p55carroll

7 hours ago, d'occasion said:

There is a limit to the number of items the game will save in each zone -- I think 255, but I don't remember precisely.  This includes items that start out there as well as whatever you drop, enemies you kill drop on the floor, etc.  So if you go past that, stuff may just disappear.  You CAN safely drop a lot of stuff in the ground in one area for storage, just not everything.

I just kept dropping things in a room until I couldn't anymore, and then I moved to another room and started dropping things there.

I wouldn't mind if it all disappeared, as long as it didn't later turn out I desperately needed one of those items. Trouble is, I can't be sure. So, when I've got more stuff than I can sell, and much more than I can carry, what else can I do but drop it? Anyhow, inventory management is one of my least favorite aspects of any RPG.

8 hours ago, Nim said:

There is no need to go even close to the gazer area, you want the door in the SW. There is a lever in there that opens the door a bit north.

 

Clawbug valley is to the SW from Freegate.

Aha! I'm back in action now, making progress. Thanks!

Turns out I need 11 living tools to pull that lever, and I only have 3. Maybe later. I thought I was looking for an iron key or something where the gazer is, but I may not be remembering right.

Anyhow, I went to Freegate to remind myself what's there, and it turned out it was an easy walk over to the entrance to Clawbug Canyon. For some reason I had just never gone there. It was a piece of cake getting past that and over to Kss-Urg's Valley, and I cleared that out too. So now I have access to Thahd Dump Ground.

Just for the  heck of it, I tried clearing the last mined area of Experimental Valley--the part blocking the gate to Kss-Urg's Valley. But the mines kept exploding and poisoning me, so eventually I gave up. Nevertheless, I notice that area is now green, and I can pass freely through it.

It's good to be moving ahead again. Now I just wish there were some living tools among the huge piles of stuff I've dumped in Medab. I've just about filled two rooms with items I couldn't carry.

And btw, my shaper is up to level 25 now.

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If I may ask, which other Geneforge games have you played? I've played GF4-5 to completion, part of GF3 and part of GF2.

I've only played Geneforge 1 before this. Played it all the way through and experimented with various endings. I enjoyed it so much that for a long while I was playing three simultaneous games--as Agent, Guardian, and Shaper. I only finished as the Shaper, though.

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Have you seen the Barzites?

Umm ... I don't think so. I've been away from the game for a few months, as it was too frustrating to continue. Is that the faction to the southwest of Medab (or wherever the Awakened leader is posted)? I must have heard warnings to avoid the Barzites.

1 hour ago, Nim said:

The Gazer in Infected Crossroads is not blocking the way, you can get through just fine with him alive, the area just won't turn green.

Really?! Seems like every time I cross the narrow path to where that big eye is, he starts zapping us to death. I don't even think I looked to see if there was an exit beyond him. How embarrassing that would be--to have been stumped by a creature I could just walk by.

1 hour ago, Nim said:

Exp Valley is simply combat mode + speed + mech. If you can't do that go the clawbug valley route, that's the combat way to the barzites.

Yeah, I cleared out most everything in that heavily mined area, with some difficulty. Had to use some mech-enhancing items, IIRC, and do a lot of fancy dodging. But until today I thought that area was a dead end, so I didn't persist when I got near where the exit is. I'll try again. As to Clawbug Canyon--hmmm ... I'll have to take a closer look at that; I can't remember whether I even ventured there.

1 hour ago, alhoon said:

I heartily suggest you avoid reading spoilers; it's the story that counts. When you have trouble, I believe it would be better for you to ask here, like you did, than use a walkthrough or cheat.

Actually, I did refer to a walkthrough while playing--but it didn't help me get past the obstacles I'm facing. I've never resorted to cheats, but normally I don't mind using walkthroughs to guide me through RPGs. I played Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment with the help of walkthroughs, and I don't think I'd have wanted to go through either entirely on my own. I'd have been frustrated to tears by some of the puzzles. The story's still there even if I peek ahead for a clue now and then.

Thanks, everyone (even for the potentially misleading info; every little bit helps). To clarify my position (as best I can, though I've been on a long break from the game), my choices are 34. Pit of the Bound (which I believe is a difficult dead end, so I'm ignoring that), 68. Dead Pass (where I keep getting killed by powerful shades), 71. Infected Crossroad (where I cleared everything but can't defeat the Gazer who's blocking the way), and 40. Experimental Valley (where I cleared everything except the southwest corner, which I now realize has an exit to other areas).

I guess I'm maybe a third of the way through the game. The one area in the east I've never been able to deal with is 12. Crystal Caverns. I got killed there too many times and finally gave up.

IIRC I have a Taker token. I used it to get as far into the northwest region as I have.

I suppose I should try completing 40. Experimental Valley. All the mines in that area were a pain, so I stopped short of completing the area. Maybe I'll go back and find a way to do that, since I can't seem to do anything else. (Of course, there my Taker token may work against me.)

Thanks again.

I finished GF1 and am well into GF2, playing as a Shaper. I'm up to level 24 and teamed up with Xander. I've cleared the eastern portion of the map. However, I can't find a way to get any further along.

To the southwest is Experimental Valley; I've cleared all but the southwestern corner, and I understand that's not worth the bother.

To the northwest is Dead Pass and Infected Something-or-Other. Some of the shades in Dead Pass are--well, deadly; I've died there too many times. And in the Infected area, I've cleared everything but can't get past the Gazer; instant death there too.

Just beating my head against a brick wall at this point, thinking of abandoning the game. Any suggestions?