A6 - Initial impressions/Praise thread ...

[Matchstk]

Beautiful work Jeff. The new graphics are fantastic, the organic, natural layout of the bottom panel, cool spell effects. Just starting at the Food Depot, getting the feel of it, but a great vibe with this game from the get-go.

 

So ... backpack items no longer count against your Encumberance? That will certainly save on all those trips back to town to sell things. You know, there was a screenshot on the info page, and I remember thinking "wow he has a lot of stuff."

 

 

 

 

[Lilith]

Originally Posted By: Matchstk

So ... backpack items no longer count against your Encumberance? That will certainly save on all those trips back to town to sell things.

That's been the case since Avernum 5. The catch is that encumbrance limits have been lowered, so you can no longer kit your mages out in full plate just by emptying their backpacks.

[Student of Trinity]

The thing that impresses me most about A6 is that most of the main quests are nice little adventures in themselves, extended action-heavy sub-plots. If you really break it down, all Jeff has really done is string a few standard items together in sequence — it's still just go somewhere, talk to someone, fetch something, then go do some big fight. But the sequences are all a few steps longer, and with a little bit more detail and thought put into them, than I remember from earlier games. It crosses some sort of threshold, and feels like a big change to me. There seems to be a tighter connection between story and game.

[VCH]

I've always loved the artwork. Studio Foglio still does it, right?

 

Actually it would be pretty cool to have the artwork in a printed poster format.

[Randomizer]

The game goes back to Exile/Avernum 1 and 2 where you have different quest paths that you can follow. There's the main one that ends the game, a whole series for the Tower Colony, Gladwell's back with his power grab, and so forth. Some you don't have to do and others will give changes to the ending.

 

Lots of plot threads from earlier games get resolved especially getting to see X's anvil spell in action. That was a highlight of the game.

[Slawbug]

That is an incredibly welcome change. The quest paths, I mean.

[tehpineapple]

by far the greatest improvement of all is that you no longer have to click the tiny little coin icon on your items to sell them. Thank god, that should cut about 75% of the time it takes to sell loot and get back to adventurin'!

[Locmaar]

As SoT already said: it's amazing how huge the game is and how the quests are designed. It does remind me of Exile 2 when I first played it. You think you've accomplished something and shortly thereafter this little success is dwarfed by the next tier of quests... repeatedly. It's simply awesome.

[Dantius]

X finishes his spell? Can a PC cast it? That would be AWESOME!!!1!!1!@!1!1

[Skippy the bush kangaroo]

Originally Posted By: Dantius

X finishes his spell? Can a PC cast it? That would be AWESOME!!!1!!1!@!1!1

Yes. No. (It is a lifetime's work for one of the greatest mages Avernum has ever known.)

[Ephesos]

Pretty much all of the plot points that involved the legends of the series (Solberg, X, etc) were exactly what those characters needed. I've said it before, I'll say it again. A6 feels like a proper conclusion to the series.

[Benithil]

Hello and thank you for your comments regarding the artwork. I am, in fact, the artist responsible for creating the splashscreen, illustrations, and interface art for Avernum 6. I've been doing the art for Jeff's games starting around Avernum 5; before that, I think it was done primarily by an artist named Andrew Hunter.

 

You can see my online portfolio at:

http://www.benresnick.com/

 

-Ben Resnick

[Student of Trinity]

Ha! I'm not sure it makes sense to thank a professional for his work, but it definitely adds a lot to the games, so I hope Jeff pays you well and continues to do so.

 

I was disappointed to realize that CommandANT is not a real game. It looks cool.

[Soul of Wit]

Woo and Hoo! Tryptophan is no match for the lure of A6.

 

Yes, my stupor is the turkey drug and certainly not any pies or wine consumed with the turkey. I'm going with that.

 

Seriously, be thankful for what you have.

[VCH]

Originally Posted By: Benithil

Hello and thank you for your comments regarding the artwork. I am, in fact, the artist responsible for creating the splashscreen, illustrations, and interface art for Avernum 6. I've been doing the art for Jeff's games starting around Avernum 5; before that, I think it was done primarily by an artist named Andrew Hunter.

You can see my online portfolio at:
http://www.benresnick.com/

-Ben Resnick

Cool. I love those splash screens. Honestly like I said they'd make awesome posters.

Do you do everything or is there a helper?

[Warchief]

Thanks for all the hard work Ben! I must say that your illustrations really help sell the Geneforge and Avernum universes for me. They wouldn't be the same without your artwork.

[Synergy]

Originally Posted By: tehpineapple

by far the greatest improvement of all is that you no longer have to click the tiny little coin icon on your items to sell them. Thank god, that should cut about 75% of the time it takes to sell loot and get back to adventurin'!

I will gladly take at least some of the credit for finally getting this change implemented. I've griped to Jeff about the carpal-tunnel inducing way that selling has worked since A4. I again argued passionately twice during the testing process for A6 that Jeff do something to remedy this problem. I too am hugely glad he chose to finally address it in this game. Was anyone else who was testing lobbying for this? I've been curious if the power of one persuasive (and repeated) argument is enough to get Jeff to make changes or if it takes more than that.

-S-