Humble Bundle Full Set Purchased - Play it what order?

[sAntiAgo]

Ok, i just purchased the humble bundle of SpiderWeb Software, including:


Avadon: The Black Fortress, Avernum: Escape from the Pit, Avernum: The Great Trials Trilogy, Blades of Avernum, Nethergate: Resurrection, Spiderweb Weekly Misc Content, The First Avernum Trilogy, The Geneforge Saga

So (if an experienced player can helpout) where do I start? I feel that there are tleast two seperate series here, maybe three.

Avernum (1-3 First Trilogy,5-6 Second Trilogy), Geneforge (5 games), Nethergate?

Which are linked? what would be the recommended play through or optimal play through... I assume it would be as they were developed, but this could be as an example a LucasFilm style story: i.e. 4-6 (awesome story), then 1-3 (as garbage)... then 7-9 after selling out.

I'd love to start playing the series and I hope this community is as old-school as the developer.

[sAntiAgo]

PS: what is the "Spiderweb Weekly Misc Content" if anyone purchased the humble bundle aswell.

And is there no steam keys for the first trilogy?

[.//slayer]

There are, indeed, no steam keys for the first trilogy. We'll probably see the remakes of those games, though, when they are ready (just as with Avernum: Escape from the Pit).

As for the order, you are correct: Avadon, Avernum, Geneforge and Nethergate are four different series that are not interconnected (except for shared graphics elements =P). You can start with any series, but bear in mind that while Avernum 1 received a new remake (which is called Avernum: Escape from the Pit), Avernum 2 and 3 still use the old engine. I still prefer them to the new one, though, because the old versions allow for much more interesting customization options, albeit are worse graphics-wise.

Also, Blades of Avernum is basically more or less a standalone game in Avernum universe, a set of missions to beat for your enjoyment. It's not a part of the main series.

Avadon is the newest game by Spiderweb, and the only one in its series so far. There will, however, be new Avadon games in the future, as well as remakes of Avernum 2 and 3.

But Geneforge series is fully finished and, so far as we know, will not receive any remakes or additions in the future. So, you might start with it, and by the time you're done, maybe the developer will finish Avernum 2 remake.

P.S. I bought a bundle as well, but I don't see any weekly misc content there. Only two archives with game art and hintbooks (in which mechanics is explained in details).

[sAntiAgo]

Cheers... very helpful. I may start with Geneforge then as suggested... I am feeling nostalgic, also especially after reading an article about the developer in PC Powerplay Magazine. I had to suppport this 'Legend of Indie Developers'.