From 48ae0eb46e31f83743452580428e9314904784f4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "G. Branden Robinson" Date: Wed, 6 May 2026 04:19:40 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] doc/nethack.6: Rewrite initial description I noticed that the "Dungeons & Dragons" trademark acknowledgement should be using the _registered_ trade mark sign instead of the more general one, as the mark's enjoyed registered status (in the U.S.) since 1978. https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/search/search-results/73123558 It occurred to me that updating the game description for a 2026 audience might be an improvement on one that assumes the reader is familiar with D&D, with Teletype machines ("TTYs"), and with the Rogue game, which NetHack arguably eclipsed in notoriety decades ago. So I rewrote it, and dropped the references to D&D. Besides, as of commit c99da87c700, NetHack is incompatible with "Strength Table I." in the AD&D Player's Handbook (TSR 2010, p. 9), so any grognard who lifts would snatch NetHack's D&D membership card away anyway. ;-) --- doc/nethack.6 | 15 ++++++++++----- 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) diff --git a/doc/nethack.6 b/doc/nethack.6 index 081bd6c39..7decd3bf5 100644 --- a/doc/nethack.6 +++ b/doc/nethack.6 @@ -123,10 +123,17 @@ can be any of the following. .hw nethackdir .SH DESCRIPTION .I NetHack -is a display oriented Dungeons & Dragons(tm) - like game. -The standard tty display and command structure resemble rogue. +is a fantasy-themed game of surival, +exploration, +and combat +set in the Mazes of Menace, +an elaborate underground complex. .PP -Other, more graphical display options exist for most platforms. +Traditionally, +the game's interface uses a Unix terminal connection, +depicting the interface on a grid of character cells +and responding to keyboard-entered commands. +Other interface options exist for most platforms. .PP To get started you really only need to know two commands. The command @@ -658,5 +665,3 @@ Probably infinite. This file is Copyright \*(co \*(Na, \*(Nd for version \*(Nb:\*(Nr. NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. -.PP -Dungeons & Dragons is a Trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.