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Quote:
From Jeff Vogel:
I have been asked if I am going to [Carbonize] Nethergate. The answer is that I actually want to do something more impressive to Nethergate. I want to put actual work into it, including new material, upgrading to 800x600 resolution, and making it look just generally nicer. This would take actual time, though, so I'm not sure when it'll happen.
—Alorael, who will burn wicker men in order to hasten the day.
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Since Nethergate has always been my favorite, I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement! I think I will join with Alorael in the burning of wicker men.

 

Quote:
upgrading to 800x600 resolution
Does he mean 1024x768? It's already at 800x600 isn't it?

 

One improvement I would love with Nethergate would be to fix the issue with Windows XP that displays the taskbar. When I first played it on 98, it covered the screen nicely, but with XP, the taskbar is still visible at the bottom, and with an 800x600 resolution, this leaves for less space to stick the automap. If he could put the automap over the equipment screen like in Avernum instead of as a free-floating window, I would love that. Right-click look functionality would be greatly appreciated as well.

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Quote:
Originally written by Tyranicus:
...but with XP, the taskbar is still visible at the bottom...
Right click on the task bar. Click on properties. Uncheck the box that says "Keep the taskbar on top of other windows".

It may also be a good idea to go into the Control Panel, and change the theme to 'Windows Classic'. I find that apart from saving on system resources, Nethergate looks better without the rounded corners that the 'Windows XP' theme bestows upon Nethergate's pop-ups.
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It doesn't sound like a total overhaul like Exile to Avernum, just a Nethergate Premium. And yes, Jeff says that upgrading from the regular version will probably entail a "nominal fee." I'd be willing to pay, and if enough people do maybe it will inspire another Nethergate-esque game.

 

—Alorael, who doesn't think too many wicker men will be useful. What's really needed now is some, um, volunteers. For the wicker man, you know. It's for a good cause!

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Quote:
Originally written by CPeters:
Right click on the task bar. Click on properties. Uncheck the box that says "Keep the taskbar on top of other windows".
I know that, but I don't want to have to do it every time I play Nethergate. I like the taskbar there when I'm not playing a fullscreen game. There is a way to do it too. I mean, the Avernum games take up the whole screen just fine.
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Quote:
Originally written by Tyranicus:
I know that, but I don't want to have to do it every time I play Nethergate. I like the taskbar there when I'm not playing a fullscreen game. There is a way to do it too. I mean, the Avernum games take up the whole screen just fine.
It is irritating, I know, but I have some other friendly suggestions:
  • You could try the "Auto-Hide the taskbar" option.
  • Use the windows key to bring up the taskbar quickly.
  • Run Nethergate at 1074x768 with the 'put game area in center' option turned off. You'll then have more than enough room to fit the map.
  • Run Nethergate at 1074x768 - you can just fit the map to the left hand side whilst still leaving the HP and spell energy numbers visible.
  • Break into Jeff's house, and perform Chinese water torture and/or hold him at gunpoint until he agrees to code Nethergate's automap to your tastes.

Personally, I'd prefer the latter option. But Jeff has me peeved as of late. Forking over wads of cash on the proviso he update Nethergate might work too.
I would love to see a Nethergate 2. Hopefully Jeff will note that a few people hold the opinion that Nethergate was some of his best work.
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I think Nethergate was an experiment. If that registration had worked better, subsequent games would have stuck with it. They didn't, so I wouldn't expect them now.

 

—Alorael, who doesn't understand why Nethergate is CD only. The Blades download and CD is much more immediate gratification-oriented.

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Quote:
Originally written by Kingy:
Otherwise the shipping will be the thing that will be likely to stop people from outside the US from purchasing it.
I do not think it will stop most people if they really want these games. I bought nearly all games on CD and I live in Austria. (middle Europe)

Alo, you wanted some volunteers?
I´ll build my own wicker slith with some slith thiefs in it. laugh
I wonder if the wicker slith will be also fire-resistant. confused
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Maybe I'm alone in this, but I understood Jeff's email to mean that he'll be taking the original Nethergate game with the original Nethergate engine and expanding it, making it look nicer, and not turning into Avernum or Geneforge.

 

—Alorael, who would be willing to pay a nominal fee for more Nethergate goodness. If that means you can catch a wish-granting fish, so much the better!

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Quote:
Originally written by Novo Ordo RWum:
Maybe I'm alone in this, but I understood Jeff's email to mean that he'll be taking the original Nethergate game with the original Nethergate engine and expanding it, making it look nicer, and not turning into Avernum or Geneforge.
That's what I think too. I just wish the remake doesn't require me to pay again.
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The amount of time invested is likely to be small. It's neither a new game nor a new engine. Just being able to play Nethergate without resorting to extraordinary measures when Classic is no longer supporter is worth the time and money.

 

—Alorael, who doubts that more remakes will be appearing soon. A4 begs for sequels and G4 is already on the radar. That's plenty of non-remake time.

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Quote:
Originally written by Takeru Takashi:
I think that a new Nethergate would make teh game more popular, and perhaps he would be able to finally reember the use of the puzzle box
The key to the puzzle is figuring out that you can't do anything with it. Or, at least, that's what makes me feel better when I think about how I didn't solve said puzzle.
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  • 3 months later...

The reworked Nethergate would use the same engine, just beefed up. Probably Avernum style dialogue (this would take some time). Some new content. Interface and game system improvements. The interface would likely look a lot like Avernum's in the end.

 

A lot of the major encounters would be reworked to be more in the current style (multi-phase encounters with adds and other special abilities). And the game would be rebalanced to make it more challenging at the end (something I have long felt is a major flaw in the game).

 

The update would most likely be $10 for registered users. In addition to the general, overall reworking, there would probably one decently sized dungeon for each side (one for Romans, one for Celts).

 

All of this, is, of course, at least 9 months in the future and subject to drastic change.

 

- Jeff Vogel

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Hmm. Well, based on what you've said so far, I'd seriously consider shelling out 10 clams for that update.

 

... and I just realised I made a completely unintentional and fairly awful pun in that sentence. I mean, I don't even have to try any more. It's like I've attained a state of pun satori.

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I have but one issue - resolution. I run a really awful old monitor that won't even run Av4. If Nethergate goes upto 106756770xWhatever, then I won't be able to play it, which would be bad...

 

If I had confirmation that it would run in 800x600, I'd pay the money now. In fact, I'd pay my $25 again.

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  • 1 month later...
Quote:
This would be the best news of my life!
Really? What a boring life you have. :p

As for the dialogue system, some people liked the keyword system where you could type in your own word. Of course, it can be annoying too. But it's a toss up either way.
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Quote:
Originally written by *i:

As for the dialogue system, some people liked the keyword system where you could type in your own word. Of course, it can be annoying too. But it's a toss up either way.[/QB]
I harbor an intense dislike of keyword dialogue systems after playing SNES Shadowrun. Plodding through endless lists of keywords one by one hoping to find the right one that would advance the conversation somehow, is not my idea of fun.

They are just atrocious in terms of gameplay. The only reason one would have them is for nostalgic reasons.
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Quote:
Originally written by United States of Tyranica:
I think the best dialogue system would have questions and keywords. That would be more like real life, I believe.
Having complete sentences (or comprehensible phrases) and responded in turn via complete sentences is more like real life.
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