Curious Artila Dirty Dirty Leprechaun Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody Kyna Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 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). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk NaCN Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan xxo Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 I like it... I don't think it's the least popular; the least popular is probably SubTerra or Galactic Core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Rosycat Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 I think she's talkin' about JEFF's games, yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Lord Sylak Posted March 21, 2003 Share Posted March 21, 2003 It was the first game on the system, so it wasn't very popular several years after it came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Articulate Vlish X Posted March 21, 2003 Share Posted March 21, 2003 I agree it was experimental, but very much liked the attention to historical detail, the classical quotes before each section and so forth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Schrodinger Posted March 21, 2003 Share Posted March 21, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious Artila Dirty Dirty Leprechaun Posted March 21, 2003 Author Share Posted March 21, 2003 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Zeviz Posted March 22, 2003 Share Posted March 22, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenderfoot Thahd Lord Raman Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk go baby go Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Mr. Raman Sir Raman Lord Sir, you can actually move the map.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall In Half Now Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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