ThricebornPhoenix

Still... comparing, say, Symphony of the Night with Final Fantasy XII, I greatly prefer the latter. SotN has stats, drops, and screenshots, all redundant in the internet age. FFXII has artwork, lengthy descriptions, and bits of lore. It feels more like a natural extension of the game (and a great way to add some depth to the world) and less like going to GameFAQs (which, if you're interested in that sort of thing, you'll probably do anyway). Probably takes a great deal more work, though.

I honestly didn't remember for several seconds after reading this that there is any other way. I hardly ever use the mouse for anything except moving long distances, or things that require it. Or! Make use of the almighty numpad, which is currently unuseable even for selecting conversation options, for reasons beyond the ken of either man or beast. Although that would mean showing only the first ten items instead of fifteen, I suppose.

One problem with this is that you don't have enough spare loot to monetarily invest in your own character in the current series. I don't think there's a single Geneforge game in which you can afford half of the potential training (except the first, which doesn't have trainers), and with cash so tight I never even considered buying anything from a shop unless I was really low on living tools. Another (somewhat situational) problem is that fresh creations in the field would be particularly weak and vulnerable, unless you decide to lug around a bunch of creation-useable gear just in case. After all, if creations can use equipment, game balance must include that factor. One thing that I really like about Geneforge compared to Avernum is the lower mental overhead - I don't need to juggle a thousand variables, only a few hundred, and that makes them much easier to remember. Creations being very low maintenance compared to full fledged party members is a large part of that.

I would rather not see creation equipment. It would complicate things, and I don't think it would add much. I think a better way to upgrade creations would be, well, genetically (in keeping with the theme of the series). Perhaps training and canisters provide 'genetic switches' with stat and/or ability modifiers, allowing actual creation customisation. The rarely-used stat point upgrades of the current system could, I think, be folded into this hypothetical one pretty easily, as could upgraded forms like the cryoa. If trainers and canisters provided specific options, it could make certain canister-based decisions more meaningful while also giving a reason to use a trainer even if there are 3+ canisters. I don't really expect anything quite so ambitious, but one can dream.

I don't recall how ghosts and necromancy are justified, but they are prevalent in the first game and they seem, possibly because of that, to mesh better with the setting. The few demons come out of left field and seem to have been added because "I would normally put a demon here" or "Where else can you get Demon Claws?". I'm just glad that they are, as mentioned, not common, nor particularly important.

Holistic design, maybe? Avernum certainly has creative embellishments, but it leans heavily on common fantasy tropes. Nearly every aspect of Geneforge's setting is dictated by its themes, and even the more familiar elements often have a twist. You can shake down bushes for ammunition (tell me that's not weird, and fun), and that makes sense in the world of Geneforge, so much so that you may never even question it. You quickly realise that the world in which you find yourself is Not Quite Ordinary, even by fantasy standards. When generic fantasy demons pop up later in the series, they feel very out of place. I was never really comfortable with Drakons, either, although the transhumanist transdraykist angle helped me to accept them.

It's technically possible to play them on newer computers/operating systems, but not well or easily. I just tried to run G1 and it threw an error for not using 800x600 resolution (a decade or more since I went higher, 1680x1050 currently) and 16 bit color (32 bit). Decrease the color depth and it will run, but since it's fullscreen only (and 4:3) it will be either greatly stretched and slightly distorted or a little island of color in a large lake, if not a sea, of black. It also uses a painfully ugly font. I hope it gets the remake treatment just to see those issues fixed, along with the inevitable UI and graphical upgrades. New and/or improved content would be icing on the canist- I mean cake. Sweet, delicious canister. CAKE! Yeah, that. Now I hope that one day someone will get bored and make a beautiful tapestry out of threads they found on the internet.

Although it seems likely that all the previous classes will return, it's not necessary that they do. I'd like to see another new class, and if that means cutting one or more of the original, I for one will not be upset. I would be slightly upset if the Tinkermage didn't make the cut, although if I had to balance the next game that would be the first class I'd put under the microscope.

If you view it as a simulation, think of this: Why should the computer be able to move its infantry right up to your archers without difficulty? In Spiderweb games, all combat is pretty close range. (Put it this way, do you know any inexperienced human who could swing a sword and fail to hit someone standing still right in front of them?) If the AI always went after your mages first, they would probably die so easily that they wouldn't be worth using. So much for tactics. The computer's mages usually have the advantage of a much larger number of fighters between you and them, in addition to whatever computer cheatery* (generous bonus AP or whatever) they get up to. *like trickery but more annoying

Ah, G3. Just absolute tons of low-value items, seemingly fewer high-value items, and lots of use for gold compared to previous games. Add in boats (inconveniently located at the far end of the map in almost every case) and zones-within-zones, cook on high for three separate maps, and you have a potent frustration soup. For your sanity's sake, I think you should do your best to ignore anything worth less than 20 gold (sells for 5) unless it stacks.

Nice one. If you noticed this at a high level, maybe it's an effect of the 10-cap?

Possibly, but going back to my example of the glowing roamer - you can do anything the engine allows with a new variant, but with existing creations you're severely constrained by the boundaries that have already been established for them. One possible compromise would be a way to upgrade baseline creations to simply add a new ability. Assuming Shaping isn't given a complete overhaul, I'd prefer something more behind-the-curtain, e.g. adding in half the levels of the other two Shaping skills. Suddenly those items that raise only one or two Shaping skills are useful for all branches of Shaping!

If you don't increase Battle Shaping first, then you could confirm for me the level needed to make Ornks. I've never counted, but Hills of Jars seems to have the highest concentration of Living Tools of any zone in the game (possibly any Geneforge game). You should find more than enough if that zone is on your itinerary.

Playing through them again recently, I found it much harder to get into the western areas in G2 than to reach the eastern areas in G1 (and that G1 run was a no-canister Agent). Also, you get loads of tools (plus pods, crystals, etc.) much earlier in G1.

If you dig deep enough, you can find a lot of Shaper history in G1. There's a good mixture of facts, hints, and clues: we learn enough to find it interesting, but not so much that it's no longer mysterious. I like that. What Geneforge could use is better continuity/acknowledgement of that history. From what we know of the Shapers' early history, we can understand why they're so strict and controlling. We can also see signs that they had begun to care more for creations since Sucia was Barred (the Arena is probably the most memorable example). Even in G1, this information is only backstory, and you can never talk to anyone about them. The ancient history is understably forgotten in later games, but as far as I can recall the more recent progressive trend also falls by the wayside.

You must have G1 and G2 mixed up a bit. In G1, you can pay for Mechanics, Leadership, and Luck training (each from a different Servile), but all other boosts are quest rewards, canisters, tombs, etc. G2 is the only game in the series with the 'training problem'.

One thing I would love to see in games generally but especially in Geneforge is more thought and effort put into the non-combat areas of play. There's not a single creation in the series that has any use whatever outside of combat (or theft in G3, which I suspect was not intended), even though descriptions of creations often focus on their everyday purposes. The experimental glowing Roamer in G5 is, I think, what really made me start thinking about this. One of the best things about Geneforge is how detailed and consistent the world usually is. The enemies in the first game were all a part of the weird and wonderful tale of Sucia Island. Every encounter, every battle could be considered a part of the story. The automatic doors, lockpicks, ranged weapons, were all based on the theme of creating or manipulating life to serve one's purpose. And yet, the hidden areas usually rely on concealed levers or event triggers when there could be some that require the use of a digging Clawbug. I'd like to see an additional variant for each creation, something that is not powerful in combat but serves some other role. A pack Thahd, perhaps, that increases how much you can carry. Vlish that increases your party's mental resistance or stealth ability. A cunning drayk that helps you to get better deals in shops. A Roamer variant that does absolutely anything but explode. Those are just a few off-the-cuff ideas. Basically, I think there should be creations which might be helpful, even if only temporarily, not only to Shapers but also to Guardians or Agents who are self-reliant in combat. If they're all 'Shapers', why shouldn't they all have reasons to Shape, to use the universally acknowledged greatest power in the world? We could have more variety in non-combat routes of progression, as well.

Sucia Island is where the Geneforge was created and the Sholai attempted to learn the secrets of the Shapers. The Ashen Isles is where the rebellion finally blossomed. In retrospect, G2 does little more than serve as a bridge between those events. It does however get mentioned from time to time - Zakary and Barzahl are mentioned by name in both G3 and G4, and Easss is mentioned even more often. Drypeak is referenced in G4 and in G5. I think there just aren't a lot events in G2 that merit discussion many years later in the midst of full-on war (I believe canon is that the Shapers simply eradicated everything in Drypeak between G2 and G3), but it's not as though it's entirely forgotten.

I don't like to double-post or revive old topics, but a more in-depth examination has resulted in more weirdness and the discovery of more missing items. Uh... well, you know. Most amazingly, I think, is that G1 was supposed to have a Roamertooth Band. You know, that amazing ring that boosts Fire Shaping by two points in G2? In G1 it would raise Battle Shaping by three points. It was to be a 75% chance drop from a roamer called Benttooth, which provides a bit of context missing from the G2 version. A minor typo makes G2's Omnicharm penalize your Endurance instead of boost it. Other probable (but beneficial) bugs include the G3 Symbiotic Cloak (mentioned here) and G5 Fyorascale Shield (same issue as Symbiotic Cloak). Specter Robe suddenly gains Magic Shaping +1 in G4 - strange, but seems to be deliberate. Full list of items not yet found: G1 Vlish Skin Tunic Clawbug Carapace Girdle of Insight Stunning Blade Roamertooth Band G2 Quicksilver Plate Shaper True Chitin Fyoraskin Cloak Drakon Skin Cloak Symbiotic Cloak Ornkskin Gauntlets Quicksilver Bulwark Arcane Band Armor Band Girdle of Nimbleness Girdle of Health G3 Drakon Skin Cloak Stasis Shield Blasted Vambraces Fyora Fang Charm G4 Quicksilver Plate Ratskin Shawl Fyorascale Shield Tribal Fetish Empathy Blade Spectral Rapier Rod of Defenses G5 Living Knife Girdle of Endurance I suspect that at least a few of these are hidden away in shops, in which equipment is easy to overlook (who buys equipment?), especially if the shop is faction-specific. I suppose the truth of that will come out if I ever get around to writing up shop information files. Stranger things have happened.

I believe there are more things I would rather not see (but expect to) than things I would like to see added (and I don't expect to see those). A tooltip or floating text over canisters to indicate their contents prior to usage would be a neat convenience, though.

So they made their escape... didn't bother to take anyone else along, return, or even write a letter... and somehow everyone (in a society that's maybe a half-step above the Stone Age in terms of technology and a world in which two dozen types of human-killing monsters roam the wilds between towns) knows what happened? I know that in RPGs rumors and ancient prophecies are generally regarded the most reliable sources of information, but I'm just too much a skeptic to take some cave cow herder's nth-hand news for truth. And if they did escape and just leave everyone else to suffer wasting illness, early death, and terrible wine in Avernum, they're not exactly the most noble of heroes, no matter how many reputation points they earned. I'm really amazed at just how much the Pact states seem to resent each other. They've gone through a polar shift - they willingly joined the Pact to ward off the invasions of the Farland peoples, and now many of them are working with Farlanders (who now hate the people of the Pact more than ever) to undermine the Pact. Has anyone even mentioned the idea of reworking the Pact through negotiation? Or anything that's even slightly reasonable?

"The absence of older Hands from Avadon 1", followed by about a dozen posts discussing what could have happened to them and how. Not entirely clear, I think.

That they went on to become so important provided an easy escape route for the writer. Also helping is that they were only two and were already clearly on the way to being on opposite sides of the war from the start. There are more factors involved in keeping the four previous Hands around, especially if you want to preserve any ambiguity about the events at the end of the first game. My current favored theory is that the PC and all companions failed to even reach Redbeard and were all killed in the defense of Avadon. But really, who knows? They could show up in Avadon 3. I'd be okay with that, too.

I should make clear that I am referring to G1. I can verify that in G1 you receive a message for turning in a quest or killing something when your level is too high...

I just went through the first zone to check... and thoughtlessly grabbed the first key. Fortunately, there's a lock at the end that doesn't have a key. Six points in Mechanics was more than enough to pick it without any living tools. Result: no experience, and no message indicating that experience may have been obtained in other circumstances.