User:Tjr

Bias
I specialize in (mostly elven) wizards.

Thoughts
Do people actually read this page? I'm not pretending to be important, but I'd like to know. Are there statistics available?

Is Nethack fun?
Really, is it fun? When playing myself, I am in a determined, goal-seeking mode. I just want that wizard to survive and make it big. I don't know too much about the emotional side of it. The last time I remember feeling bliss is when I found out how to phase through the walls to Asmodeus, after running off from eating all those rings. That was one and a half years ago. I think Nethack is more like gambling. Most gamblers don't enjoy it, but continue nontheless.

Ways to make Nethack more fun
I wish there were some customizable user agent, a bot that would relieve me of the tedium of routine. I would like to press a button "eat", and have the game engrave Elbereth, check the engraving, eat a corpse if I know it is fresh, tin it if I would choke, and give back control. I long for an automation that performs sacrifests for me. My current solution is to consider a wizard ascended if he has the Eye, knows create monster, has a scroll of earth and a wand of fire/lightning, and is not going for atheist. Managing a large stash also belongs into this non-fun category. Polypile conduct is more about keeping the game fun than about challenge.

Where I disagree with the wiki
Wishing for the Eye of the Overworld is an incredibly bad idea. The three divination spells are much better, especially considering they are so easy to get. All it takes is a magic marker (or the spellbook of create monster, if not atheist).

Everybody says a tourist is hard. Bullshit. Once you have learned to get a wizard into the quest, a tourist is no different. Remember, a wizard can't do real magic up to then (iron armor, lack of energy). You do have to be just as resourceful, however.

Junk
Do I really need all that stuff I collect "just to be on the safe side"? I never use most of it. In real life, "stuff" comes at a cost, and I am proud my possesions all fit into one closet and one desk.

Getting old
I notice I always play in a similar manner, once I worked out how. Isn't inflexibility a trait of age and decay, even if it is beneficial here?