I find it extremely unintuitive that I can push the “ascend” key to go up on a drainpipe, but the “descend” key along the edge does nothing. If you’re over a drainpipe top graphic, it should work like stairs.
I died once when first starting to play the game because I couldn’t figure out to “examine” empty air to climb down. And that’s a very odd use of the examine command, I believe the only one where you functionally examine empty space. And it’s also kind of dumb to have to do it to jump down. And a selection box as well?
Maybe at an edge without a drainpipe, if you use a “descend” key command, it should ask “climb down in which space?” with a selection space interface (like the (g)et command) if there’s more than one to choose from. (Otherwise it just selects the only adjacent space option and does it.)
Moving off an edge should open the “jump down” (in that square you moved into) and “jump off ledge in that direction” selection dialog box.
All that would make it simpler for everyone and more intuitive for new players.
I would code it, but I don’t know how…