A4 - The New Geneforge?

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AuthorTopic: A4 - The New Geneforge?
Warrior
Member # 4792
Profile #0
From the screenshots that I've seen of Avernum 4 so far, I've noticed a striking resemblance to the Geneforge series. The characters, the battle sequences, and the interface all look very similiar to Geneforge. Now Geneforge is a good game in its own right, but Avernum is based on Exile, which, in my opinion, is the best series this company has yet to produce. A4 is certainly new and new features are expected, but if they are just becoming more like Geneforge, why not continue the Geneforge Series.

In light of this, and my undying ardor for E3, I am wondering what the support would be for an E4? This, of course, is entirely up to Spiderweb Software, but I'd be interested to know if there are many who feel as I do: that Avernum has been melded too much with Geneforge and that a revision to the past world of Exile would be a positive change. I'd invite your opinions.

Poll Information
This poll contains 1 question(s). 25 user(s) have voted.
Voting started at November 14, 2005 08:20 PM board time.
Voting stopped at December 01, 2005 01:00 AM board time.

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Posts: 57 | Registered: Wednesday, July 28 2004 07:00
Warrior
Member # 5274
Profile #1
I've always been a big fan of the Exile and Avernum engines but realistically I think they've going to die a slow death as they get bypassed by the engine advances in Avernum 4.

Realistically they'res almost zero chance of an Exile 4 ever being produced. As Spiderweb is run for profit I can't see them artificially prolonging the life of an outdated game engine just for nostalgic reasons. Also bear in mind that no matter how many people post here and say they would buy it if released, we are only a small slice of dedicated Spiderweb gamers and our opinions don't count for much in particular. Mainly as we're the type of "loyal" fans who will buy Spiderweb products regardless of content.

[ Monday, November 14, 2005 20:18: Message edited by: Poit ]

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I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me
Posts: 107 | Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #2
You're basing your analysis on a few screenshots. Yes, the graphics are more like Geneforge. The game engine itself borrows a little bit from Geneforge, but it plays very much like Avernum. I didn't like Geneforge all that much for engine reasons, and I think A4 is just fine.

—Alorael, who would in fact say that A4 strikes a balance between Geneforge and Avernum that is close to optimal. The graphics are much prettier, the movement is still entirely turn-based and nice, and combat is more tactically interesting and challenging than Avernum's.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 3898
Profile #4
Alorael! To think that you would stoop to using such foul methods as double posting to increase your own post count!

...yeah, yeah, I know. Accidental.

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~Note : The professional newbie's advice should not be taken seriously, or at all.~
LINKAGE
Posts: 364 | Registered: Saturday, January 17 2004 08:00
Mongolian Barbeque
Member # 1528
Profile #5
Accidental? Bah! He's nearing the big 10000 and getting compulsively desperate. I bet he was foaming at the mouth as he frantically typed it, then typed it up again.
Posts: 907 | Registered: Monday, July 15 2002 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #6
There is no double post here.

—Alorael, who did not just delete it and then post again.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
Profile #7
Better be careful, Alorael. Power corrupts. You could end up snorting skribbane and sniping at pedestrians.

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We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty.
Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #8
Now, now. It's common knowledge that Alorael drinks skribbane.

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 4153
Profile Homepage #9
I thought he just took skribbane intravenously...

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Thuryl: "Runescape: for people who are too stupid to save their games."

Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice.
Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #10
That's crass and uncultured. Proper skribbane must be properly prepared and guzzled in the manner dictated by polite society.

—Alorael, who must be slipping if people can get that wrong after more than a year. Only zombies in Gale chew skribbane, nobody injects it, and nobody tries to smoke it twice.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
Profile #11
If conscience pangs over random sniping do not daunt our haughty magistrates, perhaps the dread of sinking to improper consumption of skribbane will give them pause. It's not like we have a lot of other checks and balances around here. How can despotism be tempered by epigrams when the despots can just delete them?

[ Wednesday, November 16, 2005 13:07: Message edited by: Student of Trinity ]

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We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty.
Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #12
You can always appeal to the higher power of Linda. It's an option.

—Alorael, who promises never to delete any epigrams. He'll snipe the perpetrators, but an epigram is forever.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Infiltrator
Member # 6136
Profile #13
Both engines has their advantages, Geneforge engine is prettier, but it have no outdoors and the world is completely flat.
Avernum engine is more simple but i like it more, it has elevation, the screen view is larger, etc.
I think that A4 should be a mix of both, well maybe it is already, but A4 have geneforge graphics...I like more the avernum graphics, and now the world is flat again...but the idea of a full world without zones is quite interesting, but still the game lose the touching outdoors feeling.
Posts: 446 | Registered: Friday, July 22 2005 07:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 6068
Profile #14
I just hope it doesn't go too much like Geneforge. I've already seen the screenshots and the characters/monsters seem so bulky and just... retarded. I played the Geneforge demo a couple of times, and I HATED it.

That's my two cents. ;)

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"Sometimes I get all hungry!
And then I catch some flies!
They fly into my webs!
They are really yummy guys!"
-Spider
Posts: 209 | Registered: Monday, July 4 2005 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #15
I have a new pet peeve: people who see Geneforge graphics and decide that A4 must be just like Geneforge. It really, really isn't.

—Alorael, who also doesn't understand how anyone can like the Avernum graphics more than the Geneforge ones. Avernums 1, 2, and 3 are great games, but they are graphically apalling. Geneforge actually has monsters that can be distinguished from one another.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Mongolian Barbeque
Member # 1528
Profile #16
I've always loved the Avernum graphics. And I've never had trouble telling the monsters apart.

I like smaller graphics, for one thing, less smooth and less hyper-realistic. Leaves more to the imagination, I think. I like feeling that I'm looking at a color drawing rather than a bunch of computer graphics. I guess I'm just terribly old-fashioned.

And the elevation in Avernum was one of its finest points. I hate the flatness of Geneforge. IMAGE(http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ubb/icons/icon13.gif)
Posts: 907 | Registered: Monday, July 15 2002 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #17
quote:
Originally written by Icshi:

I like smaller graphics, for one thing, less smooth and less hyper-realistic. Leaves more to the imagination, I think. I like feeling that I'm looking at a color drawing rather than a bunch of computer graphics. I guess I'm just terribly old-fashioned.
See, lots of us agree with the general sentiment, but think that Exile's graphics were leaps and bounds above Avernum's in that respect. When graphics can't be meaningfully distinguished from stick figures, there's something wrong.

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #18
I think it is telling that the town that I remember most in the AT, at least on a visual level, is the top floor of the Empire Archives, with the frozen floors. Give me colors, but exquisite details are not necessary.

Also, the most beautiful towns in BoA all make extensive use of hills.

That said, the graphics that are finally filtering in to replace the gross temp beta graphics are pretty nice. I think A4 will look not half bad.

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Shaper
Member # 247
Profile Homepage #19
It looks perfect to me. I just want to see a screenshot using the actual char graphics not Mr. Shaper(s).

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The Knight Between Posts.
Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 4866
Profile Homepage #20
I kinda didn't like Geneforge...the whole combat system felt too weird for me(melee = next to useless) I hope A4 has only the Geneforge style graphics and not stuff like the AP restrictions(can't do anything unless you have enough AP)

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Worship the monkey
Posts: 20 | Registered: Wednesday, August 18 2004 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #21
Combat is closer to Geneforge than to Avernum. It took some adjustment, but I've come to like it. Fighting requires a little more tactical thinking and a little less charging and hacking now.

—Alorael, who is happy to say that melee is far from useless, although trying to play with melee only is definitely a tough proposition.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
Profile #22
My issue with melee, and this is true in many games, and not specific to AIV...

In melee you kill one critter at a time. And this is fine and good if there is only one critter.

This is simply not the case most of the time.

Which is why magic appeals so much to me in these games. It's why I fell in love with the Agent in Geneforge.

When Geneforge first came out, people said the Agent was the weakest class. The Shaper and the Guardian were the top dogs.

My first Agent was a failure. So was my second and my third.

I built several prototypes, all of them failures because they either focused on melee or shaping to get through the rough spots at the beginning of the game where everybody said the Agent sucked.

So I played the Agent like an Agent and I just toughed out the first few levels. And things got better. And then I discovered that the Agent could fire off Searing Orbs that would do well over 200 damage... But only if you built them right.

And the glass cannon Agent was born. Perfected in G2.

And that is my problem with melee in general now. It's tedious having to kill everything just one or two at a time when I know that if I wanted to, I could obliterate everything and leave a little smoking pile of ashes. Once you do this, you can't undo it. The cat is out of the bag and you can't go back to slugging out big fights one at a time.

AIV rocks. I can't wait till I can actually talk about the game in detail.

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If I could make just one wish, I would want a tasty vlish.

Geneforge IV. Still no tasty vlish.
Posts: 1104 | Registered: Tuesday, February 12 2002 08:00
Mongolian Barbeque
Member # 1528
Profile #23
I prefer melee to distance attacks. It's much more satisfying! IMAGE(http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ubb/icons/icon10.gif)
Posts: 907 | Registered: Monday, July 15 2002 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 4866
Profile Homepage #24
quote:
Originally written by Smoking Mirrors:

Combat is closer to Geneforge than to Avernum. It took some adjustment, but I've come to like it. Fighting requires a little more tactical thinking and a little less charging and hacking now.

—Alorael, who is happy to say that melee is far from useless, although trying to play with melee only is definitely a tough proposition.

Darn. I really didn't like how my Guardian in Geneforge could be owned by a single slow spell. I mean I just had enough AP to run up to the casters and hit them once before they'd retreat a bit. But with slow, every other round I can't even attack if they were right beside me. Nevermind having to chase them around too .

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Worship the monkey
Posts: 20 | Registered: Wednesday, August 18 2004 07:00
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #25
I think that Jeff expects people to go with two melee fighters and two spellcasters, which has made my one melee fighter, one bowman, and two spellcasters considerably more effective. I'm trying out the "meat shield plus three ranged attackers" method, and so far I like it.

The new death system makes this even more effective, since if my meat shield dies, I can escape with the rest of my party intact.

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00

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