My first impressions of NWN2

[sheek]

Sounds like I won't be buying this after all. I didn't really want to anyway

 

[Solaris]

If they suck so much at AI scripting they should have just left the damn thing out altogether....however we are still left with the braindead enemy AI aren't we?

No, you're not stuck with it if you're willing to install a mod or two. Evan or Even (the guy doing the AI mod) has just started expanding his mod out to summoned critters and enemies, if I understood his notes correctly. I don't think he's gotten very far into enemy AI yet, but I guess it is possible.

In particular, people have asked him why enemy spellcasters never attempt to de-buff the player & companions. I guess that's what he's going to solve first. I don't know what he'll do after that -- I have a hazy memory of him saying he would port over some of the AI code he wrote for companions, maybe so enemies don't blow up their own crew with AoE attacks?

He works fast, and did the AI mods for NWN 1, so I would guess that in just a week or two the mod should be formidable for enemy AI. It's already doing well for companion AI, so if that's all you need, you could try it now.

Aye, I noticed his latest versions are now delving into enemy AI also. It certainly gives me hope. As things stand, I doubt I'd still be playing this game without his AI mod.

As I aluded to earlier in the thread, if I wanted to heavily micromange stuff I'd go play an RTS instead.

 

[Jim Kata]

But again it's the realtime retardedness that makes it impossible to do opportunity attacks and area effect attacks properly, and if those worked it would actually be EASIER for someone who had a brain to have mages actually be worthwhile for example. Right now, nothing stops them from jus blitzing your mage every combat.

But again it's the realtime retardedness that makes it impossible to do opportunity attacks and area effect attacks properly

AoE spells are useless, because it takes way too long to cast them. First, caster waves his hands for half an our, then there is s-l-o-w spell activation animation, and only then damage is done.

You fail at the game. Mages are the shit. Having Qara annihilate loads of enemies with AoE spells is really simple. Having them rush her is hardly a problem with some defensive buffers. now I would never leave the spell casting to the AI of course.

But again, this is the same 'gamey' bullshit gameplay. Yeah, I can just play as the sorceror alone but playing as a party correctly is fucking impossible.

 

[kris]

But again, this is the same 'gamey' bullshit gameplay. Yeah, I can just play as the sorceror alone but playing as a party correctly is fucking impossible.

I don't find it gamey to control your characters. I controlled my main monk by the way, just put up some spells for the spellcasters when needed. Just like a direct some of the others to the targets I think was appropriate.

The problems with enemy AI is far greater IMO.

 

[WittyName]

After playing more and more I'm getting the impression you are probably better off making a caster as your main character -- the others classes can play themselves with relative ease.

 

[Jim Kata]

Well, I restarted. I decided not to use qara because he spell selection is retarded considering the game's flaws. Sorecerors are for retards, anyhow, especially with a party cap of four. Elanee does much better so long as I choose her spells to not be ones that will fuck things up.

I am a human this time and the extra level and extra feats (like improved parry) is making things much, much easier.

 

[Surgey]

Sorcerers are mostly superior to Wizards in the blowing-stuff-up department (cough, six fireballs per day), but they lack the tons of metamagic feats Wizards get. But yeah, Qara is a bitch so I ditched her for Sand. Maximizing Fireball and Lightning Bolt is just too fun.

Still, I was thoroughly pissed off that tons of feats in the manual weren't actually in the game, or vice versa (Where the fuck is Practiced Spellcaster?). Also, some of the pre-reqs are incorrect in the manual. Also, Monks still suck. :\ Monk Belts aren't even correct: they just give you Improved Crit. and Weapon Spec. in unarmed. (Also, Weapon Masters can't be weapon masters in unarmed, because God that'd be insane and totally broken I guess?)

I really wish they could've included some feats and classes from some of the other books. They included Warlocks, which was a good start, but I know they just did it because one of the villains is a warlock. Also, some of the prestige classes just totally suck, even compared to their PnP counterparts. I was looking forward to seeing tons more classes, like the Favoured Soul and Warmage, not to mention the Knight, and some feats from the other books. Still, I suppose I could code those in myself, if it isn't extremely difficult...

And when I think about it, would it have been that hard? Warmages are basically Sorcerers with stiffer ability score requirements (not to mention they're even better at blowing things up) and a different spell list, it wouldn't be hard to code it in. Favoured Soul? For story and dialogue purposes, just make everyone refer to a Favoured Soul as a cleric. And then just make them spontaneously cast like sorcerers, but make them pick from the cleric list. Knight? That'd probably be the easiest!

Hm, now that I think about it, maybe I could add those in...

 

[Texas Red]

Hm, now that I think about it, maybe I could add those in...

Do not bother. The PRC project will add many new base and prestige classes along with spells, feats etc. They also add fixes and create new icon art. The first NWN had dozens of prestige classes done by them. But you could probably join them though.

 

[Jim Kata]

How difficult is adding new spells?

 

[Jim Kata]

Ok, can anyone help me out?

I have destroyed the crystal dragon's heart and he told me to return to west harbor to refore the sword, but I have no idea how to get there.

The journal is stuck on 'go to the crystal dragon blah blah' for this quest. Is it bugged? I tried going back to his head, but to no avail.

 

[sabishii]

I don't know whether your game is bugged, but how you get to West Harbor is by going to the Illefarn ruins area and then taking the portal in the middle of the area. I think.

 

[Jim Kata]

I don't know whether your game is bugged, but how you get to West Harbor is by going to the Illefarn ruins area and then taking the portal in the middle of the area. I think.

Hmm, ok. Maybe that is what I need to do. They blab so much I click through most of the dialog super fast.

 

[Whipporowill]

They blab so much I click through most of the dialog super fast.

Heathen!

 

[Jim Kata]

They blab so much I click through most of the dialog super fast.

Heathen!

Well, there is only so much I'M THE EVIL VILLAIN MUAHAHAHA you can take...especially when every level 10 thug feels the need to make a gigantic speech before joining battle.

 

[Surgey]

I have a question. Does Daeghun betray you? Because my friend and I are discussing it, and I've been visiting relatives the past half-month so I haven't had a chance to find out myself.

 

[OccupatedVoid]

Guess what guys/girl(s)! I have gotten my NWN2 to patch to 1.03!

 

[WittyName]

I have a question. Does Daeghun betray you? Because my friend and I are discussing it, and I've been visiting relatives the past half-month so I haven't had a chance to find out myself.

No he's just annoyingly stand-offish.

 

[Jim Kata]

Ok, I did the dragon fight as a fighter with khelgar as a fighter. It went down practically in the first round!

I decided that the weaponmaster and supah berserker prestige classes are retarded. the weapon master's abilities are not that useful by the time you get them,a nd the super berkerker man's abilities are never that useful.

The ultimate munchkin would seem to be the level one monk/12+ fighter/barbarian (or maybe paladin instead of barbarian).

You can get an AC of nearly 50 with that combination.

The abilities you get later on all seem pretty worthless and stupid, too.