Spiderweb RPG Megathread: Form a party like it's 1999

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Spiderweb RPG Megathread: Form a party like it's 1999

MagusofStars: Mar 31, 2012

I liked the style of the recent games, especially for the latter Geneforge games and second Avernum trilogy. Though to be honest, it�s hard to tell how much of that was me enjoying the overall awesome setting versus the icons themselves.

Regardless of the graphical style, I�m psyched for the overall game of Queen�s Wish. The more I read updates, the more it interests me. I would have bought and tried the game anyways, but it definitely is grabbing my attention more than the pre-release stuff about any of the Avadon games or Avernum X: This Time With Subtitled Names.

# ? Nov 21, 2018 23:01

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# ? Jun 10, 2024 20:27

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

I'm glad I've earned your respect, and I mean that sincerely. So please believe me when I say I'm not attacking your prefererences. You are free to like what you like, and I wasn't judging you, though I can readily see how my post could have been read that way. I was pointing out the specific things I find objectionable about the art style and inviting you to present counter-arguments.

Fair enough; let there be peace between our two peoples.

To summarise, I agree that Avernum 6-9 (essentially) have very poor animation, but I find the sprites attractive and I enjoy the broad palette of high-contrast colours. I went and looked at some still screens of those Avernum games next to these new ones and I just find the new ones very drab and matte. The animation may well be vastly superior, given that it's not a high bar to clear, but as it stands I'm just not chuffed about the art style of the Queen's Wish. That said, art isn't everything in gaming and I'm confident that it will be at worst a pretty good game, at best bloody brilliant.

# ? Nov 21, 2018 23:16

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

ProfessorCirno posted:

Also you totally can still play Realmz! It's bizarrely still available online and they released all the codes for the first party scenarios and whatnot awhile back. It's...it's definitely still the same game it was back then, hahaha.

As I recall, my issue wasn't with getting the game / scenarios, but with the whole shareware/registration process. I'm pretty sure that when I bought the game the first time around, I either didn't have email, or it was an @aol.com address, which I certainly don't have access to any more! As far as I can tell, the devs aren't answering their emails either.

I'm reading the City of Bywater hintbook now, and man...that sure was a scenario that was just a bunch of disjointed encounters, fights, and random treasure, wasn't it? Like, there were bits and pieces of stories there if you went to the work of assembling them, but no effort was made to make sure you encountered things in any reasonable order, and I don't remember there being any kind of conclusion either. It was pretty obviously the scenario they used to debug adding new features and functionality to the game engine.

I remember really enjoying the Destroy the Necronomicon scenario though. Who doesn't want to enter an interdimensional pyramid, travel to Hell, and befriend the Good-aligned gryphon riders there? Plus it had overpowered magical artifacts just kind of chilling out in little corners of the map.

# ? Nov 21, 2018 23:25

ProfessorCirno: Feb 17, 2011; The strongest! The smartest!
The rightest!

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

As I recall, my issue wasn't with getting the game / scenarios, but with the whole shareware/registration process. I'm pretty sure that when I bought the game the first time around, I either didn't have email, or it was an @aol.com address, which I certainly don't have access to any more! As far as I can tell, the devs aren't answering their emails either.

Oh, it's all posted freely online now. I mean, in weird places, because it was all posted freely online, like, 8 years ago, so it's in the Realmz GameFAQs forums (not kidding), but yeah, you can download the demo and then just use the public codes to unlock the whole game.

# ? Nov 22, 2018 00:49

Zereth: Jul 9, 2003

ProfessorCirno posted:

Oh, it's all posted freely online now. I mean, in weird places, because it was all posted freely online, like, 8 years ago, so it's in the Realmz GameFAQs forums (not kidding), but yeah, you can download the demo and then just use the public codes to unlock the whole game.

Did they ever update the windows version to be the same version as the mac version?

# ? Nov 22, 2018 02:18

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

ProfessorCirno posted:

Oh, it's all posted freely online now. I mean, in weird places, because it was all posted freely online, like, 8 years ago, so it's in the Realmz GameFAQs forums (not kidding), but yeah, you can download the demo and then just use the public codes to unlock the whole game.

Do you have a link? Not three weeks ago I was looking at Realmz and rather wishing that I could play it in this day and age.

Zereth posted:

Did they ever update the windows version to be the same version as the mac version?

I don't think so, but I hope that I am wrong.

# ? Nov 22, 2018 02:42

ProfessorCirno: Feb 17, 2011; The strongest! The smartest!
The rightest!

JustJeff88 posted:

Do you have a link? Not three weeks ago I was looking at Realmz and rather wishing that I could play it in this day and age.

Sure, I'm pretty sure this doesn't count as :filez:

It is at the very least abandoned as gently caress, far as I know.

First grab the demo here, then follow the instructions and use the codes here You'll have to first use 410 to reset your game's serial number to the one listed there, then register. There's codes for all the first party scenarios there, too.

# ? Nov 22, 2018 10:45

Zereth: Jul 9, 2003

ProfessorCirno posted:

Sure, I'm pretty sure this doesn't count as It is at the very least abandoned as gently caress, far as I know.

First grab the demo here, then follow the instructions and use the codes here You'll have to first use 410 to reset your game's serial number to the one listed there, then register. There's codes for all the first party scenarios there, too.

Oh hey the download page even seems to indicate that the mac and windows versions are on the same version number. Nice. :toot:

# ? Nov 22, 2018 11:27

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

ProfessorCirno posted:

Sure, I'm pretty sure this doesn't count as It is at the very least abandoned as gently caress, far as I know.

First grab the demo here, then follow the instructions and use the codes here You'll have to first use 410 to reset your game's serial number to the one listed there, then register. There's codes for all the first party scenarios there, too.

Thank you kindly

Zereth posted:

Oh hey the download page even seems to indicate that the mac and windows versions are on the same version number. Nice.

Hooray! I love it when I'm wrong, because I always assume that everything is shite.

# ? Nov 22, 2018 17:13

Xander77: Apr 6, 2009; Fuck it then. For another pit sandwich and some 'tater salad, I'll post a few more.

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

The most recent Queen's Wish update has me legit excited. I hadn't realized how much I'd disliked the Poser models and stiff animation of Vogel's last dozen games until I saw this screenshot. I honestly think this is a substantially superior art style to trying to do 3D when you just don't have the resources or expertise to make good 3D.

I don't have an opinion about the character sprites, but those loving recycled item sprites...

# ? Nov 22, 2018 18:00

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

It looked like a book 20 years ago, and it still looks like a book today! :pseudo:

# ? Nov 22, 2018 19:48

ProfessorCirno: Feb 17, 2011; The strongest! The smartest!
The rightest!

Yep, That's Meat!

# ? Nov 22, 2018 22:30

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

Oh lord I'd forgotten about all this crap.

Look at all these skills! I'm pretty sure most of them get checked, like, twice per scenario! I think "DRV" means "Damage Resistance Versus", and I'm kind of sorry I remember that.

Gotta pick your race! And the game won't let you make, like, a pixie crusader -- the race is there, you're just not allowed to select it. Ahh, old-school fantasy racism. Also, see that "View Aging" button down there?

Every race has their own aging chart! Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if every race has its own stat progression as they age, too! Careful you don't go senile as a dwarf though.

And then, of course, you have to roll your stats. I should have kept this set, it's pretty good, but like a sucker I hit "reroll" and everything since then has been total garbage.

EDIT: made a party more or less at random, the very first encounter in Bywater was the town brothel. I broke into a bunch of the rooms, startled a dwarf, he ganked my priest then went "whoops, sorry about that, mind if I travel with you?" Then we went upstairs and got annihilated by a random encounter.

I'm gonna have to give some serious thought to LPing this, because there's way too much comedy potential going to waste here.

TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 04:33 on Nov 23, 2018

# ? Nov 22, 2018 22:40

Hawkperson: Jun 20, 2003

I used to download incredibly OP character packs and just run roughshod over the City of Bywater in Realmz. Good times, good times.

# ? Nov 23, 2018 05:38

ProfessorCirno: Feb 17, 2011; The strongest! The smartest!
The rightest!

All this is inspiring me to go through it again myself! Rolling with a vaguely super strong team: Human Crusader, Lizardman Fighter, Dwarf Cleric, Kobold Monk, Cathoon Archer, and Vampire Evoker.

# ? Nov 23, 2018 11:49

Chinook: Apr 11, 2006; SHODAI

I'm just posting this stuff here for posterity. These games were apparently released as freeware according to wikipedia so I'm not terribly concerned about it:

code:

Some people told me they couldn't find the registration codes anywhere else, so I'll put them here :
Mac :

Serial number : 13706024 Registration Code : 8566464 Verification Code : 410
1) Your scenario registration name is: MEIERS
2) Your registration number for Prelude to Pestilence is: 1632120

Realmz Castle in the Clouds Name : Name: MoonDark s/n: 181560444
Realmz Assault on Giant Mountain : Name: MoonDark s/n: 403273572
Realmz Mithril Vault : Name: RABREAUS s/n: 3249720

Windows :

Serial Number : 13706024
Registration Code : 7995820
Reset Serial Number Code : 410
Registration Name : : MEIERS

Prelude to Pestilence : 2846681
Assault on Giant Mountain : 2731903
Castle in the Clouds : 1850227
Destroy the Necronomicon : 300754
White Dragon : 302208
Grilochs Revenge : 687525
Trouble in the Sword Lands : 1533542
Mithril Vault : 162011

I realize that this is the Spiderweb thread, but there's a connection...

# ? Nov 23, 2018 15:18

a starchy tuber: Sep 9, 2002; hi yes I'm very normal

All of Spiderweb's stuff on GOG is 30-75% off.

# ? Dec 14, 2018 22:59

Tendales: Mar 9, 2012

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

Oh lord I'd forgotten about all this crap.

Look at all these skills! I'm pretty sure most of them get checked, like, twice per scenario! I think "DRV" means "Damage Resistance Versus", and I'm kind of sorry I remember that.

Does anyone know what that font was called? It showed up in a bunch of other old VGA fantasy games, like Warlords II, and I love the poo poo out of it.

# ? Dec 29, 2018 00:35

cowtown: Jul 4, 2007; the cow's a friend to me

Tendales posted:

Does anyone know what that font was called? It showed up in a bunch of other old VGA fantasy games, like Warlords II, and I love the poo poo out of it.

I think that font is called Theldrow. That's what it's called in the acknowledgements to Realmz, anyways.

# ? Dec 30, 2018 08:27

szary: Mar 12, 2014

So, uh, should I buy Grimoire while it's on sale? Apparently it's "V2" now.

# ? Dec 31, 2018 21:54

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

szary posted:

So, uh, should I buy Grimoire while it's on sale? Apparently it's "V2" now.

I would say that it's worth $10 while on this sale, but I'm the dumbfuck who paid $35 for it.

You would be perfectly in your right to mock me for that.

# ? Dec 31, 2018 21:58

szary: Mar 12, 2014

Thanks for answering, even though I posted in the wrong thread!

# ? Dec 31, 2018 22:48

Xander77: Apr 6, 2009; Fuck it then. For another pit sandwich and some 'tater salad, I'll post a few more.

szary posted:

So, uh, should I buy Grimoire while it's on sale? Apparently it's "V2" now.

"Old-school" RPGs are experiencing a fairly major revival over the last few years, so you don't really need to give money to a psychotic racist.

# ? Jan 1, 2019 13:55

szary: Mar 12, 2014

Xander77 posted:

"Old-school" RPGs are experiencing a fairly major revival over the last few years, so you don't really need to give money to a psychotic racist.

I'm giving money to psychotic racists by paying my taxes, funding Cleve's bunker lifestyle seems relatively benign in comparison.

# ? Jan 1, 2019 14:25

JustJeff88: Jan 15, 2008; I AM
CONSISTENTLY
ANNOYING
...
JUST TERRIBLE

THIS BADGE OF SHAME IS WORTH 0.45 DOUBLE DRAGON ADVANCES

of SA-Mart forever

szary posted:

I'm giving money to psychotic racists by paying my taxes, funding Cleve's bunker lifestyle seems relatively benign in comparison.

I can't argue with this. Most of the word are essentially run by fascist regimes these days and there's no ethical consumption under capitalism anyway, so a twat like Cleve who's at leat powerless is kind of small potatoes.

# ? Jan 1, 2019 19:43

The Moon Monster: Dec 30, 2005

I think Spiderweb's defining graphical triumph was the green slime GUI that took up like half the screen in the original Geneforge.

ProfessorCirno posted:

It was but a joke based on how that screenshot looks and their shared history vv

I'm not really sold on the art style in that screenshot, but then it also took me quite awhile to get over the Avernum/Geneforge style too.

Also you totally can still play Realmz! It's bizarrely still available online and they released all the codes for the first party scenarios and whatnot awhile back. It's...it's definitely still the same game it was back then, hahaha.

The codes are surprisingly difficult to track down, I ended up just downloading a crack when I wanted to play it a year or so back.

e: welp looks like they're also posted on this page.

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

EDIT: made a party more or less at random, the very first encounter in Bywater was the town brothel. I broke into a bunch of the rooms, startled a dwarf, he ganked my priest then went "whoops, sorry about that, mind if I travel with you?" Then we went upstairs and got annihilated by a random encounter.

I'm gonna have to give some serious thought to LPing this, because there's way too much comedy potential going to waste here.

One of the things I remember from playing Realmz as a 6 year old was how every major town had a brothel, which I thought was a soup restaurant.

The Moon Monster fucked around with this message at 19:57 on Jan 1, 2019

# ? Jan 1, 2019 19:53

Helianthus Annuus: Feb 21, 2006; can i touch your hand; Grimey Drawer

The Moon Monster posted:

One of the things I remember from playing Realmz as a 6 year old was how every major town had a brothel, which I thought was a soup restaurant.

lmao

# ? Jan 1, 2019 23:33

RickVoid: Oct 21, 2010

Mmm, hot brothel soup.

# ? Jan 2, 2019 04:11

Sway Grunt: May 15, 2004; Tenochtitlan, looking east.

Question about Avernum 3... I'm in the Filth Factory. I've set off the Phoenix Egg but now I'm trapped. The map indicates a "crack in the wall" which I guess is where I'm supposed to go but the flames are blocking my path. The teleporters in the corners don't get me there (one doesn't even work, presumably because its destination teleporter is engulfed by flames). Sadly both my quicksave and autosave are from after I set the egg off. Am I missing something or am I just hosed and have to redo the last hour?

# ? Jan 3, 2019 17:00

TooMuchAbstraction: Oct 14, 2012; I spent four years making
Waves of Steel
Hell yes I'm going to turn my avatar into an ad for it.; Fun Shoe

...I dimly recall that the escape from the Filth Factory surprised me in some manner. I think there's a certain specific map tile you have to step on to escape. I don't think there's any particular preparation you have to make before you set off the Egg, though, so if you have a save from just after you did that you should be able to get out.

# ? Jan 3, 2019 17:11

Sway Grunt: May 15, 2004; Tenochtitlan, looking east.

Ehh I think I'm just screwed. I missed the crack in the wall when I passed by the first time and took a teleporter instead which sent me someplace else and basically wasted enough time for the flames to catch up. I guess I'm redoing this dungeon, for gently caress's sake.

edit: Now I'm here again and I was wrong, the crack was for the way in, not the way out. I'm going to explore more thoroughly before setting the egg off, I kind of rushed it last time.

edit2: Yeah I missed a staircase because I left some bits unexplored on the first go. It does confirm that I was indeed hosed in my previous save, though, so redoing it was necessary.

Sway Grunt fucked around with this message at 18:00 on Jan 3, 2019

# ? Jan 3, 2019 17:18

Wanderer: Nov 5, 2006; our every move is the new tradition

https://twitter.com/spiderwebsoft/status/1097945644465942528

Spiderweb's got a 25th anniversary sale going on today.

# ? Feb 19, 2019 20:54

DACK FAYDEN: Feb 25, 2013; Bear Witness

Wanderer posted:

https://twitter.com/spiderwebsoft/status/1097945644465942528

Spiderweb's got a 25th anniversary sale going on today.

Thanks, I was waiting on Avernum 3 and 50% off is a good excuse.

# ? Feb 19, 2019 21:02

ProfessorCirno: Feb 17, 2011; The strongest! The smartest!
The rightest!

On that note, not sure if it was said in thread, but even if so, deserves another mention:

https://twitter.com/spiderwebsoft/status/1097960812008767488

Geneforge remaster approaching :woop:

# ? Feb 19, 2019 22:55

Zereth: Jul 9, 2003

ProfessorCirno posted:

On that note, not sure if it was said in thread, but even if so, deserves another mention:

https://twitter.com/spiderwebsoft/status/1097960812008767488

Geneforge remaster approaching

he'll yeah

# ? Feb 19, 2019 23:55

Calibanibal: Aug 25, 2015

That rules I hope he adds content in the form of newspells and creatures. Obv I will buy regardess

# ? Feb 20, 2019 00:18

Arrhythmia: Jul 22, 2011

ProfessorCirno posted:

On that note, not sure if it was said in thread, but even if so, deserves another mention:

https://twitter.com/spiderwebsoft/status/1097960812008767488

Geneforge remaster approaching

# ? Feb 20, 2019 04:47

Impermanent: Apr 1, 2010

What's the best spiderweb to start with

# ? Feb 20, 2019 04:55

Item Getter: Dec 14, 2015

I hope it is still colorful and not everything dull brown like the later Geneforge games. And the creatures actually have more than one attack.
Still one of my favorite games of his despite the overly simplistic combat. No real interest in the sequels though.
Though it's funny remaster until now meant new engine, but I thought all of his games since Geneforge 1 ran on slightly incrementally improved versions of the Geneforge 1 engine.

# ? Feb 20, 2019 04:56

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# ? Jun 10, 2024 20:27

GreenNight: Feb 19, 2006; Turning the light on the darkest places, you and I know we got to face this now. We got to face this now.

Impermanent posted:

What's the best spiderweb to start with

The newest remake of Avernum 1.

# ? Feb 20, 2019 04:56

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