Neverwinter Nights Forum Update

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(Originally posted by Z-Layrex)

Rob Bartel, Co Lead Designer

X-Packs: The one thing to remember is that there can never be too much of a good thing in this instance. If Floodgate releases a desert tileset, does that make the community-made Drylands tileset obsolete? Not at all, in my opinion. Each tileset has its own unique look and feel and, if I were making a desert-focused module, I'd probably want to include both and any other quality desert content that came available, regardless of source. Variety is good and the expansions just mean that much more variety.

Derek French, Assistant Producer

X-Packs:

Quote: Of course, or else no one would buy the expansion pack.

Sorry, but purchasing issues have nothing to do with it. If you connect to a server running an XP1 module and you don't have the XP, so your client crashes, wouldn't you prefer that we popped you an error message saying you are missing the resources?

Quote: Sigh. Just tell us that the Original Product will play on the XP. Of course, I know it is a given, but I would like to make sure.

Yes, XP installs will have no problems playing non-XP modules.

X-Pack Questions:

Quote: Will I need Undrentide to use XP2?

Most likely not, but it hasn't been finalized yet.

Quote: If I have undrentide, can I play multiplayer with people who DON'T have undrentide.

Only if the module that you are playing was not made on a version of NWN with XP1 installed.

Quote: If my character takes a new feat or skill from undrentide, can that character play on servers run by someone who DON'T have undrentide.

Theoretically yes, but again, we haven't reached that level of testing yet.

Quote: If I have undrentide, can I play modules made by people without undrentide?

Yes.

Quote: Am I correct with this statement: If I have undrentide and I make a module, people WITHOUT undrentide CANNOT play my module.

Correct. As soon as you save the module, it is flagged as requiring XP1 server and clients.

Quote: If I have undtrentide and I run a server using a module created by someone WITHOUT undrentide, can players without undrentide join my server?

Yes, because the module is flagged as only requiring original NWN.

Live Team Content: Actually, the only thing that I am grumpy about is my Live Team being overlooked on this. Yes, there is stuff comign out in the expansions (Q2 2003), but the Live Team still has a whole boat-load of stuff coming out in the upcoming months. Just you wait...

Witchworks & X-Packs: It will only use original NWN, as WW is coming out within the next month, and the XPs are many months away.

CD-Key:

Quote: However, as far as I know, my cd-key is registered on the bioware forums and on gamespy. Is there any way I can transfer that cd-key over to my friend's new account and use the new one in the collector's edition?

You CD Key is used to activate/verify your account on these forums, but it is NOT stored, nor associated with your account. Your CD Key is NOT over at GameSpy, either.

Patch 1.27:

Quote: I though the final patch was due out this week? I was really hoping that it would...

Yes, it was, but delayed by a few issues. It should be out Monday, based on the results of the Beta.

Expansion Pack: Also, in addition to the 2 expansions, there are still going to be features added by the Live Team as time goes on. Just wait to you read our Roadmap for the next few months that we should have out to the public in a few weeks.

Don Moar, Tools Programmer

Placeable Sounds & Missing Features:

1. The musical note indicates a positional sound. That is the sound will appear to be coming from that location. The die indicates a random positional sound. That is, the sound will appear to be coming from a location within the bounds indicated by the box around it. There is also a third one which is an area-wide sound, which means that the sound will appear to be coming from everywhere in the area.

2. You could ask the same question about anything that wasn't included like climbing, robes, horses: limits had to be set in order to deliver the game in a reasonable time.

EffectCurse(): Yeah, I remember that discussion. Originally, the identified checkbox was not tied to the properties of the item at all. This was causing confusion because in some cases magical items were immediately useable (ie not requiring identification) and in other cases items once identified didn't even have any special properties at all. We decided that it was best to enable the identified property only if there were special properties on the item. Otherwise, the item would not require identification. This avoids the player needlessly 'wasting' the cost of identification on mundane items. Yes, there are certain circumstances where module designers may have wanted that capability, but since it is still possible to achieve the same effect through other means (as described above), it was thought that this was the best solution.

Tom Ohle, Communications Assistant

X-Pack Tilesets: It is 3. Winter Rural, Ruins, and Desert. The discrepancy in the press release is due to some confusion with the Winter Rural tileset--some assumed it was just a touched-up Rural tileset, when in actuality it's an all-new set.

Level Cap In XP1: XP1 will not expand the level cap. It is meant as an adventure for new characters.

Screenshots: Okay, so it's a 5-company approval us, FloodGate, Infogrames, Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast. Oh, and you can expect some HOT screenshots. Because I'm working on them! Coming soon from the man who brought you the amazing DM-Client/Minotaurs screenshot on the back of the NWN box, Shadows of Undrentide screenshots!

Darcy Pajak, Assistant Producer

The New Guy (n00b!): Hello everyone, my name is Darcy Pajak, and I?m an Assistant Producer of Neverwinter Nights at BioWare. It?s great to finally post on these forums about our next big project. Of course I?m talking about the first expansion pack Shadows of Undrentide.

I joined BioWare from Electronic Arts (developers and publishers of tiny games like FIFA, and Need for Speed), where I have been in the interactive video game industry for over 7 years. In that time, I have worked on over 40 games for both the PC and consoles. I enjoy almost every type of video game, from FPS, to RTS, to, of course RPG?s. In fact, there is almost some redeeming quality found in every game I have played. (although, sometimes I have to look very hard to find it). I have played PnP Role playing games from the time I was 10 years old. (where, I would cry when my character was killed.).

As the Assistant Producer for NWN Shadows of Undrentide, my job is to coordinate the work between the talented people at FloodGate, including Paul Neurath (owner and Creative Director), Naomi Novik (Technical lead/ Designer), and Rick Ernst (Lead Designer). With Infogrames, Todd Hartwig, Producer at Infogrames, and of course our own Trent Oster (Project Director/ Producer) and the rest of the incredible NWN team, and make sure everyone has what they need to make a great game. We are including a lot of impressive additions; a grand adventure, new monsters to battle, three new tilesets to explore, and a whole host of other features that expand the world of Neverwinter.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that I?m constantly blown away by the imagination and ingenuity demonstrated by members of the Neverwinter Nights community. Many times I?ve seen something created by some talented member of the community and thought "that is really cool!" So I can honestly say that the community has been a source of inspiration for myself, everyone at FloodGate and BioWare in developing this title.

That being said, I find that because Todd, Paul, Rick, Naomi, and Trent are doing most of the work, I can focus on learning to drive on the icy roads and survive the gale force blizzards.

Send earmuffs.

Henchman: The multiple henchmen issue was and is being discussed constantly among the developers here. The basic concept of NWN is an adventurer who may, if they wish, take an extra hand to help them in their quest. (the classes weaker in combat can also have summoned creatures or familiars to protect them). There is also the multiplayer aspic of NWN which allows many users to get together and form their own party.

When making the decision of multiple henchmen going forward, a big factor will be if it adds value to the adventure. For example, (and don?t take this as a hint, or preview of what the story will be like in any expansion pack) If the story will be enhanced if the party has a Mage, Thief, and Cleric, because the adventure takes place in a trapped crypt, with billions of undead, led by a high level wizard then it would make sense that we support this. If the type and number of party members doesn't make any difference, then it doesn't make sense.

On top of that, we need to consider the technical issues, the possible problems they could create for the Original Campaign, and all currently existing user modules. As time goes by more information comes up and this can influence our decision. I just want to play through a great story, kill some monsters, and pick up some good treasure.

Neil Flynn, Programmer

Permanent Death: The No Permanent Death flag is to tell whether the creature will explode or not (chunking). To stop it from disappearing you still have to call SetIsDestroyable in its OnDeath script.