Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (
More info?)
Kevin Wayne <killedbyafoo@yahoo.com> writes:
> On 8/27/05 3:32 AM, Adamusan wrote:
> > I am guessing that there is a much higher chance of bones files on a
> > public server(?)
>
> I think that's a myth. Yes, there are more players dying, and so
> potentially leaving bones; on the other hand, there are more players to
> pick up the bones once they're left. The chance of a particular player
> receiving bones basically evens out. Moreover, servers with lots of
> traffic are more likely to have players who can ascend, and who
> therefore will be picking up bones and not leaving any behind. So on the
> whole, I'd say the amount of bones a player is likely to get is actually
> a bit *lower* than on a single-user platform.
Another effect is that you don't know what is in a bones file on a
public server.
When you leave your own bones, you will remember what your character was
carrying, so you know whether there are useful items, or at least items
that will be useful after you uncurse them. You will also know the
cause of death, and can decide whether to run away from something that
is still dangerous.
But when you find someone else's bones, you won't know whether his
long sword was -2 or +6, and you won't know that it is safe to stay on
the level or whether he was killed by a red dragon and you don't yet
have fire resistance or reflection.
--
David Grabiner, grabiner@alumni.princeton.edu,
http://remarque.org/~grabiner
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