Lochmacher

My fav is still a Human swordsman (Dex focus), Sslith polearm (Str), Human mage (Int), Nephil priest (Int) (Avernum 1-3, as it only has 4 PCs...). This allows you to benefit from most encounters with bipeds and keeps everyone alive when you can't reason with people. Also, I use the custom for all classes and do not rely on the defaults.

All interesting questions, true, but taken too seriously. As Plato once ejaculated, "Save the phenomena!". Attempting too stringently to dissect an issue de-mystifies it and can lead to a sad, detached, ennui that will leave both the subject of inquiry and the inquiring subject at a loss. edit: Note, however, that the author of this particular reply is not stating that all things be dealt with in such manner, but rather it is the utility of the information in question and/or capacity of the mind in retention and application that should direct our interests toward the minutae and it's many, wending tangents. Put simply and in context, a pregnant Vahnatai is only of interest to one who is either: A)A viable male of the same, elusive species, An unconscionable pervert, or C)An Avernite who needs to deal with said pregnancy in some capacity including delivery of, maintainence of, or avoidance of. Add' Edit: Note bold text, I am not against such a pursuit. Merely cautioning against frivolity when such endeavors exceed the grasp of the ponderer, his methods, or even his dedication to the task.

You should also (if it's Avernum 1) look at the left mouse-right mouse thread to see if that might be the problem too. (It's annoying to walk 2 steps, or one and then attack). http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=001692

Ok, I didn't WANT to directly reply to you Marvin, while your topic was even more ambitious (ridiculously so, for this medium) than mine. I instead tried to illustrate this fact through the content of my post. The last bit, where you mentioned wizards was probably the only part that tied in with previous posts (the Big Bang thing was a bit of a tangent, probably spurred on by the Earth vs. Planet X post). In answer to that: yes, wizards (non-party ones at least) seem capable of shaping their worlds to a limited extent (they did, after all, make the plant-life in the upper areas of Avernum suitable to their needs). As for your cosmic theories and Z-particles, well, they are theories. Though interesting, you can't take these without criticism. To fail to question them is to retard their development. You did include this caveat, so congrats... As for energy being "lost" and our doom, we believe that energy can be converted or transferred, but it is never lost. The universe, even if it expands to the point of catastrophe (for us, anyway), will still have energy, mass, and gravity though they might not interact in their current array. Since this would take a fair ammount of time, and since there exists lines of research towards this end, could we not modify our orbit to maintain relative position? Could you kindly list your sources? I am intruiged by this line of thinking and wish to learn more. Perhaps if the second universe developed a different relationship between the so-gennante "building blocks" and particles, we might have readically different sets of laws governing our percieved world. What if different forms (gaseous, liquid, firm) were actually different elements and not composed of smaller, individual elements with their own properties? What if fire was just that? Water simply water and not H2O? Just W1? Chemistry wouldn't work the same, internally (inside us that is) and externally. Let's keep this going... Your turn.

It is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge the slow death of 2D artwork in videogames. *sigh* I, for one, prefer the grittier, paperdoll-in-an-isometric-world style. It allows me to focus on the gameplay and also can yield some of the prettiest and memorable settings I have experienced in gaming. When done well, 2D art blows the 3D away. Combine that with the ease of use factor (no annoying camera to shuffle around) and you have a true winner. Aside from gamers getting to focus on gameplay, developers also seem to get tied up in graphical improvements, often at the cost of said enjoyment. What would HL2 be like with a real physics engine and real AI? We won't know, because ValVe chose to dazzle us with rippling water and flashy particle effects. Oblivion? It might just go there, all the while I will still be booting up the Growling Spider (you know the one! Diiiing... RAR!) and settling down for another romp through Exile (or Avernum, though I wish the two would get back together and share ideas). So there it is: for my money, I want 2D graphics, intelligent design (not the religious kind**), and tons of details in items, spells, skills, and NPCs. **See "Buncombe"

I sent him some fan-mail about 2 years ago stating that I loved what he did and that I wished him all the success the future holds. I got a reply thanking me and telling me that my input was appreciated and that he is glad that we enjoy his games. It's kinda like the letters you get from politician's offices that use the rubber stamper instead of actually signing things, but this was like getting a letter from a DECENT president. Stock or no, it's still A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT!!

Can they not update Avernum 1 to use Avernum 2's mouse scheme? Man, it is sooo much better. Left click works as it should (one click, one step. Hold it down and zooom! Off ya go and no more barrel-pushing, door-opening annoyances!). Right click brings up the talk/look command (that's right, it intuits which one you want!). Seriously... it should be updated.

While everyone has posited interesting and surprisingly intuitive ideas, they are limiting themselves by applying conventions and words to their thoughts. Why not have a species that is self-aware and one with all? It would not need a house, because the idea of a house is already part of it's existence. Hands? The idea of hands to manipulate would be unnecessary as all things are accessible, all relations moot. It is the water, it is the tree, it is the fruit. What creature would drink itself? Rend itself? Eat itself? Short of being incredibly dull (the game would be a blank screen since all things, being part of a whole, would not function without the sum of all, there would be no distinction between elements, sounds, feelings), the game would not even be a game, as to think of it as such would be to, again, apply words and notions to it and thus it would not be the real game. Though I speak of this, I do not know it for to know it is to not speak of it. If this sounds familiar, yes... I stole it. See Taoism, Buddhism, and Plagarism (the last of which I was careful to avoid through practised re-phrasing).

I understand that there is a penalty (16% or so) in combat to all actions, but my other character has platemail (heavier still with a 20%) and is not penalized in such a manner... I will have to level up some more and dink around to see if I can't divine a solution (as if I needed an excuse to play). Thanks though! EDIT: Just read that hardiness might solve it with a few points. ADDTL EDIT: Well, crap . That's ok, wanted to start again anyways.

Bah! The windows graphics are better. They portray a grittier and more realistic world for me . Some games have too much polish... really.

Ok, I have a character who has a decent dex (14), str (12) and Steel Chain armor. He is not over-burdened and even has the Fast on Feet perk. Why might he incapable of moving more than 3 spaces without haste, 5 with (no adverse spells, effects, etc)? EDIT: Avernum 2 is the game in question.

Thanks, Ill give it a go!

I have noticed that no matter what stats or skills I give the character in the first slot, he only has 3 movement (even with an insanely high starting dex and the Fast on Feet skill). What can be done?