Plan to play every scenario available

[Blakland]

Hi,

 

This is actually my first post on these forums but I've played through the Geneforge series and was curious to try and play Blades of Avernum.

 

I played Blades of Exile forever ago, so the only scenario I remembered was Valley of Dying Things. Playing through that scenario sparked some motivation in me to try all 4 scenarios that it came with.

 

Those didn't last long so I found this site hosted by a "Tyranicus" and downloaded basically every scenario on there.

 

I've been motivated enough to create a spreadsheet detailing completion of each scenario and how I felt about it.

 

 

I've got basically all of them on hand (z indicates a completed scenario)

 

 

What I want to know is if there's any preference to what order some people tend to play through the scenarios?

 

I like to try and keep a party intact going through multiple scenarios, but my main party is currently on Level 65 and I've started playing with a single player party in some of the other scenarios.

 

Appreciate any feedback!

[Kelandon]

I — and at least a couple others who weighed in when this question came up in the Let's Play thread — would suggest chronological order. Many, many scenarios are related in some way to scenarios that came before them, sometimes in obvious ways, sometimes not.

 

EDIT: Also, lol at the comment on a TM scenario: "I'm beginning to think that this author is insane."

[Blakland]

Chronological Order seems to make the most sense, thanks for the link to that.

 

I haven't played through many of the Terror Martyr scenarios, but that dude's a mad scientist.

 

The canopy one was very different, but fun. The bow and sword I picked up in that scenario saved me dozens of times in the Bahssikava scenario.

 

Looks like the next scenario is Roses of Reckoning, made by the same guy lol.

[Blakland]

So, on chronological advice, I tried out Roses of Reckoning.

 

This is the first thing I see when I load up the scenario.

 

 

What did I get myself into.

[Kelandon]

Yeah, TM's scenarios are pretty incoherent. Fun, once you get past that. But incoherent.

[Slawbug]

Roses of Reckoning is probably the one real problem with chronological order

[nikki.]

Luckily, you can usually just ignore TM while playing his scenarios.

 

It tends to make them much more enjoyable. 

[tyorkul]

I made a similar post on the BoE forum, but I suppose it's worth mentioning here too.  A lot of the scenarios in Tyranicus' BoA database are outdated versions.  The newer bug-fixed versions are mentioned in the scenario author's own site, which sadly don't exist anymore, and are only briefly accessible via the Internet Archive.

 

I assume there must be some 'collector' out there who would've managed to grab the newer versions before they disappeared.  Maybe he/she is willing to share their archive (similar to Nephil Thief's google drive archive for BoE)?  I'll try to round-up a list of the outdated mods that I came across.

Edited April 4, 2023 by tyorkul

[tyorkul]

Lurker's finding of an updated version of a BoE scenario motivated me to list outdated versions of BoA scenarios that I noticed in Tyranicus' scenario database.  Perhaps someone might have copies of the "unavailable" versions lying around somewhere...

Scenario                      Archived Version  Newer Version
--------                        ----------------    -------------
Adrift                            v1.0.0                     v1.1.0 (https://ephesos.webs.com/adrift.htm)
Darkness                      v1.0.0                     v1.1.0 (https://ephesos.webs.com/darkness.htm)
Shades of Gray            v1.0.0                     v1.1.2 (https://ephesos.webs.com/shadesofgray.htm)
Embers of Rebellion    v1.0.1                      v1.1.0 (https://ephesos.webs.com/embersofrebellion.htm)
Druids of Krell              v2.0.0                     v3.1.0 (https://ephesos.webs.com/druidsofkrell.htm)

 

River and Leaf              v1.0                        v1.1 Enhanced (http://www.freewebs.com/ishadnha/BoAGFRiverleafPC.zip)

In the Shadow of Dragons v1.0.0               v1.0.1 UNAVAILABLE (https://web.archive.org/web/20090403204018/http://www.freewebs.com/nemesis42888/scenarios.htm)

 

Gluckcluck                   v1.0.0                      Bug Fix (t3l1dlg.txt) UNAVAILABLE (https://web.archive.org/web/20120110145901/http://www.freewebs.com/enragedslith/myscenarios.htm)

 

Dilecia                          v1.0.1                       v1.0.2 UNAVAILABLE (https://web.archive.org/web/20110910170609/http://blades.ermarian.net/scenario/blades-of-avernum/dilecia)

 

A Good Beginning       v1.0.0                      v1.0.1 UNAVAILABLE (https://web.archive.org/web/20110910181826/http://blades.ermarian.net/scenario/blades-of-avernum/good-beginning)

 

El Presidente               v1.0.0                      v1.0.1 UNAVAILABLE (https://web.archive.org/web/20110912010722/http://blades.ermarian.net/scenario/blades-of-avernum/el-presidente)

 

Turn That Frown Upside-Down 2  v1.0.0   v1.0.1 UNAVAILABLE (https://web.archive.org/web/20100819074742/https://blades.ermarian.net)

 

Undead Valley            v1.0.0 ???                v1.0.1 (http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/avernum/blades/scen_stuff/medium.html) Version on Spiderweb has later timestamps but missing certain graphics files (G172.bmp)

 

Outpost Valley is incorrectly listed as v1.0.0.  It should be v1.0.1

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by tyorkul

[The Lurker]

Hmm. I've just checked my backup, and sadly it seems my versions are at least as outdated as what's available online right now. I do remember that I sent TM a fan-made patch for Canopy : Manufactured Womb on Shadow Vale many years ago, but I don't think he ever uploaded it... It fixed a number of bugs, especially regarding the final boss fight, which (if I remember correctly) still didn't work as intended in the final version TM released. I'll see if I can find a copy of it, but since I'd have to test it again before uploading it... Yep, it's likely to take some time.

[BainIhrno]

For my "Of Good and Evil" port, you should probably use this download to ensure it works properly; some older versions had game-killing bugs.

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=10ggHmbDffS7a_nja_BmlpB-dt2uykE2L

[tyorkul]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:23 PM, BainIhrno said:

For my "Of Good and Evil" port, you should probably use this download to ensure it works properly; some older versions had game-killing bugs.

 

Thanks for the update.

 

 

On 5/27/2023 at 5:40 AM, The Lurker said:

I'll see if I can find a copy of it, but since I'd have to test it again before uploading it... Yep, it's likely to take some time.

 

No worries, take your time.  I just hope if/when you do release it, the newer version gets enough exposure and the older links replaced.  I suspect many players must have used buggy, outdated versions over the years, had a bad experience or formed a unfavorable opinion, not knowing the author had already spent a lot of time addressing most of their issues.  Only problem was the newer version released by the author was probably in some obscure forum post.  🙃