From: keiko@die.all.spammers
Subject: Re: Sentient RNGs (was Re: Delayed wishes?)
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 06:03:05 GMT


Malevolent is a very choice adjective here.  

I believe that the NetHack AI enjoys taunting and tormenting, as well.
It gives a credible semblance of giving and then taking away (as 
evidenced by all the posts saying "I found a /WoW on level two, wonder
what my YASD will be.")  It knows where to put the floating eyes.
It senses when you're tired, have been playing TOO long, and are
ready to make that fatal keystroke o' doom.

It knows where to leave a /WoD lying around for some feeble creature
to zap at your most promising character in months.

It knows when to send a water demon, and it knows when nothing
short of a water demon and Juiblex will do.

NetHack also knows how to sap your will to continue.  If it can't
conveniently kill you off out of hand, it'll try to make you
so discouraged that you #quit... like, for example, putting a rust
monster in the vault of Fort Ludios, or creating a huge shop and
filling it with mimics, or letting you explore twelve levels without
seeing a single scroll of identify.

Furthermore, it knows how to cut losses; hear me out --
How many games have you played in which you enjoyed success,
and suddenly it becomes *ridiculous* success?  (You find a magic
lamp, get a wish from a fountain, and find three magic markers in the
Mines... and suddenly, every throne gives you one wish, maybe TWO,
yadda yadda yadda...?)  Know what?  NetHack is *admitting* that you
might be about to win... and it's giving you all the good luck in
one dose, so that it can dose you with evil later on, in other
games...

At least, the game gives a *darned* good impression of doing
these things.