Hyena of Ice

March 23, 2015

I think that too many fans would not want to see crafting skills as a requirement to making items as opposed to getting an NPC to do it for them-- not unless it's optional.

As for coming up with one's own spells, maybe late into the game, but you have to remember that the PCs begin as inexperienced novices-- the Avernum PCs have never seen a battle and just graduated from Basic when they start the game, while the PCs in Geneforge just graduated from primary shaper education and just began their vocational training (excepting Geneforge 3, when you're still in primary education) Thus it is unlikely that they could engage in 100% self-study until you're around 3/4ths done with the game.

It would definitely be fun to see the ability to purchase a house like in Avadon 2, though.

March 23, 2015

Ah, thanks. That's a huge relief. No, I most certainly wasn't exhorting you to participate in the search, LOL.

Edit: Holy...! I just found all of the Geneforge 1~3 Lovecraftian creatures (and they still exist...! I wonder if they work in Daz... Wow, the artilia, the vlish, the turret, the worm, the crawler, and even the glaahk... And LOL at the model that the worm is from, it's literally strapped to a levitating platform!) On that note, looks like Jeff (or whoever does his 3D/sprite renders) is a massive Davo/Davorama fan. <_< >_>

Anyone know if Jeff is an HP Lovecraft fan?

March 23, 2015

I've been compiling a list for someone more knowledgable of the game to see if they have-- I'm doubtful though. I guess I'll drop that though if you really think I should

*Notes that you're a mod*

I'm going to assume yes then and just drop it... and feel horribly embarassed.

March 23, 2015

Basically, using the current Daz site in and of itself, that is. Like I said, many have their names floating around the net somewhere. Though the two vendors Jeff uses overwhelmingly for background objects (Faveral and Redhouse Studios) didn't make their names available as far as I know.

adc. · March 22, 2015

Alright, this is some specific stuff that I'd like to see in a remake of G3. Be warned that uh... the paragraph about your teachers is a little graphic.

------Too few students at the academy. I mean there are what, 4.. 5.. 6 teachers? And an equal number of students? I know that some supposedly fled earlier in the morning, but that's still too few. Since there would likely be a 2nd story floor in a remake, I would hope that we would see some more students, including some who stick around but don't join you for whatever reason. Besides the fact that it seems odd that only a few outsider guards and serviles remain after you clear the place out... What's more, you really need some sort of non-filler engineer there, who knows how to SAFELY remove the rubble and stabilize parts of the building. Just having stock character soldiers and serviles clean the place up is just asking for trouble.

------The lack of details/focus on your murdered teachers makes it feel like their deaths aren't that big a deal. I think that, in a remake, Jeff should add details and cut scenes that make the reader really feel something over their deaths.

1. Why doesn't Alwan react to seeing their bodies up close?

2. IIRC, aren't there giant rats near the bodies? I think that Alwan would go a bit berserk upon seeing rats munching on the bodies of your teachers...

3. Give a graphic description of their bodies-- something like "The air here reeks of sulfur, and something else. The air is filled with what smells like overcooked ornk meat, but you know that it is something far worse. This collapsing room is filled with the faint smell of blood, and the stench of burnt flesh and hair."

along with something like "Their bodies are covered in burns, their flesh torn away from powerful bite attacks, and their limbs mangled by great crushing blows."

--Then, if you return after leaving/being visited by Litalia at the South End, their bodies are replaced by an equal number of bloody tarps. If Greta is with you, she will ask a nearby guard which is the body of her favorite teacher. Greta, being as dangerously curious as she is, lifts the tarp. "The sight absolutely horrifies her. _____ suffered such severe injuries to her face that it is no longer recognizable. Greta leaps back, screaming. She huddles against the wall, crying hysterically. While you feel her pain, this is not an acceptable reaction for a shaper to make in public. Alwan clearly wants to chide her for this, but he decides to keep his mouth shut."

--When you return to give Mind Hrrol your report, the bodies are gone, and many of the NPCs are not where they're supposed to be.

If you enter the courtyard, you'll see most of the NPCs there, along with several graves (ones with wooden markers rather than tombstones-- they are just temporary graves). You'll be treated to a small memorial ceremony for your dead teachers.

Even without the graphic first part (burnt flesh/etc), I would really like to see the Greta and memorial scenes, along with Alwan's reaction when he sees the bodies for the first time.

----An addition to Alwan's/Greta's parting dialogue if you used more than 6 canisters. From Alwan I picture something like "But now I see that you are lost to our kind, and maybe even humanity as well."-- as a consequence you may also be limited in possible responses you can give (wishing them well may not be an option), and if you choose the hostile response, possibly a brief warning to the other companion of the danger they are putting themselves in by following you. (e.g. from Alwan possibly something like "He turns to Greta. "Greta,", he calls out. She keeps her back turned to him. You notice that she looks shocked-- Alwan has never addressed her by name before. "If you continue to travel with him/her, then you will regret it. I say this not as a threat, but as a warning. That is not the same (your character class) who recruited us."

Not sure what Greta's warning would be like, other than maybe something along the lines of "She turns to look at Alwan. "Alwan," she calls out. "Are you sure you want to keep travelling with (your character's name) I do not think that she is the person that she used to be." and then some warning towards his safety/whether he will be sorry/something like that, though I'm drawing a blank for quotes. As for her other line, something like "But I do not feel that what they are fighting is that much better. But it is more than just that. You are different from before... You have become cold and distant, even by Shaper standards."

Also in the text when you enter town after using more than 6 canisters: "You notice that Alwan/ Greta/ Alwan and Greta are also staring at you with concern."

-----Fix the timeline inconsistencies from the beginning to end of G3.

--Up until you reach Gull Island, the timeline is consistent. However, on Gull Isle,the rebellion changes from having begun months ago to having begun weeks ago. (possibly changed when Jeff decided to have the Gull Isle shapers kidnapped and starving-- personally I still like the first timeline-- esp. since the second creates problems with the timeline for General Greiner going nutso, and that when you reach Harmony Isle, it's likely that no more than a week + few days passed since the rebellion began-- which is awfully soon for the situation with the gatherers to reach the point that it has.)

--When Agatha and the serviles first began to act strangely is contradicted several times. Macallan says months ago, Nazar says years ago as does someone else or the narration at the Icy End, and Khyryk, in separate dialogue trees, says one year, and several years (Khyryk contradicts himself? Yikes!)

--Fix inconsistencies/plotholes with the first two games regarding to shaper education (the first two state that you go through several years of school, then several more *the number given in G1 is 5 years* of vocational training before you can become a full shaper. When you meet Alwan in G3, we are told that he is about to be initiated as a Guardian, even though he clearly hasn't gone through vocational training. Litalia gives several ranks for students-- apprentice, then novice, then student, despite that you are repeatedly referred to as both "apprentice" or "novice" many times throughout the game. Also, by G1/2 terms, Litalia and Diwaniya could not be "not much older than you".)

--Okay, so we know that Diwaniya is the only shaper on Harmony Isle. We also know from the dialogue that he has spies, which would have to be outsiders rather than agents-- probably hunters and former soldiers-- and that they are skilled enough combatants that they can hold their own while stalking you throughout the rogue-infested isle. Seems like there should be a hunter or two living in the wilderness, along with a few less skilled ones stuck in town (maybe one of them will buy hides from you)

Oh, I'd also like to see a few more regions-- preferrably optional regions-- in the game (even though there are already completely optional regions on each Isle save maybe Spears-- The Training Hall, Kyra's Refuge, Sphaeron's Lab, the Darkstone Mine complex, and the Monastary Isle/Caverns)

1. There's the whole "ominous ring of land" RPG cliche going on Harmony Isle. I wanna see what's in the center of that lake. I bet it's a volcanic/magma plug!

2. There's a huge area on the southwest corner of Greenwood Isle that you can't access.

3. Couple of small islands off of Dhonal. Probably not much there, though the southern one is partially wooded.

Personally, I'd like to see some sort of brigand hideout for #1 and #3, rather than rogues. There's a serious lack of plain hostile bandits/brigands in the game.

More as I think of it.

March 21, 2015

Last night I had a dream that The Empire was invading my kitchen because I used an illegal variety of oregano on my chicken wings.

That... is absolutely hilarious.

Maybe the oregano had an intoxicating effect on Nephil like catnip-- both plants ARE in the mint family >_>

March 21, 2015

No, that's not it. Maybe it was some other place that I saw that name...

Do you have any examples of names showing up in both places? I looked through a list here and see very little that even looks like a personal name. Is there some other reason to suspect this?

Yeah, you really have to look. Some were available during the first few years of DAZ's existence on the vendor page (thank you, Wayback Machine), Some give their real names on ShareCG or some other place. (one example-- the vendor named Valea-- her textures show up under a file named "Michelle". IIRC a few vendors have their names in their sigs or some other place when they post on the forums. Several vendors also have their own websites, though I have never checked there for names-- for the most part I just keep an eye out for aliases in case they sell products on another site under a different name) Many vendors are smart enough not to reveal their real names anywhere online, such as Faveral, as far as I can tell (whose products show up the most on Jeff's games as far as furniture and other background objects)

March 21, 2015

Although it's a longshot, something to look out for are the names of Daz3d poser vendors. From G1 onwards, Jeff uses Poser renders for sprite models. I have recognized quite a few of the models, and have been conducting extensive searches via the Wayback Machine etc., compiling a list of what I've seen. I have no idea if he put their names in any of the games of not (note: it's not intended as advertising, as such I'm not going to list any of the products seen in the games, just the vendor name and their real name if it is available, divided into a few game categories-- e.g. G1~G3, A4~G5, Avadon 1~Av2CS. Besides that, most of the G1~G3 era products are either defunct/from defunct vendors or no longer list the vendor's name, anyhow.)

BTW, completely unrelated to the above, but this name sounds familiar-- is there a character named Mylakhrion in any of the games?

adc. · March 21, 2015

One thing I would definitely like to see is more item interaction. If I might make a comparison to one of the games that greatly inspired Jeff-- Ultima 7 has some of the best item interaction in any game. You could bake bread, weave cloth, mine ore with a mattock, forge swords, throw buckets of water/blood/beer on people and animals, cut bolts of cloth into bandages, smash doors/chests open, light/snuff out candles, and change diapers (and, if you so dared, hurl the diapers at an enemy and inflict the fear status upon them). You could also do mundane things such as click on those little metal ball clackers, rock a baby cradle, and stuff like that.

I did come up with several things so far while writing my G3 fic.

--Granted, I don't think I would want to see a lot of those, but doors that have to either be oiled or bashed down might be interesting.

--Or a stealth skill/ranking (like hit) which most types of metal armor give penalties to.

Though for the most part, it would probably be best to make interactions optional.

--For say-- desert areas, penalties to hit and dodge unless you use a stick of charcoal (only one character needs to use it, and it lasts until you leave the zone. Takes the Incense sprite)

--Possibly, the ability to make certain (mostly simple and low-level) items from leather hides rather than give them to a crafter-- like say, ratskin shawls, rat-tail bands, and coated/polarfur cloaks. Only after you find a recipe, though. Granted, this would probably be more likely in Avadon games and Geneforge remakes than Avernum remakes.)

DEFINITELY something I would love to see is "hollow tree" containers like in Ultima 7 Serpent Isle and Ultima 5. Except that the majority are either empty or lead to special encounters (e.g. "You reach into the hollow. Something bites your hand!" or a slime comes out when you search it) The few with something in them however usually have really good stuff (think the magic axe in the hollow tree on the outskirts of Jhelom in Ultima 5)

March 21, 2015

On Alwan's journal in G4-- again, I have yet to play the game, so I can't weigh in that well, but G3 gives us possible hints on his motive for destroying/suppressing all evidence/memory of accompanying the third shaper, but not of Greta.

--In his parting conversation at the Dhonal West Docks or Khor's Deeps, if you wish him well, he responds that your kind words do not buy his forgiveness for your crimes.

--The rebellion would have never have reached G4 levels were it not for the third shaper's betrayal. It makes sense that Alwan would place most of the blame upon her rather than Greta.

--Expanding upon the above point, Greta spends most of the game searching for her purpose and place in the world, and she states that this is the very reason that she travels with you. Thus, she is your follower, doing your bidding.

The text in the Creator's Hall states that she is in a daze. Likewise, if you helped Lankan, you get a short dialogue from her on the Harmony W. Docks where she states that she, herself, never would have had the courage to help Lankan.

--Again, expanding upon the above, due to Greta's inner struggle and uncertainty towards the Shaper-vs-Rebel dichotomy, and as a subservient follower of the 3rd Shaper/Esther, it is possible that Alwan again places much of the blame on the third shaper for Greta's alliance and eventual leadership in the rebellion. Especially since Alwan attributes her questioning of the shapers to weak-mindedness and a weak will.

--Given the third shaper's canister abuse, it is safe to assume that he got the "Fine, Traitor! If you get in my way, I'll kill you!" farewell. Ouch.

--Perhaps he doesn't want anyone to know,. or to even think about it himself, because it would lead to questions about his responsibility in everything that happened. His farewell speech makes it clear that he knew for some time of the shaper's wavering allegience to the Shapers, but that he was in denial about it. Does that mean that he could have stopped her before she joined the rebels? What about the fact that he assisted her up until the end of Dhonal Isle? Would she have gotten far enough in their mission to turn on the shapers without him fighting by her side?

--Probably most significant by far-- in his parting dialogue if you gave the canister to Lankan, he is angry and states that you have "tainted him with your crimes"

Again, I still haven't played the last two games, so I don't know any of the context behind Alwan's precise view towards the third shaper or towards Greta in those games.

March 18, 2015

That doesn't make much sense, though. I've only played G1-3, but so far she doesn't seem at all delusional. Also, I would think that the canister usage would make a person smarter and have better memory. Well, the ones who aren't completely nutso, that is.

I would think however that the ranks of shaper student level would be basic enough knowledge that Litalia wouldn't easily forget it-- and even if she did, both the PC and Alwan would know what the rank levels are.

Litalia getting her facts wrong, however, changes little. I believe the narration when you meet Litalia for the first time states that she is not much older than you. Mooralas states that Litalia recruited Hoge 3 years ago, and she probably wasn't a new recruit to Ghaldarig at that time, either.

We're also told that the rebellion started underground several years earlier (by that, meaning that serviles were smuggling goods to the Isle of Spears for their base of operations) IIRC, we're also told that the Ashen isles rebellion was planned years in advance before that on Terrestria (technically it was planned at the tail end of G2)

It seems more likely to me that Litalia's contraditions were unintentional by Jeff, in the same vein as the progression of shaper training in G3 compared to 1 and 2, as well as inconsistent timelines for the rebellion given throughout G3 as soon as you reach Gull Island (the worst case being when Khyryk gives two contradictory timelines on when Agatha and the serviles started acting weird-- one dialogue tree has him stating that it was several years ago, while another has him stating that it began roughly a year ago, and there is no way that several years could have passed WHILE you were on Gull Island, or else the captured shapers would be long dead by the time you find them.)

March 17, 2015

I just noticed some plotholes in G3-- This is a carry-over from my post in the fic thread, with an additional one.

Also regarding G3-- here is a timeline I have collected. The more plot-integral entries are in bold.

--The Narration states that unlike you, Alwan is close to being initiated.

--You haven't been to Fort Kentia in several years-- not since you were rushed through there on your way to the Academy.

--Greta was expelled a few weeks prior to the attack on the Academy.

--The owner of the abandoned home at the South End left a few weeks ago

--Hawthorne, in E. Kentia, states that no shapers have visited his shop in weeks.

--Nobody has been in the Kentia cellars for weeks.

--The Kentia miners had gone for years without a single death up until the rogues came.

--One of Bruni's soldiers got killed by a roamer the week prior to your arrival at the Harmony East Docks

--Arabella of San Ru has been unable to get the serviles to work for weeks.

--Suzanna, the alchemist in San Ru, has been out of wiry moss for a week when you meet her.

--Diwaniya is only a few years older than you, "though clearly more skilled"

--Norell has been working for Diwaniya "for a few years"

--When you meet Diwaniya, he says it would not surprise him if a rebel shaper was involved, considering what he has seen "in the last few weeks"

--Siri, at the loyalist gatherer camp, states that she saw Litalia weeks ago.

--Greta doesn't think that the rebel gatherers have had a decent meal in weeks

--Lankan says that the shaper academy was attacked "a few weeks ago"

--Lankan has had no contact with Litalia since she left weeks ago.

--The clawbugs using the Calming Stone have been without shaper control for weeks

--The hidden cache of broken canisters in the Vlish Woods were used several weeks ago.

--When we arrive at Fort Wilton, we are told that the quarantine has lasted for months. Narration states that nobody has been in the Storage Sheds for months.

--Commander Sobel states that Greiner's army has been at a stalemate with the rebels for weeks.

--Vander states that the Ambush Bridge rogues only came a few weeks ago.

--Vander states that the Alchemy shop in the upper right corner of the Ambush Bridge was open just a few months ago.

--When asked, Vander guesses that he and his army has been stationed near the bridge for around a month, but that the rogues only arrived a few days ago.

--The Main Army Camp has been there for months, beginning "not long after the monsters appeared"

--When you return to the Dhonal Pass after clearing it out, you meet a soldier named Hullum who has been cleaning up the mess at the outpost. He hasn't slept in the past three days

--Telegin the Sholai, at the Inner Keep, states that the quarantine has trapped him there for months

--Lord Rahul states that he has ruled the Ashen Isles for 30 years.

--When you meet Lord Rahul, he tells you that he has known about the attack on the academy for weeks.

--He also tells you that he has been unable to contact General Greiner for weeks.

--Phasia has lived alone for a few years when his wife died. (a ballpark figure for how long ago his son and daughter left is not given)

--Bradsher, Greiner's assistant, states that his strange behavior began weeks ago. When you find Greiner, narration states that he hasn't shaven in days.

--When you remove the shade from Greiner, if you have enough leadership, you can get him to draw his blade "for the first time in weeks"

--Stringer has been at the Northshore Bridge for weeks

--Rose has been camped out near the Darkstone Mine Gates for weeks.

--Nyall states that the brambles at the Overgrown Road weren't there a few months ago.

(Unfortunately, as soon as you step out of the gates of the SE Gull Docks, the above timeline is greatly contradicted on and off.)

--Narration states that it has been weeks since you first met Litalia at the gates of your school.

--Litalia was approached by Akhari Blaze several years after she first began to feel animosity towards the Shapers. (if we take this from her backstory at the Benerii Eo gates, then one would conclude that several years passed between her desertion of the shapers and joining Akhari Blaze. The latter happened, depending on who you believe, several months to several years prior to the beginning of the rebellion.)

--Macallan states that the serviles of Stonespire began to act strangely for several months before the attacks began.

--The servant mind at the Display Warrens has been neglected for weeks.

--The vats in the Breeding Pits have been neglected for weeks.

--Shaper Jolana hasn't seen Shaper Agatha in months

--Litalia tried to convince Khyryk into joining the rebellion a few weeks before you stepped foot on his doorstep.

--Khyryk states that Shaper Agatha "and her other shapers began to act strange and distant in the years before the rebellion"

--Khyryk states that both the serviles began to act strangely about a year ago. At the same time, Agatha and her servants began to act cold and distant. "Eventually she retreated into her mansion", at which point she refused to see anyone at all. Around the same time that she holed up in her mansion, reports spread of "strange and unfamiliar creations" being made in the Warrens. (contradicts the entry above)

--Khyryk states that the kidnapping of the Shapers happened when the rebellion began.

--At Shaper Agatha's mansion, the narration states that the rebellion began only weeks ago, but that the mansion has suffered months of neglect

--The "Shaper Control" pylons at the Maker's End were installed a few years ago.

--When you arrive at the Isle of Spears docks, narration states that it is near the end of the year and that winter is coming (indicating that you arrive in late Autumn.)

--Rall hasn't seen her mate since he left to go work in the Mushroom Caves, months ago

--Mooralas, Hoge's assistant, was sent to the Icy End by Hoge months prior to the Academy's destruction.

--Mooralas states that Hoge met Litalia during his trip to Gull Island, 3 years ago.

--The Shapers at the Besieged Camp have been holding out for weeks.

--Nazar states that the supplies needed to build the Icy End were smuggled over by friendly Gull Isle serviles "over the years"

--The serviles have survived their years of hiding out on The Isle of Spears by cultivating the mushrooms they grow in the Mushroom Cave.

Conclusion:

The timeline is consistent up until you step foot on Gull Island-- you reach Ft. Kentia weeks after the beginning of the rebellion, the narration continues to say "weeks" throughout Harmony Isle, and that you reach Ft. Wilton months after the rebellion. The last rough timeline indicator is given at the Overgrown Road.

Once you are approached at the Gull docks by Litalia, "months" change to "weeks", and we're given contradictory statements on when things first got weird on Gull Island.

--Macallan states that the serviles first began to act strangely months before the rebellion began

--Khyryk states that Agatha and her shapers began to act strangely in the years leading up to the rebellion.

--Khyryk also states that both Agatha and the serviles first began to act strangely around a year ago.

--Nazar states that Gull Island serviles have been smuggling goods into the Isle of Spears for years.

Yeah, I never noticed the bad dialogue people talk about until I made that list :\ Khyryk contradicting himself is particularly bad.

In all likelihood, Jeff decided to make the timeline shorter when he developed the "kidnapped Shapers have been starved since the rebellion began" plot (which would have to limit the rebellion to a few months at most).

Unfortunately, even abridging the timeline in Dhonal from months to weeks doesn't work, due to General Greiner, who only recently went nutso. It also makes suspension of disbelief difficult when you see how the dispositions Alwan and Greta hold towards the PC change, in addition to their own character development over the course of the game (what, I'm supposed to believe that Greta lost her squeamishness in what-- a week or so? and that Alwan learned how to control his temper/when to keep his mouth shut + how to think for himself when there's nobody to give him orders in a period of 2-3 weeks or something like that? That's not even touching on the more serious character development they undergo in regards to their beliefs!)

Another major plothole in G3. In the previous two games, we are told that after several years at the academy, an apprentice must spend an additional several years (the number given in G1 is 5) in vocational training before becoming an initiate. With the possible exception of Litalia, Jeff seems to have completely forgotten about that.

This means several things:

--1. Alwan being close to an initiate makes no sense, if we assume that "about to be initiated as a Guardian" means that he becomes a full shaper.

--2. Litalia's backstory gives a contradictory account of Shaper education. She states that after graduating from an apprentice, she became a novice, then a student, then she got the robes, and had to complete a single mission to become a full shaper. However, you (and to a lesser extent Alwan-- and I believe even Greta a couple of times) are referred to many times as apprentices, and many times as novices. So which is it?

--3. It makes no sense for Diwaniya and Litalia to be just a few years older than you. Diwaniya because he would be at minimum, 7 years older than you. He probably spent a year or close to it as an initiate before being assigned to Harmony Isle, and presumably he has been in charge there for a year or three. This makes it more likely that he is more like 8~11 years older than you. Hardly qualifies as "not much older than you".

Litalia states that after she left the Shapers after completing her vocational training. She also states that several years passed between then and her recruitment by Ghaldarig. We also know that the rebellion was planned for years in advance, so on top of that, Litalia has probably spent a few years with them-- at minimum, 3 by the time you reach the Icy End. So, Litalia would probably be a decade older than you at the very least! In my mind, "not much older than you" signifies 5 years or less. If we take her word about there being a third pre-shaper rank, then she is probably a few years older than that! (Diwaniya would be older than my estimation as well)

The next two are very minor:

Also a graphical contradiction (still pales in comparison to the Alwan scene renders vs. his game sprite in G5 though, yeesh)

--In the opening teaser, the burning Academy is surrounded by palm trees. However, we know that the Ashen Isles archipelago is in a very northerly zone on the planet (like-- Canadian border to mid-Canada northwest, or at max, south to Seattle.), because the island chain is small, and every island north of Greenwood is described as being cold (do note that when you reach the Isle of Spears, we are told that it is late Autumn. Depending on which contradictory timeline you believe, it is either many weeks or many months since the rebellion began-- the "weeks" timeline would probably run from September to November, making your adventures on Dhonal and Gull Islands both in October.) While certainly this would make Dhonal and Gull cold, this is a small island chain, with Gull Island specifically described as being a taiga (boreal evergreen forest climate) Sure, you could plot-device that the palm trees in the opening are shaper-augmented trees, but what is the point of filling the peninsula with so many? As as an experimental project for the students? In that case, they would be in a garden or arboretum. So it makes no sense. Yeah, I know this is an incredibly minor thing.

--There's also a typo when Alwan leaves you at Khor's Deeps if you helped the rebels. Something along the lines of "I didn't know how, but I always thought you were true to your beliefs, but now I see that you are lost to our kind"

March 15, 2015

^^Yeah, but if you create a bunch of pyroamers and put them close to the absorbed one, they all explode and the damage is cumulative-- though not enough to kill an important NPC. However, certain NPC stock types do drop goodies that you can pawn off for cash (soldiers, serviles, some creations) plus you can get experience points for them (though probably not much if 5 pyroamers can kill them)

March 14, 2015

Does this work in all of them, or just 5? Because if it works in 3, then I think I know a glaahk or two in a certain part of Dhonal City that is gonna get it.

March 14, 2015

^^Not redundant at all unless you're accessing the faq info on your iPhone, which not everyone uses (I don't)

Besides that, I haven't seen enemy drops or weaknesses listed on any faq for any of the games. You basically have to open the itemchars text and jot everything down, which can be confusing.

Sure, an encyclopedia might not be necessary if people actually MADE faqs/listed the stats/drops/etc, but I have never seen anyone do that with the second Avernum trilogy or any of the Geneforge games (haven't looked to see if anyone made one for one or more of the Avernum remakes or Avadons)

March 14, 2015

I see. That is a LOT of stun levels, sheesh! So how do levels of stun inflicted compare with stun resistance, then? (note: I know that any enemy resistance at 100% means literally 100% of damage/chance resistance + a small random modifier-- possibly of 1d-whatever the additional level modifier is -1 or 2-- like say, icy spray would inflict 1d5 -1 or -2 dmg... or maybe even -3... That is what I've experienced, anyhow. Though with mental resistance the chance to daze/confuse/etc is completely nullified I think against anything with 100% courage, as well as any creature of the mindless type i.e. creature type 3 which is turrets/spinecores and shades.)

Also, when you say "probably constant", what do you mean exactly? Constant as in a flat bonus independent of weapon/skill level/damage inflicted, or constant as in same throughout the games?

March 14, 2015

I can't find anything on them here or on Gamefaqs (did a full search on this board, full search on the Geneforge faqs, and a 2/3rds-assed (1/3rd-assed? More complete than half-assed) search on the Avernum 2nd Trilogy board. What are the mechanics for stunning from regular melee/missile attacks and spells - Icy Spray? Note that I am not interested in stun resistance mechanics, merely the base rates/rates per level of stunning. I am specifically looking for the G2 and 3 mechanics-- I am uninterested in the nerfed G5 ones for now.

Another thing-- Icy Spray has a 70% chance of stun. Is this cumulative with general stun rules, or is it a flat 70%?

Same with Stunning Blade-- it has a 1d3 base + 1d2 per level chance of inflicting stun. Is this cumulative with the general melee stunning rates/mechanics, or does it replace them?

Triumph · March 13, 2015

Regarding the canister use: One thing all canister users have in common is that they become cold and distant-- Litalia, Lankan, Trajkov, etc.

The PC always ends up with a superiority complex and difficulty controlling his/her anger in addition to the above. Most NPCs who use the canisters end up with paranoia. Not everyone ends up with the paranoia or anger management issues, though it is unclear as to whether or not they all take on a superiority complex.

There's also the risk of exposure to a "bad" canister. We saw a couple of these in G1, where they IIRC cause acid damage or take 99% of your HP or something like that. The NPCs who use them end up with their hair and teeth falling out, and their skin becoming cracked and bleeding. In advanced stages, they become emaciated and their flaky skin is covered in lumpy lesions, with magic alone holding their bodies together. It is unlikely that the loss of teeth has anything to do with their withered bodies, since obviously the Shapers would have developed highly nutritional potions/pods for invalids and probably also busy, absentminded Shapers to abuse instead of-- you know-- actually eating.