NWN Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition - Beamdog's final enhancement - now with new premium modules

[Bocian]

Also the persistent mmo type servers were fun but still waste of time compared to a actual mmo.

I'm curious what brought you to such conclusion. I know of no MMO that offers such ease of creating and adding custom content, interaction with the world via DM client and a playerbase that doesn't consist of mentally retarded children.

 

[aweigh]

If forced to do so I would much rather spend my time playing NWN1 PW than some WoW/WoW-clone. To be fair though, I must point out that it's mostly because NWN1 PWs are a fraction of the size of a WoW-clone and thus have much less fewer players which means better quality of player base and interaction and more things to do in less time.

 

[rogueknight333]

Years ago I tried to make decent combat encounters in NWN2 and failed miserably. Even with that experience I am not sure I fully understand exactly why the NWN2 combat system is so bad.

It is at least in part due to the utterly broken class balance. NWN2 showcases 3E's feature bloat at its worst. Tons of PRCs, spells, feats, some of which are OP and others useless junk. Try to make something that can challenge a party of Cleric and Bard builds and you risk making something impossible for parties made up of mere mortals.

NWN2's so-called FPC is also a kludgly mess liable to fall apart in the unlikely event you find yourself in an encounter actually difficult enough to require micromanagement of the party.

It does not help that the game is riddled with bugs and stuff that does not actually work the way it is supposed to. To give just one example of the incompetence with which the game was made, NWN2's implementation of Hide in Plain Sight tried to nerf the ability yet actually ended up making it even more brokenly OP than it was in NWN.

I was eventually able to get the camera working in a way I was more or less happy with after spending a lot of time fiddling with the over-complicated controls, so if that were the only issue with the game I would not think it that big a deal. On the other hand, having to spend a half-hour or more trying to get the camera working in a reasonable way before you can actually start playing properly does not make for a great first impression. In most games you do not have to give the camera a thought, as it works adequately by default.

Offhand, I struggle to think of any game other than NWN2 in which the basic game system (as opposed to inadequacies of the game content) put so many obstacles in the way of enjoying it.

I would love to see them do an EE version of FO 1 and 2, Arcanum, and ToEE just to create more interest in them, and expose more people to the creations of the greatest crpg developer the world has ever known. I don't want to discount the work of people who still put tons of great work into these games, but EE versions seem to drum up a lot of interest, even if they are a huge scam company that makes Madoff and Enron look like saints.

The main advantage of enhanced/remastered older games is precisely generating interest in games that are actually good, since, for some strange reason, no matter how good a game is lots of people will not bother with it if it is old and no current company is doing marketing on its behalf. It would arguably have been better if some company, upon acquiring the rights to some of the old games currently being enhanced, had started selling them for a higher price (the advertising needs to be paid for somehow, after all), without actually changing anything. Unfortunately that would look like more of a scam than what they actually do, so no company would dare.

 

[ortucis]

I have no idea why people are hyped for this.

I've tried to play NWN so many times but it's just.. shit. The world, characters, visuals.

It's something I would design and that's not a good thing.

 

[Roguey]

It is at least in part due to the utterly broken class balance. NWN2 showcases 3E's feature bloat at its worst. Tons of PRCs, spells, feats, some of which are OP and others useless junk. Try to make something that can challenge a party of Cleric and Bard builds and you risk making something impossible for parties made up of mere mortals.

Doesn't seem like the approach should be different from any other make-a-pc-and-gather-companions D&D game; balance around a well-rounded party of companions.

 

[aweigh]

 

[Cael]

It is at least in part due to the utterly broken class balance. NWN2 showcases 3E's feature bloat at its worst. Tons of PRCs, spells, feats, some of which are OP and others useless junk. Try to make something that can challenge a party of Cleric and Bard builds and you risk making something impossible for parties made up of mere mortals.

Doesn't seem like the approach should be different from any other make-a-pc-and-gather-companions D&D game; balance around a well-rounded party of companions.

Don't burst the bubble of dramaqueens. To them, the sword is as mighty as the fireball.

Which, ultimately, why shit like 4th Ed exists.

As I have posted before:
The fighter can kick and do 1d4 damage per level to one target once per encounter. The mage can cast magic missile and do 1d4 damage per level to one target once per encounter. The cleric can cast inflict light wounds and do ad4 damage per level to one target once per encounter.

This is called "balance".

 

[rogueknight333]

Doesn't seem like the approach should be different from any other make-a-pc-and-gather-companions D&D game; balance around a well-rounded party of companions.

Why would anyone play a balanced party in NWN2 instead of just playing a party consisting entirely of Clerics and crushing everything easily?

To put it another way (since "balance" seems to be something of a loaded word here), if the game provides multiple OP abilities that constitute an "I win" button for any encounter not specifically designed to counter them, that is a complication for someone trying to make encounters that are actually challenging. By itself, it is not necessarily a fatal complication, and it is not as if NWN2 were the only game in which this happens either, but it is a factor on top of other issues with that game.

...This is called "balance".

I am not sure if this is directed specifically at me, but if so, it is certainly not what I would call "balance," nor do I have any use for 4E. To my mind class balance means that every class brings some unique and important asset to the table, so for any class there is an objective reason why one would want to play it in preference to any other (and also a reason to not play it, since in this scenario each class would also be lacking some important advantage). The more qualitatively different the advantages of the different classes, the better. This does tend to be a bit difficult to achieve in CRPGs specifically, since most of them unfortunately tend to provide very little to do with non-combat skills, so assessing the value of a class often does end up being reduced to simply a calculation of DPS.

 

[Roguey]

Why would anyone play a balanced party in NWN2 instead of just playing a party consisting entirely of Clerics and crushing everything easily?

The OC, Mask of the Betrayer, and Mysteries of Westgate only give you one cleric companion. In a hypothetical campaign, even one SoZ-style, one could restrict resting in combat areas (SoZ made a feeble attempt at this, undercut by its small dungeons).

 

[fantadomat]

I would welcome a nw2 ee with tougher battles.

And cut ork mountains.

 

[Infinitron]

Lol Daigle is quitting!! It's the end of an era for Beamdog.



http://blog.beamdog.com/2018/08/august-17-livestream-recap.html

August 17 Livestream Recap


“The 2.5 update is done, it is out! Go play it!” ~ Phil

Last week Beamdog CEO Trent Oster and Studio Director Phillip Daigle talked about studio news and updates on Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear and Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition. They were joined by Symphony, a prolific Neverwinter Nights modder, for a Skype interview.

Missed the stream ? It's on YouTube and Twitch! Here's a quick summary of the highlights:

• Beamdog is going to PAX West in less than 2 weeks! Visit our panel at September, 1 at 1pm PT. Not going to PAX? We’ll be streaming the panel live on the Beamdog Twitch and on twitch.tv/PAX2! RSVP to the livestream on the Eventbrite or Facebook events!
• If you’re local to Edmonton, visit our booth at Edmonton Expo in September! Watch out for a special Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear Collector’s Edition sale there!
• Sign up for our newsletter! If you sign up before August 28, 2018, you’ll enter a draw to win a fantasy portrait of a photo by your choosing! Your Baldur’s Gate style portrait might make it into the Enhanced Edition family of games!
• We’re still hiring! Come work with us on D&D titles and more!

“The 2.5 update resolved around 1640 issues!” ~ Trent

• The much-anticipated 2.5 updates for Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear are out! Check out the full patch notes, enjoy the new features, and share your feedback on our forums!
• The final 2.5 patch for Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition is released as well! It contains an optional setting which lets you to see an area-of-effect of the spell you’re going to cast! Try it and let us know your thoughts in the forums!
• The 2.5 updates for BG:EE, BGII:EE, and IWD:EE should come to the Mac App Store this week!
• We want to give a shout-out to Pete Camagna, our Technical Designer on Infinity Engine games. Thanks for all the work, Pete, you’re an incredible source of energy and positivity!
• The Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition build for GOG is being tested. Watch out for more news on that front soon!
• We’ve added Enhanced Greatsword models to the NWN:EE Steam Workshop!
• Our live team on Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition is looking at the graphics engine and next-gen features. All our graphics programmers will be sitting down together soon to decide on what we can and cannot do in this regard. The current goal for NWN:EE going forward is to upgrade the graphics engine and update the lighting model.
• After adding 64-bit support for Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition we plan to continue supporting both 64-bit and 32-bit.
• We have an internal ticket for adding achievements to Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition. Our technical artists are looking into what these achievements will be like.
• The team at Beamdog is continuing to grow! There’re 44 of us at the moment, and will be 45 in September!

“Making music for a persistent world didn’t work, so I started modding” ~ Symphony

• Symphony is one of the most prominent members of the Neverwinter Nights community, a programmer, a modder, and a member of the Advisory Board on Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition. Check out his blog about making skyboxes in NWN:EE better.
• Symphony is trying to encourage other people doing modding, and according to him creating content for Neverwinter Nights is fairly easy. The NWN Toolset can be a little scary at the first look, but actually playing the game can help players to become experienced on how to work on the Toolset.
• Symphony agrees that “NWSync” is going to be the biggest change in Neverwinter Nights since Hordes of the Underdark. Everyone will get the same version of files needed to play on a server of your choice.
• We’ll be bringing more people from the community to talk to during our livestreams. Stay tuned!

“Good luck, Phil! It’s been great 8 years!” ~ Trent

• We’re saying farewell to our beloved Studio Director Phil Daigle. He's been with us for 8 incredible years, and has been instrumental in our game development and the Beamdog journey. We’re so grateful for all you gave to us, Phil! We wish you every success on your new adventure!

Excited for what’s next? Come and join the next livestream this Friday!

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

• We’re saying farewell to our beloved Studio Director Phil Daigle. He's been with us for 8 incredible years, and has been instrumental in our game development and the Beamdog journey. We’re so grateful for all you gave to us, Phil! We wish you every success on your new adventure!

What they actually developed? :D

 

[Deleted member 7219]

They developed Siege of Dragonspear, albeit an expansion.

 

[aweigh]

SoD is RPGMaker-tier in terms of "development" credit.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

What they actually developed?

A shitty reputation.

 

[Lacrymas]

They developed Siege of Dragonspear, albeit an expansion.

It's more like a mod than anything else, though. They only created the content, but everything else, like the combat and engine, is Bioware's work. So I don't know if that lets them off the hook.

 

[ortucis]

We’re saying farewell to our beloved Studio Director Phil Daigle. He's been with us for 8 incredible years, and has been instrumental in our game development and the Beamdog journey. We’re so grateful for all you gave to us, Phil! We wish you every success on your new adventure!

I mean, he spent 8 years updating another developer's work and creating a forgetful shitty expansion for an old game that barely sells now.

No wonder the guy is leaving. Probably will have better luck getting press designing a sequel to Depression Quest.

 

[Cael]

I would welcome a nw2 ee with tougher battles.

And cut ork mountains.

Cut half the damned companions. Seriously. It was horrendously dumb at the end of it when you have 12 companions and can only take 3 for the ride at any one time. Few of them had a plot that was tied to the main quest. Bishop, Casavir, Qara, the Golem, the Githzerai, all are superfluous to the plot after their sections. The gnome gets a pass because he is actually good at his role (comic relief). Make Ammon a sorceror instead of a warlock and you have a member that can actually pull his weight at the end game instead of being dead weight.

 

[laclongquan]

It is at least in part due to the utterly broken class balance. NWN2 showcases 3E's feature bloat at its worst. Tons of PRCs, spells, feats, some of which are OP and others useless junk. Try to make something that can challenge a party of Cleric and Bard builds and you risk making something impossible for parties made up of mere mortals.

Doesn't seem like the approach should be different from any other make-a-pc-and-gather-companions D&D game; balance around a well-rounded party of companions.

Don't burst the bubble of dramaqueens. To them, the sword is as mighty as the fireball.

Which, ultimately, why shit like 4th Ed exists.

As I have posted before:
The fighter can kick and do 1d4 damage per level to one target once per encounter. The mage can cast magic missile and do 1d4 damage per level to one target once per encounter. The cleric can cast inflict light wounds and do ad4 damage per level to one target once per encounter.

This is called "balance".

This is a wrong example. I will not argue about the other point, but the example was use in the wrong way.

The difference between a Fighter class and Mage is a full suit of armor, possibly shield and one hand weapon, or a two hand weapons. IN which case it is fairly high AC, 1d6 damage of a basic sword, or slightly lower AC with 1d12 damage in melee combat and the possibility of long slugfest. Mage can not wear full suit, shouldnt use shield (because arcane gesture) and maybe use 2h staff. On the other hand, in melee combat he can at least slab your face full of magic missile or a chromatic orb, or fry you with burning hands (fast casting animation spells). In which case damage can be slightly higher before the mage die (getting hit due to low AC). Also, a mage got a lot of utility compared to a fighter. most of what other classes can do can be replicated with spells.

The difference between Fighter class and a Cleric is a higher rate to hit , higher damage (martial weapon compared to simple weapon), better HP compared to a lesser version of fighter with plentiful of spells. A cleric can buff themselves up to be nearly comparable to a Fighter of same level, but not the HP amount, the weapon mastery...

YOu say like "balance" mean the three class is the same, or at least can deal the same kind of damage. That was a wrong statement , probabbly due to your sucking tactical games. The difference of them is obvious once you use them well in battle with your favourite tactics.

 

[fantadomat]

I would welcome a nw2 ee with tougher battles.

And cut ork mountains.

Cut half the damned companions. Seriously. It was horrendously dumb at the end of it when you have 12 companions and can only take 3 for the ride at any one time. Few of them had a plot that was tied to the main quest. Bishop, Casavir, Qara, the Golem, the Githzerai, all are superfluous to the plot after their sections. The gnome gets a pass because he is actually good at his role (comic relief). Make Ammon a sorceror instead of a warlock and you have a member that can actually pull his weight at the end game instead of being dead weight.

Not really,most rpgs have like 10 companions and you roll out with only a few of them. Should BG cut off half the game because you don't use certain characters??? Only shit part of the games the ork shit,it was far too long and tedious. The rest of the games pretty good and well paced. If you don't like the game,the that is your problem mate,nobody is forcing you to play it.

 

[Cael]

YOu say like "balance" mean the three class is the same, or at least can deal the same kind of damage. That was a wrong statement , probabbly due to your sucking tactical games. The difference of them is obvious once you use them well in battle with your favourite tactics.

I see you failed sarcasm classes.

 

[Cael]

I would welcome a nw2 ee with tougher battles.

And cut ork mountains.

Cut half the damned companions. Seriously. It was horrendously dumb at the end of it when you have 12 companions and can only take 3 for the ride at any one time. Few of them had a plot that was tied to the main quest. Bishop, Casavir, Qara, the Golem, the Githzerai, all are superfluous to the plot after their sections. The gnome gets a pass because he is actually good at his role (comic relief). Make Ammon a sorceror instead of a warlock and you have a member that can actually pull his weight at the end game instead of being dead weight.

Not really,most rpgs have like 10 companions and you roll out with only a few of them. Should BG cut off half the game because you don't use certain characters??? Only shit part of the games the ork shit,it was far too long and tedious. The rest of the games pretty good and well paced. If you don't like the game,the that is your problem mate,nobody is forcing you to play it.

Not so much I don't like them as they don't add to the story. You need Khelgar and Elanee to recruit allies in Act 3. Neeshka and Grobnar are likely to stay around because you were nice to them, probably the first person who ever was. You need Ammon for the last bit. Sand was basically assigned to you.

The rest tagging along were, at best, contrived, although you can make a case for Casavir. Bishop is actually the worst, especially if you are male, going from hating following you to forcefully joining the party in the space of 2 seconds. The Golem added nothing because he is, well, a golem.

The Gith is not required as whatever you do, you will run into Ammon and you really only needed one of them. What made her worse is that they made Ammon is a warlock, one of the weaker classes, and she a cleric, the strongest one. If you had to choose between the two of them, particularly since you are facing undead out the wazoo by that point, you would want a cleric by your side more than a warlock. Taking her out and making Ammon a sorcerer would actually serve the story better as you MUST take him along, which is exactly what the story was building towards. The entire Ammon arc was to make him see how his obssession caused damage that could have been avoided, including the death of Shandra. The Gith actually put a foot through the entire narrative as well.

The Gith was bad plotting.

 

[laclongquan]

YOu say like "balance" mean the three class is the same, or at least can deal the same kind of damage. That was a wrong statement , probabbly due to your sucking tactical games. The difference of them is obvious once you use them well in battle with your favourite tactics.

I see you failed sarcasm classes.

Sarcasm can not win tactical battle. While your message (and your example) may have make sense in the entirely storyfag games, in all game with tactical battles it is wrong.

 

[Cael]

YOu say like "balance" mean the three class is the same, or at least can deal the same kind of damage. That was a wrong statement , probabbly due to your sucking tactical games. The difference of them is obvious once you use them well in battle with your favourite tactics.

I see you failed sarcasm classes.

Sarcasm can not win tactical battle. While your message (and your example) may have make sense in the entirely storyfag games, in all game with tactical battles it is wrong.

You completely missed the point, whether via ignorance due to your lack of English skills or on purpose, I neither know nor care.

Tactical battles has nothing to do with what I said, and I do not need to prove my tactical battle credentials to you or anyone else. Read my write-up of St Louis.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

I am really curious on what they will enhance next.