Reporting bugs in Exile 3

[MacCentris]

Before I begin, I bought the trilogy several years ago, but had not played Ex3 seriously (I passed Ex2 and I gave Ex3 a try, but didn't get far). Upon starting the game I gave my PCs all the spells with the editor to help me out with early fighting.

 

I should also mention I have a 2 year old who is very cranky, and makes reading very hard for me!

 

I went back to begin my new game, I searched all Fort Emergence and searched all upper Exile. I did everything I was told to do, including get a soul crystal. Then I went on to the surface. The first thing I did was go somewhere north to a tiny hut that had several portals. I went to the portal to the town of Shayder. (the other places said they are dangerous so I did not go there)

 

I saved the game but panicked when I realized that perhaps the portal was not a wise choice, so early in the game. I did not talk to anyone.

 

I spent a day or so (real life) looking for ways to get out of the (started to dawn to me) island. o_0 YES I had no clue I was in an island LOL.

 

Killed lots of roaches but I do not think I solved that particular mission. At this point I DID NOT want to spoil my game by looking into walkthroughs.

 

I found a way to get out, to the left most of Shayder there is a dock with a ferry that carried my party back to Valorim to the town of Marish.

 

I was wandering around looking to get back to Fort Emergence so I found the giants lair, I avoided Lorelei and Sharimik. I just went in and killed everyone in the giants lair. Including Nagas, worms and whatever. I left.

 

So far I had completed some nasty encounters and battles WITHOUT speaking to the right people! I KNOW I should have spoken to the people, but I thought that if I killed everyone that eventually, it would all fall into place.

 

Shortly after I "learned" Word Of Recall from a Vahnatai cave near Marish, I completed that cave. Not knowing how to get back to the Fort Emergence area; I assumed it was safe to use Word Of Recall upon "learning" it.

 

At this point the Orb had not been stolen and the Formello murders had not happened. So I went back up to the surface, visited Kriszan and completed the slimes mission as soon as possible. I went around and learned that Lorelei had horseys! So I went straight there and got myself a horsey! I bought Hawkes Manse.

 

I was wandering around and found the troglo cave with the altar. I fried their evil altar without hesitation. I went to Castle Troglo and they DID NOT let me in. I went to Sharimik to find a way to get in, I did everything I was told, I got a scroll which I assume where instructions on how to get to Castle Troglo, but I did not read it. Meanwhile I didn't realize that the scroll was what I needed to get into the Castle Troglo. So I went to wander around I found the cave with the moving walls puzzle. I DID NOT know yet that that would indeed bring the barriers down!

 

I avoided troglo side and went up the giant's side, went back to Fort Emergence. The murders happened. I went to the cave of the murders. I also went to visit Erika and she let me wear her amulet. I decided to figure a way to infiltrate in the Troglo Castle not realizing that the scroll from Sharimik was what I needed to get in through the front. So I went back to the moving puzzles cave again to look for a way to give the scroll to the troglo leader.

 

I went into the Troglo side, killed everyone EXCEPT Elhioc. I went up the hidden passage and was inside Castle Troglo! I DID NOT realize that this was NOT the right way to get into Castle Troglo, so I spoke to the Troglo king. He told me to go back to my cell. I had no idea what he was saying. I went down the secret path again and killed Elhioc. Upon going back up to Castle Troglo nothing happened. I decided to consult a walkthrough. According to the walkthrough I understand that I was supposed to get a message from the troglo king angered by the murder of Elhioc, triggering a fight with the troglodites.

 

At this point I was convinced I had done something wrong. It seems I was supposed to go back to Sharimik to give them the message that the Troglo king gave me before going to break the barrier. So I went on to give them the message, it was "we will defeat you"

 

Well, guess what, the troglos are still friendly... Still I think this mission is complete but I am not so sure. I seem to have done a lot of things wrong because I had not looked into the walkthroughs. Meanwhile I am upset that I was allowed to go into castle troglo automatically after breaking the barrier. There should have been a "force" stopping me from going up, if I had not completed those steps: being imprisoned by the troglos and getting the first scroll

 

At this point I went back to Sharimik and I was told to get the Dispell Barrier Tome. But I am still unsure what I should do next and getting ready to start the game from the beginning

 

At this point I do not think blaming myself for this is fair. Since the only thing I did with the editor was give myself all the spells. And I am known to like to play games in a very unorthodox way, doing things in a very weird way I should have been a beta tester. I know I could go on to complete other missions but I am too scared for surprises later on!

[Emz]

Okay? You shouldn't use the editor unless you really need to, otherwise it is just going to ruin the game anyway.

 

If you need guides to make sure you do the game properly then you should check out these sites

 

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Arena/3134/index.html

 

http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/file/575519/23841

 

If you wanted to know how to report bugs in Exile 3 you can email Jeff, but nothing would be done about it now. Though I doubt the latest version of Exile 3 has any. Pretty sure it was bug free.

 

(Sorry if I haven't helped)

[MacCentris]

Yes, I do believe it is too late to report bugs. However do you think that there is an updated download that corrects these bugs? My trilogy CD is several years old.

 

About using the editor to get the spells, if I started the game over without the spells, and did everything in the order I did them; I am almost certain the same would happen. There is really nothing keeping a new player from entering the moving puzzles cave. Also the place with the portals to get anywhere around Valorim should not be accessible until you have completed the slime plague. The ritual sanctify is also accessible if the person should encounter the place to get it early in the game.

 

However if this is true, a brand new player not knowing about these odd happenings; would get stuck as well.

 

I would like to try it but I am afraid I do not have the time for it.

 

--

 

EDIT: Technically speaking, using a walkthrough to play the game will definitely spoil the game, just as much or more than adding the spells would. Whether adding the spells or looking at a walkthrough both are a way of cheating in one way or another but, I tried not to consult a walkthrough until I found that some things were not happening properly.

[Emz]

I also have the trilogy version, but you might want to start the game over if you think you did something seriously wrong. The trilogy version is v1.0 but according to this page, it's the latest version for windows anyway.

 

http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/exile3/winexile3.html

 

There are no serious bugs listed down in the FAQ but if you think you found one, it says you can report it and they will list it there. (assuming you are using windows)

 

http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/faqs/winexile3_faq.html

 

 

The Mac FAQ is here and it lists 4 Serious bugs

 

http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/faqs/macexile3_faq.html

 

Also if you use Mac, the latest version should be 1.0.3

 

Hope that helped, and again sorry if it didn't. You might not have actualy discovered a bug, but it has really been a while since I went through Exile 3, and I'm sorry I can't tell for sure.

[Celtic Minstrel]

Originally Posted By: Emz

Okay? You shouldn't use the editor unless you really need to, otherwise it is just going to ruin the game anyway.

I don't think using the editor could harm your game in any way.

Originally Posted By: MacCentris

Yes, I do believe it is too late to report bugs. However do you think that there is an updated download that corrects these bugs? My trilogy CD is several years old.

I suspect that if you download the demo and install it in the right way, that it would consider itself to be registered. On the Mac, you would want to back up your preferences file before installing. I'm not sure about Windows – it may be a .dat file in the game folder, or I suppose it might be something in the registry. Basically, though, your registration is stored in the same place as your preferences, so if you save the file with your preferences and then use that file with a different installation of Exile, I think it will be registered.

Which platform are you using? Also I would suggest waiting for a third opinion before trying this...

[Emz]

Originally Posted By: Celtic Minstrel

I don't think using the editor could harm your game in any way.

Not harm; ruin the fun of trying to earn the items, spells, skills or whatever in the game.

[Celtic Minstrel]

Well, sure. I often used the editor to heal the party, though, because I'd rather not have to start over due to death.

[Emz]

I know, everyone has to use it to heal themselves at times of desperate need, that's why it is there. I was forced to use it once or else I would have just lost the game due to everyone dying. Just not giving yourself all the spells or something.

 

The Demo is still going to be V1.0 on Windows.

[Celtic Minstrel]

I'll probably do something like that when (and if) I play Exile 1. But not for E2 or E3.

[MacCentris]

Ok if this helps anything, I am on an eMac.

 

Sadly the answer to whether the game has bugs other than the ones listed, I would say yes the game has bugs. For example I lost my horse to moving puzzles twice. I had to reset my horse those times. Luckily the Editor does a great job when it comes to horses and boats

 

The first time I lost my horse was somewhere in Valorim where one of the fairies had a nice "forest" I kept moving about on my horse. I got off the horse and I was told that all of a sudden I was somewhere else (nearby). Horsey was gone and a tree was where he was originally.

 

On the entrance to the moving puzzles (barrels), right on the spot where you do not get let in if there are barrels about, I placed my horse there (duh)

 

After I brought down the barrier, I came back to that cave from the outside, once again horsey was gone.

 

I am at this time making a brand new game for the sake of figuring out whether there is a bug here. This is so far my second attempt and if I indeed find that there is a bug I will let Jeff know ASAP.

 

Thanks everyone for all the help!

 

--

 

EDIT: I checked and I have the latest version 1.0.3b thank you

[Celtic Minstrel]

I doubt Jeff will care whether there is a bug, though. He's left the Exile series far behind him.

[MacCentris]

I thought so. However (and hopefully) this forum will be here for some time and if I find a bug at least people would know that there is a possibility of one, if some steps are switched around in certain towns.

 

I think that the portals should not be accessible as soon as you reach the surface. Just my opinion.

 

To me it was like "wow portals!"

 

I thought again and said "well I am sure that if I wasn't supposed to use them something will stop me!"

 

Boy was I wrong! And of all places I had to choose Shayder!

 

Rest assured this time I will not use the Editor, unless I get stuck in a town though

[Emz]

Originally Posted By: MacCentris

EDIT: I checked and I have the latest version 1.0.3b thank you

I have the windows version so sorry I could not help more. Mac is obviously quite buggy with this game.

[Lilith]

Originally Posted By: MacCentris

I think that the portals should not be accessible as soon as you reach the surface. Just my opinion.

To me it was like "wow portals!"

I thought again and said "well I am sure that if I wasn't supposed to use them something will stop me!"

Boy was I wrong! And of all places I had to choose Shayder!

The Exile series are old-style RPGs, which means they deliberately don't protect you from your own bad decisions. Exile 3 isn't your mother and it treats you like an adult, not a baby. Still, compared to Wizardry or Bard's Tale, it's downright forgiving.

Anyway, it doesn't sound as if you've actually done anything to permanently mess up your game. Fighting the troglos is 100% optional. If you're worried about losing track of the plot in future, don't do things until someone gives you a quest to do them! Anyway, what you do now is obvious: get Dispel Barrier, and go do other stuff somewhere else in the game.

[Randomizer]

This is why Jeff in later games placed sdf (stuff done flags) to prevent certain actions from occuring until you have done others. You haven't ruined your games so much as played it in an order that Jeff didn't intend.

 

There was nothing wrong with what you did and as long as you can survive, then go off and explore.

[MacCentris]

Emz don't worry, I do not think losing horsey is quite a "bug" but one of those things that was bound to happen when you leave your horse behind in changing places. It is probably the main reason why reset horses is available in the editor. Jeff did a pretty good job covering many things.

 

Continuing the old game sounds like a great idea. I started a new game for the sake of finding bugs, and wow the things I missed!

 

I am only in Ghikra but I must say that I missed a lot. For example, I did not realize I could buy spells from Koriba. The Vahnatai who gives me the Soul Crystal.

 

Also Kyhar sells me Alchemy which I brought in my previous game. At this point I see Jeff comments that prices are "high" and "average" there.

 

But this early in the game I'd do anything to get those things, so I don't care if they're expensive!

 

Well, time to gather more gold LOL.

 

It might take me some time, but I want to see how far both games go, and hopefully finish them both. And of course come back here to report any oddities I find.

 

Thanks for letting me know that it is possible to do things in the wrong order, by avoiding talking to people. I will keep that in mind and pay close attention to what people say in the towns

[Celtic Minstrel]

Losing the horses is probably a result of leaving them in a place that changed, as you said. In particular, you should never, ever take horses into a dungeon... especially if it's an underground one.

[Lilith]

Yeah, horses don't even do anything indoors except make it harder to move around and fight. Leaving them parked outdoors is always the smart thing to do.

[Celtic Minstrel]

I remember that they still conferred the speed advantage in town, just like they did outdoors...

[Alorael at Large]

Indoors you don't need to worry as much about the passage of time. If you're in a town without enemies you don't need to concern yourself with running away, and if you're in a town with enemies you need to be dismounted to fight anyway.

 

—Alorael, who agrees that horses are better left outside. It's a little odd when your safely stabled horse disappears suddenly because slimes have demolished the other side of Krizsan, though.

[Lilith]

Originally Posted By: Celtic Minstrel

I remember that they still conferred the speed advantage in town, just like they did outdoors...

I'm pretty sure you remember wrong.

[Celtic Minstrel]

...Would someone like to check?

[MacCentris]

Well, Jeff did say that the passage of time would not affect whether you can complete the game or not right?

 

Things are deteriorating really badly as I think my old game is in day 177 and I have yet to go to Blackragg Fortress. I can't seem to remember my horse(s) in many occasions and sometimes in a hurry I may just leave them behind. Suddenly I remember and have to travel by foot back to get him.

 

The passage of time in my first game is beginning to worry me as towns look horribly destroyed

 

I completed the Tower Of Magi (the tower collapsed). I was also wondering what is that option in the editor that's called "slow down tower of magi timer"?

 

What does it mean and... another question. When I was in Gale and I heard the voice that told me to go to the tower of magi because demons had invaded it. I went right away like you already know, but who tells me that? Did Erika's amulet allowed me to "hear" that voice or was it telepathy what was that?

[Lilith]

By day 177, things have deteriorated about as much as they're ever going to. It's possible to beat the game in under 20 days on a second playthrough, when you already know where to go and what to do.

 

Originally Posted By: MacCentris

What does it mean and... another question. When I was in Gale and I heard the voice that told me to go to the tower of magi because demons had invaded it. I went right away like you already know, but who tells me that? Did Erika's amulet allowed me to "hear" that voice or was it telepathy what was that?

 

No, it doesn't depend on the amulet. It's probably one of the mages there sending you a message. If you wait too long to respond to it, the messages get increasingly urgent and then bad things happen.

[Celtic Minstrel]

Originally Posted By: MacCentris

Well, Jeff did say that the passage of time would not affect whether you can complete the game or not right?

I don't think it'd affect your ability to complete the game...

Originally Posted By: MacCentris

I was also wondering what is that option in the editor that's called "slow down tower of magi timer"?

I believe that will make the Tower of Magic attack come later in the game than it normally would.

Originally Posted By: Thuryl

No, it doesn't depend on the amulet. It's probably one of the mages there sending you a message. If you wait too long to respond to it, the messages get increasingly urgent and then bad things happen.

What kinds of bad things?

...Maybe I shouldn't ask that when I haven't played it yet...

I actually got as far as the Tower of Magi attack when I was playing the demo version.

[Lilith]

Originally Posted By: Celtic Minstrel

What kinds of bad things?

An army of demons breaks free from the tower and ravages the world. Game over, man; game over.

[The Mystic]

Originally Posted By: Thuryl

It's possible to beat the game in under 20 days on a second playthrough, when you already know where to go and what to do.

Riiiight...I've heard some farfetched things in my time, but this ranks somewhere around cold fusion on my scale.

To do what you suggest, you probably need 40 days; 20 days in reality to plan it, and another 20 days in-game. Plus you'll need to powergame and/or make good use of the editor.

[Alorael at Large]

If you use the editor you can win in 0 days. If you're not willing to alter the day, you could definitely do it in 20 days. I maybe remember someone claiming to have done it in eight days. The only limitation is speed of travel by horse, really.

 

In real time, you could probably beat the game in one miserable 10 hour marathon session. A full 24-hour day is more than enough to get through the main quests.

 

—Alorael, who definitely agrees that a 20 day win requires powergaming and solid knowledge of the game before you begin. That's how speedruns always go.

[Mea Tulpa]

20 days has definitely been done with no editor use. I think that was Drakey's record, which I misremembered at some point as one week (that may be what you are thinking of, Alo).