Game News Avernum 5 site launched

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Avernum 5; Spiderweb Software

<a href=http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/>Spiderweb Software</a> has finally launched <a href=http://www.avernum.com/avernum5/index.html>Avernum 5</a> site, featuring <a href=http://www.avernum.com/avernum5/shots.html>new screenshots</a> and an overview:
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<blockquote>The latest game in the award-winning Avernum series. Travel into the strange underworld of Avernum, a land full of misfits, bandits, and barely civilized monsters. Hunt the villain who tried to kill your Empress, and keep him from assassinating you first.
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As you wander the gigantic world of Avernum, you will experience:
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* An enormous world. Hundreds of quests, dozens of dungeons and enemy fortresses, and multitudes of characters.
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* Epic storyline. Hunt the assassin Dorikas, while his agents try to trick and waylay you at every turn.
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* Many unique encounters. Not just mindless hack and slash. Many unusual enemies that will require clever tactics to defeat.
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* Rich game system with over 50 spells and battle disciplines, many character building options, and powerful secret skills to unlock.
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* Unique game world. Not just the same old elves and hobbits.
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* Experience with previous Avernum games is completely unnecessary to enjoy Avernum 5.</blockquote>It's unfortunate that Jeff has only two tricks in his bag, but since he does them so well...
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgwatch.com">RPG Watch</A>

 

[Saxon1974]

I cant tell, is this still using the old avernum engine with no character animations?

 

[Psilon]

No, it's the "new" Avernum engine (A4, modified from Geneforge) with no character animations.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

So wait...almost exactly the same game he has been making for ever and ever (now with a shiny new name!)...but now you come from the surface instead? Sounds awesome! I guess I'm being pretty harsh seeing as there wasn't an Exile 4 or Exile 5....but still....

All that jazz aside.....I wish Vogel would set a better price. I'd love to buy his games, but they just seem too damn pricy to me. Especially considering they are basically shareware games and I can pick up just about any other CRPG at a lesser price. Ten to fifteen US dollars would seem a bit more reasonable, especially seeing as many of his games use the same engine. Plus....they're a bit too "serious" for me.

Finally....what's with that woman in the green dress? Are those pointy ears I see? Has Jeff Vogel too fallen to the plague of elf boobs?

 

[Jedi_Learner]

...

 

[OccupatedVoid]

Who needs just elf boobs, when you can have ELF STRIPPERS!

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

And she's got a freaky katana to boot!

 

[Brother None]

Finally....what's with that woman in the green dress? Are those pointy ears I see? Has Jeff Vogel too fallen to the plague of elf boobs?

No, that's just one of the human models, was also available in Avernum 4. I guess her hair just covers her ears oddly.

In fact, nothing about this looks even remotely new. No surprise there. Meh, maybe this time I'll be interested again, though I usually have to wait for 2 Spiderweb releases before I care again. Tried playing Geneforge 4 right after finished Avernum 4. Big mistake. Games are entertaining, but not the type to play in series. More "at least 1 year interval" types.

And did he just name the Emperor "Prozac"? The hell?

 

[Saxon1974]

No, it's the "new" Avernum engine (A4, modified from Geneforge) with no character animations.

Is that the same engine used in Geneforge 1? I thought that was decent, at least your character had animations.

Graphics arent everything, but I think he needs to eventually start working on the ehgine and graphics since they are border line 1990 era.....

 

[Shagnak]

I don't mind the level of the current Spiderweb graphics.
A new setting might be nice, though.

I would like to see him to tackle a full-scale science fiction setting (like Traveller, or something, rather than Star Wars). I wouldn't mind if he used the Geneforge engine, just with different art assets etc.

 

[OSK]

Exile > Avernum

2 more party characters, more challenging combat and a better name. I was playing the Avernum demo for a bit, but it's not different enough from Exile to warrant a purchase.

I loved the Geneforge demo enough that I'm thinking about purchasing the trilogy CD. I'm also looking forward to the Nethergate remake demo. I never played the original.


Personally, I'm kind of tired of the Avernum series. I hope he puts it to rest soon and comes up with something new.

 

[Joe Krow]

Seriously? You folks think these are good games? I played 4 and to be honest I don't get it. Where is your critical eye? If it's indie it gets a pass?

These games are not creative, the characters are generic, the graphics are barely better then Dungeon Crawl, the plots are on rails. Most people on this site could design a better, more original, game. We need 5 of these?

 

[Psilon]

Nethergate remake has just entered beta testing on Windows using a modified Blades of Avernum engine. Not having played Nethergate before, I'm curious how it'll turn out.

Saxon: No character animations. Keyboard movement. It's fucking Avernum, and it's still the same goddamn moldy codebase, just at 1024x768 and with some sprites lifted from Geneforge. Hell, I'm surprised he finished reimplementing height levels in the "new engine"--A4 didn't have them.

Edward: "Are basically shareware?" I'd say they're precisely shareware.

Brother None: No, it's "Prazac," but I wouldn't be surprised if he did at some point. Geneforge 4 had a Baroque-Cycle section with Eliza, Shaftoe, and other names, and one of his other games had the Daily Show correspondents as townsfolk.

 

[Dhruin]

Oh, good. We can all bitch about Spiderweb again and how we heard from someone they are all the same thing.

 

[Slylandro]

@Psilon: Not just that, he's also named cities after C commands (calloc and malloc in Avernum 3) and NPCs after South Park characters. Lack of creativity or easter eggs-- you decide.

@Joe Krow: You picked his worst game to start out with unfortunately.

 

[Brother None]

Oh, good. We can all bitch about Spiderweb again and how we heard from someone they are all the same thing.

I dunno, Dhruin, I played most of his demos, and some of his full games, and they all seemed pretty much the same to me. Good writing, moderately addictive (or is that "immersive" in modern lingo?) gameplay, but all the same.

Psilon: I know, but it's too suspect close. It's like having a dwarf named "Cannubis" or an elf named "Condam". Just...no.

 

[hakuroshi]

I suppose it is good thing to stay loyal to oneself's old principles. But it may be suspected that he tries to feed us the same old stuff all over again. Still it is a decent and time-proved stuff. Actually I would like to hear an opinion of someone who did not play every Spiderweb game since Exile before giving any judgement. We are too biased.

 

[Saxon1974]

Don't get me wrong I like his games, I was just hoping for him to start a new series or upgrading the engine, I really dont like the way scrolled out view and non animations of the avernums even though I enjoyed what I played. I like the geneforge engine a whole lot better.

He does make very good games for 1 guy working buy himself though....guess I was just hoping for a bit newer look.

I am curious about nethergate, so will probably play that one.

 

[wizard]

For those wishing for a new setting you will get one....after GF5 and AV6. Jeff himself said this in his forums.

 

[Elwro]

Battle disciplines? I'm sold :D. No, really, I love this series - although I want to play it from start to finish, so I'll have to buy Avernum 4 next.

1024x768? OMG he sold out

 

[OSK]

For those wishing for a new setting you will get one....after GF5 and AV6. Jeff himself said this in his forums.

Avernum 6? Come on.

 

[Dhruin]

...I really dont like the way scrolled out view and non animations of the avernums even though I enjoyed what I played. I like the geneforge engine a whole lot better.

Avernum 4 (and Avernum 5 and obviously Geneforge 4) all use a modified Geneforge engine. Problem solved.

 

[Dhruin]

Oh, good. We can all bitch about Spiderweb again and how we heard from someone they are all the same thing.

I dunno, Dhruin, I played most of his demos, and some of his full games, and they all seemed pretty much the same to me. Good writing, moderately addictive (or is that "immersive" in modern lingo?) gameplay, but all the same.

These threads always unearth posters who clearly haven't actually played one (or haven't played one for so long they don't really know the current state of play); and someone was planning to post something like "I haven't played any of Spiderweb's games. Can you guys tell me if they are any good 'cause I can't download a demo and form my own opinion but I heard from one of the cool posters here that I idolise they were all the same. Please help me."

Anyway, whatever. I'm off to play Nethergate: Resurrection.

 

[Shagnak]

Is the PC version out? Or do you have Mac. Or a preview.
(OKay, a quick check of the web site rules out the first. Whatever, I don't expect a response)

 

[Joe Krow]

I wouldn't mind that they were all the same if they were any good. These clearly are not. I think this is obvious to many of you. I played Geneforge 4 through. I was not impressed. Did I miss something? Should I play other Spiderweb games? Even people that like the series admit it's best to play sporadically (never a good sign). These games play like Ultima's retarded half-brother. I would say step-child but clearly these games are of the same generation (1987). "But it's hte turn based!" Meh.