ADOM Manual

Appendix B: Customizing ADOM

It is possible to set certain default values for ADOM with the standard configuration file. The name of the file and its location depends on the system you are playing ADOM on. The system-related readme file (readme.linux, readme.dos or readme.amiga) accompanying this distribution will give you more details about this. The configuration file can contain certain variables which control parts of ADOM's behaviour. This file is a plain ASCII file.

Generally a line in the configuration file can start with or without a '#'. If the line starts with a '#' it is considered to be a comment and will be ignored. Otherwise ADOM expects to find something that looks like this:

        <variable> = <value>

For example a line might contain the following text:

        Name = Big Bang

        Recovery = 400

ADOM recognizes a certain number of variables which have a specific meanings. Each variable must have a value of a certain type. Allowed types are strings, numbers (only whole integers) and Boolean values ('true' and 'false'). Strings which contain whitespace must be enclosed by ' (see above).

ADOM variables also can be set during the game with the ': =' command which requires the user to enter a line in the format explained above. Invalid variables will be highlighted in red color.

The following variables are currently recognized:

Allow_Default_Names

true, false: defaults to 'false' and allows you to determine whether the default names provided by ADOM for you will be used or not if you press ENTER when asked to input a name

Auto_Open_Doors

true, false: will ask automatically whether you want to unlock a locked door (if you have the appropriate key)

Auto_Lock_Doors

true, false: ADOM will automatically ask you whether you'd like to lock a door while closing it, if you have an appropriate key. By default this variable is set to 'true'.

Auto_Lock_Nearest

true, false: if set to true, the targeting code (used for missile weapons and a few spells) will automatically use the nearest monster as the new target, if no monster was locked before.

Auto_Pickup

string containing the symbols of items chosen from the following categories, which are to be picked up whenever you move on a field containing items of that type:

          [  Armor, shields, cloaks, boots, girdles, gauntlets and helmets
          *  Gems
          o  Rocks
          ]  Tools
          '  Necklaces
          (  Melee weapons
          }  Missile weapons
          /  Missiles
          =  Rings
          \  Wands
          !  Potions
          ?  Scrolls
          ~  Bracers
          %  Food
          $  Gold
          {  Instruments
          "  Books

Auto_Select_Doors

true, false: if set to false, ADOM won't try to determine the appropriate door in the vicinity of your PC when you try to open or close a door. The default value is true.

Base_Delay_Factor

number: determines the number of hundreds of a second ADOM delays actions (like two steps for a fireball, etc.). The default value is 10. To prevent input errors ADOM only accept values in the range of 0 to 100.

Check_Item_In_Hand

true, false: if set to 'true' you will be asked if you want to wield an item other than a pick axe, a torch or a melee weapon

Class

any of the available classes

Class_Mask

string consisting of characters chosen from the following list:

        a - Fighter
        b - Paladin
        c - Ranger
        d - Thief
        e - Assassin
        f - Wizard
        g - Priest
        h - Bard
        i - Monk
        j - Healer
        k - Weaponsmith
        l - Archer
        m - Merchant
        n - Farmer
        o - Mindcrafter
        p - Barbarian
        q - Druid
        r - Necromancer
        s - Elementalist
        t - Beastfighter

If you choose to randomly select your class (with the 'F'ate option during character creation) the classes in 'Class_Mask' won't be selected. Thus you can cross out certain classes you do not like.

Colored_Menus

true, false: if set to 'false' you won't have to endure the colored menus (and yes, there probably will be configurable colors for the menus at some point in the future although it's pretty low priority for me).

Colored_PC

true, false: if set to 'false' the player icon '@' will be displayed in white -- otherwise the color is dependent on your class.

Compact_Kill_List

true, false: if set to 'true' the final kill list will be compacted by printing more than just one killed monster type per line.

Display_Key_Code

true, false: if set to 'true' you will see the keys you pressed during a multi-key command

Fast_Missile_Readying

true, false: will prompt you whether you want to add a (heap of) missiles to your missile slot when the missile slot is empty

Fast_More

true, false: if set to 'true' any key will be accepted when the '(more)' prompt is displayed. Setting this variable to 'true' is equivalent to pressing 'C-k' once at the start of the game.

Fated_Gender

true, false: if set to true, ADOM will select the gender for your character

Item_Status_Color

One of the following constants:

          blue
          green
          cyan
          red
          magenta
          brown
          light gray
          dark gray
          light blue
          light green
          light cyan
          light red
          light magenta
          yellow
          white

This definition determines the color of inventory entries that have been succesfully identified. The traditional setting is 'light gray'.

Low_Hitpoint_Warning

true, false: if set to true ADOM will beep (or flash the screen if beeping is impossible but flashing is possible on your system) if the hitpoints of your character fall below 20% (or 15 -- whichever is lower).

Message_Buffer_Size

A number, which describes the size of the message buffer in lines. The value is required to be between 50 and 10000.

Metric_Measuring

true, false; if set to true, your height and weight will be printed according to metric measuring

Name

the default name for your PC

Nice_Stuff

true, false: if set to true the stuff list will display cursed items in red and blessed items in green.

No_Book_Spellcasting

true, false: If set to true you no longer will be prompted about whether to learn a spell from a book or cast it from the book.

Persistence

a numeric value; determines the number of steps that will pass when you use the 'walk mode' to search in one place (see -> Continuous search via 'w s'); the default value is 20

Questioned_Attributes

true, false: determines whether the player will be allowed to determine the PC attributes by answering questions. The default value is 'true'.

Quitters_Allowed

true, false: if set to 'true' all games in which you quit will also be recorded in the highscore

Race

any of the allowed races -- don't forget the ' for races like High Elf

Race_Mask

a string consisting of one or more of the following characters:

        a - Human
        b - Troll
        c - High Elf
        d - Gray Elf
        e - Dark Elf
        f - Dwarf
        g - Gnome
        h - Hurthling
        i - Orc
        j - Drakeling

If you choose to randomly select your race (with the 'F'ate option during character creation) the races in 'Race_Mask' won't be selected. Thus you can cross out certain races you do not like.

Random_PC

true, false; determines whether a randomly rolled character will be used each time you start ADOM

Recovery

a numeric value; determines the number of steps that will pass when you use the 'walk mode' to wait in one place; the default value is 50

Reload_Missiles

true, false: if set to true, ADOM will query you, whether you want to equip another missile once you run out of ammunition.

Reverse_Message_Order

true, false: determines the order in which the messages are displayed in the message buffer; true means that the latest messages will be displayed at the bottom, false means that the latest messages will be displayed at the top; 'true' is the default value

Sex

male, female

Short_Log_Format

string: the string is used by ADOM to create a log file. The string contains one character for each set of information to be included in the log file. The following options can be used:

        a: Achievements (attribute changes, ...)
        b: Background of the PC
        c: Spells
        d: PC data (attributes, ...)
        e: Effects of corruption
        i: Items in the inventory
        k: Kill list of the PC
        l: Skills
        m: Items in the backpack
        s: Screenshot
        w: Weapon skills

The default is: "dbim".

Show_Experience

true, false: if set to 'true' ADOM will display all experience points the PC gains

Sorted_Skills

true, false: if set to 'true' the skill list will be ordered alphabetically

Starvation_Warning

true, false: if set to 'true', ADOM will beep if you are in danger of starving.

Uncursed_String

string: some people don't seem to like the word 'uncursed' ADOM uses to describe an item that is neither cursed nor blessed. You can define an alternative by using this environment variable. Be careful about what you do since ADOM does not check your definition and using 'cursed' or 'blessed' is possible, too. Moral: he who confuses himself gets what he deserves.

Verbose_Level_Messages

true, false: defaults to 'false'; if set to 'true', level messages will be displayed whenever you enter a special level, otherwise only on the first time

Verbose_Log_Format

string: This string has the same format as 'Short_Log_Format'. ADOM internally does not care about the format of the two strings (and which one is longer). The intention of these two environment variables simply is to allow the user to have two different means of creating a logfile. The default is: "sdbwcleimka".

Walk_Carefully

true, false: if set to 'true' ADOM will abort from Walk-Mode as soon as you spot a non-tame monster.

Zap_Wands_In_Hand

true, false: if set to 'true' ADOM will ask whether to zap wands currently equipped in the left or right hand. Otherwise such equipped wands will be ignored.

If you initially do not have a configuration file, ADOM will create one for you.

APPENDIX C: Command Line Options

ADOM can be supplied with some command line options to make it do certain things. Up to now the following command line options are supported:

-b: display the license for the game binary
-c <file>: forces ADOM to use as configuration file
-d: display the directories being used
-D: display meta-game data
-h: display the available command line options
--help: display this help text
-k: use the standard keymap
-l <name>: load the saved game
-m: use monochrome display
-n: forbids ADOM to use any configuration file
-o: prints the used compiler options
-r: create keymap reference file 'keyref.kbd'
-s: displays the complete highscore
-S: dump complete highscore to 'hiscore.doc'
-t<maxnum>: save RNG test in 'rngtest.txt'
-T<maxnum>: save RNG series test in 'rngstest.txt'
-v: display the current version of ADOM.

The syntax for calling ADOM with options is:

         adom [-b] [-c <file>] [-d] [-D] [-h] [--help] [-k] [-l <name>] [-m]
              [-n] [-o] [-r] [-s] [-S][-t<maxnum>] [-T<maxnum>] [-v]

Important note: If you have changed the default keymap, but would like to have a reference file of the original bindings, you need to call ADOM like this:

         adom -k -r

(It's important that the '-k' is set before the '-r'!)

APPENDIX D: Customizing the Keymap

ADOM allows you to customize the keybindings used during the game for invoking commands to a certain extent. When ADOM is started it searches for a file called 'adom.kbd' (or '.adom.kbd' on Linux systems) in your data directory (call 'adom -d' to determine your data directory). This file contains a description of its syntax, which should answer all questions. Customizing a keymap to a very specific system requires quite some work on your side if you want to use special keys and such stuff (you will need to know the ASCII codes your system generates when a special key is pressed).

Note that customization is possible only to a certain extent.

If you would like to have a printed reference of your own keymap bindings at hand, you can enter

         adom -r

at your command prompt. This will make ADOM to create a file called 'keyref.kbd', which contains the current bindings and can be printed on any line printer. Check it for the details about how to define new key bindings.