Avadon 3 - Developer Blog

Jeff Vogel talks about his games and especially the Avadon games, in his most recent blog, including the recently announced third part, The Warborne.

When I was designing Avadon, I was very ambitious. Lynaeus, the continent on which the series takes place, has 5 friendly nations and six hostile nations, each of which has its own politics, history, and so on. I wanted to make a whole world.

In the end, however, I was just one designer.

There are so many factions, wings of government, conflicts, controversies … Too much for me to keep track of, too much to fully develop. I wrote so much lore I could never find a place to fit into the game. There were so many locations I just wasn't able to give enough time to.

My eyes were bigger than my stomach on this one.

Also, i didn't put as much polish in these games as I should. Avadon 3 will have a lot of careful rebalancing and useful interface improvements. However, these changes should have been in Avadon 2. Honestly, a lot of these things should have been in Avadon 1 so I didn't have to fix them in the first place.

I have a good excuse for some of this. I'm only one person, and I'm getting older and slower. Still, a problem is a problem, and, if I'm asking people for money, I'm still responsible for flaws.

Finally, I've stuck with this particular engine, graphics style, and world style for too long. After I remaster Avernum 3 (our most popular game over the years), I'm going to do something way different. It's well past time.

More information.

I would love Jeff announcing in the future of total abandonment of Avadon 3 in favor of Avernum 3 and THEN do something totally new. Like Buck Rogers or ALIENS-like.

Originally Posted by mercy
I would love Jeff announcing in the future of total abandonment of Avadon 3 in favor of Avernum 3 and THEN do something totally new. Like Buck Rogers or ALIENS-like.

Jeff has already made Avernum 3 twice. The last thing I'd want to see is him abandoning his one new game to remake it a third time.

I am happy to see him talk about more substantial tweaks in the mechanics of Avadon 3. I liked Avadon a lot, but it did have issues and a lot of room for improvement. I was disapointed that very few improvements were made in Avadon 2.

Well, he pretty much announced both the Avernum 3 remake and a new series in this update.

The best part of this update was the news about a new engine, and game series.

Finally, I've stuck with this particular engine, graphics style, and world style for too long. After I remaster Avernum 3 (our most popular game over the years), I'm going to do something way different. It's well past time.

We'll be starting an all-new series soon. When we do, it will still be a big, complex game, but it will be big and complex in a different way. At the very least, there will be fewer than 11 countries for you to keep track of.

I'm very much looking forward to Avadon 3 and probably even more so Avernum 3. If I had one complaint about the Avadon games it would be the companion quests. Either you do what they want or you don't get the best armour/weapon they can possibly have and they hate you forever. How is that for gamification of choice and consequence? Still enjoyed the games mind you.

The best feature of Avernum 1 and 2 [new editions] I love is the moment the game starts to load and title music is queuing I can press F9 and load my game instantly to continue where I left off __immediately__. Very few games have this awesome feature nowadays.

In Avadon 1, I think I remembered refusing to do what my companion wanted and still getting the uber gear. My companion did hate me forever though and it stopped me from getting the ending I wanted because I couldn't take on redbeard (or whatever his name was).

I didn't like the whole companion system in general though. I'll give Jeff credit for trying something new there, but it was annoying to me having those rotating party members. I'd rather just have a party that I stick with through the game.

Originally Posted by BrianOConnell
I'm very much looking forward to Avadon 3 and probably even more so Avernum 3. If I had one complaint about the Avadon games it would be the companion quests. Either you do what they want or you don't get the best armour/weapon they can possibly have and they hate you forever. How is that for gamification of choice and consequence? Still enjoyed the games mind you.

Originally Posted by Gorath
Well, he pretty much announced both the Avernum 3 remake and a new series in this update.

He said he'd be remaking Avernum 3 (along with 1 and 2) long ago though - don't know exactly how long, but years ago. So it's nothing new.

He has said in the past that after Avadon 3 and the remade Avernum 3, he plans on beginning remakes of Geneforge. Assuming that plan still holds, I guess on this "new engine" we will likely get alternating releases of new series installments and Geneforge remakes. Nice.