Nethergate's Popularity
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Apprentice
Member # 2769
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written Wednesday, March 19 2003 15:22
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I have noticed that Nethergate is the least popular of Jeff's games. I was one of my absolute favourites, and I'm curious as to why you didn't like it (if you didn't) or why you think other people didn't (if you did). Thoughts? -------------------- Catch the Leprechaun! Posts: 16 | Registered: Friday, March 14 2003 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 2628
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written Wednesday, March 19 2003 16:24
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I'm on my first playthrough of it now. Just like I have with the other Spiderweb games I've played (GF, A2, A3, E2) I'm totally obsessed with it, and think this has to be the best game yet. I only registered the other day, and rather than wait for the CD to arrive (along with the Exile trilogy CD and BOE CD), I downloaded the full version. I just couldn't wait a day longer. I think something in the game resonates with my Celtic ancestry and love of fantasy which draws on Celtic myths. It also brings to mind the MUD I used to play, which had an newbie area named Tara (from which druids and fighters came) and a nearby sidhe area called ShadowLands (which was only safe to be tackled as part of a high-level group containing a good mix of fighters, mages, sniper, druids and surgeons). -------------------- We meet and part now over all the world; we, the lost company, take hands together in the night, forget the night in our brief happiness, silently. -- Judith Wright My website Posts: 512 | Registered: Wednesday, February 12 2003 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Wednesday, March 19 2003 17:17
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My only real complaints with Nethergate are that there are too few types of equipment and that the game is too short. Yes, you can play both Celts and Romans, but a longer game is always nice. And it would be nice if there was some more variation among weapons, especially since only swords and spears are worth using unless you get very strange loot. —Alorael, who also thinks the circles could use a bit of work. War and healing circles are fine, and craft has all you could want, but beast circle is sadly lacking and spirit circle seems like an odd mixture of good, bad, and odd spells. Most of the all-powerful nether spells aren't worth using either. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 1359
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written Wednesday, March 19 2003 21:47
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I thought Nethergate was excellent. My only complaints are about the very limited Character Editor and the fairly low item per town limit. It's not fun when all your spare pants start to disappear. -------------------- PhoenixNinjas! Ninja-Moderation! What we need is Urban Wisdom! Vote Wise Man! Posts: 1277 | Registered: Monday, June 24 2002 07:00 |
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BoE Posse
Member # 2475
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written Thursday, March 20 2003 12:15
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I like it... I don't think it's the least popular; the least popular is probably SubTerra or Galactic Core. -------------------- http://members.aol.com/risberg/blades/ Eternity approaches. Posts: 56 | Registered: Friday, October 5 2001 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 2445
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written Thursday, March 20 2003 14:05
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I think she's talkin' about JEFF's games, yo. [ Thursday, March 20, 2003 14:07: Message edited by: Rosycat ze Pink Skribbane Dealer ] -------------------- Aces off. Posts: 611 | Registered: Friday, January 3 2003 08:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 1152
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written Thursday, March 20 2003 17:42
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It was the first game on the system, so it wasn't very popular several years after it came out. -------------------- -Sylak Proud Member of the Church of Devine Luchere Way too many lifeforms are carbon-based. Put this in your signature/AIM Profile if you're not. Posts: 319 | Registered: Tuesday, May 14 2002 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 496
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written Thursday, March 20 2003 23:40
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I agree it was experimental, but very much liked the attention to historical detail, the classical quotes before each section and so forth. Posts: 2333 | Registered: Monday, January 7 2002 08:00 |
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FAQSELF
Member # 3
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written Friday, March 21 2003 08:27
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I really like Nethergate, for many of the reasons stated here. It has many elements of a great game. The storyline is fascinating, and having two views of the game is original. You can find some interesting secrets even if you do keep playing (I found some mystical pants in Castle Aethdoc after my third or fourth play-through). That said, there are still some significant engine problems- spell circles aren't balanced, stats aren't balanced (take a look at the uselessness of the endurance stat), there are few high-level, challenging monsters to hunt and kill, the most powerful spells in the game aren't very useful, there are 25 or so areas on the map, compare this to Avernum's 70 or so, and there are a few minor bugs that just don't make the game stand out as a shining jewel. -------------------- A few cats short of a kitten pot pie... Radioactive cats have 18 half-lives. Check out a great source for information on Avernum 2, Nethergate, and Subterra: Zeviz's page. Finally, there's my Geneforge FAQ, Geneforge 2 FAQ, and Geneforge 3 FAQ. Posts: 2831 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 2769
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written Friday, March 21 2003 16:51
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What I found was that the whole tone was just so amazing, especially compared to the other RPGs Jeff and others have made. Sized down a little, it would make a brilliant, brilliant Blades scenario. Sized up a little, Nethergate would become the central jewel in the crown of JV's repertoire. The historical aspect, the mythological beliefs of the people of that age combined with the different viewpoints, it all forced me to adore the game. In Avernum, Exile, and even Geneforge, I find everything is too blunt and gaudy and almost every town/dungeon/outdoor section has a completely different feel. In Nethergate, the game is small enough that there's always the muted undertones, and the palette used to paint a Nethergate painting would be made up of softer colours, taupe and olive and rose, then of that used to paint an Avernum or Exile painting. Don't get me wrong, I'm not as earnest as I sound, and I won't compare computer games with works of high art, but it was the only way I could express my comparitive appreciation for the game. ;) Yours ever, -Leprechaun -------------------- Catch the Leprechaun! Posts: 16 | Registered: Friday, March 14 2003 08:00 |
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Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
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written Friday, March 21 2003 18:12
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The main reason Nethergate is not as popular as Jeff's other games is its small size. It took me less time to finished Nethergate 2.5 times then to finish Avernum 2 once. This means that people don't spend as much time playing the game. And since they don't spend as much time playing the game, they are not as interested in discussing it. -------------------- 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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Apprentice
Member # 1205
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written Monday, March 24 2003 03:26
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When I played the Nethergate demo, I didn't register it for several reasons. First, at that point (some years ago), I didn't like the transitiion to the 3d-isometric viewpoint very much. Second and worse, I found it too complicated to use the automap. In Avernum, it fits well into the interface (you can choose to see either the inventory or the map). In Nethergate, there was an extra pop-up window. I know it's a stupid reason not to play the game, but I need the map constantly, and I found it too annyoing to switch from the game to the map and back. -------------------- - Lord Raman Posts: 8 | Registered: Saturday, May 25 2002 07:00 |
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(TGM)
Veteran* Member # 2286
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written Monday, March 24 2003 03:36
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Mr. Raman Sir Raman Lord Sir, you can actually move the map.. -------------------- The Great Mister kommari@gmail.com[/url] Posts: 911 | Registered: Sunday, November 24 2002 08:00 |
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Cartographer
Member # 1851
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written Monday, March 24 2003 07:51
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And you know what? Nethergate is, and always will be, my all-time favourite game (well, Spidweb at least). Why? It just is so great (though some things in, say, A3 would be improvement in it). It could be the fantasy in it (admit that E's/A's aren't THAT much like pure fantasy, and neither is Geneforge), and I've always adored historical games like that. It was my first experience in bigger games too. Before that it had always been Settlers (the first version I think). I just love it. -------------------- "I'm not crazy!" "Well, whatever. Maybe you just ate something really questionable, or perhaps someone hit you on the head with something large, blunt and heavy just now. By the way..." Gil nudged Grul pointedly. Ooh! Homepage - Blog - Geneforge, +2, +3 - My Elfwood Gallery and DevArt page So many strange ones around. Don't you think? Posts: 1308 | Registered: Sunday, September 8 2002 07:00 |