Suggestions: Avernum Escape (iPad)

[carpii]

I bought Avadon for iPad maybe a year or two ago, but I never played it much because it was so laggy and virtually unplayable.

 

I since upgraded from iPad 1 to an iPad 3 and decided to give Averdon Escape a try.

Performance is great, and I've put maybe 40 or 50 hours into it over the past few weeks.

 

A few things have frustrated me though. I thought Id post them here as constructive criticism, and hopefully the devs could consider this for future games (or maybe even updates).

 

1) The pathfinding algorithm is fairly poor, and I'm sure could be improved lots. It will only let you travel a very limited distance before spitting out the 'Too far' error. I'd love to see this improved.

 

Likewise after exiting a settlement, you often scroll the map to a distant point and then tap. But it moves one space which happens to be a tile belonging to the settlement, and enters you back into the town you just exited. This is kinda annoying and unnecessary.

 

When you're sailing in a ship, its even worse. It seems to use a slightly different algorithm to walking on land. A ship will often get stuck in outcrops, and makes no attempt to move sideways to navigate around them.

 

2) I'd really love to see levels remember which doors and secret walls have been opened, and restore them next time you visit. Some difficult areas require you to go back to town and revisit when you've gained a few levels. But despite the map being almost revealed, you still have to go and re-find the secret walls in order to traverse the level.

 

3) Merchants: i can only speak for Avernum Escape, but what I find is that the merchants rarely have anything worth buying, when it comes to weapons and armor (at least after youve hit level 6 or something).

It would be great if their stock rotated a bit, and once in a while they had a unique item or some reason to go back and see them. Right now I visit a merchant, see he has nothing more than a steel helmet, and then never visit him again because these are so common.

 

4) I find it very difficult to stay stocked on mana, without constantly travelling back to town. Energy potions and elixirs are slightly too expensive and hard to come by. I think these should be made a little cheaper, and more widely stocked.

I keep finding alchemical equipment but my understanding is there is no way for your characters to actually use this to produce potions. If Im wrong on that, then ignore this suggestion.

 

Thanks, sorry if it sounds a bit negative, but I'm REALLY enjoying Avernum, and I only post this because Id love to see them improved even more

[Randomizer]

Welcome to Spiderweb Software. Please leave your sanity at the door. Oops, too late you bought the games. Beware of fluffy turtles chasing you down for your remaining sanity.

 

1) I hate to tell you but this is the improved path finding algorithm. The older ones had a bug that made the behavior even worse. The one for boats is worse and you should only move in straight clear path lines to avoid getting snagged.

 

2) The game resets doors when you leave the level/zone. I know how hard it is to find the secret switch even when I know it is there. The original Exile versions also restocked the monsters.

 

3) The original Avernum trilogy had a few merchants that had changing stock that included some of the best items. Merchants are pretty much places to sell things and get potions.

 

4) You have a choice of retreat and recharge to save energy potions/elixirs for long one way dungeons and major fights or run out near the end of the game. Some players use the cheat codes to heal and recharge to just avoid the trek back to town. The older games let you camp to recharge.

[Jerakeen]

You can't make potions, but several NPCs can if you bring them the herbs. Like Walner in Ft. Duvno and the witch in Dharmon.

[Earth]

3) best equipments are either found or got as reward so its mostly useless to buy anything unless really needs something.

 

4) invest more points to intelligence and magical efficiency or use less high level aoe spells (many cases Icy Rain is enuf against multiple enemies and Lightning Spray for those cases Icy fails).

 

best potion maker is in Tower of Magi due its easiest to get and makes wide variety of potions.