Eigenvalue

Originally Posted By: Left for Dead to Rights —Alorael, who is most convinced by customer service. If anything goes wrong with his registrations, he knows Spiderweb will fix it. He's asked for plenty of replacement registration codes and there's been no delay and no hassle. The App store has some security built in, but if things go wrong or you lose access to your account, well, you end up paying again. That's $5 of insurance. Wait a sec, whom and how does one ask for lost registration codes? And do I understand correctly that buying a game from Jeff directly for Mac, one can also ask for a registration code for a Windows computer? Again, whom and how does one contact about that?

Despite of numerous wonderful posts on this forum, I have tremendous difficulty comparing different blades, bows, armors and so on... For example, is a Heartstriker bow better or worse than a bow with better damage, but without the "whatever special effect the heartstriker has"? Or, what is better: +3 to parry or extra investment in stun resistance? Or are the mercuric things (-1 strength, +1 battle speed) any good? In other words, the numerous outfitting decisions which one has to make all throughout the game. Of course I know that not all the weapons are equally good against different opponents, and even though the strategy "if you see a zombie - equip blade A, but when you see a slith - equip blade B, etc.." is possibly the correct one, I would not have the patience to keep switching blades, helmets and so on - unless we are talking about a special really tough fight, where this can change the battle in my favour. And, of course, not all of the items one obtains at the same point of the game... And, of course, it probably matters how one develops the chacters... But anyway, what do you think are the best fighter's outfit by the end of the game? -- Eigenvalue, who once in his lifetime decided to poorly imitate the always-changing-his-names-guru-of-this-forum-whatever-his-current-names is and who is too lazy to do any math whatsoever, thus lamingly asking for an advice to take as an axiom during a possible replay.

@Kreador: If I rememeber correctly, there were two bosses in the mansion there, one - somewhere downstairs, and one upstairs. There is a painting in each of the rooms with the boss, on the wall. But you have to approach the wall completely in order to "see" it. So just go around the mansion hitting every wall, as if looking for secret passages in the previous A games. Upd: did not realize there was a second page to this topic and the question has been successfully answered already. Why am I not able to delete this post?

I keep reading about the skribbane exploit on this forum, but... somehow I failed to find a topic that explains what it is. Would someone please explain what this is (or to provide a reference to the right place)? While I am at asking questions, is there any need for Platinum rings in the game? Or am I confusing them with puresteel rings which had some purpose in one of the previous Avernum games? or was in Geneforge?

I had a feeling that the AIs did become more intelligent in A6 as compared to the previous games. Therefore, having invested some in the enemy intelligence, I thought that the only reason not to have invested a bit more is that, in fact, we do not want the uber-intelligent AI. Or do we, theoretically-speaking? My only point was that, not for all, but for some special encounters, a simple set of easily implementable heuristics could make the player's job much more tough. Although I see (what's with all these people changing names on this forum?) the previous post author's point...

I am not expecting serious answers, but anyways: - Why does it cost just 1 action point to pick up, say, an armour of a recently killed enemy - after all, it's not an easy job extracting a dead body out of there? - Where do the characters keep the items they are carrying - I had a character carrying 120 bags of meal, but no wagon... - How can one character carry simultaneously three unconcious allies (one having the aforementioned bags of meal)? - How do the characters know the names of everybody around (the magic "tab" button)? Fine, the monsters might have appeared in the books on nature lore or something, but the names of people around? Or does everybody wear a badge or a nametag?

It seems to me that many easy fights in the game would not be so easy (if not almost impossible) if the enemy opponents behaved in a more organized and more intelligent way, as for example casting more appropriate spells, concentrating on killing the priest in the party first, not falling into my simple traps forcing them to attack me one-on-one (or rather one-on-four), and so on. I don't mind when it's rats or chitrarchs, but even Lord Trinket's goblins in the beginning of the game had a chance to off the party once and for all, were they slightly more intelligent...

I kinda had a feeling that the guy with the Demonslayer was from one of the previous Avernum games. And, maybe, also the group with the orb of Thralni which did not survive the fall. This is what I really likes in A6 - in the description of some (earlier?) quests one can see that your group is only sent to the mission because the previous (more experienced) group failed. I also don't so much believe that combat-wise any of my Avernum groups were so good. Sure, when you jump-attack 4 on 1, having previously hasted, shielded, summoned allies and whatnot, you can beat even the best of them; how about fighting fairly one-on-one without previous preparations, potions or wands up your sleeve?

- the work-related e-mail titled "release bugs" does not immediately remind you of the list of errors to be fixed before the program's latest version is released.

You can charm your own creation and it will turn hostile towards you, at which point you can kill it (if you do so before regaining the mental control over it). However, the range of creations I can shape and charm is far lower my own level, so I cannot know if I would get an experience were it a creation of equal level. DV, how many times in a row did you try to cure affliction of the rogue creation? In some cases you need to apply the curing spell several times for it to take an effect (but I am sure you know this).

Originally Posted By: Thuryl The first three Geneforge games had an even more hilarious version of this exploit for use against immobile enemies such as turrets and pylons. You could haste, stand just outside their attack range, begin combat, step into range, attack, step out of range, end the turn and repeat as necessary. Hmm... Extremely interesting. Can you exploit in G5 that if you have some AP points left after the first attack, then you are in fact able to attack another enemy? With 1 AP remaining, this would mean walking in its direction. If you could attack your own creations, you could position it away from the turret and get out of the turret's range as suggested. Can you?

This probably belongs to a different thread, but what is the "right build" for a solo? In some sense I am asking the expert minmaxing players to add an infiltrator guide to the strategy central. I would be hugely interested as to what I could have done better.

Silly situation number 646 - being trapped by the closing door. Place: the trap-room with 6 golems inside drawing power from a source in the middle [i think this is the secret access route, but I am not sure]. Situation: peeking inside the room and activating the trap, the door closes with my character precisely inside the door with no possibility to get to either side of it.

Not that I mind Thuryl deemed more exploitative than me... but "mashing the F key technique" is exactly what I clumsily tried to say in the "minor optimization techniques" in the original post. Anyhow, recently I started to think about my agent-infiltrator as a ninja of sorts, who can deal a blow and completely hide itself from the enemy's acid-covered gaze. So now my perspective is that this is not an engine's abuse, but a perfectly expected natural behavior of the character being played.

Just wondering, did anyone manage to beat the challenge area solo, without any help of the creations?

Are there similar reset codes for other quests? For example choosing to help the rebels to escape the camp/choosing to help the shapers to take over the camp [i forget its name, but you know what I am talking about, the camp at the entrance to Bennhold's hideout] makes joining either Taygen's faction or Astoria's faction impossible.

The worst possible ending of the game: Quarter of an hour after I finally won the game for the first time - and I really liked the ending at that [Astorian], just as I was about to replay the final battle against Ghaldring, I fell from the swiveling chair... backwards... with my head missing the side of the desk only by an inch or so. No, I did not let the laptop out of my hands, but after the shock has passed I realized that it is very uncomfortable lying in the swiveling chair on the floor, holding the computer vertically above me. So I carefully put it on the sofa, got up from the chair, somehow pushed the cable with my foot, and watched the laptop slowly falling from the sofa downwards the floor.., No, the laptop survived, this is why I am not too sad about the incident, but the cable (or the tip of it which you insert into the hole on the side of the laptop) got smashed with the metal tip (aluminium?) ripping in almost halves. At this point I (now the character) finally received the final blow and died... This makes the game come to the total end for me, since I do not think I will be able to buy a replacement cable any time soon...

Since I do not read every thread on the forum, I am not sure if this has not been mentioned before (if not not so, sorry). I just finished the game with a level 52 magic-warrior-like type, playing solo for most of the game except for a few really random places (like chains of submission towers). So here's a tactic I used throughout a big chunk of the game, especially when fighting with several dragons or gazers simultaneously. You start the fight and cover eveyone around with acid (or do magic damage), take your opponent's damage, and then [counting steps carefully] go behind some corner and press 'f' to end the fight. The opponents take damage, slowly advance towards you, at some point they see you and the fight starts over again. I do not remember having put any skill points in quick-action (only training and items), but except for one or two encounters throughout the whole game I always started the turn (maybe dexterity around 8-10 helped?) At which point I would just back off from the visibility line and press 'f' again. And again. After running a bush for several circles the enemies expired on their own [still donating the experience] or could be finished off with any reasonnable spell. There are also some minor optimizations to the above, for example not waiting till an enemy sees you, starting the fight while hiding and ending it again very quickly. Oh, one useful thing is that right after hiding and ending the fight, you can very quickly cure and heal yourself, put some blessing, etc., just need to do it quickly enough. And, of course, playing solo, you almost never have to fight with too many opponents simultaneously, you can easily lure them out and kill them one by one. The exit room in Gazaki-Uss (sp?) just before entering the inner gazaki-Uss for the final battle, you know, the room with a bunch of drakons and gazers, took me only one reload. Just get to some point, cover exactly one foe with acid [btw, why does spreading acid has a slightly higher range than other spells?] and play hide-and-seek. Sorry for all the rumbling, does the above sound like a sort of cheating? It is definitely not realistic that one opponent runs around the area, heals himself, picks up items, when the other just does not have any time to react? [hmm.. I found it especially funny when the next hiding place is behind your opponent, so you run to him and past him, hide, press 'f', press 'f' again, it is your turn, you are full of action points, and he is still where he was]...

Is it possible to finish the game without joining any faction, but having removed the implanted control tool? Is it possible to do major quests in such a way as to become unwanted in every faction (for example, I just realized that having killed the shredbugs I cannot really join the Trakovites. Well, I can, but without the possibility to finish the quest. What will happen in this case? Did any maniac out here try to kill everyone and everything - what is the outcome of this feat?

1. What is the best sword in G5? 2. Currently I have the Guardian Claymore (with damage 11-55, +2 str, +2 quick action, +2 strength of creations.) Is it better or worse than the Shaped Blade (damage 14-70). That is, is the increase in damage (multiplied by whatever factor) better or worse than the bonus in statistics? 3. What is the difference between shaped and puresteel items? Which are better? Shaped items can be purified, what about puresteel ones? Are any good items craftable from the puresteel items instead of shaped? 4. There are several topics on the best greaves, gauntlets, girdles and boots, what about the other equipment items (shield, ring, amulet, etc.). I guess my main question here is what is better: extra armor, protections against elements (acid, etc.), extra points in certain statistics - could someone point me to a post discussing the relative benefits of each. Of course, the best items are probably build-related (and gamestyle-related), but some general advice would be great. Thanks.

Nikki, thanks. I was under the impression that "looking at the boulder" was the same thing as "walking on the boulder", but I guess with the fence in the way these two did different things. Anyhow, with all the dying children and attacking giants, the boulder are safely tucked in the place.

This is one of the really minor quests of the scenario: move the 4 boulders inside the 2x2 fenced area. (I know, I can easily not worry about it, but as most of the gamers out here I find it annoying not be able to finish even a single quest). Anyhow, this should in theory be very easy, but the boulders can only be pushed horizontally and vertically, while there is only one opening in the fence, making the two spots unreachable (?) Or am I missing some particular object? Thx

I am sorry if this question came up before, but what is the minimum number of humanoids (that is, humans, vanhatai, sliths and nephilium (-a?) all included) one needs to kill to finish the game? Would it be possible to not explicitely kill anyone? Or is it that one cannot get to Solberg's lands without killing Lysstak and dozens of his minions?

I have actually liked the somewhat-criticized in this forum idea of being able to become a new king/emperor in the end of the game, unlike the single non-satisfying choice offered by A5. After all, isn't Dorikas' own story quite similar - becoming the emperor from a simple soldier of the empire? Another unrealistic hope is to participate at a fight between two real armies, say 100-200 fighters on each side, with the hope that your own minor contribution can make a difference in the overall outcome. (But I know this is impossible for many reasons...)

I am possibly not the only one here who feels bad upon not being able to finish (or to get a reward for) even a single quest. I guess some things have to be accepted: for example, by not submitting to Gladwell's geas one cannot get his multitude of rewards [*sigh*] (unless I am wrong and this is actually doable). Anyhow, my questions now pertain to the Azure Gallery. Well, obviously one cannot get rewards for driving the giants out of a cache from both Highground and Muck (and why do my characters need to be so honest and to explicitely rub in that the other side already knows about it?...) However, what about the other quests? If I make a deal with the giant queen to attack Muck, what will happen to its inhabitants? Will I be able to finish all their other quests? Can I kill the giant queen later? (btw, I have possibly found something interesting but did not try it through to the end: after attacking the giant queen with poison to beat some sense into it, the queen will continue to sustain damage even after the dialogue, making it possible that she can die in the process - did anyone try this out? what happens?). Can I kill the giants to get their rewards without missing on any of the quests? Next, Shafrir. Should I or should I not kill him? (for putting, what he says, a minor geas on me, for example). Should I steal the Anama papers on his behalf? (and what happens if he is dead and later one accepts the quest to deliver him a letter?) Finally, Vanhattai. They also want Muck citizens expelled. Again, will it contradict some other quests? And what is the most ethical decision here: to help or not to help the Vanhattai?