Are there secret passages?

[Lattan]

I'm playing on a Powerbook and so searching for secret doors is a pain. The few places I've looked hadn't had any, but the manual actually mentions them in a section title.

But if I'm missing all kinds of awesome stuff I"ll be sad.

[Ephesos]

(looks around suspiciously)

 

Okay, since it appears that the game has been released, I guess I can tell you what I know about this.

 

In short, no. There are no secret passages like in A1/2/3/BoA, where you have to run into walls nonstop to find one measly passage.

 

Any extant secret passages look like perfectly normal walls, and only open if you've done some quest, or happen to notice it as you walk by. So don't sweat it... if you're supposed to find it, the game will make sure that you get in.

[Delicious Vlish]

Also, luck can reveal some secret passages before you are told about them.

[Synergy]

How much luck did it take, Vlish? I never had that happen, but then again, I never gave anyone more than 2 luck or so. It is interesting to note that the description for Luck says it actually improves everything you do a little. It might be a better investment than previously..

[Delicious Vlish]

I don't know. I had it happen once or twice, but I don't remember where... Just a text message saying that I was lucky to find it.

 

I believe I was wearing the clover boots.

 

Each point of luck adds 1% to hostile effect resistance. If you can get it up to 5 or so with items, it actually makes a noticeable difference.

[Delicious Vlish]

Actually, I kind of like how Jeff handled secret passages this go round. Not exactly secret if you can just blunder in to a wall and find it. And then after you play once, you know which walls to go blundering in to.

 

Now, you have to find out that a secret passage exists.

[Tyranicus]

Not to mention the fact that Far Sight found all secret passages.

[Ephesos]

Quote:

Originally written by Delicious Vlish:
I believe I was wearing the clover boots.

Those are awesome... I believe I kept them until the end of the game.

And Far Sight is finally gone! Huzzah! No more cheating and finding passages before you're supposed to!

Wait... Vlish. A double post? I expected better from a mod...

[Delicious Vlish]

Exactly.

 

Nobody in their right mind would make a secret passage knowing that some two bit mage fresh out of the academy could find it.

[Delicious Vlish]

Quote:

Originally written by Ephesos:

Quote:

Originally written by Delicious Vlish:
I believe I was wearing the clover boots.

Those are awesome... I believe I kept them until the end of the game.

And Far Sight is finally gone! Huzzah! No more cheating and finding passages before you're supposed to!

Wait... Vlish. A double post? I expected better from a mod...

Look at the time stamp. Two entirely different posts. One was just different enough I felt to warrant it's own posting.

Edit.

Look what you made me do. I just did it again. Bother. You made that post while I was busy replying to another post, and then I had to answer you.

Bother.

[Synergy]

It's an odd thing. It's a great relief to no longer have the burden of having to push against all possible walls to look for secret areas in A4. Yet, I miss the thrill of finding them that way.

 

My idea of how secret areas might ideally work is first having enough luck and dexterity or tool use to find them (goes up as the difficulty area goes up), and also there will be clues they are there: pathways going into a wall and ending...discolorations, something on the ground in front of one or a mark on a wall or rock in front of one. You'd have to pay attention to logical clues AND have the right skills to get in. But no more random looking, for sure.

[Ephesos]

Yeah, there have been many places where the walls don't quite look normal (like one spot of bricks on a cave wall), and you honestly expect a secret passage in the traditional Avernum sense.

 

And Vlish... nevermind then. I just prefer to edit older posts over adding another. Otherwise, it tends to come across as spam.

[kuc]

I'm going to miss going into rooms and doing the following;

 

UPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUP-UPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHT-RIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWN-DOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFT

 

[Hawk King]

Quote:

Originally written by kuc:
I'm going to miss going into rooms and doing the following;

UPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUP-UPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHT-RIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWN-DOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFT

Me to

[Ephesos]

Quote:

Originally written by Hawk King:

Quote:

Originally written by kuc:
I'm going to miss going into rooms and doing the following;

UPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUP-UPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHT-RIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWN-DOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFT

Me to

Funny, I thought walking into a room and doing that was a sign of skribbane addiction...

Personally, I won't miss that at all.

[Dark Mage]

So in A4 there is secret passages but their are more like triggered hard to find doors. Creepy, avernum without secret passages is like a party without music!!

[Ephesos]

No, Avernum without secret passages is like a party without the headbanging... just as fun but fewer neck injuries.

[Radix Malorum Est Cupiditas]

Alright, no parties without headbanging can possibly be fun and only moshing gives the injuries. (And that's also fun.)

[Gecko Mage]

Quote:

I'm going to miss going into rooms and doing the following;

UPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUP-UPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHT-RIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWN-DOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFT

me too, my heart aches

[Synergy]

This post inserted to fix the active topic page layout.

[Telanos]

OK, I have just seen the screenshots of A4, and it wasn't until I saw it labeled as A4 that it sunk in how much I treasured the old grid layout of previous Exile/Avernum games. I can't quite place my finger on why I prefer it to the "better" graphics the geneforge engine offers, but I do. Maybe its because it reminds me of a boardgame feel.

 

As for the secret passages, I loved how it was done in Exile/Avernum. Sure you could find out they were there with Far Sight, but really - why else would you want the spell? Its been a long time since I played but from memory, I usualy didn't use the spell until I'd finished exploring the dungeon, since I'd use the automap to keep track of where I'd explored (and obviously, farsight would ruin that).

 

And even without the spell, in many instances it was pretty obvious if there were any secret passages anyway if you looked at the automap - Just spot the conspicious empty splotches on it, and then make a search around the area.

 

Oh well. It just remains to be seen how the game turns out.

[Kelandon]

I like the occasional secret passage or two, especially non-critical ones that lead simply to bonus treasure. Too many secret passages or ones that must be found in order to continue the game are probably bad, but a few here and there can be fun.

[fbush555]

I found one secret passage. No NPC told me about it later. I did not complete every single subquest, so it's possible someone would have unlocked it later, but it had no items in it, and it doesn't seem like much of a reward.

 

I found it through use of the luck stat, I think: the game told me I was "lucky" to find it.

[Ephesos]

Okay, would you enlighten us as to where it is?

[Delicious Vlish]

Somewhere in some cave.

 

I found it too.

[ZombieHunter3291]

I personaly liked Far Sight. It made finding things so much faster that it made the game more fun. Then you could find the best path and also hidden passages.

[fbush555]

Okay, would you enlighten us as to where it is?

 

West of Spire. The rock formation east of Gervaise's camp.

[Lilith]

The area behind it isn't completely empty; there's a pool of water that restores your spell energy. Admittedly, that's pretty much the least useful thing that could be there without it being completely worthless.

[*i]

It would be nice if the Abyss was actually difficult to travel though, but as it is, it's a pretty easy trek.

[the horned slayer]

awwwwwwwww!!!!!

there isn't secret passages

arghhhhhhhhhh!!!!

that sucks, really jeff i would have expected better of you

[fbush555]

Quote:

Originally written by Thuryl:
The area behind it isn't completely empty; there's a pool of water that restores your spell energy. Admittedly, that's pretty much the least useful thing that could be there without it being completely worthless.

I know, I just figured there was no way that a spell restorer would be a reward for completing a quest.

[Dikiyoba]

Quote:

Originally by ZombieHunter3291: I personaly liked Far Sight.

My strategy in A2 was, once you got a Far Sight scroll (since you got one before you learned the spell) was to carry it around, find a likely spot, save the game, use the scroll, reload, and enter the secret passage. In BoA, all you needed was to examine the town with the scenario editor.

Dikiyoba knows that those strategies may be considered cheating, but are better than going leftrightleftrightupdownupdown all the time.

[Lattan]

Quote:

Originally written by Dikiyoba:
Dikiyoba knows that those strategies may be considered cheating, but are better than going leftrightleftrightupdownupdown all the time.

I very much doubt they're faster than an actual search. Certainly they wouldn't be in the Geneforge/A4 engine. You get pretty quick at searching after a dungeon or two, and it's a convenient opportunity to pick up stuff you couldn't carry before.

[Iluvhorses]

Quote:

originally written by kuc:
I'm going to miss going into rooms and doing the following;

UPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUPLEFTUP-UPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHTUPRIGHT-RIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWNRIGHTDOWN-DOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFTDOWNLEFT

Me too Although, I still find myself doing it in A4 - for old times sake

Quote:

originally written by chicho1102
So in A4 there is secret passages but their are more like triggered hard to find doors. Creepy, avernum without secret passages is like a party without music!!

I agree! I did find one, but I didn't find it by bumping into walls, unfortunately.

[Synergy]

Let's not quote this again.