May I make a suggestion?
Rather than argue for the importance of including graphics, we use this topic to discuss suggestions.
So far, the only suggestions
that I've seen are
(edit: which is to say I could have missed a few):
- Seperation of the font file and the tileset, so that dwarves do not have levers and other game objects in their names (among other benefits), with each object being capable of having its own unique entry.
- Grouping classes of objects (primarily monsters, I believe) to a single letter (for example 'f' for "feline")
In response to these ideas... the first I believe is the eventual goal of the graphics system. Honestly, though, I fail to see why having "objects" in text is a major problem, since context is a clear indicator of when it's text and when it's an object on the screen. However, I can see other problems with just text-based graphics, even though I don't personally suffer them; but that's because I've always found roguelikes appealing.
The second idea... all I can say is this is an awesome idea; if we further use colors to distinguish between individual species, we should have plenty. We'd need to reserve five characters to the sapient species (who have different colors for different jobs), but subtracting those, ASCII with the current level of color customization (which I believe can and should be improved, eventually), we can support 32128 different objects by using the full except of the 256 characters, and 128 colors. And that doesn't even include using chameleon effects - plus wasn't there a way to set the background color to bright (which would double that number)? Mind you, that'd include ALL objects, not just creatures - so we'd have significantly less for just creatures. Still, it's most likely enough, and we might be able to squeeze more if all megabeasts and similar creatures of h4x do that glowy thing where they go between dark and bright.
What were you saying about us surpassing ASCII's limitations again?
And we're not even talking about context, here~
Oh, and in the spirit of suggestions... my suggestion is that full RGB support be added to ASCII mode. I'm very willing to wait a few years though, if it's for the sake of awesome features like making monsters with superstrong right arms of death, and taking the war to the goblins, and stuff. :O