So in twenty years of playing Nethack, I have apparently "missed the point" of the game, by not choosing to play with self-imposed restrictions?

Actually, come to think of it, that statement doesn't even apply. My self-imposed restriction was to take no notes, not even after identifying rare items.

Personally, I think my tactic for identifying magic lamps counts as "hacking" according to your earlier definition.

I think you're missing the point now. Again, no disrespect to you or your Nethack abilities; ascending a character is serious evidence of skills.

What I wanted to point out is something you didn't emphasize: using and abusing the rules is what makes Nethack a unique gaming experience. Self-imposed restrictions aren't the only way to go, but they do force you to abuse the rules more heavily than without.

Here are some classics that demonstrate what I'm talking about: - foodless atheist polyless: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/m...? - pacifist, with Pestilence as his pet: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/m...?

That read is absolutely HILARIOUS. "A few more war dogs ran out and attacked. I have to say I'm slightly terrified by them. One of the bitches actually gave birth while she was attacking, and her puppies joined in on the carnage"

That's where I played the game mentioned in the writeup, in fact. I wonder if the replay is still buried in the server somewhere...

Thank you. :) Yes, I bent the metaphor over backwards, but, Nethack does the same thing to the brain, so, it's all good...

Well laa dee daa, aren't you cool. Speaking as the author of that essay, I can tell you, I did my fair share of hacking. I'll go up against you in a hacker dick-measuring contest any day. Back in 1992 I was rolling my own builds of Nethack on a university server, OVER DIALUP, to play it my own way. And before Nethack I was hex-editing my copy of Beneath Apple Manor. So nyeah.

"I can tell you, I did my fair share of hacking."

This is a fair response. I didn't feel your essay brought out that aspect of the game very well, but I have no reason to doubt it happened. IMO, the use and abuse of the game's rules are the most interesting bit of Nethack, and I wanted to highlight that.

"I'll go up against you in a hacker dick-measuring contest any day."

This is ridiculous and in no way appropriate. I meant nothing personal by my comment.