Nethack - Do you want your posessions identified? (Y/N)?

swiss

Nethack is a roguelike game that dates back to the late 80's.

In todays gaming environment of near photo-realistic graphics, immersive surround sound and developed plotlines, nethack seems to be a dinosaur. The 'plotline' is a scarcely disguised cobble-together of early MUD cliche's, there is no sound to speak of, its graphics consists of ASCII characters (though fancier 'tiled' graphic packs are available), and all action takes place in a single command window using keyboard commands.

Yet for all this, it remains a stalwart in (certain) gaming circles. Tournaments are organised in which people can play, and if you telnet to nethack.alt.org you can play or spectate games in progress. Players who complete the game, or who have 'ascended' are accorded a certain status.

You see, nethack isn't easy. Oh no. A beginner in Nethack, even with numerous spoilers, can expect to die hundreds of times before even nearing a point in which they can feasibly ascend. I have played nethack (on and off) for a year or two, and have never reached this point. The acronym YASD, or Yet Another Stupid Death, has been coined to describe one of the multitude of silly, negligent, or plain unlucky ways you can croak it.

Because when you die (excepting one or two special circumstances), that's it. You have snuffed it. You have ceased to be, bereft of life, you lie in peace. You have met your maker, shuffled off your mortal coil and joined the choir invisible. There is no resuming your progress, there is no going back to a vita chamber on that level. You start again. From scratch.

However, part of the appeal is that it is *supposed* to be hard. You learn to think about your situation before running into a room. You take unremitting precautions. You study every dungeon message carefully for meaning that will help you. If you hear "the chime of a cash register", there is a shop on that level, similarly the "footsteps of a guard on patrol" means there is a vault of gold. Step on a loose plank? The loud creak will wake up the monsters in the level. Have a feeling of loss? Sorry to be the one to break it to you, but your pet has died.

To experience the frustrations and the joys of nethack for yourself, grab version 3.4.3 from www.nethack.org

Ping Chow Chi

Use to love playing this game, years and years ago (when I had to load it on a 5 1/2 inch floppy) I still have a play every now and then, its insanly difficult though

Stephen

To be quite honest lads, that sounds like no fun whatsoever

po0k

www.kingdomofloathing.com is a web-based alternative / D&D pisstake / fun.
Not quite NetHack, but entertaining nonetheless.
There's a KoL wiki too for when you get stuck.

Nevyn

hmmm meat paste.

ntlbell

[SIZE=-1]“If you like top trumps you should come to me. I got about five different sets. Don’t try to beat me on monster trucks though cos you won’t. My specialty.”
“Yeah, will it’s a game of chance though-”
“No, it’s not. I would know what cards you got, immediately, just through which cards I got. I used to play it, just by myself, dummy hand, just testing out every different scenario, which cards beat which other cards for hours, three or four hours at a time. But put in the work, the rewards are obvious.”[/SIZE]

Sputnik

Nethack? Pussys. I still have copy of Rogue.

Lafortezza

I completed Nethack once, got that pesky amulet and escaped the dungeons. Valkyrie ftw.

Maximilian

Sputnik wrote:

Nethack? Pussys. I still have copy of Rogue.

I too have that, on a 5.25 disc if you don't mind. Now if only I had such a drive.