DokEnkephalin

I didn't think the combat system was that different, it's just the allocation of skills are more specialized and exclusive. Fewer skills become obsolete, but more have the opportunity to start out worthless because their utility doesn't scale with level. For one example, if you pump skill points up to Charm Foe early on, you can have a useful skill ever 12 turns, at the expense of other tactics between those turns. Get it late game and it's failure rate means those points spent are an investment still awaiting a return from spending more points up the ladder for a less futile expense of more points...that's if you intended to climb that ladder, if you only wanted that skill, you get a crippled character build until you respec. It's really the story elements that get unfuriatingly idiotic enough to disrupt my game, especially the shallow arguments presented. Jeff's dialectics used to be more sophisticated; what happened? The last few games they've gotten so single-dimension and shortsighted that I find the games more enjoyable if I speed through the text altogether.

I started a Shaman on hard difficulty, and it works out fine if you focus on Endurance, soaking hits and dealing passive damage. It's kind of necessary since they don't have the health or resistances, and burn through vitality quicker. Most of their strength is in their utility column, an extra meat shield and AoE, but it needs more support than simply blitzing. It's not very efficient, and I don't really enjoy the playstyle, but it works. Shadowwalker/Sorceress seems to make a better duo than Shaman trios with anyone, so I'd only recommend it if you like the challenge or want to try something different.

Could it be the end? Or more importantly, should it? "It's the genre flag-bearer for offering substance over flash, and it's an epic finale for a series that deserves respect." That's the review blurb for A6, but should've been said about Geneforge 5. What should've been said about Avernum 4: "It's an encore the fans can appreciate and still permit the series an honorable retirement." What should've been said about Avernum 6: "Why is Jeff still making these?"

Erika! She was and always will be the most awesome, even compared to everyone who outlived her. I wonder what she'd do to Gladwell... EDIT: Don't forget the Xian artifacts; they showed personality of their own, so X must have at least one other facet than anvil-dropping.

Every commander tries to rush me through the main plot, and complains about lateness. Is there really a penalty for taking my time and exploring?

The whole experience adds to immersion the first couple times. But considering how often you have to do it to play the game, well...it doesn't make the player MORE conscious of its niftyness.

1&2 were great games, but imo 3 was the very best. 4&5 seemed unnecessary, and when I finished I just felt kinda cheated. While I appreciate the audiovisual enhancements of part 6, it still hasn't quite sold me yet on story or gameplay. It really hasn't kept me riveted like the original trilogy, so I suspect I'm going to reach a disappointing end, but it's too soon to say.

Locking up commands that don't even involve the characters moving or acting, such as checking status, seems like unnecessary interface screw. Playing it the first few times for effect, when the experience is still new to the characters, makes rational sense. But doing it every time just adds gameplay drag, and turns a commonly repeated and required action into an annoyance.

Using skribbane just isn't worth it, there are already loads of good potions, scrolls and wands without the negative side effects. Even playing as a singleton, I've got an overflowing stash to use. The influence of skribbane is bad for military discipline and maintaining troop fighting condition, but I have no moral qualms about selling the stuff to civilians who make the choice to put it in their bodies. And if ordered to kill them, I have no problems with that, either -- it helps that they tend to be douchebags. So might as well sell the stuff until the exp gains diminish, then whack that sewer rat peddling it for commendations and cash. And to hell with those zombie addicts; they brought it on themselves.

QS does change your average damage output significantly enough to take it seriously. But if you're comparing pure pole/melee/thrown/bow/spell, a more useful list might compare average damage output per skill point spent. You'd need a party of all humans with no combat/magic traits, and avoid buying training in any attack skills, so it'd be a suboptimal chargen.

You're right, I had them confused.

Imo, it's best to train everyone in the first couple levels of mage and priest spells, that way you can spread the MP and AP costs around and save your specialists for when the real power is needed.

CTRL-D doesn't open the cheat code window. Sorengard has disappeared from Patrick's Tower before I could get back to him for the Sparkling Shades reward.

It doesn't look like the data formats have changed. Someone who's looked at the scripting could comment on any changes made for Avernum 6, but even with a new scripting language, porting an old game to a new engine would be pretty easy.

Much, MUCH improved graphics and sound. I assume there's going to be a trilogy re-release sometime soon? And will 4 and 5 be upgraded to this engine?