This is a NetHack 3.1.3 extension featuring several monster fashioned after the Hitchhiker trilogy (five volumes) by Douglas Adams. It contains, among other things, 14 new monsters and 5 new objects. * * * I hereby declare these patches to be in the Public Domain, therefore you (yes, _you_) are free to do with them what you want. However, I do not assume any liability, explicit or implicit, for any damages caused by bugs in these patches. I hereby certify that I, at the time of signing this statement, am in a state of sound body and mind. Cologne 03/11/94, Sebastian Peter Klein (However notice the NetHack license implications of applying my patch to the nethack sources) * * * To apply the patches, use patch from your nethack root directory. Notice that all changes are surrounded by #ifdef DOUGLAS_ADAMS (already automagically patched in the Makefile s). * * * Spoilers for all the features of these patches follow ... New monsters: - Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal ('a') Nothing really remarkable here (well, almost nothing ...), although these are somewhat hard to kill. The towel trick is not yet implemented. :-) - microscopic space fleet ('x') These monsters appear in large groups and zap you. This is their only attack. While rather benign to players past the few levels, they can turn your precious wands to dust, which is the only threat they really pose. - Deep Thought ('x', unique) This poor computer doesn't pose a threat at all, as it cannot move. When being asked, it will try to convince you that 6*9=42. - Douglas Adams ('A', unique) He is not the guy you would want to get in trouble with (at least not in NetHack :-). He flies, for he has missed the floor, and is electricity resistant, something developed in his long experience with computers. He will carry the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. NOTE to the real DNA: If you should ever get these little patches into your hands, please don't get upset about the somewhat unflattering description of yourself and rather remember that _you_ are the person who set all the trouble off ... :-) - vogon ('V') These, being very vampire-like, really deserve the letter assigned to them. They do little damage however and are, as opposed to their lords, rather harmless. - vogon lord ('V') These are _rather_ tough and can suck out your brains and your life, much like a mind flayer. They may pose a real threat. Beware! - Prostetnik Vogon Jeltz ('V') Even more tough that the vogon lord is that vogon who is responsible for the extinction of the galaxy's worst poetry. - Marvin ('X') "Life, loathe it or ignore it, you cannot like it." That's this guy's attitude towards life. His depression, which he is well able to inflict upon others as well, might prove more deadly than many a sword. - Zaphod Breeblebrox ('Y', unique) This guy is no real problem, in spite of his two heads and three arms. - creeping 42 ('Z') This is the incarnated Answer. It will go everywhere to distribute the Holy Message. If you eat a dead creeping 42, you will gain some more knowledge my being given a glimpse on The Answer. Due to this overwhelming experience, your vision will be temporarily blurred. - Ford Perfect ('@', unique) He is from Beteigeuze. And, yes, his name _really_ is Ford Perfect. Note to DNA: Why do you write such crap? You can't even spell the name of one of your main characters! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) - Arthur Dent ('@', unique) Mostly Harmless. - Mr. Prosser ('@', unique) Mostly Harmful. - babelfish (';') These are probably the strangest creatures of the Galaxy. Little is known of them, and that, what is known, is found in the holy tome of Douglas Adams, "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" which I am forbidden to quote from here, lest I be sued for copyright infringement. New objects: - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (unidentified: highly-complicated electronic device) When applying it, you will be overwhelmed by its complexity and get confused for a few turns. When you're hallucinating however, you'll happily push the buttons and get an (always false) fortune message. Douglas Adams carries this. - diode (two-wired thing) - transistor (three-wired thing) - IC (many-wired thing) These are small electronic devices used to build computers and roboters. However, as you don't understand the first thing about electronics, these aren't of any use to you. However they, and especially the ICs, are very expensive and therefore can be sold in shops for a rather large price. Both Deep Thought and Marvin leave these behind. - peanut bag Peanuts provide nutrition and may be essential in some situations. It particularly might increase your constitution. Other new features: - The 42 room Yet another monster room, filled with all of the above monsters. - monster chatting Chatting with a DNA-monster might be fun :-) - creeping 42 & peanut eating see above - new attack damage type: depression When Marvin attacks you, you may get depressed. Then one of the following thing happens: - you are drained one level - your constitution is lowered by one (you die if it goes below 3) - your intelligence is lowered by one (may kill you as well) - nothing ("The feeling subsides") - SHOPTYPE When you are in wizard mode, including a 'd' in SHOPTYPE ensures a "42"-room to be generated on each level. * * * All those ideas (obviously) owe a lot to the works of Douglas Noel Adams. I would like to explicitly thank him here, because I believe that he is one of the best authors ever existing on this world. I don't think that he'll dislike this work of mine, and if he does, I don't care either :-) Seriously, Douglas, if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. * * * At Mar 14,1994, 10.15am, I (will post)/(post)/(have posted) these patches to comp.sources.games and alt.sources. It will be the first piece of software I contribute to the World Of The Internet. May it be of use and fun for those daring to install it. Reports of bugs and suggestions of new features are always welcome (send them to sebast@axposf.pa.dec.com). Flames be sent to the bit bucket. Sebastian Klein sebast@axposf.pa.dec.com Mar 11, 1994 ... and may the Force be with you! --------------------------------- cut here ------------------------------------