Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.adom (
More info?)
rdougher wrote:
> Batman? wrote:
>
>> This Newsgroup has been dead as of late.
>
>
> I rely on this newsgroup for entertainment in the slow times at work.
> I've been reading this newsgroup on and off for about 3 years and I've
> never seen a lull like this. Come on guys! Have questions!
>
> -Ryan
The frontier of ADOM discussion was centered around discovering the
game's mechanisms. It seems like the knowledge that this group has
amassed is at the threshold of what may be discerned without
disassembling the binary. Short of a few room or level messages, Andy's
Guide Book has most of the game fleshed out. Of course, knowing /about/
the game is no substitute for the excitement experienced by actually
playing.
Since Thomas has clearly stated that he is vehemently against code
diving and is at least squeamish about discussing secrets, he has
stymied the group's most valued contributors. Knowing all about Black
Unicorns doesn't make finding a tension room full of them any less
terrifying. I think that all but the most hardened ADOM players still
feel a quickening of the pulse when their character hears their first
*THUMB*.
Without discussion of mechanics, this group's most interesting topic has
been annihilated. Sure, I could tell you guys about how the RNG gobbled
my last 1,000 characters, but that's not (particularly) exciting.
Discovering how ADOM works *is*.
Now there's talk of a Mac version (which shouldn't be too tough to port
to; OS X is supposed to be very similar to BSD), and work on JADE, but
what I want is another ADOM release! As a community, r.g.r.a has
play-tested ADOM for countless hours, outlined the bugs, stumbled upon
the rough edges, and even, in some cases wrote patches for the bugs
themselves!
We love this game, but it's looking more like Thomas doesn't want to
deal with it anymore. Information on development is rare. The old bug
registry is untouched. ADOM Deluxe is sitting on a shelf somewhere next
to Duke Nukem Forever.
I really would like development on ADOM to continue, and I would gladly
volunteer my time to help; I have already contributed my money. I don't
want my negative comments to discourage Thomas, but my negativity is
reinforced by his, and this group's, silence. There is something very
special about ADOM that is worth sustaining. I don't want to waste my
days playing Nethack-alikes; I want a new version of ADOM!
--Mike