Endgame Question

[Californian]

So I'm advancing in the game and still have quite a bit to do. I'm playing slowly enough that I might still be playing on Day 160, but I doubt it.

 

So, a question: In all of the previous Avernum games you could finish the game, do all the quests, and have the option to keep playing. Is that the case this time? I'm leaving lots of low-level job board quests and I could go back and wander around and do those, waiting for Day 160. Or I could just put off the endgame by doing those quests, or just by wandering around and sleeping a lot, until I hit day 160. I'd just like to experience ALL of the game, and not miss the Tower of Magi fight.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 7, 2018 by Californian

[Randomizer]

Once you complete the final mission, that's it. No more quests and exploring.

[Californian]

Aha! Thanks, Randomizer! Then I will wander and sleep and do the little quests. I'd rather not mess with the game to reset the clock. 

 

Um, can I do that for too long? The game won't cut me off at some point and tell me I've lost?

[Edgwyn]

You definitely can do it past Day 160.  I got caught up in the story and completed the game around day 90-100 and then reloaded from a save from shortly before the final battle.  I then wandered around completing all of the minor quests, getting training using crystals, wasting time, etc until Day 160 so that I could do the Day 160 event.  Now I just need to go back to the final battle and the game will be over.

[Californian]

Yep! Kind of my idea Edgwyn! These time-limited job board quests are a new feature. They ought to soak up plenty of time! And as you say, all I have to do is save a game at the right point. Thanks!

[Randomizer]

I went into the final area past the Keep at day 179 and completed the game. So I don't know if there still is a day 180 end as in Avernum 3.

[Alberich]

I did the same.  I just reloaded my last save and went out without winning...and yes, you can go to at least Day 181 without ending the game automatically.

[Californian]

Well I've learned one thing. I'm on Day 125, and I'm finding that many of the job board quests don't appear in my quest list even after I've accepted them. So there's a day limit on those, apparently. However, I've undoubtedly missed so much that I shouldn't have any difficulty stretching things out to Day 160. Am worried about 180, however. Maybe I'll find out if you lose the game then!

[Alberich]

You don't lose the game then....at least not as long as you have completed a certain achievement, to wit:

 

Spoiler

getting the contract between Animaxander and the Empress.  (At least, he says there would've been trouble if that hadn't been done before day 180.)

 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Alberich

[Ishad Nha]

I included a solution to this problem in the topic
"Fastest way to advance time to day 160?"

[Kennedy]

What exactly does the losing text say if you reach day 180 and haven't solved any of the plagues or spoken to princess Prozac?
 

[Sade]

I waited until day 199 without doing anything at all, and this is what happened:

 

Spoiler

 

"From below you, in Avernum, your mind is bombarded with images, sent to you mentally by the now triumphant Grah-Hoth. A portal has been opened, and hordes of demons are flowing into Avernum. The portal to the surface has been destroyed.

 

You cannot go help now. Nothing can be done. By the time Avernum can fight off the invasion, there will be little left. Maybe, someday, the few survivors will return to the surface. It will, however, be hard to take much satisfaction in it."

 

Game Over

 

No matter how long you take to do things, you will always be able to finish the game... NOT.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by Sade

[fractalnavel]

That's for not dealing with the Tower of Magi disaster, right?  What if you take care of that, but not the plagues etc.?

[Entropic]

On 4/8/2018 at 1:51 AM, Californian said:

Well I've learned one thing. I'm on Day 125, and I'm finding that many of the job board quests don't appear in my quest list even after I've accepted them. So there's a day limit on those, apparently. However, I've undoubtedly missed so much that I shouldn't have any difficulty stretching things out to Day 160. Am worried about 180, however. Maybe I'll find out if you lose the game then!

 

This same thing happened to me and I was confused, but when this happens it means that you failed a job board quest for that town and they are refusing you the quests. If you look carefully, you'll see text to the effect of "This town has still not forgiven you for failing an earlier job board quest", even though it looks like you're accepting the quests.