Human or Half Elf suggested for plot believability
Tricks & Traps
Light
Roleplay
Light
Hack & Slash
Heavy
Classes
Any
Scope
Large
DMNeeded
No DM Required
Single or Multiplayer
Single Player
Max Character Level
02
Max # Players
Any
Min # Players
Any
Min Character Level
01
Content Rating
Teen
Alignments
Any
Description
Starting from your home in Dougan's Hole, a tiny village in the Frozenfar, you begin an epic quest that will force you to conquer the Spine of the World. Across frigid tundra and through endless tunnels you must travel to reclaim your legacy and rescue your kin. Old friends and new stand ready to take up arms and join in you against countless foes. But once the journey starts, there is no turning back! Are you ready to venture Beneath the Spine? This is a FR mod for 1st Level (new) PCs. Any class is suitable, however, frequent combat will make using a spellcaster more difficult. Allows advancement to 8th level. A large hak pack (cms_spine1.hak) is required to provide the Frozenfar's environment. Primarily a linear hack-n-slash, the objective is to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. Uses multiple henchmen scripts, so you will be able to have up to 3 henchmen. Designed and tested for single player, utilizing the available henchmen.
Posted by werelynx2 at 2012-09-21 04:15:58 Voted 4.25 on 09/21/12
Played for about an hour or 2.
Enjoyed the beautiful tilesets.
Used Ranger PC 1st lvl. Even with wolf by my side(animal empathy) it was too difficult.
Died in 3rd encounter(2 kobolds) and discovered respawn is free.
The henchmen inventory control and Artificial Intelligence was absolutely bad.
The shops had items with prices 10 times what I had in my purse.
So 4.25 for the beautiful and otherwise unused in other modules tilesets.
_________________________ Thanks Rolo:)
Posted by Mirgalen at 2010-12-12 02:29:37 Voted 4.50 on 12/12/10
I certainly agree with DrFraud and WeAreAllKosh. I played it a bit got tired off reloading, went to play something else and started again with the same character around lvl 5. We still had to run away from Dire Bears or some encounters where the EL was 2 or 3 times ours. The story is interesting though. A fix of the henchmen and proper combat balance could have made this a hidden gem.
3-4: It is clear the author tried to make something interesting, but still fell short. With more work it might be worth the download
OK, giving it another try. Left the Bard behind this time and no one is kiiling eachother. Area ARE large but everything looks good to me so far.
Posted by DrFraud at 2008-07-23 09:51:00 Voted 6.00 on 07/23/08
The dialogue was great, giving my Neutral Evil wizard plenty of alignment-appropriate conversational choices. Unfortunately, the rest of it was only so-so, between the dozens of largely empty cavern areas, the peewee henchmen who died at the drop of a hat, the near-total lack of anything interesting to do in Mirabar and the non-ending. (By the time I was halfway through the Spine, I was practically tearing my hair out and muttering "Bloody hell, not *another* flipping series of tunnels...)
I started the mod and thought the area and background started off very well, BUT after i got the 2 henchmen and came to my first fight, the henchmen KILLED each other. I restarted and the same happened. I just gave up.
Posted by WeAreAllKosh at 2008-03-20 10:05:42 Voted 5.00 on 03/20/08
I quit in the Svirfneblin caves. The module started out with a lot of promise. The custom tilesets were used very well, the area design was excellent, and the combat was well-balanced. This all deteriorated very quickly.
The module's main problem is that the combat is balanced for a player using all three available henchmen ... but the henchmen are less than worthless. They use the atrocious 69Meh69 scripts, which can't be excused with the available of the far superior TonyK scripts. One of them is a fighter/sorceress, a plain stupid class build. Every battle he just ran to the front line to cast spells, every battle he ate a dozen AOO's, every battle he died. Wasn't much better for the bard and the rogue/cleric (another poor class combination). The rogue henchmen completely ignored locks and traps, despite both tactics instructions in dialogue and quickmenu commands. They all ignored my weapon-switching commands, so they kept stupidly firing their ranged weapons in melee. And that's all without the precious moments when they just stood still, even as a fight was raging nearby.
Without the henchmen to provide any meaningful help, the battles became overpowering. That's further considering that some were even too powerful for a competent party, with ridiculously overleveled NPC's. Try running into a group of 8th level wizards with a party of 3rd level characters -- two dire wolf summons followed by two fireballs ... dead party.
Even the great atmosphere that was present at the start of the module deteriorated. Areas became repetitive -- the same caves over and over. The use of permanent darkness effects in the drow caves was very annoying, as were the corridor-spanning traps that (as indicated earlier) the rogue ignored.
The module just really became a mess. 5 for the enjoyable early parts, but that's it.
Posted by Steve_Savicki at 2008-03-09 19:41:07 Voted 8.50 on 03/09/08
-.25 - module needs to be updated for henchman capability - this is the old system and henchmen disappear if using a level 40 character
-.25 - beautiful use of music and backgrounds, but the spine is basically a dungeon romp with more interesting story at the end.
-1.00 - module not fixed for whirlwind attack. Lots of times I could only run through the module until the engine was "ready to restart." - I lost all the henchman because of this. _________________________ Steve's Characters - please don't forget to vote on them if you play them.
Thanks,
Steve
Posted by ShadowySweetness at 2007-01-27 06:34:37 Voted 9.00 on 01/27/07
Thank you for a Great Story, even though linear as stated it was a fun H/S.
I played through all 3 with my Female HalfElf as Rogue/Fighter.
I think this can be even better with a little upgrade (More Hench/ Interaction) as for my brothers and father I did not feel the closeness as the interaction was limited.
Also because it is so long it could use many/few more side quests just to make is a little more interesting.
I think you have a Great Talent and would love to see more of your work and hope that you will continue this as I have a character who is not quite ready to retire in her Estate as of yet.
All in all I had a great time.
Thank you for taking your OWN time to make these Mods for us!
As without you Mod Builders... What are us NWN Fans To Do?
Have a Great Day Shadow...
Posted by djeber2004 at 2006-06-01 08:49:28 Voted 7.50 on 06/01/06
Combat was challenging, but the treasure rewards were perhaps a bit too stingy. I spent most of money throughout the game buying healing potions, making it very hard to upgrade my gear. I was also very annoyed at the beginning when I discovered that I couldn't buy anything but a sword, since the prices on everything were jacked up so high. I wanted to play a character that used a longbow, but it took up until the time I reached level 5 before I could even afford one. I don't expect to be showered with treasure (I found the original NWN campaign to be a bit too generous in this regard), but this was too far in the other direction. Also, there were two things I found frustrating at the end: first, I think I finished the mod, but I'm not sure. I killed the guy in my family manor and claimed the estate, so I assume I'm finished, but there's nothing to indicate for sure that I am. Second, right near the end there's a room with a crypt(?) with a bunch of locked doors guarded by a golem and a bunch of gargoyles. I can't hurt the golem at all and I can't figure out how to get through the doors, which left me frustrated.
Posted by Shin Okada at 2006-04-28 23:57:58 Voted 9.00 on 04/28/06
Good Hack & Slash mod.
Simple. But player friendly.
Posted by ShinOkada ( 222.229.xxx.xxx ) at 2006-04-21 16:26:54
Hello. I have just started this mod. As already pointed out, this system does not allow me to see character sheet of 2nd and 3rd henchmen. But are there truly no way to see those sheets? Because without knowing their stats, I cannot give them appropriate gear.
Do you think playing this mod without henchman (or with only 1 henchman) is a bad idea?
Posted by Drexar_Heulbric at 2006-03-03 16:34:54 Voted 6.00 on 03/03/06
Not bad for a Hack & Slash I suppose; it was endless and tedious to me; it felt old; henchmen scripting's brutal. Gave up out of boredom.
Posted by bibs2 at 2005-12-25 13:11:56 Voted 8.25 on 12/25/05
Sometimes painful with the henchmen, but overall a pretty good effort
Posted by Armin at 2005-12-17 12:11:27 Voted 7.50 on 12/17/05
Quite fun to play as a start to the series, but it hasn't aged well. The story is compelling, the visuals are good, but the henchmen are a disaster. Terrible choice of class combinations for them, outdated scripts and rather unbalanced fights thus. A huge part of gametime is spent waiting for the lemming henchmen to repawn... _________________________ With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince...
With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D....
... and still keep the frog you started with.
Posted by B5Sinclair at 2005-10-23 22:56:46 Voted 9.00 on 10/23/05
I had similar problems with the henchmen at first. They would stand at area transitions and not follow or use abilities in combat. But, when I tried using the Voice chat to issue Follow, or Attack commands they responded and participated in combat, used bard song, and other spell effects. I was about to give up when I tried this and I'm still playing the module.
In the beginning, though, the visuals were a let down. Everything was white with no textures to the ground and trees. Not sure if this is a problem with my CEP, which I'm having trouble with. Thus the vote.
Posted by Taloran at 2005-07-21 12:18:19 Voted 9.25 on 07/21/05
Linear hack'n'slash is not usually my favorite thing, but you obviously put a tremendous amount of work into this module. Tough to win it as a ranger - if I play it again I'll go with a warrior.
Some of the dialogue at the end needs a touch up - one NPC tells you that "Maard is right there" - and I took Vaarlinn from the beginning. Other NPCs referred to my female character using male salutations and pronouns.
The disappearing heads took some getting used to, and I prefer the new henchman inventory management system to the one you used, but overall this is a stellar module.
Vezz & yuma_bill--thanks for the feedback! I appreciate the comments and will look at fixing accordingly.
Most importantly, Vezz, regarding the major bug, that should be fixed in version 2. Do you know if you were playing version 1 when it happened? If you were in version 2 (currently available), please let me know.
Vezz & yuma_bill--thanks for the feedback! I appreciate the comments and will look at fixing accordingly.
Most importantly, Vezz, regarding the major bug, that should be fixed in version 2. Do you know if you were playing version 1 when it happened? If you were in version 2 (currently available), please let me know.
Wow...I started out expecting a basic hack n slash, but I ended up feeling stunned by the impact of what had happened to my character. Just when I was despairing that my whole family had been killed and damning the fact that I had ever left home, I found my little cousins upstairs and suddenly had a reason to go on. Despite your label as a hack n slash, this mod has excellent roleplaying qualities.
Oh, I wanted to mention the gender specifics before I forget...the mod did a good job of referring to my female character as female (with Jornan calling her "missus Bullreed") but at the end there is one point where she announces herself as a son, rather than a daughter (I think it's with the captain of the guard or the councillor). Also, when speaking with Marta the governess, my character referred to herself as the nephew, rather than the neice, of the departed heir. Minor quibbles, I know. :)
Another aspect of the roleplaying that really stood out was when we arrived at Jornan's home city...very dramamtic. I'm hoping that the second part has more to do with this, since I had Jornan in my party all the way through.
Thank you, Seryn, for the hours of entertainment! I am off to seek my fate in part 2
Posted by vezz at 2005-04-03 13:52:56 Voted 7.75 on 04/03/05
Posted by vezz at 2005-04-03 13:49:00 Voted 7.75 on 04/03/05
Dear Seryn,
I played your mod. and I'd like to write to you my opinions...
***SPOILERS*****
1- First of all I must poit aout a MAJOR BUG that prevents the player from finish the mod. When the PC goes to the captain of the guard, giving to him the letter of the chancelor, the captain says that he's gonna to kill the PC. But this doesn't happens as the captain keep staying neutral (he doesn0t became hostile). Moreover he cannot be killed. So, as the PC need the opened letter, the mod. cannot be ended. I opened the toolset and I noticed that the captain have the plot character flag on. I think that's the problem... I't weird that nobody reports it till now!
2- The mod starts gratly! Very good atmosphere, great design of the interiors and of the landscape. But... after some underground levels that attentions to the details seems to became lesser and lesser. IMHO you put too many levels and in the end they lack the details you put in the first part of the mod.
3 - same thing can be said regarding the use of encounters and monster. In the first part you used fwe monster that was challenging to beat, but not impossible. Also you used monsters pf the same type. In the last part of the undergraound trip you used instead to many monster and too hard one. IMHO the main problem is the exaggerated quantity of different creatures very near one to another (the descend to Mirabar is like a sort of Zoo: orc, troll, Ogres, and three kind of bears, polar, grizzly and dire, all put togheter!).
4 - As previously written the henchman system is old and full of bugs (every time the hench reach a new level something of his gear is lost!). Of course this isn't your fault.
The mod is good, with a very fun and intriguing story, but it has a too long undergound journay that can be very boring. The sequel is far better.
*********
kind regards.
ericdoman: I will check on the respawn penalty--there should be one, but maybe in the update it got corrupted.
Kiri: That henchmen behavior sounds unusual. I'm not sure why they're disappearing on you (they're not supposed to, obviously). I'll take a look at it.
**SPOILER**
Regarding the key in the Ice Vein Stronghold, there is one inside a container in one of the small bedrooms in the same area. It's in a room on the eastern side of the Ice Vein complex, if I recall correctly. Check all the doors, enter the rooms that aren't locked, then check all the containers. You should find it eventually.
I think there is a second key to be found as well within that same area, but I'll have to check where exactly it is.
Great mod. Very tough as maard and rogue/cleric keep getting killed. Although not as frequent as before. I found that I can die and respawn with no xp or gold loss. i don't know this is a bug. Will not do it but because of this one could do the mod all alone.
Going to vein clan and massive ambush. It is a nightmare to see henchmen running around at base of cliff being shot at and not being able to re-equip them with missile weapons (similar to lizards). Also Maard dies here. Being shot at and then in come the heavies. When he respawns fortunately after all have been defeated he has no armour (full plate), it's gone.
I do like this respawn method of course if they die second time, they have ceased to be.
Anyway prob I have is that we are in Vein stronghold. Killed all duergar and orcs, searched everywhere (my 6th ftr has search of 4). Can't find the key for locked door, the one in the south that needs a specific key. Help?
Posted by Kiri ( 66.171.xxx.xxx ) at 2005-01-12 13:34:00
Dear Seryn, I'm not sure if you still check these but I wanted to tell you I had a very good experience with your other mod, however, on this one, I keep losing henchmen! If I tell them to level up or if they die and I resurrect them, they say "That was close!" and then disappear. Instantly. I cannot get them back and I'm basically having to do it alone.. any ideas?
Posted by Tazman at 2004-12-29 07:31:10 Voted 8.75 on 12/29/04
Thanks for the feedback & the vote (as well as the bug report!).
I'm glad you generally enjoyed it. My statement about HotU-style henchmen was unfortunately not as accurate as it should have been. The module still uses 69MEH69's henchmen dialogue framework (and hence, the inventory access, etc.). However, the hench leveling aspect (which was problematic in the original, as evidenced by the posts below) was updated to the HotU hench leveling process. Anyhow, sorry for being misleading.
As you can tell, this mod is nearly two years old, and it does show. My update was really not much more than combining of the two original halves, plus a little cosmetic polish.
Hopefully, some of these issues are not as troublesome in "Return to the Spine" however, I fear that one is showing its age as well.
Take care,
Posted by Jonesy14 at 2004-12-08 15:29:38 Voted 9.50 on 12/08/04
A surprisingly compelling story and some very engaging hack and slash (I was expecting the hack and slash, the story was a nice extra).
Site
at 2012-09-21 04:15:58
