Neverwinter Nights 2 screenshots

[neblig]

Eurogamer has posted some screenshots of Neverwinter Nights 2 (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=61426).

[destoo]

Interesting.. But I'm still too much into the first on a weekly game to move to the second.

The whole point of D&D is not the graphics but the story and how you can interact with it. Can't wait to see how NWN2 plays out.

[Atorak]

Hope NWN2 is more along the lines of Baldur's Gate II, at least in the single player realm. I wish they would start nailing down some details for us hopefuls, they still can't give the community a straight answer on anything.

I played NWN (multiplayer) for years, including some privately-run DM campaigns. Great game, could be better, I just hope they take the time to put more than a glossy finish on NWN before they ship it out the door.

[goc_sin]

I read about it in the new PC Gamer. It looks sweet and I like the idea of being able to control your henchmen. It's also nice to see the different camera angles now, plus the KOTOR conversation style.. should be RPG goodness.

[noxa]

I was a big fan of the original DS and NWN (one for casual hack 'n slash, one for deep co-op gameplay). DS2 was disappointing, so I'm hoping NWN2 can redeem this generation of RPG's. I agree with destoo about interaction over graphics, but these look cool :)

[Voodoo]

As a major persistant world developer during NWN 1, I am happy to see there are NO MORE TILESETS! YEAH!!!

I'm also happy that they are making the dedicated server with persistant worlds in mind this time. They are even going to have ODBC controls built in.

They said they are going to include all D&D PC races, the subraces of those races, most classes and many prestige classes.

Obsidian rocks!

[Inglorion]

Those screenshots look surprisingly good. Very evocative.

I have never played NWN, but was a huge fan of the Infinity games Black Isle and BioWare put out back in the days. When NWN came out I was so put off by the shoddy-looking 3D graphics, so it failed to entice me, even though I'm normally not one to judge a game by its graphics. NWN came out at a time when 3D graphics didn't look nearly as good as painted 2D backgrounds, like in the Baldur's Gate games, but just a few years of ripening has helped a lot, it seems.

[Inglorion]

Hope NWN2 is more along the lines of Baldur's Gate II, at least in the single player realm.
There's always Dragon Age to look forward to, even though BioWare has been vexingly greedy about information since it was first announced.

[Atorak]

As a major persistant world developer during NWN 1, I am happy to see there are NO MORE TILESETS! YEAH!!!

Actually, I think interiors have tilesets, correct?

Still, that was one piece of news I did enjoy reading. After building several PWs with my friends (albeit for personal use), some of the areas did start to get old after awhile. And the CEP, although very ambitious, did have a TON of problems. Might be better now though...

[net7runner]

My friends and I got NWN expecting another Baldur's Gate...which is probably why we were horribly disappointed. I know that other people enjoy the game a ton (especially the online aspect) but the single player....oh God it was painful. That and the lack of a full party, boring, rehashed and repetitive side quests, and an almost Diablo II-style feeling of combat made everything very...generic. Ewwww....

[GrinR]

My friends and I got NWN expecting another Baldur's Gate...which is probably why we were horribly disappointed. I know that other people enjoy the game a ton (especially the online aspect) but the single player....oh God it was painful. That and the lack of a full party, boring, rehashed and repetitive side quests, and an almost Diablo II-style feeling of combat made everything very...generic. Ewwww....

You forgot the final nail in the coffin - the total lack of any decent equipment. Not only did IWD/BG have great stuff, but had expansions with extra stuff.

Talking intelligent swords!
Sets of armor!
Items with actual abilities, not just +1, +3, +1 fire (YAWN!!!)
Weapons that were class specific and designed that way
EVERY ITEM HAD A STORY!

NWN wouldn't have been so bad if the diabloesque framework had been populated with the variety of items and monsters that Diablo (1) had.

Also, since I never get tired of beating this utterly flat horse, NWN2 looks to be as beautiful as any of the infinity engine games - only in full 3D this time. Too bad it looks like it will be just as non-interactive as the infinity engine as well.

I can kill a 30th level Gate demon with my vorpal blade, but this wood door is enough to stop me...?

[Mason]

Eh.

I don't get how NWN met the concept of a true role-playing world when everything about it felt scripted to bejebus and back. I don't doubt someone made some good modules with it, but the whole system felt poorly conceived. Hopefully NWN2 is moving more toward being a competitor with Oblivion.

And I still maintain that the D&D system brings nothing to video games except baggage. You can make good games in spite of it, but it doesn't really contribute much, and is chock full of artifacts based on limiting the amount of calculations and die-rolls you have to do on the tabletop.

[Spooky]

I'm actually surprised to see Neverwinter Nights 2 development this far advanced, with the true supposed successor to NWN being Biowares Dragon Age project so under-advertised, I wonder if Dragon age is still being developed?

[Inglorion]

I'm actually surprised to see Neverwinter Nights 2 development this far advanced, with the true supposed successor to NWN being Biowares Dragon Age project so under-advertised, I wonder if Dragon age is still being developed?
Yes, it's still in development.

From an interview with Kevin Martens (http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/bg2fiveyearanniversary.php):

Right now we’re working on a fantasy RPG called Dragon Age, a game that is essentially the spiritual successor to the Baldur’s Gate franchise. Dragon Age incorporates most of the game-play and features from the old Infinity Engine games along with many new ones. Some of the new features include a separate multiplayer campaign, an exploration mode and ‘origin stories’.

[Carnisaur]

I'm really glad to see they've dropped the whole level-editor look of the first one. It wasn't just the indoors that had tilesets, it was the whole game. It all looked like a lego set. This looks to bring back the whole natural look BG had, although I'm sure they're going to stay in line with NWN's gameplay.

[valkyrie_cs]

Am i the only one to hyperventilate at talk of a "spiritual successor to BG" ? I hadn't heard Dragon Age put that way before, excuse me while I go catch up on the hype... I don't much mind the BG saga being finished, as what else could have happened, I do miss the unbelievable (and unique) party based hybrid combat engine and the lush backgrounding and art... oops, might need to buy a PC. (has anyone noticed that whilst OSX is pretty sweet, not many games are coming out for apples ??)

[Inglorion]

(has anyone noticed that whilst OSX is pretty sweet, not many games are coming out for apples ??)
Where did you a crazy notion like that from?!

I'm looking forward to DA as well, to say the least; one of the most anticipated in my book, along with Civ4, RTCW2 and Fallout 3.

As for "spiritual successor"... I think they mean emphasis on story, NPCs, party-based RPG and so forth, as oppose to the more customisable and multiplayer-inclined NWN.

[valkyrie_cs]

from naive hope :) I knew going in that it would be bad, but I was so sick of PC's and needed a break: my advise to others facing the same problem: dual boot to Linux to scratch the itch. The thing is OS/X is far more wonderful for managing personal media and information than my PC ever was, but the game ports that do come out are dreadful (usually). From a programming perspective I think the OS/x openGL integration could lead to an efficient gaming platform, but marketing is of course different... SIGH. It's probably best to have one of everything in the home anyways... who says PC gaming is dead, it's good enough to convert me back !

[Kefkataran]

Word on the street is that NWN2 will kick the story up quite a bit in comparison to the first game. Here's hoping!

[Vileblitz]

Damn that is badass at first look but kinda reminds me of Dungeon Siege (except for the nice graphics in the house). I'm hoping the models are better this time. Bouncing boobs were cool just everything else was looking jagged. I think they'll do better though especially if they were behind Dark Alliance, which i'm not sure of considering they might have went to Sony?...no idea about any of that shit.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

There's always Dragon Age to look forward to, even though BioWare has been vexingly greedy about information since it was first announced.

They've been too busy pumping out games for Microsoft to bother with the PC these days. Another developer that seems to have forgotten the people have made them big in the first place. :mad:

(has anyone noticed that whilst OSX is pretty sweet, not many games are coming out for apples ??)

I really don't see that as being the big problem that it once was. I almost bought a Mac the last time I got a desktop (2002), but the games issue made me change my mind and buy a PC instead. Now though the PC market really does seem to be drying up, at least to me. Many of my favorite developers have jumped to the console and started releasing some real tripe, or just disappeared altogether. I still somewhat like Blizzard, despite not caring for Warcraft 3 and not being interested in WoW, but I can always get Bliz's games on a Mac anyway. If this trend continues I will definitely be buying a Mac the next time I purchase a computer.


I think they'll do better though especially if they were behind Dark Alliance, which i'm not sure of considering they might have went to Sony?...no idea about any of that shit.

Snowblind developed Dark Alliance. They have nothing to do with this title whatsoever.

I've noticed a lot of confusion on this game. To clear things up:

Obsidian is developing this game. Not Bioware, Snowblind, or anyone else. Hopefully it turns out well.

[Murmillo]

NWN main story line, yes was a bore. But god damn, once the real fans got thier hands on the editor or starting making mods... All I can say is I don't remember the year 2003. NWN was about the only game I played that year.. Online and Off.

[Vileblitz]

NWN main story line, yes was a bore. But god damn, once the real fans got thier hands on the editor or starting making mods... All I can say is I don't remember the year 2003. NWN was about the only game I played that year.. Online and Off.

It was closer to table top. Too bad the hub thing didn't work the way it was intended.

Snowblind developed Dark Alliance. They have nothing to do with this title whatsoever.

I've noticed a lot of confusion on this game. To clear things up:

Obsidian is developing this game. Not Bioware, Snowblind, or anyone else. Hopefully it turns out well.

Cool, I didn't have the slightest idea. And still dont really, because there was alot going on in the past when certain companies got bigger and Interplay went bankrupt.

[Murmillo]

Man those look pretty. Oblivion and NWN2?? My marriage WILL be over...

[StANTo]

You forgot the final nail in the coffin - the total lack of any decent equipment. Not only did IWD/BG have great stuff, but had expansions with extra stuff.

Talking intelligent swords!
Sets of armor!
Items with actual abilities, not just +1, +3, +1 fire (YAWN!!!)
Weapons that were class specific and designed that way
EVERY ITEM HAD A STORY!

You're quite free to edit the single player game modules with the toolset and add whatever you pleased.

I don't get how NWN met the concept of a true role-playing world when everything about it felt scripted to bejebus and back. I don't doubt someone made some good modules with it, but the whole system felt poorly conceived. Hopefully NWN2 is moving more toward being a competitor with Oblivion.

I think you kinda failed to see the overall scope of NwN, that being, there is great modules made out there, most things are scripted. However there's the freeform of online roleplaying with real dungeon masters to pep up the gameplay.

[ezzkmo]

nwn kicks ass, and i cannot wait to see what nwn2 will bring.

[LilEvilFish]

It'sa so pretty!

Where's my full plate and greatsword, I'm going goblin huntin'!

Personally I'd rather play this than Morrowind Oblivion, I even remember buying the original purely to play online on one of the many roleplaying servers. It wasn't until after owning the game for a few months did I actually go through the single player, which I enjoyed! The sequel brings with it even more scope for design in the online department so I can't wait. Best get upgrading the box!

[BigJonno]

I don't give a monkies about how many great modules there are for NWN, it was marketed as a single-player, offline product as well and the single-player campaign sucked. It's the only Bioware product that I haven't been absolutely glued to and I've loved them since picking up Baldur's Gate. I still can't believe how they made this incredibly easy to use toolkit and then bashed out such uninspiring, cliched crap with it. I'm glad that the community came through and produced so many great modules for it. Suffice to say, nearly all my NWN time was spent playing various modules multiplayer at frequent LAN sessions.

Anyway, am I the only one who would like to see a Forgotten Realms game that wasn't anything to do with the Sword Coast in any way, shape or form?

[dead]

hey what do you know... it looks like the original!

personally, i hope they make the game less linear and more free form. sorta like morrowind. that'd be cool.

[Inglorion]

BigJonno: I get the impression that BioWare thought if they created the sufficient tools, the community would do the work for them, hoping that something similar to the Half-Life and Counter-Strike success story would happen.

[Heretic Machine]

I enjoyed the original NWN quite a bit... But I fear that NWN2 might be another KOTOR. Which is not something that I want, not at all.