last update: 19-Sep-2002

more info please
Archeologist	(save file available)
Barbarian	(save file available)
Caveman	(save file available)
Elf	(ascension post available)
Healer	(nothing yet)
Knight	(nothing yet)
Priest	(save file available)
Rogue	(save file available)
Samurai	(save file available)
Tourist	(save file available)
Valkyrie	(nothing yet)
Wizard	(ascension post available)

about the contest

Why?

Some time ago, I had an idea. I wanted to make experiences about nethack to be more interchangeable among players. I thought about how different players would play under almost the same conditions.

I imagined game that all players can play simultaneously, but also each one on his/her own.

How?

Dion Nicolaas helped me by writing a utility to convert a wizard mode save file into a normal one. Please contact him if you want to have this utility too, but beware! Read his disclaimer first.

When I got this utility I started up a wizard mode game, wished for a potion of blindness and a carrot. I quaffed the potion and level teleported all the way down to the bottom of hell, visiting each level. Thus each level has been already created, and will be the same each time you (re)start this particular save file. Thus all players will play on the same playground. When I reached the last gehennom level, I level teleported back up, teleported to the stairs again and ate the carrot to unblind. Then I saved the game and unziz'ed it.

Who?

This is the place where you all get involved. Download and unzip the file of your desired character (if available), play the game and tell me how you solved the game (or not). Please post your diaries to rec.games.roguelike.nethack instead of mailing it to me.

How exactly?

To play one of the contest files, follow these steps:

be sure you are playing the protected mode DOS version of the official 3.2.2 binaries.
download your desired character (if available)
unzip the archive into your nethack directory, where all the other savefiles are stored
start nethack with the -u switch according to the content file to use. If you want to play the barbarian, use the command:

nethack -u cont_b

substitute cont_b with cont_X (with X being the proper character (A=Archeologist, B=Barbarian, and so on).

perfect world?

There are some things to point out, though:

Because I stayed at experience level 1 when I level teleported the character down, the monsters created are not as tough as they use to be when you reach the deeper levels with higher exp level. So these games are slightly easier than 'real' games.

If there are artifacts randomly created on the levels, they can't be wished for or created anymore. So if you can't name Sting, you have to look for it somewhere in the dungeon.

There is no safe way to locate the double staircase at the mine beginning and at vlad's tower and to locate the magic portals to the quest and Ludios. And it is impossible to enter the sanctum for obvious reasons. So these levels are created randomly when you enter them, instead of being predefined.

Some game options are stored in the savefile, like pickuptypes and fruitnames. You probably have to change the options to cover your game style. Some options can't be changed from inside the game, you have to use my ones.

Sometimes I enter levels right next to a monster. Since I was blind at the moment, I did not notice. Some monsters follow me level teleporting down and up again. So there is a chance that there is a tough monster on level 1. I tried to avoid this situation, but I cannot guarantee for anything.

The potion of blindness is already identified. Some Objects are shown on the map, when I materialized on them on my way through the levels.

But now, have fun!

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