[Announce] Cthangband 6.0 ("20th Anniversary Edition") Released

[Dean Anderson]

Yes, that's right. It's 20 years since I first released Cthangband onto an unsuspecting world.

Well, now it's back in yet another new edition.

This is the first fully .NET version of Cthangband (written in C#), and as such it will run on any Microsoft OS from Vista onwards. I don't think Mono or similar alternates can handle WPF, so unfortunately it's Windows only.

The installer is here: Cthangband 6.0.

If you're missing the .NET Framework 4.5.2 (you shouldn't be unless you're using an older Windows edition) you can download that from Microsoft here: .NET Framework 4.5.2.

Here's the change log:

Cthangband 6.0.0 (July 2018 - 20th Anniversary)
- Documentation now moved to a separate file
- “Lite” changed to “Light” throughout source code and user interface.
- Spectres now have Feather Fall.
- The sewers under Ulthar now have a bias towards animals.
- Word of Recall now takes you back to your house, if you have one (if you don’t then you will be returned to the last town visited, as normal).
- You can now only own a single house at a time, but on buying a new one any items stored in your old one will be moved into it for you.
- Added “worthless items” section to journal, so you can designate any unwanted item type as being worthless (meaning it will be stomped on rather than picked up), not just those with zero value.
- Character view screen re-arranged, and redundant pages removed.
- You can no longer accidentally drop below the last level of a dungeon through a trap door.
- Barbarian replaced with Tcho-Tcho.
- Trap doors in towers now correctly take you to the previous (i.e. “lower”) level rather than the next level.
- Increasing in level no longer restores all your ability scores.
- Chaos Features changed back to Mutations.
- Chaos-Mage and Chaos Warrior are now Cultist and Fanatic.
- Digging items (spades, picks) now have their own equipment slot once more.
- Broo replaced with Miri Nigri.
- Chaos Patrons replaced with Cthuloid entities.
- Entire program re-written from the ground up in C#!

[getter77]

Always excellent to see renewed vigor in the likes of this---massive undertaking this time around at that!

[CyclopsSlayer]

So nice to see! I played this so so long ago that I can barely remember the premise. LOL Time to explore the insanity that is Cthulu

[CyclopsSlayer]

I may be blind, but is there no command to Learn a Spell?
None listed under '?' and 'G' is game time.
Also tried upper and lower case a-z, A-Z, 1-0, all the usual punctuation. Have yet to do Alt or Ctrl versions.

[Derakon]

Congrats on finishing the rewrite! That's seriously impressive.

[Dean Anderson]

Originally Posted by CyclopsSlayer

I may be blind, but is there no command to Learn a Spell?
None listed under '?' and 'G' is game time.
Also tried upper and lower case a-z, A-Z, 1-0, all the usual punctuation. Have yet to do Alt or Ctrl versions.

You need to visit a library (shop '9') to learn new spells. The intent is that it gives spell casters (who would otherwise be able to create food and light by magic) a reason to return to town occasionally.

It always takes me by surprise when people ask about that, since it's been in Cthangband since version 3.0, back in the late '90s. I'm so used to it that I forget that other people might not be.

[Dean Anderson]

Originally Posted by Derakon

Congrats on finishing the rewrite! That's seriously impressive.

It's by no means finished.

It works and it's stable, but there's a lot more refactoring and code improvement that can still be done (although that's probably something that will never finish - it will just be a case of diminishing returns as I do more and more).

I could have kept on tweaking things for another month or two before releasing, but with the 20th anniversary of the first Cthangband release hitting I thought that it was "good enough" for public consumption and I should get it out of the door.

[CyclopsSlayer]

Originally Posted by Dean Anderson

You need to visit a library (shop '9') to learn new spells. The intent is that it gives spell casters (who would otherwise be able to create food and light by magic) a reason to return to town occasionally.

It always takes me by surprise when people ask about that, since it's been in Cthangband since version 3.0, back in the late '90s. I'm so used to it that I forget that other people might not be.

Might want to add a note in game about that. Twenty years later, and the commonality of 'G' led me astray.

[wobbly]

Congrats!

Played the last version. It took me a while to work out both the library and the home. Also worth noting V no longer has sticky curse. Basically a lot that is less then obvious.

[CyclopsSlayer]

A few questions or things I noticed.

-The random starting towns seem not even close to similar power level, some have Jackals and White worms in the sewers, some Copperhead snakes and masses of Redweed. Stepped into one dungeon, just outside town, Shelob's tower, and was ganged up by a couple Giant Spiders, it was short and unpleasant, lol.

-Dungeon level is displayed as "lvl 1+0" what does the plus portion refer to?

-A message appeared "SM: 111%" is this important? relevant?

-Archery. Bows are rare, Arrows in town almost nonexistent. Arrows break, A LOT, 14 out of 18 shots broke against floating eyes, clear ickys/worms and such. Is Ranged combat practical?

-The HP randomizer on leveling seems a little extreme, 4 one level, 17 the next.


Thanks