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ruby in hidden room? in Nethergate
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Thursday, April 13 2006 08:13 Profile Homepage #4
quote:
Originally written by iloveeggs:

Oh yay thanks! :D Although I still don't understand the whole Easter Egg dealio... hmm it's almost Easter.
In computer programs "Easter Egg" is a surprize hidden by the programmer. They are hard to find (often requiring pressing random key combinations on keyboard, or as in example in this thread, taking several unusual actions) and are often funny.

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Is this Plot Overcliche? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Wednesday, April 12 2006 10:11 Profile Homepage #33
quote:
Originally written by Lenar Labs:

...
We just need to make sure that we keep our developments in line, lest Ermarian go through an unprecedented industrial revolution.
...
An industrial revolution wouldn't be completely unprecedented. :)

However, I don't think canons and other gunpowder weapons are very realistic in a magic-heavy world of Avernum:

Early guns were very unreliable and slow to load. It took a long time to develop gunpowder that could explode well. It also took a long time time to develop guns that could be loaded sufficiently fast to fire more than once before the enemies get to you. In a world where any apprentice mage can cast a bolt of fire and any powerful wizard can use shockwave spell to damage enemy walls, governments wouldn't bother investing into early gunpowder research, because results would be inferior to available magic. So gunpowder-based weapons would never get a chance to develop to a point where they can compete with magic.

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Is this Plot Overcliche? in Blades of Avernum
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Wednesday, April 12 2006 10:11 Profile Homepage #33
quote:
Originally written by Lenar Labs:

...
We just need to make sure that we keep our developments in line, lest Ermarian go through an unprecedented industrial revolution.
...
An industrial revolution wouldn't be completely unprecedented. :)

However, I don't think canons and other gunpowder weapons are very realistic in a magic-heavy world of Avernum:

Early guns were very unreliable and slow to load. It took a long time to develop gunpowder that could explode well. It also took a long time time to develop guns that could be loaded sufficiently fast to fire more than once before the enemies get to you. In a world where any apprentice mage can cast a bolt of fire and any powerful wizard can use shockwave spell to damage enemy walls, governments wouldn't bother investing into early gunpowder research, because results would be inferior to available magic. So gunpowder-based weapons would never get a chance to develop to a point where they can compete with magic.

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
How did you discover Avernum? in The Avernum Trilogy
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Wednesday, April 12 2006 09:54 Profile Homepage #38
quote:
Originally written by Tyranicus:

quote:
Originally written by Dikiyoba:

Originally by Tyranicus:

quote:
I discovered Avernum 4 years ago.
Really? It's been out for years? I thought it was more recent than that. :P
You'll soon be free of lice with all that nit-picking, Dikiyoba. :P

Edit: I edited the 4 to four in an effort to at least keep some semblance of sanity around her. That's probably a lost cause though. :rolleyes:
Sanity is overrated. :)
I think Dikiyoba's post was supposed to be a joke.

And while we are talking about victims of turtles,
quote:
Dikiyoba has been trying to persuade a friend to download a Spiderweb Software game for months. The lack of Internet at said friend's house makes this difficult.
Most computers still have floppy drives. You can use WinZip (or any other Zip program) to make a zip file from the demos and split it into 1.4MB (floppy-sized) chunks. Then use floppy disks to copy the files to friend's computer and recombine them.

Or you could get a USB flash memory key-chain thing that holds 128MB for about 10$.

[ Wednesday, April 12, 2006 10:03: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Twelve Pills in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Wednesday, April 12 2006 09:38 Profile Homepage #22
It seems there is more than one right answer. Here is the one I was referring to in my last post.

-----------SPOILER-------------
Easy case is the same:
1. Weigh ABCD vs EFGH.
2a. If {ABCD=EFGH}, Weigh IJK vs ABC.
3a. IF {IJK=ABC}, Weigh L against anything.
3b. IF {IJK<ABC}, we know that IJK is too light, so weigh I against J.
4a. IF {I=J}, answer is K.
4b. IF {I<J}, answer is I, otherwise J.

Step 2 of harder case is different:

2b. IF {ABCD<EFGH}, Weigh ABCE against DIJK.

3c. IF {ABCE=DIJK}, we know that FGH is too heavy, so weigh F against G.
4c. IF {F=G}, H is too heavy.
4d. IF {F>G}, F is too heavy, otherwise G is too heavy.

3d. IF {ABCE<DIJK}, we know that ABC is too light, so weight A against B, etc.

3d. IF {ABCE>DIJK}, we know that either E is too heavy or D is too light, so weigh D against A.
4e. IF {D<A}, D is too light, otherwise E is too heavy.

---------END SPOILER----------

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
A friendly competition. in Blades of Avernum
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Wednesday, April 12 2006 07:46 Profile Homepage #8
This isn't the BoA Editor forum, so I am assuming we are supposed to consider challenges for players, rather than designers. This one is inspired by Creator's level 1 accomplishments in BoE:

Win the hardest scenario you can, entering with a level 1 party. For an extra challenge, make it the default level 1 party.

[ Wednesday, April 12, 2006 07:47: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Happy pesach! in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Tuesday, April 11 2006 22:04 Profile Homepage #13
Happy Passover to everybody here who celebrates it.

Randomizer, that's an interesting observation about meaning of matza sandwiches. I haven't thought of that before.

Nicothodes, pizza at Passover dinner? lol
That reminds me of a friend from college, who didn't follow laws of Kashrut, but observed laws of Passover. Some of the things she ate during Passover were quite unexpected. (Although I don't think there were any matza-bacon-and-cheese sandwiches. :) )

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
The Final Spire - Beta call in Blades of Exile
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Tuesday, April 11 2006 15:54 Profile Homepage #6
Here is BainIhrno's post at Lyceum:
quote:
Okay, here's the deal:

I have begun alpha-testing my new scenario, The Final Spire. I am not going to send the beta out immediately. The reason I am making the beta call early is it would be more convienent for me to send all the betas out at once, rather than one at a time.

If all goes well, I will send the beta out this upcoming Saturday, during the evening. I will still accept applications beyond then, but keep in mind it's just more convienent for me if you sign up before. I would like to get about at least five testers.

This may not make sense, but this scenario is a sequel to a sceario that does not exist. This is because the scenario that came before it, Spires of Energy, crashed. However, I was so interested in the story that I couldn't make anything else.

Be warned: This scenario is quite hard, and is definitely not for a new player. It also uses a pre-fab party, so if a mac beta tester could make Ulrike (the PC) for Mac users, that would be nice. This scenario is also linear, like An Apology or Echoes: Assault

Finally, I cannot thank Barcoorah enough for helping me with most of the story and a few other aspects of this scenario. I guarantee that this scenario has a better plot than FER or ND.

Without further ado...

Name (the one you want me to refer you as):

E-Mail Adress:

Platform:

Previous Beta Experience:

BoE Playing Skill - please be honest:

Thank you.

EDIT: Also, testing this scenario will involve more than just a "playthrough." Not much more, but worth mentioning. This will be detailed when you receive the beta.


--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Do we have a new moderator? in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Tuesday, April 11 2006 15:42 Profile Homepage #16
There is a Russian saying "the one who pays the bill selects the music".

If you want to have free speech on an online message board, you have to do the following:
1. Open your own Internet Service Provider with direct connection to Internet backbone.
2. Buy your own web servers.
3. Open your own message board.

If you skip any of the steps above, the corresponding entity (ISP, web-host, or message board owner) can refuse to help you distribute your speech.

[ Tuesday, April 11, 2006 15:43: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Are fantasy RPGs inherently conservative? in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Tuesday, April 11 2006 15:31 Profile Homepage #27
Let me see if I understood people's definitions correctly:

Zorro:
Liberal - reformer fighting established order
Conservative - supporter of established order

Aran - ?

Slartucker - ?

Smuggler:
Conservative - "right wing" in American politics

Zeviz:
Liberal - the kind of people who look at a fairy tale and see an example of racist and sexist propaganda. :P More seriously, I meant people calling themselves "progressives" - "far left" in American politics.
Conservative - "right wing" in American politics
(I consider myself moderate: leaning to the left on some issues and to the right on others.)

Alorael:
Liberal - "left wing" in American politics
Conservative - "right wing" in American politics

CPeters:
Liberal - reformer
Conservative - supporter of established order

TM:
Liberal - liberatarian (opposing any government regulation)
Conservative - supporter of established order

Drew:
Same as TM?

So we have 3 definitions of Liberal: reformer (Zorro and CPeters), "political left" (Smuggler, Zeviz, and Alorael), and "liberatarian" (TM and Drew)
and 2 definitions of Conservative: opposing change (Zorro, CPeters, TM and Drew), and "political right" (Smuggler, Zeviz, and Alorael)

Note that by TM's definitions, "Liberal" is not the opposite of "Conservative" (if a Liberatarian party was in power, its members would be "conservative", because they'd be the ones fighting for current order).

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
What do u want to be in Geneforge 4? in Geneforge Series
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 23:27 Profile Homepage #5
And there I thought that Uni-Drakon is a well-educated Drakon who is studying at a Uni[versity]. Or it might be a fearsome Unicorn-Drakon hybrid, with a Drakon's body and a Unicorn's head. :)

PS Felix, there has been an over-saturation of polls lately, so for people to take your poll seriously, you have to at least use correct spelling and put serious thought into answer options. (e.g. Warrior Servile and Guard Servile are just better trained Servies; regular townsperson would die the moment he was attacked, etc.)

[ Monday, April 10, 2006 23:35: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
I Guess I Just Don't Get It in Geneforge Series
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 23:06 Profile Homepage #15
Congratulations.

I'd suggest swinging back to pick up the NPCs anyway, because, in addition to never dying, spedning their skill points doesn't cost you any essence.

And one more thing, I didn't notice any mention of blessing magic in your battle reports. War Blessing and Shielding spells can make any fight much easier, especially if you Haste your strongest creatures. And Augmentation can help your Shaper survive getting hit.

Good luck with the rest of the game.

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
How did you discover Avernum? in The Avernum Trilogy
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 22:56 Profile Homepage #14
Word order in Russian isn't as fixed as in English, so either is fine. Although oba dikije, does sound better than dikije oba. Which word goes first determines emphasis: "Oba vi dikije" emphasizes "both", while "Dikije vi oba" emphasizes "wild".

And to try to get this discussion back towards the topic of Avernum, how did people come up with Vahnatai language? It seems to appear in only a few places in the game, but Drakey has a whole dictionary.

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
I wish upon a star in The Exile Trilogy
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 22:50 Profile Homepage #3
quote:
Originally written by Ur-Noob:

You may need to buy Jeff a PC as well.
Are you saying he makes Windows versions of his games on a Mac and releases them without testing? :)

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
How did you discover Avernum? in The Avernum Trilogy
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 11:34 Profile Homepage #11
I found Avernum 2 when I stambled across www.spidweb.com in summer of 2001. As for Spidweb games in general, I first found Exile II when looking online for sharewere in whatever year it came out. I think it might have been on AOL games. I played it because I like RPGs and because I wasn't allowed to buy computer games at the time. When I found A2, I've registered that, and a couple of later Spidweb games as well. My favorite computer game is Civilization 4, but if you are talking about Avernum games, it's A2.

quote:
Originally written by Dikiyoba:

Originally by Meeshka:

quote:
BTW in my lang "Dikiyoba" should be translated (homophonically) as "both are wild". A coincidence?
What is the name of your language? I'll make note of it on my list of names.

Dikiyoba's name can be transformed in many ways. Now it can be translated in many ways as well. (Human) nature abhors a vacuum and attaches meaning to the meaningless.
I think his language is Russian. I'd translate it from Russian as "wild Oba". "Dikiy" is male form of adjective "wild" and "oba" means "both", but to make it gramatically correct it would be "Dikiyeoba" (using plural form of "wild"). I guess Dikiyeoba could go on your list as "botharewild".

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Twelve Pills in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 09:39 Profile Homepage #17
I've just noticed that the question was about 12 pills, rather than 9. I guess I should have read it more carefully. My intended solution no longer works, although my hints are general enough that they might still apply. The best solution I have at the moment has 1/6 chance of failure. (You might end up with 2 pills you haven't sorted after 3 measurements if you are unlucky.)

EDIT: I figured out the solution and it turns out that my original hints still apply with following modifications:
Hint 1 has different interpretations for first weighting and second weighting. Hint 2 applies only to second wighting. Here are more specific hints:
hint 3
There are two possible results of first weighting. Next three hints apply to harder case. For easy case, consider my old hint 2.
hint 4
hint 5
hint 6

[ Monday, April 10, 2006 10:20: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Are fantasy RPGs inherently conservative? in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 08:51 Profile Homepage #8
quote:
Originally written by Smugglers' Alliance, Chief of the:

Yay! I have no heart.
Or you are old already. :P

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Which spiderweb software game is best? in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 08:46 Profile Homepage #24
From a player's perspective, BoE wins by a very wide margin. The scenarios made for it give you more playing time than the rest of Spidweb games combined and it's possible to find some good scenarios that fit your mood, regardless of what your current mood it.

From designer's perspective, BoA supposedly has more potential. I haven't tried making a large scenario in either one, so I can't judge.

Finally, if we are talking only about content written by Jeff, I'd call it a 3-way tie between Avernum 2, Nethergate and Geneforge 2. Nethergate had some unique elements, such as playing the same story from both sides. A2 and Gf2 are more polished than their predicessors, and have better plots/environment than their successors.

[ Monday, April 10, 2006 08:49: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Are fantasy RPGs inherently conservative? in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 08:31 Profile Homepage #6
About "dark magic", when people lived in caves and defended themselves with clubs, night was when predators came out to eat them. Later, when people started believing in magic, night became time when werewolves, demons and other evil comes out. Real predators were less of a threat, so people's imagination filled in new dangers. Night is dark and scary. Day is light and removes the night's fears. Death is associated with sleep, night, darkness, etc. So the idea of "black magic" being evil is way older than any sort of racial tensions in the western world.

As for Spidweb players being liberal, there is a simple reason for that: as somebody said, "if a young person isn't liberal, he has no heart. If an old person isn't conservative, he has no head." Most Spidweb players are well-educated people in late teens/early twenties, which is the most idealistic age. There are also some conservatives here, but fewer than if this forum had significantly higher average age, or lower education level.

[ Monday, April 10, 2006 08:33: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Twelve Pills in General
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 08:13 Profile Homepage #13
quote:
Originally written by Dintiradan:

I've done something similar before.

The spoiler, if anyone wants it, in incremental steps:
(If you feel tempted to look, blame yourself, not me.)

SPOILER1
SPOILER2
SPOILER3
SPOILER4
SPOILER5

Does anyone remember the "water-from-the-well" one? (Get one litre when you have two buckets of size...")

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IF I EVER BECOME AN EVIL OVERLORD:
If I must have computer systems with publically available terminals, the maps they display of my complex will have a room clearly marked as the Main Control Room. That room will be the Execution Chamber. The actual main control room will be marked as Sewage Overflow Containment.
Your solution assumes that you know that bad pill is heavier. However, in this version of the puzzle, you have to find out whether the bad pill is heavier or lighter. So here is are hints for adjusting your solution:
hint 1
hint 2

[ Monday, April 10, 2006 08:14: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
I Guess I Just Don't Get It in Geneforge Series
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 07:55 Profile Homepage #8
It seems that your extensive experience with other games is hurting, rather than helping you. If you like to play a singleton magic user, you should be playing an agent, instead of a shaper. The intended way to play a shaper is to create several creatures and NPCs that you keep alive long enough to get them to a high level of experience. Shaper is a general, not a battle mage. And as any general, he needs to be surrounded by troops whom he cares about. (If you don't let your creations die, they'll become very strong.)

As for NPCs stealing your experience, that's not how the game works. Your creatures and NPCs get a lot of experience, while you loose a little. So a Shaper with half a dozen followers gets experience only 50% slower than a lone agent. Another factor is that experience you gain from same enemies/quests decreases as your level increases. So the penalty for having an army of NPCs/creations is even smaller.

I'd recommend restarting the game and playing either as an agent (if you want to play the same way you've played other RPGs), or as a shaper who makes a lot of creations (and picks up the NPCs) and keeps them alive. (A sufficiently high-level Fyora can take on a Dryak, while still costing you only 15 essence.)

PS Another advantage of NPCs is that they never die. When they get down to 0 health, they return to the place where you picked them up.

EDIT: As for Creator-fighting tips, if you can't see the worm-generating platforms, no worms will appear there. Use this to your advantage. (Have your ranged attackers hit Creator from edge of the room, while your mellee fighters deal with worms appearing on the two nearby platforms.)

[ Monday, April 10, 2006 11:53: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
could a game like exile be programmed with in The Exile Trilogy
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Monday, April 10 2006 07:32 Profile Homepage #5
I meant that you shouldn't try to write a game like this if you don't even know which language to use.

If you are just wondering what Jeff used to make Exile games, it's either C or C++.

[ Monday, April 10, 2006 07:34: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
could a game like exile be programmed with in The Exile Trilogy
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Sunday, April 9 2006 23:02 Profile Homepage #3
If you have to ask, the answer is no. :)

Look around www.spidweb.com and you'll find a lot of writings by Jeff, which include this information, among other things. I don't remember if he used C or C++ for Exile. My guess would be C for Exile and C++ for Avernum.

EDIT: You might find this section of Jeff's website interesting: Resources for Sharaware Developers

[ Sunday, April 09, 2006 23:10: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
The Sequel in Geneforge Series
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Sunday, April 9 2006 21:03 Profile Homepage #10
quote:
Originally written by Nick Ringer:

I couldn't possibly have thought of everything ... although I expected complaint/ridicule based on the "I do not want to be able to Shape" it was my subtle way of reminding voters that Jeff had specifically announced (Zeviz!) the fact that the PC would not be a Shaper. Also I was going for completeness. No, I did not actually expect anyone to select it.
...
I guess I wasn't very clear in my post. The main idea is that I want a character that knows as much as I do about the world of Geneforge. Some people talked about playing as Shloai, but that has a potential to be as bad as playing a Shaper apprentice:

My Character: I wonder what that glowing thing is.
Me: It's a skill canister, idiot.
* My Character touches the canister. *
My Character: Wow, I wonder where that power came from.
Me: Genetic engineering.

My Character: Wow, these serviles are unusually intelligent.
Me: Yes, they are called Taker, they originated in Kazg on Sulica island, etc, etc.

My character: I wonder who is behind these monster plagues.
Me: Rentar-Ihrno. Sorry, wrong game. I meant to say "a bunch of power-hungry Drakons and/or canister-crazed Shapers".

Conversations like the ones above tend to ruin the immersion, which had usually been one of the best atributes of Spidweb games. I wouldn't have a problem playing a high-ranking Shaper (in fact, a top agent, who is beginning to question his missions would be quite fun), as long as that Shaper knows as much as I do about the Geneforge world.

[ Sunday, April 09, 2006 21:12: Message edited by: Zeviz ]

--------------------
Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
The Sequel in Geneforge Series
Zeviz
Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
 written Sunday, April 9 2006 15:27 Profile Homepage #5
The poll is missing the main complaint about the Geneforge series so far:

I don't want to play yet another shaper apprentice, who has to deal with the changing world around him. There are many other options:

- a high ranking Shaper or Rebel agent, who is having doubts about his missions

- a human warrior/mage who lives in a town that ends up on a front line

- a member of the Awakened, ready to come out of their hiding place

Playing Shloai might pose the same problem as playing yet another Shaper apprentice: the loss of immersion due to disconnect between IC and OOC knowledge. The player already knows all about canisters, servile factions, etc. So when the character is surprized by these things it breaks the connection between player and character.

As for the technical aspects of the game listed in your poll, I think the game is good enough already. Sure, more spells, more creations, more technical toys like day/night cycle, etc. are always good, but they are not going to have much impact on my decision whether to buy Geneforge 4.

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Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword,
For it too has the power to kill.
However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword,
Can also have the power to heal.
Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00

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