Tcheedchee

Yes, I know about the tolerance against theft…, BUT there wasn't the usual warning which told me, that my crime was seen. AND Stollen stood right in between his two boxes. It really wasn't stealing, it was straight robbery! I'd go with Serene Tempest's opininon. And I was just amazed at the blunt insolence I could play there. That waaas funnn!

(I'm not quite sure, if this might be a SPOILER…) Can you believe it?! I went into Stollens shop. Payed for opening the first door, didn't like his lip, used the canister I found, robbed the two boxes he had packed for leaving, sold him the stuff I had found in his boxes to make him open the second door, to find the other stuff, which was also quite valuable. I thought he'd start to fight at a certain point of time, but he never did. Actually that was a bit unfortunate, because I wasn't able to attack him either. I really would have loved too. Such insolence! Nice bug there anyway! – If it was one!

Phew! That's all very good news. Thanks for the help!

I found him much too depressing.

Things seem to come to an end. The last decision to be made, is letting Click to reveal.. the drakons release the unbound or sabotage that… (don't tell me, please – just in case…) In order to play this part, I'd like to pick up the missing ends. 1) Is the perfected cloak (the recipe of which can be found in the breeding pits) worthwhile the search for all components needed for its assemblage before the show down? 2) Does defeating invincible Matala improve chances? I tried a few approaches, also a magical assault with wingbolts. Poor performance! And just a bit too boring, whittling away at this impudent piece of coprolith with other sturdier creations… Also trying to wear it down inevitably wears down my party first. Out of essence too soon… 3) How to enter the catacombs behind Khyrryk in the Frostwood? I'd love to see what's inside, but I can't find any way to pass the entrance. Does it work similarly to the entrance south of the windswept farms? There is no area south of the frostwood though… Also I've entered the drakon's quarters at grayghost gate to see, if there was an entrance there. I didn't find one. I've combed the whole area of frost wood. Does anybody drop keys? The eye-beast didn't at any rate… 4) There is a shack with an ordinary bulkhead in the SE corner of the breeding pits. I found the levers for the compartments in the NW corner, and I also went into the shack in the SW-corner, Click to reveal.. where the (black) crystal shard can be found. The only "room" left to search in this area is this shack… Is it just there to tantalize you, or does it really open? I'm starting to get bored a bit, the situation points at an inevitable end… so at the moment I'm in the mood for just getting over with it.

Yeah, although I started the remark on the graphics, I'd agree – as I already mentioned I like the "old-style"-appearance quite well. But the "clunkiness" let me quit playing G3 after having played all the upper numbers of Avernum. G4 went well, as it's also steerable acceptably. Although it already felt a step down in comparison to Avernum 6.

Well, yes, certainly tasty… from the point of view of an unbound one. Harr, Harr!!! M - u - n - c - h !

Originally Posted By: Akharri Blaze remember, always eventually switch to the shapers side. they will win Yeah, seems like it… I'm in the inner labs now (where the unbound are bred) and the whole situation looks messed up for the rebels, at whatever angle one looks at it. As Trakovite the best look-out seems to be heroic sacrifice for one's beliefs… (Akharri Blaze, I think that would have been a remark for spoiler-brakets, though.)

I really shouldn't say this, but it's so astounding, how much the overall visual appearance of Geneforge 5 has been modernized. (Just started playing…) I'm tempted to say 'improved', although I like spiderweb's retrostyle look very much. Coming from the Avernum-side originally, I find that Avernum 6 can't stand the comparison, although it's the younger game… Now I'm really very curious how developments will go at Spiderweb's.

Do whatever you have to do, Slarty, but keep on singing. It's wonderful!

Originally Posted By: Randomizer You need enough of a loyalist reputation combined with leadership to get a quest from Alwan to help Moseh. Even if you kill Moseh, you can then get a pass from Alwan to get you into the Western Rise zone which allows you into the Shaper Camp Gamma in the Fens for training in wingbolts. Originally Posted By: Dikiyoba In future playthroughs, Dikiyoba recommends being nice to the Shapers in chapter 2 and 3 even if you are playing as a rebel/Trakovite. It makes things easier, and provides access to extra skills (like the wingbolt) and loot. Yeah, seems like a good idea… Originally Posted By: Dikiyoba Shaper Monarch will be throwing lots and lots and lots of weaker creations at you. Using the a similar strategy will maker it harder for his creations to overwhelm you. Make as many drayks as you can without improving them beyond two points of intelligence and pick up some soldiers at the rebel camp. Neither set of allies will be terribly impressive, but they should be able to get the job done. I just won against Monarch with my Battle Alpha and my weak Cryoa, as well as a party from the rebel camp consisting of a soldier, a baton wielder, a channeler, and two technicians. And I only lost two technicians… Who'd've thought of that! Even before that I finished off the Rothgroth for Jared (as I had been lead to the believe, that I'd gain a control baton with the help of the Rothgroth tooth, which was wrong – naturally – but still brought forth a nice wand…) with a little help from my (rebel) friends… I have to admit though, that I have switched to easy by now. – Seems like I've always got to surrender to the game first time round, to become a better player next time. Coming from Avernum to Geneforge it seems to me that although some of the control of Geneforge (4) feels a bit awkward in comparison, Geneforge offers more variable storylines than Avernum… even for non-power-gamers. I'm really looking forward to Jeff's newest project round the bluebeard theme. I'd love to have a game, that is written as amusing and smooth to handle as Avernum and has got the variability of Geneforge. I'm not wishing for a warped sequel to the two games, Jeff shall follow his urge for a new invention. I just hope he'll be able to let himself be influenced by his experience so far in a good way.

No, no, serviles can only create other serviles, and than they swamp the game, and finally everybody just gets immobilized by the sheer number of serviles, which keep everybody else from moving at all. A bit like the chinese invasion.

Well, I'll have to find out about the state of hostility between the shapers and me. It's very likely, that they are hostile by now. Thanks for the information about the PE.

Originally Posted By: Randomizer Since you did Moseh, then go back and explore the rooms to the south of where he is/was. There is a gruesome charm in the southwest room that gives +2 intelligence with -1 dexterity and -1 endurance. There are a few other charms that will help with your spells coming soon like the mental focus charm for +1 spellcraft. I did the whole bunker and found the gruesome charm rigth away. I've got it in my pack. I reached and did the sea caves from there and also found out, that I'm not yet able to pass into Shaftoe's Bunker. I'm sure I don't have to mention why. EDIT:I mean I can enter it, but I don't survive long enough to look for any information… Did I get this right? The mental focus is going to show up somewhere in the next areas, not in Moseh's Bunker? (Don't tell me where. I'll sure find it, as I'm in desperate need for intelligence and essence-upgrades.) Originally Posted By: SOT If you don't want to have a really difficult game, you should really let your 190-point fyora ... go free. Sit with it quietly until it attains enlightenment and becomes one with the universal essence; avert your gaze when you squoosh it so you can pretend that sound is it happily running off into the swamp, somewhere between the zones, to lead a long fulfilling life as a souped up rogue; whatever. LOL, nice one. I already did that, but now I'm kind of confronted with loose ends. I can't do Wingbolts yet. Did I miss the wingbolt opportunity or am I not far enough yet? EDIT: I hope it wasn't the "constainer" in Drewry's house!?! I'm at the Aziraph Rebel Camp, did the Golem's Fen, explored the Fen West of the Rebels camp, found the shapertool breader there… Now I don't seem to know, which combinations of creations to create and how to use and amplify their abilities in the right way with the options I have. They all seem to turn out to be too weak. I can create Fyora/Cryoa, Roamer (sucks), Drake Thadht, Clawbug, Battle Alpha Vlish, Glaahk I also tried the 'reshaped' storyline with my Fyora and shaped a Cryoa assuming, that it was some essence-style upgrading of my original Fyora, but that creation is weak. The combination with a Battle Alpha goes down to pieces as soon as the Cryoa is gone. The Cryoa really seems to lack endurance, or it runs into the wrong adversaries all the time, but Hey, then it lacks endurance… I switched to Drake and Glaakh, but to no avail. And more than two creatures at this moment seems like nonsence to me, as they consume too much of my essence. If I leave them totally without essence-based training they are even much weaker. Can't see how that should work out, except for with the Wingbolts maybe… But as already mentioned, I didn't acquire that feature yet. I have another question: What's this about the purifying elixir? I made one, but I can't consume it. It doesn't have the sun-icon, when I equip it. I've been to the rebel camp near Turabi Gate, as well as to Dillame, I've met and talked to Uchitelli, I've visited Sandros mine and sneaked a look at the different books near the ghost, didn't find a hint. I havn't found any information about the use of Blood Poison, the Artila Eyes and the Purified Essence either. Will I still run into these informations?

Ah thanks, that's really helpful.

Hi, I've just reached the Aziraph rebel camp with my lifecrafter, just to state about where I am in the game. At the moment his only "pet" is a Fyora. The Lifecrafter has got: Lvl 26 Int 10 (got some ripped by Mozeh) Essence 33/280 (not refreshed, but can't have more than 90 at the highest, because his Fyora has got 190) Shaping Skills 4 - 4 - 4 Healing Skill 7 Magical Skills 3 - 3 - 4 (battle, mental, blessing) Magic Skill 3 Leadership 9 Mech 9 Luck 5 (gets collected if remaining skillpoints don't allow anything else) The Fyora has: Lvl 22 Essence used 190 Strength 19 Dex 21 Int 22 Endur 19 Now, what I'm wondering about is: Does this Lifecrafter still resemble a lifecrafter? Or is he more likely to resemble an agent? He is sympathizing with the rebel-side, so he doesn't want to waste his creations, but keep them, like pets and train and treat them properly. So at the moment he's only got ONE creation. Is that within the normal range of lifecrafter-chars at the point of the game where I am? How could I increase his intelligence more effectively, so that his essence can be increased more? Mind, I don't want to get into cheating, I don't want to get into playing so deeply. If I can't acieve it by finding or consuming items in the game, that's okay by me. Are there any items to increase intelligence, except for the belt? Maybe some Intelligence or Essence-canisters? You keep on talking about chapters in your lists. In which chapter am I? Still Chapter 1? Or 2? How many chapters are there? I havn't recognized the moment when they are shown, how are the chapters depicted, I seem to have missed something there.

Yeah, thanks, that works.

Hello, sorry for this… – couldn't find the info. How can item stacks be devided in G4? Independently from trading in a shop…

A thanks, I'm looking forward to that. It's really funny to compare the individual features of the several games Spiderweb made… Playing G4 after A6's almost feeling a bit like, uhm, stone…, No! Bronze-age… (No offence meant. I like it!) At the moment the inventary of Geneforge is real time-travel. Some convenient functions missing, all these old-fashioned items! One really has to admit, that Spiderweb has managed to work on the grafics in the recent games, without warping the old-style appearance too much, and at the same time managed to get it attractive enough so that one can accept the design in these graphically fastidious times. Actually it stays more like a game should. It stays in the realm of phantasy, creativity, fun and leasure, no matter how serious a player might want to get into statistics and such.

Coming from Avernum I have the impression that G4's "stage" is much smaller, than in A5 or A6. Smaller meaning less quadrants on the stage… (Can't make out the quadrants as well as in Avernum, too.) It feels a bit like playing with goggles, which interfere with my field of vision… Nope, I don't wear goggles, when playing, although it might feel a bit more scifi… I tried the different settings of resolution. The only thing it changes – as expected – is the quality of the picture. For the worse. The frame-size of the stage stays the same. It feels quite awkward always having all the creatures run out my field of vision… If there is no solution for that, because the stage is smaller, than be it… But is it?

Originally Posted By: The Mystic … serviles shaping serviles isn't exactly a good idea. That would be IT! It would be the REAL Rebellion, wouldn't it!? (Just playing G4 at the moment…) Concerning caches… They are sensible, true. And they are the only solution, but they are also a nuisance. On the other hand, the more space you have to carry stuff around, the more stuff you will carry around, except for in a game that is so demanding, that you are in constant shortage of everything. (I found A5 was like that, but I have to admit, it was my first game of the spiderweb-style). How about magical pouches and containers? The bag-in-a-bag solution. Or a magical skirt like the one Eega Beeva has got? I'd like that the most. Tcheedchee

OOPs! It was the wrong person… Click to reveal.. I talked to Palom… instead of Unici-Tel. So much for ethnic differences. EDIT (addition): Maybe I unconsciously wanted to help him improve his knowledge of Avernian. Isn't he cute? Mix!Mix!

I suppose this is just a minor issue, but I have acquired the Speaking Stone before getting its quest. Now I can't give it to the Tenevran Alchemist, although it's in my special items list. When I found it, text ended with the comment "…interesting." So I felt quite confident, that Avernum would recognize it later and let me solve the quest linked to it. Seems to be a minor bug, doesn't it? I left Tenevra after receiving the quest passed the city gate and returned, to give it to the alchemist. Doesn't work. I did an even greater round. Took a pylon trip and returned. It didn't help. How can I give the game a notch, so that it will recognize the Speaking Stone again and trigger the right dialogue?

I was refering to what Jeff's and VCH's remarks… Originally Posted By: Spidweb Don't get me wrong. It's my game. My name's on it. The balance problems are my fault. It's just, when I get three e-mails a day from a tester saying this is too easy or that is too easy, well, I'm only human. I eventually forget to ignore that tester. And then I release a less fun game that drives customers away. - Jeff Vogel Originally Posted By: VCH It might help to accept some new beta testers, and not rely on the same guys again and again. New people may be unreliable, but at least you would limit the number of power-gamers. Maybe you do accept new guys. However I get the impression you go with experienced people It definitely seems as if power-gamers are not the ideal testers as well, if they are the only ones… That's all…

Poor thing. It sure is scary, but it's just a scar-ridden, old monster that whatchamacallit - ah! the Tower Colony didn't take care of very well… There are just some monsters I can't imagine to kill… Maybe I should feed it some Skribbane. Maybe the scars wouldn't hurt it so much then.