v1.3.0: ascension challenge now better controls enemy numbers and aggro

core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/Dungeon.java

@@ -415,12 +415,17 @@ public class Dungeon {
 		PathFinder.setMapSize(level.width(), level.height());
 		
 		Dungeon.level = level;
+		hero.pos = pos;
+
 		Mob.restoreAllies( level, pos );
+
+		if (hero.buff(AscensionChallenge.class) != null){
+			hero.buff(AscensionChallenge.class).onLevelSwitch();
+		}
+
 		Actor.init();
 
 		level.addRespawner();
-
-		hero.pos = pos;
 		
 		for(Mob m : level.mobs){
 			if (m.pos == hero.pos){
@@ -439,10 +444,6 @@ public class Dungeon {
 		
 		hero.curAction = hero.lastAction = null;
 
-		if (hero.buff(AscensionChallenge.class) != null){
-			hero.buff(AscensionChallenge.class).onLevelSwitch();
-		}
-
 		observe();
 		try {
 			saveAll();

core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/actors/buffs/AscensionChallenge.java

@@ -89,12 +89,14 @@ public class AscensionChallenge extends Buff {
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	//mobs get constantly beckoned to the hero at 2.5+ stacks
+	//distant mobs get constantly beckoned to the hero at 2.5+ stacks
 	public static void beckonEnemies(){
 		if (Dungeon.hero.buff(AscensionChallenge.class) != null
 				&& Dungeon.hero.buff(AscensionChallenge.class).stacks >= 2.5f){
 			for (Mob m : Dungeon.level.mobs){
-				if (m.alignment == Char.Alignment.ENEMY) m.beckon(Dungeon.hero.pos);
+				if (m.alignment == Char.Alignment.ENEMY && m.distance(Dungeon.hero) > 8) {
+					m.beckon(Dungeon.hero.pos);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -204,6 +206,16 @@ public class AscensionChallenge extends Buff {
 				} else if (stacks >= 2.5f){
 					toSay = Messages.get(this, "beckon");
 				}
+
+				//clears any existing mobs from the level and adds one initial one
+				//this helps balance difficulty between levels with lots of mobs left, and ones with few
+				for (Mob mob : Dungeon.level.mobs.toArray( new Mob[0] )) {
+					if (!mob.reset()) {
+						Dungeon.level.mobs.remove( mob );
+					}
+					Dungeon.level.spawnMob(12);
+				}
+
 			}
 		}
 	}

core/src/main/java/com/shatteredpixel/shatteredpixeldungeon/levels/Level.java

@@ -650,11 +650,11 @@ public abstract class Level implements Bundlable {
 	public float respawnCooldown(){
 		if (Statistics.amuletObtained){
 			if (Dungeon.depth == 1){
-				//very fast spawns on floor 1! 0/2/4/6/8/10, etc.
+				//very fast spawns on floor 1! 2/4/6/8/10/12, etc.
-				return Dungeon.level.mobCount() * (TIME_TO_RESPAWN / 25f);
+				return (1+Dungeon.level.mobCount()) * (TIME_TO_RESPAWN / 25f);
 			} else {
-				//respawn time is 0/6/13/19/25/25, etc.
+				//respawn time is 5/10/15/20/25/25, etc.
-				return Math.round(Math.min(Dungeon.level.mobCount() * (TIME_TO_RESPAWN / 8f), TIME_TO_RESPAWN / 2f));
+				return Math.round(Math.min((1+Dungeon.level.mobCount()) * (TIME_TO_RESPAWN / 10f), TIME_TO_RESPAWN / 2f));
 			}
 		} else if (Dungeon.level.feeling == Feeling.DARK){
 			return 2*TIME_TO_RESPAWN/3f;