alhoon

1 hour ago, TheKian said:

Well, I mean, I did say "(The same directory as the Geneforge 5 executable)".

 

 

5. Saves aren't yet implemented. You will also eventually be able to import Geneforge 5 zone hex files.

AWESOME.

That way manual changes I've made after the zone creation (which I make in part with zonelab in part with matlab) could be auto implemented. That is a very cool idea and would freaking simplify things for all those people (I hope there are many) that want to make mods and lack the necessary time to learn the blades of geneforge xls.

Suggestion: (minor) Make the batch file thing to say clearly that you need to put in the path without the exe file!

This works: "C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Geneforge\Geneforge 5 Expans"

This doesn't work: "C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Geneforge\Geneforge 5 Expans\Geneforge 5.exe"

Took me 4 tries.

Also, could it -save- the path somewhere? So I don't have to put it all the time?

Suggestion: (Major) minimap. I really think this awesome tool would be better with a minimap.

Suggestion: (Major) allow it to open zonelab txt files.

Bug: The tool doesn't parch anything beyond tile x=9 when I use it on an image and it returns weird results. Zonelab itself (the independent one) parches it correct). It parches all y tiles.

Love everything I see so far. You should email this to Jeff so he can make more games easier.

Question: Is the save functionality supposed to be working? Cause it doesn't work for me.

TheKian, I can't download the modding suite because dropbox tells me you've hit your traffic limit or something. Could you upload it somewhere else?

And may I suggest you add the link to this thread in your sig buddy. It's not everyday that we see this kind of tool.

(Reserved)

Dear all, this thread would serve to talk about my grandiose plan to make a total conversion mod for Geneforge 5. The mod will take place in a big island, 4-5 years after the Rebellion started and every zone will be new.

The Kian's Modding Suite tool in combination with my own tools (made in matlab) make the design of completely new zones easy enough for me to take this undertaking.

The task is anything but simple. Anyone that has followed my modding work would realize that if mods expanding on the existing content of GF5 took me close to a year each, this one will take longer. Even including the work I've already put towards the mod (modified creations and items can be tested here) I expect the project to take me quite some time since I won't work full time. The first target for release is early 2020 (subject to change). I will release a small demo, containing the first couple of zones earlier.

So, why do I bother you all so early? Because while I have a vision for this mod (a couple of you are aware of some details) I would like to discuss some of my plans and later to see if I can trick entice any volunteers.

What I have decided so far (opinions, suggestions and constructive criticism welcome):

• The scope of the game will be smaller than the full games. My plan is for the game to feel in size and power progression similar to Mera Tev and early Storm Plains.
• The area will be an island of moderate size (about the size of Lesbos or  Mauritius), with one city, two small towns and several villages.
• The area will contain 18-22 zones (not 80 like the full games).
• The Rebellion has reached this island less than a year ago and the land is divided between the Shapers and various factions of the Rebellion.
• The Shapers of this island have seen their numbers reduced as the council draw from their numbers to support the war effort. There are less than 20 shapers (including apprentices and prospectives) remaining.
• The Rebellion lacks coordination between the factions and has no true central command.
• The level range will be 18 to about 35. However, the plan is for level 35 to feel closer to 26-27 level in power; you will be powerful but not able to take on whole armies.
• The power of the enemies will be mostly static. A rank-and-file soldier encountered at the beginning will have the same stats as a rank-and-file soldier encountered at the end. Some enemies will increase in power as they gain more battle experience or access to more canisters, better equipment, magic etc.
• There will be no named characters from the other games directly involved. There will be rumors about Alwan fighting in Ilya province or word that Greta\Litalia\Ghaldring sent canisters\reinforcements but you will not see them in the game.
• Speaking of canisters, they will be rare and more powerful. Unless there is a reason for it, there won't be a canister in a wrecked house.
• Not all creations will be possible to be made in the game. Knowledge to make Kyshaaks hasn't reached that island yet for example and war-tralls and wingbolts are rare.

What I would specifically like input on

I was thinking to start working on the "Character is at the side of the Rebellion" questline first since I prefer the Rebels. However, I realized there's an easier path:

Player being a trakovite. But not a Trakovite "follower" that gets his orders or even suggestions from someone. The Player could be the first Trakovite to set foot on that area, moving around the embattled island trying to convince people to become Trakovites trying to balance expanding their numbers (and power) against drawing attention. 

Then, depending on who the player has convinced to join (and assuming those have not been exposed by the Shapers \ hardcore rebels and executed) he or she may attempt a coup. Or exact promises from either side to step back somewhat from Shaping in exchange for the now-powerful Trakovite faction joining them and lesser punishments for captured Trakovites.  

The player would be severely hampered on Shaping (even if he or she picks up a bit of it) and would have to rely on hirelings and personal power to survive.

This idea is not fully developed yet. I am not sure that's the direction I would want for this.

Do you think that I should focus on the "traditional" Rebel \ Shaper fight and perhaps later put in the Trakovite path? Or 3 full games on Rebels \ Shapers and Trakovites being crushed underfoot is enough to justify a short game about a Trakovite trying to get some power?

Awesome! I cannot express how happy I am with this development. May it open the doors for tons of new fan-made content.

1 hour ago, Nim said:

Khur joins if your rep is 100 or lower. And where do you get this idea that you have to fight armies of drakons ??? Grayghost Gates/Khima Uss has nothing to do with rep, that's simply the result of giiving the shapers the specs.

Hmm... I didn't know that you could pass mostly-free to the first Drakon city (the one with Salassar) if you had low rebel reputation. 

Taking into account your insight, I should better have said:

The Shapers pay better but if you're a hardcore Shaper and do all their quests you have to fight armies of Drakons.

However, I remember several areas swarming with drakons. Are all those reachable "peacefully" by Shaper supporters? (It's not that the Drakons let a rebel in complete peace either).

  won't go combing for scripts, but it seems weird that a clear pro-Shaper would be entrusted by both Litalia and the Drakons to go deep in Drakon-held lands and then Northforge.

Khur: Is he the "We're all going to die!" servile? That one joined me. Moseh liquefied him I think.

OK then, Nim is right. From the Script even if you betray the Rebels twice they still allow you to help.

Khur? Khur can join fence sitters? I didn't have him with me and the Shapers were not trusting me either.

Low rebel rep means you have to fight through armies of Drakons that otherwise you can just walk by. 

1 hour ago, Shadow Wulfe said:

Hm, I guess if I wanted to go for a moderate route I could kill Moseh (allowing the rebels to not be bottled in) and maybe give the papers to the Shapers.

 

When I played years ago fencing wasn't that big of a deal, but for some reason this time the Shaper rhetoric is coming off too much sounding like Emperor Palpatine promising to restore peace, prosperity, and order to the galaxy.

Yes because the Shapers are the most evil of the two evil sides. The Drakons are bad, but the Rebellion is more than the Drakons.

I don't think so Nim. I think TheKian is right and if you restore Moseh and give the papers to the Shapers Greta will not allow you to go into Burwood.

Perhaps killing the others first, reporting to the rebels and then killing Moseh? Of course that means you don't have their help...

10 hours ago, Ess-Eschas said:

 

That's strange. The links all seem to work for me now, and they didn't before Kel changed the permissions earlier, so something should have changed. Perhaps there's a problem with your browser cache, alhoon? If the file permissions have changed, it's possible your browser might not have registered that yet – doing something like logging out and logging back in again might change that. I can't think of a reason why some non-moderators could view the files but not others, although I might be missing something!

Well, now they work for me too. They didn't work when I saw theKian's post which is when I tried.

I was not.

9 hours ago, TheKian said:

 (Alwan or Greta will always leave after you finish the third island, depending on your alignment).

In the umodified version of the game which isn't the one alhoon is playing.

Keep in mind that keeping them when playing a Shaper is taking slots more powerful creations *cough* leveled Vlish * cough* could take. So it is balanced. But Vlish are overpowered enough that you don't have to worry too much.

Not that I am aware of such a cheat, but it's probably getting saved in the save file. As others have suggested (for replays or other GF games down the line) I find it best to use trainers for secondary skills. Like train my Shaper to a point of parry here  instead of dropping 4 much needed points to something somewhat trivial. It won't save me, but it will help. Same with missile weapons training (in later games). I got it since I could afford it to get a little more out of Crystals in GF4.  

I have tried to play GF1. It's not the graphics that is the problem. It's the more to do with the User Interface. Things like the inventory (that was a problem for me in GF2 too), the way merchants work. To a lesser extend the different mechanics and things like "anatomy" that don't tell me much are also a turn-off. GF2 was already a stretch with one of my problems being quest items looking the same.  

I don't expect many to agree with me that the UI is so important to turn one off such a nice game. But I do hope GF1 is remade using GF5 engine.

I don't understand what you mean about the story to be sincere. In case you thought that GF1 story should be rewritten in a remake... Nope. I want to play a remake with a good, solid UI the same story you all did and got you hooked.

I really like those games... I hope he will revisit them at some point. Add more in-between games. Like the invasion of the Rebellion in Ilya Province or Alwan's campaign to reclaim it etc.

Damn, I should have known this would have spoilers instead of just stats...

IMO a GF game without canister madness (includes GF5) is just bizarre. And that's from reading a few lines in this thread. Bye all...

Please use this thread to put peer pressure to the developer to update GF1 to something more fresh whether it has canister madness or not. Could we do a kickstarter about it? Probably we wouldn't gather even a sizeable fraction of the funds required to convince him to do it, so it's a rhetoric question. Still it would show us and the developer how many are interested for that and who are content to wait for 2+ years.

Please do so.

Very good!

Hmmm? I don't remember him. Is he the guy that teaches Spellcraft in the early parts of GF4? Can he shape or he's just an unapproved mage?

Monarch? Closer than Bennhold to Lifecrafter; rogue Shapers are in the perhaps-they-count group.

Academically, I was trying to think of non-Drakon Lifecrafters in GF4-5. Perhaps make a list. Some like Jared are clearly Lifecrafters. Others... I am not sure if they count.

The clear ones:

- Jared (GF4)

- Greta (GF4-5)

- Shaila (GF4)

- Burkes (GF4)

And the perhaps-they-count ones:

- Sage Olipha (GF5). Not a Shaper, not geneforged, studies on how to Shape creations, has canisters. I would call him more of a unaligned shaper-wannabe than a Lifecrafter personally.

- Footracer (GF5). A Servile with a control tool that allows her to Shape. Supposedly fights for the Rebellion although she and her bunch are more like bandits connected with the Drakons through mutual dislike of the Shapers than actually allied with the Rebellion. Not sure if she counts because the control tool allows her to Shape.

- Litalia (GF4-5). Well, she was a Shaper and Shaper-trained, but has gone canister-junky. I think she counts as a lifecrafter.

- Bennhold (GF5). He doesn't Shape in combat but he has a ton of creations in his lair that don't hurt him so... perhaps he is a Lifecrafter after all? Personally I would put him in the same category as Olipha even if he could Shape.

- Talis-Eye (GF5) (perhaps I have the name wrong). Non Drakon but not human either. Still, it can Shape and is\was a rebel. 

- The Rogue Mind in Control Core B (GF5). Well, it can Shape and it is against the Shapers... I would count it as a traitor Shaper though and not a Lifecrafter. 

- Monarch (GF4). Shaper trained because of his age but against the Shapers (and the Rebellion). Still, he makes the "perhaps he counts" list.

I probably forget some. Anyone willing to help?

Welcome. This is the Geneforge forum, another series of the Spiderweb games. If you don't like the older-fashioned games, I would suggest, in fact strongly recommend as awesome, GF4-5. They're "new enough" for me.

Although I have to say that even though the older games in the series are clunky, the story is very entertaining.