Vibrating square - Revision history

MZero: /* Identification */ Added a sentence noting the Wand of Secret Door Detection's ability to location the vibrating square.

2026-05-22T01:54:44Z

‎Identification: Added a sentence noting the Wand of Secret Door Detection's ability to location the vibrating square.

Ion frigate: punc

2025-05-29T06:59:41Z

punc

Ion frigate: rephrase; i personally favor used magic markers for this task - with colors, they're unique, since they're desirable my eye is quickly drawn towards them, and i always have some by that point (since they're light i usually don't bother dropping them)

2025-05-29T06:58:56Z

rephrase; i personally favor used magic markers for this task - with colors, they're unique, since they're desirable my eye is quickly drawn towards them, and i always have some by that point (since they're light i usually don't bother dropping them)

Ion frigate: clarify this, since otherwise the advice doesn't make sense

2025-05-29T06:36:25Z

clarify this, since otherwise the advice doesn't make sense

Ion frigate: expand this, the key point was you couldn't use trap detection to find it

2025-05-29T06:35:10Z

expand this, the key point was you couldn't use trap detection to find it

A1: Removing previous TODO; I was confused because the level dimensions were smaller than full size. The square was indeed 5 away from the border once it was all visible.

2025-03-20T22:11:50Z

Removing previous TODO; I was confused because the level dimensions were smaller than full size. The square was indeed 5 away from the border once it was all visible.

A1: {{todo|Updates needed for 3.7 given that it's possible for the square to spawn within 3 squares of the edge}}

2025-03-20T19:42:57Z

{{todo|Updates needed for 3.7 given that it's possible for the square to spawn within 3 squares of the edge}}

Umbire the Phantom: /* Messages */ typos

2025-01-10T14:37:23Z

‎Messages: typos

Umbire the Phantom: /* UnNetHack */ import messages and details here

2025-01-10T14:34:25Z

‎UnNetHack: import messages and details here

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ spork

2024-04-14T05:15:14Z

‎Variants: spork

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ==Identification==
-Confirm you are on the vibrating square level by checking that the floor is undiggable then read a scroll of [[gold detection]] while [[confused]] to quickly locate the vibrating square. You can also use a [[crystal ball]]. You must specify {{white|^}} to search for traps; specifying {{white|~}} will search for [[Long worm|long worms]] instead.
+Confirm you are on the vibrating square level by checking that the floor is undiggable then read a scroll of [[gold detection]] while [[confused]] to quickly locate the vibrating square. You can also use a [[crystal ball]]. You must specify {{white|^}} to search for traps; specifying {{white|~}} will search for [[Long worm|long worms]] instead. Zapping a [[wand of secret door detection]] will reveal the vibrating square if it is within the wand's range and the square is in the hero's direct line of sight (not blocked by walls).
 Another way to locate the vibrating square is to move over it, at which point you will get the message: "You feel a strange vibration under your <feet>.", or "You feel a strange vibration beneath you" if you are flying or levitating. This message will always occur if you walk on top of the vibrating square or jump (or hurtle) over it, but not if you are carried over it by an engulfing monster. There are no other special features of the square.

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ==History==
-In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] (and derived variants) and older versions, the vibrating square was not marked on the map, and it could not be detected with a scroll of gold detection or a crystal ball; this usually forced players to find it manually. The square could still be found if flying or levitating, but jumping or hurtling over it would not reveal its presence.  Once found, players would frequently leave an item (often on a burned [[Elbereth]] square) to mark it. This was one of the few genuine (if still very minor) uses for an [[iron chain]]: its unique glyph making for a distinctive marker.
+In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] (and derived variants) and older versions, the vibrating square was not marked on the map, and it could not be detected with a scroll of gold detection or a crystal ball; this usually forced players to find it manually. The square could still be found if flying or levitating, but jumping or hurtling over it would not reveal its presence.  Once found, players would frequently leave an item (often on a burned [[Elbereth]] square) to mark it. This was one of the few genuine (if still very minor) uses for an [[iron chain]], its unique glyph making for a distinctive marker.
 In [[NetHack 3.6.0]], the vibrating square was marked with {{yellow|^}}.

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ==History==
-In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] (and derived variants) and older versions, the vibrating square was not marked on the map, and it could not be detected with a scroll of gold detection or a crystal ball; this usually forced players to find it manually.  Players would frequently leave an item (often on a burned [[Elbereth]] square) to mark it once found.  Jumping or hurtling over the vibrating square would not reveal its presence.
+In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] (and derived variants) and older versions, the vibrating square was not marked on the map, and it could not be detected with a scroll of gold detection or a crystal ball; this usually forced players to find it manually. The square could still be found if flying or levitating, but jumping or hurtling over it would not reveal its presence.  Once found, players would frequently leave an item (often on a burned [[Elbereth]] square) to mark it. This was one of the few genuine (if still very minor) uses for an [[iron chain]]: its unique glyph making for a distinctive marker.
 In [[NetHack 3.6.0]], the vibrating square was marked with {{yellow|^}}.

@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], the level with the vibrating square can have various types of borders instead of walls: clouds, lava, water, ice, or, worst of all, nearly indestructible iron bars. If you get any type of borders other than walls or iron bars, it is generally easier to scan the whole level line-by-line while levitating for the vibrating square. This is not quicker in game turns, since you are walking over more squares, and a careful speedrunner will still want to scan for the vibrating square normally.
+As a 3.4.3 variant, the vibrating square must be located manually in [[SLASH'EM]]: trap detection will not work.
 In the case of clouds and ice, however, this will not work. The vibrating square can be placed on one ice and cloud squares, presumably since they can be walked over, and the whole eligible region of the level must be searched, not just the "path." If the vibrating square is made of ice, this can be melted as usual, leaving the square underwater.

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ==History==
-In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] and older versions, the vibrating square was not marked on the map, and it could not be sensed when jumping or hurtling over it.
+In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] (and derived variants) and older versions, the vibrating square was not marked on the map, and it could not be detected with a scroll of gold detection or a crystal ball; this usually forced players to find it manually.  Players would frequently leave an item (often on a burned [[Elbereth]] square) to mark it once found.  Jumping or hurtling over the vibrating square would not reveal its presence.
 In [[NetHack 3.6.0]], the vibrating square was marked with {{yellow|^}}.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{todo|Is the article sufficiently updated to reflect the strategic implications of teleporting onto the vibrating square as of 3.6.2, as well as monsters no longer avoiding it?}}
 {{level|Vibrating square level
   |from=19|to=23

@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 ====Messages====
-{{messages|You feel a faint trembling under your feet.|You are within two squares of the vibrating square.}}
+{{message|You feel a faint trembling under your feet.|You are within two squares of the vibrating square.}}
-{{messages|You feel a weak trembling under your feet.|You are within one square of the vibrating square.}}
+{{message|You feel a weak trembling under your feet.|You are within one square of the vibrating square.}}
 ==References==

@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 ===UnNetHack===
-In [[UnNetHack]], the character will start feeling vibrations when they step within two tiles of the square, regardless of intervening walls, making the search process much easier.
+In [[UnNetHack]], the vibrating square is treated as a trap and remains permanently revealed once found, making the detection process much easier. Additionally, the hero will start feeling "trembling" vibrations when they step within two tiles of the square.
 ==References==