Beta Testing Testing One Two Three Four
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Saturday, November 12 2005 18:54
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I've started over with a new party after getting to a bit past the Castle with a few older parties. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
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written Monday, November 14 2005 05:27
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Maybe I'm just one of the slowest testers, so everything is fixed by the time I get to it, but I've found beta testing to be not very different from how I play these games anyway, which is to try to expose every pixel and complete every possible quest. I'm still getting a handle on what constitutes a useful beta report; basically, you need to make purely illustrative save files. With a game as huge as A4, it takes really a lot of time just to play through everything at a reasonable rate. This has been my biggest problem. I can probably only really afford to take three months to complete a game this long, but to beta test you have to move faster than that. If we're mentioning where we are, though, I have gotten my one party into the Abyss, having done almost everything doable up to that point. I hope to finish the game this week. -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Monday, November 14 2005 07:48
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I think I just didn't get very far in the first few weeks, because I've been making pretty good progress but am only wandering about the Great Cave at this point. I'm having some difficulty figuring out how to make a good party here — I feel very weak against the enemies that I'm fighting. There are some people I should be able to defeat whom I can't. -------------------- 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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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, November 14 2005 09:03
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There are definitely tricks to good party building, and even so I found that the balance was very different from Exile and Avernum. Casters are much more essential and melee much more restricted to just supplying a barrier to protect those casters. —Alorael, who stuck with his starting party through the end of the game but who will construct any new parties differently. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Monday, November 14 2005 09:54
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I haven't heard back from Jeffy as to whether or not there is anything I can do to finish my game which is stuck with a bug at the very end. Meanwhile, I started a second game with a different party construction, and on "Tricky" difficulty. So far, I'm much more effective than I was the first time. Drake, you've never actually finished a game yet? I'm surprised, considering you were an alpha tester too. Why do you keep starting over? -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, November 14 2005 11:57
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I don't think the game was finishable in alpha testing. —Alorael, who just realized that he made it through the game without quaffing any potions. This makes him a bad tester. What if there is a reprise of BoE invulnerability? Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Monday, November 14 2005 12:44
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quote:No, I believe I'm the slowest. I've been going through things so exhaustively (I read everything, from signposts to item descriptions), that I haven't quite hit Almaria yet. Horrible, I know, but I am still finding bugs and strange happenings. I still manage useful reports (at least, I think they would be useful). -------------------- 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 |
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His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
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written Monday, November 14 2005 14:29
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I am not sure what we can and can not talk about here, but I am glad to see that I am not the only one that feels that melee is **cough** USELESS. As soon as possible the man that engineered the glass cannon agent will inform you how to properly blow stuff up in A4. -------------------- 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 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 1546
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written Thursday, November 17 2005 20:20
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One wonders just how much of this conversation should be public domain.... :confused: -------------------- A Sucaran Child is standing here. You say, "hello" The small child looks at Preserver Aldous wide-eyed and awed. Posts: 269 | Registered: Friday, July 19 2002 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 18 2005 08:34
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I don't think anything substantial has been disclosed. A few opinions, maybe, but nothing that tells you much about the game. —Alorael, who also must caution that there have been a few changes since the posts made. Melee skill is now modified by cursor velocity in klicks (har har). Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
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written Friday, November 18 2005 12:18
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Hey Alorael, what did you think of the heat seeking explosive razordisks? Jeff really outdid himself didn't he... Talk about over powered. However, getting the tarrasque placentas so that you can buy those razordisks from the vendor was awfully hard. [ Friday, November 18, 2005 12:19: Message edited by: Delicious Vlish ] -------------------- 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 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Friday, November 18 2005 12:41
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quote:Yes, imagine how hard it's been for me... I use a laptop with a trackpad. No mouse. Now, I distinctly prefer magic to melee. -------------------- 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 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 18 2005 15:50
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I take it that you've discovered that two fingers on the trackpad let you choose twice as many targets for the spells? It took me a while to get it to work right, though. Aiming is tough when you only have distance ratios to work with. —Alorael, who never put enough points in throwing to be any good with the razordisks. The wand that summons explosive chitrachs is a lot of fun, though! Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
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written Friday, November 18 2005 17:49
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I'll tell you what got me... The Exploding Townspeople of Silvar. "Oh, hi!" **SPLORCH!** "Oh dear. Hot entrails everywhere." Those folk did a heck of a lot more than just act funny like the AVIV intro claimed. "My tummy hurts." -------------------- 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 |
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Agent
Member # 1993
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written Saturday, November 19 2005 11:21
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To kuc: This is an interesting topic, indeed ^_^ -------------------- Slartucker: * facepalm facepalm facepalm * Dikiyoba: Are you unconscious yet? Posts: 1420 | Registered: Wednesday, October 2 2002 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 5274
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written Friday, November 25 2005 21:50
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quote:I just got the beta the other day so I assume its hit the second round of testing. Unfortunately you guys seems to have done a pretty thorough job and there isn't much left to alter. Do you know when Jeff intends to release this? -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 | Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Saturday, November 26 2005 13:24
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Sometime in December, I believe. -------------------- 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 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3513
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 14:08
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Is there still keyboard movement and aiming, or is it all mouse-based? -------------------- Nobody appreciates me. It's all "Igor! Fetch some wine!" "Igor! Clean up this experiment!" or "Igor! Bury this in the garden, we're leaving town in 10 minutes!" —Alorael, who tried to become a deivore once. The priest gave him a funny look after the third wafer. Posts: 301 | Registered: Thursday, October 2 2003 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 1546
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 15:07
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quote:Note: under a month to go :P Speaking of which, it'll be a Mac release, with PC generally some 2-3months behind. Will it be runnable on a pc on any mac emulators for the excessively impatient? -------------------- A Sucaran Child is standing here. You say, "hello" The small child looks at Preserver Aldous wide-eyed and awed. Posts: 269 | Registered: Friday, July 19 2002 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 15:24
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I don't know of any reliable Mac emulators, but A4 is, like all Spiderweb games, light on system requirements. It's worth a try. Movement can be done with the keyboard or the mouse. No letters appear on targets, though, so all aiming and other selection has to be done by clicking except for spells targeting your party members, who can be chosen by number. —Alorael, who very rarely targeted by letter anyway. Not having to press l in order to search various items is nice. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 6292
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 18:19
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I finally finished (the end bug is fixed) and have played a couple partial games with experimental parties (all spell-casters/archers was one—very effective, but boring) and now am trying again as a singleton...a real challenge. In fact, I'm thinkiing it will be darn near imossible in A4 to play through as a singleton. I'm digging some of the improved sound effects...the owls or nightscreeches are spooky. -------------------- A4 Items • A4 Singleton • G4 Items • G4 Forging • G4 Infiltrator • NR Items • The Lonely Celt Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00 |
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His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 19:17
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I would dare say that playing a single character is now impossible. You must have tool use and some hefty magic ability. There would be to many skill points involved. If you made a mage, you would be mired down in magic immunes and magic resistant enemies. You would be to fragile for combat. And you must be able to cast Dispel Barriers because piercing crystals don't do much. Jeff did a good job at putting a little something for everybody in the game. There is no super character, and no universal approach. -------------------- 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 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 20:59
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I'm not willing to rule out a singleton with Elite Warrior (or maybe Divinely Touched) and Nimble Fingers until someone competent tries it. Where's luthien when you need him? —Alorael, who definitely can see some decent opportunities for doubletons. Challenging, maybe, but doable. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 21:28
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Tool use must be raised well in to the 20s or the 30s. That's expensive. You could skimp out, but you would miss out on a lot that you didn't open, and being a Singleton, you would need to open those things for items, spells, etc, because being a Singleton you need all the firepower you can muster. Dispel Barrier must be had. No doubt. There are some areas that you simply can not pass with out this. And piercing crystals are to weak. Heck, there are some barriers that are so strong that even a jacked Dispel Barrier level isn't enough... You must really crank out the magic boosting skills. Some of the final gauntlets where you become immobilised through various means would be your undoing. You would want the Strong Will trait. Heck, there are moments where I get the feeling that four characters are not enough and I wish that there was six again. I gritted my teeth and played a game on torment to see how far I could go. I... Well, I have never been so humbled in a game before. I managed to clear the starting areas... I stubbornly managed to claw my way to the first part of the midgame. And then I had to turn down the difficulty. Death was often and frequent, swift, and brutal. Archer anythings meant that somebody was going to die. If the undead got within melee range, somebody was going to die. Nephil Warriors would chop me up into mysterious meat. Overall, I really liked it. I am going to try a torment game as soon as I figure out how to survive encountering remotely dangerous. Getting killed by a Giant Rat was embarassing. -------------------- 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 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Thursday, December 1 2005 21:31
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I wish you would stop being so melodramatic. Tool Use doesn't have to be raised anywhere near there. Fifteen is a reasonable amount, and combinations of certain items will boost it at least two or three points, so you can really survive with it around twelve or so. If you think that twenty or thirty is necessary, you're missing some keys. -------------------- 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 |