A Quest Too Far - difficulty

[geoffrey]

I'd like to know a bit more about how difficult people found my roguelike:
http://www.randomstuff.org.uk/~geoffrey/roguelikes/aquesttoofar.html

This is mainly to help me improve balance in future versions.  I'm probably going to make it a bit longer as well.  If you have any more specific comments, please make them below.

[Skeletor]

I really liked your game!
Very original, strategic and fun to play.

I managed finishing it after about 20 attempts.
About my "roguelike skill", I played many roguelikes, I think I am a good player but not exceptional, so I think the game should not be made easier.
In my opinion, a bit of added difficulty would be ok.

Thank you for making it 

[Skeletor]

I've just tried the new version 1.2.. the witch is too easy now IMO.
Now that I am more skilled with A quest too far and the witch is a lot slower summoning spiders, I manage to win 1 game every 3 times I play.

One thing I like about this game is the huge power of the starting equipment!
Wand of disintegration.. wand of displacement.. +5 weapons.. candle of invisibility.. wohoo!

I highly recommend RT users to give this game a try.

[geoffrey]

Thanks for the feedback.  I agree that the witch is often too easy, especially if you still have the staff of disintegration or certain other very useful items left when you meet her.  I don't want to simply make her 'immune' to them because that's cheesy and takes power away from the player.

Where I disagree with you is that the witch only became too easy in version 1.2.  I've always been able to win something like 1 game in 3 (I do know the game inside out) and the witch was rarely the cause when I lost.  Also the change is slight (average 1 spell every 8 turns rather than 1 every 7) and she's better at using close combat attacks now.  The reason for slowing her down at all was that, in certain situations where you got to the end with very few items left, you couldn't kill the spiders as fast as they were summoned so the fight was totally hopeless.

I wonder if the solution isn't simply changing the rate, but perhaps by making her summons stronger to start with but weaker after a time?  Or I could give her another advantage - a guard or familiar in the same room perhaps.  Thoughts?

[Skeletor]

Thanks for the feedback.  I agree that the witch is often too easy, especially if you still have the staff of disintegration or certain other very useful items left when you meet her.  I don't want to simply make her 'immune' to them because that's cheesy and takes power away from the player.

I perfectly agree with you here!
I really really like the fact that in your game there is a *real* wand of disintegration.

Where I disagree with you is that the witch only became too easy in version 1.2.  I've always been able to win something like 1 game in 3 (I do know the game inside out) and the witch was rarely the cause when I lost.  Also the change is slight (average 1 spell every 8 turns rather than 1 every 7) and she's better at using close combat attacks now.  The reason for slowing her down at all was that, in certain situations where you got to the end with very few items left, you couldn't kill the spiders as fast as they were summoned so the fight was totally hopeless.

You're right, I fought her again and the difference is not big from before after all.

I wonder if the solution isn't simply changing the rate, but perhaps by making her summons stronger to start with but weaker after a time?  Or I could give her another advantage - a guard or familiar in the same room perhaps.  Thoughts?

Both good ideas in my opinion.

[Skeletor]

I think I've found a little bug: zapping an invisible stalker with a wand of disintegration doesn't kill him.. am I right?

[geoffrey]

Hmm, I've never seen that bug.  Are you sure you knew where the monster was?  (it's actually a Wraith, but they're fully invisible without monster detection)

[Skeletor]

I never use monster detection but I think I knew where it was, because going up I received the message "you hit something, something hits you" so I decided disintegrating it.. the bolt went all the way up, but the next message was "something hits you, you die".
Maybe wraiths are fast enough to move and attack in the same turn?

[geoffrey]

They only get one move per turn.  However, there could have been a second one!

I'll test this (with invisible monsters showing), just in case.

[Skeletor]

I tried again two other times and it worked.. so I think you're right, there were two wraith the first time!

[Skeletor]

Shit, this game is quite addictive :-)
I love it, I play it very often when I have some spare minutes.

What is your best quickrun scores?
I've just managed to finish the game in 214 turns.

[Kalantir]

Perhaps I'm doing it all wrong, but I usually cant make it past dlvl 3.  Are there any tips you could provide?  I only ever fight as a last resort.

[Skeletor]

Perhaps I'm doing it all wrong, but I usually cant make it past dlvl 3.  Are there any tips you could provide?  I only ever fight as a last resort.

Here http://www.roguetemple.com/forums/index.php?topic=1349.0 you can find some tips by me and Geoffrey, AQTF developer.

How do you usually die?

[Kalantir]

Usually I run out of stuff and eventually wither away while looking for the next >

[Skeletor]

Then you probably should rely more on your trusted +5 sword and less on your equipment. Trolls, dragons, griffons and wraiths are worth using your stuff, but running away is usually better (ok, griffons are an exception..).