Information Exile Series Available for Free from Spiderweb Software

[sea]

People always talk about how Avernum dumbed things down from Exile, but really, aside from interface changes (like context-sensitive actions), or (possibly) small-ish mechanics tweaks, what is definitely worse about the remakes?

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Someone did a list of issues they had. Off the top of my head here are two issues and a nitpick:

1.) Reduced party size from six to four and changed game difficulty accordingly. Maybe not a big deal to some, but huge for me as I prefer larger parties to smaller.
2.) Changed some instant kill moments if you did not heed warnings. Such as if your party ignores the warning of the portal back up to the surface being one way. In Exile, if they disregard the warnings they get vaporized, and if you didn't save you are right back to character creation. In Avernum I believe you can't enter it at all. Probably better for newbies frustrated at spending time to make characters only to lose them all, but I thought it was alright as it encouraged you to save often and think before you jumped. Also, such moments added to the feeling of danger.

Nitpick: The 2D art looked better to me than the isometric view. 2D art worked better for Vogel's two man team, but going to isometric requires higher quality art and Avernum couldn't pull it off.

 

[mondblut]

People always talk about how Avernum dumbed things down from Exile, but really, aside from interface changes (like context-sensitive actions), or (possibly) small-ish mechanics tweaks, what is definitely worse about the remakes?

Magic. Exile had a metric fuckton of all kinds of AOE spells; "walls" and "fields" of varied width and length, circular explosions of different diameter, etc. You really had to think how to aim them for an optimal result. Avernum dumbed it all down to a bunch of autotargeting magic missiles that ignore range and targeting, just pick whatever enemies are onscreen you want to hit, and hit they are.

Party down to 4 is already mentioned. Besides, I don't know, maybe my minmaxing skillz got perfected over years, but back in Exile days I actually had to build a proper specialized party. In Avernum, I just gave everyone a point in magery and proceeded happily spamming those magic missiles at everyone, making 4 identical jack of all trades characters and roflstomping through the game with their magic spam.

 

[OSK]

People always talk about how Avernum dumbed things down from Exile, but really, aside from interface changes (like context-sensitive actions), or (possibly) small-ish mechanics tweaks, what is definitely worse about the remakes?

On top of what the two above mentioned: fewer spells, fewer skills, no blunt weapons, easier combat and food is no longer necessary.

 

[almondblight]

I suppose you could throw this in the "superior graphics" category, but the monsters in Exile varied in size and the larger ones took up more space than your characters did. For instance, the giant roaches looking much better in Exile than Avernum. But as others have mentioned, everything did. In Exile mountains block your path; in Avernum, giant beige walls do.

Another thing that was nice in Exile was how AOE spells damaged your own team members, which meant you had to put some thought into using them instead of just blasting.

Avernum is Exile with a lot less stuff and worse graphics.

 

[Monstrous Bat]

Cool. I've always heard good things about the series, but never got to try it out. The only Spiderweb game I've ever played was Geneforge, but I fucking loved it and come think about it, I don't know why I haven't played his other games yet. Downloading.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

It's weird, but I can get Blades of Exile to work in Windows 7 through my start menu with no difficulties, but I can't get the Exile installation files working through Win 7 or DOSBox. Other people are reporting that the Exile series is working fine on their Win 7 systems. For those able to play the Exile trilogy, did you install the Exile games through Windows 3.1 via DOSBox first, then play in Win 7 or did you set up the installation a special way under the file properties of the installation files?

 

[sea]

Magic. Exile had a metric fuckton of all kinds of AOE spells; "walls" and "fields" of varied width and length, circular explosions of different diameter, etc. You really had to think how to aim them for an optimal result. Avernum dumbed it all down to a bunch of autotargeting magic missiles that ignore range and targeting, just pick whatever enemies are onscreen you want to hit, and hit they are.

Party down to 4 is already mentioned. Besides, I don't know, maybe my minmaxing skillz got perfected over years, but back in Exile days I actually had to build a proper specialized party. In Avernum, I just gave everyone a point in magery and proceeded happily spamming those magic missiles at everyone, making 4 identical jack of all trades characters and roflstomping through the game with their magic spam.

Someone did a list of issues they had. Off the top of my head here are two issues and a nitpick:

1.) Reduced party size from six to four and changed game difficulty accordingly. Maybe not a big deal to some, but huge for me as I prefer larger parties to smaller.
2.) Changed some instant kill moments if you did not heed warnings. Such as if your party ignores the warning of the portal back up to the surface being one way. In Exile, if they disregard the warnings they get vaporized, and if you didn't save you are right back to character creation. In Avernum I believe you can't enter it at all. Probably better for newbies frustrated at spending time to make characters only to lose them all, but I thought it was alright as it encouraged you to save often and think before you jumped. Also, such moments added to the feeling of danger.

Nitpick: The 2D art looked better to me than the isometric view. 2D art worked better for Vogel's two man team, but going to isometric requires higher quality art and Avernum couldn't pull it off.

Thanks. I never played Exile so I'm not really sure what's been lost. I'm currently playing the Avernum series and I haven't noticed much dumbing down throughout it (even Escape from the Pit is more tweaks than simplification), so I was curious as to what was lost. The biggest alterations seem to be to the combat and those definitely seem like substantial changes/losses.

 

[mondblut]

Running DOSbox to run Windows in it to run Exile in it? Really?

Kind of retract my statement. Scaling alone is worth the hassle. No more thumbnail-sized screen, yay.

 

[Luzur]

huh, Exile 1-3 runs just fine on my Vista Ultimate?

 

[TOME]

Mine worked just fine until I tried spells. Crashes everytime I cast a spell.

 

[Jasede]

die vogel die

 

[tuluse]

die vogel die

why?

 

[Jasede]

I am cultivating an irrational hate, don't mind me.

 

[mindx2]

Anyone tried to run them in WINE?
I'm definitely not going to run & install some virtual shit.

Forget your fancy OS is there anyway to get them to run in regular old Win7x64? Compatibility modes don't work.

Reportedly you'll have to install Win 3.1 in Dosbox and run it in there, this should work.

http://www.harehunter.info/Exile1/index.html
http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=9405

Never had the need to try this myself though. The Exiles work fine on 32 bit Win 7 though, that I have tried myself.

Works great! Since I have Win7 64 this was an easy solution. Thanks for the link!!

 

[J1M]

I don't know if it was changed in Avernum, but in Exile (III) gold was actually serious business. Training was so expensive that you often had characters with skill points they couldn't use because you had to ration your money and decide who deserved what training.

 

[hakuroshi]

I don't know if it was changed in Avernum, but in Exile (III) gold was actually serious business. Training was so expensive that you often had characters with skill points they couldn't use because you had to ration your money and decide who deserved what training.

Ha. I remember selling everything including pants to buy cheap rare herbs in one town and run to another side of the map to sell them several times higher to afford training. Had to pray not to encounter anything difficult on the road

 

[Overboard]

die vogel die

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

One thing that I dislike about Exile is that you don't get the inventory content of defeated enemies.

 

[Irxy]

Isn't Avernum just a remake of Exile with better graphics and afair dialog system?

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Isn't Avernum just a remake of Exile with better graphics and afair dialog system?

Did you bother to read the posts before yours? The thread is only two pages.

 

[nomask7]

Which of the Exiles is the best one, and how would it compare to something like Pool of Radiance or Might & Magic II? Is there anything better of the same type I should be playing instead?

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Which of the Exiles is the best one, and how would it compare to something like Pool of Radiance or Might & Magic II? Is there anything better of the same type I should be playing instead?

Exile's exploration mode and combat mode looks quite similar and was likely most influenced by Ultima 4 and Ultima 5. It is turn-based, and if you liked the tactical combat of Pool of Radiance you'll be right at home, though tactical combat is more mouse-friendly in the Exile series. If I remember right, there is a grid which will show you the squares effected by where you want your fireball to go in the mouse over mode, for instance. It is not a blobber like Might and Magic 2, and there isn't really a comparison between the two gameplay-wise.

Most people see Exile 3 as the best in the series as it gives you more gameplay options and was more polished, but the story of Exile 3 continues where its predecessors left off, so I do suggest starting at the first game.

 

[nomask7]

Which of the Exiles is the best one, and how would it compare to something like Pool of Radiance or Might & Magic II? Is there anything better of the same type I should be playing instead?

Exile's exploration mode and combat mode looks quite similar and was likely most influenced by Ultima 4 and Ultima 5. It is turn-based, and if you liked the tactical combat of Pool of Radiance you'll be right at home, though tactical combat is more mouse-friendly in the Exile series. If I remember right, there is a grid which will show you the squares effected by where you want your fireball to go in the mouse over mode, for instance. It is not a blobber like Might and Magic 2, and there isn't really a comparison between the two gameplay-wise.

Most people see Exile 3 as the best in the series as it gives you more gameplay options and was more polished, but the story of Exile 3 continues where its predecessors left off, so I do suggest starting at the first game.

I haven't played any of the games mentioned. I was just wondering whether I should play something like Pool of Radiance before, or rather than, Exile. Is Ultima 5 better than Exile III? Now that I think of it, I've actually tried Ultima IV, but it seemed too hardcore for me; I didn't really get much of an idea of what I should have done, and I was just travelling around aimlessly, fighting battles and not getting anything done. Then I guess I died and quit.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Which of the Exiles is the best one, and how would it compare to something like Pool of Radiance or Might & Magic II? Is there anything better of the same type I should be playing instead?

Exile's exploration mode and combat mode looks quite similar and was likely most influenced by Ultima 4 and Ultima 5. It is turn-based, and if you liked the tactical combat of Pool of Radiance you'll be right at home, though tactical combat is more mouse-friendly in the Exile series. If I remember right, there is a grid which will show you the squares effected by where you want your fireball to go in the mouse over mode, for instance. It is not a blobber like Might and Magic 2, and there isn't really a comparison between the two gameplay-wise.

Most people see Exile 3 as the best in the series as it gives you more gameplay options and was more polished, but the story of Exile 3 continues where its predecessors left off, so I do suggest starting at the first game.

I haven't played any of the games mentioned. I was just wondering whether I should play something like Pool of Radiance before, or rather than, Exile. Is Ultima 5 better than Exile III? Now that I think of it, I've actually tried Ultimate IV, but it seemed too hardcore for me; I didn't really get much of an idea of what I should have done, and I was just travelling around aimlessly, fighting battles and not getting anything done. Then I guess I died and quit.

It's called Ultima 4, not Ultimate 4. Please tell me your trolling me. And many people never beat Ultima 4 because the hint of the answer for the last puzzle ("Infinity") was never implemented into the game because the coders forget to finish that part of an NPC dialogue, though there is another way to find the letters...

I would consider Ultima 5 better than Exile 3, though the Underworld in Ultima 5 can get pretty retarded during exploration.

If you thought Ultima 4 was hard, don't try the Exile series. It cranks up the difficulty. Try the most excellent Pool of Radiance from SSI (not the Ubisoft one!) and their Gold Box series. If you find that too hard, then maybe turn-based, classic RPGs just aren't your thing.