Avernum 3-1: Beginning the Adventure!

Time to get started with the latest production from Jeff Vogel at Spiderweb. This is the third edition of what started as his original Exile trilogy. He's finished his Avadon series, which is a new series. This is his bestselling series--the one that put him on the map and gave him his livelihood. As time passes he has to re-invent them to keep them running on new computers. Always he tweaks them a bit, adding new quests and dungeons.

I've only played the original once, and that was years ago. So this will be almost like a new experience for me, although I do remember this game more than the others, because this is the only one of the Avernum series that takes place on the surface instead of underground.

Although as I played the first dungeon today, I see that at first we do start out underground. I don't remember any of this at all. I managed to fire up the old game and actually this does seem to be pretty close to the original script. Below is a comparison of the graphics. The old game used most of the screen for the inventory, dialogue, map and description areas. This uses most of the screen for the game graphics. It's better. You can see more.

But so far, it's all new to me! The graphics are of course, far better than before, although they'll still look fairly primitive to gamers who like million-dollar games. Here we are in Fort Emergence, but we get out almost immediately into the caves of "Upper Avernum" to fight goblins and bandits.

At first, though, things are fairly similar, just with better graphics. Yes, these are better graphics! 

The story of Avernum, told in the opening screnes

Same shot in the old game

As in every Avernum game, we start out in our quarters, where we will pick up the most basic equipment:

Pretty Spartan stuff

Our quarters in the old game

One thing that may never change is the dialogue system. This is it. There are very few sound effects in Spiderweb games, and certainly no voice acting. You will read everything:

Typical dialogue

Dialogue in the old game

And here we are making our way through Fort Emergence, learning how to play.

Outside of our quarters there is the fort.

And then we get out into the world! Or at least, into the "upper caves."

Rather nice graphic for the forts and towns, I think!

Same shot in the old game

I got through the first dungeon, which was rather more extensive than I had thought it would be. I managed to gain a couple of levels, which is what these early dungeons are for. Had to beef up my tool use in order to get in some locked doors, and there are still one or two waiting for me back at the fort. 

I made my way to the Portal Fort, where I managed to steal some stuff, and completed one other rather simple quest, which gave me a nice boost. Now I've made it to New Cotra, and paused right outside the gate.

One interesting playing feature: In the latest Spiderweb games there is a feature called "Quicksave," which allows you to quickly save a game by hitting F3. However, the F1, F2 and F3 keys on this laptop control the audio, and I use those all the time. I went to the Spiderweb Forum to see if there was anything I could do about it, and stumbled upon how to fix it. On the menu screen there is an option for Special Keys. I was very easily able to map the "q" key for Quicksave, and the "r" key for loading the Quicksave (you have to press that one twice). Works perfectly, and frankly, is going to be lots easier than the F keys, I think!

So! Onward tomorrow!

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