
============================== Option Descriptions =============================

This file describes the options available through the "=" command.  They help
customize your FAangband experience, so be sure to select those you like.

Options you may want to change to your preferences include:

- Roguelike commands, if you are used to the commands used in certain other 
  roguelike games.
- Pick things up by default.  Toggle this on if you like instant pickup, but
  consider turning it off when pack space becomes an issue.
- Alert user to critical hitpoints.  This can save your character's life.  Don't
  forget to increase the HP warning.
- Set the delay factor to two or more if you want to see pretty ball explosions 
  and whatnot.
- Change some of the monster options if the game seems too hard or easy.
- Change some of the efficiency options if the game runs too slowly.


=== Listing of Options ===

In the descriptions below, each option is listed as the textual summary
which is shown on the "options" screen, plus the internal name of the
option in brackets, followed by a textual description of the option.

Various concepts mentioned in the descriptions below: 
     "disturb"    : (cancel any running, resting, or repeated commands)
     "flush"      : (forget any keypresses waiting in the keypress queue, 
                     including any macros in progress), 
     "fresh"      : (dump any pending output to the screen)
     "sub-windows": (see below).


=== Option Set 1 -- Interface ===

***** <rogue_like_commands>
Rogue-like commands    [rogue_like_commands]
     Selects the "roguelike" command set (see the help file "cmdlist.txt" for 
     more info).

***** <center_player>
Keep the player centered (slow)    [center_player]
    Scrolls the display whenever the character moves. When this option is off,
    the display scrolls when the character reaches the edges of the visible
    dungeon.

***** <show_lists>
Automatically show lists for commands   [show_lists]
     Automatically bring up a menu to choose from whenever appropriate.

***** <show_menus>
Enter key brings up command menu    [show_menus]
     Hitting the enter key brings up a nested system of menus, where any 
     command can be found.  Probably a bit cumbersome to use all the time, but 
     useful before you're familiar with all the game commands.

***** <mouse_movement>
Allow mouse clicks to move the player    [mouse_movement]
     Clicking the mouse on the map will move the character toward the click, 
     finding a path as well as possible.  Movement is interrupted if monsters 
     or objects are encountered.

***** <mouse_buttons>
Mouse commands are enabled    [mouse_buttons]
     Text "buttons" are shown in the status area for mouse commands.

***** <show_flavors>
Show flavors in object descriptions    [show_flavors]
     Display "flavors" (color or variety) in object descriptions and infor-
     mation screens, even for objects whose type is known.  This does not 
     affect objects in stores.

***** <show_detect>
Show region affected by using detection spells   [show_detect]
     Display a circular flash on the screen that helps show where the 
     detection radius ends.

***** <view_yellow_light>
Use special colors for torch-lit grids    [view_yellow_light]
     Floor grids that are only lit by the player's own light source will 
     appear yellow.

***** <animate_flicker>
Animate multi-coloured monsters and items [animate_flicker]
     Certain powerful monsters and items will shimmer in real time, i.e.
     between keypresses.

***** <solid_walls>
Show walls as solid blocks    [solid_walls]
     Walls are shown as solid blocks of the appropriate colour instead of '#' 
     or '%' symbols.

***** <hybrid_walls>
Show walls with shaded background    [hybrid_walls]
     Walls are shown as the usual '#' or '%' symbols, but with a shaded gray 
     background to make them stand out.

***** <ring_bell>
Ring bell on error    [ring_bell]
     Attempt to make a "bell" sound upon various failures or illegal inputs.

***** <use_sound>
Use sound    [use_sound]
  Turns on sound effects, if your system supports them.

***** <hp_changes_colour>
Player colour indicates low hit points    [hp_changes_colour]
     The '@' player symbol (in non-graphics mode) changes from white to yellow
     to orange to red as the player's hitpoints fall.

***** <auto_more>
Automatically clear '-more-' prompts   [auto_more]	
     Don't wait for user input before clearing the message line.  Turning this 
     option on might lead to missing important messages.

=== Option Set 2 -- Game-play ===

***** <auto_scum>
Auto-scum for good levels    [auto_scum]
     This is a hack but allows you to force the generation of "good" levels
     in the dungeon.  This option may be extremely slow on some machines,
     especially deep in the dungeon.  The minimum "goodness" of the level
     is based on the dungeon level, so the deeper you go, the better the
     level will be.  Some people consider this option to be cheating.

***** <night_mare>
Generate more pits and vaults    [night_mare]
     This makes the occurrence of pits, vaults and other interesting rooms 
     much more frequent in dungeons (and more so as you go deeper), and makes 
     wilderness more dangerous and have more special buildings and areas.  
     Using this with auto-scum makes for an exciting, and often short, game.

***** <use_old_target>
Use old target by default    [use_old_target]
     Forces all commands which normally ask for a "direction" to use the
     current "target" if there is one.  Use of this option can be dangerous
     if you target locations on the ground, unless you clear them when done.

***** <pickup_always>
Pick things up by default    [pickup_always]
     Tells the game that walking onto an item should attempt to pick it up.
     Picking up objects this way takes no additional energy.  Note the "-" 
     command, which can be used to reverse this option for a single turn.

***** <pickup_inven>
Always pickup items matching inventory   [pickup_inven]
  Like 'pickup_always', but picks up an item only if it is a copy of an
  item that you already have in your inventory.

***** <easy_open>
Open/close/disarm without direction    [easy_open]
     If there is only one closed door next to the character, the game will not
     bother asking for a direction when the player asks to 'o'pen something.
     The same applies for 'c'losing doors and 'D'isarming traps.

***** <easy_alter>
Open/close/disarm on movement    [easy_alter]
     Open doors or disarm traps automatically if you move into them, or if 
     only one logical choice is available when you issue the appropriate 
     command.

***** <hide_squelchable>
Hide items set as squelchable   [hide_squelchable]
     Items set to be squelched are not visible to the player in any way.  If 
     this option is turned off, such items become visible again, appear in 
     lists of floor items, etc.

***** <run_ignore_stairs>
Run past stairs    [run_ignore_stairs]
     Ignore stairs when running.

***** <run_ignore_doors>
Run through open doors    [run_ignore_doors]
     Ignore open doors when running.

***** <disturb_near>
Disturb whenever viewable monster moves    [disturb_near]
     Disturb the player when any viewable monster moves, whenever any
     monster becomes viewable for the first time, and also whenever any
     viewable monster becomes no longer viewable.  This option ignores
     the existence of "telepathy" for the purpose of determining whether
     a monster is "viewable".

***** <disturb_detect>
Disturb when leaving last trap detect area    [disturb_detect]
     This option causes you to be disturbed when attempting to run outside
     the region of your last 'detect traps' spell.  It will take effect only
     once per trap detection spell you use.  In addition, this option will
     cause a text warning to be printed when you leave this region.

***** <notify_recharge>
Notify on object recharge   [notify_recharge]
     This causes the game to print a message when any rechargeable object
     (i.e. a rod or activatable weapon or armour item) finishes recharging. It
     is the equivalent of inscribing '{!!}' on all such items.



=== Option Set 3 -- Cheat Options ===

***** <cheat_peek>
Peek into object creation    [cheat_peek]
     Cheaters never win.  But they can peek at object creation.

***** <cheat_hear>
Peek into monster creation    [cheat_hear]
     Cheaters never win.  But they can peek at monster creation.

***** <cheat_room>
Peek into dungeon creation    [cheat_room]
     Cheaters never win.  But they can peek at room creation.

***** <cheat_xtra>
Peek into something else    [cheat_xtra]
     Cheaters never win.  But they can see debugging messages.

***** <cheat_know>
Know complete monster info    [cheat_know]
     Cheaters never win.  But they can know all about monsters.

***** <cheat_live>
Allow player to avoid death    [cheat_live]
     Cheaters never win.  But they can cheat death.


=== Window flags ===

Some platforms support "sub-windows", which are windows which can be used to
display useful information generally available through other means.  The best
thing about these windows is that they are updated automatically (usually) to
reflect the current state of the world.  The "window options" can be used to
specify what should be displayed in each window.  The possible choices should
be pretty obvious.

Display inven/equip
     Display the player inventory (and sometimes the equipment).

Display equip/inven
     Display the player equipment (and sometimes the inventory).

Display player (basic)
     Display a brief description of the character, including a breakdown
     of the current player "skills" (including attacks/shots per round).

Display player (extra)
     Display a brief description of the character, including a breakdown
     of the contributions of each equipment item to various resistances
     and stats.

Display messages
     Display the most recently generated "messages".

Display overhead view
     Display an overhead view of the entire dungeon.  This is very slow
     and does not even look very good.

Display monster recall
     Display a description of the monster which has been most recently
     attacked, targeted, or examined in some way.

Display object recall
     Display a description of the most recently selected object.  Currently
     this only affects spellbooks and prayerbooks.  This window flag may be
     usefully combined with others, such as "monster recall".

Display snap-shot
     This window flag is currently unused.

Display monster list
     Display a list of all monsters currently detected by the player.  This is 
     particularly useful in wilderness when visible monsters may be offscreen.

Display item list
     Display a list of all objects currently detected by the player.  Also 
     shows distance in the compass directions to each object.

Display borg messages
     This window flag is currently used only by the Borg.
     There is currently no Borg for FAangband.

Display borg status
     This window flag is currently used only by the Borg.
     There is currently no Borg for FAangband.

=== Item squleching menus ===

Item squelching (based on the Autosquelch patch by David Blackston)
allows you define certain items that you know do not interest you.
These items will be automatically hidden, or marked so that you can quickly 
and easily destroy them.

FAangband supports three types of item squelching:

The main autosquelch screen allows you to select known item types
through menus.  For example, if you choose to squelch "Wands of Haste Monster", 
they will be set to squelch when they are created.

The quality autosquelch menu allows you to squelch different quality
wearable and wieldable items.  For any given category, you may choose to 
squelch some, most, or none of the items, depending on quality.  These items 
will be generated normally, but those identified as squelchable will be marked
"squelch" and optionally hidden, in the usual way.

The ego autosquelch menu is like the quality menu, except it allows individual 
ego items to be squelched.  So if you no longer want to see any more Boots of 
Pitiless Torment, you can set them to squelch and they will be squelched as 
soon as you have recognised them.

Having chosen items to be squelched, the hide_squelchable option, if set, will
remove them from the player's notice; they will reappear if the option is 
unset.

Note too that options for squelching of items are also given whenever you 
use the 'destroy' command.

=== Miscellaneous Options ===

The "hitpoint_warn" value, if non-zero, is the percentage of maximal hitpoints
at which the player is warned that he may die.  It is also used as the cut-off
for using red to display both hitpoints and mana.

The "delay_factor" value, if non-zero, will slow down the visual effects used
for missile, bolt, beam, and ball attacks.  The actual time delay is equal to
"delay_factor" squared, in milliseconds.

The "panel_change" value alters the pont at which the map will automatically
scroll to centre the player.  A value of 0 will scroll the map when the player 
is within 2 of the top or bottom or within 4 of the sides;  every increase of 1
in the value will add 2 to the top/bottom distance and 4 to the side distance.

You may set FAangband to save your character every so often by using the auto-
save option.  Set the option itself to "yes" and tweak the timer until you are 
satisfied.
