Re: What about THIEVES?

[Mark Wedel <master@rahul.net>]

 A few thoughts.

 There should probably be a search command (with the key binding
code, you could bind it to a single key).  The implicit command would search
that object/area.  There should also be a serach movement mode, which
lowers the players movement speed, and which has a lesser chance of
finding the various traps.

 I also don't see why things like disarm/pick lock/backstab/pickpocket
need to be range commands.  I find that cycling through the ranges is more
of a pain than just double clicking on the item I want to activate
(once to unequip, once to equip and set the range).

 Also, it would seem that things like disarm/pick lock/backstab/pickpocket
would be used seldom enough that they really don't need to be range
attacks, and should just be bound to keys.

 Generic Note:  Try a 'help bind' sometime.  You can bind things so
that F1, shift-F1 and control-F1 do different things.  I find this
very handy for setting up related spells (R2 is detect magic, S-R2 is
detect curse, and C-R2 is identify.  All the spells I need when I bring
back items.  I do something similar for R1, being cure confusion, cure
poison, and heal).  This could easily be done for theif actions.

 Also, backstab could just be something done whenever you are behind a
monster and attack it.

 I do agree that all those changes would be a good idea.

 I think it would also be nice to have chests that are never trapped, and
some that are always trap, and a third random category.  Same for doors.

 The idea with doors is that in this way, if you go onto some maps, you
never know if it is safe to bash down a door or not.  More randomness
in maps owuld be interesting.  Maybe add an object 'random_monster'.

 Actually, this would not be that hard to do.  You could use a treasurelist
to determine what monster gets created (just like treasure).  In this
way, sometimes you might wander on to a map and find it full of orcs,
the next time, it oculd be full of ogres (use nrof in the treasure list to
generate more than 1 of the same monster type..)

 --Mark