Game News Geneforge 1 - Mutagen Released

[NerevarineKing]

The UI looks better at least, but the environments don't look very different. Did they dumb down any of the mechanics for this version?

 

[zapotec]

The spells icon reminds me of world of warcraft

 

[Tacgnol]

Are there skill trees? The Avadon series was greatly harmed by skill trees.

Nope, char system is exactly the same as the original. Just luck skill replaced with stealth.

 

[Fowyr]

I mean, that kinda actually makes it a pretty bad place to start with Vogel games because anything else after that would feel like a downgrade.

His magnum opus is the Exile 3. Everything after it is more or less a downgrade.

 

[V_K]

I mean, that kinda actually makes it a pretty bad place to start with Vogel games because anything else after that would feel like a downgrade.

His magnum opus is the Exile 3. Everything after it is more or less a downgrade.

Let's agree to disagree. I love E3, it's a great classic RPG - but Geneforge is just so much more ambitious and creative.

 

[Elwro]

It's ambitious in different places. In Exile 3, iirc, whole towns could gradually deteriorate if your heroes didn't take care of them and the world is just massive, begging for exploration, with few hints (iirc).

 

[Tyranicon]

I'm starting to think the Kickstarter is the real money and retail is an afterthought.

 

[V_K]

It's ambitious in different places. In Exile 3, iirc, whole towns could gradually deteriorate if your heroes didn't take care of them and the world is just massive, begging for exploration, with few hints (iirc).

Oh, I'm absolutely not saying Exile 3 lacks ambition. But it was in a way a safer bet for Vogel because e.g. Magic Candle 3 had already done something similar. It would also have been easier to trim down in case scope got out of hand. On the other hand, Geneforge has all the plot branching and alternative solutions and an open world - I really can't think of another game that gives this much freedom to the player. Trimming that down in the process would have been utterly impossible because of all the interdependencies; it was sink or swim kind of gamble. So it was definitely a bigger risk than Exile 3. I can't help but respect that.

 

[OSK]

I enjoyed the Geneforge series, though I am a bit disappointed to see that there is, currently, no native Linux port available for the game given that his latest releases included such.

Huh? Wasn't only Avadon 1 released for Linux natively? And that was only to get in on a Humble Bundle back when they required a Linux version.

I believe most of this games work in Proton, with Nethergate: Resurrection the only one I know of off-hand that has problems.

 

[Kruno]

After I have done the Awakened quests I will become more powerful and then genocide them!

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Looks like I'm getting this then.

 

[Nijar]

So Jeff still releases stuff for PC plebs after making millions with mobile love? Good guy Jeff.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

There's mobile for spiderweb software?

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

It's ambitious in different places. In Exile 3, iirc, whole towns could gradually deteriorate if your heroes didn't take care of them and the world is just massive, begging for exploration, with few hints (iirc).

Oh, I'm absolutely not saying Exile 3 lacks ambition. But it was in a way a safer bet for Vogel because e.g. Magic Candle 3 had already done something similar. It would also have been easier to trim down in case scope got out of hand. On the other hand, Geneforge has all the plot branching and alternative solutions and an open world - I really can't think of another game that gives this much freedom to the player. Trimming that down in the process would have been utterly impossible because of all the interdependencies; it was sink or swim kind of gamble. So it was definitely a bigger risk than Exile 3. I can't help but respect that.

Out of curiosity for both of you, does the recent Avernum 3 remake stack up as favorably to Exile 3 as this Geneforge 1 remake stacks up to the original?

 

[urmom]

Exile had more spells and 6 character parties I think. If you're into that kind of thing.

 

[Forest Dweller]

I'm not proficient with Magic shaping so I have no idea how it performs, but I did take a look at its skill + passive list and it seems to be fairly cool and so I think for my next run I'll go the magic route again just to try this cock.

What

 

[NerevarineKing]

I'm not proficient with Magic shaping so I have no idea how it performs, but I did take a look at its skill + passive list and it seems to be fairly cool and so I think for my next run I'll go the magic route again just to try this cock.

What

Well sometimes you gotta try it to make sure it's right for you.

 

[V_K]

Out of curiosity for both of you, does the recent Avernum 3 remake stack up as favorably to Exile 3 as this Geneforge 1 remake stacks up to the original?

No, it's the other way around. Exile might be a pain to run on current PCs and lack some QoL features, but it's a more mechanically complex game. The first remake (i.e. the original Avernum 3) already streamlined/simplified some things (much fewer spells, smaller party, dialog trees instead of keyword hunting) and the re-remake does even more of that (skill trees, ugh). It's still a reasonably enjoyable game, but it's not on par with the original.

 

[PrettyDeadman]

There's mobile for spiderweb software?

Geneforge Moba for android is one of the hottest games in South East Asia region right now. My main is Kyshakk on top lane.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Out of curiosity for both of you, does the recent Avernum 3 remake stack up as favorably to Exile 3 as this Geneforge 1 remake stacks up to the original?

No, it's the other way around. Exile might be a pain to run on current PCs and lack some QoL features, but it's a more mechanically complex game. The first remake (i.e. the original Avernum 3) already streamlined/simplified some things (much fewer spells, smaller party, dialog trees instead of keyword hunting) and the re-remake does even more of that (skill trees, ugh). It's still a reasonably enjoyable game, but it's not on par with the original.

Thanks for the tip, though that's a bit of a bummer to hear. Glad the Geneforge remake sounds like it's by and large a straight improvement then.

 

[Dr Schultz]

Enjoyed a lot

What are the major differences between this and the original?

Main Stuff:

New content spread evenly about, including a new settlement.
Changes to creation system. You give them abilities rather than directly changing their stats.
Stealth skill replaces luck.
Some new creations.

Great design choice. I've bought Mutagen for this change only.

 

[Dr Schultz]

It's ambitious in different places. In Exile 3, iirc, whole towns could gradually deteriorate if your heroes didn't take care of them and the world is just massive, begging for exploration, with few hints (iirc).

Oh, I'm absolutely not saying Exile 3 lacks ambition. But it was in a way a safer bet for Vogel because e.g. Magic Candle 3 had already done something similar. It would also have been easier to trim down in case scope got out of hand. On the other hand, Geneforge has all the plot branching and alternative solutions and an open world - I really can't think of another game that gives this much freedom to the player. Trimming that down in the process would have been utterly impossible because of all the interdependencies; it was sink or swim kind of gamble. So it was definitely a bigger risk than Exile 3. I can't help but respect that.

I'd also add another entry to the list of merits to this series: the creation system allows for a decent turn-based combat in the context of a "solo" RPG a la Fallout, which is a quite rare occurrence since, well, since Fallout...
Making the player in control of a single intelligent human being which leads a party of "pokemon" was incredibly smart.
You basically get a single character experience outside of combat and a party-based experience during combat. Or maybe not: Allowing the player to choose the size of his party with a "lore-firendly" explanation was even smarter.

 

[Tacgnol]

It's ambitious in different places. In Exile 3, iirc, whole towns could gradually deteriorate if your heroes didn't take care of them and the world is just massive, begging for exploration, with few hints (iirc).

Oh, I'm absolutely not saying Exile 3 lacks ambition. But it was in a way a safer bet for Vogel because e.g. Magic Candle 3 had already done something similar. It would also have been easier to trim down in case scope got out of hand. On the other hand, Geneforge has all the plot branching and alternative solutions and an open world - I really can't think of another game that gives this much freedom to the player. Trimming that down in the process would have been utterly impossible because of all the interdependencies; it was sink or swim kind of gamble. So it was definitely a bigger risk than Exile 3. I can't help but respect that.

I'd also add another entry to the list of merits to this series: the creation system allows for a decent turn-based combat in the context of a "solo" RPG a la Fallout, which is a quite rare occurrence since, well, since Fallout...
Making the player in control of a single intelligent human being which leads a party of "pokemon" was incredibly smart.
You basically get a single character experience outside of combat and a party-based experience during combat. Or maybe not: Allowing the player to choose the size of his party with a "lore-firendly" explanation was even smarter.

You can also play entirely without creations if that's your jazz. A pure fighter or mage is perfectly viable.

 

[Dr Schultz]

It's ambitious in different places. In Exile 3, iirc, whole towns could gradually deteriorate if your heroes didn't take care of them and the world is just massive, begging for exploration, with few hints (iirc).

Oh, I'm absolutely not saying Exile 3 lacks ambition. But it was in a way a safer bet for Vogel because e.g. Magic Candle 3 had already done something similar. It would also have been easier to trim down in case scope got out of hand. On the other hand, Geneforge has all the plot branching and alternative solutions and an open world - I really can't think of another game that gives this much freedom to the player. Trimming that down in the process would have been utterly impossible because of all the interdependencies; it was sink or swim kind of gamble. So it was definitely a bigger risk than Exile 3. I can't help but respect that.

I'd also add another entry to the list of merits to this series: the creation system allows for a decent turn-based combat in the context of a "solo" RPG a la Fallout, which is a quite rare occurrence since, well, since Fallout...
Making the player in control of a single intelligent human being which leads a party of "pokemon" was incredibly smart.
You basically get a single character experience outside of combat and a party-based experience during combat. Or maybe not: Allowing the player to choose the size of his party with a "lore-firendly" explanation was even smarter.

You can also play entirely without creations if that's your jazz. A pure fighter or mage is perfectly viable.

Yeah, exactly. That's what I meant with "maybe not". The game is perfectly soloable and is designed from the get go with this in mind (unlike Baldur's Gate and Co. where a solo game is surely doable but kind of reserved to veteran players with a bag full of meta-knowlwge). The "essence" mechanic is a great balancing tool in this sense and is way more interesting than the usual "your character gets more experience if you play solo, less experience if you play with a party".

Having said that, I'm firmly convinced that the only players who prefere solo turn-based battles to party turn-based battles are the ones who are not really into tactical games.
Kudos to Vogel for having taken care of them as well as turn-based fags like myself.

 

[Elwro]

Out of curiosity for both of you, does the recent Avernum 3 remake stack up as favorably to Exile 3 as this Geneforge 1 remake stacks up to the original?

I played the first remake (the original Avernum 3) to completion and loved it. Didn't mind the lower number of spells, liked the dialogues. The stat system was perfectly fine. I'd avoid stat trees if you can!