Game News Geneforge 3 for Windows released

[Spazmo]

Tags: Geneforge 3; Jeff Vogel; Spiderweb Software

Spiderweb Software have just released their latest RPG in the Geneforge series for Windows. Go get the Geneforge 3 demo <a href=http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/geneforge3/index.html>here</a>, and then buy it.<blockquote>New Release! Geneforge 3 is now available for Windows! This huge, all-new game continues the Geneforge saga. Choose which side to fight for, take one of many possible paths to achieve your goals, and, as always, create your own army of custom-made, mutant monsters.</blockquote>Hooray! Now maybe Vogel could please stop using that engine?
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Thanks, <b>Deathy</b>!

 

[aboyd]

I don't mind if he uses that engine until the end of time, so long as he's refactoring the code and adding enhancements. It appears that in this release, the engine has been upgraded with lighting effects and a new inventory management system.

I think the real problem is just that it's looking dated. My screens are so big nowadays, or more specifically so dense with pixels, that his pixel-limited sprites are super-tiny onscreen. Nobody runs at 640x480 on a 15" screen anymore, and I suspect few run at 800x600. Maybe he could make multiple sets of differently sized sprites or use SVG or some other thing I'm not qualified to espouse.

In addition, the life bars are ugly. I suspect it wouldn't take much for him to change those into circles that ring each character's feet, which is a more modern-looking way to do it. And the interface is hideous. He could probably go to eLance or Guru and pay some college artist $500 to create some nicer widgets. If he wanted to get really fancy, he'd support PNG with full transparency, to really make the interface blend in properly. Even better would be a system like World of Warcraft, where you can custom-tailor the interface elements.

With a few visual overhauls and some tweaks to gameplay, I think his games would be very, very compelling. I just suspect that he's not interested in doing that. These are budget games, essentially. Hiring writers and artists isn't on the to-do list.

-Tony

 

[Spazmo]

Well, IIRC, there's going to be an entirely new engine for Avernum 4 anyways. And the main thing that bugs me in this engine--or at least this engine as used in Geneforge--is the weak combat. It's just not very interesting to fight monters in GF games.

 

[aboyd]

However long it has been between my previous post and this one, is how long I've been playing the new demo. It's OK. The interface is more quirky and lame than I remember.

The big problems I see, beyond what I already mentioned, is that the silence of the game -- no voice actors, no soundtrack -- makes things rather dull. Also, the interface for picking up items and managing inventory may be improved, but it still sucks.

I like the story, I was able to use my "leadership" skill in dialogue pretty quickly. But my character died due to some wonky interface weirdness that caused me to give up a couple turns while some monsters walloped me. At the load screen, I decided to hit "exit" instead. I probably won't fire it back up.

It's good to hear that there will be something new (completely new? or just rewritten?) for Avernum 4. I hope it addresses at least a few of the shortcomings. I'm willing to keep trying them until they click with me, because they are very close to being my style of gaming.

-Tony

 

[undead dolphin hacker]

Jeff needs to hire the FATE guy to make engines/artowrk.

Sure, the kiddie hero models are kinda eh, but otherwise the game is just beautifully designed and executed.

 

[LlamaGod]

The big problems I see, beyond what I already mentioned, is that the silence of the game -- no voice actors, no soundtrack -- makes things rather dull. Also, the interface for picking up items and managing inventory may be improved, but it still sucks.

I like the story, I was able to use my "leadership" skill in dialogue pretty quickly. But my character died due to some wonky interface weirdness that caused me to give up a couple turns while some monsters walloped me. At the load screen, I decided to hit "exit" instead. I probably won't fire it back up.

You fail.

 

[aboyd]

I don't care about your test.

-Tony

 

[Sol Invictus]

Looks like just another hardcore RPG that the masses will ignore.

 

[LlamaGod]

I don't care about your test.

-Tony

No, you fail at life. Because you're dumb (super dumb).

Seriously, you died at the beginning? Because of 'wonky interface'? On top of that disliking an RPG because it doesnt have all these pretty sounds.

It sounds like you just like watching the LOTR movie and not actually playing a good RPG (which is a GAME and not a FEATURE PRODUCTION).

 

[Kamaz]

No, llamagoat, the thing is, you are quick to call everyone dumb and stupid. Which is pretty silly and childish. On the other hand, you dont seam too adult anyways.

IMO that guy whose nickname I cannot remember has some good points, so, why dont respect his opinion? And if you disagree, you maybe should argue, not simply shout some short, sensless phrases.

But on the other hand, again, I understand its your age that frames you from being able express your opionion without insulting anyone else.

 

[Spazmo]

Well, aboyd is right. The interface in Geneforge games is pretty weak, and the combat isn't much fun. And while no voice acting or music isn't a huge deal, well, it wouldn't hurt. It's the great writing, setting and story in Spiderweb games that make them worthwhile.

 

[Elwro]

A week ago I used my eCard for the first time and bought the whole Avernum trilogy, as I was having a blast with Avernum 1 demo. I wonder if the CDs are going to survive the long flight :D .
I also think that the writing is great, I don't need kewl graphics. A leadership skill and a better journal would help the Avernum series, though.

 

[Jed]

Ah, but those "Huh, what the fuck was this about?" moments with Avernum's journal are pricelesss.

Anyway, Elwro, what took you so long getting around to Avernum? Seems like with your appreciation of ADOM, the Avernum series would be right up your alley.

 

[Elwro]

Anyway, Elwro, what took you so long getting around to Avernum? Seems like with your appreciation of ADOM, the Avernum series would be right up your alley.

Yeah, I see it now, too. It's just that iirc people were saying that Geneforge was Avernum with more RP options, so I tried that first.
And I only recently got my eCard. As far as I know, no bank in Poland would give a real-life credit card to a student, so I had to use an internet bank. Now I can legally have the Spiderweb games and that's great.
So, as I generally don't have too much time for gaming, the Avernum series will perhaps take me half a year. I hope that by that time the Geneforge games will be offered as a trilogy with free CDs (as the Avernum series now is), and I'll perhaps buy it then.

 

[LlamaGod]

Well, aboyd is right. The interface in Geneforge games is pretty weak

It may be weak, but it certainly isnt difficult to figure out. Thats why I call him dumb.

And the thinks the game lacks from high resolutions and soundtracks and speech, another case.

I just imagine this guy in the first area, runs up to monsters and emits a confused yelp, then dies and then says the game sucks (and then goes back to playing Counter-Strike and WoW).

And the inventory is great, he is just a crackhead.

Thats why he fails.


(and Kamaz you are a LARPer)

 

[bryce777]

Well, aboyd is right. The interface in Geneforge games is pretty weak

It may be weak, but it certainly isnt difficult to figure out. Thats why I call him dumb.

And the thinks the game lacks from high resolutions and soundtracks and speech, another case.

I just imagine this guy in the first area, runs up to monsters and emits a confused yelp, then dies and then says the game sucks (and then goes back to playing Counter-Strike and WoW).

And the inventory is great, he is just a crackhead.

Thats why he fails.


(and Kamaz you are a LARPer)

The interface is stupid in ways. You left click both to move and attack, and most of the monsters can kill a weak shaper with one blow. So it is easy to get killed due to a misclick and since there are hundreds of combats most of which are quick and easy, it has happened to me several times.

I also like how you can't make any of your creatures move in a different order/wait so that if they are behind your other creations you dont waste their turn.

The vice acting comment he made was pretty tupid, but I think he at least played the game fairly thoroughly.

 

[Elwro]

The interface is stupid in ways. You left click both to move and attack, and most of the monsters can kill a weak shaper with one blow. So it is easy to get killed due to a misclick and since there are hundreds of combats most of which are quick and easy, it has happened to me several times.

WHAT? You use the mouse? I never even considered that as a possibility. Keyboard is your friend in Spiderweb games.

I also like how you can't make any of your creatures move in a different order/wait so that if they are behind your other creations you dont waste their turn.

Press "w", as in "wait".

 

[bryce777]

The interface is stupid in ways. You left click both to move and attack, and most of the monsters can kill a weak shaper with one blow. So it is easy to get killed due to a misclick and since there are hundreds of combats most of which are quick and easy, it has happened to me several times.

WHAT? You use the mouse? I never even considered that as a possibility. Keyboard is your friend in Spiderweb games.

I also like how you can't make any of your creatures move in a different order/wait so that if they are behind your other creations you dont waste their turn.

Press "w", as in "wait".

Ah, thanks for that info.

 

[Psilon]

[W] doesn't work in Geneforge, though. It toggles between attacks (weapon/spell). Geneforge is a much more mouse-driven game than Avernum.

Also, I find it amusing that five of the six most popular threads on the Spiderweb GF3 boards involve cheating or the cheat codes which haven't changed since GF1. Jesus, it's not a hard game. Money and living tools are the only things in short supply, and with enough points in Mechanics it's not hard to accumulate a healthy stock of both. Which leads to enough training for three points in Create Artila and Create Fyora, which means Searing Artilas and Cryoas, which means your party becomes ludicrously deadly before hitting Dhonal's Isle.

 

[Elwro]

[W] doesn't work in Geneforge, though. It toggles between attacks (weapon/spell). Geneforge is a much more mouse-driven game than Avernum.

Oops, sorry. So how does one delay actions of one character? I was sure there was a way to do that.

 

[Deathy]

You can click on them to wait out their turn, but as far as I know, that's a complete turn forfeiture rather than a turn delay.

 

[Greatatlantic]

And I only recently got my eCard. As far as I know, no bank in Poland would give a real-life credit card to a student, so I had to use an internet bank. Now I can legally have the Spiderweb games and that's great.

This is off topic, but that never stoped anyone here, in America credit card companies just about line up to give students credit cards. I kid you not. I hear stories about students get two or three calls from a telemarketer daily to try to get them to sign up for a credit card. Though I've never seen what sort of interest or rates these things charge, they aren't some couple hundred dollar spending limit for gateway credit. Notice this isn't for people who are college aged, this is for students at a college. Why do they do this? Since they know for every student who takes a card and defaults, there are two more students who ring up huge deficiets that their parents will end up paying back, sometimes in the tune of ten thousand dollars or even more. So, if I ever have a kid who doesn't screw up so much he goes to college, its exnay on the platic-eh?

Oh, yeah, Geneforge 3... yipee! Is it any good, graphics and interface aside?

 

[germx]

At first... i didn't think the game would appeal to me... i had the choice of playing this demo, or playing the full verision of Restricted Area.
I tried RA first of course, and played it a few hours... and got angry at the shitty game,
so i installed the demo for G3 instead...
And i must say...
It was better... really...

(and i don't even LIKE turn-based combat ^^)

 

[Jed]

Also, I find it amusing that five of the six most popular threads on the Spiderweb GF3 boards involve cheating or the cheat codes which haven't changed since GF1. Jesus, it's not a hard game.

The key to remember is that the majority of Spiderweb gamers are Mac users.

 

[Psilon]

Well, duh. If they weren't, maybe Jeff would start using the right mouse button and/or wheel in his user interfaces.

Also, when I cheated in the GF2 beta, I at least did it the manly way and edited the scripts myself. None of this ILOVESERVILES crap.