MSGTYPE

MSGTYPE is an option introduced in NetHack 3.6.0 which adds configuration options allowing the user to change how messages are displayed. For specific messages, it can force a --More-- prompt, prevent messages from printing repeatedly, or prevent unimportant messages from printing at all.

Prior to 3.6.0, it existed as a patch against NetHack 3.4.3. You can get it as a patch here.

Format

The format is

MSGTYPE=foo "string to match"

Where "foo" is one of "hide", "stop" or "norep", and the string to match is a message to be matched. Regular expressions are supported.

• "hide" hides the message, so it's never shown.
• "stop" always prompts for --More-- after the message.
• "norep" shows the message, but not again if no other message is shown in between.
• "show" shows the message, each time. This is the default, and probably never needs to be explicitly configured.

When multiple string expressions match a message, the last matching rule is used. Thus, put the general cases first, and exceptions below.

Uses

MSGTYPE can be used to:

• call attention to delayed instadeaths.
• kill typeahead in dangerous or conduct-wrecking situations.
• focus attention on the important parts of battle by removing the less serious "spam".
• reduce the amount of spaces you need to type for common actions.
• ignore functionally useless common messages.

You might want different configurations for different stages of the game.

Examples

# displacing pets
MSGTYPE=hide "You swap places with .*"

# unclogging the screen
MSGTYPE=hide "Your tentacles suck the .*"

# items on floor
MSGTYPE=norep "You see here a.*"

# delayed instadeaths
MSGTYPE=stop "The .* (grabs|swings itself around) you!"
MSGTYPE=stop "You don't feel very well."
MSGTYPE=stop "You are turning a little green."
MSGTYPE=stop "Your limbs are getting oozy."
MSGTYPE=stop "Your skin begins to peel away."
MSGTYPE=stop "You are turning into a green slime."
MSGTYPE=stop "You are slowing down."
MSGTYPE=stop "Your limbs are stiffening."
MSGTYPE=stop "It constricts your throat!"
MSGTYPE=stop "You find it hard to breathe."
MSGTYPE=stop "You're gasping for air."
MSGTYPE=stop "Your blood is having trouble reaching your brain."
MSGTYPE=stop "You can no longer breathe."
MSGTYPE=stop "You're turning blue."
MSGTYPE=stop "Your consciousness is fading."
MSGTYPE=stop "You feel deathly sick."
MSGTYPE=stop "You feel (much|even) worse."

# Things that aren't dangerous by themselves but could kill you if you don't notice.
MSGTYPE=stop "You fail to cast the spell correctly."
MSGTYPE=stop "You see here a c(hi|o)ckatrice corpse." 
MSGTYPE=stop "You are beginning to feel weak."

# Don't speed past wrest message when wresting
MSGTYPE=stop "You wrest .*"

# Don't miss the vibrating square
MSGTYPE=stop "You feel a strange vibration under your *."
MSGTYPE=stop "You feel a strange vibration beneath you."

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.6.1. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-361}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.