This is the home public server of SporkHack, a Nethack 3.4.3 variant with a number of changes.
The current version is 0.6.3.

As of 12/4/2011, active development on Sporkhack has been formally suspended; real-life concerns have taken priority for the developers.
The svn repository and public server will remain available; there are no plans to take either down.

To play, simply telnet to sporkhack.com, create an account, and select 'p'lay.
For discussion and up-to-the-minute info on changes, come join us on #sporkhack at irc.freenode.net, or go to this client page to jump right in.
If you want to connect via SSH, use this ssh key and the user name "spork". There is no password; it goes directly to the main menu.

Major changes will happen no more frequently than every Sunday night.
I will try to avoid breaking save compatibility whenever possible, but I can't make any guarantees. I _can_ avoid doing so more frequently than once a week, however; and when I do, Sunday nights will be it, UNLESS... there is a critical bug somewhere. Those I will fix as soon as I find 'em, because I can't really have game crashes, the potential to start unwinnable games, etc.
Please report all bugs to spork@sporkhack.com.

What is this all about, anyway? Read the design concept...

An installer containing Windows binaries is now available!
These binaries were last compiled on 8/29/10, and can be downloaded from here.
The latest bleeding-edge patch itself can be downloaded here.
This is a diff against the 3.4.3 vanilla source.
You can also (as of 6/30/08) access the bleeding-edge code via anonymous svn from svn://sporkhack.com/nh. There is no guarantee of stability -- be warned :)

The High Score List for sporkhack.com is now available.
The Most Common Wishes on sporkhack.com...

If you need to reference it, the default rcfile that new accounts receive can be viewed here.
*** If you don't see a particular change you're looking for, you can consult the changelog archive. ***

Changelog so far...

8/29:

• PK: Redesign opening character screen

5/2:

• PK: Fix bug where randomly generated trees on Monk and Priest levels might destroy portal, rendering Quest worthless

4/29:

• PK: Fix bug where Quest nemeses were missing Bell of Opening (oops)

4/25:

• PK: Add circles and ellipses to level compiler
• DR: Server updated, saves broken. Windows version recompiled.

4/24:

• PK: Tweak Rogue home level nymph and leprechaun placements to be random

4/23:

• PK: Make polyself, engraving, and wishing prompts offer previously entered string as default (TTY port only)

4/21:

• PK: Tweak TERRAIN command significantly; see svn for details
• PK: Add two new bigrooms
• PK: From UnNethack: multiply price shown by item quantity when stepping on item pile

4/11:

• PK: Tweak Barbarian quest levels
• PK: Randomize amount of monsters/objects/traps in most .des files (within sensible limits)
• PK: Breaking expensive camera occasionally releases the picture-painting demon trapped inside (Original patch: Leon Arnott)
• PK: Tweak Valkyrie and Monk quest levels
• PK: Adapted Leon Arnott's "label-reading" patch. Some tins also now have a label.

4/10:

• PK: Fix some memory leaks (oops :)
• PK: Add Dark Room patch (Clive Crous), with option to toggle (Patric Mueller)
• PK: More level compiler commands can now accept variables
• PK: Add "use_darkgray" option to use dark gray instead of blue for black items/monsters (Michael Deutschmann)
• PK: Tweak bigroom levels a bit
• PK: Occasionally items will be generated eroded

4/9:

• PK: Add concatenation for variables
• PK: Tweak Wizard's tower a little bit

4/8:

• PK: Add variable/integer comparisons (simple only, see svn)
• PK: Several other tweaks to MAPCHAR and light status

4/6:

• PK: Allow integer math in level compiler
• PK: Allow erodeproof objects to be created
• PK: Allow xdx notation to create random values

4/5:

• PK: Fix bug in subroom wallification routine
• PK: Improve variable error reporting in level compiler
• PK: Tweak how alignment is set in level compiler for random alignment
• PK: Allow variables in many fields in level compiler (see svn for details)

4/4:

• PK: Major update to variables in level compiler; add array support. (see svn for details)
• PK: Fix WALLWALK coordinate translation
• PK: Randomize location of "court" monsters in CASTLE inside throne room
• PK: Fix giant turtle vision-blocking after save + load
• PK: Fix bug in fixworm patch application
• PK: Can now pass variables to ENGRAVING: in level compiler
• PK: Less gold on dungeon floor
• PK: Change wizmode mapping ^F to use menu; make it reveal traps, items, and monsters as well
• PK: Change OBJECT format in level compiler
• PK: Change MONSTER format in level compiler
• PK: Improve error messages from level compiler, remove unused code

4/3:

• PK: Add beginnings of variable support to level compiler
• DR: Add different version of fixworm patch to stop stupid long worm crashes

4/2:

• PK: Remove unnecessary special-field definitions from Gehennom/Mines corpse OBJECTs.
• PK: Make Perseus no longer be neuter in all medusa variants

3/31:

• PK: Allow light state to be controlled by terrain-change commands in level compiler (see svn for nauseating detail)

3/30:

• PK: Fix conditionals inside CONTAINERs in des-files (from Patric Mueller)
• PK: Allow every .des-file level statement within object containers, even if results may not make sense. (Cleans up code and allows flow control functionality when defining containers)
• PK: Make yacc code prettier (DR: "Can yacc code ever be pretty?")
• PK: Quest leader, friendlies, and nemesis now have suitable inventory
• PK: Small changes to priest, valkyrie, and samurai quest levels

3/29:

• PK: Move hardcoded secret door creation for top level of Wizard's tower into .des file
• PK: Bug fixes in door creation routine
• PK: Wizmode ^F command now also reveals secret doors if desired

3/28:

• PK: Fix S343-2
• PK: Tweak Wizard quest 'locate' level
• PK: Allow permanent REGIONs to contain room-style commands (see svn for details)
• PK: Add wizmode command #rooms to show room numbers and shared boundaries

3/27:

• PK: Add new critter: Giant Turtle.

3/24:

• PK: Steal UnNethack patch: show price of items in shops without having to #chat

3/23:

• PK: Tweak Wizard quest levels more

3/21:

• PK: Improve DOOR creation in level compiler; allow secret as door state and creation where no door defined on MAP
• PK: Tweak Wizard quest levels

3/15:

• PK: Convert telepathy into ranged attribute; eating telepathy-inducing corpses increases the range.

3/7:

• PK: Reduce the number of walls converted to iron bars.

2/7:

• DR: Disallow wall-phaser and unsolid shambling horrors to stop error spam
• DR: Windows binaries updated

Things that will never be implemented: here

Not yet Implemented...(partial "ideas list")

Cloaks have a chance of protecting items in inventory based on the cloak's natural (ie. non-enchantment) AC.
Rebalance spell schools completely and make sure spell skills matter more
nets and/or "web" spell
Key patch (make #force matter)
Amulet of zombification
little red wagon
#chat to hostiles makes threats

(Rax's ideas below this line; blame Rax, LOL Rax.)

"Rock me, Asmodeus!": YAFM if you petrify Asmodeus
milky potions shouldn't be vegan!: it's good to make people pay attention
wumpodes/octopodes: pluralize these words "correctly"
random generation of ; on watery levels like Medusa

Alignment Spoiler

The original Less Boring Knight Patch
The original Less Boring Caveman Patch

A big "thank you" to runcible and raxvulpine from #nethack, who both helped immeasurably by being a sounding board and sanity check for all my crazy ideas during April and May. :)

If you would like to contact me about SporkHack, please send mail to this address.