Re: Polypiling max size?

Bruce <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> Dylan O'Donnell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> deserves a cookie for saying:
> > From wan2-342.txt:

[as revised]

> > You will eventually lose some objects.  Items appearing in
> > quantities of 2 or more have a (quantity in 1000) chance of
> > merging into one object.  Items also have a probability of
> > "shuddering": 1/3 if a wand or cursed, 1/8 if uncursed, 1/12 if
> > blessed (if in quantities greater than 4, 100%, 1/4, and 1/6,
> > respectively).  This will decrease the quantity of the item
> > randomly, cause any remainder not to be polymorphed, and has a one
> > in (luck + 45) chance of creating a golem from the material of the
> > shuddered item (provided at least two items total remain in the
> > pile). Scrolls of mail will never merge or shudder.

> Isn't it a 1/(luck+45) chance per item in the pile of creating a golem?
> Or am I reading the code wrong?  I thought it tried quan number of
> times or until a golem is created, whichever comes first, then decreases
> the number of items randomly (or from 1 to 0).  

You're right. (Per object in the shuddered stack, that is.) I ought to
have picked Kevin up on that... fixed. Thanks.

> > This is hugely dependent on what you're putting into the stacks and in
> > what quantities; see the formulae above and work out your own figures :-)
> 
> 4 is a good limit, though, as it's the cutoff for the doubled chance of
> shuddering.

Four of any individual item, yes. How many item stacks go into the pile
is another matter.

-- 
:  Dylan O'Donnell                     http://www.spod-central.org/~psmith/  :
:         "It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue."         :
:                -- Dave Lebling and Marc Blank, "Zork"                      :