are zapped ('z') Some wands need a direction to be zapped in, but others do not. ? SCROLLS are read ('r') ( TOOLS are applied ('a') For example, to use a whistle, you apply it. Initially you will not know what the potions, rings, wands or scrolls do until you use them. They will have names like "XIXIXI". Some of these objects are identified as soon as you use them (for example, a scroll of light causes a dark room to be lit). Other objects have no noticeable effect. If it's not immediately obvious what a scroll or potion does the first time you use it, you may be asked to give it a name. NetHack does this so that if you have an idea about what the object does you can name it something appropriate so the next time you find it you will know something about it. Whenever NetHack asks for a name it is possible to use ^H or back-arrow to erase the previous character, ^U to erase the entire line, and <Esc> to quit without supplying a name. Using some objects gives a message like "You have a strange feeling for a moment, but it passes". This means the object would have done something but couldn't do it now (for example, some scrolls affect your weapon, but if you're not wielding a weapon you'll get this message). The call command 'c' can be used to name individual objects, or all objects of a certain type. When you do a 'c', NetHack asks if you want to name an individual object. Answer 'y' if you do and 'n' if you want to name all objects of the same type. Then NetHack will prompt you for the inventory letter of the object you want to name. For example, if you put on a silver ring that has inventory letter 's' and notice your strength increases by two then you do: 'c' 'n' 's' 'strength<return>' (call all objects with the same type as item 's' "strength"). then 'c' 'y' 's' '+2<return>' (call individual inventory item 's' "+2") When you do an inventory you will see s) a ring called strength named +2 The next time you pick up a silver ring it will be called strength so you will know what it does. However, you will not know if it will increase or decrease your strength! You will have to put it on to find out or you will have to identify it. Cursed objects Rings, armor, and weapons can be cursed -- if you put them on or wield them, you will not be able to take them off or wield something else. If you enchant an object, it will be better than it was before. Enchanting armor changes your armor class by 1 (eg. you could go from an armor class of 7 to a class of 6 -- the less positive the number, the better the armor class, as in Dungeons and Dragons). For weapons, the more positive the number, the better. Thus a +2 mace is better than a +1 mace. Some armor is better than others -- normal plate mail is better than normal ring mail. Cursed rings can be a severe problem because it is not possible to remove them and they cause you to use up food faster. Identifying objects The scroll of identify will help you to identify many objects, but generally you just have to use them and see what happens. Occasionally a scroll of identify will have the ability to identify several objects. So it is to your advantage to have several unidentified objects before you use an identify scroll. When you read a scroll of identify NetHack will ask you which classes of objects you want identified. If, for example, you answer '=/' then for each ring in your pack you will be asked if you want to identify it. After going through all rings, you will be asked about the wands. If you do not identify any of these objects you will get back to the question about which classes of objects you want identified. Since it is difficult to determine what rings do because their effect may not be obvious, and because cursed rings can't be removed unless you remove their curse, scrolls of identify are probably best used to identify rings. What is "--More--"? Whenever there is a lot of information for you to see, NetHack waits for you to read it all by giving you a "--More--". If the "--More--" is displayed on the normal response line (the top line that most messages are shown on), then NetHack is waiting for you to enter ' ' (the space character) or <return> (the ENTER key). If NetHack has printed out a list of information (eg. you did an 'i' command), then NetHack will accept ' ' or <return> as well as the inventory letter of anything in the list. Where is this useful? An example is when you want to quaff a potion but you can't remember the letter of the potion you want. You do 'q' then '?' and NetHack gives you the list of all your potions followed by a "--More--" message. If you type ' ' or <return> you get back to the prompt about which potion you want to quaff. If you type the inventory letter of the potion, you immediately quaff that potion. If the screen is completely cleared to give you information (eg. you're looking at the help documentation with the '?' command), then there will be more than one screen full of information. In this case, ' ' or <return> mean "show the next screen" and 'q' or ESC mean "stop". Finally Of course, there is much about NetHack to discover yourself. The RUMORS file provides helpful clues for playing. Also, saved games have no special protection so you can save a game and make a copy of the savefile. Then if you die trying something risky you can use the copy to restart your game from the same place. If the dungeon collapses .... On rare occasions NetHack gets an error and quits with a collapsing dungeon. This is usually due to a disk error or lack of enough memory (or, perhaps even a program bug!). You may be able to continue the game; when you run NetHack again, it will try to recover the old game and if it is able it will ask you if you want to continue the crashed game. You will start again on the last level you visited BEFORE the level where the crash occured. Note that any pets you had with you at the time of the crash will probably not be recovered; sorry!