ToddMcF2002

Understood but it's pretty hopeless. They can't take much damage and poison/acid is a 1 hit. In most cases I can't even get to my round to help them before it's over.

Ok finished the second island with my Guardian and frequently dying 3 Fyora. This is proving to be quite a challenge compared to my shaper path in GF1 and GF2 it seems. Both island boss sequences were a killer for my build.

Yeah I'm a dummy. I figured it out right after I posted here. Too bad you can't take notes though, that would have been great. I'd like to record at least the location of quest givers....

Playing Geneforge 2 or 3 if I check the Journal tab it just lists 100 or so [Empty] lines. That tab is supposed to do something isnt it?

Yes play them in sequence. Some NPC's span games and it's good for the story arcs. You know that you lose your creation levels when you absorb right? I'm doing the "create and absorb on demand" style with my Guardian in GF3 but my leveled up Vlish in GF2 were very effective. Later in the game I added a new Vlish and he was a joke compared to the older ones I had kept alive for ~15 levels or so. It was a huge difference.

G2 is a bit of a story rehash of G1. G3 and G4 seem to offer new story. I'm loving G3 so far. Its more hub and spoke using islands (G4 had locked areas, effectively the same thing).

Why remake vs. new content? I get it for the more archaic Avernum series (1st) but Geneforge 5 looks pretty modern. I'm not planning to return to an identical storyline just for a graphics/interface overhaul. I didn't even like the GF2 storyline, it was simply too much of a rehash. I'd much rather see a different storyline somewhere midpoint in the series timeline.

Excellent I'll try that.

Stats from GF1/2 like "Miss - 85%" or "need x mechanic skill"

I started the series with Geneforge 4 and then went back and played GF1 and GF2. By the end of GF2 I was ready to scream due to the interface and inventory system. I had forgetten how pampering the later games were. Graphics are sharper, spell effects are great, the inventory is fantastic. GF3 is a shocking improvement in the interface. I do however miss the stats window. Is there a way to enable it? I realize there are some short lived stats on the screen but I want to see my % to hit and browse the stats like the prior games?

Just came here to search on exactly this issue. Anytime text pops up over NPCs heads the framerate and lag is pronounced. I'm on an Acer Aspire 1 722 with 4GB RAM, dual core AMD C60-APU (1.4 GHz) and a Radeon 6290. Just be be clear, the game is smooth as silk in all situation unless there is text floating over someones head. It is not my laptop.

Samael101 that is exactly what I was thinking when I opened this thread. Well said! Avadon's environments are 90% drab. Drab was the word that had escaped me...

Then it sounds like I'll be on a path to true pain and suffering! I haven't had a chance to progress the game in the last few days but lets keep this thread alive and I'll update with my progress (or lack of...). One reason I'm hopeful is because everything is a one hit wonder at this point. I'm solo at level 15. Perhaps there are brick walls ahead of me... we will see!

I can't agree with Death Night about the Avadon experience. I agree Geneforge (specifically GF4) is better, but Avadon is very worthy. I'm not sure how you could play 40 hours and give up in frustration. The game is actually not particularly difficult and those encounters that are can be avoided for the most part. For example, killing a dragon. I died an order of magnitude more often in Geneforge 4 than Avadon.

Servile Politics doesn't play much of a role in Geneforge 4. In fact Serviles don't play much of a role at all. Geneforge 4 is an amazing game. Its long, challenging, has full animations (compared to Avernum) and choice/consequence. That's where I would start. Avadon is good but Geneforge 4 has a much richer experience.

We will see how it works out but I've been boosting my Guardian's intelligence so he can do Fire shaping and get Speed and War Blessing. That's how I played G4 with a Warrior so it should work. Having a Dryak and Speed should work as well as Quick Action. I never like soloing anyway. I played the pure Shaper in GF1 and loved the creations but really missed getting on the frontlines with a solid blade.

I'll have to boot up the game when I get home - off hand I'm not sure what spell points are, but .5*6*16 = 48 so that makes sense.

int of 6 right now at level 15. thanks for the help!

I have 69 essence but only 48 energy. Hmmm... what is the binding characteristic for energy? Sometimes Geneforge is like walking in the dark...

Hi. I've got (2) levels of Speed and (3) levels of Blessing Magic, and yet Speed is still greyed out. What is the binding requirement? I'm guessing its is Blessing Magic, but I can't confirm that anywhere. I'm sure this has been asked before the search function on this site... well I can't get any hits. Thanks for any help.

Finished the game. 12 hours and leveled once. Pretty broken balance that. Great game anyway though!

Ha ha nice. I was wondering who wrote this music for these games?

I put another good 6 hours in last night and I wanted to discuss my progression. This is a bit spoilerish so if you haven't played it don't read on... Click to reveal.. I completed the entire wastes first before crossing the river and heading east towards the Geneforge. I killed the shaper and took the Geneforge gloves. My issue is... the last bit of experience I've gotten in this game was taking the supposedly unbreachable bridge to head east. Since then I've done perhaps 15 maps without experience and I've reached the Geneforge front gates. I left that alone and I'm currently flanking though the mines coming in from the east. No XP. I've been stuck at level 20 for the last 10 hours of gameplay. Did this happen to anyone else? The story is keeping me playing but the gameplay at this point has become a bit monotonous. Especially the mines...

Playing GF1 with Vlish. I've run up against a few Vlish opponents and some cast charm vs. direct damage spells. It got me wondering... is there a way to get that level of control over my creations so I can select the ranged attack type? I have int at "3" for my Vlish now...

I don't know if I'd say Avadon isn't in Geneforge's league. Its unfortunately streamlined, but its still quite good. I'm about 80% through Geneforge 1 now and compared to Geneforge 4...it is a walk in the park. However, I'm playing as a Shaper with a few Vlish. I've only had one battle where I had to create 2 additional Dryaks to survive. I decided to tour the island northern wastes and now I'm too high level for most of the remainder of the game. Bottom line... I think the melee class in this series is just freakin difficult. Maybe I'll try Geneforge 2 as a Guardian to see if I get my butt kicked again for old times sake.