Difference between revisions of "Variant"

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(grunt now has people working on it, so move to the "active variants" maybe)
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The [[NetHack General Public License]] allows anyone to create a '''variant''', provided that they use the same license. Then, features from that variant may be reused in another variant!
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[[File:VariantHistoryGraph.jpg|400px|thumb|The history of NetHack variant development in all its convoluted glory, as of February 2023. Black arrows indicate direct descent from a whole codebase; gray indicate inspiration or scattered features copied in.]]
  
A ''variant'' typically contains many more changes to the game than a ''[[patch]]''. A variant is either distributed as a very large patch against vanilla NetHack, or as a separate source code distribution.
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A '''variant''' (also sometimes known as a fork, mod, or patchset) is a copy of ''NetHack'' to which substantial code changes have been made.
  
== Actively-developed variants ==
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Most variants make changes to the gameplay, but this isn't a requirement: [[NitroHack]], for instance, is a variant which makes huge code changes but does not change gameplay at all.
  
{| class="prettytable"
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The [[NetHack General Public License]] allows anyone to create a variant, provided that they use the same license. Then, features from that variant may be reused in other variants!
! style="width: 30%" | Variant
 
! Description
 
|-
 
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
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Variants are distinct from [[patch]]es. A variant typically contains a large amount of changes and has a broader goal, whereas a patch does one specific thing and contains only the changes required to make it work. Some variants were formed by applying multiple existing patches to the vanilla source code.
* '''[[dNetHack]]'''
+
 
* [https://github.com/Chris-plus-alphanumericgibberish/dnethack Project's GitHub page]
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A variant is either distributed as a very large patch against vanilla ''NetHack'' (uncommon nowadays), or as a separate source code distribution such as a public Git repository.
* last update 10 Dec 2016
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* Current version 3.14.0
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All variants to date have the same overall goal that vanilla ''NetHack'' does: to enter [[Gehennom]], retrieve the [[Amulet of Yendor]], and bring it to the [[Astral Plane]].
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]; rebased over NAO
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| style="vertical-align: top" |
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If you are thinking about making a variant, consider consulting active variant developers on [[Libera]] for advice and early feedback on your ideas.
''dNethack'' is a variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]] maintained by [https://github.com/Chris-plus-alphanumericgibberish Chris-plus-alphanumericgibberish] a.k.a. [[User:Chris|Chris]]. It that does five main things: it greatly increases the number of artifacts, implements new monsters, re-organizes and expands the dungeon, attempts to re-balance armors, item appearances, and intrinsics to make more choices viable in the late game, and replaces the [[Elbereth]] mechanic with warding signs. It also incorporates the [[Pirate]] and [[Convict]] patches, and makes a few minor changes in existing classes and items.  
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 +
__TOC__ <!-- goes before clear to conserve vertical space -->
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 +
{{clear}}
 +
 
 +
==Actively developed variants==
 +
 
 +
These are variants that have added new features (not just bugfixes) in the last year.
 +
 
 +
===[[dNetHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| dNetHack
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Chris|Chris]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/Chris-plus-alphanumericgibberish/dnethack Project's GitHub page]
 +
| currver=3.22.0
 +
| variantof=[[nethack.alt.org]] version of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 +
}}
 +
''dNetHack'' is a variant that does five main things: it greatly increases the number of artifacts, implements new monsters, re-organizes and expands the dungeon, attempts to re-balance armors, item appearances, and intrinsics to make more choices viable in the late game, and replaces the [[Elbereth]] mechanic with warding signs. It also incorporates the [[Pirate]] and [[Convict]] patches, and makes a few minor changes in existing classes and items.  
  
 
Most new artifacts have custom effects and/or invocations. Most new monsters have new attacks or other code support. Dungeon changes include: multi-level alignment “quest” branches, additional side branches off the main dungeon, and a shortened [[Gehennom]], with demon lairs randomly drawn from a small pool and fewer straight-up maze levels.
 
Most new artifacts have custom effects and/or invocations. Most new monsters have new attacks or other code support. Dungeon changes include: multi-level alignment “quest” branches, additional side branches off the main dungeon, and a shortened [[Gehennom]], with demon lairs randomly drawn from a small pool and fewer straight-up maze levels.
  
dNethack incorporates code from many other variants and patches, such as [[SLASH'EM]], and implements many [[YANI]]s from this wiki and from [[rec.games.roguelike.nethack]].
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dNetHack incorporates code from many other variants and patches, such as [[SLASH'EM]], and implements many [[YANI]]s from this wiki and from [[rec.games.roguelike.nethack]].
 +
 
 +
Discuss the variant at [irc://libera.chat/dnethack irc://libera.chat/dnethack].
 +
It is playable at [[hardfought]].
 +
 
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
 +
 
 +
===[[EvilHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| EvilHack
 +
| maintainer=[[User:K2|K2]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/k21971/EvilHack GitHub]
 +
| currver=0.8.3
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.6.7]] post-release version
 +
}}
 +
''EvilHack'' is a variant based on [[NetHack 3.6.7|NetHack 3.6.7]].
 +
 
 +
EvilHack was designed from the outset to be a much more difficult game to win than vanilla ''NetHack''. The inspiration for this game mainly comes from the variants GruntHack and SporkHack, incorporating many of the same features that make those variants difficult in their own right. Some of those features have remained the same (for example, SporkHack's reflection changes), but many have been altered to set them apart and provide the player with a new experience. Elements from other variants have been included as well, such as from Slash'EM, SpliceHack, UnNetHack, and xNetHack. There is also a significant amount of custom content that has been developed that is not found in any other variant. More custom content will be added as development continues, mainly in the way of optional branch quests.
 +
 
 +
EvilHack features new races and roles, new items (including [[object materials]] and [[object properties]]), an improved monster AI, a revamped [[Gehennom]], several new monsters, and adds exciting and challenging experiences to virtually every aspect of vanilla ''NetHack''. It can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server.
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
 +
 
 +
=== [[FIQHack]] ===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| FIQHack
 +
| maintainer=[https://github.com/FredrIQ FredrIQ] a.k.a. [[User:FIQ|FIQ]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/FredrIQ/fiqhack Project's GitHub page]
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 4]]
 +
| currver=4.3.1
 +
}}
 +
''FIQHack'' is a variant of [[NetHack 4]] that has 3 main focuses: improving convenience and quality of life, improving monster AI and behaviour, and improving monster/player symmetry (i.e. making things behave the same for both). Aside from this, there have also been various other gameplay tweaks, as well as improvement of code quality.
 +
 
 +
A comprehensive changelog of every notable change in FIQHack can be found in its [[FIQHack|article]].
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
 +
 
 +
===[[GnollHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| GnollHack
 +
| maintainer=[https://hyvanmielenpelit.fi/tule-mukaan/pienkannatusjaseneksi/in-english Sound Mind Games]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/hyvanmielenpelit/GnollHack/wiki Project's GitHub wiki page]
 +
| currver=4.1.3.16
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.6.2]]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
''GnollHack'' is a variant of ''NetHack'' 3.6.2 developed by Sound Mind Games, a Finnish nonprofit organization. It adds numerous monsters and items, changes spellcasting, and adds Gnolls as a playable race (replacing Gnomes).
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
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 +
===[[Hack'EM]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| Hack'EM
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Hackemslashem|Hackemslashem]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/elunna/hackem GitHub]
 +
| currver=1.2.2
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.6.7]] post-release version
 +
}}
 +
''Hack'EM'' is a variant based on [[NetHack 3.6.7|NetHack 3.6.7]].
 +
 
 +
It can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server.
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
 +
 
 +
===[[notdNetHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| notdNetHack
 +
| maintainer=Demo
 +
| link=[https://github.com/demogorgon22/notdnethack Project's GitHub page]
 +
| currver=2023.5.15 (date format)
 +
| variantof=[[dNetHack]]
 +
}}
 +
''notdNetHack'' is a dNetHack fork that seeks to add more depth to the existing content of dNetHack while balancing and trimming out some of its points of failure. notdNetHack attempts to add fully complete features and content that feel like they belong with the existing dNetHack base while not being afraid to be different.
 +
 
 +
It is playable on the [[em.slashem.me]] and [[hardfought.org]] servers.
  
Discuss the variant at [irc://freenode/dnethack irc://freenode/dnethack].
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{{clear}}
It is playable at a specifically dNetHack server ([telnet://dnethack.ilbelkyr.de/ dnethack.ilbelkyr.de]) or, more commonly, at the [[nethack.dank.ninja]] server.
 
  
|-
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===[[Slash'EM Extended]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| Slash'EM Extended
 +
| variantof=[[SLASH'EM]] 0.0.7E7F2
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Bluescreenofdeath|Bluescreenofdeath]] a.k.a. Amy or AmyBSOD
 +
| currver=2.8.9
 +
}}
 +
''Slash'EM Extended'' is a variant of [[SLASH'EM]].
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
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Compared to SLASH'EM, Slash'EM Extended contains many new roles and races for the player to choose from, many new special levels, a lot of new monsters, and other changes (similar goals to the original SLASH'EM, which also aimed at adding lots of stuff, so this has even more). The main [[dungeon]] is a bit shorter in Slash'EM Extended than in SLASH'EM but the Gehennom is longer (making their lengths more like in vanilla [[NetHack]]), and the demon/devil lairs appear in a random order.
* '''[[DynaHack]]'''
 
* [http://tung.github.io/DynaHack/ Home page]
 
* [https://github.com/tung/DynaHack Project's GitHub page]
 
* Last update 18 February 2016
 
* Current version 0.6.0
 
* variant of [[NitroHack]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''DynaHack'' is an experimental variant of [[NetHack]] maintained by [https://github.com/tung Tung Nguyen] a.k.a. [[User:Tungtn|Tungtn]]. It mainly merges the new content and challenges of [[UnNetHack]] (up to version 4.1.1) onto [[NitroHack]] as a base, with its new resizable ASCII interface. It also includes the save system, many bug fixes and selected interface changes from [[NetHack 4]], magical equipment from [[GruntHack]], changes from other variants, and some original changes to add variety and fairness to the gameplay.
 
  
It can be played online on the [[nethack.dank.ninja]] [[public server]] (discussion in [irc://freenode/#nethack.dank.ninja #nethack.dank.ninja] on [[Freenode]]).
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{{clear}}
  
 +
===[[SlashTHEM]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
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| SLASHTHEM
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Soviet5lo|Soviet5lo]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/Soviet5lo/SlashTHEM Project's Github page]
 +
| currver=0.9.7
 +
| variantof=[[SLASH'EM Extended]]
 +
}}
 +
SlashTHEM ([https://github.com/Soviet5lo/SlashTHEM github page]) is a variant of [[Slash'EM Extended]] version 75. Its name is short for "Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack&mdash;The Heavily Extended Mod". It can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server.
  
 +
{{clear}}
  
|-
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=== [[UnNetHack]] ===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| UnNetHack
 +
| maintainer=[http://bhaak.net/ Patric Müller] a.k.a.[[User:Bhaak|Bhaak]]
 +
| link=[http://unnethack.wordpress.com/ Official blog], [https://github.com/UnNetHack/UnNetHack Github page]
 +
| currver=6.0.8
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.6.6]]
 +
}}
 +
''UnNetHack'' is a variant whose main intent is to put more randomness, challenges and fun into ''NetHack''. UnNetHack incorporates many changes from other variants and patches as well as its own to form a fun and balanced variant. In the era of [[NetHack 3.4.3]], it was described as “how ''NetHack'' would look today if the [[DevTeam]] didn't stop releasing”, but then the DevTeam [[NetHack 3.6.0|did keep releasing]], and brought in content from UnNetHack to boot. It is the most famous and popular of the actively developed variants, and frequently shares with and borrows from other variants.
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
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Discuss the variant at [irc://libera.chat/unnethack irc://libera.chat/unnethack].
* '''[[iNetHack2]]'''
 
* [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/inethack2/id962114968 iTunes Store page]
 
* [http://futureshocksoftware.com/news Developer page (outdated)]
 
* Last update 20 October 2015
 
* Current version is 2.0.4.
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''iNetHack2'' is an update by Jeff King of [[iNetHack]], originally ported in 2009 by Dirk Zimmermann, to work on newer devices. Contains all the features of iNetHack, as well as 10 tilesets (including ASCII mode) and iOS 7+ functionality.
 
  
|-
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It features more levels, several UI improvements, and a lot of game play related changes. It can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server.
 +
{{clear}}
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
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===[[xNetHack]]===
* '''[[GruntHack]]'''
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{{VariantInfo
* [https://github.com/sgrunt/GruntHack/ Home page], [https://github.com/NHTangles/GruntHack/ updated version]
+
| xNetHack
* 0.2.1 beta 1 released 28 May 2017
+
| maintainer=aosdict a.k.a [[User:Phol ende wodan|Phol ende wodan]]
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
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| link=[https://github.com/copperwater/xNetHack Project GitHub]
| style="vertical-align: top" |
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| currver=8.0.0
''GruntHack'' is a variant of NetHack 3.4.3 which was maintained by [https://github.com/sgrunt Grunt] a.k.a. [[User:SGrunt|SGrunt]], now updated by the community, intended to extend and enhance the game's existing behaviour rather than altering it in any thoroughly substantial way, such as [[object]]s of the same object type being made from different [[material]]s and occasionally possessing [[Object properties|non-standard powers]], [[monster]]s having [[Racial monster|different race]]s and using more tactics when fighting other monsters, and more intelligent pet behaviour.
+
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.7.0]] development version
 +
}}
 +
''xNetHack'' is the first variant to be based on [[NetHack 3.7.0]].
  
There are [[public server]]s at [telnet://grunthack.org/ grunthack.org], [ssh://hardfought.org ssh hardfought.org] and [ssh://slashem@slashem.me ssh slashem@slashem.me].
+
Its main goals are to fix balance problems in vanilla and remove sources of frustration, as well as experimenting with [[YANI]]s from the community. It also follows a unique development model of remaining up-to-date with the latest code added to vanilla, rather than being based on a static release; consequently, new features and improvements in vanilla always get included in xNetHack soon after they are added.
  
|-
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Some of its features include special rooms in maze levels, an overhauled spellcasting system, several new conducts, and several UI enhancements. It can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server.
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
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{{clear}}
* '''[[nethack.alt.org|NAO a.k.a. nethack.alt.org]]'''
 
* [http://nethack.alt.org/ Home page]
 
* [http://alt.org/nethack/naonh.php Info and source code for their NetHack variant]
 
* Last update 31 July 2014
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''nethack.alt.org'', commonly abbreviated to NAO, is one of the oldest NetHack public servers, and by far the most popular. They maintain their own variant of NetHack, based on [[NetHack 3.4.3]].  It was maintained by [[User:Paxed|Paxed]], but it is unlikely that more updates will occur, what with [[User:Paxed|Paxed]] having gone to the [[devteam]].  It has minimal gameplay changes, and is mean to provide identical gameplay to &ldquo;vanilla&rdquo; 3.4.3.  The changes they do include are bugfixes, interface improvements, removal of exploits, changes to allow tracking more statistics, a few popular patches, and minor miscellaneous improvements. Their NetHack variant is the best one to use if you want something as similar as possible to vanilla NetHack 3.4.3 except with the bugs fixed. So if you are reading lots of articles on this wiki for specifics on how NetHack 3.4.3 works in order to do well at the game, this is probably the ideal variant for you. They also use the [[dgamelaunch]] wrapper to make it network-based with usernames and passwords.
 
  
You can play their variant online using [telnet://nethack.alt.org telnet], [http://alt.org/nethack/jta/ Java], or [http://alt.org/nethack/soiled/ Flash], or download their variant's [http://alt.org/nethack/naonh.php source code] and compile it to play on your own computer.
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==Maintained variants==
  
Another neat thing they do is they (specifically [[User:Dtype|Dtype]]) host the web servers for this [[wiki]] you are reading right now.
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These variants haven't added any new features in the past year, but someone is still fixing bugs.
  
|-
+
===[[GruntHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| GruntHack
 +
| maintainer=[[User:SGrunt|SGrunt]], then later [[User:K2|K2]] and Tangles
 +
| link=[https://github.com/sgrunt/GruntHack/ Home page], [https://github.com/k21971/GruntHack/ updated/maintained version]
 +
| currver=0.3.0
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 +
}}
 +
''GruntHack'' is a variant intended to extend and enhance the game's existing behavior rather than altering it in any thoroughly substantial way, such as [[object]]s of the same object type being made from different [[material]]s and occasionally possessing [[Object properties|non-standard powers]], [[monster]]s having [[Racial monster|different race]]s and using more tactics when fighting other monsters, and more intelligent pet behavior.
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
Though it enables the player to become significantly more powerful than in vanilla, a number of its changes add significant challenges to the early and late game, making it one of the most difficult variants.
* '''[[NetHack 4]]'''
 
* [http://nethack4.org/ Home page]
 
* Source repository: [http://trac.nethack4.org/browser web access] (by default, shows the most recently developed branch, use ais523/master for the mainline), or <tt>git clone nethack4.org/media/nethack4.git</tt> for command-line access
 
* Last update 2 April 2015
 
* current version [http://nethack4.org/releases/4.3-beta2.html 4.3-beta2] (includes a Windows installer for 64-bit systems)
 
* merge of [[AceHack]] and [[NitroHack]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''NetHack 4'' is an unofficial variant of NetHack maintained by [[User:Ais523|Alex Smith a.k.a. ais523]], who is also an admin of this [[wiki]]. It aims to continue its development. As a merge of [[AceHack]] and [[NitroHack]] and official successor to both projects, it aims for gameplay similar to NetHack but with an improved interface. It combines the interface improvements and gameplay changes of AceHack (see its section) with the persistent inventory, larger message box, new status display, new options interface, fully remappable keys, new main menu and other features of NitroHack.
 
  
It can be played online on its [[public server]] using [telnet://nethack4.org/ telnet nethack4.org] or [ssh://nethack43@nethack4.org ssh nethack43@nethack4.org] (password "nethack43").
+
There are [[public server]]s at [ssh://nethack@hardfought.org ssh nethack@hardfought.org] (USA) and [ssh://slashem@slashem.me ssh slashem@slashem.me].
  
|-
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{{clear}}
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
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=== [[NetHack 4]] ===
* '''[[NetHack Fourk]]'''
+
{{VariantInfo
* [https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk github page]
+
| NetHack 4
* <tt>git clone https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk.git</tt>
+
| maintainer=[[User:Ais523|Ais523]]
* Last updated 2015 June
+
| link=[http://nethack4.org/ Home page] and [http://trac.nethack4.org/browser repository]
* latest stable release (no longer receiving updates) is 4.3.0.2.
+
| currver=[http://nethack4.org/releases/4.3-beta2.html 4.3-beta2]
* master branch (which receives only bug fixes and minor non-save-breaking features) is 4.3.0.3
+
| variantof=[[AceHack]] and [[NitroHack]] (merged)
* active development on the bleeding-edge branch is working toward 4.3.0.4
+
}}
* based on [[NetHack 4]], with balance adjustments and some new content
+
''NetHack 4'' is a merge of [[AceHack]] and [[NitroHack]], and the official successor to both projects. It aims for gameplay similar to ''NetHack'' but with an improved interface. It combines the interface improvements and gameplay changes of AceHack (see its section) with the persistent inventory, larger message box, new status display, new options interface, fully remappable keys, new main menu and other features of NitroHack.
* changelog [https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk/blob/master/doc/changelog-fourk.txt master branch] [https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk/blob/bleeding-edge/doc/changelog-fourk.txt bleeding-edge branch]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''NetHack Fourk'' is an experimental fork of [[NetHack 4]], which aims to test out changes needed to improve the game's balance. It also contains some new content and other changes: see [https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk/blob/bleeding-edge/doc/changelog-fourk.txt the changelog] for details.
 
  
It can be played online on the [[public server]] at [[nethack.dank.ninja]].
+
It can be played online on its [[public server]] using [telnet://nethack4.org/ telnet nethack4.org] or [ssh://nethack43@nethack4.org ssh nethack43@nethack4.org] (password "nethack43") or via [ssh://nethack@hardfought.org ssh nethack@hardfought.org] (USA).
|-
 
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
For command-line Git access, use <tt>git clone nethack4.org/media/nethack4.git</tt>.
* '''[[Slash'EM Extended]]'''
 
* [[User:Bluescreenofdeath|Developer's page]]
 
* [https://github.com/SLASHEM-Extended/SLASHEM-Extended/raw/master/slashemextended.zip Windows binary]
 
* [https://app.box.com/s/szjtgjhqb8jpituffqth/ Source code (zip)]
 
* [https://github.com/SLASHEM-Extended/SLASHEM-Extended/ Source code (github)]
 
* Last update 14 March 2017
 
* current version v193
 
* variant of [[SLASH'EM]] 0.0.7E7F2
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''Slash'EM Extended'' is a variant of [[SLASH'EM]] maintained by [[User:Bluescreenofdeath|Bluescreenofdeath a.k.a. Amy]], and is the official successor to SLASH'EM. The object of the game is the same: to fetch the [[Amulet of Yendor]] from the bottom of the [[Gehennom]] and offer it to your [[god]].
 
  
Compared to SLASH'EM, Slash'EM Extended contains several new roles and races for the player to choose from, several new special levels, a lot of new monsters, and other changes (similar goals to the original SLASH'EM, which also aimed at adding lots of stuff, so this has even more). The main [[dungeon]] is a bit shorter in Slash'EM Extended than in SLASH'EM but the Gehennom is longer (making their lengths more like in vanilla [[NetHack]]), and the demon/devil lairs appear in a random order. And most importantly, Slash'EM Extended is hard as hell!!!
+
{{clear}}
  
It can be played online on its [[public server]] using [ssh://slashem@slashem.me ssh slashem@slashem.me](discussion in [irc://freenode/#slashemextended #slashemextended] or [irc://freenode/#em.slashem.me #em.slashem.me] on [[Freenode]]).
+
===[[NetHack Fourk]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| NetHack Fourk
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Jonadab|Jonadab]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk github page]
 +
| currver=4.3.0.5
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 4]]
 +
}}
 +
''NetHack Fourk'' is an experimental fork of [[NetHack 4]]. It has four main types of changes: balance adjustments and formula tweaks; differentiation of similar monsters, objects, and levels; consolidation of boring things; and monster letter reorganization.  A lot of game mechanics work slightly differently than players tend to be used to. See [https://github.com/tsadok/nhfourk/blob/bleeding-edge/doc/changelog-fourk.txt the changelog] for details.
  
 +
It can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server.
  
|-
+
{{clear}}
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
=== [[SLASH'EM]] ===
* '''[[SLASHTHEM]]'''
+
{{VariantInfo
* [https://github.com/Soviet5lo/SlashTHEM Project's Github page]
+
| SLASH'EM
* Last update 23 May 2015
+
| link=[http://www.slashem.org Home page]
* Current version 0.7.0
+
| maintainer=[https://sourceforge.net/u/wacko/profile/ Warren Cheung a.k.a. wacko]
* variant of [[Slash'EM Extended]] v75
+
| currver=0.0.8E0F1
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.4.3]]
SLASHTHEM ([https://github.com/Soviet5lo/SlashTHEM github page]) is a variant of [[Slash'EM Extended]] version 75 currently maintained and developed by [[user:Soviet5lo|Soviet5lo]].  It's name is short for &ldquo;Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack&mdash;The Heavily Extended Mod&rdquo;. SLASHTHEM is much easier to play then Slash'EM Extended, and one of its goals, is to be as easy as [[Slash'EM]].
+
| lastupdated=28 February 2022
 +
}}
 +
''Slash'EM'' or ''SLASH'EM'', officially ''SuperLotsaAddedStuffHack - Extended Magic'', used to be the foremost variant. This game and its ancestor variants are now part of vanilla ''NetHack''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[game history]], because of the reuse of certain SLASH'EM code in [[NetHack 3.3.0]].
  
|-
+
SLASH'EM puts more effort into killing the [[hero]]; plenty of games end on dungeon level 1. There are more than plenty of new [[monster]]s, [[item]]s and [[magic]]. The dungeon features several new one-level dungeon branches for the hero to die in. Three new [[portal]]s lead to quests for [[Alignment key|artifact key]]s. The player also has a larger choice of [[race]]s and [[role]]s than in vanilla, and that alone is enough to make an experienced NetHack player rethink [[strategy]].
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
SLASH'EM started as a combination of two other variants, '''[[SLASH]]''' and the '''[[Wizard Patch]]'''. In turn, SLASH was a merger of and addition to '''[[NetHack Plus]]''' and '''[[NetHack--]]'''.
* '''[[UnNetHack]]'''
 
* [http://unnethack.wordpress.com/ Project's official blog]
 
* [https://github.com/UnNetHack/UnNetHack Project's Github page]
 
* Last update 13 April 2016
 
* Current version 5.3.1
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''UnNetHack'' is a variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]], maintained by [http://bhaak.net/ Patric Müller] a.k.a. [[User:Bhaak|Bhaak]] and others. The main intent of this fork is to put more randomness, challenges and fun into NetHack. UnNetHack incorporates many changes from other variants and patches as well as its own to form a fun and balanced variant. It has been described as “how NetHack would look today if the [[DevTeam]] didn't stop releasing”. It is the most famous and popular of the actively developed variants, and frequently shares with and borrows from other variants.
 
  
Discuss the variant at [irc://freenode/unnethack irc://freenode/unnethack].
+
SLASH'EM recently switched from 'unmaintained' to 'maintained' status, with the advent of several recent commits that have addressed several bugs. The updated/maintained version can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server. An older, unmaintained version can be found at [[em.slashem.me]].
  
It features more levels, several UI improvements, and a lot of game play related changes. There is an official European server at [telnet://eu.un.nethack.nu/ eu.un.nethack.nu] and an unofficial server at [[https://nethack.dank.ninja nethack.dank.ninja]].  Their homepage is located at [http://un.nethack.nu un.nethack.nu].
+
{{clear}}
|-
 
|}
 
  
== Variants not actively developed (but still played) ==
+
===[[SporkHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| SporkHack
 +
| maintainer=Derek S. Ray, then later [[User:K2|K2]] and Tangles
 +
| link=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150212195235/http://www.sporkhack.com/ Archived home page], [https://github.com/k21971/SporkHack github source]
 +
| currver=0.7.0
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 +
}}
 +
''SporkHack'' is a variant actively developed and tested until December 2011; development was started up again in July of 2017 by community members Tangles and K2. The stated purpose of the variant is to try to bring more challenge to the vanilla game for experienced players, as well as to make things less boring for ''all'' players. A patch and a Windows binary are available from the home page; the patch can be applied to a standard NetHack 3.4.3 distribution. SporkHack contains "more interesting" [[Caveman]] and [[Knight]] roles, and a number of balance adjustments throughout the game to spells, monsters and items... as well as intangibles such as the "to hit" formula. There are also cosmetic changes, for example the [[master lich]] is a [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_thread/thread/8766fa58e6b4caec/36ad820692d27fd2 green L].
  
{| class="prettytable"
+
Latest development of SporkHack includes bugfixes and functionality enhancement; no changes affecting gameplay or the original author's intent have been made at this time. The repository for version 0.7.0 can be found on [https://github.com/k21971/SporkHack GitHub].
! style="width: 30%" | Variant
 
! Description
 
|-
 
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
The latest developed version (0.7.0) can be played online at the hardfought.org [[public server]] via [ssh://nethack@hardfought.org ssh nethack@hardfought.org] (discussion in [irc://libera.chat/#hardfought #hardfought] on [[Libera]]). The older version (0.6.3) can be played online on the em.slashem.me [[public server]] using [ssh://slashem@slashem.me ssh slashem@slashem.me].
* '''[[UnNetHackPlus]]'''
 
* [https://github.com/mkoniecz/UnNetHackPlus Project's GitHub page]
 
* Last update 30 May 2013
 
* Current version 4.8.0
 
* variant of [[UnNetHack]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''UnNetHackPlus'' is a variant forked from [[UnNetHack]], which was maintained by [[User:Bulwersator|Bulwersator]] a.k.a. [https://github.com/mkoniecz mkoniecz]. The main intent of this fork was to put more randomness, challenges and fun into UnNetHack (i.e. the same intent as UnNetHack). UnNetHackPlus incorporates many changes from other variants and patches as well as its own to form into a fun and balanced variant. It is the only known variant that outright removes [[Sokoban]]. Its biggest improvements live on, having been implemented in UnNetHack and [[DynaHack]].
 
  
|-
+
{{clear}}
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
===[[nethack.alt.org#NetHack 3.4.3 NAO|3.4.3-HDF]]===
* '''[[AceHack]]'''
+
Not a seperate variant per se, but a maintained version of 3.4.3-NAO hosted on [[hardfought]] which still gets bug fixes as needed.
* [https://github.com/deepy/acehack Source code Git repository]
+
 
* Last update 11 March 2015
+
==Unmaintained variants==
* Current version 3.6.0
+
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
+
These variants aren't being updated at all. Some of them may still have lots of players.
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
 
''AceHack'' is a variant of NetHack maintained by [[User:Ais523|Alex Smith a.k.a. ais523]], who is also an admin of this [[wiki]]. It has similar gameplay but an improved interface, e.g. walking into doors opens them automatically, background colors to distinguish [[tameness|tame]]/[[peaceful]]/[[hostile]] monsters and stairs under items, describing what's under the cursor while moving it in [[farlook]], and warning before moving into lava. It also includes gameplay changes such as rerolling for items and attributes during character generation, auto-identifying some items under circumstances where the identity is unambiguous, making [[floating eye]]s unhittable instead of [[paralysis|paralyzing]], replacing [[Stormbringer]]'s disabling of the peaceful attack warning prompt with [[aggravate monster]] when wielded, and replacing map and item identity [[scroll of amnesia|amnesia]] with draining of skill and spell training.
+
===[[AceHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| AceHack
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Ais523|Ais523]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/deepy/acehack Source code Git repository]
 +
| currver=3.6.0
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 +
| lastupdated=11 March 2015
 +
| unmaintained=True
 +
}}
 +
''AceHack'' is a variant of ''NetHack'' that has similar gameplay to NetHack 3.4.3 but an improved interface, e.g. walking into doors opens them automatically, background colors to distinguish [[tameness|tame]]/[[peaceful]]/[[hostile]] monsters and stairs under items, describing what's under the cursor while moving it in [[farlook]], and warning before moving into lava. It also includes gameplay changes such as rerolling for items and attributes during character generation, auto-identifying some items under circumstances where the identity is unambiguous, making [[floating eye]]s unhittable instead of [[paralysis|paralyzing]], replacing [[Stormbringer]]'s disabling of the peaceful attack warning prompt with [[aggravate monster]] when wielded, and replacing map and item identity [[scroll of amnesia|amnesia]] with draining of skill and spell training.
  
 
Development of AceHack has stopped in favor of [[NetHack 4]], itself a merge of AceHack and [[NitroHack]].
 
Development of AceHack has stopped in favor of [[NetHack 4]], itself a merge of AceHack and [[NitroHack]].
  
|-
+
As of July 2022, AceHack can be played on the [[Public server|Hardfought]] server.
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
 +
 
 +
===[[DNHslex]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| DNHslex
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Bluescreenofdeath|Bluescreenofdeath]]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/AmyBSOD/dnhslex Project's GitHub page]
 +
| currver=3.16.1
 +
| variantof=[[dNetHack]]
 +
}}
 +
''DNHslex'' is a variant of [[dNetHack]] maintained by [[User:Bluescreenofdeath|AmyBSOD]]. It adds more variety by enabling all role, race, gender, and alignment combos for playing, allowing many more monsters and items to be randomly generated, and adding new monsters from other ''NetHack'' variants as well. Apart from a bunch of monster shoes from [[SLASH'EM]] it tries to remain true to the spirit of dNetHack.
 +
 
 +
It is playable on the [[em.slashem.me]] server.
 +
 
 +
{{clear}}
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
===[[DynaHack]]===
* '''[[NitroHack]]'''
+
{{VariantInfo
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20140517210041/http://nitrohack.org/ Archive page]
+
| DynaHack
* [https://github.com/DanielT/NitroHack/ Project's GitHub page]
+
| maintainer=[[User:Tungtn|Tungtn]]
* Last update 19 February 2012
+
| link=[http://tung.github.io/DynaHack/ Home page], [https://github.com/tung/DynaHack GitHub page]
* Current version 4.0.4
+
| currver=0.6.0
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
+
| lastupdate=18 February 2016
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
| variantof=[[NitroHack]] and [[UnNetHack]]
''NitroHack'' is a variant of NetHack 3.4.3, developed by [https://github.com/DanielT Daniel Thaler] a.k.a. [[User:DanielT|DanielT]]. It aims to be a modern, network-capable fork of the classic game.
+
| unmaintained=True
 +
}}
 +
''DynaHack'' is an experimental variant of ''[[NetHack]]''. It mainly merges the new content and challenges of [[UnNetHack]] (up to version 4.1.1) onto [[NitroHack]] as a base, with its new resizable ASCII interface. It also includes the save system, many bug fixes and selected interface changes from [[NetHack 4]], magical equipment from [[GruntHack]], changes from other variants, and some original changes to add variety and fairness to the gameplay.
  
It features native netplay via its client (connect to ''nitrohack.org''), and can support any client that can speak its new JSON-based protocol; a web client is planned. It uses an enhanced version of the [[Curses interface]], has fully remappable key controls and character display, dungeon overview, and UI improvements from [[AceHack]]. It also records full play logs, allowing players to view interactive replays of current and finished games. Its savegame code is notoriously buggy, though.
+
It can be played online via [ssh://nethack@hardfought.org ssh nethack@hardfought.org] (USA) [[public server]] (discussion in [irc://libera.chat/#hardfought #hardfought] on [[Libera]]).
  
Development of NitroHack has stopped in favor of [[NetHack 4]], itself a merge of AceHack and NitroHack. NitroHack also lives on in [[DynaHack]], another modern variant that is based on NitroHack. Both NetHack 4 and DynaHack thankfully fix the buggy savegame code of NitroHack.
+
{{clear}}
  
|-
+
=== [[NetHack brass]] ===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| NetHack brass
 +
| maintainer=[https://twitter.com/youkan700 紅茶羊羹] a.k.a. [http://www.maroon.dti.ne.jp/youkan/ Kōcha Yōkan]
 +
| link=[http://wayback.archive.org/web/20071115145609/http://www11.cds.ne.jp/~youkan/nethack/index_e.html Archived home page]
 +
| currver=081221
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 +
| lastupdated=21 December 2008
 +
| unmaintained=True
 +
}}
 +
Coming from Japan, ''NetHack brass'' (developed by Kōcha Yōkan, which roughly translates to "tea-flavored [[gelatinous cube]]") is lesser known among ''NetHack'' players who do not speak Japanese. The game is in English but most of the community uses Japanese. NetHack brass adds no new races or roles, but it has a few new [[item]]s and a redesigned [[Gehennom]]. Its major features include the new #[[skills (NetHack brass)|skills]] system and tweaks to how heroes gain [[experience level]]s and [[attribute]]s. [[Minetown]] is now filled with shops, while the top of [[Sokoban]] offers prizes but permits the player to choose one and only one.
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
Despite the many changes in this variant, they do not feel so drastic, and NetHack brass feels more like [[vanilla]] than the other variants.
* '''[[SporkHack]]'''
 
* [http://sporkhack.com/ Home page]
 
* Announced on RGRN Jul 8, 2007
 
* Last update 29 Aug 2010
 
* Current version 0.6.3
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''SporkHack'' is a variant actively developed and tested until December 2011 by Derek S. Ray. The stated purpose of the variant is to try to bring more challenge to the vanilla game for experienced players, as well as to make things less boring for ''all'' players. Derek Ray maintains a telnet server at sporkhack.com so that players need not compile or install the game. A patch and a Windows binary are available from the home page; the patch can be applied to a standard NetHack 3.4.3 distribution. SporkHack contains "more interesting" [[Caveman]] and [[Knight]] roles, and a number of balance adjustments throughout the game to spells, monsters and items... as well as intangibles such as the "to hit" formula. There are also cosmetic changes, for example the [[master lich]] is a [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_thread/thread/8766fa58e6b4caec/36ad820692d27fd2 green L].
 
  
It can be played online on the em.slashem.me [[public server]] using [ssh://slashem@slashem.me ssh slashem@slashem.me](discussion in [irc://freenode/#em.slashem.me #em.slashem.me] on [[Freenode]]).
+
{{clear}}
  
|-
+
===[[NetHack: The Next Generation]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| NetHack: The Next Generation
 +
| link=[http://www.juiblex.co.uk/nethack/TNG.html Archive page]
 +
| maintainer=Sebastian Klein and Bill Foust
 +
| currver=1.0
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.1.3]]
 +
| lastupdated=30 May 1994
 +
| unmaintained=True
 +
}}
 +
''NetHack: The Next Generation'' was a variant that has mostly fallen into disuse. TNG contains several strange new monsters and items, but is mostly remembered for the Geek class and the Douglas Adams themed monsters.
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
{{clear}}
* '''[[iNetHack]]'''
 
* [https://code.google.com/p/inethack/ Home page]
 
* [https://github.com/dirkz/iNetHack Project's GitHub page]
 
* Last update 14 February 2010
 
* Current version 1.3
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''iNetHack'' is a port of [[NetHack 3.4.3]] to iOS 3.0, by [http://blog.dirkz.com/ Dirk Zimmermann] a.k.a. [[User:Dirkz|Dirkz]]. It runs on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It features [[Hearse]] integration, has several bug fixes, and a [[Graphical user interface]] with touch-screen controls. It was available for free on the App Store but was removed for unknown reasons (most likely because Apple doesn't like copyleft licenses). However, it's been moved to GitHub on April 19, 2014 along with an updated copyright notice that says some of the content is copyright 2014, perhaps indicating there might be future development. It can still be compiled and run on an iOS device for free if you jailbreak it, although jailbreaking voids the warranty from Apple. However, this variant has been updated by Jeff King and reuploaded on the iOS App Store as [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/inethack2/id962114968 iNetHack2], with 10 tilesets (including ASCII mode) and iOS 7+ functionality.
 
  
|-
+
===[[NitroHack]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| NitroHack
 +
| maintainer=[https://github.com/DanielT Daniel Thaler] a.k.a. [[User:DanielT|DanielT]]
 +
| link=[http://web.archive.org/web/20140517210041/http://nitrohack.org/ Archive of nitrohack.org], [https://github.com/DanielT/NitroHack/ project's GitHub page]
 +
| currver=4.0.4
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 +
| lastupdated=19 February 2012
 +
| unmaintained=True
 +
}}
 +
''NitroHack'' is a variant that aims to be a modern, network-capable fork of the classic game.
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
It features native netplay via its client (connect to ''nitrohack.org''), and can support any client that can speak its new JSON-based protocol; a web client is planned. It uses an enhanced version of the [[Curses interface]], has fully remappable key controls and character display, dungeon overview, and UI improvements from [[AceHack]]. It also records full play logs, allowing players to view interactive replays of current and finished games. Its savegame code is notoriously buggy, though.
* '''[[NetHack]]''' iOS port by Gandreas Software
 
* [http://www.gandreas.com/iphone/nethack/index.html Home page]
 
* [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nethack/id334281275 App Store page]
 
* Last update 3 October 2009
 
* Current version 1.0
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
The ''NetHack'' iOS port by Gandreas Software is a port of [[NetHack 3.4.3]] to iOS 2.2, by [http://www.gandreas.com/ Glenn Andreas]. It runs on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It has a [[Graphical user interface]] and a gesture-based system. It's currently a free download from Apple's app store.
 
  
|-
+
Development of NitroHack has stopped in favor of [[NetHack 4]], itself a merge of AceHack and NitroHack. NitroHack also lives on in [[DynaHack]], another modern variant that is based on NitroHack. Both NetHack 4 and DynaHack thankfully fix the buggy savegame code of NitroHack.
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
{{clear}}
* '''[[SLASH'EM]]'''
 
* [http://www.slashem.org Home page]
 
* Announced on RGRN [https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!msg/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/G-ZRDEWuYGs/Bzk3lciH_CEJ in 1998]
 
* 0.0.7E7F3 (stable) and 0.0.8E0F1 (devel) released 30 December 2006
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''Slash'EM'' or ''SLASH'EM'', officially ''SuperLotsaAddedStuffHack - Extended Magic'', is the most famous variant, created by [https://sourceforge.net/u/wacko/profile/ Warren Cheung a.k.a. wacko]. This game and its ancestor variants are now part of vanilla NetHack's [[game history]], because of the reuse of certain SLASH'EM code in [[NetHack 3.3.0]]. Perhaps because of this, and because so many players busy themselves with vanilla, SLASH'EM and other variants may have less attention than they had previously.
 
  
SLASH'EM puts more effort (than vanilla) into killing the [[hero]]; plenty of games end at Dlvl1. There are more than plenty of new [[monster]]s, [[item]]s and [[magic]]. The dungeon features several new one-level dungeon branches for the hero to die in. Three new [[portal]]s lead to quests for [[Alignment key|artifact key]]s. The player also has a larger choice of [[race]]s and [[role]]s than in vanilla, and that alone is enough to make an experienced NetHack player rethink [[strategy]].
+
=== [[SpliceHack]] ===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| SpliceHack
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Agulp|AntiGulp]] a.k.a. NullCGT
 +
| link=[https://github.com/NullCGT/SpliceHack GitHub]
 +
| currver=1.2.0
 +
| variantof=[[NetHack|NetHack 3.7.0]] development version
 +
}}
 +
''SpliceHack'' is a variant that was unintentionally released only a few hours before 3.6.1; it is now based on NetHack 3.7.0.
  
SLASH'EM started as a combination of two other variants, '''[[SLASH]]''' and the '''[[Wizard Patch]]'''. In turn, SLASH was a merger of and addition to '''[[NetHack Plus]]''' and '''[[NetHack--]]'''.
+
The main goal of SpliceHack is to make the game much more interesting and dynamic by adding additional content, while being as accessible as possible to those used to playing vanilla ''NetHack''. A secondary goal is to maintain a level of balance and difficulty that is similar to vanilla. The variant is updated frequently, and YANIs are actively incorporated into the code. The author has described it as what SLASH'EM might look like if SLASH'EM had been based on [[NetHack 3.6.1]].
 +
 
 +
SpliceHack features a large number of new monsters, items, locations, and effects. It also includes a number of extensible and dynamic features, such as monsters that are random fusions of other monsters and allowing pets to gain resistances through corpses. It can be played on the [[Hardfought]] server.
 +
 
 +
During 2021, SpliceHack was rewritten on a clean 3.7.0-dev base and discarded some perennially troublesome features, culminating in the release of version 1.0.0. Development and bugfix support later ended in 2022.
  
Although SLASH'EM itself is no longer developed, there are at least two newer variants of it, which are actively developed (q.v. above).
+
{{clear}}
  
There is a [[public server]] at [[em.slashem.me]].
+
===[[UnNetHackPlus]]===
 +
{{VariantInfo
 +
| UnNetHackPlus
 +
| maintainer=[[User:Bulwersator|Bulwersator]] a.k.a. [https://github.com/mkoniecz mkoniecz]
 +
| link=[https://github.com/mkoniecz/UnNetHackPlus Project's GitHub page]
 +
| currver=4.8.0
 +
| variantof=[[UnNetHack]]
 +
| lastupdated=30 May 2013
 +
| unmaintained=True
 +
}}
 +
''UnNetHackPlus'' is a variant whose main intent was to put more randomness, challenges and fun into UnNetHack (i.e. the same intent as UnNetHack). UnNetHackPlus incorporates many changes from other variants and patches as well as its own to form into a fun and balanced variant. It is the only known variant that outright removes [[Sokoban]]. Its biggest improvements live on, having been implemented in UnNetHack and [[DynaHack]].
  
|-
+
{{clear}}
  
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
===[[nethack.alt.org#NetHack 3.4.3 NAO|3.4.3-NAO]]===
* '''[[NetHack brass]]'''
+
{{VariantInfo
* [http://www11.cds.ne.jp/~youkan/nethack/index_e.html Home page] &mdash; link is dead, available at the [http://wayback.archive.org/web/20071115145609/http://www11.cds.ne.jp/~youkan/nethack/index_e.html Internet Archive].
+
| 3.4.3-NAO
* 040923 released 23 September 2004
+
| maintainer=[[User:Paxed|Paxed]]
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
+
| link=[http://alt.org/nethack/naonh.php Info and source code]
| style="vertical-align: top" |
+
| variantof=[[NetHack 3.4.3]]
Coming from Japan, ''NetHack brass'' (developed by [https://twitter.com/youkan700 紅茶羊羹] a.k.a. [http://www.maroon.dti.ne.jp/youkan/ Kōcha Yōkan], which roughly translates to "tea-flavored [[gelatinous cube]]") is lesser known among NetHack players who do not speak Japanese. The game is in English but most of the community uses Japanese. NetHack brass adds no new races or roles, but it has a few new [[item]]s and a redesigned [[Gehennom]]. Its major features include the new #[[skills (NetHack brass)|skills]] system and tweaks to how heroes gain [[experience level]]s and [[attribute]]s. [[Minetown]] is now filled with shops, while the top of [[Sokoban]] offers prizes but permits the player to choose one and only one.
+
| lastupdate=31 July 2014
 +
| unmaintained=True
 +
}}
 +
''[[nethack.alt.org]]'', commonly abbreviated to NAO, is one of the oldest ''NetHack'' public servers, and by far the most popular. For many years, they maintained their own variant of ''NetHack'', based on [[NetHack 3.4.3]]. It is meant to provide identical gameplay to vanilla 3.4.3. The changes they do include are bugfixes, interface improvements, removal of exploits, changes to allow tracking more statistics, a few popular patches, and minor miscellaneous improvements. It was long regarded as the best one to use if you wanted something as similar as possible to vanilla NetHack 3.4.3 but with the bugs fixed. However, it has largely been displaced by [[NetHack 3.6.1]], which incorporates all of the bugfixes and nearly all of the quality-of-life improvements.
  
Despite the many changes in this variant, they do not feel so drastic, and NetHack brass feels more like [[vanilla]] than the other variants.
+
After the release of 3.6.1, alt.org stopped hosting and updating it. It can still be played on [[hardfought.org]]. The source, for the time being, remains available at http://alt.org/nethack/naonh.php.
  
|-
+
{{clear}}
  
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+
==Historically significant patches==
* '''[[biodiversity patch]]'''
+
===[[Biodiversity patch]]===
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20041209022619/http://userfs.cec.wustl.edu/~naw1/nh/nh_bio.html Archive page]
+
The [http://web.archive.org/web/20041209022619/http://userfs.cec.wustl.edu/~naw1/nh/nh_bio.html biodiversity patch] by Nicholas Aodhagan Webb adds several monsters to the game, adjusts some monster behaviors and adds a few other features. This patch is about populating the [[dungeon]] with monsters, not about changing the dungeon. It even adds more [[tree]]s.
* 1.2a released 22 February 2004
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.4.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
The ''biodiversity patch'' by Nicholas Aodhagan Webb adds several monsters to the game, adjusts some monster behaviors and adds a few other features. This patch is about populating the [[dungeon]] with monsters, not about changing the dungeon. It even adds more [[tree]]s.
 
  
Some of the changes have a basis in [[real life|reality]] (like [[echolocation]] for [[bat]]s), but there are also some serious nasties, including the [[disintegrator]] and the [[goldbug]].
+
Some of the changes have a basis in [[real life|reality]] (like echolocation for [[bat]]s), but there are also some serious nasties, including the [[disintegrator]] and the [[goldbug]].
  
|-
+
===[[Convict patch]]===
 +
This patch adds the Convict, a [[role]] more difficult than the [[Tourist]]. A large number of variants include this patch.
  
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+
===[[Lethe patch]]===
* '''[[Lethe patch]]'''
+
The [http://web.archive.org/web/20080208181124/http://e-wire.net.au/~eb_mykae/ Lethe patch] by Michael Clarke seems to be only a minor change to the game, before you reach [[Medusa]]. There you find the River Lethe which leads you into a very different [[Gehennom]].
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20080208181124/http://e-wire.net.au/~eb_mykae/ Archive page]
 
* 1.2.01 released 2001
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.3.1]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
The ''Lethe patch'' by Michael Clarke seems to be only a minor change to the game, before you reach [[Medusa]]. There you find the River Lethe which leads you into a very different [[Gehennom]].
 
  
 
There are many new scares down there. If you are sufficiently powerful, then you can fight through it all, but it will be far more difficult than the boring and relatively benign [[maze]]s of vanilla. Type carefully, and do not step into the river that causes [[amnesia]]. At [[Moloch's Sanctum]], the [[high priest]] of Moloch is [[Cthulhu]]...
 
There are many new scares down there. If you are sufficiently powerful, then you can fight through it all, but it will be far more difficult than the boring and relatively benign [[maze]]s of vanilla. Type carefully, and do not step into the river that causes [[amnesia]]. At [[Moloch's Sanctum]], the [[high priest]] of Moloch is [[Cthulhu]]...
Line 299: Line 421:
 
These days, more players choose [[SLASH'EM]] 0.0.7E7, which has most of the new items and monsters from this patch, but not the changed levels. Until the levels are integrated, one can play '''[[SLethe]]''' which includes the new levels. There is a 0.0.7E7F3 SLethe playground on [[em.slashem.me]].
 
These days, more players choose [[SLASH'EM]] 0.0.7E7, which has most of the new items and monsters from this patch, but not the changed levels. Until the levels are integrated, one can play '''[[SLethe]]''' which includes the new levels. There is a 0.0.7E7F3 SLethe playground on [[em.slashem.me]].
  
|-
+
===Infidel patch===
 
+
The [[Infidel]] patch adds a role that specializes in offensive magic, with some similarities to Priests, and to Flame Mages from SLASH'EM. They can be humans or orcs; like Priests, they have a random pantheon, but Infidels always follow Moloch. The Infidel role offers a slightly unusual game, as they start with the Amulet of Yendor and are initially tasked with returning it to Moloch's Sanctum. There are a number of other quirks as well. The variants [[EvilHack]] and [[Hack'EM]] incorporate this patch.
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
* '''[[NetHack: The Next Generation]]'''
 
* [http://www.juiblex.co.uk/nethack/TNG.html Archive page]
 
* 1.0 released 30 May 1994
 
* variant of [[NetHack 3.1.3]]
 
| style="vertical-align: top" |
 
''NetHack: The Next Generation'', by Sebastian Klein and Bill Foust, was a variant that has mostly fallen into disuse. TNG contains several strange new monsters and items, but is mostly remembered for the Geek class and the Douglas Adams themed monsters.
 
  
|-
+
==See also==
  
|}
+
*[[NetHack in other languages]]
 +
*[https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/network/members List of forks of the official ''NetHack'' repository on GitHub]
 +
*[https://github.com/Vanilla-NetHack/NetHack-3.4.3/network/members List of vanilla ''NetHack'' 3.4.3 forks on GitHub]
 +
*[[Patch|Patches]]
  
''There are some [http://nethack-users.sourceforge.jp/ Japanese variants] and 2 [http://nethack-de.sourceforge.net/ German] [http://www.netzhack.de/ variants] missing from the above list. You can also [https://github.com/Vanilla-NetHack/NetHack/network/members look at GitHub's fork list for vanilla NetHack] to see a partial list of variants.''
 
  
You can also mix multiple patches, large or small, to form your own variant. You can select patches from the [[Patch Database]] http://bilious.alt.org or [[L (person)|L]]'s [http://l.j-factor.com/nethack.html collection] – beware of conflicts and rejected hunks if you apply multiple patches!
+
{{todo| There are probably other "historically significant patches" floating around out there that aren't documented here; the Bard Patch comes to mind.}}
  
 
[[Category:Variants]]
 
[[Category:Variants]]

Latest revision as of 16:08, 27 December 2023

The history of NetHack variant development in all its convoluted glory, as of February 2023. Black arrows indicate direct descent from a whole codebase; gray indicate inspiration or scattered features copied in.

A variant (also sometimes known as a fork, mod, or patchset) is a copy of NetHack to which substantial code changes have been made.

Most variants make changes to the gameplay, but this isn't a requirement: NitroHack, for instance, is a variant which makes huge code changes but does not change gameplay at all.

The NetHack General Public License allows anyone to create a variant, provided that they use the same license. Then, features from that variant may be reused in other variants!

Variants are distinct from patches. A variant typically contains a large amount of changes and has a broader goal, whereas a patch does one specific thing and contains only the changes required to make it work. Some variants were formed by applying multiple existing patches to the vanilla source code.

A variant is either distributed as a very large patch against vanilla NetHack (uncommon nowadays), or as a separate source code distribution such as a public Git repository.

All variants to date have the same overall goal that vanilla NetHack does: to enter Gehennom, retrieve the Amulet of Yendor, and bring it to the Astral Plane.

If you are thinking about making a variant, consider consulting active variant developers on Libera for advice and early feedback on your ideas.

Actively developed variants

These are variants that have added new features (not just bugfixes) in the last year.

dNetHack

dNetHack

dNetHack is a variant that does five main things: it greatly increases the number of artifacts, implements new monsters, re-organizes and expands the dungeon, attempts to re-balance armors, item appearances, and intrinsics to make more choices viable in the late game, and replaces the Elbereth mechanic with warding signs. It also incorporates the Pirate and Convict patches, and makes a few minor changes in existing classes and items.

Most new artifacts have custom effects and/or invocations. Most new monsters have new attacks or other code support. Dungeon changes include: multi-level alignment “quest” branches, additional side branches off the main dungeon, and a shortened Gehennom, with demon lairs randomly drawn from a small pool and fewer straight-up maze levels.

dNetHack incorporates code from many other variants and patches, such as SLASH'EM, and implements many YANIs from this wiki and from rec.games.roguelike.nethack.

Discuss the variant at irc://libera.chat/dnethack. It is playable at hardfought.


EvilHack

EvilHack

EvilHack is a variant based on NetHack 3.6.7.

EvilHack was designed from the outset to be a much more difficult game to win than vanilla NetHack. The inspiration for this game mainly comes from the variants GruntHack and SporkHack, incorporating many of the same features that make those variants difficult in their own right. Some of those features have remained the same (for example, SporkHack's reflection changes), but many have been altered to set them apart and provide the player with a new experience. Elements from other variants have been included as well, such as from Slash'EM, SpliceHack, UnNetHack, and xNetHack. There is also a significant amount of custom content that has been developed that is not found in any other variant. More custom content will be added as development continues, mainly in the way of optional branch quests.

EvilHack features new races and roles, new items (including object materials and object properties), an improved monster AI, a revamped Gehennom, several new monsters, and adds exciting and challenging experiences to virtually every aspect of vanilla NetHack. It can be played on the Hardfought server.

FIQHack

FIQHack

FIQHack is a variant of NetHack 4 that has 3 main focuses: improving convenience and quality of life, improving monster AI and behaviour, and improving monster/player symmetry (i.e. making things behave the same for both). Aside from this, there have also been various other gameplay tweaks, as well as improvement of code quality.

A comprehensive changelog of every notable change in FIQHack can be found in its article.

GnollHack

GnollHack


GnollHack is a variant of NetHack 3.6.2 developed by Sound Mind Games, a Finnish nonprofit organization. It adds numerous monsters and items, changes spellcasting, and adds Gnolls as a playable race (replacing Gnomes).

Hack'EM

Hack'EM

Hack'EM is a variant based on NetHack 3.6.7.

It can be played on the Hardfought server.

notdNetHack

notdNetHack

notdNetHack is a dNetHack fork that seeks to add more depth to the existing content of dNetHack while balancing and trimming out some of its points of failure. notdNetHack attempts to add fully complete features and content that feel like they belong with the existing dNetHack base while not being afraid to be different.

It is playable on the em.slashem.me and hardfought.org servers.

Slash'EM Extended

Slash'EM Extended

Slash'EM Extended is a variant of SLASH'EM.

Compared to SLASH'EM, Slash'EM Extended contains many new roles and races for the player to choose from, many new special levels, a lot of new monsters, and other changes (similar goals to the original SLASH'EM, which also aimed at adding lots of stuff, so this has even more). The main dungeon is a bit shorter in Slash'EM Extended than in SLASH'EM but the Gehennom is longer (making their lengths more like in vanilla NetHack), and the demon/devil lairs appear in a random order.

SlashTHEM

SLASHTHEM

SlashTHEM (github page) is a variant of Slash'EM Extended version 75. Its name is short for "Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack—The Heavily Extended Mod". It can be played on the Hardfought server.

UnNetHack

UnNetHack

UnNetHack is a variant whose main intent is to put more randomness, challenges and fun into NetHack. UnNetHack incorporates many changes from other variants and patches as well as its own to form a fun and balanced variant. In the era of NetHack 3.4.3, it was described as “how NetHack would look today if the DevTeam didn't stop releasing”, but then the DevTeam did keep releasing, and brought in content from UnNetHack to boot. It is the most famous and popular of the actively developed variants, and frequently shares with and borrows from other variants.

Discuss the variant at irc://libera.chat/unnethack.

It features more levels, several UI improvements, and a lot of game play related changes. It can be played on the Hardfought server.

xNetHack

xNetHack

xNetHack is the first variant to be based on NetHack 3.7.0.

Its main goals are to fix balance problems in vanilla and remove sources of frustration, as well as experimenting with YANIs from the community. It also follows a unique development model of remaining up-to-date with the latest code added to vanilla, rather than being based on a static release; consequently, new features and improvements in vanilla always get included in xNetHack soon after they are added.

Some of its features include special rooms in maze levels, an overhauled spellcasting system, several new conducts, and several UI enhancements. It can be played on the Hardfought server.

Maintained variants

These variants haven't added any new features in the past year, but someone is still fixing bugs.

GruntHack

GruntHack

GruntHack is a variant intended to extend and enhance the game's existing behavior rather than altering it in any thoroughly substantial way, such as objects of the same object type being made from different materials and occasionally possessing non-standard powers, monsters having different races and using more tactics when fighting other monsters, and more intelligent pet behavior.

Though it enables the player to become significantly more powerful than in vanilla, a number of its changes add significant challenges to the early and late game, making it one of the most difficult variants.

There are public servers at ssh nethack@hardfought.org (USA) and ssh slashem@slashem.me.

NetHack 4

NetHack 4

NetHack 4 is a merge of AceHack and NitroHack, and the official successor to both projects. It aims for gameplay similar to NetHack but with an improved interface. It combines the interface improvements and gameplay changes of AceHack (see its section) with the persistent inventory, larger message box, new status display, new options interface, fully remappable keys, new main menu and other features of NitroHack.

It can be played online on its public server using telnet nethack4.org or ssh nethack43@nethack4.org (password "nethack43") or via ssh nethack@hardfought.org (USA).

For command-line Git access, use git clone nethack4.org/media/nethack4.git.

NetHack Fourk

NetHack Fourk

NetHack Fourk is an experimental fork of NetHack 4. It has four main types of changes: balance adjustments and formula tweaks; differentiation of similar monsters, objects, and levels; consolidation of boring things; and monster letter reorganization. A lot of game mechanics work slightly differently than players tend to be used to. See the changelog for details.

It can be played on the Hardfought server.

SLASH'EM

SLASH'EM

Slash'EM or SLASH'EM, officially SuperLotsaAddedStuffHack - Extended Magic, used to be the foremost variant. This game and its ancestor variants are now part of vanilla NetHack's game history, because of the reuse of certain SLASH'EM code in NetHack 3.3.0.

SLASH'EM puts more effort into killing the hero; plenty of games end on dungeon level 1. There are more than plenty of new monsters, items and magic. The dungeon features several new one-level dungeon branches for the hero to die in. Three new portals lead to quests for artifact keys. The player also has a larger choice of races and roles than in vanilla, and that alone is enough to make an experienced NetHack player rethink strategy.

SLASH'EM started as a combination of two other variants, SLASH and the Wizard Patch. In turn, SLASH was a merger of and addition to NetHack Plus and NetHack--.

SLASH'EM recently switched from 'unmaintained' to 'maintained' status, with the advent of several recent commits that have addressed several bugs. The updated/maintained version can be played on the Hardfought server. An older, unmaintained version can be found at em.slashem.me.

SporkHack

SporkHack

SporkHack is a variant actively developed and tested until December 2011; development was started up again in July of 2017 by community members Tangles and K2. The stated purpose of the variant is to try to bring more challenge to the vanilla game for experienced players, as well as to make things less boring for all players. A patch and a Windows binary are available from the home page; the patch can be applied to a standard NetHack 3.4.3 distribution. SporkHack contains "more interesting" Caveman and Knight roles, and a number of balance adjustments throughout the game to spells, monsters and items... as well as intangibles such as the "to hit" formula. There are also cosmetic changes, for example the master lich is a green L.

Latest development of SporkHack includes bugfixes and functionality enhancement; no changes affecting gameplay or the original author's intent have been made at this time. The repository for version 0.7.0 can be found on GitHub.

The latest developed version (0.7.0) can be played online at the hardfought.org public server via ssh nethack@hardfought.org (discussion in #hardfought on Libera). The older version (0.6.3) can be played online on the em.slashem.me public server using ssh slashem@slashem.me.

3.4.3-HDF

Not a seperate variant per se, but a maintained version of 3.4.3-NAO hosted on hardfought which still gets bug fixes as needed.

Unmaintained variants

These variants aren't being updated at all. Some of them may still have lots of players.

AceHack

AceHack

AceHack is a variant of NetHack that has similar gameplay to NetHack 3.4.3 but an improved interface, e.g. walking into doors opens them automatically, background colors to distinguish tame/peaceful/hostile monsters and stairs under items, describing what's under the cursor while moving it in farlook, and warning before moving into lava. It also includes gameplay changes such as rerolling for items and attributes during character generation, auto-identifying some items under circumstances where the identity is unambiguous, making floating eyes unhittable instead of paralyzing, replacing Stormbringer's disabling of the peaceful attack warning prompt with aggravate monster when wielded, and replacing map and item identity amnesia with draining of skill and spell training.

Development of AceHack has stopped in favor of NetHack 4, itself a merge of AceHack and NitroHack.

As of July 2022, AceHack can be played on the Hardfought server.

DNHslex

DNHslex

DNHslex is a variant of dNetHack maintained by AmyBSOD. It adds more variety by enabling all role, race, gender, and alignment combos for playing, allowing many more monsters and items to be randomly generated, and adding new monsters from other NetHack variants as well. Apart from a bunch of monster shoes from SLASH'EM it tries to remain true to the spirit of dNetHack.

It is playable on the em.slashem.me server.

DynaHack

DynaHack

DynaHack is an experimental variant of NetHack. It mainly merges the new content and challenges of UnNetHack (up to version 4.1.1) onto NitroHack as a base, with its new resizable ASCII interface. It also includes the save system, many bug fixes and selected interface changes from NetHack 4, magical equipment from GruntHack, changes from other variants, and some original changes to add variety and fairness to the gameplay.

It can be played online via ssh nethack@hardfought.org (USA) public server (discussion in #hardfought on Libera).

NetHack brass

NetHack brass

Coming from Japan, NetHack brass (developed by Kōcha Yōkan, which roughly translates to "tea-flavored gelatinous cube") is lesser known among NetHack players who do not speak Japanese. The game is in English but most of the community uses Japanese. NetHack brass adds no new races or roles, but it has a few new items and a redesigned Gehennom. Its major features include the new #skills system and tweaks to how heroes gain experience levels and attributes. Minetown is now filled with shops, while the top of Sokoban offers prizes but permits the player to choose one and only one.

Despite the many changes in this variant, they do not feel so drastic, and NetHack brass feels more like vanilla than the other variants.

NetHack: The Next Generation

NetHack: The Next Generation

NetHack: The Next Generation was a variant that has mostly fallen into disuse. TNG contains several strange new monsters and items, but is mostly remembered for the Geek class and the Douglas Adams themed monsters.

NitroHack

NitroHack

NitroHack is a variant that aims to be a modern, network-capable fork of the classic game.

It features native netplay via its client (connect to nitrohack.org), and can support any client that can speak its new JSON-based protocol; a web client is planned. It uses an enhanced version of the Curses interface, has fully remappable key controls and character display, dungeon overview, and UI improvements from AceHack. It also records full play logs, allowing players to view interactive replays of current and finished games. Its savegame code is notoriously buggy, though.

Development of NitroHack has stopped in favor of NetHack 4, itself a merge of AceHack and NitroHack. NitroHack also lives on in DynaHack, another modern variant that is based on NitroHack. Both NetHack 4 and DynaHack thankfully fix the buggy savegame code of NitroHack.

SpliceHack

SpliceHack

SpliceHack is a variant that was unintentionally released only a few hours before 3.6.1; it is now based on NetHack 3.7.0.

The main goal of SpliceHack is to make the game much more interesting and dynamic by adding additional content, while being as accessible as possible to those used to playing vanilla NetHack. A secondary goal is to maintain a level of balance and difficulty that is similar to vanilla. The variant is updated frequently, and YANIs are actively incorporated into the code. The author has described it as what SLASH'EM might look like if SLASH'EM had been based on NetHack 3.6.1.

SpliceHack features a large number of new monsters, items, locations, and effects. It also includes a number of extensible and dynamic features, such as monsters that are random fusions of other monsters and allowing pets to gain resistances through corpses. It can be played on the Hardfought server.

During 2021, SpliceHack was rewritten on a clean 3.7.0-dev base and discarded some perennially troublesome features, culminating in the release of version 1.0.0. Development and bugfix support later ended in 2022.

UnNetHackPlus

UnNetHackPlus

UnNetHackPlus is a variant whose main intent was to put more randomness, challenges and fun into UnNetHack (i.e. the same intent as UnNetHack). UnNetHackPlus incorporates many changes from other variants and patches as well as its own to form into a fun and balanced variant. It is the only known variant that outright removes Sokoban. Its biggest improvements live on, having been implemented in UnNetHack and DynaHack.

3.4.3-NAO

3.4.3-NAO

nethack.alt.org, commonly abbreviated to NAO, is one of the oldest NetHack public servers, and by far the most popular. For many years, they maintained their own variant of NetHack, based on NetHack 3.4.3. It is meant to provide identical gameplay to vanilla 3.4.3. The changes they do include are bugfixes, interface improvements, removal of exploits, changes to allow tracking more statistics, a few popular patches, and minor miscellaneous improvements. It was long regarded as the best one to use if you wanted something as similar as possible to vanilla NetHack 3.4.3 but with the bugs fixed. However, it has largely been displaced by NetHack 3.6.1, which incorporates all of the bugfixes and nearly all of the quality-of-life improvements.

After the release of 3.6.1, alt.org stopped hosting and updating it. It can still be played on hardfought.org. The source, for the time being, remains available at http://alt.org/nethack/naonh.php.

Historically significant patches

Biodiversity patch

The biodiversity patch by Nicholas Aodhagan Webb adds several monsters to the game, adjusts some monster behaviors and adds a few other features. This patch is about populating the dungeon with monsters, not about changing the dungeon. It even adds more trees.

Some of the changes have a basis in reality (like echolocation for bats), but there are also some serious nasties, including the disintegrator and the goldbug.

Convict patch

This patch adds the Convict, a role more difficult than the Tourist. A large number of variants include this patch.

Lethe patch

The Lethe patch by Michael Clarke seems to be only a minor change to the game, before you reach Medusa. There you find the River Lethe which leads you into a very different Gehennom.

There are many new scares down there. If you are sufficiently powerful, then you can fight through it all, but it will be far more difficult than the boring and relatively benign mazes of vanilla. Type carefully, and do not step into the river that causes amnesia. At Moloch's Sanctum, the high priest of Moloch is Cthulhu...

These days, more players choose SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7, which has most of the new items and monsters from this patch, but not the changed levels. Until the levels are integrated, one can play SLethe which includes the new levels. There is a 0.0.7E7F3 SLethe playground on em.slashem.me.

Infidel patch

The Infidel patch adds a role that specializes in offensive magic, with some similarities to Priests, and to Flame Mages from SLASH'EM. They can be humans or orcs; like Priests, they have a random pantheon, but Infidels always follow Moloch. The Infidel role offers a slightly unusual game, as they start with the Amulet of Yendor and are initially tasked with returning it to Moloch's Sanctum. There are a number of other quirks as well. The variants EvilHack and Hack'EM incorporate this patch.

See also


A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

" There are probably other "historically significant patches" floating around out there that aren't documented here; the Bard Patch comes to mind."