Jump to content

DokEnkephalin

Member
  • Posts

    107
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by DokEnkephalin

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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?"
  4. 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.
  5. 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?
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. You're right, I had them confused.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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?
  16. Life is what happens when you let it. If you think this is a very bad direction, then you 1. Haven't raised children. 2. Didn't make the most of being a child. EDIT: Alright, I'll elaborate: consider the Shaper perspectives as those raising children. Consider rebel perspectives as those reacting to that. This is probably easier with Geneforge 5 where the Shapers various viewpoints were better articulated and clearly delineated.
  17. The Trakovite solution appealed to me when it called for enforced stalemate (GF4). It may sound like a cop-out, but even with a crapworld ending, it's a worthy sacrifice to keep either misguided and destructive monstrosity from getting the upper hand. But the idea, from the Sholai (GF1) to present day (GF5) that Shaping should be abolished completely is too entirely wrong-headed. It's in human nature to create, more of its own kind or invent completely new kinds, and that's a biological imperative that will transcend any philosophical movement, any technological level, any temporal cultural conditions...it's inevitable. Destroying it only causes a temporary dark age for it, and someone, somewhere, will begin again, maybe even the Sholai next time. What's temporary is how it should be done, either in the Shapers' traditions or the rebels contentions. And that's why it makes no difference who gets the upper hand; that dialectic will eventually play out, and probably repeat in history, as an overall stalemate.
  18. There's a log entry in Repository C about a reShaped amnesiac taken from near Drypeak Mountains. I can't think of any one character that could be from GF2. Also interesting that it states that the Geneforge in the Foundry Core was knowingly developed by Rawal. The chronology isn't clear, but it's likely that's where Rawal collected Geneforge and canister data and equipment, cleaning up after Barzhal much as Barzhal cleaned up after Sucia Island.
  19. If you specialize in one Shaping, then when the more powerful ones become available, they're even more powerful for less essence investment. To get there, you want to keep some of the lower levels that are good through the whole game, like cryoas, plated artilla and plated clawbugs (some swear by vlish.) Leveling them up close to you keeps them effective for very little essence.
  20. I agree, mental and blessing magic is more efficient for the cost in every GF so far, but I think I'll put that to the test in this game.
  21. So, if you spawn a child who grows up to threaten you, who's responsibility is that? Say your 8-year old kid is cussing you out and waving a gun in your face, who's fault is that? Life takes on a life of it's own, but if the life you've created has gone rogue and knows nothing but hate and lack of respect for your life...well, where do you think they learn that from?
  22. Essence armor has scaled up some with more blessing magic, but the difference is still so marginal for the essence cost that it's ludicrous. So that leaves the question of what 'Avoid blows' and 'Hard to hit' imbuements do; semantically they seem identical, but what do they do mechanically? If you're maximizing high armor, you'd want enchants that reduce damage more, if you're maximizing dex you'd want to be hit less, so this is kind of an important distinction.
  23. Originally Posted By: Thuryl There are enough magic-boosting items in G5 that a shock trooper can easily be a perfectly competent blessing mage, although battle magic isn't really worth it and mental magic requires a significant skill point investment. There's not much point making a shock trooper unless you want them to do a bit of fighting too, though. Exactly, why go to great lengths neglecting one of her strengths to overcome one of her weaknesses when you'll never make a build that's as good as one built from a class that already has the strengths you're looking for? Shaper class is definitely the best for this: making huge armies and keeping them in fighting health. Shapers never need to do direct damage. Sorceresses with fewer creations can lay down lots of direct damage spells and get the meatshields to clean up, so she has a good tactical flexibility, too. Seems like the AI favors these tactics this game, while most of your solo tactics have been broken.
  24. Shock trooper isn't the best if you want all your creations doing the combat. If you're planning to avoid fighting yourself, you're better off picking a class that has the spell support like Shaper or Sorcerer, but if you pick Shock Trooper, the support is going to be so lacking that you don't have much choice than to get personally involved. Shock Troopers are weak on support spells except for healing, but they're personally durable and have the skills to actually do some of the heavy lifting themselves.
×
×
  • Create New...