[crossfire] RFC: dynamic alchemy

[Mark Wedel]

  Looking at the readable code, there are basically 6 readable object types. 
I'm not sure if any treasure lists explicitly try to creatable alchemy books, 
but if not, each has equal chance.

(the 6 types are monster info, artifact info, spellpath, formula, god, and stuff 
from the message file).

  One could make the case that spellpath and god info should occur less 
frequently.  God info perhaps not at all, and spellpath less info just simply 
because there are not a lot of spellpaths, so not a whole bunch of need to 
create as many of those.

  I do think the hash method should be removed.  I do think readable books (not 
just alchemy) should show up more often.  I can go into that random dungeon and 
get hundreds of scrolls, but only a a few readable objects.  Some of this is 
based on the fact that scrolls come in groups, but even then, scrolls (and 
spellbooks) for that matter show up a lot.  This may be because those show up in 
monsters, where I think readables only show up in random treasure/treasure chests.

  I also agree that the ingredients are also generally too hard to find.

  I remember in a commercial RPG game, there was some alchemy, and basically at 
the start of the game, you could find the basic ingrediants (flowers/minerals) 
just laying on the ground and make a fair number of what amounted to be cure 
light (or regain a few mana point) potions.  The alchemy formula should be 
redone so something in similiar - at low levels, you can find the formula to 
make basic potions (a new set of less powerful potions may be in order).  And 
the ingrediants for these should also be easy.