NetHack/Beginning

This visual tour introduces one to ../. This chapter describes the beginning keys and dungeon exploration. More advanced combat will be at ../Combat/.

NetHack can be difficult to play at first because
 * there are several keys to learn
 * the graphics are drawn with ASCII characters
 * the various types of items are unfamiliar

NetHack makes this easier by providing graphical user interfaces in environments like x11 and Microsoft Windows. This tutorial will instead describe the tty (terminal) port. This port uses only ASCII characters and runs on a terminal, such as a Unix or DOS console or a telnet client. By learning the "tty" port, one can play on public telnet servers (like nethack.alt.org). One will also start recognising the ASCII letters of each monster (useful for reading Dudley's dungeon webcomic).

Configuring NetHack
The configuration used in the screenshots below is: OPTIONS=!autopickup,autodig OPTIONS=color,hilite_pet,lit_corridor,DECgraphics,boulder:8 OPTIONS=showexp,showscore,time,msg_window:f OPTIONS=fruit:salad,catname:Morris,dogname:Fido OPTIONS=race:elf,disclose:+i+a+v+g+c

In particular, note the use of "color" and "DECgraphics" to enhance the graphics. Boulders will appear as 8, which is easier to see than `, the default for boulders.

Starting NetHack
When one starts NetHack, one of two things happens:
 * the saved game loads itself
 * you are prompted for a new character

This is a new game. By default, the prompt lets you pick race, role, and gender. The example configuration uses "race:elf", so elf is assumed as the race:



Press y to let the game pick randomly or press n to use menus to pick. (Press q to quit NetHack.) After choosing the character, the game introduces the plot:



The game now stops at a --More-- prompt. This prompt gives the player time to read some text before NetHack decides to show additional text or return to the map. When you see this prompt, read (or skip) the text, then press space bar to proceed.

After proceeding from the plot introduction, the game shows the map for the first time. This is a map of dungeon level 1:



There are some things to notice about this screen:
 * In NetHack, you and the other characters are literally characters. The @ with a cursor on it is you, the player.
 * The d is a pet little dog. The d is highlighted because "hilite_pet" is on the configuration.
 * You might start with a cat f or horse u instead. (Remember, "f" means feline and "u" means unicorn. Whoever added horses to this game thought that they were similar enough to unicorns to use "u".)
 * Most of the screen is blank. The player has not explored most of this dungeon level.
 * One room is visible. We can see the entire room because it is lit with dots . showing the entire room. (This dungeon contains many lit, rectangular rooms!)
 * Because we have "DECgraphics", the wall looks like a box instead of hyphens - and pipes |. The wall contains closed doors + and a doorway . without a door. We cannot see past the doorway because it is not lit.
 * If you start your own game, the room will look different. That is because NetHack randomly generates the dungeon each time. The room in the example does not contain items, but does have a fountain { east of the player.

Moving Around
Learn the eight moving keys so we can move the @ around to explore the dungeon. These keys consist of four "vi" keys for moving in four directions (up, down, left, right), and four "diagonal" keys for diagonal movement.

The four vi keys are "h", "j", "k", "l". These keys originate from the "vi" editor. The Wikibook Learning the vi editor in its chapter Basic tasks, has this to say:


 * Note: your arrow keys may be set up to work, and you can use them if you like, but for proficiency and for advanced work later, you should learn to use the letter keys.

In NetHack, the four arrow keys are probably not set up. (Sometimes they work in the DOS port.) Even if arrow keys are available, because many other NetHack commands (like "vi" commands) are letters, it is easier to use letters for movement. So one should learn the vi keys:
 * h moves left, and l moves right, because h is on the left side and l is on the right side of the keys on the keyboard.
 * j moves down, and k moves up. If you think j is up and k is down, then you will learn the correct way after some practice.

The four diagonal keys are "y", "u", "b", "n". This is a group of four keys on the keyboard; look at their place on the keyboard to see how they work. New players might prefer to just use the vi keys. The diagonal keys are necessary when fighting monsters and for negative diagonal paths.

Exploring a Dungeon Path
Continuing with the example game, the player starts moving around in the room and.

To open a door, press o for the open command. At the prompt, In which direction? because this door is to the left, press h for left to open the door:



The player now uses h, y, and k to travel along the path. The player encounters some intersections but continues to travel northwest:



In the darkness of the above corridor, the player can see ahead by only one square, but the player memorises the location of all discovered corridors and rooms.

The player. Later, the pet dog follows the player into the room:



The player opens another door and a. On entering the room, the player discovers a potion ! that is the first item that this player finds: