Game News Nethergate Resurrection is announced

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Tags: Jeff Vogel; Spiderweb Software

<a href=http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/>Spiderweb Software</a> has recently announced that they are doing a <a href=http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/nethergateres/index.html>remake</a> of their classic and classy title, <a href=http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/nethergate/index.html>Nethergate</a>:<blockquote>At last, Spiderweb Software's classic adventure of treachery and battle in ancient times has returned! Travel back to ancient Britannia for a tale of cunning foes, vicious battles, and a race to rediscover the lost secrets of magic.
<br>
<br>
Nethergate: Resurrection is a huge, exciting, fantasy role-playing game, which features:
<br>
<br>
* Two different sides, the powerful Romans and the savage and cunning Celts. Each side has a completely different full-length adventure.
<br>
* Enormous game world, with dozens of dungeons and many characters and quests.
<br>
* Fascinating storyline. Fight for freedom, or further the glory of the Empire.
<br>
* Lost secrets of magic! Dozens of spells and hundreds of hidden magical artifacts.
<br>
* Innovative story and unique setting. Unlike any fantasy game you've ever played.</blockquote>I guess this will finally silence Jeff Vogel's detractors who keep claiming he is only rehashing the same games... Wait what?<blockquote>This game is a full, ground-up rewrite of our aged classic, Nethergate. It has more quests, more magical artifacts to find, and two big, new dungeons to explore.</blockquote>I was worried there for a minute.
<br>
<br>
<br>
Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/">Spiderwerb Software</A>

 

[Psilon]

What's more, it's using the Blades of Avernum engine. That's not even new by Vogel's standards.

 

[Fez]

I think this is the first time I've not been excited to see one of his games on the way. It sounds like there's not much being reworked with this one. It's almost the same engine and almost the same game. Maybe it's going to be a substantial rewrite of the theme, but it'll really have to be something to impress and if it is such a big improvement and so much changed it is truly a new game then why not make it Nethergate 2?

 

[dojoteef]

I hate to put down an indie RPG developer, but it seems the allure of indie developers is that they are unfettered by publisher restrictions and thus can branch out and make new and innovative work. I know Jeff has had quite a bit of success making sequels, but actually rehashing a game seems a little excessive. I wish him the best of luck with it, but I doubt the game will be met with much enthusiasm from his current clientèle.

Innovative story and unique setting. Unlike any fantasy game you've ever played.

Except the game its based upon. Oh the humor!

 

[Amasius]

I wouldn't judge that harsh. Vogel releases every year or so a new (or "new" :wink game and he writes all his stuff by himself. I guess these remakes are his way to avoid to burn out and keep his little company running. I haven't played the original nethergate and I like the idea behind it. Every RPG without the usual tolkienesque fantasy setting should be supported.

 

[Nedrah]

Aren't there any cheap/free engines around that he could make his own and expand upon? His engines never were infinity to start with. I appreciate his output, but if you're giving your game a facelift you could, you know, use an engine that isn't terribly outdated. My complaints are about 30% graphics/art direction (which don't do anything for me, but most of the time get their job done) and 70% about the UI and some seemingly inherent gameplay mechanics.

 

[Azael]

Why not do the same as he did with Avernum 4 and use a version of the Geneforge engine? I just hope that he one of these days gets a new engine, realizes that it's 2007 and that people actually can handle bigger downloads and do something new and exciting for change.

 

[Psilon]

The only reason I can think of that he's sticking with the BoA engine rather than his new stuff is artwork. Nethergate was actually the first game to run on the Avernum engine, so he's able to recycle pretty much every sprite this way. If he had to redo a large chunk of art in order to make things work on the newer engines, I doubt he'd be working on this project.

 

[cutterjohn]

He's probably going to use the Blades engine so that he can churn it out quickly and cheaply, which is no surprise to me as he has said before that Nethergate was a financial failure and that he was extremely unlikely to do another one. i.e. I'd saying that he's trying to severely limit his risks.

Personally, I'd take this as a testing of the waters, possibly with the intention that if this does well, maybe his next game will be set in the Nethergate "universe" or some other similar/newer universe rather than plodding through more Avernum and Geneforge which IMO is severely in order.

 

[almondblight]

Nethergate was pretty good, and it actually used height unlike the Avernum games (since they were remakes of single plane games). This will be good for anyone who hasn't played it and be annoying for everyone else.

 

[Dhruin]

Except the game its based upon. Oh the humor!

Yeah, but how many people have actually played it? I think it's amusing people bitch about the lack of quality RPGs but a good chunk of them couldn't even be bothered checking out Spiderweb's demos (Oh help me Codex! Is Geneforge 4 any good? I need someone else's opinion to validate me while I bitch about no RPGs to play) and then just whine about the graphics, anyway.

 

[Jora]

Yeah, but how many people have actually played it? I think it's amusing people bitch about the lack of quality RPGs but a good chunk of them couldn't even be bothered checking out Spiderweb's demos (Oh help me Codex! Is Geneforge 4 any good? I need someone else's opinion to validate me while I bitch about no RPGs to play) and then just whine about the graphics, anyway.

Post of the month.


I tried to download the demo some time ago but none of the download links worked.

 

[Selenti]

Except the game its based upon. Oh the humor!

Yeah, but how many people have actually played it? I think it's amusing people bitch about the lack of quality RPGs but a good chunk of them couldn't even be bothered checking out Spiderweb's demos (Oh help me Codex! Is Geneforge 4 any good? I need someone else's opinion to validate me while I bitch about no RPGs to play) and then just whine about the graphics, anyway.

I think people not being excited about a remake of a game using the exact same fucking engine it used 5 years ago is not all that surprising. Vogel is masturbating into a jar at this point and trying to sell it.

How would you feel if Bioware re-released Neverwinter Nights with a new cookie-cutter dungeon and a few new quests, for 60$?

 

[Elwro]

And for $28 for the owners of the old game? I guess it'd sell better than Arcanum.

 

[Amasius]

Nethergate: Resurrection is $25, or $32 with a hint book. People who previously bought the older version of Nethergate can get the upgrade for $12.

 

[Dhruin]

If I hadn't actually played Nethergate - and I'm positive there's plenty of people who haven't - why would it matter that it's a remake?

I could waste my time going through RPG Codex (or, to be fair, my own site) and find plenty of "Is Geneforge any good? Please tell me because I can't form an opinion all by myself" but it's a waste of my time. The truth is a lot of people don't check out the demos because of the graphics and then to justify their hardcore street-cred on this board they buy into the "all Vogel's game are the same anyway", without actually having really played them.

That doesn't mean there aren't people who legitimately dislike Vogel's gameplay or who have played most of them and would like a change of pace but I'm positive they are a minority. For the majority, it's all about the graphics but they like to pretend there are other reasons to stick with the cool kids.

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

I played through geneforge 1 and I liked it once I got pasted the graphics but there was a butt ton of boring fighting and stuff. ALL HIS STUFF IS THE SAME SO I DONT PLAY HIS OTHER ONES.

Is making games this guys living, because if it is I can understand how he keeps having to use the same engine to get games out that make money. Perhaps he can make a new 3-d one or license a stupid cheap one by releasing like 2 old rehashes to pay for the expensives for the time that is required to make a 3d engine.



MY NAME IS POOPER AND THIS IS MY POST.

 

[Azael]

I don't care about the graphics, it's the gameplay that's lacking in most of his games. Too much combat that isn't interesting enough, although Nethergate and Avernum does it better than Geneforge. The first Geneforge is still my favorite, in large parts thanks to Trajkov who I think was one of the better antagonists featured in a CRPG. I just wish that he would make a game with more non-combat skills that allows you to bypass combat, as well as make combat better with more options for melee characters as well as spell slingers.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

So let me get this right... Jeff Vogel made a shitty game in a shitty engine and now he wants to make the same shitty game again, in the same shitty engine, again?

Right.

 

[Azael]

Pretty much, except that Nethergate isn't that shitty.

 

[Elwro]

Nethergate: Resurrection is $25, or $32 with a hint book. People who previously bought the older version of Nethergate can get the upgrade for $12.

Maybe it's my paranoia, but I hope your post wasn't directed at my "$28" post above. I was refering to the hypothetical situation in which a slightly revamped NWN1 would be sold at less than half of the original retail price.

And: I liked the demo of the original Nethergate, but never bought it. The re-edition is another reason for me to finally get it.

 

[Nedrah]

If I hadn't actually played Nethergate - and I'm positive there's plenty of people who haven't - why would it matter that it's a remake?

I could waste my time going through RPG Codex (or, to be fair, my own site) and find plenty of "Is Geneforge any good? Please tell me because I can't form an opinion all by myself" but it's a waste of my time. The truth is a lot of people don't check out the demos because of the graphics and then to justify their hardcore street-cred on this board they buy into the "all Vogel's game are the same anyway", without actually having really played them.

That doesn't mean there aren't people who legitimately dislike Vogel's gameplay or who have played most of them and would like a change of pace but I'm positive they are a minority. For the majority, it's all about the graphics but they like to pretend there are other reasons to stick with the cool kids.

I gave the Avernum(s) and Geneforge(s) a fair chance.
I played them even when they didn't really make me want to do so.

The UI and mechanics don't do it for me - the end.
[Oh, and the Art (|=gfx) suck, too - 30% of the reason I dislike them so far, as I said.]

 

[Selenti]

Nethergate: Resurrection is $25, or $32 with a hint book. People who previously bought the older version of Nethergate can get the upgrade for $12.

Maybe it's my paranoia, but I hope your post wasn't directed at my "$28" post above. I was refering to the hypothetical situation in which a slightly revamped NWN1 would be sold at less than half of the original retail price.

And: I liked the demo of the original Nethergate, but never bought it. The re-edition is another reason for me to finally get it.

Only for original owners. I sure as hell know I wouldn't pay Bioware 28$ to get some new crappy quests.

 

[Lurkar]

I do believe it's been mentioned before that he's already working on Avernum 5. It's not like he's putting a lot of time and effort into this, it would seem - he's remaking Nethergate on the side while focusing on A5. Possibly because he just likes money (although that begs the question: why the fuck is he an indy developer?), or possibly because he liked the game and wants to give it a second chance.

Probably because of the money, though.

 

[Claw]

why the fuck is he an indy developer?

Because he doesn't like sharing money? He's got a cash cow and he's milking it.