Interesting mystery topic...

[adc.]

The topic is: Where did you first found one of Spiderweb Software's games?

 

This topic is very interesting and fun. I would like to share my answers here and I also would like to hear others answers, and you can also see others answers...

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My sister had a Wildtanget application on her HP netbook. I got none, so I looked for games there, first I chose a genre, I pressed adventure. Then they were arranged from A-Z. It was pretty tiring having to scroll down then press the next letter. So I was almost giving up when I reached "G". Then I saw this picture:

He looked more like an magic-casting assassin which was a class which I really loved to combine in RPG games. I pressed it and sae that you can make "an army of horrible, mutant creatures". I began to like it. When I've downloaded it, I played it. My parents are really strict about violence and stuff. We had a few games back that time, so I really appreciate even with those graphics. I played the game, then I've become addicted. I played all demos on Wildtanget until the release of Geneforge 5. After playing the last of the demo on Geneforge 5, I wondered: Maybe their site has more greater games than this. So the next day, I typed Spiderweb software at google.co.uk . Then I figured out that I already once played Avernum/Exile 1 on when it was 2003. I started to remember the memories I had with this game until it was forgotten. I also played all Avernum demos that I could find.

 

One day, when I was at 6th grade, I graduated with a 2nd honorable mention. My dad was so happy that he actually bought me AV3 and Geneforge 5 on my netbook (I really liked geneforge 5 that I hacked my screen resolution to play it). As I finished a single part on both games, I went into the forums and signed up without my parents knowing it...

=======

How about you? What's your story?

[Actaeon]

I may have mentioned this in a previous thread, but I got the original Geneforge off of a multi-game CD called Ten for X. I discovered the website sometime later, and was delighted to discover that there was a Geneforge 2 out a Geneforge 3 already in the works.

 

Most of my early posts are in reference to the end of the former and the build up to the latter.

[adc.]

Yeah, Spiderweb Software has randomly put their games on many applications. That happened the same to me when we bought 15 demos of a game in a CD for 5$. I discovered Avernum/Exile 1 on that CD, but I can't understand English very well yet, so I didn't play it for many years...

[Enraged Slith]

Back when AOL was a browser in the mid 90s, there used to be a section in the Kids page that had tons of downloadable shareware titles. I started with Exile, but Exile 2 became my favorite because you could make lizard men player characters.

[adc.]

Exile was in Kids page?!

[BMA]

I saw the first Geneforge from a demo-collection too. It had a *lot* of games, and I was sifting through them all (mostly yawny ones) when I found this little gem.

 

My eyes lit up in fascination as I saw the very I was drawn by the image you have displayed above. Though the actual game has no resemblance to that image, I liked it very much, and much better than the FPS games of the time.

 

PS : Interesting mystery topic ?

[Dikiyoba]

It's been eight years at least since I found my first SW game, so my memory is a bit fuzzy. But I know it was Avernum 2 and I believe I found the demo on a MacAddict CD.

 

(And Nightwatcher, it's not written down anywhere, but animated avatars aren't allowed on this board. You'll have to change it. Thanks.)

 

Dikiyoba.

[Callie]

I got Exile II off of a Mac Cubed disk when I was eight or nine. That disk kept me entertained for a long time.

[Erebus the Black]

I found Exile 2 off a shareware pack disc for dos/win

[adc.]

Alright...

[Earth]

exile 3 (I guess) on some cd for mac.

[A less presumptuous name.]

Originally Posted By: Actaeon

I may have mentioned this in a previous thread, but I got the original Geneforge off of a multi-game CD called Ten for X. I discovered the website sometime later, and was delighted to discover that there was a Geneforge 2 out a Geneforge 3 already in the works.

Pretty much this. I can't remember exactly where Jeff was with 3, but I eventually found the site and got the demo for 2, and I joined the forum some time later. Clearly Actaeon got to the forum before me even though we started around the same time with the games. Curse you, youthful ignorance!

[Actaeon]

My review of old posts shows late March of '05 for the release of Geneforge 3. It also shows that the first response to my first post was by TM. That's... an honor of sorts.

[Goldengirl]

When I was young, I had this application on a computer. It was called Quick Arcade, or something to that effect; it has been a while. To pass the time, I'd play games that I found on there.

 

Some of the demos that was available were Spiderweb Software's very own Geneforge I and II. I played them both to my heart's content, and liked them quite a bit; I enjoyed the moral quandaries the game placed me in, and thought about them quite a bit. Finally, one day, I decided to search the company's website. Finding a treasure trove of game demos, I tried them all initially. I had a hard time getting myself to play Avernum I, due to the lack of a quest log, and a hard time getting myself to try the Exile games, because the Geneforge engine had spoiled me. However, Avernum II and III, Blades of Avernum, the two Geneforges, and Nethergate all entertained me to a great extent.

 

I even tried other games hosted at the website, like Subterra, and even Homeland. I don't like to talk about Homeland, though.

 

Eventually, Jeff released Geneforge III, and continued releasing new games. I played the demos only for a long time, not having a lot of spare money to spend. Finally, though, I bought Geneforge IV, and continued purchasing games after that.

[Dantius]

I played the G1 demo off of RealArcade a loooong time ago, the forgot about it for five years and picked it up in '07-'08 again when I was bored. Played through the games of the Geneforge series that was out at the time in like four months, and then buzzsawed through most of the rest of Jeff's games. I still haven't played A4 or most of A6 and Avadon, and I'm too lazy to get the virtualization software necessary to get Exile going working. Still a pretty good record, though, and in terms of entertainment value, Jeff is still behind only Bioware* and Bethesda on my "favorite developers" list

[Tyranicus]

In late 1999 or early 2000, I found the Nethergate demo on a disc that came with PC Gamer magazine. I played it over and over again. In the fall of 2002, I came to Spiderweb's site, finally bought Nethergate, and discovered the recently released Avernum trilogy. Three years later, I was replaying Nethergate and stumbled upon these forums while searching for help with something. The rest is history.

[nikki.]

I found Exile 3 and Nethergate on an old shareware CD (I don't remember the name of the CD, but I want to say "Best of Games"). I played Exile 3 first, and completed the demo, before realising that Nethergate was by the same company, so I played that too. They're still pretty much my favourite SW games.

[Rowen]

I started with a demo disk that let that had Exile 1, 2, and 3 on it. I started with 3 and worked my way backwards to 1. By the time I got to the forums when BoE was almost released.

 

On the same disk I found Escape Velocity. That is a game series that I enjoyed very much also.

[adc.]

Originally Posted By: Goldenking

Eventually, Jeff released Geneforge III, and continued releasing new games. I played the demos only for a long time, not having a lot of spare money to spend. Finally, though, I bought Geneforge IV, and continued purchasing games after that.

You bought the games? I also wish I had them all I only have GF5 and AV3

[Cairo Jim]

I originally found Exile on a MacFormat disk back in 95. I loved, although for many years I didn't know what I was doing and my party died a lot. A while later I found E2 and fairly soon after found E3 and Nethergate.

[In Half Now]

Not sure what year, but Nethergate on a MikroBitti (a Finnish gaming/computer magazine my brother subscribed to) game demo cd. I didn't join then, though. I think it was still in the nineties?

no, must've been 2000 at least. Because the family computer was in my mom's bedroom then, and it got moved to the kitchen when my little sister was born (which was in -00), and I remember playing Nethergate in the kitchen. So sometime during summer probably. Long days and plenty of time to get bored, especially since I find out the money cheat for Sims.

 

It did take me until Avernum, or possibly Geneforge before I registered to the forums. I needed to ask something and I don't think I had proper reason to do so with Avernum. And I don't think it was for A2... Not sure anymore. :\ But anyway.

 

Before I joined I found the game demos on MB cds. That's for sure.

[Mistb0rn]

My first exposure to Spiderweb was the AOL trial version of E1. Bought the full game and played it to death, then never thought about spiderweb again until I stumbled across these forums a few years ago. Since rediscovering the company I most enjoyed Blades of Exile and Geneforge. I ordered the disc with all five Geneforge games, though if I'd known they'd all be released so cheap on Steam I probably would have waited; I still haven't managed to finish them all yet.

 

I also got Avadon when it came out on Steam, but haven't really played it much yet. I tried the A5 and A6 demos, but they seemed to be missing something that E1 and G1 had, (and some of the side quests felt almost copy-pasted,) so I've never really pursued the Avernum series.

 

I haven't played E2 or E3 to completion in any version, though, so I'm really looking forward to the remakes of those, as well as A:EftP. (Sadly, after playing Alcritas' scenarios, I couldn't get very far in E3; it just feels poorly made in comparison. And A1-3's graphics are just unplayably awful.)

 

 

[Harehunter]

1997 - I think it was Metacrawler that found "RPG games" on (I think I remember correctly) CNET. From there, it linked directly to www.SpiderwebSoftware.com (that was before it became Avernum.com).

 

I had played "Castle of the Winds", but it tasted kind of flat. Once I had tasted Exile 1 (Version 2), I snapped up Exile 2 (still at Version 1). It was not until last year that I got straightened out on all the versions.

 

I have not yet gotten into Nethergate, and I do not have Geneforge at all. Exile, and then Avernum, took what time I had available (and still does).

[keira]

I first got into this when I was in first grade, I had a CD called 99 shareware games for Windows or some such. I played the demo until my fingers bled, then around 2007ish I discovered BoE and by extension, the forums.

 

In related news, I've only played Windows stuff. The only SW games I have played on a Mac was with my old powerbook g4; I played about five minutes of the newer exile remake until I became irritated at its slowness (never thought I would own a computer that couldn't play a SW game...)

[Death Knight]

I first found out about spiderweb from scrolling. I wanted to play an oldschool game but at the time, couldnt get into turnbased rpgs. I gave up on g4 and years later came back and decided to be more openminded.

 

I played geneforge 1 and came to the conclusion that you dont have to have state of the art graphics to tell a good story. Geneforge 1 and 2 are among my favorites as the craziness of the characters (takers) is more prevalent. Even geneforge 3 had a bit of really bizarre crazy characters. All the games are great but i of course have my preferences.

 

What i like about jeff is that he knows what his customers like, and knows how to satisfy that. A lot of these companies make very rash decisions and maybe they might be right/wrong but i think jeff knows how to invent new material even if he is doing a lot of the same.

[Alorael at Large]

I first heard of Exile from a friend (whose advice to ask Dexter about "tools" has stuck with me), and obtained it a few months later in either 1994 or 1995 on a CD full of demos, shareware, and free games. I tried to register, even, but due to mixup or relocation my mailed check was returned.

 

That was the last I thought about Exile for a few years, until I got internet access. The first game I downloaded was Angband (mostly based on alphabetical order, and with very good luck); the second was Exile II, which I found while scrolling through the list. Then Exile III, when it came out, was my first registered Spiderweb game.

 

—Alorael, who has to wonder if perhaps playing a game with ASCII graphics immediately prior made Exile shine by comparison. Or maybe it just gave him a taste for simple interfaces.

[HooliganBarlow]

I assumed for sometime my first experience was with Geneforge 1, whose demo I found on CNET shareware at age 15 or so. After purchasing and playing the full game, later wanting more, I checked out the developer's website, and found that I had played both Nethergate and BOE on a demo disc, probably MacAddict, years earlier, but had found the gameplay too laborious for my 9-11-year-old tastes, though I still managed to enjoy what little I could figure out of the fantasy world at that point.

To the poster who mentioned Escape Velocity, EV:Nova is also one of my favorite finds. Too bad the company hasn't expanded that series further.

Great topic, OP, it was fun thinking back and seeing all the discoveries not associated with commercial releases.

[Dintiradan]

It was a game demo CD (PC Gamer?) with Avernum 3. 2004, I think.

 

Demo CDs are a common theme. SpidWeb has always had their free demos online, but I think the advertising with demo CDs was really needed. Has JV been increasing online advertising now that demo CDs are a thing of the past? Or are new markets like Steam gonna be enough?

[AscendedForger]

My first spiderweb game was the original Geneforge demo off of RealArcade. I don't know how far I got, but I know that eventually, I came across this website and got the Avernum 1 demo, then bought the full version on a CD (at the time, I didn't know how the registration system worked).

[Prince of Kitties]

I found my first Spidweb game on a Macintosh game demo CD, when I was maybe 11 or 12 - a copy of Exile: Escape from the Pit. (The old old version with no action points). I found it quite engrossing, despite the infernal mouse-only movement system.

 

Yep... fullscreen 2D gameplay at 800x600 resolution and 8-bit color, with the fear of a full MacOS crash hanging over your head like the sword of Damocles... Good times.

[The Loquacious Lord Grimm]

I discovered Exile 2 in 2000 on a disc of 100+ shareware / freeware games that I had received as a gift two years prior. It was unique, oddly visually attracting despite its aged graphics, and addictive once I finally understood not only how to play, but that there was a whole, carefully-developed world inside.

(It was also the second RPG I'd ever come across, after Castle of the Winds. Set the standard pretty freaking high, though.)

 

_________________________

 

The Silent Assassin first played Exile 2 in 2001, after finally sitting through a full explanation of the great RPG world with which I had been obsessed.

However, he never really got into it (or of any other RPG, for that matter): why pretend to harass fictitious, pixelated townspeople when there are not-nearly-as-pixelated living townspeople right out the front door that can be harassed for real?

[The Mystic]

I first found BoE (and, later, E3) on a shareware CD called "1000 Games for Windows" back when I got my first computer; Win98 (not Win98SE, mind you) was still a relatively new OS, so that puts it back a ways.

 

I installed BoE first, and played VoDT several dozen times. Then I browsed the CD again (it was the only one I owned at the time) for something else to play, and stumbled across E3; I got so good that demo that I could complete it, except for day-related events, by about day 20 at the latest, but I digress. I was also in college at the time, and found Spiderweb's website thanks to a basic computer class I was taking; thanks to a decent file-splitting program and a dozen floppies, I managed to download and take home every Windows demo that Spiderweb had to offer.

 

After about a year or so of playing the demos, I finally managed to persuade my father to let me borrow his credit card to buy BoE, and again to buy the Exile trilogy CD. Since then, I have gone on to purchase, in no particular order, BoA, N:R, both Avernum trilogies, and the Geneforge Saga; and to my dying day, I'll probably never know how (or why) I ended up with two copies of the G1 CD and hint book.

 

For those who mentioned Castle of the Winds: I found that on the same CD; if I understand correctly, it's abandonware now. I still have it, in WinXP emulated with VirtualBox; it doesn't run on 64-bit Win7.