Geneforge
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Geneforge is the first in a series of roleplaying games created by Spiderweb Software. It is released as shareware for the Macintosh and Windows platforms.
[edit] Plot
The player begins as an initiate of a powerful group of mages, the Shapers, learning the secrets of the Shapers that allow them to create life from the magical essence within themselves. As part of their training, apprentices must spend time on a remote island, studying from there. However, during the journey, the player's living craft, a sort of giant reptile that can transport merchandise and people, is attacked and the player swims to the closest shore, which happens to be Sucia Island. This abandoned island has been barred to all Shapers (and outsiders), which means that something very dangerous has occurred on the island, or something very valuable is there. Islands are generally barred because some times shapers create servants that won't obey them if it's this case a quick death of the creation and in rare cases it's master's: the creation when disobedient is called rogue. Powerful rogue creations can shut down an isle if shapers judge that the risk is too great. Sometimes creations creating others are made and devastation soon follows resulting the inter shut down of the island. These creations are generally called spawners. Islands are also closed because chemicals that shaper use for experiments sink into the soil disrupting and killing the creatures maintaining the environment. Sometime viable resources are stored there as well as experiments and dark secrets kept silent for hundreds of years.
The player soon discovers that serviles still remain on the island. Serviles are creations of Shapers, made to serve them without question or hesitation. However, these serviles have had no contact with Shapers for centuries, and not all of them are still loyal to their previous masters. Some, the Obeyers, are still entirely faithful to the Shapers, while the Awakened believe that they should be treated as equals. The sect of serviles calling themselves Takers wish only for the complete eradication of Shapers and their culture.
In addition to the many serviles, there is a group of foreign humans on Sucia Island, led by a man named Trajkov. He has gained control of a device called the Geneforge, created by the Shapers who formerly inhabited the island, which can completely rewrite a person, making them incredibly powerful. As the game continues the player finds out about a race which lived there before the Shapers arrived. There are cities of the long dead remains of those people who still guard jealously forgotten secrets and one of the keys to the player's true becoming.
At the start, the player comes across "canisters", small glass bottles filled with swirling essence. These canisters rewrite a person's very genetic code (hence the word "gene"), but at a price of their humanity. As the player progresses through the story various characters will notice the changes, such as glowing skin and empty eyes.
Soon the player meets the Awakened; serviles that believe they are intelligent, hardworking, and completely equal creatures to the Shapers, regardless of how they were created. After clearing out the forests and passages to the east, the player comes across the Obeyers, those serviles that still believe the Shapers are gods and have the right to use them as they see fit. By now the player has been hearing rumors of outsiders on the island that are in control of something known as the "Geneforge". Something happened nearly two centuries before that caused the Shapers to shun the entire island.
Finally the player encounters the Takers, serviles that were left on poisoned land. Their lives have been so harsh, surrounded by powerful ghosts and strong rogue creations, that they hate the Shapers with all their being, and are ready to kill any they meet. Fortunately for the player, the Takers are also allied with the outsider humans and are willing to parlay.
Now the player has a choice: join the Awakened or Obeyers and destroy the Geneforge, join the Takers and complete it for Trajkov, or kill him and use it or join no one and either destroy it or use it.
[edit] Gameplay
- Main article: Geneforge series
The games are played in an isometric view and feature turn-based combat. The land is split up into small areas, which can be traveled through using a world map. During combat, the player gets a certain number of action points per turn, which are spent moving, attacking, casting spells, and using items. At the beginning of the game, the player chooses a type of Shaper to be. The three types are Shaper, Guardian, and Agent. When the player gains a level, he or she gains a number of skill points, which can be spend on improving one or more of the character's stats.
