Nethergate on Windows XP?

[chasrreeves]

I played Nethergate a few years ago, but my new computer has Windows XP. The game seemed to install O.K., but cuts off when I click "Done" on any of the starting screens. Has anyone else had this problem and can you help me?

[Blaspheme]

Mmh, I play Nethergate on windows XP and doesn't have this trouble.Re-install?

[Master Xan]

hmm... was Nethergate one of the games compatible with DOS? I can't remember, it's been too long.

 

If it is, then you could install DOS, bypass the screwed up XP, and play it then...

[Lord Sylak]

Nethergate was 9X/NT, not 3.X like Exile. I think a reinstall is good, or an older computer is good.

[ditech2]

If reinstalling it doesn't work, you can right-click the shortcut and bring up the properties menu. Click on the "Compatibility" tab, check the box that says "Run this program in Compatibility mode for:" and then choose an OS that Nethergate is sure to work under.

[saintofsword]

Is Nethergate really worth you're money, its $30 and its been like what 8 years old???

[Kelandon]

Old games can still be good. Nethergate uses much the same engine as the Avernum Trilogy, so its age doesn't really matter at all.

 

And reviving an old topic (more than a week since the last post) without adding something new and interesting is generally considered bad around here.

[Alorael at Large]

On the other hand, that could just as easily have been a new topic. "Should I get [insert game(s) here]" topics are common enough.

 

My answer is a resounding yes. If you're playing Spiderweb games, you're not playing for eyecandy. Nethergate has the same graphics as Avernum for the most part. The atmosphere of the game is the strongest I've seen in any Spiderweb game, and the plot is quite good. My only complaint is that it's shorter than any other Spiderweb game, and even playing both the Celt and Roman sides of it doesn't quite make it seem as large as Exile/Avernum.

 

—Alorael, who as always recommends that you download the demo and try it. You get a very good sense of what Nethergate is like. It has the same heavy plot beginning of Avernum 2, but unlike A2 the game doesn't suddenly feel very different after the demo area.

[bogus standard candidate]

sos (heh. intentional?) I'm pretty much going to reiterate what Alo just said.

 

I also wholeheartedly recommend you this game. You will see some differences between Avernum and this one. The automap, for one, is a bit bigger and the dungeon doesn't fit completely inside it.

 

The game is smaller than any other SpidWeb game. However, it does have the best plot.

 

It's a shame that it is the only stand alone game that Jeff's ever done since that may give the wrong idea. Well, the truth is that it didn't sell as well as the others, at least from what I've heard and read (well, read), but that doesn't mean it's bad.

 

Download the Demo and take a look. The rest of the game is similar to the Demo in that there aren't any big changes, just more of the adventure.

 

You can play as both sides in the Demo, and there are some places you can explore through twice, as each group, yet for different reasons.

 

The magic system is cool. The differences between the groups, both in game play and storyline are strong enough that you won't feel like you're just playing the same thing again with different characters.

 

Also, some of us here in the community like it so much that you'll see, now and then, people wishing for Nethergate 2, though that seems rather unlikely. On the other hand, it seems unlikely we would ever see a Fallout 3 and. . .

 

Good luck!

[Masked Man of Inscrutability]

I'm also a rather big Nethergate fan. I found it the best of Spiderweb's games, particularly playing as the Romans. I enjoy the challenge of playing a party of strong warriors with very little magic to back them up - it makes your tactics very important, particularly against the powerful enemies at the end of the game.

 

I'm one of those people that wishes Jeff would revisit the world of Nethergate. Of course, it seems really unlikely - Jeff seems to have "learned" that he should stick to more mainstream RPGs. But I don't think this lesson is really true. The "Geneforge" series, from what I gather, are SW's best selling titles and they certainly aren't your typical RPGs.

 

I think the reason Nethergate didn't sell so well is the same reason planescape didn't sell so well: it demanded that the player read too much text. Most casual players will be turned off. They play to escape or have some mindless fun for a couple of hours. The Geneforge games are successful because they suck you in. For as great as Nethergate is, it takes a while to get sucked in. You run around town talking to a bunch of people before you actually do anything.

 

Of course, I could be completely wrong. Who knows? Its just an unqualified opinion.

 

Z