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			      NetHack V2.2 README

	This file contains information on the 2.2 release of NetHack.  For
information on previous releases, see the README.OLD file.  For a detailed
history of the game, see the README.ORIG file, which contains three separate
readme files, dating back to the original release of the game (then named
hack) by Jay Fenlason.

	This release of the game contains a large number of bug fixes, as
well as several new features.  There has been a large amount of play-testing
done on this release, as it is to be a complete release (approximately 1Mb)
of source and uuencoded auxilary files.  For a detailed list of bug fixes,
and additions look at the file "Fixes.2.2".  I cannot guarantee that every
modification done has been included, but I have done my best to chronicle the
changes and fixes made there.  Here are the high points:

  1)	New flags in "config.h" (some of these were included in 1.4f):

	COM_COMPL	Command line completion by John S. Bien
	GRAPHICS	Funky screen character support (Eric S. Raymond)
	HACKOPTIONS	Support DGK-style HACKOPTIONS processing (ESR)
	RPH		Various hacks by Richard P. Hughey
	KJSMODS		Various changes made by Kevin Sweet
	BVH		Additions by Bruce Holloway

	In addition, in an MSDOS enviornment, when GRAPHICS is defined:

	MSDOSCOLOR	Colour highlighting of monsters, etc.

	Of the above, I haven't tested HACKOPTIONS and MSDOSCOLOR.  If you
	find bugs in these, send me the reports.

  2)	New objects:

	blindfold - allows you to avoid the gaze of a Floating Eye and to
		    use your telepathy on command if you have it.

	mirror - scares monsters if you use it on them (and other uses).

	ring of polymorph - (usually cursed) forces random polymorphs.

	ring of polymorph control - prevents system shock and allows choice of
				    creature to polymorph into.

  3)	New Files:

	- A new set of documentation, the "Guidebook to the Mazes of Menace"
	has been supplied by Eric S. Raymond.  The guidebook is written for
	nroff using the "mn" macro set supplied with Bnews 2.11 or greater.
	Since not everyone has these macros, I have run the guidebook through
	nroff, and supplied it in flat ascii format as well.  [Moderator's
	note: because of past problems, I ran the formatted version
	through "col -b" before passing it on to remove ^H's, etc.  -br]

	- A copy of "HACK.CNF" which has been renamed "NetHack.cnf" was
	supplied by Steve Creps. The file decl.c has been updated to reflect
	this change.

	- A new "Makefile" for the AT&T Unix machines has been added.

	- I was hoping to get documentation on "NANSI.SYS" as well, but got
	no responses to the mail I sent the author, direct and via Bill
	Randle at tekred.  As per usual, I will gladly publish any relevant
	documentation I get.

  4)	Major game changes:

	- Shop generation has been significantly changed.  A new structure
	has been introduced which allows shops (except the "general" type)
	to have up to three different types of object inside.  There is also
	a new "distribution pattern" parameter which tells the generation
	code how to lay out the shop (this is preliminary to the addition of
	two new types of shop, the temple and barracks - more on this later).

	- Shopkeepers will now tell you how much they expect for each object
	you pick up.  This gives you the ability to haggle with the merchant
	in question by dropping and picking up objects until you are more or
	less satisfied with the price.  I have re-written "getprice()" in
	shk.c in an attempt to make sure that you cannot actually sell any
	particular object for more than the shopkeeper will charge for it.

	- Another change to shopkeepers has them potentially getting angry if
	you stay beside them after not paying your bill.  Each they time they
	ask you to pay up, there is a chance they will decide they don't like
	people who don't pay...

	- A new monster, the hydra, has been added (as you have probably seen
	on the net).  I haven't had much chance to test out this feature of
	the game.  Mirrors have also been added, and seem to work quite well.

	- Changes have been made to the object ocurrence chances in objects.h,
	so that the relatively rare tools, etc. have at least a 1% chance of
	showing up.

	- Throwing and zapping code has been modified so that there is a
	chance that said can be done through a doorway.  Bolts can still
	bounce however...

	- The infamous and dreaded makemon() bug has been eliminated.  In
	addition to this, "r"ats and "K"obolds have been added back into the
	game.  "K"ops no longer leave treasure (just what they were carrying,
	plus maybe a club or whistle).

	- Two new "super"swords have been added.  They are the katana named
	"Snickersnee" which is +5 on damage (due to sharpness), and the long
	sword "Excalibur" which is +rnd(10) to hit, +5 on damage, and has a
	couple of other features I won't go into right now.  The only way
	for a character to get "Excalibur" is as a gift from someone.  You
	cannot write the word "Excalibur" on things for some reason...

	- There have been two additions to disallow infinite wand charges.
	First of all, wands with less than zero charges will automatically
	turn to dust (thanks to Kevin Sweet).  Next, a wand of cancellation
	will set the number of charges in the wand to -1, which will make it
	forever useless, (thanks to Ron Wessels).

  5)	Minor game changes:

	- The fountain code has been tightened slightly so you can no longer
	dip objects into a fountain or drink from one while you are floating
	in mid-air due to levitation.

	- Teleporting to hell via a teleportation trap will no longer occur
	if the character does not have fire resistance.  I found this just
	too arbitrary a way to die (and so did several other people who com-
	plained about it).

	- A new trap, the "polymorph" trap has been added by Richard Hughey.
	It's inclusion is dependant on having "KAA" defined.

	- In wizard mode, the wizard player has infinite wishes, and the
	ability to instantly identify everything (s)he is carrying. The wizard
	player is also no longer limited by the standard multiple / bonus res-
	trictions on objects wished for.

	- Random number generation has been changed around to make it (I hope)
	more unpredictable.

	- A large number of typos have been fixed, and all of the British
	spellings converted to American.  I would like to see a shell script
	to allow conversion back (or something like that) in the future.

	- I have done a "make depend" for the makefiles to reflect a slight
	restructuring in the order of inclusion of header files.

  6)	Future additions:

	- Steve Creps is working on "barracks" and "soldier" code which is
	now ready for addition.  I have added the "soldier" side into the
	game, but haven't really tested it.  Steve will be adding the
	"barracks" section in and sending me the resulting patches.  There
	will be a minor (read patch) release as soon as he can get the code
	integrated into this release and sent up here to me.

	- There are also several other new room projects in the works which
	should be able to be included in that minor release, along with any
	bug reports that are made in the interim.

						Mike Stephenson

Mail:	Genamation Inc.		Phone:	(416) 475-9434
	351 Steelcase Rd. W
	Markham, Ontario.	UUCP:	uunet!{mnetor, utzoo}!genat!mike
	Canada   L3R 3W1
DataMuseum.dk

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