The Mystic

As I said in my first post on this topic, the AI tends to kill my player and/or creations. This is because said creations tend to split up and try and take on the toughest creatures in the area alone in hand-to-hand combat, dying within three turns or less, and leaving me defenseless and nearly drained of essence. With AI off, however, my creations' survival probability increases dramatically. This is because they do what I want them to do, not what the game's scripting says they should do. Also, I've found that most creations are best used to swarm stronger enemies when taking them down; lack of interference from the AI allows me to do that.

Quote: Originally written by Nemesis: I played the shareware version of the game for a long time. A really long time. Most of that was wandering around killing random monsters. By the time I got the game, it was almost too late to save any areas that I hadn't already saved. I decided at that point that I didn't like time limits. The same thing is true for me, though mainly with E3 instead of A3. However, by the time I finally got the full version, I knew just about everything there is to know about the demo portion, and could easily defeat both the slimes & the cockroaches by about day 20 or 30. The same will be true for A3 when I finally decide to buy it.

Quote: Originally written by Teuz: Expecially I use editors when I accidentally use a canister before teaching twice a spell. This because I played GF3 first than the other two. You don't really need the editors if you just reload your game when you accidentally use a canister. In GF1, I don't think you can buy too much training anyway, it mainly comes from canisters. In GF2 & GF3, I buy all the training I can get before using the canisters.

Quote: Originally written by Dikiyoba: Well, it's not that hard to beat the snot out of everything if you play on a low difficulty level and/or with a good strategy. There's a low difficulty setting? Just kidding; I know it's there, but I don't use it. Forthe record, I do have a strategy--sort of. When possible, I use diplomacy to get through an area; otherwise, I hack my way through. If I can't finish an area solo within 10 tries, I leave and come back with a stronger character. If I still can't do it, I come back with the strongest creations I can make.

Quote: Originally written by Thuryl: Doing so in A3 hurts your reputation, I believe. I wouldn't know. Truth be told, I've never gotten that far in A3, as I only have the shareware version at the moment, and can only speculate.

Back when I did a lot of archery, I'd use infinite arrows and any accuracy-enhancing items; train up on strength, dexterity, and archery; and use a lot of blessing items & spells. Nowadays, I just train everyone with strength, intelligence, and both mage and priest spell skills, and carry a lot of items that replenish spell points (though this is probably off topic, so I won't go into details). Edit: One thing I do like in the Exile series, however, is that no matter what your ammo, you can target invisible monsters. This is not true of the Avernum series.

Say what you will about experience in any game or series, but my solo Shaper from G1 has been known to eat cryodrayks for breakfast--and that's before using the Geneforge.

Quote: Originally written by Dikiyoba: I scavenge everything and still have some problems with money in G2, because I buy all the training and spells. I buy all the training I can too, but I really don't have problems with money. My secret is that I sell anything I don't want or need--and that has resale value. When I scavenge for items to sell, nothing is sacred; I'll take anything that's not nailed down--as well as a few things that are. And sometimes, especially in G1, when I feel I don't need a sect anymore, I'll make them hostile to me so I can kill them to sell their stuff.

Quote: Originally written by dr.b0mb: all that stuff shows up on the maps, but why would anyone bother making an area that's impossible to get to? First of all, why not? I'd do the same thing if I wrote a game, and you'd be cursing me because of it. The unreachable areas in Erika's tower and Sulfras'lair are just distractions, I think. I discovered that the empire outpost, however, has a more practical purpose: In A3, as in E3, you can have the soldiers there attack you for some quick experience and levels...provided you survive the encounter, of course.

Quote: Originally written by Nioca: To my knowledge, I don't think there's a money cheat in any of the Geneforge games (I can't say for sure about G4... It's not released yet.). I've never even needed a money cheat; you'd be surprised at how much cash is naturally available. Thanks to my natural skills as a pack rat, I'm quite good at finding things to sell in all of Spiderweb's games, not just the Geneforge series.

Quote: Originally written by *i: For clarity, you cannot make Battle Gammas. I figured as much (though I never tried). With my solo playing style, I rarely need to create Battle Alphas, let alone the stronger varieties.

Quote: Originally written by Slack Pumpkinhead: The nice thing about that is that it made this kind of "disposable creations" model worthwhile to play. Tell me about it. I prefer as much experience as possible to go to my character, and that method allows it to happen. I use disposable creations with all the Geneforge games, though I've only fully tested that method in G1; I was out of work for a while, and haven't bought the registered versions of the others yet.

Quote: Originally written by Archimandrite Micawber: So many different ways to play... You'd be surprised. Once I beat GF1 playing as a Shaper--a SOLO Shaper, making creations only when absolutely necessary, and destroying them again when I didn't. Quote: Originally written by The Mystic: I level up on various shaping skills before making any creations, and my creations usually start out fairly decent. Now, allow me to explain the method behind the madness. I have two basic rules. First, I never make a creature unless my shaping skill is at least 2 above the minimum; this starts the creature at higher levels. Second, I don't like to make a creature until its level is at least 2, preferably level 3. My only exception to these rules is if I can't complete an area without support, and I can't get my character strong enough to get through it solo. Using these rules, when I created my first Plated Clawbug, it was level 30-something, and was stronger than my character. (It was also my first Clawbug of any type!)

I use WinXP Home, and there's no problems.

Quote: Originally written by Retlaw May: But that means that when you do have a creation, it will be relativaly weak because it has no exp. Not really, because I level up on various shaping skills before making any creations, and my creations usually start out fairly decent. Sometimes I wait until I've trained three times in making a creature before creating one, and just make the stronger version.

Quote: Originally written by wagginpitbull: Turn al on - This seems to give the creation "free will." It can do whatever it wants. Has anyone found a situation in the game where this would be beneficial? I don't like using the AI. Either my creations or my character (and in higher-level combat, both) will usually die horribly as a result. Come to think of it, I try to get by with NO creations as much as possible, even when playing as a Shaper. That way, I don't have to worry about them or the AI most of the time, and my character can level up a little faster.