Re: [Crawl-ref-discuss] Entrapped in vaults

[David P. <pl...@mi...>]

> On 7/20/07, Haran Pilpel <ha...@ma...> wrote:
> [sealed rooms in vaults: good or not]
>>> The answer could be qualitative: we allow this from dungeon level
>>> [whatever] onwards.
>
>> I think this is the proper answer. In theory, you could be stranded
>> in the Swamp (and definitely in the Shoals) already, so making it
>> possible in vaults is OK.
>
> I'd be very unhappy with design decisions that leave my XL 16
> character trapped in a vault just because all my scrolls of teleport
> were trashed by a dragon[*] and I hit a bad teleport trap.

This is also my POV but I felt there'd be differences here :)

> In general, apart from very narrow cases (the Pan demon lord levels),
> we don't ever want Quit or Starve to be the character's only choices.
> We *always* provide some exit, be it item, or trap (teleport or Zot),
> or stair. The exit can be brutal, but there must be an exit.

Here we have a problem: my recent box level, for example provides quite a 
number (eight?) scrolls of teleportation (not to mention a ring of 
teleport to be found somewhere else). Still, you could be unlucky to the 
brim and all scrolls lead only into the same area. So the question is: do 
we guaranteed, 100%-foolproof exiting? Here I am willing to step back.

> Incidentally, I think the Shoals dungeon generation needs to be fixed
> if the Shoals are still not doable without levitation (they weren't
> last time I checked). Mandating levitation is arbitrary, and uncool
> for a primary rune branch. Making it dangerous without levitation is
> fine, making it impossible without levitation is not.

Yes, there's the idea of sandbanks allowing you to reach other islands on 
foot - a risky venture in any case :)

> [*] To cite a recent game on cao: a level 18 character got most of her
> scrolls trashed by a dragon, and was then teleported by a monster into
> a sealed room in the Vaults. That kind of experience is not fun, and
> we want to strain every nerve to make sure it doesn't happen.

Yes, as I said. If it's possible, it will happen and then we do not look 
so good, as a team.

David

PS: the bottom line is: get I free mandate to add '<' and '>' to the 
minivaults which do not care about this?